Military sites under the Philippine-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) will be utilized as “key hubs for humanitarian assistance” amid the effects of heavy monsoon rains, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Tuesday.

In a statement, Brawner said these locations would serve as staging areas for prepositioning rescue equipment and consolidating relief goods.

“We are working closely with the Department of Social Welfare and Development to make sure our efforts are aligned and effective – bringing government agencies together in a whole-of-nation approach,” he said.

Using these EDCA sites would enable the military to deliver aid faster and more efficiently to affected communities in hard-hit and remote areas, Brawner said, noting that this kind of rapid response could spell the difference between life and death.

The utilization of EDCA sites for disaster relief complies with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s instruction, coursed through Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who chairs the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Brawner said the activation of the EDCA sites highlights how the AFP’s defense partnerships, particularly with the United States, are helping its troops on the ground.

“We are in close coordination with the US Indo-Pacific Command to ensure seamless interoperability as we utilize these shared facilities, transport, and airlift assets in this mission,” Brawner said.

He also said the AFP is leveraging every available advantage it has, including its strong alliances and strategic infrastructure, to fulfill its mandate of serving and protecting the people.

“The use of EDCA sites is not just a logistical decision but a commitment to bring support and comfort to our ‘kababayans’ (compatriots) with all possible speed and efficiency,” Brawner said.

Signed in 2014, EDCA provides for Filipino and American soldiers to train together and enables US troops to build facilities and preposition supplies and equipment inside strategically located bases in the country.

There are nine EDCA sites across the country – the 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. (PNA)