MANILA — Philippine Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III discussed strategies to enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during a phone conference on Sept. 4.
This marks the eighth conversation between the two defense leaders, focusing on regional security developments in the Indo-Pacific and ways to strengthen the Philippine-US defense alliance.
In a statement, the Department of National Defense (DND) highlighted that the discussions also covered ongoing projects and activities, though specific details were not disclosed for security reasons. Secretary Teodoro expressed gratitude for the U.S.’s commitment to enhancing the Philippines’ defensive capabilities.
The DND acknowledged the success of the 4th Philippines-US Two-Plus-Two Ministerial Consultations held in July 2024, as well as the recent Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) meeting. Both events reaffirmed the U.S.’s “steadfast and ironclad” support for the Philippines.
Looking ahead, the two defense chiefs will continue collaborating on key initiatives, including disaster response coordination as typhoons are expected to impact the country this month.
The next face-to-face meeting between Teodoro and Austin is scheduled for the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM-Plus) in Lao PDR this November.
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