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Franklin Babauta is HSEM special assistant
Franklin Babauta
The Palacios-Apatang administration continues to fill critical Cabinet slots and recently named Franklin Babauta as the CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management special assistant.
In a brief interview with Gov. Arnold I. Palacios last Friday, he shared that he and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang have officially nominated Babauta as HSEM special assistant under their administration because of his extensive background in state and national security.
“As we all know, we have had several major disasters and we have all seen the importance of the HSEM office and the critical role that it plays. It was a vacant position and we needed an individual with leadership background and we reviewed several applicants and the lieutenant governor and I believe that Franklin Babauta would be the best candidate for this role. He has background in public safety, in the military, he’s got all that experience and he also has the academic accoutrements to lead this department,” he said.
Babauta, the husband of Sen. Celina Babauta (D-Saipan), is a retired lieutenant colonel, with over 25 years of service in the U.S. Army, Army Reserves, and Guam National Guard. He has been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and has served on peacekeeping missions in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Australia.
Babauta’s service is highlighted by many awards throughout his military service, including a Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and NATO Medal, to name a few.
Babauta is also a former teacher at the CNMI Public School System and a former police officer serving as the police sergeant and deputy commissioner for Administration.
The new HSEM special assistant graduated from the University of Guam with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and minored in Military Science.
Palacios also believes that Babauta is a great fit for the role because he is even-tempered, personable, but still stand firm in his passion to protect the CNMI.
“He’s also a very patient and personable individual. He’s no-nonsense and HSEM is a very critical department,” Palacios said.
Prior to Babauta, Sen. Dennis Mendiola (R-Rota) served as HSEM special assistant under the Torres administration.
