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Pia Lee-Brago - The Philippine Star
May 29, 2025 | 12:00am
WASHINGTON – Land-based type of defense capability is the priority of the Philippines, considering the steep price of acquiring F-16 multirole fighter jets from the United States.
In an interview with Filipino and Japanese journalists, Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said Tuesday (US time) the Philippines will have to study how the county will finance the purchase of F-16 fighter jets.
The US State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale of 20 F-16 fighters to the Philippines, with an estimated price tag of $5.58 billion.
The approved package, which covers 16 F-16C Block 70/72 jets and four F-16B Block 70/72 fighters, came just days after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Manila in March and pledged greater defense ties between the two countries.
“However, the Philippines now basically will have to study on how we will be able to finance such a big ticket item for us. So it’s up to Secretary (Gilbert) Teodoro and ultimately the President on how we will be able to see whether we can purchase these F16s,” Romualdez said.
“It’s really the equipment that I think most people in our Air Force have said, signified that it is probably the best type of fighter jet that we can use, especially with their plan of interoperability between our two countries, but again as I said it is a question of how we will be able to finance it,” he added.
According to Romualdez, the Philippines is working with US Lockheed Martin, the primary contractor for the sale, “to see whether we can find a way to be able to purchase.”
But the Philippines is looking at other items also important in the national defense strategy and more of a priority than the F16s.
“The F-16s will continue to be part of the overall plan, perhaps in the future but as of now, as I said our priority is more on land-based type of defense capability,” Romuldez said.
He said the F-16 is an aspiration for the Philippine Air Force facing the question of “affordability.”
The timing of the US approval for the sale of fighter jets and associated weapons, equipment and support systems is significant as the Philippines has been engaged in a series of escalating maritime confrontations with China over disputed territories in the South China Sea.
The ambassador admitted that China’s growing assertiveness and maritime expansion are considered in modernizing Philippine armed forces and acquire F-16 fighter jets and other equipment.
Travel advisory
Meanwhile, the Philippine embassy in Washington is reportedly working to address issues related to the adverse US government advisory warning Americans against visiting the Philippines “due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping,” Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said yesterday.
Rodriguez, who strongly protested the advisory last Sunday, said he spoke by phone to Ambassador Romualdez about it.
“He assured me that our embassy has communicated our concern to the US State Department about the recent travel advisory to US citizens regarding travel to the Philippines. He advised me to further communicate the same concern to the US embassy in Manila,” Rodriguez said.
“The ambassador was also kind enough to inform me that our embassy is working closely with our law enforcement agencies in providing accurate reports to the US State Department on the ‘real’ situation in the Philippines,” he added.
He said he was happy with the ambassador’s assurance.
On Sunday, the Mindanao lawmaker asked Romualdez and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) what they have done about the travel advisory issued by the State Department last May 8.
He also called on the DFA to summon US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson for an explanation. He will also write Carlson to state the basis of the travel advisory.
The travel advisory placed the Philippines under “Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution.”
US travel advisories range from Level 1 to Level 4.
While the entire Philippines is under Level 2, Mindanao (except Davao City, Davao del Norte, Siargao Island and Dinagat Islands) is under Level 3 (Reconsider Travel).
Marawi City and Sulu, including Sulu Sea, are under Level 4 (Do Not Travel).
The advisory warns: “The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in these areas.” – Jose Rodel Clapano
