U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. reaffirmed the deepening military alliance between their countries during a recent high-level discussion focused on strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.

The meeting, held as a follow-up to their 28 March talks in Manila, emphasized continued cooperation under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which Hegseth described as the cornerstone of the “ironclad” U.S.-Philippines alliance.

Hegseth commended the Philippines for standing firm against increasingly aggressive Chinese actions in the South China Sea, where Beijing has repeatedly targeted lawful Philippine maritime operations.

Both officials also lauded the successful conclusion of the 2025 iteration of Exercise BALIKATAN, the largest and most complex joint military exercise in the history of the alliance. The drills featured advanced weapons systems, including the U.S. Army’s Typhon missile system, the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), and cutting-edge unmanned surface vessels.