Teodoro eyes PH-Japan security pact by year-end

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro is eyeing the approval of a key security pact between the Philippines and Japan before year-end to boost defense cooperation amid concerns over escalating tensions in the South China Sea.

Teodoro, who spoke to reporters at the Korea National Day reception on Tuesday evening, said most issues in the proposed accord, called “reciprocal access agreement” or also known as Visiting Forces Agreement, have been resolved.

"We would want to fast-track it because Senate is also waiting for it," Teodoro said. "Our target is within the year."

"Joint sail is okay but they (Japan) really need to participate in planning so I'm fast-tracking it as much as possible," he added.

Teodoro said he is just waiting for some inputs from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) before the agreement, which he referred as a treaty, is sent to the Senate for ratification.

"There are some issues they (DFA) need clarity on, but I think it's gonna be resolved already," Teodoro said.

Only the United States and Australia have similar security and defense accords with the Philippines.

The VFA with the US took effect in 1999 and now serves as a legal framework that allows American forces to visit the country temporarily for military exercises and provide humanitarian and disaster-response assistance. The 1987 Philippine Constitution prohibits foreign troops from establishing permanent military bases in the country.

Australia and the Philippines signed a similar accord in May 2007 called the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA), which they separately ratified later.

The SOVFA has allowed joint training and exercises between Australian and Filipino forces in the country. More than 100 Australian military personnel took part in the largest US-Philippine "Balikatan" military exercises in April.

The details of the possible agreement by the Philippines and Japan remain to be seen. But such a pact will allow more Japanese forces to join annual military exercises involving the Philippines and the US, including the largescale "Balikatan" exercises, and allow Japanese forces to help provide humanitarian assistance faster in the future. Japan Self-Defense Force officers joined the last "Balikatan" exercises as observers together with other observer delegations from Asia. Japan has also joined maritime drills with the Philippines and the US.

Both Japan and the US have frequently condemned China's aggressive behavior in the South China Sea and sought closer and more active maritime cooperation with the Philippines under President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., who took over the presidency in 2022 from Rodrigo Duterte, known to have cultivated friendly ties with Beijing in exchange for investments and aid. —KBK, GMA Integrated News