Your Say: AFP modernization will cost P500B –Biazon

Published July 10, 2012 4:39pm

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Chairman of the House Committee on National Defense and Security Rep. Rodolfo Biazon on Monday said that the modernization of the Philippine armed forces requires at least P500B to protect local territory.

Tensions have been running high between the Philippines and China over Scarborough Shoal since April 10, when Philippine authorities were prevented by the Chinese government from arresting Chinese fishermen caught poaching in the area. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the shoal is well within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

Hearing the words "budget" and "government" in a single sentence drives some of our countrymen to assume the worst, even as observers on the other side of the fence continue to hope for the best. Where some may see the invisible hand of corruption, others see a long-overdue opportunity for change:

From Remi Patricio, who says the modernization of the AFP can't come soon enough.

it's about time but never too late to modernize our military... these bullies especially china will go on and on from their aggression as long as we are militarily weak!!

From maylah1969, who thinks that, rather than acquiring modern equipment, the Philippines should use the military budget to invest in research for the development of the country's own equipment.

Buying our way to modernization is not the right approach. Research and Development of our air and naval capabilities including weapons system we must build for defense will help us economically and the P500billion will go a long long way. We will have inexhaustible military supplies, quick replenishment of assets destroyed in conflict must be our objective. Military thinkers are trained to buy only, technocrats uses different strategies, long term sustainable supply chain we can upgrade as we progress in time.

From Jayson Mabuyo, for whom military modernization is less an act of instigation and more one of preparedness.

pre hindi namn ibig sabihin modernization sa ating sandatahan eh giyera agad, Ang nais lang naman ng ating gobyerno ay mapatibay ang lakas ng ating sandatahan, ito ay upang maging handa tayo kung ano man ang dumating. nasa UN na ang usapin subalit tingnan mo nman ang ginagawa ng banyagang bansa sa atin? Kung patuloy tayong mag sasawalang kibo sa usapin ito ay lalo lamang nila tayong kakaya-kayanin.. Sana maging bukas ka sa totoong nangyayari sa Bansa natin..

From Orlando Alquizar Vitor, who reminds us the need for transparency of budget allocation is a high priority.

magandang proposal yan ex, senator kaya lang dapat my transparency kong magkaroon ng budget yan kailangan ipakita nyo sa buong bayan kong saan napunta ang pera kahit 5 pesos na gastos dapat nasa listahan yan at makikita ng buong mamamayan kong gusto talagang may pagbabago sa bayan natin at may karapatan ang taong bayan na malaman kong saan napunta ang pera ng government kasi po! senator pera po! ng taon bayan ang ginagastos ng government dba?

For discerningmind, who believes that military modernization is a major concern that takes precedence even over education and infrastructure.

Twelve billion dollars is a lot of money. The government can use that amount to build more classrooms, hire more teachers and build infrastructures. But one has to realize that the main job of the government is to defend the country against any threat, foreign and domestic.

What's your say? — TJD, GMA News

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Tags: yoursay, afp, armedforcesofthephilippines, rodolfobiazon