Jesus Singson

BRIG GEN JESUS Z SINGSON AFP was born in Dolores, Abra on 14 December 1917 and later grew up in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

He finished his elementary education in 1930 and completed his secondary education at Ilocos Sur Trade School. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree at the Far Eastern University, Manila. He joined the Philippine Army Air Corps Flying School at Zablan Field in 1940 and graduated on 27 September 1941. He served as flight instructor with the 4th Air Base Squadron and was designated Executive Officer of the squadron.

When the war broke out, he fought with the PAAC Provisional Infantry Battalion in Bataan and Corregidor. In 1942, he was one of the PAAC pilots evacuated to Mindanao where he joined the resistance movement serving as Battalion Supply Officer of the 61st Field Artillery Regiment. In June 1942, he was assigned as Ordnance Officer of the Bohol Area Command guerillas and was later assigned as Intelligence Officer of the 7th Military District from 1943 to 1945.

After the liberation of the Philippines, he was sent to the U.S. to take up pilot refresher courses in various USAF service schools specializing in P-47 and P-51 fighter planes. He returned to the Philippines and was detailed flight instructor of the 1st Fighter Squadron at Lipa, Batangas. He became Operations Officer of the 7th Fighter Squadron at Basa Air Base, Pampanga in 1950 and later as Squadron Commander in 1951. In 1952, he attended Squadron Officers Course at the Air University in Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama and later returned in 1959 to attend the Air Command and General Staff Course at the same school.

Among the key positions that he held before President Ferdinand E Marcos named him as Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force are the following: Chief of the PAF Operations Branch; Military Liaison Officer of the Republic of the Philippines to Clark Air Base Military Reservation, Pampanga; Commander of the 5th Fighter Wing; and, he also became Vice Commander and concurrent Chief of Air Staff in 1968.

General Singson is a recipient of various awards and decorations such as the Distinguished Service Star, Military Merit Medal, Silver Wing Medal, Asiatic-Pacific War Theater Campaign Medal, American Defense Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and Philippine Liberation Medal, among others.

He is married to the former Angela Perez of Palawan with whom he has five children namely Jose Maria, Maria Lourdes, Lorenzo, Joaquin and Emmanuel.