MANILA, PHILIPPINES —The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) welcomed Vice-Admiral Narciso A. Vingson Jr. following the designation as the agency’s officer-in-charge (OIC) by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
This came after President Rodrigo Duterte made the announcement in his speech at the 117th anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Manila wherein he re-assigned former MARINA administrator Rey Leonardo Guerrero as the new chief of the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
Vice-Admiral Vingson, before his designation as the OIC of MARINA, was appointed by President Duterte as the new Executive Director of Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Office (STCWO) on 15 October 2018, and took his office of oath at the weekly flag ceremony of the MARINA Central office on 22 October 2018.
After graduating with the PMA Sandiwa Class of 1985, Vice-Admiral Vingson started his duty and subsequently commissioned ensign in the Philippine Navy wherein he served in various key positions that proffered him a wider and deeper appreciation of staff functions and role.
As a naval warfare officer, Vice-Admiral Vingson underwent training courses in the United States in Anti-submarine Warfare, Amphibious Warfare, Naval Gunfire Operation, and Combat Information Center Operation. He also pursued higher education at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey earning a degree in Master of Science in Systems Engineering.
Vice-Admiral Vingson, while he is in his junior years, served as branch chief at the offices of the naval staff for personnel, operations, weapons, communications, electronics, and information system. He also served as Admin Officer at the Office of the Flag Officer In Command, Philippine Navy, and later on designated Education and Training Officer at the Naval Education and Training Center prior his assignment as principal staff for personnel of the Philippine Fleet.
Furthermore, while Vice-Admiral Vingson was in Navy, he is considered as “seadog” wherein he have commanded three commissioned vessels: a patrol gunboat, the BRP Alberto Navarette (PG394); a patrol craft escort, the BRP Iloilo (PS32); and, the Presidential Yacht, the BRP Ang Pangulo (AT25).
After a challenging yet fulfilling life at sea, Vice-Admiral Vingson took on higher responsibilities in the Navy hierarchy, as he was chosen to be the primary staff for personnel at the Headquarters Philippine Navy. It was during this assignment that he crafted the “Philippine Navy Human Capital Strategy,” an innovative approach to producing highly competent and motivated professionals for the naval service.
In 2013, Vice-Admiral was designated as the Deputy Commander of the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), where he earned his first star and three years later, he returned to NETC as its commander and gained his second star.
Vice Admiral Vingson also commanded the Sealift Amphibious Command in 2014 and became Deputy Commander of the Philippine Fleet in 2015.
After having been in the naval service for the past 31 years, Vice-Admiral Vingson was assigned to the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and was designated as Inspector General on December 2016. Shortly thereafter, he rose to his current position where he earned his third star.
A month after being the Inspector General, Vice-Admiral Vingson was designated on January 2017 as the 73rd Deputy Chief of Staff of the AFP, the chief strategist and policy maker of the military.
Currently, Vice-Admiral Vingson will temporarily takeover the administration of the day-to-day activities of the MARINA, while also performing his role as the Executive Director of the STCW Office, the MARINA unit that is primarily responsible for the implementation of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for seafarers 1978, as amended or the STCW Convention in the Philippines.
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