US to give $30-M arms aid to RP

WASHINGTON — The United States has earmarked a total of $30 million in military aid for the Philippines to help the Arroyo administration fight terrorism, according to a State Department official.

US deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs Matthew Daley said the aid was allocated from the $74.7 billion supplemental wartime budget US President George W. Bush asked the US Congress to approve after the invasion of Iraq last week.

Philippine defense attaché Brig. Gen. Delfin Lorenzana said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) hopes it would receive more than the $72.2 million in aid it received last year.

In 2001, US military aid to the Philippines totaled $20.1 million.