U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo, and Philippine Defence Minister Gilberto Teodoro pose for a photo at Camp Aguinaldo, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 30, 2024. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David
MAGPAPATULOY ang ‘defense and security support’ ng Estados Unidos sa Pilipinas kahit sino pa ang manalo sa presidential election nito sa Nobyembre.
“Elections are a regular feature of our democracy. What’s also a regular feature is a strong, longstanding alliance between our countries, and that doesn’t change from election-to-election,” ayon kay State Secretary Antony Blinken sa isang joint presser sa Camp Aguinaldo sa Quezon City.
Inihayag ito ni Blinken nang ianunsyo ang kauna-unahang Bilateral Security Sector Roadmap, nakompleto at tinintahan, araw ng Lunes, isang araw bago ang 2+2 Foreign at Defense Ministerial meeting, kasama ni Blinken sina Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. at US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III.
Ang roadmap, nilagdaan ni US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson at Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, naglalayon na tukuyin ang pangunahing ‘defense platforms at force packages’ para palakasin ang pinagsamang pagpigil at kakayang laban ang pamimilit sa mga susunod na taon.
Sa kabilang dako, sinabi naman ni Lloyd na patuloy na makikita ng Pilipinas ang “bipartisan support” habang inilarawan naman nito ang Philippine-US ties bilang ‘relationship that goes beyond allies.’
“I’ve said a number of times that we’re more than allies. We’re family,” aniya pa rin sabay sabing “Again, we continue to enjoy bipartisan support, and that’s going to happen going forward in the future.”
Sa pag-anunsyo sa roadmap, sinabi ni Lloyd na ang plano ay tiyakin na ang “mutual investments go toward the most important capabilities.”
Isiniwalat din nito na naglaan ang Estados Unidos ng USD500 million para sa Pilipinas mula sa USD2 billion Indo-Pacific foreign military funding na inanunsyo ng Washington, D.C. noong Abril.
Samantala, isinatinig naman ni Manalo ang paniniwala ng dalawang ministro, na patuloy na lumalagong US-Philippines partnership, sabay sabing umabot na ito sa “high point.”
“The fundamental factors accounting for all of that is not only our shared adherence to democratic values, to social justice, but also the strong people-to-people relationship, which has really been the bedrock of our relationship,” ani Manalo.
“I can say that, aside from having shared interests, shared strategic outlook, all those factors will combine to ensure that our relationship continues beyond perhaps seven decades, and even more so,” dagdag na wika nito.
Samantala, sa 2+2 meeting, muli namang pinagtibay ng apat na ministro ang commitment ng dalawang bansa sa kaalyansa at tinalakay ang iba’t ibang paksa gaya ng ‘economic and defense cooperation’ kabilang na ang kasalukuyang situwasyon sa West Philippine Sea.
“Let me end by emphasizing that the Philippines will continue to uphold and protect the rules-based international order in the midst of a regional landscape that is significantly under stress,” ayon kay Manalo ukol sa usapin ng South China Sea.
“In our discussions, I have conveyed the situation in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, and that remains a priority to our government. In line with our treaty obligations, we discussed recent developments and committed to continue our work together in upholding Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction,” aniya pa rin. Kris Jose
