MANILA, Philippines — The Department of National Defense (DND) is eyeing to sign contracts for 138 Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization projects worth P70 billion by July, 2012, as it unveiled Friday a new system that will hasten acquisition of much-needed assets and equipment that will make the AFP at par with the militaries of neighboring countries.

Speaking at the launching of the Defense Acquisition System (DAS) at Camp Aguinaldo, DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said it is the main responsibility of the department to ensure approval and signature of the contracts for all the 138 projects for the AFP modernization and capability upgrade program “not later than July 31, 2012”.

“The common task on hand that we have courageously assumed lies on the brink of proximate impossibility. The factor of time is our adversary. Nevertheless, I am confident that we shall prevail in the pursuit of this objective,” said Gazmin, adding that success of their objective is guaranteed “by our unity of purpose and clarity of direction, and most of all by our individual dedication to fulfill our prescribed duties and function.”

“I therefore urge the extreme indulgence of all those who are involved to offer their best in the timely completion of the contracts for all the 138 modernization and upgrade projects for our armed forces, I repeat 138 projects,” Gazmin further said, an appeal particularly address to DND and AFP officials involved in the armed forces modernization and upgrade capability program.

AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Jessie Dellosa, for his part, welcomed the initiative of the defense department to look into the present concerns that affects the performance and the internal workings of the AFP, even as he expressed optimism that modernization of the military will finally be fulfilled within the year.“For the past years, the Armed Forces of the Philippines had been consistent with its desire to modernize itself in order to be at par with the armed forces of each neighboring countries. Expectations are high whenever we hear the word modernization, but admittedly much is still to be done in upgrading our capabilities and equipage if only to be fully effective in winning the peace for this country,” said Dellosa.

"It is in this light that the AFP is very much grateful to the depot of national defense for addressing the issue one level up through the Philippine defense reform," he added.

The AFP chief further said that If logistics including equipage and weaponry is the primary criteria to consider a modernized AFP, "then we can say that much has yet to be done in these aspects."

While we acknowledge the efforts of former DND and AFP officials, whom he said have "toiled hard for the betterment of the organization", the rigid nature of the defense procurement and acquisition system at the strategic level, which was further complicated by legal technicalities, existing policies and other vital factors "somehow affected the momentum of AFP as it geared its way into modernization by the end of the century."

He said the crafting of the Defense System of Management DSOM is therefore a very much welcome move in furthering the AFP thrust. The DSOM has for major components- defense strategic planning system, the defense capability assessment and planning system, the defense resource management system, and the defense acquisition system (DAS) that was launched Saturday.