Special Report: Anniversary Report 2004 (Wanted: A Presidential: 25

• Published in: Business world (San Juan, Philippines) Philippines), 2004-07, p.1
• Main Author: Lorenzo, Anna Barbara L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abola, Victor A; Actors; Affordable housing; Agriculture; Airports; Albano, Rodolfo B; Alliances; American dollar; Angara, Edgardo; Armed forces; Audiences; Automation; Banking; Batchelor, David; Borrowing; Briones, Leonor M; Budget deficits; Budgets; Buenaventura, Rafael; Business community; Capital markets; Cellular telephones; Central banks; Central business districts; Chambers of commerce; Class size; Classrooms; Coal-fired power plants; Coffee; College professors; Commercial credit; Common Foreign and Security Policy; Communication; Competition; Concepcion, Jose S Jr; Congressional elections; Consortia; Constitutional amendments; Constitutional conventions; Constitutional law; Constitutions; Consumers; Convictions; Cooperation; Core curriculum; Corporate governance; Corruption; Corruption in government; Cost control; Cost of living; Criminal investigations; Currency; Customers; de Jesus, Edilberto; Debt; Debt management; Debt restructuring; Dechos, Jaime; Dee, Donald; Earnings; Economic conditions; Economic development; Economic growth; Economic reform; Economists; Education; Educational objectives; Election results; Electoral reform; Electric industries; Electric power; Electric rates; Electricity; Electricity distribution; Elementary schools; Employment; Endorsements; Energy industry; Entertainment industry; Entrepreneurs; Estrada, Joseph; Estrella, Renato M; Evidence; Expenditures; External debt; Felix, Suzanne; Fernando K Poe, Jr; Fernando Poe, Jr; Financial institutions; Financial services; Fixed exchange rates; Floating exchange rates; Foreign exchange rates; Foreign investment; Foreign policy; Garchitorena, Victoria; GDP; Globalization; GNP; Government spending; Gross Domestic Product; Gross National Product; Guevara, Milwida M; Hernandez, Elmer C; Hotels & motels; Ignacio, Dennis M Villa; Impeachment; Income taxes; Inflation rates; Informal economy; Infrastructure; Insurance premiums; Interest rates; Investments; Islands; Juan, Pacita U; Ku, Stephen; Labor force; Laboratories; Land tenure; Learning; Legal defense; Legislators; Legislatures; Leisure; Lietz, Rudolf; Lim, Bomboy; Loans; Local government; Low income groups; Luz, Guillermo; Macapagal-Arroyo, Gloria; Macroeconomics; Madrigal, Jules; Manual workers; Manuel B Villar, Jr; Market penetration; Mathematics; Meetings; Mineral resources; Mining; Modernization; Neri, Romulo L; Ofreneo, Rene C; Open access; Overseas employment; Pamaran, Manuel S; Pardo, Jose; Peace negotiations; Piracy; Political appointments; Political leadership; Political parties; Political science; Politicians; Politics; Ports; Power plants; Power supply; Presidents; Prime ministers; Private sector; Privatization; Product development; Product differentiation; Productivity; Profitability; Prosecutions; Provisions; Public officials; Public safety; Rating services; Receipts; Redevelopment; Reforms; Registration; Regulatory reform; Retail stores; Reyes, Cristina; Roads & highways; Rosales, Loretta Ann P; Roxas, Joey; Sabio, Monette; Science; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Securities markets; Securities regulations; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Sicat, Gerardo P; Small & medium sized enterprises-SME; Small business; Smuggling; Soriano, Rene Y; Stock exchanges; Stockholders; Subsidies; Success; Supply & demand; Tax collections; Tax evasion; Tax incentives; Tax increases; Tax reform; Tax refunds; Tax revenues; Taxation; Taxes; Teachers; Teaching; Terrorism; Text messaging; Textbooks; Theaters & cinemas; Tourism; Travel; Trends; Trials; Truces & cease fires; Unemployment; Urban development; Varela, Miguel; VAT; Villegas, Bernardo M; Virgie, Aling; Wage rates; Wages & salaries; Water shortages
• ISSN: 0116-3930

The AFP Chief of Staff has also seriously pursued the AFP reform agenda, intended to address fund management and procurement malpractices with the end view of prioritizing the resources to the frontlines in particular, and professionalizing AFP personnel in general. The reforms include: * revitalization of the 1991 AFP Code of Ethics; * Sustained implementation of the RA 7898 (AFP Modernization Program) and RA 7227 (Bases Conversion Development Act); * implementation of the RA 9166 increasing AFP personnel base pay; * implementation of the AFP Human Resource Management 15-Year Strategic Development Plan; * proposed AFP Insurance System (AFPIS) to replace the AFP Retirement and Separation Benefits System; * pursuit of the joint Philippines-United States defense assessment aimed at rationalizing and updating the military's personnel, information, logistics, and procurement support systems; and * implementation of the AFP Grievance System initiated last July 22, 2003. The AFP hopes the government will prioritize its modernization program, to enable it to acquire more modern equipment and firearms. The military also believes the AFP's pension system must be reformed. The continued increase in the number of pensioners threatens to erode the AFP budget. At present, personal services which include pensions for retired personnel take up nearly 70% of the AFP budget, leaving behind merely 30% for AFP operations.