Senior Undersecretary Jose C. Faustino, Jr., Officer-in-Charge, Department of National Defense (DND), met with H.E. Ilan Fluss, Ambassador of Israel to the Philippines, during his courtesy call on September 1, 2022, in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Among the topics discussed were the ongoing consultations on broadening Philippines-Israel defense relations, areas of defense and military cooperation, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) modernization program. The two officials underscored that trust and commitment between both countries remain the foundation of a strong partnership.
The OIC, DND highlighted that further to logistics and procurement cooperation, it is time to further broaden Philippines-Israel defense collaboration. He also expressed appreciation for the invitations received by the Department to attend security-related conferences and summits in Israel.
Furthermore, the OIC, DND welcomed other possible areas of cooperation, including high-level visits, education and training exchanges, intelligence sharing, and self-reliant defense posture (SRDP) programs, among others.
The Ambassador highlighted that defense cooperation is one of the important aspects of bilateral relations between the Philippines and Israel. He conveyed that Israel is willing to share its experience and expertise to support the Philippines’ capacity building efforts and participate in the AFP Modernization Program.
Both sides look forward to further strengthening defense and military relations, and working together in enhancing both countries’ capabilities. (VICTOR BALDEMOR)
