The well-funded modernization and capability upgrade of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will soon enable it to defend and secure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, the Department of National Defense (DnD) disclosed on Tuesday.

The DnD said it has allocated P8 billion for the procurement of modern air and sea assets for the use of the Philippine Navy (PN), which has the priority in the ongoing modernization owing to the volatile situation in the West Philippine Sea, also known as the South China Sea.