Manila to move air force, navy near disputed waters in South China Sea

The Philippines plans to relocate major air force and navy camps to a former US naval base north of Manila to gain faster access to waters being contested by China in the South China Sea, according to the country’s defence chief and a confidential government report.

Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said on Sunday that as soon as relocation funds were available the government plans to transfer air force and naval forces and their fleets of aircraft and warships to Subic Bay, which has become a busy free port since the 1992 departure of the US Navy.

“It’s for the protection of our West Philippine Sea,” Gazmin said by telephone, using the name adopted by the Philippine government for the disputed South China Sea.

“We’re looking now for the funding,” Gazmin said from South Korea, where he was on a visit.

Subic Bay is a natural deep harbour that can accommodate two large warships acquired recently by the Philippines from the United States, a defence treaty ally, he said, especially compared to shallower waters at the naval fleet base at Sangley Point in Cavite province, south of Manila.

A confidential defence department document obtained by the AP says Subic’s location will cut reaction time by fighter aircraft to contested South China Sea areas by more than three minutes compared with flying from Clark airfield, also north of Manila, where some air force planes are based.

“It will provide the armed forces of the Philippines strategic location, direct and shorter access to support West Philippine Sea theatre of operations,” the document said.