Philippines, France sign status of visiting forces agreement

The defence chiefs of the Philippines and France formally signed the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) between the two nations, the Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) announced on March 27.

DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and French Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans Catherine Vautrin signed the pact during a bilateral meeting in Paris on March 26, Caliber.Az repotts via Philippines media. 

"Today, we signed the SOVFA between the Philippines and France only one year after his Excellency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. authorized us to begin negotiations on this treaty and we signed it today on his expressed instructions to expedite matters given his realization of the importance of our two countries' relationships and with the Philippines and the rest of Europe," Teodoro said in his speech.

He added that the agreement was signed in record time as the two nations “had years of trust and confidence in working and dealing with one another.”

Teodoro also noted that both countries share values, objectives, and visions for future generations.

“And we have shared values, shared objectives, and shared visions for both our future generations and the current generations. So, this is a function of stewardship in several things, in enhancing both our individual and collective defense capabilities,” he said.

The DND chief described the SOVFA as a demonstration of the need for cross-regional cooperation in security and defense.

Manila has previously signed a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States and a SOVFA with Australia in 2012. Similar agreements are also in place with Japan, Canada, and New Zealand. The Philippines has indicated it will soon begin negotiations on a similar pact with the United Kingdom.

By Sabina Mammadli