The United States is already working on granting the Philippines $100 million to bankroll the modernization program of the Armed Forces.
US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson revealed Monday that the US State Department already notified the US Congress of its intent to make available a substantial grant “in foreign military financing (FMF) to be used for defense modernization according to the needs” of the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND).
Carlson said it was “in conjunction with the ongoing consultation that we have already discussed throughout the year between our two militaries.”
Interviewed by reporters at her residence in Makati City, the envoy stressed the grant offer came after the Philippines scrapped its deal to purchase military choppers from Russia, which was also part of the country’s military modernization efforts, in consideration of the United States’ position.
She said the amount could be used by the DND to “offset” future military helicopter purchases, among others.
“But we would not dictate the modernization efforts within the Department of National Defense,” Carlson added.
With more military cooperation expected under the new administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Carlson hoped for safe waters as well as safe overflight in the South China Sea “so that the economic recovery is not constrained and so that our people can live in safety in security.”
“So, in terms of joint patrols, whatever we can do, military to military, or people to people, that ensure that we secure our territorial integrity and that we make our water safe is what we’re going to do,” she said.
“We’re looking at various types of joint cooperative maritime activities that we can go together,” the US envoy concluded.
