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December 16, 1965
EXCHANGE OF NOTES CONSTITUTING AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONCERNING A REST AND RECREATION PROGRAM FOR AMERICAN SOLDIERS FROM SOUTH VIETNAM
Note: The Agreement entered into force, December 16, 1W5.
EMBASSY OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
NO. 405
The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Department of Foreign Affairs and has the honor, further to previous discussions, to inform the Department of various details of a modest program for Rest and Recreation in the Philippines for United States Armed Forces. The Philippines is among several friendly countries in the Far East, including Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan, where the United States Forces plan to have Rest and Recreation programs.
The United States Armed Forces are currently proposing that Manila serve as a Rest and Recreation center for up to 136 servicemen from Vietnam at any given time. Present indications are that each servicemen would be in Manila for approximately five days. The servicemen will arrive in uniform, but they will have civilian clothing with them and they will be encouraged to wear it during their stay in the Philippines. The United States Forces hope to initiate this program by December 1.
It is foreseen that there would be two or more aircraft flights per week, with arrivals and departures of the servicemen from Vietnam through Manila International Airport.
In view of the relatively small number of servicemen involved, hotel accommodations will be arranged whatever they can be found at the time throughout the city. Reservations will be made with the cooperation of the United Services Organization (USO) facility in Manila, which will also arrange for bus transportation to and from the airport.
In previous discussions, in which Embassy officials have pointed out that for the large numbers involved the issuance of passports and visas would not be feasible, Philippine Government officials have informally indicated that in this program military travel orders would probably be accepted in lieu of passports and visas for Philippine immigration purposes. Accordingly, the United States Forces are prepared to assure that each participant would be in possession of a copy of his military travel order, his identification card, and an up-to-date inno-« culation record for presentation to Philippine Officials upon arrival. The Embassy would be grateful for confirmation from the Department of Foreign Affairs that these arrangements will be satisfactory for the Philippine Government.
To obviate a heavy administrative burden for both the Embassy and Philip-. pine Government agencies in processing diplomatic clearances for two or more routine flights from Vietnam per week, the Embassy also wishes to propose that a blanket approval be given for flights involved in this program, after which requests for diplomatic clearance for each flight would not be necessary. The details of such an arrangement could be worked out between the United States Air Force authorities concerned and the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Administration. Under such an arrangement, the aircraft could identify the flight as for the Rest and Recreation program, and could furnish additional information desired by Philippine authorities, when the flight plan is filed just before takeoff at the point of origin,
No decision has yet been reached regarding a separate Seventh Fleet Rest and Recreation program which might involve up to about 250 individuals in Manila at any given time, and for which consideration has been given to the possibility of leasing one hotel in the Manila metropolitan area. The Embassy would, of course, consult promptly with the Department of Foreign Affairs if there are further developments regarding this program.
The Embassy of the United States of America avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Department of Foreign Affairs the assurances of its highest consideration.
(INITIALED) RICHARD M. SERVICH
Embassy of the United States of America,
Manila, November 19, 1965.
AGREEMENT ON REST AND RECREATION PROGRAM
WITH THE UNITED STATES
No. 46321
The Department of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has the honor to refer to the Embassy's Note No. 405 dated November 19, 1965 in connection with the program for Rest and Recreation in the Philippines for United States Armed Forces.
The Department is pleased to confirm to the Embassy that the following arrangements outlined in the Embassy's Note under reference are satisfactory to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, to wit:
1. The Philippines will welcome for Rest and Recreation up to 136 servicemen from Vietnam at any given time. Each servicemen would be in the Philippines for approximately five days. The servicemen will arrive in uniform but they will wear civilian clothing during their stay in the Philippines. Hotel reservations will be made wherever they can be found at the time of their arrival with the cooperation of the United States Services Organization (USO) facility in Manila which will also arrange for bus transportation to and from the airport.
2. Since it would not be feasible for all the servicemen to have passports and visas, the Philippine Immigration officials would accept in lieu of passports and visas their military travel order plus their identification cards and up-to-date innoculation record for presentation to Philippine officials upon arrival.
3. There would be two or more aircraft flights per week, with arrivals and departures of the servicemen from Vietnam through the Manila International Airport, Because of the difficulties involved in processing diplomatic clearances for two or more routine flights from Vietnam per week, the Department is agreeable to waiving diplomatic clearance for each flight in this program as required by the Department Circular No. 3-65. The details of the arrangements have been worked out between the United States Air Force authorities concerned and the Philippine military and Civil Aeronautics Administration authorities.
The Department of Foreign Affairs avails itself of the opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America the assurances of its highest consideration.
(INITIALED) MAURO MENDEZ
Manila, December 16, 1965.
A TRUE COPY