PH, Canada visiting forces deal seen to be signed, ratified in 2025

FILE: Creating jobs, increasing trade, and strengthening partnerships. These are some of the priorities that Canada and our Indo-Pacific partners share – and when I sat down with Prime Minister Ibrahim of Malaysia, President Marcos of the Philippines, President Yoon of Korea, Prime Minister Chính of Vietnam, and Prime Minister Albanese of Australia throughout the day, they were top of mind. (Photo: Justin Trudeau/Facebook)

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Philippines and Canada are looking to conclude the negotiations for a visiting forces agreement within 2025, the Canadian Embassy in Manila said.

In a statement forwarded on Monday, the embassy said “final steps are now being taken to complete a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SoVFA)” between the two countries with “ratification expected before the end of 2025.”

The upcoming signing comes amid the deepening Philippine-Canada defense relations.

Over the past year, defense engagements and training opportunities have increased between the two states, resulting from the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation Memorandum signed in January 2024.

On top of the Philippine-Canada SoVFA, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. earlier said Manila is also working to sign similar deals with New Zealand, France, and “possibly with other European countries”, although he did not specifically mention names.

“Hopefully, we want the phase of negotiations with Canada to go faster, and also France. We need interoperability and the Philippines’ armed forces needsto train with other armed forces because the dimensions of conflict are changing,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a reception in Makati on Feb. 4.

Canadian Ambassador to Manila David Hartman earlier said Canada can serve as a “very stalwart partner” of the Philippines both in counterterrorism and territorial defense.