Marcos: US-backed ammo hub part of defense plan since last year

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. clarified during a press briefing in Washington that the US-backed ammunition manufacturing hub planned for Subic Bay has been part of the Self-Reliant Defense Posture program since nearly a year ago.

Marcos emphasized that even without US support, the Philippines would proceed with the project to strengthen its national defense, stating it was a decision made almost a year in advance.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. explained that the facility will operate under a commercial foreign direct investment model and initially employ 200 to 300 highly skilled workers.

The project aims to address the global shortage of ammunition across various calibers and is expected to boost Subic Bay's economic development through increased trade flows and potential downstream industries.

Marcos acknowledged concerns about provoking China but stressed the importance of protecting Philippine interests in the West Philippine Sea, where China has been increasingly assertive.