SENATOR Robinhood Padilla on Tuesday vowed to drum up support for the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program.
“We will make noise in advocating the modernization of the AFP, especially the Philippine Navy, so they can better defend our territory,” Padilla said.
Padilla issued the statement after visiting Senate employees undergoing the Basic Citizen Military Course (BCMC) aboard the BRP Tarlac in Subic, Olongapo City on Monday afternoon.
“What this means is that you have allies in the Senate in terms of modernizing the AFP. That is our promise,” he said.
“We will not be blind or deaf to the needs of our soldiers,” the senator added.
Padilla noted that the AFP, particularly the Navy, can count on the support of reservists from the Senate, once they complete their BCMC.
Padilla also recalled his experience with the Navy when they engaged the China Coast Guard in a chase on the West Philippine Sea in 2021.
He said he saw how big and armed the China Coast Guard’s boat was, compared to the rubber boat he and some Navy personnel were riding. He narrated that even when the small boat’s engine conked out, they did not retreat.
According to him, when the China Coast Guard personnel asked them why they were there, the Philippine Navy personnel replied, “amin ito (this is ours).”
“What lesson can we learn from this? We should not be bullied,” he emphasized.
“They may be the biggest and wealthiest, but our asset is our soldiers’ patriotism. We can count on that because I have seen it myself,” Padilla stressed.