₱10 Billion Release by the DBM for Philippines AFP upgrade

After the ambushed of MILF militants that killed dozens of Soldier in Sulu Area, and NPA rebels attack to the Mining Camp Southern Philippines, the DBM ordered by the president to release the Armed Forces Modernization budget allocated for 2010 and 2011.

President Benigno Aquino III endowed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ₱510 billion to become more effective in maintaining peace and order in the country.

In a press statement issued on Monday, October 24, Aquino ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release P10 billion for the AFP Modernization Program which will be used to acquire equipment and to finance capacity-building activities such as training.

"The President is committed to bringing all armed conflicts in the country to a permanent and peaceful end. One way to achieve this is upgrades for our soldiers, who are a key factor in achieving peace," DBM Secretary Florencio Abad said.

He added that special allotment release orders charged against the 2010 and 2011 appropriations of ₱5 billion each are now being prepared.

According to the budget secretary, the AFP will use the 2010 ₱5 Billion funds to equip the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the Philippines Army, Navy and Airforce.

For the Philippines' Army the budget released is ₱1.4 Billion to procure the following:

·         14 armored personnel carriers

·        272 20W-Manpack radios

·        3,480 units of force protection equipment

The Philippine's Navy will also procure a strategic sealift vessel that costs ₱2 Billion.

For the Philippine Air Force, the government released the budget of ₱1.6 Billion to procure the following;

·        Special mission Aircrafts

·        2 light lift Aircrafts                             

As for the 2011 ₱5 Billion budget, the AFP will purchase vehicles for civil military operations, health services and disaster response activities. These vehicles will include Philippine Army's 32 five-ton dump trucks and 55 special-purpose vehicles, and Philippine Air Force's two search-and-rescue helicopters, 30 special purpose vehicles and 15 amphibian vehicles.

The AFP will also use the 2011 budget to purchase weapons and communications equipment such as 1,376 handheld radios, 210 AV configuration radios, 100 base radios, and 150 mortars (60 mm) for the Philippine Army, as well as 78 units of audio-video equipment, 160 portable radio receivers, 100 sniper rifle systems, and 2,000 standard weapons systems for the Philippine Air Force.

To ensure integrity in the use of funds, Abad said the AFP has been required to submit a comprehensive report on the implementation status of the AFP

Modernization Program.

"We are ensuring that each and every peso spent by the AFP will directly result in better equipment and other operational support for our men-and-women in uniform," he said.

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Asian and the World leaders mourn for the death of Saudi Ruler

World dignitaries were expected to begin arriving in Saudi Arabia on Monday to offer condolences for the death of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, whose successor is yet to be named.

US Vice President Joe Biden, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak were among the world leaders heading to the Saudi capital to offer condolences.

The body of Prince Sultan, who died Saturday in a New York hospital, was repatriated to Riyadh late Monday for a subdued funeral on Tuesday, in line with strict Islamic traditions applied in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

Saudi state television Al-Ekhbariya aired live pictures from Riyadh air base where Sultan's body was taken from the plane in an ambulance.

Ailing King Abdullah, 87, on a wheelchair and wearing a surgical mask, was at the base to receive the crown prince's body, television footage showed.

It is the first time that the seat of the heir to the throne becomes vacant in the history of the oil-rich Gulf state.

Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, a half-brother of King Abdullah and the kingdom's internal security czar who has held the interior portfolio for over three decades, is touted as Sultan's most likely successor as heir.

King Abdullah, who is also the prime minister, had in 2009 appointed Prince Nayef, 78, as second deputy premier, in a move interpreted as putting him in line for the throne.

Sultan was the second deputy prime minister until the then crown prince Abdullah acceded to the throne in 2005.

Sultan's death comes also after Abdullah created in 2006 the Allegiance Council, comprised of 35 princes charged with deciding together with the reigning king who will be crown prince.

"The rules of the Allegiance Council stipulate that the crown prince would be chosen by the council," said Fahd al-Harthi, head of the Riyadh-based ASBAR Centre for Studies, Research and Communications.

"But the royal decree of this system has stated that the current king and crown prince are not forced to abide by this regulation," he told AFP.

Prince Nayef to be the next Ruler in Saudi Arabia

People in the region's power house sounded at ease about the issue of succession, with some hailing Nayef, known for being a conservative, as the best choice.

"I believe that Prince Nayef will be the next crown prince and this is a matter the Saudi people agree with, because the interior minister has a great experience in politics and security and we feel very comfortable with him," in office, said Hamad al-Nasser, 45.

"It will not make s big difference whether the Allegiance Council system is activated now or not, because all are agreed on Prince Nayef," added the public sector employee.

Ahmed Tayeb, 25, also sounded upbeat, expecting Nayef to be chosen.

"He is a good man, and has a strong personality. This is what we need, mainly given the current situation in the surrounding environment," he said.

Relations between the Sunni-dominated kingdom and Shiite Iran, its arch rival across the Gulf, are tense following an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the kingdom's envoy to Washington.

Saudi Arabia also keeps a close eye on developments in neighbouring Bahrain and Yemen, as well as other countries hit by the so-called "Arab Spring" uprisings demanding regime change.

Except for small protests by the Shiite minority in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia was largely spared from the wave of popular protest movements, which has so far unseated three Arab leaders.

Prince Nayef, who mobilised his servicemen to prevent the winds of change from buffetting the kingdom, publically thanked Saudis for ignoring calls for demonstrations.

He also led a campaign against Islamist militants after the kingdom was hit by a string of deadly Al-Qaeda attacks between 2003 and 2006.

 

Philippines send condolences to Saudi Arabia

Vice President Jejomar Binay left for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Tuesday to officially extend the country's condolences to the bereaved family of the late Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud.

"We would like to assure His Majesty, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Royal Family and the people of Saudi Arabia that the government and the people of the Philippines stand with them at this hour of their great loss," Binay said in a statement.

The vice president went as representative of President Benigno Aquino III. President Aquino is so busy in leading for the reconstruction of the country's economy after the deadly series of typhoons and flooding hit the North Luzon recently.

Sultan, who was in his 80s, passed away of an unspecified illness on October 22 while undergoing treatment in New York.

"The Crown Prince was a man of vision and many achievements. But for us, he was a true friend of the Philippines and Filipinos," Binay said.

The prince, who was the younger half-brother of King Abdullah, should have been the heir to the throne of the world's top oil exporter after serving as the kingdom's deputy prime minister and defense minister. His death reportedly opened questions about the succession in Saudi.

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