Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro announced that the Philippines is seeking additional reciprocal access agreements (RAA) with countries sharing similar defense interests.
In an interview on ANC ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address, Teodoro confirmed that the recent RAA signed with Japan on July 8 will “not be the last.” He mentioned that the Philippines is considering similar agreements with Canada, New Zealand, and France. These nations have supported the Philippines amid Chinese maritime aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
RAAs are security pacts allowing military forces of the involved countries to operate within each other’s territories for training and operations. The RAA with Japan, the first to involve a Southeast Asian nation, is still awaiting ratification by Congress.
“These agreements would enhance interoperability, enabling the armed forces of the ‘like-minded countries’ to operate within Philippine territory and vice versa,” Teodoro explained.
The RAA with Japan permits the deployment of armed forces to each other’s territories for joint drills. “It is close to the apex of a defensive alliance but not atop the mutual defense treaty,” Teodoro added.
This announcement follows the disclosure by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of new resupply mission protocols in the West Philippine Sea that the Philippines and China agreed upon. However, Teodoro noted that the DFA has yet to provide the specifics of this agreement.
Teodoro reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to protecting its rights and sovereignty within its exclusive economic zone, stating, “We cannot be deterred from doing what we need to do to build up our credible defense posture, which includes our alliances with like-minded nations for the upholding of a rules-based international order.”
The RAAs with France, New Zealand, and Canada are anticipated to be signed next year.
In addition to Japan, the Philippines has bilateral visiting forces agreements with the United States since 1999 and Australia since 2012.
