Phl eyes stronger defense ties with Germany

The Philippines is eyeing the establishment of a resident Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attaché in Berlin in a bid to strengthen its bilateral defense relations with Germany.

This development came after Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. met with Dr. Johann Wadephul, a member of the German Federal Parliament at the Department of National Defense headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo earlier this week. 

Teodoro and Wadephul discussed common maritime security challenges affecting both the Philippines and Germany, including the issues in the West Philippine Sea and the larger South China Sea, the ongoing war in Ukraine, energy security, and climate change. 

During the meeting, Teodoro expressed appreciation for Germany's firm support to the Philippines in upholding the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea amid the ongoing maritime tension in the WPS. 

Wadephul brought up Germany's policy guidelines for the Indo-Pacific as he emphasized promoting a rules-based international order, citing the SCS issue. 

Teodoro also discussed the country’s area denial, maritime domain awareness, air defense, and cybersecurity under the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization program.

The Philippines and Germany agreed to push for sustainability modernization efforts that will maintain each country’s resilient armed forces as well as put a premium on public-private sector synergy as one of the most effective means of cooperation.

Teodoro and Wadephul also tackled the Philippines' network of defense and security partners, ASEAN centrality in regional security, the migrant situation in Germany, diversification of energy sources amid a geopolitically volatile world, and the Philippine Government's promotion of tourism in Europe.