The Philippines said on Thursday that it would buy three naval helicopters from an Anglo-Italian manufacturer as part of its military modernization program amid a territorial dispute with China.

The three AW 109 “Power” helicopters from AgustaWestland SPA of Italy will be acquired for P1.337 billion ($32.5 million) under an emergency procurement program, according to the Department of National Defense.

“The acquisition of these naval helicopters is one concrete step towards the fulfillment of our goal to modernize the Philippine Navy and our armed forces in general,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), through the Defense agency, signed on December 20 the contract for the purchase of the three naval helicopters, as well as that for the purchase of 60 ambulances worth P300.78 million, for P1.63 billion.

The ambulances will come from Kia Motors Corp., a Korean company. Included in the ambulance contract, Gazmin added, is the acquisition of 12 units of five-ton trucks for the use of the Philippine Army.

The contract agreements for both purchases were signed by Gen. Jessie Dellosa, Armed Forces chief of staff and the suppliers in the presence of Gazmin and other top military and defense officials.

“With the other projects in the pipeline and our planned acquisition, we are now louder and clearer in our intent to upgrade the capability of our AFP to address its constitutional duty to ‘secure the sovereignty of the state and the integrity of the national territory,’” Gazmin said.

In recent months, the poorly equipped Philippine military has been trying to boost its capabilities amid a standoff with China over disputed territory in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

It has been ordering or eyeing new patrol boats, fighter jets, transport planes and attack helicopters, while seeking to improve defense ties with western nations like the United States.

These efforts have accelerated since the Philippines and China began a standoff in April over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, a group of islets in the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippines said that the shoal is well within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

China claims the shoal as well as nearly all of the West Philippine Sea, even waters close to the coasts of neighboring countries.

“We are now louder and clearer in our call to modernize. These will help save lives and protect our forces in the field,” Gazmin said.

WITH A REPORT FROM AFP