WALA nang balak si Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. na dagdagan pa ang mga Improved Protection Cooperation Settlement sites sa bansa.
“Allow me prevent you proper there. The solution to that is no. The Philippines has no program to produce anymore bases or to give access to bases,” pahayag ni Pangulong Marcos sa FOCAP furom.
Sabi ni Pangulong Marcos, hindi naman pang-provike sa China ang EDCA sites o proteksyon sa Pilipinas sakaling magkagulo ang Amerika at China.
“No I assume that’s turning the problem on its head. These are the reactions to what has transpired in the South China Sea, to the aggressive steps that we have had to offer with, the water cannoning, the lasers, the collision, the blocking of our banca, our fishermen, the placing of obstacles throughout Scarborough Shoal, this is a reaction to that. This did not cause that. That occurred before we had Edca,” pahayag ni Pangulong Marcos.
“No, certainly. The Philippines has no plans to open or to create additional Edca bases,” pahayag ni Pangulong Marcos.
Sa ngayon, mayroon ng limang EDCA websites sa bansa.
Ito ay ang Antonio Bautista Air Base sa Palawan, Basa Air Base sa Pampanga, Benito Ebuen Air Base sa Cebu, Fort Magsaysay sa Nueva Ecija at Lumbia Airport sa Cagayan de Oro.