Retired Air Force General Eduardo Oban Jr. has been selected by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to serve as the nation's new national security adviser, taking over from Eduardo Año who stepped down after three years citing medical reasons.
The appointment was confirmed Tuesday, April 15, during a Malacañang press briefing where Undersecretary Claire Castro announced both the resignation and the new appointment to the crucial security position.
Año officially concludes his tenure on April 16, describing his departure as necessitated by "health reasons that require my full attention and care." The outgoing adviser characterized his exit as a "permanent retirement" driven by medical concerns that have intensified over recent months.
Health Challenges Force Security Chief's Exit
"Public service has been the defining mission of my life, and it has been my utmost privilege to have served the Filipino people in times of both challenge and opportunity," Año explained in his resignation letter. "To ensure continuity, stability, and the highest standards of service in safeguarding our national security, I believe it is time to step aside and allow others to lead."
The departing official assured that "an orderly transition is underway" while expressing confidence that "critical operations and ongoing initiatives will continue" under incoming leadership.
Año's medical issues are not unprecedented. During his service as interior secretary under former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2021, he underwent cardiac surgery twice and required a month of medical leave. According to sources familiar with the situation, he had previously attempted to resign multiple times, including submitting what he termed an "irrevocable" resignation when Marcos sought courtesy resignations from Cabinet members last year. The President, however, convinced him to continue serving.
Castro acknowledged Año's contributions during the transition announcement: "We thank Secretary Año for his dedicated and distinguished service to the Filipino people: As National Security Adviser, he played a key role in strengthening our national security framework, advancing our counterterrorism and internal security efforts, and ensuring close coordination across the security sector during a period of evolving regional and global challenges."
New Appointee Brings Reform-Minded Military Background
The 70-year-old Oban brings decades of military experience and a strong reputation for institutional reform to his new role. The retired Air Force general previously served as armed forces chief of staff in 2011 under the late President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III during a turbulent period for the Philippine military.
His leadership tenure coincided with the exposure of the corrupt "pabaon" system—a longstanding tradition allowing retiring officers to receive substantial cash gifts from the military institution. Simultaneously, whistleblower revelations had exposed a "comptroller mafia" within the armed forces that manipulated military budget distribution for personal gain.
President Aquino specifically charged Oban with implementing comprehensive reforms to dismantle the systems enabling such corruption. Upon concluding his armed forces leadership in 2012, Oban delivered a statement that became emblematic of his commitment to ethical governance.
"Mga kasama, gusto kong ipagmalaki natin na hindi ako nagbago sa posisyon ng chief of staff. Pumasok ako na Oban at lalabas pa rin na Oban, walang baon," he declared, meaning: "My friends, I am proud to state that in my position as chief of staff, I did not change. I entered as Oban, I leave as Oban, without pocket money."
Extensive Post-Military Government and Private Sector Experience
After retiring from military service, Oban transitioned to various influential positions across government and private sectors. His first major civilian role involved leading the state-owned Clark Development Corporation, responsible for managing and developing the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone at the former US air base site.
He subsequently accepted the position of undersecretary for operations within the transportation department before receiving appointment as executive director of the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in 2014. This commission oversees compliance with the Philippines' military access agreements with foreign nations.
The VFA commission appointment proved particularly significant as the Philippines prepared to implement the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States. This agreement permits Washington to preposition military equipment at designated Philippine military installations, later expanded under the current Marcos administration from five to nine locations.
Most recently, Oban held the director position at insurance company Cocolife in 2022 while simultaneously serving as chairman of Cocolife Asset Management Inc. and various affiliated investment funds.
Independent Political Stance Despite New Appointment
Although maintaining a relatively subdued public profile following his Aquino administration service, Oban revealed his political preferences during the 2022 presidential campaign by publicly supporting Leni Robredo, who eventually became Marcos's primary electoral opponent and unsuccessful candidate.
This political alignment demonstrates Oban's commitment to independent decision-making, even when such positions might conflict with future appointees to high governmental positions.
Outgoing Adviser's West Philippine Sea Documentation Strategy
Throughout his national security adviser tenure, Año spearheaded the government's "transparency initiative" concerning West Philippine Sea confrontations. This approach involved systematically documenting and publicly releasing footage of harassment incidents targeting Philippine vessels by Chinese maritime forces.
The strategy enabled media organizations to accompany Philippine Coast Guard ships during rotation and resupply operations to Ayungin Shoal, where the BRP Sierra Madre functions as a Philippine outpost. For more than a year, journalists gained unprecedented access to these missions while government agencies consistently released confrontation videos for international audiences.
This transparency campaign effectively highlighted China's activities in contested waters and strengthened relationships with the Philippines' established and emerging defense partners. Manila continues implementing a modified version of this strategy for select West Philippine Sea operations, though Ayungin Shoal mission access concluded after establishing a "provisional arrangement" between Beijing and Manila following a violent June 12, 2024 confrontation.
Complex Security Environment Faces New Leadership
Oban inherits his position during a transformative period for Philippine security policy. The nation has redirected its military priorities from domestic to external threats while global powers continue challenging established international frameworks.
The Philippines has dramatically expanded its defense partnerships since 2014, when military visiting agreements existed only with the United States and Australia. The Marcos administration has established similar arrangements with Japan, New Zealand, Canada, and France, while currently negotiating comparable agreements with the United Kingdom.
All six partner nations are scheduled to participate in the forthcoming Balikatan 2026 exercises, the annual US-Philippines war games that have evolved to incorporate multiple international participants.
Castro expressed optimism regarding Oban's capabilities in addressing these multifaceted challenges, noting his extensive experience and the President's confidence in his appointment to this critical national security position.