Baguio City, September 4, 2025—On September 3, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong led a ceremony commemorating the 80th Victory Day at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence in Camp John Hay.  Together, they honored the shared sacrifices of Filipino and Allied forces during World War II and celebrated the enduring ties between the Philippines and the United States. 

Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. served as the guest of honor. 

Victory Day marks the end of World War II in the Philippines.  In the 80 years since standing shoulder-to-shoulder in battle, the Philippines and the United States have grown ever closer as friends, partners, and allies. 

“The liberation of the Philippines during World War II was a triumph of the extraordinary bravery of Allied forces and the indomitable spirit of the Filipino people.  From resistance movements that defied occupation to countless sacrifices made, their legacy is the freedom we cherish today,” Ambassador Carlson said in her remarks.  “This shared struggle forged a special relationship between our two nations, rooted in mutual respect, trust, and an unwavering commitment to the safety and prosperity of future generations of Filipinos and Americans.” 

“That surrender marked not only the end of World War II in the Philippines but also the triumph of courage, strength in spirit, and hope over tyranny and despair.  For us in Baguio, this is more than just an event written in textbooks—it is part of our city’s living memory, a legacy carved into our very identity,” Mayor Magalong said.  “As we remember that day and its significance to the world, we also honor the extraordinary sacrifices of the men and women—Filipino, American, and other allies—who fought courageously to restore peace and freedom.” 

“Today must not merely be an ordinary memorial day.  It must be a day of deep reflection,” Secretary Teodoro said.  “If we do not learn from the lessons of the past, and think as much as we want that the world is a static place, if we do not have resolve, purpose, and unity in action in all facets of public and private life, even with individual behavior and discipline, then we have no business honoring those who have shed their blood.”

More than 300 guests attended the ceremony, including Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr., National Historical Commission of the Philippines Chairperson Regalado Trota Jose Jr., and Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu.  Veterans, members of the diplomatic corps, the media, and partners from the public and private sectors were also present. 

Ambassador Carlson joined Secretary Teodoro, Mayor Magalong, NHCP Chairperson Jose, and PVAO Undersecretary Mapagu in presenting coins to living World War II veterans Angelo Viloria Andrada, Ernesto Carreon Luis, Florence Rimando Marasigan, and Sixta Quiñones Favila to honor their courage and invaluable contributions to freedom and democracy.  Luis led the solemn ringing of the ceremonial bell at 12:10 p.m., marking the exact minute of General Yamashita’s surrender.  Churches across Baguio City also rang their bells in unison. 

During the event, Ambassador Carlson announced the launch of a virtual tour of the historic U.S. Ambassador’s Residence.  Developed by the U.S. Department of State, the virtual tour is free and accessible online through the OBO VR app in the Apple Store or through the following link: https://hullfilm360.com/projects/state/baguio/web/360tour/index.html.  “This initiative preserves our shared heritage and invites future generations to reflect on our past and help build a hopeful tomorrow,” Ambassador Carlson said. 

Following the ceremony, Ambassador Carlson hosted a reception celebrating U.S.-Philippine friendship and the 249th anniversary of U.S. independence.  “We begin a new chapter as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence and the 80th anniversary of U.S.-Philippine diplomatic relations in 2026,” Ambassador Carlson said.  “The friendship, partnership, and alliance between the United States and the Philippines is a crucial part of that story because of the values we share such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”   

When the Philippine government was established in 1935, the American governor general vacated both Malacañang Palace in Manila and Mansion House in Baguio for occupancy by the new Commonwealth President, Manuel L. Quezon.

The American representative to the Philippines during the interim period of the Commonwealth was called the High Commissioner.  The United States Congress appropriated funding for the construction of buildings and living quarters for the High Commissioner in Manila (today the U.S. Embassy) and in Baguio.  Built on a 78-acre parcel in Camp John Hay, the Ambassador’s Residence in Baguio was finished in 1940.

The two-story L-shaped building is a mixture of Southern plantation and the streamlined modern style typical of the late 1930s.  Inside, there are seven bedrooms upstairs and separate suites for the ambassador and the deputy chief of mission.  A dining room, kitchen, library, and a narra-paneled living room complete the house.

The Ambassador’s Residence is an important historic site in both Philippine and American history.  The unconditional surrender of the Japanese Imperial Forces in the Philippines in World War II was signed in the living room of the residence.

Over the decades, the residence has provided a venue for Embassy officials to interact with government officials, diplomats, and contacts. Today, the residence remains an important witness to the shared history of the Philippines and the United States and to our countries’ evolving relationship as #FriendsPartnersAllies.

The United States and the Philippines signed the Treaty of Manila on July 4, 1946, recognizing the independence of the Philippines.  The United States established diplomatic relations with the Philippines on the same day when American Ambassador Paul V. McNutt presented his credentials.

U.S.-Philippines relations are founded on strong historical and cultural linkages and a shared commitment to democracy and human rights.  The 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, which marks its 70^th anniversary this year, formalized our robust security partnership, an alliance forged on the battlefield in World War II.

Strong people-to-people and economic ties form the bedrock of bilateral cooperation.  We engage on these issues continuously, including through the U.S.-Philippine Bilateral Strategic Dialogue, a forum for forward planning across the spectrum of our relationship.

A multitude of programs aim to strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and the Philippines, including the longest continuously-running Fulbright program in the world, the International Visitor Leadership Program, and the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative.  This year, we also mark the 60^th anniversary of the U.S. Peace Corps volunteer program in the Philippines.

The United States is proud to be one of the largest economic partners of the Philippines, serving as the country’s third largest trading partner with a two-way trade of $16 billion and third largest source of net FDI inflows at $161 million in 2020.  American firms are the largest electronics and semi-conductor exporters in the country and serve as some of the largest private employers.  The American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines has over 600 members and is one of the oldest business chambers in the world, with U.S. firms like Citibank, Ford, and Bank of America operating in the Philippines since the early 1900s.

There are more than four million U.S. citizens of Philippine ancestry in the United States, and more than 350,000 U.S. citizens in the Philippines, including a large number of United States military veterans.

The American Cemetery in Manila is the largest American military cemetery outside the United States, serving as the final resting place for over 17,000 U.S. and Philippine servicemen and women.

Assistance and Partnerships

Over the years, the United States has consistently partnered with the Philippines to create economic opportunities for both countries, bolster joint military capacity and readiness, and advance shared education and development goals.  For example:

• As of October 2020, total U.S. government COVID-19 assistance to the Philippines amounted to more than Php1.1 billion ($23.4 million). The United States is also the largest contributor to the COVAX vaccine facility with $2 billion of an eventual $4 billion commitment donated, of which the Philippines is a beneficiary.  (Fact Sheet)
• The Philippines is by far the largest recipient of U.S. military assistance in the Indo-Pacific region. Since 2015, the United States has delivered more than Php57 billion ($1.14 billion) worth of planes, armored vehicles, small arms, and other military equipment and training to the Philippines. (Fact Sheet)
• The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, partners with the Philippines to drive inclusive economic growth, promote peace and stability, and build self-reliance by strengthening the Philippines’s ability to plan, finance and implement its own development solutions. Over the past 20 years alone, the United States has provided nearly Php228.8 billion ($4.5 billion) in total assistance.  (https://www.usaid.gov/philippines).

U.S. Chiefs of Mission for the Philippines

To date, there have been 28 U.S. Chiefs of Mission since the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Sources:

• U.S. Relations with the Philippines (state.gov)
• A Guide to the United States’ History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776: Philippines (state.gov)
• Chiefs of Mission for Philippines (history.state.gov)

Manila, October 18, 2019 — The United States Coast Guard’s commanding officer is conducting a three-day visit to the Philippines to mark the 75th anniversary of the operation that began the Philippines’ World War II liberation, meet with deployed U.S. Coast Guard personnel, and bolster U.S. partnerships with Philippine officials.

Adm. Karl L. Schultz, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, will attend the Philippines’ commemoration of the Leyte Landing on Sunday, October 20, celebrating 75 years since U.S. General Douglas MacArthur and Philippine President Sergio Osmeña famously landed on Leyte beach.  The ceremony will be presided over by Secretary Hermogenes C. Esperon, Jr., Philippine National Security Adviser and Director General of the National Security Council.

Adm. Schultz will also meet with senior officials from the Philippine Coast Guard, including Adm. Elson E. Hermogino, Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, and Vice Adm. Joel S. Garcia, Deputy Commandant for Administration and the Director of the National Coast Watch Center.

“My goal for the U.S. Coast Guard is to be the partner of choice in the region,” said Adm. Schultz. “Our specialized capabilities and expansive international relationships enable us to build partner-nation capacity and model rules-based values.  We are proud to be operating with our Philippine partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

Adm. Schultz will also visit U.S. Coast Guard members off the coast of Puerto Princesa, who are aboard the Coast Guard National Security Cutter Stratton, based in Alameda, California.  The U.S. service members have been deployed onboard the Coast Guard’s 418-foot flagship in the Indo-Pacific region since June 2019, conducting maritime defense and security operations with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in the South China Sea and broadening partnerships and alliances throughout the region.  The crew of the Stratton is participating in Maritime Training Activity Sama Sama.

Adm. Schultz will accompany the Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, John C. Law, to honor the 75th anniversary of the launch of the Philippine liberation campaign.  The U.S. Coast Guard played an important role in the Philippines’ liberation as guardsmen were among the first service members to land at Leyte.  U.S. troops, including the U.S. Coast Guard, provided food and medical assistance to thousands of Filipinos fleeing intense battles across multiple islands.