Addressing Beijing’s “destabilizing actions” in the South China Sea and increasing economic cooperation topped the agenda of the meeting between Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Germany on Friday.
During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), Rubio reaffirmed the US commitment to its alliance with the Philippines, expressing eagerness to build “an even more invested and enduring relationship.”
“Had the opportunity to meet with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Secretary Manalo during the Munich Security Conference. We discussed how we can strengthen the US-Philippine Alliance to address China’s destabilizing actions in the South China Sea and increase the economic prosperity of our citizens,” Rubio said in a statement on X.
Manalo, meanwhile, said Manila is committed to working with the US “to further strengthen economic and security ties.”
“A great first in-person meeting with Secretary Rubio at (MSC 2025). A strong and committed Philippine-US partnership in various areas will contribute to a more robust alliance,” Manalo posted on the same platform.
The US State Department said the two officials also discussed economic cooperation on infrastructure, critical minerals, information technology, and energy, including civil nuclear cooperation.
Manalo previously said Manila hopes to clarify what assistance in the Philippines would be affected by the US foreign aid freeze but did not indicate if he raised the matter during his talk with Rubio.
The Office of Civil Defense already ordered an inventory of all related initiatives and projects that might be affected by the US foreign aid freeze.
The order came after US President Donald Trump temporarily suspended all the country’s foreign assistance programs for 90 days pending reviews to determine whether they align with his administration’s policy goals.
“The OCD acknowledges and respects the pronouncements made by the current US administration,” OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said.
From 2001 to 2023, the US government, through USAID, disbursed at least $2.81 billion to the Philippines, based on data from the US State Department.
USAID estimates that total assistance since 1961 to the Philippines amounted to nearly $5 billion.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Manalo, Rubio discussed South China Sea in Munich.”