VICE ADMIRAL JOSEPH M COYME PCG (RET)
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Vice Admiral Joseph Macellones Coyme concluded 36 years of distinguished public service on 14 July 2025, leaving a legacy of operational excellence, organizational leadership, and unwavering commitment to maritime safety. His final post as the 28th Commander of the Coast Guard Maritime Safety Services Command (MSSC) capped a career defined by both strategic foresight and boots‑on‑deck operational readiness.
In the culminating chapter of his service, Vice Admiral Coyme advanced the vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for a Philippine Coast Guard that stands as a model of efficiency and public trust. Under his stewardship, the MSSC strengthened nationwide safety oversight, modernized navigational aids, and bolstered readiness to respond to maritime incidents across the Philippine archipelago. His leadership was especially visible during strategic operations such as the deployment of sovereignty‑marking buoys in the West Philippine Sea — a mission requiring precision, coordination, and resolve.
The Philippine Military Academy honored him in June 2025 with a testimonial parade and review in Baguio City, recognizing his decades of service and his role in elevating the Coast Guard’s safety and operational frameworks.
Over the course of his career, Vice Admiral Coyme held a breadth of leadership roles: Commander of the Human Resource Management Command (HRMC), Commander of the CG Ready Force (now CG Fleet), District Commander for both Northwestern Luzon and Southwestern Mindanao, and earlier, Station Commander for Mapun, Pagadian, and Cotabato. He also served as Commander of the Coast Guard Public Information Office (CGPIO) and as Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Personnel (CG‑1). His sea commands included MCS 3004, BRP Romblon (SARV 3503), and BRP EDSA (SARV 002), giving him direct operational command in missions that safeguarded lives, livelihoods, and national waters.
A member of the Philippine Military Academy “Bantay‑Laya” Class of 1994, he complemented his operational mastery with advanced studies, earning a Master of Shipping Business Management from the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy Graduate School and pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Development Administration, major in Public Governance, at the Philippine Christian University.
Throughout his journey, Vice Admiral Coyme demonstrated the ability to merge strategic direction with tactical execution — a quality that will serve as a benchmark for future Coast Guard leaders. Married to Dra. Aida F. Coyme and father to Joseph Anthony Coyme, a nursing student at Ateneo de Zamboanga, he credits his family’s steadfast support as a key source of strength. His retirement closes a chapter not only in his life, but in the evolving story of the Philippine Coast Guard, which he leaves stronger, better prepared, and ever committed to service.
