Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. yesterday presented the Duterte administration’s counter-terrorism efforts before top security and diplomatic officials from various countries during the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

Locsin spoke on how the Philippine government is preventing and countering terrorism in the country during the Transnational Security Roundtable portion of the Munich conference.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the DFA chief was expected to highlight the Duterte administration’s national security program anchored on its independent foreign policy.

“National security is one of the three pillars of Philippine foreign policy, alongside economic diplomacy and assistance to nationals,” the DFA said.

Locsin met several “powerful women” at the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, including former United States Secretary of State Madeline Albright.

National security is one of the three pillars of Philippine foreign policy, alongside economic diplomacy and assistance to nationals.

The DFA chief also congratulated retired People’s Liberation Army Maj. Gen. Yao Yunzhu, Director Emeritus of the Center on China-American Defense Relations, after her participation in the panel discussion on Arms Control: Nukes of Hazard.

During the meet, Locsin reaffirmed the Philippines commitment to the Nuclear Prohibition Treaty and to combatting climate change.

Locsin also greeted President Mary Robinson of Ireland.

Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. admitted the country is still facing serious threats from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants operating in Mindanao.

Both Año and Madrigal, however, assured the government is working double time to address the ISIS threat in southern Philippines.

“It’s really a big problem not only in the region but the whole world. That’s why there is a need for concerted efforts to monitor, prevent and, of course, educate our people about violent extremism,” Madrigal said.

For his part, Ano said “our police and AFP are doing everything to prepare for it and neutralize those foreign terrorists.”

Pentagon earlier had said ISIS poses serious problem in the Philippines — following the twin explosions at a Jolo cathedral that killed 22 people and wounded nearly 100 others. The attack was suspected to be a suicide bombing by foreign militants.