The Philippines and the United States reaffirmed their alliance and shared commitment to Indo-Pacific stability during a meeting between their defense chiefs on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed strengthening defense cooperation to support regional peace, resilience, and a rules-based international order at the meeting.
Teodoro welcomed the outcomes of the recently concluded US-Southeast Asian Nations Ministerial Meeting and commended Hegseth for his active engagement with ASEAN counterparts.
“We just came off the heels of a very successful U.S.-ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting, where Secretary Hegseth made a great impact — I could feel it among our counterparts here,” Teodoro stressed.
“It is proof of the Trump administration’s strong commitment to engage the ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific," he added.
Teodoro conveyed the country's commitment to continue enhancing its bilateral and multilateral relationships with allied nations, "guided by our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific."
He also underscored the Philippines' commitment to enduring peace.
“The Philippines seeks peace, but it must be a sustainable peace — one grounded in our own resilience and reinforced through alliances with like-minded partners," Teodoro said, expressing optimism about the engagement, noting that the "Philippines looks forward to the meeting as an opportunity to further strengthen its already robust defense relationship with the United States."
Meanwhile, Hegseth echoed the importance of the partnership, highlighting recent joint initiatives, especially the recently concluded large-scale Exercise Balikatan 2025.
“Our militaries exercised together in Balikatan in April — the largest in a long time, with 14,000 troops. This speaks to the longstanding and ironclad relationship between our nations under the Mutual Defense Treaty,” Hegseth stressed.
He added, "I want to applaud the Philippines for their courage and clarity in the South China Sea, and their clear-eyed recognition of the challenges we face. We stand shoulder to shoulder in our pursuit of peace and stability in the region.”
Both defense secretaries emphasized the importance of continuing defense cooperation in the face of evolving regional security dynamics.
According to the Department of National Defense, the "meeting marks another milestone in the enduring partnership between the Philippines and the United States, built on mutual respect, shared values, and a steadfast commitment to regional security."