PHL Ambassador to Brazil Meets with Undersecretary of National Defense Fernando Manalo

The Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Jose D.R. Burgos met with Undersecretary of National Defense Fernando I. Manalo during his recent official consultation meetings in the Philippines in April 2016.

The Ambassador, during the meeting with Undersecretary Manalo, has informed the latter about the efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Brasilia to develop further areas of defense cooperation betwen the Philippines and Brazil including the pending Philippine-Brazil Agreement on Defense Cooperation, the Philippine Air Force's aircraft acquisition from Brazil's Embraer aircraft manufacturer, and the West Philippine Sea among others.

The Ambassador's meeting with Undersecretary Manalo signifies the continuing efforts of cooperation between the two agencies in furtherance of the country’s security and defense interests. Brazil's growing defense industry is seen as an alternative source for the AFP's Modernization Program especially for the Philippine Air Force.

The Brazilian Air Force has offered Air Safety and Control Tower Operations for Officers of the Philippine Air Force while the Brazilian Army signified willingness to have joint Jungle Warfare Training with the Philippine Army. Likewise the Brazilian Navy has shown keen interest in exchange of training programs with the Philippine Navy in Coast Guard and Merchant Marine Courses as well as Brazilian middle and senior military officers taking up Masters in National Security Administration at the National Defense College of the Philippines.

Ambassador Burgos also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin for the latter's efforts to enhance Philippine-Brazil defense cooperation.

Source: www.dfa.gov.ph Date accessed: 23 June 2016