EDCA sites to be used for humanitarian aid amid monsoon rains

Military sites under the Philippine-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) will be utilized as key hubs for humanitarian assistance amid heavy monsoon rains.

These locations will serve as staging areas for prepositioning rescue equipment and consolidating relief goods.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is coordinating with the US Indo-Pacific Command to leverage EDCA facilities and equipment for humanitarian aid.

The utilization of EDCA sites for disaster relief complies with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s instruction, coursed through Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

The EDCA, established in 2014, permits US forces access to specific Philippine military bases and allows for the construction and pre-positioning of military assets without establishing permanent bases.

There are nine designated EDCA sites across the Philippines, including locations in Palawan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and Cagayan province.

The activation of the EDCA sites highlights how the AFP's defense partnerships, particularly with the United States, are helping its troops on the ground.