# Vice-Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

The Vice-Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (VCSAFP) is the second highest military officer in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. As principal assistant of the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, he or she assists in administrative matters and in their operational duties, as well as in policy conceptualization and implementation matters in the AFP, while Chief of Staff focus on military operations and the country's security. The Vice-Chief of Staff also assists the AFP Chief of Staff in their absence and presides the meeting on the AFP Chief of Staff's behalf. The Vice-Chief of Staff holds a rank of 3-star officer as Lieutenant General or Vice Admiral (O-9) and is appointed by the President of the Philippines who is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

## Background

The position of Vice-Chief of Staff can be traced prior the Philippine–American War in 1899 were in General Ambrosio Flores was selected as Assistant Chief of Operations under General Antonio Luna. He took command in acting capacity upon his death in June 1899 until General Aguinaldo took over the command of revolutionary army personally until the end of the war on March 23, 1901, upon the capture of Aguinaldo in Palanan, Isabela.
Under the Commonwealth Act No. 1 or also known as National Defense Act of 1935 the position again was created to assist the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Commonwealth Army. Which led to the creation of three major services in the following years Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Marine Corps. While there were officers from the Philippine Constabulary that became Vice-Chief of Staff, the service has been dissolved and transition to civilian law enforcement service Philippine National Police (PNP). In 1982 Major General Fidel V. Ramos was appointed as Vice-Chief of Staff and concurrent Chief of the Philippine Constabulary and Director General of the Integrated National Police. He was later appointed Chief of Staff after EDSA revolution.
On June 19, 2020, under the DND Order no. 174, the title of Vice-Chief of Staff was renamed as the vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs, while the Chief of Staff as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and The Deputy Chief of Staff as Chief of the Joint Staff. Although the usage of these titles were deferred.

## Organization and term limit

Under the AFP Hierarchy, the Vice-Chief of Staff holds a rank of 3-star general officer rank, either Lieutenant General or Vice Admiral. The Vice-Chief of Staff of the AFP is nominated by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the AFP Board of Generals and will also be required to be subject to hearings under the Commission on Appointments for them to be formally approved in their positions. The Vice-Chief of Staff has no fixed term and is subject to mandatory retirement upon reaching the age of 57 under the Republic Act No. 11939 and is also eligible to be appointed as the AFP Chief of Staff, unless appointed by the president.

## Officeholders

This is the list of officers who were appointed as Vice-Chief of Staff or Acting Capacity. In all 9 came from Philippine Constabulary before it was deactivated, 29 from the Philippine Army, 2 from Philippine Marine Corps, 6 from the Philippine Air Force, and 6 from the Philippine Navy.
| No. | Vice-Chief of Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Service Branch |
| 1 | Flores, AmbrosioBrigadier General Ambrosio Flores (March 20, 1843–June 12, 1912) Assistant Chief of War Operations | June 6, 1898 | January 4, 1900 | 1 year, 4 days | Philippine Revolutionary Army |
| 2 | Valdes, BasilioBrigadier General Basilio Valdes | January 11, 1935 | December 28, 1938 | 3 years, 351 days | Philippine Constabulary |
| 3 | Lim, VicenteBrigadier General Vicente Lim (1892–1945) | January 11, 1938 | May 4, 1942 | 3 years, 83 days | Philippine Army |
| 4 | Castañeda, MarianoBrigadier General Mariano Castañeda (December 20, 1892–September 8, 1970) Served as concurrent Provost Marshal and Chief of Constabulary | January 11, 1946 | December 21, 1948 | 2 years, 345 days | Philippine Constabulary |
| 5 | Duque, CalixtoBrigadier General Calixto Duque | January 11, 1949 | May 4, 1951 | 2 years, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 6 | Vargas, JesusBrigadier General Jesus Vargas | January 11, 1951 | May 4, 1953 | 2 years, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 7 | Balao, EulogioBrigadier General Eulogio Balao | January 1, 1954 | December 31, 1956 | 2 years, 365 days | Philippine Constabulary |
| 8 | Arellano, AlfonsoMajor General Alfonso Arellano | January 1, 1957 | December 31, 1957 | 364 days | Philippine Constabulary |
| 9 | Cabal, ManuelMajor General Manuel Cabal | January 1, 1958 | December 31, 1959 | 1 year, 354 days | Philippine Constabulary |
| 10 | Cruz, PelagioMajor General Pelagio Cruz | January 1, 1959 | May 4, 1961 | 2 years, 123 days | Philippine Air Force |
| 11 | Santos, AlfredoMajor General Alfredo Santos | May 4, 1961 | May 4, 1962 | 1 year, 0 days | Philippine Army |
| 12 | De Veyra, AntonioMajor General Antonio De Veyra | May 4, 1962 | July 12, 1964 | 2 years, 69 days | Philippine Army |
| 14 | Molina, PedroMajor General Pedro Molina | July 12, 1964 | May 4, 1965 | 296 days | Philippine Air Force |
| 12 | Lapus, IsmaelMajor General Ismael Lapus | May 4, 1965 | July 12, 1966 | 1 year, 69 days | Philippine Army |
| 14 | Osias, VictorMajor General Victor Osias | July 12, 1966 | August 16, 1967 | 1 year, 35 days | Philippine Air Force |
| 15 | Velasco, SegundoLieutenant General Segundo Velasco | August 16, 1967 | January 11, 1968 | 148 days | Philippine Constabulary |
| 16 | Tobias, GaudencioMajor General Gaudencio Tobias | January 11, 1968 | May 4, 1969 | 1 year, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 16 | Espino, RomeoMajor General Romeo Espino | May 4, 1969 | May 4, 1972 | 3 years, 0 days | Philippine Army |
| 17 | Ileto, RafaelLieutenant General Rafael Ileto | January 11, 1975 | May 4, 1981 | 6 years, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 19 | Ramos, FidelLieutenant General Fidel V. Ramos concurrent Chief of Constabulary and Director of Integrated National Police. He was Acting AFP Chief of Staff (1984-1985) | January 11, 1982 | February 26, 1986 | 4 years, 56 days | Philippine Constabulary |
| 20 | Mison, SalvadorLieutenant General Salvador M. Mison | January 11, 1986 | May 4, 1988 | 2 years, 114 days | Philippine Army |
| 21 | De Villa, RenatoLieutenant General Renato de Villa | January 11, 1986 | March 4, 1988 | 2 years, 113 days | Philippine Constabulary |
| 22 | Eduardo, ErmitaMajor General Eduardo Ermita | March 4, 1988 | May 4, 1990 | 114 days | Philippine Army |
| 23 | Biazon, RodolfoLieutenant General Rodolfo Biazon | January 11, 1990 | May 4, 1991 | 1 year, 113 days | Philippine Marine Corps |
| 24 | Flores, GuillermoMajor General Guillermo Flores | March 4, 1990 | May 4, 1992 | 2 years, 114 days | Philippine Army |
| 25 | Filler, AlbertoLieutenant General Alberto Filler | January 11, 1993 | May 4, 1994 | 3 years, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 26 | Mariano, ClementeLieutenant General Clemente Mariano | January 11, 1996 | May 4, 1997 | 1 year, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 27 | Villareal, IsmaelLieutenant General Ismael Villareal | January 11, 1997 | July 16, 1998 | 1 year, 186 days | Philippine Army |
| 28 | Fernandez, LuisitoVice Admiral Luisito Fernandez | February 04, 1998 | January 15, 1999 | 227 days | Philippine Navy |
| - | Ma. Santos, EduardoVice Admiral Eduardo Maria Santos (Acting Capacity & concurrent Navy Flag Officer in Command) | January 1, 1999 | April 16, 1999 | 105 days | Philippine Navy |
| 29 | Mayo, VictorLieutenant General Victor Mayo | August 11, 1999 | April 12, 2000 | 252 days | Philippine Army |
| 30 | Calimlim, JoseLieutenant General Jose Calimlim | April 12, 2000 | June 4, 2001 | 1 year, 22 days | Philippine Army |
| 31 | Camiling, GregorioLieutenant General Gregorio Camiling | October 1, 2001 | November 15, 2002 | 1 year, 45 days | Philippine Army |
| 32 | Garcia, RodolfoLieutenant General Rodolfo Garcia | January 11, 2004 | May 4, 2005 | 2 years, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 33 | Delos Reyes, AristonVice Admiral Ariston Delos Reyes (born February 16, 1950) | July 04, 2004 | February 16, 2006 | 1 year, 227 days | Philippine Navy |
| 34 | Romero, AntonioLieutenant General Antonio Romero | April 30, 2006 | May 07, 2008 | 2 years, 7 days | Philippine Army |
| 35 | Luna, CardozoLieutenant General Cardozo Luna | January 11, 2008 | May 4, 2009 | 1 year, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 36 | Maclang, RodrigoLieutenant General Rodrigo Maclang | April 30, 2009 | June 9, 2010 | 1 year, 40 days | Philippine Army |
| 37 | Ochoa, NestorLieutenant General Nestor Z. Ochoa Acting Chief of Staff (April 2010 - July 2010) | June 9, 2010 | May 4, 2011 | 1 year, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| - | Catacutan, MarioRear Admiral Mario Catacutan Acting Vice-Chief & concurrent Deputy Chief of Staff | June 30, 2010 | July 2, 2010 | 1 year, 0 days | Philippine Navy |
| 38 | Mapagu, ReynaldoLieutenant General Reynaldo Mapagu | June 17, 2011 | October 12, 2012 | 1 year, 275 days | Philippine Army |
| 39 | Coballes, NoelLieutenant General Noel Coballes (born 1958) | October 19, 2012 | January 22, 2013 | 95 days | Philippine Army |
| 40 | Luga, AlanLieutenant General Alan Luga | February 5, 2013 | May 12, 2014 | 2 years, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 41 | Catapang, GregorioLieutenant General Gregorio Catapang Jr. | February 14, 2014 | July 18, 2014 | 2 years, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 42 | Bonafos, JohnLieutenant General John S. Bonafos | January 11, 2015 | October 16, 2015 | 2 years, 113 days | Philippine Army |
| 43 | Tanalgo, RomeoLieutenant General Romeo Tanalgo concurrent Commandant Philippine Marine Corps until 2016 | October 16, 2015 | March 10, 2016 | 202 days | Philippine Marine Corps |
| 44 | Miranda, GloriosoLieutenant General Glorioso Miranda (born October 8, 1961) Acting AFP Chief of Staff April 12, 2016 - June 30, 2016 | March 10, 2016 | January 12, 2017 | 310 days | Philippine Army |
| 45 | Mison, Salvador JrLieutenant General Salvador Melchor B. Mison Jr | January 11, 2019 | May 4, 2020 | 1 year, 114 days | Philippine Air Force |
| 46 | Collado, GaudencioVice Admiral Gaudencio Collado | June 20, 2019 | November 21, 2020 | 1 year, 154 days | Philippine Navy |
| 47 | Gloria, EricksonLieutenant General Erickson Gloria | November 21, 2019 | September 9, 2022 | 2 years, 292 days | Philippine Air Force |
| - | Reyes, Rommel AnthonyVice Admiral Rommel Anthony SD Reyes Acting Capacity | September 9, 2022 | November 22, 2022 | 74 days | Philippine Navy |
| 48 | Cordura, ArthurLieutenant General Arthur Cordura | November 22, 2022 | December 19, 2024 | 2 years, 116 days | Philippine Air Force |