The Philippines, the United States, and Japan are targeting to craft a "work plan" that would advance their trilateral cooperation, an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs said Saturday.

Attending the Second Trilateral Ministerial Meeting on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the three states are mulling to explore ways to further promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

The trilateral meeting, hosted by the US on 23 September in New York City, was also attended by US State Secretary Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa.

DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said the ministers "will come up with a work plan" after discussing possible activities under the trilateral cooperation.

Blinken, on the other hand, said the three countries have reinforced their commitment to work for a free and open Indo-Pacific as well as promote peaceful resolution of disputes.

"Our alliance with Japan and the Philippines is a cornerstone of our Indo-Pacific strategy. Together, we are committed to promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific, ensuring the peaceful resolution of disputes, and upholding international law," the US Secretary said.

In a press statement, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Blinken, Manalo, and Kamikawa also agreed to "continue to call out behavior that is inconsistent with international law," including China's recent aggressions in the Ayungin Shoal "that interfered with the Philippines' lawful exercise of high seas freedom of navigation."

Miller added that the ministers sought ways to enhance their countries' partnership on maritime domain awareness, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief efforts under the security cooperation agreement.

"They committed to upholding our shared values of freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights, and reaffirmed our shared vision, as equal and sovereign partners, for a free and open Indo-Pacific region that upholds international law," Miller said.

He added that other topics discussed by the three officials include the support mechanisms on economic resiliency and enhancing their trilateral engagements on energy, infrastructure, and digital economy issues.

The three official also reaffirmed their commitment to promoting peace and stability in the South and East China Seas.

Meanwhile, Blinken said the US looks forward to strengthening the partnership "to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and also to foster, to strengthen economic resilience, and to promote the common prosperity of our people."

"I think all three countries believe strongly that our collaboration, not only on a bilateral basis but on a trilateral basis, can produce very positive benefits not only for our countries but also for other countries and partners in the region and beyond," Blinken underscored during his remarks.

For her part, Kamikawa stressed the importance of "multilayered collaboration with allies and like-minded countries" for upholding a rules-based international order—especially with what Japan labeled as a "recent severe strategic environment" in the region, including the situation in the South China Sea.

"The Indo-Pacific region is pivotal to global peace and stability. Our trilateral partnership allows us to address emerging challenges effectively and strengthen our ties," he said.

Manalo echoed these sentiments saying: "The Philippines values its strong relationships with both the United States and Japan. Our cooperation extends to a wide range of areas, including security, trade, and development, all aimed at fostering regional prosperity."

The three officials emphasized their shared values of freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights.

Topics of mutual interest, such as regional security, economic development, and infrastructure projects, are expected to be addressed during the meeting while some details of the discussions remained confidential.

The trilateral meeting was a prelude to a series of high-level interactions, including the September trilateral talks among President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., US Vice President Kamala Harris, and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

Manalo, Blinken, and former Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa previously convened the first Philippine-US-Japan ministerial meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia in July.

The US State Department said the three states vowed to continue to meet trilaterally to "enhance this growing relationship and a free and open Indo-Pacific."