(Manila, 30th, Combined News) The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) on Tuesday outlined several priority bills in the Senate, including a proposed law aimed at transforming the department into a 'more agile organization' to address current and future security challenges.
At a Senate Defense and Security Committee meeting chaired by Senator Loren Legarda, Defense Secretary Teodoro emphasized the urgent need for this transformation bill, which will help rationalize manpower allocation and enhance the ability to attract professional and technical talent.
He pointed out that while the Department currently has 367 sanctioned positions, only 267 are actually filled, yet it has to manage over 500,000 related stakeholders.
"We need a system that can flexibly take in future professionals, especially technical specialists who may not meet traditional civil service standards, to help maintain the defense ecosystem," Teodoro said.
Legarda stated that she recognizes the importance of this bill and promised to fully support its deliberation and passage in the Senate once approval for additional personnel is received from the Department of Finance.
Regarding the issue of military service terms, Teodoro clarified that the Department's plan is for a 'maximum two-year' term arrangement, which will still be at the president's discretion, to ensure project continuity and avoid promotion stagnation. He also noted that, as the defense environment becomes more specialized, future commanders of the Air Force or Navy may not necessarily have to be pilots or navigation officers.
Senator Dela Rosa and others expressed concerns that extending terms might dampen promotion morale among middle-ranked officers, but Teodoro stressed that a balance must be struck between career advancement and mission continuity.
He cited as examples that Cagayan and Isabela only have one brigade and three battalions, while the long and narrow Palawan urgently needs a division, showing the limited scale of defense forces and further highlighting the importance of continuity.
Legarda concluded by saying that Congress will thoroughly study the Department of Defense's proposal, and if the House of Representatives has a counterpart measure, the Senate will strive to complete the legislation within this year.
He pointed out that while the Department currently has 367 sanctioned positions, only 267 are actually filled, yet it has to manage over 500,000 related stakeholders.
"We need a system that can flexibly take in future professionals, especially technical specialists who may not meet traditional civil service standards, to help maintain the defense ecosystem," Teodoro said.
Legarda stated that she recognizes the importance of this bill and promised to fully support its deliberation and passage in the Senate once approval for additional personnel is received from the Department of Finance.
Regarding the issue of military service terms, Teodoro clarified that the Department's plan is for a 'maximum two-year' term arrangement, which will still be at the president's discretion, to ensure project continuity and avoid promotion stagnation. He also noted that, as the defense environment becomes more specialized, future commanders of the Air Force or Navy may not necessarily have to be pilots or navigation officers.
Senator Dela Rosa and others expressed concerns that extending terms might dampen promotion morale among middle-ranked officers, but Teodoro stressed that a balance must be struck between career advancement and mission continuity.
He cited as examples that Cagayan and Isabela only have one brigade and three battalions, while the long and narrow Palawan urgently needs a division, showing the limited scale of defense forces and further highlighting the importance of continuity.
Legarda concluded by saying that Congress will thoroughly study the Department of Defense's proposal, and if the House of Representatives has a counterpart measure, the Senate will strive to complete the legislation within this year.