MANILA --- For Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, President Rodrigo R. Duterte's continuous support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program and doubling of the salaries of all military personnel are his most significant achievements as far as the security sector is concerned.
Lorenzana said military personnel can focus on their job better as they know they can adequately support their families with their salaries and do their mandated duty with the new equipment acquired.
"They can do their jobs better knowing that their family is taken care of with the salary increase. On the improvement of their equipment and know-how, they will be more confident in doing their tasks. It also makes them on par with the neighboring military who have been modernizing earlier. This brings pride to our soldiers," the DND chief said in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Last June, Lorenzana thanked President Rodrigo R. Duterte for giving priority to the DND request to implement the provisions of Congress Joint Resolution (JR) No. 1 or Joint Resolution Authorizing the Increase in Base Pay of Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) in the Government, and for Other Purposes, s. 2018 which the Chief Executive signed on January 1 this year.
“Truly, your unparalleled support for our uniformed personnel serves as our guiding light as the AFP continues to pursue its duty to the Filipino nation,” Lorenza earlier said.
Through the MUP pension increase, Lorenzana said the sacrifice and dedicated service of all Filipino soldiers have been truly and duly recognized.
The DND, by virtue of an official letter to Malacañang written on May 17, 2019, recommended that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) be directed to implement the pension indexation under JR No. 1, s. 2018 and release additional funds for that purpose.
The letter was signed by Defense Undersecretary Cardozo M. Luna, who was then officer-in-charge of the DND.
And on the AFP Modernization Program, the President has publicly expressed his support on the matter and pledged to government troops that he will acquire them new weapons and equipment needed in fulfilling their mandate.
Safety of Filipinos primary concern of Duterte administration
DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said Duterte’s unceasing concern for the safety and well-being of the Filipino people has been a hallmark of his Presidency.
"His political will has paved the way for peace in Mindanao with the passage and implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. Now we are on the right track towards normalization which will enable the spread of good governance and development," he said.
This is also proven by the Chief Executive's desire to end local communist armed conflict will make the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP) politically and strategically irrelevant by the end of his term.
"He signed Executive Order No. 70 last December 2018 to institutionalize the whole-of-nation approach in dealing with the communist terrorists through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which he personally chairs," Andolong said.
Duterte's unwavering commitment to the country’s defense and security has also boosted the morale of the country's security forces.
"In the first three years of his term, the base pay of our military and uniformed personnel was doubled. A private in the Army now receives a base salary close to PHP30,000 monthly," he added.
Andolong also said the Chief Executive is a strong supporter of the ongoing AFP modernization program as he allocated more funds for the acquisition of defense equipment.
"Recognizing the need to boost the AFP’s operational capacity, President Duterte also allocated more funds for the procurement of defense equipment under the Revised AFP Modernization Program. In the next few months and years, we expect the delivery of more planes to patrol our skies, more ships to defend our maritime domain, more equipment to monitor and respond to threats, and better systems to quickly adapt to changes in our security environment," he added.
And by including the reinstatement of mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) among senior high school students in his priority legislative agenda, Andolong said passage of such law will be imminent.
"We are now closer to the passage of a law to reinstate mandatory ROTC in our school system, an important program which will inculcate patriotism, sense of duty, and leadership among our youth," he added.
Another accomplishment is the return of the Balangiga Bells last December after more than a century abroad which fortified the Philippines' dignity as a sovereign nation.
Andolong said the President’s firm stance on the issue highlighted in his 2017 SONA became a rallying call for all efforts to bring the bells back home.
"These are just part of the tip of the proverbial iceberg of the positive changes under President Duterte’s leadership. That is why the DND and its five bureaus--the AFP, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, Office of Civil Defense, National Defense College of the Philippines, and Government Arsenal- look forward to the next three years of his Presidency and vow to support him all the way," he said.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1075317
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