IN the absence of enough funds, the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has been treated by our government these past three decades like a retarded child at the hands of an inadequate parent.
The problem since time immemorial has been lack of funds. Between financing the various anti-poverty, educational, health and other non-military developmental programs and spending the massive funding that rational and effective AFP modernization requires, the present and the past administrations after Marcos have opted to spend a sizeable amount to create the illusion that keeping the Republic’s armed forces more or less in fighting form is not being ignored. So, in the 2011 budget, the Department of National Defense (DND), is third among the top recipients. For 2012, the DND, again at third, will receive P107.9 billion, a bit more—by 3.1 percent—than this year’s allocation.
But always the budget for the DND—which includes the money for the armed forces—is not enough to seriously implement the AFP modernization program.
The budget now is P11 billion for AFP modernization. This is not adequate even to comply with the AFP Modernization Act’s attempt to bring about modernization piecemeal.
Last April, the AFP Chief said the P11 billion budget approved by the President is inadequate. Gen. Eduardo Oban—while politely saying he understood the government’s fiscal problems and knew that President Aquino was trying his best to do right by the military—said, “We need additional funds.”
Oban explained that based on the AFP modernization plan enacted in 1995 the AFP should have some P331 billion to upgrade its equipment and capabilities.
That 1995 law, Republic Act 7898, or the AFP Modernization Act, declares that it is state policy to modernize the Philippine military to the level that it can fully and effectively perform its constitutionally assigned task of defending the sovereignty and protecting and preserving the patrimony of Philippine Republic.
Complying with that law, the government formulated the AFP Modernization Program and submitted it to Congress to make it an actual law. Thus, was enacted the the AFP Modernization Program. It is a document that maps out in detail how the AFP can be transformed into a better—a more credible—defense force than it was in 1995 and certainly better than it is now.
The plan has five component programs. We are indebted to our columnist, former Defense Chief Alexander Yano, for the following analysis.
“These component programs, each of which is to be implemented in phases spread over periods ranging from 10 to as long as 20 years, are:
(1) Force Restructuring and Organizational Development
(2) Material and Technology Development
(3) Bases Development
(4) Human Resource Development
(5) Doctrines Development.
“During the 15-year period following the enactment of the law, various activities in line with the modernization program were done. These included procurement of weapons and equipment meant to enhance defense capability.
“Sadly however, the various acquisitions made in the past did not make much of an impact on our capability as a defense force in the region. Compared with other Southeast Asian neighbors, our Armed Forces remain inferior.”
