21 mayors express support for EDCA sites

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the fierce objection of Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba Sr. to the opening of two areas in the province to US forces under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), 21 mayors have expressed support for the security arrangement, which is also in place in two other provinces.

Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. of the Department of National Defense said the DND welcomed the move of the 21 local chief executives to voice their support for the designation of the Naval Base Camilo Osias and Lal-lo Airport as additional EDCA sites open to American troops and equipment.

“As of now, 21 mayors have expressed their support and we expect this number to increase, with one municipality even intimating the possibility of donating a tract of land for the use of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),” Galvez said yesterday. The two other sites are in Isabela and Balabac in Palawan.

“Truly, the overwhelming majority of local chief executives in the province supporting our endeavor proves the Filipino people’s appreciation of the merits of EDCA, not only for enhancing our national security but for providing opportunities to further develop our local communities as well,” he added.

Galvez noted that as part of the government’s efforts to improve the country’s disaster response, it has allowed the four additional EDCA sites to serve as points for the evacuation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from possible regional flashpoints, including Taiwan.

“Our Defense Attaché’s have been working and coordinating with their host countries on possible repatriation operations, which can be undertaken with our US allies, should the need arise,” he said, referring to the continuing tension between China and Taiwan.

Mamba had openly expressed his disapproval of making Cagayan one of EDCA sites, citing the province’s proximity to Taiwan.

Galvez however argued that the benefits of developing the sites cannot be understated, especially for the modernization of the AFP, stressing that “the new locations, especially Balabac in Palawan and Camilo Osias Naval Base in Cagayan, will strengthen our maritime domain awareness and security, serving as stations and shelters for our radar local monitoring systems (LMS) and new assets such as the Navy’s offshore patrol vessels and corvettes, which are now under construction, as well as the future multirole fighters for the Air Force.”

“More importantly, the deployment and modernization of the AFP Forces through EDCA, which is an integral part of our Mutual Defense Treaty, shall boost our territorial defense capabilities and will enable our fisherfolk to freely pursue their livelihood in our waters,” he said.

Galvez announced that the US has pledged $100 million or P5.5 billion in modernization assistance especially for the acquisition of HADR configured medium-lift helicopters for disaster response and non-combat operations of the military.

He said the US has also increased funding for the development of the EDCA sites from $82 million to $100 million, which is equivalent to another P5.5 billion, thus bringing the total of the US pledge of support for the HADR helicopters and EDCA projects to P11 billion.

He revealed that various projects in these EDCA sites, mostly for warehousing and storage for HADR-related materiel, are scheduled for completion by the end of this year.

“In our pursuit of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific, enabling economic development for all Filipinos is our paramount consideration. In fact, during the 2+2 Ministerial Meeting in Washington, the US side expressed that they will pursue more economic investments in the Philippines with the support also of the US AID socio-economic programs in the communities where EDCA Sites are located,” Galvez said. “This is the DND and DFA’s humble effort in ensuring that the President’s economic agenda will be successful for the betterment of the Filipino people,” he added.

Mamba vs Enrile

Meanwhile, a word war has erupted between Mamba and presidential legal adviser Juan Ponce Enrile over EDCA, with the former senator even calling the provincial chief executive and other local officials “brainless” for opposing the designation of two areas in the province for military arrangement.

“It’s hard to understand people who have no brains,” Enrile said in a Facebook post, referring to Mamba and his allies. He called the officials “bangungot na pulitiko ng Cagayan (political nightmares of Cagayan).”

Enrile said Mamba was a blabbermouth and a supporter of communism. “So he thinks communism is better? So why did he run in the elections with his stupid team under a democracy? Well, maybe he’s taking the opportunity to get the attention of the Chinese so he can get some largesse,” he said in Filipino.

“They’re insulting the president. They look down on Cagayanos. Why are Cagayan politicians always complaining and those in other provinces are not? Because they know what will happen without America,” he said.

Mamba, for his part, lambasted Enrile for not contributing much to Cagayan’s progress despite being in power for 42 years “almost as a dictator.” He said compared to Isabela and Ilocos Norte, Cagayan is in a miserable state despite the Cagayan Export Zone Authority (CEZA).

“Where are the jobs, the industries in the 30-year-old CEZA?…He may have brains, but not a heart for Cagayan and the Philippines,” Mamba said, referring to Enrile. — Artemio Dumlao