Paalala ni PBBM sa Air Force: Keep assets ‘ready’ for deployment

Ang pahayag na ito ni Pangulong Marcos ay matapos niyang personal na  inspeksyunin ang tatlong  recommissioned C-130 units ng PAF.

“Should any unfortunate events happen, we must be able to assess and to be able to respond quickly,” ayon sa Pangulo sa kanyang talumpati.

“I therefore direct the Philippine Air Force and the AFP to continue developing your capabilities for conducting maintenance and repair to keep all our military assets ready to go,”aniya pa rin.

“Remain steadfast as you continue to perform your duties especially in the crucial role as the country’s first line of defense against external security threats,” dagdag na wika nito.

Binigyang diin ng Pangulo ang pangangailangan na magsagawa ng routinary checkup at regular engineering services para sa dagdag na safety requirements at magbigay ng   extensive training sa mga magpapalipad at gagamit ng  assets ng PAF.

“We cannot afford to waste any time in the mission to save lives, therefore the existence of this air assets is crucial to ensure that information, aid, and responder are made available to effectively help affected areas,” ayon sa Pangulo.

“I would like to convey and remind everyone of the sheer importance and of air worthiness and structural integrity of our air assets to ensure their effectiveness and guarantee the safety of their users,” dagdag na pahayag nito sabay sabing “Maintenance and repair are key aspects of our operations as well as important decision points in the acquisition of additional assets.”

Sa ulat, bumili ang Pilipinas ng  C-130 aircraft na may  tail numbers  na 5011 at 5040 noong  2016 at ipinadala ang mga ito para sa  “extensive repair and maintenance” noong nakaraang taon, ayon sa impormasyon mula sa  PAF.

Ang dalawang units, nagkakahalaga ng $55.60 million, ay binili sa Estados Unidos sa ilalim ng  Excess Defense Articles program.

Bagama’t hindi direktang binanggit ng Pangulo ang usapin ukol sa  South Chine Sea, sinabi nito na siya’y nakatitiyak na ang “partners” ng Pilipinas ay “will be more than willing to aid us in developing your capabilities in making the necessary investments to ensure that we achieve our shared goals for the country and for this region.”

“I recognize the Philippine Air Force as well as express my appreciation to our partners in the US government and Portugal for making all these possible,” ayon sa Pangulo.

“It is a testament not only to our enduring friendship but also of your support to the Philippines’ agenda of enhancing our country’s air transport defense and disaster response capabilities,” dagdag na pahayag nito. (Daris Jose)