The United States Embassy and SM Mall of Asia hosted a joint musical celebration over the weekend to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence and honor decades of diplomatic and defense ties between the United States and the Philippines.

The free public concert, dubbed the “Freedom 250” campaign, featured a rare collaborative performance by the US Marine Corps Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC) Band and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Band at the mall’s music hall.

Representatives from the World Championships of Performing Arts also joined the stage.

The event comes as both nations celebrate major bilateral milestones in 2026, including the 80th anniversary of formal US-Philippine diplomatic relations and the 75th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty.

“We are celebrating the international language of music,” US Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 2 Aaron Carpenter, director of the MARFORPAC Band, told DAILY TRIBUNE.

“Our trip here is from Hawaii to enjoy this lovely evening here in Manila. With this coordinating effort between us and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the joint forces played with the music,” he added.