Lorenzana says Philippines does not need VFA ”indefinitely”

February 6, 2020

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Philippines does not need the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States "indefinitely".

"I think our long term interest is to be self-sufficient in defense. We should have at least a minimum deterent capability," Lorenzana told senators during a hearing on the VFA Thursday.

"Now whether we need the VFA indefinitely, I think we do not need the VFA so we should use the deterent in building up our capabilities," he added when asked by Senator Richard Gordon if it is in the Philippines' national interest to cancel the VFA "at this point".

Lorenzana said ''the VFA was born out of the mutual need of the United States and the Philippines."

"Let's go back in 1992 when they left, before that tactically all our equipment came from the US. When they left, all the supplies of the spare parts and everything dried up," he said.

"I think in 1992 we had about more than 100 helicopters flying and five C130s, In 1999 when they (US) came back I think three dozen helicopters were flying. So that is our lesson that we learned very hard that we cannot source our equipment from just one source," he added.

When asked by Senator Grace Poe, Lorenzana mentioned the importance of the asistance provided by the United States to the Philippines specially during calamities.

"During (Typhoon) Haiyan (it) struck Tacloban, it was the US aircraft carrier who came first and offer assistance to the victims because we do not have any assets then to bring there. The airport was destroyed and it will take time for our ships to go there. That’s why since then we also acquired two large ships that can be used in times of emergency but yes they have been very helpful in times of calamity specially Haiyan," he said.

"In (the 2006) landslide in Leyte, they also assisted us there. I think they are always there during calamities. The US forces are there especially those that were deployed in Okinawa. They are ready to (be) deployed anytime we suffer calamities," he added.

Lorenzana added that based on their data since 1998, the United States granted the Philippines a total of $1.3 billion to help the military.

"The US has given us a total of 1.3 billion since 1998 with varying amounts every year, starting 1998 with 1.5 million then increasing. The biggest grant that they give the AFP was in 2017 at $219 million," he said.

The Senate hearing on the VFA came following the order of  President Rodrigo Duterte to terminate the 21-year-old agreement.

During the hearing, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin Jr confirmed that he prepared the notice of termination of the VFA but he is waiting for a go signal from Duterte before he sumbits it to the United States. Robina Asido/DMS