Philippines, Canada sign visiting forces agreement

The Philippines and Canada signed a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) on Sunday, with the defense ministers of both countries committing to deter instability and uphold order in the Indo-Pacific region, Report informs referring to Inquirer.net.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Canadian Minister of National Defense David McGuinty signed the agreement in Makati City following their bilateral meeting.

The SOVFA with the Philippines is Canada's first in the Indo-Pacific.

The agreement provides a legal framework for joint military activities, allowing the armed forces of both countries to enhance cooperation. It governs the presence of foreign troops in the Philippines during exercises, training, or other activities.

The SOVFA requires ratification by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and approval by two-thirds of the Senate before it takes effect. With this, Canada becomes the fifth country with which the Philippines has a VFA.

The Philippines also has SOVFAs with Australia, New Zealand, and Japan-the latter known as the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA)-as well as a longstanding VFA with the United States. Negotiations are ongoing for a similar security deal with France.