A U.S. Department of War official on Tuesday said the Philippines is taking a leading role in strengthening its defense capabilities, describing the country’s alliance with the United States as a “not a one-sided partnership.”
U.S. War Department Undersecretary Elbridge Colby said the Philippines has been modernizing its military and coast guard while working with Washington on infrastructure, training and defense cooperation.
“Here in the Philippines, our alliance is undergoing a historic modernization, rooted in profound mutual respect,” Colby said during a Stratbase Institute event.
“We are co-investing in resilient infrastructure, training on cutting-edge capabilities, and operationalizing our Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites,” he added.
Colby said the Philippines was increasingly taking responsibility for its own defense while the U.S. continued to provide support.
“This is not a one-sided partnership — the Philippines is stepping up, taking the lead to defend itself, and investing more to modernize its military and coast guard,” he said.
The U.S. official cited the planned rotational deployment of four U.S. Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters to work with the Philippine Coast Guard in patrolling and securing the country’s exclusive economic zone.
He said the U.S. was “backing up those investments with concrete, visible support” through the deployment.
“By strengthening our joint posture, we are ensuring that both our nations possess the hard capabilities required to deter aggression,” Colby said.
The remarks came amid efforts by the U.S. and its Asian allies to strengthen their defense capabilities amid China’s growing military presence in the region.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had urged Asian allies in March to increase military spending, saying a stronger and more self-reliant network of allies was needed to deter aggression and maintain the regional balance of power.
Colby also rejected characterizations that the U.S. was becoming isolationist or unreliable under its current foreign policy.
“It is not isolation, but rather a business-like recalibration, a model of collaborative self-interest — enlightened self-interest, yes, but very much practical and pragmatic rather than ideological or rigid,” he said.
He said Washington was now demanding more from its allies, particularly in defense spending, as part of its policy of putting U.S. interests first.
“No longer can countries simply assume America will go along with unbalanced relationships that are not clearly in Americans’ practical interests,” Colby said.
“We are proud to implement that in the defense arena, where this has very clear and direct implications in terms of pressing allies to spend more on defense, for instance,” he added.
The U.S. has been strengthening its defense cooperation with the Philippines through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, including expanded access to agreed locations and increased joint military activities.
