Bencyrus Ellorin, a geopolitical observer, clarified that the presence of American troops at Lumbia Airbase in Cagayan de Oro is part of planned military exercises designed to share knowledge and provide training for Filipino soldiers.
He explained that these activities are coordinated annually by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of National Defense (DND) in line with treaty obligations between the Philippines and the United States, including the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) signed in 2014.
Ellorin emphasized that the US has long been a strategic ally of the Philippines in military, economic, and cultural spheres.
These treaties, he noted, strengthen both security and trade cooperation between the two nations.
The exercises at Lumbia are not limited to humanitarian or disaster response operations but are part of a broader, long-standing military partnership.
According to Ellorin, the clear purpose of the US troop presence demonstrates the strategic alliance between the Philippines and the United States.
