Manalo, Rubio affirm strength of Phl-US alliance

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have affirmed the strength of their respective countries' alliance and the United States' "ironclad commitment" to the Philippines.

- By PIA LEE-BRAGO

In a readout on Wednesday (US time), State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Rubio spoke to Manalo about issues of mutual concern, including China's dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea.

Rubio conveyed that China's behavior undermines regional peace and stability and is inconsistent with international law.

"The Secretary underscored the United States' ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty," Bruce said in a statement.

The secretaries also exchanged views on ways to advance security cooperation, expand economic ties for shared prosperity, and deepen avenues for further regional cooperation.

Manalo said he and Rubio "discussed the importance of the Philippines-US alliance for the prosperity and security of the Indo Pacific, and the strength of our bilateral political, economic, and peopleto-people ties." "We look forward to working with Secretary Rubio and his team towards addressing challenges and sustaining the momentum and positive trajectory in our bilateral relations," Manalo wrote on X.