The Department of National Defense (DND) said Japan donated five TC-90 Beechcraft to the Philippines.

“Yes, (that’s) true. The term was changed from lease to grant,” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in an interview Wednesday.

Arsenio Andolong, DND Public Affairs Service Chief, said the agreement for the donation was signed during the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit.

“They signed the agreement during the ASEAN summit… it was one of the results of their bilateral with Japan,” he said

Defense Undersecretary for Finance and Materiel Raymundo Elefante said he and his Japanese counterpart signed the agreement at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) last Monday.

“We welcome that gesture of Japan and the addition of these five aircraft to our inventory will greatly enhance our capability to monitor and conduct search and rescue within our territory,” Andolong added.

It can be recalled that the first two units of the TC-90 aircraft arrived this March.

Andolong said the three other units are expected to be delivered in the Philippines in the first quarter of 2018 but he added these units were being used by Philippine Navy pilots in their training in Japan.

Lorenzana said the money allotted for the lease of the aircraft will be put into good use although it is just like a token payment.

“They will be put to good use. Not substantial amount because it is just like a token payment, four units is at $7000/annually, while the 5th unit is for $200/year. That’s $28,200/year or about ?1.4 million,” he said.

Lorenzana said the Philippine government is procuring surveillance equipment for the aircraft.

“The aircraft were bare when they arrived. We are procuring them (surveillance equipment). Meanwhile our pilots are training in Japan,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS