2 senators want P10-B cut in AFP Modernization budget restored

Senators JV Ejercito and Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa sought to restore the P10 billion slashed in the 2025 budget for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program.

During the Senate plenary deliberations on the budget of the Department of National Defense, Ejercito lamented that the funding for the AFP Modernization program "always take the cut" which contributed to the delay in the completion of the projects for the military force.

"Kung napopondohan nang tama at maayos ang ating modernization program ay nasa Horizon 3 na tayo ng AFP Modernization," Ejercito quipped.

“Paano natin maabot ito kung taon-taon ay nababawasan ang budget para sa modernisasyon?" he asked.

The lawmaker noted that the Philippines aims to have at least the minimum credible defense posture for the territorial defense of the country, and not to match the military capabilities of its aggressors right away.

The budget for AFP's modernization under the National Expenditures Program was set at P50 billion. However, it was reduced to P40 billion under the House of Representatives' version of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) and was eventually adopted by the Senate finance committee.

Ejercito appealed to "restore or even augment" the budget for the AFP's modernization, saying this is in line with the spirit of the Revised AFP Modernization Program Act which prescribed an annual appropriation of at least P74 billion in the General Appropriations Act.

"Mahigpit isang dekada na mula noong naipasa natin ang Revised AFP Modernization Law ngunit hindi pa natin minsan na kumpleto ang itinakda ng batas na P75 billion para sa modernisasyon ng ating Sandatahang Lakas,” Ejercito said.

Dela Rosa, who defends the budget of the DND, said that with the P10 billion reduction in the AFP Modernization Program budget, seven projects will be affected.

These projects include cyber systems, forward-support equipment, aviation-engineering equipment, additional aircraft, joint tactical combat vehicles, and radar-basing support systems, Dela Rosa said.

Ejercito also noted that there are 17 remaining projects under the Horizon 1 of the AFP Modernization Program, 75 projects in Horizon 2, and 37 under Horizon 3 as of October 2024.

"Kung mababawasan pa tayo ng P10 billion, another seven would be added," he said.

But Dela Rosa said that 99% of the 53 projects under Horizon 1 were already completed and it is expected to reach 100% by 2026. For Horizon 2, the senator said 23% of the 98 projects were already completed and it is expected to reach 56% by 2029.

Dela Rosa said the timeline for the Horizon 3 was set from 2023 to 2027 but the projects were not yet started because the undertakings under the third phase of the AFP Modernization Program were just approved this year.

Amid the delay in the Horizon 3 of the modernization program, Ejercito stressed the need to fast-track its completion as this phase focuses on external defense which could help the country in protecting its territories amid the "precarious" situation in the West Philippine Sea.

To recall, it was Dela Rosa who disclosed the House budget cut in the AFP Modernization Program during the first day of the Senate plenary deliberations on the 2025 national budget's general principle last week.

Dela Rosa said the budget cut for the modernization program might affect the morale of the soldiers guarding and risking their lives to protect Philippine territories.

"Hindi natin bini-blame ang gobyerno natin, hirap tayo sa pera. Pero kung maramdaman ko being a soldier, being a sailor na iba pala iyong priority ng gobyerno natin, pina-priority pa iyong pamimigay ng AKAP… tapos binawasan pa ng Lower House ng P10 billion, iba rin ang magiging reaksiyon, as far as morale is concerned," he earlier said.

"Baka puwedeng kahit paano maibalik natin iyong ibang halaga roon just to make our soldiers, our sailors feel good that their government is after their welfare...at hindi hanggang lip service lamang tayo [na] iba ang sinasabi, pagdating sa budget deliberation, iba ang ginagawa. So, para natin silang ina-underhand." Dela Rosa added.

Dela Rosa also hit the "glaring contradiction" between the lawmakers' move to cut the AFP budget and their statements whenever military personnel are harmed while protecting the country's territories.

"I cannot help but point out a glaring contradiction na nakikita ko. Kasi every time may mangyaring hindi maganda during our resupply missions to the Ayungin Shoal...our immediate reaction is like this: 'We condemn in the highest terms this incident, and we have to see to it that we have to modernize our Philippine Navy,'" Dela Rosa said.

"Now, here comes the budget deliberations, binawasan pa ng P10 billion iyong NEP ng Department of National Defense... Sana coordinated palagi or synchronized iyong sinasabi natin as politicians at iyong ginagawa natin as legislators who have the power of the purse," he added. —LDF, GMA Integrated News