Philippines–United States relations

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Filipino–American relations
Philippines USA Locator.svg
Flag of the Philippines.svg
Philippines
Flag of the United States.svg
United States
Diplomatic mission
Philippine Embassy, Washington, D.C. United States Embassy, Manila
Envoy
Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez Ambassador MaryKay Carlson
Philippine President Bongbong Marcos meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., May 1, 2023 P20230501AS-1321.jpg
Philippine President Bongbong Marcos meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., May 1, 2023
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris meeting with Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte in Manila, November 21, 2022 Vice President Harris met with Vice President Sara Duterte of the Philippines in Manila - 2022.jpg
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris meeting with Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte in Manila, November 21, 2022

Philippines–United States relations (Filipino : Ugnayang Pilipinas at Estados Unidos) are the bilateral and diplomatic relations of the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America.

Contents

The relationship has been historically strong, described by some as a "special relationship" [1] [2] as a consequence of the Philippines' American colonial period between 1898 and 1946. The Philippines is one of the United States oldest Asian partners and a strategically major non-NATO ally.[ citation needed ] Since 1951, the countries have been formally bound in a mutual defense treaty. An outlier was the early presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, who sought closer relations with China and Russia. [3]

The United States was consistently ranked as one of the Philippines' favorite nations in the world—90% of Filipinos viewed the U.S. and 91% viewed Americans favorably in 2002; [4] [5] 90% viewed U.S. influence positively in 2011; [6] 85% viewed the U.S. and Americans favorably in 2013; [7] 92% viewed the U.S. favorably in 2015; [8] and 94% had confidence in then-U.S. president Barack Obama [9] —making the Philippines one of the most pro-American countries in the world. [10]

This article discusses Philippine–American relations after Philippine independence from the United States in 1946, while the article History of the Philippines (1898–1946) describes the history of the Philippines during American colonial rule.

History

The Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America have a long and storied history with each other. Firstly, Filipinos are the oldest Asian ethnic group in the Americas. Filipino sailors were the first Asians in North America. [11] The first documented presence of Filipinos in what is now the United States dates back to October 1587 around Morro Bay, California. [12] The first permanent settlement of Filipinos was in Louisiana in 1763; [13] the settlers there were called "Manilamen", and they served in the Battle of New Orleans during the closing stages of the War of 1812, supporting the Americans against the British Empire. The American state of Texas, due to it being a former Spanish territory, was even once called "New Philippines", so named since the Spanish wanted to replicate the prosperity they achieved in the Philippines in that territory in the Americas. [14] The 1898 Philippine Revolution against Spain was inspired by the French and American revolutions. The United States eventually purchased the Philippines from Spain in the Treaty of Paris, and afterwards the Americans invaded and destroyed the First Philippine Republic in the Philippine–American War.

The United States federal government nearly considered selling Mindanao to the German Empire in 1910. [15]

Except for the brief interruption of the Japanese occupation between 1942 and 1945, the United States ruled the Philippines from 1898 to 1946, after which, the Philippines was granted independence after being devastated by the Second World War.[ citation needed ]

In the Second World War, the Filipinos formed a close alliance with the United States to resist Japanese occupation -- they became independent on July 4, 1946. [16]

During the Cold War between the Capitalist United States and Communist Soviet Union, in Asia, despite being devastated by World War 2, defending US interests, and being a former colony, the Philippines, received negligible financial assistance from the United States with only $5 Billion US Dollars worth of aid in totality since Independence [17] compared to the copious amount of free development aid given to other Asian allies like: Israel ($317.9 Billion US Dollars in free aid), [18] South Korea ($119.9 Billion US dollars in free aid) [19] [20] South Vietnam ($104 Billion Dollars in free aid), [18] Taiwan, ($41.81015 Billion US Dollars in free aid by year 1975 [21] which convert to $242 Billion US Dollars in 2024 values as adjusted for inflation) [22] and Japan, [23] [24] as the United States considered their economic development more important than that of the Philippines because they had hostile Pro-Soviet Union neighbors which the United States were opposed to. [25] Furthermore, America applied a deindustrialization policy and supported Free Market reforms in the Philippines, assigning it a role of only "supplying raw materials" while being open to foreign imports, because Japan was designated to be the main industrial export power in Asia, [24] thus retarding Industrialization efforts in the Philippines while the other nations that were protectionist and had Industrial Policy surged ahead in development. [26] :42,43 [27]

The US supported the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. [28]

Pivot to China during the Duterte administration

U.S. President Donald Trump meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila, November 13, 2017 Donald Trump and Rodrigo Duterte in Manila (3).jpg
U.S. President Donald Trump meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila, November 13, 2017

After President Rodrigo Duterte formally assumed the office on June 30, 2016, US–Philippine relations began to sour. A rift between Duterte and then-US President Barack Obama began when Obama expressed his concern over human rights issues on Duterte's "War on Criminality and Drugs". According to a statement issued by the White House, Obama commended the country for its "vibrant democracy", but also highlighted "enduring values" that underpinned their "longstanding ties", including "shared commitments to democracy, human rights and rule of law". [29] This intervention and President Duterte's choice of words while speaking about President Obama during a press conference, where he infamously called him "a son of a whore" resulted in a canceled meeting between the two leaders during the 2016 ASEAN summit held in Laos. [30]

A few weeks later, Duterte suggested American special forces cease their operations in Mindanao and leave. [31] He cited the killings of Muslim Filipinos during a U.S. pacification campaign in the early 1900s, which he said were at the root of the long restiveness by minority Muslims in the largely Catholic nation's south. [32] During an official visit to Vietnam on September 28, 2016, he explicitly expressed his desire to end the Philippines' joint military exercises with the United States. Duterte announced the upcoming scheduled war games would be the last under his term, while adding that he would continue to uphold the Philippines' treaties with the U.S. [33]

As of October 2016, despite Duterte's shift of foreign policy towards China and away from the U.S., Filipinos still held low approval and trust in China relative to the U.S. [34] On former president Fidel Ramos' resignation as special envoy to China, he stated that he didn't like Duterte's treatment of Obama. [35]

Duterte later said following the 2016 U.S. presidential election that he would stop quarrels with the U.S. following President Donald Trump's victory. [36] Trump had planned to continue to aid the country during his presidency. [37] [ needs update ]

According to a report by Reuters, the United States ran the #ChinaAngVirus disinformation campaign to discredit the Sinovac Chinese COVID-19 vaccine, including using fake social media accounts to spread the disinformation that it contained pork-derived ingredients and was therefore haram under Islamic law. [38] The campaign primarily targeted people in the Philippines and used a social media hashtag for "China is the virus" in Tagalog. [38] The campaign ran from 2020 to mid-2021. [38] The primary contractor for the U.S. military on the project was General Dynamics IT, which received $493 million for its role. [38]

Relations during the Marcos Jr. administration

American diplomats, led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meet with Philippine officials, led by President Bongbong Marcos, in 2022 Secretary Blinken Meets with Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. (52268801734).jpg
American diplomats, led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meet with Philippine officials, led by President Bongbong Marcos, in 2022

Bongbong Marcos, president since June 2022, appears to be attempting to normalize relations with the United States in part due to China's geostrategic rise and the need to cooperate on the economy. [39] However, the Biden administration has said human rights will come first in America's dealings with the Philippines, responding to concerns with Marcos' and Duterte's human rights records. [40]

In August 2022, Marcos met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. [41] [42] He met with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff in November. [43]

Marcos and U.S. President Joe Biden met face-to-face on the sidelines of the 2022 United Nations General Assembly on September 23. During Marcos's working visit to the United States on September 18–24, top financial officials secured investment pledges of $4 billion and 100,000 jobs for the Philippines. Biden pledged to help the Philippines with energy and food security, [44] [40] reiterating that message during the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits in Cambodia during the week of November 9–13, 2022. [45] [46]

In February 2023, Marcos briefly met with Biden's Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to finalize an agreement to add U.S.-accessible Philippine military bases to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. [47] [48]

On April 11, 2024, Marcos along with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Biden in Washington, D.C., for a trilateral summit. President Marcos Jr. stated that the summit would include discussions on an agreement to maintain security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. He further emphasized that the summit was mainly aimed at boosting economic ties between the three allies. [49]

In August 2024, the Biden administration announced an additional $500 million of military aid to the Philippines, further bolstering the defense alliance between the two nations and in light of the Philippines grappling with aggressive actions by Chinese ships in the South China Sea. [50]

Military agreements

President Elpidio Quirino with Harry S. Truman at the White House, September 13, 1951 Truman Quirino.jpg
President Elpidio Quirino with Harry S. Truman at the White House, September 13, 1951
President Richard Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon with President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos during a state visit at the Malacanang Palace, July 26, 1969 Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos with the Nixons.jpg
President Richard Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon with President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos during a state visit at the Malacañang Palace, July 26, 1969
President Ronald Reagan of the United States meeting with President Corazon Aquino of the Philippines in the Oval Office, September 17, 1986 President Ronald Reagan meeting with President Corazon Aquino of the Philippines in the Oval Office.jpg
President Ronald Reagan of the United States meeting with President Corazon Aquino of the Philippines in the Oval Office, September 17, 1986

Bases era (1947–91)

A 1947 Military Bases Agreement [51] gave the United States a 99-year lease on a number of Philippine military and naval bases in which U.S. authorities had virtual territorial rights. [52] In August 1951, a mutual defense treaty (MDT) was signed between representatives of the Philippines and the United States. The overall accord contained eight articles and dictated that both nations would support each other if either the Philippines or the United States were to be attacked by an external party. An amendment to the bases agreement in 1966 reduced its 99-year term to 25 years. [53] In 1979, after two years of negotiation, the bases agreement was renewed with some amendments. [54]

Pursuant to the bases agreement, the United States maintained and operated major facilities at Clark Air Base until November 1991, [55] and at Subic Bay Naval Complex and several small subsidiary installations in the Philippines until November 1992. In July 1991, negotiators from the two countries reached an agreement on a draft treaty providing for the clean-up and turnover of Clark Air Base to the Philippine government in 1992, and for the lease of Subic Bay Naval Base by the U.S. for ten years. [56] By 1991, operations at Clark had already been scaled back as the Cold War ended, with the last combat aircraft leaving in 1990 before the base was heavily damaged by the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo. [57]

On September 16, 1991, the Philippine Senate rejected renewal of the bases agreement by a slim margin. [53] A vote resulted in 11 senators in favor of extending the treaty, and 12 senators in favor of suppressing it. The Anti-Bases Coalition, founded by senators Jose W. Diokno and Lorenzo Tañada, led the call to end American military presence in the country. At the time of the vote, the retired senator Tañada stood up on his wheelchair to rapturous applause shouting, "Mabuhay!" or "Long live the Philippines". [58]

1991 Philippine Senate vote on US base renewal
Voted to extendVoted against extending
  1. Heherson Alvarez
  2. Edgardo Angara
  3. Neptali Gonzales
  4. Ernesto Herrera
  5. Joey Lina
  6. John Henry Osmeña
  7. Vicente Paterno
  8. Santanina Rasul
  9. Alberto Romulo
  10. Leticia Ramos Shahani
  11. Mamintal Tamano
  1. Agapito Aquino
  2. Juan Ponce Enrile
  3. Joseph Estrada
  4. Teofisto Guingona Jr.
  5. Sotero Laurel
  6. Ernesto Maceda
  7. Orlando S. Mercado
  8. Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
  9. Rene Saguisag
  10. Jovito Salonga
  11. Wigberto Tañada
  12. Victor Ziga

Despite further efforts to salvage the situation, the two sides could not reach an agreement. As a result, the Philippine Government informed the U.S. on December 6, 1991, that it would have one year to complete withdrawal. That withdrawal went smoothly and was completed ahead of schedule, with the last U.S. forces departing on November 24, 1992. On departure, the U.S. Government turned over assets worth more than $1.3 billion to the Philippines, including an airport and ship-repair facility. Agencies formed by the Philippine Government converted the former military bases for civilian commercial use, with Subic Bay serving as a flagship for that effort.

Visiting Forces Agreement

President Bill Clinton meeting with President Joseph Estrada in the Oval Office, July 27, 2000 Estrada-Clinton 2000.jpg
President Bill Clinton meeting with President Joseph Estrada in the Oval Office, July 27, 2000
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and President George W. Bush hold a joint press conference in the East Room, May 19, 2003 George W. Bush & Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hold press conference 2003-05-19.jpg
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and President George W. Bush hold a joint press conference in the East Room, May 19, 2003

The post-U.S. bases era saw U.S.–Philippine relations improve and broaden, with a prominent focus on economic and commercial ties while maintaining the importance of the security dimension.[ citation needed ] U.S. investment continued to play an important role in the Philippine economy,[ citation needed ] while a strong security relationship rested on the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) of 1951. In February 1998, U.S. and Philippine negotiators concluded the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), paving the way for increased military cooperation under the MDT. The agreement was approved by the Philippine Senate in May 1999 and entered into force on June 1, 1999. [59]

Under the VFA, the U.S. conducted ship visits to Philippine ports and resumed large combined military exercises with Philippine forces.[ citation needed ] Key events in the bilateral relationship included the July 4, 1996, declaration by President Ramos of Philippine-American Friendship Day in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Philippine independence. [60] Ramos visited the U.S. in April 1998, and then-President Estrada visited in July 2000. President Arroyo met with President Bush in an official working visit in November 2001 and made a state visit in Washington on May 19, 2003. [61] President Bush made a state visit to the Philippines on October 18, 2003, during which he addressed a joint session of the Philippine Congress—the first American President to do so since Dwight D. Eisenhower. [62]

President Arroyo repeatedly stressed the close friendship between the Philippines and the U.S. and her desire to expand bilateral ties further.[ citation needed ] Both governments tried to revitalize and strengthen their partnership by working toward greater security, prosperity, and service to Filipinos and Americans alike.[ citation needed ] Inaugurated into office on the same day as President Bush, President Arroyo lent strong support to the Global War on Terrorism. [63] In October 2003, the U.S. designated the Philippines as a major non-NATO ally. [64] That same month, the Philippines joined the select group of countries to have ratified all 12 UN counterterrorism conventions.[ citation needed ]

On February 7, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte officially ordered the termination of the VFA as a response to an accumulation of a series of "disrespectful acts" by a few US senators directed against the sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines. [65] On February 11, 2020, the Philippine government officially notified the U.S. that it would be terminating the VFA. [66] In response, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper called the move "unfortunate". President Trump said "I don't really mind if they would like to do that", as he claimed, "it will save a lot of money". [67] Duterte would later backtrack and suspended the process of termination in June and November 2020 before officially restoring the agreement in June 2021. [68]

Annual military exercises

Marines from the United States and the Philippines conducting a joint exercise Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - U.S. Marines and Philippine marines conduct a patrol..jpg
Marines from the United States and the Philippines conducting a joint exercise

The annual Balikatan ("shoulder-to-shoulder") bilateral military exercises contribute directly to the Philippine armed forces' efforts to root out Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists and bring development to formerly terrorist-plagued areas, notably Basilan and Jolo.[ citation needed ] They include not only combined military training but also civil-military affairs and humanitarian projects.[ citation needed ]

The International Military Education and Training (IMET) program is the largest in the Pacific and the third-largest in the world, and a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) was signed in November 2002.[ citation needed ] Similarly, law enforcement cooperation have reached new levels: U.S. and Philippine agencies have cooperated to bring charges against numerous terrorists, to implement the countries' extradition treaty, and to train thousands of Filipino law enforcement officers.[ citation needed ] There is a Senior Law Enforcement Advisor helping the Philippine National Police with its Transformation Program.[ citation needed ]

USAID programs support the Philippines' war on poverty as well as the government's reform agenda in critical areas, including anti-money laundering, rule of law, tax collection, and trade and investment.[ citation needed ] Other USAID programs have bolstered the government's efforts to heal divisions in Philippine society through a focus on conflict resolution, livelihood enhancement for former combatants, and economic development in Mindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which are among the poorest areas in the country.[ citation needed ] Meanwhile, important programs continue in modern family planning, infectious disease control, environmental protection, rural electrification, and provision of basic services—as well as PL 480 food aid programs and others—which together totaled $211.3 million.[ citation needed ] In 2006, the Millennium Challenge Corporation granted $21 million to the Philippines for a threshold program addressing corruption in revenue administration.[ citation needed ]

Nearly 400,000 Americans visit the Philippines each year.[ citation needed ] Providing government services to U.S. and other citizens, therefore, constitutes an important aspect of the bilateral relationship. Those services include veterans' affairs, social security, and consular operations. Benefits to Filipinos from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration totaled $297,389,415 in 2006.[ citation needed ] Many people-to-people programs exist between the U.S. and the Philippines, including Fulbright, International Visitors, and Aquino Fellowship exchange programs, as well as the U.S. Peace Corps.[ citation needed ]

Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement

U.S. President Barack Obama meeting with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III in Manila, April 28, 2014 Benigno Aquino III and Barack Obama.jpg
U.S. President Barack Obama meeting with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III in Manila, April 28, 2014

The Agreement on Enhanced Defense Cooperation (EDCA), a framework agreement that raises the scope of the 1951 MDT, was signed on April 28, 2014.

The Preamble to the EDCA refers to the obligations of the Philippines and the United States, under both the Charter of the United Nations and the MDT, to settle international disputes by peaceful means, not to endanger international peace and security, and to refrain from the threat or use of force "in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations".

Importantly, the Preamble notes that both parties "share an understanding for the United States not to establish a permanent military presence or base in the territory of the Philippines". The Preamble later concludes, "all United States access to and use of facilities and areas will be at the invitation of the Philippines and with full respect for the Philippines Constitution and Philippine laws". [69]

Trade and investment

Filipino soldiers painting a U.S. and Philippine flag 2 Filipino soldiers painting friendship flags 070217-N-4198C-001 0V7HO.jpg
Filipino soldiers painting a U.S. and Philippine flag

The 1946 Bell Trade Act and its replacement, the 1955 Laurel–Langley Agreement (which expired in 1974), linked the two countries closely together economically in the first decades of independence. [70]

Two-way U.S. merchandise trade with the Philippines amounted to $17.3 billion in 2006 (U.S. Department of Commerce data).[ citation needed ] According to Philippine Government data, 16% of the Philippines' imports in 2006 came from the U.S., and about 18% of its exports were bound for America.[ citation needed ] The Philippines ranks as the 26th-largest export market and the 30th-largest supplier of the United States.[ citation needed ] Key exports to the U.S. are semiconductor devices and computer peripherals, automobile parts, electric machinery, textiles and garments, wheat and animal feeds, and coconut oil.[ citation needed ] In addition to other goods, the Philippines imports raw and semi-processed materials for the manufacture of semiconductors, electronics and electrical machinery, transport equipment, and cereals and cereal preparations.[ citation needed ]

The U.S. traditionally has been the Philippines' largest foreign investor, with about $6.6 billion in estimated investment as of end-2005 (U.S. Department of Commerce data).[ citation needed ] Since the late 1980s, the Philippines has committed itself to reforms that encourage foreign investment as a basis for economic development, subject to certain guidelines and restrictions in specified areas.[ citation needed ] Under President Ramos, the Philippines expanded reforms, opening the power generation and telecommunications sectors to foreign investment, as well as securing ratification of the Uruguay Round agreement and membership in the World Trade Organization.[ citation needed ] As noted earlier, President Arroyo's administration has generally continued such reforms despite opposition from vested interests and "nationalist" blocs.[ citation needed ] A major obstacle has been and will continue to be constitutional restrictions on, among others, foreign ownership of land and public utilities, which limits maximum ownership to 40%.[ citation needed ]

Over the last two decades, the relatively closed Philippine economy has been opened significantly by foreign exchange deregulation, foreign investment and banking liberalization, tariff and market barrier reduction, and foreign entry into the retail trade sector.[ citation needed ] The Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 opened opportunities for U.S. firms to participate in the power industry in the Philippines.[ citation needed ] Information and communications technologies, backroom operations such as call centers, and regional facilities or shared-service centers were probably likewise leading investment opportunities.[ citation needed ]

During the visit by President Benigno Aquino III to Washington DC, on July 7, 2012, the US–Philippine Society was launched. This non-profit independent organization is tasked with generating awareness about the Philippines in the US. The last board meeting was conducted by the society on January 24, 2013. [71]

In its 2013 Special 301 Report, the Office of the United States Trade Representatives wrote "The United States looks to the Philippines to take important steps to address piracy over the internet, in particular with respect to notorious online markets". [72] It is speculated that pressure from the United States contributed to the complaint filed by Philippine Association of the Record Industry against the torrent website KickassTorrents, resulting in its seizure by Philippine authorities on June 13, 2013. [73]

In April 2022, U.S. private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, together with Dutch shipbuilder consortium Agila, bought out the HHIC Philippines facilities at Redondo Peninsula near the Subic Bay Naval Base in Zambales. [74] [75] [76] Accordingly, the shipyard was renamed as the Agila Subic Multi-Use Facilities. [77] The Philippine Navy began leasing the shipyard's northern section in May 2022. [78] American defense contractor Vectrus also moved in. [79] [80] [81]

That same year, the Biden administration pledged to increase cooperation with the Philippines on renewable energy and food prices, and the Marcos Jr. administration secured pledges of 100,000 jobs and $4 billion in American private sector investments. [40] U.S. government officials headed by Vice President Kamala Harris pledged increased aid and investment opportunities to the Philippines on renewable energy, critical minerals supply, women's rights and education, public health and immunology, SpaceX Starlink broadband, and, in the first agreement of its kind, nuclear power planning and American nuclear tech sales. [82]

Diplomatic missions

U.S. Embassy in Manila USManilaChancery.jpg
U.S. Embassy in Manila
Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. Embassy of the Philippines, Washington, D.C..jpg
Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. maintains an embassy in Manila and a consulate in Cebu. The American Business Center, which houses the Foreign Commercial Service and the Foreign Agricultural Service, is located in Makati. The Philippine government maintains an embassy in Washington, D.C. as well as several consulates throughout the United States.

Security

United States Marine Corps and Philippine Marine Corps troops train together during Balikatan 2019 Balikatan 2019 - Marines participate in combined-arms live fire at CERAB (Image 2 of 5).jpg
United States Marine Corps and Philippine Marine Corps troops train together during Balikatan 2019
Task Force Regulars, headed by 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division and the 1st Brigade Combat Team, Philippine Army, completed a Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise during Balikatan 2019 at Colonel Ernesto Ravina Air Base, Philippines, April 2019 Balikatan 2019 Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise Image 9 of 9.jpg
Task Force Regulars, headed by 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division and the 1st Brigade Combat Team, Philippine Army, completed a Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise during Balikatan 2019 at Colonel Ernesto Ravina Air Base, Philippines, April 2019

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt M. Campbell had said in January 2011 that the United States will help boost the capacity of the Philippines to patrol their own waters, including the Spratly Islands. [83]

The 1951 mutual-defense treaty was reaffirmed with the November 2011 Manila Declaration. [84] [85] United States Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert suggested that LCS or surveillance aircraft may be deployed to the Philippines; [86] the Philippines is considering the proposal. [87] These "rotational deployments" will help replace some of the American presence in the area that was given up when the permanent American bases in the Philippines were closed under President Bush. [88]

In 2012 the Philippines and the United States conducted joint military exercises. [89] As of 2012, a U.S. military contingent of 600, including Navy Seals and Seabees are stationed "indefinitely" in the Southern Philippines, in a declared non-combatant role to assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines in operations against the al-Quaida-linked Abu Sayyaf terrorist group primarily on the island of Basilan in western Mindanao and the Sulu islands, in particular Jolo, a long-time stronghold of Abu Sayyaf. [90]

The Scarborough Shoal standoff with China and the ongoing Spratly Islands dispute has caused the Philippines to consider stronger military ties with the United States. In 2012, a senior Philippine defense official said that as long as they have prior clearance from the Philippine government, American troops, warships, and aircraft could once again use their former naval and air facilities of Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base. [91] In 2013, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario clarified that, due to constitutional constraints, establishment of a U.S. military facility could only be allowed if it would be under the control of the Philippine military. [92] The deal will reportedly include shared access to Philippines military but not civilian facilities. [93]

During a 2013 visit to the Philippines, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that the main security issues that the U.S. was working with the Philippines were maritime domain awareness, building up the capacities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and counter terrorism. [94]

In April 2014, a ten-year pact called the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) [95] was signed between U.S. President Barack Obama and Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, allowing the United States to increase its military presence in the Philippines. [96] [97] [98] [99] Five bases were opened to U.S. troops beginning in 2016. [100]

In 2017, the Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) handed over weapons to the Philippine Marine Corps, including 300 M4 carbines, 200 Glock 21 pistols, 4 M134D Gatling-style machine guns, and 100 M203 grenade launchers, according to a statement made by the U.S. embassy in Manila on June 5. The JUSMAG also delivered 25 new Combat Rubber Raiding Craft with outboard motors to PMC headquarters in Taguig, where PMC commandant Major General Emmanuel Salamat formally accepted delivery of the weapons during a transfer ceremony on June 5. The equipment was delivered amidst the Marawi crisis. [101]

In February 2019, then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo affirmed his country's commitments under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) during a meeting with counterparts in the Philippines. Pompeo in a speech added, "as the South China Sea is part of the Pacific, any armed attack on Philippine forces, aircraft or public vessels will trigger mutual defense obligations". [102] The U.S. assured that they will "back the Philippines" if confrontation between the Philippines and China occurs in the South China Sea. [103] The move came after years of American reluctance to affirm commitments, which led to numerous Filipino politicians to push for review of the 68-year-old security pact between the Philippines and the U.S. The Filipino foreign affairs secretary welcomed the U.S. commitment, adding that there is "no need to review" the pact anymore. [104] [105] [102] [103]

In 2023, the Biden administration, represented by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and the Marcos administration finalized an agreement to allow the American military access to four additional Philippine military bases under EDCA. [47] [48] However, the governors of Isabela and Cagayan—which together host three of the bases—expressed dismay at the agreement, stating they did not want their provinces to pay too much for the infrastructure improvements or become potential targets of Chinese nuclear attack. [106]

This marked the fifth time that the Philippines and the U.S. had conducted joint military exercises in the South China Sea, with Manila's armed forces on alert due to tensions with China. On 17 ,18 January 2025, the Philippine military stated that the activity was a 'maritime cooperative activity' conducted with the U.S. [107]

In February 2025, The Philippines and the United States have strengthened their defense partnership in the South China Sea. U.S. and Philippine fighter jets recently conducted joint patrols, highlighting their commitment to regional security.

Under the expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the U.S. gains greater access to Philippine bases and pledges increased military aid and maritime security cooperation. Both nations reaffirm their commitment to international law, with Philippine officials emphasizing U.S. support in safeguarding sovereignty. [108]

See also

Notes

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">New People's Army</span> Armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines

    The New People's Army is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aiming to consolidate political power from what it sees as the present "bourgeois reactionary puppet government" and to aid in the "people's democratic revolution". Founded on March 29, 1969, by the collaboration of Jose Maria Sison and former members of the Hukbalahap led by Bernabe Buscayno, the NPA has since waged a guerrilla war based on the Maoist strategy of protracted people's war. The NPA is one of the key figures in the ongoing communist rebellion in the Philippines, the longest ongoing conflict in the country.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine Navy</span> Naval warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

    The Philippine Navy (PN) is the naval warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It has an estimated strength of 24,500 active service personnel, including the 10,300-strong Philippine Marine Corps. It operates 90 combat vessels, 16 auxiliary vessels, 25 manned aircraft and 8 unmanned aerial vehicles. Tracing its roots from the Philippine Revolutionary Navy on May 20, 1898, while its modern foundations were created during the creation of the Offshore Patrol on February 9, 1939, the PN is currently responsible for naval warfare operations and maritime patrol missions within the Philippine Waters, as well as ensuring the protection of the Philippine's maritime interests, including the South China Sea and Benham Rise.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Japan–Philippines relations</span> Bilateral relations

    Japan–Philippines relations span a period from before the 16th century to the present. According to a 2011 BBC World Service Poll, 84% of Filipinos view Japan's influence positively, with 12% expressing a negative view, making the Philippines one of the most pro-Japanese countries in the world.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippines–United States Visiting Forces Agreement</span> Bilateral agreement between the Philippines and the United States

    The Philippines–United States Visiting Forces Agreement, sometimes the PH–US Visiting Forces Agreement, is a bilateral visiting forces agreement between the Philippines and the United States consisting of two separate documents. The first of these documents is commonly referred to as "the VFA" or "VFA-1", and the second as "VFA-2" or "the Counterpart Agreement". A visiting forces agreement is a version of a status of forces agreement that only applies to troops temporarily in a country. The agreements came into force on May 27, 1999, upon ratification by the Senate of the Philippines. The United States government regards these documents to be executive agreements not requiring approval by the United States Senate.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Philippines (1986–present)</span>

    This article covers the history of the current Philippine republican state following the 1986 People Power Revolution, known as the Fifth Philippine Republic.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Philippines (1946–1965)</span>

    This article covers the history of the Philippines from the recognition of independence in 1946 to the end of the presidency of Diosdado Macapagal that covered much of the Third Republic of the Philippines, which ended on January 17, 1973, with the ratification of the 1973 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodrigo Duterte</span> President of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022

    Rodrigo Roa Duterte, also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino, the ruling political party in the Philippines during his presidency. Duterte is the first president of the Philippines to be from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assume office, beginning his term at age 71.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Mutual Defense Treaty (United States–Philippines)</span> Defense treaty

    The Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines is an agreement between the two nations recognizing that an attack in the Pacific on either would endanger the peace of both and agreeing to act in concert to meet the common danger. It signed on August 30, 1951 by their representatives in Washington, D.C. and has eight articles.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Treaty of Manila (1946)</span> Treaty establishing Philippines as an independent sovereign state

    The Treaty of Manila of 1946, formally the Treaty of General Relations and Protocol, is a treaty of general relations signed on July 4, 1946, in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It relinquished U.S. sovereignty over the Philippines and recognized the independence of the Republic of the Philippines. The treaty was signed by High Commissioner Paul V. McNutt as representative of the United States and President Manuel Roxas as representative of the Philippines.

    The Central Intelligence Agency has been active in the Philippines almost since the agency's creation in the 1940s. The Philippines were frequently of great value to the CIA's operations in the second half of the 20th century. The United States has long had a clandestine intelligence apparatus in the Philippines. The Philippines have always been considered an important asset to the United States. There was a strong American influence until 1992.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippines–Russia relations</span> Bilateral relations

    Philippines–Russia relations are the bilateral relations between Russia and the Philippines. Both countries are full members of APEC.

    U.S. President Barack Obama's East Asia Strategy (2009–2017), also known as the Pivot to Asia, represented a significant shift in the foreign policy of the United States since the 2010s. It shifted the country's focus away from the Middle Eastern and European sphere and allowed it to invest heavily and build relationships in East Asian and Southeast Asian countries, especially countries which are in close proximity to the People's Republic of China (PRC) either economically, geographically or politically to counter its rise as a rival potential superpower.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">China–Philippines relations</span> Bilateral relations

    Bilateral relations between China and the Philippines had significantly progressed since the 1990s, peaking during the Philippine presidencies of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Rodrigo Duterte. However, relations deteriorated due to territorial disputes in the South China Sea, particularly since the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff; in 2013, the Philippine government under President Benigno Aquino III in 2013 filed an arbitration case against China over China's maritime claims. The policy of current Philippine president Bongbong Marcos aims for distancing relations between the Philippines and China in favor of the country's relationship with the United States. The current policy of the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party aims for greater influence over the Philippines, and the region in general, while combating American influence.

    The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) is an agreement between the United States and the Philippines intended to bolster the American–Philippine alliance. The agreement allows the United States to rotate troops into the Philippines for extended stays and allows the United States to build and operate facilities on Philippine bases for both American and Philippine forces. The U.S. is not allowed to establish any permanent military bases. The Philippines have personnel access to American ships and planes. This agreement has been the subject of criticism by some leftist groups in the Philippines.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Balikatan</span> Military exercise between the Philippines and the United States

    Exercise Balikatan is the most prominent annual military exercise between the Philippines and the United States. The Tagalog word balikatan means "shoulder-to-shoulder". The exercises have been the cornerstone of Philippines–United States military relations since the closure of U.S. bases in the Philippines.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte</span> Philippine presidential administration from 2016 to 2022

    Rodrigo Duterte's six-year tenure as the 16th President of the Philippines began on June 30, 2016, succeeding Benigno Aquino III. He was the first president from Mindanao, the first president to have worked in all three branches of government, and the oldest to be elected. He won the election amid growing frustration with post-EDSA governance that favored elites over ordinary Filipinos. His tenure ended on June 30, 2022.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Delfin Lorenzana</span> Filipino government official and former Philippine Army general

    Delfin Negrillo Lorenzana, OLH, KGOR is a retired Philippine Army general who served as Chairman of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority from 2022 until September 2024. He previously served as Secretary of National Defense in the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte from 2016 to 2022. He served in the Philippine Army from 1973 to 2004.

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    Further reading

    PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.