DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. is looking at expanding the Philippines’ military agreements with countries that share its fundamental values, potentially opening the door to broader defense cooperation beyond its existing partnerships.
Mr. Teodoro on Monday raised the possibility of establishing more Status of Visiting Forces Agreements (SOVFAs), citing their potential to improve joint training, military interoperability and cooperation in international peacekeeping operations.
“It opens up my eyes, too, to the possibility of stronger relationships to include perhaps Status of Visiting Forces Agreements with countries where we do not have a misalignment of fundamental values,” he said at a regional peacekeeping conference in Makati City.
The Philippines currently has SOVFAs with five-member countries of the Association of Asia-Pacific Peace Operations Training Centers: France, Canada, Australia, Japan and New Zealand, according to the Department of National Defense (DND).
Expanding these agreements could help the Armed Forces of the Philippines build closer working relationships with foreign militaries and improve their ability to operate together in peacekeeping missions.
Mr. Teodoro also called on the military to pursue closer ties with regional peacekeeping partners, describing such engagements as a means of strengthening military diplomacy and sharing operational knowledge.
He stressed that peacekeeping operations must be supported by clear rules of engagement, effective command structures and adequate force protection to ensure personnel can carry out their duties safely. — Pexcel John Bacon