ShareThisAFP on heightened
alert over Spratlys
CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) remains on heightened alert over the Philippine territory in the disputed Spratlys group of island and reefs.
Soldiers guarding the Philippine territory are on heightened alert in view of China’s intrusion in the area.
AFP spokesman Jose Miguel Rodriguez said despite China’s pronouncement that it won’t intrude in the Philippine territory, the Filipino soldiers are keeping an eye on rampant intrusion of Chinese ships in the islands.
According to Rodriguez, it is the duty of any self-respecting nation to enhance the capability of its security forces.
The AFP spokesman also said the United States’ readiness to boost the Philippines’ capability in securing its maritime territory is a positive development.
“We are looking at this as a positive development in terms of the relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines as treaty partners,” Rodriguez said.
He added that the assurance of U.S. defense officials is in line with the Mutual Defense Treaty signed by the U.S. and the Philippines in 1951.
Meanwhile, the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are taking the survey for the Integrity Development Program (IDAP) or “Daang Matuwid” as scheduled in an effort to further defy graft and corruption practices steps in the military.
AFP and DND want to strengthen their reform implementation as it enters the period of financial and logistics system renewal.
Randomly-selected members of the military will participate as respondents on Wednesday and Thursday at the AFP Commissioned Officers Club (AFPCOC) Patio from 9 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. in the two-day event.
A number of 449 randomly-selected participants will serve as the survey program’s respondents: 89 Officers, 151 Civilian Personnel, and 209 Enlisted Personnel will be attending the event.
IDAP is a Philippine Defense Reform (PDR)-sponsored program that aims to counter corruption through integrity development, good governance and institutionalization of organizational controls and measures that will enable individuals and units to adhere to established integrity standards.
IDAP is conducted by the DND, in partnership with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP). Ultimately, It is aimed at supplementing the effort already given by the AFP.
“As we continue to thread the path of ‘daang matuwid’, we look forward to the implementation of this (IDAP) program as the AFP carries out initiatives in the context of the government’s Security Sector Reform (SSR) under the nation’s Internal Peace and Security Plan ‘Bayanihan’. SSR is geared towards capability development, professionalization of its ranks where undertaking the necessary reforms will increase institutional efficiency for soldiers and civilian employees to take the moral high ground”, said AFP chief of staff Gen Eduardo SL Oban Jr.