Australia, France, and Israel are looking to expand their defense ties with the Philippines, their delegates told government and military officials in recent meetings.
The Australian Defense College is looking to expand its relationship with its Filipino counterparts, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Wednesday.
This developed after a delegation from the Australian Defense College headed by Wing Commander Nicholas Pausina paid a courtesy call to AFP deputy chief of staff for education, training, and doctrine Maj. Gen. Noel Beleran at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Tuesday.
France has reiterated its support to the ongoing AFP Modernization Program including the development of the country’s submarine force, the Department of National Defense (DND) said Wednesday.
This came following French Ambassador-designate Marie Fontanel-Lassalle’s introductory call to Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. on Sept. 14.
DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said this referred to the French Naval Group’s commitment to help the Philippine Navy (PN) develop Subic Bay in Zambales into a modern base capable of handling submarine operations, should it win the contract for the construction and delivery of the warship capable of submersible operations. Vince Lopez
Meanwhile, a high-level Israeli defense delegation is set to visit the Philippines in November and discuss with counterparts ongoing Israeli projects and possible involvement in the next phase of the AFP modernization program.
The Israel Embassy in Manila said the delegation will be led by the head of Israel’s Ministry of Defense-International Defense Cooperation Directorate.
“[They will also] discuss the next modernization program or the Horizon 3 and see where we can get more involved so these will be meetings mostly with the Defense officials,” Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss told reporters at a forum in Quezon City on Wednesday.
“Basically, this is (one of) the agenda and to understand what are the future technologies that will be needed here vis-a-vis the Horizon 3 and then to see where we can integrate the Israeli technology,” he added.
Horizon 3 is slated for 2023 to 2028.
“We are really looking forward to the opportunity to engage today. It is very much about the opportunity to expand our relationship. We are hoping to learn a lot,” Australia’s Pausina said.
Both he and Beleran presented issues and challenges that students experience throughout the Command and General Staff Course, where Pausina shared their “dedicated program of training for their students in the Australian Command and Staff College and the areas that they wanted to move forward with.”
“We are very grateful to you for continuing educational and exchange programs. The Philippine Government is very much thankful for the Australian Government’s support and we are looking forward to working with you and other like-minded nations,” Beleran said.