Ronnie Gil Gavan

Ronnie Gil Latorilla Gavan is a Filipino admiral who serves as the incumbent commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard. Admiral Gavan is a graduate of the PMA Maalab Class of 1993 and his previous commands and posts include the deputy commandant for administration, and the Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Command.

Early life and education Gavan was born on 21 February 1969 in Maitum, Sarangani. Both his parents work as public school teachers. Gavan graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) as part of the Maalab class of 1993.

Career After his graduation in the PMA in 1993, Gavan briefly joined the Philippine Army before fully serving at the Philippine Coast Guard, where he was assigned under various Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels, and later commanded the PCG and the BFAR capital ships. Gavan eventually became commanded of various Coast Guard Districts, which includes the Coast Guard District Central Visayas.

In the midst of the lockdown impositions during the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, Gavan led the first PCG unit in assisting the arrival of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and spearheaded the PCG's “Hatid Tulong Initiative” for the Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs). During his term as commander of the Task Force Pagsasanay, which was launched on 6 April 2021, Gavan enhanced the Public-Private Partnership of the PCG on Humanitarian and Disaster Response Operations, as well as strengthened the branch's capacity building and preparedness in humanitarian missions, navigation skills, and maintenance operations. Gavan also eventually led the Task Force Kalinga, where he continued partnership initiatives with the private sector to boost the coast guard's transport capacity for the delivery of relief supplies to the victims of the Typhoon Rai, locally known as Typhoon Odette.

Gavan is also credited for the creation of the Angels of the Sea, an all-female radio operator team which boards on vessels deployed in the South China Sea by the PCG. The first batch of the Angels graduated in 2021. By February 2023, Gavan was promoted to the rank of vice admiral.

President Bongbong Marcos appointed Gavan as Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard on October 19, 2023, succeeding Artemio Abu and was later promoted to admiral on the same day. As part of his initiatives as the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Gavan also spearheaded the Intensified Community assistance, Awareness, Response, and Enforcement, also known as the iCARE campaign plan, which aims to harmonize the coast guard's operations through intensified community engagement, and enhancing the maritime welfare of coastal communities.

In March 2024, Gavan was unanimously reelected as the chairperson for the ReCAAP ISC Governing Council, a position he held since 2023. Gavan's term in the council is set to expire on 30 May 2027. On February 18, 2025, Admiral Gavan is also the first admiral and commandant of the coast guard to secure a 3-year fixed term for the post after the signing of Republic Act No. 12122, which was immediately placed into effect and is set to serve his tenure until 19 October 2026.

Awards and decorations from Coast Guard Service Coast Guard Distinguished Service Star Coast Guard Outstanding Achievement Medal Coast Guard Superior Achievement Medal Coast Guard Bronze Cross Medal Coast Guard Search and Rescue Medal Coast Guard Merit Medal Coast Guard Civic Action Medal Coast Guard Long Service Medal Coast Guard Command-at-Sea Badge

Other awards 2020 Philippine Military Academy Cavalier Awardee for Coast Guard Operations

Personal life Gavan is married to Commodore Lysamyra Marie Nonato-Gavan, who currently serves as the Chief Nurse of the PCG and they have two sons. Aside from Filipino and English, Gavan can also speak Cebuano, Ilocano, and Ilonggo. Gavan also formerly served as the president of the PCG Officers Club for 2020-2021.