The Philippines’ bid to beef up its defensive capabilities through partnership with the United States got further boost following the signing of the 2027 Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEC) Plan of Activities, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Monday.

In a news release, the AFP said the signing was held on Aug. 7 during a meeting in Camp Aguinaldo between AFP chief Gen. Antonio Nafarrete and United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) head Adm. Samuel John Paparo Jr..

“The meeting focused on enhancing joint training and exercises, advancing defense capability development, strengthening maritime security cooperation, and expanding collaboration in other areas of shared strategic interest,” it said.

Both leaders underscored the importance of sustained engagement in addressing evolving regional security challenges and improving interoperability between the two allied armed forces.

There were no immediate word on how many and what kind of activities the 2027 MDB-SEB Plan of Activities will consist due to security reasons.

The AFP said the MDB-SEB remains a vital mechanism for advancing the mutual defense and security interests of the Philippines and the United States.

In a news release issued on Saturday, the U.S. Pacific Command said the signed “8-Star memo” underscored the “mutual commitment to strengthening cooperation and interoperability between the US and Philippine armed forces amid heightened regional tensions.”

Among the activities for the 2027 MDB-SEB Plan are “large-scale exercises to subject-matter-expert exchanges, continuing a partnership that has produced hundreds of bilateral activities annually in recent years.”

These activities, it said, “are designed to sustain interaction between the two militaries and enhance operational readiness across a range of missions, including maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster response.” (PNA)