PH, New Zealand to sign Visiting Forces Agreement

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippines and New Zealand will sign a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) on Wednesday, April 30, a move seen to bolster defense cooperation between the two nations amid evolving regional security challenges.

In a statement, New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins said she will visit the Philippines this week to formally sign the VFA with Manila.

“It formally sets the legal framework for engagement between our respective militaries, better facilitating ongoing cooperation, activities, and exercises in each of our territories,” Collins said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is also expected to witness the signing ceremony, underscoring

Manila’s broader effort to strengthen alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region.

Negotiations for the VFA began in 2023, following the meeting between Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Marcos, during Luxon’s official visit to Manila. Their talks emphasized strengthening defense and security ties amid shared concerns over regional stability.

The VFA with New Zealand is a treaty-level agreement that outlines the legal conditions for military cooperation, including the responsibilities and obligations of both sides when their forces operate in each other’s territory.

Once signed, the agreement will be subject to ratification by the Philippine Senate.

“We are committed to reinvigorating our security relationships, to playing our part, and working with regional partners such as the Philippines to uphold the international rules-based order,” Collins added.

The pact with New Zealand will mark the Philippines’ sixth VFA, alongside existing agreements with the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

VFA negotiations with France and Canada are also underway.

Ramping up defense ties amid rising tensions

The new agreement comes as the Philippines intensifies its defense engagements with traditional and emerging partners in response to growing security challenges, particularly in the West Philippine Sea.

In recent months, the Philippines has expanded joint military exercises with the United States and Japan, signed new defense agreements with European nations, and pursued stronger regional cooperation with ASEAN neighbors.

In a previous interview, Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro said the VFA with the southwestern Pacific country will strengthen the country’s commitment to expanding relations with “like-minded” partners in the region. He also revealed that aside from New Zealand, the Philippines is working on VFAs with other European nations.

“We are now in alliance building, so the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOFVA) with New Zealand is an important part of our initiative to resist China’s unilateral narrative to change international law,” he said.

New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Catherine McIntosh said the prospective military agreement underscores their commitment to the region.

“This represents really a change in our military cooperation and our military bilateral relationship. And it also demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to the region,” the envoy added.