THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday welcomed the United States Senate’s approval of a bill authorizing the allocation of a $2.5-billion five-year grant to the Philippine military. “The AFP welcomes developments that strengthen the country’s defense and security posture, particularly initiatives that support the modernization, capability development and readiness of our forces,” AFP spokesman Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a statement. She added that any support received by the AFP is “utilized transparently, responsibly and in accordance with existing laws, policies and alliances.” Padilla said details, policy implications and the official position on the proposed US military assistance, including its scope, timelines and alignment with national priorities, are best addressed by the Department of National Defense, which is “the primary civilian authority overseeing defense policy and international defense cooperation.” Under the proposed Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act, which is now up for US President Donald Trump’s signature, the US will earmark up to $500 million annually to help develop the capabilities of the Philippine military from 2026 to 2030. The bill was passed by the US Senate on Dec. 17 as part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act and is seen to deepen US-Philippines defense cooperation while strengthening interoperability to meet growing threats in the Indo-Pacific.