Philippine military acquires P1.5-B engineering equipment from China

Department of National Defense Undersecretary Cardozo Luna witnesses the blessing of the engineering equipment from China. PHOTO by FRANCES MANGOSING / INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines has acquired P1.5 billion of engineering equipment from China intended for the rehabilitation of Marawi City.

A symbolic handover was held at Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday. The equipment from Polytechnologies of the People’s Republic of China were acquired through a government-to-government deal, one of the first projects implemented for the Horizon 2 program.

The Horizon 2 program, which runs from 2018 to 2022, has a budget of about P300 billion.

NOW: Symbolic handover of 248 units of engineering equipment for the rehab of Marawi. The P1.5B project was acquired through a government-to-government deal with China under the Horizon 2 of the AFP modernization program. pic.twitter.com/sQhikCfwsr

— Frances Mangosing 🇵🇭 (@FMangosingINQ) March 27, 2019

Some of the equipment put on display were telescopic cranes, tracked dozers, road graders, scoop loaders, backhoe loaders, road rollers, transit mixers, dump trucks, and water lorries.

The supply and delivery of the  equipment were completed last Feb. 12. The first batch containing 114 units of equipment were already delivered to Camp Pintoy in Iligan City. The second batch was delivered to the other major camps in Metro Manila.

Department of National Defense Undersecretary Cardozo Luna said the acquisition was a result of the improving ties with China.

“We can develop a good relationship with out neighbors, with other countries, setting aside differences dahil hindi naman iisa lang ang linya ng relationship natin,” he told reporters.

Relations of the Philippines and China have become closer under President Rodrigo Duterte. He set aside the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea in exchange for warmer ties and investments from China.

Luna made clear that the equipment procurement went through a process with China emerging as the best option.

“Ito ang napili ng technical working group. There were other offers. Hindi porket China yun na pipiliin. May correct process yan, hindi makakalusot basta sa COA (Commission on Audit),” he said.  /muf