The Philippines has placed a potential purchase of F-16 fighter jets from the United States on hold due to budget limitations, the country’s ambassador to Washington said Tuesday.
Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department approved the possible $5.6 billion sale, which would have marked a significant expansion of the Philippine Air Force’s capabilities amid growing regional tensions.
“Right now, I think it’s on hold, mainly because … the funding is the key element of this whole purchase,” Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez told reporters.
He added that Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has emphasized other priorities for the Armed Forces of the Philippines ahead of such a costly acquisition. “We’ll see how it goes in the coming budget deliberations on how the AFP will spend the allotted amount for the modernisation program,” Romualdez said. “But like I said, it’s really the funding that is the choke point.”
In June, Manila signed a 975.3 billion won ($703 million) agreement to acquire 12 FA-50 fighter jets from South Korea.
The Philippines has accelerated military modernization in recent years, focusing on naval and air defense systems to reinforce its presence in the South China Sea. Officials, however, have acknowledged that available resources remain a limiting factor.