Congress urged to extend AFP Modernization Act

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. has called on Congress to prioritize the passage of a bill extending the coverage of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program until 2025. Ochoa said the extension of the AFP Modernization Act (Republic Act 7898) will enable President Benigno Aquino III’s government to develop the military’s capability to address threats to national security. “We all want the best for our country and want to help our people weather whatever storms that come their way. Today, we have a commander-in-chief who is committed to providing you the support you need to allow you to perform your duties to the best of your abilities," he said in a speech before members of the Philippine Air Force last Friday. Ochoa made this call in the midst of rising tension between China and the Philippines over the ownership of Spratly Islands, a group of islands spread over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). The executive secretary likewise assured the soldiers that the government is committed in reforming the military and bringing in adequate operational support to troops during their missions. Aquino earlier included the bill extending the RA 7898 among the 23 priority bills he presented during the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) last February. RA 7898, enacted in February 1995, is a 15-year program intended to modernize the AFP to a level where it can effectively and fully perform its constitutional mandate of protecting the people, upholding the sovereignty, and preserving the patrimony of the republic. Both the House and Senate versions of the measure are pending before the committees on national defense and security. - AC/KBK, GMA News