Solon lauds AFP for winning hearts and minds of Pinoys

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 1): Solon lauds AFP for winning hearts and minds of Pinoys

Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Trenas on Tuesday lauded the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for doing extremely well in winning the hearts and minds of the people.

Trenas cited the survey of US-based polling firm Gallup highlighting the people's rising confidence towards the AFP, from a mere 72% when President Aquino assumed office in 2010 to 82-85% percent confidence rating in 2015.

"As a result of internal and external threats, Philippines President Benigno Aquino III embarked on a military modernization effort shortly after taking office in 2010. This effort, along with military and government involvement in reconstruction after massive typhoons in the early 2010s, likely helped spur higher confidence in the military among the Filipino public," stated the Gallup survey report entitled "Filipinos Give China's Leadership Low Approval."

The Gallup report which centered on how Filipinos feel towards the leadership of China and that of the United States, was based on face-to-face interviews with 1,001 adults in the Philippines, aged 15 and older, conducted May 2015.

Trenas said that this Gallup report indicates that more and more Filipinos are beginning to appreciate the government's effort to modernize the AFP with the acquisition of new military assets that will definitely boost the military's capability not only in securing the country's borders but also in conducting internal security operations.

Trenas said that Defense Secretary Volatire Gazmin and Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Hernando Iriberri should be credited for the AFP's success restoring the people's trust and confidence to the military because of their commitment in ensuring that the modernization program is finally being realized.

"The AFP is winning the PR war under Secretary Gazmin and General Iriberri. Our people are now seeing the reforms in the AFP. They are beginning to see the difference when we had an Airforce that has nothing but air with no force and now that we actually have modern supersonic jets. They now appreciate the fact that we now have an increasing number of naval ships that can help us secure our maritime borders instead of relying on a worn out BRP Sierra Madre that was grounded at the Ayungin shoal and manned by Marines with nothing but rifles to defend themselves," he said.

"The AFP modernization program was launched two decades ago but it is only now under the Aquino administration that we are actually acquiring equipment to modernize our armed forces. ," Trenas explained.

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