Senators on Wednesday quizzed Defense officials about the choice of four new military bases that American troops can access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
At a hearing of the Senate committee on foreign relations, panel chairperson Senator Imee Marcos said the selected locations—two in Cagayan, one in Palawan and one in Isabela—seemed “random” and “no longer purposeful with regard to the modernization of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines).”
Marcos asked Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. if the military officials were now focusing on the Taiwan Strait instead of the West Philippine Sea, since two of the new EDCA sites are located in Cagayan, near Taiwan.
Galvez responded: “No, we are still concentrated on the West Philippine Sea.”
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian asked Galvez if the EDCA sites were strategic for the Philippines or for the United States.
“You mentioned earlier that it is strategic, but strategic to whom? Is it strategic for us or for the US?”
Galvez said the locations are strategic for the Philippines, saying the major consideration in picking locations for EDCA sites is the “total defense of the archipelago.”
He noted the vulnerability of the AFP is in the north, adding that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed them to prepare for external defense.
“We can see that our vulnerabilities are located at the north-eastern side in terms of maritime security. While on the disaster side in the areas of Cagayan and also in Isabela, we see our experiences that these areas have been isolated during the previous typhoons that we have experienced,” he said.
The EDCA four sites, recently announced by the President, are the 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.
Earlier during the hearing, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said six of the 16 projects in the five initial EDCA locations would be completed this year.
“There has been significant progress in eight of the remaining 16 projects in the five originally agreed locations. Six of those projects are estimated to be completed in 2023,” said Manalo.
These projects include the runway project at Basa Air Base, a storage facility at Mactan Air Base, and the humanitarian assistance and disaster response warehouse at Fort Magsaysay.
Manalo also confirmed that only five EDCA projects have been completed so far.
To date, the US has allocated a total of over $100 million to EDCA projects including additional $18 million announced during the third 2+2 ministerial dialogue held in Washington last week covering projects in both existing and new agreed EDCA sites.
Manalo said the Philippines must give its consent if the United States to use the EDCA sites for operations against other countries.
He said that based on the provisions of EDCA, “any other activities” not specified there are subject to agreement by the two parties.
Manalo cited Paragraph 3, Article 1 of the 2014 pact, that reads: “The Parties agree that the United States may undertake the following types of activities in the territory of the Philippines in relation to its access to and use of Agreed Locations: security cooperation exercises; joint and combined training activities; humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities; and such other activities as may be agreed upon by the parties.”
“So whatever new activity that could arise would have to be subject to agreement by both parties,” he said.
President Marcos has said the Philippines will not allow its military bases to be used for any offensive attacks, after the country allowed the US to access additional facilities under the EDCA.
His sister, Senator Imee Marcos, however, expressed concerns about the Philippines becoming the “key stockpile of weapons for Taiwan.”
To this, Manalo responded: “If that should ever arise, we will be guided by the main purposes of the EDCA. We would not agree to any kind of activity or even materiel not consistent with these agreed activities.”
“Our view is that the EDCA is not aimed at any country. It’s meant for the use of the Philippines,” he added.
Senator Marcos asked: “In the event of any US military activity in Taiwan, would we allow them to repair their assets and refuel in EDCA sites? Consistently, we would not, correct?”
“If guided by [provisions of] the EDCA, that would be correct,” Manalo said.
Also on Wednesday, AFP chief Gen. Andres C. Centino visited various locations of the ongoing 38th Balikatan exercises in Northern Luzon.
Centino first toured the Lal-lo Airfield in Cagayan, one of the Balikatan field training exercises staging areas.
Centino and his delegation were briefed on the ongoing projects in the airfield, in line with its development as one of the agreed locations under EDCA as a prime site for the AFP’s territorial defense and humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts.
Centino later visited the Marine Battalion Landing Team-10 (MBLT10) of the Philippine Marine Corps at the Naval Base Camilo Osias, San Vicente, Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
The visiting delegation also dropped by the 5th Infantry Division (5ID), Philippine Army in Gamu, Isabela.