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<a href="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources/truman-quirino.webp" rel="lightbox">
<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources/truman-quirino-t.webp"  alt="Presidents Harry Truman and Elpidio Quirino" />
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<div>
(US President Harry Truman (left) and President Elpidio Quirino (center) in the Oval Office.  Photo taken September 13, 1951)
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<p>
The two countries agreed:
</p>
<div class="article-comment">
<p>
"Separately and jointly by selfhelp and mutual aid", to "maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack" and to recognize that "an armed attack in the Pacific area on either the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety" and further agreed that each "would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional processes".
</p>
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<p>
The ratification advise was approved by the US Senate on March 20, 1952.  The  President of the United States ratified the treaty on April 15, 1952.  The Philippine Senate on the other hand, ratified the treaty on May 12, 1952. 
</p>
<p>
This mutual defense treaty entered into force on August 27, 1952.
</p>

<div class="book-extract">
<h3>
Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines
</h3>
<p>
The Parties to this Treaty,
</p>
<p>
Reaffirming their faith in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and their desire to live in peace with all peoples and all Governments, and desiring to strengthen the fabric of peace in the Pacific Area,
</p>
<p>
Recalling with mutual pride the historic relationship which brought their two peoples together in a common bond of sympathy and mutual ideals to fight side-by-side against imperialist aggression during the last war,
</p>
<p>
Desiring to declare publicly and formally their sense of unity and their common determination to defend themselves against external armed attack, so that no potential aggressor could be under the illusion that either of them stands alone in the Pacific Area,
</p>
<p>
Desiring further to strengthen their present efforts for collective defense for the preservation of peace and security pending the development of a more comprehensive system of regional security in the Pacific Area,
</p>
<p>
Agreeing that nothing in this present instrument shall be considered or interpreted as in any way or sense altering or diminishing any existing agreements or understandings between the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines,
</p>
<p>
Have agreed as follows:
</p>

<h3>
ARTICLE I
</h3>
<p>
The Parties undertake, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, to settle any international disputes in which they may be involved by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security and justice are not endangered and to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.
</p>
<h3>
ARTICLE II
</h3>
<p>
In order more effectively to achieve the objective of this Treaty, the Parties separately and jointly by self-help and mutual aid will maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack.
</p>
<h3>
ARTICLE III
</h3>
<p>
The Parties, through their Foreign Ministers or their deputies, will consult together from time to time regarding the implementation of this Treaty and whenever in the opinion of either of them the territorial integrity, political independence or security of either of the Parties is threatened by external armed attack in the Pacific.
</p>
<h3>
ARTICLE IV
</h3>
<p>
Each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific Area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.
</p>
<p>
Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall be immediately reported to the Security Council of the United Nations. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.
</p>
<h3>
ARTICLE V
</h3>
<p>
For the purpose of Article IV, an armed attack on either of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of either of the Parties, or on the island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific or on its armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific.
</p>
<h3>
ARTICLE VI
</h3>
<p>
This Treaty does not affect and shall not be interpreted as affecting in any way the rights and obligations of the Parties under the Charter of the United Nations or the responsibility of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security.
</p>
<h3>
ARTICLE VII
</h3>
<p>
This Treaty shall be ratified by the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines in accordance with their respective constitutional processes and will come into force when instruments of ratification thereof have been exchanged by them at Manila.
</p>
<h3>
ARTICLE VIII
</h3>
<p>
This Treaty shall remain in force indefinitely. Either Party may terminate it one year after notice has been given to the other Party.
</p>
<p>
<b>IN WITNESS WHEREOF</b> the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have signed this Treaty.
</p>
<p>
DONE in duplicate at Washington this thirtieth day of August 1951.
</p>
</div>

<p>
Source:
</p>
<ol class="article-sources">
<li>
American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Volume 32, Number 3, March 1956.
</li>
<li>
American Foreign Policy 1950-1955 Basic Documents Volumes I and II Department of State Publication 6446 General Foreign Policy Series 117 Washington, DC : U.S. Governemnt Printing Office, 1957 (via <a href="http://avalon.law.yale.edu/" class="news_link" target="_blank">The Avalon Project, Yale Law School</a>)
</li>
</ol>



August 30, 1951: the mutual defense treaty was signed by the US and the Philippines