MANILA – The United States announced a USD 500 million in funding which aims to boost the capabilities and modernization of the Philippines’ Armed Forces and its coast guard.
In a joint press briefing held in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Tuesday, U.S. State Department Secretary Antony Blinken and U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III, mentioned the funding, which is “designed to support the modernization of Philippine forces and its coast guard”, as the country transitions its focus on external defense.
“As you know, the Philippines has actually long been one of the largest recipients of foreign military financing in the Indo-Pacific, but the very significant additional investment that we're making in FMF, the $500 million, this is really designed to support the modernization of Filipino forces, Coast Guard, as they transition to focus on external defense. We're building on a lot of progress the Philippines has already made to be better positioned to defend their sovereignty,” Blinken said.
This was echoed by Sec. Austin by saying that “this level of funding is unprecedented” and “sends a clear message of support for the Philippines from the Biden-Harris administration, the U.S. Congress, and the American people.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Lloyd Austin III in Manila for the 2+2 Dialogue. Also in photo is DFA Sec. Enrique Manalo and DND Sec. Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. (Photo courtesy of @SecBlinken / X account)
When asked what will be the priorities under the said funding, including the USD 128 million for Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) investments from the U.S., Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr., said that these will be laid down during the Security Sector Assistance Roadmap.
“Naturally, a lot of our inherent hardening capabilities are included, like cyber capabilities and the like. These and all the EDCA investments will serve to secure the Philippines' credible deterrent posture,” Teodoro explains.
“Every peso or dollar spent on hardening Philippine capabilities to defend itself and to deter unlawful aggression will be a plus against any threat actor, whether it be China or anyone,” Teodoro added.
The Philippines’ defense chief also emphasized that the EDC investments are not for defense purposes alone, but also for civil defense, particularly humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
“They can be venues for joint cooperation and interoperability between the United States and the Philippines and multilaterally with like-minded nations,” Teodoro mentioned.
“And likewise, they will serve also as venues for economic development like Secretary Austin has said with the USAID. So, these are not mono-dimensional but multidimensional investments that will help the development of the country and help to deter unwanted and unlawful aggression by building a credible deterrent posture,” Teodoro said.
The four officials also announced the positive progression of talks towards an agreement called General Security of Information (GSOMIA), with the aim of enhancing intelligence or information-sharing between the Philippines and the U.S., and allowing access to more sophisticated U.S. Defense technology to the Philippines. Conclusion of talks regarding the agreement is expected before the year ends.
Blinken and Austin is in the Manila for the Philippines – U.S. Foreign and Defense Ministerial Dialogue, also called 2 + 2 Dialogue, the first time being held in the country.
The third iteration of the 2+2 dialogue was held in Washington, D.C. last April 2023 and concluded with a joint statement that “reaffirmed full support for international law, modernizing shared defense capabilities of the alliance, advancing economic and environmental security, and cultivating the vibrant and robust people-to-people ties between the two countries,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Both U.S. Cabinet officials also made a courtesy call to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. wherein they extended their messages of sympathies to the victims of Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon which caused heavy flooding in the larger parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Both officials mentioned that the U.S. is ready to extend assistance to the victims.
