The final phase of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization program is focused on the archipelagic concept, military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Monday.

In a media interview, Brawner told reporters that the refined Horizon 3 of the AFP modernization program is yet to be approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and that the refining process is still ongoing. 

“We are still in the process of refining it further but the Horizon 3 of our modernization program will focus on our defense of our archipelagic, it’s focused on the archipelagic defense concept,” he said. 

Horizon 1 and Horizon 2 began in 2013 to 2018 and 2018 to 2022, respectively. The Horizon 3 or the final phase of the AFP Modernization Program will run this year until 2028 and consists of equipment geared for external defense.

The archipelagic defense concept, Brawner said, is pushing for the acquisition of more vessels, aircraft, and additional radar systems for the armed forces.

“We will also focus on developing the islands and the other features that we are occupying, for instance, Pag-asa, Lawak and the other features that we are occupying,” Brawner noted.

The Philippine-occupied Thitu (Pag-asa) and Nanshan (Lawak) islands are part of the Kalayaan Group of Islands in the West Philippine Sea.

Brawner said the improvement of the country’s outposts also includes ensuring the welfare of the soldiers deployed in these areas to uplift their morale.  

“We’re trying to give them some equipment like the desalination machines so that they have water,” he noted. 

“We are just trying to make it more livable, more habitable for our soldiers dahil nga mahirap talaga yung mga conditions (because they really have a hard condition).”

Asked if the country’s military outpost in the Ayungin Shoal—the BRP Sierra Madre—is included in the development of islands in the WPS, Brawner replied: “No it does not include fortifying. What we are actually trying to do is that we are making these features more habitable for our troops.”

The country will continue to push for the improvement of these Islands despite China’s opposition to the bringing of supplies in WPS by the Philippines.

“We are trying to improve all of the islands that we occupy. We continue to develop these facilities,” he added.

China has a vast claim in the entire South China Sea that overlaps portions of WPS.