Sen. Lacson sponsored the budget of the Department of National Defense for 2021, amounting to P215.705 billion. This includes P1.3B for the Government Arsenal, P139.7M for the National Defense College of the Philippines, P1.25B for the Office of Civil Defense, P842.4M for the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, and P2.177B for the Veterans Memorial Medical Center; and P209B for the AFP.
The Filipino people are resilient and our soldiers are no different. We will survive, no doubt. We know how to improvise and we can adapt to crises the way we did many times before.
But in the meantime, we remain exposed to terrorist threats, both domestic and foreign, not to mention the continuing security threat in the West Philippine Sea posed by China, and even the need for timely humanitarian response and assistance that the US is capable of deploying during disasters, natural or man-made. Also affected by the VFA’s abrogation is the maintenance and repairs of military hardware, mostly air assets provided by the US under the AFP modernization program.
Exploring other options like inking similar defense treaties with other nations as posited by the AFP Chief of Staff is fine but the reality is, it doesn’t happen overnight. It will take a series of back-and-forth negotiations in pursuit of the concerned parties’ self and national interests before going through lengthy deliberations for ratification by the Senate.
While admittedly, the VFA is not perfect for the Philippines as far as equitability is concerned, the timing and reasons for its abrogation are way off the mark.
The thing is, it is not the smartest move of the President to expose ourselves naked first before looking for other options for cover.
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Sa sambayanan may utang ang mga sundalo sa mga biyayang tinatamasa ng mga ito kapalit ng pagiging tapat sa Saligang Batas at tamang pagtupad sa mga tungkulin na nakaatang sa kanilang balikat.
Ito ang binigyang-diin ni Senador at dating Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Panfilo Lacson bilang pagpapaalala na produkto ng sama-samang pagtatrabaho ng mga mambabatas ang mga batas na nalilikha para sa kapakinabangan ng iba’t-ibang sangay ng pamahalaan kabilang na ang sandatahang lakas.
Ayon pa kay Lacson, maliwanag na naman umano na ang mga senador ay halal ng taumbayan kaya lumalabas na ikinakatawan lamang ng mga ito ang sambayanan sa sa paghinang ng mga batas.
Related: Lacson: AFP owes allegiance to Filipino people
Continue reading “Ping: Utang ng sundalo sa sambayanan ang tinatamasa nila”
Amid the laws passed for the benefit of its members, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should maintain its allegiance to the Philippine Constitution and to the Filipino people.
Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson stressed this as he said the measures providing for the AFP’s modernization are the work of the Senate as an institution representing the people.
“More than who authored the bills, the members of the AFP can best show their appreciation by serving the country and the Filipino people,” said Lacson, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1971.
Related: Ping: Utang ng sundalo sa sambayanan ang tinatamasa nila
Continue reading “Lacson: AFP owes allegiance to Filipino people”
Bunga na rin ng patuloy na pagtaas ng banta ng terorismo at iba pang karahasan, kumilos na si Senador Panfilo Lacson upang mapalakas ang kakayahan ng pamahalaan na labanan ang mga ito.
Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng paghahain ni Lacson ng Senate Bill 1734, na naglalayong gawing mas epektibo ang mga sistemang ginagamit ng gobyerno para mapalakas ang defense system ng bansa.
“This bill is envisioned to update national defense policies, principles and concepts, to institutionalize needed improvements and to codify various laws on national defense, the AFP and the civilian bureaus, with the end in view of streamlining and further professionalizing our country’s defense establishment,” paliwanag ni Lacson sa panukala.
Related: Lacson seeks to upgrade measures to fight terrorism, national security threats
Continue reading “Bagong Diskarte vs Karahasan at Terorismo, Itinulak ni Ping”
A bill by Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson seeks to upgrade the government’s capabilities against insurgency, terrorism and other threats to national security via several measures, including streamlining the procurement process for defense equipment and prohibiting the sale of strategic defense real properties.
In Senate Bill 1734, Lacson pushed for a stronger defense department that will implement a more credible national defense system to address inside and outside threats.
“This bill is envisioned to update national defense policies, principles and concepts, to institutionalize needed improvements and to codify various laws on national defense, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the civilian bureaus, with the end in view of streamlining and further professionalizing our country’s defense establishment,” he said.
Related: Bagong diskarte vs karahasan at terorismo, itinulak ni Ping
Continue reading “Lacson Seeks to Upgrade Measures to Fight Terrorism, National Security Threats”
(After the bicameral) conference committee that met and fully discussed in a conference the joint explanation of the conference committee on the disagreeing provisions of SB 3164 and HB 6410, I hereby report to the body the following: Continue reading “Sponsorship Speech for the AFP Modernization Bill (after Bicameral Conference Committee)”
I am of course honored to sponsor this bill in the presence of the most probable incoming commander-in-chief, Vice President Jejomar Binay.
The first AFP modernization program started Dec. 19, 1996 with the approval of joint resolution 28. What was then envisioned as a modernization program turned out to be only a capability upgrade for the AFP. But even at this level, the program still fell short of its target. The basic requirements of move, shoot and communicate of the AFP are substandard and outdated, if not totally lacking. How can our brave soldiers defend our people if they do not have the right equipment to fight off the enemy in the first place? Continue reading “Sponsorship Speech on SB 3164 (An Act Amending RA 7898 establishing the AFP Modernization Program)”
