US military begins storage facility construction in Philippines

The US military on Tuesday started the construction of a storage facility at a base in the Philippines' Pampanga province.

The US Embassy said in a statement that the facility at the Basa Air Base is "the first major construction project within the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA)", reports Xinhua news agency.

"The groundbreaking ceremony marks the beginning of construction for a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief storage facility, which will house equipment and supplies critical to responding efficiently and effectively to humanitarian crises in the region," the statement read.

Philippine Defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana and US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim attended the ceremony.

Kim told reporters that more facilities will be built in the four other Philippines military bases under the EDCA.

The Philippines is a treaty ally of the US.

--IANS

ksk/bg