MANILA: The Philippines is seeking to deepen its cooperation with Indonesia in responding to climate change and enhancing defence ties, Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said following a bilateral meeting with his Indonesian counterpart, Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.
The meeting took place at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday (April 23), forming part of Sjamsoeddin’s introductory visit to the region, according to the Philippines News Agency (PNA).
"Most important of all, since we face similar challenges in climate change, we must enhance joint response efforts,” Teodoro said in an interview.
He cited Indonesia’s deployment of helicopters to assist flood victims in the Bicol region last year as an example of cooperation in action.
Teodoro underscored the significance of Sjamsoeddin’s visit, describing Indonesia as one of the Philippines’ closest allies in Asean.
In a separate statement, the Department of National Defence (DND) noted that the meeting builds on previous engagements, including the courtesy call between President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at Malacacang Palace on Sept 20 last year.
During their talks, the two defence chiefs exchanged views on regional security, maritime cooperation, and bilateral defence initiatives.
They also affirmed their shared interests as archipaelagic nations and recognised the potential for deeper defence and military cooperation through continuous high-level engagements.
The meeting also highlighted ongoing and planned cooperation under existing defence agreements, covering areas such as logistics, defence industry collaboration, and personnel exchanges.
Among the areas discussed were joint disaster response operations, the training of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) imams in Indonesia to counter self-radicalisation and violent extremism, and the deployment of Filipino medical specialists to support military medical development.
Teodoro expressed interest in Indonesia’s expertise in indigenous defence production, aligning with the Philippines’ newly enacted Republic Act 12024, or the Self-Reliant Defence Posture Revitalisation Act, aimed at strengthening the national defence industry.
Both sides agreed to explore further collaboration beyond bilateral frameworks, including the Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement, Asean-led platforms -- as the Philippines prepares to chair Asean in 2026 -- and possible joint peacekeeping efforts under the United Nations (UN). - Bernama-PNA
