Malacañang on Monday, April 3, disclosed the locations of additional military camps where American soldiers will be given access to under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
The four new EDCA sites are located at Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta. Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan.
This brings the number of EDCA sites in the country to nine.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, the new locations had been inspected and assessed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Arsenio Andolong earlier said the EDCA sites would not be American military bases,” the PCO said.
“These sites, the DND official noted, would be used as storage and warehouse facilities for military logistics.”
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has said the objective is to defend the country’s eastern coast.
The EDCA, which was signed by Manila and Washington in 2014, permits US forces to enter some Philippine military locations, build facilities, and preposition equipment, planes, and ships.
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According to the US Embassy, the agreement enables the Philippine and US militaries “to train together, respond to natural and humanitarian crises, and achieve modernization goals.”
The other EDCA sites are the following: Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan; Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu; and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City.
