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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Why the DND is building a runway and Philippine Navy station on Balabac Island

Why the DND is building a runway and Philippine Navy station on Balabac Island

Published Jun 7, 2025 02:58 pm
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. leads a community outreach on Balabac Island in Palawan on June 6, 2025. He says that key infrastructure projects will be implemented on the island, including the establishment of a runway and a naval station. (Photo: DND)
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. leads a community outreach on Balabac Island in Palawan on June 6, 2025. He says that key infrastructure projects will be implemented on the island, including the establishment of a runway and a naval station. (Photo: DND)

The Department of National Defense (DND) will construct an airstrip and a Philippine Navy (PN) station on Balabac Island in Palawan, one of the nine Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites agreed upon by the Philippines and the United States. 

DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the runway will be jointly used by the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

“Balabac is a strategic location for the Philippines because an international sea lane in the southwestern Philippines passes through it,” he said, referring to Balabac Strait which connects South China Sea with the Sulu Sea.

“The runway will provide greater connectivity for the people,” he added.

Teodoro led a community outreach on Balabac Island on Friday, June 6, to deliver free services and aid to communities in need.

Balabac Island is located in the southernmost part of Palawan. It borders the West Philippine Sea (WPS), and is only 140 nautical miles from Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, a low-tide elevation within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines that was reclaimed and turned into a heavily militarized artificial island by China.

In 2023, President Marcos Jr. announced that he had approved the inclusion of Balabac Island as among the four new EDCA sites in the country, on top of five sites identified in 2016.

EDCA is a bilateral agreement between Manila and Washington that allows for increased rotational presence of US troops and equipment in “agreed locations” within the Philippines to support security cooperation, joint training, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.

Meanwhile, Teodoro said the naval station will help deter potential surveillance activities by foreign actors in Palawan.

“That (surveillance) is not a remote possibility because it is an international sea route, a recognized sea lane. Sometimes, Chinese vessels really pass through it. If we fail to establish our presence here, it is very easy for foreign influence to abuse it,” the defense chief noted.

In recent months, multiple suspected espionage incidents have been reported, especially in Palawan, with some cases involving Chinese nationals. 

These incidents have sparked concerns about possible spying on military assets and operations in the West Philippine Sea.

In January, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested five Chinese nationals for allegedly conducting surveillance on the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard in Palawan, tracking their activities and gathering sensitive information.

Teodoro did not give a timeline as to when the runway and naval base will be completed but he said the DND is eyeing to finish them “as soon as possible.”

The runway is being built in coordination with the CAAP as Teodoro emphasized the need for a clear boundary between areas designated for civilian use and those reserved for military personnel.

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DND Gilberto Teodoro Jr. Balabac Island Palawan runway naval station
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