Since 30 years ago, the US has planned that the Philippines be a strategic part of its the defense perimeter to protect its territory from probable attacks from Asia or the Middle East. This strategic move has nothing to do with US abandonment of military bases in RP or in Okinawa, Japan. Reason is the retrenchment program of the US forces in foreign lands, and, as in the mainland, to cut the expensive cost of maintaining them, considering its impact on the United States’ dwindling economy. Besides, it’s an election year for President Obama. The people have not yet forgotten the election promise of the President to return the Americans engaged in wars in foreign soil.
To strengthen its defense, the US has to depend on its close ally in Asia, the Philippines, most especially with whom it has a Mutual Defense Treaty, and its military presence in Hawaii and Japan.
The US, however, has a permanent military base in Diego Garcia island to guard its interests in the Indian Ocean, and particularly the oil imports coming through by sea from the Middle East, although it’s the assigned task of the US 6th Fleet deployed in the Middle East. The unhampered passage of oil tankers through the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean and the Asia-Pacific is the job of the US 7th Fleet.
What is appreciable in this aspect is the unselfish move of the 6th fleet or the 7th fleet to deploy its warships where it is needed most. The US Fleet in Asia has no military bases of its own to provide continuous presence in Asia-Pacific so they can stay in the area for a longer period.
A few years before the US armed forces abandoned Clark Airbase and Subic Naval Base in the Philippines, USAID did prepare by rehabilitating the existing international airport in General Santos City, with the intention to accommodate big US planes; and constructed a big and deep naval base also in General Santos City to receive aircraft carrier. Said military bases are obviously available to occupy when a world crisis erupts into a shooting war in Asia-Pacific area.
Hence, there is no need for warship access in Subic nor fighter planes in Clark Air Base. It’s risky for US forces to temporarily stay on the same conditions as before. There’s also the possibility of abusing the concession. If ever allowed to build permanent structures, it would justify staying longer than necessary.
But remember they allowed the 15 jets of RAF of the UK to enter Clark airbase when they were still at odds with Malaysia over Sabah claim. Remember, too that the British rented from us the occupation of Sabah, but was ceded later on by them to Malaysia. Moreover, the British failed to return Sabah to us.
Spain has allowed the use of its land but the US was not permitted to build permanent infrastructure within the base. Hopefully, the Philippine government will not permit them the use of the former bases.
Our dispute with China is no reason to be goody-goody with the US scheme. We can squarely face China alone without any help from US.