US eyeing to spend $70 million on Philippine military infra —Carlson

The United States expects to spend $70 million for the infrastructure of the Armed Forces of the Philippines over the next two years, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said in a speech on Wednesday.

Citing the Philippines-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, Carlson said the infrastructure improvements were 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.”

“In the next two years, the United States expects to spend $70 million for infrastructure improvements for the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Carlson said.

“Together we are looking at more ways to expand EDCA to directly strengthen our work together,” she added.

The 2014 EDCA is one of the two agreements between the Philippines and US which enhances the Mutual Defense Treaty between the two countries. The other is the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement.

The US State Department website said the EDCA authorized US forces to access agreed locations in the Philippines on a rotational basis, “for security cooperation exercises, joint and combined military training activities, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities.”

The VFA provides the legal basis and status protections for US military and US Department of Defense civilian personnel in the Philippines on official business.

“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," Carlson said.

"Together we are looking at more ways to expand EDCA to directly strengthen our work together,” she added.

Carlson said the US had committed over $625 million over the last five years for Philippine defense and security enhancements to intensify capacity in Philippine maritime areas in the South China Sea.

She said that both countries trained together as “partners” to increase communication and information sharing.

“And multiple parts of our mission, including defense personnel, law enforcement officials, our legal attaches, and our economic and commercial colleagues, work daily with their counterparts to strengthen Philippine cybersecurity," Carlson said.

"Our goal through all these efforts is to continue to be your partner of choice,” she added.

Stands with Philippines

Carlson said the US stood with the Philippines against the opposing countries' attempt to advance unlawful maritime claims in the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

She said the US supported President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s remark that the Philippines would not cede “even one square inch of territory.”

“In the South China sea, as allies, we stand together to oppose attempts by those who seek to advance unlawful maritime claims in the Philippine exclusive economic zone or on its continental shelf,” Carlson said.

She said the US recognized the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in accordance with the ruling.

“We call upon the PRC (People’s Republic of China) to fulfill its treaty obligations under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention to comply with the legally binding decision of the Arbitral Tribunal in 2016, which delivered a unanimous and binding decision firmly rejecting the 6 of 9 PRC’s expansive and unlawful maritime claims,” Carlson said.

“We recognize Philippine sovereign rights and jurisdiction under the international law of the sea in accordance with that decision, including with respect to maritime zones in the vicinity of Second Thomas Shoal and Reed Bank. More broadly, we stand with you, our Philippine ally, to consult, assist, deter, and respond to any threats and provocations,” she added.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, following a case filed by the Philippines, invalidated China's sweeping claims over the waters. Beijing does not recognize the ruling. —NB, GMA News