PINASALAMATAN ni Department of National Defense (DND) Officer in Charge (OIC) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. ang mga senador na nagpahayag ng suporta sa pagdaragdag ng sites o lokasyon para sa Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) para mapabilis ang implementasyon ng mga programa ng PH-US forces sa bansa.

“On behalf of the Department of National Defense, I sincerely thank our lawmakers for expressing their support for EDCA and the resumption of joint PH-US maritime patrols,” pahayag ni Galvez.

Matapos ang pulong sa pagitan nina Galvez at US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin kung saan napag-usapan ang planong pagdaragdag ng apat na bagong EDCA sites ay agad ding nagbahagi sina Senator Francis Tolentino, Francis Escudero, at Sherwin Gatchalian ng positibong saloobin sa magandang maidudulot ng plano sa defense at security policy ng basa.

Ayon kay Tolentino, pabor siya sa pagpapataas ng defense at security operation ng dalawang bansa.

“I am in favor of defense/security cooperation ‘upgrades’ with reliable allies like the United States, considering the evolving regional conditions and challenges, so long as this is anchored on solid constitutional foundations and for the greater interests of the nation and EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) is evidently a good model.” Pahayag ni Tolentino.

Ayon kay Tolentino, umaasa sila na makikita ng Local Government Units (LGUs) na ang EDCA ay hindi lamang patungkol sa seguridad kundi posible itong magdala ng foreign investments at economic development sa kanilang komunidad.

Bukod pa aniya ito sa kaalaman at proteksyong ibibigay ng EDCA sa mga lugar na prone sa epekto ng climate change

Sa isyu naman ng joint maritime patrols, sinabi ni Senator Escudero na walang dahilan kung bakit hindi ito ipagpapatuloy.

Sen. Escudero said that the US has been the Philippines’ security ally since the late 1940s and “…that there is no reason not to continue that and what the President (Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.) saw as in the interest of our country, being the chief architect of our foreign policy.” Pahayag ni Escudero

Iginiit ng Senador na sa pamamagitang ng joint maritime patrols ay maaaring mabawasan ang mga kaso ng encroachments at harassment sa ating teritoryo.

Sa panig naman ni Gatchalian, sinabi nito na ang joint patrols at iba pang cooperative military activities kasama ang US ah makakatulong sa military interoperability ng dalawang bansa.

“And this is not only about combat, one huge aspect is disaster preparedness. Our country is often hit by disasters and we all know the US is well equipped for such situations,” paliwanag ni Gatchalian.

Ayon kay Galvez, mandato ng DND na siguruhin at depensahan ang soberenya at karapatan ng bansa tulad na lamang ng malayang makapangisda ng ating mga kababayan sa tubig na sakop ng ating teritoryo.

“We also share the vision of like-minded nations in ensuring freedom of navigation and a peaceful, stable and free Indopacific,” pahayag ni Galvez.

“As a member of the international community, we have a responsibility to protect the global commons in order to prevent humanity from constricting itself by ensuring that vital Sea Lines of Communications are kept open,” dagdag pa ng opisyal.

Aniya , kailangan din nating i-promote ang responsible stewardship sa ating yamang dagat na ngayon ay nangangganob dahil sa over fishing at manmade ecological degradation.

“reiterate that these endeavors we are undertaking are consistent with the President’s foreign policy of being a friend to everyone and enemy to no one,” paglilinaw ni Galvez.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Zaida I. Delos Reyes