Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. is optimistic that extra tasks in Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) websites with the United States will likely be operational subsequent 12 months.
During his go to to the EDCA websites in Basa Air Base in Pampanga on Wednesday, Brawner mentioned the Philippine army is pleased with the event of the continued tasks.
“We’re also very happy that we saw the development of the EDCA sites. We went all the way to Lal-lo in Cagayan and Sta. Ana and this time we’re here in Basa Air Base. We’re also very happy at the rate that the development of these EDCA projects have been going,” he mentioned.
“We’re very optimistic that for next year, we will have more of these projects operational so that we can work on our joint exercises right away and also our joint operations,” he added.
US Indo-Pacific Command commander Admiral John Aquilino mentioned the developments in EDCA tasks are transferring at nice velocity.
“The work that his team has done in coordination with our team to further advance the capabilities here in the Philippines, I am really impressed with the work of the team. So I’m very happy,” he mentioned.
“I was here a year ago. The advance of the runway and all of the sites is moving at great speed and it’s only because of the great partnership,” Aquilino added.
AFP public affairs workplace chief Lieutenant Colonel Enrico Ileto mentioned the Philippine army offered its proposed tasks for EDCA websites to its US counterpart.
According to him, the US army is “very positive” in regards to the proposed tasks.
“Narinig ng ating mga kaibigang Amerikano kung ano iyong mga proposals natin at I believe ia-assess nila iyon kung paano nila mapopondohan, kailan ito puwedeng simulan at malagyan natin ng timeline,” he advised reporters.
(Our American associates heard our proposals and I imagine they’ll assess how they will fund them, when these tasks will be began, and set a timeline.)
“Very positive ang naging sagot nila kanina (Their response was very positive),” he added.
On Wednesday, Philippine and US army officers visited and checked the developments within the EDCA websites at Lal-lo Airport and Naval Base Camilo Osias in Cagayan; and Basa Air Base in Pampanga.
The go to to the EDCA websites is a prelude to the upcoming Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) assembly at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday.
Signed in 2014, EDCA grants US troops entry to designated Philippine army amenities, permits them to construct amenities and preposition gear, plane, and vessels.
In February, the Philippines and the US agreed to designate 4 new EDCA websites in strategic areas of the nation with the goal of accelerating the total implementation of the settlement.
These will likely be established in 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.
Before this, there have been 5 current EDCA websites: 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. —KBK, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
