STATE OF PHILIPPINE-AUSTRALIAN DEFENSE COOPERATION

28 September 2007 – The Philippine Consulate General reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that Minister Maria Theresa Lazaro, the Philippine Consul General to Sydney , recently delivered a speech on the state of Philippine-Australian Defense Cooperation before the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) – New South Wales Branch, a renowned Australian foreign policy think-tank.

The speech entitled “Counter-Terrorism efforts in the Philippines and the Philippines-Australia Status of Visiting Forces Agreement: A Diplomat’s Perspective”, provided an overview of how Philippine efforts in combating terrorism at a national level can be further enhanced through closer defense cooperation with Australia, symbolized by the recently signed Philippine-Australia Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SoVFA).

Congen Lazaro stressed that within the context of Philippine counter-terrorism efforts, the SoVFA is only the most recent bilateral arrangement that builds on the close and successful security cooperation with the Australians. She also emphasized that SoVFA is only one of the key components of the Philippine counter-terrorism strategy. An equally important and constructive socio-economic approach is being taken to address the issue, and how the Australian government has taken cognizance of the matter through assistance in the area of education and humanitarian projects.

Congen Lazaro also expounded on the short-and-long-term importance of SoVFA to both countries. “For Australia , perhaps the tangible benefit would be the access and sharing of vital intelligence and counter-terrorism experience with their Filipino counterparts and vice versa. Of course, the intangible benefit would be the goodwill and recognition of Australia ’s counter-terrorism capabilities and expertise. For the Philippines , the opportunities and invaluable experiences that could be availed of and learned from training programs, intelligence gathering techniques and through military exercises, will greatly promote inter-operability and intelligence fusion with their Australian counterparts. And beyond counter-terrorism, the SoVFA is expected also to greatly enhance the Philippine capability for assistance in disaster search and rescue and other related humanitarian activities”.

On 31 May 2007, then Philippine Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. and Australian Defense Minister Brendan Nelson signed the SoVFA in Canberra . Both Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo witnessed the historic occasion. It is the second visiting forces agreement for the Philippines , and the sixth for Australia , having signed previous agreements with Malaysia , New Zealand , Singapore , Papua New Guinea , and the United States of America .

The AIAA is an Australian non-governmental institution that promotes discussion among members of the Australian public on international issues and their impact to Australia . Mr. Mack Williams, a former Ambassador to the Philippines is the current president of the AIAA-New South Wales Branch. END