November 18, 2024 (Quezon City) — Philippines’ Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. and United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III signed a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) between the two countries in a ceremony held at Camp Aguinaldo on Monday, marking another significant stride in the enduring Philippines-U.S. alliance.

Reinforcing the two countries’ commitment to mutual capability development and promotion of regional security, the signing of the agreement culminates the validation processes of the two defense forces on military information security. The GSOMIA provides for the framework to facilitate the exchange of classified military information between the Philippines and the United States.

Aside from enabling mutual access to classified military information, the signing of the GSOMIA opens opportunities for the Philippines to enter into similar agreements with other like-minded nations.

During the ceremony, Secretary Teodoro also conferred the Outstanding Achievement Medal (OAM) on Secretary Austin, in recognition of the U.S. Defense Chief’s substantial contributions to strengthening the Philippines-U.S. bilateral defense ties and promoting regional security in the Indo-Pacific since he assumed his post in 2021. Secretary Teodoro, in the award citation, acknowledged Secretary Austin’s leadership and his impact on the Department of National Defense and the Filipino nation.

Secretary Austin is in the Philippines as part of his trip to the region. The scheduled bilateral engagements between the two defense leaders in Manila and Palawan, where they will visit the headquarters of the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, highlight the robust partnership and commitment of the two countries to advance the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.