By Sam Ramos
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. visited the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) site at Lumbia Air Base on Saturday, November 30, to inspect ongoing and planned developments aimed at boosting disaster response and defense capabilities in Northern Mindanao.
Accompanied by media, the officials toured the site where critical infrastructure projects, including an air traffic control tower and a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) warehouse, are slated for construction. Teodoro emphasized the strategic importance of the facility, noting its role in regional disaster relief operations.
“This will serve as a base for Northern Mindanao disaster relief operations. We already have a runway, and we’re expanding the ramp for the delivery of goods and services,” Teodoro said.
The Lumbia Air Base is among the first five EDCA sites established to enhance the Philippines’ disaster response and military readiness, with funding provided by the United States under the Mutual Defense Treaty.
Teodoro also highlighted the site’s future role as the home of the 15th Strike Wing of the Philippine Air Force, which will relocate its maintenance and training operations to the base. “We are expediting developments here because this will house the 15th Strike Wing’s assets and serve as their maintenance and training hub,” he added.
Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, chief of the AFP Public Affairs Office, underscored the site’s strategic location. “It’s almost at the center of Mindanao, offering connectivity to various areas and proximity to a port where another naval base is planned,” he explained.
The visit also included an inspection of the monolithic dome of the Office of Civil Defense, which will serve as a joint command center for the Eastern Mindanao Command and the Philippine Air Force.
Once completed in 2026, the EDCA site at Lumbia Air Base is expected to become a vital hub for humanitarian and military operations, strengthening the region’s capacity to address emergencies and enhance national security.