The appointment of outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino as the new Presidential Adviser was made as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recognized the importance of the issues in the West Philippine Sea, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Thursday.

"To underscore the importance of the West Philippine Sea and the dynamic of the events which occur there on a daily basis the president decided to have a presidential adviser with cabinet stature," he said.

"Now what will come out of that will, we have to wait for the office of the president to come out with further pronouncement on Gen. Centino's field," he added.

As he announced the appointment of Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. as the next chief of staff of the AFP and the appointment of Centino as the adviser on the WPS, Marcos said the country needs "strong defense and wise strategy in the middle of geopolitical tension."

"We rely on their experience and honest service to protect the Filipino people and the sovereignty of the country," he said.

In an interview with reporters on Thursday, Centino said Marcos wants to "give focus and importance" on addressing the WPS issues on a "bigger scale".

"There was a need to bring focus on the matters in that part of the country, we actually have mechanisms as to how these issues should be addressed," he said.

"We have the national task force WPS but our leadership has deemed it important to give focus and importance to the way we address the issues there on a bigger scale and that's why they thought of creating an office of the presidential adviser," he added.

Marcos is expected to lead the change of command ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo on Friday afternoon.

However, Teodoro said Marcos is still considering who will replace Brawner as head of the Philippine Army.

"That has to be deliberated upon by the Board of Generals and the president is still considering his replacement," he said. Robina Asido/DMS