MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2023) The increased access of the United States to the Philippines' military facilities does not mean preparations for a war and is aimed exclusively at countering threats to the country's security, Philippine broadcaster GMA reported on Friday, citing Secretary of National Defense Carlito Galvez, Jr.
The defense minister said that the projects under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the US were meant to increase the combat preparedness of the Philippine armed forces.
"Our projects under EDCA and our other defense partnerships are not intended for aggression. We are not preparing for war, rather we aim to develop our defense capabilities against eventualities and threats to our security," Galvez said, as quoted by GMA.
He also said that the geopolitical situation was becoming more precarious every day, adding that the Philippines had decided to focus on "territorial defense," the media reported.
The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement was signed in 2014 between the US and the Philippines with the aim of strengthening the military cooperation of the two countries. The document envisages joint military exercises and higher interoperability between the armed forces of the US and the Philippines. Under the EDCA, the US is not allowed to have permanent military bases in the Philippines, but the agreement provides for US troops' extended stays on the Philippine military bases.
