Search Result for “vfa”
Security exec: More countries seeking defense agreements with PH
April 20, 2024, 6:54 pm
MANILA – Several countries are willing to assist the Philippines in enhancing its defense capabilities through a visIting forces agreement (VFA) or military exercises.National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said at least 14 nations have expressed intentions to… Read More
Marcos: No plans for more EDCA sites
April 15, 2024, 4:55 pm Updated on April 16, 2024, 2:00 pm
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday said the Philippines has no plan to open additional bases for United States (US) forces in the country under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). “The Philippines has no plan to open, (or) to establish more EDCA bases,”… Read More
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
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
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
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
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
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
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’
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
