Essay Example on In a separate article the same author revealed that EDCA

In a separate article the same author revealed that EDCA provides an important point to the Obama administration's Rebalance to Asia policy Through the EDCA the Philippines is said to have cemented itself as a key location for American s military presence in the region He described the signing of the agreement as a rare opportunity to be provided with greater access to bases in the region considering the challenge upon EDCA s constitutionality that hampered the swift implementation of the agreement He also claimed that EDCA will essentially facilitate Washington s initiative for an enhanced regional maritime domain awareness MDA initiative through the Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative MSI a 425 million dollar five year maritime security initiative which a big portion of the fund thereof will be directed towards the Philippines Aimed at building a networked common operating picture in the South China Sea beginning from the Philippines National Coast Watch Center and out onto the rest of the region the MSI is linked with the Philippines US alliance in terms of the Philippines significance to the US as an exemplary case of the growing networking between the United States and its allies and partners in the region more generally 

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter in a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations even said that EDCA and MSI will take the Philippines US alliance capability to a new level one not seen in decades Moreover the same author also observed an increase tempo in the enhanced Philippines US alliance because of EDCA A stronger security relationship between the Philippines and the US deemed to have opened opportunities and possibilities beyond the Philippines US alliance it has expanded collaborations to include other countries such as Japan and Australia He shared several highlights of a growingPhilippine bilateral defense relationship with Japan and Australia as subsequent results of an expanded Balikatan Exercises between the Philippines and the US Parameswaran cited that in 2014 the Balikatan Exercises included Australia s participation At the sidelines of the exercises were observers such as Japan and eleven other countries In 2015 Tokyo s Maritime Self Defense Forces joined the action during a maritime humanitarian exercise near Subic Bay led by the US On the other hand Aileen Baviera discussed the implications of EDCA on the Philippines defense capabilities Washington s ironclad commitment to the alliance and the Philippines maritime dispute with China Baviera s view is that prior to President Barack Obama s visit to the Philippines in 2014 Filipinos were wary of the guarantee of US support for the one external defense issue that truly matters to Manila Obama s two day state visit to Manila was thus a symbolic demonstration of Washington s deep support to the Philippines However she cautioned about the larger US Rebalance to Asia Policy s sustainability considering internal concerns in budget and political arena in the US and the factor brought about by US China bilateral cooperation which can affect regional and global issues 

The same scholar also related EDCA to the celebration of the EDSA Revolution in a commentary stressing the lessons that the Philippine society need to learn as regards winning democracy and fighting for human rights during the Marcos regime vis a vis independent foreign policy and reducing reliance on the US in terms of defense and security Ankit Panda in a Diplomat Article entitled South China Sea China Slams US Philippines Rotating Basing Agreement reported China s negative reaction after the Supreme Court's decision that upholds EDCA s constitutionality He discussed Beijing s warning to the alliance to not direct the enhanced Philippines US security cooperation to a third party in order to preserve peace and stability in the region He also accentuated Beijing s comment on Washington's claim of Chinese militarization in the South China Sea and declared that it was the US that is in fact staging a militarization act and effectively containing China as exhibited by the increased rotation agreement with the Philippines In addition Panda observed that EDCA symbolizes a partial return to the status quo pre 1992 when the United States maintained a permanent naval base at Subic Bay Interestingly contrary to most of the other scholars rhetoric and claims about the motives behind EDCA is Richard Heydarian s opposite assertion about the agreement and the Twenty First Century Philippines US relations He argued that EDCA actually creates a gray area as far as the alliance is concerned While the Philippines can expect increased temporary but increased rotational presence of US forces in the Philippines in return EDCA essentially facilitates low cost and flexible access to premium locations in the Philippines for the US He declared that this however does not necessarily clarify and confirm that the US will come to the Philippines aid although it will be politically pressured to do so in the event of an armed conflict in the South China Sea nor actually boost the Philippines hold in the disputed waters According to him EDCA is basically just a modern day agreement about American overseas military access