The way Donald Trump has treated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a sobering lesson in how US imperialism treats its so-called allies – used when convenient, abandoned when no longer needed. Ukraine, once paraded as a strategic US asset, is now being sidelined as Washington shifts its focus to China. The Philippines, under Marcos Jr. and his subservience to US imperialist dictates, is on the same path if he continues to prime the country as a pawn in the US conflict with China.
By allowing more US military presence, ceding strategic locations to full US military control in so-called EDCA sites, and tying the Philippines to Washington’s geopolitical strategy, the Marcos Jr. regime effectively surrenders national sovereignty. But history is clear: the US will not protect the Philippines – it will use the country to further its ambitions, and discard it the moment its interests dictate otherwise. If anything, Trump’s apparent abandonment of Ukraine is a telltale sign that the US does not fight for its allies – it fights for itself. In the same way, the Philippines is not a partner in the US conflict with China, but a mere battlefield in waiting.
The US has long used the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) as a carrot to give the illusion that it will back the Philippines in the event of an all-out war with China. But the US can easily discard the MDT, just as it has now effectively ignored the bilateral joint defense agreement it signed with Ukraine in June 2024.
The upcoming Balikatan 2025 military exercises are a clear indication of how the US intends to further provoke China and escalate tensions in the region. With the largest troop deployment in history expected, full scale battle simulations, and live-fire drills near contested waters, the US will continue to use the Philippines as a launchpad to goad China into war. Marcos Jr.’s collaboration in these war games puts millions of Filipinos at risk in an inter-imperialist conflict.
The deepening crisis gripping the global economy today is driving imperialist powers, especially the US, to draw puppet regimes into its wars and conflicts. The US seeks to pursue its imperialist goals without the immediate cost of direct confrontation, especially with powerful adversaries like Russia or China. Hence, it turns to using its puppet states as buffers to launch military offensives without appearing as the direct aggressor. But in true businessman fashion, Trump and the US ruling class will easily abandon their puppet states the moment they no longer serve a profitable purpose.
With Trump back in power, the region is poised for greater militarization and escalation of conflict. The Filipino people must resist being dragged into a war that does not serve their interests, but the interests of US imperialism. Just as Filipinos rose up to hold the Dutertes accountable, they must now resist Marcos Jr.’s relentless betrayal of national sovereignty—before he, too, is discarded by his US imperialist master.
The objective conditions are ripe for the advancement of the people’s war in the Philippines, as the raging discontent among the masses intensifies. Only through the victory of the national democratic revolution can we build a united front capable of overthrowing the reactionary regime, breaking free from imperialist dominance, and establishing a government that genuinely serves the interests of the Filipino people.
source: NDFP