Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a meeting with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo at the Munich Security Conference. The meeting focused on strengthening the alliance between the United States and the Philippines.

According to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, "Secretary Rubio not only reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the United States-Philippines Alliance, but noted his enthusiasm for building an even more invested and enduring relationship."

The discussions covered various topics including bilateral coordination in response to China's activities in the South China Sea. They also talked about enhancing economic cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, critical minerals, information technology, and energy. Civil nuclear cooperation was also highlighted during their talks.