page_title: Mutual Defense Treaty (United States–Philippines)
section_title: Support
hierarchical_section_title: Mutual Defense Treaty (United States–Philippines) / Support
caption_attribution_description: English: PACIFIC (June 29, 2008) Armed Forces of the Philippines, Chief of Staff, Gen. Alexander B. Yano shares a handshake with Lt.j.g. Eduardo Vargas. Gen. Yano flew aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) along with the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney to thank the crew for their participation in the Philippine Relief effort. At the request of the government of the Republic of the Philippines, Reagan is off the coast of Panay Island providing humanitarian assistance and disaster response in the wake of Typhoon Fengshen. Reagan and other U.S. Navy ships are operating in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility to promote peace, cooperation and stability. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gary Prill (Released)
context_page_description: The Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America was signed on August 30, 1951, in Washington, D.C. between representatives of the Philippines and the United States. The overall accord contains eight articles and dictates that both nations would support each other if either the Philippines or the United States are attacked by an external party.
context_section_description: After the fall of the Soviet Union and the decline of the threat of communism in the 1990s bilateral support for the mutual defense treaty has taken a roller coaster ride especially in the Philippines. Generally, the Philippine Government has remained favorable towards the treaty ever since its inception, more often coming to rely on the U.S. for its defenses as it has done ever since World War II. This was nonetheless more apparent during the Cold War given the numerous active U.S. Military bases in the Philippines. The most notable and controversial of these bases are Clark Air Force Base outside of metro Manila, and the U.S. Naval Station Subic Bay. The bases were garrisoned for nearly 40 years after the end of World War II until the early 1990s. In 1991 anti-US sentiment in the Philippines forced the Philippine Senate to reject a new base agreement treaty that subsequently forced the removal of all US forces from Philippine soil. However, given the rise of global terrorism with the events of 9/11 and the subsequent economic rise and militant expansion of China,  the United States has strengthened its ties to its Asian allies especially the Philippines.
  In its 60th anniversary year, in a ceremony held on November 11, 2011, on the deck of the U.S. guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald, docked in Manila, the two governments reaffirmed the treaty with the Manila Declaration. The declaration was signed by Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Del Rosario and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The declaration was a formal affirmation of defensive ties between the two countries that date back over a century. The declaration states, in part:
  The Republic of the Philippines and the United States reaffirm our shared obligations under the Mutual Defense Treaty. We expect to maintain a robust, balanced, and responsive security partnership including cooperating to enhance the defense, interdiction, and apprehension capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America today commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Philippines-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty. On this historic occasion, we reflect on the rich history of our alliance and the continuing relevance of the treaty for peace, security, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. We also reaffirm the treaty as the foundation of our relationship for the next 60 years and beyond.
  The United States and the Philippines are bound by a deep and abiding friendship forged by a history of shared sacrifice and common purpose. The many Filipinos who bravely served side-by-side with American servicemen and women during World War II and the veterans of our two nations buried at the Manila American Cemetery in Fort Bonifacio bear testament to our profound and enduring bonds. These bonds are enriched by the presence in the US of over four million Filipinos and Filipino Americans, and in the Philippines by over 150,000 Americans, who help shape the political and economic future of both countries.
  In a followup to the signing of the Manila Declaration the U.S. and Philippine representatives met to sign onto a new partnership strengthening the economic and defensive ties of the two countries. This new formal agreement is  the Partnership for Growth. This new agreement comes as a part of President Obama's Global development initiative which is designed to strengthen the Philippines business development and commercial ties between the two countries. During the signing ceremony of this new agreement Secretary Clinton reaffirmed the U.S.'s position on the mutual defense of the Philippines through the statement "The US will always be in the corner of the Philippines. We will always stand and fight with you to achieve the future we seek".
caption: US Navy 080629-N-7730P-009 Armed Forces of the Philippines, Chief of Staff, Gen. Alexander B. Yano shares a handshake with Lt.j.g. Eduardo Vargas. Gen. Yano flew aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
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