MANILA – Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Tuesday night they have deliberated on a “new set of specifications” and “quantity” for the country’s multi-role fighter (MRF) program, which they would present to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for approval.

“(On) the MRF, we just set, to be approved by the President, a new set of specs that we need and a new quantity. We deliberated upon it. There are few tweaks,” Teodoro said during a chance interview with reporters at the National Day and Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Korea held at the Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig City.

He said the terms of reference (TOR) for the project came out on Monday.

“It (came) out yesterday (Monday), our TOR for the MRF, and then once it is approved by the President, the TOR will go to Horizon 3 (of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program). There is a new Horizon 3, which we have to present to the President for him to approve,” Teodoro said.

He also said AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and the DND undersecretaries gave their thoughts on the specifications and the revised Horizon 3.

“We talked about with the Chief of Staff the specifications (earlier). Our undersecretaries put in their two cents’ worth. They will come out with that and the rest of the new Horizon 3 and then we will submit it to the President for approval,” he added.

Teodoro, however, did not give details on whether the new Horizon 3 that they will present to the Chief Executive is part of the ongoing “rehorizoning” and “restrategization” efforts for the AFP Modernization Program.

Initially, the AFP Modernization Program’s Horizon 3 is scheduled for 2023 to 2028 while Horizon 2 is from 2018 to 2022 and Horizon 1 is from 2013 to 2017. (PNA)