MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the purchase of multirole fighter (MRF) jets to enhance the defense capability  of the Philippines.

This was announced by AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr to members of the Defense Press Corps after the 1st semester AFP Command Conference at Camp Aguinaldo, which was attended by Marcos himself.

However, according to Brawner, there is no final decision yet on which type of MRF will be purchased and how many will be acquired by the Philippines.

"The president has already approved that  intention to buy MRF as to which one wala pa ho desisyon, as to how many, wala pa hong narrating na decision dito," Brawner said.

Brawner emphasized that the Philippines needs multiple fighter jets to defend the country against its adversaries, especially from outside the country.

"Kailangan po natin talaga itong mga multi rolefighters during the anniversary of Philippine Air Force nakita po natin yung mga FA-50 PH jet fighters at gaano sila kagaling pero kulang pa rin ho ito para madepensahan natin yung ating bansa ,so we need to get more jetfighters and multi role fighters ,yung multirole fighters are actually bigger, faster and more lethal than FA-50 PH that we have,” Brawner added.

Marcos: PH Air Force modernization is 'response to growing complication' in WPS

 Marcos Jr. said in April 2023 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 at 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.

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.