PDGS
Partnership for Democratic Governance and Security

A. INTRODUCTION

The passage of the AFP Modernization Actin Congress and its signing into law by the President on February 23, 1995 has given the Armed Forces of the Philippines a fresh mandate for the development of its capabilities as it prepares for the 21st Century. It is considered to be a significant milestone that highlights the confidence of the policy-making body and the top leadership of the country in the Armed Forces and the assurance of support to the requirements for developments for developing its capabilities. As to whether or not the vision set forth in the act will be realized largely depends on the resources that will be made available and on how the entire defense establishment will manage its implementation. It is therefore vital, as it is required by the law, to show in clear terms the thrusts, objectives, strategies for development, action plans and the resources required for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, it is towards this end that the ensuing re-prioritized AFP Modernization Program has been conceived and thus presented.

The plan to modernize the AFP acquired a new and urgent dimension in the light of developments here and abroad. In the international scene, focus of concern lies in our own region. The asia-pacific security situation remains fluid; its future remains amorphous. China may emerge as the most dominant power in the region, surpassing Japan, by the end of this Century. Whether the strategic equilibrium will be a three-sided US-Japan-China or two-sided with the us eventually opting out, or some other alternatives, or whether the relationship will be inherently confrontational or accommodative and cooperative, is even now the subject of intense concern among the countries in the region. The fate of the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty is dependent on this equilibrium. It is the uncertainty over the future of regional security that appears to drive the perceived arms race in the region including Asean countries.