The Philippines and New Zealand will sign a key defense pact this week that would allow their forces to hold joint military drills and bolster defense engagements, the New Zealand embassy said Monday.
New Zealand’s Defense Minister Judith Collins will be in Manila on April 28 to May 2 for an official visit and to sign the accord, called Status of Forces Agreement or SOVFA, with Philippine counterpart Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro on April 30, its embassy in Manila said.
“It formally sets the legal framework for engagement between our respective militaries, better facilitating ongoing cooperation, activities and exercises in each of our territories,” said Collins in a statement sent by the embassy.
Collins said her four-day visit, two months after negotiations for the SOVFA concluded in February, “highlights the importance New Zealand places on working closely with our partners.”
New Zealand and other Western nations have been stepping up their military presence and cooperation with “like-minded” allies in the Indo-Pacific to promote rule of law and expand trade and investments.
The Philippines, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on the other hand, has sought to expand its alliances and upgrade its defense capabilities as it confronts an increasingly aggressive China in the resource-rich South China Sea, which has flared in recent years. The years-long disputes also involve Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
“The agreement follows a commitment made by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr during Mr Luxon’s visit to Manila last year,” said Collins, adding that the pact would “enable the two countries’ militaries to work more closely.”
It will take effect after a final ratification process in the Philippine Senate.
Manila’s SOVFA with New Zealand, similar to a Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and its treaty ally, the United States, will provide the legal framework for temporary visits by New Zealand troops for joint training and exercises. It has a similar agreement with Australia.
Manila signed the same pact with Japan in 2024 that’s awaiting ratification this year by Japan’s parliament, and has recently concluded negotiations with Canada.
The Philippine Constitution bars the permanent presence of foreign troops and bases unless covered by a treaty.
While in the Philippines, Collins will meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and hold a bilateral meeting with Teodoro.
The SOVFA with the Philippines builds on two agreements previously signed between the two countries – the Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement in 2024 and the Defense Cooperation Arrangement in 2012.
“We are committed to reinvigorating our security relationships, to playing our part, and working with regional partners such as the Philippines to uphold the international rules-based order,” Collins said.
Source: GMA News Online
