The Department of National Defense on Thursday said the Philippines and the United States are planning to accelerate the full implementation of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
As part of the agreement, the two countries announced the designation of four new Agreed Locations in strategic areas in the country. The four sites are yet to be named.
The EDCA is a key pillar of the US-Philippines alliance, supporting combined training, exercises, and interoperability between the two countries’ forces.
In a statement, the US Embassy said the expansion of the EDCA will make the US-Philippine alliance stronger and will accelerate the modernization of its combined military capabilities.
The addition of these new EDCA locations will allow more rapid support for humanitarian and climate-related disasters in the Philippines and respond to other shared challenges, the statement added.
The United States has allocated over $82 million for infrastructure investments at the existing five sites under the EDCA: Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro City, and Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu.
These investments are eyed to support the country’s economic growth and job creation within local communities.
The US and the Philippines have likewise committed to hasten and expand agreement on the necessary plans and investments for the new and existing EDCA locations.
“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,” said the US Embassy.
The Philippines and the US have been allies and sovereign partners for 75 years now.