EDCA: A double-edged sword

EDCA or the Enhanced Defense Cooperative Agreement is an agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America. Signed on April 28, 2014 in Manila, Philippines by Philippine Defense Secretary, Voltaire Gazmin, and the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, Philip Goldberg, and was timed during the official state visit by U.S. President Barack Obama.

This agreement shall have an initial term of ten years, it shall continue in force automatically unless terminated by either Party by giving one year's written notice through diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate this Agreement as stated in the agreement.

Rommel Banlaoi, executive director of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, wrote in an e-mail that the defense cooperation agreement will not only increase the United States’ presence in the region but also will “justify an increase of U.S. military assistance to the Philippines as a major non-NATO ally.”

“The Philippines can use this agreement as a leverage against China’s military and para-military presence in the Spratlys,” Banlaoi wrote, referring to an archipelago of largely uninhabited islands claimed by China and several other countries.

Further more in the words of the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, the goal of the EDCA is to “promote peace and security in the region.”

Indeed in reading the agreement it can be inferred that it will be in the benefit of the Philippines. But as human reasoning dictates there is always two sides in every story and this is no different. There is a reason why there are those who oppose this agreement and one of those reasons.

“The agreement includes defense and security issues which must be deliberated in the Senate. The presence of large contingents of US military troops, military ships and aircraft, and probably the presence of nuclear weapons in US naval fleets need to be debated and scrutinized by the Senate for the protection of our people,” Senator JV Ejercito said.

Answering the question “Is the agreement aimed towards the best interest of the Philippines?”

The Agreement is not automatically an asset for my country. One, actuations by U.S. troops in Philippine territory might trigger charges of aggression from China, and consequently, the Philippines might be named as an alleged perpetrator in the crime of aggression. Another aspect is the military aid apparently promised to the Philippines, which I understand to be some $50 million. If this is correct, these are beggar's alms. And it is doubtful if even this paltry sum will materialize, because of reported cutbacks in the US defense budget. Taken in the comments of Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago on EDCA.

As such there is a need for the Filipino people to read more and understand what it is the implications of EDCA to the soverignity of the Philippines and there diplomatic relations to other countries as well as what it is the United States may gain in this agreement. Will it be more beneficial to the Philippines or to the United States or will it give equal or acceptable benefits to both parties.