ADAS 2020 Defence Show Will be Held as Planned this September
The latest edition of the Asian Defense and Security Exhibition series, ADAS 2020, will take place as planned in the Philippine capital of Manila, making it the first defence show to be staged since the coronavirus pandemic
The country’s largest flagship event of its kind will be held between September 23 to 25, 2020 at the World Trade Center in Manila but with precautions, with the Philippine government beginning to ease restrictions as of the first week of June. Currently, APAC Expo Pte Ltd, the organisers of ADAS 2020, is working hard together with the relevant Government agencies and closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines and globally. The current COVID-19 outbreak has raised several concerns within the events industry but the both the organisers and the Philippines government is giving the assurance that the safety and security of ADAS exhibitors, visitors, business partners and staff will not be compromised, and hence no effort will be spared to ensure this, the show organisers said June 2,
Earlier in the beginning of March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the world’s exhibition industry bringing it to complete halt. ADAS 2020 would be taking the first step in opening the defence exhibition to the world in complete safety, in total respect of the rules and healthcare protocols, protecting the health of companies and visitors. With this in mind, the organisers of ADAS 2020 is proud to announced that the space for the Philippines tri-defence exposition is almost full and would be expecting more participants in the upcoming months.
Running for the fourth edition, ADAS 2020 continues to offer an exclusive and timely platform for leading international and domestic companies and solutions providers to highlight the latest products and services, as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) continue to embark on the Second Horizon of the government’s Revised AFP Modernisation Programme from 2018 to 2022. The exhibition is fully endorsed and supported by His Excellency, The President, the Department of National Defense (DND), the National Security Council (NSC), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and various other Defense, Security and Disaster & Crisis Management Agencies.
Modernisation Programmes Still On
It was reported in May 2020, that Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said military modernisation projects with contracts and those already provided with funds will push through amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
“Those projects with contract(s) and funds that have been obligated will push through,” he said in a message to the Philippines. Lorenzana made this remark when asked whether the health crisis will have an impact on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernisation Programme. However, he also added that there is also a possibility that projects still lacking contracts or funding might be postponed. This will be depending on the DBM (Department of Budget and Management).
Horizon Two of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernisation Programme is scheduled for 2018 to 2022 and has a budget of PHP300 billion. This is the stage where the AFP is supposed to begin the acquisition of multi-role fighters and other advanced weaponry. Government expenditures for Covid-19 are expected to increase the budget deficit to around PHP1 trillion this year.
