The
military bases and the presence of the US armed forces and military personnel are
not new to me. My family came from Pampanga and we often visit our province.
During those times that we go home to our province, we make sure that we pass
by Clark Air Base to get some groceries from Duty Free or Puregold. I will
never leave Clark and get home to Manila without a bar of Butterfinger in my
hands and a pack of Chocolate flavored Cowhead in my bag. I got more exposed to the former US
base and the presence of the US whether civilian, military, or goods and
supplies when I entered UP Diliman Extension Program in Clark, Pampanga for my
college education. The campus is located at the heart of the base near the
Diosdado Macapagal International Airport. The difference of my view with regard
to the presence of the US military when I was a kid and when I was in college
is that when I was a kid I am fascinated with the presence of the military
planes which are gigantic and the unfamiliar faces of foreign individuals; when
I was in college, I got more exposed to the reality of the presence of these US
military forces because I have seen how they really affect the society both in
the perspectives of economy and sociology.
The busy streets of Angeles,
Pampanga which is just beside the US Clark Airbase are now very commercialized
because a lot of business opened and operated. During the day you can see
normal daily activities of a city where various restaurants, malls, spas,
banks, and other commercial establishments are open. Inside Clark, there were a
lot of factories that opened and Business Process Outsourcing are now coming in
giving job opportunities to the locals of Pampanga. The fast growing commercial
industry in the region may be associated with the economic benefits that
businesses get from the Economic Development Zone in Clark. Medical facilities
are also improved because of the assistance of American military personnel in
the area who are equipped and skilled with advanced medical technology.
I pointed out the changes I
observed in that particular area in Angeles and Clark because this is the most
obvious contribution if not effect of the presence of the US armed forces in
the country. I have noticed that the Filipinos benefit more on the economic
contribution of the US forces rather than the military training we supposed to
be receiving.
The Enhanced Defense Cooperation
Agreement or the EDCA has been created and executed between the United States
and the Philippines for a mutually agreed military training and other
activities beneficial to the enhancement of national security and safety. I
would like to focus on the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR)
and its Economic benefits to the Philippines. In the year 2013, the country is
struck by what is considered the strongest typhoon to ever hit the country,
Typhoon Yolanda. I will not deny the quick and efficient response given by the
US forces but I was not satisfied with the AFP’s response. The HADR
specifically provides that assistance and relief in cases of disaster shall be
in cooperation with the US forces. The EDCA aims to train our military forces
and not to be dependent to the US forces. It seems obvious to me that during
times of disaster we become dependent to the US troops and once their presence are
not visible, we become lax and distorted. The AFP more than international
territory disputes needs to focus more on internal security and defense. How
can we protect ourselves externally from other nations interests in our
territory if we cannot defend and secure ourselves internally.
The purposes of the EDCA are
precisely defined and provided in the agreement but I think the execution part
is critical. The thrust is to train Philippine military troops for enhanced
defense and security mechanisms and not to be dependent to the US forces. The
constitution also grants validity to this agreement therefore the government should
take advantage of this privilege grated by the constitution to the fulfillment of
this agreement to meet all the benefits we can get from it. Defense is also intelligence
and I believe that the AFP can benefit a lot from the training we can get from
the US forces. As far as defense is concerned, room for improvement is still at
large; economically speaking, the country is gaining from the presence of
theses agreed locations or bases as we call it locally.
The agreement shall have an
initial term of ten years and shall be in force unless terminated. So long as
our AFP calls for the assistance of the US forces training, they shall remain
here. I believe that the thrust should be being trained at the soonest and fastest
time possible. If dependency shall continue from the visiting forces, the AFP
will be dependent to them indefinitely. We will only benefit economically and I
shall remain the same kid with a bar of Butterfinger in my hands.
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