MANILA, Philippines -- U.S. Ambassador Sung Y. Kim and Secretary of National Defense Delfin N. Lorezana participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the first major project under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) at Cesar Basa Air Base, Pampanga, on April 17.

The groundbreaking marked the beginning of construction on a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief warehouse which will be used to preposition equipment and supplies critical to the U.S. and Philippines’ ability to respond quickly and effectively to humanitarian crises in the region.

EDCA is a mutually beneficial agreement that will help build capacity for U.S. forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines through interoperability, capability development, and modernization.

The United States is working closely with the Philippine government on future EDCA projects at five locations: Cesar Basa Air Base, Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation, Lumbia Air Base, Antonio Bautista Air Base, and Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base.