DVIDS/ LANCE CPL. ISAIAH CAMPBELL

By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINE government should use the upcoming visit of the US’ top defense official to push the purchase of new military equipment and assets, political analysts said as the weekend.

Both countries should “use this opportunity to continue talking about purchasing new military assets to help us with efforts to upgrade our military capabilities,” Arjan P. Aguirre, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

At the weekend, the US Embassy in Manila said US Defense Secretary Peter Brian Hegseth would visit Manila on March 28 to 29 for a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr.

“Secretary Hegseth’s trip comes as the United States builds on unprecedented cooperation with like-minded countries to strengthen regional security,” it said in a statement.

It said the meeting seeks to advance security objectives with Philippine leaders and meet with US and Philippine forces. Mr. Hegseth will also visit Hawaii, Guam and Japan.

“Hegseth’s visit demonstrates US interests to sustain US alliance with the Philippines under Trump 2,” Rommel C. Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, said in a Viber message.

“It remains to be seen whether this visit will elevate the US-Philippine alliance to a higher plane under Trump,” he added.

The US should focus on its security and defense agreement with the Philippines, Chester B. Cabalza, founding president of Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, said via Messenger chat.

“Their security umbrella to the region should not turn sour as with what happened to their allies in Europe,” he added.

US President Donald J. Trump, who started his second term on Jan. 20, said European nations should spend more on their own defense and avoid relying on the US through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Mr. Cabalza said the US defense chief’s visit signifies a renewed defense commitment to the Philippines under the Trump government.

Mr. Aguirre said he expects the US envoy’s visit to lead to “clear assurances that the US will still honor or perhaps never change much of its policies on the Philippines especially when it comes to military partnership and assistance.”

The Philippines has a visiting forces agreement with the US, Japan and Australia. The country has been seeking more foreign defense deals with countries like the US, Japan and Canada amid increasing tensions with China.

Manila and Beijing have repeatedly clashed in the South China Sea, with both sides accusing each other of raising tensions.

A United Nations-backed tribunal based in The Hague in 2016 voided China’s claims to more than 80% of the waterway, for being illegal.

The South China Sea is a vital waterway for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce. Aside from China and Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam also claim parts of the sea.

Mr. Cabalza said the Marcos government finalize the purchase of new warplanes and secure potential deals to improve equipment of the Philippine Navy and Philippine Cost Guard.

Mr. Teodoro last year said the country was mulling the purchase of 40 F-16 fighter jets from the US to for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The Philippines has allotted about P35 billion for the modernization of the military over the next decade as it tries to counter Chinese aggression in the region.

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo S. Brawner, Jr. earlier said the government is looking to buy more military hardware to modernize its arsenal, including additional BrahMos missiles from India and at least two submarines.