The agreement was signed in Canberra, Australia on 31 May 2007 by Philippine Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane and his Australian counterpart Defence Minister Brendan Nelson.

[2] The signing was witnessed by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

[2] 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.

[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.