AFP modernization: amateur to professional

How much money does the AFP needs to unleash its power to move on to the next level of being amateur to professional. AFP chief of staff Gregorio Catapang sited that the AFP will be needing a budget of P300B for the next 10 years, if the government is really serious about their project for AFP's modernization.

Catapang also added that the modernization has two "horizons". At an P85B budget, the AFP could achieve a "minimum credible defense posture" particularly in defending our countr's territory. "They had initially asked for P40 billion for modernization but were given only around P30 billion" he said. 

During an ambush interview, Catapang described that “The second horizon is another P85-P100 billion which will take six years, while the third horizon is P100-P125 billion and another six years for military hardware and also bases development,”.

"They had initially asked for P40 billion for modernization but were given only around P30 billion" he added.

The fact that China has an “overwhelming presence” in the South China SEA, DFA always remind our government about the harassing of fisherman and Navy personnel from Ayungi Shaol that demoralizes our defense credibility.