Macairog Alberto

Macairog Alberto
Macairog Alberto
	LtGen. Macairog Alberto in 2018
Philippine Ambassador to Israel
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; March 12, 2020
Preceded by	Nathaniel G. Imperial
Commanding General of the Philippine Army
	In office; October 15, 2018 – December 6, 2019
President	Rodrigo Duterte
Preceded by	Lt. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista
Succeeded by	Lt. Gen. Gilbert I. Gapay
Personal details
Born	Macairog Sabiniano Alberto; December 6, 1963 (age 60); Quezon City, Philippines
Alma mater	Philippine Military Academy
Military service
Allegiance	Philippines
Branch/service	Philippine Army
Years of service	1986–2019
Rank	Lieutenant General
Unit	Commanding General of the Philippine Army; Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines; Department of Ground Warfare (PMA); 1001 Infantry Brigade, 10 ID; AFP Task Force Davao; Scout Ranger Training School Commandant; 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion, 1st SRR; 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion, 1st SRR; Intelligence Officer of the Battalion Peace Keeping Contingent of the Philippines
Battles/wars	Moro conflict ; Communist rebellion in the Philippines ; International Force East Timor ; Battle of Marawi

Macairog Sabiniano Alberto is a Filipino retired general and diplomat who served as the former Commanding General of the Philippine Army. He is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy "Sinagtala" Class of 1986.^[1]

Alberto's previous commands include the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), as well as the 2nd and 3rd Scout Ranger Battalions.^[2]^[3]

On March 2, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Alberto as the new Ambassador to Israel.^[4]

Education

Alberto is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy "Sinagtala" Class of 1986; other training programs he has completed include the Scout Ranger Course, Command and General Staff Course (Second highest in his class), Strategic Intel Course, Counterterrorism Fellowship Program in the US, and Public Management Major in Development and Security at the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP). Alberto also holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the National Defense University in Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[5]

Military career

Lieutenant General Alberto's career started when he served as a Platoon Leader, then a Company Commander at the 2nd Infantry Division (Philippines). Afterwards, Alberto also became a member of the Special Forces as he joined the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment and became a Battalion Commander of two Scout Ranger Battalions; namely the 2nd and 3rd Scout Ranger Battalions, as a lieutenant colonel.

Throughout his career, Alberto was assigned from infantry, intelligence, staff, and special forces positions, and was well-respected among his peers and subordinates. Alberto also served as an Intelligence Officer for the Philippine Contingent in East Timor from 1999–2000. Alberto also headed the Department of Ground Warfare at the Philippine Military Academy, and served as Commandant of the Scout Ranger Training School.^[1]

Alberto became the 9th Commander of Task Force Davao in June 2014 and became the Brigade Commander of the 1001 Infantry Brigade of the 10th Infantry Division. Alberto was later appointed as the Chief of the Intelligence Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), in August 2017.^[6]^[7] As the commander of the ISAFP, he launched intelligence operations against the New People's Army communist groups, and the Maute group-Abu Sayyaf terrorist groups. Alberto also led intelligence operations throughout the Battle of Marawi against the terrorist's commanders Omar Maute, Abdullah Maute, and Isnilon Hapilon.

Alberto was appointed as the Commanding General of the Philippine Army on October 15, 2018, where he earned his third star and was promoted to lieutenant general.^[1]^[3] As the Army's commanding general, he continued initiating reforms by his predecessors, and crafted new doctrines and strategies in engaging both internal and external defense operations, as part of the lessons made during the Marawi Siege. Alberto also oversaw the army's upgraded aviation arm, the Army Aviation Regiment, and also supervised the army's newly created new units as part of the army's modernization programs, such as the 11th Infantry Division, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, and new artillery battery units, namely the 1st Multiple Launch Rocket System Battery, the 2nd Multiple Launch Rocket System Battery, 1st Land-based Missile System Battery, 1st Field Artillery (155mm Self Propelled) Battery, and the 2nd Field Artillery (155mm Self Propelled) Battery, which gave the army time to train, adapt and create measures in preparation of the acquisition of the army's new assets.^[8]^[9] Alberto retired from military service on December 6, 2019 and was replaced by then-unified command commander of the AFP Southern Luzon Command, Lieutenant General Gilbert I. Gapay.