The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed on Tuesday the enactment of a new law to increase the country's self-reliant defense capabilities.

Republic Act No. 12024 or the Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Revitalization Act was signed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in a ceremony at the Malacanan Palace on Tuesday.

In a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said the newly enacted law "expands the government’s legal framework to ensure that the Philippines can develop its own military capabilities."

"For Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Revitalization Act, this is a very welcome development for the AFP, and this aligns with our legal frameworks to enhance the country's readiness in advancing internal and external security threats," she said.

"This is a very good step in the right direction. We have been actually waiting for this to come into fruition. This actually solidifies our zeal towards having this capability internally," she said.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. expressed hope that the defense industry in the country will improve with the enactment of the SRDP.

"We are very happy with the signing of this law, with the signing of the law by the president this morning because we are given hope that our defense industry will improve and therefore we were able to modernize our armed forces more effectively, more... faster, because we really need to modernize as soon as possible," he said.

Padilla explained that the SRDP also supports the country's "long-term economic benefits of a thriving local defense industry contributing to job creation and technological advances in the Philippines."

"It mandates the AFP to coordinate with the Department of National Defense (DND) and relevant stakeholders to establish a defense industrial base in the country. The law provides a more concrete roadmap for indigenous defense production, ensuring that future military assets such as ammunition, vehicles, aircraft, and cybersecurity tools are locally manufactured or at least assembled," she said.

"By fortifying our self-reliant defense capabilities with this law. The AFP remains steadfast in our commitment to national security, ensuring that the Philippines' ability to defend ourselves with minimal reliance on foreign support," she added. Robina Asido/DMS