Manila, March 6 -- Peace, security and safety are crucial to attaining progress and development.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. knows this only too well. He knows that it will take a lot of work, resources, and international diplomacy to make sure that the Philippines has the capacity and capability to protect its territory, people and sovereignty from both internal and external threats.

Over the years, these threats have evolved and they continue to evolve with the changing geopolitical landscape, advancing technology and redistribution of economic power in the world.

This is where the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program comes into play. Its aim is to ensure that we can protect our sovereign...