World | Philippines
US pushing for increased military aid to Philippines
Obama administration eyeing $667m security assistance package
- By Gilbert P. Felongco, Correspondent, Gulf News
- Published: 00:00 November 9, 2009
- A boy gets a free haircut as others wait their turn at an evacuation centre in Pasig City, east of Manila, on Sunday. Some 300,000 evacuees were housed in relief camps even as US military helicopters scrambled to deliver food aid to a northern Philippines mountain town which, along with nearby provinces, was devastated by storm-triggered mudslides and flooding.
- Image Credit: AP
Manila: The United States Congress is supporting proposals to increase military assistance to the Philippines, a top ranking Manila official said.
In a statement, Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said "both Houses of the US Congress have recommended close to double the amount requested by the Obama administration for foreign military assistance."
Romulo said the Obama administration has proposed $667 million (Dh2.4 billion) in assistance for the Philippines in 2010 which is much higher than the $54 billion that Manila has been receiving annually between 2002 and 2006.
The assistance package includes defence, security and economic aid; poverty alleviation and benefits for Filipino veterans who fought under the US flag during the Second World War.
"This request for the Philippines is the second largest amount of military assistance in the Asia Pacific region," Romulo said.
Human rights
Earlier, Representative Neri Colmenares of the Bayan Muna (Nation First) party, said the Philippines is poised to lose $2 million in military assistance from the US in 2010 if the Philippines continues to fall short of addressing human rights concerns.
Colmenares said that during his recent visit to the US, he was informed by the deputy director of the Office of Maritime Southeast Asian Affairs at the Department of State, Raymond Richhart, that the $2 million will not be released until the human rights concerns are addressed.
But Romulo said the Obama administration has requested the deletion of the condition on the $2 million in security assistance in recognition of significant progress made by the Philippines in addressing human rights concerns.
"The Philippine government had been recognised by both the Obama administration and the US Congress for its efforts in addressing human rights issues. We welcome US engagement with our country because we share the same values of democracy, freedom and rule of law,
"The Philippine government remains fully committed and determined to address issues in relation to the protection and promotion of human rights," Romulo said.
The Philippines is largely dependent on foreign aid, particularly from the US, for its defence and security.
Share this article
News Editor's choice
-
Protest by rights group fails to stop gory Nepal festival
200,000 animals set to be sacrificed
-
Top Korean model found dead in Paris
Kim was an accomplished painter and video filmmaker who had a solo show of her artwork in Seoul
-
Slain journalist Pearl's widow busy with new film
Widow busy producing documentary on lives of inspirational women
