Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 10349)
Republic Act No. 10349 amends Republic Act No. 7898 to establish the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program, aimed at upgrading AFP capabilities in terms of personnel, equipment, and doctrines over a fifteen-year period.
The Revised AFP Modernization Program shall be implemented over a period of fifteen (15) years from the date of the approval of the Act, with possible extension of payments for amortization of multi-year contracts beyond this period.
The Revised AFP Modernization Program consists mainly of capability, materiel, and technology development; human resource development; and doctrines development.
Acquisition must be synchronized with the phase-out of obsolete equipment, must be used by the armed forces in the country of origin or at least two countries, must be offered by manufacturers, and contracts must include clear after-sales service and availability of spare parts.
The Department of National Defense (DND) and the AFP are responsible for generating, evaluating, consolidating, and formalizing doctrines, conducting periodic reviews, and disseminating approved doctrines at all command levels.
Within 60 days from the effectivity of the Act, the President, upon recommendation by the Secretaries of National Defense and Budget and Management, must submit the program to Congress, detailing AFP size, modernization projects, priorities, and costs. Congress uses this as the basis for appropriations and implementation oversight.
Appropriations are treated as distinct and separate budget items from the regular budgets of the DND and AFP and are administered by the Secretary of National Defense, with a base amount of at least seventy-five billion pesos for the first five years.
It is a special trust fund created to be used exclusively for the AFP modernization program. Funding sources include appropriations, proceeds from sale or lease of military reservations, public-private partnerships, sale of Government Arsenal products, disposal of excess assets, donations, and interest income.
Multi-year contracts require obligational authority from the Department of Budget and Management, appropriations by Congress for ensuing years, and implementing guidelines ensuring consistency with the program and contracting standards. Copies of contracts must be submitted to Congress for appropriation purposes.
The committee is tasked to monitor and oversee the implementation of the Act, composed of six members from each House, including chairpersons of National Defense and Finance/Appropriations Committees, with minority representation, ensuring legislative oversight and accountability.