Philippines, New Zealand hold talks on visiting forces

MANILA, Philippines — Efforts to fortify the military alliance between the Philippines and New Zealand are now underway following the conduct of the first round of formal negotiations on the proposed Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) between the two countries last week.

The Department of National Defense (DND) said negotiations held on Jan. 23 in Manila saw top defense and diplomatic officials of both nations coming together to discuss the deal.

Once approved, the SOVFA will reinforce the 2017 Memorandum of Arrangement between the DND and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with the Ministry of Defense (MoD) of New Zealand.

The DND said such an agreement “will enable both countries’ armed forces to elevate their cooperative activities and conduct exercises in each other’s territories, deepening overall defense and military cooperation.”

“The conclusion of this agreement will be a significant milestone for the overall bilateral relationship between the Philippines and New Zealand, as the two countries will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2026,” the DND added.

Last week’s first round of talks were led by DND Undersecretary Pablo Lorenzo and MoD Director Kathleen Pearce representing the Philippine and New Zealand delegations, respectively.

Delegates from New Zealand included New Zealand Ambassador Catherine McIntosh, Deputy Head of Mission Stacey Kwant and an analyst from the MoD. Other members of the New Zealand delegation joined virtually.

The Philippine delegation was composed of Department of Justice Undersecretaries Raul Vasquez and Dennis Arvin Chan, Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces Undersecretary Antonio Habulan Jr., Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretaries Aileen Mendiola-Rau and Patrick Chuasoto, and DND Assistant Secretary Erik Lawrence Dy.

The DND said the first round of negotiations marked an important step in strengthening bilateral defense ties between the Philippines and New Zealand.

New Zealand participated in one of last year’s Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity in the West Philippine Sea alongside the Philippine and United States navies.

On the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting held in Laos last November, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. met with New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins KC to discuss shared security concerns and avenues for collaboration during a bilateral meeting.

Meanwhile, New Zealand has reaffirmed its commitment to Mindanao through its International Development Cooperation Program, emphasizing the shared goal of fostering long-term stability and prosperity in the region.

Ambassador McIntosh recently visited Mindanao focusing on education, innovation and sustainable development.

She was accompanied by New Zealand international development cooperation manager Dyan Mabunga Rodriguez.

The New Zealand embassy in Manila said the visit was an opportunity to promote the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Program and deepen bilateral ties.

McIntosh paid a courtesy visit to the Mindanao Development Authority in Davao City and met with Secretary Leo Tereso Abellera Magno to explore collaborative opportunities in innovation, agriculture and education – key sectors vital to Mindanao’s progress.

Magno expressed his gratitude for New Zealand’s sustained support and highlighted the growing international interest in Mindanao due to its improving peace and stability.

Optimistic on US ties

The DND expressed optimism yesterday that the defense alliance between the Philippines and the United States will continue to flourish under the new administration of President Donald Trump.

Immediately following Trump’s election, the DND said President Marcos is looking forward to working closely with the new administration, and that the strong and lasting alliance “will continue to uphold our shared vision of prosperity and security in the region.”

The DND, in a statement yesterday, said it shares the same optimism amid the reforms that the Trump administration is now pursuing.

“While the review of US assistance is being conducted, the DND and AFP continue to pursue the development of our defense capabilities in accordance with our identified needs and priorities,” it noted.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to perform our mandate to defend our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction,” the DND said.

In a recent interview on Battlegrounds with former US national security adviser and retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, Teodoro said “the partnership between allies (Philippines and US) that the President has personally spearheaded has been vital.”

“My expectation is that the momentum that is existing at present (will) be continued because we are not only strengthening a relationship but evolving a new ecosystem of security, not only bilaterally but also multilaterally with other countries with shared values like Japan, like Australia,” he added.

During a consultation between Teodoro and Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, the latter also said he saw a continuing strong alliance with the US.

“We are confident that US military assistance will continue, including major economic programs. The 90-day suspension is temporary,” he said. –  Pia Lee-Brago