(first published here: state.gov)

The following statement was jointly released by the United States and The Philippines on the occasion of the successful conclusion of the 11^th Philippines-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C.:

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Senior Philippine and U.S. officials gathered in Washington for the 11th Philippines-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD) on April 22 and 23. First held in 2011, the BSD serves as the main annual platform for our two countries to: discuss the full range of political, security, and economic cooperation; exchange views on current challenges and strategic priorities; and identify new collaborative initiatives.

Both sides recalled milestones of the intervening year, reflecting shared dedication to further fostering the bilateral partnership and alliance. These include: two meetings between Presidents Biden and Marcos; the joint State and Defense Ministerial Dialogue (“2+2 Ministerial”); a U.S. Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines; a trilateral ministerial; and leader-level trilateral summit with Japan, as well as inaugural bilateral dialogues on food security and energy policy.

In keeping with Presidents Marcos and Biden’s “shared vision of partnership, peace, and prosperity,” the two sides re-dedicated themselves to cooperation by:

Expanding the Breadth of Partnership. The two sides renewed pledges to work together to address pressing global and regional challenges in support of a free, safe, and open Indo-Pacific. Underscoring the importance of continued dialogue to ensure cooperation on issues of mutual interest, both sides committed in 2024 to:

• Hold the fourth “2+2” ministerial dialogue;
• Convene the inaugural joint committee meeting under the U.S.-Philippines Science and Technology Agreement;
• Establish a Roles, Missions, and Capabilities (RMC) Working Group to replace the Defense and Security Working Group;
• Establish inaugural bilateral dialogues on cyber-digital, space, and democracy; and
• Deepen collaboration on countering foreign information manipulation.

Modernizing Alliance Cooperation. The Philippines and the United States reiterated the importance of the security alliance and shared commitments under the Mutual Defense Treaty in an increasingly complex security environment. They committed to establishing a new framework for alliance communication and coordination, enhancing operational cooperation and interoperability in the maritime domain, including with likeminded partners, and accelerating capability development. Building upon the historic progress in the defense relationship, including the unprecedented scope and scale of this year’s Exercise BALIKATAN, a combined exercise with Japan and Australia in the South China Sea, and monthly bilateral maritime cooperative activities, the two sides committed to further defense and security cooperation by continuing discussions with a view to:

• Concluding the bilateral Philippines – Security Sector Assistance Roadmap (P-SSAR);
• Fully finalizing the addition of sites and implementing the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), to include DoD investing $128 million for infrastructure as part of the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget;
• Prepositioning USAID disaster relief commodities for Philippine civilian disaster response authorities at key EDCA sites;
• Concluding a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) by the end of 2024; and
• Expanding multilateral cooperation with likeminded countries, including through maritime cooperative activities, bilateral and multilateral exercises, and security cooperation coordination.

Promoting An International Law-Based Maritime Order. In reiterating their shared commitment to a maritime order based on international law, the two sides called upon the PRC to comport its maritime claims in the South China Sea with the international law of the sea as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (the “Convention”), to respect the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction, to comply with the final and binding July 12, 2016 judgment in the Philippines v. China arbitration, and to cease its aggressive and dangerous actions that are inconsistent with its obligations under the Convention, including its unlawful interference with the Philippines’ freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

The two sides recognized the importance of maintaining peace and security in the maritime domain, including transit routes for foreign merchant and commercial vessels, and called for the safe and immediate return of the Filipino seafarers affected by the crisis in the Red Sea.

The U.S. and Philippine governments decided to:

• Convene the 3rd Maritime Dialogue in September/October 2024 in Manila and build upon the outcomes of the countries’ prior dialogues and meetings;
• Explore additional opportunities to strengthen global support for upholding the international law of the sea;
• Deepen cooperation to strengthen efforts in addressing Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, in line with relevant international law and voluntary guidelines; andConsider and develop, as appropriate, procedures and protocols on cooperative maritime law enforcement operations, in accordance with international law and our respective national laws

Advancing Our Common Prosperity, Protecting Our Shared Planet. Both sides stressed that our partnership should continue to benefit our peoples and future generations alike. They welcomed work to advance best practices in strategic trade management and the clean and renewable energy transition, noting the ongoing engagement on civil nuclear cooperation and the signing of a civil nuclear cooperation agreement.  They recognized the significant outcomes made under the U.S. 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) host year and progress under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), especially through the entry into force of the Supply Chains Agreement and conclusion of the Clean Economy and Fair Economy Agreements.  The Philippines welcomed the development of a Millennium Challenge Corporation threshold program and the United States’ commitment to considering the Philippines for the Compact Program based on updated data later this year. The two sides committed to advancing the Luzon Economic Corridor under the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI)-IPEF Investment Accelerator, to support connectivity between Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas and investments in rail, port modernization, clean energy and semiconductor supply chains, and agribusiness. Both sides also discussed opportunities for further cooperation on critical minerals processing, digital upskilling, and semiconductor supply chains under the CHIPS Act and in cooperation with USAID. Both sides exchanged views on addressing economic vulnerabilities and approaches to strengthening private sector partnerships, recognizing the imperative of increasing economic growth in both countries. They also shared priorities for the May 21 Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Manila, which will be sponsored by the U.S. Government in partnership with the Government of the Philippines.

Strengthening Multilateral Cooperation. Both sides discussed their respective and shared multilateral priorities, identifying opportunities for closer cooperation at the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations. They emphasized the importance of strengthening the free, safe, and open international order based on rule of law and respecting the UN Charter as the foundation of cooperation among nations. Both sides:

• Underscored the urgent need to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals;
• Strongly opposed any threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state;
• Reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait; and
• Committed to advance a free, safe, and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive, prosperous, secure, and based on international law, and that protects shared principles including territorial integrity; sovereignty; sovereign rights and jurisdiction; and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE  

Office of the Spokesperson 

Readout of Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Meeting  

with Secretary of Foreign Affairs Locsin  

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price: 

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met today with Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin, Jr., in Manila, the Philippines.  Deputy Secretary Sherman conveyed gratitude for Secretary Locsin’s commitment and contributions to the alliance and the rules-based international order.  The Deputy Secretary and Secretary of Foreign Affairs spoke about the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, and also discussed the Kremlin’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its global ramifications. 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesperson

READOUT

Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Meeting with Philippine President-Elect Marcos, Jr.

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met today with Philippine President-Elect Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., and his advisors, including Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, incoming Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, and Department of Foreign Affairs Under Secretary Theresa Lazaro, in Manila, the Philippines.

Deputy Secretary Sherman congratulated President-Elect Marcos on his election. The President-elect and Deputy Secretary agreed on the importance of partnering together to strengthen our economies, including the importance of public-private partnerships, clean energy and our digital economy. The Deputy Secretary and the President-Elect highlighted the importance of the U.S.-Philippine Alliance to security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world and the importance of fostering respect for human rights and rule of law in the Philippines.

They discussed opportunities for our two nations to deepen our Alliance and friendship and seize new opportunities to deliver for our people in the years to come.

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, May 11, 2021 — On April 22, U.S. military service members in Mindanao and Luzon began the delivery of nearly Php5.7 million ($118,700) worth of personal protective equipment and medical supplies to local partners battling COVID-19 in provinces across the Philippines.

The supplies include protective equipment such as disposable gloves, goggles, face shields, disinfectant spray, and other items to support frontline workers.

“As longstanding allies, we are proud to support the Philippine first responders and medical professionals who are on the frontlines battling COVID-19 with this PPE donation,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Duede, Civil Military Support Element – Philippines.  “This donation is part of our continued commitment to supporting the Philippines COVID-19 response.  It is an honor to be able to work with such great partners and provide assistance in any way that we can.”

In coordination with the Office of Civil Defense, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police – Special Action Force, and local USAID ReachHealth partners, this equipment will be distributed to medical clinics, hospitals, rural health units, and municipal health offices in Cagayan, the National Capital Region, Palawan, Zambales, Sarangani, and Zamboanga City.

PCG Commandant, Admiral George Ursabia, extended appreciation for the continuous donations received, “It’s the genuine concern shown through consistent efforts that matters to us Filipinos. Your generosity to equip our front liners since the start of pandemic transcends service to humanity and we are far beyond grateful.”

To date, the United States has provided nearly Php1.3 billion ($27 million) to support the Philippines’ COVID-19 response.

The Philippines is the United States’ oldest treaty ally in Asia, and this joint U.S.-Philippine partnership builds on decades of bilateral military cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster response, counterterrorism, maritime security, and many other fields.

Manila, May 10, 2021 – The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines’ Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) collaborated with the Philippine Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program to launch a unique, 10-day training series for law enforcers with drug prevention education responsibilities.  The ultimate goal of the program is to reduce the likelihood of initiation of substance use in schools.

A total of 30 officers with drug prevention education responsibilities from the Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) completed the first training from April 26 to May 7.  This will be followed by a series of 10-day sessions that will train additional law enforcement entities over the course of two years.

Randy Pedroso, Deputy Director General of PDEA, said the training was “very relevant” and reflects “collaboration and teamwork in the fight against drugs.”  DDB Undersecretary Benjamin Reyes likewise thanked INL for its strong support for drug demand reduction programs in the Philippines.

Through INL funding, the Colombo Plan worked with Philippine drug demand reduction experts, a technical expert advisory working group on prevention science, and master trainers, to tailor the universally-recognized curriculum on prevention, known as the Universal Prevention Curriculum, for Philippine professionals.

The Universal Prevention Curriculum includes a series designed to help ensure that nationally- and regionally-based prevention workers obtain consistent, accurate, and up-to-date science-based information and skills training.  Specifically, the School-Based Prevention Intervention module provides participants with an overview of the science behind school-based prevention interventions, and the application of such evidence-based approaches in school settings.

This project is a component of the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines’ comprehensive program on drug demand reduction covering prevention, treatment, recovery, and policy development.  The Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program is a regional intergovernmental program building capacity for drug demand reduction efforts in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Learn more about the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and its Drug Demand Reduction programs globally at www.state.gov/j/inl.

Manila, May 10, 2021 — The United States welcomes the successful May 10 arrival to the Philippines of 193,050 doses of the U.S. Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, one of the safest and most effective vaccines in the world.

This delivery is the first tranche of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines and follows the arrival of 2,030,400 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on May 8, bringing total COVAX deliveries to the Philippines to 2,673,000 doses.  The U.S. is by far the largest contributor to the COVAX effort, funding one in five vaccinations in the Philippines provided by the facility.

U.S. Embassy Economic Counselor Chip Gamble joined Secretary of Science and Technology Fortunato de la Peña, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, and National Action Plan Against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer Vince Dizon from the Philippine government, and other stakeholders at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to welcome the first arrival of Pfizer-BioNTech on Monday night.

“As the largest contributor to COVAX, the United States welcomes the arrival of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine here in the Philippines.  I am proud that this extraordinarily safe and effective vaccine, developed through U.S. scientific ingenuity, will protect Filipinos.  As we fight the pandemic together, the United States will continue to support the Philippines’ vaccination and COVID-19 mitigation efforts,” said U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law.

This is the fourth shipment of vaccines made available through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.  The United States already has donated Php97.2 billion ($2 billion) to COVAX, to ensure the Philippines and other countries receive COVID-19 vaccines, and committed to provide an additional $2 billion.

With this delivery, the Philippines has now received more than 2.5 million vaccines through COVAX.  In total, COVAX will provide 44 million doses to Filipinos.  Upcoming COVAX deliveries from Pfizer will total over 2.3 million.

Developed jointly by American pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. and German biotechnology company BioNTech SE, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was the first to receive emergency use authorization from the World Health Organization and is 95 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 illness, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

In February, the U.S. government announced a total planned contribution of Php194.4 billion ($4 billion) to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment.  The United States already has provided an initial Php97.2 billion ($2 billion), and the Philippines is among the first countries in the region to have received COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility.

The United States has worked closely with Philippine stakeholders throughout the pandemic to protect public health and strengthen local response to COVID-19.  To date, total U.S. government COVID-19 assistance to the Philippines amounts to nearly Php1.3 billion ($27 million).

U.S. Embassy representatives joined Philippine Secretary of Health Francisco Duque III, National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., and other stakeholders at the arrival of two million additional doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines on Saturday.

Manila, May 8, 2021 — The United States welcomes the May 8 arrival of two million additional doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines.  This is the third shipment of vaccines made available through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.  The United States already has donated Php97.2 billion ($2 billion) to COVAX, by far the largest contribution, to ensure the Philippines, and other countries, receive COVID-19 vaccines.

U.S. Embassy representatives joined Philippine Secretary of Health Francisco Duque III, National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., and other stakeholders at the arrival of the vaccines on Saturday.

With this delivery, the Philippines has now received more than 2.5 million vaccines through COVAX.  In total, COVAX will provide 44 million doses to Filipinos.

The first deliveries of 525,600 AstraZeneca vaccines took place in early March and were used to inoculate frontline health care workers, senior citizens, and individuals with comorbidities.  In the coming weeks, an additional COVAX allocation of 4.5 million doses of AstraZeneca is expected.  COVAX also will provide over 2.3 million doses of the U.S. company Pfizer vaccine, with the first delivery imminent.

In February, the U.S. government announced a total planned contribution of Php194.4 billion ($4 billion) to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment.  The United States already has provided an initial Php97.2 billion ($2 billion), and the Philippines is among the first countries in the region to have received COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility.  The U.S. is by far the largest contributor to the COVAX effort, funding one in five vaccinations in the Philippines provided by the facility.

The United States has worked closely with Philippine partners throughout the pandemic to protect public health and strengthen local response to COVID-19.  To date, total U.S. government COVID-19 assistance to the Philippines amounts to nearly Php1.3 billion ($27 million).

Manila, May 7, 2021 – The United States and the Philippines participated in a virtual Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) workshop last week to demonstrate their shared commitment to preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Through briefings and discussions of regional proliferation issues, as well as maritime scenario discussions, the United States and the Philippines explored ways to best confront proliferation threats and leverage laws and regulations to stop proliferation.

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), a U.S. Defense Department agency that works to counter and deter weapons of mass destruction and improvised threat networks, organized the workshop, which involved participants from across the governments of both countries.  U.S. participants from the Departments of Defense, State, and Homeland Security joined Philippine representatives from the National Security Council, the Departments of National Defense and Foreign Affairs, the Anti-Terrorism Center, the National Coast Watch Center, and the Strategic Trade Management Office.

“The Philippines has been a leader in preparing to mitigate threats stemming from WMD and Philippine experts are working diligently to protect their citizens and the broader region from these threats,” said Andrea Yaffe, Director of Transnational Threats, U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense, who led the U.S. delegation.  “Through our third PSI workshop together, both sides continued to assess the evolution of WMD proliferation threats and ways to leverage whole-of-government cooperation as well as domestic and international laws and regulations to interdict WMD-related materials, if opportunities arise.”

According to the head of the Philippine delegation, National Security Council Deputy Director General Damian Carlos, “[W]e learned from the previous PSI workshops and exercises that building up the Philippines’ counterproliferation capabilities significantly impacts the future of our interdiction practices in the country and in the region.”

The PSI is a global initiative with 107 endorsers that demonstrates the international community’s commitment and political will to prevent the proliferation of WMD.  Through its flexible and voluntary structure, the PSI enables endorsing countries like the Philippines to take action to prevent the proliferation of WMD and delivery systems, consistent with domestic and international authorities.

“This kind of capacity building is truly important so that we can effectively and efficiently address the emerging concern about proliferation of WMD, and secure our countries from the threats surrounding the misuse of dual-use goods and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials,” noted Caimo Pancratius Cascolan, Executive Director of the Philippines’ Anti-Terrorism Council’s Program Management Center.

Manila, May 7, 2021 — The U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), launched four new projects worth Php280 million ($5.7 million) to promote locally-led development solutions in the Philippines.

USAID Philippines Deputy Mission Director Patrick Wesner inaugurated these projects with other government, civil society, private sector, and academia partners at a virtual event on Friday, May 7.

“As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Philippines diplomatic relations, we look forward to furthering our productive collaboration with Philippine civil society organizations as we continue to pursue inclusive and resilient growth for Filipinos,” said Deputy Director Wesner.

The four projects will empower local organizations to try new, unique approaches to address development challenges in their communities:

• The “Coalescing Organizations towards Locally Led Actions to Boost Development” project will employ data and evidence to advance development in ten sites located in Sorsogon, Leyte, Eastern Samar, Misamis Oriental, and Sultan Kudarat over a period of two and a half years.
• The two-year (2021-2023) “Facilitating Local Access to Water” project will help local partners in Tublay, Benguet achieve reliable access to safe drinking water.
• “Assets, Agency and Trust,” a two-year action-research project, will use consultations and networking activities to mobilize local resources and drive development activities across the country.
• The three-year (2021-2024) “Capacitating Strategic Organizations to Strengthen the Civil Society Organization Sector” project will empower civil society organizations to effectively deliver services and sustain development results initially in Iloilo City and Cagayan de Oro City.

These four projects join the Generating Rural Opportunities by Working with Cooperatives program, launched last year to expand rural livelihood opportunities and increase food security, as part of Local Works.  Local Works is USAID’s flagship locally-led development effort, which utilizes the creativity and resourcefulness of local communities and enables them to drive their own development.