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PH, US defense secretaries reaffirm defense alliance

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (left) and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III (right)." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/08/09/gibo.jpg"/><figcaption>Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (left) and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III (right).</figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The defense secretaries of both the Philippines and US held a meeting for the second time in 2023 to reaffirm the two countries&#x27; &quot;ironclad defense alliance.&quot;</p><p>This, after the recent incident in Ayungin Shoal wherein a Chinese Coast Guard ship blocked and water bombed a Philippine Coast Guard vessel conducting a resupply mission for the BRP Sierra Madre.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/09/23/marcos-no-deal-with-china-to-remove-ship-from-ayungin">Marcos: No agreement with China to remove ship from Ayungin</a></li></ul><p>&quot;US Secretary Lloyd Austin III reaffirmed the US&#x27; commitment to provide intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance support,&quot; a statement from Department of National Defense (DND) read.</p><p>Both DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Austin pledged to &quot;fast-track pending defense initiatives,&quot; including the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and the implementation of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites.</p><p>Consequently, Teodoro also thanked Austin for the US&#x27; assistance and relief efforts in the wake of Typhoon Egay.</p><p>Furthermore, the two defense officials explored ways to enhance cooperation in the field of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response, particularly through EDCA designated areas.</p><p>Teodoro and Austin&#x27;s meeting concluded with them committing to uphold the maintenance of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.</p><p>Last February, Austin paid a courtesy call visit to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace where the Philippine president emphasized the importance of further bolstering the cooperation between Manila and Washington.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/22/23/marcos-philippines-to-announce-new-edca-sites-soon">Marcos: Philippines to soon announce new sites for US military</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2753340" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The defense secretaries of both the PH and US held a meeting for the second time in 2023 to reaffirm the two countries' 'ironclad defense alliance.'