US Pacific Air Forces chief arrives in PH for 3-day inspection of EDCA sites
The head of the United States Pacific Air Force is on a three-day trip to the Philippines, which includes a visit to three Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) sites, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said on Tuesday.
Gen. Kevin Schneider will visit the Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro, and Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu, according to Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, PAF spokesperson.
“The visit is to strengthen our bilateral ties in the air forces and discuss areas of cooperation,” Castillo told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
She said that visiting the Edca sites was really important for the Philippines and its military and treaty ally, the US.
The Edca allows the US to operate and enhance military facilities in the Philippines with the government’s approval.
In April last year, Malacañang named Camilo Osias Naval Base in Sta. Ana town and Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo town in Cagayan province; Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela province; and Balabac, the southernmost island in Palawan province, as the four additional Edca sites.
The other Edca sites are at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija and the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan.
Military assistance
Schneider’s visit to the Philippines coincided with the US freezing nearly all foreign assistance worldwide, including those for its allies.
In July of last year, the US announced that it would provide $500 million (P29.2 billion) in military assistance to the Philippines, on top of about $128 million to fund important infrastructure projects under Edca.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said over the weekend that the freezing of foreign aid by the US would unlikely affect Edca sites.
“They will not suddenly abandon the Edca sites. They know the importance of Edca for the interests of both the US and the Philippines,” Foreign Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in his first week in office that Washington’s defense commitment to Manila would remain ironclad under President Donald Trump.
At a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo also on Tuesday, Castillo said the PAF and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force would hold the second iteration of the Doshin-Bayanihan, an annual training for both air forces.
But the schedule for the training has yet to be finalized, according to Castillo.
In October of last year, the air forces of the Philippines and Japan conducted joint air drills at the Brig. Gen. Benito Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
The two air forces conducted simulated airdrop flight training, load/offload training, aeromedical evacuation exercises, and subject matter expert exchanges.
‘Business as usual’
“It’s business as usual” for the military’s engagements with the United States despite Washington’s freezing of nearly all foreign aid worldwide, including those for its allies.
Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, said at a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City that the military has “longstanding partnerships with the US, and we (will) continue with our partnership programs moving forward.”
Padilla said that the suspension of foreign development aid for 90 days pending a review would not affect the annual Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises between Filipino and American troops.
“At this point, in terms of our preparations, it’s still business as usual. So far, there’s no dialing down at this point,” she said.
She pointed out that financial programs funded by the US would be under review, saying that the Balikatan was not part of Washington’s assistance program to the Philippines.
