Marcos says new military bases with US to be 'scattered' around the Philippines

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (centre) walks beside Philippine Army Commanding General Lt Gen Romeo Brawner Jr, (right), and Department of National Defense Office in Charge Carlito Galvez Jr, during rites at the 126th founding anniversary of the Philippine Army at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig on March 22, 2023. -- AP

MANILA (Reuters): Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Wednesday (March 22) he will make a formal announcement soon on the locations of four additional military bases under the Enchanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States.

Marcos last month granted the United States access to four sites, on top of five existing locations under the 2014 EDCA, which comes amid China's increasing assertiveness towards the South China Sea and self-ruled Taiwan.