The Philippine Navy (PN) is eyeing the construction of additional naval bases that are more modern and can accommodate their new assets.

Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr., newly appointed Flag Officer in Command of PN, said part of his leadership will be the building of new naval stations and the development of old structures so that these can keep up with their modernization program.

"One priority of our leadership is to look at possible areas where we can develop as forward operating bases, staging areas for our naval operations," Adaci said on Monday, Nov. 28, during the commissioning of the Navy's two new patrol gunboats, Shaldag Mark V fast attack interdiction craft-missile BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) and BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG-902).

"That is one thing that I have mentioned during my assumption speech and that is one thing that we are going to pursue during our administration," added Adaci, who assumed the top Navy post last Nov. 24.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is working with the United States to build military facilities under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

The 2014 EDCA builds on the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). It provides a legal basis for Philippine and American service members to undertake security cooperation exercises, pursue joint and combined military training activities, and rapidly respond to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief effort from agreed locations in the Philippines, on a rotational basis.

EDCA sites have also been used by U.S. and Philippine forces during Kamandag and Balikatan military exercises.

According to the US Embassy, the US government has allocated over $82 million towards the EDCA implementation at all five existing locations.

These EDSA sites are located in Palawan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro City.

Last Nov. 14, AFP chief Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro said five additional EDCA sites will be built by the AFP and US government.

Two of the target sites will be in Cagayan, and one each in Palawan, Zambales, and Isabela but most, if not all of them, are air force bases.

Meanwhile, Adaci said one of the locations that the Navy will improve is the Oyster Bay, an old naval facility located in Palawan.

"We have existing naval stations for example in Oyster Bay and probably what we have to do there is to improve it further," the Navy chief said.

This will complement the military structures built on Pagasa (Thitu) Island to help them improve the living condition of the community there and better protect them from foreign intruders.

There are also locations in Subic that are also being looked into as potential new naval facilities but Adaci said the Navy will "have to do some studies first."