CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City—The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the US Indo-Pacific Command (US INDOPACOM) concluded its annual Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) meeting at the AFP General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on September 14, 2023.
General Romeo Brawner Jr, Chief of Staff of the AFP (CSAFP), and Admiral John Aquilino, Commander of US INDOPACOM) led the event that was marked by fruitful discussions and strategic collaboration reaffirming the steadfast commitment of the PH-US in safeguarding our nations and the Indo-Pacific region.
The meeting is the culminating activity of the PH-US planning cycle that assessed previous activities and set out over 500 bilateral engagements for 2024 to include exercises and high-level exchanges between the allied nations, matters of security cooperation activities, and the strategic vision including maritime security, information sharing, and capacity and capability development, among others.
General Brawner Jr and Admiral Aquilino also agreed to expedite the completion of EDCA projects with 63 more projects, aside from the 32 allocated earlier.
More importantly, it reaffirmed the two nations' commitment to the PH-US alliance as espoused in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and the joint pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific region against a backdrop of a rules-based international order.
“These underscores the continued partnership and collaboration between the Philippines and the United States in enhancing national defense capabilities, as well as the shared commitment to regional security and disaster response efforts,” said General Brawner. “It signifies our commitment to further strengthen our cooperation, ensuring that both militaries are equipped and well-prepared to respond to evolving security challenges.”
Meanwhile, Admiral Aquilino thanked the CSAFP and the national defense department for hosting this year’s meeting as he underscored its significance in further “strengthening alliance in order to make sure that the Indo-Pacific remains free for all to prosper in and to live by [our shared values].”///
