08/09/2025
MARSLEC JUNIOR OFFICER OF THE YEAR RECIPIENT
LT Cyril Pearl P. Castroverde, PCG stands as one of the most decorated and trailblazing women in the Philippine Coast Guard—proving that leadership, courage, and excellence know no gender.
Her career is marked by pioneering assignments: the first Commanding Officer of the Maritime Safety Services Unit – South Western Mindanao, Assistant Superintendent of the Special Operations School, and Deputy Commander of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group—an elite and male-dominated field. Today, she serves as the Acting Deputy Commander of the Coast Guard CBRN Force, leading efforts to address highly specialized security threats.
Beyond operations, LT Castroverde has become a champion of education and international cooperation. She completed the prestigious Explosive Ordnance Disposal Course, Combat Medic Course, advanced CBRN training, and international programs such as the Boarding Officers Course at the U.S. Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. At NAVSCIATTS in Mississippi, she graduated with distinction as Honor Graduate on Instructor Development Course, excelling among students from seven countries.
Her expertise has taken her to the global stage—representing the Philippines in Vietnam, Thailand, and the United States, and serving as the only female PCG instructor in international boarding officer courses under the Southeast Asia Training Team (SEATT). Her role was instrumental in Vietnam’s Women in Maritime Law Enforcement Initiative, inspiring female officers to rise in a field long dominated by men.
She has also played vital roles in national security and crisis planning, contributing to multilateral exercises like Tempest Wind 2024, the Whole-of-Government Crisis Response SME Exchange, and Kamandag exercises with international partners.
For her outstanding service, she has received numerous awards, including the Coast Guard Outstanding Achievement Award, Coast Guard Superior Achievement Medal and Ribbon, Coast Guard Bronze Cross Medal and Ribbon, and was named CGSOF Staff Officer of the Year (2022).
As a decorated officer, mentor, and devoted mother, LT Castroverde’s journey is proof that when women rise, we all rise—inspiring future generations to break barriers and take their rightful place in maritime security and defense.
