THE 21ST City Council on Tuesday expressed opposition over the reported plan to construct a US military oil depot in Davao Region, as it directly places ordinary citizens at risk.
In a privilege speech, proponent Councilor Pamela Librado said the US depot is not merely infrastructure but a strategic military installation.
Librado said the move is anchored on “skewed,anti-Filipino agreements” such as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
“When an infrastructure like this oil depot is built, it becomes part of the machinery that sustains war and extends military intervention,”she said.
She stressed facilities such as this enable war, risking turning the country into a “proxy staging ground” for foreign conflicts.
“If we allow facilities like this oil depot to take root, we risk becoming a logistical base for foreign military intervention – a silent partner in wars that displace communities, destroy livelihoods, and violate human rights,” Librado said.
While the Philippines is not involved in the US war with Iran, the region can become a target if the refueling hub pushes through.
This is reflected in the countries Qatar, UAE, Iraq and Kuwait, which became targets as they hosted US military facilities.
The councilor lamented that the proposal is “insensitive” at this critical moment, when the nation is facing an energy crisis, marked by rising fuel prices, job losses, declining incomes, and worsening economic insecurity.
Citing reports, the United States is eyeing this depot to supply up to 42 million gallons of fuel annually, and the Defense Logistics Agency says that it targets 977,000 barrels storage which will store US-government owned fuel for its warships and aircraft within a four-year period.
“Yet, we are prioritizing infrastructure that fuels foreign military operations. Samtang ang katawhan naglisod sa kamahal ug kakulang sa produktong petrolyo, ang gobyerno motugot og depot para sa militar sa usa ka langyaw nga nasud nga mo-imbak og lana para sa gera,” she stressed.
The councilor added that the proposed oil depot raises serious constitutional concerns, as it potentially enables foreign war logistics in the country will definitely run counter to the constitutional principle of sovereignty.
“The Philippines must uphold a policy of neutrality and independence. We must not host foreign military bases – US or otherwise – on our soil, nor allow our territory to be used as a platform for any foreign power’s war,” she said.
“Our land must serve the Filipino people, not foreign military interests,” Librado stressed, calling to reject any move that turns the region a “proxy for foreign wars” and undermines our security as Davaoeños.
On March 31, the US Defense Logistics Agency issued a formal solicitation for contractors to bid on a Defense Fuel Support Point project in the said area. The DFSP forms part of a broader network of refueling hubs intended to support US military vessels and aircraft operating across the Pacific.
