Manila, Feb. 13 -- Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. reiterated the need to beef up the country's military readiness to allow it to better respond to external security challenges and disaster response missions.

The military chief made the remark in a meeting with the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) at the Shangri-la The Fort in Taguig City on Wednesday, the AFP said in a press statement Thursday.

"In his address, Gen. Brawner outlined the AFP's ongoing efforts to strengthen the country's defense posture. He highlighted the AFP's role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, (and) the importance of enhancing military readiness to address external security challenges," the statement ...