The Associated Press reports that “the U.S. government has turned over to the Philippines the first of more than 100 armored personnel carriers to boost its Southeast Asian ally’s poorly-equipped military, officials said Thursday.”  

“The U.S. Embassy said the APCs are being given at no cost following a request by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Philippines and the U.S. are defense treaty allies, and such grants are under the U.S. Excess Defense Article Program that allows the transfer of U.S. military equipment for free to qualified allies.”