New EDCA sites to serve as OFW evacuation centers

The four new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites being established by the Philippines and the United States can be utilized as evacuation centers for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in case of regional conflicts.

DND Officer-in-Charge Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. stated that these EDCA sites are prepared to act as evacuation points for OFWs facing potential conflicts in flashpoint regions.

This announcement comes after the Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines advised the Philippines to oppose 'Taiwan independence' due to concerns for the 150,000 OFWs in the region.

While the Chinese Ambassador clarified his statement was 'lost in translation,' DND is coordinating with allies for possible repatriation operations.

The four new EDCA sites are located in Cagayan (Naval Base Camilo Osias and Lal-lo Airport), Isabela (Camp Melchor Dela Cruz), and Palawan (Balabac Island).

The United States has increased its funding for the development of these EDCA sites from $82 million to $100 million to expedite their completion by the end of 2023.

Many of the projects in these EDCA sites are focused on warehousing and storage for humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) materials.

The DND also noted that 21 mayors in Cagayan have expressed support for EDCA, seeing its benefits for national security and local community development.

However, Cagayan Governor Mamba remains opposed to the province being an EDCA site, citing potential repercussions from China-US conflict for his constituents.