While Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE) criticizes the Duterte administration on its foreign relation and environmental policies and programs, we welcome the move of President Duterte’s termination the United States (US)-Republic of the Philippines (RP) Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). It is a just move towards ending an unjust, disadvantageous, and environmentally destructive military agreement.
US military forces and facilities have a long track record of environmental destruction and pollution in the country. After the expiration of the Bases agreement in 1991, the US military has left voluminous toxic wastes and contaminated vast areas in the former military bases in Subic and Clark. Toxic chemicals such as Aldrins, Dieldrin, Petroleum Hydrocarbons (PCBs), Lead, Mercury, and other have contaminated the soil and groundwater in above safe environmental standards, affecting the health of thousands in nearby communities resulting death of more than 200 individuals and sickness of more than 10,250 individuals.
Under the regime of VFA, a US military contractor Glenn Defense Marine Asia, has dumped 50,000 gallons of untreated domestic waste and 200 gallons of bilge water in Subic waters. The following year, a US Navy ship USS Guardian, grounded in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tubbataha reef in Palawan destroying an area 2,300 m2. The US government has only paid $1.97 Million, far from the estimated damage amount of $16.8 Million – $27 Million.
Annual Balikatan exercises and war games, which uses live ammunition, heavy bombardments, tanks, and ships leaves high ecological footprint and poses a danger to adjacent environment and local communities.
With the termination of the VFA, we urge the Duterte administration to also end other unfair agreements with the US such as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) and others.
We are also cognizant that termination of VFA should not be a precursor towards a full blown China oriented Philippine foreign policy.We challenge President Duterte to apply the same might that he used in ending VFA in asserting our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and rejecting the debt trap of China.
VFA’s termination is a step towards exacting justice for all the environmental crimes that the US government has brought to the country. Without VFA and other unfair agreements, the country is in a better position in crafting an independent, peaceful and pro-environment foreign policy. #
