MANILA, 15 February, 2021 (TON): The military aid provided by the U.S. to Philippines amounts to “loose change” in comparison to other Asian countries, a top official said on Monday, justifying President Rodrigo Duterte’s demand to pay more.

Last week, Duterte said, that the United States should fork out more if it wants to maintain a two-decade old Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which he unilaterally cancelled last year in an angry response to an ally being denied a U.S. visa.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque told the media, that “If we have very strong ties with a very strong ally then I think it also comes with a higher amount of financial assistance to be given.”

He cited a study by the Washington-based Stimson Center, which showed that Philippines received $3.9 billion in U.S. counter-terrorism support from fiscal year 2002-2017 compared to the $16.4 billion for Pakistan over the same period.

In response to the Stimson Center’s study that Philippines received $3.9 billion in U.S. counter-terrorism support from fiscal year 2002-2017 compared to the $16.4 billion for Pakistan over the same period. Rogue said, “We got $3.9 billion. Is that a huge amount? That’s loose change compared to what other countries were getting.”

Although, there are close ties between the military of the two countries as a result of the joint exercises that even boosted Philippines forces, the U.S. embassy in Manila did not respond to the request for immediately.