MAPABIBILIS ang modernisasyon ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ang trilateral summit nina Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., US President Joe Biden at Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
“The trilateral meeting presents a significant opportunity for strategic collaboration among like-minded allies in the Indo-Pacific region,” ayon kay Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
“I am optimistic that the discussions between President Biden, Prime Minister Kishida, and President Marcos, Jr. will pave the way for enhanced cooperation in advancing our defense capabilities and ensuring regional security and stability,” dagdag niya.
Bago ang pagsisimula ng trilateral meeting, inihain nina US senators Bill Hagerty (Republican) at Tim Kaine (Democrat), mga miyembro ng Senate Foreign Relations Committee, ang panukalang Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act of 2024 (PERA Act) upang lakihan ang security assistance na ibinibigay ng US sa Pilipinas.
Sa ilalim ng panukala, magbibigay ang US ng $500 milyon bilang Foreign Military Financing (FMF) sa Pilipinas taon-taon mula 2025 hanggang 2029 o kabuuang $2.9 bilyon.
Malaking ambag ito sa modernisasyon ng AFP sa harap ng nagaganap na tensyon sa West Philippine Sea (WPS), giit ni Romualdez. “By working closely with our allies, we can expedite the modernization of the AFP and enhance our ability to respond effectively to any potential threats to our national security,” aniya pa.
AFP modernization aabante sa trilateral meet
