The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday, November 19, named its first female one-star general among its line officers. 

Commodore Mitzie Silva-Campo was named the first female commodore of the PCG from among the line officers. She currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Maritime Security Services. 

Commodore is the fourth highest rank in the coast guard after the admiral, vice admiral, and rear admiral. Campo, however, is not the first female commodore of the PCG. 

Commodore Luz Escarilla and Commodore Fran Eden were the first female commodores but they are considered technical officers, and not general line officers. A line officer exercises general command authority, while technical officers are in charge of some special units in the coast guard, such as medical service. 

A native of Digos City in Davao del Sur, Commodore Campo finished at the top of her class in the Coast Guard Officers Course Class in 2002. 

She obtained a Bachelor of Arts major in English degree with some education units at the Cor Jesu College, Inc. in Digos City. Campo also obtained her juris doctor degree from the same university. 

The newly-promoted commodore also holds a master’s degree in Maritime Law and Policy from the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden. Before her current assignment, she was the commander of the Coast Guard Internal Audit Service and the Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Education and Training. 

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Campo is set to take her oath before Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade next week, along with three other commodores. 

In recent years, the PCG has been tapping its female personnel in some of its key projects. Recently, it deployed some of them to serve as radio operators who will challenge foreign ships traversing the country’s exclusive economic zone. – Rappler.com