PHNOM PENH — General Mao Sophan, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, met Lieutenant General Roy M. Galido, Commanding General of the Philippine Army, at Royal Cambodian Army Headquarters on July 18, 2025. Galido was leading a delegation on his second official visit to Cambodia to attend the closing ceremony of the Cambodian–Philippine armies’ joint training activities in Cambodia in 2025.
At the meeting, both sides highly valued the close relations and cooperation between their countries, peoples and armies. They noted that the two sides had consistently supported and complemented one another in addressing regional challenges.
General Mao Sophan highlighted the importance of engagement at all levels in advancing cooperation and mutual understanding. He said the successful implementation of the Cambodian–Philippine armies’ joint training programmes in 2024 and 2025 had helped improve operational capabilities and provided a concrete example of their strategic and enduring partnership.
The general thanked the Philippine Army for its support, including hosting Cambodian military personnel for training in the Philippines and sending instructors to conduct training in Cambodia.
Lieutenant General Roy M. Galido expressed his pleasure at visiting Cambodia for the second time and thanked the Cambodian side for arranging courtesy calls with senior leaders, particularly the Senate President, whom he described as an outstanding leader in the ASEAN region.
He added that both armies were benefiting from the Terms of Reference (TOR) for cooperation between the Cambodian and Philippine armies, signed by Hun Manet, now Cambodia’s prime minister and a former Army commander, and General Romeo S. Brawner Jr.
General Mao Sophan and Lieutenant General Roy M. Galido agreed on several strategic cooperation initiatives focusing on human resource development, reciprocal visits, joint training and preparations for bilateral exercises at both tactical and operational levels.
Written by: ចិន្តា ទីទិ
