EDCA sites activated as relief hubs amid Crising, Habagat

The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites with the United States will now act as "relief efforts hubs" amid the impact of Tropical Cyclone Crising and the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat.

In a statement on Tuesday, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said he has ordered the activation of the EDCA sites as forward operating hubs for humanitarian aid.

“I have ordered our Unified Commands and Major Services to activate these sites as primary hubs for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations,” Brawner said.

“This activation includes the strategic prepositioning of our rescue assets and the consolidation of relief goods, which we are undertaking in close partnership with the DSWD to ensure a synchronized, whole-of-nation effort,” he added.

Brawner made the move following the direct instruction of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. through Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

According to him, the activation of EDCA sites will speed up the delivery of assistance to the victims.

“These hubs will serve as staging areas for pre-positioning rescue equipment and consolidating relief goods,” Brawner said.

“We are working closely with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to make sure our efforts are aligned and effective—bringing government agencies together in a whole-of-nation approach,” he added.

US Indo-Pacific Command

The AFP is coordinating with the US Indo-Pacific Command on the use of the EDCA sites for the relief efforts.

“We are in close coordination with the US Indo-Pacific Command to ensure seamless interoperability as we utilize these shared facilities and other transportation and airlift assets for this vital purpose,” Brawner said.

“The AFP is leveraging every available advantage, including our strong alliances and strategic infrastructure, to fulfill our most sacred mandate: to serve and protect our people. The use of EDCA sites is not just a logistical decision; it is a commitment to bringing aid and comfort to our kababayans with all possible speed and efficiency,” he added.

Meanwhile, AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said Monday the military has deployed 33 disaster response task units (DRTUs) as well as search, rescue, and retrieval (SRR) teams composed of 316 personnel to severely affected areas in Northern Luzon and the Visayas.

“In addition, 16 land assets to include KM 450 trucks and general purpose vehicles have been mobilized in these areas to support ground operations and relief efforts. A total of 1,191 DRTU and SRR teams with 12,907 personnel from all major services and unified commands remain on standby,” she said in a press briefing.

“The AFP has also readied 1,027 land assets, military trucks, ambulances, and general purpose vehicles, 48 air assets, both rotary and fixed wing, and 25 sea assets across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao for any emergency deployment,” she added.

Six people were reported dead due to Crising, Habagat, and the low pressure area (LPA), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Tuesday.

A total of 1,266,322 persons or 362,465 families were affected by the bad weather in all regions in the country except for Eastern Visayas.

Floods, landslides, collapsed structures, and tornadoes were reported in the affected areas.—VAL/RF, GMA Integrated News