MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will recruit 600 new soldiers and 1,200 militiamen in its campaign against insurgency and terrorism.
Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. yesterday said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will give an additional P3.5 billion in funding for the creation of six full-force battalions (600 soldiers) and the hiring of more Citizens Armed Forces Geographic Units personnel.
"We have a deadline to make the insurgency insignificant by 2010 and I will not accept deviations from that schedule. I will make sure that it is met by strongly supervising the Armed Forces," he said on the sidelines of the sendoff ceremony of 500 Navy and Marine soldiers at the Navy headquarters along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.
The Marines were deployed to Basilan to augment Army forces.
"We need more soldiers in insurgency-afflicted areas as a deterrent," Mr. Teodoro added.
The Department of Budget and Management will release the funds for hiring additional soldiers as soon as possible, Mr. Teodoro said.
Equipment upgrade
The AFP, buoyed by a 2008 Defense budget of P56.53 billion an increase of more than 20% over 2007 is looking at buying a variety of military equipment to eradicate insurgency before the Arroyo administrations term ends in 2010, Mr. Teodoro said.
Procurement priorities include communications equipment, ground vehicles, infantry weapons, transport and attack helicopters, and fast-attack patrol craft with modern navigation equipment and missile weapon systems. - Jhoanna Frances S. Valdez, BusinessWorld