President Duterte lauded the relations between the Philippines and the United States of America (USA) as the two countries celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations on July 4.
Duterte made the statement as the country celebrated the 75th anniversary of the inauguration of the Third Philippine Republic on July 4 that coincided with the Philippine-American Friendship Day.
In a taped message posted by Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) on its YouTube channel a day after the occasion, President Duterte conveyed his greetings on the occasion by renewing the Philippines' friendship with the USA.
"As we celebrate this milestone year, let us seize this opportunity to renew our enduring friendship and value a robust alliance that serves our shared interest," he said.
According to the President, the United States played a role in the Philippines reclaiming its right as an independent nation and that the ties between Filipinos and Americans were "deep as they were storied."
"Seventy-five years ago, we, the Filipino people, inaugurated the Third Philippine Republic and established diplomatic relations with the United States of America. By doing so, we reclaimed our inherent right to an independent state and to forge relations with other countries on the basis of sovereign equality and respect," he said.
"It is no secret that the United States occupied the Philippines not long after we won independence from Spain through a valiant struggle," he added.
"The ensuing Philippine-American War wrought so much pain and destruction from which we have yet to fully heal," he continued.
Despite this, Duterte noted how the two countries fought together to "free the world from fascism and oppression," marking the start of a long-enduring friendship.
"In a war we neither wanted nor asked for, we fought shoulder to shoulder with America for freedom and dignity. Together, we won alongside the free world," the President said.
"This shared history and our abiding commitment to democracy define and anchor our relationship," he added.
The Chief Executive likewise shared what made the Philippines' alliance with the United States relevant.
"Our common stake in a peaceful and prosperous Asia-Pacific region make our longstanding alliance ever relevant in the face of a changing world," he said.
"Our strong people-to-people ties ensure that bilateral cooperation remains vibrant and responsive to the needs and aspirations of our societies," he added.
President Duterte's love-hate relationship with the US was no secret, especially after former US President Barack Obama said he would raise the issue of extrajudicial killings in a meeting with the Filipino leader. The said meeting was canceled after Duterte called Obama a "son of a bitch."
The military alliance between the two countries also continued to hang in the balance after President Duterte ordered the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) after the US revoked the visa of his close ally Senator Ronald Dela Rosa and after the ban on the entry of officials supposedly behind the arrest and detention of Senator Leila de Lima in February last year.
In May, Malacañang asked the public to give President Duterte more time to decide on the VFA, saying he was still conflicted about it.
This month, President Duterte decided to keep the VFA's termination suspended for another six months to allow further study and discussion on the said deal.