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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
March 28, 2025 | 1:16pm
U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth meets with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace on March 28, 2025. Secretary Hegseth is in the country, the U.S. embassy posted, "as the United States builds on unprecedented cooperation with like-minded countries. This visit highlights the importance of the U.S.-Philippine Alliance and our ironclad commitment as #FriendsPartnersAllies dedicated to ensuring a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific."
PPA pool / Marianne Bermudez
MANILA, Philippines — United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth touched down in Manila on Thursday, March 27 — his first international stop — bringing assurances of America's "ironclad commitment" to the Philippines amid flaring tensions in the region.
During his meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday, Hegseth noted the significance of choosing the Philippines as his first international destination, just two months into US President Donald Trump's second term.
"I had a chance to speak just a few minutes ago to our president, President Trump, who sends his regards to you as well, thinks very fondly of this great country," Hegseth told Marcos. "There is a very real reason why our first trip and our first visit is here to your great country."
Trump "is very committed to the alliance that we have, to the friendship that we have, the cooperation that we have," Hegseth added.
"He and I both want to express the ironclad commitment we have to the Mutual Defense Treaty and to the partnership, economically, militarily, which our staffs have worked on diligently for weeks and weeks and months," Hegseth said.
The US defense chief's visit comes as Washington looks to prioritize "deterring war with China in the Pacific" and counter Beijing's growing influence in the region.
Marcos welcomed Hegseth's visit and noted the Philippines' unique status as America's "only treaty partner" in the region.
"Your visit to the region, and especially the fact that you have come to the Philippines as your first stop, is a very strong indication and sends a very strong message of the commitment of both our countries to continue to work together to maintain the peace in the Indo-Pacific region within the South China Sea," Marcos said.
The president described Hegseth's visit as "very important" especially as the Philippines charts its future, "considering how complicated geopolitics has become."
"Being a friend to the United States is something that is inherent with most Filipinos, considering the relationship that we have had over a hundred years," Marcos said.
"We have always understood the principle that the greatest force for peace in this part of the world would be the United States," the president added.
Prior to his meeting with Marcos, Hegseth participated in morning physical training exercises with Philippine and American troops.
"This morning, I did PT with some of your troops. They are in great shape, as are our troops. So that's good," Hegseth told Marcos.
Hegseth is scheduled to meet with Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro later today.
The US defense chief said he would also meet with other American troops in the Philippines for a "meaningful military-to-military cooperation," which the US government wants to expand.
Hegseth will depart for Japan after his visit to the Philippines.
Philippine-China tensions. The Philippines has repeatedly traded barbs with China over the latter's increasing encroachment on waters Manila has sovereign rights.
Despite Beijing's territorial claims being invalidated by a landmark 2016 Hague ruling, China has expanded its military presence across the South China Sea.
The Pentagon chief's visit comes just weeks after the Trump administration exempted certain Philippine military aid packages from a broader foreign aid freeze.
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez earlier told the media that the US defense chief's visit would yield "more significant support" for Philippine forces facing daily confrontations with Chinese vessels.
Hegseth's focus on strengthening the US' alliances with Asian countries comes as he navigates controversy at home over his use of the messaging app Signal to share classified information about American operations in Yemen.
