August 28, 2024
MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed his intent to boost collaborations with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (Indopacom) during a meeting with its new commander Admiral Samuel Paparo on Tuesday.
Marcos made the pronouncement after meeting with Paparo — who recently assumed command of Indopacom on May 3, 2024 — in Malacañang on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, the two met for a dialogue on issues that would lead to the continuity of a crucial defense and security partnership between the U.S. and the Philippines.
“Welcome to Manila. Welcome to the Philippines. Well, since your new appointment, I’m sure I’ll be seeing more of you,” said Marcos as he welcomed Paparo.
“I’m going to see you and you’re coming to see us. We have a great deal of … there are a great many subjects that will be discussed, many decisions that we have to make for the United States and for the Philippines,” he added.
While in the country, Paparo is set to address the Military Law and Operations Conference on Aug. 27, visit an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) location on Aug. 28, and attend the 2024 Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board Meeting on Aug. 29 in Baguio City.
The Presidential Communications Office then quoted Marcos as saying that Paparo’s planned visits to several Edca sites would expose the U.S. delegation to the real situation in the country.
It was in November 2023 when Marcos also visited the Indopacom headquarters in Hawaii.
The US Indapacom was established as a unified command on Jan. 1, 1947.
It is one of six geographic Unified Combatant Commands of the U.S. Armed Forces and the oldest and largest of the American unified commands.