Philippine, Australian armed forces discuss future plans to boost cooperation
Both military chiefs discuss bilateral military partnership including training, reservist development and more.
QUEZON CITY: The Philippine and Australian armed forces have discussed future plans to strengthen the cooperation between the two nations paved by their existing agreements for counterterrorism and one country’s forces’ presence in the other.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr., received a courtesy visit by Australia’s army chief Lt. Gen. Simon Stuart on Monday (Sept. 18) at the AFP’s general headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
In their meeting, the two discussed both nations’ bilateral military partnership including training, student exchanges, reservist development, non-commissioned officer empowerment and recruitment.
“We are very thankful for the support we are getting from Australia. Not just intelligence and technical support, but also more now in terms of training and exercises,” Brawner said in a statement.
The AFP chief also recalled the support provided by Australia during the 2017 Marawi city siege borne out of an existing memorandum of understanding to combat international terrorism.
Pro-Islamic State local terror groups laid siege over the city before Philippine government forces retook the city following a five-month battle.
The Philippines and Australia also currently have a partnership on training and exchanges signed in 1995 and a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement in effect since 2007 which provides a comprehensive legal framework for the presence of one country’s forces in the other.