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Marcos: PH-US relationship back on...
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cooperation, such as defense, and security among others.
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Relations between the U.S. and the Philippines soured after Marcos’ predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the two nations.
The order came after the U.S. suspended the visa of former top cop and now Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is known to be Duterte’s staunchest ally.
Duterte had not once stepped into the U.S. during his six-year stint as the chief executive, saying he would never visit the country.
Marcos earlier said that the relations between the U.S. and the Philippines endured despite “turbulent” times, saying that it goes through various ups and
The President then noted that the world currently faces many “enormous and complex” challenges, including climate change, food, water and energy crises, and terrorism.
This is why, he said, he is calling to “evolve” the alliance between Manila and Washington.
“We are grappling with both new and traditional threats to our peoples’ security, nowhere more acutely felt than in the Indo-Pacific region, and the Philippines sits squarely at the heart of the Indo-Pacific region,” the President said.
“It is for this reason thaat I called for evolving our alliance—to make it more responsive to present and emerging challenges,” he said.
During a meeting in the White House last Monday, U.S. President Biden reaffirmed the U.S.’ “ironclad” commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including in the South China Sea.
This means that any attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft in the Pacific, including the South China Sea, would trigger U.S. mutual defense commitments under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.