President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Thursday said the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States is "continuously under negotiation and under evolution."

"I always call it an evolution because things are changing. The request — there have been many requests and proposals from the Americans, especially under EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement)," Marcos told reporters in an interview in Quezon City.

"So all of that is under study now to see what is really feasible and what will be the most useful for the defense of Philippine territory," he added.

The Chief Executive added that EDCA is among the subject matters he discussed with US Vice President Kamala Harris during the latter's three-day visit to the Philippines last week.

"We covered that and many more subjects. But essentially, on the security, 'yun tinitingnan natin 'yung kanilang pino-propose, 'yung mga joint exercises, and EDCA, the use of our bases, all of these. We are in the middle of that," he said.

The Department of National Defense earlier said $66.5 million worth of construction projects under EDCA between the two nations are scheduled for implementation at the agreed locations in 2023.
The projects include the construction of training, warehouse, and other facilities at Cesar Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Ramon Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija and Lumbia Airport Base Station in Cagayan de Oro, according to DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong.

Unwavering commitment

Harris personally reaffirmed to Marcos the US government's "unwavering commitment" to the MDT, which is the longest-running defense pact signed in 1951 and seeks to boost the defense and security cooperation between the Philippine and US armed forces.

Harris said attacks made against Philippine forces in the South China Sea would invoke the US mutual defense promises, indicating the Biden's administration stance on the territorial disputes in the South China Sea that involved the country's several neighboring nations — China, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Marcos thanked Harris, the highest-ranking US official to visit Manila, for reiterating its support amid tensions with the Chinese government due to the issue of the maritime dispute over the South China Sea.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands ruled in favor of the Philippines' petition against China after the arbitral tribunal invalidated Beijing's supposed nine-dash line. China continues to shun the verdict despite international pressure, however.

National Security Adviser Secretary Clarita Carlos earlier said the government has created a group to study and review the MDT.

The group, according to Carlos, is composed of officials from the DND, the National Security Council, and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Meanwhile, Marcos claimed that the Chinese government's refusal to recognize the Philippines' rights over the West Philippine Sea has been hindering negotiations on the possible joint oil and gas exploration in the busy waterway.

Constitutional problems

He said Manila has had oil exploration partners in the past, but "constitutional problems" have impeded deals to exploit energy reserves inside the country's 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

"We actually had many partners before. The problem was the negotiations stopped. If you can remember, then-Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin made a pronouncement saying that negotiations have been discontinued because of constitutional problems," he said in Filipino.

He added: "What really happened there is… China is claiming it as theirs when it is actually ours."

He, however, emphasized that the Philippine government must "fight" for its rights over the contested waters.

"For China, it is just a small thing, but for us, it is a big thing. So, we really need to fight for it and take advantage if oil can be really found there," Marcos said.

In June this year, Locsin announced that the Duterte administration decided to end talks over joint energy exploration with China due to a potential "constitutional crisis."

"That is the roadblock. It is difficult to see how we can resolve it. I think there might be other ways so it does not have to be G2G (government-to-government) or I don't know…," Marcos said. "We'll have to find a way because we need to. We already need — if oil can be found there, the Philippines really need it."

The Philippines is heavily dependent on energy imports, making it easily impacted by constant fuel price hikes in the global market.