CAMP AGUINALDO, PHILIPPINES– Hawaii and Guam National Guard Airmen and Soldiers joined their Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) partners for the annual Standing Committee Meeting (SCM) held March 11-13. The annual meeting enables the alliance to strategize, collaborate, and strengthen its enduring military ties and shared security commitments.
 
This gathering marked the first of three meetings scheduled for 2025 under the Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB), bringing together senior leaders from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. These sessions aim to assess current initiatives and develop plans and training engagements for the upcoming year, ensuring a cohesive approach to shared defense and security goals.
 
“Reflecting on the SCM, several standout successes emerged,” said U.S. Army Col. John Udani, Hawaii Army National Guard State Partnership Program (SPP) co-chair of the MDB-SEB Standing Committee Meeting. “Chief among them was the continued collaboration and enduring friendship between the U.S. and the Philippines. Additionally, the SCM concluded with actionable plans for all committees, underscoring its effectiveness.”
 
The meeting is a bilateral framework established between the United States and the Philippines, aligned with the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. The nearly 75-year treaty has ensured mutual support between the two nations in addressing natural disasters, providing humanitarian assistance, and responding to shared security concerns. It has united its armed forces across generations to coordinate and strengthen stability, defense, and security cooperation.
 
U.S. Air Force Col. Andrew DuBois, U.S. co-chair of the SCM, emphasized the treaty’s significance, stating, “We are committed to the Mutual Defense Treaty. We face many mutual challenges together, and this treaty directs us to consult regularly and develop a collective capacity to promote and preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.
 
Throughout the three days, the discussions provided a dynamic platform for participants to craft a series of follow-on training and engagements aimed at advancing shared security objectives by strengthening interoperability. As equal partners, both nations demonstrate their commitment, bolstered by mutual investments in training and equipment, which enhance their combined and joint capacity to ensure territorial sovereignty for Filipinos under all circumstances.
 
Philippine Air Force Brig. Gen. Joseph Archog, SCM co-chair, highlighted the meeting’s broader purpose, noting, “the strategic intentions set forth by our Defense Ministers in their recent meeting and the Chiefs of Defense during the MDB-SEB are translated into action plans which will be developed in this three-day activity.”
 
The Hawaii and Guam National Guard participants and their partners of the AFP formed a subcommittee throughout the SCM. This group, comprising Guardsmen from both states, collaborates with AFP members to develop a year-long series of subject matter expert exchanges tailored to strengthen specific military capabilities and modernization programs.
 
With approximately 30 SPP engagements conducted annually between the two nations, the bilateral training plan is designed to enhance a wide range of critical competencies. These include rotary-wing aviation exchanges, advancements in cybersecurity, Tactical Combat Casualty Care, leadership development, incident command systems, urban search and rescue, and various other specialized programs, fostering a robust, dynamic, and capable partnership.
 
Udani described a recent instance where skills from the ongoing rotary exchange were applied to a real-world scenario. He noted that the Hawaii National Guard’s collaboration with the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing of the Philippine Air Force on fire suppression techniques, including the use of water buckets, played a critical role in effectively managing the coastal fire in Tondo, Manila, in November 2024.
 
Beyond the scope of the SCM and SPP, the United States and the Philippines have hundreds of additional engagements planned across a broad spectrum of military, security, and cooperation initiatives.
 
Other subcommittees at the SCM focused on developments in key areas, including manpower, intelligence, operations, logistics, planning, communications, and combined-joint force development, aligning strategies and improving interoperability to prepare for future challenges.
 
Discussions also touched on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and its efforts in refining information sharing, identified as a priority for enhancing bilateral cooperation.
 
This year, the Philippines and its National Guard partners celebrate the 25th anniversary of consistent engagement within the State Partnership Program, a significant milestone that underscores their enduring commitment to U.S.-Philippine collaboration. This partnership is the longest-running SPP relationship in the Indo-Pacific, reflecting a quarter-century of shared progress in regional security, training, and stability. With momentum sustained from the previous year, as Dubois encouraged, both nations are poised to carry forward their strong efforts through the bilateral cycle ahead.
 
Reflecting on this milestone, Udani emphasized the broader significance of the partnership, stating that its strength is rooted in “historical ties, decades of cooperation, and shared values, such as a commitment to sovereignty and international law – principles reinforced during the SCM discussions. Not only are we positioned to advance regional security but also our strong partnership beyond defense such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The 25-year State Partnership Program between the Hawaii National Guard and the Armed Forces of the Philippines exemplifies our strong people to people connection and enduring commitment to mutual security and cooperation.”