US may grant the Philippines $1 billion in military aid next year

A BRP Davao del Sur crew member peers through an advanced optics tool during a simulated maritime search and rescue exercise during the five-day Multilateral Maritime Exercise of the Balikatan 2024. Photo from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

By Manuel Mogato | Date 05-5-2024

Manila — An official at the Philippine embassy in Washington said the United States may provide up to $1 billion in foreign military sales to Manila next year, the largest allocation in a single year.

 

The embassy official, who declined to be named because he is not allowed to be interviewed by the press, said the United States has finally paid attention to the Philippines and helped its oldest ally in the region to stand up to its feet to face its biggest challenge.

 

“Without the China factor, we will not get all the attention we are now getting from the US and other Western allies,” the embassy official said, as the US also hosted this week the second ministerial meeting among Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States in Hawaii.

 

“We are enjoying bi-partisan solid support in the US Congress and we are very confident all the proposed bills providing financial and material support to the Philippines security sector would pass swiftly.

 

Last month, the US Congress approved a measure proposed by three US congressmen, House Resolution 8603, which provided a $2 billion supplemental budget for US military operations in the Indo-Pacific region. 

 

Taiwan got the lion’s share, and only $500 million would be available to the Philippines.

 

The supplemental budget for the Indo-Pacific region also included a $3.5 billion to build a Virginia-class nuclear-powered cruise missile attack submarine that would be deployed in the Indi-Pacific region.

 

“The House resolution under Foreign Military Sales had provided a $500 million for the Philippines, but our military will discuss specific details with the US counterparts on how to use the funds,” the Philippine embassy official said, adding the embassy heard the Armed Forces of the Philippines was interested in getting more equipment for maritime domain awareness, surveillance, and shore-to-ship missiles.

 

Apart from the supplemental budget, a separate measure called the Philippine Enhancement Resilience Act of 2024 was filed in the US Senate to provide a $2.5 billion foreign military sales fund from 2025 to 2029 or an annual budget of $500 million.

 

“We are confident the proposed PERA measure will pass given the strong bipartisan support to the bill,” the Philippine embassy official said. After the bill was approved, the Philippines would get $1 billion in FMS by 2025.

 

“I don’t know how the money will be spent, but I think the $1 billion is enough to add to our $1.2 billion budget to acquire 12 units of the next generation F-16, which costs $2.4 billion, including training, a five-year maintenance, and armaments We can ask the US to help transfer the block 70-72 fighters to the local air force.”

 

The Philippine embassy said they were told the military’s wish list includes heavy-lift and attack helicopters, brand-new armed drones, and surveillance equipment.

 

When the US was still “renting” the bases in Clark and Subic, the US was paying $200 million annually. After 1992, the US military aid dropped to below $50 million. From 2015 to 2022, when China started its aggressive and coercive operations in the West Philippine Sea, US military aid totaled $1.4 billion.