Lt. Gen. Donald Gumiran officially assumed command as the 68th Commanding General of the Philippine Army during a ceremony at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City on Tuesday, August 11, pledging to prioritize territorial defense and maintain stability during the upcoming inaugural Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.
Gumiran, a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Tanglaw-Diwa” Class of 1992, urged troops to preserve progress in domestic security while shifting focus toward broader external challenges.
He called for actionable, fully tested contingency strategies across all operational levels.
“We have achieved great strides in our internal security efforts. Protect and sustain those gains while we prepare against external security threats,” Gumiran said in his assumption address.
Highlighting immediate operational priorities, the new chief emphasized the military’s obligation to secure the historic Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections scheduled for September 14.
“We must prepare for what the future holds,” Gumiran declared. “In the very near future, among the first instructions of our Commander-in-Chief to the AFP is to ensure the credible, orderly, and peaceful conduct of the historic first BARMM parliamentary elections.”
“The Philippine Army will stand ready to help protect this defining moment, not only as an exercise of democracy, but as a testament to the people’s enduring hope for lasting peace in Mindanao,” he added.
Gumiran previously headed the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) and held leadership roles in the 6th Infantry Division, the 602nd Infantry Brigade, and the 7th and 38th Infantry Battalions.
He succeeds Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, who has taken over as the 61st Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.