DND to seek congressional review of AFP modernization program

The Department of National Defense (DND) on Monday said it will ask Congress to review the Revised AFP Modernization Program (RAFPMP) as part of its 10-point agenda under the Marcos administration.

In a statement, the DND said it will continue in pursuing the modernization program to ensure sufficient capability of the military.

“The DND will request Congress for a Sunset Review of the RAFPMP, as required by RA 10349, to allow our legislators to better appreciate the program, apprise them of ways forward, and generate congressional support for Horizon 3,” said DND officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr. 

According to the DND, Horizon 3 shall prioritize achieving a self-reliant defense posture program.

In line with this, the DND targets the institutionalization of in-country production, transfer of technology, and other innovative arrangements in various procurement projects under the modernization program.

“The jointness among the AFP Major Services must be ensured in all aspects of capability development... The Department shall pursue the realization of its modernization projects, especially on materiel defense capability focused on territorial and external defense, and achieving SRDP,” Faustino said.

On Friday, Faustino said all DND’s modernization projects are under review considering their budget and relevance.

“We’re not targeting just one. All, lahat ng modernization projects namin tinitignan namin ito. As I said, is it within the budget?  Is it relevant right now? Is the technology na kailangan namin up to date?” he said.

(We’re not targeting just one—we are reviewing all our modernization projects. As I said: is it within the budget, is it relevant right now, is the technology that we need up to date?)

“The review is not like fault-finding. We are not looking for any graft and corruption cases, issues there. It is aligning it to the current needs, the situation right now, the budget allocated for it and all,” he added.

Territorial sovereignty

The DND said that the most important item in its 10-point agenda is to guarantee the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The DND committed to strengthen its efforts to protect the Philippine territory pursuant to the 2016 Award on the South China Sea Arbitration.

“We shall heighten our cooperation with state and non-state partners to improve domain awareness and maritime security, as well as pursue engagements in the international arena to advance our interests on defense and security,” Faustino said.

Other items in the 10-point agenda include the following:

• to sustain the whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approaches through NTF-ELCAC and peacebuilding especially in Mindanao and the Bangsamoro
• to prioritize disaster resilience and climate change adaptation by supporting the creation of a Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR)
• to contribute efforts on cybersecurity, promoting measures and initiatives that will address emerging and escalating cyber threats
• to prioritize the study, understanding and protection of the country’s cognitive domain
• to pursue international defense and security engagements that are consistent the President’s directives, the country’s foreign policy, and various policy instruments that advance the nation’s interests
• to advocate the strengthening of the Reserve Force as force multipliers to address various security challenges
• to ensure the welfare of soldiers, veterans and civilians
• to advocate for various timely and necessary legal and legislative agendas that will contribute to peace and security for the nation.

— Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News