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The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the United States and the Philippines is not intended for use in hostilities; rather, it aims to strengthen the nation’s defensive capabilities.

Carlito Galvez Jr., Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND), highlighted in a statement late on Thursday that the bilateral agreement does not aim to meddle in other countries internal affairs.

“Every day, the geopolitical situation deteriorates further. We do not intend to be aggressive with our EDCA initiatives or other defense alliances. We are not planning for war; instead, we are working to strengthen our defenses against potential dangers to our security “Added he.

Galvez further emphasized that EDCA projects are intended to improve the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) facility preparedness as part of its modernization initiatives to hasten the development of the external defense.

“We are refocusing on territorial defense, particularly in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), as Commander-in-Chief President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. just commanded the AFP,” the DND head continued.

Internal security activities were the main focus of earlier military engagements and drills with Philippine partners. “We are currently looking to improve our capacity to respond to potential external threats throughout our border regions, according to Galvez.

The DND is working to establish the ideal number and locations for EDCA facilities in order to optimize their coverage throughout the Philippine archipelago, he further stated.

“We comprehend the worries that our local chief executives have expressed over EDCA and our bilateral drills. Yet, we must take into account the unstable environment in which we work and refrain from viewing our nation in isolation, Galvez continued.

“The Philippines has seaboards to the north, south, east, and west, and it is situated at a strategic point in the Pacific. All of these need to be watched over and safeguarded “said he.

The DND said last month that Manila and Washington, D.C. had decided to designate four new “agreed locations” for the EDCA.

The 1951 PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty is operationalized via EDCA and the Visiting Forces Agreement (MDT). Although it was signed in 2014, its implementation was put off for a number of reasons.

“The EDCA was subject to legal challenges, but in 2016, the Supreme Court upheld its validity. The implementation of the EDCA projects was put up for several years due to the limits brought on by the pandemic as well as other technical problems that have subsequently been resolved, according to Galvez.

The designation of new locations for more EDCA “Agreed Sites,” he continued, is truly long overdue. The US government is prioritizing and funding EDCA initiatives, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

DFA Secretary Enrique A. Manalo stated, “To date, the United States has budgeted and committed a total of USD82.68 million to accomplish all of these projects,” on March 1 during the Senate Committee Hearing on Foreign Relations.

These additional EDCA facilities “would enable more quick response for humanitarian and climate-related disasters in the Philippines, as well as respond to other common concerns,” he continued.

Galvez also mentioned that one of the DND and AFP’s many initiatives to get ready for eventualities in the domestic and regional domains is to work on projects under the EDCA.

They include carrying out search and rescue operations, guarding against invasion, responding to natural catastrophes and calamities, and evacuating Filipino residents of the area when necessary.

“The MDT was built on the values of promoting regional stability and peace. These serve as the foundation for our initiatives and projects under EDCA, Galvez noted.

“As a country, we reject war as a form of foreign policy. Nonetheless, we are committed to using every resource and means at our disposal to defend our national interests,” he continued.

The DND head also stressed that the Philippines continues to build relationships with friends, allies, and other like-minded countries in addition to the United States.

“Although we are exploring contacts with many other like-minded countries, we are also further developing and looking for ways to modernize our long-standing partnership with the US. We are hopeful that the Filipino people will continue to support us in these efforts “Added Galvez.

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