BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 13 October 2020 – The Philippine Embassy in Brunei Darussalam welcomed the successful completion of Lt. Col. Frederick D. Pacia (PAF) of the 10^th Command and Staff Course (CSC) of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) in a graduation ceremony held at the RBAF Defence Academy on 08 October 2020.

Lt. Col. Pacia joined 34 other military and police officers composed of 22 Brunei military/police officers and 14 foreign military mid-level officers who completed the 9-month military education course. Brunei’s Second Minister of Defence, Pehin Datu Lailaraja M/Gen (ret.) Dato Seri Paduka Haji Awang Halbi, graced the occasion as Guest of Honor.

Philippine Ambassador Christopher B. Montero and Defense Attaché Col. Jose Ricky A. Laniog were also in attendance at the graduation ceremonies.

“The sessions for the course commenced in January 2020 and continued until September notwithstanding the ongoing pandemic, through a combination of face-to-face and virtual classes,” Ambassador Montero, who served as one of the Guest Lecturers for the course in July 2020, said. “Lt. Col. Pacia’s achievement speaks well of the firm commitment of the Philippines to promote stronger and active military-to-military exchanges with Brunei Darussalam,” the Ambassador concluded.  

Lt. Col. Pacia is the 11^th mid-level officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) who completed the RBAF CSC. Since the inception of the 9-month course in 2010, the AFP has sent a PH participant every year.    

The RBAF CSC is a 40-week, residential military education course developed to local and international mid-level officers in order to prepare them for higher command and staff appointments. The course aims to broaden officers’ perspectives and professional knowledge using tactical and academic approach and disciplines to study the contemporary strategic environment and its implications on their practice as defense and security specialists. END