Robert Empedrad

Robert A. Empedrad
Robert A. Empedrad
	Vice Admiral Empedrad with Admiral John C. Aquilino of the United States Pacific Fleet
Administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; March 2, 2020
President	Rodrigo Duterte
Preceded by	Rey Leonardo Guerrero; Narciso A. Vingson Jr. (OIC)
37th Flag Officer-in-Command of the Philippine Navy
	In office; December 19, 2017 – February 3, 2020
President	Rodrigo Duterte
Preceded by	V. Adm. Ronald Joseph Mercado
Succeeded by	V. Adm. Giovanni Bacordo
Personal details
Born	February 3, 1964 (age 60); Tuguegarao, Cagayan, Philippines
Alma mater	Philippine Military Academy
Military service
Allegiance	Philippines
Branch/service	Philippine Navy
Years of service	1986–2020
Rank	Vice Admiral
Unit	Flag Officer-in-Command of the Philippine Navy; Deputy Chief of Staff for Reservist and Retirees Affairs (J9); Offshore Combat Force; Naval Operations Center; BRP Dagupan City (LS-551); BRP Iloilo (PS-32) ; BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20); BRP Abraham Campo; BRP Felix Apolinario (PC-395)
Battles/wars	Moro conflict ; CPP-NPA-NDF rebellion

Robert Arugay Empedrad (born February 3, 1964) is a retired Philippine Navy admiral who is the incumbent Administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).^[1]^[2] He previously served as the Flag Officer-in-Command of the Philippine Navy from 2017 to 2020. He is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy "Sinagtala" Class of 1986.^[3]

Education and career

Robert Empedrad first studied at Tuguegarao North Central School, and at Cagayan National High School. He also studied Civil Engineering at the Saint Louis University (Philippines) at Baguio City and applied in the Philippine Military Academy in 1982, and graduated in 1986. He also earned a Master in Business Administration, at the Philippine Christian University, Dasmariñas, Cavite, and took the US Naval Staff Course at US Naval War College, in Newport, Rhode Island, as well as took the Senior Executive Course for National University and Senior Strategic Leadership Programme at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.^[4]

He commanded various ships and naval task forces in the Philippine Navy, in leading ships like the BRP Felix Apolinario (PC-395), BRP Abraham Campo, BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20), BRP Iloilo, BRP Dagupan City (LS-551), and task forces in the Naval Forces Western Mindanao like NTG 62.1, NTG 62.2, the Naval Task Force Sea Hawk, Naval Task Group 72.^[3]

He also commanded various positions in the Philippine Navy such as, Chief of Staff of Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (2006–2007), Director, Naval Operations Center (2007), Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Intelligence, N2 (2007–2009), Deputy Commander of Naval Intelligence Security Force (2009), Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Personnel, N1 (2009–2011), Deputy Commander of Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (2011–2013), Commander, Bonifacio Naval Station (2013–2015), the Commander, Offshore Combat Force, Philippine Fleet (Feb 2015 – Dec 2016), the Deputy, Commander Philippine Fleet (Dec 2016 –Feb 2017) and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Reservist and Retirees Affairs, J9 at General Headquarters and Headquarters Service Command (GHQ & HSC). As well as the Chairman of Defense Acquisition System Assessment Team (DASAT), in charge of the updates on Navy Ships and the Frigate Acquisition Project, which came to a controversy that replaced his predecessor Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado for alleged insubordination over the controversy regarding the Jose Rizal-class frigates.^[5]^[6]