PH, Singapore, Australia reaffirm defense cooperation at Shangri-La Dialogue

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. met with his Singaporean and Australian counterparts on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue to reaffirm defense cooperation.

He met with Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing, where both officials underscored the importance of enhanced defense cooperation through increased training engagements.

Teodoro expressed the Philippines' interest in learning from Singapore's experience with C-130J aircraft operations, maintenance, and cost-efficiency.

Minister Chan invited Philippine special forces to train in Singapore and expressed interest in reciprocal training opportunities for Singapore Armed Forces troops in the Philippines.

The Singaporean defense chief also proposed expanding collaboration in navigation flights, Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO), and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR).

Teodoro also met with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, who praised the evolving defense relationship and emphasized translating people-to-people connections into a strong strategic and defense partnership.