US President Joe Biden is sourcing $128 million in budget to execute projects for Enhance Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in the Philippines, Malacañang said Saturday.

“President Biden’s new pleasant request seeks 128 million dollars to execute 36 projects and enhance defense cooperation agreement size and that would more than double the amount that we’ve invested in EDCA infrastructure,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., according to the Palace.

Austin relayed this during his meeting with the Philippine President at the Pentagon, a day after Marcos Jr.'s trilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in Washington. D.C. 

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“All these underscore the strength of our alliances further,” said Austin.

The US defense chief said both countries invested significant time and resources to address shared security challenges.

Austion also reiterated President Biden’s assurance on the US’ commitment to the defense of the Philippines, which he described as ironclad.

He said that "an armed attack on the Philippine Armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, including South China Sea" will invoke US defense commitments to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

The EDCA is an accord signed between the Philippines and the US in 2014 that deepens the defense cooperation of the MDT.

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In 2016, the Philippines and the US agreed on five initial sites on which both sides will construct facilities and preposition equipment.

The selection of the EDCA sites is in accordance with the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Strategic Basing Plan.

The identified sites are Philippine military bases to be further developed based on the strategic requirements for the basing and development of the AFP.