Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Sunday hailed the newly signed Philippines-Canada Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) as a milestone in the two countries’ deepening defense and security cooperation.
Speaking during the open ceremony of signing in Manila, Teodoro said the “long-awaited and long-overdue” agreement elevates the Philippines-Canada defense relationship to a level that is both substantive and enduring.
“This new visiting forces agreement (VFA) is one of the highest expressions of trust between our two countries… Our militaries will train together and forge an alliance that goes beyond purely commercial,” Teodoro said.
The Department of National Defense (DND) chief described the SOVFA as a manifestation of shared democratic values and mutual respect for sovereignty.
For his part, Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty, who is on his first official visit to Manila, underscored the historic nature of the accord and noted that it is Canada’s VFA in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Today’s signing draws our ships even closer together, but we will not be anchored in place. We will raise our sails, the sails of two proud nations, charting a course toward a more secure and a more prosperous future. This signing is not the end of an effort,” McGuinty said.
He added that both sides will now work on operationalizing the agreement, which opens opportunities for enhanced training, joint exercises, and interoperability between their armed forces.
Signed on November 2, the pact makes Canada the fifth country to have signed a troop agreement with the Philippines, after the United States, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand — countries that regularly assail Chinese vessels’ aggressive actions in the South China Sea.
The newly signed VFA with Canada is likewise the third such agreement to be concluded under the Marcos administration.
It follows Manila and Tokyo’s Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) — a pact similar to a VFA — enforced in September, as well as a VFA between the Philippines and New Zealand signed in April. The latter has yet to come into effect.
