MANILA, Philippines -
The Department of National Defense (DND) is looking for additional P10-billion
supplemental budget for the modernization of the Armed Forces. This is to fill
in the amount that was not provided to the AFP modernization program for this
year.
Fernando Manalo Defense
Undersecretary, said to The STAR that DND
needs P20 billion for this year but, only P10 billion was funded to the General
Appropriations. An additional budget is on top of the annual national budget
passed by Congress.
In 2012, President
Aquino signed a contract allocating P75 billion worth of fund for the first
five years of the military’s modernization program alone. The next year budget
offered by Malacañang required P20 billion for the Armed Forces Modernization
Program.
The stated amount will
be given and managed by the defense secretary and shall be completely used to fund
the modernization projects itself.
The allotment of the
funds will only be released once the DND submits to the Department of Budget
and Management (DBM) the recommendation of the bids and awards committees for
the award of agreements. As soon as the
funds become available, a notice of award will be issued to a winning bidder.
The DND is obliged to
submit to the budget department, the House of Representatives appropriations
committee and the Senate finance committee quarterly reports on carrying out of
the program.
So far,
the administration has completed 37 military upgrade project amounting
P9.2 billion. But there are still expected modernization equipment to be acquired this
year.Fourteen projects worth P6.2 billion are slated for accomplishment before
the year ends.
