U.S. military delivers advanced unmanned aerial system to PAF

 

Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim Heather Variava joins Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Admiral John Aquilino and representatives from the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines’ Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) during the ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) turnover ceremony with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana and Philippine Air Force Commanding General Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes. (photo courtesy from US Embassy PIO).

Manila, October 14, 2021 – The U.S. military turned over four ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) worth Php20 million ($4 million) to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) during a ceremony at the Clark Air Base in Mabalacat City, Pampanga on Wednesday October 13. 

These platforms will provide additional capabilities in unmanned Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR), and in support of counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.

Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim (CDA) Heather Variava joined Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Admiral John Aquilino and representatives from the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines’ Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) during the turnover ceremony with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana and Philippine Air Force Commanding General Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes. 

CDA Variava and JUSMAG officials delivered the UAS systems to the PAF to increase the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) domain awareness and border security capabilities.

“We remain committed to our promises on helping modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and we hope this will further strengthen our combined capabilities in working together towards a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said CDA Variava.

The United States provides the AFP with grant assistance and expedited sales of arms and munitions to support its modernization goals and urgent maritime security, counterterrorism and humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief requirements.

The Philippines is by far the largest recipient of U.S. military assistance in the Indo-Pacific region.  Since 2015, the United States has delivered more than Php50.6 billion ($1.06 billion) worth of planes, ships, armored vehicles, small arms, and other military equipment to the Philippines, while training side-by-side with our Filipino allies. (PIO, US Embassy)

U.S. Provides 1.84 Million More Pfizer Vaccines to the Philippines

U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim Heather Variava joins National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. and other stakeholders at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to welcome the arrival of the October 10 shipment of 924,300 Pfizer vaccine doses. (courtesy of US Embassy PIO).

Manila, October 13, 2021 — The United States, in partnership with the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility, delivered an additional 1,842,750 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines as part of its worldwide effort to help end COVID-19. 

The vaccines, delivered in two separate shipments to Manila on October 10 and 11, were part of the 500 million doses of Pfizer the United States is making available for distribution through COVAX, a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. 

This follows last week’s delivery of 5.57 million doses of Pfizer vaccine to the Philippines. U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim (CDA) Heather Variava joined National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. and other stakeholders at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to welcome the arrival of the October 10 shipment of 924,300 doses. Another 918,450 doses were delivered on October 11.

“We’re really proud to be part of this effort here in the Philippines to vaccinate the Filipino people including teenagers and children so we can get them back to school,” CDA Variava said.

As the largest donor to the COVAX facility, the United States has facilitated the delivery of more than 24.3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Philippines via COVAX, including more than 16.4 million doses provided by the American people.

The United States is working closely with Philippine stakeholders throughout the pandemic to protect public health and support the local response to COVID-19. To date, total U.S. government COVID-19 assistance to the Philippines amounts to over Php1.9 billion ($39 million). ### (US Embassy Information Office Public Affairs Section)