EDCA as a trap: Why PH must avoid becoming America’s next battlefield

WHEN great powers expand wars, smaller states connected to their military infrastructure discover a harsh geopolitical truth: alliances do not eliminate danger, but often relocate it. For the Philippines, this reality is becoming increasingly urgent. The rapid expansion of the United States’ military access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) risks transforming the archipelago into a forward operating platform in Washington’s next major con?ict in Asia. Recent events in the Middle East illustrate the danger. On Feb. 28, 2026, the US and Israel launched large-scale strikes on Iran, hitting strategic sites in Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, and other cities. Iran’s…