‘More challenges ahead for AFP’

By Vince Lopez

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday that more challenges are ahead for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), given the ever-changing dynamics of global security.

“This is a new era for the AFP, one that now looks outward while also building the gains that we have made internally,” the President said during the oath-taking of newly promoted generals and flag officers at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañan Palace.

“With the ever-changing dynamics of geopolitics and the global security environment, more challenges will undoubtedly lie ahead.”

“But cognizant of these circum- the food-poor criteria as defined by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and who earn P8,000 or less per month. stances, the AFP must always emerge effective, formidable, and responsible as you have always done in order that our country’s integrity and interests are defended and are preserved,” he added. Addressing the newly promoted officers, he said their ascent to high positions was a testament to their capabilities and proof of their mettle “in the most perilous yet unparalleled profession.”

Gatchalian said the pilot implementation will run for six months and will be gradually expanded to reach the targeted one million families.

“By the early part of next year, we will do 300,000, and then another 300,000 until we reach the 1-million mark,” the DSWD chief said.

He said the DSWD and the PSA will continuously vet the list of beneficiaries.

A clear exit mechanism has been set for the beneficiaries, who can only stay for as long as four years in the program.

The DSWD earlier said it will require beneficiaries to be actively looking for work or undergoing skills training through TESDA for future employment.

Setting this condition for the targeted 1 million beneficiaries of the food stamp program would help beneficiaries “graduate” from being poor, the DSWD said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier tasked the DSWD to include single parents, pregnant women, and lactating mothers among the beneficiaries of the program to address the problem of malnourished and stunted children born in the country.

Based on figures from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, stunting rates for ages 0 to 23 months old is 21.6 percent or one in five children while for children under five years old, the stunting rate is 28.7 percent.

For a malnutrition rate for children in daycare facilities, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa earlier said it is pegged at 20 percent.

President Marcos reminded them that with the challenge of nation-building and national security, their hard work must not cease.

“Our nation and the citizenry shall exact and expect from you a heavier responsibility and a more demanding kind of public service--that of exemplary leadership and a clear vision for our armed forces,” Mr. Marcos said.

He said these military men would be tasked to efficiently manage the organization and its assets and maintain its effectiveness and resilience.

They will also lead and mobilize the nation’s new generation of guardians and future leaders and instill in them the virtues of discipline, valor, and patriotic public service.

“A high level of security intelligence and analysis will be expected to fully make its venture profitable,” said Poe. apprise the commander-in-chief and strategically guide our planning and all of our decision-making,” Marcos said.

The senator said as for LRT-2, the government puts billions in subsidies through the budget every year.

President Marcos then vowed that he would stand behind and support the government troops in their endeavors.

“I will ensure that the strength of the organization and the wellbeing of its personnel are attended to,” Marcos said.

Earlier in Tokyo, the top security advisers of the Philippines, United States, and Japan discussed plans to further improve “trilateral cooperation”.

The first meeting between National Security Advisor (NSA) Akiba Takeo of Japan, NSA Jake Sullivan of the United States, and NSA Eduardo Año of the Philippines took place in Tokyo on June 16.