PRRD names Abu as new PCG chief
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD) has appointed Coast Guard (CG) Vice Admiral Artemio M. Abu of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1992 as the 29th Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) effective Monday, February 28, 2022.
Before the said designation, CG Vice Admiral Abu served as the Commander of the Maritime Safety Services Command (MSSC) and the Task Force Commander of the PCG Task Force “Kaligtasan sa Karagatan” – a unit that ensures the effective enforcement of laws and regulations relevant to the promotion of safety of life and property at sea within the Philippine maritime jurisdiction.
He is a gentleman from Barangay Luta Sur, Malvar, Batangas, and a holder of a Master’s Degree in Marine Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
As a Coast Guard officer, CG Vice Admiral Abu was assigned as commander of the PCG District Southern Visayas, PCG District Southern Tagalog, and the Coast Guard Education, Training, and Doctrine Command (CGETDC).
He also served as Commanding Officer of various PCG ships where he earned the most coveted “Command at Sea” badge. All units that CG Vice Admiral Abu commanded, both ashore and afloat, received the distinction as “Best Unit of the Year” at the national level.
During the Taal Volcano eruption incident in 2020, CG Vice Admiral Abu was designated as the commander of the PCG Task Force Taal which propelled the Coast Guard as a uniformed, maritime, and humanitarian service of the country.
A proud member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1992, CG Vice Admiral Abu was recognized as a Distinguished Cavalier Awardee for 2021 in the field of Coast Guard operation.
The said award is the highest recognition given to PMA alumni for their outstanding achievements in the field of government service.
CG Vice Admiral Abu is married to Mrs. Carlota Vergara Abu and is blessed with four children: Kavin Paul, a Certified Public Accountant; Kariza Pamela, a medical student at the University of the Philippines-Manila; Kurt Patrick, an engineering student at the University of Sto. Tomas; and Karina Paula, a high school student at the De La Salle Lipa.
