Ramos wants modern military

Ramos wants modern military

BAGUIO, Philippines (Reuter): President Fidel Ramos on
Saturday said the Philippines needs a modern military to protect
and nurture the economic development of the southeast Asian
country.

Ramos said in a speech before 213 graduating cadets at the
Philippine Military Academy in the northern city of Baguio the
army must shift to the role of defending the nation from external
foes after the end of internal security threats.

"We need a truly professional armed forces, a modern armed
forces," he said. "(We need) an armed forces capable of
fulfilling its combat mission and its nation-building duties."

The Philippine leader recently signed a law to modernize the
country's antiquated military hardware after a row erupted with
China when Beijing sent troops to occupy a disputed reef in the
Spratly islands also claimed by Manila.

Most of the ships in the Philippine navy were given by the
United States and date back to Second World War. The country's
air force has only two aging 30-year-old F-5 planes.

The Spratly islands in the South China Sea, which is believed
to contain rich deposits of oil and gas, is claimed in whole or
in part by China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and the
Philippines.