Delfin N Lorenzana, Secretary of National Defence, Philippines

The Philippines is speeding up efforts to modernise the armed forces with essential equipment to  allow it to operate both in conventional war and in support of counter-terrorism/insurgency operations. Several key defence equipment are being looked at and some major capital items have already been delivered and employed into service despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Secretary Lorenzana talks exclusively to ADJ on the latest progress of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernisation programme which is now in the midst of its second phase, the country’s geo-political situation, and the government-military effort in curbing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. (November 2020)