Philippines says expanded US access to military bases not ‘preparation for war’

Defence Secretary Carlito Galvez Jnr said the EDCA is aimed at boosting Manila’s defence capabilities against threats to its security

Some lawmakers said the pact is geared at bolstering the US’ possible defence of Taiwan instead of the Philippines

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A Philippine fishing boat sails past a Chinese coastguard ship in Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Photo: AFP via Getty Images/TNS

Published: 3:28pm, 3 Mar 2023

A top Philippine defence official said a plan to give the US more access to military bases would boost the Southeast Asian country’s defence capabilities against threats to its security as geopolitical tensions simmer.

Defence Secretary Carlito Galvez Jnr said the projects with the US under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, and other similar partnerships “are not intended for aggression.”

“We are not preparing for war, rather we are aiming to develop our defence capabilities against eventualities and threats to our security,” Galvez said in a statement late Thursday. “The geopolitical situation is becoming more precarious by the day,” he said.

The Philippines last month gave the US access to four more military bases under EDCA, bringing the total to nine. The 2014 pact allows the US to rotate its troops for prolonged stays as well as build and operate facilities on Philippine bases.

The country is shifting its focus towards territorial defence particularly in the South China Sea, Galvez said, amid growing tensions with China. The US and the Philippines have agreed to resume joint patrols in the South China Sea, with Manila last month protesting Beijing’s move to aim what it claimed to be a military-grade laser at a Philippine ship.