Philippines-France VFA Approved by Senate Committee, Paving Way for Ratification

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committee on foreign relations has approved the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) between the Philippines and France, paving the way for the treaty’s plenary ratification next week. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who chairs the panel, said the pact would establish the legal framework for joint military exercises, disaster response operations and bilateral cooperation. It also explicitly defines criminal jurisdiction over participating troops who commit offenses while in the country. Once ratified, France will be the first European nation to have a SOVFA with the Philippines. It will also become the country’s sixth active visiting forces pact, joining agreements with the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada and New Zealand. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. backed the agreement during the hearing, citing France’s role as a major global arms supplier and its support for the 2016 Arbitral Ruling and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific. Teodoro also revealed that the Philippines is in its second round of SOVFA negotiations with the United Kingdom, while talks with other Asian countries are ongoing.