CLARK, Pampanga — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said that the Philippines’ efforts to modernize the capabilities of its Air Force is a “response to the growing complication” in the South China Sea, which is “not cooling down.”

“We are very serious in upgrading the capabilities especially of the Air Force as they constitute the first line of defense,” Marcos said in a speech delivered before members of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) stationed in Pampanga.

“With the situation we are facing now over the west Philippine Sea, the best information, the best intelligence is being provided by the Air Force. The modernization program of the Air Force is certainly a response to the growing complication of the situation that we are facing in our region,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we cannot say that this situation is cooling down,” he added.

Marcos Jr. said so far, “the best we can hope for is to keep” the current situation in the West Philippine Sea “as it is and hopefully continue to lessen the tension.”

Due to these circumstances, “the administration is committed to the continuing modernization of our military, the continuing improvement of the capabilities of our men and women in the military,” he said.

The government is also committed to “give all the tools that are necessary for you to fulfill your mission, for you to do the job that the rest of the Philippines, the rest of Filipinos are counting on you to do and that is to protect the Republic,” he said.

Ahead of his meeting with members of the Air Force, Marcos Jr. inspected several C-130 aircraft that returned to the country after maintenance works in Portugal.

These PAF assets were purchased in 2016 for $55.60 million, though the Excess Defense Articles program between the Philippines and the United States.

Marcos Jr. said he is confident that the Philippines’ partners — like the United States and Portugal — will aid the country in its efforts to modernize the military.

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