Manila: Military spending of President Benigno Aquino's government has outstripped that of previous administrations, a palace official revealed.

Herminio Coloma, the Presidential Communications Secretary, said procurements for the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) modernisation programme have reached 28 billion pesos (Dh2.41 billion) in 18 months under the Aquino administration when compared to 33 billion pesos under various administrations in the past 15 years.

He said the pace of the government's military modernisation has picked up pace compared to the previous administrations under Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada at Gloria Arroyo.

"This exemplifies the determination of the Aquino administration to implement the modernisation of the AFP and strengthen our capabilities to safeguard our territorial integrity through the acquisition of modern military hardware," Coloma said.

Combat helicopters

Coloma said on Friday after the government received four new medium-lift multi-role combat helicopters from Polish aircraft manufacturer PZL-Swidnik SA.

PZL-Swidnik SA president Mieczyslaw Majewski handed over the Sokol multipurpose combat utility helicopters to Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. Manila has ordered eight such helicopters.

The Sokol is capable of carrying a squad of 12 soldiers and armament such as cannons, machine guns and air-to-air missiles. The new aircraft it the most modern among the country's rotary-wing aircraft. The other helicopters are mostly ageing UH 1 Bell Huey helicopters handed down by the US government under the Excess Defence Articles Act.

Gazmin said the addition of the new aircraft will give the Philippines a more credible defence posture and will increase the capabilities for search and rescue, medical evacuation and combat utility missions. Earlier, in January, the Philippines took delivery of a 3,250-tonne patrol frigate, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar.

Acquisition targets

Another vessel of the same specification is expected to arrive this year while a third is under negotiation.

Dubbed the "Back to Basics", the first phase of the AFP modernisation programme focuses on improving the AFP's ability to conduct Internal Security Operations. Under this phase, the target acquisition includes eight combat utility helicopters, seven attack helicopters, one C-130 aircraft, a long-range patrol aircraft and 18 basic trainer aircraft.