Press Release
February 20, 2009

ANGARA EYES CREATION OF RP'S AIR FORCE ACADEMY
Seeks to improve regular officer delivery system of PAF

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today said that there is an immediate need to improve the officer delivery system of the Philippine Air Force and this can only be addressed by establishing a dedicated Academy for maintaining a corps of officers in the Air Force.

"The improvement of the regular officer delivery system of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) has a long-felt need in the military establishment. The PAF Flying Schools (PAFFS), which is at present, the main source of regular officers in the PAF can no longer cope with the required number and proper training of officer pilots for the PAF because of inadequate facilities and logistical support," said Angara who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance.

He added, "Since a college degree is an academic requirement for entrance into the PAFFS, thousands of our gifted high school graduates are denied the opportunity of serving our country through the PAF simply because they are unable to obtain financial support for a college education. The creation of Philippine Air Force Academy (PAFA) is a response to this problem in line with the constitutional mandate of guaranteeing equal access of opportunity for public service."

Angara added that given the inherent political instability of a developing country such as the Philippines, we should see to it that an unwanted relationship among officers often called "regular 'officer homogeneity" is not created. Concerned sectors believe that this "officer homogeneity" may endanger a potentially explosive political situation where an Armed Force is controlled in all its branches, and at all levels, by regular officer school.

The creation of the PAF Academy will help preclude this situation.

He asserted that there is also a need to professionalize other Air Force officer career areas like aircraft maintenance, avionics and air logistics to further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the PAF. These highly specialized career fields cannot be adequately addressed by a traditional military academy like the Philippine Military Academy.

"The PAF Academy as conceptualized is geared towards making available an adequate and dedicated corps of professional Air Force officers with the proper education, training and orientation to lead and manage the complex technologies inherent in the field of aviation," added Angara.

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