Australia hopeful RP Senate will ratify SOVFA

Australian officials hope the Philippine Senate will start the ratification process on the RP-Australia Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) that could be delayed due to “competing” interests, despite the completion of the ratification process on the accord in the Australian Parliament.

Australian Ambassador Tony Hely told reporters last Wednesday evening at the annual Journalists’ Reunion hosted by the Australian Embassy in Manila, that the Parliament’s ratification of the defense agreement is an indication of Australia’s trust and confidence in the Philippines as a defense partner.

“The Senate of course has a lot of issues on its plate. We get a little nervous that it might get pushed back and pushed back because of a lot of competing interests. We are hoping the Senate will give the SOVFA detailed consideration and hold public hearings and interviews with people and try to do that in a fairly expeditious manner,” said Hely.

He said the Parliament finished the ratification process last September because the military pact did not trigger a lot of public questioning.

“It was simply a mark of confidence by our Parliament in the Philippines as a defense partner and we do hope that the Philippine Senate will reciprocate that trust and confidence. It is up to the Philippine Senate to have a good detailed consideration of the SOVFA and be satisfied with the content,” he added.

Unlike the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), Hely said the SOVFA is not controversial because it is a more accountable and transparent framework of rules and regulations.

“The presence, the temporary presence of military personnel in both countries is highly reciprocal so we do not think it should cause a problem,” he said.

Hely expressed optimism that the SOVFA will move forward in the Senate without a great deal of controversy and lead to ratification in the first half of the year.

President Arroyo and former Australian Prime Minister John Howard witnessed the signing of the SOVFA in June 2007 at the Parliament House in Canberra during the President’s state visit to Australia.