MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines announced on Thursday, February 20, the conclusion of negotiations for a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with New Zealand.
The talks were concluded on Tuesday, February 18, barely a month after both countries started their official negotiations on January 23. Informal dialogues were held last year.
In a statement, the Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) said the last round of negotiations were hosted by New Zealand through a hybrid arrangement. The agreement is expected to be signed by the “second quarter of 2025, or between April to June this year,” the DND said.
“A SOVFA between the Philippines and New Zealand will bolster defense and military ties between the two countries, enabling the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the New Zealand Defence Force to conduct exercises in each other’s territories,” it added.
Manila’s contingent was led by Undersecretary Pablo M. Lorenzo while the delegation from Auckland was led by Ministry of Defense (MoD) Director Kathleen Pearce.
Negotiators for the Philippines included Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces Undersecretary Antonio Habulan Jr., DND Assistant Secretaries Marita I. Yoro and Erik Lawrence Dy, Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretaries Aileen Mendiola-Rau and Patrick Chuasoto and Officer-in-Charge Paulo Saret; and Department of Justice State Counsels Ma. Pamelyn Omalin, Dave Fatalla, and Albert Abragan.
New Zealand negotiators included representatives from their defense, foreign affairs, business innovation and employment ministries. Auckland’s envoy to Manila, Ambassador Catherine McIntosh, was also part of the delegation.
Even before the agreement was negotiated, New Zealand was already part of a multination joint sail in the West Philippine Sea back in September 2024. (WATCH: Hindi ito Marites: New Zealand’s blossoming friendship with the Philippines)
Once the agreement is signed and ratified by both counties, New Zealand would become the fourth state with whom the Philippines has signed military training agreements.
The Philippines has similar deals with treaty-ally the US, and strategic partners Australia and Japan.
New Zealand and the Philippines have said that they hope to elevate diplomatic ties to a comprehensive partnership by 2026.
The agreement comes as the Philippines tries to improve its maritime capabilities by modernizing its military.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who has taken a more assertive stance in defending the country’s sovereign rights and sovereignty claims in the West Philippines, the Philippines has been expanding its security and defense ties in the region and beyond.
Manila has had to deal China’s aggression in the South China Sea, which the Asian superpower claims in almost its entirety. The claim encompasses parts of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone or parts of the West Philippine Sea.
The Philippines is in different stages of negotiating SOVFA or SOVFA-like agreements with Canada and France. – Rappler.com