Bagong Alyansang Makabayan slammed the Bongbong Marcos government for expanding the scope and scale of the Balikatan military exercises amid the ongoing acts of aggression of the US in West Asia and the economic and energy crisis linked to soaring oil prices.
Balikatan reflects the expanding intervention of the US military and the subservient foreign policy of the Marcos administration. It is costly, disruptive to local communities, and endangers the local population by recklessly allowing foreign troops to use our land and water territories as war playground.
We should not allow war criminals and our former colonizers to preposition their war materiel and conduct drills in various parts of the country to train their troops and test their weapons. The Philippines should not be made into a training and staging ground of the US to attack other nations.
It is reckless and hypocritical for the Marcos government to expand the Balikatan while urging Filipinos to conserve energy. Military exercises use excessive energy resources aside from gravely impacting the environment. The funds used for hosting the Balikatan should be allotted to expand social services and fuel subsidies. Filipinos could barely afford their daily needs but the priority of the Marcos government is to entrench US military presence and support the fascist and imperialist agenda of Trump and the US government.
This year’s Balikatan is bigger and more provocative by allowing the use of live fire drills, surface missiles, and delivery of military equipment from Mindanao to Luzon. This coincides with the signing of critical minerals and Pax Silica agreements that would allow the US to plunder our resources and transform our islands into an ammunition hub and war production base.
This is not a path to peace, development and genuine sovereignty, but a treasonous undertaking that could further escalate conflict in the region. The Marcos government is paving the way for the US war machine to boost its horrific range from West Asia to West Philippine Sea.
Bayan calls on fellow freedom-loving Filipinos to reject Balikatan and to demand the immediate dismantling of US military bases in EDCA sites and other military facilities. We should also demand the removal of Typhon, Nmesis, Tomahawk, Type 88 and other missile systems from our communities. We should condemn the complicity of the Marcos government in enabling the war crimes of the US, and assert that our country should pursue an independent foreign policy.
Stop Balikatan!
Pull out US troops and missiles!
Dismantle EDCA and other US military bases!
Imperyalismo ibagsak!
Fight for genuine sovereignty!