House to include Air Force fleet modernization in 2022 budget

This photo circulating on social media and also among top military officers in Mindanao shows scene at the site in Barangay Bangkal of Patikul, Sulu, where the C-130 plane that left Lumbia airport earlier in the morning crashed at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 4, killing at least 59 people, a military source said. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives will include in the proposed 2022 national budget the modernization of the fleet of Philippine Air Force (PAF), Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said Monday.

Velasco made the remark after a C-130 cargo plane crashed in Sulu, killing at least 50 individuals, including military men.

“I can only give my word that we in the House of Representatives will include in the 2022 budget the modernization of the PAF’s fleet as well as ensure the proper training of personnel in handling modern equipment,” Velasco said in a statement.

Velasco said that Congress was supposed to include the purchase of more C-130 planes in the 2021 national budget, but there was not enough time to deliberate on the modernization of the PAF’s fleet when he took over as Speaker of the House in October last year.

Nonetheless, Velasco vowed to help the PAF replace the lost C-130 and to support its efforts to upgrade and modernize its fleet.

Velasco likewise urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to conduct an investigation on the plane crash as he also called for a review of PAF pilots’ protocols as well as an inquiry on the safety of runways around the country, especially in the provinces.

“There are simply no words that can be said to console those left behind by our brave military personnel, as well as the three civilians who died as a result of this disaster,” Velasco said.

“We acknowledge the importance of our uniformed personnel, as our dear President Duterte himself has done so several times. The least we can do is to ensure that this never happens again,” he added.

EDV