Philippines, Japan armed forces discuss collaboration, proposed defense pact
The two met when Centino led the AFP delegation to this year’s Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) held in Japan last week, from March 14 to 17......»»
Marcos: Security triad must not provoke South China Sea tension
An appropriate visiting forces agreement with Japan will benefit the Philippines, but the proposed military agreement with Tokyo as well as the planned trilateral security and defense pact with the United States should not provoke tensions in the disputed South China Sea, President Marcos said......»»
‘Defense pact’ sa Japan, ‘di pa natatalakay – PBBM
MANILA, Philippines- Hanggang ngayon ay wala pang pormal na pag-uusap sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at Japan hinggil sa posibleng defense cooperation deal na kahalintulad ng Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Sa isang panayam, sinabi ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. na sa ngayon ay tinutulungan ng Japanese government ang Philippine Coast Guard sa equipment at iba pang […] The post ‘Defense pact’ sa Japan, ‘di pa natatalakay – PBBM appeared first on REMATE ONLINE......»»
Realign portion of NTF-ELCAC’s P16 B to help typhoon victims — Hontiveros
Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Tuesday the government should realign a portion of the P16-billion anti-insurgency fund to relief and rehabilitation efforts for communities ravaged by super typhoon “Rolly.” Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Instead of funding a controversial program under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), Hontiveros said the budget could go a long way in helping Filipinos recover from the calamity.“Ngayong panahon ng sakuna, ‘di hamak na mas kailangan ng mga kababayan natin sa Bicolandia at sa iba pang mga lugar na nasalanta ng bagyo ang milyon-milyong pondo ng pamahalaan. (During this time of calamity, our people in the Bicol region and other provinces badly-hit by the typhoon need government funds),” Hontiveros said.“It is clear that the billions earmarked for NTF-ELCAC would be better spent on helping Filipinos battered by the typhoon get back on their feet,” the senator stressed.“Unahin nating bigyang-tulong at pondo ang mga nabiktima ng kalamidad, hindi ang mga ahensiya na puro pagre-redtag at pagkakalat ng fake news ang ginagawa. (Let’s prioritize helping victims of calamities by giving them funds, not agencies that do nothing but red tag people and just go about spreading fake news),” she reiterated.At the hearing of the Senate Committee on National Defense, the lawmaker noted that NTF-ELCAC has been allocated a proposed budget of P19-billion for 2021. Of this amount, P16-billion has been earmarked for its Barangay Development Program. Hontiveros also pointed out that the budget for NTF-ELCAC is “questionably astronomic” compared to the proposed budgets of other key agencies particularly the Department of Housing Settlements and Urban Development which only has P632-million, Office of the Ombudsman with only P3.36-billion, Department of Budget & Management (DBM) with only P1.9-billion, and even the Department of Finance (DOF) which only has P17.46-billion.“We should not spend such an inordinate amount of time and money on an agency running after ordinary citizens using the communist bogeyman. This is on top of the NTF-ELCAC’s bad track record of spreading fake news and silencing critical and dissenting voices,” she said. Hontiveros earlier defended entertainment personalities and women’s rights groups from the red tagging activities of Lt. General Antonio Parlade, chief of the Southern Luzon Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and NTF-ELCAC spokesperson. She said she cannot begin “to imagine the anguish and emotional toll this must have taken on these women who have been directly-hit by these accusations, as well as their families.”“I am certain that it has also caused a chilling effect on citizens who only want to weigh in on issues of national importance and hold the government to account for its failures to the people,” she stressed. “The issues of the communist insurgency are not new to me. My party Akbayan historically has called for human rights accountability of non-state actors, at kasama dito ang NPA. I will not hesitate to speak against the violations of the NPA,” she further said. .....»»
Vantage Point | Foreign policy predicament
The Marcos II administration has declared that part of its foreign policy is strengthening Philippine relations with other ASEAN countries and with China. But it is still the US on which the country has to depend for its external defense because, despite the billions spent on its supposed “modernization,” the Armed Forces of the Philippines cannot even protect Filipino fisherfolk from Chinese harassment and is most expert only at the suppression of dissent and social unrest. No government is to blame for this predicament except the Philippines’ own. The post Vantage Point | Foreign policy predicament appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Senate to start hearings on AFP officers’ fixed terms
The Senate committee on national defense and security will start tomorrow hearings into proposals to amend Republic Act 11709 or the law that fixed the terms of top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to three years......»»
Japan, Philippines, US hold first land forces chiefs meeting
Top-level officers of Japan, the Philippines and the United States armies agreed to enhance defense cooperation and promote initiatives among their units aimed at maintaining and enhancing a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.”.....»»
PAF’s new defense assets vital in protecting Philippines – Marcos
President Marcos emphasized yesterday the importance of modernizing the military, saying the country’s armed forces should be equipped for any eventuality amid geopolitical tensions......»»
Italy vows support for AFP s capability-upgrade programs
MANILA - The Italian government has expressed its intention to support the ongoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program.Italian Ambassador to Manila Marco Clemente made this remark in a courtesy call with Department of National Defense (DND) officer-in-charge (OIC) Und.....»»
Stronger assertion of WPS claim requires tougher Navy
MANILA - The modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines would allow for a stronger Philippine Navy that is ready and able to provide territorial defense and heightened operations in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and its adjoining areas.Emphasizing the naval force's importan.....»»
Faustino capable of continuing DND momentum: Lorenzana
MANILA - Outgoing Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday said he is confident that former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief, Gen. Jose C. Faustino Jr., is capable of continuing the gains achieved by the agency in its various initiatives."I am conf.....»»
AFP, GMA renew pact on helping isolated, depressed areas
MANILA - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF) on Wednesday renewed for another three years their memorandum of agreement (MOA) institutionalizing their partnership in uplifting the lives of underprivileged Filipinos in geographically isolated and depressed.....»»
More responsive AFP, result of PRRD s strong support for military
MANILA - Outgoing President Rodrigo R. Duterte's strong support for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has enabled the military to effectively respond to threats and the pandemic in the past six years.Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said the AFP has.....»»
Philippines slowly developing credible defense – AFP
The country is slowly developing “credible” defense against “any threat,” the newly appointed chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said......»»
Defense clarifies use of 20 military bank accounts
At least 20 bank accounts under the Armed Forces of the Philippines have been flagged by the Commission on Audit for being unauthorized but the Department of National Defense said it could not readily shutter these accounts since some of them involve current projects......»»
AFP to get 10 more helicopters
Ten more Sikorsky S70-i Blackhawk helicopters for the Armed Forces of the Philippines are expected to arrive in the country in the coming months, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced yesterday......»»
Phl, US discuss ‘response’ to WPS situation
Military leaders of the Philippines and United States have discussed how the two countries can respond to the ongoing tension in the West Philippine Sea, the Armed Forces said. The issue was tackled when AFP chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana met with Col. Stephen Ma, chief of the Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) in the […] The post Phl, US discuss ‘response’ to WPS situation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lorenzana wants 2 ‘red-tagging’ generals reinstated
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has asked the Armed Forces to reinstate two generals who were relieved from their posts following the release of an “erroneous” list of University of the Philippines students who allegedly became New People’s Army members. In a statement, Lorenzana said he made the request after “exhaustively” reviewing the case involving Maj. […] The post Lorenzana wants 2 ‘red-tagging’ generals reinstated appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AFP, CHR forge pact to foster coordination
The Armed Forces of the Philippines has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Commission on Human Rights to foster close coordination and address gaps in the human rights situation in the country......»»
AFP to probe Parlade for ‘threatening’ reporter
The Armed Forces of the Philippines will look into the allegedly threatening remark made by National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesman Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade against a journalist who reported about the supposed torture of two Aetas, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday......»»
Lorenzana sacks AFP deputy intel chief over ‘NPA list’
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has sacked the Armed Forces of the Philippines head for intelligence following an erroneous list identifying several University of the Philippines alumni as members of the New People’s Army......»»