The Philippines and Canada are looking to have more practical partnerships in disaster resilience as part of efforts to boost defense cooperation.

This came following the Aug. 4 meeting between Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. and Canada Ambassador to the Philippines David Bruce Hartman at DND headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

“The two officials committed to pursue practical cooperation on disaster resilience as well as education and training, among other initiatives between the Philippine and Canadian defense establishments, through capacity-building projects,” DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said in a statement over the weekend.

In the same meeting, Hartman also acknowledged the Indo-Pacific’s importance and expressed Canada’s intent to increase its presence in the region.

“With the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Canada in 2024, Secretary Teodoro remarked how timely Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is as it aligns with the DND’s thrust to strengthen its defense partnerships with like-minded states in addressing pressing and emerging security concerns in the region,” Andolong said.

Both nations expressed their readiness to conclude the Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation as a means to further commemorate this bilateral milestone.

“In addition, Secretary Teodoro took the opportunity to reiterate the DND’s invitation to Canada’s Minister of National Defense for an official visit to the Philippines to discuss areas of mutual concern, and ways to advance bilateral defense relations,” Andolong said. (PNA)