Department of National Defense (DND) Officer in Charge Jose Faustino Jr. has expressed support to a trilateral security cooperation between Australia, United Kingdom, and United States (AUKUS) which is seen to help maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific region.
Faustino made the gesture during the courtesy visit of Australian Ambassador Hae Kyong Yu at the DND Building in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Tuesday, Dec. 12, where he also thanked Australia for backing a 2016 tribunal ruling that favored the Philippines’ territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea against China.
“The OIC, DND reiterated the Philippines’ support for the Australia – UK – US (AUKUS) security arrangement and expressed appreciation for Australia’s ardent support for the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) award,” Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said.
Faustino and Yu also discussed the “robust” bilateral defense cooperation of the two countries even during the Covid-19 pandemic, and committed to “deepen existing lines of efforts while exploring new areas of potential partnerships.”
The two officials also agreed on the importance of adhering to a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region, according to Andolong, even as China continues to operate hundreds of maritime militia vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
“We are proud of Australia-Philippines’ steadfast and enduring defence partnership. It is grounded in our shared history and values of truest, respect and friendship, and is our bedrock as we face ongoing and emerging security challenges together,” Yu said.
Faustino and Yu’s meeting was part of a series of engagements by the DND with diplomats and ranking defense officials from allied nations during the past week.
Water technology deal with Hungary
In a separate courtesy call, Faustino also hosted Hungarian Ambassador Titanilla Toth on Tuesday.
During their meeting, Faustino and Toth talked about the cooperation between the Philippines and Hungary as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2023.
Faustino and Toth exchanged updates on the planned acquisition of 16 mobile water treatment units from Hungary through the Office of Civil Defense. The water purification systems will be used to support the provision of potable water to communities in need during or in the aftermath of disasters or other emergencies.
They also exchanged views on the Russian-Ukraine war and the South China Sea issue, Andolong said.
Engagements with Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia
Meanwhile, DND executives also met with top-ranking defense officials of Japan, Indonesia, and Malaysia to boost the Philippines’ defense and security cooperation with its neighboring countries.
Undersecretary Franco Nemesio Gacal met with Japan’s Vice Minister of Defense for International Affairs Masami Okada during the Philippines-Japan Vice Ministers’ Defense Dialogue last Dec. 7 in Makati City.
Gacal and Vice Minister Oka committed to work together on crafting frameworks that will further develop the two countries’ defense cooperation.
Recently, the Senate expressed support to the proposal that would establish a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Japan. This will enable the conduct of military exercises between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Japanese armed forces in Manila, a level up to the usual humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) drills held in the past years.
They also raised possibility of an “enhanced trilateral cooperation” with the United States, Andolong noted.
On the other hand, the DND held back-to-back bilateral and trilateral security meetings with Indonesia and Malaysia last Dec. 6 in Bandung, Indonesia.
The three nations discussed their maritime cooperation that help secure their borders during the 20th Indonesia – Malaysia – Philippines (INDOMAPHIL) Meeting on the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA).
The trilateral cooperation contributed to the significant decline and zero incidence of kidnap for ransom incidents by Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in their maritime borders since 2020, according to the three countries.