By Brian Campued
The Philippines and New Zealand on Wednesday signed the treaty documents for the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA), which would enable the two countries’ armed forces to strengthen defense cooperation by conducting joint military activities and exercises in each other’s territories.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who witnessed the signing of the SOVFA in Malacañang, noted that agreements forged between like-minded nations are “extremely important” in bolstering regional security.
“It is well recognized that these partnerships will become very important in the face of all that is happening, not only in our region,” the President told New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins and her delegation.
Upholding rules-based order
In a joint press conference in Makati City, Collins said the SOVFA reflects the shared commitment made by Marcos and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon during the latter’s state visit in the Philippines last year.
“Their commitment was borne from the understanding of the risks to the international rules-based order,” Collins said, reaffirming New Zealand’s commitment to protecting and advancing their interests in the Indo-Pacific Region.
For his part, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. thanked New Zealand for working closely with the Philippines on matters of regional peace and for supporting Manila’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.
“Our threats are not dissimilar, they are similar—whether they be from challenges to the rules-based international order or to facing the challenges posed by climate change,” Teodoro said.
“Peace is best backed with resilience and with deterrence, and no country in the world can ignore this fact, no matter how distant they may be,” he added.
In a bilateral meeting, Collins and Teodoro also agreed to strengthen defense industry cooperation, capabilities on air and maritime domain awareness, defense supply chain management, and education and training exchanges.
Defense pacts with like-minded nations
Following the signing of the SOVFA with New Zealand, Teodoro revealed that a similar agreement is set to be finalized soon with Canada, while negotiations are ongoing with France.
The Philippines has similar defense agreements with the United States and Australia. In 2024, the country’s Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Japan was ratified by the Senate and is still awaiting approval in the Japan Diet.
Meanwhile, Teodoro stated that all defense pacts with other countries that do not align with the Philippines’ interests and policies—particularly those related to the West Philippine Sea—are currently under review.
“If a country, theoretically—I’m not singling out any—is really misaligned with us, then it’s useless to continue having a defense agreement [with that country],” the DND chief stressed. (with report from Patrick de Jesus / PTV News)
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