AMERICAN and Filipino troops attend the opening of the annual joint military exercises called Balikatan on March 28, 2022 at the Philippine military’s headquarters in Quezon City. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ WALTER BOLLOZOS

MALACAÑANG on Monday named the locations of the four additional military bases that will be included under the Philippines’ 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States.   

Three of the four locations that have been “inspected and assessed” by the Armed Forces of the Philippines are in the northern part of the Philippines.   

These are: Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport, also in Cagayan; and Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela. 

Cagayan is just over 1,000 kilometers away from self-ruled Taiwan, which is being claimed by China.  

Balabac Island in Palawan, which is facing the South China Sea, was also on the list, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement.  

In February, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. gave US troops access to four more EDCA sites on top of the five existing sites.   

Last month, he said the four additional sites would be scattered around the country and would boost the country’s ability to defend the “eastern side” of Luzon, the country’s largest island.   

“To overcome opposition from some local government units (LGUs) not keen on hosting US forces and equipment, the President said he [had] talked to the officials of those LGUs and explained the importance of the EDCA sites in their jurisdictions,” the PCO said.   

Filipino and American troops are set to hold their largest-ever military exercise this month. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

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