Vice Admiral PAMA, a native of Passi, Iloilo, graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1979. He joined the Philippine Navy after graduation from PMA and achieved a well-rounded naval career having successfully completed shipboard and shore assignments prior his appointment as the 32nd Flag Officer In Command of the Philippine Navy.

            For his shipboard assignments, he commanded six (6) Philippine Navy Vessels namely: BRP San Antonio Abad (AM 701), BRP Manuel Gomez (PG 388), BRP   Bienvenido Salting (PG 112), BRP Sultan Kudarat (PS22), BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS 36), and BRP Ang Pangulo (AT 25). His other at sea commands include the Naval Task Groups 61.1 and 61.2 (Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi), and the Anti-Terrorism Task Group, the Naval Task Group “Stingray”.

            His shore assignments include serving in the Headquarters, Philippine Navy as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Intelligence, N2 and concurrently the Commander, Naval Intelligence Security Force, as Superintendent, Naval School Center, Naval Education and Training Command, and in the Naval Operational Commands as Commander, Naval Forces Western Mindanao concurrently as Commander, Joint Task Force “Trillium” (Zamboanga-Basilan). At the General Headquarters, Armed Forces of the Philippines, he served as Operations Control Division Chief, Office of DCS for Intelligence, J-2 and as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, J5. In the Department of National Defense, he was both the Senior Military Assistant and Chief of Staff to the Secretary of National Defense. Most recently, he was the Philippine Navy’s Inspector General and as the Vice Commander, Philippine Navy.

In the course of his naval career, he underwent and excelled in various military and civilian education and training courses, local and foreign, among which are Naval Command and Staff Course, Naval Command and General Staff Course, Naval Command Staff Course at the US Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, USA, Course in National Security at the Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany, Strategic Intelligence Course at the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington D.C., USA and Psychological Operations Course at the US Army Kennedy Special Warfare School, FT. Bragg, N.C., USA. He is a Master in Business Administration candidate of the Ateneo de Manila University.

His decorations include the Philippine Legion of Honor (Degree of Officer), 5 Distinguished Service Stars, 2 Distinguished Navy Crosses, an Outstanding Achievement Medal, the Silver Wing Medal, the Senior Command-at-Sea Badge, the Honorary Marine Command Badge (Brigade Level), and numerous other military campaign medals and decorations.