From Resilience to Recovery

By U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law

During his 1946 inaugural address, President Manual Roxas told a newly independent Philippines and the world, “We have yet a greater bulwark today…the friendship and devotion of America.”   For three quarters of a century, Americans and Filipinos have met and overcome adversity together.  As 2020 closes, I am deeply proud of how our people united to face hardships: the Taal volcanic eruption, devastating typhoons, and the ongoing pandemic.  Amid unprecedented challenges, our mutual support and collaboration demonstrate that this “friendship and devotion” endure and thrive today.

The pandemic has disrupted all aspects of our lives, in the workplace, the classroom, and at home.  Despite economic hardship, family separations and loved ones’ illnesses, the outpouring of acts of goodwill and solidarity by Filipinos provides hope and inspiration to us all.  Americans have worked shoulder-to-shoulder to help those in need, providing over Php1.1 billion in vital assistance – more than to any country in Southeast Asia.  U.S. tech companies trained Filipino teachers to develop remote learning programs, helped the Department of Health distribute vital safety information, and provided online classroom software.  The Embassy partnered with the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Education to assist teachers and students.  This assistance complements long-term U.S. investments in the Philippine health system totaling nearly Php28 billion over the past 20 years.

President Roxas called the abiding U.S.-Philippine friendship “the greatest ornament of our independence.”  The four million-strong Fil-Am community in the United States is assisting in both countries.  Here, they are donating food, medical, and other relief across the country.  In the United States, Fil-Am-owned restaurants in San Francisco provided thousands of meals to healthcare workers through #FilipinosFeedTheFrontlines, while Fil-Am fashion designers produced and donated masks to hospitals, elder care facilities, and essential workers.

America is committed to the safety and security of the Philippines.  As treaty allies, we strengthened our partnership this year to support the Philippines’ military modernization to defend the nation from emerging challenges.  Top U.S. officials have repeatedly underscored our support, even in difficult times.  Just in the past few weeks, the U.S. has delivered Php3.1 billion in vital defense equipment – on top of the Php31.2 billion provided over the past five years – to help the Philippines defend its territorial waters and maritime resources and counter foreign-linked terrorist threats.

America’s friendship is not empty rhetoric, and it is not subject to the vagaries of politics.  As Secretary Pompeo declared, “We have your back.”  We are and will remain your friend, ally, and partner — through fair weather or foul.

Part of that commitment is upholding international law in the West Philippines Sea, and standing up for your rights to the rich maritime resources that rightly belong to you.  In July, the U.S. reiterated its unequivocal support for the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling that validated the Philippines’ rights to its waters in the West Philippines Sea.  The U.S. rejects Beijing’s “Nine-Dash Line” — which falsely claims that nearly all the South China Sea belongs to it — as completely unlawful.  We agree with the Tribunal that the PRC has no right to claim Mischief Reef (seized from the Philippines in 1995 and now home to a PRC military base) or Second Thomas Shoal (bravely defended by Philippine Marines).  We fully agree with President Duterte’s statement at the United Nations in September, that the 2016 arbitral ruling is “beyond compromise.”  U.S. support for the Philippines on this issue is resolute and is backed across the U.S. political spectrum.

2020 has tested our resilience, but I am confident 2021 will be a year of recovery, as medical advancements enable us to better contain and treat the virus, and our economies reopen to support growth and development.  2021 brims with hope for the future of our relationship, as we celebrate several important milestones: 75 years of U.S.-Philippine bilateral relations, the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright exchange program, and the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Peace Corps in the Philippines.  What we can accomplish going forward is thanks to the friendship and devotion of many people over the years, including the brave frontliners who served as a bulwark against the pandemic.  On behalf of the entire U.S. Embassy, we thank you for your friendship, and send best wishes to all of our Filipino friends for the new year. Para sa isang masaganang bagong taon!

Manila, November 25, 2020 — Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Kimberly Kelly and representatives from the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines’ Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) turned over a ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to the Flag Officer in Command, Philippine Navy, Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, at Naval Base Heracleo Alano, Sangley Point, Cavite, on November 25.

Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Kelly and JUSMAG officials delivered this Php710-million ($14.79 million) system to the Philippine Navy to increase the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s maritime domain awareness and border security capabilities.

The ScanEagle UAS will provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to the AFP 71st Maritime Unmanned Aerial Reconnaissance Squadron (71 MUARS) of the Philippine Fleet’s Naval Air Wing, which will operate the aircraft out of Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui, San Antonio, Zambales.  71 MUARS is the AFP’s leading unit for unmanned maritime ISR operations.

“Transferring the ScanEagle system for operation by the Maritime Unmanned Aerial Reconnaissance Squadron represents the steadfast commitment by the United States to our partners in the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” said Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Kelly.

“This new asset will complement the same kind being operated by the 300th Air Intelligence and Security Wing at the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, which is very close to the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea that need our consistent attention,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines Deputy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Erick Kagaoan, who was guest of honor and represented Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana at the handover.

“Aside from its primary use for ISR, the ScanEagle UAS will greatly aid our organization in the effective assessment of the subject areas, timely decision-making, and prompt action in the conduct of territorial defense, internal security operations, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster repose,” said Philippine Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Loumer Bernabe.

The United States provides the AFP with grant assistance and expedited sales of arms and munitions to support its modernization goals and urgent maritime security, counterterrorism and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief requirements.

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 Php33 billion ($650 million) worth of planes, ships, armored vehicles, small arms, and other military equipment to the Philippines, while training side-by-side with our Filipino allies.

United States Embassy Manila, Philippines

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Manila (April 5, 2020)

Location:  The Philippines

Event: 

Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) Update:

• The PRA Head Office and Satellite Offices are closed until further notice.  Inquiries may be sent to the following email addresses or mobile numbers:

For Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) holders:

• • Email address: servicing@pra.gov.ph
  • Mobile number: +63-917-855-6354

For SRRV application status inquiries:

• • Email address: processing@pra.gov.ph
  • Mobile number: +63-917-827-2126

For Finance Division concerns:

• • Email: remegio.abaigar@pra.gov.ph
  • Mobile number: +63-917-846-4302

• Acceptance of new SRRV applicants, including adding SRRV dependents, is temporarily suspended.  You may send scanned copies of your documents for pre-evaluation to srrv.preevaluation@pra.gov.ph.
• Official website: https://pra.gov.ph/
• Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PhilippineRetirementVisa

International Flights:

International commercial flight options currently exist in the Philippines.  U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States should make commercial arrangements as soon as possible unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.  The U.S. government does not currently anticipate arranging repatriation flights in the Philippines at this time.

International Flights Departing from Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA):

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) updates their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/MIAAGovPh/) with scheduled international flights.  Flight schedules may change at any given time.  Please contact your airline for confirmation.

Visit the MIAA Facebook and Twitter pages for an updated schedule of international flights.

https://www.facebook.com/MIAAGovPh/

https://twitter.com/MIAAGovPH

Consider your plan to shelter in place:  

While the U.S. Embassy is exploring all options to address the current travel disruptions, we strongly encourage U.S. citizens to make necessary preparations if staying in the Philippines during the quarantine period.  Please comply with local quarantine requirements and strictly follow local authorities.

According to the Philippine Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF): 

• The wearing of face masks is mandatory in areas placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
• Anyone in the ECQ leaving their home is required to wear a face mask.
• According to the IATF, face masks may be store-bought or improvised, such as a handkerchief or small towel covering the nose and mouth.

For information on Philippine visas and  the Bureau of Immigration, hotels, and car rentals, please visit this page:  https://ph.usemba.org/covid-19-information/

Actions to Take:

• Contact the airlines and contacts directly for reservations and updated information.
• Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
• Monitor local news for updates.
• Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
• For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
• Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
• Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 here for information on conditions in the Philippines.
• Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
• Consult resources below as necessary:
  • Philippine Department of Health (DOH)
  • Philippine Department of Health (FAQs)
  • Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI)
  • Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA)
  • Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB)
  • Philippine Maritime Industry Authority
  • Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs
  • Philippine Department of Interior and Local Government
  • Philippine Department of Tourism
  • COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov
  • CDC page on COVID-19
  • Philippines Travel Advisory
  • Philippines Country Information Page

Assistance:

• U.S. Embassy in the Philippines
  1201 Roxas Boulevard
  +63(2) 5301-2000, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
  After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +(63)(2) 5301-2000
• State Department–Consular Affairs 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444.
• State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Advisories, Alerts, and the Philippines Country Specific Information.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
• Follow us on  Twitter and Facebook.

77^th Day of Valor Ceremony

Deputy Chief of Mission John C. Law Remarks

Mount Samat National Shrine in Bataan, April 9, 2019

As delivered 

Secretary Año, Madame Vice President, Congressman Garcia, Ambassador Haneda, His Excellency the Papal Nuncio, distinguished guests and most especially our honored veterans, their families and their loved ones.

Magandang umaga sa inyong lahat!

It’s a great honor for me to represent the United States on this day when we pay tribute to the heroic Philippine and American soldiers who fought and died here on and around this mountain 77 years ago during the Battle of Bataan.  In the name of the United States, let me offer our most sincere appreciation for their sacrifice and valor, our undying admiration for their uncommon devotion to duty, and our eternal gratitude for their legacy.

Last year, the United States Embassy together with the Philippines Veterans Affairs Office hosted the first ceremony to bestow U.S. Congressional Gold Medals on 13 Philippine veterans of World War II and their families.  Similar ceremonies have occurred since then in Baguio, Iloilo, just yesterday here in Bataan.  There will be more to come.  The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor in the United States.  It is awarded in recognition of those whose services and achievements helped shape American history.  Under the authorization of the United States Congress a single unique Congressional Medal has been struck to honor the Philippine veterans of World War II.  Some are buried with thousands of Americans veterans who now lie in the American cemetery in Manila, resting alongside those with whom they fought.  Tens of thousands of Philippine soldiers and civilians, many without any formal military training, took up arms and fought side-by-side with American soldiers in defense of their homeland and for the cause of freedom.  Because of their exceptional legacy of valor, the Philippine people and the Philippine nation will always have from the people of the United States our greatest respect and our most profound thanks.

Together, today, we reflect upon their lives and pay our respects to their heroism.  The ceremony reminds us the cost of freedom is not measured in pesos and dollars, but in the sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, husbands, neighbors and friends who lost their lives to defend it.  Nearly all of those who fought and survived that terrible conflict came home with deep injuries and scars.  Many did not return at all.  To us falls the solemn duty of keeping alive their legacy, preserving their memory, and ensuring that their fight was not and will never be in vain.  In the name of the United States, with the deepest gratitude for the peace that they restored and the freedom they defended, we honor them today.  And to all of those veterans and their families, we say marami pong salamat and thank you.

Manila, April 11, 2019 — The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines partnered with the Office of the Ombudsman to train 35 anti-graft investigators and prosecutors on cyber investigations and digital evidence from March 27 to 28.

The training was implemented through the U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT) and covered the Rule on Cybercrime Warrants, digital media privacy, and digital forensics tools.  Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen delivered an in-depth briefing on privacy in digital media.  The U.S. DOJ Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) Cybercrime Laboratory Director and Senior Digital Investigative Analyst led a hands-on session on digital forensic tools using CCIPS teaching laptops that U.S. DOJ brought to the Philippines specifically for the training.  Participants learned firsthand how to preserve digital evidence, conduct basic digital analysis, and effectively present digital evidence in court.

U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission John Law opened the two-day workshop by recognizing the Office of the Ombudsman’s dedication to enhancing its cyber capabilities.  “The Ombudsman’s Office is a strong partner and is showing a forward-thinking mindset in its efforts to train its officials on digital forensics and constantly improve its investigative and prosecutorial skills,” he said.

Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente noted, “Fighting corruption in the digital age demands new tools.  Corrupt public officials take advantage of new technologies and stringent privacy law to hide their illicit activities.  The anti-cybercrime training provided by OPDAT has opened to Ombudsman investigators and prosecutors a digital toolbox for ensuring the successful detection, investigation, and prosecution of public corruption in the digital realm.”

This is the first of a planned series to train investigators and prosecutors to effectively counter public corruption using digital forensics.  It is part of the U.S. Embassy’s effort, through OPDAT, to enhance Philippine justice sector capabilities to combat transnational crimes.

Manila, February 18, 2019 — Lieutenant General Lewis A. Craparotta, Commander of U.S. Marine Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC), visited the Philippines from February 16 to 18 and emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Philippine alliance to the Indo-Pacific region.

During his visit, Craparotta met with the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. and the Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) General Alvin Parreño to discuss the U.S. Marine Corps-AFP partnership.

Craparotta joined Parreño to deliver opening remarks at the U.S. Marine Forces Pacific Marine-to-Marine Staff Talks, a bilateral exchange in which members of the U.S. and Philippine Marine Corps discuss opportunities to increase collaboration in the future.

“These Philippine Marine Corps-MARFORPAC Marine to Marine Staff Talks promote cooperation and interoperability between our forces. As the warriors from the sea and the crisis response force, we the Marines have always been ready and responsive to address the defense and security challenges of the Pacific region,” said Parreño.  “These topics also strengthen the trust and confidence that we have and promotes mutual security interests as well as contributing to global and security, peace security and stability.”

Craparotta discussed specific lines of effort outlined by former AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. and Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Philip S. Davidson, which will frame the U.S. and Philippine Marine Corps’ exercises and activities in the future.

“This week we are here to focus on training, readiness, [and] interoperability, not just for today and 2020, but really for the future,” said Craparotta. “This is a long and lasting critical partnership for the region.”

Lt. Gen. Craparotta’s visit to the Philippines, his first since taking command of MARFORPAC in August of 2018, reaffirmed the U.S. Marine Corps’ close ties with the PMC.

Bulacan, February 11, 2019 – The United States and the Philippines jointly unveiled the Outboard Motor Center of Excellence, a new maritime training facility, in Balagtas, Bulacan on February 11.  The U.S. government funded the Php 39 million facility, which will enhance the Philippine Coast Guard’s capacity to train its workforce and sustain its equipment.  The new facility consists of a classroom, a barracks, and an outboard motor maintenance lab.

U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Deputy Chief of Mission John C. Law, Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Admiral Elson E. Hermogino, and Deputy Director of the Joint Interagency Task Force-West (JIATF-W) Earl Hampton, and Commodore Jose William U. Isaga, Commander of PCG Weapons, Communications, Electronics and Information System Service, participated in ribbon cuttings for the new facility’s barracks and outboard motor classroom.

In his remarks, Law reflected on the collective U.S.-Philippine commitment to long-term success in maritime security.

“Five years ago, the Philippines embarked on a plan that would enable the rapid and effective expansion of the Philippine Coast Guard to meet your country’s needs, and the maritime challenges that you face, from promoting safety and security, protecting environmental and economic interests, [and] preventing the illicit flow of drugs and people,” said Law.  “And in those five years, you’ve made extraordinary strides to establish and implement a strategy where the PCG can support its technical training requirements for maintaining the materiel readiness and operational safety of its fleet.”

Admiral Elson E. Hermogino, Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, commented on the strategic benefits to maritime security that this facility provides.

“This project is a milestone in our effort to enhance PCG operations.  It is one of the important missions in addressing the training requirements of the organization,” said Hermogino. “This endeavor has provided the foundation [for future training] while improving our personnel learning culture.”

Funded by the JIATF-W, the Outboard Motor Center of Excellence is a joint project between the PCG, U.S. Coast Guard, the JIATF-W, the Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG), and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.  The facility was built under a local contract managed by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command.