US as a steadfast ally among a growing list of friends

“Multilateral” is a good word to describe the Philippines’ foreign relations policy. It reflects our country’s consistent efforts to build partnerships and alliances with numerous countries who share our values and our commitment to international law. It is embodied in the pronouncement of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. that we are “a friend to all and an enemy to none.”

Our dealings with the outside world are determined solely by our national interest and by the increasingly crucial role we play in maintaining peace in the Indo-Pacific region and in the world.

President Marcos Jr. recently concluded a trip to India this month, during which he secured new defense agreements, expanded coast guard cooperation, and expressed interest in acquiring additional missile systems. In April this year, we signed a Visiting Forces Agreements with New Zealand, and there are now ongoing negotiations with France and Canada to establish similar defense arrangements.

Last month, the President went to the United States and met with top officials led by US President Donald Trump. The meetings that transpired during that trip are a validation of the continuing strong alliance between the two countries.

The Philippines and the US have maintained a security alliance since the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, further reaffirmed and guided by the 2023 Bilateral Defense Guidelines that highlights their long-standing commitment to regional security. In recent years, the relationship has been reinvigorated due to the increasing threats posed by China, particularly its disregard for international law and its coercive actions against the Philippines.

A significant aspect of this cooperation involves US military equipment and financing aimed at bolstering the Philippines’ defense capabilities. As part of the fiscal year 2024 Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, the US supplied the Philippines with $500 million in Foreign Military Financing.

The US is encouraged to explore flexible financing options for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines, potentially integrating these into a military aid deal, and to establish rotational basing of US Air Force F-16 squadrons in the Philippines for joint training.

Joint military exercises and strategic deployments form another critical component of the alliance. Cooperation currently includes purchases of military equipment from the US, joint naval and amphibious exercises, and the deployment of US Army intermediate-range missile forces.

The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which grants the US military access to 10 Philippine military bases to build and operate facilities and rotate troops, is foundational to these efforts. The effectiveness and interoperability of forces at these sites were notably tested during the 2024 Balikatan exercise, where US and Philippine militaries deployed troops from these bases.

And then, American forces operating in the Philippines are increasing rotational capabilities of integrated air and missile defense systems, including Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems and Short-Range Air Defenses (SHORAD).

Beyond military support for the defense sector, PHL-US cooperation extends to strategic alignment and infrastructure development. The US aims to work with the Philippines to build infrastructure at bases that host US rotational forces and maintain the deployment of key assets to the Philippines.

Such investment in Philippine infrastructure is expected to have positive economic effects, stimulating growth and job creation. It is also seen to improve the US military’s ability to deliver humanitarian aid during natural disasters.

In light of these developments, the Stratbase Institute, in partnership with The Heritage Foundation, hosted a roundtable event yesterday, Aug. 12, entitled “Prospects for the Philippines-United States Alliance in a Complex Geopolitical Landscape.” Two of the foundation’s senior experts — Wilson Beaver, Senior Policy Advisor for Defense Budgeting and NATO Policy, and Robert Peters, Senior Research Fellow for Strategic Deterrence — discussed their latest research, “Strengthening the US-Philippines Alliance.”

The paper falls under the Foundation’s Project 2025, a comprehensive policy agenda outlining strategic priorities for US governance, defense posture, and national security readiness.

Mssrs. Beaver and Peters’ paper underscored that the Philippines is a US ally that occupies a position of strategic importance in the Western Pacific, both for the United States and its neighbors. The initial steps that the Philippines is taking to defend itself from Chinese aggression will be the same capabilities that would deter broader regional action from China. Thus, the US commits to working with the Philippines to ensure that the latter can be an important and valuable member of a coalition of like-minded states that oppose China’s hegemonic ambitions.

Government officials and members of the security sector and of the academe were present during the forum to exchange ideas about the developments in and pathways for an enhanced Philippines-US cooperation amid these challenging times.

A recent Pulse Asia survey commissioned by the Stratbase Institute shows that 73% of Filipinos view the US as the top country the Philippines should partner with in asserting its rights in the West Philippine Sea. Indeed, as both nations invest in each other, their partnership grows stronger, more agile, and more meaningful. Together, the Philippines and the US are laying the foundations for lasting peace.

We hope to replicate this kind of steadfast friendship with many other countries that share our values and our regard for the rule of law. Amid these perilous times, such friendships are a gem — and an indispensable way to achieve an open, more secure Indo-Pacific region.