Philippine military eyes greater military ties with Australia

“The Department of National Defense is open to greater cooperation with its neighbours, Australia included. In fact we have a bigger military to military engagement with Australia than any of our ASEAN neighbours,” National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in an interview with Australia-Philippines Business Council Director Nicole Forrest Green.

Green conducted the interview for Australian Naval Institute (ANI). ANI provides a forum for Naval Officers and others stakeholders in maritime affairs.

Secretary Lorenzana said Australia-Philippines military ties is second to United States-Philippines military relationship.

“We have signed a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement with Australia that governs the Exercise Dawn Caracha between armies and Exercise Lumbas between navies here in the Philippines, as well as the Exercise Dusk Caracha between armies in Australia,” he said.

He added that Philippines is participating in Australian Exercise Kakadu, on the other hand, Australia participates in Balikatan.

“We want to use these exercises to gain access to Australia’s best practices on a wide range of defence activities and be exposed to its latest defence equipment, with the hope of acquiring them through government-to-government mode of transaction,” he added.

(Source : update.ph)

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