Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) chief Enrique Manalo on Wednesday mentioned six of the 16 initiatives within the 5 preliminary Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) places can be accomplished this yr.
“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,” mentioned Manalo throughout a listening to of the Committee on Foreign Relations.
These initiatives embrace the runway venture at Basa Air Base, storage facility at Mactan Air Base, and the humanitarian help and catastrophe response warehouse at Fort Magsaysay.
Manalo additionally confirmed that solely 5 EDCA initiatives have been accomplished thus far.
Meanwhile, the DFA chief mentioned that the United States has allotted a further $18 million for the funding of EDCA websites, which was additionally introduced throughout the US-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Washington on April 11.
So far, the US has allotted a complete of over $100 million for the EDCA initiatives for 2023.
Malacañang just lately introduced 4 new EDCA websites: 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.
Existing EDCA websites are 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
China just lately expressed issues in regards to the new EDCA websites saying it might draw the Philippines into the “potential conflict” within the Taiwan Strait. The Department of National Defense responded by saying that EDCA shouldn’t be aimed in opposition to any nation.
Signed in 2014, EDCA or the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement grants US troops entry to designated Philippine army amenities, permits them to construct amenities, and pre-position gear, plane, and vessels. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
