AFP Museum not shutting down for now

MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Museum is not shutting down just yet even as the military is justifying its demand for the museum to settle its unpaid electricity bills.

AFP public affairs chief Col. Noel Detoyato said the AFP Museum was sent a notice of connection due to unsettled power dues “just like any service provider would.”

“AFP Museum is a foundation and is not covered by the AFP budget. AFP has to comply with COA’s (Commission on Audit) observation regarding uncollected payments for power consumption by establishments like them inside Camp Aguinaldo,” Detoyato said. 

“These collections are remitted to the treasury as trust funds. Other concessionaires are treated the same way,” he added.

Detoyato explained that even government quarters being occupied by soldiers are billed monthly and are given warnings when they fail to settle their obligations.

“We are aware of the importance of the role of the AFP Museum and the foundation running it that is why the command is willing to sit down with them to jointly find a solution to alleviate the present situation,” Detoyato said.

Located along Capinpin Avenue inside Camp Aguinaldo, the AFP Museum has thousands of military artifacts from the pre-colonial period to the 2013 Zamboanga crisis.

The museum, however, is at risk of being shut down because it can no longer pay for its electricity dues which has reached P1.37 million.

In an earlier interview, AFP Museum administrator Elizabeth Dapiton said the military would not shoulder their electricity bills because the museum is just a tenant of Camp Aguinaldo.

The AFP Museum has received a disconnection notice stating that it would lose its electricity connection on Wednesday if the power bill remains unsettled.

Detoyato, however, gave assurance that the AFP Museum would not lose its electricity connection.

“We are aware of the importance of the AFP museum so we are willing to sit down with the AFP Foundation officials to plan out how the payment will be undertaken. Meanwhile services will continue while these are being planned out,” he said.

The AFP Museum is not under the military organization as it is being handled by a private foundation, the Armed Forces of the Philippines Museum and Historical Library Foundation Inc. 

The AFP Museum spends around P40,000 to P50,000 a month for electricity.