House Speaker Martin Romualdez is the keynote speaker of the very first edition of the “The Defense Forum” organized by the National Defense College of the Philippines Alumni Association, Inc. at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. Front and center of the House Speaker’s speech is “strengthening legislative measures in support of national security.”

The House of Representatives is fully behind President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s policy to secure and protect the West Philippine Sea as Chinese ships continue to harass Filipino sailors.

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Friday evening assured Congress’ clear-cut commitment to supporting the President Marcos’ foreign policy during “The Defense Forum” organized by the National Defense College of the Philippines Alumni Association at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Romualdez made the remarks following reports that China Coast Guard ships fired water cannons at Filipino resupply boats in Ayungin Shoal.

The House Speaker not only condemned China’s intrusions in Philippine waters, but also affirmed congressional support to increase budget allocation for the defense sector under the 2024 national budget.

“Make no mistake about it. The House of Representatives fully supports the position of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. that we should continue to assert our sovereignty in the West Philippine Seas and that we should defend every inch of our territory,” Romualdez said.

“We have embarked on a strategic journey, not only to modernize our military assets but also to ensure that our personnel are equipped with the fortitude of skill and the assurance of a nation’s unwavering support,” he added.

Romualdez hailed the “brave men and women in uniform” whom he considered as “sentinels of sovereignty, safeguarding our nation’s territory against the ceaseless tides of adversity.”

“Under the proposed 2024 budget, the allocation for the defense sector is P282.7 billion or 21.6 percent more compared to the PHP203.4 billion allocation under the 2023 budget. This fund will support the “Land, Air, and Naval Forces Defense Programs” totaling PHP188.5 billion, as well as the UN Peacekeeping Mission, among others, to ensure domestic security,” Romualdez said.

“This amount does not include P1.23 billion worth of confidential and intelligence funds, which the House of Representatives realigned to the front-line agencies in charge of ensuring national security and protecting the country’s territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

This strategic reallocation includes P300 million to the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, P100 million to the National Security Council (NSC), P200 million to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for intelligence activities and ammunition, and P381.3 million to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the development or expansion of Pag-Asa Island Airport.

Globe continues to strengthen its commitment to adapt to the impacts of climate change such as more violent typhoons, releasing an enhanced Business Continuity Management (BCM) policy to ensure dependable connectivity even during disasters and other catastrophic events.

“Recognizing the impacts of climate change and using innovative technologies to manage them makes Globe operationally resilient,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at the Globe Group. “Our commitment to our customers is to ensure that they stay connected especially in times of crisis. This updated BCM policy reaffirms our resolve to provide continuity of critical operations and delivery of key products and services to our customers whatever the situation may be.”

The BCM is part of a bigger Integrated Management System (IMS), which brings together the organization’s approach to energy, environment, health, and safety management. This alignment allows the consistent delivery of top-quality services, which contributes to Globe’s resilient network. The company’s ISO 22301 – Business Continuity Management is subject for recertification in 2024.

With the World Risk Index 2022 ranking the Philippines as the country most at risk from natural disasters, Globe’s role in ensuring uninterrupted connectivity is more critical than ever and reaffirms its commitment to providing reliable services to its customers.

The company is focused on strengthening its network infrastructure to be ready for disasters and prevent network disruptions. Its climate adaptation strategies include fitting key facilities with backup power generators with fuel enough for three to four days of operations, backup batteries that last four to eight hours, and backup communication devices such as satellite phones and radio networks.

It has also improved its infrastructure such as the installation of flood control gates, elevating base pads above typical flood levels, and designing towers to withstand high wind speeds as aligned with the National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP) 7th edition.

Globe also created G-Climate, an internal service that uses data to predict how typhoons might affect its cell sites. This tool allows it to prevent potential issues, keeping services running smoothly even during a storm. Plans are in place to roll this out across the nation by the end of the year.

The company also supports the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) by sending out disaster-related SMS alerts in line with Republic Act No. 10639, otherwise known as “The Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act.” Its Regional Crisis Management Team is ready to jump in and help with recovery operations when necessary.

As part of its post-disaster or recovery response, Globe deploys Cell Site on Wheels (COW) and Tower on Wheels (TOW) used for Libreng Tawag at Libreng Charging (LTLC) stations in disaster-hit areas, especially in those placed under a state of calamity.

“Without doubt, climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time. We will keep innovating and investing to ensure our network is most reliable for our customers, especially during disasters, when connectivity is crucial,” said Crisanto.

To learn more about Globe, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/.