Philippines and Singapore reviewed bilateral defence ties and regional security cooperation priorities.
Philippine and Singaporean defence officials met in Singapore on 4 September 2026 for the 9th Philippines-Singapore Defense Policy Dialogue (PS DPD), a working-level platform for reviewing bilateral defence relations and discussing regional and global security developments. The dialogue provided an opportunity for both sides to assess ongoing military cooperation, identify shared defence priorities and discuss upcoming bilateral engagements.
The 9th PS DPD was hosted by Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) Deputy Secretary (Policy) Brigadier General (BG) Frederick Choo and co-chaired by Department of National Defense Assistant Secretary for Strategic Assessments and International Affairs Marita I. Yoro.
During the dialogue, Assistant Secretary Yoro and BG Choo discussed ways to advance military collaboration and reviewed upcoming bilateral engagements between the Department of National Defense (DND) and MINDEF. They also exchanged views on regional security developments and discussed continued cooperation through multilateral frameworks, including the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus.
The officials also discussed ASEAN-related defence cooperation in the context of the Philippines and Singapore serving as current and upcoming chairs of ASEAN in 2027, respectively.
The PS DPD is used by the Philippines and Singapore to review the progress of their bilateral defence relations, exchange views on security challenges and establish shared priorities. The two countries maintain regular defence exchanges in areas of mutual interest, including counter-terrorism, while participating in regional defence cooperation through multilateral platforms.
As part of her visit to Singapore, Assistant Secretary Yoro met Singapore’s Permanent Secretary (Defense), Mr. Joseph Leong, on 2 September. On 3 September, she paid a courtesy call on Philippine Ambassador H.E. Medardo G. Macaraig at the Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore.
Assistant Secretary Yoro was accompanied by officials from the Philippine Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines during her engagements in Singapore.
The Philippines and Singapore maintain bilateral defence relations supported by regular official and military exchanges, including cooperation on counter-terrorism and participation in ASEAN-led defence mechanisms.
Source: Philippine Embassy in Singapore
