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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
April 2, 2025 | 6:52pm
General Romeo S Brawner Jr., AFP Chief of Staff and General Marie Annabelle Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defense Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), sit in discussion during a courtesy visit on April 2, 2025.
Armed Forces of the Philippines / Released
MANILA, Philippines — The Canadian military's chief of defense staff visited Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday, April 2, for a courtesy call with Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.
The visit by Gen. Marie Annabelle Jennie Carignan centered on bolstering defense cooperation between the Philippines and Canada, with both officials reaffirming their commitment to regional peace and security in the Indo-Pacific.
"During the meeting, both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to regional peace and security, underscoring the importance of mutual support in joint operations and training programs," the AFP said in a statement.
The high-level engagement between the two military chiefs comes nearly a month after the Philippines and Canada wrapped up negotiations for their Status of Visiting Forces Agreement — a deal that Manila's defense department says will improve the interoperability of the two countries' armed forces.
During the meeting, Brawner expressed gratitude for Canada's ongoing assistance in "strengthening the AFP's capabilities, particularly through various capacity-building initiatives."
"The visit underscored the AFP’s efforts to strengthen its defense ties with like-minded nations, and to solidify its shared commitment to regional peace and security," the AFP statement read.
Canada has previously taken part in multi-country naval patrols in the West Philippine Sea — activities that aim to assert freedom of navigation and overflight rights in the broader South China Sea. — Cristina Chi
