HISTORY is made during Women’s Month as Rear Admiral Mitzel Silva-Campo becomes the first woman to achieve the rank of two-star general in the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. approved her promotion on March 25, 2025. She is set to take her oath of office before Department of Transportation (DOTr) Vince Dizon on March 31, 2025.
This is not Silva-Campo’s first historic achievement. A top graduate of the Coast Guard Officers Course Class-1 Charlie Makagitaw, she became the first female in her class to attain the rank of one-star general in 2021.
She also broke barriers as the first female Inspector General of the Coast Guard Inspector General-Internal Affairs Service and served as the Coast Guard Adjutant and Commander of the Coast Guard Doctrine, Development, and Research Command.
Silva-Campo also holds a Juris Doctor degree from Cor Jesu College in Digos City and earned a Master of Science in Maritime Affairs with a specialization in Maritime Law and Policy from the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden (Class of 2009).
She also actively advocates for women’s roles in leadership and security. She participates in Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) programs as a speaker and panelist in various forums.
Currently, she also serves as a mentor under the Philippine WPS Network’s Axxelerate: Engendering Peace and Security program, in partnership with the Government of Canada.
According to the general, leadership is both a privilege and a responsibility. She believes in the importance of trust, hardwork, and service.
“At the end of the day, it’s never about the rank. It is about how well you lead, how much you serve, and how deeply you care,” she said.
