Washington: United States President Donald Trump underscored the strategic importance of the proposed ammunition manufacturing facility in Subic Bay in Zambales, saying it would boost both Philippine defense capabilities and US military readiness.

According to Philippines News Agency, Trump emphasized the necessity of the facility during a press conference at the White House, following a bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who is in the US for a three-day official visit. Trump stated, "It's very important. Otherwise, we wouldn't have approved it," underscoring the project's role in significantly enhancing the ammunition reserves of both nations.

The proposed joint project, which will be built in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, is part of a broader US-Philippines defense cooperation agenda under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), amid rising tensions in the South China Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific region. The US House Committee on Appropriations has tasked its Department of Defense, State Department, and the International Development Finance Corp. to evaluate the feasibility of establishing such a facility in Subic Bay.

Marcos clarified that the ammunition production initiative aligns with the country's Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP), and US support aims to empower the Philippines to enhance its defense capabilities independently. He highlighted the importance of building the nation's capacity to be self-reliant regardless of future circumstances.

Regarding the potential for hosting more US missile systems, Marcos indicated that military modernization efforts are necessary responses to evolving security challenges. He expressed a preference for reduced military spending but acknowledged the current necessity.

The Subic site, a former US naval base turned commercial hub, is strategically located near the West Philippine Sea, a resource-rich area within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone that overlaps with the South China Sea, which China claims entirely.