Duterte approves P300-B phase 2 of AFP modernization program

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the second phase projects of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, the Department of National Defense announced on Wednesday.

DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said the funding for the Second Horizon, which will be implemented from 2018 to 2022, has a budget of around P300 billion.

“Mag-uusap ang DND and (Department of Budget and Management) on how to fund these projects,” he said.

The modernization program, which was initiated under former President Benigno Aquino III, is divided into three phases with five years implementation each. Horizon 1 started in 2013 and ended in 2017.

Horizon 2 will be implemented from 2018 until 2022 while Horizon 3 will be from 2023 to 2028.

“Second Horizon is supposed to be our transition period from internal security operations to territorial defense, so we're somewhere in between,” Andolong said.

Under the second phase of the modernization program, the Philippine Army will acquire towed and self-propelled howitzers, multiple launch rocket system, light tanks, armored recovery vehicles, fire support vehicles, tactical radios, ground mobility equipment (light, medium, and heavy), individual weapons, crew-served weapons, and night fighting system.

The Philippine Air Force, meanwhile, has multi-role fighter aircraft, radar system, light utility aircraft, medium lift aircraft, heavy lift helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, attack and combat utility helicopters, special mission and long-range patrol aircraft, and trainer aircraft.

Frigates, corvettes, submarines, amphibious assault vehicles, anti-submarine helicopters, attack crafts, medium lift helicopters, and multi-role vessel are set to be acquired for the Philippine Navy. —JST, GMA News