DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr yesterday there is no immediate plan to expand the presence of American military forces in the country, through additional sites they can access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
“There is nothing on the table to increase the number (of EDCA sites) on Philippine (military) bases,” Teodoro told reporters in an interview in Camp Aguinaldo.
In April, Malacañang announced four additional EDCA sites — Lal-lo airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta Ana, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan.
These are in addition to the five EDCA sites approved during the Aquino administration. The five are Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City, and Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu.
The 2014 EDCA agreement allows Americans troops to conduct activities at the designated sites, including training, transit, support and related activities, aircraft refueling, bunkering of vessels, temporary accommodation of personnel, deployment of forces and materiel.
Other allowed activities are prepositioning of equipment, supplies, and materiel, and temporary maintenance of vehicles, vessels, and aircraft.
The agreement also allows the US to preposition and store defense equipment, supplies and materiel, including, but not limited to, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief equipment, supplies and materiel.
“You can’t bite more than you can chew. That’s what I was trying to state earlier. We got to make things work first before expanding,” said Teodoro.
“A lot of conglomerates have fallen because of too quick an expansion without being able to absorb the capability to sustain,” he added.
Teodoro said there was “no discussion, no specific discussions” when he and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin talked over the phone about two weeks ago.
Teodoro said Austin have the assurance that the United States “will be assisting us in our capability upgrades.”
“He said that it’s not merely a commitment of his department but a personal commitment of his, himself. So we appreciate Secretary Austin’s reaffirmation of his support for the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the defense department proper for firming up its capabilities,” added Teodoro.
He said there was nothing concrete during his conversation with Austin.
“On those calls, you don’t have anything concrete. I think it was just a congratulatory call and reaffirmation of his commitment to us,” said Teodoro, who was named defense chief by President Marcos Jr. last month.
