DND seeks Japan's help on SRDP
Published Jul 1, 2023 06:07 am
The Department of National Defense (DND) is eyeing support from Japan to develop the country’s Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) program.
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*Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko and DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Photo: DND)
* DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko met last Thursday, June 29, at the DND Building in Camp Aguinaldo during the latter’s courtesy call where they agreed on advancing both countries’ security partnership. “Both officials explored the possibility of collaboration on the development of the Philippines’ self-reliant defense posture (SRDP) through research and development (R&D) on defense equipment, systems, and other related technologies, as well as expertise exchange,” DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said on Friday, June 30. “Secretary Teodoro also welcomed Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) of which the Philippines was among the grantees,” he added. The SRDP refers to the program that seeks to enable the country to produce weapons, small arms and ammunition, tactical communications equipment, basic land vehicles, and small sea craft using local materials. This would decrease the dependency of the DND and AFP to foreign markets and help create a robust local defense sector. Relatedly, Teodoro thanked the Japanese government for its support to the modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), particularly through the ongoing Air Surveillance Radars Project by the Philippine Air Force (PAF). The DND is acquiring a P5.5 billion air surveillance radar system (ASRS) from Japanese company Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO). The ASRS package includes three fixed long-range air surveillance radars and one mobile air surveillance radar. Among the recommended sites for the installation of the air surveillance radars include the Philippine Rise in the northern coastline of Dinapigue, Isabela; southern areas of the country; and the southern portion of the West Philippine Sea (WPS). “Secretary Teodoro noted the progress of defense relations between the Philippines and Japan since his former stint as the SND from 2007-2009. The Secretary recalled that his first assignment at the time was to organize the 2009 ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Voluntary Demonstration of Response (VDR), a multilateral HADR event wherein Japan was among the participants,” Andolong said. Meanwhile, Ambassador Koshikawa lauded the “close and robust partnership” between the two countries. “Recalling World War II, the Ambassador manifested his high regard for the Filipinos’ spirit of forgiveness and expressed hope that the strong bilateral ties of the Philippines and Japan could be a ‘force for good’ and ‘best tribute for those who died during the war’,” Andolong shared.