GMA holds last conference at Defense Department; gives go signal for purchase of military equipment

By Ronron
January 31, 2007

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo held for the last time as Defense Secretary a conference with top Defense and military officials on Wednesday as she is set to turn over today (Thursday) the Defense portfolio to outgoing Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr.

In a statement released after the one-hour close-door meeting, Arroyo commended the Defense department for its “outstanding performance in pursuing the guidelines” she “issued to fast track the implementation of the procurement process for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program.”

Arroyo and Defense officials said the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Defense Department is ready to proceed with the bidding process this month (February) for the purchase of over P7 billion worth of essential military equipment that will be used in the AFP’s internal security operations (ISO).

A document provided by the department listed the said equipment as follows: Multi-purpose Attack Craft (P145.44 M); Squad Automatic Weapons (P1,727.438 M); Global Positioning System (P103.550 M); Watercraft (P70.9 M); 1 ¼ ton Truck (P1,531.76 M); Aerial Camera (P62.85 M); Personal Role Radio (P400 M); Armored Personnel Carrier M113 (P144 M); Night Flying System for the Army and Air Force (P617,125,460); Night Flying System for the Navy (P326.509 M); Night Capable Attack Helicopter (P1,213.04 M); 40MM Grenade Launcher (P160.6 M; EOD Bomb Suit (P82.35 M); MD 520 MG Upgrade (P240 M); and, UH-1 Helicopter (P400 M).

“These projects are part of the P10 billion I have approved for procurement, for which invitations to bid have been sent out… At the rate of these developments, I am confident that the notices to proceed will be issued by the middle of March 2007,” Arroyo said.

In a follow-up interview, Defense Undersecretary for Civil, Veterans, and Reserve Affairs Ernesto Carolina said the remaining P2.75 billion worth of equipment are still being determined as to how they will be purchased.

“The strategy is to acquire first those that will go to the hands of the soldiers… and would enhance their operational and combat readiness and capability,” Carolina said of the first batch of equipment to be purchased.

He said the department expects to receive the deliveries from March until October of this year if the timeline is followed.

“She’s happy that in the last 60 days, she was able to more or less review the vision and mission of the AFP and the major services, and most importantly, tweak the procurement system,” Carolina said when asked about Arroyo’s last directives to the department.

“She said that an inspiring mission should be supported by materiel capability that’s why she focused on the procurement… And she is very satisfied with the way in the last 60 days the Bids and Awards Committee was able to accomplish what the President would like to be accomplished,” he added.

In her statement, Arroyo said the AFP Modernization Program will hopefully equip the military with the necessary hardware to be able to particularly sustain its anti-terrorism campaign, and even other non-traditional security threats./DMS