Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the U.S. will gain expanded access to military sites in northern Philippines close to Taiwan, as well as in Palawan province near the South China Sea, paving the way for a greater American presence in key locations as tensions with Beijing linger.
Marcos said at a televised briefing on Wednesday that the four additional sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement are "scattered around the Philippines” and will be identified once formalized with the U.S..
The new sites are meant to "defend” the main Luzon island’s eastern coast as well as some areas in the south, the president said. Local politicians who initially opposed the sites have "come around to support” the plan to expand U.S. access after talks with the national government, he added.