Tag: defense capability

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Lacson: Eradicating Corruption Key to Upgrading Defense Capability, Especially in WPS

Eradicating corruption is crucial for the Philippines to rise as an economic power like Japan, and to strengthen its military and defense capabilities including in the West Philippine Sea, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.

Lacson cited Japan’s recent move to seize a Chinese fishing vessel and arrest its skipper off southern Japan – months after Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae hinted Japan may intervene militarily should China try to forcibly take Taiwan.

“Wow Japan! If only the Philippines can eradicate corruption, so we may become an economic power, then we can upgrade our military capability – ergo, we are no longer a pushover country,” Lacson said on X.

In Filipino: Lacson: Pagpuksa sa Katiwalian, Susi sa Pagpapalakas ng Defense Capability, Lalo na sa WPS

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On the $500M US Aid to the AFP

Compared to the $8B US aid to Taiwan, the $500M “alms” to the Philippines is not even good enough to console an “ally” willing to share Taiwan’s risks in allowing additional EDCA sites in Northern Luzon to help facilitate movement of US war materiel and logistics in case of a China invasion.

Malaki ang pasalamat natin kay Rep. Darrel Issa (California) sa kanyang “symbolic amendment” para maambunan ang Pilipinas kahit $500M. Kinumpara ko lang ang aid sa Taiwan dahil naalala ko ang dagdag na EDCA sites sa Isabela at Cagayan na klaro ang intention ay para malapit sa Taiwan.

More than anything, I am expressing our country’s dignity and self-respect.

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On a Post-VFA Philippines

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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PingBills | Senate Bill 254, An Act Establishing the PAF Academy and Appropriating Funds Therefor

“The PAF Academy as conceptualized, is geared towards making available an adequate and dedicated corps of professional Air Force officers with the proper education, training and orientation to lead and manage the complex technologies inherent in the field of aviation.”

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PingBills | Senate Bill 249, The National Defense Act of 2019

“Hence, 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, and the civilian bureaus, with the end in view of streamlining and further professionalizing our country’s defense department.”

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