Defense Diplomacy and the Status of Forces Agreements in HADR: A Philippine Case Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36574/pp.v10i1.813Keywords:
Defense Diplomacy, Status of Forces Agreements, VFA, SOVFA, HADRAbstract
This study investigates how Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs) operationalize humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) during tropical cyclone-related disasters. The study uses a qualitative case study design and document analysis. The analysis focuses on the Philippines’ Status ofVisiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). The results suggest that SOFAs can help reduce legal- administrative uncertainty for foreign military assistance and support coordination, early recovery, and institutional outcomes. The study highlights that SOFAs are strategic tools of defense diplomacy not only for security cooperation but also for humanitarian coordination, while longer-term resilience-related effects remain indirect and contingent.
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