Brawner optimistic more EDCA projects with US will be operational next year

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. is optimistic that more projects in Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites with the United States will be operational next year.

During his visit to the EDCA sites in Basa Air Base in Pampanga on Wednesday, Brawner said the Philippine military is happy with the development of the ongoing projects.

“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 said.

“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 said the developments in EDCA projects are moving at great speed.

“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 said.

“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 office chief Lieutenant Colonel Enrico Ileto said the Philippine military presented its proposed projects for EDCA sites to its US counterpart.

According to him, the US military is “very positive” about the proposed projects.

“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 told reporters.

(Our American friends heard our proposals and I believe they will assess how they can fund them, when these projects can be started, and set a timeline.)

“Very positive ang naging sagot nila kanina (Their response was very positive),” he added.

On Wednesday, Philippine and US military officials visited and checked the developments in the EDCA sites at Lal-lo Airport and Naval Base Camilo Osias in Cagayan; and Basa Air Base in Pampanga.

The visit to the EDCA sites is a prelude to the upcoming Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) meeting at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday.

Signed in 2014, EDCA grants US troops access to designated Philippine military facilities, allows them to build facilities and preposition equipment, aircraft, and vessels.

In February, the Philippines and the US agreed to designate four new EDCA sites in strategic areas of the country with the aim of accelerating the full implementation of the agreement.

These will 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 were five existing EDCA sites: 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