PAMPANGA, Philippines — Military and diplomatic officials from the Philippines and the United States on Wednesday inspected three sites identified under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) in Cagayan and Pampanga.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral John Christopher Aquilino conducted the inspection of Edca sites in Cagayan (Airport of Lal-lo in the town of Lal-lo and Camilo Osias Naval Base in Sta Ana) and in Pampanga (Basa Air Base in the town of Floridablanca).
U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson also joined the tour, which began in the morning and ended in the late afternoon.
“We are happy with the pace of development of these projects, the Edca projects,” Brawner said in Floridablanca, Pampanga.
The Edca sites are inside Philippine military bases where U.S. forces are permitted to rotate and store defense equipment and supplies.
Officials began their inspection at Lallo Airport where they observed the construction of storage facilities for ammunition, fuel and other supplies; as well as the Headquarters Building and Base Operations Building funded by the Philippine government.
Most construction began in 2022, a year before the area was designated as one of the Edca sites.
During this activity, officials from both countries assessed what type of assistance the United States could provide to the ongoing construction.
The officials then visited the Camilo Osias Naval Base, where a pier is proposed to be built under Edca.
Basa Air Base This was the officials’ final stop, where they inspected the rehabilitated 2.8 kilometer track, where painting of the track markings is underway.
The $25 million (P1.37 billion) project was funded by the United States as part of the deal.
“The progress of the track and all sites is happening at high speed,” Aquilino said during their inspection.
Aside from the two Cagayan locations, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. approved four new Edca locations in Gamu, Isabela and Balabac, Palawan.
Aside from Pampanga, there are also Edca locations located in Palawan, Nueva Ecija, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro City.
Furthermore, Brawner indicated that the AFP had also proposed several projects on the said Edca sites.
“The Philippine side has proposed several projects,” Brawner said.
“It will be subject to a verification process,” he added. “We need to make sure that all the money we’re going to spend here is worth it.”
AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and US Ambassador to PH MaryKay Carlson led inspection of Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan, one of Edca’s four new locations . @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/wm8MfsbKKQ
– John Eric Mendoza (@JEMendozaINQ) September 13, 2023
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