The U.S. pivot to Asia strategy aims to strengthen American presence in the Asia-Pacific region. The Philippines supports this strategy as a long-standing U.S. ally. To demonstrate their commitment to the alliance, U.S. and Philippine officials held a 2-plus-2 meeting to discuss security issues. Both countries reaffirmed the importance of their alliance and pledged to increase cooperation on defense, counterterrorism, and responding to regional challenges like tensions in the South China Sea. The U.S. pivot relies on alliances like that with the Philippines, and the countries will continue working together on security issues important to both nations in the Asia-Pacific region.

1. PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE FOR PEACE, VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM RESEARCH
2nd Floor, CPDRI Room, Asian Institute of Tourism, University of the Philippines
Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines
Telephone +632 9946972 Fax: +632 4333870
www.pipvtr.com
THE PHILIPPINES AND U.S. PIVOT TO ASIA*
Rommel C. Banlaoi**
As an American ally, the Philippines has always been supportive of United States’
military presence in Asia. Thus, it is no longer surprising to see the Philippines
warmly welcoming the U.S. pivot strategy to Asia.
The U.S.-Philippines security alliance has been the cornerstone of Philippine
defense and security policy.1 Though this alliance was rendered dormant after the
termination of Military Bases Agreement (MBA) in 1991, the aftermath of the
September 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks reinvigorated this alliance. The
strategy of U.S. pivot to Asia makes the strengthening of this alliance even more
significant.
To demonstrate the two countries’ firmed commitment to their alliance
relationship, the U.S. and the Philippines just held their 2-plus-2 meeting in
Washington DC on 30 April 2012. This meeting allowed the two countries’
foreign affairs and defense officials to exchange strategic perspectives on various
security issues of mutual interests.
The 2-plus-2 meeting is the first of its kind in the history of special relations
between the U.S. and the Philippines. The meeting aims to intensify the habit of
consultation and cooperation on defense, security, political, economic and
foreign policies between the two allies. Moreover, the meeting intends to solidify
their existing alliance to respond effectively to current and emerging security
challenges in the Asia Pacific.
In the 2-plus-2 meeting, both reaffirmed the importance of their security alliance
and decided to level up this alliance to meet the many security challenges facing
both countries. The Philippines, particularly, highlighted in this meeting the
need for the U.S. to continuously assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines
*Presented at the 11th Symposium of the Council for Asian Transnational Threat Research (CATR)
organized by the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) and hosted by the Institute of Security and
International Studies (ISIS) at Dusit Thani Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand on 2 May 2012.
**Head, Center for Intelligence and National Security Studies (CINSS) of the Philippine Institute
for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research (PIPVTR).
1For a good reference on U.S. Pivot Strategy, see Mark E. Manyin, et. al. Pivot to the Pacific: The
Obama Administration’s “Rebalancing” Toward Asia (Washington DC: Congressional Research
Service, 28 March 2012).
1

2. (AFP) in building its capacity for territorial defense, counter-insurgency, counter-
terrorism, and nation building. It meant asking from the U.S. more access to
Excess Defense Articles (EDA), greater priority to International Military
Education and Training (IMET), and more grants from Foreign Military
Financing (FMF). The Philippines cannot be a useful ally in U.S. pivot to Asia
strategy without adequate military capacity.
The Philippines’ support to U.S. Pivot to Asia strategy was first officially
articulated on 16 November 2011 during the 60th Anniversary of the U.S-
Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). Signed in 1951, the MDT continues
to serve as the solid legal foundation of U.S.-Philippines security alliance.
During this momentous event, both countries issued the Manila Declaration on
U.S.-Philippines alliance where they stressed the continuing relevance of their
security relations “for peace, security, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.”2
Reading between the lines, the Manila Declaration strongly endorses U.S. pivot to
Asia and the Pacific.
In the Manila Declaration of 2011, the U.S. and the Philippines reaffirmed their
shared obligations for mutual defense and stressed the need “to maintain a
robust, balanced, and responsive security partnership including cooperating to
enhance the defense, interdiction, and apprehension capabilities” of the
Philippine military.3 More importantly, both countries declared the following
important points:
 Their determination to continue “their bilateral cooperation in addressing
broader regional and global challenges, including maritime security and
threats to security such as climate change, nuclear proliferation, terrorism,
and transnational crime.” They also expressed their commitment to
continue their “close and effective cooperation to counter al-Qaeda-linked
terrorist groups in the Southern Philippines”;
 The sharing of their common interest in “maintaining freedom of
navigation, unimpeded lawful commerce, and transit of people across the
seas and subscribe to a rules-based approach in resolving competing
claims in maritime areas through peaceful, collaborative, multilateral, and
diplomatic processes within the framework of international law;” and,
 Their commitment to advance their “nations’ mutual security interests
through continuing a high-level strategic dialogue.” They also committed
to support “increasing regional cooperation in the ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF), the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM+), the Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the East Asia Summit (EAS).”
2 See Manila Declaration on U.S.-Philippines Alliance, 16 November 2011.
3 Ibid.
2

3. In other words, the Manila Declaration of 2011 not only renewed U.S.-Philippines
security alliance. It also stressed the need to raise the level of their alliance to a
higher plane. The Manila Declaration identified broader goals in order to make
this alliance more relevant and more mutually beneficial. To implement the
Manila Declaration, the two allies even instituted the holding of Bilateral
Strategic Dialogues in order to provide opportunities for both countries “to
consult and exchange views on a broad range of bilateral, regional, and global
issues” reflecting their “common values and interests”.4
The U.S. and the Philippines, therefore, commit to stick together as important
allies in 21st century. The recently concluded 2-plus-2 meeting reiterated that
point.
There is no doubt that this alliance plays an important role in U.S. pivot to Asia.
Through the MDT of 1951, the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) of 1999 and the
Mutual Logistic Support Agreement (MLSA) of 2007, American military presence
in the Philippines is justified. Both countries have even agreed to enhance
American military presence in the country to address current threats and to
prevent emerging security challenges to escalate into actual military problems.
To indicate continuing American military presence in the Philippines, at least
600 American troops belonging to the Joint Special Operations Task Force
-­‐Philippines (JSOTFP) are currently deployed in Mindanao on rotational basis.
Originally established in 2002 as part of the Operation Enduring Freedom-
Philippines (OEF-P), the JSOTFP has been providing humanitarian, technical
and logistical assistance and training to the AFP in the fight against terrorism and
other threats to the country’s internal security. Since 2000, American and
Filipino troops have been conducting combined and joint military exercises in
Philippine territories.
Just last 27 April 2012, the U.S. and the Philippines finished their 12-day
Balikatan exercises. This was the 28th Balikatan Exercise conducted by both
countries. It is the largest military exercise involving at least 6,000 American
and Filipino troops. Compared with past Balikatan exercises, this year’s event
was a milestone as it involved other American allies from Australia Japan, and
South Korea as well as partners from Indonesia and Malaysia.
The U.S. is indeed pivoting to Asia. The Philippines plays a significant part in it.
For the Philippines, it is not difficult to embrace American pivot strategy having
been a long-standing security ally. Armed forces of both countries fought together
during the Second World War (1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), Vietnam War
(1964-973), the Persian Gulf War (1991), and the Global War on Terror (2001-
4The First Bilateral Strategic Dialogue was held in Manila in November 2011. The Second
Bilateral Strategic Dialogue was held in Washington DC in January 2012. The holding of 2-plus-2
meeting this April 2012 is considered to be a continuation of their strategic dialogues.
3

4. 2011). They fought common wars through the years to defend democracy,
promote rule of law and pursue free trade.
Their shared history and common values in liberal democracy, rule of law and
free market make the Philippines an integral part of US pivot strategy towards
Asia. The bilateral security relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines
has, in fact, “gained prominence as a key link in the evolving U.S. foreign policy
‘pivot’ or ‘rebalancing’ toward Asia.”5 U.S. Alliance with the Philippines – weaved
together with Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand – makes the
U.S. presence really felt in Asia and the Pacific. President Barrack Obama’s
strategy of U.S. pivot to Asia is, therefore, just a reassertion of American presence
and leadership in this very dynamic region.
As an American ally, the Philippines finds U.S. pivot to Asia strategy as essential
to ameliorate its growing security dilemma. The ongoing standoff between China
and the Philippines in the Scarborough Shoal makes the U.S. pivot to Asia all the
more significant for the Philippines. The Philippines expects the U.S. to provide
assistance in preventing China to behave “aggressively” and in convincing China
to accept rules-based approach in managing maritime and territorial disputes in
the South China Sea.
U.S. Pivot to Asia strategy is also important to the Philippines in terms of
focusing more attention to the domestic needs of its allies. The Philippines needs
more U.S. assistance in building national capacity to deal with internal security
threats emanating from remaining members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG),
operatives of Jemaah Islamiya (JI) hiding in Mindanao, lawless personalities
associated with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), rouge members of the
Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Muslim-convert cohorts of the Rajah
Solaiman Islamic Movement (RSIM), and even combatants of the New People’s
Army (NPA).
The Philippines also expects the U.S. to provide assistance in building national
capacity to address non-traditional security threats such as natural disasters,
environmental degradation, maritime piracy and smuggling of arms, drugs and
humans. But more importantly, the Philippines expects the U.S. to assist the
country on how to respond to a more assertive China, particularly in the context
of the renewed security tensions in the South China Sea.
In other words, the Philippines expects the U.S. to help the country build its
national capacity to meet the objectives of Philippine National Security Policy
covering the presidential term 2011-2016.
The U.S. is now rebalancing its global posture and presence after fulfilling its
commitment in Iraq and Afghanistan. In its objective to strengthen its presence
5Thomas Lum, The Republic of the Philippines and U.S. Interests (Washington DC:
Congressional Research Service, 5 April 2012).
4

5. in the Asia Pacific by increasing “the institutional weight”, “power projection”,
and “deterrence capacity” of U.S. armed forces in the region, the Philippines is
willing to serve as a key strategic hub, if not spoke, for this purpose. The 2-plus-2
meeting of both countries’ defense and foreign affairs officials in Washington DC
this week further operationalized how the Philippine can fit into the U.S. pivot
strategy toward Asia.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed in an article in Foreign Policy that
“the future of politics will be decided in Asia, not Afghanistan or Iraq, and the
United States will be right at the centre of the action”. The invigorated U.S.-
Philippine alliance can presently facilitate the U.S to pivot effectively to Asia as it
prepares to meet this future.
In conclusion, allow me to share further the result of the 2-plus-2 meeting in
Washington DC just concluded on 30 April 2012. In the Joint Statement signed
after the meeting, both countries recognize that “The U.S.-Philippines alliance is
stronger than ever, reflecting the deep and abiding ties linking our two nations
and forged through a history of shared sacrifice and common purpose.”6 They
also acknowledge that “Americans and Filipinos are inextricably bound by
common values and shared aspirations, including a commitment to democracy
and the rule of law, building a robust economic partnership, and deepening
people-to-people ties.” Having said this, the U.S. and the Philippines stress that
their alliance “remains an anchor for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-
Pacific region.”
6Joint Statement of the United States-Philippines Ministerial Dialogue (30 April 2012).
5