RP leader vows to update military

RP leader vows to update military

MANILA (AFP): Philippine President Joseph Estrada pledged on Tuesday to modernize the country's ill-equipped armed forces and protect the country's territories, including a disputed chain of South China Sea islands.

"We will preserve our constitution and preserve our territorial integrity. We will not shirk, or quit by default, from our responsibility of defending our sovereignty and strategic maritime interests," Estrada said in a speech marking the 63rd anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Estrada said he was counting on the military leadership to "professionalize its officers and ranks" and he promised "support to upgrade military and weaponry to enable our AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to address the present day challenges at all cost."

The Philippines' armed forces is considered one of the weakest in the region, with most of its firearms and equipment dating back to World War II.

An ambitious 331 billion peso ($8.3 billion) military modernization program was shelved this year due to the regional economic crisis.