Sen. Robinhood Padilla vowed to make noise in pushing for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), especially the Philippine Navy, so they can better defend our territory.
Padilla mentioned this after visiting Senate employees undergoing the Basic Citizen Military Course (BCMC) aboard the BRP Tarlac in Subic Monday afternoon.
"Ang ibig sabihin nito, may kakampi kayo sa Senado na patuloy na palalakasin natin ang modernization. Yan ang pinapangako namin sa inyo, hindi kami magiging bulag, hindi kami magiging bingi sa pangangailangan ng sundalo (What this means is that you have allies in the Senate in terms of modernizing the AFP. That is our promise. We will not be blind or deaf to the needs of our soldiers)," Padilla said in his message.
He added the AFP, particularly the Navy, can count on the support of reservists from the Senate, once they complete their BCMC.
"Asahan ninyo magiging maingay kami pagdating sa modernization ng Navy (Rest assured we will make noise for the modernization of the Navy)," he said.
Padilla also recalled his experience with the Navy when they engaged the China Coast Guard in a chase in the West Philippine Sea in 2021.
He said it was there that he saw how big and armed the China Coast Guard's boat was, compared to the rubber boat he and some Navy personnel rode. But even when the small boat's engine conked out, he said they did not retreat.
According to him, when China Coast Guard personnel asked them why they were there, the Philippine Navy personnel replied, "amin ito (this is ours)."
"Anong lesson sa nangyari sa atin? Huwag tayo magpapa-bully. Kahit na sila ang pinakamalaki, sila ang sinasabi nating pinakamayaman, ang asset natin ang kabayanihan ng ating sundalo. Maaasahan natin at yan ang nakita ko (What lesson can we learn from this? We should not be bullied. They may be the biggest and wealthiest, but our asset is our soldiers' patriotism. We can count on that because I have seen it myself)," he said.