Ricardo David

Gen. Ricardo A. David, Jr is the former Chief of staff of the Philippine Armed Forces. He was the Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command chief. On June 30, 2010, President Benigno Aquino III picked David as his AFP chief. On July 2, 2010, Ricardo David assumes the command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from Lt Gen. Nestor Z Ochoa.

Background
He was born in 1955 in San Fernando, Pampanga, but spent most of his childhood in Victoria, Tarlac.

He took up his primary education in Dolores Elementary School of Dolores, San Fernando, Pampanga and he graduated at the top of his class in 1967. He graduated from Victoria High School in Tarlac as the Salutatorian of his class in 1971. Upon graduating high school, he took up undergraduate studies in engineering at St. Louis University in Baguio City on a full scholarship program. After a couple of years of studies, he traded one scholarship program for another when he took his Oath as a Cadet of the Philippine Military Academy on April 1, 1973; He graduated from the Philippine Military Academy on March 1, 1977.

Military career
He was the Commanding Officer of the 50th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army from December 1996 to April 1998. He also became the Commanding General of the 402nd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army from March 2005 to December 2006. This was followed by his assignment to the AFP Command Center until August 2007. Afterwards, he commanded the Army Support Command until April 2008, then the 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army until June 2009 and from there to the AFP Northern Luzon Command up to the time he became the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines on July 2, 2010.

AFP Chief of staff
In Gen. David's change-of-command ceremony speech, David reminded his soldiers to keep the military as a "disciplined institution."

He said: "We shall continue to be a responsible instrument of public policy, subservient to civilian authority,"

Family
He is married to Merilou Malacay of Cagayan de Oro City and they have two sons, Russell, a naval officer and a graduate of PMA class 2005, and Rommel, a licensed electronics and communications engineer.