I am honored and grateful to President Marcos for signing into law the bill on the fixed term of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officers, Republic Act No. 11939 which amended RA 11709 or the Act Strengthening Professionalism and Promoting the Continuity of Policies and Modernization Initiatives in the AFP.
This is a significant milestone not only because I stood as its principal author and sponsor, a first among the bills that I filed upon my return to the Senate that saw its fruition in this 19th Congress, but moreso because it will now put to rest the issue of unintended consequences of the enactment of RA 11709 which resulted in the rumblings within the military.
We passed the amendments to the relatively new RA 11709 in response to the call of our soldiers to address pressing issues on career progression and professional advancement. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved, my colleagues in the Senate and House of Representatives, DND, and AFP.
This law will have a positive and lasting impact insofar as flexibility, stability, and dynamism to adapt and respond to the demands of uncertain times adequately. I am committed to closely monitoring this law’s implementation and ensuring it’s effective.