AFP revising recruitment to target youth

MANILA, Philippines — Revisions are being made in the current recruitment policies of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as part of efforts to encourage more fresh graduates or young professionals to enlist, according to Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.

In a speech at a maritime security forum on Wednesday, Teodoro said the changes are necessary under the country’s new Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC).

He also said recruitment rules – particularly on enlistment age – would be modified to make the armed services more appealing to the younger generation.

“We also, under the CADC, are changing our recruitment policies, our reserve force development, where we seek to tap talents and skills given the psychology of our younger generations right now,” he explained.

“A lot of them may not want to wear a uniform but may want to help, so we might as well take advantage of that,” Teodoro said.

“We already talked with our Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel to bring up the recruitment age for enlisted personnel and officers because a lot of the young right now, they want to take a gap year, they don’t want to work immediately,” he pointed out.

“So, to have a maximum commissioning age of 26 or enlisted age of 26 may not be practicable and we may be shutting out a lot of talented and qualified individuals from serving with us,” he said.

Teodoro also revealed a new reserve force structure has reached his desk.

“We will be talking about it and we will be coming out with regulations in order to shape a viable reserve force that will actually serve the interests of a credible national defense,” he said.

In light of the country’s current problems in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the AFP’s push to modernize to achieve a credible defense posture, Teodoro said keeping the people informed and educated is very important.

“And I ask also the help of our friends in media to be very responsible in reporting matters of national security and guarding against creating hysteria or racist sentiments elsewhere,” Teodoro said.

“Then again, we have to be open to the reality that we are vulnerable to threats, not only cyber threats but also to information, asymmetric information, disinformation in operations,” he added.

“So, we must have a realistic appreciation of where we stand. And this is the function of education. For me, it is more important to have an aware and discerning public which will contribute to their feeling of patriotism and love for their country,” he pointed out.

“When they know what their country can offer, and they know what they stand to lose if they lose their country, I think this will be the best encouragement for patriotism from our younger generations rather than compulsion in bringing them in a regime which they may not want,” Teodoro said.