RP-Australia SOVFA

The RP-Australia Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) is a bilateral agreement between the governments of the Republic of the Philippines and the Commonwealth of Australia concerning the status of visiting forces from each state while in the territory of the other state.Harvnb|RP-Aus SOVFA|2007|Ref=RP-Aus_SOVFA] The agreement was signed in Canberra, Australia on 31 May, 2007 by Philippine Defense Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane, Jr. and his Australian counterpart Defence Minister Brendan Nelson.Citation
url=http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/02/yehey/opinion/20070602opi1.html
title=A major security pact
publisher=Manila Times
date=June 2, 2007
accessdate=2007-12-25] The signing was witnessed by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Under Article XVIII, Section 25 of the Philippine constitution, foreign military bases, troops, or facilities may only be allowed in the Philippines under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate. [Citation
url=http://www.gov.ph/aboutphil/constitution.asp
title=1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines
chapter-url=http://www.gov.ph/aboutphil/a18.asp
chapter=Article 18: Transitory Provisions
publisher=Government of the Philippines
accessdate=2007-12-25] A press release issued October 3, 2007 by the Philippine Senate announced that senators Mar Roxas and Jinggoy Estrada called the attention of the Office of the President on its failure to officially transmit this agreement for Senate concurrence. [Citation
url=http://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2007/1003_roxas2.asp
title=Opposition Senators Question Non-Transmittal of RP-Aussie VFA
title=Opposition Senators Question Non-Transmittal of RP-Aussie VFA
date=October 3, 2007
publisher=Senate of the Philippines
accessdate=2007-12-25]

ee also

*Status of Forces Agreement
*Visiting Forces Agreement

Notes

External links

*Citation
url=http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/7august2007/treaties/philippines_text.pdf
title=AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES CONCERNING THE STATUS OF VISITING FORCES OF EACH STATE IN THE TERRITORY OF THE OTHER STATE
publisher=Government of Australia
date=May 31, 2007
ref=RP-Aus_SOVFA
accessdate=2007-12-25