Abinoja named interim Coast Guard head

YUL MALICSE

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral Damian L. Carlos said last night that Vice Admiral Danilo A. Abinoja has been designated officer-incharge (OIC) of the PCG.


Carlos turns 56 today, the mandatory retirement age for officers and enlisted personnel of the military and police in the country.

However, he is not yet legally considered retired from the Coast Guard, because it is under the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC), a civilian agency of the government. The retirement age for civilian government employees under the Civil Service Code is 60-65.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) is expected to come out with a decision on the matter.

Abinoja, PCG vice commandant for operations, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1974, of which Carlos is a member of.

There are two reported contenders for the highest PCG post, Abinoja and Rear Admiral Wilfredo D. Tamayo.

Tamayo is the PCG vice commandant for administration and is a graduate of the PMA and United States Coast Guard Academy in 1979.

Abinoja is a distinguished student and educator.

He was the director for training of the Presidential Security Group and head of the Military Strategy Department of the AFP-JSSC and instructor of the Naval Education and Training Command and the Coast Guard Education and Training Command.

Abinoja was the former junior attache of the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. and head of the Philippine Focal Point and Agreement on Combatting Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).

Prior to his designation as PCG OIC, he was chairman of the Country Team Working Group for Maritime Security.


http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN20070927104110.html

Admiral Abinoja, Coast Guard commandant, retires on May 31

Yul Malicse

Admiral Danilo A. Abinoja, the commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), is bowing out of the Coast Guard service on May 31 when he reaches 56, the mandatory retirement age for military, police and coast guard officers and men.

Abinoja, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1974, is considered one of the brilliant officers of the Coast Guard being a top educator in both the Philippine Navy and the Coast Guard. He has also been cited as an effective planner and intelligence and operations officer.

He underwent schooling here and abroad. He is also a recipient of various awards and commendations.

Abinoja has been seeking the passage of the Philippine Coast Guard Bill, which is now pending in Congress.

The PCG is under the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) headed by Secretary Leandro R. Mendoza. It used to be a major unit of the Philippine Navy.

Mendoza, Abinoja, and the latter’s predecessor, retired Admiral Damian Carlos, have long been working for the passage of the PCG bill. In fact, Mendoza had asked President Arroyo to certify the proposed legislation as an "urgent bill."

It was during the time of Abinoja and Carlos when public hearings were held for the bill’s passage. The latest of the public hearings was conducted at the PCG headquarters in Manila, attended by Abinoja, other PCG brass including Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, the PCG vice commandant for operations; Rear Admiral Ramon Liwag, PCG vice commandant for administration; Rear Admiral Alejandro Flora, the commander of the PCG Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Command; Commodore Luis Tuason Jr., commander of the PCG National Capital Region; and House Reps. Eleandro Madrona and Raffy Bisson.

Sources said there are three top contenders to succeed Admiral Abinoja. They are Vice Admiral Tamayo, and Rear Admirals Liwag and Flora.

Tamayo is a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, and belongs to PMA Class 1979 just like Liwag. Flora is also a PMAyer.

Position-wise and seniority-wise, Tamayo has the advantage, considering that he has a three-star rank, while Liwag and Flora both have two-star ranks.

However, sources said it is still President Arroyo who has the final say on the appointment of the next PCG commandant.

http://www.mb.com.ph/archive.php?date=2008-05-29

Former task force commander is new Coast Guard chief
GMANews.TV
GMANews.TV - Tuesday, June 17

MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has appointed Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo as the 22nd commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza announced Monday.

Tamayo has been functioning as PCG officer-in-charge since May 30 following the retirement of Vice Admiral Danilo Abinoja. Tamayo as the new PCG chief vowed to ensure maritime safety through intensified security in ports and improvement in competence of personnel, and would pursue projects that would improve services. "We are specifically tasked to ensure safety and security in our ports and set transportation. This is necessary to help boost development in provinces as part of the President's Nautical Highway program. We will do our best to secure environment for roll-on, roll-off operations," he said. On the first day as permanent commandant of the PCG, Tamayo ordered a tighter watch against oil smuggling, citing the rising world prices of crude oil, amid government efforts to soften the impact of the price hike on consumers. Tamayo is a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy Class of 1979 with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He earned his Master's Degree in Business Administration from La Salle University. He likewise served as the pioneer commander of Task Force Sea Marshal, which is the PCG's major contribution to the government's campaign against terrorism. - GMANews.TV

http://beta.ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20080616...-c-d6cd5cf.html

Unlucky beginning for the CG Chief.