The relationship between the United States and the Philippines is a topic of interest to many. This relationship has been shaped by a complex history that has influenced the political, economic, and cultural ties between the two nations. The question of whether the Philippines is a part of the United States is one that arises from this intricate history.
Are the Philippines a part of the United States? The answer is no. The Philippines is not a part of the United States. The United States ruled the Philippines from 1898 to 1946, but the Philippines was granted independence after being devastated by the Second World War.
The United States established diplomatic relations with the Philippines in 1946. The relations between the two countries are based on strong historical and cultural linkages and shared democratic values. The U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty provides a strong foundation for their robust security partnership.
The U.S.-Philippine Bilateral Strategic Dialogue is the annual forum for forward planning across the spectrum of their relationship. Vibrant people-to-people ties and strong economic cooperation provide meaningful ways to engage on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues.
More than four million Filipino Americans live in the United States, and almost 400,000 U.S. citizens reside in the Philippines, including a large number of U.S. military veterans. Manila is home to the only Veterans Administration regional office outside the United States, and the Manila American Cemetery is the largest American military cemetery outside the United States.
People-to-people exchange programs between the United States and the Philippines include the longest continuously running Fulbright program in the world, the International Visitor Leadership Program, and the Young Southeast Asia Leaders Initiative. The Philippines is home to more than 9,000 Filipino alumni of U.S. exchange programs; 1,000 U.S. citizens have participated in U.S. exchange programs in the Philippines.
For the past 60 years, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has worked with the Philippine government and local organizations to achieve shared development goals, investing more than $5 billion to support the Philippines since 1961. The United States is among the largest bilateral donors to the Philippines.
The United States has had a Peace Corps program in the Philippines for over 50 years. Over the last decade, disaster relief and recovery has become a vital area of assistance to the Philippines. The U.S. government strengthens communities’ ability to respond to and recover from disasters, as well as improve their capacity to withstand future calamities.