Budget for maintenance of new military assets challenge for next admin —Lorenzana

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Friday the funding for the maintenance of new military assets would be a challenge for the next administration.

In his speech during the ceremony for the anniversary of the Philippine Navy, Lorenzana said the top military and government officials have to persuade the Congress to allot the budget needed for the maintenance.

“So the challenge now for the next Flag Officer in Command, Chief of Staff, and the Secretary of Defense is to convince Congress to allocate more funds for the maintenance of these equipment,” he said.

He also raised concern on the lack of naval bases in the country considering that the government continues to acquire more vessels under the Armed Forces of the Philippine Modernization Program.

“We have been buying capital ships, wala naman tayong paradahan (we have no place for docking). We have no adequate naval base to park those ships,” he said.

Lorenzana said the government just got the northern part of Hanjin shipyard in Subic where the Navy can park its ships.

“Recently we were able to get the northern part of Hanjin. The Navy is happy because they have now a place of their own that they can park their navy ships, capital ships,” he said.

In April, Lorenzana said funding can also be a problem as the modernization program is set to proceed to its “Horizon 3” where the assets that will be acquired are more sophisticated.—AOL, GMA News