ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Libanan says this 2026 budget innovation provides lifeline to AFP modernization efforts

Libanan says this 2026 budget innovation provides lifeline to AFP modernization efforts

Published Jan 18, 2026 03:27 pm

At A Glance

  • House Minority Leader 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan has highlighted on Sunday, Jan. 18 the authority that the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) gives to the Department of Finance (DOF) secretary to secure loans for the modernization projects of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan (Facebook)
4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan (Facebook)


House Minority Leader 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan has highlighted on Sunday, Jan. 18 the authority that the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) gives to the Department of Finance (DOF) secretary to secure loans for the modernization projects of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“Congress introduced a new special provision in the 2026 budget law that allows the secretary of finance to enter into loan contracts or similar financing arrangements to help fund the military’s modernization projects,” Libanan said.
Libanan, a member of the Bicameral Conference Committee on the ₱6.793-trillion bugde4 for 2026, cited the exact language of the special provision:
“In addition to the annual appropriations for the AFP Modernization Act Trust Fund, the Secretary of Finance, in consultation with the Department of National Defense, is authorized to negotiate, contract, and enter into foreign and domestic financing arrangements, including but not limited to loans, grants, credit facilities, and blended financing mechanisms, for the implementation of AFP modernization projects, subject to the approval of the President of the Republic of the Philippines with the prior concurrence of the Monetary Board, and such limitations as may be provided by law.”
“This special provision gives the national government greater flexibility to finance critical AFP modernization projects in a timely and cost-effective manner,” he noted.
“Defense acquisitions often involve large, long-term, and highly technical contracts. Access to a mix of financing options—such as concessional loans, grants, or blended facilities—can significantly reduce costs and speed up project delivery,” the House leader explained.
The AFP modernization program covers the acquisition of advanced military equipment, weapons systems, and defense-related technologies, including intelligence, surveillance, and other critical operational capabilities.
Under the 2026 national budget, Congress allocated ₱40 billion in capital outlays for the AFP modernization program, up from ₱35 billion in 2025.
An additional ₱50 billion was authorized under unprogrammed appropriations for the military’s modernization projects.
Availment and release of funds from the unprogrammed appropriations are contingent upon the availability of excess or new revenue collections, or the approval of loans for foreign-assisted projects.
Libanan earlier urged Congress to prioritize the passage of the next AFP modernization law this year, stressing the importance of continuity and long-term planning as the current program nears its conclusion.
The 15-year Revised AFP Modernization Program, enacted by Congress in 2012, is set to expire in 2027.
Libanan said timely legislative action is crucial to ensure a smooth and seamless transition to the next phase of the military’s modernization efforts.
In 2025, the AFP modernization program marked key milestones with the delivery of two newly built 3,200-ton guided-missile frigates—the BRP Miguel Malvar and the BRP Diego Silang.
These warships complement the 2,600-ton guided-missile frigates BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna, which were delivered in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.