The Department of National Defense (DND) has revealed that the four additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites are eyed to serve as evacuation points of overseas Filipino workers in the event of a flare-up in the region’s flashpoints.
This, after various local chief executives have expressed their support to the implementation of the EDCA with the United States.
In a statement released on Friday, Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., Officer-In-Charge of the DND, said the Defense Attaché’s have been working and coordinating with their host countries on possible repatriation operations, which can be undertaken with US allies, should the need arise.
Galvez shared that the US has pledged $100 Million modernization assistance for the acquisition of HADR configured medium-lift helicopters for disaster response and non-combat operations of the country’s Armed Forces.
Moreover, Galvez noted that the deployment and modernization of the military through EDCA will boost territorial defense capabilities and will enable fishermen to freely continue their livelihood.
