PH, US reaffirm 75-year alliance

SINGAPORE — The Philippines and the United States reaffirmed on Saturday their “ironclad” commitment to the 75-year-old alliance forged under the Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951 at the sidelines of the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met for the fifth time in the city-state to highlight the depth and consistency of their defense cooperation, according to the Department of National Defense (DND).

Teodoro underscored the Philippines’ continued support for the United States’ commitment to strengthening partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region.

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Hegseth also reaffirmed the US commitment to support monitoring of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and defense interests, the DND added.

The US defense official commended the progress of the 25-year-old Balikatan (Shoulder-to-Shoulder) Exercise, which this year involved more than 17,000 personnel from seven participating nations: the Philippines, the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, France, and New Zealand.

The two countries also renewed for another 15 years their Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement, showcasing the two nations’ commitment to information, communications and cybersecurity.

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The US Embassy in Singapore also announced the transfer to the Philippine Coast Guard of one of the four Reliance-class cutters that were recently deactivated by the US Coast Guard. 

There were no details of the transfer, but details are expected to be discussed during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (Asean) Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) in October.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue, Teodoro also met with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Singaporean Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing, and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back.

The Philippine Navy recently took delivery of the first of six new Rajah Sulayman-class offshore patrol vessels from South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries.

The lead ship, BRP Rajah Sulayman (PS-20), was delivered in January, while the five additional vessels, including BRP Rajah Lakandula, are scheduled for delivery through 2028.

Teodoro discussed with Ahn regional security developments, including the Korean Peninsula and the West Philippine Sea, and discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in defense logistics.

Both Teodoro and Ahn invited each other to the ADMM-Plus and the Seoul Defense Dialogue later this year, the DND said. /atm