Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
TOP diplomatic and military officials from the United States and the Philippines will inspect this Wednesday three sites in Northern and Central Luzon that were identified under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites.
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr., along with US Ambassador to the Philippines Marykay Carlson and Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral John Aquilino, will fly separately to two EDCA sites in Lal-lo Airport and the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
After visiting the two EDCA sites in Cagayan, the AFP and US military leaders will travel to Basa Air Base in Pampanga where a third EDCA site is located.
The three sites are part of the nine provided by the AFP to house US facilities intended as prepositioning of military assets and equipment to respond to emergency situations.
The six other EDCA sites are Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan; Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan; Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Pro; and Benito Ebuen Air Base in Macon in Cebu.
The EDCA site visits is a prelude to the forthcoming Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) conference to be attended by US and Philippine military leaders inside Camp Aguinaldo on September 14.
Among the attendees are US Ambassador Carlson and Brawner.
These activities underscore the continued partnership and collaboration between the Philippines and the US militaries in enhancing defense capabilities, as well as the shared commitment to regional security and disaster response efforts.
The EDCA site visits came in the aftermath of reported confrontation between Chinese and Philippine Coast Guard vessels during a resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal last Friday.
It also came as an off shoot following a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Vietnam’s Communist Party Chief Nguyen Pau Tong, opposing the use of force in resolving the dispute in the South China Sea.
The two leaders also said disputes in the South China Sea among claimant countries must be resolved peacefully.
The US government donated two of its warships, the former USS Monsoon (PC4) and USS Chinook (PC 9), to the Philippine Navy. Named after two heroic Filipino fighters, the ships were commissioned BRP Valentin Diaz (PC-177) and BRP Ladislao Diwa (PS-178) at the Philippine Navy on Monday.
In a statement, Philippine defense officials said the tour will also provide an opportunity for the senior military officers to gain firsthand knowledge of the bases’ potential for the development of key facilities to support Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) operations and modernization priorities of the AFP.
General Brawner and Admiral Aquilino’s visit signifies the commitment of both AFP and US Armed Forces to further strengthen cooperation, ensuring that both militaries are prepared and well-equipped to respond to evolving security challenges and humanitarian crises.
The AFP looks forward to sharing insights from this visit and the MDB-SEB meeting which, together, contribute to the enduring partnership between the two nations. — Francisco Tuyay
*****
Credit belongs to: www.manilatimes.net
