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Filipino soldiers jump from a USA UH-1Y helicopter during a helocast and maritime patrol exercise as part of the semi-annual Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) in Ternate, Cavite on July 14, 2023. The MASA exercise aims to strengthen regional partnerships and foster military cooperation between the Philippines and United States and promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/172241296918620230713-ph-usa-masa-cavite-MT-12.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Filipino soldiers jump from a USA UH-1Y helicopter during a helocast and maritime patrol exercise as part of the semi-annual Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) in Ternate, Cavite on July 14, 2023. The MASA exercise aims to strengthen regional partnerships and foster military cooperation between the Philippines and United States and promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Filipino soldiers jump from a USA UH-1Y helicopter during a helocast and maritime patrol exercise as part of the semi-annual Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) in Ternate, Cavite on July 14, 2023. The MASA exercise aims to strengthen regional partnerships and foster military cooperation between the Philippines and United States and promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><span style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA — The Philippines can best utilize a $500-million military aid from the United States by investing in “actual joint operations and exercises” in the West Philippine Sea, a maritime security expert said on Wednesday. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">China has been “moving from non-kinetic to kinetic” strategies in asserting its illegal claim in the West Philippine Sea, said Jay Batongbacal, a maritime security expert and lawyer who also heads the University of the Philippines’ Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Seas.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“We need now to consider from non-kinetic to actual kinetic. We have to prepare for that na because that is really the trajectory of China,” he said, referring to Beijing&#x27;s use of force against Filipinos embarking on resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“We’ve been able to do a lot of exercises but from my perspective, it’s still on the basis of operating separately but in a coordinated fashion,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I think the next step should be operating as a single unit,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">While Batongbacal expects China to “scoff” at the $500-million funding from the United States, he said the Philippines could “maximize that assistance” by prioritizing “exercises on operations and also internal coordination between allies.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I don’t think $500 million will make a difference with respect to how China deals with the Philippines. They always see this naman through one filter, their American maneuver,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“We have to level up.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/30/us-to-give-philippines-500-million-in-defense-funding-2137">US to give Philippines $500 million in defense funding</a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">While the Department of National Defense has yet to release a full list of projects that will be funded by the “unprecedented” and “once in a generation” aid, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro earlier said that the Philippines would use a chunk of the fund to beef up its deterrence capabilities, including in the cybersecurity domain.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Aside from the $500-million fund, Washington also committed to pour in another $128 million to “double its investments” in 9 military camps in the Philippines that American troops can access.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/30/us-philippines-hold-security-talks-in-manila-over-south-china-sea-1638">US, Philippines hold security talks in Manila over South China Sea</a></span><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/31/ph-did-not-concede-west-ph-sea-claim-despite-agreeing-to-exchange-information-with-china-expert-1509">PH did not concede West PH Sea claim despite &#x27;exchange information&#x27; deal with China: expert</a></span><br/><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/7/27/china-warns-philippines-of-resolute-response-in-west-ph-sea-1228">China warns Philippines of &#x27;resolute&#x27; response in West PH Sea</a></span></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>The Philippines can best utilize a $500-million military aid from the United States by investing in “actual joint operations and exercises” in the West Philippine Sea, a maritime security expert said on Wednesday.</p>

The Philippines can best utilize a $500-million military aid from the United States by investing in “actual joint operations and exercises” in the West Philippine Sea, a maritime security expert said on Wednesday.

PH can use $500-M US aid for joint operations with allies: expert

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PH can use $500-M US aid for joint operations with allies: expert

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 31, 2024 04:06 PM PHT

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