F-16CJ of the 20th Fighter Wing from Shaw AFB, South Carolina, armed with air-to-air missiles, anti-radiation missiles, external fuel tanks, and support equipment. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
The recent approval of the US State Department for the sale of 20 F-16s to the Philippines aligns with the Trump administration’s mantra of “deterrence through strength” – the same message that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth highlighted during his visit to Manila.
Reiterating that the relationship between the Philippines and the US is “ironclad” – a term that was first used during the first term of President Trump, the US Cabinet official underscored that the US will deliver and prioritize its shift to the Indo-Pacific region “in a way that is unprecedented to match the threats of the future, with the recognition that for the 21st century to be a free century, America needs to stand alongside its allies and partners shoulder to shoulder,” and that together they will “establish the deterrence necessary to prevent war.”
As Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro noted, the United States’ enduring support—as seen when the Philippines was exempted from a global foreign aid freeze and the green light given for $336 million in military aid—shows the importance the US places on the stability of US-Philippine relations as “a linchpin of securing peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”
We’re hopeful we could secure a long-term loan from the US to purchase the brand-new aircraft and other defense items. The loan could be delivered in tranches, similar to the acquisition of the 10 Blackhawk helicopters last year. Hopefully, the Department of National Defense officials and their American counterparts could soon discuss the terms for a military financing package.
This most recent development is another significant indication of the Trump administration’s commitment to enhance bilateral relations with the Philippines and help strengthen the capability of our armed forces.
President Marcos has been very focused on the AFP modernization program, knowing how critical it is to equip the armed forces to address our country’s evolving challenges. Modernization is now in full swing to turn the AFP into a force that can “hold its own on the global stage” and stand “shoulder to shoulder with the world’s finest armed forces.”
Not too long ago, I had a good meeting with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (chairman of the Senate committee on the budget and one of President Trump’s closest friends and allies in the US Senate). I informed him that we have always been a real partner of the United States regarding our mutual defense treaty and economy. To achieve our goals of bumping up the capability of our armed forces, we need to be economically prosperous to have enough resources to buy more US-made defense equipment, increase our interoperability, and modernize our military.
Senator Graham was extremely pleased when I mentioned that one of our Air Force’s biggest aspirations was to acquire F-16s. It so happens that Lockheed Martin manufactures the aircraft in Greenville, in his home state of South Carolina—this probably precipitated the acceleration of the approval.
“To achieve our goals of bumping up the capability of our armed forces, we need to be economically prosperous to have enough resources to buy more US-made defense equipment, increase our interoperability, and modernize our military.”
Of course, a lot of work will have to be done to secure the financing with favorable terms. But at the end of the day, what is really important is we need to work closely with the United States and speed up our AFP modernization program, strengthen our defense posture, and continue our joint maritime exercises with like-minded nations who believe in the importance of promoting a rules-based maritime order and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Karma
I went to Charlotte, North Carolina, over the weekend. During the 15th Annual Ambassador’s Ball of the Allegro Foundation, the Philippines was the country of honor, a non-profit organization benefiting children with disabilities.
Several wealthy North Carolina individuals donate to the foundation, and as I told the 300 guests representing Charlotte-area business and society, having an opportunity to do something good, especially for a fellow human being, is truly a blessing.
“It is a blessing to do good, because if there is one thing undisputedly true, it is karma. When you do something good, something good comes back to you, your family or your country. So I think there is so much karma that has taken place, especially here in the United States, which has been blessed with so much and is able to do good all over the world. We are hopeful it will continue to do so despite the many challenges it faces today,” I said in my remarks.
The yearly Ambassador’s Ball honoring US-allied partners is the main fundraising activity of the non-profit organization founded by Pat Farmer. The event was an excellent opportunity for us to promote the Philippines, giving out the jeepney and kalesa figures and tourism brochures that included high-end destination spots.
A highlight of the evening was the grand prize auction of a signature trip to the Philippines for two persons with roundtrip tickets donated by Philippine Airlines, complete with a complimentary stay. The winning bid came from Felix Sabates, a wealthy philanthropist from Florida who was a former NASCAR team owner.
Just recently, Forbes published a list of the wealthiest individuals in the Philippines. I know all of them, and they have charitable foundations. They are good Filipinos doing what they can to help their fellowmen so they continue to be blessed. To a certain extent, we Filipinos are more blessed than most because we are good people who are inherently kind to our fellowmen—believing that good deeds will result in good karma.
Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com
