The Philippines and Mongolia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defense cooperation during a high-level meeting between Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. and Mongolian Minister of Defence Batlut Damba on the sidelines of the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) 2025.

Held on September 9, the meeting focused on the full implementation of the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation, which both leaders described as vital to advancing mutual security interests.

The two officials agreed to pursue practical collaboration in key areas such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), peacekeeping operations, counterterrorism, and joint military training. They also discussed capacity-building initiatives and cooperative disaster response programs.

Minister Damba expressed gratitude for the Philippines’ participation in Mongolia’s annual multinational military exercise, Khaan Quest, and proposed launching educational exchanges between their national defense colleges. Secretary Teodoro welcomed the initiative and suggested expanding it to include technical experts, research officers, and civilian personnel from the Department of National Defense (DND).

Both ministers extended invitations for official visits and emphasized the importance of continued engagement through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) defense dialogues. They also voiced support for increasing contributions to United Nations peacekeeping missions, with a shared focus on boosting the participation of women peacekeepers.

The meeting concluded with a joint pledge to deepen defense cooperation and promote regional stability through sustained collaboration and mutual trust.