CG REAR ADMIRAL ROLANDO LIZOR N PUNZALAN JR O-10906 Commander, Marine Environmental Protection Command has been promoted to the next higher rank of VICE ADMIRAL (0-9) in the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) as approved by HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE.

CG VICE ADMIRAL ROLANDO LIZOR N PUNZALAN JR’s roots can be traced from Barangay Balisong, Batangas and Gomez Street, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. He began his military career upon passing the entrance examination at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and graduated with PMA Tanglaw-Diwa Class of 1992. He joined the Philippine Navy (PN) and eventually stayed with the PCG.

As a young Coast Guard Officer, he underwent the Basic Port State Control Course in Tokyo, Japan and a few years later, the Advanced Port State Control in Fukuoka, Japan. He earned his Master’s Degree in Maritime Safety and Marine Environmental Protection at the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden in 2002 and took up the Comprehensive Security Response to Terrorism Course at the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii.

He was entrusted with various major positions, such as Commander of the Marine Environmental Protection Command; Coast Guard Education, Training, and Doctrine Command; Coast Guard Internal Affairs Service; Coast Guard Logistic System Command; and Chief of Coast Guard Staff. He also served as District Commander of PCG Districts in Southern Tagalog and National Capital Region-Central Luzon.

Amidst the present COVID-19 Pandemic, he was tasked to head the PCG Red Team on 16 April 2020 for the Task Group Laban COVID-19 Water Cluster [TGLC-19 (WC)]; and subsequently on 18 April 2021, the Commander of Task Force Bayanihan for Returning Overseas Filipinos (TF-BROF) for the COVID-19 Operations of the PCG in support to the efforts of the National Government.

He was awarded the coveted Coast Guard Command at Sea Plaque in 2009 after commanding five PCG vessels, the last of which was BRP Pampanga (SARV-003) wherein he had the distinction of crossing the Equator for the second time and as the Commander of a PCG Vessel.

CG VICE ADMIRAL PUNZALAN JR has far received numerous awards which include Coast Guard Outstanding Bronze Cross Medals, Medals for Coast Guard Outstanding Achievement, Coast Guard Superior Achievement, Coast Guard Search, and Rescue, and 32 other PCG and AFP Medals and Ribbons.

Likewise, he is the first recipient of the PMA Cavalier Award for Coast Guard Operations and the first recipient of the Lapu-Lapu Award for Maritime Professionals for the category of Maritime Safety.