On the White Home, President Biden and President Marcos will advance an bold agenda for the U.S.-Philippines alliance and rejoice the super momentum now animating bilateral efforts to advance prosperity, safety, and friendship amongst our peoples.
As we speak President Joe Biden welcomes Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to the White Home. This follows President Bidens September 2022 assembly with President Marcos in New York, and Vice President Kamala Harriss go to to the Philippines in November 2022.
President Biden will reaffirm the USA ironclad dedication to the protection of the Philippines, and the leaders will talk about efforts to strengthen the longstanding U.S.-Philippines alliance. The leaders will assessment alternatives to deepen financial cooperation and promote inclusive prosperity, increase our nations particular people-to-people ties, spend money on the clear vitality transition and tackle the local weather disaster, and guarantee respect for human rights. The leaders will talk about regional issues and coordinate on efforts to uphold worldwide legislation and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.
President Biden and President Marcos will announce quite a lot of new preparations and initiatives to increase on the historic momentum in U.S.-Philippine relations, together with the adoption of Bilateral Protection Pointers, President Bidens dispatching of a Presidential Commerce and Funding Mission to the Philippines, the launch of an Open RAN 5G interoperability lab in Manila, and the institution of a bilateral Labor Working Group.
THE U.S.-PHILIPPINES ALLIANCE
The Philippines is the USA oldest ally within the Indo-Pacific. Since 1951, the U.S.-Philippines alliance has superior peace, prosperity, and safety for the USA, the Philippines, and the broader Indo-Pacific area. Now the USA and the Philippines are modernizing the alliance and constructing a powerful and resilient structure that’s designed to fulfill rising challenges, whereas routinizing joint planning and bettering interoperability. On April 28, we concluded the largest-ever iteration of our flagship bilateral navy train, Balikatan. We’re additionally increasing cooperation amongst our coast guards to higher tackle the challenges posed by unlawful, unreported, and unregulated fishing and different illegal maritime actions; when Vice President Harris visited Palawan in November 2022, she introduced $7.5 million in new help to reinforce the capabilities of Philippine maritime legislation enforcement companies, in addition to a brand new program to improve the Philippine Coast Guards vessel site visitors administration system.
Moreover, the Philippines and the USA have recognized 4 new websites pursuant to the U.S.-Philippines Enhanced Protection Cooperation Settlement (EDCA), which can strengthen Philippine safety and help the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization targets, whereas driving U.S. funding to native communities throughout the Philippines and bettering our shared capacity to quickly ship humanitarian help and catastrophe reduction.
On the White Home, President Biden will reaffirm the USA ironclad alliance commitments to the Philippines, underscoring that an armed assault within the Pacific, which incorporates the South China Sea, on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or plane, together with these of the Coast Guard, would invoke U.S. mutual protection commitments beneath Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Protection Treaty. President Biden and President Marcos will announce the next preparations and initiatives:
- Bilateral Protection Pointers: The USA and the Philippines are adopting Bilateral Protection Pointers that institutionalize key bilateral priorities, mechanisms, and processes to deepen alliance cooperation and interoperability throughout land, sea, air, area, and our on-line world. The Pointers help the continued modernization of the alliance and ongoing efforts to adapt alliance coordination to reply to the evolving safety surroundings. As outlined within the Pointers, the USA and the Philippines will advance efforts to deepen interoperability, notably via enhanced bilateral planning; information-sharing; accelerated protection functionality growth; and collaboration on rising safety challenges.
- Enhancing the Capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines: The USA intends to switch to the Armed Forces of the Philippines two Island-class patrol vessels, two Protector-class patrol vessels, and three C-130H plane, pending relevant Congressional notification necessities. Moreover, two Cyclone-class coastal patrol vessels had been transferred to the Philippines in late April, and are actually en path to Manila. These transfers will help the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program by enhancing its maritime and tactical raise capabilities.
- EDCA Websites Driving Sustainable Improvement and Funding in Native Communities: The USA is working intently with communities within the neighborhood of the EDCA websites to completely notice their constructive worth for native growth and for humanitarian help and catastrophe reduction. To that finish, the USA will increase our work in these communities and areas to help well being, schooling, environmental safety, financial development, and catastrophe preparedness.
ECONOMIC COOPERATION: PROMOTING INVESTMENT, INNOVATION, AND INCLUSIVE PROSPERITY
The shut financial ties between the USA and the Philippines have lengthy supported high-quality funding, good jobs, and sustained financial development in each nations. All areas of the Philippines profit from U.S. funding, and staff of U.S. firms within the Philippines earn annual wages which are 50% above the common familys earnings. U.S. enterprise providers firm Concentrix is the Philippines largest non-public sector employer, whereas U.S. funding agency KKR invested $1 billion in Philippine telecom infrastructure in 2022 alone and U.S. expertise firms corresponding to Texas Devices, onsemi, Amkor, and Analog Units have invested a whole lot of thousands and thousands of {dollars} within the Philippines semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.
The Philippines and the USA are additionally partnering with different regional nations to barter an Indo-Pacific Financial Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which can promote commerce, provide chain resilience, clear financial system growth, and anti-corruption and tax efforts. The nations are additionally collaborating intently at conferences all through the U.S. 2023 Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation (APEC) host yr. So as to add additional momentum to our particular financial ties, President Biden and President Marcos will announce the next new initiatives:
- Presidential Commerce and Funding Mission: President Biden intends to dispatch a Presidential Commerce and Funding Mission to the Philippines on his behalf the primary mission of its variety to reinforce U.S. firms funding within the Philippines innovation financial system, its clear vitality transition and demanding minerals sector, and the meals safety of its individuals. The Presidential Commerce and Funding Mission will characteristic the best caliber of U.S. enterprise leaders.
- Bringing the Indo-Pacific Enterprise Discussion board to the Philippines: The USA and the Philippines will co-host the sixth annual Indo-Pacific Enterprise Discussion board (IPBF) in Manila, pending Congressional notification. The IPBF, sponsored by the U.S. Commerce and Improvement Company (USTDA), is the USA marquee annual business occasion within the area, convening the best stage of private and non-private sector leaders to assessment coverage developments, announce new investments, and determine new business partnerships. Anticipated to happen in spring of 2024, the Discussion board will strengthen the Philippines place as a key hub for regional provide chains and high-quality funding.
- Open RAN 5G Interoperability Lab: To advance a safe 5G rollout within the Philippines, strengthen its innovation financial system, and supply digital upskilling alternatives to Philippine employees, the USA intends to ascertain a brick-and-mortar Open RAN Interoperability Lab in Manila, pending Congressional notification. The Lab will present hands-on coaching to present and aspiring 5G professionals and supply a chance for distributors and operators deploying Open RAN worldwide to show and educate native engineers in methods to design, construct, and function these open, safe, and interoperable networks.
- Investing in Sustainable, Excessive-High quality Infrastructure: The U.S. Company for Worldwide Improvement (USAID) is launching a brand new partnership to scale up infrastructure growth within the Philippines and help the development of high-quality railways, ports, and transport programs. Moreover, over the course of 2023, USTDA will launch new sustainable infrastructure actions supposed to leverage over $3 billion in private and non-private financing to strengthen the Philippines vital mineral provide chains, advance good grid applied sciences and clear vitality options, promote safe 5G deployment, strengthen airport safety and maritime security, and help healthcare infrastructure throughout the Philippines.
- Increasing U.S.-Philippines Air Transportation Hyperlinks: The USA and the Philippines intend to increase air connectivity and modernize our bilateral aviation relationship, which can strengthen our financial and people-to-people ties. U.S. and Philippine aeronautical authorities will formalize a technical aviation dialogue on the upcoming APEC Transportation Ministerial Assembly in Detroit to reinforce coverage and regulatory alignment, with a view in the direction of modernizing the U.S.-Philippines air transportation settlement.
- Area Cooperation: The USA and the Philippines will strengthen bilateral cooperation on area situational consciousness and using area for maritime area consciousness, together with via the first-ever U.S.-Philippines Civil Area Dialogue. The nations will collaborate on using space-based expertise within the areas of catastrophe administration and emergency response, healthcare, mapping of assets and accessibility, air pollution monitoring, deforestation, land use and infrastructure planning, and maritime consciousness. The leaders welcome the strengthening of bilateral cooperation on the Landsat Program, together with the likelihood for the Philippines to obtain imagery immediately from Landsat satellites to its floor stations.
EDUCATION AND PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE TIES
The USA and the Philippines profit from distinctive bonds of friendship and group amongst our peoples, and thousands and thousands of Filipino People enrich communities throughout the USA. The USA solely abroad VA Service Middle is positioned in Manila, the place it fulfills our particular obligations to the numerous Filipinos who served beneath the U.S. flag. The Philippines can also be house to the longest constantly operating Fulbright Program now celebrating its 75th anniversary. We’ll mark this particular milestone by increasing U.S.-Philippine trade packages and strengthening alumni networks among the many hundreds of Filipinos who’ve benefited from these packages. Moreover, President Biden and President Marcos will announce the next new initiatives:
- Investing within the Subsequent Technology of Philippine Leaders: The U.S. authorities is on monitor to supply $70 million to help greater than 2,000 trade individuals between the Philippines and the USA over the subsequent ten years. This funding will enable for an enlargement of the Fulbright program, the Worldwide Customer Management Program, the Philippines Youth Management Program, the Younger Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, the Humphrey program, and different bilateral trade initiatives with the Philippines. This represents one of many U.S. governments largest long-term people-to-people commitments globally.
- Philippines-U.S. Friendship Fellowship: The USA and the Philippines welcome plans to ascertain a Philippines-U.S. Friendship Fellowship (PUFF), which is designed to supply Philippine college students and younger professionals with distinctive academic alternatives in the USA, constructing life-long ties among the many subsequent era of Philippine and American innovators and leaders.
- Constructing World-Class Universities within the Philippines: USAID will launch a $30 million next-generation larger schooling partnership to strengthen the Philippine schooling system, working with Philippine universities to increase their innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce growth capabilities, pending availability of funds. This flagship schooling partnership will advance Philippine human capital priorities by supporting universities curriculum growth, college coaching, larger schooling coverage and administration, analysis, and group engagement.
- Fulbright Advancing Innovation and Capability-Constructing: Noting the significance of collaboration amongst our scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs, the USA helps the partnerships the Fulbright Fee has established with the Philippine Fee on Larger Training, Division of Agriculture, Division of Well being, Competitors Fee, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and Area Company; and commits to discover avenues for harnessing these partnerships to realize capacity-building in areas vital to the Philippines nationwide growth and financial development.
ADVANCING RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
The USA and the Philippines shared democratic values strengthen our alliance immeasurably. Selling respect for human rights and rule of legislation, and making certain civil society leaders and members of marginalized communities are secure from violence, are key priorities for the U.S.-Philippines relationship. The USA seems to be ahead to contributing to the Philippines-UN Joint Programme for Human Rights, a novel mechanism supposed to strengthen Philippine accountability mechanisms. The USA and the Philippines are additionally centered on making certain employees can manage freely and safely. The USA appreciates President Marcoss participation within the second Summit for Democracy and appears ahead to launching a U.S.-Philippines Democracy Dialogue this yr. As we speak, President Biden and President Marcos will announce:
- Institution of a U.S.-Philippines Labor Working Group: The USA and the Philippines will set up a bilateral Labor Working Group, pursuant to the U.S.-Philippines Commerce and Funding Framework Settlement. The Labor Working Group will function an vital platform via which the USA and the Philippines can collaborate to speed up implementation of internationally acknowledged labor rights. It’ll additionally facilitate trade and dialogue amongst U.S. and Philippine governments and labor unions, making certain that employees voices will form the way in which forward.
COLLABORATION ON CLEAN ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
The USA and the Philippines are deepening collaboration to struggle local weather change, increase clear vitality manufacturing, and shield the surroundings. We’ll endeavor to maintain vitality costs down for households whereas urgently decreasing greenhouse fuel emissions by increasing wind, photo voltaic, and geothermal vitality manufacturing within the Philippines, together with via our Vitality Coverage Dialogue. We’re expeditiously negotiating a civil nuclear cooperation settlement (or 123 Settlement), which can present a authorized basis for important transfers of nuclear materials and tools, whereas concurrently enhancing capacity-building and business cooperation in nuclear vitality. Moreover, the USA and the Philippines have adopted a ridge-to-reef mannequin of environmental safety, collaborating to advertise sustainable fisheries and marine conservation, fight the unlawful lumber and wildlife commerce, advance ecosystem-based adaptation, rehabilitate precious wetlands, and promote good governance within the mining sector. As we speak, President Biden and President Marcos will announce the next new initiatives:
- Partnership on Vital Minerals: USAID will make investments an extra $5 million, pending Congressional notification, to help elevated manufacturing of processed minerals and increase downstream mineral industries within the Philippines, such because the manufacturing of electrical automobile elements and knowledge and communications applied sciences (ICT) tools, whereas bettering governance requirements within the mining trade. As well as, the U.S. Division of the Inside and the Philippine Division of Surroundings and Pure Sources (DENR) intend to accomplice on the identification and classification of mineral commodity assets, and capacity-building on minerals governance. Lastly, the Division of State will set up technical cooperation with the Philippines to develop the countrys nickel and copper assets in a fashion that promotes sustained financial development and social profit. This builds on USTDAs ongoing work to help the event of environmentally sustainable nickel processing services within the Philippines.
- Inexperienced Vitality Auctions: USAID will accomplice with the Philippine Division of Vitality to conduct the Philippines second spherical of inexperienced vitality auctions bidding out a mixed 11.6GW of photo voltaic, onshore wind, biomass and waste-to-energy capability to be put in from 2024 to 2026, representing practically half the countrys present vitality capability.
- Partnership on Nuclear Vitality: As the USA and the Philippines proceed to develop a civil nuclear cooperation settlement, the USA will present capacity-building help via the Foundational Infrastructure for Accountable Use of Small Modular Reactor Know-how (FIRST) program, which can assist the Philippines develop a nationwide civil nuclear engineering workforce. The USA may also organize a examine tour this summer season for Philippine legislators and authorities officers to discover the potential for nuclear vitality to fulfill the Philippines clear vitality wants, in line with the best requirements of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation.
- Environmental Safety: The U.S. Environmental Safety Company and DENR have dedicated to work collectively to handle the intense well being and environmental dangers related to local weather change and environmental degradation. This partnership will apply finest practices and cutting-edge applied sciences to handle challenges like methane discount, meals waste, marine plastic litter, water high quality, and environmental justice. As well as, the Division of Inside intends to accomplice with DENR to guard shorelines and ecosystems via ridge-to-reef conservation and analysis efforts.
SUPPORTING RESILIENT AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
The USA and the Philippines are shut companions in selling well being safety and supporting inclusive group resilience. In FY 2022 funding alone, USAID expects to supply over $135 million in growth help to help these efforts, topic to Congressional approval. We’re proud to have supplied the Philippines greater than $52 million in COVID-19 help, along with donating 33 million secure and efficient COVID-19 vaccines in partnership with COVAX, constructing on the USA $600 million funding within the Philippine well being sector over the previous twenty years.
USAID has responded to over 50 disasters within the Philippines since 1990, offering life-saving emergency help whereas build up the Philippines home response capability. Since 2010, the USA has supplied over $363 million in catastrophe preparedness, response, and restoration assistanceexcluding COVID-19 assistanceto assist over 100 cities and municipalities throughout the Philippines. The USA can also be supporting Philippine efforts to stop, detect, and reply to rising infectious illness threats via technical help and investments that strengthen the capability of laboratories, enhance illness surveillance and emergency administration programs, and set up sturdy danger communication and biosafety and biosecurity measures.
As we speak, President Biden and President Marcos will announce the next new initiatives:
- Advancing Meals Safety: On Might 5, the USA and the Philippines will convene their inaugural Meals Safety Dialogue, a high-level platform led by the U.S. and Philippine Departments of Agriculture, mandated to coordinate enhanced bilateral efforts to create resilient meals programs and advance agricultural commerce, innovation, and sustainability. The Division of Commerce intends to dispatch its first-ever commerce mission on agricultural expertise to the Philippines in September 2023, with stops in Manila and Davao Metropolis. As well as, the U.S. Nationwide Science Basis will help joint analysis on meals safety with U.S. and Philippine specialists on the Worldwide Rice Institute in Los Baos.
- Advancing Water Safety: USAID help will mobilize $100 million over the subsequent 5 years to extend entry to secure consuming water for 1.22 million Filipinos and supply sanitation providers to 710,000 individuals, whereas strengthening water administration establishments, rising entry to climate-resilient water provide, bettering water useful resource administration, and addressing water financing gaps.
- Defending Vital Water Infrastructure: The USA and the Philippines will accomplice to strengthen the safety and resilience of Philippine water infrastructure, provide, and distribution programs. We plan to share finest practices and instruments, and conduct professional exchanges on methods to stop, detect, and tackle bodily and cyber incidents. We may also present cybersecurity coaching for presidency personnel and undertake different capability constructing efforts.
- Catastrophe Danger Discount: USAID is offering an extra $5.3 million for catastrophe danger discount and resilience programming within the Philippines, constructing nationwide and native capability to arrange for and reply to disasters, whereas addressing the long-term wants of at-risk communities. As well as, the USA and the Philippines, constructing upon long-standing cooperation within the discipline of science, expertise, and innovation (STI), will co-host a world workshop on Harnessing STI for Catastrophe Danger Discount in Metro Manila this yr, in partnership with the United Nations Fee on Science and Know-how for Improvement.
- Selling Well being Safety and Combating Tuberculosis: USAID will award an extra $8 million, pending Congressional notification, to help world well being safety within the Philippines and spend money on the Philippines biosafety and laboratory capability, illness surveillance, danger communication, and emergency preparedness. As well as, USAID will accomplice with the Philippine Division of Well being to handle the double burden of non-communicable illnesses and tuberculosis. This partnership will guarantee all Filipinos have entry to high quality remedy. USAID may also increase help to the Philippines Nationwide Tuberculosis Reference Lab, introducing the use the Focused Subsequent-Technology Sequencing expertise to handle drug-resistant strains.
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