Palace announces four additional EDCA sites
The Philippines announced Monday four new sites for the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), making it a total of nine.
In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the new sites are 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.
The other five EDCA locations are in Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, Nueva Ecija, Palawan and Pampanga.
PCO Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has assessed the new EDCA sites.
Citing the Department of National Defense (DND), Garafil said the new EDCA sites will be "used as storage and warehouse facilities for military logistics" and not as a American military base.
The four extra sites will be scattered around the Philippines, but the main goal is to defend the country’s eastern coast, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, noting the Philippines’ continental shelf on Luzon’s eastern side was also put into consideration.
To overcome opposition from some local government units (LGUs) not keen on hosting US forces and equipment, Marcos said he talked to the officials of those LGUs and explained the importance of the EDCA sites in their jurisdictions.
DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong earlier said the EDCA sites would not be American military bases.
These sites, the DND official noted, would be used as storage and warehouse facilities for military logistics. DMS
