The Philippines and Australia signed a new defense pact in Manila on Sunday, deepening security ties between the two countries, which have both pushed back against China's coercive actions in the South China Sea. The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) updates a 1995 memorandum of understanding and creates what the two allies described in an August 2026 statement as a contemporary bilateral defense framework.

The agreement was signed by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Australian Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Marc Innes-Brown. Teodoro said it will streamline coordination on military and security matters, including disaster response, military hardware procurement, and joint land and sea exercises. He stressed the practical benefit in disasters, noting that fewer permits will be required and that Australian allies can respond immediately under a single process.S2

The deal follows an intent to formalize the agreement signed last year with a target of 2026. Teodoro said it differs from the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the United States and the Philippines, which gives US troops access to designated Philippine military facilities and the right to build facilities but rules out a permanent base.S1S2

The Philippines, the United States, Japan and Australia will also establish a joint defense coordination center in Manila, the Combined Coordination Center (CCC). It is intended to strengthen cooperation in domain awareness, information sharing and military interoperability.S2