On June 30, Marcos Jr.’s Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. welcomed the planned establishment of an ammunition production and storage facility in Subic Bay by the United States. US lawmakers are considering setting up the facility at the former American naval base in the Philippines, citing the “lack of a forward-staged ammunition manufacturing” site in the Indo-Pacific region.
The construction of an ammunition production facility on Philippine soil not only violates the country’s national sovereignty. It will also deepen US military entrenchment and further expose the Filipino people to greater risks in the event of an armed conflict between China and the US.
This development takes place in the backdrop of intensifying US positioning of military troops and war materiel in the Philippines, a major component of the US “first island chain” strategy to contain China. There are now nine US EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) military bases strategically located across the country. In March, the US 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) was deployed to the Philippines under the Littoral Rotational Force-Luzon (LRF-Luzon). A series of massive “war exercises” involving 15,000 troops from the US, Philippines and other Western allies were conducted. Naval and aerial drills were also launched to enhance interoperability under war conditions. Advanced missile systems with effective ranges capable of reaching China have been positioned in the northern parts of the archipelago.
US imperialism has deviously exploited the Philippines’ legitimate claim in the South China Sea (SCS) against China’s aggressive “grey tactics.” It has also stoked Sinophobic sentiments among the Filipino public in attempts to draw the Philippines into its war preparations against China.
Marcos Jr ignorantly asserts that a firm military alliance with the US is the Philippines’ best option for strategic deterrence against China. In doing so, he shamelessly subordinates Philippine sovereignty to the interests of US imperialism, blindly assuming that what serves US geopolitical intersts also serves the interests of the Filipino people. This dangerous delusion ignores the glaring truth that US imperialism is in deep crisis and is desperately maneuvering to reassert its waning global dominance in an increasingly multipolar world – all at the expense of countries like the Philippines.
Amid these US imperialist machinations and threats of war, the Filipino people’s freedom and life are at stake. It is urgent for the Filipino people to stand up, fight for genuine sovereignty and denounce the subservience of the Marcos Jr regime.
It is the patriotic duty of the Filipino people to reject US warmongering, oppose plans to construct more US military bases and facilities in the country, demand the dismantling of all other US military facilities, demand the abrogation of all unequal military treaties with the US.
President Donald Trump enters a crucial week for his trade agenda with momentum. On Sunday, the US and EU announced a preliminary trade agreement that sets 15% tariffs (down from the threat of 30%) on European goods imported into the US. The deal will also see the EU purchase American energy and military equipment, according to Trump. The pact follows deals with Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines. But plenty of key trading partners have yet to strike an agreement with the US, and the White House insists that this time there will be no extensions after the Aug. 1 deadline. “No more grace periods,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Fox News. The week ahead is likely to bring a flurry of conversations with countries like Canada, Mexico, and India — but Trump seems unlikely to finalize deals with everyone before the deadline.
— Shelby Talcott
