AFTER moves to cancel the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has backtracked from his decision and will continue to uphold the defense pact with the United States. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday, July 30, announced the reversal, saying the chief executive is seeking to sustain the country’s “strategic core interests.” “PRRD’s…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is looking to speak with the United States government about the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), a treaty between the two countries that the president had previously wanted to terminate. In a prerecorded address aired Monday, July 19, the chief executive said that the proposed extension of the VFA is “on the…
PHILIPPINE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin III over the weekend discussed the situation in the West Philippine Sea. During a telephone conference on Sunday, April 11, the two officials discussed recent developments in regional security, adding that they were looking forward to this year’s joint military exercises after it was cancelled…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is threatening to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) anew if he finds “hard information” that the United States has stored nuclear weapons in the country. “I am warning you that if I get hold of a hard information that nuclear armaments are here brought by you, I will immediately ask…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is turning to the public as he remains undecided on what to do with the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). In a public address aired Wednesday night, February 24, he admitted that he doesn’t know whether to renew or abrogate the agreement with the United States, adding that he wants to hear…
IT is the “right timing” for the United States to pay the Philippines to maintain the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between them, Malacañang said Thursday, February 18. “Tama po ang timing nang sinabi ni Presidente na they have to pay up now. Kasi nga po, nauna na iyong kaniyang desisyon na nais na niyang tumiwalag…
AFTER President Rodrigo Duterte demanded that the United States pay for the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Malacañang said that the Philippines should get “something like $16 billion or close to that amount” from the U.S. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque pointed out how little the U.S. has provided in terms of military assistance to the Philippines…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is under fire after he demanded the United States to “pay” if it wants to keep the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) from being terminated. Addressing the troops at Clark Air Base in Pampanga on Friday, February 12, Duterte said: “I’d like to put on notice if there’s an American agent here….
AMID calls to extend the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said the United States would have to “pay” if the deal stays. “I would like to put on notice if there’s an American agent here that from now on, you want the Visiting Forces Agreement done? Well, you have to pay,” Duterte…
THE Philippines and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to the defense alliance through the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). In an introductory phone call made on Wednesday, February 10, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and his counterpart U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III discussed a number…
THE Philippines and the United States will meet this month to iron out differences over the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) amid renewed regional concerns over China’s assertive maritime agenda, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said. “I am narrowing down the issues and soon we will meet…and iron out whatever differences we have,” the…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has warned that he will terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) if the United States fails to provide the country with COVID-19 vaccines. In a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Saturday, December 26, the chief executive urged the country’s ally to deliver…
The Philippines’ decision to suspend anew the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) was “sound and strategic,” according to a lawmaker. Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon, who serves as the vice-chairperson of the House Committee on National Defense and Security, pointed out that the move will give the new administration of the United States…
THE Embassy of the United States in Manila on Thursday, November 12, welcomed the Philippines’ decision to suspend anew the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between Manila and Washington. “We welcome the Government of the Philippines’ November 11 decision to suspend termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) for another six months,” it…
PHILIPPINE Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday, November 11, announced that President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the suspension of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) termination. “My President, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, has instructed me to convey with the appropriate formality his decision to extend the suspension of the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement…
Malacañang on Thursday, July 9, said the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States remains suspended and is not lifted. “Hindi pa po nagbabago ‘yung huling binitawang salita ni presidente na ipagpapaliban po ng six months yung pagte-terminate sa VFA at ito pong pagpapaliban ay extendable by another…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has not changed his decision to terminate the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, despite the suspension this week. “Ang nangyari lang po, nasuspinde ang termination. Hindi pa po niya sinasabi na hindi na tuloy ang termination, so wala pong nagbago sa pag-iisip ng ating pangulo (What happened…
by Joseph Peralta and Ritchel Mendiola SENATE President Vicente Sotto III and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Wednesday, June 3 both welcomed the move of Malacañang to suspend the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the United States and the Philippines. The two senators reiterated that the petition filed by senators in…
United States President Donald Trump has offered more aid to the Philippines as it continues to grapple with the spread of the novel coronavirus, the U.S. Embassy in Manila said on Tuesday, April 21. “President Trump expressed his solidarity and offered additional assistance to the Philippines as it continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” the…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told Filipino Americans eligible to vote to support U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election efforts this November. “I’m telling the Filipino now: You’re getting the best deal with Trump,” Duterte said during a press briefing on Monday night, March 9. The Philippine president quipped about “interfering” in the U.S. election process by…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said the United States has been reaching out to the Philippine government for newer and stronger defense ties since the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the two countries. “It came to the fore na yung alitan ko sa kanila, tinanggal ko ‘yung VFA, sila naman ngayon ang lapit ng…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States may face some legal challenges as several senators this week voted on a resolution asking the Supreme Court to determine the Senate’s role in treaty abrogations. In a 12-0-8 vote, the Senate on Monday, March 2 adopted a resolution that…
IT’S up to the United States to make the next move following the Philippines’ notice to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), according to Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido Dulay. “The ball is in their court. That’s it. As far as we’re concerned we’ve already served the notice as required by the agreement,” Dulay said…
President Rodrigo Duterte believes United States President Donald Trump “deserves to be reelected” for understanding and respecting the Philippines’ decision to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Malacañang said. “PRRD (President Duterte) welcomes President Trump’s remarks and he is glad that the American President understands and respects his decision to end the Visiting Forces Agreement,”…
President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States does not need the concurrence of the Senate, Malacañang argued on Monday, February 17. “As far as we are concerned in the executive, there is no need for a concurrence in the Senate because the Constitution, if it’s…
DESPITE critics lamenting the termination of the two-decade-old Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), United States President Donald Trump brushed off the Duterte administration’s decision by saying it would help the U.S. save “a lot of money.” A day after the Philippines notified the U.S. that it would end the military agreement, the U.S. president on Wednesday,…
Malacañang on Thursday, February 13, defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to terminate the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, saying the Philippines cannot forever rely on the protection its counterpart. “As the president said, if we keep on relying on the United States on our defense, our defenses will always remain stagnant…
Terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States is a “move in the wrong direction,” according to U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper. The Philippines’ move is “unfortunate,” Esper said, as the termination comes at a time when the U.S. and its allies are pushing China to abide by international norms….
The Philippines has formally sent a notice terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, Malacañang announced on Tuesday, February 11. President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Monday night to inform Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. to go ahead and send a notice ending the 20-year-old military pact with…
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Monday, February 3, urged President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider his decision to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement between the country and the United States until the Senate has time to review the impact of withdrawing from the deal. The VFA, which came into force…
