The Philippines and the United States on Monday signed a landmark agreement that seeks to streamline real-time information sharing and foster technology cooperation between the two allied nations.
The General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) was signed at Camp Aguinaldo during US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit to the country following his bilateral meeting with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
The GSOMIA establishes a legal framework for protecting Classified Military Information according to the requirements of the originating country. While it does not obligate either nation to share information, it simplifies and accelerates the process when necessary. The agreement is open-ended but can be amended or suspended if needed.
This signing marks the culmination of years of negotiations. In 2021, Admiral Philip Davidson, then Indo-Pacific Command chief, emphasized the importance of finalizing the GSOMIA as part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program and its investment in US defense technology.
Both nations committed to concluding the agreement by the end of 2024, reiterating the goal during Austin’s July 2024 visit to Manila alongside US State Secretary Antony Blinken for a 2+2 ministerial meeting.
In a joint statement issued during that visit, both sides highlighted the GSOMIA’s role in enhancing defense cooperation, particularly in tandem with the Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement.
This commitment comes amid deepening bilateral ties, with the United States pledging $500 million in foreign military financing for the Philippines and gaining access to four additional sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
