MANILA, Philippines – In the State of Nation
Address of President Benigno Aquino III on Monday, he stated that the government saved P1.2 billion from a
procurement project fund of M4 assault rifles for the Armed Forces of the
Philippines.
Aquino mentioned his administration’s efforts
for the military modernization in the past 4 year, including the acquisition of
worth 50,629 units of M4 rifles, which will be completed in the next few months
this year.
"Ang bonus pa dahil sa maayos na proseso
ng procurement at tapat na pangangasiwa sa pondo, may savings tayo na mahigit
1.2 billion pesos," Aquino said, to which most of his audience much-admired and applauded.
The said project costs the government P4 billion, lesser
than the earlier kept allocation budget, but Aquino said the rest of the budget will be used to buy "more firearms."
Although the firearms are bought in cheaper price than expected, Aquino guaranteed the
public that the government did not compromise on the quality of the firearms.
He also insisted that all of the incoming firearms are totally brand new, high quality and made by trusted firearm
manufacturer/company.
