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Ruffy Magbanua

PRETTY soon, human activity will be back at the old Lumbia Airport, not because of passengers and commercial airlines but because of American soldiers  who are coming to town to establish a “temporary residence.” Methinks, there is no stopping it.

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Early this month, no less than  Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin had  announced publicly that  a US  military facility will be built this year inside the former Lumbia domestic airport as part of the  Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) with the country’s “Big Brother,” the United States of America.

This was confirmed by Army chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Ano who said that Malacanang has already set its mind to allow  American troops to put up a military storage facility despite  strong opposition from progressive sectors, including religious and civil society groups.

Now occupied by the 15th Strike Wing of the Philippine Air Force, the former domestic airport, situated strategically on top of  a hill in Barangay Lumbia, will soon undergo a major facelift after “proper documents” are put in place.

This brings us to this question: would it benefit the city?

It will mean no harm to the city,  Secretary Gazmin assured us Cagay-anons, saying that the presence of Americans will definitely enhance the delivery of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief during calamities.

Under the Edca, the Philippines and the US have agreed to implement a bilateral security mechanism “to preposition and store defense equipment, supplies, and materiel, including but not limited to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief equipment on the agreed locations.”

However, access and disposition of the pre-positioned war materiel will be under the full control of the US military though the Philippines, as a sovereign nation will retain ownership of the “agreed locations” such as  the Lumbia airport.

Lumbia was one among the five “Edca-Agreed Locations” where Americans can develop and build facilities as identified in the course of the 6th Bilateral Strategic Dialogue held in Washington DC.

Other four identified areas are the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija and Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu.

Perceived by Malacanang as  strategic decision, the presence of US military facilities in the country would help bring stability in the disputed West Philippine Sea, now heavily occupied by China.

And so, this second question:  Do we really need the help of Uncle Sam?  Or do we allow ourselves to continue playing deaf and blind on China’s unperturbed encroachment of island territories considered  not theirs?

I once overheard “presidentiable” Sen. Miriam Santiago junking the US-China imbroglio as power play with our country serving as amphitheater in their respective quest for global supremacy.

Realistically, we need to improve  our country’s security and  modernize of  military, but not  to the extent of allowing ourselves to act like beggars waiting for donors to offer us second-hand, WW II- vintage defense equipment and war materiel.

Perhaps the plan to return the lot to the city government will be more practical and appropriate at this time when Cagayan de Oro, a billionaire city, is seen growing by leaps and bounds.

A House Bill authored and filed by 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, now a mayoral candidate for Cagayan de Oro, seeks to transfer ownership of the old Lumbia airport from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to the city government.

Rodriguez, currently a frontrunner in the campaign for the top elective post in the city considers the 500-hectare Lumbia property as “future city within a city.”

But with the local campaign going crazy by the minute, who would want to sit down in the halls of the city council to support the Rodriguez bill now pending in Congress?

My next question: Will the Americans bring goodwill  and lasting friendship?  The answer would be: Maybe yes. Maybe not.

Big business says the presence of US troops could serve as come-on and  relief for both local and foreign investors.

It says further that more economic activity will be  generated if the country and its territorial waters are securely fastened and tightly guarded against aggressors of the state.

It could also mean more economic activity like investors and tourists coming  to the city, pouring their dollars into the local economy.

However, varied voices,  heard loud and clear from all corners these days  are saying that the imminent presence of US forces in the city and elsewhere in the country could lead to  human rights abuses and other unlawful  acts detrimental to the society in particular and to the country in general.

Let’s cross the bridge when we get there.

E-mail: ruffy44_ph2000@yahoo.com

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