Co-Sponsorship Speech Sen. Joel Villanueva
December 3, 2024
Co-Sponsorship Speech Sen. Joel Villanueva
Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement
Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Mr. President, dear colleagues:
At the outset, allow me to take this opportunity to express my sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Marcos, for her hard work and her swift action on the Senate's concurrence to this important agreement.
The Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and Japan Concerning the Facilitation of Reciprocal Access and Cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan demonstrates our common desire to further deepen the security and defense relationship between our two great countries. For 68 years since the establishment of our diplomatic relations, Japan has been a reliable ally in promoting regional and global peace and stability and forwarding an international order that is based on the rule of law.
As we have relayed to Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio during his state visit in November 2023 and just recently to Ambassador Endo Kazuya, this representation puts on record our strong support for the ratification of the Reciprocal Access Agreement. This agreement will simplify the process of Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the AFP to bring troops and equipment into each other's countries and make it easier to conduct joint drills. It will allow our soldiers to undergo joint combat trainings with their counterparts from Japan, further enhancing our defense cooperation. Said Agreement will empower and "upskill" our forces as they defend our country and preserve our territorial integrity. We are also expecting improved cooperation with Japan in other areas, such as disaster relief.
The ratification of this Agreement is timely as we are, admittedly, at a critical juncture in our young nation's history when our beloved country continues to be vulnerable to unlawful, coercive, and aggressive activities that threaten our territory and even the lives and livelihood of our people. Ultimately, this Agreement and every agreement that we enter into puts the interests of the Filipino people front and center.
Again, we convey our deepest gratitude to the Japanese government and the Japanese people for their sincere, reliable, and enduring friendship. Thank you, Mr. President, and may God bless us all.
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