Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. Tuesday vowed to pursue the much-delayed modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to be able to effectively defend the country’s territorial borders against foreign aggressors and intruders.

Considered the youngest personality to be appointed as secretary of the Department of National Defense at the age of 43, Teodoro stressed the need to modernize the war equipment of the three branches of the AFP - Army, Navy and Air Force - in order to match the defense capability of other countries in Southeast Asia.

Teodoro, who served as defense chief from August 2007 to September 2009, said the government must acquire new patrol boats and fighter planes to protect the country’s territorial waters.

The AFP modernization program, which started during the term of then-President Fidel Ramos in 1992, is being implemented in snail’s pace due to tight budgetary constraints.

“We do not lack qualified men and women in uniform. What the AFP wants now is more modern ships and aircrafts needed to safeguard our borders,” Teodoro said, adding that due to lack of modern patrol vessels and state of the art fighter planes, the country’s military is unable to effectively guard the territorial boundaries against illegal poachers and fishers which cost the national coffers billions of pesos of marine resources.

He said a well-equipped Armed Forces would be a credible deterrent against poaching by foreign vessels in Philippine waters, which contain some of the richest fishing grounds in the world. Foreign vessels are known to intrude into Philippine waters especially the more than 40,000 square kilometers of exclusive economic maritime zones.

Due to serious budgetary constraints, the local military authorities were left with no option but to rehabilitate its ageing war equipment, some of them dating back during World War II era.

Also, the AFP has to resort to using “hand-me-down” military equipment donated by its foreign allies, particularly the United States armed forces.

Teodoro said he would hammer out with lawmakers of the bicameral Congress a program to raise additional money for the AFP modernization to replace its WW II-era patrol boats and ageing helicopters and fighter planes.

The Philippines is the only Southeast Asia country without a fighter aircraft force after retiring its F-5 Northrop Tiger fleet in late 2005 following discovery of cracks in the jets’ airframe and the lack of spare parts. Air defense and patrol for the Philippine archipelago is now being provided by 18 Augusta S-211 trainer jets.