US to build boat maintenance facility in Palawan to boost PH maritime capability
In a statement, the embassy said the US Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command issued a public solicitation on July 7 for the design and construction of the facility at the Naval Detachment Oyster Bay.
The facility will provide repair and maintenance capabilities for several small Philippine military watercraft. It will also include two multi-purpose interior rooms for equipment storage or conference use.
The embassy clarified that the facility is not a US military base and has been approved by the Philippine government in accordance with local laws and regulations of both countries.
'Our U.S.-Philippine alliance, with its roots in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, remains a cornerstone of peace and security, promoting our common vision for a free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific,' the embassy said.
The planned facility will be located near the West Philippine Sea, where tensions remain high due to China's sweeping claims over the South China Sea, including parts within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China's expansive claims had no legal basis. China has refused to recognize the ruling.
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