AFP eyes transfer of major service commands to Camp Aguinaldo

Already underway is a feasibility study on transferring the headquarters of the Army, Navy and Air Force in Camp Aguinaldo, putting all three branches of the Armed Forces within the military’s general headquarters. At present, Army headquarters are located in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City; Air Force headquarters are in Villamor Air Base, Pasay City; and Navy headquarters are at Naval Station Jose Andrada along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. AFP spokesman Brig.Gen. Jose Mabanta on Monday said the feasibility study that is being conducted by the Department of National Defense and the office of the AFP deputy chief of staff for plans and programs.

This comes days after Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said that Camp Aguinaldo may be privatized to fund the long-delayed AFP modernization program, together with Camp Crame, which houses the Philippine National Police national headquarters and is also along EDSA. “The one [option] that is principally considered now is to house all the major services headquarters adjacent to Camp Aguinaldo. This would mean that the lots vacated by the major services may be allotted to other purposes like privatization," said Mabanta. In his State of the Nation Address, President Benigno Aquino III announced plans to lease the Navy headquarters so the Navy can procure much needed assets like ships. Several firms have already signified intensions of leasing the Navy headquarters. Mabanta said Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin is weighing the option of transferring the headquarters of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force to Camp Aguinaldo – making it similar to the Pentagon of the United States. “Apparently, the SND [secretary of national defense] is looking at the first option and there is actually a study group right now looking into its feasibility of one central headquarters inside Camp Aguinaldo," said Mabanta. Military officials have said that privatizing the 178-hectare prime lot may not that simple, adding that the 26.6-hectare property – specifically in the middle of the camp – had been donated by the Ortigas family for the exclusive use of the military. This may mean that if the entire camp is privatized, the ownership of the 26.6 hectares of Camp Aguinaldo may revert back to the Ortigas family.
Privatization of military lots However, Mabanta said that under such circumstance, it was still possible to still lease portion of the camp, apparently the portion not donated by the Ortigas family. “That’s the option that’s being studied right now," said Mabanta of bringing together in just one location the headquarters of the Army, Navy and Air Force. ‘Far second option’ to relocate outside Aguinaldo Mabanta said that the departure of the military from Camp Aguinaldo is “far second option." But the AFP had earlier said that it was open to relocation. In that scenario, the AFP general headquarters will have to be relocated to another area, possibly to Camp Capinpin in Rizal; to Marine Base Ternate in Cavite; to Camp Aquino in Tarlac City; to Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Clark Air Base in Pampanga; or Sangley Point in Cavite. “It’s quite hard because we want general headquarters within the metropolis or in the capital. But remember, this [privatization of Camp Aguinaldo] is not new. The past administration has looked into this," said Mabanta. “There are plenty of aspects to consider – social, political, economic – and it’s not for the Armed Forces to decide because we are only one of the stakeholders involved. These are all being considered and at the end of it, it still needs the approval of the [national] leadership and may require legislation," the official added. Mabanta said that these options were being considered, bearing in mind that “big ticket items" for the military require “much needed funds to boost [the AFP’s] modernization effort" being pursued by the military since the 1990s. – MRT/KBK, GMANews.TV