2. Philippine-American
Relations Under the
“New Society”
Thirty-four years after the bombing of Pearl
Harbor, American television viewers witnessed
President Ford and Secretary of State Kissinger
aboard the Philippine presidential yacht.
Presidents Ford and Marcos commemorated
the valor and sacrifices of Philippine and
American forces in World War II.
Philippine-American Relations in 1975:
- Date: Sunday, December 1975
Wreath-laying at the Fil-American war
memorial
Emphasis on the solemn ceremony though the
Shots of presidential parties emphasizing the
gaiety of the occasion
3. Postwar issues between the Philippines and
the United States remained unresolved, with
Filipinos disappointed with the inadequate
postwar rehabilitation assistance and the Bell
Trade Act of 1946, which allowed Americans
to own and operate public utilities and
develop natural resources
This led to a quasi-colonial character in
economic relations, with the Philippines still
sending 41 percent of its exports and 27 per
cent of its imports
from the United States.
Corregidor cruise as the climax of the reception-
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Carlos P.
Romulo, describes it as the greatest reception
given to any American visitor.
Exceeding the welcome extended to Douglas
MacArthur
President Marcos' views on Philippine-American
relations:
United States as the Philippines' "strongest ally“
Belief in a close and long-lasting relationship
between Manila and Washington
Over a million cheering Filipinos greet President
and Mrs. Ford during motorcade from the airport
to Malacañang Palace.
The underlying issues - Serious military and
political problems affecting Philippine-American
relations
Cordial relations between the Philippines and
the United States as the cornerstone of the
Republic's foreign policy and the Philippine
congress until its dissolution
4. RESOLUTION ON PHILIPPINE
TRADE
ACT, 1946
The bell trade Act of 1946, also known as the
Philippine Trade Act was an act passed by the
United States Congress specifying the economic
conditions governing the independence of the
Philippines from the United States.
The United States Congress offered $800 million for
post World War ll rebuilding funds if the Bell Trade
Act was ratified by Philippine legislature, which
duly approved the measure on July 2, two days
before independence from the United States of
America.
5. • The Bell Act stipulated that free trade be continued
until 1954; thereafter, tariffs would be increased 5
percent annually until full amounts were reached in
1974.
• This act allowed the US to import whatever
products/goods it wanted with no import duties.
According to Filipino nationalists, the Bell Trade
Act had provisions that tied the Philippine
economy to the United States economy:
• The Philippine currency, the peso, was to be
pegged to the US dollar.
• The Bell Trade Act required that the Philippine
constitution be revised to grant U.S citizens and
corporations equal access to Philippine minerals,
forest and other natural resources.
6. PARITY RIGHTS
AMENDMENT,1946
It was approved by Pres Roxas
It was an amendment of the 1935 Philippine
Constitution, to accommodate the Bell trade Act
of 1946’
Allowing America the right to own and operate
public utilities.
To developed natural resources in the Republic
on an equal footing with Filipino citizen.
The goal of Parity Rights Amendment, 1946
1. To encourage American citizen and businesses in
the Philippines by granting equal rights to
American citizen and businesses in the
Philippines as those enjoyed by Filipino citizen.
2. It is the only way to attract capital to the
Philippines for badly needed rehabilitation from
the damage left by World War.
7. 3. To acquire the scientific and technological
equipment and skills that are necessary to make
Philippines not an agricultural land only.
Here are some article of 1935 constitution, being
amended:
1. Art. 8, Sec 1: no private agricultural land and
this term includes residential land, shall be
transferred or assigned except to person or
association qualified to acquire or hold land of
public domain in the Philippines.
- Said that public land are among the natural
resources reserved to Philippines citizen as stated
above.
2. Art. 8, Sec 2: no franchise, certificate or
authority for the operation of a public utility shall
be granted to citizen of the Philippines, laws sixty
per centum of the capital of which owned by
citizen of the Philippines.
And to accommodate this set-up, the Philippine
Constitution had to be amended, to insert an
ordinance there to provide for such national
treatment of Americans in the above- stated
areas reserved to Philippine nationals, for a
period not beyond July 3, 1974.
During the period of an Executive agreement
between the President of the Philippines and the
President of the United States from July 4, 1946, to
July 3, 1974, as specified in Commonwealth Act
Numbered Seven hundred and thirty-three, certain
natural resources and public utilities in the
Philippines were made accessible to citizens of the
United States and businesses owned or controlled by
U.S. citizens of the Philippines, based on specific
constiutional provisions.
8. The Military Assistance Agreement was
signed in March 1947. This treaty
establish a joint United States Military
Advisory Group to advise and train the
Philippine armed forces and authorized
the transfer of aid and materiel—worth
some US$169 million by 1957.
Between 1950 and the early 1980s, the
United States funded the military
education of nearly 17,000 Filipino
military personnel, mostly at military
school s and training facilities in the
United States.
MILITARY ASSISTANCE AGGREMENT,1946
9. In August 1951 the two nations signed the
Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of
the Philippines and the United State of America.
Republic Act No.9, September 2,1946
Whereas, the maintenance of a strong military
establish in the Philippines is undertaken in the
joint interest of the Philippines, and in the
interest of world peace and security;
Whereas, the people of the Philippines and their
government are already pledged to a common
defense of the Philippines with the United
States;
Whereas, the United States Government,
through United States Public Act Numbered
Four hundred and fifty-four , commonly called
the “Republic of the Philippines Military
Assistance Act,” has offered to extend military
assistance the armed forces of the Republic of
the Philippines in form of supplies and
equipment, information and technical advice
and of personnel for the training of the armed
forces of the latter.
10. BASES AGREEMENT
(TREATY), 1947
The Bases Agreement gave the United States a 99-
year lease on a number of Philippine military and
naval bases in which U.S. authorities had virtual
territorial rights.
11. QUIRINO-FOSTER
AGREEMENT
(TREATY), 1951
“Quirino-Foster Agreement”
Also known as the Mutual Defense Treaty
between the Philippines and the United States.
An agreement signed between the Philippines
and the United States in 1950. it aimed to
provide financial and military aid to the
Philippines in exchange for the retention of U.S
military bases in the country.
The agreement allowed the United States to
maintain military installations in the
Philippines, such as Clark Air Base and Subic
Bay Naval Base, in exchange for economic and
military assistance.
12. LAUREL-LANGLEY
AGREEMENT, 1955
PURPOSE
Mutual defense and security
Strengthening the military relationship
IMPACT
Quirino-Foster Agreement had positive impacts
on security and stability, but it also raised
concerns about sovereignty and the potential
for conflict.
13. The Laurel-Langley Agreement is the economic
agreement between the Philippines and the
United States that replaced the Bell Trade Act
that ended in1954.
It aimed to regulate trade relations between the
two nations. The agreement was named after
the then-Philippine President Jose P. Laurel and
the U.S Ambassador to the Philippines, Myron
M. Cowen.
On September 6, 1955, the Laurel-Langley
Agreement was approved by both American and
the Philippine governments following the
conclusion of negotiations between Senator Jose
P. Laurel and James M. Langley in December
1954.
PURPOSE
Providing trade benefits
Economic stability
Strengthening bilateral ties
The Laurel-Langley Agreement was designed to
promote economic cooperation and mutual
benefits between the Philippines and the
United States.
IMPACTS
Positive impacts:
Enhance trade and economic cooperation.
Financial assistance for economic development.
Strengthening bilateral relations.
Negative impacts:
Potential economic dependence on the U.S
Limited diversification.
14. MANILA TREATY
(SEATO), 1955
SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization)
Regional defense organization from 1955 to
1977
Aimed to protect Southeast Asia from
communist expansionism
Establishment
Created through the Southeast Asia Collective
Defense Treaty
Signed on September 8, 1954, in Manila
Founding members: Australia, France, New
Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the
United Kingdom, and the United States.
15. Objectives
Defensive purposes only
Countering military aggression and subversion
Promoting economic and social progress
Operations
No permanent military forces
Relied on combined military exercises
Engagement in self-help and mutual aid
Changes and Dissolution
Pakistan withdrew in 1968
France suspended financial support in 1975
Final exercise on February 20, 1976
Formal end on June 30, 1977
16. PHILIPPINE FORCES TO VIETNAM
(PHILCAG), 1966
The Philippines sent troops to Vietnam as part of
their commitments to the United States during
the Vietnam War.
When:
The Philippines deployed troops to Vietnam in
September 1966.
Who:
The Philippine contingent was known as the
“Philippine Civic Action Group” (PHILCAG). It was
composed of military personnel, engineers, and
medical teams.
17. Why:
The primary purpose of sending Philippine
forces to Vietnam was to fulfill the country’s
commitment to the Southeast Asia Treaty
Organization (SEATO) and to support the
United States in the efforts during the
Vietnam War. It was a show of solidarity with
the U.S. in the Cold War context.
The presence of Philippine forces in Vietnam was
meant to assist in nation-building,
reconstruction, and humanitarian efforts. Their
contribution was generally well-received by the
Vietnamese people, and it had a positive impact
on the Philippines’ international relations.
However, it also had social and political
consequences in the Philippines, with debates
about its role and effectiveness.
The deployment of Philippine forces in Vietnam
was established through a mutual agreement
between the Philippines and the United States,
as part of their alliances and commitment within
the SEATO framework.
19. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the extravagant welcome for
President Ford in the Philippines highlighted
the nation's growing economic and military
reliance on the United States, even after the
expiration of key agreements. While the
Philippines desired an independent foreign
policy, it faced challenges in achieving this
while depending on the U.S.
Simply making "cosmetic" adjustments to the
Military Bases Agreement won't suffice. The
future of Philippine-American relations hinges
on Washington's willingness to make
substantial concessions regarding sovereignty
and support the Philippines in its quest for
true independence. Neglecting this could be
seen as neo-colonial manipulation by
nationalists and the radical left and
ingratitude by more moderate elements. Signs
from trade and bases negotiations indicate a
readiness for significant concessions by the
U.S., strengthening its bond with its closest
Asian ally.
