Philippine Coast Guard personnel document a Chinese Coast Guard vessel shadowing the Philippine's resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, March 5, 2024. - Reuters
MANILA: The Philippines is exploring the possibility of converting two islands that were once part of a US navy base into a military reservation, its defence department said on Thursday (March 20), a move to bolster its presence in waters facing the South China Sea.
Grande and Chiquita islands are located in Subic Bay, which was once a sprawling US base until the Philippines rejected a lease extension in 1991. The US military pulled out a year later and the strategically located facility has since been transformed into a freeport zone.
