PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. said he is planning to convene a command conference with members of the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces as government continues to determine where to establish additional sites for the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States.
“We are still studying it… I will have a command conference and we will decide once and for all and we’ll announce,” the President said in mixed Filipino and English during a media interview on Sunday while en route to Manila from Japan.
Marcos said among the factors being considered in the expansion of EDCA sites is its impact on the tension in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea.
He said the country wants peaceful safe passage in the disputed waters.
“It’s a valid concern and it’s something that we have to pay attention to, that we do not be seen as… provocative to anyone and… It will not have the opposite effect from what we want,” he said.
President also acknowledged the opposition of some local government units to host the EDSA sites. Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba has said “any foreign forces or foreign bases will always be a magnet for nuclear power attacks.”
The EDCA expansion was announced on February 5 by visiting US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Philippine Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez. The expansion brings to nine the EDCA sites where the US military may put up facilities for prepositioning of American troops and equipment.
The EDCA signed in 2014 allows US access to Philippine military bases for joint training, pre-positioning of equipment and building of facilities such as runways, fuel storage and military housing, but not a permanent presence.
The five current EDCA sites are in 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.
The EDCA expansion came amid mounting concern over China’s increasing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea and tensions over self-ruled Taiwan.
VFA WITH JAPAN
Marcos said he is open to the idea of a visiting forces agreement (VFA) with Japan as long as it will be beneficial to the country and the Filipinos and would not in any way add to the tension in the South China Sea.
He said there is yet nothing definite on a VFA with Japan as he said the government is also reviewing a proposed trilateral defense and security deal with the United States and Japan.
The President, in the media interview, said the proposed VFA with Japan is still being studied and among factors to be considered is if it is helpful in terms of “protecting, for example, our fishermen, protecting our maritime territory.”
“If it will be helpful, I don’t see why we should not adopt it… If it is appropriate, if it does not constitute danger of increasing tensions, then that might be useful for the Philippines,” he said.
Marcos said another factor to be considered is its impact on current maritime claims.
He said the country must be careful “because we don’t want to appear provocative.”
