NextGen Day

According to Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, the forthcoming visit of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to the Philippines will enhance the two countries relationship and current defense accords.

Romualdez stated that Austin is anticipated to touch down in Manila around Tuesday night or Wednesday morning following a stop in South Korea.

Austin will meet with Carlito Galvez Jr., secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND), Gen. Andres Centino, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Enrique Manalo, secretary of foreign affairs, in addition to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“We have maintained a continuing relationship with the United States. It is changing, as President Marcos has noted. Therefore, our military alliance, Mutual Defense Treaty, and Visiting Forces Agreement are undoubtedly integral parts of our relationship with the United States, and this visit will undoubtedly strengthen all of these agreements, Romualdez said at a press conference in Makati.

When asked if an agreement on the five new facilities covered by the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) would be ready when the US official arrived in the nation, he referred to the DND.

During Austin’s visit, Manila and Washington, DC, it was reported in a Jan. 29 article by the US Department of Defense, are scheduled to talk about “speeding up the implementation” of the EDCA.

In light of the Indo-Pacific region’s complex security environment, the US Defense chief would emphasize capabilities and interoperability as “essential to deterring any challenge in the region.”

During the 10th US-Philippines Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in late January, the two countries previously agreed to fully implement the EDCA through “expedited completion” of projects in already-agreed areas and finalizing procedures for the adoption of additional sites.

The development of facilities, according to Romualdez in a separate interview, is consistent with the AFP’s modernization program and will strengthen the nation’s efforts to be more disaster-resistant.

“We would benefit from this since it would expand many of our bases and keep them current with what is actually required. And the US will be the one footing the bill for it. The most crucial factor is that, and these are in no way bases, according to him.

It’s there and already exists. That is already there; nasa atin na iyan. They will merely improve it, so to speak, by modernizing it. Additionally, that is a component of our AFP modernization program.

The EDCA, which was signed in 2014, permits US troops to work in specific locations across the nation on a rotating basis.

Security cooperation exercises, joint and integrated training operations, and humanitarian aid and disaster relief initiatives are a few of the US activities mentioned.

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