Nations experience rapid growth in social, political and economic aspects today. The Philippines included, it requires us to prepare ourselves to depend on our resources, talents and skills and with the help of our government in confronting the challenge of survival and progress. We have to bring the idea of self-reliance, for in the end, what is important is our sovereignty and independence as a nation and as a people.
It is therefore, good to note that our government is revitalizing its modernization program to strengthen our Army, Navy and Air Force. But it would be better if out of these modernization funds we could also make fashion or build other military hardware aside from those processed from the United States and elsewhere.
Even as the government has weakened the hierarchy of communist movement, we should be aware that these insurgents as well as other threat groups will definitively launch movements and campaigns to unite all anti-government forces (which the MILF and BIFF is planning), and the threat of incursion, if not invasion from foreign countries such as China.
Self-reliance should be given emphasis not only in the government, the armed forces, but a duty and obligation for all of us. Rely on ourselves to help our country and people move towards progress.