AFP Southern Luzon Command (original) (raw)

Philippine Military's unified branch command for Southern Luzon

Southern Luzon Command
Coat of Arms of the AFP Southern Luzon Command
Active	1 January 1987 – 15 January 2001; 27 March 2001 – Present
Country	Philippines
Role	Conventional and Unconventional Warfare, Anti-Guerrilla Operations
Part of	Armed Forces of the Philippines
Garrison/HQ	Camp Guillermo Nakar, Lucena City
Nickname	SOLCOM
Motto	Katapangan (Valor)
Mascot	Dagger
Anniversaries	January 1
Engagements	Anti-guerilla operations against the NPA and local criminal elements
Decorations	Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge
Commanders
Currentcommander	Lt.Gen. Cerilo C. Balaoro Jr. [1]
Notablecommanders	LtGen. Ricardo Visaya, AFP LtGen. Delfin Bangit, AFP LtGen. Alexander Yano, AFP LtGen. Pedro R. Cabuay, AFP MGen. Roy Kyamko, AFP MGen. Ernesto Carolina MGen. Narciso Abaya, AFP MGen. Diomedio Villanueva, AFP MGen. Voltaire Gazmin, AFP MGen. Clemente Mariano, AFP BGen. Raymundo Jarque, AFP MGen. Restituto Padilla, AFP BGen. Alejandro A. Galido, AFPMGen. Antonio R. Samonte, AFP
Insignia
Unit Patch	Southern Luzon Command Emblem

Military unit

The Southern Luzon Command (abbrv. as SOLCOM) is the Armed Forces of the Philippines' unified command in charge of the Calabarzon, Mimaropa and the Bicol region but excludes the Palawan Islands. It is responsible for the defense of these areas against external aggression, as well as combating terrorism and insurgency.

Their mission is to conduct sustained Internal Security Operations (ISO) in Southern Luzon to neutralize the Communist-Terrorist Movement (CTM) and reduce their operational capabilities. One of their missions is to support local Law Enforcement as well as the Philippine National Police in containing the NPA while supporting the peace process; and destroy the JI network operating in their AOR. This is needed to establish a secured backdoor to mainland Luzon and maintain a physically & psychologically sound environment conducive to growth and development in this southernmost part of the island.

Lineage of Commanding Generals

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• MGen. Restituto G. Padilla, AFP – (01 January 1987 – 30 June 1987)
• MGen. Antonio R. Samonte, AFP – (01 July 1987 – 25 March 1988)
• BGen. Alejandro A. Galido, AFP – (26 March 1988 – 26 January 1990)
• BGen. Evaristo G. Carino, AFP – (27 January 1990 – 18 March 1990)
• BGen. Federico F. Ruiz, AFP – (19 March 1990 – 22 March 1992)
• MGen. Cesar F. Fortuno, AFP – (23 March 1992 – 31 March 1993)
• BGen. Raymundo T. Jarque, AFP – (31 March 1993 – 30 January 1994)
• MGen. Oswaldo P. Villanueva, AFP – (08 March 1994 – 20 July 1995)
• MGen. Clemente P. Mariano, AFP – (23 July 1995 – 19 March 1996)
• MGen. Jose Maria G. Solquillo, AFP – (15 March 1996 – 22 April 1997)
• MGen. Samuel T. Dunque, AFP – (22 June 1997 – 27 August 1998)
• MGen. Voltaire T. Gazmin, AFP – (21 September 1998 – 16 July 1999)
• MGen. Diomedio P. Villanueva, AFP – (16 July 1999 – 01 March 2000)
• MGen. Jose S. Lachica, AFP – (01 March 2000 – 16 March 2001)
• MGen. Narciso L. Abaya, AFP – (28 March 2001 – 12 December 2001)
• MGen. Ernesto G. Carolina, AFP – (13 December 2001 – 21 May 2002)
• MGen. Roy V. Kyamko, AFP – (23 May 2002 – 11 May 2003)
• LtGen. Alfonso P. Dagudag, AFP – (12 May 2003 – 26 October 2004)
• LtGen. Pedro R. Cabuay, AFP – (26 October 2004 – 30 July 2006)
• LtGen. Alexander B. Yano, AFP – (31 July 2006 – 24 August 2007) [2][3]
• LtGen. Rodolfo S. Obaniana, AFP – (25 August 2007 – 06 May 2008 ) [4][5]
• LtGen. Delfin N. Bangit, AFP – (06 May 2008 – 01 May 2009) [6]
• LtGen. Roland M. Detabali, AFP – (01 May 2009 – 16 July 2012) [7]
• MGen. Eduardo D. del Rosario, AFP – (16 July 2012 – 28 September 2012) (acting)
• MGen. Alan R. Luga, AFP – (28 September 2012 – 04 March 2013) [8]
• LtGen. Caesar Ronnie F. Ordoyo, AFP – (04 March 2013 – 08 September 2014) [9]
• LtGen. Ricardo R. Visaya, AFP – (08 September 2014 – 01 July 2016)
• MGen. Romeo G. Gan, AFP – (01 July 2016 – 15 August 2016) (acting) [10]
• LtGen. Ferdinand F. Quidilla, AFP – (15 August 2016 – 18 August 2017) [11]
• LtGen. Benjamin R. Madrigal Jr., AFP – (18 August 2017 – 14 December 2017) [12]
• LtGen. Danilo G. Pamonag, AFP – (14 December 2017 – 15 January 2019) [13][14]
• LtGen. Gilbert I. Gapay, AFP – (15 January 2019 – 06 December 2019) [15]
• MGen. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr., AFP – (06 December 2019 – 17 January 2020) (acting)
• LtGen. Antonio G. Parlade Jr., AFP – (17 January 2020 – 24 July 2021) [16]
• LtGen. Bartolome Vicente O. Bacarro, AFP – (24 July 2021 – 08 August 2022) [17]
• BGen. Armand M. Arevalo, AFP – (08 August 2022 – 25 November 2022) (acting)
• LtGen. Efren P. Baluyot, AFP – (25 November 2022 – 02 March 2024)
• LtGen. Facundo O. Palafox IV, AFP - (02 March 2024 - 01 May 2025)[18]
• BGen. Aldwine I Almase, AFP - (01 May 2025 - 07 July 2025) (acting)[19]
• LtGen. Cerilo C. Balaoro Jr., AFP (07 July 2025 - Present) [1]

The following are the units that are under the Southern Luzon Command.

• 2nd Infantry (Jungle Fighter) Division, PA
• 9th Infantry (SPEAR) Division, PA
• Naval Forces Southern Luzon, PN
• Tactical Operations Wing Southern Luzon, PAF
• Anti-guerrilla operations against the New People's Army
• Anti-terrorist operations against known terror groups operating in their AOR.

Awards and decorations

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Award Streamer	Streamer Name	Operation	Date Awarded	Reference
	Presidential Unit Citation Badge	SAR/DRR Ops, TS Ketsana	4 February 2010	General Orders No. 112, GHQ-AFP, dtd 04 Feb '10
	Presidential Unit Citation Badge	General Elections, Philippines	1 July 2010	General Orders No. 641, GHQ-AFP, dtd 1 July '10

Military Badge	Badge Name	Operation	Date Awarded	Reference
	AFP Election Duty Badge	General Elections, Philippines	21 May 2010	General Orders No. 513, GHQ-AFP, dtd 21 May '10

1. ^ a b "Southern Luzon Command Welcomes New Leadership as LtGen Balaoro Assumes Post".
2. ^ "Arroyo taps 2 retired generals to oversee AFP procurement". Philippine Information Agency. 22 December 2006. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
3. ^ "Solcom chief vows to protect journalists". Philippine Information Agency. 1 September 2006. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
4. ^ "DND announces impending leadership change at AFP". GMA News. 21 August 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
5. ^ "Yano named next Army chief". Philippine Star. 22 August 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
6. ^ "LGen Delfin Bangit Biography". All Partners Access Network. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
7. ^ "SOLCOM chief bowing out of service". Interaksyon. 1 July 2012. Archived from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
8. ^ "MGEN LUGA ACCEPTS NEW POST AS SOLCOM COMMANDER". PIA Sorsogon. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
9. ^ "New SOLCOM chief assumes duty at turn-over of command rites". Balita. 6 March 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
10. ^ "Visit of MGEN ROMEO G GAN AFP, GOIC, SOLCOM". 12 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
11. ^ "Lieutenant General Quidilla takes over the leadership of Southern Luzon Command". 15 August 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
12. ^ "ISAFP chief next 4th ID head". 21 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
13. ^ ""Southern Luzon Change of Command Ceremony"". 18 December 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
14. ^ "Ranking military commanders get new stars". 4 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
15. ^ "Southern Luzon soldiers to be 'guardians of peace,' acting Solcom chief vows". 15 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
16. ^ Gotinga, J. C. "Antonio Parlade Jr is new Southern Luzon military commander". Rappler. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
17. ^ "Parlade retires, Bacarro assumes post as Solcom chief". GMA News. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
18. ^ "AFP welcomes new SOLCOM commander". www.afp.mil.ph.
19. ^ "AFP Honors LtGen Palafox: Carrying Forward a Legacy of Loyalty and Commitment". www.afp.mil.ph.

• Official Site of the AFP SoLCom

13°57′18.04″N 121°36′32.22″E / 13.9550111°N 121.6089500°E / 13.9550111; 121.6089500