Gensanportal - Mindanao News Blog

The Philippines on Sunday night received the last of the two transport aircraft acquired from the United States, boosting the heavy-lift capability of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The C-130 plane touched down at 7:56 p.m. at the Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base, home to PAF's 2nd Air Division, in Cebu City, according to PAF spokesman Col. Antonio Francisco Jr.

Francisco said the arrival of the plane "will have positive impact on us."

"It will enhance our capability in the transport of troops and supplies," he said. "It will also help us in responding to calamities. One of its duties is to deliver relief goods."

The plane was one of the two C-130s acquired by the defense and military establishment from US for P1.6 billion. The first aircraft arrived in April.

There are four other C-130s in the PAF inventory, Francisco said.

Asked if they have future plans to acquire additional C-130s or other aircraft from US, Francisco said he is not aware of such plans.

"That C-130 will be the last of two we are acquired from the US Excess Defense Articles," he said.

The aircraft arrived amid President Rodrigo Duterte's almost daily tirades against the US and his promise to position the Philippines closer to China and Russia. —KBK, GMA News

Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/584585/news/nation/phl-receives-c-130-plane-from-us