US ASSURES PH: WE’RE MORE THAN ALLIES, WE’RE FAMILY

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III assured President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of their continued support to the Philippine government as he emphasized that the US and the Philippines are more than just allies.

“We’re sending our help in any way we can because as what I often said, we’re more than allies, we’re a family,” Austin told President Marcos during their meeting at the Pentagon, a day after the President’s trilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

The historic trilateral meeting aims to enhance the economic and maritime cooperation of the Philippines, Japan and the US amid threats to international rules-based order.

Austin emphasized that the Philippines and the US have achieved great work and cooperation and that the alliance of the two countries “has never been this strong to strengthen interoperability between our forces and to tackle common challenges.”

He added that the two countries have expanded the operational coordination on land, sea, and in the air.

“This whole cooperation is critical to our collective security and continued prosperity across the region,” he said, reiterating President Biden’s iron clad defense commitment.

Before concluding his remarks, Austin told President Marcos that the Philippines and the US have invested significant time and resources to address both countries’ shared security challenges.

“We’re gonna keep building our partnership,” he said.

The diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the US span 77 years since its formal establishment on July 4, 1946.