MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines plans to relocate major air force and navy camps to a former U.S. naval base northwest of Manila to gain faster access to waters being contested by China in the South China Sea, according to the country’s defense chief and a confidential government report.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Sunday that as soon as relocation funds are available the government plans to transfer air force and naval forces and their fleets of aircraft and warships to Subic Bay, which has become a busy free port since the 1992 departure of the U.S. Navy.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/philippines-to-move-air-force-navy-camps-for-faster-access-to-disputed-south-china-sea-areas/2013/07/28/d68eed8a-f750-11e2-81fa-8e83b3864c36_story.html