Daily Tribune“Marcos, who pledged to work closely with Washington to uphold regional stability, said Hegseth’s visit was a sign of support for its treaty ally.
Let us be one with our President Bongbong Marcos, for while the second, third and fourth highest officials of the land are either out of the country or on recess with the rest of their colleagues, our President has been working persistently for our country and democracy!
After firming up the economic plans, programs and projects for the national economy and infrastructure, he shifted his focus to national security and the defense of Philippine sovereignty and democracy.
A reader sent me this message, but requested anonymity: “Please try to remind the Filipino people of the importance of GMRC, especially respect and courtesy for the President. Without these virtues, we will lose our respectability as a people and damage the image of the country. The President must always be respected. He is God’s representative to rule and help us. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.”
On Friday, 21 March, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to its defense treaty with the Philippines and pledged to deploy advanced capabilities to its partner to strengthen the deterrence against threats, including Chinese “aggression.”
Hegseth met with his counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and they signaled a continued strong cooperation amid the growing threats from China. They emphasized a shared commitment to peace in the Indo-Pacific region and in the South China Sea, where Manila has accused Beijing of repeated hostile action.
“Deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the Communist Chinese,” Hegseth said.
He said the United States was not seeking war, describing Donald Trump as a peacemaker.
“President Trump seeks peace…but in order to bring that peace, we will be strong,” he told a press conference with Teodoro.
“Our allies will know we stand with them. Our admirals are prepared, and they will be properly equipped,” he said. “We’re rebuilding our military under President Trump.”
China insists there are no issues with freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea and urged the United States to stop “instigating ideological confrontation and sowing discord” in the region.
“All along, it is the US side that has been indulging its allies with provocations in the South China Sea and it is the US side that has fabricated false propositions about China’s threat to freedom in the South China Sea,” China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular press briefing on Friday.
Hegseth said the United States will deploy additional advanced capabilities to the Philippines, including the Nemesis anti-ship missile system and unmanned surface vehicles that he described as “highly capable.”
President Bongbong Marcos, who pledged to work closely with Washington to uphold regional stability, said Hegseth’s visit was a sign of support for its treaty ally.
“It sent a very strong message of the commitment of both our countries to continue to work together to maintain the peace in the Indo-Pacific region and the South China Sea,” he said.
The meeting came against the backdrop of tensions between the Philippines and an increasingly powerful China over disputed islands in the South China Sea, where the two nations have had frequent maritime run-ins.
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