From left: David Bruce Hartman, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines; and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. during the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Canada and the Philippines. Photo from the Department of National Defense
MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday floated the possibility of having a visiting forces deal with Canada.
Teodoro made the remark at the Department of National Defense (DND) headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo during the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Canada and the Philippines.
READ: New PH, Canada pact to strengthen military ties – Teodoro
The DND secretary and David Bruce Hartman, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines, are the signatories of the agreement.
According to the DND, Hartman conveyed Canada’s intention to advance its military relationship with the Philippines.
“I’m glad to hear that there is a strong intention on both sides to deepen and strengthen the relationships by forging new milestones in our defense relations to culminate, perhaps, with the Visiting Forces Agreement,” Teodoro said during the MOU signing.
“The strongest assets we have are the mutual trust and confidence that we have in one another on a people-to-people basis, and because we are dealing with each other in a straightforward, open, and rules-based manner, such trust is reinforced and will surpass political changes and the tests of time,” he added.
The conduct of bilateral exercises and other defense agreements depends on a visiting forces deal.
To date, the Philippines has an existing visiting forces agreement with the United States and a status visiting forces agreement with Australia.
Talks for a similar deal with Japan, or the reciprocal access agreement, and with France are also ongoing.
READ: Teodoro: PH-Japan visiting forces deal may be sealed next year