DAVAO CITY – Major General Jose C. Faustino will assume today, January 25, as the 12th Commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom).
Faustino Jr., used to be the Commander of the 10th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, will assume the Command from BGen. Alfredo V. Rosario who was designated as Acting Commander when Gen. Santos Jr. was appointed as AFP Chief of Staff on January 4, 2020.
The well-accomplished military General made strides in the conduct of focus military operations which resulted in the dismantling of various New People’s Army formations and their shadow government in the different communities in Region XI and XII, said Ezra Balagtey, spokesperson of the command.
He was also at the forefront of pushing the “whole-of-nation approach” to end local communist armed conflict in the said regions and fully supported the localized engagement framework being initiated by the different Local Government Units (LGUs) in his Area of Responsibility. This pushed further 10th ID’s peace gains, leading to the betterment of the security landscape in the region.
According to Balagtey, Faustino is adept in a wide range of peace and security programs not only in Mindanao but in the whole country, having been assigned in the different units of AFP in various capacities.
He once headed the 11th Intelligence Service Unit based in Davao City and fought terrorists in Western Mindanao when he led the 35th Infantry Battalion, and subsequently the 501st Infantry Brigade as Brigade Commander.
After his graduation in the Philippine Military Academy in 1988, MGen. Faustino spent his junior years with the First Scout Ranger Regiment, an elite unit of the Philippine Army deployed in various conflict-affected areas in the country.
His experiences and mentorship skills were also shared in molding future leaders and soldiers of the AFP when he was assigned as Tactical Officer and later on as Commandant of Cadets of the Philippine Military Academy.
Faustino was the supervisor of the Philippine Army soldiers training when he was assigned as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Training of the Headquarters Philippine Army.
Aside from his experience, MGen. Faustino is also equipped with knowledge and skills gained from his schooling both local and abroad.-Jiann A. Padillo
