The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) signed
in 1998 grants legal status to u.s
forces temporarily stationed in the
philippines, a former u s colony for
exercises humanitarian, assistance and
disaster relief.
"We at the defense department and the
armed forces. The general feeling is for
the visiting forces agreement to
continue the final decision to push
through with the termination or withdraw
the notice rests on the president," Lorenzana said in a tv interview.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte
said he wants the u.s to pay to keep a
two-decade-old pact, that facilitates
joint military exercises an agreement
which he sought to scrap last year.
The defense chief said that washington
and manila officials are due to meet
this month to discuss military and
security cooperation. The first such
meeting under the administration of President Joe Biden.
He said the pact has been vital in
allowing u.s and philippine forces to
work together and enhance the
capabilities of philippine troops. The Biden administration last month
reaffirmed its support for the
philippines in the face of china's
growing assertiveness after beijing
passed, a law allowing its coast guard to
open fire on foreign vessels in the
south china sea.
China claims almost all of the south
china sea which is a major trade route. Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia
and Brunei have overlapping claims.
The VFA's importance was highlighted by
u.s defense secretary Iloyd Austin, during his introductory phone call with
lorenzana on wednesday.
Lorenzana said austin mentioned u.s
support for a free and unimpeded
indo-pacific region, the south china sea
especially.
Separately, the philippines foreign
affairs department said in a report
posted on its official twitter account, that the Duterte administration has
filed 60 diplomatic notes against china. That includes a note on beijing's new
law, allowing the chinese coast guard to
act against foreign vessels in the south
china sea.
