General Romeo Brawner Jr., Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Admiral John Aquilino, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and Ambassador MaryKay Carlson visited Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) locations in Cagayan and Pampanga on Wednesday, September 13, 2023.
The EDCA is a bilateral agreement between the United States and the Philippines that aims to strengthen the defense and security cooperation between the two countries. The agreement allows the U.S. to build and operate facilities and conduct activities on agreed locations in Philippine territory.
The military leaders inspected the progress of the construction of a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) warehouse in Cagayan de Oro City, which will store equipment and supplies for rapid response to natural disasters and humanitarian crises in the region. They also visited the Clark Air Base in Pampanga, where they witnessed the joint training and exercises of U.S. and Philippine forces.
The visit showcased the strong partnership and alliance between the U.S. and the Philippines, as well as their commitment to enhancing their capabilities to address shared challenges such as terrorism, maritime security, cyber threats, and pandemics.
As #FriendsPartnersAllies, the U.S. and the Philippines are working together to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.