Manila, Philippines.
The afternoon breeze gently swayed the branches of the old banyan trees outside Malacañang Palace, as though they were bowing and scraping.
Evan Blake, the United States deputy assistant secretary of defense responsible for South and Southeast Asian affairs, had just emerged from the palace's main building.
The Philippine officials who had attended the meeting escorted him to the foot of the steps. Even after shaking hands, they kept smiling.
Just then, Blake's aide approached and handed him a phone.
"Sir, the secretary is on the line."
Blake hurriedly took the phone.
Several Philippine officials were still standing nearby with smiles on their faces, but he headed straight toward the parking lot without so much as saying goodbye.
"Yes, Mr. Secretary. The Philippine side has agreed."
He glanced back at the officials seeing him off. They were still standing where he had left them, and when they saw him looking, they smiled and nodded again.
"We can now expand our use of the bases further. They've also authorized us to send personnel to build the additional aprons, warehouses, and maintenance facilities."
"As for the size of the rotating forces and the amount of prepositioned equipment, they've accepted all our requirements in principle."
"Our embassy will coordinate the specific follow-up arrangements with their Department of Defense. Rest assured, there won't be any problems."
The Philippines was a sleeping giant that should never be provoked lightly, because once it awoke, it would help you clean every corner of your room.
The United States and the Philippines had signed the Mutual Defense Treaty as early as 1951.
In 2014, the two sides had also signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Under that agreement, American troops could enter the Philippine military bases designated by both parties.
Although the land and permanent buildings