MANILA – Military officials from the Philippines and the United States visited Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga, on Wednesday to inspect upgrades at one of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites.
The inspection was led by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of the Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), to assess the facilities developed under the EDCA between the Philippines and the United States.
“The inspection focused on the improvements and upgrades made to enhance the operational capabilities of the Philippine Air Force and promote joint interoperability between the two armed forces,” the AFP said in a statement.
Basa Air Base, one of the nine AFP sites designated under the EDCA, has undergone infrastructure upgrades to support the modernization of the Philippine military and strengthen the overall security and defense posture in the region.
“The improvements in our facilities at Basa Air Base demonstrate our commitment to strengthening our defense capabilities and ensuring that our forces are prepared to respond to any security challenge,” Brawner stated.
He emphasized that these developments are essential to the AFP’s goal of becoming a credible defense force capable of protecting the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The visit is part of the ongoing engagements under the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB), with a meeting scheduled at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City on Thursday afternoon.
The MDB-SEB serves as a platform for the AFP and USINDOPACOM to “discuss and come up with a mutually agreed policy direction” on defense and security matters.
The agenda includes planning for various military activities next year, including the annual “Balikatan” and “Salaknib” exercises.
This year’s “Balikatan” exercises, held from April 22 to May 10, involved around 16,000 American and Filipino troops at various locations across the country.