Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez attended the US Marine Corps Friday Evening Parade at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C., the oldest post of the Corps, last August 9.
The invitation to Ambassador Romualdez to be the guest of honor at the parade underscores the strong and enduring alliance between the Philippines and the United States.
The event, renowned for its display of military precision and discipline, featured “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, “The Commandant’s Own” United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, and the US Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. The evening’s proceedings were a testament to the longstanding traditions and excellence of the United States Marine Corps.
The US Marine Color Guard presented the Philippine flag during the parade – the first time a foreign flag was accorded such honor since the first Friday Evening Parade took place in 1957. The Marine Band also performed the Philippine national anthem twice, for the foreign colors and as musical honors for the Ambassador.
A pre-parade reception at the Truman Crawford Hall was also held in honor of the Ambassador. In his remarks at the reception, Ambassador Romualdez expressed his deep appreciation for the warm welcome and hospitality extended by the United States Marine Corps. He highlighted the historical and strategic ties between the Philippines and the United States, emphasizing the mutual commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
“We have made many historic achievements in a short period of time, but suffice it to say that our relations have reached a level of maturity and modernity and have become even more relevant to the lives of both our peoples.” said the Ambassador.
In his remarks, Lt. Gen. Bierman said that “without a doubt this is a time when our two nations are standing shoulder to shoulder and in protection of our aligned interest…The alliance between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States is one that is underwritten in peace and security in the Western Pacific.”
Ambassador Romualdez’s attendance at the Evening Parade symbolizes the continuing friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and the United States. This honor comes as the Ambassador returns from Manila, where he participated in the 2+2 bilateral meeting last July 30. During this meeting, both countries reaffirmed the importance of the ironclad Philippines-US alliance. The discussions led to a US$500 million commitment in foreign military financing from the 2024 Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, earmarked for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
This financial support underscores the depth of the Philippines-US partnership, which is rooted in key agreements such as the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951, the Visiting Forces Agreement of 1998, and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement of 2014.
Philippine and US Marines remain steadfast in their commitment to advancing regional security and stability while enhancing collective military readiness. This commitment is displayed through the recent participation of Filipino Marines at the 2024 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, 2024 Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) littoral live fire exercise, and Exercise Balikatan 24, and most prominently, the KAMANDAG exercises, which have been held annually since 2016.
Furthermore, the Philippine Marine Corps and the US Marine Forces Pacific will co-host the 2025 in the Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium, where 32 countries are scheduled to unite and discuss the enhancement of maritime security in the region.
The Ambassador had the opportunity to meet with the current Marine Commandant, General Eric Smith, when he visited the official Home of the Commandants. The Commandant emphasized the significance of the U.S.-Philippine alliance and the strong relationship between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Philippine Marine Corps.
The Embassy of the Philippines extends its gratitude to Commandant Smith, Lt. Gen. Bierman, and the United States Marine Corps for this prestigious invitation and looks forward to further strengthening the ties that bind our two countries as Friends, Partners, and Allies.
