WHAT did President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mean when he said in his recent speech during the AFP’s Major Services Officer Candidate Course Joint Graduation Ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City that he is committed to making the Armed Forces of the Philippines a “world-class force”?
Here’s what he actually said: “To all the members of the AFP, be assured that this administration remains committed to transforming our AFP into a world-class force that is a source of national pride and national security.”
According to the Chief Executive and Commander-in-Chief, the AFP transformation begins with investing in people’s talents and skills, and bringing up “leaders who will bridge the gap between tradition and innovation.”
Marcos renewed his vow to continue modernizing AFP equipment and programs. “We will modernize your equipment, enhance your training programs, ensure that you are equipped to face challenges not just of today but also of the future,” he said.
“Because together, we will build an AFP that will stand as a beacon of strength, of alliance, resilience, and technological excellence,” he added.
What we can infer from all this is that the Marcos Jr. administration will be building upon the gains made so far in modernizing our armed forces that began in the Ramos administration in 1992 and not necessarily put defense build-up at the top of the national budget until 2028.
The reality is that no administration can afford to put its eggs all in one basket, so to speak, and give top priority to national defense at the expense of other pressing national concerns, such as infrastructure, human settlements, education and health, among others.
Why should the government give priority to acquiring modern jetfighters, advanced naval vessels, state-of-the art missile systems and
recruit hundreds of thousands more of army, navy, air force and other personnel when there are millions of Filipino families still in the grip of poverty and unable to provide for their own basic needs of food, clothing and shelter?
Our close neighbor China has emerged as a military power in this part of the world only after it had accelerated economic growth in leaps and bounds from the 1980s onwards.
North Korea is another military power in Asia with a large army and it possesses intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of hitting the US mainland, but its economy remains backward and the North Korean government appears unable to adequately provide for the needs of its own people.
A world-class military is an aspiration that likely to be achieved with consistently high economic growth in the years ahead.
The focus now should be striking a balance between defending the national sovereignty and territorial integrity and attaining economic and social development to improve the lives of Filipinos and reduce poverty levels.
