EDCA SITE. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (2nd from left) graces the joint acceptance, turnover, and blessing of land and air assets acquired by the Philippine Air Force at the Cesar Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga in November 2022. The base will undergo a USD24-million airstrip extension and rehabilitation project beginning March 20, 2023 under the Philippine-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. (PNA file photo)
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Wednesday the four new additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites will be located in the northern and southern parts of the country, and Palawan.
In a media interview after attending the 126th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Army in Taguig City, Marcos said Filipino and American officials have already identified and agreed on the new sites under the EDCA and would soon make a formal announcement.
“So, there are four extra sites scattered around the Philippines. There are some in the North, there are some around Palawan, there are some further South. So iba-iba talaga (They are really in different areas),” he said.
He said the goal is to defend the country’s eastern coast, noting that the Philippines’ continental shelf on Luzon’s eastern side was also put into consideration.
When asked if he has reached out to local government officials who are opposed to having the EDCA sites in their localities, Marcos said he talked to those officials and explained the importance of the EDCA sites in their jurisdictions.
“Yes, we explained to them why it was important that we have that and why it will actually be good for their province,” he said. “And mukha namang naintindihan nila (I think they already understand) because most of… those who had interposed some objections are really right now, naintindihan naman nila (they understand) and they come around to support the idea of an EDCA site in their province.”
Marcos last month granted US troops access to four more Philippine military camps, on top of the five existing locations under the EDCA.
Finalized after eight rounds of talks in August 2013, the EDCA, which was signed in 2014, allows US troops access to designated Philippine military facilities, and the right to build facilities and preposition equipment, aircraft, and vessels, but rules out permanent basing.
Under the EDCA, the Philippine government is working with the US to build the future facilities in Cesar Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation in Nueva Ecija; Lumbia Airfield in Cagayan de Oro City; Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa, Palawan; and Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu.
The EDCA is a key pillar of the US-Philippines alliance, which supports combined training, exercises, and interoperability between Filipino and American forces.
Filipino and American troops are also scheduled to hold their largest-ever military exercise next month.
The Pentagon announced that the United States and the Philippines have agreed to review the full range of their maritime cooperation in the 2 + 2 meeting in Washington in April. (PNA)
