MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and the US have once again reaffirmed their robust defense alliance amid evolving regional security challenges.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USIndoPaCom) last March 5-6 co-presided over the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board Standing Committees’ Meeting (SCM) at Camp Aguinaldo upholding the strong bilateral alliance and enhancing cooperation under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
Speaking on behalf of the Philippine delegation, Brig.Gen. Paulo Teodoro Philippine Air Force Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, expressed his deep appreciation to the USIndoPaCom delegation led by Col. Andrew Dubois US Air Force, Chief, South/Southeast Asia Policy Division for their participation and to all presenters for the clarity and professionalism of their briefings.
The discussions produced a set of recommendations and deliverables that would be consolidated in a Memorandum for the Record and refined in preparation for the J5-led Executive Committee (EXECOM) Meeting in June 2026 in Hawaii.
Teodoro and Dubois both underscored the importance of sustaining momentum through continuous coordination, emphasizing that close collaboration between AFP and US forces is essential to remain “equal and capable,” treating each other as equals amid rapid technological change, gray-zone activities, and complex security concerns.
Dubois expressed confidence that the outcomes of the SCM will translate into actionable plans and tangible results that further enhance interoperability, readiness, and combined effectiveness.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said that the Philippines could not follow US President Donald Trump’s call to allies to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to secure the critical maritime channel because the country did not have such capability.
