MANILA, July 31, 2021 — President Rodrigo Duterte took back his long-standing threat to cancel the government’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III.

The agreement, which allows American military forces to train in the country and conduct war exercises with Philippine counterparts and other allies, was heading for the rocks after Duterte ordered its abrogation last year.

The Philippines served the United States an official notice of termination on Feb. 11, 2020, but the procedure was suspended the following June due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In November last year, the government extended the suspension for another six months.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was quoted as saying that the President’s change of heart came after meeting with Austin on Thursday, July 29.

According to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Austin visited the Philippines for the first time as Defense Secretary on July 29 to 30 “to reaffirm the strong and enduring U.S.-Philippine alliance as the two sides celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty.”

While in Manila, Austin and U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law met with Duterte, Lorenzana, and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin, Jr., emphasizing the centrality of the broad-based U.S.-Philippine partnership within the Indo-Pacific region. 

Following their meeting, Secretary Lorenzana announced President Duterte’s decision to recall the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Embassy said. 

Austin reportedly stressed that “a strong, resilient U.S.-Philippine alliance will remain vital to the security, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.”

“A fully restored VFA will help us achieve that goal together,” Austin added.

During his engagements in Manila, Austin also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims of the July 4 C-130 airplane crash, and discussed further strengthening bilateral security ties, supporting Philippine rights in the South China Sea, and U.S. vaccine assistance to the Philippines.

He also observed the signing of a U.S.-Philippine agreement enhancing mutual cooperation in aeronautical and maritime search and rescue operations on July 30.

The Philippines was the final stop in Austin’s three-country Indo-Pacific trip, following visits to Singapore and Vietnam. ~