8th Philippine-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD) Joint Statement The Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America held the Eighth Bilateral Strategic Dialogue from 15 to 16 July 2019 in Manila, Philippines. Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique Manalo and Department of National Defense Undersecretary Cesar Yano co-led the Philippine delegation. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Randy Schriver co-led the U.S. delegation. Marine aviation training between PHL, US to take place this month A military exercise between the Philippines…

Duterte OK of defense deals with US to hasten AFP upgrade Department of National Defense (DND) said President Duterte’s decision to reconsider his earlier order for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to avoid procuring military equipment from the United States will hasten the system and the delivery of much needed US-made equipment. DND-AFP hosts the PH-ROK 22nd joint committee meeting The Philippines and the Republic of Korea (PH-ROK) 22nd Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Logistics and Defense Industry Cooperation was held on June 10 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay, Manila.

Lorenzana: 2 new frigates add to navy’s capability Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the acquisition of two frigates for the Philippine Navy will further boost the country’s ability to defend its territory.

DND, AFP renew calls for defense treaty review in Balikatan 2019 In front of the United States ambassador and hundreds of American troopers, the Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) renewed its call for the review of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the long-allied countries.   US and Philippine forces come together for the Opening Ceremony of Balikatan 2019 U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Y. Kim, Department of National Defense Undersecretary Cardozo M. Luna, and leadership from the U.S. armed forces, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and Australian Defence Force (ADF) participated in the opening ceremony yesterday…

Lorenzana: Ambiguity in US-PH defense treaty will bring chaos during a crisis Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said ambiguities in the decades-old Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) will only create confusion or chaos during critical times rather than serve as deterrence, underscoring the need for a review of the treaty. Mutual defense treaty review needed: expert Although the United States repeatedly gave its assurance to the Philippine government that any armed attack against the Philippines, including on the disputed South China Sea, would trigger its defense pact, the government should still push for a review of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), a…

PH to honor defense cooperation accord with the US In a meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders meeting here, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said he had communicated to US Secretary of State John Kerry the assurance of President Duterte that the Philippines would continue its defense cooperation with the United States. US eyeing ‘bigger’ military exercises in PH Military cooperation between the US and the Philippines is unchanged for now despite inflammatory statements from the Filipino president directed at US President Barack Obama, a top American commander said Tuesday