No military bases being built, just access -- DND chief

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 27): No military bases being built, just access -- DND chief

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin Thursday denied the Philippine military will be building installations in Subic Bay, Zambales which the country will share with its key allies.

He said: "Let me clarify issues, we're not going to construct bases, we will be accepting access (to by foreign allies); right now the agreement has not been firmed up, we are in crafting the agreement based on our constitution and the Visiting Forces Agreement.

"After that is done then we will be allowing if and when there is agreement on the access then there will be equipment coming in from the United States."

Gazmin said that should this plan go ahead, Japan is more than welcome as the latter is a strategic partner in accordance with existing protocols.

The reports claimed that proposed bases would allow the Philippines and its allies to station warships and fighter jets just 124 nautical miles from Scarborough Shoal, a contentious area of the South China Sea now controlled by China after a tense standoff last year.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=538638