From the beginning, our negotiators took the position that the U.S. government should not maintain military bases in centers with large populations, let alone in Manila. It was perhaps a breeding ground for friction and misunderstandings. This position was in stark contradiction to the U.S. military`s plans and program in the Philippines. Of course, the United States wanted to fulfill its mission and fulfill its obligations in this area with as little effort as possible in terms of new spending. Since the military had not thought that there would be any objections to the construction of bases in the Manila area, it had gone far in the preparation of its plans and in the actual construction projects, Manila being the center of the network of defense facilities. A joint Army and Navy headquarters has been planned for Manila, in addition to the existing facilities. For our part, we were strongly opposed to the construction of bases in the metropolitan area…