MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines and Canada are set to sign a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) after negotiations aimed at enhancing defence and security cooperation between the two nations, Manila’s defence ministry said on Friday.
The agreement would establish a framework for increased military and defence cooperation and collaboration between the two nations and improve interoperability between their forces, the Philippines’ defence ministry said in a statement.
“The Philippines looks forward to the positive impact of the SOVFA, which is expected to contribute to peace, stability, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region,” the ministry said, calling it a milestone in bilateral defence relations.
Canada has supported the Philippines’ stance in the South China Sea, backing a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that said China’s vast South China Sea claims had no legal basis. China rejects that finding.
In 2023, the Philippines and Canada signed an arrangement for the use of Ottawa’s Dark Vessel Detection system to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by vessels that have switched off their location transmitters to evade detection.
Amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the Philippines has broadened its security partnerships while maintaining its long-standing alliance with treaty ally the United States.
Last month, it concluded similar negotiations with New Zealand and the two countries expect to sign an official agreement in the second quarter of this year.
Last year, the Philippines ratified a reciprocal access agreement with Japan, the first of its kind that Tokyo has signed in Asia, that would allow their militaries to deploy on each other’s soil.
(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by John Mair)
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