U.S. Use of Philippine Military Bases

The Military Base Agreement MBA between the United States and the Philippines becomes indefinite on 16 September 1991 with either nation able to end the agreement on one years notice. Should the U.S. not be able to reach a negotiated extension of the MBA, use of the Philippine military bases which house Clark Air Force Base and Subic Bay naval facilities will be placed in jeopardy as would the ability of the U.S. to project military power into the strategic shipping lanes of the Persian Gulf, the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea, and the Eastern Pacific. In the past reviews of the MBA, the U.S. has prevailed in securing continued access to the bases with increased security assistance to the Philippines. Despite rising Filipino nationalism, a destitute Philippine economy and a threatening communist insurgency dictate a continued U. S. presence in the Philippines as long as increasing amounts of U.S. security assistance are provided, at least in the near term. Absent a change in Filipino public opinion, the long term may well see use of the bases fade away. JE