Philippine President Aquino told reporters on Wednesday that his government will give $255 million to the military to buy boats, helicopters and rifles.
“There will be boats and other watercraft, helicopters for our air force and assault rifles for our Philippine army and many more,” Aquino said after watching an exercise between the Philippines and the United States.
Seventy percent of the modernization program will be funded using royalties from the Malampaya gas fields. The rest will come from the 2011 budget.