In the past decades, U.S. military bases have negatively affected our environment, people, and communities and have increased cases of violence and harassment, especially against women.
“My brother is not a pig! Tao ang kapatid ko, hindi baboy ramo!” – Nora Aunor, (Minsa’y Isang Gamu-gamo). This iconic movie line from 1976 about the effects and impacts of U.S. military bases in the Philippines is still relevant to this day.
With the rampant militarization under Marcos Jr., at least four more U.S. military bases in Cagayan and Palawan are planned to be built in his first year of presidency. In total, there are 15 areas that are used as military sites, making the entire Philippines treated as U.S. military bases.
The question is, do we really need more U.S. military bases in the Philippines?
In the past decades, U.S. military bases have negatively affected our environment, people, and communities and have increased cases of violence and harassment, especially against women.
Examples:
- Recent bombings in Cagayan (targeted EDCA sites)
- Nicole and Jennifer Laude’s rape case in Olongapo City
- In Subic, there was dumping of hazardous waste, leaking underground storage tanks, and toxic spills, among others.
The U.S. military-industrial complex is the single largest institutional source of carbon emissions in the world. Military exercises or BALIKATAN also possess harmful effects on our local marine and terrestrial biodiversity while inflicting fear and trauma on surrounding coastal communities.
These military exercises led by the US military to train the Philippine army for “counterterrorism” have led to us being one of the most dangerous countries in the world for environmental defenders and activists. Activists are being harassed, killed, and called terrorists. Environmental defenders like indigenous rights advocates Dexter Capuyan and Bazoo de Jesus have been abducted and are still missing two months later.
With the false promises of ‘national protection’ and improving our national defense, Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and other similar treaties are only making us more dependent on the United States.
It is not in the Philippines’ and Filipino peoples’ interest to be part of a polluting war. Building more U.S. military bases in our country is part of the inter-imperialist competition, where the interest lies in their wish to maintain dominance on a regional and global scale.
This Philippine independence day, as youth climate activists, we recognize the U.S. as the biggest perpetrator of climate imperialism. We join the fight to end mendicant foreign policies and junk VFA-EDCA.
Only by charting our own course and working to develop a self-reliant economy can we protect our islands and waters. Only by fighting against the meaningless violence of imperialist war and the military industrial complex will we achieve climate justice.
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Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines 