Taguig city: Philippine Army (PA) commander Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete met with ranking officials of the Joint US Military Advisory Group (JUSMAG) and the US Army Attach© as part of efforts to sustain bilateral engagement and enhance interoperability between the two forces.

According to Philippines News Agency, PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala stated that Nafarrete met with JUSMAG-Philippines chief Col. Daniel Oh and US Army Attach© Col. John Matthew Sova on August 15 at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

As head of the JUSMAG-Philippines, Col. Oh administers security assistance missions in addition to coordinating joint Philippine and US military-to-military engagement programs prescribed by the Mutual Defense Board. Meanwhile, Col. Sova, as the US Army Attach©, focuses on fostering positive relationships with the PA and coordinating security cooperation activities.

"During the joint courtesy call, Lt. Gen. Nafarrete assured the sustained bilateral engagement between PA and the US Army. The Army Chief and the visiting senior US defense officials also discussed enhancing interoperability between both armies," Dema-ala said.

Interoperability exercises between the PA and US Army Pacific troops are highlighted in the annual Exercise "Salaknib" and the broader and multilateral Exercise "Balikatan," which include combined training and subject matter expert exchanges.

Lt. Gen. Nafarrete emphasized that the meeting embodies the shared values of peace, security, and regional stability between the two nations.