Much as I appreciate FVR, having known him for many years -- and in fact never missed meeting him when he comes to visit where family and I are currently based, I must be straightforward (he's always known me for being vocal and straightforward -- one who does not "shit about" ): Pres FVR missed some of the most important opportunities that were presented to him to modernise the AFP during his presidency* when he was presented with countertrade/offset/barter/BOT plans to pay for the acquisition of major AFP equipment by almost ALL, and I mean almost all, of the countries that were offering to sell defence equipment to the AFP.
Almost all the countries (with the exception of the United States for some equipment) that produced the following offered the Philippines countertrade/offset/barter and BOT forms of payment: FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, ROTARY-WING AIRCRAFT, OFFSHORE PATROL VESSELS COMPLETE WITH INTEGRATED WEAPONS SYSTEM, WEAPONS FOR ALL SORTS OF PLATFORMS, ARMY HARDWARE AND LOGISTICS, SURVEILLANCE RADARS with joint military-civilian use, COASTAL DEFENCE EQUIPMENT, etc., etc., but to no avail. Some countries offered FULL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER with their proposed equipment. But FVR just would not or could not decide.
Little Philippine cash or no cash payment at all would have been required in many of the offered plans. Most AFP decision makers, i.e., chiefs, major service commands, including then members of the AFP Modernization Board and before that, the AFP Weapons Systems Board were frustrated by the lack of decision capability emanating from DND (under the wing of Rene de Villa) and from Malacanang (whose legal adviser then was Tony Carpio, now SC Justice or even chief justice and without whose approval, NO CONTRACT with govt could go through!)
Defence industrialists never quite understood why FVR took the "Teka-Teka"** position on the acquisition of the much needed major AFP equipment. There is a possibility that he was waiting for the enactment of the AFP Modernization Bill into law which was presented to the Senate during his time but we think that AFP Modernization Law was not really necessary for a decision to be made on matters of BOT, Countertrade or Offset payments with full technology transfer as the country had a SELF RELIANCE law that enabled a cash-strapped govt to do business using precisely what FVR has been speaking about today on television.
And again, despite his reported candor on TV today, I cannot see any reason why FVR must not share the blame for the incapacitated AFP we find today. He could have initiated the modernisation of the AFP and even seen it greatly equipped before he left office... there was nothing illegal in the countertrade/offset/barter/BOT forms of payment for military hardware presented to his government then. Proof is that he is now a proponent of the said payment schemes. Had they started the procurement via countertrade/offset/BOT/bater payment plans during his time, the AFP would have had top-of-the range weapons systems today which would have given it confidence vis-à-vis hostile quarters that want to "engage" it in the region today.
Alas... it was not to be. The only real professional military man (and who had another military man in National Defence at the time), that the country ever had for a president somehow -- and I regret to say this, failed the Armed Forces of the Philippines during his term.
Fortunately, Pres FVR has finally decided and is telling the current decision makers in DND and Malacanang exactly how they might equip the AFP despite the little cash in hand. As my next door friend, newly-married 80-year old Jacqueline would say, better late than never ...
*NB: Pres FVR also mentionned during the TV interview the hardware PH procured from Italy using countertrade/offset, as form of payment, etc. If FVR meant the S211 and the Agusta helos, I believe that it was during the time of President Cory Aquino when the bulk of the negotiations for their acquisition was made.
** "Teka-Teka" literally means, "Wait! Wait!"
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26 January 2013
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