PH, France finally sign defense pact

DEFENSE Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and French Ambassador Thierry Mathou have finally signed a Defense Arrangement that will serve as the framework for defense cooperation between the Philippines and France. The two countries have been negotiating the defense arrangement since 2014.

Under the framework, both countries will focus their cooperation on high-level dialogues and defense policy consultations, visits of defense and Armed Forces authorities, education and training exchanges and cooperation in the fields of defense equipment, logistics and the defense industry.