FOLLOWING the signing of the New Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Law, more countries have shown interest in participating in the bidding process, resulting in a longer acquisition process, according to the Department of National Defense (DND).

Fernando Manalo, Defense undersecretary for Finance, Munitions, Installations and Material, on Sunday cited as an example, the delay in the planned acquisition of two Maestrali frigates from Italy as more countries tendered an offer for a similar ship class.

“Honestly, it is only now that some countries have started believing that we are really serious in modernizing the armed forces such that those [countries] that did not want to participate before because of lack of confidence on our process are now here, each one of them wanted to get that resulted to a longer process,” Manalo said.

Manalo stressed though that everything was part of the legal process mandated by Republic Act 10349, or the New AFP Modernization Act, which President Benigno Aquino 3rd signed into law on December 11.

Their original target, he added, was to come up with a final contract for the two frigates by the end of 2012, but it did not materialize because of the strict requirements of the act, which requires transparency and due diligence in all acquisitions.

“The acquisition of the frigate is still in the priority in the modernization. We are evaluating the Maestrali and doing due diligence whether Maestrali will really provide us the capability that we need, whether Maestrali is economical on a long term because that is our responsibility to the Filipino people,” he further said.

Other countries that submitted an offer aside from Italy were South Korea, Spain, the US, Israel, Croatia, and Australia, among others.

Manalo explained that the Defense department is sure that the Maestrali would provide the capability needed in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) but they have to comply with the process.

“[But] I cannot say [for] sure at the moment [that we are getting the Maestrali],” Manalo stressed.

The AFP modernization, he explained, requires that within 60 days the Armed Forces, through the defense and budget secretaries, must submit a program to the President, who, in turn, will approve the program and then submit it to the House of Representatives as a report.

Manalo pointed out though that the President’s approval is final and needs no concurrence from Congress.

Manalo expressed confidence that they would be able to finalize the acquisition of at least two frigates within the month.

Earlier, Defense spokesman Peter Paul Galvez said that the department’s acquisition team is focusing on the final costing and deciding on the kind of weapons that would be fitted on the ships.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin had also confirmed the planned acquisition of Maestrali this year.

Gazmin said that the two Maestrali frigates would cost about P11.7 billion.

At present, the Philippine Navy has two frigates in its arsenal. They are the World War II era BRP Rajah Humabon and the Hamilton-class cutter BRP Gregorio del Pilar.

A second frigate, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, is also arriving this month from the US.