POLICY BRIEF

www.dlsu-jrig.org Volume 1 | Issue 4 | May 2020

COVID 19 in the Philippines:

Potential implications in modernizing
the Armed Forces of the Philippines
Sherwin E. Ona1 and Rodolfo A. Tor2

NOTICE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This policy brief underscores the need for the Philippines to
The views provided in this policy brief do not
represent the official views of the authors’ reexamine its national security agenda and review the new
institutional affiliations. These insights are offered AFP modernization program (AFPMP) in line with its current
voluntarily as a resource for consideration by local experiences related to the COVID 19 pandemic. To adjust to
authorities. All errors are ours.
the “new normal,” defense and military officials must evaluate
the current doctrines, plans and programs related to non-
traditional threats as well as reexamine the priorities of
1 Associate Professor and Chair,
Department of Political Science, De La Salle
the AFPMP. This entails a reevaluation of the current AFP
University philosophy on military operations other than war (MOOTW),
its impact on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster
2 Professional Lecturer, Department of
Political Science, De La Salle University
Relief (HADR) readiness, and its obvious link to chemical,
biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defense principles.
Congressional support must also be sought in connection
with this expanded thrust of the AFPMP. This involves:
• Expansion of its current transportation/mobility capabilities.
The AFP must invest in improving its airlift and sealift capabilities. It must now consider frontloading some
items contained in the third horizon (2022-2028) to its current acquisition portfolio. Improvement of
the current logistical support and mobility capabilities of the AFP can provide the national government
with additional flexibility in responding to non-traditional/HADR situations.
• Expansion of specialized units and faster integration of reserve forces.
AFPs engineering and medical units can augment their civilian counterparts during HADR events.
Expanding the capabilities of these units will enable the AFP to push their services down to the local
governments. A key idea here is to enable these units to quickly expand during times of crisis and for
this, the mobilization of reserve forces is crucial.
• Improved capabilities of handling pandemic related tasks.
The investments made on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities must be
expanded and sustained. Efforts must be made to locally source the needed items to ensure a stable
logistical chain. This can be achieved by developing the local defense industry.
• Participating in international cooperation and leading research in non-traditional security issues.
The AFP must have the required systems and expertise to enable its active participation in events
promoting international cooperation such as the ASEAN Center for Military Medicine and ASEAN
Militaries Ready Group. This must be supported by a solid research program. This will enable the
AFP to exercise leadership in the study of non-traditional threats and the new role of military
organizations.

Policy Brief | Volume 1 | Issue 4 | May 2020 1

 COVID 19 in the Philippines: Potential implications in modernizing the
Armed Forces of the Philippines

Background from delays, changing political priorities and

inadequate funding.
The declaration of COVID 19 as a global
pandemic by the World Health Organization However, the local COVID-19 outbreak showed
(WHO) on March 11, 2020, has resulted in a new that non-traditional threats such as pandemics
wave of securitization of public health. Due to require the same degree of attention. President
its virulence and lethality, governments have Duterte’s declaration of a state of national
labeled the pandemic as a global security emergency revealed a highly securitized
threat, opening the doors for states to resort approach to the pandemic. The subsequent
to extraordinary measures to mitigate its implementation of the enhanced community
effects. Often characterized by prolonged quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon has placed the
quarantine and population control measures, AFP at the forefront of its implementation.
these actions have often forced governments Suddenly, AFP combat and support units
to turn to its military and police forces for its were tasked with disease mitigation as well as
implementation. population control missions.

This prominent role given to a state’s security For instance, infantry units of the Philippine
sector due to the framing of COVID-19 as Army, Navy and Air Force assisted the
a national security threat has underscored Philippine National Police in enforcing
the importance of the non-traditional roles community curfews and stay at home orders
of military forces. According to Trias (2020), in Metro Manila and adjacent areas. The navy’s
military response to the pandemic can logistics vessels ferried stranded OFWs and
be observed in the following areas: (a) law protective personal equipment (PPE) while
enforcement support; (b) health and medical air force planes transported much needed
assistance; (c) logistics and engineering medical supplies and equipment to various
services; (d) humanitarian assistance; (e) crisis parts of the country. Military engineering and
management; and (f) research . This also implies medical units also augmented their civilian
that a country’s armed forces would have counterparts.
to concurrently perform its traditional role
(external defense/internal security) and address While these humanitarian operations are
non-traditional threats like health pandemics. ongoing, AFP units continue to engage
Hence, these simultaneous missions place an communist rebels and Abu Sayyaf terrorists.
enormous strain on its operational capabilities In fact, the recent encounters in Rizal
and organizational resources. Province and Sulu resulted in a total of 12
soldiers killed and an undetermined number
The Philippines is not exempt from this of wounded. While the government declared
phenomenon. The Armed Forces of the a unilateral ceasefire due to COVID 19,
Philippines (AFP), composed of 125,000 sporadic attacks by communist guerillas
personnel, is often regarded as a small-sized continued, forcing President Duterte to mull
and underfunded army compared to its Asian on the possible declaration of martial law.
neighbors. This is partly due to political neglect Moreover, these internal security problems
and the country’s dependence on the United are further complicated by ongoing tensions
States for its security needs. According to at the West Philippine Sea. An example of this
the Stockholm International Peace Research is the reported harassment of a Philippine
Institute (SIPRI), the Philippines spent an navy corvette by a Chinese naval vessel last
average of 1.3% of total GDP on defense from February 17, 2020.
2012-2018. This is considered low by ASEAN
standards, which has a regional average of 1.9%. The combination of traditional and non-
traditional missions has placed an enormous
The SIPRI also notes that most of the defense burden on the AFP. Adding to its already
budget goes to salaries and retirement strained defense posturing is the need to
benefits, leaving little room for its actual quickly upscale its capabilities for civil-
force modernization needs . To address these military operations, engineering, and
weaknesses, the Philippines embarked on mobility due to the pandemic. In an April 26
a modest modernization program aimed at press briefing, no less than defense secretary
restoring its diminished traditional defense Delfin Lorenzana raised the possibility
capabilities. Although major strides were made of overburdening the limited airlift and
in terms of acquisition, the program still suffers sealift resources of the AFP . Overall, these

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 COVID 19 in the Philippines: Potential implications in modernizing the
Armed Forces of the Philippines

limitations can seriously affect the AFP’s several assets for HADR activities such as
operational readiness and response as well food trucks and hospital equipment, which
as cause delays in the implementation of proved to be timely but still inadequate.
existing programs. In addition, the AFP is confronted with a
decreasing number of transport aircraft and
Given these challenges, this policy brief an inadequate number of naval transport
underscores the need for the Philippines to vessels. Lack of basic PPE can also be
reexamine its national security agenda and observed as AFP units are deployed for the
review the new AFP modernization program ECQ.
(AFPMP) in line with its current experiences
related to the COVID 19 pandemic. This policy Upgrading of the AFP’s capability to respond
brief also aims to put forward suggestions to non-traditional threats. Shifting to a non-
that can be considered by Philippine defense traditional mindset is easier said than done,
and military officials in their post-mortem given the current traditional orientation
assessment of the AFP’s performance. (external/internal defense) of the new AFPMP.
However, it can be argued that the COVID
The AFP Modernization Program pandemic leaves our national leadership
with no choice but to allocate additional
In 2011, the AFP embarked on a modest resources to this cause. To adjust to the “new
modernization program aimed at restoring normal,”,defense and military officials must
its diminished capabilities due to the brewing now look at the current doctrines, plans and
conflict in the West Philippine Sea. The programs related to non-traditional threats as
enactment of the Revised AFP Modernization well as reexamine the priorities of the AFPMP.
Law (RA 10349) in 2012 extended the This entails a reevaluation of the current AFP
implementation period of the previous law philosophy on military operations other than
for another 15 years and identified three war (MOOTW), its impact on HADR readiness,
horizons or phases. With an initial budget of and its obvious link to chemical, biological,
PhP 75 billion for its first horizon (2012-2017), radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defense
the AFP pursued the acquisition of basic principles. On the resource side, Congressional
equipment for its three major services. For support must also be sought in connection with
instance, the Philippine Army embarked on a this expanded thrust of the AFPMP. Below are
program to upgrade its light armor, artillery some of the suggestions for expanding this
and communication capabilities. This has also new non-traditional role of the AFP:
enabled the army to acquire additional trucks
and rifles for its infantry units. For its part, 1) Expansion of its current transportation/
the Philippine Air Force acquired advanced mobility capabilities. It is obvious that the AFP
trainer jets and tactical helicopters, while the must invest in improving its airlift and sealift
Philippine Navy sought the acquisition of two capabilities. It must now consider frontloading
logistical support vessels, naval helicopters, some items contained in the third horizon (2022-
and amphibious vehicles. 2028) to its current acquisition portfolio. Items
such as additional medium-lift helicopters,
In 2018, President Duterte allotted PhP 300 cargo planes for heavy/medium airlift and
billion (about USD$ 5.6 billion) to cover for naval support vessels will be useful in HADR
the second horizon (2018-2022) of the law’s operations. For air operations, the desired force
implementation. The goal of this horizon is mixed must be attained. This means that air
to further expand the ability of the AFP to force planners must now determine the fixed-
address external and internal security threats. wing and rotary airlift requirements to support
This phase contains the big-ticket items both traditional and non-traditional missions.
of the program. For instance, the planned The same is true for naval operations. A review
acquisition of 3-4 naval corvettes (USD$400 of current logistics and ship-to-shore assets,
million), medium-lift S-70 Blackhawk as well as the possible acquisition of hospital
helicopters from Poland (USD$ 241 million) ships can provide its leadership with additional
and air defense radar deal with Japan (about capabilities to carry out its non-traditional
USD$ 100 million) are part of this phase. mission. Overall, an improvement on the current
logistical support and mobility capabilities of
However, the current modernization plan the AFP can provide the national government
says little about the acquisitions related to with additional flexibility in responding to non-
non-traditional threats. The AFP purchased traditional/HADR situations.

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 COVID 19 in the Philippines: Potential implications in modernizing the
Armed Forces of the Philippines

2) Expansion of specialized units and This implies that officer specialization and
faster integration of reserve forces. Clearly, skills development on CBRN should now be
engineering and medical units can augment prioritized.
their civilian counterparts during HADR events.
At present, combat engineering units, with the 4) Participating in international cooperation
help of the private sector, are at the forefront and leading research in non-traditional security
of constructing quarantine facilities. While AFP issues. Non-traditional security challenges like
medical personnel are providing care to those, pandemics require international cooperation.
who are affected by the disease. Expanding Venues such as the ASEAN Center for
the capabilities of these units will enable the Military Medicine and ASEAN Militaries Ready
AFP to push their services down to the local Group are excellent opportunities to share
governments. experiences and resources. The AFP must
have the required systems and expertise to
A key idea here is to enable these units to enable its active participation in such events.
quickly expand during times of crisis. For this, Moreover, its participation in regional and
the mobilization of reserve forces is crucial. international venues must be supported by
An example of this is the case of Israel, where a solid research program. This will enable the
military reservists from the Home Defense AFP to exercise leadership in the study of non-
Command of the Israeli Defense Forces were traditional threats and the new role of military
tasked to do contact tracing and home visits.
To enable faster integration, it must allow the
current regular unit structure to accommodate Conclusion
reserve units.
Finally, we should all realize that non-
In the United States, this is done by including traditional security threats are here to
reserve forces in the unit manning document stay. Governments are forced to adopt a
of regular units. In addition, a CNN report cited highly securitized approach in dealing with
the Pentagon’s proposal of mobilizing national such events. For its part, the Philippines
guard units for its pandemic response in order must now embrace this reality and quickly
to preserve the operational readiness of its adjust to this “new normal”. This requires
regular units . These practices highlight the a reexamination its national defense
important role of military reserves as a force strategy and the AFPMP. We cannot
multiplier and how this proposal can address afford to wait for a new pandemic or the
non-traditional security without sacrificing next “big one” to act decisively.
the State’s readiness to respond to traditional
threats.

In short, the integration of a highly trained

reserve force is a cost-effective solution to
organizational resource problems, especially
in non-traditional threat situations. However, it
entails the reexamination of the AFP’s current
strategy on the utilization of its reserves. For
this to materialize, a sense of urgency and “out
of the box” solutions are needed.

3) Improved capabilities of handling pandemic

related tasks. The investments made on HADR
capabilities must be expanded and sustained.
Efforts must be made to locally source the
needed items to ensure a stable logistical
chain. This can be achieved by developing the
local defense industry. Examples can range
from the sourcing of PPEs from local suppliers
to retrofitting locally manufactured vehicles
for HADR. Furthermore, the AFP should
improve its human resource competencies in
handling non-traditional security challenges.

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 COVID 19 in the Philippines: Potential implications in modernizing the
Armed Forces of the Philippines

Authors
Sherwin E. Ona, PhD is an Associate Professor and the Chair of the of Department
of Political Science of De La Salle University (DLSU). His current projects and
engagements are in the areas of public policy, cybersecurity, e-governance and
disaster informatics. Dr. Ona is a fellow of the Philippine Public Safety College,
DILG and the La Salle Institute of Governance, DLSU. Dr. Ona is also an auxiliary
officer of the Philippine Coast Guard with the rank of Commander.

Rodolfo A. Tor, PhD is a professional lecturer of the political science department

of De La Salle University (DLSU). His current interests are in the areas of human
security, development studies, public policy and climate change. He is a fellow of
the Philippine Public Safety College, DILG and a member of the National Security
Cluster of the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations (PCFR). Dr. Tor is a retired
civil servant who had served under the United Nations as Police Commissioner
of Timor-Leste under UN Integrated Mission in East Timor (UNMIT).

References
Zachary Abuza, “Analysis: Philippine defense spending in 2018: What data tells us”. July 2019, https://www.
rappler.com/thought-leaders/235184-analysis-philippine-defense-spending-2018-sipri-data-tells-us
(Accessed on April 27, 2020)

Ryan Browne. “Pentagon weighs replacing active duty troops on US-Mexico border with National Guard”.
April 29, 2020. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/pentagon-weighs-replacing-active-duty-troops-on-
us-mexico-border-with-national-guard/ar-BB13kwWE. (Accessed on April 30, 2020).

Frances Magosing, “More sales for China as PH buying 3M more PPE sets, giving military daunting transport
task more”. April 27, 2020. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1265538/more-sales-for-china-as-ph-buying-3m-
more-ppe-sets-giving-military-daunting-transport-task#ixzz6L3jlrP4S (Accessed on April 27, 2020)

Angelo Trias,“Global Health Security-Military Response to COVID-19: Advantages and Constraints”. RSIS.
NTU, Singapore (April 7, 2020).

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