US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will arrive in the Philippines in a series of visits that will also take him to Hawaii, Guam and Japan.

In an advisory of the US Department of Defense on Friday, US Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell said that Hegseth "will depart early next week for a trip to Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and Japan to meet with senior U.S. military and civilian leadership and participate in a series of bilateral meetings".

"As part of his first official visit to the region, Sec. Hegseth will first travel to Hawaii to meet with civilian and military leaders from the US Indo-Pacific Command. From there, Sec. Hegseth will travel to Guam, where he is expected to tour the military facilities and receive capabilities briefs", Parnell said.

"Next, he will travel to the Philippines, where he will advance security objectives with Philippine leaders and meet with US and Philippine forces,'' said Pernell.

In Japan, Hegseth will participate in a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima and will later meet with Japanese leaders and US military forces", Parnell added.

Parnell said that the trip of Hegseth "comes as the United States builds on unprecedented cooperation with like-minded countries to strengthen regional security".

News reports said Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, who spoke to Hegseth last Feb. 6, is set to discuss boosting ''bilateral partnerships and greater interoperability'' between the Philippines and the US.Marie Manalili/DMS