Stronger Philippines, US military ties pushed

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. are looking forward to even stronger military relations with the United States following their meeting with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Department of War.

The two officials separately received Gen. Dan Caine at Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday, providing another opportunity to discuss various matters of mutual concern.

Teodoro earlier had engagements with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Malaysia, underscoring the sustained momentum of key leader engagements and the enduring Philippines–US defense alliance.

Caine extended his condolences to the bereaved families of the six Philippine Air Force pilots and crew members who perished in the Super Huey helicopter crash in Agusan del Sur last Nov. 4.

He likewise expressed solidarity with those affected by the recent typhoon and reiterated the United States’ readiness to assist the Philippines in ongoing humanitarian and disaster response efforts.

During the meeting, the Department of National Defense said Teodoro and Caine discussed the progress of alliance initiatives and explored ways to further operationalize bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation.

Discussions covered expanding interoperability between the AFP and US military forces, strengthening information-sharing mechanisms, and enhancing joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) operations.

The DND said both sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing a robust and mutually beneficial defense partnership anchored on shared values, regional stability, and the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.

Brawner, in his separate meeting with Caine, expressed the Philippines’ sincere gratitude for the steadfast support of the United States in HADR, highlighting the significant assistance provided in previous operations.

The AFP said both military leaders also explored avenues to strengthen cooperation and further operationalize their shared strategic defense objectives, on enhancing HADR readiness, coordination, and effectiveness in future initiatives.

Brawner and Caine’s meeting also “highlighted the enduring partnership between the Philippines and the United States, emphasizing their shared commitment to enhancing regional resilience, strengthening disaster response capabilities, and safeguarding peace and security.”