Stressing the importance of structural integrity of the country's air assets, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has ordered the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to undertake necessary repair and maintenance for all military assets.

"Maintenance and repair are key aspects of our operations as well as important decision points in the acquisition of additional assets," Marcos said during the inspection of the two C-130T aircraft at the Haribon Hangar in Clark Air Base, Pampanga on Friday, March 31.

"I therefore direct the Philippine Air Force and the AFP to continue developing your capabilities for conducting maintenance and repair to keep all our military assets ready to go," Marcos added.

The President told them to conduct routinary checkup and regular engineering services for added safety requirements and provide extensive training to those who will be flying and using it.

Marcos made the directive as he emphasized the role the aircrafts do in times of calamities and emergency, saying "we must be able to assess and to be able to respond quickly."

"We cannot afford to waste any time in the mission to save lives, therefore the existence of these air assets is crucial to ensure that information, aid, and responder are made available to effectively help affected areas," he stressed.

The  two C-130T aircrafts that the President and other officials inspected had undergone upgrade and overhaul.

The chief executive also expressed confidence that the country's partners in this kind of undertaking "will be more than willing to aid us in developing your capabilities in making the necessary investments to ensure that we achieve our shared goals for the country and for this region."

He also called on the PAF and AFP to remain steadfast in performing their duties, especially in the crucial role as the country’s first line of defense against external security threats.

"I enjoin you with optimism as we look forward to seeing how our Philippine Air Force can help our nation soar to even greater heights and achieve higher goals all for the service of our republic," he said.