Manila, Aug. 10 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday welcomed senior United States defense officials in Malacanang as Manila and Washington continued efforts to strengthen their longstanding defense partnership and promote a more credible regional deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.

Marcos received U.S. Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby and Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs John Noh during a courtesy call at the Palace, as part of the President's diplomatic engagements with key Indo-Pacific partners.

In a forum organized by the Stratbase Group, Colby, on his first visit to Manila as the U.S. Undersecretary of War for Policy, described the Philippines as a "model ally" and reaffirmed Washin...