AFP Modernization Update – Dec. 10, 2020

Some updates about the Modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in his Interview with PTV last December 10, 2020, and unfortunately they are not good. 

* First off, he said that the Budget for the Modernization of the AFP for 2021 was only Php 31 billion, lower than what was previously reported because of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Pandemic. You can watch him say this starting from the 4:24 mark of his Interview

* Second is that he is now saying that the Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) Project of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will be moved to Horizon 3 (2023 to 2028) because of, again, the Covid-19 Pandemic. You can watch him say this starting from the 15:24 mark of his Interview

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‘2021 AFP Modernization Budget’

About the 2021 AFP Modernization Budget, I thought it was pretty clear that it was going to be Php 58 billion as reported in the Press last Month (November 2020), but if Sec. Lorenzana is now saying it is only Php 31 billion then it will be less by Php 27 billion. 

I don’t know what happened, but if so, then I wonder which Projects won’t make it. For example, I was hoping that the Budget for the PJ-10 BrahMos acquisition is on that Php 58 billion, but if it much lower than that then the chances of the funds being there for that is lessened. 

‘MRF’

As for the MRF Program, what Lorenzana said is contrary to what the AFP Chief Gen. Gilbert Gapay told the Press just a couple of Days ago when he said that the MRF Program could be signed within the Term of President Rodrigo Duterte which ends in 2022. 

So at least 2 updates from Sec. Lorenzana, unfortunately both of them are negative. By the way, I have decided to snip both portions of Sec. Lorenzana’s interview and posted it below as a backup, just in case the original PTV Interview becomes unavailable for some reason.

SOURCES:

* DND plans to spend Php 58 billion for the AFP Modernization in 2021 {Archived Link}
* AFP '60% at par' with Asean Neighbors due to Modernization {Archived Link}

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