US exempts $336M in security aid, strengthening ties with Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed a decision by the United States to exempt $336 million in security assistance from a global freeze, highlighting strong ties between the two nations.
Col. Xerxes Trinidad, chief of AFP public affairs office, said this move reflects the long-standing relationship and further strengthens ties between the US and the Philippines.
The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that despite an earlier directive by President Donald Trump to halt foreign aid disbursements, $336 million in military support will not be frozen.
In 2024, then-US President Joe Biden had pledged $500 million for AFP and Philippine Coast Guard modernization amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The AFP has already planned how to use the assistance, focusing on bolstering defenses in the WPS through various programs including sea, air, land, cyber, and support systems.
Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad emphasized that these plans will now proceed as scheduled with the unfreezing of US support.
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