Outgoing Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana played a big role in helping President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s administration in developing the DND defense capabilities and boost the military resources significantly.
“I want to be remembered as the Secretary of Defense who was able to make a difference: the improvement of the Defense organization for the good of the country,” Lorenzana said.
During his term as DND chief, many equipment were commissioned including 2 multi-role guided missile frigates, 6 units of Embraer A-29B Super Tucano close air support aircraft,
16 units of S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters, air surveillance radars, drones, missile systems, and various force protection and weapons systems.
“These new assets will further strengthen our humanitarian assistance and disaster response, air, maritime, and land defense as well as joint command and control capabilities,” Lorenzana added.
During the Duterte administration, the AFP heightened the security in the country’s territories and borders, particularly in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) by deploying naval surface and air patrols, and setting up and improving the structures in the Philippine-occupied islands.
The DND through the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sustained counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations through the effective application of a whole-of-nation, collaborative approach to end local armed conflicts.
DND and AFP dismantled guerilla fronts (GFs) of the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army, and National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF)
Thousands of rebels and their supporters have returned to the fold of the law through the government’s reintegration program while a total of 25,772 communist rebels and 2,290 violent extremists were either killed, arrested, or have surrendered to authorities as of April 30.
Former rebels were provided with financial assistance and their dependents graduated in skills training and others have received housing assistance through the Enhanced Comprehensive Livelihood Integration Program (E-CLIP).
The creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) provided a stronger legal instrument for combatting terrorism, peace, and harmony in the country.
“This is what we have accomplished. This is what we will pass down to the people and to the next administration. This is the legacy of President Duterte,” the Defense Chief said.
Since he took office, Lorenzana can now consider his mission accomplished as he managed to achieve all his targets, with the support of the “One Defense Team” strategy. -ml-ngs
