Dialogue that defines our futureLast week, we hosted the 12th round of the Philippines-US Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD), a mechanism that may be unfamiliar to many Filipinos but has quietly become a major pillar of our alliance. Perhaps the most important aspect of the dialogue is the shared commitment to strengthening deterrence capabilities. Our Mutual Defense Treaty remains the cornerstone of that assurance. These industries will define the future, and the Philippines stands to benefit from them through our partnership. The Bilateral Strategic Dialogue reaffirms that approach.

Source: Philippine Star February 21, 2026 16:42 UTC