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.[3]
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 for its failure to officially transmit this agreement for Senate concurrence.[4]
The Philippine Senate, voting 17–1, ratified the agreement on July 24, 2012.[5] Lone dissenter Senator Joker Arroyo questioned the sudden ratification of the SOVFA, suggesting that the Philippines' unresolved territorial dispute with China may have triggered the vote.[6] The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs welcomed the Senate's concurrence while Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement that the Senate "has taken an important step in enhancing our national and regional security by ratifying the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) between Australia and the Philippines."[7][8]
The treaty entered into force on September 28, 2012.[1]