No approval yet for AFP shopping list

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has yet to approve a shopping list of equipment for the military’s revised modernization program almost two years after it was submitted to Malacañang for review in February 2013.

Speaking to reporters, Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said the program has yet to secure Aquino’s approval.

“Officially the modernization program of the Armed Forces has not yet been approved by the President,” he said.

The implementation of some projects might be delayed if the program is not approved.

For now, the approval of the funding for military equipment is being done on a per project basis.

Manalo said the DND has provided Malacañang with documents for the P90-billion project.

“Of course, it requires due diligence by the approving authority to determine what is needed,” he said.

Under the revised Armed Forces Modernization Law, the President, upon recommendation of the defense and budget secretaries, shall submit the upgrade program to Congress within 60 days after the law takes effect.

The Office of the President has yet to submit the modernization plan to Congress.

The program will contain the size and shape of the Armed Forces in terms of personnel, equipment and facilities during its various phases, the projects to be funded, priorities, schedules and estimated average cost of each project.

The modernization program submitted to Congress shall be the basis for subsequent executive and legislative actions related to its implementation.

A total of P90.86 billion is needed to implement the military’s upgrade program until 2017. The budget would cover 33 projects that constitute the first phase of the program.

Of these projects, 11 will go to the Air Force, 10 to the Navy, nine to the Army and three to general headquarters.

The projects to be funded in the first horizon include lead-in trainer fighter jets, frigates, helicopters, radars, drones and base upgrades.

Manalo said the government might spend more than P90 billion to implement the second horizon of the armed forces upgrade program to cover the years 2018 to 2023.

The third horizon will be implemented from 2024 to 2028.

Manalo said planning sessions are still going on for the second and third phases.

“It is sufficient to say that we are heavy on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and protecting our interest in the West Philippine Sea,”” he said.

Manalo said the purchase of 12 FA-50 jets, the biggest item in the military’s shopping list, is not enough to fill the gaps in the Air Force’s capabilities.

“The 12 (jets) are not enough and way below what is needed by the Air Force,” he said.

The 12 jets costing P18.9 billion will be acquired from the Korea Aerospace Industries.

Defense Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez said six frigates are needed to build credible deterrence under the Navy’s sail plan.

“Where we are right now, we are in the first stages but enough to address some concerns of the Armed Forces,” he said.

The government has so far acquired two frigates from the US Coast Guard.

A defense official said the military is acquiring several units of anti-air and surface-to-air shoulder-fired missiles.

“It’s now within our defense procurement pipeline,” the official, who asked not to be named, said.

The official said the military also plans to acquire mobile missile batteries with fire control radars and tracking devices.

“These weapons will be placed in strategic locations in major islands of the country,” the official said.

“The missile batteries also have interlocking fields of fire to maximize protection within the country’s territorial domain,” he added, without directly mentioning the country’s regime of islands in the Spratlys.

Lagging behind

Manalo said the country’s territorial defense capabilities are lagging behind those of neighboring countries, especially claimants to the Spratlys.

“In comparison with the others (neighboring states), we are still at the bottom (in terms of building up the country’s credible territorial defense),” he said.

The country’s approved defense budget for this year is P144.50 billion.

The multibillion-peso budget covers all agencies under the DND, including the 120,000-strong military.

A P90-billion budget has been allocated to bankroll the procurement of big-ticket items under the staggered military modernization program.

Some of these defense items have been delivered to the Navy, Army and Air Force.

The rest are slated to be delivered within the year up to 2017.

The defense budget and extra funding to modernize the military are still no match to the defense and military spending of other Spratly-claimants China, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Vietnam has not been very open with its defense and military spending, but the US reported that its total defense budget last year was $3.4 billion.

The amount is expected to increase this year as Vietnam continuously builds up its submarine capabilities in response to China’s creeping invasion in the South China Sea.

Malaysia has increased its defense and military budget by 10 percent this year to $5.4 billion.

Malaysian territorial waters are also on the verge of being occupied by China.

Taiwan’s defense and military budget has increased by NT$8 billion this year.

Taiwan, Malaysia and Vietnam have forward troops in the Spratlys, just like the Philippines. –With Jaime Laude