The Department of National Defense (DND) has formally launched talks with the United Kingdom regarding a proposed defense pact aimed at bolstering cross-regional military cooperation and operational synergy.
Initial formal discussions for the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) commenced on Thursday, August 27. DND Undersecretary for Acquisition and Resource Management Salvador Melchor Mison Jr. headed the Philippine delegation, while Amy Senior, head of Indo-Pacific at the UK Ministry of Defence, led the British panel.
Once finalized, the accord will lay down a comprehensive legal framework enabling military personnel from both nations to hold joint training exercises and operational deployments on each other’s soil.
During the meeting, Mison expressed Manila’s gratitude for London’s steadfast backing:
“We appreciate UK’s unqualified support as a like-minded partner in upholding the rules-based international order and preserving freedoms ensured by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” Mison stated.
The talks focused on strategic defense initiatives and ways to optimize interoperability between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and British military forces. Both panels reaffirmed their commitment to international law, regional peace, and stability across the Indo-Pacific corridor.
The proposed SOVFA reflects Manila’s broader push to expand its network of international security partners.
To date, the Philippines has established visiting forces pacts or reciprocal access frameworks with six nations: the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, and France.