SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S REMARKS TO STAFF AND FAMILIES AT U.S. EMBASSY IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Meeting With Staff and Families of Embassy Manila

Remarks

John Kerry
Secretary of State

U.S. Embassy Manila

Manila, Philippines

December 17, 2013

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SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very, very much. Magandang gabi. (Laughter.) I’m going to let you have it. What?
AUDIENCE: Almost.
SECRETARY KERRY: Almost. Well, come here. Come here. Come here. How should I say it? (Laughter.) All right. Give me the right way.

AUDIENCE: Magandang gabi.

SECRETARY KERRY: Magandang gabi. (Applause and cheering.) So he’s not such a good teacher. (Laughter.)

Anyway, it is wonderful to be here in this historic Embassy. And thank you all for the privilege of sharing a few thoughts with all of you being here.

First of all, you are very blessed to have one of the best in the entire Foreign Service. This guy has worked on so many different initiatives. He’s been in Latin America; he’s been in Bosnia, the Bosnia team – of the Dayton Accords. He’s worked with Deputy Secretary Strobe Talbott. He has been the bureau chief of INR, as you know – intelligence and research. And you’ve got the right person for this moment out here. He’s a professional, and I’m delighted that he’s representing our country as ambassador. And you’re lucky to have him. Anyway, thank you. (Applause.)
And Brian Goldbeck – it’s hard to see him. Somewhere he’s here. I met him as I came in. Brian (inaudible).

PARTICIPANT: He’s back here somewhere.

SECRETARY KERRY: Brian’s hiding back there, but he shouldn’t be hiding, because as all of you know, his leadership was essential during the period of the typhoon response, and Ben Hemingway and Amy Reardon, the DART team, the extraordinary work that all of you did.
There are so many people I want to run through all of the names but the Citizen Service piece – everything we did was actually stunning, linking people to aid, getting aid, finding the $45 million, rapidly getting it out there. Where’s Colonel Wylie? Is he here somewhere? No, not here. Well, obviously the job that JUSMAG did in terms of operations and coordination, flying so many people from Tacloban and bringing them up to Manila and everything – it’s really an extraordinary story.

I know you guys have a huge tradition here, the sort of one team, one mission concept. But you gave that more meaning than almost any embassy in the entire world. And every one of you should applaud everybody else here, because it’s an extraordinary story. Thank you for doing what you do. (Applause.)

I understand we’ve got a few very special people here. Cesar Buensuceso has worked in HR 30 years. Cesar, I gather is here. Not here. Well, tell him we did him a shout-out and – (laughter) – his absence was noticed. (Laughter.)

How about Lourdes Apolinario? No, she’s not here? She’s also – she’s served 34 years. She knows better than to be here. Excelsa Espiritu. Excelsa. Is Excelsa here? Likewise, they’ve all worked so long they’ve earned the privilege to going home early. (Laughter.)

Well, will you thank them for me? Because honestly, for all of you who are local hires – and we have over 1,000 of them here – we cannot do what we do without you. And everybody is so grateful. There are almost 400, about 350 to 400 folks, here who are direct hires and some of them are Civil Service and some are Foreign Service officers, some political appointees and some third nationals. But we are hugely grateful to all of you from the Philippines who make it possible for us to know what we’re doing and to put the right face on America. So every one of us join in saying thank you to you for the job you do. (Applause.)

I’m going to be very quick, because I want to have a chance to shake some hands and take a few photos as we run out of here. But let me just tell you what a great, great privilege it is for me to be back here. I had always had this thing in my mind about the Philippines because my grandfather’s cousin was a governor-general here back in 1909, 1912. And so he came back with all this beautiful mahogany wood and narra wood – (laughter) – unbelievable baskets and different things, and we grew up with these things, looking at them, and we admired them. And I would say, wow, that’s an amazing place, I want to go.

And when I became a senator, the first place I went to, not so much because of that but because I had heard so many stories about what was happening in terms of political repression and the Marcos regime and abuse and so forth that I wanted to come here. And I spent five hours with Ferdinand Marcos in the Malacanang Palace and was convinced after that conversation that the United States needed to change its policy.

And so the first amendment I ever passed as a young senator was about the Philippines, and we changed our foreign aid program to make it conditional. And Marcos got kind of angry at me, but figured he was going to show this young whippersnapper senator who was boss, and he called a snap election in order to re-legitimize himself.

Well, NAMFREL and lot of dedicated people here in the Philippines had a different idea, and they created a network of poll watching and accountability and transparency. So when that election took place, we knew what was happening with the voting. We weren’t able to prove it until 13 courageous women walked out of the polling counting computer center, took refuge in the church, and I went and met with them at the cathedral, and they stood up and told their story of how they were putting legitimate vote counts that gave Cory Aquino the victory into the computers but coming out on the tote board was completely fictitious numbers worked towards Marcos.

We blew the lid off of the fraudulent election and within weeks Ronald Reagan pulled the rug out from under him, sent his top aide over here, top senator, friend, Paul Laxalt delivered the message and Marcos was gone. That shows you what you can do. That’s called accountability, democracy, people power. That’s what it was called.

So as I come here now, we’re at this (inaudible) in terms of American foreign policy and the world we’re living in. There are huge challenges all around the planet. And every country is in play, in a sense, because there are too many places where there’s failed governments or failing governments or near-failed states, or failed states. And we need to prove successes. We need to show that we can respond to people’s needs. In this incredible economic transformation that’s taking place, an awful lot of people making a lot of money and an awful lot of people being left behind. And what we’re going to need to do is even that out and work at this as we create our trade agreements, as we work at the governance issues, as we bring healthcare, and build capacity in countries.

That’s the challenge of American foreign policy today, and each and every one of you should be really excited about being on the cutting edge of this global transformation taking place. There are a lot of folks I know that I run into – when I ran for president, went around the country, I’d meet a lot of people who hated their jobs, and you knew they got up in the morning and the only reason they went to work was to survive and pay the bills, but not because they loved their work. This work we all have the privilege of really loving, because we can make a difference in the lives of other people and meet people and be ambassadors – every single one of us – for our nation and for our values. And those of you who are Filipino who share those values, share those affections, you can be part of that journey, because it’s yours as much as ours.
So I want to thank all of you for being part of this. Thank you for choosing to do what you do. And I look forward over the next three years – unless I screw up royally – (laughter) – to continuing to work with all of you to help make this happen. Thank you all, and God bless. (Applause.)

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAGEL SPEAKS OF PARTNERSHIP WITH MALAYSIA

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Hagel Underscores Commitment to Partnership With Malaysia
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 25, 2013 - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had productive meetings here today with Malaysian officials and said the United States is committed to building on progress made over the past few years and strengthening the U.S.-Malaysian partnership.
Hagel's first visit to Malaysia as defense secretary is part of an Asia-Pacific trip that will include visits to Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines.
"Malaysia has been a good friend to the United States, and the close security partnership we've forged holds great promise for ensuring our shared security and prosperity in the 21st century," Hagel said this afternoon during a joint news conference with Defense Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

"I know President [Barack] Obama appreciates the close relationship that exists between our two countries," he added, "and I know he looks forward to his visit here in October to [attend] the Global Entrepreneurship Summit."

Hagel and Hishammuddin met, the secretary said, "to discuss a range of security issues of importance to both our countries and to this region."

Praising Malaysia's growing military capabilities, Hagel said Malaysia has made increasingly important contributions to regional and global security.

The Malaysian military has made impressive contributions to counterpiracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and to United Nations peacekeeping efforts with nearly 1,000 troops deployed worldwide this year, he said, adding that Malaysian armed forces medical personnel are contributing to security in Afghanistan.

The United States welcomes these efforts by the Malaysian military, Hagel said, "and today I made clear that the U.S. is continuing to assist Malaysia's military as it increases its capabilities in areas like humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping, maritime security and counterterrorism."

This year the United States will conduct more than 75 activities, exchanges and visits with the Malaysian military, the secretary added, all designed to help it become a more professional and flexible force.

Hagel said he and the defense minister also discussed ways to counter transnational threats, such as trafficking and proliferation, and future areas of cooperation, such as technology collaboration and expanding defense trade and information sharing.

"Minister Hishammuddin and I reaffirmed our shared belief that greater multilateral cooperation and strong regional institutions are essential -- essential," Hagel stressed, "to greater stability in the region."

After the news conference, Hagel met with Prime Minister Najib Razak and later delivered a speech at the Ministry of Defense to a packed auditorium of defense officials and business leaders.

In the speech, the secretary discussed how the Asia-Pacific region will help to shape the trajectory of global security and prosperity, and how the United States is rebalancing the weight of its global diplomatic, economic and security engagement toward the Asia-Pacific.

"Since President Obama took office in 2009, the United States has made major advances in its relationships in Southeast Asia and recognized the centrality of ASEAN," Hagel said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, whose 10 member states are Burma, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Defense ministers from these nations are attendees of the annual ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting, or ADMM. And the upcoming ADMM-Plus meeting is made up of ASEAN members and eight dialogue partners: the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, New Zealand and Russia.

"My upcoming visit to the ADMM-Plus [in Brunei]," Hagel said, "and my travel to Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines this week is an example of how the United States is engaging in 'defense diplomacy' in the region."

Other diplomatic efforts include engagement with Burma, engagement in the region by Obama administration officials, and a high-standard trade agreement called the Trans-Pacific Partnership whose negotiations Malaysia has joined, the secretary said.

"These diplomatic and economic initiatives are designed to bring greater prosperity to all of our nations by building trade and investment, increasing our cultural and societal ties, educating our people, and fostering innovation to provide better health care, more renewable energy, and a sustainable environment," Hagel said. "But success in every one of these areas is underpinned by peace and security."

A key component of the U.S. security strategy is to help nations and institutions across the region improve their ability to address these threats through joint military exercises and engagements, he said. As part of the rebalance, the United States is making such exercises more robust and is including more nations across the region. An example is Cobra Gold.

What began as a bilateral military exercise between the United States and treaty ally Thailand in 1980 has evolved into a multilateral exercise involving more than 13,000 personnel from the United States, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea, the secretary said, all training together in areas such as jungle warfare, counterproliferation, and combined arms.

Another example is RIMPAC, he said, the U.S. Navy's largest multilateral exercise. This features 46 navy vessels, 200 aircraft and more than 25,000 personnel. India joined the exercise in 2012, and in 2014 Brunei and China will participate for the first time.

The United States is also helping partners improve capabilities by providing new defense technology and equipment.

"Our most recent budget includes $90 million for foreign military financing and international military education and training programs in Southeast Asia, an increase of more than 50 percent compared to four years ago," Hagel said.

The United States is increasing commercial defense trade, he added, and envisions moving toward co-production and co-development of new platforms with close partners in the region, sharing American technology and expertise to deepen security partnerships.

Multilateral cooperation -- U.S. partners in the region cooperating more effectively with each other and with other nations in the region -- is essential to meeting transnational security challenges, Hagel explained. Such nations include close U.S. allies Australia, Japan and South Korea, and emerging powers such as China and India, he added, without whose active involvement and participation no security architecture in Southeast Asia can succeed.

"To further this kind of cooperation, we are making new investments in the Asia-Pacific region's growing security architecture, particularly ASEAN-led institutions like the ADMM-Plus, which is now Asia's primary multilateral defense ministerial," the secretary said.

Enhancing U.S. contributions to regional institutions is a key pillar of U.S. strategy in the region, he added.

"Together," Hagel told the audience, "the United States and all the nations of this region are defining a new future, one where we embrace the obligation to conduct ourselves responsibly and identify ways to work together to solve common challenges."

STATE DEPARTMENT PRESS STATEMENT ON TROPICAL STORM TRAMI

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Tropical Storm Trami
Press Statement
Marie Harf
Deputy Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
August 20, 2013

On behalf of the United States Government, we wish to extend our deepest condolences for the devastation and loss of life caused by Tropical Storm Trami (also known as Maring) in the Philippines. The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), will provide $300,000 for emergency non-food assistance along with an additional contribution of $500,000 for warehousing and logistics support to improve local rapid response efforts. USAID/OFDA is also working in close coordination with the Government of the Philippines to conduct assessments of the affected areas, to help identify and prioritize needs, and to coordinate response activities.

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA ON ASIA-PACIFIC SHIFT

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICES

Panetta Describes U.S. Shift in Asia-Pacific

By Jim Garamone

SINGAPORE, June 1, 2012 - The United States is a Pacific power and will remain engaged in the region, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said during a speech delivered at the 11th Annual Shangri-La Dialogue here.

Panetta explained what America's enduring shift toward the Asia-Pacific means to the region. The speech took place June 2 here. Singapore time is 12 hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast.

The shift has long been forecast. After the fall of the Soviet Union, there were those in the U.S. government who urged a re-focusing of U.S. strategy toward the Pacific. China and India are two of the fastest-growing economies on Earth and the nations of Southeast Asia also grew behind the shield of U.S. presence in the region.

The United States also has deep, lasting alliances with nations in the region including Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand.

This progress and shift, however, were interrupted by the attacks of 9-11 and American attention shifted to combating the terrorist menace.

But now the war in Iraq is over and U.S. troop levels are drawing down in Afghanistan. Last year, President Barack Obama approved a strategy shifting toward Asia. The United States has thousands of miles of Pacific coastline and is an integral part of the region.

"We take on this role not as a distant power, but as part of the Pacific family of nations, Panetta said at the conference. "Our goal is to work closely with all the nations of this region to confront common challenges and promote peace, prosperity and security."

Defense policy in the region calls for the U.S. military to expand military-to-military relationships well beyond the traditional treaty allies.

China is, of course, the major player in the region. China has grown to the second-largest economy in the world and is investing in modernizing its military. Panetta wants good relations with China and will travel there later this year to expand those contacts.

The secretary stressed that the U.S. shift toward the region in no way is aimed at China. "Our effort to renew and intensify our involvement in Asia is fully compatible with the development and growth of China," Panetta said. "Indeed, increased U.S. involvement in this region will benefit China as it advances our shared security and prosperity."

The United States is working with many nations in the region to promote regional security. There are threats in the area. Terrorism, piracy, narco-trafficking, human trafficking are just a few of the problems. There are disputes over territory and the United States would like to see all these problems addressed peacefully by all nations.

Panetta praised the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for its "rules-based" regional security architecture. The secretary also said he looks forward to working with defense ministers from around the region.

Discussions and dialogue can help calm the waters in the South China Sea, where several countries in the region have claims in the area. "The U.S. position is clear and consistent. We call for restraint and diplomatic resolution; we oppose provocation, coercion or the use of force," Panetta said. The United States does not take sides on the disputes, the secretary said, and America has made this position clear to all in the region.

The U.S. military will shift its stance as the global situation shifts, the secretary said. Marine ground and aviation units have begun rotational deployments to Australia. The United States and the Philippines are looking at a similar arrangement.

American littoral combat ships will be berthing in Singapore and the number of Navy assets deployed will shift, too. "By 2020, the Navy will reposture its forces from today's roughly 50/50 split between the Atlantic and Pacific to about a 60/40 split between those oceans -- including six aircraft carriers, a majority of our cruisers, destroyers, littoral combat ships and submarines," Panetta said.

The United States will also shift resources to combat new threats of cyberwar and anti-access technologies.

The shift will continue, Panetta said, as leaders from both parties recognize the importance of the region.

"The United States has long been deeply involved in the Asia-Pacific," Panetta said. "Through times of war and peace, under Democratic and Republican leaders, through rancor and comity in Washington, through surplus and debt. We were here then, we are here now and we will be here for the future."

STATE DEPARTMENT TESTIFIES TO CONGRESS ON U.S RELATIONSHIP WITH PHILIPPINES

The following excerpt is from the U.S. State Department website:

“Kurt M. Campbell
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific AffairsTestimony Before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade
Washington, DC
February 7, 2012

Mr. Chairman, Mr. Sherman, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you very much for inviting me here today to testify about the vital importance of the deep and long-standing alliance between the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines. Many members of this Committee have been key proponents for advancing the U.S.-Philippines relationship, and I look forward to working closely with you as we continue to take steps to strengthen and deepen our partnership. I am particularly pleased that you have chosen to hold the hearing at this consequential moment, a moment when our two countries are working to revitalize our alliance to meet the challenges of the 21st century. In many ways, we are writing a new chapter in our relationship and turning the page from a legacy of paternalism to a partnership of equals.
Our efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Philippine alliance are part of a broader strategy by the Obama Administration to increase American strategic engagement and focus in the Asia-Pacific region. The President and Secretary Clinton’s travels through Asia, including hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in November 2011, underscore that the United States is an enduring Pacific power, and our national interests are inextricably linked to the Asia-Pacific. This strategy, undergirded by a rich bipartisan tradition, has six key components: first, deepening and broadening our alliances with Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, Thailand, and of course the Philippines; second, building new partnerships with a range of emerging players like China, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and New Zealand; third, increasing our commitment and engagement with regional institutions like ASEAN, the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit and the Pacific Island Forum; fourth, pursuing a more geographically distributed, operationally resilient, and politically sustainable force posture in the Asia-Pacific region; fifth, working to advance free trade and opportunities for American businesses; and last advancing human rights and democratic values from China to Vietnam and Burma.

I would like to use the remainder of my testimony to focus on the important work that the Obama Administration is pursuing to strengthen and deepen our partnership and alliance with the Philippines in line with our strategic goals.

Philippine President Aquino and his administration entered office committed to strengthening their partnership with the United States. The United States’ and the Philippines’ abiding friendship has been forged by a history of shared sacrifice and common purpose. Our relationship is enriched by the presence in the United States of over four million Filipinos and Filipino Americans and in the Philippines by over 150,000 Americans, who help shape the future of both countries. In November, Secretary Clinton stood side-by-side with her Philippine counterpart Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario aboard the USS Fitzgerald in Manila Bay to sign the joint Manila Declaration, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. Together, the leaders reaffirmed that the treaty remains the foundation of the bilateral relationship. The Manila Declaration also sets forth a shared vision for strategic, political, economic, and people-to-people cooperation between our two nations that will allow us to meet the many and diverse challenges of the 21st century.

At this time seventy years ago, our soldiers were fighting valiantly together in the defense of our last strongholds at Corregidor and Bataan. We joined forces again on the beaches of Leyte in October 1944 to begin the liberation of the Philippines. Later, when we signed our Mutual Defense Treaty in 1951, we were united against the spread of communism. Now we have entered a new era, with different challenges and opportunities. As we move forward together, we must ensure that our alliance remains nimble, adaptive, and flexible in order to meet changing global and regional dynamics. We are also resolute in our determination to promote economic cooperation, advance people-to-people ties, and combat corruption.

Forged in war, our partnership is today committed to sustaining global and regional peace, security, and prosperity. We are constantly looking to enhance our security relationship to better address the range of regional security challenges that are of interest to both our governments. We are making sure that our collective defense capabilities and communications infrastructure are operationally and materially capable of deterring provocation from the full spectrum of state and non-state actors. We are working with our Filipino allies to ensure that we can meet threats like proliferation and terrorism. We remain committed to continuing our close and effective cooperation to counter al-Qaida-linked terrorist groups in the southern Philippines through our Joint Special Operations Task Force.

We also support the Philippines, particularly in the maritime domain, as it moves to improve its maritime security and interdiction capabilities. Last August, we transferred the former Coast Guard cutter Hamilton to the Philippines through the excess defense articles (EDA) program. Now renamed the Gregorio del Pilar, the cutter serves as the flagship of the Philippine Navy, enhancing the Philippines’ maritime security in countering traditional and non-traditional threats, including terrorism, illegal fishing, and natural disasters. In the coming months, we hope to transfer a second Coast Guard cutter to the Philippines, as well as support other improvements in its surveillance and detection capabilities.

The United States and the Philippines cooperate closely in the region’s multilateral fora, including the ASEAN Regional Forum, East Asia Summit (EAS), and APEC, and are both firmly committed to the expedient value of multilateral diplomacy in resolving some of the most complex regional and global challenges. As the country coordinator for U.S.-ASEAN dialogue, the Philippines has worked closely with the United States on a number of issues and facilitated the United States joining EAS, which led to President Obama's participation in the first EAS meeting in Bali last November. At the Bali EAS, Presidents Obama and Aquino made strong statements on the region’s pressing political and strategic issues, including maritime security, nonproliferation, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The Philippines’ leading role in nonproliferation issues also contributed to the successful negotiations between nuclear weapons states (NWS), including the United States, and the member states of ASEAN that resolved outstanding issues and should ultimately enable the NWS to sign the Protocol to the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty.

The United States and the Philippines also share a common interest in maintaining peace and stability, freedom of navigation, unimpeded lawful commerce, and respect for international law. This goal is particularly important in the South China Sea, the world’s busiest maritime thoroughfare, where multiple overlapping claims can and have led to heightened tension among claimant states. While the United States takes no position on the competing sovereignty claims over islands in the South China Sea, our goal, which we share with ASEAN, is to support a collaborative diplomatic process by all claimants to resolve their disputes without coercion. We believe all parties should pursue and clarify their territorial claims and accompanying rights to maritime space in accordance with international law, including as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention. Consistent with international law, claims to maritime space should be derived solely from legitimate claims to land features. And we note that the Philippines government has proposed domestic legislation in order to harmonize its maritime laws with the Convention, and we commend those ongoing efforts. I would note as well that joining the Law of the Sea Convention is a top priority for the United States. The Convention, which sets forth a comprehensive legal framework governing uses of the oceans, protects and advances a broad range of U.S. interests, including U.S. national security and economic interests. U.S. accession is a matter of geostrategic importance in the South China Sea.
The United States and the Philippines are also building an ever-stronger partnership in the economic sphere. Today, the United States is the number two trading partner of the Philippines, after Japan, and also one of the largest foreign investors. We are working to expand on our trade and investment relationship. In November 2011, our senior trade officials signed a Trade and Customs Facilitation agreement on the sidelines of the APEC conference in Honolulu. We have had several discussions under the auspices of our Trade and Investment Framework Agreement and further discussed the Philippines’ interest in eventually joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The United States is also working actively to resolve outstanding trade barriers in the Philippines that serve as an impediment to U.S. exports, including unwarranted restrictions on U.S. meat and meat products.

The Philippine government acknowledges that there are issues that weaken our trade relationship and impede equitable, broad-based economic growth for Filipinos. Primary among these is corruption, though there is reason to be optimistic as President Aquino’s campaign pledge to root out corruption is beginning to take hold through public disclosure of violations, placing new leadership in oversight institutions, public antagonism to cronyism, and through nascent initiatives that, if implemented effectively, offer the opportunity for gradual, but effective change. As one of just eight founding governments of the Open Government Partnership launched last September in New York, the Aquino administration is committed to a global effort for more transparent, effective, and accountable governance - with institutions that empower citizens and are responsive to their aspirations. Mr. Chairman, if President Aquino and his administration remain committed on this track, I firmly believe the Philippines can continue to improve its global standing, its ranking in the various indices of corruption, and its chances of attracting job-creating investment by American and international companies.

The United States is supporting the Philippine government’s development initiatives. Last year, for example, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact with the Philippines entered into force, providing $434 million in grant assistance. Through the Compact, municipalities throughout the archipelago will benefit from community-driven development projects. In addition, a major component of the Compact will provide improved road infrastructure for the island of Samar, fostering prosperity through better access to markets and services and lower transportation costs.

We are also helping the Philippine government reduce poverty through a new effort called the Partnership for Growth, or PFG. The PFG is a White House-led program that coordinates the efforts of many U.S. government agencies, starting with USAID and MCC, to remove constraints that inhibit economic growth. It includes agencies as diverse as the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury. PFG’s objective is to remove the constraints to greater prosperity and accelerate and sustain broad-based economic growth. With growth come jobs, and a person with a steady job has a stake in the economy, a stake in a stable society, and a stake in an honest government that offers services such as health care and education to their families. A PFG Statement of Principles was signed in November by Secretary Clinton and Foreign Secretary del Rosario in Manila.

PFG came about through a demanding process of consultation with Philippine partners, and it also insists on accountability and results. The focus is on real partnership, meaning that goals and projects are based on joint decisions. Our two teams drew up a Joint Country Action Plan, which seeks to establish in the Philippines a transparent and consistent legal and regulatory framework for businesses and entrepreneurs. Another goal is to create a more open and competitive business environment with lower barriers to entry. PFG will also direct funds to strengthen the rule of law by supporting a more efficient court system. And finally, it will direct efforts towards improved oversight of government revenue collection and spending.
Our commitment to the Philippines is also evident in the good deeds of USAID and the Peace Corps, organizations that have been active in the Philippines for 50 years. In addition to its involvement with PFG, USAID provides significant development support to the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, complementing our security and diplomatic efforts to ensure peace and stability there.

The United States is also highly supportive of initiatives to ensure security and equitable justice for all Filipinos. Among several projects, we helped the Philippine National Police (PNP) set up a state-of-the-art crime lab in Mindanao. We also helped the Philippine government form an interagency airport task force with support from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to interdict illegal narcotics and help enforce anti-narcotics laws at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The abhorrent practice of human trafficking victimizes a great many Filipinos – men, women, and children. But President Aquino has given this issue his personal attention, and there has been good progress. We support the strong partnership between Philippine civil society and government agencies that has worked to prevent victimization, rescue those who have been abused, apprehend perpetrators, and convict the guilty. Much remains to be done, but the U.S. government has recognized Philippine progress, as documented in the current Trafficking in Persons report.

Mr. Chairman, you well know the United States’ longstanding advocacy for human rights and specifically the concerns we have had about extra-judicial killings. Over the past years, some members of the security forces have been involved in politically-motivated murders. As you are aware, the U.S. Congress has withheld three million dollars in Foreign Military Financing from the Philippines, pending progress toward accountability regarding these killings.

Although the pace of killings has declined, trying and convicting perpetrators remains an ongoing challenge. The United States is providing support through The Asia Foundation to help build capacity and streamline these cases, which would help further advance accountability. President Aquino, whose father was the victim of the country’s most infamous extra-judicial killing, has spoken publicly on the issue, and Justice Secretary Leila De Lima has shown herself to be a long-time, ardent advocate for human rights.

Mr. Chairman, I have noted a number of opportunities to deepen our partnership with the Philippines. We routinely discuss these with our counterparts at the highest level. Just two weeks ago I co-chaired our second Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD) with the Philippines here in Washington, DC. We are also looking ahead to a visit by the Philippine Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and National Defense for a “2+2” ministerial meeting with Secretary Clinton and Secretary Panetta. We are hoping that these meetings serve to galvanize a further deepening of our bilateral relationship.

In conclusion, the vital ties between the Philippines and the United States are strong and growing stronger, and we must continue to invest in them to serve the interests and answer the concerns of our people, to maintain security and the conditions for progress, and to keep following the fruitful pursuits of peace. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Chairman, and with Members of this Subcommittee and Congress to seek opportunities to influence positively the future direction of this relationship to deliver more benefit to the region and to our people.

Thank you for extending this opportunity to me to testify today on this vitally important issue.”