Manila - The Philippine military plans to deploy 320 troops for UN peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Haiti, the Armed Forces chief of staff said Thursday.

General Alexander Yano said 165 Filipino soldiers would be dispatched to Liberia while 155 would be assigned to Haiti for six-month missions.

The Liberia contingent is to leave August 1 while the soldiers going to Haiti are to depart about two weeks later, Yano said.

"Every peacekeeping contingent we send is the realization of our country's strong commitment to the promotion and preservation of international peace," he said.

Hundreds of Filipino soldiers and police are also involved in UN peacekeeping missions in Burundi, the Ivory Coast, Afghanistan, Kosovo and Sudan. (dpa)