By Kenneth Christian L. Basilio, reporter
The Philippines and Canada signed a military deal on Sunday that will allow their troops to set foot in each other's territories, strengthening Manila's defense ties with Ottawa amid tensions in the South China Sea and just days after the US pledged support to boost the Southeast Asian nation's deterrence in the waterway.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. and Canadian Defense Minister David Joseph McGuinty signed the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) in Manila, making Canada the fifth country to enter into a military access agreement with the Philippines.
The two sides agreed to legal provisions allowing Filipino and Canadian troops to enter each other's territories in March this year, with the Canadian government describing the deal as a reinforcement of their 2024 defense cooperation agreement.
In the Philippines, Senate ratification is required for agreements to take effect, while in Canada treaties become binding without formal parliamentary approval.
“This is the first agreement of its kind for Canada in the Indo-Pacific region,” Mr. McGuinty said at a delegation meeting before the agreement was signed. “It was a deliberate choice.”
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.
“Peace is based on rules, not recklessness; and stability grows through cooperation, not contradiction,” Mr McGuinty said at a joint media briefing following the signing of the SOVFA. “The Philippines has shown true leadership in upholding international law and seeking peaceful resolution of disputes.”
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.
The signing of the SOVFA follows remarks by US Defense Secretary Peter Brian Hegseth at a meeting of regional defense ministers last week, where he said Washington would establish a task force aimed at helping the Philippines enhance its deterrent capabilities in the strategic waterway.
A Pentagon spokesperson said the joint task force will improve joint military planning, operational cooperation and force interoperability with Philippine forces, Reuters reported.
Mr Teodoro said at the same briefing that the task force is an “operational arrangement” between the US Indo-Pacific Command and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“The task force has a specific mission… and that is to unify our resilience both internally and externally,” he said, describing the body as a mechanism aimed at strengthening all military operations of the Philippines and US forces for seamless interoperability.
The Philippines and the United States are close allies, with their partnership based on a 1950s treaty that obliges both to defend each other in case of armed attack. Their alliance has flourished in recent years, with joint military exercises becoming more complex and involving advanced weapons systems.
Analysts said the military visit agreement between the Philippines and Canada would improve the interoperability of their armed forces, which could help reshape the strategic landscape of the South China Sea.
Julio S., chief executive officer of Amador Research Services, a Manila-based geopolitical risk firm. “SOVFA creates a partnership between the two countries that signals alignment on how to respond to a China that is becoming more confident in showing its strength,” Amador III said in a Viber message.
He said the framework of the agreement will provide Canadian forces the opportunity to participate in various military exercises hosted by the Philippines.
Chester B. Cabalza, founding president of the Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, said Canada's military agreement with the Philippines signals its “real intention” to promote an international rules-based order in the South China Sea.
Sherwin E. Ona, a security analyst and associate professor at De La Salle University, said the visiting military pact is an “important development” for both countries, and will provide an additional ally that Manila can rely on amid Chinese aggression in the strategic waterway.
“This significantly enhances the country's deterrence capability and opens up opportunities for Canada to participate in joint exercises,” he said in a Viber message.
Manila has become more reliant on multinational cooperation to enhance its military capabilities, and it has held several joint exercises with allies across the country as part of efforts to strengthen its security amid growing Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.
Negotiations are also underway for a visiting forces agreement with France and Britain.
