THE United States and the Philippines will sign an agreement that will reinforce and implement the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said during a pre-State of the Nation Address forum on Wednesday.
Lorenzana’s statement implied that the agreement, which governs the presence and activities of American troops in the country, would not be scuttled following the repeated extension of its abrogation process by the Duterte
administration.
It was the government that moved for the scuttling of the VFA last year by informing the US government of such intent, but it has since repeatedly extended its notice amid expressed preference by the defense and military establishments for the agreement to stay.
The security officials want the VFA to remain as the country faces territorial threats in the Kalayaan Island Group and West Philippine Sea, where the constant “swarming” presence of Chinese paramilitary ships, including Chinese maritime militia vessels, has raised alarm.
Lorenzana said that he would sign the “implementing” agreement with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III, who will embark on his Southeast Asian visit next week, with a stop in the country. The meeting will take place July 29 up to 30.
“The VFA is not being changed, the document will not be changed, but there will be some addendum, signed agreement to implement the VFA,” the defense chief said at the pre-SONA forum that was held virtually.
“That document that was crafted by the VFA Commission is with Malacañang and was still being studied by the Office of the President,” he added.
While he is looking forward to his meeting with his US counterpart, Lorenzana said no agenda has been set yet for the meeting, although he was hoping that they would tackle the VFA, the Mutual Defense Treaty, the bilateral relations between the two countries and the West Philippine Sea.
“So, first, VFA will not be changed. There will be just [a] signed agreement to implement the provisions of the VFA and once it is signed by the President, it will be official document attached to the VFA,” Lorenzana said.