Clark Air Base, Pampanga, November 15, 2025—In the immediate aftermath of Super Typhoon Fung-wong (Uwan), the United States continues to answer the call for assistance from one of our closest friends, partners, and allies, the Philippines.  Striking less than a week after Typhoon Kalmaegi’s (Tino) devastation, Super Typhoon Fung-wong has further strained relief efforts on the ground.  The United States continues to support Philippine-led efforts to save lives, alleviate suffering, and address urgent needs.

To this end, the United States is providing an additional $1.5 million (Php87 million) in emergency, life-saving assistance in support of the Philippine government-led response, bringing the total U.S. response to Typhoons Kalmaegi and Fung-wong to $2.5 million (Php145 million), including support for logistics, emergency shelter, water, sanitation resources, and the management of evacuation centers.

As millions of Filipinos face the challenges left by these overlapping disasters, including the Cebu earthquake in September, our continued rapid response stands as a testament to the depth of the enduring ties between the United States and the Philippines, especially in times of crisis.

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.

Manila, October 29, 2024—The United States government is providing Php84 million ($1.5 million) to support the Philippine government’s response to Tropical Storm Kristine, known internationally as Trami.

This funding will augment the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) ongoing efforts to deliver lifesaving assistance that will help individuals severely affected by the storm in the Bicol region and Batangas recover safely and with dignity. Through this funding, USAID will provide access to essential services such as clean water, sanitation, emergency shelter, and cash assistance. USAID will also provide logistical support in the management of evacuation centers.

On October 27, USAID supported the Philippines’ Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in dispatching 1,500 shelter-grade tarpaulins and 1,500 household relief kits to the Bicol region through a C-130 provided by the Singaporean government. These disaster relief items were prepositioned in the OCD humanitarian relief depot at Fort Magsaysay, an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) site in Nueva Ecija.

U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. launched this critical joint humanitarian prepositioning effort in September.

“My heart goes out to all those suffering the devastating effects of Tropical Storm Kristine,” Ambassador Carlson said. “We are working side by side with the Philippine government to bring relief to communities in need.”

Since October 25, the United States has worked with humanitarian partners to deliver lifesaving humanitarian relief material prepositioned across the country. With USAID funding, the World Food Programme mobilized 33 trucks to support the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development in delivering more than 53,000 family food packs and other relief items to the Bicol region.

This assistance builds on the U.S. government’s previous support to Philippine government’s disaster response efforts, such as during the massive flooding in Mindanao in February, Super Typhoon Carina in July, and Super Typhoon Julian earlier in October.

Since 2010, the U.S. government has provided more than Php21.85 billion ($390.2 million) in disaster relief, preparedness, and early recovery in the Philippines. USAID works year-round to help communities build resilience in preparing for, and responding to, the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters.

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! 

Manila, April 16, 2024—The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the U.S. military will conduct the 39th iteration of Balikatan, the largest annual bilateral training exercise between the two Allies, from April 22 to May 10.  The exercise directly supports the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty by enhancing military cooperation and readiness between the two militaries.  

More than 16,000 members of the AFP and U.S. military will train together this year.  Contingents from the Australian Defence Force and, for the first time in Balikatan’s history, the French Navy will also join the exercise as participants.  Meanwhile, 14 nations will participate as part of the AFP-hosted international observer program: Brunei, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

During Balikatan 2024, participants will execute a range of complex missions across domains, including maritime security, sensing and targeting, air and missile defense, dynamic missile strikes, cyber defense, and information operations.  The Philippine Navy, U.S. Navy, and the French Navy will also conduct a Multilateral Maritime Exercise in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. 

“This year’s Balikatan Exercise underscores our steadfast dedication to amplify interoperability and readiness by collaborating with our friends, partners, and ally,” said AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr.  “Together, we speed up our march towards enhancing our military capabilities for maritime security alongside honing other competencies in order to effectively address the dynamic challenges across all domains.” 

“Each year, we work closely with AFP senior leaders to make Balikatan more challenging.  This year, we’ve increased the scope, scale, and complexity across all domains,” said Lt. Gen. William M. Jurney, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific and the U.S. military officer responsible for designing, planning and conducting the exercise.  “We’re building military readiness across the full range of combined and joint operations.  It’s our most expansive Balikatan yet.” 

Balikatan 2024 is organized into three main exercises.  The field training exercise features four combined joint all-domain operations.  This includes exercises in protecting key terrain in Luzon and Palawan in support of territorial defense; rapidly moving long range, precision strike capabilities and using them in targeting simulated threats; tracking simulated air threats and targeting them with multiple air and missile defense systems; and integrating multilateral air and land platforms to increase awareness of the maritime security situation.  Exercise forces will conclude by targeting simulated enemy forces and sinking an “enemy” ship. 

The command-and-control exercise includes a cyber defense exercise to strengthen bilateral defense capabilities that protect critical military and civilian information infrastructure; a staff planning exercise to increase bilateral planning proficiency by developing the plan for next year’s iteration of Balikatan; and the inaugural information warfare exercise where Philippine and U.S. forces engaged in a week-long wargame on April 1 to synchronize capabilities and advance both nations’ information operations skills. 

Lastly, the AFP and the U.S. civil-military operations task force have been conducting humanitarian civic assistance activities at five locations in the western and northern Philippines since late March, with projects expected to be completed by the end of Balikatan 2024.  Together, military personnel are building and improving local infrastructure; sharing lifesaving medical skills; and strengthening military ties with local communities. 

“Balikatan” is a Tagalog phrase that means “shoulder-to-shoulder,” describing the spirit of the annual exercise and the close friendship between the Philippines and the United States. 

“Balikatan is more than an exercise; it’s a tangible demonstration of our shared commitment to each other.  It matters for regional peace, it matters for regional stability,” Lt. Gen. Jurney said.  “When we increase our mutual response and defense capabilities, we strengthen our ability to promote regional security and protect our shared interests.” 

Joint Vision Statement from the Leaders of Japan, the Philippines, and the United States

“We, the leaders of Japan, the Philippines, and the United States, met today for the first Summit between our three countries. As three Indo-Pacific maritime democracies, our nations and the half-billion people we collectively represent are bound together by historical ties of friendship, robust and growing economic relations, and a proud and resolute commitment to our shared fundamental values of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law.” Full text

The United States, the Philippines, and Japan Launch the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment Luzon Economic Corridor

During the trilateral leaders’ summit, the leaders of the United States, the Philippines, and Japan announced the intent to develop the Luzon Economic Corridor as the latest economic corridor of the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) and the first in the Indo-Pacific region.  Full text

Manila, February 12, 2024—The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing nearly Php70 million ($1.25 million) in humanitarian aid to respond to the needs of communities affected by severe flooding and landslides in Mindanao.

This new funding will provide emergency food, shelter, water, sanitation, and essential hygiene items to support disaster-affected communities in Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and Davao City in Mindanao. USAID will partner with Catholic Relief Services and Action Against Hunger to ensure this life-saving assistance reaches the most vulnerable groups, including single-parent households, persons with disabilities, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly, low-income families, and indigenous peoples.

In addition, and at the request of the Philippine government, the U.S. Department of Defense, through the III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), provided two C-130s to assist the Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Philippines Office of Civil Defense, and USAID in delivering 15,000 DSWD food packs to affected families.

Last week, USAID partnered with the Philippines Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the International Organization for Migration to provide emergency shelter for more than 5,000 affected persons. USAID also supported the World Food Programme to transport DSWD food packs to 65,000 families.

The United States government issued a “Declaration of Humanitarian Need” on February 8 that will facilitate support for the Philippine government’s response efforts in Mindanao.

“We are proud to partner with the Philippine government to support the immediate needs of Mindanaoans in the areas hardest hit by the flooding and landslides,” said USAID Mission Director Ryan Washburn. “This support will help ensure that food and other life-saving supplies reach communities most in need.”

“Support to our Allies and partners, and their people in a time of need, is a non-negotiable,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, the III MEF commanding general. “Working in direct coordination with USAID and the Government of the Philippines, we stand ready to support those who need urgent assistance.”

Between January 28 and February 2, extensive rainfall in Mindanao caused significant flooding and landslides, impacting nearly 1.2 million people. An estimated 795,000 people were displaced with more than 97,600 people sheltering in 380 evacuation centers across Mindanao.

USAID works year-round to help communities in the Philippines prepare for and be more resilient to natural disasters. The United States will continue to partner with the Philippine government to respond to natural disasters and support the people of the Philippines in their recovery efforts.

Joint Statement

20 January 2023 — Senior Philippine and U.S. foreign affairs and defense officials convened in Manila on 19-20 January 2023 for the 10th Philippines-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD). 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 at the working group and senior officials’ levels.

Recalling the Joint Vision for a 21st Century United States-Philippines Partnership that was adopted at the 9th BSD in Washington DC in November 2021, both sides welcomed developments over the past year that reaffirmed their commitment to the Alliance and partnership. High-level engagements, including between the Presidents and Cabinet Secretaries of both sides, have increased under the assumption of the administration of Philippine President Marcos, giving important momentum to bilateral ties and demonstrating the resounding interest of both sides to work together to realize peace and prosperity for the peoples of both countries.

During the 10th BSD, the Philippines and the United States determined to pursue cooperation in the following areas:

Cultivating A Stronger Partnership. The Philippines and the United States underscored the importance of regular and sustained dialogue at both the policy and operational levels to ensure cooperation on issues of mutual interest and concern. To this end, both sides:

• Renewed their commitment to bringing together their Defense and Foreign Ministers this year in the Two-Plus-Two Ministerial Dialogue format. This year’s Dialogue will be the third such meeting following the earlier meetings in 2012 and 2016.

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.”