The United States on Tuesday announced an additional $500 million in military financing for the Philippines to support efforts to boost the country’s external defences amid increasing tensions in the disputed South China Sea. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the additional funding after the fourth two-plus-two meeting with their Philippine counterparts, which was held for the first time in Manila. The two US officials also paid a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr earlier in the day. “We’re now allocating additional $500 million for …