 Since the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty on August 30, 1951, the Philippines and the United States have chosen to support each other. Today, that support extends beyond defense to shoulder to shoulder relationships built over a half a century of partnership. American presence and support has been a constant for the Filipino people through good times and bad. We have been there before, during, and after. To celebrate each other's victories and to help pick up the pieces and rebuild when disaster strikes. The Philippines and U.S. Special Operations Forces partnership is committed to building a more secure future by working together now as highly trained, dedicated professionals with the skill set needed to navigate through the most difficult challenges. Our partnership continues to grow stronger with each passing year as personal and professional relationships deepen and our skills and interoperability improve. Providing a more stable and secure future where safety and prosperity remain commonplace. The Filipino people are resilient, family oriented, proud, respectful, spiritual people. They work hard and play hard. They have taken us in. They love to eat, sing and celebrate. They value tradition. We share so much common ground. And among that, the level of dedication of our military professionals to stand strong when called upon for whatever the situation develops. As we continue to build on our time-tested partnership through exercises like Balakaton, we further invest into preserving the shared values that we hold dear of safety, security and prosperity so we can hand off tomorrow to the generations that follow.