United States Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on Wednesday offered his deepest condolences to the Filipino people and the families of the victims of the deadly C-130 crash in Jolo, Sulu that left at least 52 people dead, mostly soldiers. United States Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III...
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has concluded the retrieval operation on the crashed C-130 cargo plane of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) in Patikul, Sulu on Sunday night, July 4, which left 50 individuals dead and 53 others injured, making it one of the worst aviation accidents in the...
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and the Philippine Air Force will conduct the first air-to-air bilateral training on humanitarian and disaster relief on July 5 to 8, 2021 at Clark Air Base in Pampanga. In a statement, the Japanese government said the first air-to-air training between the...
Party-list Anakpawis on Saturday, June 26, lambasted a proposed P118-billion ($2.43 billion) arms deal between the Philippines and the United States as ‘’immoral, callous and inappropriate.’’ The Armed Forces of the Philippines receives weapons and defense equipment worth P183 million from...
OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT Diwa C. Guinigundo Seals of approval for sovereigns like the Philippines are difficult to obtain. International financial institutions (IFIs), credit rating agencies (CRAs) and foreign investors would usually scrutinize our ability to withstand global shocks. While...
The Philippines has completed the final phase of the P1.1 billion ($23 million) five-year biological threat capability building partnership program with the United States aimed to strengthen the country’s capacity and capability to detect, diagnose, and report dangerous pathogens. Left:...
The Department of National Defense (DND) should explore the feasibility of restructuring the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with additional forces to boost the country’s maritime defense. Senator Risa Hontiveros said this proposal may be worth considering in light of China’s continuous...
The United States is just awaiting the decision of President Duterte regarding the fate of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), US Embassy Charge d’Affaires John Law said Friday. (via United States Embassy in Manila website) Law said both the US and Philippine sides spent weeks of “productive...
The House Committee on Higher and Technical Education on Wednesday, June 2, approved the substitute bill that seeks to institutionalize the 1989 accord between the University of the Philippines (UP) and the Department of National Defense (UP-DND) into the UP Charter of 2008. University of the...
The Philippines will seek to strengthen its ties with its “newly found old friend” Russia by exploring opportunities in the areas of vaccine, defense, space and energy cooperation as the two countries celebrate the 45th year of the establishment of diplomatic relations. President Rodrigo...
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven Robinson AO on Thursday confirmed that negotiations are still ongoing between the Department of National Defense and Austal, a world-renown Australian defense contractor and shipbuilder, for the procurement of AUS$600 million worth of six naval...
Has President Duterte lost faith in the United States as a reliable partner? President Rodrigo Duterte (Malacañang) The President has bared a grudge against the United States and declared the Filipino nation should no longer count on its oldest ally to help amid the country's simmering dispute...
