VFA TERMINATION is PRO-FILIPINO, NOT ANTI-USA and NOT PRO-CHINA… that will allow the Philippines more flexible readjustments and calibrations according to the world situation.  It is an aspect of the Independent Foreign Policy that will help build up the Filipino capacity and allow us to work with the US and other countries in more equal, and mutual-benefiting relationships. 

Duterte decision to end VFA protects the Filipinos as it helps remove PH as target of US enemies. 

1. VFA INCREASES RISK, DANGER FOR THE PHILIPPINES. US military presence makes the PH a target for enemies of the US. 
2. REASON:  Philippines becomes in the line of fire of disputes, frontline battle for the USA.  Since US military bases and missiles may be launched from the Philipppine bases and waters, necessarily a rival will have to position to knock these out. // Iran General Soleimani was assassinated by US in Iraq, using a drone that flew out of Qatar, independent sovereign nations that were dragged into volatile situation by US military adventurism… 
3. HISTORY  Philippines became biggest casualty in Southeast Asia with more than 1million dead defending USA from Japan (no one in Southeast Asia suffered more than 100 thousand deaths). // USA abandoned Philippines early, total war casualties of Americans only about 500 thousand only for entire WW2. // Battlefront countries like Vietnam and Korea have millions who died, vs countries that managed neutrality have been much more able to escape damage… eg Thailand is friend to everyone, NO VFA, and is a major market and investment destination for all countries, including USA and China (significantly more than the Philippines).VFA DOESN’T PROTECT, but VIOLATES PH SOVEREIGNTY.
4. REASON: US law and interests (then Japan and Australia) will be placed above Philippine law and interests.  
5. HISTORY:  1. Pemberton Case and many other rapes, murders, or bombing mastermind whisked away in Davao shows Philippines cannot even have custody of the US soldier, or apply Philippine laws.   2. US pointed guns at Filipinos in Tubbataha to prevent even boarding to inspect.  China allows arrests and executions according to Philippine law.  3. Use of US international bases to attack other countries makes the host allied country a target as well.  4. The US is the most frequent violator of Philippine sovereignty over its internal waters (https://www.manilatimes.net/2019/08/22/opinion/columnists/the-biggest-intruder-in-our-waters-is-not-china/604054/), making the Philippines a target as well in cases of conflict since it makes the Philippines an attack carrier for the US.  Those suggesting China wishes to invade the Philippines should note centuries of relations, PH~CH only trade and friendship, even when China had largest navy in history. In less than a few years, the US betrayed, invaded, and killed Filipinos (est. go from low 600,000 to more than a 1 million).
6. The WPS claims an ongoing challenge in relations but significant gains in more constructive relations have been made; issues are now discussed in highest bilateral channels. 
7. REASON: Confidence-building measures across different stakeholders have been established, while managing issues— like any relationships, we manage the conflicts but focus and expand on the commonalities.  Though we are not saying valid, geopolitics help explains China’s moves as a response to US surrounding and controlling China with military vessels; and a record of invasions, embargoes and sanctions for countries that do no align with the US interest.  EDCA made the PH a US warship, where even PH officials cannot inspect US occupied bases…
8. HISTORY: Compare~ China has settled the majority 17 out of 23 of its territorial disputes but took decades to resolve… China will not risk her global standing and invade the PH when the entire PH economy is only half a year’s growth of China… they have been pursuing trade and friendship successfully for centuries.)  For centuries, the seas united the Asians, until the Western colonialists came and created borders.
9. VFA WILL EXTEND USA CONTROL OVER PHILIPPINES.
10. REASON:  US is the hegemon that will position military personnel and weapons of mass destructions, nuclear and chemical weapons at will in the Philippines (as US was already caught doing so, and elsewhere in the world most recently in 6 secret locations in Europe that was accidentally exposed by NATO https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3018914/nato-silent-six-secret-locations-us-nuclear-weapons).  The US tendency is to dictate to allies, meanwhile courting those that have independent policies, sanctions those against some key allies. They tell allies where they are “allowed” to source or trade or produce anything (PH remain one of the lowest recipient of foreign investments vis-a-vis ASEAN neighbors, that were poorer than PH decades ago.  PH per capita one of the slowest growth in decades, even under US military and economic umbrella).  Many of the accusations on China are based on “allegations” or “future threats”, but haven’t shown actual clear evidence of this imposing their views on any country outside of itself.
    
11. HISTORY:  US does not allow Filipinos to examine US bases and equipment contents, personnel, protocols… This makes it impossible for any other nation to trust a Filipino agreement.  US tried to tell Philippines and other allies not to use other countries’ more open funding, superior value weapons and technology, joint research, investments. The bases and operation in other countries are used independently of the laws in the country as shown in Turkey, Qatar, Cuba, even the Philippines.
12. VFA TERMINATION WILL NOT REDUCE BUSINESS with the Philippines, WILL INCREASE BUSINESS if we look beyond the short term. 
13. REASON: Business interests in a globalized world are based on business, esp if you have substantial business, which overcomes politics. WHAT MATTERS IS IF WE ARE WEAK ECONOMICALLY AND POLITICALLY.  An INDEPENDENT FOREIGN POLICY will allow us to select and readjust as situations change, it is a PRO PHILIPPINE POLICY. 
14. HISTORY:  Vietnam was a US enemy, converted to major US business destination within a few years.  Saudi Arabia and Israel human rights records dont matter to the USA which protects them.  Thailand and other countries have excellent relations with both China and US without pandering to either.  Pakistan and Singapore gets a lot of benefits from constantly rebalancing both US and China trying to court it.
15. VFA is AMERICA-FIRST, NOT PHILIPPINE-FIRST…the CONDITIONS OF PHL CONTROL WILL NOT BE HONORED. 
16. REASON: US breaks any and all agreements, including with the Philippines, even against all evidences and promises. “America first” does not require honor code, just US interest.
    
17. HISTORY: US was supposed to help the Philippines in 1898 to attain independence, but instead US took over, with over 1 million Filipinos killed in the war.  US broke Iran deal even after the EU allies UK, Germany, France, Canada, and US State Secretary Tillerson and Defense Secretary Mattis certified acceptable compliance, then US assassinated Iran’s top general, who is also credited for helping stop ISIS.  US promised Russia no extension of NATO , but has actually recruited states all the way to the Russian border, and even secretly stored nuclear bases in various states.  US trade agreements with WTO, Europe, Canada, Mexico, etc… all unilaterally broken.  US preaches and ignores at will the UN, ICC, KYOTO protocol, UNCLOS…ALL INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS the US has violated, even threatened to sanction if they impose their standards on the US.
18. FOREIGN RELATIONS esp military, should become a CONSTANT REBALANCING, NEGOTIATION TOOL for the FILIPINOS. 
19. REASON: The presence of the US is important to both US and China and other powers.  To give in to one instead of constant rebalancing will become dominated by one to the exclusion of changes of circumstances favorable to the Filipino. The world is being redefined fast, and in fact most of the world is increasing relations with China and shaking off the US propensity to dictate, while remaining friends and working with it.
20. HISTORY:  Vietnam, Japan, Germany are all examples of how enemies become friends and friends become enemies.
    

TODAY THE MAIN COMPETITION is in ECONOMY AND HUMAN RESOURCES, NOT MILITARY.  The main proponent of the continued brandishing of military as the main weapon of policy is the US, who spends 55 percent of all its budget on military, and spends more than $700 billion in military, bigger than the next 8 countries combined.  

REJECT! USA TOOL of MILITARIZING the WORLD, but instead adopt the APPROACH to WORLD via DEVELOPMENT AND BRIDGING of DIFFERENCES.

PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION and  SOVEREIGNTY REQUIRES  THERE BE NO REGULAR PRESENCE OF FOREIGN TROOPS.

Please help share truth and perspective. 

Peace is development, development is peace. ~Pope Paul V