MANILA— Philippine Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Thursday a visit by his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin symbolized the Western nation’s steadfast commitment to help allies preserve a free Indo-Pacific region.
He told a news conference after a meeting of the two officials that both sides had agreed to deepen bilateral co-operation and support for Philippine defense needs.
—Reporting by Karen Lema; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Clarence Fernandez
