The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has dismissed concerns that the United States might withdraw its military hardware from the country to support the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), made the clarification following reports that Washington began moving Patriot air defense missile batteries and parts of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system from South Korea, which were reportedly redeployed to aid operations involving Iran and Israel.

Several key US systems and units currently operate on a rotational basis within the country such as the Typhon Mid-Range Capability (MRC), a land-based system capable of firing Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of over 1,600 kilometers and SM-6 multi-role missiles; the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), an anti-ship missile launcher; and High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a truck-mounted light rocket launcher. 

“There are no indications of the US pulling out military assets from the Philippines,” Trinidad said.

“The situation in South Korea involves specific air defense systems being redeployed to the Middle East, which is a separate theater arrangement and does not apply here,” he added.

The admiral emphasized that the local military landscape remains stable despite shifting global priorities. He noted that the partnership between Manila and Washington has actually entered a more robust phase.

“The upward trajectory of the RP-US alliance is manifested in our continuing maritime activities, strengthened MDB-SEB (Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board Meeting) engagements and the recent approval of the Philippine Enhanced Resilience Act authorizing $2.5 billion in security assistance over the next five years,” he said.

The Philippine Enhanced Resilience Act (PERA), passed by the US Congress in late 2025, guarantees an annual $500 million in foreign military financing through 2030 to modernize the AFP’s coastal defenses and long-range firing capabilities.

This surge in support came amid high-tempo cooperation through the MDB-SEB, the main military planning body of the Philippines and the United States, which recently approved over 500 joint activities for 2026.

Trinidad also addressed the status of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) locations in the country, which have been the subject of scrutiny regarding their potential use in foreign wars.

“EDCA sites are Philippine bases with facilities dedicated to mutual defense and humanitarian assistance, and are not to be used as staging areas for offensive operations,” he explained.

Under the current agreement, the US has access to nine strategic locations across the archipelago for the prepositioning of equipment and the construction of facilities owned by the Philippines.

The AFP maintained that the EDCA sites serve primarily to increase interoperability between Manila and Washington’s forces, and are vital for rapid disaster response in the region.

“Our alliance with the US continues to strengthen and there has been no change in the level of support being provided,” Trinidad emphasized.