The Philippines and the United States are set to discuss ways to further strengthen their bilateral and multilateral partnerships, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro announced over the weekend—days before the scheduled visit of his American counterpart to Manila.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to arrive in the Philippines this week following his visits to Hawaii and Guam, according to the US Embassy.
“All I can say is we will talk about enhancing our bilateral and multilateral partnerships further, greater interoperability,” Teodoro told reporters on the sidelines of the Philippine Army’s 128th founding anniversary on Saturday.
Hegseth has reaffirmed the United States’ ‘ironclad’ commitment to the Philippines on mutual defense.
“Of course, we also have to take a look at future programs that both governments will enter into,” Teodoro noted.
The Philippines’ defense chief remained tight-lipped when asked whether Washington is seeking to expand its access to Manila bases, or if the discussions would include the deployment of US Typhon missiles—a sensitive issue for China.
“The content? Let’s wait for the meeting,” Teodoro said. “All I can say is we will talk about our existing partnerships, bilaterally and multilaterally and how to move it further.”
The US Department of Defense announced that Hegseth will visit the Philippines to strengthen security ties with government leaders and military forces.
The trip, aimed at enhancing regional security cooperation, will be Hegseth’s first visit to the Philippines as US President Donald Trump’s defense chief.