Manila, Aug. 30 -- The Department of National Defense (DND) on Sunday reaffirmed the Philippines' commitment to its longstanding alliance with the United States (US) as the two countries marked the 75th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

In a statement, the DND described the treaty as a "cornerstone" of the two countries' shared commitment to peace, stability and the defense of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The DND said the alliance has evolved alongside an increasingly complex security environment, citing the growing scope of bilateral and multilateral military exercises, operational coordination, capability development, maritime security cooperation and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

"These efforts have ...