Malacañang on Monday defended the use and critical role of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in the Philippines' disaster response and humanitarian assistance.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer, Atty. Claire Castro reiterated that EDCA facilities serve as strategic hubs during emergencies, providing faster and more organized aid to affected communities.

“The EDCA sites are a big help when disasters strike us. It serves as hubs for faster delivery of assistance to our kababayans,” Castro told reporters in Filipino. 

Castro also stressed that the EDCA sites often serve as shelters for fishermen and as repacking centers for agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). 

She, however, did not specify exactly how EDCA sites are being used in the ongoing disaster response following the twin impacts of Typhoon Tino and Super Typhoon Uwan.

Castro noted the President has also directed funds to local government units to accelerate rehabilitation in hard-hit areas, particularly those situated in no-building zones.

The Palace assured the public that coordination with the AFP continues to ensure EDCA sites are fully leveraged during emergencies. 

The existing EDCA sites include Cesar Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation in Nueva Ecija; Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro; Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu; Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta. Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan.

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla earlier said all EDCA sites Philippinesare being activated to support disaster response operations, especially during ongoing severe weather. 

Padilla noted that the sites serve as key hubs for prepositioning military assets and as command and control centers for enhanced ground operations, including search, rescue, and relief missions. 

“This is not the first time EDCA sites have been used during calamities,” Margareth added, describing them as “multirole facilities.”

Meanwhile, AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the activation of these sites underscores how the country’s defense partnerships, particularly with the United States, support Filipino troops on the ground. 

The AFP is coordinating closely with the US Indo-Pacific Command to ensure seamless interoperability in using shared facilities, transport, and airlift assets for humanitarian missions, he noted. 

“Using these forward-operating hubs allows us to deliver aid faster and more efficiently to our fellow Filipinos, especially in hard-hit and remote areas,” Brawner said.

Further, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. previously noted that EDCA sites were strategically built in the country’s most disaster-prone areas. 

Beyond their role in maintaining territorial integrity and deterrence, Teodoro emphasized that these facilities are vital for operations that require humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.