(Makati City) – The Philippines and New Zealand reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defense relations, as Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. and Her Excellency Judith Collins KC MP, Minister of Defense of New Zealand, held a bilateral meeting at the Makati Shangri-La on Wednesday.
During the meeting, both defense officials emphasized their shared commitment to deepening defense cooperation between the Philippines and New Zealand. They welcomed the signing of the Philippines–New Zealand Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA), witnessed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. earlier at the Malacañang Palace.
The SOVFA provides a legal framework for the entry and presence of military personnel for joint defense activities.
Secretary Teodoro expressed his appreciation for New Zealand’s commitment to working closely with the Philippines on matters of regional peace, stability, most particularly in upholding an international rules-based order.
Minister Collins, for her part, reaffirmed New Zealand’s readiness to support the Philippines through robust defense engagement and continued dialogue.
The top officials agreed to strengthen defense industry cooperation, capabilities on air and maritime domain awareness, defense supply chain management, and education and training exchanges.
The signing of the SOVFA marks a significant milestone in the bilateral defense relationship and demonstrates the strong and growing partnership between the two countries. The Agreement is expected to strengthen interoperability between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the New Zealand Defence Force, particularly in areas of capacity building, disaster response, and regional security.
