Search Result for “VFA”

PBBM sees ‘many benefits’ in conducting war games with Australia

PBBM sees ‘many benefits’ in conducting war games with Australia

March 7, 2024, 9:01 am

MANILA – The Philippines should continue conducting joint military drills with Australia because such exercises have “many benefits,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Wednesday. In a recorded interview while in Melbourne, Australia, Marcos said the war games between the Philippines and… Read More

France ‘ready’ to join maritime patrols in WPS

France ‘ready’ to join maritime patrols in WPS

December 6, 2023, 2:57 pm

MANILA – France is ready to hold joint maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea, its top diplomat in Manila said Wednesday, reaffirming Paris’ bid to reinforce its role as a “like-minded” partner in the Indo-Pacific. French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel made the statement… Read More

Canada-PH defense cooperation deal seen January 2024: envoy

Canada-PH defense cooperation deal seen January 2024: envoy

November 24, 2023, 8:56 pm

MANILA – Canada and the Philippines are hoping to sign the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on defense cooperation by January 2024, a deal that could also open up opportunity for a visiting forces agreement (VFA). In an interview on Friday, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman… Read More

DND hopes 'VFA-like' pact with Japan to be signed this year

DND hopes 'VFA-like' pact with Japan to be signed this year

October 4, 2023, 3:00 pm

MANILA – The Department of National Defense (DND) expressed hope that an agreement with Japan similar to a visiting forces agreement (VFA) would be signed within this year. "It's still in the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) but we want to fast-track it because the Senate is also waiting for… Read More

Imee Marcos seeks probe on US military plane landing at NAIA

Imee Marcos seeks probe on US military plane landing at NAIA

June 29, 2023, 6:03 pm

MANILA – Senator Imee Marcos has filed a resolution seeking to probe the alleged “uncoordinated” activity of a US Air Force Boeing C-17 plane that landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last Monday. In her Senate Resolution 667 that she filed Wednesday, the chair of the… Read More

Zubiri urges Japanese lawmakers to pursue RAA, VFA with PH

Zubiri urges Japanese lawmakers to pursue RAA, VFA with PH

April 4, 2023, 6:53 pm

MANILA – The Senate leadership is looking to forge more partnerships with Japan, particularly the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) and a United States-like Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Tuesday expressed his optimism for deeper relations with Japan… Read More

DND chief: EDCA sites have yet to be identified

DND chief: EDCA sites have yet to be identified

March 1, 2023, 7:15 pm

MANILA – The Department of National Defense (DND) on Wednesday clarified to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that the four new Philippines - United States (US) Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites have yet to be identified and announced.  This was after Senator Imee… Read More

Gov’t urged to negotiate more VFAs with ‘allies’

Gov’t urged to negotiate more VFAs with ‘allies’

February 15, 2023, 7:41 pm

MANILA – Cagayan De Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Tuesday urged the government to forge more security pacts with other nations following China’s continued employment of harassment tactics in the West Philippine Sea. Rodriguez said this situation has to be stopped as he urged… Read More

Marcos open to PH-Japan VFA that won’t raise SCS tensions

Marcos open to PH-Japan VFA that won’t raise SCS tensions

February 13, 2023, 10:06 am

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is open to the idea of a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Japan if it does not increase "tensions" in the South China Sea. “If kung talagang makakatulong (If it really helps), I don’t see why we should not adopt it…. If it is appropriate, if… Read More

PH-Japan defense ties to ease tension in WPS: analyst

PH-Japan defense ties to ease tension in WPS: analyst

February 12, 2023, 11:43 am

MANILA — The enhanced security and defense cooperation between Japan and the Philippines could ease tensions in the West Philippine Sea, a political analyst said Saturday. Froilan Calilung, a political science professor at the University of Santo Tomas, gave this observation after the two… Read More

PH-Japan relations crucial to dev't, security: senators

PH-Japan relations crucial to dev't, security: senators

February 10, 2023, 1:42 pm

MANILA – Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Christopher Lawrence Go have expressed confidence that the good partnership between the Philippines and Japan will continue to strengthen security ties and generate more economic opportunities for Filipinos. With President Ferdinand R.… Read More

Zubiri pushes for PH-Japan VFA talks

Zubiri pushes for PH-Japan VFA talks

February 9, 2023, 6:24 pm

MANILA – Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Thursday urged the Philippine and Japanese governments to begin exploratory talks on a possible Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) now that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is on a five-day official working visit to Japan. In a media interview at the… Read More

No formal talks yet between PH, Japan on VFA: Marcos

No formal talks yet between PH, Japan on VFA: Marcos

February 8, 2023, 9:06 pm

MANILA – The Philippines and Japan have no formal talks yet on a possible visiting forces agreement (VFA), President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Wednesday. Marcos made this remark after the Department of National Defense announced that it is eyeing a VFA with Japan, to make it the third nation… Read More

Congress hikes AFP modernization budget by P6-B

Congress hikes AFP modernization budget by P6-B

January 15, 2023, 2:54 pm

MANILA – Congress has increased this year’s budget for the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program (AFPMP) by PHP6 billion, raising the total new appropriations to PHP45 billion. “In all, there’s PHP45 billion for the AFPMP in the 2023 national budget – PHP27.5 billion in… Read More

PH won’t choose between US, China: solon

PH won’t choose between US, China: solon

October 2, 2022, 7:45 pm

MANILA – Senator Imee Marcos affirmed the strong alliance between the Philippines and the United States but said the country will not inhibit engagement with China, which is included in a seven-point plan that she hopes to expand through confidence-building measures, joint development, and… Read More

Best for PH to take neutral stance on Taiwan crisis: analyst

Best for PH to take neutral stance on Taiwan crisis: analyst

August 10, 2022, 6:38 pm

MANILA – It would be best for the Philippines to take a neutral stance on the Taiwan Strait crisis, a geopolitics and political analyst said Wednesday, following China's aggressive actions in the wake of United States (US) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent visit to Taipei. Asian Century… Read More

Constant military exercises highlight PH-US strong ties: Army

Constant military exercises highlight PH-US strong ties: Army

July 6, 2022, 10:13 am

MANILA – The Philippine Army (PA) on Tuesday night said continuing military exercises between the force and its American counterparts highlight the strong relations between the two nations. "PA troops regularly train side by side with American soldiers in joint and combined military exercises,… Read More

Duterte admin prioritized protection of Filipinos abroad: Locsin

Duterte admin prioritized protection of Filipinos abroad: Locsin

May 31, 2022, 5:16 pm

MANILA – After six years of advocating migrant rights abroad, the Duterte administration will step down with the assurance that reforms are now taking place in host countries to protect overseas workers, including Filipinos. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., in a speech read by… Read More

Roque to review PH criminal jurisdiction over US soldiers

Roque to review PH criminal jurisdiction over US soldiers

April 20, 2022, 5:00 pm

MANILA – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has commended UniTeam senatorial aspirant Harry Roque for seeking justice for disadvantaged and marginalized Filipinos like murdered transgender Jennifer Laude. Duterte asked Roque to reconfigure the criminal jurisdiction over foreign soldiers that commit… Read More

Solon questions US travel advisory for PH

Solon questions US travel advisory for PH

February 3, 2022, 6:43 pm

MANILA – A leader of the House of Representatives on Thursday urged Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to seek a formal explanation from the United States (US) Embassy on the State Department’s “Do Not Travel” recommendation to the American citizens bound for the Philippines. In… Read More