By Kenneth Christian L. basilio, reporter
The Philippines and Canada will sign a defense agreement this weekend that will grant greater access for troops to each other's territories, according to the Defense Department in Manila, as it seeks to deepen security ties with its allies amid tensions in the South China Sea.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. and Canadian Defense Minister David Joseph McGuinty will sign the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) in Manila on Sunday, which began negotiations earlier this year to enhance military cooperation between the two countries.
“The SOVFA will then be presented to the President for approval,” the Department of National Defense said in a statement Wednesday.
The visiting forces deal between the Philippines and Canada aims to strengthen their 2024 defense cooperation agreement and improve interoperability by establishing a framework for operating and training troops within each other's territories, the Canadian government said in a March statement.
Ottawa has consistently supported Manila's stake in the South China Sea, one of the world's most contentious waterways, where tensions between the Philippines and China continue over overlapping claims.
Beijing maintains its sovereignty over the energy-rich waters despite a 2016 ruling by a UN-backed court that rejected its claims.
The Philippine and Chinese militaries have repeatedly sparred over disputed maritime features, and both have accused each other of escalating tensions following incidents involving water cannon blasts and sideswipes between ships.
The Southeast Asian nation has stepped up efforts to push back China's sweeping maritime claims by expanding its web of alliances beyond its long-term treaty ally, the US. It has also entered into visiting forces agreements with Australia and more recently New Zealand, as well as a similar agreement with Japan.
Negotiations are also underway for a visiting forces agreement with France.
