President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at the Philippine Army anniversary in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on March 22, 2023. (Photo by John Eric Mendoza)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday announced that four new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) will rise in the northern and southern parts of the country, as well as in Palawan.
Marcos did not further elaborate, saying they will announce it after formalizing it with the United States.
“We’ll make a formal announcement, but yes, they have been identified. Before we announce it we will formalize with our partners in the United States,” Marcos said in an ambush interview.
“There are four extra sites, scattered around the Philippines. There are some in the north, some in Palawan, some further south,” he added.
The Edca was signed by two countries in 2014.
Currently, there are five predetermined Edca sites located at Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, which is closest to the Kalayaan Group of Islands; Basa Air Base in Pampanga, the home of the Philippine Air Force’s fighter planes; and Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, the country’s largest military camp and a frequent location of Philippine-US military exercises.
The other two areas are Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City.