Philippine President Benigno Aquino vowed on Monday to leave behind a stronger and a more capable armed forces to face maritime challenges in the South China Sea when he leaves office next year. Aquino, ineligible to run for re-election under the constitution, promised to spend about 83.90 billion pesos ($1.77 billion) in a five-year period until 2017 to strengthen the military as China asserts its claims to most of the waters. China has overlapping claims with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei in the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines has challenged Beijing before the arbitration court in The Hague, a case Beijing has not recognized.

Philippines vows stronger military to back South China Sea claim. (2015, December 22). BusinessWorld, p. SI/11.