MANILA, Philippines?The Mutual Defense Board was established on May 15, 1958, ?to provide a continuing intergovernmental machinery for direct liaison and consultation between appropriate Philippine and United States authorities on military matters of mutual concern.?

It was placed under the RP-US Council of Foreign Ministers, the body assigned to ensure the implementation of the 1951 RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty, which allows the two countries to come to each other?s aid when faced with external aggression.

Among those who signed the treaty for the Philippines were then Foreign Secretary Carlos P. Romulo and then Pampanga Rep. Diosdado Macapagal, the chair of the House committee on foreign affairs.

Some Filipinos have criticized the treaty as violative of Philippine sovereignty.

Based in Manila

The Mutual Defense Board is co-chaired by the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US military representative of the Council of Foreign Ministers, or officials designated by them, and composed of military officials of the two countries.

It is headquartered in Manila, but the responsibility of hosting meetings is rotated between the Philippines and the United States.

It conducts meetings thrice a year to prepare a calendar of activities involving US and Philippine troops and to study proposals for the upcoming year. It submits an annual report to the Council of Foreign Ministers.

In previous meetings, members of the Mutual Defense Board planned military training sessions like the Balikatan joint exercises, construction activities, personnel exchanges, ship visits, security assistance activities and humanitarian missions.

They also discussed security issues like the Abu Sayyaf attacks in Mindanao, hostage-taking incidents involving American nationals, and the communist insurgency in the Philippines. Cyril L. Bonabente, Inquirer Research