MANILA — Lt. Gen. Roy Galido on Monday assumed the post as the 66th commanding general of the Philippine Army, the largest branch of the country's military.

Galido was formally installed as Army commander in a change of command ceremony in Taguig City, succeeding Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., who has been serving as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

His assumption came a week since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed him to the post. Marcos himself was in the change of command rites.

• Marcos Jr. appoints new Army commanding general

"I will not fail you," Galido told Marcos in his acceptance speech, which came months after he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general last April.

He also assured that by Marcos' fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2025, the Army would have "better soldiers contributing more for national development."

"Tinatanggap ko po ang responsibilidad na ito nang buong katapatan at pananalig," Galido said.

(I accept this responsibility with full loyalty and trust.)

For his part, Marcos said he was confident that with Galido at the helm, the Army would end the insurgency and terrorism threat in the Philippines, which had been intensified during Brawner's watch.

"I urge everyone to strive towards building an Army that is agile, adaptable, and competitive, works well with partners and stakeholders, and especially our citizens," he added.

Marcos also thanked Brawner for his contributions to the Army, crediting him for establishing "a firm defense against insurgency and terrorism by dismantling guerrilla fronts and intensifying our peace-building efforts."

"To our incoming commanding general, I have worked with you in just a short time but in that little time i have seen you flourish in your command," the President also told Galido.

Before becoming the Army's commanding general, Galido was the commander of the AFP's Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom).

He was also in command when government troops rescued 15 human trafficking victims in Bongao, Tawi-tawi last February.

As commanding general, Galido leads more than 100,000 enlisted personnel of the Philippine Army.