This has reference to Gen. Ramon Farolan’s column titled “A sense of urgency” (Inquirer, 5/27/13).
I fully concur with the wise assessment of the general—there’s urgent need for the Philippines to build up its defense capability. Indeed we need well-equipped fighting forces for credible defense until foreign allies come to our succor.
My thinking, however, is: Instead of maintaining a large payroll of standing Army, Navy and Air Force, let’s have a lean but well-trained, mobile, well-armed, highly disciplined, and decently paid Armed Forces of the Philippines. The savings the Philippines would make from the bloated payroll could be earmarked for training and the acquisition of an effective weapons system, including fighter planes, fast and powerful gunboats and armored assets that can traverse any terrain.
And let’s revive military training in high school and in college to establish a pool of trained reserve forces ready to be called up, should the country be compelled to engage in a firefight to fend off alien invaders.
Since war is renounced in the Philippine Constitution as an instrument of foreign policy, the country has to hone its negotiating skills and excel in the art of diplomacy in dealing with its Pacific Rim neighbors, and work out a mutually beneficial arrangement in exploiting the resources of the sea without resorting to an exchange of gunfire to settle disputes.
God bless the Philippines!
—BOB GABUNA,
kapihan@hotmail.com