Led by LGen (Ret’d) Hotchkiss, the Pinnacle Club Philippine Chapter organised an event on 24 Jul 19 to celebrate the official launch of the Pinnacle Club Philippine Chapter held at the AFP Commissioned Officers’ Club (AFPCOC), Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
The aim of the event was for the Pinnacle Club Philippine Chapter to formally organize itself by registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to bring in a bigger number of advocates from among former Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Major Services Commanders.
A total of forty-one (41) invited personalities attended the event. Thirty-five (35) of which were former Chiefs of Staff, AFP and former Commanders of the Major Services; Six (6) who are currently in active service; and Two (2) are members of the Pinnacle Club Philippine Chapter Secretariat who are also former military officers.
In his opening speech, LGen (Ret’d) Hotchkiss recalled how the idea of forming the Pinnacle Club was first raised by MGen (Ret’d) Goh Yong Siang in 2008 to have more social activities which will facilitate the retired chiefs of defense and services commanders in Southeast Asia to maintain their friendships upon retirement, and to promote such bonding with the succeeding generations. “The Pinnacle Club of ASEAN” was established in 2014 when LGen Hotchkiss and Former President Fidel V. Ramos accepted the invitation to be a Founding Member and Founding Member of Pinnacle Club of ASEAN respectively. From a group of 10 members, the Pinnacle Club Philippine Chapter hopes to continue to grow and LGen (Ret’d) Hotchkiss invited the former Chiefs of Staff and major services Commanders who were present at the event to join the Pinnacle Club of ASEAN and Pinnacle Philippine Chapter. MGEN Padilla then provided a brief presentation on the Pinnacle Club of ASEAN, the Philippine Chapter, the recent activities conducted by the Pinnacle Club, the mission of the Pinnacle Philippines Inc. and its intent to be formally registered with SEC.
At the event, Gen Benjamin R. Madrigal Jr. AFP, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, expressed his gratitude to the senior officials of the AFP for their invaluable contribution to the AFP and the country. Gen Madrigal expressed his full support to the formalization of the Pinnacle Club Philippine Chapter and looks forward to more engagements in the future.