MANILA – The United States has yet to make a formal offer on its planned establishment of an ammunition facility in Subic Bay, Zambales, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
In a Palace press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. needs to be briefed about the US’ plan to build an ammunition plant in the country before making a decision.
“Since wala pa naman pong formal offer patungkol po dito, mas maganda po siguro, bago natin hilingin ang tugon ng ating Pangulo ay mas magandang mailatag sana sa kaniya kung ano ang mga detalye dito (Since there is no formal offer yet regarding this, it would be better, before we ask for our President's response, to lay out to him the details of this),” Castro said.
“Ang Pangulo naman po ay doon lagi sa makakabuti sa ating bansa at makakabuti sa taumbayan (The President is always for what is good for our country and the people).”
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., in a press briefing at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on Monday, expressed support for the proposed establishment of an ammunition factory and depot by the US at Subic Bay.
Teodoro said Washington D.C.’s proposal would strengthen Manila’s resilience, boost employment, and improve technological transfers.
American lawmakers are looking at the possibility of establishing ammunition production and storage facilities at Subic Bay, citing the "lack of forward-staged ammunition manufacturing" in the Indo-Pacific Region, according to earlier reports.
The US House Committee on Appropriations ordered its Department of Defense, State Department, and the International Development Finance Corporation to assess the feasibility of establishing such facilities in Subic Bay. (PNA)