AFP to showcase assets in 77th anniversary

MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will showcase its fighting capabilities as it gradually moves to modernize its land, sea and air assets during its 77th founding anniversary on Friday.

Now being looked down as the weakest in the region from a former military powerhouse during 60s, the AFP is mobilizing division-size troops, along with armored and artillery assets, for Friday's event which will also be participated by cadets from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

“A division of troops composed of two brigades, our armored and artillery assets, as well as newly-acquired military ambulances, and mounted troops,  will be taking part in the military parade,” AFP spokesman, Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos.

Burgos said to add color to the yearly celebration, the event will also be highlighted by a sky-diving exhibition to be participated in by a composite team of skydivers from the Philippine Air Force (PAF), Philippine Army (PA) and the Philippine Navy (PN).

Burgos, meanwhile, said that the military's search and humanitarian assets will not be participating in the celebrations as they were still deployed in typhoon-ravaged areas in Davao region.

For the last two days, troops from major services and PMA cadets have been polishing their military parade skills at the AFP grounds at Camp Aguinaldo for the main military event on Friday.

Focusing mainly on internal defense for decades, upon the dictates of past political leadership, the AFP has been fighting communist insurgents, Moro rebels and terrorists reducing the country’s territorial defense to a very disadvantageous position.

Racing up to build a minimum territorial defense for the country, the AFP, through the Department of National Defense (DND) modernization program, has started its acquisition and procurement programs for big military tickets to re-equip the navy, air force and the army.

These big military items include warships for the Navy, lead-in fighter jets for the Air Force and heavy guns for the Army and other communication and monitoring equipment to include radar systems.