US support for PH arbitral win started in 1st Trump term – envoy

US Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson —US Embassy in the Philippines’ official website

MANILA, Philippines — The United States’ top diplomat in the Philippines on Wednesday said “strong bipartisan support” from Washington would make sure the two countries remain “steadfast friends and ironclad allies” whoever wins the race to the White House.

Asked how a second Donald Trump presidency would shape the relationship especially in view of Manila’s lingering maritime dispute with Beijing, Ambassador MaryKay Carlson recalled that the first pronouncement of support coming from the United States for the historic 2016 arbitral ruling voiding China’s claims happened during Trump’s first term.

“Remember, when you think about the security situation here in the Indo-Pacific, it was under the Trump administration that (then) Secretary of State [Mike] Pompeo came out and lent credence and support to the arbiter ruling that weighed in favor of the Philippines with regard to access and rights (to its exclusive economic zone),” Carlson said.

READ: PH marks 8th anniversary of arbitral ruling on West Philippine Sea

‘In a good place’

She also stressed that US assistance to the Philippine military had been enjoying bipartisan support in the US Congress, as shown in bills providing $500 million (or some P29 billion) for the modernization of the armed forces and another $128 million (or about P7.1 billion) particularly for improvements in the nine Philippines bases that American troops can access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca).

Carlson made the remarks in an interview on Wednesday shortly before the Republican candidate, ahead of the final results, claimed victory over Vice President Democratic rival Kamala Harris.

Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said ties between two security allies would “endure under any US presidency” and that it would remain “stable” under a second Trump administration.

“We will continue to strengthen and enhance not only our bilateral defense cooperation but our economic ties as well, cognizant that an economically secure and prosperous Philippines will be an even better ally and partner for the United States,” Romualdez added in a forum also on Wednesday.

Earlier, in a television interview, he said “(I) am quite confident that either of the candidates win, we will be in a good place in the sense that our relationship continues to be very strong especially in the defense side.”

Romualdez said that “if we have a strong defense alliance with the United States, we can expect that the economic part of it will also be very strong.”

He once lauded Duterte

During Trump’s first term, he noted, it was “very clear how important it was for a country like the Philippines to be more or less with them in terms of the alliance.”

In 2017, Trump visited Manila for the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit during the term of then President Rodrigo Duterte.

Trump also once praised Duterte for doing an “unbelievable job on the drug problem” in the Philippines. The antinarcotics campaign had left thousands dead by the time Duterte stepped down in 2022, for which he would face an investigation by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.

It was also during the Duterte years that Philippine relations with the United States turned cold as he made a so-called pivot to China.

For Romualdez, this icy episode with Washington should not affect a second Trump presidency’s ties with Manila under Duterte’s successor.

“There is no question that President Marcos will have no problem dealing with any leader around the world. And definitely he will not have that problem dealing with President Trump,” he added. —with a report from Nestor Corrales