US military presence in the Philippines, 2016 to April 2023

April 20, 2023

Despite the Duterte administration’s posturing against the US in 2016, the global superpower has essentially maintained a huge military presence in the Philippines until today. Cumulatively, from 2016 to April 2023, there have been a total of 227 drills: 68 sea-related, 116 air-related and 143 land-related. US troops are also currently located in 9 EDCA […]

US troops double to record high in Balikatan 2023

April 3, 2023

The number of US troops involved in the Baliktan 2023 military exercises has doubled compared to previous years. This is because the Philippines remains strategically important for the US’ geopolitical dominance in the Indo-Pacific – as a center of global trade and commerce and amid China aggression in the West Philippine Sea. But this will not necessarily benefit the Philippines as it becomes another base for US hegemony and militarism.

Pivot to China? US military presence remains

June 15, 2021

Then and now: US economic intervention in the Philippines

November 14, 2016

During the swearing-in of the new United States (US) ambassador to the Philippines in early November, US Secretary of State John Kerry stressed that the “logic” of the “indelible” US-Philippine alliance is “as compelling today as [it has] ever been”. Newly sworn-in US ambassador Sung Kim in turn highlighted the “ironclad” Mutual Defense Treaty, the […]

75% Of Filipinos Aware Of VFA Not In Favor Of Pact

November 13, 2009

As US State Secretary Hillary Clinton defended the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) during her visit today in Malacañang, latest results of the IBON survey show that many Filipinos oppose the pact. According to the October nationwide survey, of those who are aware of the VFA, 75% oppose it while 15.9% are in favor of the […]