The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) recognizes its first-ever female two-star general, Rear Admiral Mitzie Silva-Campo PCG.
This significant milestone in PCG history coincides with the celebration of the National Womenโs Month, formally approved by President Ferdinand โBongbongโ Marcos Jr on 25 March 2025.
Rear Admiral Silva-Campo will formally take oath before the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon tomorrow, 31 March 2025.
Rear Admiral Silva-Campo currently serves as the Commander of the Coast Guard Internal Audit Service.
In Oct 2021, the then Commodore Silva-Campo made history as the first female one-star general among Coast Guard general line officers. Over three years later, she was once again conferred the rank of Rear Admiral, becoming her as the first-ever two-star general of the PCG.
A top graduate of the Coast Guard Officers Course Class-1 Charlie-โMakagitaw,โ Rear Admiral Silva-Campo has built a career defined by excellence.
She is a Juris Doctor at the Cor Jesu College in Digos City and earned her Master of Science in Maritime Affairs, specializing in Maritime Law and Policy, from the World Maritime University in Malmรถ, Sweden (Class of 2009).
Her expertise was further honed through international training programs, including the JICA Ship Safety Inspection Course in Yokohama, Japan (2011), and the Law of the Sea Course at ANCORS, Australia (2021).
As a distinguished fellow of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA she was honored to serve as Commencement Speaker in the Comprehensive Security Course Class 01-23, representing a class of 81 participants from 30 countries.
Rear Admiral Silva-Campo began her career as a commissioned officer in the Armed Forces of the Philippines before transferring to the PCG.
Within the PCG, she has held several key leadership positions, as the first female Inspector General of the Coast Guard Inspector General-Internal Affairs Service, Coast Guard Adjutant, Commander of Coast Guard Doctrine, Development and Research Command.
She served as the Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff (DCCS) for Maritime Security Law Enforcement (CG-14) and DCCS for Education and Training (CG-12) and Operations Officer of the then Coast Guard Operating Forces (CGOF).
She was seconded to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and served as Chief of Staff to the Undersecretary for Operations.
She was posted to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia โ Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP-ISC), based in Singapore, where she served for over three years.
Since 2020, she has actively served as Head of the Philippine Delegations in a series of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) initiatives, including the Maritime Law Enforcement Dialogue (MLED) and the Women in Maritime Law Enforcement (WinMLE), alongside counterparts from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Throughout her career, Rear Admiral Silva-Campo made significant contributions to advancing gender equality and women empowerment in the maritime sector.
She actively takes part in Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) programs, speaker and panelists in various forums and currently serves as a mentor under the Philippine WPS Networkโs Program of the Axxelerate, Engendering Peace and Security, in partnership with the Government of Canada.
Her leadership has earned her national and international recognition, including the World Empowered Women Icon Award at the 2023 Global Women Empowerment Summit held in Singapore, a Plaque of Recognition from the Department of Migrant Workers, and the title โNatatanging Juana ng Tanod Baybayin ng Pilipinas-Ginto.โ
She was also featured in WMU Voices, the official publication of the World Maritime University, which celebrated four decades of leadership and impact through alumni stories.
PCG Commandant, Admiral Ronnie Gil L Gavan PCG, congratulates Rear Admiral Silva-Campo, emphasizing how this historical milestone proves the Coast Guardโs strong advocacy on women empowerment by providing equal opportunities to both men and women in service.
For her part, Rear Admiral Silva-Campo shared that she considers leadership as a privilege and a responsibility, earned through trust, built on hard work, and proven in service.
โBecause at the end of the day, itโs never about the rank. It is about how well you lead, how much you serve, and how deeply you care,โ she furthered.
A true asset to the PCG, Rear Admiral Silva-Campo exemplifies the kind of leadership that inspires.
She stands as proof that a woman can rise to lead with excellence, break barriers, and help move a nation forward.
