Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. "For me, my concern is the Philippine national interest and national security and we will have to put bases, not necessarily EDCA, throughout our archipelago," he added. Last April, the Philippine government announced the locations of the four additional EDCA sites considered as "suitable and mutually beneficial" for both the Philippines and the United States. Teodoro said the Philippine government is "pursuing an archipelagic doctrine with baselines" and part of it is establishing additional EDCA sites. "The paranoia of other people may be rightly so, [and] is taken into consideration but national security is paramount," he added.

Source: Manila Times August 04, 2023 20:48 UTC