US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson
MANILA – The United States (US) is set to provide USD70 million in aid for the infrastructure improvements of the Armed Forces in the Philippines in the next two years.
At the Mangrove Forum on Wednesday, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said the monetary assistance is part of their effort “to look for more ways to expand the Enhanced Defense Cooperation (Agreement or EDCA),” which is one of the ways the mutual defense treaty between the US and the Philippines is operationalized.
“These improvements are designed to enhance cooperative defense capacities and support Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Response activities, in ways that best meet the needs of the AFP and the alliance,” she said.
Carlson noted that Department of National Defense officer in charge Jose Faustino Jr. would be the one to decide which projects to spend the aid on.
While the US encourages the country’s military to identify which projects would ensure civilian and water security and territorial integrity, it “will not give the Philippines a list of what it wants,” she said.
The US has committed more than USD625 million over the past five years to Philippine defense and security enhancements that are largely designed to bolster capacity in Philippine maritime areas in the South China Sea.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the Philippines counts on US support in upholding its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea, which are based on international law.
“We have to forge ahead with our individual and joint efforts to achieve post-pandemic recovery, mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, and navigate and manage geopolitical shifts, among others,” Manalo said. (PNA)
