US, magbibigay ng $500-M na military financing sa Pilipinas; Iba pang defense at economic cooperation, tinalakay sa US-PH 2+2 ministerial dialogue
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00:00In the 4th 2 plus 2 ministerial dialogue, America promised to give 500 million US dollars worth of military financing to the Philippines
00:11which will be used for the modernization of AFP and PCG.
00:15This is what Patrick De Jesus reported.
00:17In the first ever 4th 2 plus 2 ministerial dialogue between the Philippines and America to discuss the economic and defense cooperation of the two countries,
00:34it was led by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
00:41While in the Philippines, it was led by Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Department of National Defense Secretary Guilbot Eudoro.
00:50One of the fruits of this cooperation is America's promise of 500 million US dollars or 29 billion pesos worth of military financing for the Philippines.
01:02This money will be used for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard
01:09because of the upcoming challenge of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea and other parts of the region.
01:33We're working with the US Congress to allocate 500 million dollars in foreign military financing to the Philippines.
01:41This level of funding is unprecedented and it sends a clear message of support for the Philippines from the Biden-Harris administration, the US Congress, and the American people.
01:56The US will also provide an additional US$128 million investment for EDCA sites.
02:03According to Defense Secretary Guilbot Eudoro, aside from improving the defense posture of the country, this will also help in humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
02:15They can be venues for joint cooperation and interoperability between the United States and the Philippines and multilaterally with like-minded nations.
02:26And likewise, they will serve also as venues for economic development like Secretary Austin has said with the USAID.
02:35So these are not monodimensional but multidimensional investments.
02:40Officials have also insisted that the upcoming elections in the United States will not affect the solid relationship between the two countries.
03:10The Philippine-US alliance and friendship has withstood the test of time.
03:16We've officially been partners for seven decades but it even goes beyond that.
03:23And in all those years, our relationship has held firmly and in fact has only grown more productive.
03:30And in fact, now we could even say our relationship is at a high point.
03:35I do not see any partisan political detraction from our positions because they are based on principle.
03:45Meanwhile, it is appropriate to give US$1 million of assistance to those affected by the Karina and Habagat typhoons in the country.
03:54Patrick De Jesus for Pambansan TV in Bagong, Philippines.