President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Lieutenant General Antonio Nafarrete as the next chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The announcement came on Tuesday, hours before a change-of-command ceremony.
The Department of National Defense announced the appointment of Nafarrete, who currently serves as commanding general of the Philippine Army. He replaces General Romeo Brawner Jr., who retires on July 21 after completing a three-year term under Republic Act No. 11939.
Lieutenant General Donald Gumiran, commander of the Western Mindanao Command, will succeed Nafarrete as head of the Army. The change-of-command and retirement ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City, with President Marcos expected to attend.
Nafarrete is set to serve as AFP chief until July 2029, unless removed from the post. The military continues its shift toward external defense priorities as outlined in the 2023 National Security Policy.
