Former generals back creation of 4 more EDCA sites

MANILA, Philippines — Retired officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have expressed their full support for the establishment of four more Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in the country.

The Association of General and Flag Officers (AGFO) said allowing American troops access to more military locations in the country would further boost defense capabilities in areas including the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement, retired AFP officials said they support the establishment of four additional sites under the EDCA, which the group described as one of the mechanisms designed to bolster the alliance between the United States and the Philippines under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

“This 2014 agreement allows the rotation, not permanent stay, of US troops in mutually agreed locations, where our ally could use temporary facilities,” the AGFO noted.

“This initiative will not only enhance the interoperability of the two allies’ defense forces and accelerate the modernization and capability upgrade of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, but also will significantly improve government responses, like humanitarian assistance and relief operations to various emergency situations and climate-related disasters,” the association’s statement read.

The Super Typhoon Yolanda experience in 2013 is a reminder that the proximity of relief centers that could accommodate goods, equipment and manpower hastens the delivery of humanitarian assistance, according to the AGFO.

“In addition, given the constitutional mandate to protect the national patrimony in maritime areas where we exercise sovereign rights, our defense forces must continually enhance their capabilities to detect, deter and counter violators through sustained training and interoperability exercises with allies and partners that share our aspiration to abide by the ‘rules-based international order,’” it said.

“We also fully recognize that the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling has upheld the noble aims of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, otherwise known as the Constitution of the Oceans, to address maritime disputes in a peaceful manner and to remind coastal states on the limits of their maritime jurisdiction,” it added.

Currently, there are five EDCA sites in the country, including Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu and the Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City.