New york: The Philippines and the United States (US) have agreed to strengthen their defense cooperation and collaborate to ensure a 'stable and secure' Indo-Pacific region. The commitment was made during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s meeting with US Undersecretary of War for Policy Eldridge Colby and his delegation, marking the start of the Chief Executive's two-day working visit to the United States.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) released a statement emphasizing that the meeting focused on accelerating the two nations' defense partnership amid evolving security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Both countries renewed their commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty, which is a cornerstone of their alliance.

Marcos and Colby highlighted the importance of strengthening deterrence and maintaining regional stability through closer military coordination. They also discussed the necessity of improving interoperability between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US military via joint operations and training activities.

One of the initiatives discussed was Exercise Balikatan, a long-standing joint military exercise between the Philippines and the US, scheduled to commence next month. This exercise aims to enhance the readiness and coordination of both forces, reinforcing their ability to respond to various security challenges in the region.