By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The district commander of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Western Visayas has been promoted to the next higher rank.

Captain Edgar Ybañez, district commander of Coast Guard District Western Visayas (CGDWV), has been promoted to the rank of commodore alongside three other PCG captains.

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the promotion of the four following a recommendation by Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade.

Ybañez, who hails from Quezon City, was part of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1993.

He previously served as station commander of the PCG stations in Bacolod City, Caticlan and Dumaguit in Aklan, as well as station commander in Basco, Batanes.

He also previously served at the Coast Guard Marine Environmental Protection Command, Coast Guard Education, Training, and Doctrine Command, and the PCG National Headquarters.

He also served as commanding officer for three of the PCG’s capital ships.

Prior to his assignment to Western Visayas, Ybañez also served as district commander of Coast Guard District Northeastern Luzon.

Ybañez became the CGDWV’s district commander last October 5 replacing Commodore Hostillo Arturo Cornelio who became the commander of Coast Guard District National Capital Region-Central Luzon./DGB, WDJ