On more US troops in the Philippines

August 16, 2013
Negotiations have started on how more American soldiers, equipment, including war ships and airplanes and war materials, could be stationed on rotation basis in Philippine territory. The idea is to provide greater support to the Philippine forces in keeping with the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement as the Filipinos continue to suffer from continued bullying and aggression from China which claims almost all islands and reefs in the West Philippine Sea and the bigger South China Sea. The greater objective though is to ensure free access and passage by all tthrough international waters in the area considering that the bulk of cargoes in the region pass through it.
Higher authorities actually started the talks months ago with the blessing of US President Barack Obama when military and state or foreign affairs officials convened in dialogues in Washington and in Hawaii and discussed America’s plan to increase its presence in the Asia Pacific region, considered as the fastest growing economy in the world. Then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on the part of the US government and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin led the talks for the Philippines. The negotiations which opened this week in Manila is a continuation of the negotiations that aim to spell out the terms and conditions of the expected increased rotational presence of the American forces in the Philippines.
The militants readily criticized the plan for more troops to be stationed in the Philippines, claiming that it violates the Philippine Constitution which bans the return of American bases in the country. Secretaries del Rosario and Gazmin, however, assured that the agreement that will be reached will take into account the Philippine Constitution and other pacts and treaties like the MDT and the VFA. And precisely, they decided to be transparent in the negotiations, informing officially even both chambers of Congress about the negotiations.
Whether the impending agreement would be for the good of the Philippines and the greater good of the region or not is still very hard to tell considering that negotiations are still ongoing and the details of any agreement are yet to be finalized. So there should be no rush judgment on the matter. Let’s give the negotiators from the Philippines and the United States time to examine thoroughly the proposal and the conditions therein. After all, whatever deal they will approve will still be presented to higher authorities and presumably Congress for further study and approval.