Handout photo, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Jonathan Frederic De Santos

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1739603888100GjyZkJLacAEa54L.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Handout photo, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The US wants &quot;an even more invested and enduring relationship&quot; with the Philippines, its Department of State said Saturday, citing a meeting between Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and US State Secretary Marco Rubio in Munich.</p><p>According to a readout provided by department spokesperon Tammy Bruce, Manalo and Rubio met at the Munich Security Conference, the annual meeting in Germany on international security issues.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/13/chinese-navy-ships-spotted-in-ph-us-canada-patrols-in-west-ph-sea-1813">Chinese navy ships spotted in PH-US-Canada patrols in West PH Sea</a></div><p>&quot;Secretary Rubio not only reaffirmed US commitment to the United States-Philippines Alliance, but noted his enthusiasm for building an even more invested and enduring relationship,&quot; Bruce said.</p><p>The meeting comes amid a shakeup caused by a freeze on US foreign aid that has affected <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/12/doh-says-it-has-enough-money-for-hiv-aids-programs-despite-us-aid-freeze-1858">government</a> and <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/2/5/loveyourself-usaid-freeze-affects-free-delivery-service-0043">civil society programs</a> — especially on HIV and AIDS — in the Philippines, an attempt by the Donald Trump administration to cut government staff, and the continuing presence of People&#x27;s Republic of China ships in the West Philippine Sea.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/13/deped-to-exhaust-all-means-to-soften-impact-of-freeze-on-usaid-projects-1748">DepEd to &#x27;exhaust all means&#x27; to soften impact of freeze on USAID projects</a></div><p>The US has reiterated its <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/6/us-defense-chief-reaffirms-ironclad-commitment-to-ph-on-mutual-defense-1359">&quot;ironclad commitment&quot;</a> to the Philippines, with which it has a mutual defense treaty and visiting forces agreement, and Philippine officials <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/25/no-major-change-in-ph-us-relations-if-trump-wins-romualdez-841">do not expect that commitment to change</a>.</p><p>Bruce said Manalo and Rubio discussed working together &quot;on addressing China’s destabilizing actions in the South China Sea&quot; as well as increasing economic cooperation on infrastructure, minerals, IT and energy.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/9/us-ph-deal-on-peaceful-uses-of-nuclear-energy-officially-takes-effect-902">US-Philippine deal on peaceful uses of nuclear energy takes effect</a></div>

<p>According to a readout provided by department spokesperon Tammy Bruce, Manalo and Rubio met at the Munich Security Conference, the annual meeting in Germany on international security issues.</p>

According to a readout provided by department spokesperon Tammy Bruce, Manalo and Rubio met at the Munich Security Conference, the annual meeting in Germany on international security issues.

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Manalo, Rubio discuss ‘more invested and enduring relationship’ in Munich meet

Manalo, Rubio discuss ‘more invested and enduring relationship’ in Munich meet

Jonathan de Santos,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 15, 2025 09:36 AM PHT

|

Updated Feb 22, 2025 08:44 PM PHT

Read More:

United States

Philippines

Marco Rubio

Enrique Manalo

US State Department

Department of Foreign Affairs

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