PH seeks ways to finance the purchase of US F-16 jets

The Philippines is looking for ways to finance the purchase of F-16 fighter jets from the United States, worth $5.5 billion, to bolster its deterrence capability amid tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea, according to Philippine ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez. INQUIRER.net/John Eric Mendoza

WASHINGTON — The Philippines is looking for ways to finance the purchase of F-16 fighter jets from the United States, worth $5.5 billion, to bolster its deterrence capability amid tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea.

But building land-based defense systems is more of a priority for the country as of now, Jose Manuel Romualdez, Philippine ambassador to the U.S., also said on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).

Romualdez said Manila is now working with Washington and American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin to “find a way that we’ll be able to purchase this.”

“The Philippines will have to study how we can finance such a big ticket item for us,” Romualdez said in an interview with journalists at the Philippine Embassy here as part of a U.S State Department-organized reporting tour.

In April, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the Philippines could now purchase 20 F-16 jets and related equipment.

READ: AFP welcomes F-16 sale to PH; expert sees easy US Congress nod

“Again, it’s a question on how we are able to finance it,” Romualdez pointed out.

To date, the Philippine Air Force has 11 remaining FA-50 fighter jets in its arsenal after retiring its remaining fighter jets in 2005. It used to be a dozen, but an FA-50 crashed in Cebu last March, killing two of its pilots.

READ: Philippine Air Force fighter jet goes missing

“It is the equipment that most people in our Air Force have signified that this is probably the best type of fighter jet we can use,” Romualdez said of F-16s.

Land-based based more of a priority

However, Romualdez said Manila’s priority “as of now … is more on perhaps, land-based type of defense capabilities.”

“The F-16s will continue to be part of the overall plan, perhaps in the future,” Romualdez said.

“More importantly, we are looking at other items, I think, in the view of our national defense strategy, are more important and a priority for us rather than the F-16s,” Romualdez said.

This is in line with the country’s Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), a framework that was made to develop the country’s capability to protect and secure its entire territory and exclusive economic zone.

The CADC is also in line with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive for the armed forces to focus on external defense.

The government is on its guard with the conflict between Manila and Beijing in the West Philippine Sea, with maritime activities in Ayungin Shoal and Scarborough Shoal becoming the flashpoint of tension between the two countries.

Increasing military presence and developing military structures are also being planned in Batanes, the northernmost island province facing Taiwan.

The Philippines also gave the US access to its three military bases in the northern parts of the country, relatively near the self-ruled island, which China believes to be a renegade state subject to reunification.

Manila and Washington are bound by a Mutual Defense Treaty, which calls for each other’s defense in case of an armed attack.