AFP receives P172M worth of heavy equipment from China

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday received P172 million worth of heavy equipment from the Chinese government to be used in the construction of infrastructure projects in the countryside. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and AFP chief Gen. Ricardo David formally received the donation from Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Liu Jianchao in a ceremony held at Camp Aguinaldo, the military’s main headquarters, in Quezon City. The donation consisted of eight graders, two loaders, three road rollers, four backhoe loaders, three dump trucks, two road wreckers, an aerial vehicle and 10 bulldozers. Gazmin said the equipment would be of great assistance to the AFP “in our many developmental nation-building and construction endeavors throughout the country." David said the aid was timely, noting that the military is aggressively pursuing non-traditional missions, particularly the intensification of constructing developmental projects throughout the country. “We are building schools, bridges, water facilities and other infrastructures throughout the country, most especially in the far flung areas; hoping to stem the tide of terrorism, which draws strength in the destituteness and impoverishment of communities," he said. Gazmin thanked the Chinese government “for the generous assistance that we shall treasure as a token of enduring friendship and cooperation between our two nations and peoples." The AFP in December last year forged an agreement with China’s People’s Liberation Army, paving the way for the future full grant of 12 more units of engineering equipment worth 10 million Chinese Yuan or P113 million to the Philippine military. - KBK, GMANews.TV