Major General Vicente Blanco III was formally welcomed as the 37th Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps during a ceremony in Taguig City. The donning of ranks and assumption of command took place on July 4, 2025, at Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown, Naval Station Jose Francisco, presided over by Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta, the head of the Philippine Navy.
Ezpeleta expressed “full confidence” in Blanco’s leadership, emphasizing his trust in the newly installed Commandant to empower the Marines, officers, enlisted personnel, and civilian human resources under his command. “From this moment forward, you are in charge of leading the Philippine Marine Corps in a dynamic global security environment. As you take the helm, sustain its transformation under the Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy and sharpen the Corps into a force that is not only the most ready, but also the most relevant—whether on land, at sea, or in the littorals,” Ezpeleta stated.
Blanco, a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Sambisig” Class of 1991, graduated 12th out of 218 cadets. A distinguished and combat-hardened marine officer, he has led marine forces in deployments across Sulu, Palawan, Tawi-Tawi, and Quezon, and previously commanded the 4th Marine Brigade. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps.