Canada inks visiting forces defense deal with Philippines
(MENAFN) Canada on Sunday became the fifth country to enter a visiting forces defense agreement with the Philippines, allowing both nations to deploy military personnel in each other’s territories and strengthen defense cooperation.
The Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) was signed in Makati by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Canadian Minister of National Defense David McGuinty. Teodoro described the pact as a way to make already “robust” people-to-people and information-sharing ties between the countries “enduring.”
The agreement also covers collaboration in maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and cyber defense. Teodoro emphasized that the deal supports both national security and regional peace, while resisting “attempts to redefine norms for the selfish advantage of powerful countries.”
McGuinty noted that this is Canada’s first such defense agreement with an Asian country and said it will bring the nations closer together amid growing regional challenges.
The Philippines previously signed similar agreements with the US (1998), Australia (2007), Japan (2024), and New Zealand (April 2025). The signing follows the recent Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea, which involved the Philippines, the US, Australia, and New Zealand.
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