SOVFA with Canada, New Zealand up for Senate approval

MANILA, Philippines — The proposed Status of Visiting Forces Agreements (SOVFA) with Canada and New Zealand are up for Senate floor approval next week, following a committee hearing that scrutinized the environmental safeguards embedded in the defense pacts.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo concluded the hearing by confirming that the agreements will be sent to the plenary for concurrence, with the backing of Sen. Loren Legarda.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. highlighted that the SOVFA with Canada places a heavy stress on the environment and indigenous peoples’ rights, reflecting the high importance of First Nations in Canada.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand agreement, which was already ratified by Wellington in March, is bolstered by mutual interests in securing supply lines in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea, as well as the advocacy of the 100,000-strong Filipino community in New Zealand.

The hearing hit a procedural snag when a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official attempted to propose revisions to the actual text of the treaties.

DENR Legal Affairs Service official Gino Paje manifested that the agency wanted the term “maritime zones” added to the text to ensure the environmental protection provisions of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act are strictly applied to foreign military activities.

Legarda pushed back, reminding them that the Senate can only concur with or reject a ratified treaty, not rewrite it.

“It’s either you agree or disagree and if you disagree we want to be enlightened why, but if you’re changing provisions you’re out of place in this room because it’s already transmitted, it’s already concurred in,” Legarda said.

Paje later withdrew the request to alter the text, admitting it was a mistake.

Addressing concerns about liability for environmental damage, specifically a provision in the New Zealand SOVFA regarding the need for foreign forces to be fully informed of local environmental laws, Teodoro assured the panel that Philippine laws will be strictly enforced.

To ensure accountability, Teodoro committed to detailing all environmental obligations and constraints in the agreements’ Implementing Rules and Regulations.