Rebooting US-PH communications

[Ayoshi]

Nov 04 2016
http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/03/16/kerry-stays-bullish-on-us-ph-ties-amid-dutertes-rants

WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday he remained confident about the future of the U.S.-Philippines relationship in spite of "a difference here or there" and that he hoped to visit Manila again before leaving office.

New Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has thrown Manila's long-standing alliance with Washington into question since taking office in June with a series of insults and threats to cut ties with the former colonial power.

Speaking at a swearing-in ceremony for the new U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, Sung Kim, Kerry stressed the depth of ties and called the alliance between the two peoples "indelible."

WATCH: New U.S. envoy to Philippines takes oath
http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/03/16/watch-new-us-envoy-to-philippines-takes-oath

[Ayoshi]

Duterte congratulates Trump, looks forward to enhanced PHL-US relations | GMA news - November 9, 2016

"President Rodrigo Roa Duterte wishes to extend his warm congratulations to Mr. Donald Trump on his recent electoral victory as President of the United States of America," Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.

"The United States presidential election is a testament to the enduring traditions of its democratic system and the American way of life. The two-party system gives American voters freedom of choice based on party platforms, not just on personalities," he also wrote.

Andanar also said that Duterte looks forward to working with the incoming Trump administration.

[Ayoshi]

Philippines' Duterte gets Trump White House invite during 'animated' call | reuters - Dec 2, 2016

Trump's brief chat with the firebrand Philippine president comes during a period of uncertainty about one of Washington's most important Asian alliances, stoked by Duterte's unrelenting hostility toward the United States and his repeated threats to sever decades-old defense ties.

The call lasted just over seven minutes, Duterte's special advisor, Christopher Go, said in a short text message to media, which gave few details. Trump's transition team had no immediate comment.

In his five months in office, the volatile Duterte has upended Philippine foreign policy by berating the United States, making overtures toward historic rival China and pursuing a new alliance with Russia.

< snipped >

'Clean Slate'

A question mark hangs over the future of a 2014 Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), however, a deal of strategic importance to Washington because it allows U.S. forces access to Philippine bases on a troop rotation basis.

A source who has advised Trump's transition team on security policy told Reuters last week that Trump would start a "clean slate" with the Philippines.

"He is perfectly capable of talking to Duterte in an open way without being wedded to previous policy failures," the source said of Trump.

[adroth]

After Trump phone call, PH-US ties may see a ‘reboot’
ABS-CBN News
Posted at Dec 04 2016 04:54 PM

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/04/16/after-trump-phone-call-ph-us-ties-may-see-a-reboot

Malacañang on Sunday said the Philippines may soon see a “reboot” in its relationship with the United States following the first phone conversation between the leaders of the two countries.

In a phone call which lasted for over seven minutes, President Rodrigo Duterte said he established a “good rapport” with US President-elect Donald Trump, whom he said wished him success on the government’s war on drugs.

“The conversation between the President Duterte and President-elect Donald Trump went very well and it showed that there is a big possibility that we will have a reboot of relationship between the United States,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in an interview on dzRH.

< Edited >

[adroth]

The ambassador is making the rounds

https://twitter.com/usambmanila/status/807076798194450433





https://www.facebook.com/roilo.golez/posts/10154855860004939?pnref=story

[mayk]

The sign at the back looks like BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF15)

The ambassador is making the rounds

https://twitter.com/usambmanila/status/807076798194450433

[adroth]

US destroyer docks in Palawan
By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) | Updated December 26, 2016 - 12:00am

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/12/26/1656905/us-destroyer-docks-palawan

MANILA, Philippines – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain arrived in Puerto Princesa yesterday for a brief routine port call.

During the visit, the crew of McCain will participate in a series of community service projects and sporting events in the country.

The McCain is forward deployed to the US Seventh Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia Pacific region.

< Edited >

[r3mu511]

^ah, DDG-56 McCain, she's one of the USN's ballistic missile defense (BMD) capable Burkes in the fleet...

with the flight-2a ships scheduled for their aegis baseline 9 modernization (which includes BMD), the flight-1 ships like McCain might be older but at least they all have BMD capability already (though for most of the flight-1 it's an older BMD 3.6.x/4.x version which doesn't yet support simultaneous air and BM defense/IAMD like what baseline 9 does)...

[Sinagtala]

U.S. Military Delivers Counterterrorism Equipment to the Philippine Army and Marine Corps

Clark Air Base, February 1, 2017 — Representatives from the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines’ Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) delivered new military equipment to the Philippine Army and Marine Corps January 27. The transfer included over 400 M203 grenade launchers, 85 M40A5 sniper rifles, and a RQ-11B Raven unmanned aerial vehicle system consisting of three drones for exclusive use and ownership by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The AFP procured the small-arms weapons through the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales program. This equipment will help enhance the AFP’s counterterrorism capabilities, and protect Philippine security forces actively engaged in counterterrorism operations in the southern Philippines.

In addition to the small-arms transfer, the U.S. government provided a Raven unmanned aerial vehicle system through the grant counterterrorism program. As part of the grant, and in addition to the three unmanned aerial vehicles included in the Raven system, Philippine service members received training in the United States on its operations and maintenance. The Raven is a hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicle that will increase the AFP’s capabilities to conduct intelligence collection, mission planning, and reconnaissance operations.

The equipment transfer and continued bilateral training efforts demonstrate the commitment between the Philippines and U.S. to work towards safer communities and the eradication of global terror networks.

Source: https://ph.usembassy.gov/us-military-delivers-counterterrorism-equipment-philippine-army-marine-corps/

[spoon]

Seems the president's noise is heard by the US (State Department?). Rather than counter the outbursts and complains PRRD, they just walked the talk. Thanks USA for the equipment (these are badly needed in the south ),

[Juramentado]

No need for thanks. This was a business deal under FMS.

Note what's in that package:

Drones
Sniper rifles

What's being sought repeatedly by Duterte from Russia and China?

Business can be done. Someone mention it to him.

[adroth]

Business can be done. Someone mention it to him.

JUSMAG, through its assessments, dictates what business can be done with the US.

[adroth]

US to continue working productively with Philippines
By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 3, 2017 - 12:00am

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/02/03/1668568/us-continue-working-productively-philippines

WASHINGTON – The United States will continue to work constructively and productively with the Philippines despite persistent human rights concerns under the Duterte administration.

“It’s a relationship that we value and what I can say unequivocally is we’re going to continue to work productively with the Philippines where we can,” State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner told Filipino journalists Wednesday.

“I can say the willingness of the US to work constructively with the Philippines remains,” he said.

Human rights concerns, he said, can be discussed even while efforts are being made to further strengthen relations between the two countries.

“We’ll sometimes have concerns certainly about human rights. It’s one of those concerns but we also believe in our relationship with the Philippines. We can talk about these areas of concern at the same time we pursue a very productive and forward looking bilateral relationship,” Toner said.

< Edited >

The US, Toner emphasized, has a long and enduring security relationship with the Philippines and Washington is seeking always to improve such relationship. “We want to make this relationship even stronger,” he added.

The US commitment to the Philippines and the Mutual Defense Treaty, as declared by Obama during his two visits in Manila in 2014 and 2015, is “ironclad.”

The State Department official said the US welcomes Manila’s improving relations with China and even with Moscow, saying Washington does not view the development as a “zero sum game.”

“We believe the Philippines can have an objective relationship with China and that will not weaken its relationship with the US,” Toner said.

“Our focus is on obviously strengthening of relations but we’re mindful it’s good for the region. It’s good for the stability of the region if the Philippines has strong and productive relationship with China,” he pointed out.

< Edited >

[Mokong]

Do we have an operational definition of Iron Clad?

I think strategic ambiguity is more precise.

[adroth]

Top Philippine officials fly to US carrier in disputed sea
By JIM GOMEZ
 
Mar. 4, 2017 7:04 AM EST
 
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/182a3575c01e4018bc15cbdef81f3fdc/top-philippine-officials-fly-us-carrier-disputed-sea

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine defense chief and two other Cabinet members on Saturday toured a U.S. aircraft carrier patrolling the disputed South China Sea on the invitation of the Navy, U.S. Embassy officials said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II visited the USS Carl Vinson along with three Philippine security officials, said U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Molly Koscina.

The visit shows continuing top-level engagements between Philippine officials and the U.S. military despite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's threat to scale back engagements with American forces while reaching out to China and Russia. There was no immediate reaction from China, which had opposed U.S. patrols in waters it has claimed virtually in its entirety.

< Edited >

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From: https://www.facebook.com/manila.usembassy/photos/a.10155151723809623.1073742288.157551009622/10155152069889623/?type=3&theater