The Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines is an agreement between the two nations recognizing that an attack in the Pacific on either would endanger the peace of both and agreeing to act in concert to meet the common danger.

[2] Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered a review of the MDT on December 28, 2018, to "maintain it, strengthen it, or scrap it".

[3] On February 11, 2020, the Philippines notified the US that it would withdraw from the Visiting Forces Agreement, leading to speculation that the move could impact the MDT.

In 2021, after the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest over a new Chinese law that may endanger Filipino fishers, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the US commitment to the MDT.

The agreement obligates both nations to come to each other's defense in the event of an external armed attack, reaffirming the longstanding military alliance between the two countries.

[11] The overall accord contains eight articles and dictates that both nations would support each other if either the Philippines or the United States were to be attacked by an external party.

Article II states that each party either separately or jointly through mutual aid may acquire, develop and maintain their capacity to resist armed attack.

Generally, the Philippine government has remained supportive of the treaty since its inception, often coming to rely on the US for its defenses as it has done since World War II.

We expect to maintain a robust, balanced, and responsive security partnership including cooperating to enhance the defense, interdiction, and apprehension capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America today commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty.

On this historic occasion, we reflect on the rich history of our alliance and the continuing relevance of the treaty for peace, security, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

The United States and the Philippines are bound by a deep and abiding friendship forged by a history of shared sacrifice and common purpose.

The longevity of the US military presence in the Philippines caused opposition to the treaty to begin in the 1980s, with the escalating tensions surrounding US policy and its repercussions.

[20] The late 1970s and the 1980s saw a rise in anti-American sentiment following the increasing allegations and perpetrations of US military personnel misconduct towards Filipino men and women.

Anti-American sentiment remained a prevalent social issue within the collegiate community in Metro Manila, and relatively small demonstrations routinely took place outside the US embassy until the early 2000s.