CITY OF SAN FERNANDO The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) on Thursday announced that Clark Freeport is not included in this year's US-Philippines Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA military exercises.
BCDA Chairman Delfin Lorenzana said the former US base is now a civilian community focused on economic growth and infrastructure development.
"As far as I know, the EDCA exercises will be held in military camps. Clark is no longer a military camp but a civilian airport," he said.
Two camps in Central Luzon---Basa Air Base in Pampanga and Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation in Nueva Ecija---are among the five exercises EDCA sites.
Other military exercises areas include the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Lumbia Air Field in Cagayan De Oro, and Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu.
Lorenzana added that the two Central Luzon military bases already have the necessary logistics and infrastructure for the Edca joint exercises built in 2018.
The BCDA official meanwhile confirmed that the planned relocation of the Philippine Air Force base at Clark Airforce City is now under study as their current location will be used to build a second runway for Clark International Airport.
"We are discussing that now. Either we relocate them at New Clark City or Basa Air Base. We will see which is better. There is no timetable yet but we want to resolve this soon so we can start with the runway project," he said.