Official confirms plan to increase US troops' presence in Phl

From the Philippine Star (Oct 9): Official confirms plan to increase US troops' presence in Phl

The Philippines stands to benefit economically and militarily to the increase in engagements with American troops in the country, an official of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) said yesterday.
Aboard USS Bonhomme Richard, VFA Executive Director Edilberto Adan said that the increase in military exercises between Filipino and US servicemen will not only bring new military doctrines and new equipment to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). “The country stands to benefit from these increased PHL-US engagements....” He likewise endorsed government plans to put back in harness the Subic International Airport (SIA) as a military airport to be used jointly by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US military. He also explained that no other naval base in the country could accommodate bigger US ships like the USS Bonhomme Richard.... Adan said that under the VFA, US visiting vessels are allowed not to pay for port duties. He said that if the SIA is transformed into a joint military airport, the US will have to pay millions of dollars to use it.
http://www.philstar.com/nation/article.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=200&articleid=857630