DND officer-in-charge, Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. (PNA photo by Joey Razon) MANILA - Department of National Defense (DND) officer-in-charge, Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. said he sees more engagements between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and its Japanese counterparts. "We have a very robust defense cooperation with Japan, particularly with the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Japan continues to be an observer in our 'Balikatan" Exercises and just lately we had our 2+2 (Meeting) and a lot of things came out of that, we are trying to come up with terms of reference, umbrella terms of reference where we could participate more particularly on HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster response)," Faustino said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday. He was referring to the successful Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting (2+2) between the Philippines and Japan last April. The defense chief also said he earlier met with Japan Pa
WESCOM VISIT. Defense department officer in charge, Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr., meets with ranking officials of the Western Command (Wescom) in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on Thursday (July 14, 2022). Faustino assured the continuity of all infrastructure projects of Wescom under the TIKAS Convergence Program of the departments of defense and public works. (Photo courtesy of Wescom) MANILA - Defense chief, Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr., pledged to continue all infrastructure projects for the Puerto Princesa, Palawan-based Western Command (Wescom). "As your new DND OIC (Department of National Defense officer in charge), I assure Wescom of the continuity of all infrastructure projects under the DND-DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) TIKAS Convergence Program," Faustino said during his visit to the Wescom headquarters in Camp Artemio Ricarte Thursday. "TIKAS" is short for "Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad". "W