Suspending the Termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement: Navigating the Geopolitical Currents of the Philippines-US Alliance (original) (raw)
Related papers
Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2015
The study intends to compare the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States of America and the VFA between the Philippines and Australia. The research piece is arranged in the following flow of ideas. The first and the second part provides the foundations by highlighting issues on definition, historical background, provisions of the agreement and concerns faced by the agreement of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America and the Status of the Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) between the Republic of the Philippines and Australia. The third part is an analysis of the VFA and the SOVFA under the tutelage of the framework on the non-intervention principle. As a result, the provisions of SOVFA were in consonance with the legal arrangement in the Philippines than the VFA with the United States of America.
The Role of Threat in the Dynamics of the Philippine-United States Alliance
Threat serves as an impetus in the foundation, development, revitalization, and waning of the contemporary Philippine-United States alliance. Using Stephen Walt’s balance of threat theory as the analytical framework, this study proves that, historically, the dynamics of the Philippine-U.S. alliance revolves around the interaction of threatcentric issues and the member-state’s response. Threat serves as the prime mover of the alliance; foreign aid, ideological solidarity, and institutional penetration do not guarantee the alliance stability. They do, however, serve as critical factors in the alliance management. Shared or unshared existential threats with external overtones have a greater impact on the alliance. Moreover, internal security threats affect alliance efficiency. A coordinated approach is needed to confront and master them. The Philippine Communist Insurgency of the CPP-NPA-NDF, the South China Sea Dispute with China, the ambiguity of 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty provisions including its executory mechanisms, and U.S. “strategic ambivalence” in the case of conflict serve as disconnecting factors of the Philippine-U.S. alliance. These factors created and continue to create friction between the Philippines and the United States. This study recommends that the allies must align their threat assessments, resolve or manage disconnecting threats, and then address the ambiguity of the agreement through further research and deeper strategic discourse.
How does a small power respond and adjust to a fluid and potentially dangerous strategic balancing by major powers generated by a territorial dispute? This paper observes that notwithstanding the major powers’ mistrust, suspicion, and rivalry, such precarious stability in the South China Sea dispute is sustained by a balance of power system. This system is an offshoot of the small littoral states’ (in this case, the Philippines’) policy of engaging the external maritime powers (the U.S. and Japan) to counter China’s heavy-handedness in dealing with this territorial row. Apprehensive of China’s claim of sovereignty over the South China Sea, the U.S. and Japan are increasing their strategic involvement in the maritime territorial row. These developments have transformed the dispute into a case of conflict irresolution. To cope with China’s heavy-handedness, the Philippines builds up the deterrence capability of its armed forces and forges security partnerships with the U.S. and Japan. The Philippines hopes that this move will ensure the maintenance of the status quo in the regional balance of power. In conclusion, the paper considers the Philippines’ policy as myopic since it overlooks the fact that the volatile balance of power situation in the South China Sea might be the proverbial “calm before the storm.” It is crucial that the Philippines puts its house in order, economically keeps pace with its more dynamic Southeast Asian neighbors, increases its defense spending, formulates a coherent national security strategy, and concentrates on building a credible armed forces to avoid free-riding on its allies, and more importantly, to enable the country to weather the approaching storm.
2014
This article examines the Philippines’ strategy of external balancing against an aggressive China as it intensifies its security ties with the United States, its only strategic and long-standing ally. This course of action aims to strengthen the country’s defense relations with the United States, particularly in developing the territorial defense capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. In this process, the Philippines finds it similarly essential to establish security ties with other bilateral defense partners of the United States, such as Japan, South Korea, and Australia. In conclusion, the article argues that fostering informal security arrangements with these countries enables the Philippines to confront a pressing and persistent maritime issue in Southeast Asia: China’s expansion in the South China Sea. Key words: alliances, external balancing, hub-and-spokes, Philippine–US relations, Philippine defense policy, internal balancing.
Alliance, Partnerships, And The Philippines' National Security Strategy
Eurasia Review, 2018
At eve of the 2018 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, European Council President Donald Tusk, in response to the criticisms from President Trump, reminded Washington to “appreciate your allies, after all you don’t have that many.” Tusk also called on Europe “spend more on your [defense], because everyone respects an ally that is well-prepared and equipped.” The same message is also true for the members of a network of alliances and partnerships—particularly for relatively smaller and weaker states, as well as their leaders—in the Indo-Asia-Pacific, a region facing immense foreign policy challenges against the backdrop of major powers competing for geopolitical preeminence. https://www.eurasiareview.com/03122018-alliance-partnerships-and-the-philippines-national-security-strategy-analysis/
Security Pursuits of a Small Power: The Philippines-Japan Strategic Partnership
Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia, 2022
The administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III pursued a policy of "lay[ing] the groundwork for a potential web of interlocking strategic partnerships" (Philippine NSC 2011, 29), essentially "expand[ing]… defense and security engagements" (Del Rosario 2013a) with other countries apart from the United States. The Aquino government broadened relations with other nations, including Japan, the country's first strategic partner. This study aims to determine the conditions under which small powers undertake strategic partnerships. Focusing on the Philippines-Japan strategic partnership, this study argues that the said partnership is driven by the need to support the current international order, promote capacity-building, and enhance the existing multilateral architecture.
MAJOR POWERS IN ASIA & REGIONAL SECURITY, COMPARATIVE STUDY: PHILIPPINES
The present tensions in the South China Sea have been mooted as the immediate-future’s greatest threat to regional and global security. With many of the world’s most powerful nations bordering the region or with considerable interest in the area, the ongoing ‘land-grab’ occurring in the South China Sea is adding extreme pressure to existing tensions between many of these nations. Indeed, as we observe the smaller regional states attempting to fend-off China’s extra-ordinary claims, we equally observe the United States of America ‘wading’ into the fray. The Philippines finds itself in the middle of this cacophony, particularly noting the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration finding in favour of the Philippines and condemning the excessive claims made by China. But, the change in the Philippines President has brought a swing in external policies that may further complicate the geo-strategic landscape. Noting China has thus far ignored the court’s ruling, the question of enforcement remains alongside the perpetual problem of finding a suitable solution such to lead the regional nations to a peaceful and amicable solution.