EDCA sites to be used for OFW evacuation – officials

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is eyeing the use of sites allowed for use by US forces under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) to stage the evacuation of Filipinos from Taiwan or even South Korea in the event of an armed conflict, officials told the Senate committee on foreign relations yesterday.

The committee, chaired by Sen. Imee Marcos, continued its inquiry into the EDCA, which critics warned could drag the country into a shooting war between the US and China in the event Beijing takes Taiwan by force.

Marcos, a critic of the EDCA – which allows US forces access to certain Philippine military bases for pre-positioning of their supplies and equipment – asked Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Department of National Defense (DND) officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez how both countries would view the possible attack by China on Taiwan, which Beijing considers its renegade province.

“As far as we’re concerned, if there’s an attack on Taiwan by Chinese forces, our main goal is really to first, look out for the welfare of our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) in Taiwan. That’s our primary goal. And we have talked to our counterpart (US) that that’s our primordial concern. That’s why the EDCA sites that we have considered, those that are in the north,” Galvez replied.

Galvez was referring to the Camilo Osias Naval Base in Sta. Ana and Air Force’s facility in Lal-Lo, both in Cagayan province.

He said he and Manalo told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during their 2+2 meeting in Washington last April 11 that the government’s primary concern in the possible outbreak of war in Taiwan is how to evacuate Filipinos.

He said the government is also closely monitoring tensions in the Korean peninsula, given the recent missile tests of North Korea.

“And with that, we are discussing with our counterpart the possible use of EDCA sites and other possible areas that may be used for humanitarian evacuation, mass evacuation of Filipinos and other nationals. In fact, I had discussions already with the UN representative on the possible ways of having that kind of preparation,” he said.

Forged in 2014 as an implementing pact of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and US, the EDCA allows the prepositioning of American equipment and supplies as well as troops – but on a rotational basis – in mutually agreed upon locations inside military installations.

Both sides have identified a total of nine EDCA sites across the country, of which five have been completed – or construction of facilities for US have been finished – and four new ones earlier identified by President Marcos, including two in Cagayan.

The two other new sites are in Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu town, Isabela and Balabac Island in Palawan.

Galvez reiterated that EDCA’s main purpose is for maritime security and humanitarian assistance and disaster response, among others.

Marcos, however, retorted that she got separate briefings by the Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command and Department of Migrant Workers and “they have no idea how to evacuate 200,000 Filipinos in Taiwan.”

“And how should we do that? The Navy clearly doesn’t have the ships and neither do the Coast Guard. Commercial vessels are unwilling to be leased out,” the senator said, adding she found the use of EDCA sites for evacuation as still vague.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian noted that Galvez’s statements meant that EDCA can be used to extend humanitarian assistance to Filipinos outside Philippine jurisdiction.