Palace: US donation of COVID-19 vaccines possibly factored in keeping VFA intact

Malacañang said Monday that President Rodrigo Duterte likely considered the United States’ generous COVID-19 vaccine donation in deciding to keep the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the country’s longtime ally.

“The President considered the totality of the recent situation and thorough assessment [of the agreement] based on national interest,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said of the recent Duterte order to keep the VFA after meeting US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Manila.

“By considering the totality of the circumstances, there is a good possibility that it (COVID-19 vaccine donation) was factored in the situation,” Roque added.

Based on records from the US Embassy in Manila, the US government has donated at least 13.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines so far. Of this number, 10 million doses were donated via global aid facility COVAX, while the 3.2 million doses were direct donation.

Another three million doses of Moderna donated by the US government are also expected to be delivered to the Philippines on Tuesday, August 3, as announced by Roque.

The VFA is a 1999 military pact between the Philippines and United States which allows American forces to hold joint military exercises, counter intelligence training and engage in humanitarian aid missions with their Filipino counterparts.

The VFA, however, prohibits US troops from engaging in combat operations.

Roque earlier said that maintaining the VFA is in accordance with the country’s national interest.

Before deciding to keep the agreement, Duterte threatened to abrogate it multiple times  and complained that the country is not benefitting from the agreement to the fullest extent.

The President, however, also suspended the abrogation at least twice amid the COVID-19 pandemic. — RSJ, GMA News