‘Manila to get $78.6 M in military aid’

ZAMBOANGA CITY (AFP) — The United States has earmarked about $78.65 million in military assistance for the Philippines this year, the largest sum allocated to an Asian country so far – a US military spokesman said here yesterday.

Part of the funds would go towards purchasing US-made weapons, service and training while most of the remainder would be used to buy blankets, tents, radios, uniforms, food and medicine, said Capt. Steve Wulmann, a spokesman for US troops in the southern Philippines.

About $2.4 million is to be spent on military education and training, Wulmann said.

International Military Education and Training grants are given to foreign governments to pay for professional education in military management and technical training on US weapons system, he said.

Aside from the military education training, Wulmann said $21.5 million from the security assistance package would be used to support existing programs.

At least 200 US soldiers are to begin arriving in batches in this port city this week to train an elite unit specialized in going after terror groups, including Muslim Abu Sayyaf gunmen.