The defense chiefs of the Philippines and Thailand tackled disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and explored new avenues for collaboration, the Department of National Defense (DND) said Friday.

DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Thai Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai met on the sidelines of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Defense Ministers’ Meeting Retreat in Penang, Malaysia on Feb. 26, agency spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong said in a statement.

This discussion was in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive of fostering relationships with international partners, he added.

“Secretary Teodoro emphasized that the Philippines and Thailand have maintained a strong relationship for more than 76 years, as the two officials explored key areas for cooperation such as intelligence sharing, defense acquisition, and training exchanges aimed at enhancing both countries’ defense capabilities,” Andolong said.

He said the two defense chiefs committed to enhance and deepen ties to promote regional stability, including cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) and military medicine.

“On DRRM, both sides tackled the issue of fires and smoke caused by slash-and-burn practices and other uncontrolled burning activities for planting, which increases security and safety risks for communities,” Andolong said.

Meanwhile, Wechayachai expressed Bangkok’s keen interest in exchanging best practices with Manila, particularly in terms of HADR.

The Thai defense chief emphasized that such cooperation benefits not only both countries but also the entire ASEAN community.

He shared Thailand’s experiences with multirole fighters and its value in strengthening air defense capabilities.

“Secretary Teodoro highlighted the importance of strengthening ASEAN centrality and its capacity as a norm-making body for regional security. He also noted that water security remains a critical yet often covert issue in defense and security discussions,” Andolong added.

Both officials concluded their discussions by committing to ensure that ASEAN evolves into a stronger regional grouping in its own right. (PNA)