Marcos urged to 'downgrade' EDCA, rethink plan to open 5 US bases in PH | ABS-CBN
ADVERTISEMENT

Welcome, Kapamilya! We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Continuing to use this site means you agree to our use of cookies. Tell me more!
Marcos urged to 'downgrade' EDCA, rethink plan to open 5 US bases in PH
Marcos urged to 'downgrade' EDCA, rethink plan to open 5 US bases in PH
Katrina Domingo,
ABS-CBN News
Published Nov 12, 2022 01:53 PM PHT

MANILA — Several analysts on Saturday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to rethink the Philippines’ and the United States’ plan to identify 5 additional sites for projects under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
MANILA — Several analysts on Saturday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to rethink the Philippines’ and the United States’ plan to identify 5 additional sites for projects under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
Last month, a senior US Defense official told visiting Filipino journalists in an interview at the Pentagon that the defense leadership of both countries also agreed in a recent meeting in Hawaii to speed up funding for infrastructure in 5 existing EDCA sites.
Last month, a senior US Defense official told visiting Filipino journalists in an interview at the Pentagon that the defense leadership of both countries also agreed in a recent meeting in Hawaii to speed up funding for infrastructure in 5 existing EDCA sites.
“These are done not because America wants to be nice to us but because it serves their national interest,” Ric Saludo of the Center for Strategy, Enterprise and Intelligence said during the virtual “Pandesal Forum.”
“These are done not because America wants to be nice to us but because it serves their national interest,” Ric Saludo of the Center for Strategy, Enterprise and Intelligence said during the virtual “Pandesal Forum.”
“The US bases as magnets for attacks… We will have 10 potential targets in our country,” he said, noting that the Philippines already hosts US military bases in Cebu, Palawan, Cagayan de Oro, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.
“The US bases as magnets for attacks… We will have 10 potential targets in our country,” he said, noting that the Philippines already hosts US military bases in Cebu, Palawan, Cagayan de Oro, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Philippines “has to adjust to a multipolar world” and not just cater the United States, said Anna Malindog Uy, vice president for external affairs of the Philippine Asian Century Strategic Studies
The Philippines “has to adjust to a multipolar world” and not just cater the United States, said Anna Malindog Uy, vice president for external affairs of the Philippine Asian Century Strategic Studies
The government should have “Complete neutrality and positioning itself as non-aligned,” considering that China is now regarded as the “economic engine of the world,” she said.
The government should have “Complete neutrality and positioning itself as non-aligned,” considering that China is now regarded as the “economic engine of the world,” she said.
“ASEAN countries don’t want to make a choice between China and the US,” she said.
“ASEAN countries don’t want to make a choice between China and the US,” she said.
“They want to focus more on economic progress,” she said.
“They want to focus more on economic progress,” she said.
For University of the Philippines Visayas Professor Celso Cainglet, waiting for US citizens to clamor for reduced spending on US military aid would be a better strategy for the Philippines.
For University of the Philippines Visayas Professor Celso Cainglet, waiting for US citizens to clamor for reduced spending on US military aid would be a better strategy for the Philippines.
“Ang mas magandang stratehiya ay mga amerikano mismo ang manghikayat sa mga congressman nila to stop military spending [on allied countries],” he said.
“Ang mas magandang stratehiya ay mga amerikano mismo ang manghikayat sa mga congressman nila to stop military spending [on allied countries],” he said.
“The Americans should realize that it is only the military-industrial complex that is gaining from this, not them,” he said.
“The Americans should realize that it is only the military-industrial complex that is gaining from this, not them,” he said.
The EDCA - signed under the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III - allows US forces access to 5 Philippine bases to help counterbalance the growing Chinese presence in the South China Sea.
The EDCA - signed under the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III - allows US forces access to 5 Philippine bases to help counterbalance the growing Chinese presence in the South China Sea.
It is seen as an expansion of the decades-old Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), which guarantees that Manila and Washington will come to the aid of the other should one of them be under attack.
It is seen as an expansion of the decades-old Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), which guarantees that Manila and Washington will come to the aid of the other should one of them be under attack.
In August, Marcos Jr. told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the MDT is in “constant evolution.”
In August, Marcos Jr. told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the MDT is in “constant evolution.”
Marcos said a "volatile" international diplomatic scene — with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and China-Taiwan tensions — highlights "the importance of the relationship between the United States and the Philippines."
Marcos said a "volatile" international diplomatic scene — with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and China-Taiwan tensions — highlights "the importance of the relationship between the United States and the Philippines."
“I hope that we will continue to evolve that relationship in the face of all the changes that we have been seeing and the changes between bilateral relation between us and the United States,” the President said.
“I hope that we will continue to evolve that relationship in the face of all the changes that we have been seeing and the changes between bilateral relation between us and the United States,” the President said.
RELATED VIDEO
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT