PHL, Canada sign accord providing defense training program for Filipino soldiers

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 6): PHL, Canada sign accord providing defense training program for Filipino soldiers

The Philippines and Canada on Thursday signed an agreement providing more training opportunities for Filipino military personnel.

“I am pleased to witness today this important milestone in our countries’ defense cooperation program. Canada and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have enjoyed a strong military training partnership since 1997, and today’s signing allows that partnership to continue and flourish even further” Reeder said in a statement.

Canadian ambassador to the Philippines Neil Reeder and AFP Deputy Chief of Staff Lt.Gen. Virgilio Domingo witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at Camp Aguinaldo.

“I am proud to say that to date we have trained more than 150 Philippine military personnel in Canada from all major services of the AFP,” he added.

Under the accord, AFP personnel are provided opportunities to attend training courses offered by the Canadian Armed Forces in various military training facilities in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.

Training courses that have been provided to the AFP in the past have included peacekeeping and UN Mission staff courses; senior management courses, national security program, language courses on English and French, command and staff courses, civil-military relations, public affairs, and Naval boarding party training for the Philippine Navy.

Selection of participants from the AFP is processed through the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Education and Training (J8), Unit Training Division.

Reeder said he is confident the MOU will allow both countries “to expand and strengthen an already excellent relationship”, as was exemplified by the cooperation demonstrated by the two nations’ respective military personnel in response to super typhoon "Yolanda" last November 8.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=613377