Philippine Army General Shares Top Special Forces Missions 🇵🇭

Being a Special Operations commander isn’t about comfort, it’s about carrying the weight no one else can. Brigadier General Eliglen Villaflor leads the Joint Special Operations Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, a force forged in decades of counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, and frontline partnership with America’s Green Berets. And he’s blunt about the job: the challenges are bigger, heavier, and more constant than the wins.

From the Global Special Operations Foundation Symposium in Athens, Fran Racioppi sat down with General Villaflor to break down what it actually takes to command JSOC-AFP, from navigating political pressure, regional instability, and near-peer competition, to holding together a force that must be interoperable with partners and lethal against enemies who don’t play by rules. They dig into the Philippines’ expanding strategic role, the need for true joint capability, and why leadership in this environment demands clarity, humility, and a tolerance for pressure most people will never understand.

This episode is about owning the burden, driving the mission, and leading a Special Operations force on the front edge of global conflict.

Watch, listen, or read our conversation from Athens. Episode 182: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R531BJ4ra8

The Philippines is one of America’s longest strategic allies. From their geographical importance of World War II, to their front lines combating Chinese expansion in the Pacific, the military partnership between the United States and the Philippines is an important part of global stability.

At the heart of this collaboration, is the Joint Special Operations Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. A force that has been shaped by decades of counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, and close partnership with America's Green Berets and Special Operations Forces.

From the Global Special Operations Foundation Symposium in Athens, Greece, Fran Racioppi sat down with the Commander of Joint Special Operations Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Brigadier General Eliglen Villaflor, to discuss the evolution of Special Operations in the Philippines, the lessons learned from years of conflict, and the country’s expanding role in regional and international security cooperation.

General Villaflor shared his perspective on leading through complexity, building true interoperability with partners like the United States, and preparing the next generation of Filipino Special Operators to face an ever-changing threat environment.

This episode is about partnership, professionalism, and the shared mission that connects Special Operations Forces around the world to defend freedom wherever it’s challenged.
Special thanks to the Global Special Operations Foundation for hosting us in Athens.

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The opinions presented on the The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are the opinions of our guests and creator and host Fran Racioppi. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Green Beret Foundation and the Green Beret Foundation assumes no liability for their accuracy; nor does Green Beret Foundation endorse any political candidate or any political party.

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#Philippines #SpecialOperations #JSOC #AFP #GlobalSecurity #SOFCommunity