P1.3B EDCA project completed

- Advertisement -

THE United States and the Philippines have completed rehabilitation work on the runway of the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the two countries.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr led the dedication ceremony yesterday afternoon, marking the completion of the largest EDCA project which was funded by the Americans.

The rehabilitation cost P1.3 billion. Rehabilitation work on the 2,800-meter runway started in in March last year.

- Advertisement -

AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner, US Deputy Chief of Mission to the Philippines Robert Ewing, and other US and Philippine military and government officials graced the event.

“This runway rehabilitation is by far, the largest Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement project between the Philippines and US, which amounts to over P1.3 billion,” said Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokeswoman Col. Maria Consuelo Castillo.

“After less than a year of rehabilitation, with reinforced pavement and improved structural integrity, the runway is now ready to accommodate larger and heavier aircraft, such as the PAF’s cargo planes,” she added.

Castillo said the completion of the project “ensures safer conditions for training and operations of aircraft, especially during response to emergencies and calamities.”

Four Air Force FA-50 fighter planes conducted a low-pass flyby after the ribbon cutting and blessing of the runway.

Basa Air Base is one of nine EDCA sites approved by the Philippine government. The eight others are Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City, Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu, Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Isabela, Balabac Island in Palawan, and Lal-lo airport and Naval Base Camilo Osias, both in Cagayan.

EDCA allows the Americans to pursue various activities at the approved sites, including training; transit; support and related activities; refueling of aircraft; bunkering of vessels; temporary maintenance of vehicles, vessels, and aircraft; temporary accommodation of personnel; communications; prepositioning of equipment, supplies, and materiel; and deploying of forces and materiel.

The agreement also permits 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.

Teodoro said US activities at the sites are based on arrangements of the Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board of the two countries.

“The presence of the United States troops here will be in accordance with the mutually-agreed activities of the MDB-SEB annually… There are annual MDB-SEB activities… Those are year-round activities,” he said.

Former DND officer-in-charge Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez said the project, once completed, will make the Basa Air Base “ideal for the efficient conduct of joint task force exercises and as a natural hub for HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster response) operations, especially that we are a disaster-prone country.”

Galvez also said the project will also boost the military’s capabilities in responding to “any attempt to violate our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Author

- Advertisement -

Share post: