Statement by Ambassador MaryKay Loss Carlson
United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of the Philippines

Before I arrived three and a half years ago, I spoke to every living previous U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines and numerous others to prepare for my posting. All spoke of the warmth and hospitality of the Filipino people; the importance of our shared history and values; and the rewarding and consequential work we do together as Allies and partners.   

I received great advice, but was surprised by one persistent question: “What’s your song?”   

People earnestly counseled me to select a song I would be willing to sing in public. But I had never sung karaoke! Thankfully, I quickly learned that renowned Filipino hospitality extends to being very forgiving of one’s vocal range.   

It’s not about how well you sing; it’s about the shared experience that helps build meaningful relationships. In the Philippines, contacts become colleagues; colleagues become friends; and friends become family.     

Building and maintaining trust is essential in every strong relationship. To me, that’s diplomacy: building relationships of trust born of mutual respect to achieve common objectives based on shared values.   

The U.S.-Philippines relationship as friends, partners, and allies has never been stronger or more consequential. I am heartened to hear that a recent poll shows 82 percent of Filipinos trust the United States as their premier security partner. The sheer number of visits and engagements by senior-level U.S. officials and business leaders demonstrates the importance Americans place on relations with the Philippines.   

Our relationship shapes lives, drives progress and prosperity, and secures futures on both sides of the Pacific. Strong people-to-people and cultural ties enrich our lives. I’ve seen this in our shared obsession with basketball and our love of good food – I’ll miss the fresh mangoes and lumpia! Over 170 Peace Corps Volunteers serve across this beautiful country. Our many exchange programs advance key issues like civil nuclear cooperation – something made possible through the oldest continually operating Fulbright Commission in the world.  

Our two countries have worked together – “on hyperdrive” – to achieve progress in trade and economic cooperation, bolstering our shared prosperity. Multiple U.S. trade missions opened new avenues for investment and partnership. We launched the Luzon Economic Corridor in collaboration with Japan, driving infrastructure development, job creation, and sustainable growth.  

In 2025 alone, the United States committed more than $313 million in foreign assistance to the Philippines to stop the spread of disease, promote maternal and child health, counter illegal fishing, foster energy security, and promote economic development.   

On the military and security front, our ironclad Alliance is stronger than ever, ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. We increased the complexity and size of our premier annual exercise, Balikatan, and established Task Force Philippines to facilitate comprehensive, archipelagic defense and disaster response coordination. 

Together we engaged in more than 500 security-related activities and exercises in each of the last three years – enhancing joint interoperability and readiness to deter emerging threats. Significant U.S. support for defense modernization included new funding and technology transfers to strengthen the capabilities of the Philippine Armed Forces and Coast Guard.  

The United States introduced targeted maritime assistance programs, promoting freedom of navigation and countering coercion in the West Philippine Sea. And we stood together to save lives with military airlifts that delivered family food packs and emergency supplies to Filipinos throughout the country.   

In 2026, the United States and the Philippines have much to celebrate: 80 years of diplomatic ties, the 75th anniversary of our Mutual Defense Treaty, America’s 250th birthday, the Philippines’ ASEAN chair year, and the tenth anniversary of the landmark UNCLOS ruling upholding Philippine maritime claims. While I will no longer be in the U.S. Ambassador’s chair, I’ll continue to champion U.S.-Philippines ties, confident that our hard-working embassy teams and vast network of American and Filipino friends, partners, and allies will continue to build relationships of trust that benefit our nations.    

So, what’s my song? Over the last three-plus years, I sang Louis Armstrong’s “A Kiss to Build a Dream On” many times (because it’s short and has a long instrumental interlude!). But as I depart the Philippines, the quintessential Filipino holiday tune “Kumukutikutitap” by Ryan Cayabyab is the song I take in my heart – along with fond memories of sparkling parols, friends and family, and the sheer joy that accompanies the longest Christmas season in the world!     

Serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines has been an honor – the highlight of my forty-year career. Maraming, maraming salamat at hanggang sa muli.    

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.”   

U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson
Remarks at the Manila Dialogue on the South China Sea
“Peace and Stability in the South China Sea: The Stakes of the International Community” Panel
November 8, 2024

(As prepared)

Good morning! Many thanks to the Philippine National Security Council, the Philippine Coast Guard, and Pacific Forum for organizing this important event. And thank you to Ambassador Romualdez for opening the discussion. I’m honored to join this panel with Dindo and my colleagues.

The United States, the Philippines, and our likeminded partners share a common vision for a free, open, prosperous, connected, and resilient Indo-Pacific region. Standing up for the rules-based order in the South China Sea is an integral part of advancing this shared vision. This is why the United States has been unequivocal in supporting the historic 2016 Arbitral Tribunal decision, a milestone that affirmed the rights of the Philippines in the South China Sea as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Philippines and the United States are not alone – many nations have expressed support for the 2016 ruling, which, as set out in the text of the Convention, is final and legally binding on both the Philippines and the PRC. This is in part because of the implication of the ruling for the international community. By firmly rejecting the PRC’s expansive maritime claims and affirming the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the South China Sea, the Tribunal showed that international law is more than just a concept and that it applies to all countries regardless of their relative economic or military power. The great Philippine diplomat and statesman, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario, characterized it best. International law, he said, “allows the weak to challenge the powerful on an equal footing, confident in the conviction that principles trump power; that law triumphs over force; and that right prevails over might.”

The PRC has taken the opposite approach – “might makes right” – giving preference to big nations over small ones, as if this concept should be taken as “just a fact of life.” Despite the indisputable fact that the decision is final and legally binding on the parties to the dispute, the PRC continually rejects the tribunal’s ruling in its rhetoric and actions that clearly violate international law. The world has witnessed the PRC’s increasingly dangerous and escalatory actions over the past 18 months, as it unlawfully asserted a claim to territorial sovereignty over vast areas of ocean space, violently interfering with the Philippines’ high seas freedom of navigation in the waters, especially near Second Thomas Shoal, known here in the Philippines as Ayungin.

The PRC’s target is not only the Philippines, but also the lawful sovereign rights and jurisdiction over natural resources of Vietnam, Indonesia, and other ASEAN coastal states. Use of water cannons, ramming, and other aggressive actions demonstrate a disregard for lives and livelihoods. This further demonstrates that the PRC is unwilling to abide by international law – which rejects the PRC’s expansive maritime claims and supports the sovereign rights of the ASEAN South China Sea coastal States.

Upholding international law in the South China Sea – in addition to being the right thing to do from a legal standpoint – supports global prosperity. The Arbitral award affirmed that in vast maritime areas of the South China Sea, all nations enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight under international law, providing the legal foundation for trade, investment, and economic activity to thrive in the Indo-Pacific region. The South China Sea has some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, through which approximately one-third of the global economy runs. Total annual trade flowing through the South China Sea is estimated to be nearly $4 trillion U.S. dollars. It is also home to abundant biodiversity, and accounts for 12 percent of the global fish catch, generating $100 billion annually and supporting the livelihoods and critical dietary needs of millions. Zooming out, the Indo-Pacific region accounts for 60 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of global economic growth. Respect for freedom of the seas in the South China Sea is essential for this robust economic activity to continue.

I’m honored to sit with fellow representatives of countries who have made clear their support for the Philippines, the continued efficacy of international law, and for a free and open Indo-Pacific. We are far from alone. More and more nations – from East Asia to Western Europe – have spoken out to support the Philippines, uphold international law, and urge the PRC to cease escalatory and dangerous actions that impede the exercise of freedom of navigation and overflight from which all nations benefit. We are proud to be among the chorus of nations that have consistently lent their voices to supporting the Philippines and calling out unlawful and escalatory behavior. The collective voice of the international community is loud and getting louder, and it speaks to our common resolve in support of international law and the standards that benefit us all. We saw this common resolve in action this past September, when over 20 countries gathered on the margins of the UN General Assembly for a Ministerial discussion on maritime safety and security in the Asia-Pacific.

This panel carries the subtitle “the stakes of the international community.” It is clear: the stakes and the consequences are high. But together, as “friends, partners, and allies,” with international law on our side, we are determined to protect the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.

Thank you. Maraming, maraming salamat po.

Remarks at the Stratbase Forum on the 8th Year of the Arbitral Victory

Friday, July 12, 2024

(As prepared)

Magandang umaga!  Good morning!  Thank you to Stratbase, a valued partner of the U.S. Embassy, for inviting me to speak – and to this distinguished group for coming together to commemorate the eight-year anniversary of the Philippines’ victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

The significance of the July 12, 2016, Arbitral ruling extends well beyond the Philippines.  It stands as a milestone for all who seek a prosperous, inclusive, and secure Indo‑Pacific and who undertake to uphold the rule of law around the world.

While discussions about the Arbitral decision, which ruled overwhelmingly in favor of the Philippines, often emphasize its crucial impact on security (as former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario put it, “the equalizing power of international law”), today I would like to highlight its contributions to global prosperity, another crucial contribution of the ruling.

The Arbitral award was a milestone in setting out the legal rights and lawful maritime entitlements of the Philippines and the PRC in the South China Sea, clarifying extensive maritime areas where the Philippines enjoys sovereign rights and jurisdiction over natural resources in its exclusive economic zone and on its continental shelf.  At the same time, it memorialized vast maritime areas where all nations enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight under international law, providing the legal foundation for trade, investment, and economic activity to thrive in the Indo-Pacific region.

The South China Sea is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, facilitating over three trillion U.S. dollars in annual trade.  It is also home to abundant biodiversity and accounts for 12 percent of the global fish catch, supporting the livelihoods of millions.  So the stakes and the impact are high.

The Indo-Pacific region accounts for 60 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of global economic growth.  U.S. companies continue to be the top source of foreign direct investment in the Indo-Pacific with nearly one trillion dollars in U.S. investments; and trade between the United States and the region exceeded two trillion dollars.  A trusted international legal framework is essential for this robust economic activity to continue.

The United States is committed to expanding trade and investment between our two countries to strengthen both our economies.  The United States is already the Philippines’ largest export market.  American companies are among the Philippines’ largest and oldest investors, private employers, and taxpayers.  Our commercial ties have created hundreds of thousands of Filipino jobs.

In the first half of this year, we have reached new heights in reaffirming the United States’s steadfast commitment to the U.S.-Philippine economic relationship.  Following their historic Trilateral Leaders’ Summit, President Biden, President Marcos, and Prime Minister Kishida jointly announced the Luzon Economic Corridor, part of the PGI IPEF Investment Accelerator, that will promote port, rail, and digital infrastructure projects in the Philippines.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo led a first-of-its-kind Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to Manila, highlighting more than one billion dollars in combined investments that promote the Philippines’ innovation economy, clean energy transition, and supply chain resilience.  In May, we and the Philippines co-hosted the sixth Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Manila.  President Marcos became the first head of state to address the Forum, and over 700 senior executives, officials, and journalists from across the region attended, launching 20 million dollars in new U.S. economic programs, and celebrating over five billion dollars in new U.S. investment in the region.

Secretary Blinken highlighted partnerships in the semiconductor sector during his visit in March, and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) CEO Alice Albright’s visit this year jumpstarted development of a new Philippine MCC Threshold Program.

All the engagements and plans above depend on stable legal structures and international norms, including with regard to the Law of the Sea.  The Philippines has the right to fully leverage its resources on land and at sea in pursuit of economic growth.  With the 2016 Arbitral ruling, the Philippines secured a final and legally binding decision that validates the country’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, including around Second Thomas Shoal.

As we have often heard President Marcos say, economic security is national security.  For the past eight years, the Arbitral award has been a lynchpin in the Philippines’ national security vision for a peaceful and prosperous archipelagic nation – one that the United States steadfastly supports.

The United States is proud to stand with the Philippines as we work together to bolster our 73-year-old alliance.  Described as “ironclad” and “on hyperdrive,” our alliance grows stronger by the day through 500 joint exercises and other engagements every year.  We have deliberately and decisively built up the connective tissue of the Alliance over decades, exercising it frequently, keeping it fit and stronger than ever.  As Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Indo‑Pacific Ely Ratner said just yesterday during public remarks in Washington, and I quote, “We have elevated the U.S.-Philippines alliance to stand among our most vital defense partnerships in the world.”

I could offer many examples over the past year alone to demonstrate ways in which the United States and the Philippines have routinely operationalized our commitments – supporting capacity-building programs to enhance maritime domain awareness and improving the ability of civilian and military vessels to routinely fly, sail, and operate anywhere that international law allows.

One cornerstone of our ironclad alliance is the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, that enables Filipino and American forces to train together more closely, to modernize, and to respond to shared threats, including natural disasters.  To date through EDCA, we have invested about 120 million dollars, or seven billion pesos, to repair runways, build disaster response warehouses, and improve critical infrastructure.  These investments also spur economic growth and opportunity in local communities.

We have expanded networks of support for the Philippines and a free and open Indo-Pacific.  The United States, the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Canada, and France have engaged in a series of multilateral maritime cooperative activities in an unprecedented show of solidarity.  Sailing together sends a clear message:  that we are all committed to upholding freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law.  We are also encouraged by the opportunities enabled by the reciprocal access agreement announced this week between Japan and the Philippines.  To quote ASD Ratner again, “The future we’re striving for is one with greater interoperability and cooperation among likeminded Indo-Pacific partners, and this means enhanced reciprocal access, more participation in larger and more complex regional exercises, greater investment together in advanced capabilities – and the Philippines stands at an intersection of all of that.”

With the backing of an increasingly interconnected latticework of alliances and partnerships, the United States continues to urge the PRC to cease escalatory and dangerous harassment of Philippine vessels lawfully operating in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone; to stop infringing on the Philippines’ rights to explore, conserve, and manage natural resources; and to cease interfering with freedom of navigation and overflight of all states lawfully operating in the region.  Secretary of State Blinken reasserted our call on the PRC to abide by the 2016 ruling in a statement just this morning.  We applaud President Marcos and the Government of the Philippines for defending the well-being of its servicemembers on the BRP Sierra Madre.  It was my honor at WESCOM on Wednesday this week to meet with Admiral Torres and his team and to address the crew of LS57 via video conference to thank them for the important role they play in defending Philippine rights – and by extension, the rights of all of us – under international law.

We are proud to be among the chorus of nations that have consistently lent their voices to calling out incidents of aggression.  The volume of condemnation from the international community is loud and getting louder, and it speaks to our common resolve in support of the international rules and norms that benefit us all.

I want to thank Stratbase and Dindo again for inviting me to speak to you today.  I am confident the efforts we undertake together will continue to strengthen the U.S.‑Philippine relationship as friends, partners, and allies.

By Ambassador MaryKay Carlson 

On the Fourth of July – U.S. Independence Day and Philippine-American Friendship Day – we look back on what the U.S.-Philippine partnership has achieved over the past twelve months.  We’ve reached incredible milestones together as friends, partners, and allies, setting a bold agenda to build a more secure and prosperous future for our peoples. 

The Trilateral Leaders’ Summit among President Biden, President Marcos, and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida in Washington was a historic moment in a year of exceptional achievements.  The leaders committed to advancing the security and prosperity of all three nations, the Indo-Pacific region, and the world through cooperation on economic growth, critical technologies, the digital economy, climate and clean energy, infrastructure, and peace and security.  They announced the Luzon Economic Corridor under the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Investment Accelerator, which will support transformative public and private investments from Subic Bay to Batangas – home to 40 percent of the Philippines’ population and 50 percent of its economic activity.  The three leaders also announced $8 million for Open Radio Access Network (RAN) field trials that will pave the way for more affordable and secure telecommunications. 

As President Marcos has said, economic security is national security.  Our commitment to bring greater private investment to the Philippines is multifaceted.  In March, Secretary of Commerce Raimondo led the first-ever Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines, where U.S. firms announced more than $1 billion in investments in key sectors and new partnerships to help develop a future-ready Philippine workforce.  We built on these engagements in May during the Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Manila, where the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to a Filipino company to deliver affordable, high-quality internet connectivity to underserved communities in the Philippines.   

We are accelerating investment in the Philippines with the introduction of new tools and resources.  Later this year, the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) plans to open a Manila office, its fifth location in the Indo-Pacific region.  This new office underscores DFC’s growing focus on the Philippines in critical sectors such as renewable energy, agriculture, critical minerals, and infrastructure.   

The Millennium Challenge Corporation returned to the Philippines this year and now has a team on the ground to co-develop a threshold program.  This program identifies key constraints to economic growth and creates favorable conditions for new investments from the private sector and development partners.   

The United States is committed to supporting the Philippines’ clean energy transition.  Last November, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Week in San Francisco, Secretaries Lotilla and Blinken signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement, or “123 Agreement,” facilitating U.S.-Philippine cooperation to responsibly develop a peaceful, sustainable nuclear energy program.  The Philippines Department of Energy (DOE) and the Philippine-American Educational Foundation are creating scholarships and academic exchanges on nuclear power and clean energy, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is partnering with DOE to develop a comprehensive civil nuclear energy policy.   

USAID partnered with the Philippine government to launch its first Green Energy Auction Program, in which private sector companies compete to offer the most affordable prices to supply renewable energy to the grid, driving billions of dollars in investments and increasing renewable energy capacity by 65 percent by 2026.  The U.S. Departments of State and Energy also launched the U.S.-Philippine Energy Policy Dialogue to deepen cooperation in this field.    

Our military alliance continues to flourish.  We have improved our bilateral exercises and established new ways to work together to address 21st century security challenges, such as cyber defense.  We have reinvigorated our maritime cooperation, conducting joint naval engagements alongside Australia, Canada, France, and Japan.  The United States continues to expand funding to help modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines.   

Underpinning all these important endeavors are close and meaningful bonds of friendship and family ties that form not only the foundation upon which our relations are based, but a springboard for reaching new heights in the future. 

On this day last year, I hailed the positive momentum in U.S.-Philippine relations.  Since then, that momentum has accelerated significantly.   As Secretary Blinken described it during his most recent visit to Manila, the U.S.-Philippine relationship is on hyperdrive and has never been stronger.  Let’s see what we can accomplish in the next twelve months! 

Remarks at the Stratbase Event on the 7th Year of the Arbitral Victory

July 12, 2023

(As Prepared)

Strengthening the U.S.-Philippine Alliance in the Age of Uncertainty

Good afternoon!  It is a pleasure to be here with Stratbase—a great partner of the U.S. Embassy—and this distinguished group to discuss the U.S.-Philippine Alliance as part of the commemoration to mark the seven-year anniversary of the Philippines’ victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

There is another anniversary that the United States and the Philippines are celebrating this year, the 75th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program, which is the flagship international scholarship program sponsored by the U.S. government.  It was established by Senator J. William Fulbright and the United States Congress, with an ambitious goal—to increase mutual understanding and support friendly, peaceful relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.  The Fulbright scholarship program in the Philippines has the distinction of being the longest continuously running Fulbright program in the world—a testament to the strong and enduring ties between our countries.

What is the connection between these two anniversaries, you might ask.  Well, let me read you a quote from Senator Fulbright, who was the longest-serving chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and by coincidence, a native son of my home state of Arkansas.  Senator Fulbright said, and I quote, “International law provides us with stability and order, and a means of predicting the behavior of those with whom we have reciprocal legal obligations.”  End quote.

International law draws from centuries of agreements and standards of conduct governing relations between sovereign states.  It underpins the rules-based international order—a system that benefits all nations, small, medium, or large.  Eight years ago this month, on July 7, 2015, the great Philippine diplomat, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert Del Rosario, whose legacy we honor today, addressed a distinguished panel of jurists in the Philippines-China Law of the Sea Convention arbitration, where he cited “the equalizing power of international law.”  International law, he said, “allows the weak to challenge the powerful on an equal footing, confident in the conviction that principles trump power; that law triumphs over force; and that right prevails over might.”  Like the Philippines, the United States believes that all countries, large and small, should play by the same rules, and that large countries should not be allowed to bully smaller ones.

The 2016 arbitral ruling which Secretary Del Rosario championed emanates from the rules-based international order that has provided peace, stability, and prosperity for our nations for decades.  The 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, whose provisions the arbitral tribunal applied and vindicated, is fundamental to the peaceful and predictable use of the world’s oceans.  I’m sure that I don’t need to explain to this audience that peace and stability in the South China Sea are vital to the entire world, including to the global economy.  We have a strategic interest in upholding the rights of all countries in the maritime domain, including the rights of South China Sea claimants to exercise their sovereign rights and jurisdiction in their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves, and of all users of the sea to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the seas.

The South China Sea has become one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, with total annual trade flowing through the South China Sea estimated to be more than three trillion U.S. dollars.  The South China Sea basin is estimated to hold 11 billion barrels of untapped oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, at least some of which is near Palawan.  More than half of the globe’s oil tankers and other raw materials pass through the South China Sea.  The South China Sea also accounts for 12 percent of the global fish catch, which is estimated to generate $100 billion annually or, 5.5 trillion pesos, and which supports the livelihoods of 3.7 million people and the dietary requirements of millions more.  The South China Sea is a key thoroughfare for undersea cables and is therefore pivotal for the continued secure flow of data.  Clearly, the South China Sea matters to all of us.

With the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, the Philippines secured a final and legally binding decision that validates the country’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf, in a ruling that found the PRC’s maritime claims and actions to enforce those claims in the South China Sea were inconsistent with international law.

In support of the Tribunal’s 2016 decision, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said, “The United States and our Indo-Pacific allies and partners are committed to preserving a system where goods, ideas, and people flow freely across land, sky, cyberspace, and the open seas.”  We applaud the tribunal’s decision that the PRC’s “nine dash line” maritime claims are unlawful, rejecting the PRC’s putative claim to so-called historic rights in the South China Sea as well as its claims to maritime entitlements based on PRC-designated island groups.  With the arbitral ruling, international law won out, protecting a nation’s sovereign and economic rights, just as Senator Fulbright said.

In terms of U.S. policy regarding this vitally important region, I want to reiterate that the United States calls for claimants to resolve territorial and maritime claims peacefully and in accordance with international law.  With respect to maritime claims, we have consistently maintained that all South China Sea claimants should comport claims with international law as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.

So, what is the United States doing to protect this critical maritime area?  I would like to highlight three key lines of effort that I think describe well U.S. policy in the South China Sea.  First, our diplomacy.  Together with likeminded partners like the Philippines, we are promoting respect for international law and the rules-based order, freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded commerce, and the need for peaceful settlement of disputes.

Second, our maritime capacity-building programs.  We support maritime capacity-building programs for the region’s militaries and maritime law enforcement agencies, including a robust array of activities with the Philippines.  These programs enhance countries’ maritime domain awareness and improve their ability to patrol their claims—actions which we believe further promote peace and stability.

And, third and finally, I want to highlight our own operations conducted by the U.S. military, including freedom of navigation operations and routine presence operations, which demonstrate that all countries have the right to fly, sail, and operate anywhere that international law allows.  And we’ve been doing just that in the South China Sea and around the world on a daily basis for many years.

In this context, I’d like to share some thoughts on the key role played by the vitally important U.S.-Philippine relationship in preserving an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, and prosperous.  I was asked, specifically, to talk about “Strengthening the U.S.-Philippine Alliance in the Age of Uncertainty.”

One of the ways the United States and the Philippines strengthen our alliance is by placing a premium on sustaining an international system based on international law.   Our focus on international law is reflected in our foreign policies and can be seen in our enduring commitment to the U.S.-Philippine Alliance, based on the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.  We share a common vision for a region governed by the rule of law, freedom of navigation, and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all nations.  These shared values, with their echoes in the United Nations Charter, keep our Alliance vibrant and meaningful even after seven decades.

The Philippines is our oldest treaty ally in East Asia.  But age has not dimmed the vitality of our relationship.  To this day, the ironclad U.S.-Philippine Alliance provides a strong framework for how we work together to address common threats.  It remains a bulwark in our regional security network—in a world beset by many uncertainties, our commitment to the U.S.-Philippine alliance is not one of them!

When we look at Southeast Asia, from geography to demographics to the economy, we see that what happens in the Philippines is critical to what happens in the Indo-Pacific and the world.   Unfortunately, in the past few years we have seen increasing threats to the region.  These include challenges to the rules-based international order via provocations in the South China Sea.  In February, for example, the Chinese Coast Guard used a laser device against the crew of a Philippines Coast Guard vessel.  And two months later, a China Coast Guard ship then blocked a Philippine patrol vessel with a group of journalists onboard, in the vicinity of Second Thomas Shoal.  Just a few weeks ago, the Philippine Coast Guard reported an unsafe maneuver conducted by a China Coast Guard vessel.  Such provocations, in addition to threatening freedom of navigation and overflight, have other consequences, including increased environmental degradation, reduced energy security, and a less stable investment climate, all of which directly and negatively affect lives and livelihoods.

To better respond to the full range of shared challenges—including natural disasters—in the Philippines and across the Indo-Pacific region, the United States and the Philippines announced earlier this year our plans to accelerate the implementation of projects under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, and to designate four new locations.  We expect to allocate more than $107 million, or roughly five-and-a-half billion pesos, in infrastructure investments at EDCA sites by the end of this fiscal year.  The EDCA enhancements provide a means for force modernization for the Philippines, and they also improve our combined forces’ interoperability.  Under the agreement, U.S. forces may access EDCA locations in the Philippines on a rotational basis for security cooperation exercises, joint and combined military training activities, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities, and other mutually-agreed-upon activities.  I want to underscore here that the goal of EDCA is to strengthen the U.S.-Philippine Alliance, which stands on its own and is not focused on any single threat, country, or issue. 

The United States has awarded the vast majority of contracts supporting EDCA construction to Philippine companies, generating economic growth in local Philippine communities and building lasting friendships between the United States and Philippines.  Current active projects employ five Philippine contracting companies and scores of Filipino workers. 

The projects supported by EDCA funding also have a positive economic knock-on effect at the local level, as growth in direct employment means more indirect employment and business growth for those companies—especially small-scale enterprises—providing services nearby.  The United States, led by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is consulting local governments and communities near EDCA locations on potential community-based activities, including biodiversity conservation, and energy security. 

Another way we are strengthening the U.S.-Philippine Alliance is through a robust series of military engagements and activities, including the largest-ever iteration of our premier bilateral military exercise, Balikatan, which this year saw over 17,000 U.S. and Filipino troops exercising together, and also involved some 100 Australian Defense Force personnel, and observers from 11 other countries. 

During President Marcos’s trip to Washington D.C., we also announced the establishment of our first-ever Bilateral Defense Guidelines.  The publication of these guidelines may seem technical, but it is in fact a significant step in making sure our alliance is able to meet 21st century security threats.  I like to think of these guidelines as a sort of “user’s manual” for our seven-decade-old Mutual Defense Treaty, fostering a common understanding of our respective roles and responsibilities and identifying priority areas for defense cooperation.  If the Mutual Defense Treaty is the “why” that defines our Alliance, the Bilateral Defense Guidelines seek to explain the “how,” advancing our efforts to operationalize our commitments. 

In addition to being steadfast friends and ironclad Allies, the United States and the Philippines are also committed economic partners.  The Arbitral ruling is an essential piece of that partnership, too, as it provides the legal underpinnings for trade, investment, and all manner of economic activity.  The Philippines has the right to fully leverage its resources in pursuit of economic growth and prosperity.   

As President Marcos has said, economic security is national security.  The threat of IUU fishing and environmental degradation are two development challenges the United States and the Philippines are addressing together, as partners.  For the past 60 years, the U.S. government, through USAID, has worked with the Philippine government and local organizations to achieve shared development goals.   

Since 1961, USAID has invested nearly 290 billion pesos to support Philippine development priorities.  USAID actively works with the Philippines to fight IUU fishing, protect the environment, and respond to the effects of climate change.  For example, with USAID’s support, more than 600 women fish farmers in Palawan are applying improved techniques to collect and process fish.  This work is generating substantial, sustainable income, providing them hope for a better tomorrow, and preserving the fragile ecosystem in the South China Sea for future generations.   

We are committed to expanding trade and investment between our two countries to strengthen our economies.  The United States is already the Philippines largest export market, and among the country’s largest investors.  These commercial ties have created hundreds of thousands of Filipino jobs.  Bilateral trade has hit records the past two years, and we expect to reach a new record this year.  American companies are among the Philippines’ largest and oldest investors, private employers, and taxpayers.  Our companies create wealth and jobs, but also contribute other long-term benefits—such as workforce training and technology transfer. 

An important outcome of our Presidents’ meeting in Washington in early May was the announcement by President Biden of the first-of-its-kind Presidential Trade and Investment Mission that he plans to dispatch to the Philippines.  Led by the U.S. Department of Commerce, this mission will focus on priority sectors such as the Philippines’ innovation economy, clean energy transition, critical minerals, and agriculture and food security.  ​​     ​ 

What makes our Alliance and economic and development partnership work?  Our people-to-people ties.  It is clear that the positive tone in our friendship is set at the very top.   We were honored to hear President Marcos say that he cannot imagine the Philippines’ future without a close bond with the United States.  America feels the same about the Philippines.   

U.S.-Philippine people-to-people ties have flourished thanks to programs like the Fulbright scholarships.  But government-sponsored programs are just the tip of the iceberg.  Every year, more than 3,000 Filipinos head to the United States to study at some of the world’s leading colleges and universities—including law schools.  The friendships among the peoples of our nations, the free flow of ideas, and the value we place on democracy and rule of law—this is what undergirds the U.S.-Philippine Alliance, what keeps it strong and resilient. 

Ultimately, our Alliance is guided by our enduring commitment to democratic values.  Our shared reverence for the rule of law is why we continue to strive together for peace, stability, and prosperity in the South China Sea, the Indo-Pacific, and beyond.  And it is why we take time to commemorate the Arbitral ruling—a victory for the rules-based international order that benefits all nations equally, regardless of size.      

I want to thank Stratbase and Dindo again for inviting me to speak to you today.  I am confident the efforts we undertake together will continue to strengthen the U.S.-Philippine relationship as friends, partners, and allies. 

by U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson

This July 4, Americans all over the world are celebrating the 247th anniversary of U.S. independence.  Here in the Philippines, we are also commemorating the 69th Philippine-American Friendship Day, making July 4 doubly special – a time to celebrate all that the Philippines and the United States have accomplished together as steadfast friends, partners in prosperity, and ironclad allies. 

Since I arrived in July last year, I’ve had the opportunity to see the deep, multifaceted U.S.-Philippine relationship at work.  During a recent trip to Cebu, I met talented new friends from the vibrant network of U.S. exchange alumni in the Visayas.  In Ilocos Norte, I learned how our development efforts are improving energy efficiency standards, a key part of the Philippines’ clean energy transition.  Last October, I had the honor to share the stage with President Marcos in Tacloban to commemorate the Leyte Gulf landing, honoring our shared history; while during a recent visit to Isabela province, I witnessed how U.S. and Philippine troops are working together today to modernize our alliance – training at Camp Melchor Dela Cruz.  These trips and the many other milestones mark strong momentum in U.S.-Philippine relations.

This year’s highlight in our bilateral ties was the resoundingly successful visit to Washington, D.C. by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.  During President Marcos’s Oval Office meeting with President Biden, our leaders discussed the full spectrum of our relationship as friends, partners, and allies.  President Biden reaffirmed our ironclad commitment to the Alliance and announced a first-of-its-kind Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines.  Our leaders also discussed new efforts to promote clean energy, expand science and technology cooperation, and protect the environment.  President Marcos also met with multiple U.S. cabinet members.  I was particularly struck by the lively, substantive discussion President Marcos had with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, resulting in innovative programs to tackle food and nutrition insecurity.

This year, we also saw the successful conclusion of the largest, most complex iteration of Exercise Balikatan.  Over 17,000 troops from the United States and the Philippines, as well as a contingent from Australia, trained shoulder-to-shoulder on land, at sea, in the air, and – for the first time – in cyberspace.  Together, we announced four new locations where our countries will make investments to improve Philippine military infrastructure and capabilities under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA.  Projects implemented at these EDCA locations will advance the Philippine Armed Forces’ modernization goals and bring tangible economic benefits to local communities, creating jobs and opportunities for local businesses.  The Philippines is the largest recipient of U.S. security assistance in the Indo-Pacific.  Strengthening our Alliance helps secure peace and prosperity for our peoples.  

U.S.-Philippine economic partnerships are flourishing.  In May, I visited two top-tier U.S. businesses in Cebu, Timex and Teradyne.  Like many U.S. companies operating in the Philippines, Timex and Teradyne provide thousands of Filipinos with high-quality, high-paying jobs – including as managers and executives.  U.S. businesses value the talent of the Filipino workforce and, more and more, are looking to the Philippines as an attractive place to trade and invest.  For example, Moderna has chosen the Philippines as its first-ever operational hub in Asia.  We look forward to building on this momentum as partners in prosperity. 

The United States is committed to supporting the Philippines’ growth and development goals.  Through USAID, the United States recently invested one billion pesos to help small and medium-sized enterprises compete in the country’s e-commerce ecosystem.  This investment helps build a robust, inclusive, secure, and resilient digital economy.  USAID is also supporting the Philippine government and private sector to increase access to fast and reliable internet across the archipelago, train Filipino workers to meet the evolving requirements of the high-tech manufacturing sector, and help youth develop the skills they need to succeed. 

This Fourth of July, I hope you’ll agree we have much to celebrate!

Manila, January 17, 2023—On January 11, the United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), launched a five-year, one billion peso ($18 million) partnership with the Philippine government to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) transition to mature e-commerce businesses.

The Strengthening Private Enterprises for the Digital Economy (SPEED) project will expand the participation of Philippine SMEs in the country’s emerging e-commerce ecosystem by improving their capacity to adopt digital technologies; supporting the integration of SMEs and e-commerce platforms in logistical supply chains; increasing the use of e-payment systems and other fintech innovations; and strengthening consumer awareness and protection.

SPEED supports the U.S. government’s goal to help the Philippines develop a robust, secure, and resilient digital economy as a key to drive post-pandemic recovery and long-term economic growth for the country.

“As we all know, COVID-19 has fundamentally altered the way we do things, accelerating the shift toward e-commerce, digital platforms, and the digital economy of the post-pandemic world,” Ambassador Carlson said at the launching event attended by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe Medalla, and partners from government and the private sector.  “SPEED signals the U.S. government’s strong commitment to supporting the Philippine government’s vision of a digital Philippines.”

“Key in DTI’s support to scale MSMEs is to help them overcome constraints to their access to technology.  We aim to enable MSMEs to embrace digital transformation.  This way, I believe DTI and USAID’s directions to enhance SME capacities align,” DTI Secretary Pascual said.   In his remarks, he also emphasized DTI’s support to the development of the government’s E-commerce Adoption Platform, and their planned Supply Chain Digitalization Project that aims to digitize logistics and supply chains around the country.

“The BSP is optimistic that the programs under SPEED will further support the BSP’s Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap objective to convert at least 50 percent of retail payment transactions to digital form by the end of 2023,” BSP Governor Medalla noted.  “Collaborations and partnerships such as this will contribute toward a more resilient and stronger Philippine economy that promotes a high quality of life for all Filipinos.”

During the event, private sector partners led by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry also launched the Philippine E-Commerce Alliance.  Established with the support of USAID, this private sector-led coalition will facilitate the development of a national business agenda for digital transformation and inclusion.

By U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson

The last five months of 2022 coincided with my first five months serving as U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines – an exciting time marked by non-stop engagements that strengthened our ironclad relationship as friends, partners, and allies.  

Only three weeks after I presented my credentials to newly elected President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Philippines. Numerous other high-level exchanges between our two countries followed. President Marcos met with President Biden in New York in September. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III met with DND Officer-in-Charge Jose Faustino Jr. twice soon thereafter, in Hawaii and in Cambodia.  

Many other senior U.S. officials met Philippine leaders from government, business, and civil society in 2022, including a 28-company trade mission from the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, a Congressional delegation led by Senator Ed Markey, multiple State Department officials, the Secretary of the Navy, and a constellation of Generals and Admirals from the U.S. military. These visits culminated with Vice President Kamala Harris’s historic trip to the Philippines in November, when, in addition to meeting with President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, she became the most senior U.S. official ever to visit Palawan.  

In my 37 years as a diplomat, I have never seen this level of bilateral engagement in such a short period of time. It is a testament to the significance of our relationship. And if what we see on the calendar for the new year is any indicator, our ties will continue to flourish in 2023.    

All of us at the U.S. Embassy are committed to strengthening the U.S.-Philippine relationship, a cornerstone of the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. We are excited that the Philippines became a founding partner in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, and we look forward to expanding our collaboration during the U.S. APEC host year. This week, the U.S. Embassy will highlight the rich U.S.-Philippine economic partnership during the fifth Indo-Pacific Business Forum (IPBF), the U.S. government’s premier annual regional event to promote trade, investment, and economic cooperation. The United States is the largest market for Philippine goods and services in the world, and the IPBF will highlight the Philippines’ role as an essential economic partner in multiple sectors. We are honored by the many Filipino leaders from government and the private sector who will join us for this event.  

Later this month, officials from the U.S. State and Defense departments will lead a senior U.S. interagency delegation to the annual U.S.-Philippine Bilateral Strategic Dialogue. The delegation will meet with representatives from the Departments of Foreign Affairs and National Defense, and other Philippine government partners to strategize about ways to advance cooperation in multiple fields, including energy and food security, defense, support for the judiciary, protecting the environment, and enhancing people-to-people ties. 

In April, the U.S. and Philippine militaries will begin Exercise Balikatan 23, the largest joint military exercise in the history of our Alliance. Our forces will work shoulder-to-shoulder on shared operations and tactics on land, at sea, and in the air. Philippine and U.S. forces will also conduct multiple humanitarian and civic assistance projects during the exercise, including school renovations and health engagements with local communities. Balikatan 23 will highlight the ironclad U.S.-Philippine Alliance as a source of strength and stability for our peoples and others in the Indo-Pacific.   

2023 will also be a year to celebrate a milestone in bilateral ties: the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright program in the Philippines, and of people-to-people exchanges between our countries. Fulbright Philippines is the oldest continuously operating Fulbright program in the world. The program was the first in a rich array of exchanges with the Philippines, including the International Visitors Leadership Program, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, and many other programs. Thousands of Filipinos and Americans have benefitted from these exchanges and brought those benefits back to their communities. We are also excited to welcome Peace Corps volunteers back to the Philippines this year. 

Every day, the U.S. Embassy team and I strive to channel the positive momentum in U.S.-Philippine relations to advance our shared priorities. The economic, political, security, and cultural efforts highlighted above represent just a fraction of what we expect to do in 2023. The work we do together with our Filipino friends, partners, and allies is important: the U.S.-Philippine relationship is central to ensuring an Indo-Pacific region that is free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient.

I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together in 2023 and beyond.

Manila, October 28, 2022—On October 28, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson visited Zamboanga City to address local university students and meet with key leaders to reaffirm the longstanding friendship between Americans and Filipinos.

At Western Mindanao State University (WMSU), Ambassador Carlson engaged with 200 students as part of WMSU’s pilot “Friends, Partners, Allies Speaker Series.”  She told the students that the foundation of the bilateral relationship with the Philippines is the “friendship that is based upon our deep and vibrant people-to-people ties.”

“I thank the people of Zamboanga City for their hospitality.  Our strong friendship makes my first visit here particularly special,” said Ambassador Carlson.  “Our friendship energizes our work on a number of issues, such as health.  I know that we will continue to work together to build a healthy future.”

In her courtesy call with Zamboanga Mayor John Dalipe, Ambassador Carlson discussed current challenges from infrastructure to health.  They also discussed the important role of youth in the region and programs that the Embassy supports to help Filipino youth take on leadership roles locally, regionally, and globally.  Embassy-supported youth programs include the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), Philippine Youth Leadership Program (PYLP), and the Kennedy-Lugar YES Program.

Together with leaders of the U.S. Special Operations Task Force 511.2, Ambassador Carlson also met with Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) Acting Commander Brig. Gen. Arturo Rojas.  The Ambassador commended the professionalism of the security forces based in Zamboanga City and thanked Brig. Gen. Rojas for Westmincom’s continuing partnership, acknowledging that their “dedication to the relationship has been pivotal in preserving security and safety in Mindanao.”