PHILIPPINE Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez yesterday said the forthcoming visit to Manila of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will help in the modernization of the Armed Forces.
The AFP is now considered one of the weakest in the region, as it faces increasingly aggressive activities by China in the West Philippine Sea.
Romualdez said Hegseth will meet with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his Filipino counterpart Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro
on March 28 and 29.
He added the visit is also meant to show the importance of the two countries’ enduring alliance anchored on the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty which pledged that both countries will come to each other’s aid in case of invasion or an armed attack.
“It is also important that we take advantage of the situation that we are on the radar screen of the US. Especially since we have a role to play in the defense strategy of the US and our other allies such as Japan and Australia,” Romualdez explained in an interview on radio DZBB.
“We are positioning ourselves to take advantage that our Armed Forces will be modernized and at the same time, with the attention that’s being given to us, I always say, you should also help our economy. With a strong economy, we can find resources to buy equipment and arms needed in the event of a conflict in the Indo-Pacific region,” he added.
The US commitment to defend its allies has been increasingly doubted with the America First strategy of President Donald Trump, especially with his move to freeze all foreign aid for 90 days last month.
But the Trump administration early this month exempted some $36 million in military aid to Manila from its foreign aid freeze.
The AFP said with this, projects under its modernization program to be funded by the US will proceed.
Manila is seeking to upgrade the capability of its ill-equipped military to deter China.
It has a large shopping package, including the purchase of multi-role fighter jets with the US offering the F16 Block 70/72 Vipers, naval vessels, air defense radars, air to surface missile systems, multiple launch rocket systems and a host of other equipment.
Romualdez said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio may also visit Manila though no definite date has yet been agreed to by Manila and Washington.
“We are looking at the possibility on the dates since the US is now focused on the Ukraine-Russia peace talks and the Middle East,” he said.
Romualdez said Rubio’s possible visit may take place before Marcos is invited to Washington to meet with Trump.
