Clark Air Base, Pampanga
March 7, 2023

“Our country’s archipelagic nature and geostrategic location is both a blessing and a challenge. As much as our maritime environment provides us with much needed resources, it also requires us to constantly adapt to become more mobile and agile,” stressed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during the ceremonial acceptance, turnover and blessing of the C-295 Medium Lift Aircraft held at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga.

Recognizing the various climate-related hazards that the country is confronting at present, the Commander-in-Chief called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to exert more effort in performing their duties.

“While these equipment will boost the readiness of our Air Force to respond to any contingency, there is still a need to further improve our capabilities to effectively cover our territory. Equally important is to ensure the airworthiness of Air Force assets and the corresponding training of crew and personnel to guarantee the safety of all,” President Marcos Jr. emphasized, underscoring the Administration’s commitment to pursue modernization efforts for the AFP.

“As we accept and bless this new C-295 medium airlift, may your passion to defend the country and to serve the Filipino people deepen as we strive to maintain the peace that we have fought so hard to achieve,” concluded President Marcos Jr.

The C-295 Medium Lift Aircraft is one of the three (3) units acquired by the Philippine Air Force (PAF) from Spain under a new contract through the AFP’s Modernization Program.

Manufactured by the Airbus Defence and Space, the twin-turboprop transport aircraft is the newest generation of tactical airlifter in the light and medium segment that can be utilized for various missions such as medical evacuation, paradrop/airdrop, civic and humanitarian airlift mission, among others.

According to the PAF, the aircraft will complement its capability, as well as of the AFP as a whole, in providing airlift support in times of disasters and calamities. In its recent operations, the PAF has been extensively utilizing C-295 aircrafts to transport relief goods and equipment, and evacuate affected families and individuals from communities following consecutive typhoons and flooding that hit the country.

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