The Philippines and Cambodia boosted its defense cooperation during a meeting held early March, a Department of National Defense (DND) spokesman said Tuesday.

Arsenio Andolong, DND Public Affairs Service chief said the Philippines and Cambodia held the Inaugural Philippines-Cambodia Joint Defense Cooperation Committeemeeting in Phnom Penh from March 11 to 14.

“The meeting facilitated the exchange of views on regional defense and security issues such as cyber security, counter-terrorism and violent extremism, and peacekeeping operations, among others,” he said.

“The agenda also highlighted matters on the Philippines-Cambodia bilateral defense relations and finalized various engagement activities between both countries’ Army, Navy, and Air Force,” he added.

Andolong said the conference that was co-chaired by Defense Undersecretary Ricardo David, Jr. and General Neang Phat, Secretary of State of the Ministry of National Defense of the Kingdom of Cambodia, “was an offshoot of the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation between the Philippines and Cambodia.”

“Both officials expressed hope that the inaugural meeting was a step forward to further strengthening defense relations between the two countries,” he said.

Andolong noted that “General Neang Phat emphasized the importance of the first meeting as it marks the positive development of bilateral relations between the Philippines and Cambodia.”

“I believe the JDCC is really important for our parties to work together to develop our Defense Cooperation Program and Development Plan, and I believe that our troops and our people are fully committed to the meeting and to fulfil all the requirements,” Phat said.

Andolong said David also “conveyed his appreciation to the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense, on behalf of the government and the people of the Philippines and of the Department of National Defense headed by Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, for the successful and fruitful conduct of the conference.”

“We are pleased that we are able to advance our activities and engagements. We hope that this will be sustained and enhanced, to ensure a more meaningful contribution to regional peace and prosperity,” said David.

Andolong said the second Joint Defense Cooperation Committee meeting is set in Manila next year. Robina Asido/DMS