The Department of National Defense (DND) is recalibrating its proposed projects under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program.

“Although submarines are in our wish list for Horizon 3, the Department is prioritizing the implementation of contracts signed during the previous administration, cognizant of the limitations in the resources available to the government,” said Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong.

“We would like to clarify that, contrary to published reports, DND Officer-in-Charge Senior Undersecretary Jose C. Faustino Jr. said in a recent interview that the procurement of submarines is actually not yet a priority for the Department as of now,” Andolong noted.

“Many suppliers have expressed interest in selling us submarines, including France. However, there is no truth to the report that there is an offer to the Department for submarines in exchange for permission to explore Philippine waters,” said Andolong.

“We do have a 2016 Arrangement with France on defense cooperation, and in the course of the Department’s engagements with representatives from France, there was never a mention or discussion of such a proposal,” Andolong said.

“Agreements entered into by the Department shall always be in accordance with our Constitution and laws, and will always uphold our national interest,” Andolong said.

The DND continues to pursue the modernization of the AFP with the acquisition of multi-role and game-changing platforms, that can be used for internal security, territorial defense, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. DND