The United States , is providing$ 500 million ( P29.2 billion ) in military assistance to , the Philippines, US Secretary of State , Antony Blinken , and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin III announced on Tuesday following the 2+2 meeting with their Filipino counterparts at , Camp Aguinaldo.
” We are now allocating an additional$ 500 million in foreign military financing to , the Philippines , to boost security collaboration with our oldest treaty ally in this region”, Blinken said at a press briefing, adding that , Washington ‘s , relationship with , Manila , “is the strongest that it has ever been”.
The help, according to him, is” a once-in-a-generation funding to support modernise” the , Armed Forces of the Philippines , and the Philippine Coast Guard, the US foreign minister said.
According to , Austin,” this amount of money is unparalleled” and” sends a clear concept of aid for , the Philippines” from , the United States.
” We are working with the , US Congress , to allocate$ 500 million in foreign military financing into , the Philippines” , , Austin , said.
Edca cash
He added that US President , Joe Biden , had included in this year’s budget “more than$ 128” million to fund important infrastructure projects under , Washington ‘s , Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement ( Edca ) with , Manila.
Austin , said , the United States , was committed to “double our opportunities” for the Edca websites agreed with , the Philippines , under the 2014 deal.
Under Edca,  , the United States , is allowed to operate and increase military infrastructure in , the Philippines , with the acceptance of its state.
In April last year, Malacañang named  , Camilo Osias Naval Base , in Sta. Ana city and , Lal-lo Airport , in Lal-lo village in Cagayan state,  , Camp Melchor , felipe Cruz in Gamu, Isabela province, and Balabac, the southern island in Palawan province, as the four more Edca sites.
The various Edca places are at , Basa Air Base , in Pampanga province, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija state,  , Lumbia Air Base , in Cagayan de Oro,  , Antonio Bautista Air Base , in Palawan, and , Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base , in Cebu.
” Position of deterrent”
Defence Secretary , Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the US revenue, including those for Edca, do” function to secure , the Philippines ‘ , credible barrier position” against “unlawful foreign hostility”.
” Every peso or money spent on hardening Asian skills to defend itself and to deter unlawful anger will be a or against any risk professional whether it be , China , or anyone”, Teodoro said in the same hit lecture together with his American counterpart,  , Austin, and Blinken.
He claimed that the “investments” may be made for both legal defense and philanthropic defense.
The Edca websites may also serve as locations for mutual assistance and connectivity between , the United States , and , the Philippines , and international activities with like-minded nations, Teodoro said.
Therefore, he said,” These are not monodimensional investments but multidimensional ones that will help the country develop and deter unwarranted and unlawful aggression by creating a strong deterrent posture.”
Blinken said , Manila , and , Washington , both share concerns regarding , Beijing ‘s , “escalatory actions in the , South China Sea, the , East China Sea, and elsewhere”.
” We stand by our ironclad defense commitment to , the Philippines , under]our ] mutual defense treaty. That extends to armed attacks on Filipino Armed Forces, public vessels or aircraft, including the , Coast Guard, anywhere in the Pacific, including the , South China Sea”, he said.
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