The United States and the Philippines have announced a deal allowing for a rotating US military presence at five Philippine bases.
The security agreement between the countries comes amid rising tensions with China in the South China Sea.
A joint statement after an annual US-Philippines Strategic Dialogue listed the sites as Antonio Bautista Air Base, close to the contested Spratly Islands in the South China Sea; Basa Air Base north of Manila; Fort Magsaysay in Palayan; Lumbia Air Base in Mindanao and Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu.
US ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg told reporters movements of supplies and personnel to the base locations would take place "very soon".
He described the agreement, valid for an initial 10 years, as "a pretty big deal," that would allow for a greater US presence as part of the superpower's rebalance to Asia and enhance the alliance with the Philippines.
However, he stressed that it did not allow for permanent US bases that existed for 94 years until 1991, when the Philippine Senate voted to evict them.
Reuters
