Gov't Arsenal feted for role in boosting PH defense capabilities

From the Philippine News Agency (May 23, 2023): Gov't Arsenal feted for role in boosting PH defense capabilities (By Priam Nepomuceno)

DND chief Carlito Galvez Jr. (Photo courtesy of DND)

MANILA – Department of National Defense (DND) chief Carlito Galvez Jr. has lauded the Government Arsenal (GA) in Limay, Bataan for its efforts in boosting the country's defense posture with its capability of producing small arms ammunition.

“I commend you for achieving your target manufactured ammunition quantities and your desired quality by decreasing the rejection rate from 2 percent to below 1 percent for various types of ammunition," he said in a statement late Monday.

Galvez visited the GA inside Camp General Antonio Luna in Limay, Bataan last May 18.

During the visit, GA director Gerry Amante, together with key personnel, provided an organizational briefing highlighting the bureau's mandate, capabilities, achievements, as well as their issues and concerns.

The DND chief also lauded the GA for improving its responsiveness to inter-agency requests for the manufacturing of ammunition.

Galvez acknowledged the GA's unique capability to manufacture primers, making it the sole entity in the Philippines with this capability. “I commend you for achieving your target manufactured ammunition quantities and your desired quality by decreasing the rejection rate from two percent to below one percent for various types of ammunition," he added.

“Most importantly, you have developed the capability to manufacture the M-4-type assault rifle, which has been tested by the Philippine Army, as well as the 9-millimeter MP9-carbine,” Galvez noted.

The DND chief also lauded the GA’s efforts to increase its capacity to manufacture weapons and small arms ammunition through co-production or joint venture arrangements with local defense industries, aligning with the vision of a self-sufficient Philippines through the Self-reliant Defense Posture (SRDP).

"These are, nonetheless, milestones and remarkable steps towards our vision of a self-sufficient Philippines through the SRDP. Thus, this track will ultimately enable the Government Arsenal to produce, sell, and even export selected products,” he added.

Galvez also noted that the SRDP would enable the GA to expand its current capacity for small arms and ammunition production, and assured the bureau of his full support for their endeavors.

“The SRDP is the key, and your capable hands are the means for us to achieve it –and I want to assure you of my full support,” he added.

Galvez also urged all DND bureaus and key officers to protect their people and the organization.

"Upon my assumption as Defense Chief, I issued straightforward guidance to the One Defense Team: protect our people, our organization, and our resources. One of my urgent priorities is to visit units and bureaus of the DND to personally check the welfare of our people, conduct an ocular of their workstations to ensure safety, boost productivity, and discuss ways to enhance their total well-being," he added.

And recognizing the need for quality healthcare for GA personnel, Galvez emphasized the need to rehabilitate and equip the facility's clinic, including the services of permanent medical staff. He directed the human resource office to facilitate the creation of necessary positions for this purpose.

“As the GA is a unique defense organization tasked with producing ammunition, I believe that one of their primary concerns is health care for their personnel. For this, we need to rehabilitate your clinic and upgrade its equipment. Your health facility should be manned permanently by medical professionals," Galvez said.

He also encouraged the GA to continue their outstanding work, improve their facilities, pursue legislative modernization agendas, and expand their production capacity.

“Continue with your exemplary work, keep improving and upgrading your facilities, work on your legislative agenda on modernization, and increase your production capacity for small arms and ammunition production. Shy not from the challenges and continue to dream bigger, beyond the confines of your production plants. Let us continue to contribute significantly to the attainment of our President’s vision of a better and stronger Philippines through economic recovery, nation-building, and most importantly, national unity,” Galvez said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1202016