“Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.” – SIGMUND FREUD.
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This is not a man’s name nor a woman’s.
A fellow not familiar with EDCA may even assume it could be a title or affiliation of a prominent person with a prominent group , bloc or association.
Sounds like it, right?
The acronym stands for Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, an accord entered into by the Philippine government that has leanings on the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty between the US and the Philippines.
EDCA has subtly supplanted the two former US military bases – Clark and Subic which are the largest American military locations outside the continental United States.
Economic tensions between the US and China during the Trump regime have dampened the warm diplomatic relations between these two world powers such that the issue has widened its geographical coverage that now includes the exasperating irritants in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
The visit of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan late last year added more fuel to the fire because Beijing accused Washington of violating the One China policy agreed upon by these two giants.
The Americans appear to be successful in exploiting the EDCA to further their military coverage in the South China Sea as they have expanded the use of FOUR (4) more strategic areas in addition to the initial five locations..
In a bid to accelerate the full implementation of EDCA, $82M has been allocated to allow more rapid support for humanitarian and climate-related disasters and shared challenges that need prompt response.
Three areas chosen were located that have close proximity to China in the provinces of Cagayan, Zambales and Isabela.
US Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin, who recently visited, and Philippine counterpart DND Sec. Carlito Galvez jointly announced the agreement.
Naturally, China wasn’t too happy about this development, commenting that the new EDCA sites are adding more tensions than there are already.
Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba has protested the choice of his province as an EDCA site because it is very close – by nautical miles – to China’s southern regions.
News reports said he feared that Cagayan and his constituents might become a consequent target should there be any untoward incident between the US and China.
Of course, the fear is not without basis.
In fact, just for the sake of rational argument, the entire country would be in China;s radar screen if things go sour, militarily speaking.
For clarification, the EDCA was agreed upon in 2014 to promote the interoperability; capacity building towards AFP modernization and the strengthening of the AFP’s external defenses.
The EDCA also promotes maritime security and domain awareness by way of constructing facilities and infrastructure upgrades, and the storage and prepositioning of defense equipment and supplies.
So, regular military exercises and drills participated in by American soldiers and their Philippine counterparts are scheduled as top priorities.
It is too late to back out of EDCA because the circumstances appear to warrant what the country needs to repel the imperialist hegemony that China is already bearing upon us.
The numerous ugly fishing incidents in our territorial waters (Exclusive Economic Zone) told of the arrogant patrol ships of the Chinese Coast Guard that shooed away and scared Pinoy fishermen from fishing in the Scarborough Shoal near the coastline of Masinloc, Zambales.
This has been going on for years and it looks like a solution, though temporary, may be in sight.
The Philippine government must stand firm and proceed from a position of strength in its bilateral relations with China.
The recent state visit of PBBM to China and his eyeball to eyeball meeting with XI Jin Ping may hopefully spell positive for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
There are many more issues and concerns that need to be ironed out and the Philippines appear to be a pawn in the
chessboard where the US and China are the top two grandmasters dueling for the world championship.
(Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
