MANILA — The United States and the Philippines have agreed to four new additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in the country, a move that was met with protests from progressive groups.
The announcement came in light of the arrival of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III at the Department of National Defense (DND) headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, for his meeting with Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
“Today, the Philippines and the United States are proud to announce their plans to accelerate the full implementation of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the full agreement to designate four (4) new Agreed Locations in strategic areas of the country and the substantial completion of the projects in the existing five Agreed Locations,” the DND said in a statement.
The United States has allocated over $82 million for infrastructure investments at the existing five sites under the EDCA, according to the DND.
“Expansion of the Edca will make our alliance stronger and more resilient and will accelerate the modernization of our combined military capabilities,” the Defense Department said in a statement
“The Philippine-US alliance has stood the test of time and remains ironclad. We look forward to the opportunities these new sites will create to expand our cooperation together,” it added.
Members of progressive organizations staged a protest at the front of Camp Aguinaldo along EDSA Ave. in light of the recent developments.
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, who is among the protestors, said the country should not be allowed to be used as a “staging ground” for what the group calls a US military intervention in the region.
“Filipinos must not allow our country to be used as the staging ground for any US military intervention in the region. The US is engaged in provocations with China using the issue of Taiwan. Allowing US to use our facilities will drag us into this conflict which is not aligned with our national interests,” said Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes in a statement.
Kilusang Mayo Uno also called for the abolishment of Edca as they condemn the “subservient” foreign policy of the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“We vehemently condemn the Marcos Jr. regime for its foreign policy, and its continuation of past regimes’ subservience to the United States,” the KMU secretary-general Jerome Adonis said in a statement.
Currently, there are five pre-determined Edca sites located at Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, which is closest to the Kalayaan Group of Islands; Basa Air Base in Pampanga, the home of the Philippine Air Force’s fighter planes; and Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, the country’s largest military camp and a frequent location of Philippine-US military exercises.
The other two areas are Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City.
The Edca was signed in 2014 to address Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea and respond to natural disasters. (John Eric Mendoza © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
