LMP-Cagayan Chapter supports EDCA sites

By Liezel Basa Inigo

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- The Cagayan Chapter of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) had already signed a resolution expressing and manifesting its support for Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
    Resolution No. 05 series of 2023 dated February 15, 2023 stated the collective support of the mayors of the Cagayan province for the establishment of a military base in the province in relation to EDCA.
    The resolution was made prior to last April 17’s prayer rally attended by about 5,000 Cagayanos who expressed their opposition to EDCA sites in the province.
    The resolution even declared that the presence of these new EDCA sites will result in a rapid support for humanitarian and climate-related disasters in the Philippines and other countries.
    The resolution also stated that the league is considering the benefits it may bring to the province, particularly in terms of peace and security.
    Said resolution was signed by the mayors of Cagayan during the first regular meeting of the league of municipalities of the Philippines – Cagayan Chapter, held on February 15, 2023 at the Lal-lo Multi-purpose Center, Lal-lo Cagayan.
    The EDCA is an agreement between the Philippines and the United States which is envisioned to advance the implementation of the Philippine-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).
    It is designed to promote interoperability, Capacity Building towards AFP modernization, Strengthening AFP for external defense, maritime security, maritime domain awareness and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) between the Philippines and its defense treaty ally, the United States.
    On Monday (April 17), more than 5,000 Cagayanos joined a prayer rally led by Prayer for Peace Cagayan Movement at Rizal Park in Tuguegarao City to voice out their strong opposition to EDCA sites in the province.
    Gov. Manuel Mamba thanked his constituents who joined the prayer rally. The people ventilated their respective opinions on the possible danger that the two EDCA sites would bring to the province..