EDCA site identification out of US hands
Año stressed that choosing the exact locations of EDCA sites is in accordance with the AFP’s Strategic Basing Plan and the US did not influence the country’s decision.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on Friday revealed that the United States has no control in the identification of locations for establishing military facilities in the Philippines under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA.
Año stressed that the increased security cooperation between the Philippines and the United States through the implementation of EDCA and the agreed establishment of EDCA sites is only “meant to develop and strengthen the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.”
He added that the EDCA will enable AFP “to protect and defend the territory” of the Philippines and is “not meant to contain or counter” any nation.
“The Philippines is concerned about improving its defense capability, modernizing our equipment and assets, and developing our infrastructure. These are the primary reasons why we are increasing our security cooperation with the United States,” Año said.
He also stressed that choosing the exact locations of EDCA sites is in accordance with the AFP’s Strategic Basing Plan and the US did not influence the country’s decision.
“The identified EDCA sites are Philippine bases which we want to develop based on the requirements for strategic basing and development of the AFP. These were not US dictated but identified by our armed forces,” Año said.
The national security adviser emphasized that the development of these military facilities will enable the government to further strengthen the AFP’s operational capabilities in all aspect, he added.
United States has so far allocated over $82 million for the infrastructure projects, specifically the construction five original EDCA sites including the Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort
Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro, Bautista Air Base in Palawan, and Mactan-Benito Air Base in Cebu.
Earlier, US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, visited Basa Air Base in Pampanga reiterating the US investment of about $24 million for the upgrading of the site’s 2.8-kilometer runway.
“By developing our military and base infrastructure, we are pursuing our national interest and actually contributing to regional peace and stability. We hope that our neighbors in the region will see this as a positive contribution towards peace and stability in the region,” Año said.
Año stressed the five objectives of establishing EDCA facilities including the interoperability between the
Philippines and US armed forces; capacity building towards AFP modernization; strengthening the AFP; maritime security and domain awareness; and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
“The prepositioned material will allow for timely responses in the event of disasters, which we have many in our country. Under EDCA, activities aimed at increasing and strengthening the parties’ individual and collective HADR capabilities will be facilitated and strengthened through prepositioned material and closer cooperation with the US,” Año said.
“The US has been assisting us in past disasters and the EDCA sites will facilitate faster search, rescue, and recovery response for both parties,” he added.