Americans In The Philippines Jittery About Their Future Due To Duterte’s Rants Against US
President Rodrigo Duterte’s rants against US (United States), leave Americans in the Philippines jittery about their future.
Most Americans who have settled on Subic Bay Base, a former U.S navy installation, worries about their businesses due to Duterte’s series of tirades against the US and proposed building economic ties with China and Russia. This is one of the main topic of the conversation rather than the upcoming US elections.
Jack Walker, a retired Marine sergeant in Olongapo for five years was afraid that one day the Philippine government would say that Americans should get out-of-town and leave their loved ones behind. The Philippines and U.S have shared deep economic ties, wars, rebellion, and history of colonialism for more than a century but Duterte’s 3 months administration could change the relationship between the 2 countries.
In 1991, the government asked Washington to vacate the Subic Bay naval facility and the nearby Clark Air Base, despite the shared history. The United States continued to support the Philippines and also increased the military presence in the country due to the tension with China regarding the disputed waters.
See next page for continuation