Senators have urged the Senate to restore the P10-billion slashed from the Department of National Defense (DND) proposed budget for 2025, citing the funding’s crucial role in advancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program.
Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito warned that the budget cut will undermine the intent of the Revised AFP Modernization Act, which mandates an annual minimum appropriation of P75-billion in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) to support the AFP’s modernization needs.
“Mahigpit isang dekada na mula noong naipasa natin ang Revised AFP Modernization Law ngunit hindi pa natin minsan na kompleto ang itinakda ng batas na P75 billion para sa modernisasyon ng ating Sandatahang Lakas (It's been almost a decade since we passed the Revised AFP Modernization Law but we have not completed the P75 billion set by the law for the modernization of our Armed Forces),” said Ejercito.
Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, sponsor of the DND budget, noted that the budget cut in the AFP Modernization Funds will impact seven major projects of the AFP—cyber systems, forward-support equipment, aviation-engineering equipment, additional aircraft, joint tactical combat vehicles, and radar-basing support systems.
Dela Rosa also made the same appeal pointing out that the P10-billion cut introduced by the House of Representatives to the P50-billion budget for the Revised AFP Modernization Program would run counter to the calls of support made by politicians supposedly supportive of the AFP whenever they are being harmed while protecting the country’s maritime assets in the West Philippine Sea.
"Being a former member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, a former member of the Philippine National Police, and now a senator of the Republic, I cannot help but point out a glaring contradiction that I see,” dela Rosa said.
“Kasi every time may mangyaring hindi maganda (Because each time something wrong happens) during our resupply missions to the Ayungin Shoal...our immediate reaction is like this: 'We condemn in the highest terms this incident, and we have to see to it that we have to modernize our Philippine Navy,'" Dela Rosa said.
"Iyon palagi ang linya nating masasabi as politicians, as legislators (That is what politicians and legislators say). And now, here comes the budget deliberations, binawasan pa ng P10 billion iyong NEP ng DND (but the budget of the DND under the NEP was slashed by P10),” he pointed out.
“Sana coordinated palagi or synchronized iyong sinasabi natin as politicians at iyong ginagawa natin as legislators who have the power of the purse, (I hope what politicians say are always coordinated or synchronized to what they say and we legislators are doing what we do as one who have the power of the purse)," he added.
Dela Rosa also said it is imperative to restore the P10-billion budget to boost the morale of the country’s troops.
"I am talking about the morale of our people in the field...Baka puwedeng kahit paano maibalik natin iyong ibang halaga roon (Maybe we can restore the amount) just to make our soldiers, our sailors feel good that their government is after their welfare...at hindi hanggang lip service lamang tayo na iba ang sinasabi, pagdating sa (and that we are not just paying lip service but during) budget deliberation, iba ang ginagawa (is doing another thing),” he said.
“So, para natin silang ina-underhand (It’s like we are subjecting them to underhand tactics),” Dela Rosa said, adding that the country’s soldiers are willing to die for the Philippines.
Ejercito also highlighted that without consistent investment, he warned that the AFP will struggle to meet Horizon 3 of the modernization program, a phase designed to achieve a minimum credible defense posture capable of territorial defense.
“This investment in our national security is an investment to our future, our sovereignty, and most importantly to our men in uniform,” Ejercito said.
“We need to catch up and properly position our external defense, especially given the precarious situation in the West Philippine Sea,” he pointed out.
Senate Finance Committee chief Sen. Grace Poe said she is committed to look into the senators’ appeals and look for ways to boost the funding for the AFP’s modernization program.