(File photo)

MANILA, (PIA) -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to name the new commanding general of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

This, following the retirement of PAF chief Lieutenant General Connor Anthony David Canlas Sr. during the Change of Command Ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City. Canlas serves as the 38th and incumbent Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force since Dec. 8, 2021.

The assumption of the new PAF chief will come at a time when the Air Force has commissioned various new air assets in recent months, and is set to acquire more. The PAF, however, remains optimistic it would be able to acquire multi-role fighters, a critical capability for the Air Force to boost defense of the country’s territorial airspace.

Pres. Marcos, who has given a glimpse of his administration’s vision for the country’s defense area earlier this year during PAF's 75th founding anniversary, said his administration would move to modernize the country’s aerial and surveillance capability, which will be critical in protecting the country amid territorial disputes and insurgency.

The President also said that enhancing the Air Force’s capabilities is one of his administration’s top priorities, as he elaborated that he wants a more modern aerial and surveillance capability “given the territorial disputes” the Philippines is involved in, and given the country’s vulnerability in terms of natural disasters.

Equipping the PAF with modern facilities like transport aircraft, helicopters, more state-of-the-art fighter planes, and more firepower is crucial for the military’s effort to protect the nation from local insurgency and would provide much-needed help during disasters, Marcos said.

“A more modern aerial and surveillance capability is all the more felt given the territorial disputes that we in the Philippines are involved in. This enhanced capability is also proven to be very critical in the Philippine military’s effort to protect the nation from local communist insurgents and extremist groups in the south,” he said.

“Transport aircraft, helicopters, and the like are important facilities that only PAF can suitably and sufficiently provide, especially during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operation. All these are just some of the most fundamental and significant functions that we have come to expect from our Air Force,” he added. (PIA-NCR)