By Carlito Pablo
The defence partnership between the Philippines and Canada is “entering a new era”.
This is according to The Maple Leaf, a Canadian government publication about the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Department of National Defence.
The online source noted in an August 17, 2026 report that military cooperation between the Philippines and Canada is “quickly becoming one of the strongest examples of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy delivering real action where it matters most”.
Major Christopher Daniel, a senior public affairs officer, wrote the report following the concurrence on August 11 this year of the Philippine Senate of the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and Canada (SOVFA).
“This is the first and only bilateral SoVFA Canada has in the Indo-Pacific region,” Daniel noted.
The SOVFA allows the Canadian Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to work together in joint and multinational operations and exercises in each other’s territories.
The Embassy of Canada in the Philippines welcomed the passage of Senate Resolution No. 548, which expresses the Philippine Senate’s concurrence of the agreement.
“The Embassy extends its gratitude and appreciation to the Senate leadership for the timely process, with special recognition to Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Erwin Tulfo for co-sponsoring this significant measure and championing our defence partnership,” the embassy declared in a statement on the same day of the Senate’s 19-0-0 vote for the resolution.
“This historic milestone is another indicator of our Strategic Partnership that reflects our mutual trust, and reinforces our shared, long-standing commitment to defence cooperation, regional stability, and upholding respect for international law,” the embassy also stated.
In The Maple Leaf report, Major Daniel noted that the defence partnership between the Philippines and Canada has been “building steadily over the last two years”.
The officer recalled that both countries signed a Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding in January 2024, which was followed by the SOVFA in November 2025.
“With the Philippine Senate’s concurrence in its (SOVFA) ratification in August 2026, the agreement provides a clear legal framework for cooperative activities between the CAF and AFP, including training and exercises, while strengthening interoperability, military coordination and knowledge transfer,” Daniel wrote.
Daniel also described as a “milestone” the June 11, 2026 visit to Ottawa by Philippines Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr., the “first-ever official visit to Canada by someone in that role”.
During Teodoro’s visit, the two countries signed new arrangements that “further deepened an already fast-growing partnership”.
One is a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement (MLSA), which will allow the CAF and AFP to support one another during exercises, deployments, and operations.
The second is a Statement of Intent on Strengthening Defence Cooperation, which Daniel explained will set the “stage for expanded collaboration in maritime security, regional defence cooperation, and future joint activities”.
In the article, Daniel quoted Lieutenant-Colonel Jason King, Canadian Defence Attaché to the Philippines.
“Canada and the Philippines are building a defence partnership grounded in trust, shared values, and a common understanding that regional security depends on strong and reliable partners,” King said in the report.
In another significant move in its military engagement with the Philippines and the Indo-Pacific region, Canada made its inaugural active participation in the 2026 Balikatan (English translation: shoulder-to-shoulder) wargames led by the Philippines and the U.S.
Held from April 20 to May 8 this year, the drills saw the involvement of a broad range of Canadian armed forces personnel and assets.
Canada was an observer nation in previous Balikatan exercises.
When Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Vancouver on July 2, 2026, the two leaders cited the SOVFA and MLSA as among the “milestones” in the deepening relationship between their countries.
Marcos and Carney also announced that they are elevating bilateral ties to the level of a “strategic partnership”.
In their joint statement on July 2, Marcos and Carney “committed to advancing defence partnership” by having their respective armed forces “train, exercise and operate together more effectively and with enhanced interoperability through various combined military exercises”.
The two leaders also indicated that they “look forward to the entry into force of SOVFA and the entry into effect of the MLSA”.
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Caption:
Image from The Maple Leaf publication.
ReyFort Media 
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