Sa ilalim ng Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act (PERA Act), na nakatakdang pirmahan ni U.S President Donald Trump, maglalaan ang nasabing bansa ng $500 milyon kada taon para sa modernisasyon ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Saklaw nito ang pagpapalakas ng maritime domain awareness, integrated air defense, intelligence at surveillance, at counterterrorism training, pati ang pag-upgrade ng mga kagamitan at imprastraktura, at pagpopondo sa pagsasanay ng sandatahang lakas ng bansa.
“As the United States and the Philippines face growing challenges to security and prosperity in the West Philippines Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific, it’s critical for our two nations to deepen cooperation and raise our decades-long Alliance to even greater heights,” saad ni U.S Senator Bill Hagerty.
Umaasa naman si U.S Senator Tim Kaine na higit pa nitong mapalalakas ang ugnayan ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos sa oras na maging isang ganap na batas.
“The Philippines is a key ally of the United States, and we must strengthen cooperation with our partners across the region to counter China’s aggression and help ensure freedom, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” ani Kaine.
Kinakailangang magsumite ng U.S. State Department ng taunang plano at ulat sa Kongreso upang matiyak ang maayos na paggamit ng pondo.
Kaugnay nito, kinumpirma din ni Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez na ito na ang pinakamalaking defense assistance package na ibinigay ng Estados Unidos sa bansa. – IP
