Quezon City, Philippines — The United States and the Philippines defense chiefs signed an agreement on Monday, November 13 to share classified military information and technology at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro spearheaded the signing of General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) during the formal ceremony.
In a statement, the Philippine defense department described the agreement as “a critical step to enhance information sharing and deepen interoperability between the Philippines and the US.”
The signing comes amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea that led to confrontations between Chinese vessels and Philippine forces, resulting in damage to Filipino vessels and personnel.
Following the signing, the two defense chiefs led a ceremony to officially launch the Combined Coordination Center (CCC).
CCC will be responsible for integrating combined command and control functions between US and PH.