Manila: National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has expressed openness to the possibility of a US ammunition production and storage facility being established at the former American base in Subic Bay, Zambales. Although he has not yet received any formal proposal, he believes such a development would be beneficial to the Philippines.

According to Philippines News Agency, Teodoro stated, "Any production entity which would be of benefit to the Philippines, not only in terms of our resilience, but improving, giving employment, and other technological transfers, that might be encouraged," during a press briefing at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. He emphasized that such a proposal is likely, considering that the Philippines and the United States are "like-minded and treaty partners."

Earlier reports mentioned that US lawmakers are considering the possibility of establishing these facilities at Subic Bay due to the "lack of forward-staged ammunition manufacturing" in the Indo-Pacific Region. In response to this development, the US House Committee on Appropriations has directed its Department of Defense, State Department, and the International Development Finance Corporation to assess the feasibility of establishing such facilities in Subic Bay.