CLARK FREEPORT – The recently signed Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the US and the Philippines has so far not changed initial plans to move out units of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) from this freeport, but consultations on this are expected to be held by the government.
“From where I stand, there has so far been no change to the plans to transfer the air force from Clark, but we can expect that consultations will be done by the government,” PAF spokesperson Col Miguel Okol said in a telephone interview.
The Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) earlier announced that all units of the PAF here would be moved out to other locations to give way to more investors in this Freeport. But the signing of EDCA last April has raised concerns on whether this plan would be delayed or altogether scrapped as the US Air Force is expected to use this former US military base under the new agreement. If the PAF moves out, Clark could no longer be classified as a Philippine military camp qualifying under EDCA.
Earlier, the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) which is BCDA’s implementing arm in this freeport, said that only 145 hectares of land within its jurisdiction remain available for lease to investors. Some 300 more hectares have been occupied by the PAF here, covering residential areas, a hotel, a golf course, a resort, a football field, among other facilities.
While Okol said he was confident that “the national government would not permit hampering the development of Clark” and that “nothing has been said to the effect that the development of Clark should stop,” he also cautioned that “national development and national security should go hand in hand.”
Still, Okol stressed that “EDCA has nothing to do with the development of Clark Freeport” although he said he was not aware of any government list of military camps that would be open for temporary use by the US military under the agreement.
Local business leader Ruperto Cruz, who founded the Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement (PGKM) which pushed for the development of Clark as the country’s premiere international airport after the US military left its base here in 1991, said he would not object to the use of Clark by the Americans.
“There’s nothing wrong with that, for as long as this will not affect development plans at Clark,” he said. Cruz, who has business interests in China, said that the presence of the US military in the country could serve as deterrent to “bullying by China”, referring to the territorial conflict between China and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea.
“The government must not use EDCA as reason for any delay in the development of Clark,” he said. Seven units of PAF in this freeport have started with elements from the 710th Special Operations Wing (SPOW) moving to the northern Crow Valley area traditionally used for US-Philippine military bombing exercises in Capas, Tarlac.
The initial plan of the government is to move the 410th Maintenance Wing, the Air Logistics Command, and the 420th Supply Wing, to Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga. There were also initial plans to transfer the Air Defense Wing to Subic Freeport, but there were reports that the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) considered charging lease for land use there.
New buildings have already been constructed in Crow Valley area north of this freeport to accommodate the 710th SPOW, on top of an administration building and a watchtower built years ago by the 600th Air Base Wing in the site covering some 7,000 hectares.
But sources from the PAF said the transfer of the rest of the air force units would depend on the availability of more funds. It is estimated that the transfer of the entire PAF based at Clark would cost about P9.5 billion, to include the cost of horizontal and vertical replication of needed structures found here.
EDCA is a ten-page document containing a preamble and 12 articles and has been described as a framework agreement that raises the scope of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).
The Preamble to the EDCA refers to the obligations of the Philippines and the United States, under both the Charter of the United Nations and the MDT, to settle international disputes by peaceful means, not to endanger international peace and security, and to refrain from the threat or use of force “in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.”
The preamble states that both parties “share an understanding for the United States not to establish a permanent military presence or base in the territory of the Philippines.” It concludes, “all United States access to and use of facilities and areas will be at the invitation of the Philippines and with full respect for the Philippines Constitution and Philippine laws.”
