The United States Defense Technology Security Administration (DTSA) and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) conducted the final Security Assistance Visit (SAV) this week to selected units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, Chief of the AFP Public Affairs Office, stated that this survey is a crucial step in finalizing the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) between the Philippines and the United States.
The SAV is designed to evaluate the AFP’s security practices, with a focus on information security, physical security, computer security, and security training.
This assessment aims to ensure that AFP units comply with security standards necessary for handling sensitive military information, thereby improving the effectiveness of bilateral operations between the two allied nations.
The agreement, meanwhile, will enhance defense cooperation between the Philippines and the United States, facilitating the exchange of classified information and boosting the operational readiness of both countries to address mutual security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
