Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippines and the United States have kicked off a yearlong celebration marking 80 years of diplomatic relations, with officials underscoring that the two countries remain close allies, partners and friends despite shifting global priorities in Washington.
U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires Robert Ewing and Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez on Feb. 5 launched the official logo commemorating the anniversary at the SM Mall of Asia Globe in Pasay City.
The launch marks the start of a campaign led by the U.S. Embassy in Manila and Philippine diplomatic missions in the United States to celebrate decades of cooperation between the two countries.
“We call this the 80th anniversary and also the 75th anniversary of our alliance with the Mutual Defense Treaty. I want to underscore we are friends, we are partners and allies, and each day working together side by side to advance both the Philippine and the American people together,”Ewing said in an ambush interview after the event.
Ewing said the partnership goes beyond security, pointing to cooperation in health care, economic development and major investment initiatives.
“We’re also partners in prosperity,” he said, citing collaboration in health care, the Luzon Economic Corridor and “an unprecedented more than $300 million in assistance this year.”
Romualdez said the anniversary logo symbolizes more than a milestone, calling it a reflection of eight decades of shared history and values.
“This logo represents a living partnership that has evolved with time and has grown, adapted, and deepened,” Romualdez said.
“What makes the Philippines–United States relationship truly special is that it is not only anchored in treaties and institutions. It is anchored in people,” he added.
The Philippines and the United States established diplomatic relations on July 4, 1946. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty, making the Philippines the United States’ oldest security treaty ally in the Indo-Pacific.
The anniversary celebrations in 2026 will also coincide with the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
