An agreement on US-Philippine defense cooperation, expected to be signed this month during a visit by President Barack Obama, will be a clear sign of a US "rebalance" to Asia despite US preoccupations elsewhere, the Philippines' top diplomat said.

The deal will enable the sharing of Philippine bases, an increase in the rotation through the Philippines of US ships, aircraft and troops, and will reassure US allies of support against a rising China.

"There is full resolve on the part of the US to fulfill their commitments on this Asia rebalancing, not only in terms of defensive security but also in terms of enhancing economic cooperation," Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario told Reuters in an interview late on Monday.

"This enhanced defense cooperation is a clear manifestation of that," he said, which was days before the eighth and final round of talks on the pact between the old allies.

"The situation in the Middle East, the situation in Ukraine - this has been of some distraction in terms of their focus on doing this. But I believe that the resolve is very strong in terms of fulfilling their rebalance to Asia."

Even without the agreement, the Philippine military is getting more support from the United States. This year, the Philippines will get $50 million under US foreign military financing, the largest amount in more than a decade, and $40 million from a US global security contingency fund.

The funding will be used to boost naval capability, with the Philippines possibly getting a third Hamilton-class high endurance cutter, del Rosario said.

Military sources have told Reuters the United States plans to rotate to Philippine bases a squadron of fighters, P3C-Orion long-range maritime surveillance aircraft, and a littoral combat ship after the pact is signed.

At the same time, the US has promised to help install coastal radars to help the Philippines watch  its maritime borders.

Reuters