MANILA, Philippines –
Joint Staff Spokesperson Joseph Holstead provided the following readout:
On November 5, 2025, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine met with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. The meeting reaffirmed the enduring strength of the U.S.-Philippines defense Alliance and continued the momentum of senior-level engagements, following Secretary Teodoro’s recent discussions with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Malaysia.
General Caine and Secretary Teodoro discussed progress across shared defense objectives and opportunities to further strengthen cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the U.S. military. Their conversation touched upon ways to deepen interoperability, expand information sharing, and enhance multilateral coordination with regional partners. The leaders also discussed joint efforts to improve Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response cooperation, particularly in view of Typhoon Tino’s impact across the Philippines.
Both leaders underscored the importance of the U.S.-Philippines Alliance as a cornerstone of peace, stability, and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region, and they reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing operational readiness and alliance modernization.