# Philippines Defence Forum



## Malaya

There are Military News Updates for our fellow ASEAN brothers particularly Vietnamese and Indonesians. So I think it&#8217;s okay if I create a thread for the Filipinos as well. 







* Emblem of the Armed Forces of the Philippines*

This is a discussion thread for the *Latest Philippine Military News and Economy and News Updates*. 






[To all my fellow Pinoy members pakitulungan nalang ako sa pag-update dito. Maraming Salamat.]

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## Malaya

*US firm offering 21 Hueys for P1.2B to Phl*
By Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 14, 2013 

MANILA, Philippines - A California-based firm is offering the government 21 UH-1 or Huey helicopters for P1.2646 billion for use in the May elections.

The Air Force made the request for additional Hueys in 2011.

The offer was accepted because the amount is lower than the allotted P1.2649 billion.

Rice Aircraft Services Inc. was the sole bidder for the helicopters.

It was declared an eligible bidder after submitting all the necessary documentary requirements to the Bids and Awards Committee.

Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo told The STAR the helicopters will be delivered by March 31, weeks before the elections.

The helicopters will enable the Air Force to meet the airlift requirements during the May polls, he added.

Originally, two firms submitted bids for the delivery of the helicopters. However, the other bidder &#8211; Israel-based Radom Aviation Systems Ltd. &#8211; backed out.

Radom reportedly wrote to the defense department about its decision to withdraw its bid.

Defense officials said the company did not say why it was backing out.

Rice cannot yet be declared the winning bidder as it has to pass the post-qualification requirements that the defense department had set.

The post-qualification stage seeks to determine whether the bid is responsive to the technical and financial requirements of the project.

Rice can only be named the winning bidder after it receives a notice of award from the government.

The UH-1 is the primary helicopter of the Air Force.

US firm offering 21 Hueys for P1.2B to Phl | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


*PHL LOOKING FOR NAVAL SHIPS WITH FRIGATE CAPABILITIES*

MANILA, Feb. 13 (PNA) -- With the contract on the country's next-generation fighter aircraft almost a done deal, Defense spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez Wednesday said the Philippines is determined to acquire naval ships with "frigate capabilities" to help it protect and defend its 36,289 km coastline.



Galvez made the announcement when asked if the DND is in the market for modern offshore patrol vessels to boost the numbers of the Philippines Navy.



"(We are looking for ships with) frigate capabilities," he added.

The country has allocated around P11.7 billion to acquire two modern ships of the frigate type to backstop the aging naval assets of the PN by 2014.

Frigates are ships optimized for anti-submarine warfare and have a limited ability to engage aerial targets.

They are usually armed with surface-to-surface air missiles, anti-aircraft rockets, torpedoes and a variety of guns.

The DND earlier said five countries have expressed their intention to sell the Philippines modern frigates and offshore patrol vessels which will help the country protect its vast maritime territories.

Offers came from the United States, Israel, Croatia, South Korea and even Australia.

All vessels being offered by these nations are brand new.

Offers of the above-mentioned countries started coming during the last quarter of 2012.

The DND attributed the sudden influx of would-be-suppliers to the fact the Philippine is now seriously upgrading its military forces. (PNA)

http://ptvnews.ph/index.php/bottom-news-life2/11-11-nation-submenu/12538-phl-looking-for-naval-ships-with-frigate-capabilities

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## Malaya

*Canadian Military Ship On A Goodwill Tour To Philippines*






In a bid to strengthen the strong relations between the two countries, the Royal Canadian Navy has been on a goodwill tour to the Philippines.

Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina has arrived at the port of Manila Tuesday and the Royal Canadian military ship will be in the country till Feb 16, according to Canada's Ambassador to the Philippines Christopher Thornley.

"I am pleased to welcome HMCS Regina, its officers and crew to Manila. The Philippines has always been a very good host to our fleet and I know this visit will further strengthen a relationship that bridges the Pacific Ocean," Philippine newspaper Sun Star quoted the Canadian ambassador as saying.

Lieutenant Commander Gregory Fabic, acting spokesperson of the Philippine Navy, told the media that the goodwill visit was a chance for them to learn from their Canadian counterparts.

"The ship tour and exchange of expertise would provide added knowledge to our personnel," said Fabic in a phone interview with the Philippine newspaper Phil Star.

The acting spokesperson also told the paper that the two navies would also engage in friendly games to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

This is the first goodwill visit by the Canadian navy department since 1996.

The military has around 250 personnel onboard and is the fifth of 12 Halifax-Class frigates that have served the Royal Canadian Navy since 1992.

Canadian Military Ship On A Goodwill Tour To Philippines - International Business Times

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## Malaya

*DND getting 2 new warships*






MANILA, Philippines - Two warships will be purchased for the Navy to boost maritime security.

In a phone interview yesterday, Peter Galvez, Department of National Defense spokesman, said the acquisition is being fast-tracked.

&#8220;We&#8217;re giving ourselves until the end of the first quarter to finalize bidding for the frigates,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We are confident that we can follow the timeline and we can do it within the first quarter.&#8221;

Earlier, defense officials said about P11.7 billion would be allotted for the warships.

Originally, the government had intended to acquire the vessels through government-to-government transactions. However, offers from different countries had prompted senior security officials to opt for public bidding.

A government-to-government transaction is usually faster than public bidding.

However, the DND is optimistic that the acquisition of the vessels would not be delayed.

Earlier, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said public bidding would ensure transparency and allow the comparison of the ships being offered.

DefenseUndersecretary Fernando Manalo earlier said about six countries have offered to provide frigates to the Navy. Among them are the US, South Korea, Spain, Israel, Croatia and Australia.

These countries are cognizant of the government&#8217;s determination to upgrade the military&#8217;s capabilities, Manalo said.

Previously, Italy offered two Maestrale-class missile-firing warships with anti-aircraft, anti-ship and anti-submarine capabilities.

The Philippines has acquired two warships from the US.

The BRP Gregorio del Pilar arrived last year and the BRP Ramon Alcaraz is expected by April.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/02/11/907328/dnd-getting-2-new-warships

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## Malaya

*Spain offers corvettes Philippines "Discovered" to assert against China*






The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Gonzalo de Benito, offered the Executive Secretary of the Presidency of the Republic of the Philippines, Paquito Ochoa, the technology of our customs supervision and corvettes like "Discovery", manufactured by Navantia, to reaffirm the sovereignty of its waters off China's claim. Philippines has requested assistance from the Spanish experts to argue its sovereignty over the Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough Shoal) and other disputed maritime areas.

España ofrece a Filipinas corbetas 'Descubierta' para reafirmarse frente a China



*Philippine Navy Eyeing Anti-Submarine Copters*

MANILA, Philippinee --- The Department of National Defense (DND) is looking at equipping three naval helicopters due for delivery in 2014 with anti-submarine gears to further enable the aircraft to detect intruders in Philippine waters.

A senior defense official was referring to the three AugustaWestland AW109 naval helicopters, the contract of agreement of which was signed Dec. 20 last year. With a net price of P1,337,176,584, the three rotary wing aircraft are expected to be delivered to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in 2014.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin had earlier said that the acquisition of these naval helicopters is one concrete step toward the fulfillment of the government&#8217;s goal of modernizing the Philippine Navy (PN), and the AFP in general.

This early, a DND official said they are considering the installation of anti-submarine equipment to the AW109 helicopter to make it more capable in detecting undersea intruders.

The equipment being considered will include the so-called dipping sonar and magnetic anomaly detection device.

But due to weight constraints, specialized anti-submarine weapons like homing torpedoes will not be fitted. Instead, the helicopters will be used to detect and track the submarine target and forward its location to the two new frigates the country is expected to acquire in the next two years.

The ships, which are expected to be fitted with anti-submarine weapons, will have the job of neutralizing or driving away from Philippines waters these intruders.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/393302/philippine-navy-eyeing-antisubmarine-copters#.UR0X8IenpPl

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## p3avi8tor69

Hmmm, I thought Philippines bought another US Coast guard cutter and a couple of Italian frigates?


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## Fsjal

hurt said:


> I dont know where is sea named Philippine in the world.



Good one, but it's best not to cause trouble. Anyway, this is a thread about Philippine military.


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## Malaya

p3avi8tor69 said:


> Hmmm, I thought Philippines bought another US Coast guard cutter and a couple of Italian frigates?


read post #4


hurt said:


> I dont know where is sea named Philippine in the world.


This troll doesn&#8217;t know what he&#8217;s talking about.

The *International Hydrographic Organization* defines the Philippine Sea as "that area of the North Pacific Ocean off the Eastern coasts of the Philippine Islands"






Don&#8217;t worry because the world recognizes that we don&#8217;t own every island found in Philippines Sea. Unlike Chinese attitude *&#8220;What is mine is mine and what is yours is MINE TOO".*

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## Malaya

*US, Philippines boost defence ties amid China row
*





*The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, has called the Philippines Foreign Minister is discuss strengthening security and military relations between the two allies. (Credit: Reuters)
*

*The United States has agreed to strengthen its defence and security ties with the Philippines, as well as supporting its long-time ally in a territorial dispute with China.*

The United States and the Philippines have agreed to deepen their countries' cooperation on defence and security.

Newly-installed US Secretary of State John Kerry has also expressed his country's support to take a territorial row between the Philippines and China to the United Nations.

The backing is the most high-profile support the Philippines has received since challenging China's territorial claims at a United Nations tribunal.

The US Government has previously said it would not take sides in the rift over disputed islands in the South China Sea.

In a phone conversation, Mr Kerry and the Philippines Foreign Minister have both agreed to deepen their countries' cooperation on defence and security.

This would include enhancing military exercises and helping build the Philippines' capacity to defend its territory.

The Philippines admits to having a a poorly equipped military, with mostly ageing and second-hand fleets.

The country has frequently looked to its allies for help in improving its defence capability.

China claims most of the South China Sea, including waters close to the shores of its neighbours.

The claim is contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam, which have overlapping claims to some or all of those same areas.

The dispute led to a maritime standoff last year between the Philippines and China over the Scarborough Shoal.

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/in...nes-boost-defence-ties-amid-china-row/1089342

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## Malaya

*Philippines moves close to historic peace deal with Islamist rebels
After 40 years of conflict and 120,000 deaths, a self-governing Muslim entity could be a reality within weeks after an accord inspired by Good Friday agreement
*




*Muslim separatist rebels from the MILF conduct combat exercise at a guerrilla camp in Mindanao. Photograph: Mark Navales/AFP/Getty Images
*

Since 9/11, it has sometimes seemed as if the world has become consumed by battles with Islamist terrorists. From Iraq to Afghanistan, via Mali and Algeria, commentators have long argued that we are witness to a clash of civilisations.

But in the Philippines, the story is very different. After 40 years of revolutionary struggle over land, resources and religion that has claimed 120,000 lives and displaced more than 2 million people, a hardline Islamist rebel movement is slowly but surely coming in from the cold in the lawless south.

Inspired in part by the Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland, and encouraged by a reformist presidency in Manila, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has broken with al-Qaida-linked regional terrorist groups blamed for the Bali nightclub bombings and cast its lot for peace.

In a historic break with the past, Benigno Aquino, the Philippines president, visited the MILF stronghold in Mindanao earlier this week to meet rebel leaders and launch a new joint development programme to underwrite the peace process.





*President Benigno Aquino, right, shares sweets with rebel leader Murad Ebrahim.
*

Aquino said the government and MILF leaders were within weeks of finalising agreement on a joint transition commission, chaired by the rebels, that will oversee the creation of a new, self-governing Muslim political and geographical entity, the Bangsamoro &#8211; literally, the land of the Moro (derived from Moors, the name given to Mindanao's indigenous peoples by Spanish colonialists). "I think we're very, very close to agreements on all points," he said.

If all goes to plan in the Malaysian-mediated talks and if a new basic law produced by the commission is ratified by the Philippines congress, the Bangsamoro state within a state will come into formal existence by 2016, when Aquino, a passionate advocate of the peace process, is due to step down.

"When you look at the confrontations with Islamists in Mali, in Afghanistan, in Syria, and you see what's happening in Mindanao, it's a marvellous example of what can be done when you really want," a western analyst said.

"We are almost there on the outstanding issues, we can say we feel guarded optimism," said Jun Mantawil, head of the MILF secretariat and a member of the front's negotiating team, in an interview in Cotabato City, in western Mindanao. "There is a big signing ceremony in prospect when the agreement is finalised. We're confident the president can get it through congress."

Teresita "Ging" Quintos Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process, and Miriam Coronel Ferrer, chair of the government's negotiating panel, interviewed in Manila, agreed there was a sound basis for optimism.

"The road map on the table is real. I don't get a sense that it will break down now. The annexes [to last October's framework agreement] will be completed by March at the latest," Deles said. The transition commission would probably be unveiled this month.

But Deles warned against over-inflated expectations. "We are engaged in a race against time. There is a limited window, and this has been transmitted to [the MILF]. The president has always said his capacity to deliver has a limited shelf life &#8230; the MILF can choose to go for a perfect agreement, or to go for a more limited package that you can be sure will be delivered," she said.

Issues under discussion include territory, power-sharing, wealth-sharing, and normalisation, including demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration.

Mantawil, the MILF negotiator, said there were "sticking points" over the extent of the maritime area the new Bangsamoro authority would control, and over future revenues from supposedly vast but so far unquantified oil and gas fields that lie beneath the inland Liguasan marsh and off the Sulu archipelago, to the west of Mindanao island.

A 2006 cable from the US embassy in Manila, published by WikiLeaks, suggested the energy and mineral resources in MILF-controlled areas of Mindanao could be worth up to $1tn.

Unconfirmed reports circulating in 2011, when Aquino kickstarted the peace process with a breakthrough meeting with the MILF chair, Murad Ibrahim, in Tokyo, claimed Washington was pushing Manila for a peace deal in order to open up the area for energy exploitation.

What to do with the MILF's estimated 12,000 armed fighters is another vexed issue. The framework accord calls for the creation of an impartial civilian "police force for the Bangsamoro", the decommissioning of MILF cadres, and a handover of responsibility for security from the Philippines army to the new police force.

International support will be sought to assist "combatant and noncombatant" rebel elements to return to normal life, it says.

The negotiators' approach to policing and decommissioning was influenced by the British experience in Northern Ireland, Deles said. In an echo of the Good Friday agreement, the MILF has undertaken to put its weapons "beyond use".

Britain is a member of an international contact group promoting a peace deal, along with Japan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. In his interview with the Guardian, Mantawil said he had visited London, Belfast and Dublin to study the peace process there.

"It is a very similar situation to us [in Northern Ireland]," he said. "It was very encouraging for us. The Good Friday agreement is a bit of a model &#8230; decommissioning [of weapons] is very difficult to manage. In Northern Ireland they had a commission. Maybe we should, too."





*Teresita Deles meets with Indonesian soldiers and conflict resolution experts. The presidential adviser has become known for her inclusive approach. Photograph: Aaron Favila/AP
*

A recent report by the independent International Crisis Group struck a cautionary note. "The pact suggests fighters will help maintain peace and order while decommissioning is under way. But sceptics note there are plenty of thugs under the organisation's umbrella who should not be allowed to play any kind of policing role, formally or informally. The MILF understands these concerns &#8230;"

Mantawil said the MILF had severed its ties with Abu Sayyaf, an al-Qaida affiliate active in the lawless Sulu archipelago that has a history of seizing western hostages for ransom, or else beheading them. Clashes last week between a MILF splinter group and Abu Sayyaf fighters in Jolo reportedly left 30 people dead.

The MILF leader also distanced his organisation from Jemaah Islamiyah, the south-east Asian jihadist terror group that bombed Bali in 2002 and has launched attacks in Jakarta. "These people do not believe in peace. They are dissidents. We broke with them when they turned to terrorism. They are not one of us," Mantawil said.

The prospective end to violence in Mindanao has inspired civil society organisations to launch an urgent drive to shape the peace, with the emphasis on raising living standards in the Philippines' most impoverished and economically deprived region and on ensuring equal rights for women.

The international aid agency Oxfam has developed partnerships with local organisations to improve access to basic education and boost awareness of the peace process and indigenous people's rights. Known as the Oxfam Mindanao programme (OMP), the scheme is "designed to achieve sustainable livelihoods and greater protection for the Lumad [non-Muslim indigenous tribes], Moro, [and] small asset-holders".

The OMP, due to run until 2014, has disbursed £3m to date. Oxfam is also supporting a coalition of groups intent on securing open and transparent governance.

Aid workers said the prospect of a self-governing, semi-autonomous Bangsamoro, replacing the failed autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao set up by government fiat in the 1980s, has received a broad welcome. But they warn it could work to the disadvantage of some groups, especially women. The MILF says, for example, that it plans to extend the use of sharia law. What that will mean in practice is as yet unclear.

In the Moro village of Macasampen, outside Cotabato City, Oxfam is backing a local group, known as UnYPhil (United Youth of the Philippines &#8211; Women) whose main aim is to provide assistance to women subjected to violence, sexual and physical abuse, or discrimination.

Anna Bai, a UnYPhil activist, said the villagers had suffered greatly during the war between government troops and the MILF. "Sometimes gunfights would force us to leave the village several times a day. We were frightened and didn't know where to go. We didn't know whether we'd be alive the next day. The children were badly affected. They didn't want to go to school. Now they are frightened of loud noises. They have a phobia."

Bai said most people in the village supported the Bangsamoro plan but admitted they did not know much about it. "We don't have a copy of the agreement. We listen to what the government and the MILF say." On the question of equal rights, "each woman should have her own livelihood that is protected", Bai said. But a continuing sense of insecurity meant many women were still "a bit afraid" to go to the fields and forests to work.

Another villager, Aida Manpli, said her biggest worry was lack of money, a challenge common to most rural families. "I am a housewife," she said. "I take care of my four children. I want them to go to college. My eldest is 17. She wants to be a midwife. But I am telling her we probably can't afford it because my husband is a farmer."

Deles said increased government spending on infrastructure and social and economic development, prioritising education, health and livelihoods, was central to the Bangsamoro road map. Some analysts predict that, if carefully managed, resource-rich Mindanao could one day become the industrial and agrarian powerhouse of the Philippines.

"There is big development potential but it must be done in such a way that we do not create new problems and the benefits are shared. We must go carefully," Deles said.

Despite widely shared optimism about the future, many other obstacles to a lasting peace remain. They include possible opposition from Christian settler groups, a stalemate in congress after crucial national elections due in May, a falling off in Aquino's current, remarkable popularity, and further splintering of the MILF if quick results are not forthcoming. The island rulers of the Sulu archipelago, for example, are notoriously unbiddable.

Difficulties may also arise if the MILF does not take full account of the views of Mindanao's non-Muslim indigenous peoples, or Lumad, also known as the Bangsa-Mamalu, some of whose tribal leaders are now straining administrative coherence by seeking autonomous status within the new semi-autonomous Bangsamoro.

Although the MILF has promised an inclusive approach, Mantawil insisted the front would have sole charge of the proposed Bangasamoro transition authority prior to planned elections in 2015.

"Of course we must lead it. We fought for it for 40 years. We must have a clear majority," he said. Groups that opposed this were "counter-revolutionary".

Asked about such demands, Deles exhibits a patient smile. "If this process is to work, no elements of the Bangsamoro should feel they are being excluded," she said. After decades of military campaigning, "the MILF needs to show they can now behave like a political organisation.

"Every bit of the government is doing its bit to find a solution." "We cannot afford more damage to hope and confidence. We cannot afford not to have a happy ending."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/13/philippines-peace-deal-islamist-rebels

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## Malaya

*Thailand warships on goodwill visit*
By Manila Standard Today





*Capt. Adeluis Bordado, assitant chief of Naval Staff for Education and Training, greets Rear Admiral Sucheep Whoungmaitree and his officers on board HTMS Chaophraya of the Royal Thailand Navy. PN photo*

Three warships of the Royal Thailand Navy arrived in Manila Friday for a port call and goodwill visit.

Philippine Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Gregory Gerald identified the ships as HMTS Chaophraya (455), HMTS Bangpakong (456), and HMTS Pattani(511).

&#8220;They were officially accepted at 8 o&#8217;clock this morning (February 15, 2003) for a goodwill visit from Feb. 15 to 19,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The RTN ships are under the command of Rear Admiral Sucheep Whoungmaitree, the Commander of Royal Thailand Naval Cadet Training Unit.&#8221;

The fleet is composed of 759 officers, naval cadets, enlisted personnel and non-military rank personnel.

It was fetched at the vicinity of Corregidor Island at 5 a.m. And escorted by BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS-36) to the berthing area at Pier 13, South Harbor.

Captain Adelius Bordado, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Education and Training (N8), welcomed Whoungmaitree and its party.

Flag Officer In-Command Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano received the contingent in a ceremony at the Navy headquarters on Roxas Boulevard.

Fabic said Thai sailors are scheduled to do community outreach like classroom refurbishing at the Paco Elementary School, participate in games such as golf, football, and basketball at the Navy golf course and Bonifacio Naval Station grounds and gymnasium to be capped by a passing exercise by Philippine Navy ship on the fleet&#8217;s departure. Florante S. Solmerin

Thailand warships on goodwill visit - Manila Standard Today

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## Malaya

*Congress wants Filipino soldiers armed with modern equipment 
*By Antonio Figueroa






Over a decade after the Modernization Act of 1995 of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was approved, the Aquino government is getting more support from Congress in its program to equip with latest arms the Filipino soldiers.

This popular sentiment was voiced by Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento, a prominent lawmaker from Western Samar, in central Philippines, who saw the need to upgrade existing AFP training centers and educational facilities designed to update the skills and capabilities of Filipino pilots and naval personnel with the latest military technologies.

Samiento, vice-chair of the House Committee on National Defense, said in an emailed statement that instead of purchasing actual planes as trainers, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) should invest on upgradable simulation machines for modern helicopters, jets and latest weapons control.

&#8220;Some air force accidents,&#8221; he stressed, &#8220;are caused by pilot error and these errors are too costly. Planes can be replaceable but human lives aren't,&#8221; adding than even the modern air forces and navies around the world now rely on the more cost-effective simulation machines.

Apart from saving costs on the loss of lives and equipment during trainings,&#8221; he explained, &#8220;using simulation machines for trainings are more practical because it saves on fuel and minimize deterioration of equipment.

&#8220;Filipino soldiers are among the most skillful warriors in the world but they are also the most primitive when it comes to know-how on the latest war-fighting technologies. It is therefore imperative that we don't just modernize our equipment but we should modernize our soldiers as well,&#8221; he said.

Sarmiento&#8217;s pronouncement coincided with the statement made by American expert on Asian affairs Walter Lohman, director of US-based Asian Studies Center of Heritage, who urged the Philippines to strengthen its military force to assert its sovereignty over the contested territories in the West Philippine Sea.

Despite the country&#8217;s recent move of bringing the Scarborough Shoal dispute with China before the International Arbitral tribunal, Lohman expected Beijing to continue to assert its claims &#8220;aggressively,&#8221; adding that by pushing back China legally, the Philippines should also possess a &#8220;credible military force.&#8221;

The expert said that international law &#8220;is on the Philippine side&#8221; when it came to the nine-dash map claims of China, on beefing up the AFP muscle the country must acquire a fighter aircraft in order to tell the Chinese &#8220;to stay out of our territory,&#8221; noting that the non-claimant members of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) seemed &#8220;indifferent&#8221; to the legal move adopted by the Philippines because they were more interested in placating the Chinese.

Lohman&#8217;s statement was timed with the news that the Philippines will acquire ten 40-meter, multi-role response new patrol boats from Japan between February and August next year.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DND) Secretary Albert del Rosario said the vessels, costing around around P431,982,000 each (US$10 million) each, are part of a &#8220;soft-loan&#8221; grant which Manila requested from Tokyo in December 2013.

Additionally, the Japanese government has already ¥2.5-billion from its 2013 budget for training exercises of Filipino and Vietnamese personnel as part of Tokyo&#8217;s thrust to boost security cooperation with Southeast Asia countries.

Japan has been helping the Philippines modernize its Coast Guard since 1990, giving the country BRP Corregidor, a search-and-rescue vessel 15 years ago.

The AFP&#8217;s pervasive effort to strengthen its military muscle against external and internal aggressions has been getting positive endorsement from the Executive and Legislative branches of government over the years.

Last year, the military got P3.41-B (US$83.130 million) worth of modern equipment this year under its modernization program.
The package included the cost of acquisition of eight brand new combat-utility helicopters worth P2.657 billion (US$65 million), 20 upgraded helicopters, three (3) multi-purpose attack crafts for the Navy, 33 units of multi-purpose rocket launchers (MPRL), 81-millimeter mortar ammunition, and tubes for the Philippine Army (PA).

On top of this, DND is looking at equipping three naval helicopters, which will be delivered in 2014, with anti-submarine gears to further enable them to detect intruders in Philippine waters.

The acquisition of the three Augusta Westland AW109 naval helicopters was signed last Dec. 20, 2012, and the cost per rotary-wing aircraft was pegged at P1,337,176,584 (US$32.6 million).

The choppers will also be equipped with dipping sonars and magnetic anomaly detection devices, which will detect and track submarine target and forward its location to the two new frigates the country.

Last March 2012, the PAF formally accepted four (4) of the eight brand-new multi-purpose combat utility helicopters as part of the P2.8B acquisition contract between the AFP and Wytworinia Sprezetu Komunikacy Jnego&#8217; &#8216;PZL-SWIDNIK&#8217; SPOLJA AKCY JNA at the 410th Hangar, in Pampanga, a province north of Manila.

The choppers were part of the first phase of Republic Act No. 7898, the AFP Modernization Act of 1995, which aims to acquire for internal security operations eight (8) combat utility helicopters, seven (7) attack helicopters, a C-130 aircraft, a long-range patrol aircraft, and 18 basic trainer aircraft.

Congress wants Filipino soldiers armed with modern equipment (Includes interview)

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## Malaya

*Military officials from Germany, Canada in Manila for talks with DND, AFP*
By Tarra Quismundo





*Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert F. del Rosario receives the delegation from the German Federal Ministry of Defense headed by Rear Admiral Thorsten Kahleron *

*MANILA, Philippines&#8212;Military officials from Germany and Canada are in Manila this week to hold defense talks with officials of the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, amid the country&#8217;s efforts to build its defense posture in the disputed West Philippine Sea.
*
A delegation from the German Federal Ministry of Defense arrived on Wednesday for a three-day stay that would revisit the European nation&#8217;s ties defense ties with the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

Arriving a week after the visit of German Guido Westerwelle, the German military delegation headed by Rear Admiral Thorsten Kahler paid a courtesy call on Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Wednesday.

The delegation, including three other officials from the German defense ministry&#8217;s International Security Policy and Bilateral Relations, would also meet with defense officials for bilateral discussions on training, disaster management and capacity-building, the DFA said.

Rear Admiral William Truelove, commander of the Canadian military&#8217;s Maritime Forces in the Pacific, is meanwhile, set to meet with Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Emmanuel Bautista &#8220;to discuss issues of mutual interest&#8221; at the military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Her Majesty&#8217;s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina, a Halifax-class frigate, is also docked in Manila until Saturday on a goodwill visit to hold charity and sports events here.

Back in Manila 16 years since its last visit, the Regina welcomed some 50 children from an underprivileged community in Tondo, Manila, for a special ship tour.

The Regina is in the Philippines following its deployment in support of a Combined Task Force 150, a multilateral maritime collaboration among 27 nations on patrol and counter-terror operations in the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean.

Military officials from Germany, Canada in Manila for talks with DND, AFP | Inquirer Global Nation

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## Malaya

*Polish Choppers Boost PAF*
By Elena L. Aben






MANILA, Philippines --- The Polish firm PZL-Swidnik S.A. has completed the delivery of eight Sokol multipurpose helicopters acquired by the Philippine government to further boost the military&#8217;s air capability.

Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokesman Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol said yesterday the last two of the eight W-3A Sokol (Falcon) helicopters arrived during the weekend at Clark Airbase in Pampanga. The aircraft were transported from Lublin Airport in Poland on board an AN-124 Ruslan cargo airplane.

The latest and final delivery from PZK-Swidnik followed the first two batch of Sokol helicopters that arrived in February and November last year as part of a P2.85 billion contract signed in 2010 between the Philippine government and the Poland-based company in 2010.

Okol said prior to the helicopters&#8217; arrival, a team from the PAF conducted a pre-delivery inspection of the last two units of Sokol helicopters at the &#346;widnik facility in Poland on February 2-8 to ensure that all the parts and the equipment to be delivered were in proper order.

A formal blessing and turnover ceremony will be scheduled once the newly arrived Sokols are declared operational.

Meanwhile, Nicola Bianco, the PZL-&#346;widnik S.A. managing director said, &#8220;It gives me a great pleasure to complete the handover of the Sokol helicopters produced in &#346;widnik to the customer.&#8221;

Bianco noted that Sokol helicopters, which have been in service with the PAF for several months, have proven to be highly effective and reliable, adding that they are capable of operating even in the most demanding conditions. The helicopters are being flown by pilots trained at the PZL-&#346;widnik factory.

For his part, Mieczys&#322;aw Majewski, President of PZL-&#346;widnik&#8217;s management board said: &#8220;I&#8217;m pleased that the excellent operational capabilities of the Sokols are greatly appreciated by the Philippine Air Force. I look forward to expanding our close partnership with the customer in the future providing technical support and ongoing operational support for the Sokols.&#8221;

The PAF&#8217;s are equipped with the latest navigation and avionics systems including four-axis autopilot, EFIS system and night vision goggle compatible cockpit, allowing to operate day and night in all weather conditions.

The six-ton class helicopter can transport up to 11 troops in the cabin or can lift up to 2,100 kg using its external cargo hook. Powered by two engines, each with the take-off power of 662 kW (888 shp), the Sokols can reach the maximum speed of 260 km/h (140 knots), and can fly 734 km (402 nm) or stay airborne for over four hours using its standard fuel tanks.

Military and defense officials had earlier said that the outstanding capabilities of the Sokol helicopter and its ability to perform a wide range of roles will further enhance the PAF&#8217;s capabilities.

It can be recalled that during the PAF&#8217;s 65th anniversary in July last year,mDefense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin assured the PAF of the delivery of brand new and reliable air assets within the next two years. this, as he said, the job of the air force cannot be done by determination and enthusiasm of its personnel alone.

Gazmin also said then that the air assets to be acquired will replace the Air Force&#8217;s &#8220;old and unreliable&#8221; aircrafts.

Polish Choppers Boost PAF | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online


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## Viet

Good thread Philippines!

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## Malaya

*AFP Eyeing Anti-Ship Missiles*
By Elena L. Aben
February 18, 2013







MANILA, Philippines --- A Department of National Defense (DND) official revealed that a committee is now studying the possibility of arming the Philippine Navy&#8217;s (PN) two Hamilton-class cutters with anti-ship missiles.

However, the official refused to disclose the type of anti-ship missiles currently being evaluated by the committee, but he said that once installed, this will give the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) and soon to arrive BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) more capability in protecting the country's maritime domain.

He added, having the anti-missiles will also give BRP Del Pilar and BRP Alcaraz more firepower in engaging would-be poachers and intruders.

Earlier, defense officials identified the Harpoon as the ideal missile system for the PN's Hamilton-class cutters noting that the weapon was already deployed aboard the USCGC Mellon, the sister ship of the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz, in January 1990.

While the ship's anti-submarine warfare (ASW) suite and Harpoon capability were removed in the latter part of the 1990s, this served as a proof of capability for all USCG cutters.

The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system, developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense, Space & Security).

The regular Harpoon uses active radar homing, and a low-level, sea-skimming cruise trajectory to improve survivability and lethality. The missile's launch platforms include: Fixed-wing aircraft (the AGM-84, without the solid-fuel rocket booster); Surface ships (the RGM-84, fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster that detaches when expended, to allow the missile's main turbojet to maintain flight); Submarines (the UGM-84, fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster and encapsulated in a container to enable submerged launch through a torpedo tube); and Coastal defense batteries, from which it would be fired with a solid-fuel rocket booster.

In 2004, Boeing delivered the 7,000th Harpoon unit since the weapon's introduction in 1977. The missile system has also been further developed into a land-strike weapon, the standoff land attack missile.

The regular Harpoon uses active radar homing, and a low-level, sea-skimming cruise trajectory to improve survivability and lethality. The missile&#8217;s launch platforms include:

* Fixed-wing aircraft (the AGM-84, without the solid-fuel rocket booster).

* Surface ships (the RGM-84, fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster that detaches when expended, to allow the missile's main turbojet to maintain flight).

* Submarines (the UGM-84, fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster and encapsulated in a container to enable submerged launch through a torpedo tube).

* Coastal defense batteries, from which it would be fired with a solid-fuel rocket booster. (With a report from PNA)

*AFP Eyeing Anti-Ship Missiles*


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## Malaya

*PNoy 'delighted, proud' of National Book Store recall of 'pro-China' globes*
By: InterAksyon.com
February 19, 2013 






*MANILA &#8211; President Benigno Aquino III was "delighted and proud" of National Book Store for recalling China-manufactured globes that showed the disputed territories as part of China, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said.
*
In his letter of commendation to NBS vice president for purchasing Cecilia Ramos-Licauco, del Rosario said the company demonstrated "its patriotism in the protection of Philippine sovereign rights over West Philippine Sea" when it withdrew the globes from its shelves.

*"I was highly encouraged by your management&#8217;s decision&#8230;Your resolve in immediately implementing this decision reflected your company&#8217;s strong sense of nationalism over and above economic profit," del Rosario said. "I personally shared this with the President and he was delighted and proud of your management&#8217;s selfless and patriotic acts."
*
The globes contained China's contentious nine-dash line encompassing almost the entire West Philippine Sea, including the Spratlys and the Scarborough Shoal, which have been the flashpoints in the relationship between the two countries.

*"We are entering a critical juncture following our initation of Arbitral Proceedings against China on the nine-dash line to bring a durable soution to the West Philippine Sea dispute," del Rosario said. "It is vital that the Filipino people stand in unity to defend 'what is ours' in accordance with the Philippine Constitution."
*
Del Rosario said National Book Store's example will inspire Filipinos to express their patriotism in their own individual capacities.

PNoy 'delighted, proud' of National Book Store recall of 'pro-China' globes - InterAksyon.com



*PSEi breaks through 6,600-mark*
By: Krista Angela M. Montealegre, InterAksyon.com
February 19, 2013






*MANILA - (UPDATED 3:52 p.m.) Philippine share prices on Tuesday closed above the 6,600 mark for the first time driven by liquidity and optimism on corporate earnings.
*
At the Philippine Stock Exchange, the composite index rose 55.49 points or 0.85 percent to a fresh all-time high of 6,620.72, surpassing its previous peak at 6,565.23 last Monday. The benchmark index also posted an intraday high of 6,632.56.

Leading the market's ascent today were the property and financials counters, which rallied 1.89 percent and 1.05 percent, respectively.

However, market breadth was negative, as decliners beat advancers, 94 to 75, while 52 issues were unchanged. A total of 2.34 billion stocks worth P10.25 billion changed hands.

Actively traded stocks were SM Investments, Alliance Global, PBB, Metrobank and Megaworld. Top advancers were PBB, Easycall and Suntrust, while the biggest decliners were Central Azucarera, Manila Bulletin and Ionics.

"The market continues to be driven by liquidity. The market continues to go up coupled with strong volume amid the positive backdrop of low interest rates and favorable macro-economic fundamentals," said Jose Vistan of AB Capital Securities Inc.

Investors are also positioning ahead of the influx of corporate earnings results.

"I think the market is looking at a 20 percent growth in earnings, justifying the market's PE," said Vistan. PE refers to price-earnings ratio, a measure of how expensive a stock or the entire stock market is.

"I think investors are starting to factor in corporate earnings growth prospects. Others are also going into the equities mart as they search for investment instruments that could provide higher yields," said Freya Natividad, investment analyst at 2TradeAsia.com.

She said commodities like gold, copper and crude have been declining since last week. US markets were closed for the President's Day.

http://www.interaksyon.com/business/55382/psei-breaks-through-6600-mark


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## Zero_wing

Ayos na ito mga tol mabuti na ang pilipinas.



Malaya said:


> *AFP Eyeing Anti-Ship Missiles*
> By Elena L. Aben
> February 18, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MANILA, Philippines --- A Department of National Defense (DND) official revealed that a committee is now studying the possibility of arming the Philippine Navy&#8217;s (PN) two Hamilton-class cutters with anti-ship missiles.
> 
> However, the official refused to disclose the type of anti-ship missiles currently being evaluated by the committee, but he said that once installed, this will give the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) and soon to arrive BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) more capability in protecting the country's maritime domain.
> 
> He added, having the anti-missiles will also give BRP Del Pilar and BRP Alcaraz more firepower in engaging would-be poachers and intruders.
> 
> Earlier, defense officials identified the Harpoon as the ideal missile system for the PN's Hamilton-class cutters noting that the weapon was already deployed aboard the USCGC Mellon, the sister ship of the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz, in January 1990.
> 
> While the ship's anti-submarine warfare (ASW) suite and Harpoon capability were removed in the latter part of the 1990s, this served as a proof of capability for all USCG cutters.
> 
> The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system, developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense, Space & Security).
> 
> The regular Harpoon uses active radar homing, and a low-level, sea-skimming cruise trajectory to improve survivability and lethality. The missile's launch platforms include: Fixed-wing aircraft (the AGM-84, without the solid-fuel rocket booster); Surface ships (the RGM-84, fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster that detaches when expended, to allow the missile's main turbojet to maintain flight); Submarines (the UGM-84, fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster and encapsulated in a container to enable submerged launch through a torpedo tube); and Coastal defense batteries, from which it would be fired with a solid-fuel rocket booster.
> 
> In 2004, Boeing delivered the 7,000th Harpoon unit since the weapon's introduction in 1977. The missile system has also been further developed into a land-strike weapon, the standoff land attack missile.
> 
> The regular Harpoon uses active radar homing, and a low-level, sea-skimming cruise trajectory to improve survivability and lethality. The missile&#8217;s launch platforms include:
> 
> * Fixed-wing aircraft (the AGM-84, without the solid-fuel rocket booster).
> 
> * Surface ships (the RGM-84, fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster that detaches when expended, to allow the missile's main turbojet to maintain flight).
> 
> * Submarines (the UGM-84, fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster and encapsulated in a container to enable submerged launch through a torpedo tube).
> 
> * Coastal defense batteries, from which it would be fired with a solid-fuel rocket booster. (With a report from PNA)
> 
> *AFP Eyeing Anti-Ship Missiles*



Dapat may ASW(Anti Sub Weapons) and SAM (Surface to Air) missiles rin plus CIWS (Close in Weapon System) bakit isa lang?

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## Viet

Malaya said:


> *PNoy 'delighted, proud' of National Book Store recall of 'pro-China' globes*
> By: InterAksyon.com
> February 19, 2013
> 
> 
> *PSEi breaks through 6,600-mark*
> By: Krista Angela M. Montealegre, InterAksyon.com
> February 19, 2013


Congrat Philippines, keep going!

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## Malaya

*DND to buy P979-M coast watch system
*By Alexis Romero (philstar.com) | Updated February 21, 2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) will acquire coast watch system equipment worth P979 million to secure the government's energy projects.

In a bid bulletin, DND said the project would involve the supply and delivery of coast watch requirements, boats, firearms and ammunition, oil takedown equipment, and night vision devices.

DND Undersecretary Eduardo Batac, chairman of the DND Special Bids and Awards Committee, said the project is divided into five lots or projects.

Lot 1 involves the purchase of coast watch system requirements worth P877 million to enhance maritime domain awareness and security of energy service contract areas.

The second lot entails the procurement of two rigid hull inflatable boats worth P63.16 million. The supply and delivery of firearms, accessories and ammunition worth P21.81 million constitute lot 3.

Lot 4, meanwhile, involves the supply and delivery of P10.58-million worth of gas and oil platform takedown equipment and gears.

The supply and delivery of night vision devices worth P6.39 million constitute lot 5. All the packages will be accompanied with integrated logistics support.

DND Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said the project would also involve radars and sensors, which will form part of a command and control communications system.

He declined to say where the devices would be installed, citing security reasons.

Earlier government statements, however, said service contract zones are located in, among other areas, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Northwest Palawan, Mindoro Cuyo, East Palawan, Cotabato and Sulu Sea.

The natural gas projects in Palawan are located in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), the subject of a tense territorial dispute in the region.

The Philippines is claiming several islets, shoals, reefs and sandbars in the West Philippine Sea. China claims the entire area while Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims.

DND said the acquisition would be conducted through open competitive bidding. The bidding would be done in two stages.

The deadline for the submission of bids for some equipment under Lot 1 and Lots 2 to 5 will be on March 11 at 9 a.m.

For the other components of Lot 1, the deadline for the submission of offers is on April 24 also at 9 a.m.

Interested firms may purchase bid documents worth P75,000 from the DND Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat.

A pre-bid conference for the project will be held on Feb. 27 to allow the prospective bidders to raise their questions and concerns.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/02/21/911524/dnd-buy-p979-m-coast-watch-system




*Philippines, Japan to hold talks on maritime cooperation
* (philstar.com) | Updated February 21, 2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that the Philippines will hold a dialogue on maritime cooperation with Japan on Friday.

The DFA said that the 2nd Dialogue on Maritime and Oceanic Affairs will be held at its main office in Pasay City.

"During the meeting, the two countries will discuss various areas of cooperation particularly in maritime safety, maritime security, anti-piracy measures, fisheries and marine scientific research," the DFA said.

The Philippine delegation will be headed by DFA Assistant Secretary Gilberto Asuque. Special Assistant Henry Bensurto, DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Policy, will act as co-chairman.

The Japanese delegation, meanwhile, will be headed by Kenji Kanasugi, Deputy Director-General for Southwest and Southeast Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Both countries are locked in territorial disputes with China.

The Philippines and China are in dispute over the ownership of the Panatag Shoal near Zambales province and parts of the Spratly Group of Islands near Palawan province.

Japan, meanwhile, is in dispute with China over the ownership of Senkaku Island, which is called by the Chinese as Diaoyu.

The Philippine and Japan held the first dialogue on maritime cooperation in 2011 in Tokyo.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2...ippines-japan-hold-talks-maritime-cooperation



Zero_wing said:


> Ayos na ito mga tol mabuti na ang pilipinas.
> 
> 
> 
> Dapat may ASW(Anti Sub Weapons) and SAM (Surface to Air) missiles rin plus CIWS (Close in Weapon System) bakit isa lang?


Kaya nga eh sana nga kumuha rin sila

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## Malaya

*Philex Petroleum unit plans more gas drilling*






*A UNIT of Philex Petroleum Corp. wants to do more drilling around a natural gas field in contested waters in South China Sea despite a deepening diplomatic dispute between Manila and Beijing over the area.
*

London-listed Forum Energy Plc., which is majority-owned by Philex Petroleum, plans this year to conduct a survey to identify and evaluate other gas prospects near its Sampaguita gas field in the Reed Bank, where the Philippines is spending millions to harden its military presence.

Territorial disputes between the Philippines and China have hampered Forum&#8217;s plan to drill at least two more appraisal wells under the Service Contract (SC) 72 exploration permit awarded to it by the government in 2010.

In March 2011, two Chinese vessels threatened to ram a survey ship contracted by Forum in the Reed Bank area, triggering renewed tensions between the two countries. China lays claim to virtually all the South China Sea while the Philippines and four other countries -- Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Malaysia -- claim certain parts.

&#8220;A seismic reprocessing program is being planned in 2013 to further assess the prospectivity of other areas outside the Sampaguita field within SC 72,&#8221; Forum said in a filing linked to a Philex Petroleum disclosure on Thursday to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

China says it owns the Reed Bank, but the Philippines insists it has sole sovereignty over the waters within its 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

&#8220;We remain in close dialogue with the Philippine government on how best to progress the development of this important asset,&#8221; Forum said.

*HUGE POTENTIAL
*
The South China Sea holds around 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in proven and probable reserves, surpassing untapped resources in Europe, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

The Philippines&#8217; Defense department said on Thursday it will open tenders next month for P979 million ($24 million) worth of radars, sensors and weapons for two coastal watch stations on the western Palawan islands to help secure oil and gas exploration in the Reed Bank.

Fernando I. Manalo, Defense undersecretary for finance, munitions, installations and materiel, told reporters the Philippines also wants to buy inflatable boats, small guns, and night vision goggles.

Sources in the Defense department familiar with the project said four coastal radar stations will be set up on Palawan. A bid document on its Web site says the equipment is &#8220;for the enhancement of maritime domain awareness and security of the Department of Energy service contract areas.&#8221;

*DEFERRED OPPORTUNITIES
*
A report on audited 2012 results in the same filing showed that Forum swung to a $26.424-million from $3.420-million profit.

In the same comparative periods, revenues dipped by 64.49% to $4.522 million from $12.734 million.

The company noted that the decrease of $8.2 million in revenues was due to lower production of Galoc oil field, which reached only 5,410 barrels of oil per day (bopd) last year from 6,637 bopd in 2011 due to equipment upgrading in the first quarter.

Forum noted that Galoc oil field has &#8220;been a steady provider of cash.&#8221;

Cost of sales in the period went down by 47.87% to $3.604 million from $6.913 million . The company recorded a $25.359-million &#8220;impairment of deferred exploration assets&#8221; from none in 2011.

Company officials were not immediately available when sought for details.

&#8220;Whilst our net loss this year was significant, this predominantly related to our recognition of the need to revalue our noncore assets at SC 40, following receipt of a new independent report on resource estimates,&#8221; Forum Executive Chairman Robin Nicholson said in the report.

&#8220;We remain focused on our key asset, SC 72, and on our goal of establishing the commerciality of the potential hydrocarbon resources within the SC 72 Concession.&#8221;

At the same time, Mr. Nicholson said the company has to &#8220;recognize that we face significant challenges in the West Philippine Sea where SC 72 is located.&#8221;

&#8220;We appreciate that this goal can only be realized with the continuing support of the Philippine Government,&#8221; he said.

Forum holds 70% stake in SC 72, located in the West Philippine Sea. It also holds 2.27% interest in SC 14 or the Galoc oil field located in the waters northwest of Palawan and 66.67% interest in waters west of Cebu island.

Philex Petroleum holds 60.49%total direct and indirect interest in Forum.

Philex Petroleum shares yesterday gained 30 centavos or 0.92% to P32.80 apiece from P32.50 on Wednesday.

First Pacific Co. Ltd., a majority owner of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), is the single largest shareholder in Philex Mining Corp., the immediate mother unit of Philex Petroleum. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a minority stake in BusinessWorld. -- Reuters with Claire-Ann Marie C. Feliciano

- See more at: Philex Petroleum unit plans more gas drilling | BusinessWorld Online

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## nufix

*No more second frigates for PN - DND official*
By Priam F. Nepomuceno


MANILA, Feb. 22 (PNA) -- A ranking Department of National Defense (DND) official has said the option to acquire second-hand frigates to boost the numbers and capabilities of the Philippine Navy (PN) has been waived.

Fernando Manalo, DND undersecretary for finance, munitions,installation and materiel, said this because evaluation studies found out that acquiring these vessels will be more costly in the long run.

"The PN found out that it will be more expensive to maintain second hand vessel(s) than buying a new one," he added.

With this conclusion, the Italian-made "Maestrale" frigates, are no longer in the running for possible acquisition by the Philippines.

"Its no longer being evaluated," Manalo stressed.

The "Maestrale" was earlier touted by the DND as the next ships to be acquired for the PN due to its credible missile and anti-submarine capabilities.

With this development, Manalo said the Philippines is now looking for new build naval ships with the same configuration.

The DND earlier said that five countries have expressed their intention to sell the Philippines modern frigates and offshore patrol vessels which will help the country protect its vast maritime territories.

These offers came from the United States, Israel, Croatia, South Korea and Australia.

All vessels being offered by these nations are brand new.

Manalo added that offers of the above-mentioned countries started coming during the last quarter of 2012.

The DND official attributed the sudden influx of would-be-suppliers to the fact the Philippine is now seriously upgrading its military forces.

The Philippines is in the market for two modern and powerful frigates in order to enhance its maritime domain awareness and protection capabilities. (PNA)
FPV/PFN




So, what is the next plan for PN further acquisition? I was once thought that this maestrale deal is a good deal, turning that down means no more frigates for lets' say 5 years at least.

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## ManilaBoy45

Passenger Ship Runs Aground in Central Philippines

Passenger ship runs aground in C. Philippines - Xinhua | English.news.cn

MANILA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- A passenger vessel with over 400 people on board ran aground Saturday morning off central Philippine province of Cebu, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said later that day.

MV Trans Asia 9 with 364 passengers and 72 crew members was on its way to Cebu port from Southern Philippine city of Cagayan de Oro when it hit a shallow part of Lawid Ridge in Cebu due to low tide at around 6:35 a.m., the agency said.

The PCG District Cebu immediately sent its personnel in the area to provide assistance and evacuate the passengers if necessary, it said.


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## Malaya

nufix said:


> *No more second frigates for PN - DND official*
> By Priam F. Nepomuceno
> 
> MANILA, Feb. 22 (PNA) -- A ranking Department of National Defense (DND) official has said the option to acquire second-hand frigates to boost the numbers and capabilities of the Philippine Navy (PN) has been waived.
> 
> Fernando Manalo, DND undersecretary for finance, munitions,installation and materiel, said this because evaluation studies found out that acquiring these vessels will be more costly in the long run.
> 
> "The PN found out that it will be more expensive to maintain second hand vessel(s) than buying a new one," he added.
> 
> With this conclusion, the Italian-made "Maestrale" frigates, are no longer in the running for possible acquisition by the Philippines.
> 
> "Its no longer being evaluated," Manalo stressed.
> 
> The "Maestrale" was earlier touted by the DND as the next ships to be acquired for the PN due to its credible missile and anti-submarine capabilities.
> 
> With this development, Manalo said the Philippines is now looking for new build naval ships with the same configuration.
> 
> The DND earlier said that five countries have expressed their intention to sell the Philippines modern frigates and offshore patrol vessels which will help the country protect its vast maritime territories.
> 
> These offers came from the United States, Israel, Croatia, South Korea and Australia.
> 
> All vessels being offered by these nations are brand new.
> 
> Manalo added that offers of the above-mentioned countries started coming during the last quarter of 2012.
> 
> The DND official attributed the sudden influx of would-be-suppliers to the fact the Philippine is now seriously upgrading its military forces.
> 
> The Philippines is in the market for two modern and powerful frigates in order to enhance its maritime domain awareness and protection capabilities. (PNA)
> FPV/PFN
> 
> So, what is the next plan for PN further acquisition? I was once thought that this maestrale deal is a good deal, turning that down means no more frigates for lets' say *5 years at least*.


Most probably, it could have been best acquisition by DND especially in our case today, and our navy urgently needs it. Now, I can't help but think that the funds have been misused in political campaigns for this coming election thus, they are saying that they want new ones in order to prolong the procurement tsk tsk. Well I just hope I'm wrong though I'm still not losing hope.




*Only brand new ships for Philippine Navy upgrade: DND official*
By: Priam F. Nepomuceno, Philippine News Agency
February 23, 2013

MANILA, Philippines - A ranking Department of National Defense official says the acquisition of second-hand frigates is no longer an option for the Philippine Navy.

Fernando Manalo, DND undersecretary for finance, munitions, installation and materiel, said recently that acquiring such vessels from foreign countries will ultimately be costlier than buying new ships.

Given this, Italian-made "Maestrale" frigates are no longer being considered for possible acquisition by the Philippines. "Its no longer being evaluated," Manalo said.

The "Maestrale" was earlier touted by the DND as the next ships to be acquired for the Navy due to its credible missile and anti-submarine capabilities.

Five other countries have expressed intentions to sell modern frigates and offshore patrol vessels to the badly equipped Philippine navy: the United States, Israel, Croatia, South Korea and Australia. All vessels being offered by these nations are brand new.

The Philippines is in the market for two modern and powerful frigates in order to enhance its maritime protection capabilities, especially in the West Philippine Sea, where territorial disputes with China have arisen.

Only brand new ships for Philippine Navy upgrade: DND official - InterAksyon.com

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## Malaya

*Phl benefits from China's refusal to join arbitration*
By Alexis Romero (philstar.com)

*MANILA, Philippines - Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Friday that China's refusal to participate in the arbitration process on the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dispute is favorable to the Philippines.
*
Gazmin said China&#8217;s decision would raise questions as to why it does not want to face the arbitration tribunal.

&#8220;E di mas maganda para sa atin pag hindi sila mag-participate (It would be favorable for us if they [China] do not participate),&#8221; Gazmin said in an interview.

*&#8220;Well, the natural reaction is why they don&#8217;t want to face the tribunal&#8221; he added.*

Gazmin noted that the arbitration process would continue even if China had rejected it.

*&#8220;Whether they reject or not, the case will proceed even if they do not participate,&#8221; he said*.

Last month, the Philippines challenged China&#8217;s territorial claim to most of the West Philippine Sea before an international tribunal of the United Nations (UN).

China claims almost the entire West Philippine Sea and the East Sea. The area, delineated by a so-called nine-dash line, covers more than 100 islets, atolls and reefs.

The Philippines believes China&#8217;s nine-dash line, which outlined its claims over most of the sea is illegal. China&#8217;s claims also overlap with those of the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam.

The Philippines hopes the international tribunal would declare China&#8217;s claim in the West Philippine Sea as contrary to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).&#8221;

The Philippines also asked China to desist from unlawful activities that violate its sovereign rights and jurisdiction.

In explaining the government&#8217;s decision to bring the dispute to the UN tribunal, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines has tried almost all avenues for a peaceful settlement of the territorial row.

On Tuesday, China rejected the conduct of international proceedings on the dispute and insisted that the row should be settled through bilateral talks.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the notice of arbitration forwarded by the Philippines have &#8220;serious mistakes both in fact and law.&#8221;

China reiterated that it has &#8220;indisputable sovereignty&#8221; over the entire West Philippine Sea, a claim that the Philippines has described as &#8220;excessive.&#8221;

The Philippines, however, said the refusal of China to join the proceedings will not derail the arbitration process.

&#8220;China&#8217;s action will not interfere with the process of arbitration initiated by the Philippines on 22 January 2013. The Arbitration will proceed under Annex VII of UNCLOS and the 5-member arbitration panel will be formed with or without China,&#8221; the Foreign Affairs department said in a statement.

&#8220;The Philippines remains committed to arbitration which is a friendly, peaceful and durable form of dispute settlement that should be welcomed by all,&#8221; it added.

Phl benefits from China's refusal to join arbitration | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com




*DND to boost defense of Reed Bank*






MANILA - The Department of National Defense is planning to boost security in Western Palawan, particularly in the Reed Bank.

The DND said it will open bidding for nearly a billion pesos worth of security equipment such as radars, sensors and weapons for 2 coastal stations in the area.

These will secure oil and gas exploration projects in the Reed Bank to which China is also staking a claim.

Meanwhile, Philex Petroleum Unit's Forum Energy said it will conduct more gas drilling at the South China Sea.

The territorial row between the Philippines and China has been hampering Philex's plans in the area.


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## nufix

Malaya said:


> Most probably, it could have been best acquisition by DND especially in our case today, and our navy urgently needs it. Now, I can't help but think that the funds have been misused in political campaigns for this coming election thus, they are saying that they want new ones in order to prolong the procurement tsk tsk. Well I just hope I'm wrong though I'm still not losing hope.



I don't know why, but I think there's some minor movements from certain parties in Phil government that don't want to strengthen PN's military capability. PN condition now is similar to Indonesia in 2000-2004, certain powerful people just didn't want to let Indonesia become strong because it may disturb their personal interest, so they blunted almost every acquisition by Indonesian Military Forces. Things changed after former army general Mr. Yudhoyono took office in 2004.

Does Mr. Aquino have any military background?


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## Zero_wing

nufix said:


> I don't know why, but I think there's some minor movements from certain parties in Phil government that don't want to strengthen PN's military capability. PN condition now is similar to Indonesia in 2000-2004, certain powerful people just didn't want to let Indonesia become strong because it may disturb their personal interest, so they blunted almost every acquisition by Indonesian Military Forces. Things changed after former army general Mr. Yudhoyono took office in 2004.
> 
> Does Mr. Aquino have any military background?



Well no his just a gun enthusiast ever since he got shot when he was young by coup plotters in her mother Presidency in 1980s he started to train with guns maybe it left something in him to train to protect himself any his great grandfather (general in the Philippine Revolution and Philippine American War) and his father (Reserve Officer in the Philippine Navy) who have some military background. Well its a damn shame really i was looking forward to see those two ships in navy i predicted some names for the two ships like BRP Jose Ignacio Paua (Chinese General in the Phil Revolution) and the BRP Jose Torres Bugallon (major great field officer of General Luna Brigade) Or the Founder of the Philippine Navy Gen Pascual Ledesma or that Cuban fellow calling himself the Admiral of the Philippine Navy Vicente Catalan or Visayan Generals for a change like Aniceto Lacson, Pantaleon Villegas, The Magbuna brothers Pascual Magbanua and Elias Magbanua maybe their sister Teresa Magbanua she fought three wars for the Philippines (Philippine Revolution/ Philippine American war and non combat capacity in World War 2) or Arcadio Maxilom from Cebu or maybe someone from Mindanao like General Vicente Alvarez of Zamboaga or Colonel Apolinar Velez or the Guys who donated their ships to make the the first fleet of the first Philippine Navy Leon Apacible, Manuel Lopez and Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio who donated the Taaleño, the Balayan, the Bulusan, the Taal and the Purísima Concepción. Man i a lot of names to pick too bad. 

Dont get me wrong i love new ship its just it takes months to build anything can happen having 4 fully armed ship in the Philippines would make the people think about attacking us but now we are as open as sexy girl walking on street full of rapist.


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## p3avi8tor69

Zero_wing said:


> Dont get me wrong i love new ship its just it takes months to build anything can happen having 4 fully armed ship in the Philippines would make the people think about attacking us but now we are as open as sexy girl walking on street full of rapist.



Filipino bot has no clue what he is talking about.

It takes years to build a ship not months kid.

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## Fsjal

p3avi8tor69 said:


> Filipino bot has no clue what he is talking about.
> 
> It takes years to build a ship not months kid.



Agree. It took a few years just for a single Type 052C destroyer to be built and that's the same with Type 052D.
BTW the last part of what he said is weird.


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## Zero_wing

Hahahaha well the point is were defenseless right now both chinese are the ones who don't know anything


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## ManilaBoy45

PHL Gov't Dispatches Humanitarian Ship to Ferry Back Filipinos in Lahad Datu

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=500936

MANILA, Feb. 24 (PNA) -- A ship on a humanitarian mission will be dispatched Sunday evening to fetch and ferry back the women and other civilians among the 180-member group who are holed out in Lahad Datu, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.

The ship, with hull number AT296, will sail from Bongao, Tawi-Tawi to the village of Tanduo in Lahad Datu.The DFA said the ship is being prepositioned offshore Lahad Datu while talks with the group are underway.There are reportedly some 180 individuals in the group, including some 30 armed escorts.Onboard the ship are Filipino-Muslim leaders as well as social workers and medical personnel.

"We sent the ship to Lahad Datu on a humanitarian mission. We are deeply concerned about the presence of five women and other civilians in the group, and we urge them to board the ship without delay and return home," said DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario.


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## Malaya

nufix said:


> I don't know why, but I think there's some minor movements from certain parties in Phil government that don't want to strengthen PN's military capability. PN condition now is similar to Indonesia in 2000-2004, certain powerful people just didn't want to let Indonesia become strong because it may disturb their personal interest, so they blunted almost every acquisition by Indonesian Military Forces. Things changed after former army general Mr. Yudhoyono took office in 2004.
> 
> Does Mr. Aquino have any military background?


Nope, he doesn&#8217;t have any military background. 

That is a sad fact. It starts at the high ranked military officials who failed and lost their true purpose. They&#8217;re just in it for the money and that&#8217;s the reason why our current military is weak. I just hope President Aquino can get rid of those corrupt officials. By the way I&#8217;m actually impressed the way Indonesian military rapidly expands. President Yudhoyono is doing a great job.



Zero_wing said:


> Dont get me wrong i love new ship its just it takes months to build anything can happen having 4 fully armed ship in the Philippines would make the people think about attacking us but now we are as open as sexy girl walking on street full of rapist.


It takes approximately 5 years to build new frigate &#8216;cos its very engineering complex and carefully build. That&#8217;s why they can&#8217;t rush thing out without proper testing. Although I also prefer the brand new ships, pero sa situation natin ngayon na tlagang kailangang kailangan ng Navy natin sa threat ng China na yan kaya dapat we should still consider that Maestrale. Dagdag nalang sana yung brand new ships kung gusto nila.


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## Malaya

*Navy SOG undergo rigid training at Sangley Point*







*Members of the Philippine Navy's Special Operations Group (SOG) use their heads to carry a rubber boat as part of their skills and stamina training exercise in Sangley Point, Cavite.*

Navy SOG undergo rigid training at Sangley Point | GMA News Online

*P2.268-trillion budget eyed for next year*

*NEXT YEAR&#8217;S national budget has been capped at P2.268 trillion, 13% higher than this year&#8217;s P2.006 trillion as the government gears up to support a targeted 6.5-7.5% economic growth rate. *

National Budget Memorandum 116, dated Feb. 15, details the macroeconomic assumptions, fiscal targets and department ceilings to be used in setting next year&#8217;s expenditure plans.

The proposed 2014 ceiling is P262.1 billion more than this year&#8217;s budget, which assumed gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6-7%.

The economy expanded by 6.6% last year, rebounding from the lackluster 3.9% posted in 2011 and also well past the government&#8217;s 5-6% target and its 6.5% outlook. It is expected to perform better in 2014.

By sector, agriculture could grow by 3.3-4.3% in 2014, slightly slower than the 3.5-4.5% expected for this year but higher than last year&#8217;s 2.92%.

The medium-term growth, the budget memorandum notes, will be fueled by the government&#8217;s food sufficiency program.

"Livestock and poultry expansions will be supported by the infrastructure support system, promotion of feed substitutes, and expansion of export opportunities," it states.

Industry, meanwhile, is projected to grow by 7.4-8.6% in 2014, up from this year&#8217;s 6.6-7.6% outlook and 2012&#8217;s 6.5%.

The services sector, lastly, is expected to expand by 6.5-7.4%, up from the 6.3-7.3% outlook for this year and at par with the 7.4% growth posted last year. It is expected to be driven mainly by transportation, tourism and the real estate sectors.

Other assumptions detailed in the memorandum are gross national income growth of 5.8-6.8%, up from the 5.5-6.5% expected this year and last year&#8217;s actual rate of 5.8%; inflation staying within 3-5%; a 364-day Treasury bill rate of 2-4%; and a peso-dollar exchange rate of P42-45 per US dollar -- all unchanged from this year.

The budget memorandum notes that risks to inflation remain "broadly balanced" despite lingering concerns over the weak global economic environment.

Interest rates and the peso, meanwhile, will be supported by the domestic economy&#8217;s resilience and will be influenced by developments in the government&#8217;s fiscal position and the central bank&#8217;s policy stance, as well as the expectation of a steady stream of capital inflows and remittances.

On the fiscal side, the budget deficit is expected to settle at 2% of GDP this year and next year, in line with the government&#8217;s medium-term fiscal consolidation program.

In nominal terms, the 2014 budget gap was capped at P266.2 billion, slightly wider than this year&#8217;s P238-billion ceiling.

The deficit was capped at P279.1 billion or 2.6% of GDP last year, but preliminary figures released two weeks ago showed that the deficit likely settled at just P253.3 billion or 2.2% of the economy.

A 16% increase in 2014 revenue collections to P2.025 trillion will be targeted, equivalent to a revenue effort of 15.2%, up from this year&#8217;s 14.7% programmed ratio.

"The increase will be strongly buoyed by the expected increase in BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) tax effort by 0.4 percentage point from 10.5% to 10.9%, to include the estimated incremental revenues in the amount of P42.9 billion from the proceeds of the sin tax reform law," the memorandum states.

Government spending, meanwhile, will rise to P2.291 trillion or 17.2% of GDP in 2014 from this year&#8217;s P1.984-trillion program or 16.7% of the economy.

"This is a considerable expansion of 15.5% or P307.5 billion from the 2013 outlook, to enable increased investments in infrastructure, in good governance and anti-corruption, in building human capabilities especially of the poor, through quality education, public health care and housing and in climate change adaptation measures fundamental requirements for the country&#8217;s competitiveness and development," the memorandum states. 

National debt as a percentage of GDP is also expected to contract gradually by an average of 1.2 percentage points annually from the 50.9% in 2011 to a projected 46.2% in 2014.

The total budget for government agencies has been tentatively capped at P1.049 trillion, with the Department of Education again given the highest ceiling of P255.15 billion, albeit slightly lower than its approved allocation this year of P293.32 billion.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was second at P189.295 billion, followed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), which was assigned P92.215 billion and the Department of National Defense (DND) at P81.78 billion.

Other departments given sizeable caps for next year were Social Welfare (P66.878 billion), Health (P51.756 billion) and Agriculture (P48.33 billion). - See more at: http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=P2.268-trillion-budget-eyed-for-next-year&id=66344#sthash.uEJj1rYu.dpuf


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## Malaya

*No secondhand frigates&#8211;DND*






THE Philippines will only settle for brand-new frigates for the Philippine Navy (PN), Defense Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions, Installation and Materiel Fernando Manalo said.

Manalo told reporters that the department has dropped the option to acquire secondhand frigates in boosting the numbers and capabilities of the Navy.

&#8220;The PN found out that it will be more expensive to maintain second-hand vessel than buying a new one,&#8221; Manalo said.

He explained that this move was based on evaluation and studies made by the Department of National Defense (DND) and PN.

This option would prompt the government to drop the &#8220;Maestrale&#8221; frigates from Italy from its targeted acquisition.

&#8220;It&#8217;s [an option] no longer being evaluated,&#8221; said Manalo. The DND earlier said they are looking at buying the Maestrale frigates, noting its missile and anti-submarine capabilities.

According to the Naval Technology web site, the Fincantieri-Cantieri Navali SpA built the Maestrale class frigates for the Italian Navy (Marina Militare).

&#8220;The first ship in the class, Maestrale [F570], was launched in February 1981 and commissioned in March 1982. Four frigates were commissioned in 1983 and the rest of the fleet was commissioned by May 1985.&#8221;

Last year Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin was reported as saying that the Philippines is negotiating with the Italian government for the purchase of two Maestrale class anti-submarine frigates worth P11.7 billion ($292.5 million at $1=P40).

But last week, Manalo said the Philippines is now looking for newly built naval ships with the same configuration.

The DND earlier said it is shopping around for two naval ships with &#8220;frigate capabilities&#8221; and that several countries have sent offers.

Vessels being offered by the United States, Israel, Croatia, South Korea and Australia are brand new.

*An Armed Forces of the Philippines official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said South Korea is a strong contender among the countries.*

BusinessMirror - No secondhand frigates


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## nufix

Malaya said:


> Nope, he doesn&#8217;t have any military background.
> 
> That is a sad fact. It starts at the high ranked military officials who failed and lost their true purpose. *They&#8217;re just in it for the money *and that&#8217;s the reason why our current military is weak. I just hope President Aquino can get rid of those corrupt officials. By the way I&#8217;m actually impressed the way Indonesian military *rapidly expands*. President Yudhoyono is doing a great job.



Are they involved in some kind of business? Because depending financial glory on government salaries is unlikely for people who pursue money. 

It is not that rapid actually, the Indonesian Military Forces were underfunded for 12 years due to financial crisis that hampered Indonesia in 1998, now that the economy is back on the track, the government is simply replacing what's lost during the past 12 years. There's no major acquisition like in early 60's, 70's, and 90's. The plan of expanding military capability will be held in 2015, as the Minimum Essential Force Phase II will be in effect.

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## nufix

Zero_wing said:


> Well no his just a gun enthusiast ever since he got shot when he was young by coup plotters in her mother Presidency in 1980s he started to train with guns maybe it left something in him to train to protect himself any his great grandfather (general in the Philippine Revolution and Philippine American War) and his father (Reserve Officer in the Philippine Navy) who have some military background. Well its a damn shame really i was looking forward to see those two ships in navy i predicted some names for the two ships like BRP Jose Ignacio Paua (Chinese General in the Phil Revolution) and the BRP Jose Torres Bugallon (major great field officer of General Luna Brigade) Or the Founder of the Philippine Navy Gen Pascual Ledesma or that Cuban fellow calling himself the Admiral of the Philippine Navy Vicente Catalan or Visayan Generals for a change like Aniceto Lacson, Pantaleon Villegas, The Magbuna brothers Pascual Magbanua and Elias Magbanua maybe their sister Teresa Magbanua she fought three wars for the Philippines (Philippine Revolution/ Philippine American war and non combat capacity in World War 2) or Arcadio Maxilom from Cebu or maybe someone from Mindanao like General Vicente Alvarez of Zamboaga or Colonel Apolinar Velez or the Guys who donated their ships to make the the first fleet of the first Philippine Navy Leon Apacible, Manuel Lopez and Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio who donated the Taaleño, the Balayan, the Bulusan, the Taal and the Purísima Concepción. Man i a lot of names to pick too bad.
> 
> Dont get me wrong i love new ship its just it takes months to build anything can happen having 4 fully armed ship in the Philippines would make the people think about attacking us but now we are as open as sexy girl walking on street full of rapist.



What I mean with military background is whether Mr. Acquino was in the armed forces or wasn't. Usually, former generals have better minds in planning and organizing things regarding military expansion.

Anyway, new ships will take approximately 3 to 5 years to build, rearming used ship is a good decision though. What do you think of it? I mean, what do you think about the absent of considerably newer ships like Maestrale during the hard time like this when PN is in needs of ships?

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## Zero_wing

nufix said:


> What I mean with military background is whether Mr. Acquino was in the armed forces or wasn't. Usually, former generals have better minds in planning and organizing things regarding military expansion.
> 
> Anyway, new ships will take approximately 3 to 5 years to build, rearming used ship is a good decision though. What do you think of it? I mean, what do you think about the absent of considerably newer ships like Maestrale during the hard time like this when PN is in needs of ships?



Well the guys in DND decided otherwise its a pain and lack of foresight on their part about President Aquino i think ROTC(reserve officers training course) back in his time in school was not elective as National service course it was mandatory so that is close as military background unlike his dad who was a reserve office in the Philippine Navy well his family has a long history with the military Great Grandfather was (General and representative in the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine American War) which only few know being a democratic icon most folks hate the military because of Martial law so i hope that answers your question beside that his a gun enthusiast.

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## nufix

Zero_wing said:


> Well the guys in DND decided otherwise its a pain and lack of foresight on their part about President Aquino i think ROTC(reserve officers training course) back in his time in school was not elective as National service course it was mandatory so that is close as military background unlike his dad who was a reserve office in the Philippine Navy well his family has a long history with the military Great Grandfather was (General and representative in the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine American War) which only few know being a democratic icon most folks hate the military because of Martial law so i hope that answers your question beside that his a gun enthusiast.



I see, thanks for the explanation bro.


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## Zero_wing

nufix said:


> I see, thanks for the explanation bro.



Glad to be of service comrade please keep updating us with the latest of Indonesia military on the other thread

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## scobydoo

*South Korean defense manufacturer signifies interest to provide DND's frigate requirements*






MANILA, March 2 (PNA) -- A South Korean defense manufacturer is now talking with the Department of National Defense (DND) regarding its requirements for two brandnew frigates.

A DND observer said that the company is offering the Philippines varieties of the "Incheon" class frigates.

"Some initial talks are now being held and hopefully, the company will get a chance to bid for our frigate requirements," he stressed.

He also pointed out that talks with the South Korean defense manufacturer came about when the DND decided to not go ahead with the planned purchase of the Italian "Maestrale" frigates due to questions of cost and hull aging.

The "Incheon" are coastal defense frigates of the Republic of Korea Navy with its lead ship launched on April 29, 2011.

The "Incheon" class frigates will replace the aging fleet of "Pohang" class corvettes and "Ulsan" class frigates, and take over multi-role operations such as coast patrol, anti-submarine warfare and transport support.

Later batches are planned to be specialized on anti-air and anti-submarine warfare.

"Incheon" class frigates are armed with the 127mm/L62 Mk. 45 Mod 4 naval gun.

Point-defense armaments include a single 20 mm Phalanx CIWS and a RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile Block 1 21-round launcher.

Anti-Submarine Warfare armaments consists of K745 LW Cheong Sahng-uh (Blue Shark) torpedoes.

Its anti-ship capability is provided by 16 SSM-700K Hae Sung (Sea Star) long-range anti-ship missile, each with performance similar to the US Harpoon while land-attack capability is provided by the recently-developed Hyunmoo IIIC (Guardian of the Northern Sky) cruise missile, which is similar to the US Tomahawk.

It has a length of 374 feet, speed of 30 knots, capable of carrying a naval helicopter and a complement of 140 officers and men.

"Incheon" frigates weigh around 3,000 tons and has cruising range of 5,000 miles. (PNA)
FPV/PFN

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=502983

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## Zero_wing

Malaya said:


> Nope, he doesn&#8217;t have any military background.
> 
> That is a sad fact. It starts at the high ranked military officials who failed and lost their true purpose. They&#8217;re just in it for the money and that&#8217;s the reason why our current military is weak. I just hope President Aquino can get rid of those corrupt officials. By the way I&#8217;m actually impressed the way Indonesian military rapidly expands. President Yudhoyono is doing a great job.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It takes approximately 5 years to build new frigate &#8216;cos its very engineering complex and carefully build. That&#8217;s why they can&#8217;t rush thing out without proper testing. Although I also prefer the brand new ships, pero sa situation natin ngayon na tlagang kailangang kailangan ng Navy natin sa threat ng China na yan kaya dapat we should still consider that Maestrale. Dagdag nalang sana yung brand new ships kung gusto nila.



Am thanking about building a block for the ships sir correction

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## Malaya

nufix said:


> *Are they involved in some kind of business?* Because depending financial glory on government salaries is unlikely for people who pursue money.
> 
> It is not that rapid actually, the Indonesian Military Forces were underfunded for 12 years due to financial crisis that hampered Indonesia in 1998, now that the economy is back on the track, the government is simply replacing what's lost during the past 12 years. There's no major acquisition like in early 60's, 70's, and 90's. *The plan of expanding military capability will be held in 2015, as the Minimum Essential Force Phase II will be in effect*.


Some of them act as protectors or doers of illegal acts such as illegal logging, smuggling, gambling, etc. This AFP modernization program was already publicized during President Ramos term but never came to fruition. A case in point is - fund misuse of the proceeds of the sale of vast military lands wherein the proceeds should have gone to the modernization of the Armed Forces. It's about time the President to stop this culture of corruption among Generals. 

Anyway I&#8217;m still impressed by your Armed Forces. To me it looks like Indonesia is already on major military build-up with equipment arriving one after another. I'm happy that a neighbor and a country that is so very friendly to us develop its capabilities. That is what you call determination. 





*World Bank hails Philippines transparency effort*
Monday 4th of March 2013

DAVAO CITY, Mar. 4 (PIA) -- Billed as the Philippines efficient and cost-effective project management tool, the World Bank (WB) recently cited the government&#8217;s use of geo-tagging technology in its effort for a transparent and corrupt-free government. 

An article bannered in their Washington-based website (www.worldbank.org), said that the use of geo-tagging technology in the Department of Agriculture&#8217;s (DA) second Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP2) has made project monitoring in far-flung places become more transparent and easier to access with the help of a new technology that allows pictures and videos to be geo-tagged. 

&#8220;The geo-tagging process involves attaching location-specific information such as geographical coordinates to pictures, videos, and even SMS messages. Users would need a GPS-enabled phone and internet connection to upload multimedia to a web-based application such as Google, which provides the platform to geo-tag at no cost,&#8221; the article said. 

MRDP is long-term poverty alleviation initiative in Mindanao with a total funding of $127 million coming from the $83.752 million loan from the WB and the equity share of the national government and its 225 covered municipalities. 

&#8220;As we implement projects in the six regions of Mindanao, we constantly faced challenges of accessibility, manpower, resources and security concerns,&#8221; said the WB article quoting deputy program director Arnel V. De Mesa. 

&#8220;With the use of technology our project team and even country officials and donors agency can validate, monitor and evaluate actual progress on the ground without having to travel to hard-to-access locations and areas with high security risk,&#8221; De Mesa said. 

&#8220;The learning curve of geo-tagging is not that long, and the beauty of it is anyone can learn the ropes. Even the young ones who are exposed to smartphones nowadays can easily do it,&#8221; he added. 

Meanwhile, Program Director Lealyn A. Ramos said that the department is proud that WB has given recognition to their efforts of heeding the challenge of President Benigno S. Aquino III's tuwid na daan (straight path) and inclusive growth when the latter commenced his administration in 2010.

&#8220;We take pride in this effort as this involve majority of the people of Mindanao, local chief executives of our LGU partners and even community folk who support the advocacy on transparent government and accountable stakeholders in the project implementation,&#8221; Ramos said. 

*Cost-efficient and transparent *

The WB article described the technology as cost-efficient since it saves risky travel to high-risk and hard-to-reach areas; it has easy reference as donors, implementing agencies, contractors and other partners are provided with useful information about its sub-projects such as exact locations, dates of operation, land areas, distance covered and where they are situated in relation to other landmarks in the area as seen in www.damrdp.net, the website of MRDP2. 

Further, it is transparent as it allows citizens to better monitor the bidding and procurement process and other information like invitations to bid for projects, it is also available on the maps for the benefit of prospective bidders. 

The WB cited MRDP&#8217;s innovative use of the technology as the first among government agencies in the Philippines, and among the pioneers in the East Asia and the Pacific region being served by the Bank. As the pioneering group in the country, MRDP team is leading efforts to train their co-workers within the agency and outside the department on the use of geo-tagging for project management. 

Award winning program 
The Philippine National Economic and Development Authority through its &#8220;Good Practice Award&#8221; recently hailed MRDP for applying geo-tagging technology in &#8220;resolving recurrent issues in project implementation.&#8221; 

&#8220;We really wanted to show that we&#8217;re doing something for good governance and transparency,&#8221; De Mesa said. (Sherwin B. Manual/DA-MRDP/PIA-Caraga)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1701362369527

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## Soryu

scobydoo said:


> *South Korean defense manufacturer signifies interest to provide DND's frigate requirements*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MANILA, March 2 (PNA) -- A South Korean defense manufacturer is now talking with the Department of National Defense (DND) regarding its requirements for two brandnew frigates.


16 SSM missiles!? not.... just 8 ( 2 quadruple launchers)

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## nufix

Malaya said:


> Some of them act as protectors or doers of illegal acts such as illegal logging, smuggling, gambling, etc. This AFP modernization program was already publicized during President Ramos term but never came to fruition. A case in point is - fund* misuse* of the proceeds of the sale of vast military lands wherein the proceeds should have gone to the modernization of the Armed Forces. It's about time the President to stop this culture of corruption among Generals.
> 
> Anyway I&#8217;m still impressed by your Armed Forces. To me it looks like Indonesia is already on major military build-up with equipment arriving one after another. I'm happy that a neighbor and a country that is so very friendly to us develop its capabilities. That is what you call determination.




I think the best way to stop it is to impose one door dealing, like Russia with its Rosoboronexport. So the Armed Forces have no access for businesses.

Vielen dank brur,  we both have to expand our military capability, I'm impressed to note that Philippines and PN was a formidable economy and navy in Asia back in 50's 60's.

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## Zero_wing

That was when we have the American bases here those stupid client commies from the Chinese and Soviet Union had their way.


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## Fsjal

Zero_wing said:


> That was when we have the American bases here those stupid client commies from the Chinese and Soviet Union had their way.



Too bad. Let's blame our government for kicking Uncle Sam out.

That was 12 years ago. Geographic Politics have changed.



nufix said:


> Malaya said:
> 
> 
> 
> Some of them act as protectors or doers of illegal acts such as illegal logging, smuggling, gambling, etc. This AFP modernization program was already publicized during President Ramos term but never came to fruition. A case in point is - fund* misuse* of the proceeds of the sale of vast military lands wherein the proceeds should have gone to the modernization of the Armed Forces. It's about time the President to stop this culture of corruption among Generals.
> 
> Anyway I&#8217;m still impressed by your Armed Forces. To me it looks like Indonesia is already on major military build-up with equipment arriving one after another. I'm happy that a neighbor and a country that is so very friendly to us develop its capabilities. That is what you call determination.
> 
> 
> I think the best way to stop it is to impose one door dealing, like Russia with its Rosoboronexport. So the Armed Forces have no access for businesses.
> 
> Vielen dank brur,  we both have to expand our military capability, I'm impressed to note that Philippines and PN was a formidable economy and navy in Asia back in 50's 60's.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm impressed with Indonesia's strong military. Good Work
Click to expand...

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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> Too bad. Let's blame our government for kicking Uncle Sam out.
> 
> That was 12 years ago. Geographic Politics have changed.
> 
> 
> 
> nufix said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm impressed with Indonesia's strong military. Good Work
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh really please false flager chinese please use your own damn flag
Click to expand...


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## nufix

Zero_wing said:


> Oh really please false flager chinese please use your own damn flag



you have mistakenly quoted me


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## nufix

Zero_wing said:


> That was when we have the American bases here those stupid client commies from the Chinese and Soviet Union had their way.



Then I do look forward to see Philippines sets its own setfoot without relying on the U.S assistance, building economy autonomously is more dependable in time like this, when the military needs fresh money quick.

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## Fsjal

nufix said:


> you have mistakenly quoted me



It's alright. Zero_wing is a false flagger (Probably a Vietnamese)



Zero_wing said:


> Fsjal said:
> 
> 
> 
> Too bad. Let's blame our government for kicking Uncle Sam out.
> 
> That was 12 years ago. Geographic Politics have changed.
> 
> 
> 
> Oh really please false flager chinese please use your own damn flag
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am using my flag, Vietnamese.
Click to expand...


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## Zero_wing

nufix said:


> Then I do look forward to see Philippines sets its own setfoot without relying on the U.S assistance, building economy autonomously is more dependable in time like this, when the military needs fresh money quick.



easy said then done comrade alot of paid pro NPA commies in congress alone they hate the idea the military as good equipment and weapons on the other hand corrupt official both civilians and military would probably steal the money but counter measures are in place like PPP (Private Public partnership) pro seeds and G2G (Government to Government) to prevent this jerks from doing anything with the money but thanks to this counter measures things are moving slow very slow


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## Malaya

nufix said:


> Then I do look forward to see Philippines sets its own setfoot without relying on the U.S assistance, building economy autonomously is more dependable in time like this, when the military needs fresh money quick.


I agree. This should be a wake-up call and opportunity for us to start helping ourselves 'cos we relied so much on the precept that we don't need to "defend" ourselves from other countries. We were naive and relied too much on US for help. 

What we need right now is the minimum defense while we are slowly re-building strong military capabilities in the near future. Anyway it is never too late slowly but surely we will eventually be at par with other countries.

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## Malaya

*11 Filipinos among Forbes' top billionaires; Zobels, Cojuangco absent from list*
By: Likha Cuevas-Miel, InterAksyon.com





*File photo of shopping mall tycoon Henry Sy, the Philippines' richest man with a net worth of $13.2 billion as of March 2013 and at number 68 in Forbes' list of wealthiest billionaires. (Photo: forbes.com)*

MANILA, Philippines - As Philippine share prices continued to soar, more Filipino billionaires were able to debut in Forbes' list of the richest people in the world.

According to Forbes, 11 Filipinos made it to the list, with shopping mall tycoon Henry Sy (88) and family on top -- currently at number 68 in the global list -- with a net worth of $13.2 billion as of March 2013.

"The Philippines' richest man Henry Sy saw his fortune swell by more than $5 billion as shares of his holding firm SM Investments, the country's most valuable company, surged by over 50 percent, fuelled by reports that it may merge its property units," Forbes said.

Sy is followed by alcohol and tobacco mogul Lucio Tan (78) and family at number 248, with a net worth of $5 billion. This chemical engineer used to mop floors to pay for his tuition at the Far Eastern University.

Port operator Enrique Razon (53) followed as the third richest Filipino, ranking 258 in the global list. Razon, who entered the hotel and casino business through Bloomberry Resorts, has a net worth of $4.9 billion.

Former kitchen appliance salesman Andrew Tan (60) is ranked 345 with a net worth of $3.95 billion, thanks to his real estate, food and beverage and gaming businesses.

Ninety-one-year-old David Consunji and his family is the 503rd richest man in the world with a net worth of $2.8 billion. 

"Stock price of the Philippines Stock Exchange-listed company, which is up more than 20-fold since its 2009 low, took hit recently when an accident at its coal mine in Antique province claimed three lives," Forbes said.

This is Consunji's debut in the Forbes world's billionaires list.

George Ty (80) and his family, estimated to be worth $2.6 billion, landed on number 554 in the global billionaire list, with a little help from GT Capital's initial public offering and the subsequent 40 percent jump in the holding firm's share price.

Puregold Price Club's Lucio and Susan Co made it to number 736 as their net worth climbed to $2 billion. The share price of the second largest retailer in the Philippines has doubled since it went public two years ago.

At number 931 is Robert Coyiuto Jr. (60), who is estimated to be worth $1.6 billion. "Robert Coyiuto Jr. joins the billionaire ranks for the first time on performance of Philippine power transmission company National Grid Corporation, which he owns 30 percent of and which is co-owned by the son of Philippines' richest man, Henry Sy," Forbes said.

Jollibee Foods Corp. founder Tony Tan Caktiong (60) and family debuted in the global billionaire list at number 1031 as their net worth climbed to $1.4 billion. His fastfood stores abroad now contribute 20 percent to total revenues.

Andrew Gotianun (85) and family, with a net worth of $1.2 billion, ranked 1175 in Forbes' list as Filinvest shares surged by close to a third in 2012. Their East West Banking Corp. went public last year.

Also occupying the 1175th slot is Harvard Business School alumnus Roberto Ongpin (76), whose investments in San Miguel Corp. and other interests in banking, mining, gaming, property and telecommunications allowed him to amass wealth estimated to reach $1.2 billion. 

"In December, a Manila court ordered the freezing of bank accounts tied to Ongpin as part of an investigation about possible preferential treatment he got for loans from state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines," Forbes said.

Absent from this global list was Jaime Zobel de Ayala and family, estimated to be worth $2.2 billion in June 2012 and the seventh richest Filipino at that time. 

Also excluded from the last was Eduardo Cojuangco, who had sold his stake in San Miguel Corp. to his right-hand man, Ramon Ang. Cojuangco was the tenth richest Filipino in June 2012 and said to be worth $1.4 billion.

11 Filipinos among Forbes' top billionaires; Zobels, Cojuangco absent from list - InterAksyon.com

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## Malaya

Zero_wing said:


> Oh really please false flager chinese please use your own damn flag


Huwag mo nalang pansinin yung sira ulo at papansin na yon.


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## EastSea

Phl, Vietnam agree to boost defense cooperation
(philstar.com) | Updated March 6, 2013 - 4:53pm

MANILA, Philippines - Defense officials of the Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to explore ways to boost the defense cooperation between their countries.

The Defense department said Wednesday that the matter was discussed during the meeting of the Joint Defense Cooperation Working Group of the two countries last week in Manila.

&#8220;The meeting served as a mechanism for reviewing bilateral defense cooperation leading to a discussion of specific proposals on how to enhance defense cooperation between the two countries,&#8221; the department said in a statement.

&#8220;With a Memorandum of Agreement on Defense Cooperation signed in 2010, both sides identified mechanisms to substantiate the agreement,&#8221; it added.

The mechanisms include &#8220;practical cooperative activities&#8221; in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and the east that seek to enhance confidence among their respective personnel.

The West Philippine Sea has been the subject of a long-standing territorial dispute in the region. China claims virtually the entire area while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims.

Other mechanisms being considered include defense and military officials exchanges, personnel exchanges, information-sharing, analyst-to-analyst exchanges.

The two countries also exchanged updates on the situation in the West Philippine Sea and other regional issues.

&#8220;The Philippines emphasized the importance it accords to the peaceful approach to the issue and stressed that it is principle that underpins the country&#8217;s decision to bring the matter to the International Arbitral Tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas,&#8221; the Defense department said.

Defense Assistant Secretary Raymund Quilop led the Philippine delegation while Maj. Gen. Vu Chien Than, director of the foreign relations department of Vietnam&#8217;s Ministry of Defense headed the Vietnamese contingent. &#8211; Alexis Romero

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## Zero_wing

Malaya said:


> Huwag mo nalang pansinin yung sira ulo at papansin na yon.



Mahirap kabayan kasi kung pilipino nga ito gago ito paano niya magawang kumampi sa mga hayop na ito pero gago Intsik ginagamit yung atin bandila para ano gaguhin tayo hindi tama yan!

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## Malaya

*Philippines urges Syrian rebels to release troops*
Agence France-Presse
March 6, 2013 

The Philippines called Thursday for the immediate release of 21 Filipino UN peacekeepers taken hostage by Syrian rebels in the Golan Heights ceasefire zone.

The soldiers, part of a 300-strong Filipino peacekeeping unit, were detained at a rebel observation point on Wednesday by rebels who said the troops would be held until Syrian regime forces pulled back from a Golan village.

"The Philippine government is calling for the immediate release of 21 Filipino peacekeepers who are part of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights," the foreign affairs department said.

In a statement, the department said that all the hostages were reported to be unharmed and negotiations were under way to secure their safe release.

Philippine armed forces spokesman Colonel Arnulfo Burgos told AFP the rebels were treating the hostages well, adding: "They are being treated as guests, not as hostiles (enemy force).

"We have high hopes that they are going to be released soon."

Burgos did not did explain the basis for his optimism, other than pointing out negotiations had started.

However, a rebel spokesman said the troops would be held until forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pulled back from the village, also accusing the UN peacekeepers of favouring Israel.

A UN Disengagement Force has been monitoring a ceasefire between Syria and Israel since 1974.

The United Nations has reported a growing number of incidents in the Golan over the past year. It has sent extra armoured vehicles and communications equipment to reinforce security for the mission.

Up to the end of February there were about 1,000 troops from Austria, Croatia, India and the Philippines operating in the ceasefire force.

But Croatia announced last week it was withdrawing its 100 troops from UNDOF because it feared for the soldiers' safety. Canada and Japan have also withdrawn their small contingents in recent months because of security fears.

Burgos said no decision had been made on whether to pull the rest of the Filipino peacekeeping unit out of the Golan Heights.



Philippines urges Syrian rebels to release troops




*
NBA in the Philippines: Big, big, big*
BY ENZO FLOJO
POSTED ON 03/07/2013






*MANILA, Philippines -- By now, everyone already knows about the biggest NBA development involving the Philippines &#8211; an actual NBA preseason game will be played here in Manila. James Harden, Jeremy Lin, Chandler Parsons, and the rest of the Rockets will pit their skills against those of Roy Hibbert, Danny Granger, Paul George, and the rest of the Indiana Pacers.*

As NBA Asia Senior VP and Managing Director Scott Levy said in my interview with him, &#8220;These are two exciting teams with some of the best young stars today.&#8221;

It&#8217;s a game sure to feature a ton of highlight reel material.

*First NBA-sanctioned game since 1979*

So, the real question is, why haven&#8217;t you filed your leave yet? Why haven&#8217;t you started saving up for the tickets yet? This is the first sanctioned NBA game in the Philippines since 1979 when the Washington Bullets walloped the PBA All-Stars at the Araneta Coliseum, 133-123.

I am 110% sure that this event will be a big shebang, at least if the BIG Announcement event today was to be any standard.

I walked into the Coral Gate of the SM Mall of Asia Arena expecting the usual drill for public relations occasions like this &#8211; registration, free meals, and then the big reveal. My excitement really stemmed from the fact that this was the first NBA press con I was attending &#8211; EVER. I already knew an NBA game would be played here. Heck, almost everyone in Manila who gave half a damn about NBA basketball knew it, too. We also knew who the teams would be.

We just wanted confirmation. We just wanted formality.

And, yeah, free lunch and SM/NBA loot bags never hurt anyone, right?

What greeted everyone, however, was a total production. There was an NBA photowall. The free food was actually quite good (I remember seeing a few guys go back for repeats!). The press con was held not in a room, but in the actual event bowl of the MOA Arena. The NU cheerdancers were present to open the program. Solar Sports covered it on TV, with veteran commentator Chiqui Reyes doing emcee duties. NBA Philippines presented SM Prime&#8217;s Hans Sy with an autographed Danny Granger jersey and the actual Spalding basketball that will be used in the game.

*David Stern announced IT himself*

For me, though, the most exciting things were the three video clips played on the MOA Arena&#8217;s imposing jumbotron. The first one was of David Stern formalizing the announcement and reminding everyone why the Philippines is an important NBA market (we actually have the most NBA fans outside of the United States, at least based on Facebook and Twitter data). The second clip had Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale describing how excited he is to come to Manila, and the last one was a teaser that contained highlights from several Rockets and Pacers. This trio of clips was a nice touch that added even more legitimacy to the whole event, while also upping the excitement factor because, well, they were all shown on the friggin&#8217; jumbotron!!!

The row of organizers, which included, aside from Mr. Levy and Mr. Sy, NBA Asia&#8217;s Mr. Carlo Singson and West Avenue Theatre&#8217;s Mr. Eugene Tejerero among others, also graciously responded to questions from the audience. After the press con formally closed, the organizers even stayed behind to answer even more questions and grant some interviews from the info-hungry media mavens.

This was when I got to catch Mr. Levy. I asked him why it took so long for the NBA to play a game in Manila, especially considering how big an NBA market we are, and he simply said, &#8220;We finally found the perfect partner in SM.&#8221;

I was also interested to know what the teams&#8217; and players&#8217; itineraries would be when they arrive in Manila, but Mr. Levy and the rest of the organizers were pretty much mum about these details. All they said was we should keep tabs on the online accounts of the NBA (NBA.com, NBA Philippines, Facebook, and Twitter) for further updates.

*Total entertainment*

If the latest NBA-connected events are to be gauges, however, we can probably expect the Rockets and Pacers to go through the gamut of media events, basketball clinics, mall tours, and charity activities. Heck, don&#8217;t be surprised to see Jeremy Lin or Chandler Parsons end up on a Bench billboard, or maybe James Harden become an endorser for a shaving company. How about Roy Hibbert or the NBA cheerleaders on a noontime show? Here in the Philippines, that is actually possible. I hope the NBAers know what they&#8217;re getting into!

Needless to say, 2013 is going to be big for the MOA Arena and for Philippine basketball in general. I mean, the 2013 FIBA Asia will be held there and now the first ever NBA preseason game featuring two NBA clubs as well! To paraphrase one of my media colleagues, it looks like the MOA Arena is carving its own niche in local sports entertainment history.

As for ticket prices, don&#8217;t expect to pay the same amount you do for the usual UAAP or PBA games (like Php300 for a Patron seat). That just won&#8217;t happen. Instead, be ready to shell out 4-5 figures for this once-in-a-lifetime event. Even if Mr. Sy promised everyone that they already have many sponsors to help defray the costs, I don&#8217;t think the tickets will be accessible to most sectors of the metro. There wasn&#8217;t even any indication it would be shown on free TV, though I think it would be a really terrible move if they fail to acquire a free TV partner.

In any case, this game should be an awesome event. It will be BIG in practically every sense of the word. - Rappler.

NBA in the Philippines: Big, big, big


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## Malaya

*U.S. 7th Fleet flagship vessel visits Manila*

Kyodo News
Posted at 03/07/2013






MANILA - The flagship vessel of the U.S. 7th Fleet, which is based in Yokosuka, Japan, arrived in Manila on Thursday for a four-day visit aimed at reinforcing the "enduring relationship of the Philippines and the United States."

Aboard the USS Blue Ridge were about 1,100 officers and sailors, led by Rear Adm. John Weigold, deputy commander of the 7th Fleet, and Capt. Will Pennington, commander of the ship.

"All port visits, and this one certainly included, are a symbol of the enduring relationship between the Philippines and the United States, one that dates back many, many years, and continues to this day. It's vital to the area, and it's in the interest of both nations that we maintain those strong ties," Pennington said in a press conference aboard the ship.

Without downplaying the Philippines' dispute with China over territories in the South China Sea, Pennington said the issue does not necessarily make this year's port call in Manila more significant than its once-in-a-year visits over the past 15 years.

"Nobody should be worried about our visit," he said.

While in the Philippine capital, the ship's personnel will engage in book-reading activities in local nursery schools and sports activities such as basketball and soccer against some local teams.

There will also be leadership and professional exchanges.

An increase in port calls by U.S. Navy ships in the Philippines is being expected by the Philippine authorities following the pronouncement of U.S. President Barack Obama in 2011 about a U.S. pivot to the Asia-Pacific.

The Philippines and United States forged a Mutual Defense Treaty in 1951, and a Visiting Forces Agreement in 1998.

U.S. 7th Fleet flagship vessel visits Manila | ABS-CBN News

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## jhungary

Philippines ratifies Australia military pact - Yahoo!7 Sport

*
Philippines ratifies Australia military pact*
The Philippine Senate ratified a sensitive military pact with Australia Tuesday that lays out rules for visiting troops, in a move politicians said would improve regional security.

The agreement was first signed in 2007 but remained in legislative limbo amid political sensitivities, as the country's constitution explicitly bans the long-term stationing of foreign forces on its territory.

Its endorsement by the Senate five years on is seen by some observers as a bid to get Australia's backing in Manila's row with China over South China Sea islands.

Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile said the body passed a resolution endorsing the treaty 17-1 with no abstentions, putting it into force after a four-year debate in the Philippines.

"Concurrence with the ratification... will not only pave the way for us to improve our defence mechanisms, it will also solidify our decades-old relationship with Australia," he said in a press release.

President Benigno Aquino's spokesman Edwin Lacierda hailed the senate vote.

"The Senate... has taken an important step in enhancing our national and regional security by ratifying the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement between Australia and the Philippines," he said in a statement.

The two countries had earlier signed a preliminary agreement on defence and military cooperation in 1995.

The latest pact would, among other things, subject visiting soldiers to the jurisdiction of the host country should they commit acts that are illegal in the host country but not in the sending country.

The Philippines signed a similar pact in 1998 with its traditional military ally the United States.

Under the pact small numbers of US military advisers have been deployed in the southern Philippines for the past decade to help train Philippine forces fighting Islamic militants.

The lone holdout against Tuesday's signing, Senator Joker Arroyo, accused the government of putting pressure on the senators to ratify the pact to get Australian backing in Manila's ongoing row with China over the resource-rich Scarborough Shoal.

"Although the agreement is not a defence pact, its symbolism cannot be lost on China. Let us not grab at straws," Arroyo said in a statement after the vote.

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## Zero_wing

nufix said:


> you have mistakenly quoted me



hahahaha sorry comrade please forgive me 



Fsjal said:


> It's alright. Zero_wing is a false flagger (Probably a Vietnamese)
> 
> 
> 
> Zero_wing said:
> 
> 
> 
> I am using my flag, Vietnamese.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh really do tell?
Click to expand...


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## john.mccainn

Malaya said:


> *11 Filipinos among Forbes' top billionaires; Zobels, Cojuangco absent from list*
> By: Likha Cuevas-Miel, InterAksyon.com





must be "Filipinos Chinese among Forbes' top billionaires"

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## nufix

john.mccainn said:


> must be "Filipinos Chinese among Forbes' top billionaires"



Chinese or no Chinese, People who take Philippines as their nationality are called Filipinos. The same thing goes for every races I suppose.

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## john.mccainn

nufix said:


> Chinese or no Chinese, People who take Philippines as their nationality are called Filipinos. The same thing goes for every races I suppose.



well speak about the irony , the Philippines didn't likes the Chinese yet they boost their pride of nationalism "the richest Filipino among Forbes" by using the some Chinese Filipino lol.

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## Fsjal

john.mccainn said:


> well speak about the irony , the Philippines didn't likes the Chinese yet they boost their pride of nationalism "the richest Filipino among Forbes" by using the some Chinese Filipino lol.



Hypocrisy runs in the media.


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## nufix

john.mccainn said:


> well speak about the irony , the Philippines didn't likes the Chinese yet they boost their pride of nationalism "the richest Filipino among Forbes" by using the some Chinese Filipino lol.



disliking the Chinese as a race and disliking China as a Country are two different things, I am sure that you understand lah bro.

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## Bob Ong

john.mccainn said:


> must be "Filipinos Chinese among Forbes' top billionaires"


Race is never an issue here. Our blood may be Chinese, but our roots grow deep in Philippine soil. If you're considered a Filipino under the Constitution, then you're most definitely a Filipino (naturalized and dual-citizenship = Filipino Citizen, Half-Filipino = Filipino). Filipino-Chinese in the Philippines are patriotic citizens and make valuable contributions to the country economically, socially and politically. Many past and present leaders have Chinese heritage. The Philippine President today is a Filipino-Chinese, and the Mayor of the Capital City is also Filipino-Chinese (Alfredo Lim). Philippine national hero (José Rizal) had Chinese ancestry. Filipino-Chinese have preserved the best elements of Chinese culture and made it our own by fusing it with Filipino influences. With the increasing number of interracial marriages, Filipinos of Chinese descent will continue to be an integral part of the Philippines for the foreseeable future.


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## Zero_wing

I think this idiots mistaken race with heritage? If heritage per say Filipinos have a lot of chinese Heritage due to the influx of Chinese people finding a better life here by intermarriage or influence and trying to escape from Chinese emperors to Red Mao's stupidity. We don't hate the chinese here just mainlander who came to steal us of our birthright and the chinese born here are chinoys by the way and they see the Philippines as their home its the mainlanders who just recently immigrated here many are troublemakers may i add and sees things differently! I wish they should just go home already they stealing both in resources and not paying taxes and flooding our markets with fake cheap poorly made goods from the mainland getting rich while not paying taxes and killing local business chinoys included


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## Reashot Xigwin

* Bataan Hails Arsenal Modernization Plan*







_Government Arsenal, the country's maker of basic weaponry and ammunition will be modernized (photo : Government Arsenal)_

BALANGA CITY, Bataan - Second District Rep. Abet S. Garcia revealed yesterday that the security and economic development of the province and the rest of the country will be further boosted after President Benigno S. Aquino III signed a landmark legislation modernizing the Government Arsenal based here as part of the P75-billion program to upgrade the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Saying it is a legislation that he had originally authored, Rep. Garcia said Republic Act No. 10349 or the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program seeks to develop the army into a multi-mission oriented force capable of effectively addressing internal and external security threats.

In an interview with this correspondent inside his house here, the bachelor solon said the AFP modernization program has a budget of P75 billion for the first five years of implementation which includes the procurement of major weapons and non-weapon equipment and technology, and the construction of needed major infrastructures.

Garcia, the eldest son of Gov. Tet Garcia, said the law was a "landmark legislation" that was consolidated from his original House Bill No. 76 which sought to modernize the Government Arsenal, the country's maker of basic weaponry and ammunition, located in Lamao, Limay town.

"I filed this bill as early as the 14th Congress precisely to rehabilitate our 370-hectare Government Arsenal in Lamao, Limay, Bataan which, to date, remains under-utilized and unproductive," said Garcia.

He said only four types of ammunition are produced in the defense estate: the 7.62mm M80, 5.56mm M193, Cal .45 M1911, and 9mm Parabellum.

"There is a need to upgrade the capability of the Government Arsenal to produce not only small arms ammunition but also higher caliber ammunition such as 40 cal., and even mortars and other crew-served weapons ammunition," Garcia said.

With the passage of the law, Garcia said the development of the land is projected to create more jobs for Bataeños and become a catalyst for economic activity.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), which also gets its munitions from the arsenal, has expressed elation over the law with a top local official saying will be integral in sustaining national security and public safety.

(Manila Bulletin)

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## Malaya

john.mccainn said:


> must be "Filipinos Chinese among Forbes' top billionaires"


That's happening across ASEAN as well. Their ethnicity could be pure Chinese, or a mixture of Chinese and Filipino. But their nationality is Filipino.


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## Malaya

*6 other nations to join Philippines-US joint exercise*






MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) -- *Australia, Brunei, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand *will take part in this year's Balikatan joint military exercise to be held in the Philippines next month, apart from the host and the United States, a Philippine military official said here Sunday.

They will participate in the Multinational Maritime Security Roundtable Discussion for the upcoming Balikatan Exercise 2013, which will run from April 5 to 17, said Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

However, the six countries will not be taking part in the actual field training exercises which will be limited to Filipino and US forces alone, Burgos added.

"The roundtable discussion seeks to determine specific humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in high-traffic international waters, and build response confidence among multi-national partners," said Burgos.

"The event will be one of the highlights of this year's military exercise wherein more than 8,000 soldiers from the AFP and US military are set to participate," he said. 

Burgos said the annual Balikatan exercise seeks to "further promote and foster the existing friendship" between the two countries and "advance the security and stability of the region in the near future." 

6 other nations to join Philippines-US joint exercise | Breaking News, Other Sections, Home | philstar.com

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## Malaya

*US Committed to Working with PH Gov't in Strengthening Military*
By: Roy C. Mabasa
Published: March 20, 2013






The United States is committed to working with the Philippine government in strengthening its military and its ability to defend the country.

At the same time, visiting US Department of Defense Deputy Secretary Dr. Ashton Carter reiterated that the US stands solidly behind the efforts of the Philippines to resolve the maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) in a peaceful manner and consistent with the rule of law.

Dr. Carter gave the assurance during his call on Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario Tuesday afternoon at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) headquarters in Pasay City.

The Deputy Secretary is the second highest ranking official in the US Defense Department. He is accompanied by accompanied by a number of US Defense and Military officials in a short visit to the country.

"I welcomed Dr. Carter&#8217;s strong support for our efforts at peacefully settling the maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea. We are committed to seeing this through,&#8221; said del Rosario in a statement issued Tuesday night after the meeting.

He is referring to the arbitration case that the Philippines recent filed against China under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

According to the DFA chief, he and Dr. Carter had a good discussion on intensifying defense cooperation and the current challenges in the region during their meeting.

He said they both agreed that to support the military training and capacity building efforts of the Philippines, it is important that there be an increase in number of exercises and other approved activities between the military and defense establishments of the two countries.

&#8220;This increased rotational presence will be crucial in allowing us to maximize our own investment in our defense,&#8221; del Rosario pointed out.

&#8220;We will be able to increase and maximize the value and returns of the P75 billion the President has allocated for our defense for the next five years the increased rotational presence, exercises, training and other activities with US forces,&#8220; he added.

Dr. Carter has served the US government in different capacities, has been a member of the academe and think tanks, as well as private corporations. 

He holds a doctorate in theoretical physics from the University of Oxford and bachelor&#8217;s degrees in physics and medieval history from Yale University. 

Dr. Carter always had an interest in the Philippines, del Rosario disclosed, starting when he first met and interacted with Senator Benigno &#8220;Ninoy&#8221; Aquino, Jr., father of the President, when both of them were members of the academe in institutions of high learning in Massachusetts.

Manila Bulletin


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## Malaya

Press release
20 March 2013

Ministry for Foreign Affairs

*EU establishes partnership and cooperation agreements with the Philippines and Vietnam
*

*The Government today presented two bills to the Riksdag dealing with the EU's relations with the Philippines and Vietnam.*

*The Philippines*

A partnership and cooperation agreement is to establish a framework for relations with the Philippines. The agreement concerns cooperation in a broad spectrum of areas, such as:

human rights
non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
trade and investment
migration
development cooperation
environment and climate change
science

The agreement contains a legal commitment on both sides regarding the respect of human rights and obligations with regard to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The partnership agreement with the Philippines may also constitute the framework for potential future negotiations on a free trade agreement with the country.

*Vietnam*

A partnership and cooperation agreement is to establish a framework for relations with Vietnam. The agreement concerns cooperation in a broad spectrum of areas, such as:

development cooperation
non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
trade and investment
migration
education
environment and climate change
human rights

The agreement contains a legal commitment on both sides regarding the respect of human rights and obligations with regard to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The agreement is also intended to constitute the framework for the ongoing negotiations on a free trade agreement with Vietnam.

EU establishes partnership and cooperation agreements with the Philippines and Vietnam


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## Malaya

*British arms industry sets sights on AFP modernization*
By: Ben Arnold O. De Vera, InterAksyon.com
March 19, 2013






MANILA - The British arms industry wants to supply the Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) with state-of-the-art weaponry.

UK Ambassador Stephen Lillie told reporters on Monday night that two British business delegations are in town to explore trade opportunities here.

An eight-person delegation active in the aid-funded business sector will meet with the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) to explore opportunities linked to the regional lender's projects not only in the Philippines but also across Asia.

Cheryl Boxall, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) Aid-funded Business Service Project manager, said the group is interested in agriculture, education, health, mining, power, public transportation, among others.

Thirteen British companies in the defense sector are also in Manila following earlier discussions with the DND. The delegation will meet with officials of the DND and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the two-day UK Defence and Technology Event that starts today.

"The DND is engaged in a very big modernization program. We're looking at this opportunity. We have a very strong defense industry in the UK. We want to showcase what the UK can do," Lillie said.

The British ambassador said the wide range of defense equipment and technologies made and developed in the UK are of good quality, "high-tech" and have value for money.

British arms industry sets sights on AFP modernization - InterAksyon.com



*Top US defense official at DND meeting*






United States Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter (2nd left, with glasses) leaves the Department of National Defense in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday after a meeting with DND Sec. Voltaire Gazmin. The two defense officials discussed a range of common security challenges and ways to reinforce US support for its allies in Asia. At right is US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr.


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## Malaya

*SIPRI Report: Weapons Transfers to the Philippines 2012*






According to SIPRI records, has acquired four radar Philippine MMSR types of Lockheed Martin, the United States. Type AN/TPS-79 radar was purchased.

AN/TPS-79 Multi-Mission Surveillance Radar (MMSR) is a medium range tactical radar for air surveillance and air traffic control environment and coastal surveillance applications.

AN/TPS-79 is a multi-mission radar system and is a highly mobile radar can be moved by road (car or train), sea or air (with a transport aircraft C-130) with the set-up time of less than 90 minutes.

Radar was designed as a "gap filler" middle-reaching. Primary surveillance radar coverage to 60 nautical miles (111 km) and secondary surveillance radar coverage up to 120 nautical miles (222 km).

DEFENSE STUDIES



*KOREAN DEFENSE ATTACHÉ VISITS PHILIPPINE NAVY HEADQUARTERS*
By: NAVAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE






Colonel Kim Yi Kon, the Defense Attaché of Korea to the Philippines visited on Friday March 15, 2013 the Headquarters Philippine Navy (HPN) and had a meeting with the Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Jose Luis M Alano. Colonel Kim was accompanied by Mr Yoon Soon Bong and Mr Lee Se Ho, both from the Daewoo International, the Korea's largest trading company which also specializes in exporting a wide range of defense supplies to Asian, American and African countries. 






The purpose of the visit and the meeting was to discuss matters pertaining to Philippine Navy Defense Acquisition with the Republic of Korea. 

KOREAN DEFENSE ATTACH VISITS PHILIPPINE NAVY HEADQUARTERS - Philippine Navy News

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## Bob Ong

Zero_wing said:


> I think this idiots mistaken race with heritage? If heritage per say Filipinos have a lot of chinese Heritage due to the influx of Chinese people finding a better life here by intermarriage or influence and trying to escape from Chinese emperors to Red Mao's stupidity. We don't hate the chinese here just mainlander who came to steal us of our birthright and the chinese born here are chinoys by the way and they see the Philippines as their home its the mainlanders who just recently immigrated here many are troublemakers may i add and sees things differently! I wish they should just go home already they stealing both in resources and not paying taxes and flooding our markets with fake cheap poorly made goods from the mainland getting rich while not paying taxes and killing local business chinoys included


Dude relax. I know the difference (race refers to a person's physical appearance and heritage refers to something which is inherited from one's ancestors.) so what&#8217;s your problem with that? I suggest you need to take a break and inhale more positive energy, exhale the negative energy. Do that at least 10 times and I promise you're good as new. Peace out.


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## Malaya

*Philippine output to hit 7% in Q1 &#8212; FMIC, UA&P*

The economy may grow up to 7 percent this quarter on manageable inflation, election spending, booming construction and possible uptick in exports, according to a study made by First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) and the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P).

&#8220;On the back of manageable inflation, strong government and private election spending, booming construction, and a modest rebound of exports, we expect GDP (gross domestic product) to expand at close to 7.0 in Q1 (first quarter),&#8221; read FMIC and UA&P's &#8220;Market Call,&#8221; released Wednesday.

Last year Philippine output in the fourth quarter hit 6.8 percent, pushing the full-year GDP to 6.6 percent.

FMIC and UA&P's higher projection came despite the National Statistical Coordination Board's leading economic index (LEI) showing that growth likely eased in the first quarter of 2013.

Sought for comment, UA&P School of Economics dean Peter Lee U said the 7 percent projection is &#8220;maybe at the high end.&#8221;

&#8220;But we're just quibbling with numbers. A 6-percent growth rate is already good news, although that would be at the conservative side. We can easily hit around mid-6 percent,&#8221; he added.

According to the study, inflation may inch up to 3.3 percent in March after consumer prices inched up in January following a rise in alcoholic beverage and tobacco costs with the implementation of the so-called Sin Tax Reform Law.

Last Thursday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas hiked its inflation forecast for this year to 3.3 percent from 3 percent on higher than expected rise in consumer prices in January, which hit 3 percent.

The new projection is within the central bank's 3 to 5 percent forecast.

Inflation not a concern

FMIC and UA&P, however maintained that inflation will &#8220;remain sanguine&#8221; this year on a projected decline in crude oil prices and an increase in rice stocks.

&#8220;I don't see inflation being a concern, yet,&#8221; said Lee U.

Exports are also seen recovering with overseas demand getting a boost from stronger trade relations with other markets as well as the Japanese yen's depreciation buoying the electronics sector.

&#8220;A turnaround may possibly happen in 2013,&#8221; the report read.

&#8220;The country may begin reaping the fruits of Aquino&#8217;s effort in strengthening trade relations... [and] continuous depreciation of Japanese yen can provide room for expansion of its exports, mainly on final electronic products, which can boost demand for Philippine raw electronic products,&#8221; it added.

But FMIC and UA&P warned of downside risks, like the stuttering US and euro zone economies &#8220;putting the export industry at risk.&#8221;

Merchandise exports in January fell 2.7 percent, reversing double-digit growth the month previous on sharp decline in electronics shipments.

The National Economic and Development Authority has said indicators point to a recovery in exports in following months.

UA&P's Lee U said, &#8220;January exports is just a dip, at best a flat growth. We see exports picking up as things get better overseas, despite possible downside risks.&#8221;

Despite the robust expectations, Lee U noted that more could be done to sustain growth like rolling out more big-ticket infrastructure projects and attracting more direct investments.

&#8220;Expectations are there, but we need to deliver, really deliver,&#8221; he said. &#8212; BM/VS, GMA News

Philippine output to hit 7% in Q1 &mdash; FMIC, UA&P | Economy | GMA News Online



*Singaporean business mission eyes additional investments in Philippines*
By: Ben Arnold O. De Vera, InterAksyon.com
March 21, 2013 







MANILA - Singaporean businessmen are looking at additional investments in the Philippines, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Thursday.

A 14-member Singaporean business delegation visited Manila and the Clark Freeport Zone last week to explore business opportunities.

"Now is the time to consider business opportunities in the Philippines considering its economic growth, particularly its 6.6-percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate," Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) chairman Rangarajan Narayanamohan was quoted by the DTI as saying.

The Singaporean business mission was led Narayanamohan and Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI) president Abdul Rohm Sarip.

"This recent visit of Singaporean businessmen is consistent with the aim of the two countries to regularly exchange business visits and strengthen their bilateral relations. It also builds on the Philippine business mission organized by the Philippines-Singapore Business Council of the Makati Business Club in Singapore last November 2012. This mission signified the strong interest of the Philippines in Singapore as a strategic business partner in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)," said Glenn G. Peñaranda, commercial counselor at the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Singapore.

Singapore was the Philippines' fourth-largest trading partner, fourth-biggest export destination and sixth source of imports last year.

Singaporean business mission eyes additional investments in Philippines - InterAksyon.com

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## Malaya

*3 U.S. vessels to arrive in the Philippines for routine port calls*
By: Abigail Kwok, InterAksyon.com
March 22, 2013 






MANILA, Philippines - Three United States Navy vessels will arrive in the Philippines on Friday for "routine port calls," the U.S. Embassy in Manila announced. 

Docking in Subic is the submarine USS Ohio, in Manila, the destroyer USS Decatur and in Cebu, the submarine tender USS Frank Cable. The three will undergo "routine maintenance, replenishment of supplies, rest and recreation and community assistance and outreach activities," the U.S. embassy said. 

USS Decatur (DDG 73) is a 505-foot long destroyer named after Commodore Stephen Decatur, a U.S. naval hero during the U.S.-Britain war of 1812. The Arleigh-Burke class destroyer was commissioned in 1998 with over 300 crew and soldiers, several of whom were Filipinos. 

Meanwhile, the USS Frank Cable (AS 40) has a crew of about 1,500 and serves as the 7th Fleet's mobile repair and support platform. USS Frank already visited Subic last year and will dock in Cebu this time. 

The USS Ohio (SSGN 726) is the lead ship of the Ohio-class submarines of the U.S. This 560-foot long submarine will dock in Subic and has a crew of about 150 officers and sailors. It is the fourth vessel to bear the name of the U.S. state. 

The visit of the three ships will "highlight the strong historic, community and military relations" between the U.S. and the Philippines, according to the embassy. 

The visit comes amid the continuing efforts to salvage U.S. Navy minesweeper USS Guardian, which ran aground on Tubbataha Reef in Sulu Sea on January 17. 

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas said investigation on the cause of the grounding remains ongoing. He, however, declined to disclose any updates at this time. He reiterated U.S. apology over the incident.

3 U.S. vessels to arrive in the Philippines for routine port calls - InterAksyon.com

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## Malaya

*South Korea's offer of brand new and advance navy ship to the Philippines*

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## Zero_wing

Bob Ong said:


> Dude relax. I know the difference (race refers to a person's physical appearance and heritage refers to something which is inherited from one's ancestors.) so whats your problem with that? I suggest you need to take a break and inhale more positive energy, exhale the negative energy. Do that at least 10 times and I promise you're good as new. Peace out.



Kabayan yung target ko yung mga imperalistang chekwa

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## Soryu

Malaya said:


> *South Korea's offer of brand new and advance navy ship to the Philippines*


Notice from the picture has one wrong.

The second pic above, from left to right of big picture is ECM equipment, not Navigation Radar.


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## Malaya

Soryu said:


> Notice from the picture has one wrong.
> 
> The second pic above, from left to right of big picture is ECM equipment, not Navigation Radar.


I got it from AMDR source.

here's the other info:

*Incheon Class Frigates / Future Frigate Experimental (FFX), South Korea*

*Design features of Incheon Class vessels*

The Incheon Class frigate incorporates a stealth hull design to reduce acoustic and infrared signatures. The vessel has an overall length of 114m, width of 14m and a depth of 25m. The standard displacement of the ship is 2,300t. It can accommodate a crew of 145 to 170.

*Command and control of FFX frigates*






The command and control system of the FFX is the Samsung Thales NS ICMS (*Naval Shield Integrated Combat Management System*). The combat system integrates the onboard sensors, weapons and fire control systems.

It performs target detection, tracking, threat assessment and weapon control functions simultaneously for conducting efficient combat operations in various engagement scenarios.

*Incheon Class weapon systems*

The Incheon Class is armed with a SSM-700K Hae Sung (Sea Star) long-range anti-ship missile. The Hae Sung can strike targets within a range of 150km. The Hyunmoo IIIC cruise missiles fitted on the frigate offer a land attack capability to the Incheon Class.

The main gun fitted forward is the 127mm/L62 Mk 45 Mod 4 naval gun. The gun can fire 16 to 20 rounds a minute to an effective range of 24km. The close-point defence is provided by a Phalanx 20mm CIWS (close-in weapon system) and RIM-116B Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) 21-round launcher.

An Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability is provided by K745 Chung Sang Eo (Blue Shark) torpedoes. The Blue Shark can attack submarines located within a range of 19km.

*Sensors / radars and countermeasures*

The sensor suite consists of tracking radar, navigation radar, Thales Smart-S Mk2 Smart-S Mk2 3D medium to long-range surveillance radar, sonar, identification friend or foe (IFF) system and long-range electro-optical targeting system (EOTS).
The countermeasures are provided by a LIG Nex1 SLQ-200K Sonata electronic warfare suite and a KDAGAIE Mk2 decoy launching system.

*Helicopter handling system of Incheon Class frigates*

The FFX frigates have an aft helicopter deck to support the operations of a Super Lynx or SH-60 Seahawk helicopter. The frigate is equipped with an enclosed hangar facility to accommodate up to two medium-lift helicopters.

*Propulsion of the South Korean vessels*

The first batch of FFX frigates are powered by RENK CODOG (combined diesel or gas turbine) propulsion systems.

The propulsion units are supplied by DOOSAN Heavy Industries, the prime contractor of the propulsion gear for the FFX. Each vessel in the second batch will be equipped with a single MT30 gas turbine delivering a power output of 36MW to 40MW. MT30 is the most powerful marine gas turbine in the world.

The propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 30kt and a cruising range of about 8,000km to the Incheon Class frigates.

Incheon Class Frigates / Future Frigate Experimental (FFX) - Naval Technology


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## Malaya

*Another US warship docks in Manila after 3 American vessels arrive for 'routine' visits*
By: Abigail C. Kwok, InterAksyon.com
March 25, 2013 






Another United States warship docked off Manila Monday, just days after three US ships arrived in the country for "routine" visits.

The Philippine Navy said it welcomed the arrival of the USS Reuben James (FFG 57), an Oliver Hazzard Perry-class guided missile frigate headed by Commander Daniel Valascho.

The ship docked at the South Harbor in Manila.

Lieutenant Commander Gregory Fabic, Navy spokesman, said the visit would allow the ship to replenish its supplies and undergo routine maintenance. The ship has 172 enlisted personnel and 24 officers who will be staying in Manila until March 29.

The visit aims to "highlight historic, community and military connections between United States and Philippines" and strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

Another US warship docks in Manila after 3 American vessels arrive for 'routine' visits - InterAksyon.com

*Japan to finance P467-B PH infra projects*
BY RAPPLER.COM
03/25/2013

MANILA, Philippines - The government of Japan will finance P466.52 billion worth of infrastructure projects in the Philippines.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines, H.E. Toshinao Urabe, signed and exchanged notes on 4 projects on Monday, March 25.

Japan will help finance two yen loan projects -- a mass transit and an airport -- while the two grant aid projects are focused on mini-hydropower development in Northern Philippines. The projects are:

Capacity Enhancement of Mass Transit Systems in Metro Manila - P18.56 billion
New Bohol Airport Construction and Sustainable Environment Protection Project - P4.63 billion
Mini-Hydropower Development Project in the Province of Ifugao - P380.67 million
Mini-Hydropower Development Project in the Province of Isabela - P62.66 million
The Capacity Enhancement of Mass Transit Systems in Metro Manila includes the development of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 South Extension and LRT Line 2 East Extension projects. The New Bohol Airport Project involves the construction of a new airport compliant with international standards in Panglao Island.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida earlier conveyed the Japanese government&#8217;s decision to extend yen loans for these projects during his visit in the Philippines last January 10. These projects will be implemented by the Department of Transportation and Communications.

The mini-hydropower development projects in the provinces of Ifugao and Isabela are part of the Department of Energy&#8217;s program to develop renewable energy resources for energy sustainability, stability and security. Hydropower is an attractive alternative source of electricity because of its minimal impact on the environment.

These official development assistance projects on infrastructure development form part of the economic pillar of the Philippines-Japan Strategic Partnership. Japan continues to be the country's top source of ODA loans. - Rappler.com

http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/208-infrastructure/24718-japan-finance-infra-projects

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## Malaya



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## nufix

Phil army, loyal user of M16 I see,

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## Zero_wing

nufix said:


> Phil army, loyal user of M16 I see,



Not really we slowly phasing them out of service to tell you the truth we are loyal users of M14 and M1 grands which we have a lot


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## nufix

Zero_wing said:


> Not really we slowly phasing them out of service to tell you the truth we are loyal users of M14 and M1 grands which we have a lot



aren't those rifles are actually old? those rifle are mainly covered by wood and wooden buttstock. Phil military forces are still using it?

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## Zero_wing

nufix said:


> aren't those rifles are actually old? those rifle are mainly covered by wood and wooden buttstock. Phil military forces are still using it?



Most of it especially the M14 is still use but not as main battle rifles but as specialty weapons like Sniper or marksmen weapons and most have been refurnish and rebarreled and the rest are old world war stock with no modern alteration the rest are use by our CAFGUS or Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units basically our own version of the US National Guard. So ya we even use M3 gress guns and Thomson for both Military units and Police mostly the military.


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## p3avi8tor69

Zero_wing said:


> Not really we slowly phasing them out of service to tell you the truth we are loyal users of M14 and M1 grands which we have a lot




Ignorant fool. Even foreigners know your army's main rifle are M16A1 not M14 or M1. Your attempt to look knowledgeable is pathetic.

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## Fsjal

p3avi8tor69 said:


> Ignorant fool. Even foreigners know your army's main rifle are M16A1 not M14 or M1. Your attempt to look knowledgeable is pathetic.



Relax. They were saying that the M14 and M1 are classics rifles in the military. Used as honorary rifles I think.


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## Zero_wing

p3avi8tor69 said:


> Ignorant fool. Even foreigners know your army's main rifle are M16A1 not M14 or M1. Your attempt to look knowledgeable is pathetic.



Oh please we have assorted of weapons from old to new ones please check your stupidity before you post arrogant jerks and besides its not a secret dude everybody knows and i have relatives in the Philippine military that's why i know! Anyway going back we got all kinds of weapons in the military from classic M1 to the latest G36s and P90s heck we even got those new versions of Steyr AuG but i can't tell which service but its special forces units. Oh please if you think i don't things your very wrong and if this your idea of just gonking me for a fight good luck there @$$hole.


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## Zero_wing

nufix said:


> aren't those rifles are actually old? those rifle are mainly covered by wood and wooden buttstock. Phil military forces are still using it?



Sir nufix sorry being Semana Santa a holy holiday here my PC time is very limited so about the M1 and the M14 most of them are modernized the rest are old yes but they can still fire in fact the M1 and M14 according to my solders are better than M16 because its hard to maintain and fix while M1s and M14 are so easy to Maintain and excellent in jungle fighting about the M16s we have we are upgrading the A1s according to the DND and my sources the old M16 A1s (most were made in the Philippines by company that when under in the 90s called Elisco Tool Manufacturing, Co.) are being modernized to the A2 and A3s and adding more service life to given in to normal solders the rest are being put on stocks the rest redistributed to the CAFGUS with limited modernization just to add more service life info is sketchy but that's the best i can do for now, Anyway the Government by the Government Arsenal (i know you know about them you posted some article about the GA) is planing to our own version of M16 i think this from the bill that was sign to boost their capabilities and does equipment we bought from other countries especially from Canada something called GA (Government Arsenal) 5.56 rifle with three variants one for standard rifle base on the M16 with one is this Recon/SOF model: Barrel: 14.5 inch standard contour heavy barrel with 1:7 RH twist and cut down for a grenade launcher, and our own invention GA muzzle brake, flattop upper receiver with a fixed cartridge case deflector, forward bolt assist, Picatinny rail with standard 1913 STANAG 4694 compliant rail spaces; detachable carry handle with A2 sights, flip up front sights; and rail adaptor system Others categories include Recon type its basically like A SOPMOD (Special Operations Peculiar Modification) of the Americans and other a Sniper or (Designated Marksman Rifle/Special Purpose Rifle) is base on our MSSR (Marine Scout Sniper Rifle) its basically an modified Semi auto M16 with longer barrel and telescope that looks like if you mix an M16 and Barrett M82 but still 5.56 because its more cheap to modify a M16 then buying the standard Barrett and Remington S700 which almost a company of marines worth that's the government for you anyway moving on the last variant is the Service Rifle model with a 16 inch standard contour barrel with the heavy end forward of the round A2 handguards and 1:7 RH twist, bayonet lug and our own made GA muzzle brake; fixed carry handle and A2 sights on upper receiver with forward bolt assist, standard A2 front sights, telescopic buttstock; provision or grenade launcher; semi and select fire which will be a replacement even to the modernized M16A1. But again this old news about 2 years old no news yet but knowing the man in-charge (its led by Major General Jonathan C Martir AFP Philippine Marine Corp who was a former Marine) it will happen very soon 

This a great development my hats off to the the Ret. General Martir he really made some great changes from packing of ammo using plastic ammo carton boxes placed in vacuum-sealed plastic bags with silica gel packs (the first in the world to do it on Ammunitions) then placed in plastic crate with carton fillers. to buying more equipments for the Arsenal to going around foreign defense companies trying to buy guns or getting licenses for guns or buying more equipment for the arsenal. 

here some links: Comrade thanks for your continued questions and support.
Official website of the Government Arsenal
http://www.arsenal.mil.ph/images/bullet-in-oct11.pdf

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## Malaya

*Philippines gets first ever investment grade rating*
By Reuters
Published: March 27, 2013







*MANILA - Fitch Ratings raised the Philippines' credit rating to investment grade on Wednesday, a first for the Southeast Asian nation, in a move expected to boost investment and lift the country's long-term growth potential.*

The upgrade is a vote of confidence in the government's efforts to achieve fiscal sustainability, curb corruption and increase infrastructure spending, and comes as a growing number of much larger economies in the West struggle to avoid credit rating downgrades.

''The Philippines' sovereign external balance sheet is considered strong relative to 'A' range peers, let alone 'BB' and 'BBB' category medians,'' Fitch said in its statement, adding a persistent current account surplus underpinned by remittance inflows has helped the country obtain a net external creditor position.

President Benigno Aquino, who took office more than two years ago, wants to achieve economic growth of as high as 8.5 percent before he steps down in 2016 by creating more jobs and increasing income levels in a country where nearly a third of its 96 million people live below the poverty line.

Investors have already been pricing Philippine bonds at levels similar to investment-grade nations. But by having it made official by Fitch, it will reduce the country's borrowing costs and widen Manila's base of potential investors as some funds have restrictions on holding sub-investment grade debt.

Philippine sovereign bond prices jumped on the news, with the benchmark 2037 bonds rallying to 115.50 basis points from 114.625 bid as soon as the upgrade was announced.

The Philippine peso edged higher versus the dollar and local stocks extended modest early gains to more than 3 percent.

Once regarded as an economic basket case, the Southeast Asian nation has more recently been attracting strong capital inflows, thanks to the economy's resilience, backed by robust domestic demand, and expectations it would be promoted to investment grade status this year.

Those inflows have driven a 15 rise in the stock market so far this year, making it Asia's second best performing bourse after Vietnam.

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## Malaya

*Philippine Navy Signs Contract For Three AW109 Power Helicopters*

27/03/2013

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce the signing of a contract with the Philippine Navy for three AW109 Power maritime helicopters plus two options. The helicopters will be used for a wide range of naval missions including economic zone protection, surface surveillance, SAR and maritime security. The aircraft will be delivered in 2014 and will operate from both shore and ship bases. The contract includes initial logistics support and training for aircrew and maintenance personnel.






Vincenzo Alaimo, AgustaWestland&#8217;s Head of Regional Sales for SE Asia, said &#8220;We are delighted that the Philippine Navy has selected the AW109 Power as part of its armed forces modernisation programme after an extensive evaluation of competing types. The AW109 Power&#8217;s multi-role abilities and high performance will provide the Philippine Navy with an enhanced maritime operational capability.&#8221;

The AW109 Power is a three-tonne class eight seat helicopter powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW206C engines with FADEC. The spacious cabin is designed to be fitted with a number of modular equipment packages for quick and easy conversion between roles. The aircraft&#8217;s safety features include a fully separated fuel system, dual hydraulic boost system, dual electrical systems and redundant lubrication and cooling systems for the main transmission and engines. The AW109 Power has established itself as the world&#8217;s best selling light-twin helicopter for maritime missions. The AW109 Power&#8217;s superior speed, capacity and productivity combined with reliability and ease of maintenance make it the most cost effective maritime helicopter in its class. For shipboard operations the aircraft has a reinforced-wheeled landing gear and deck mooring points as well as extensive corrosion protection measures. The ability to operate from small ships in high sea state enables the AW109 Power to perform its mission when many others helicopters would be confined to the ship&#8217;s hangar. Over 550 AW109 Power and AW109 LUH helicopters have been ordered for commercial, parapublic and military applications by customers in almost 50 countries.

Philippine Navy Signs Contract For Three AW109 Power Helicopters | AgustaWestland


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## Bob Ong

Malaya said:


> *Philippines gets first ever investment grade rating*
> By Reuters
> Published: March 27, 2013
> 
> *MANILA - Fitch Ratings raised the Philippines' credit rating to investment grade on Wednesday, a first for the Southeast Asian nation, in a move expected to boost investment and lift the country's long-term growth potential.*
> 
> The upgrade is a vote of confidence in the government's efforts to achieve fiscal sustainability, curb corruption and increase infrastructure spending, and comes as a growing number of much larger economies in the West struggle to avoid credit rating downgrades.
> 
> ''The Philippines' sovereign external balance sheet is considered strong relative to 'A' range peers, let alone 'BB' and 'BBB' category medians,'' Fitch said in its statement, adding a persistent current account surplus underpinned by remittance inflows has helped the country obtain a net external creditor position.
> 
> President Benigno Aquino, who took office more than two years ago, wants to achieve economic growth of as high as 8.5 percent before he steps down in 2016 by creating more jobs and increasing income levels in a country where nearly a third of its 96 million people live below the poverty line.
> 
> Investors have already been pricing Philippine bonds at levels similar to investment-grade nations. But by having it made official by Fitch, it will reduce the country's borrowing costs and widen Manila's base of potential investors as some funds have restrictions on holding sub-investment grade debt.
> 
> Philippine sovereign bond prices jumped on the news, with the benchmark 2037 bonds rallying to 115.50 basis points from 114.625 bid as soon as the upgrade was announced.
> 
> The Philippine peso edged higher versus the dollar and local stocks extended modest early gains to more than 3 percent.
> 
> Once regarded as an economic basket case, the Southeast Asian nation has more recently been attracting strong capital inflows, thanks to the economy's resilience, backed by robust domestic demand, and expectations it would be promoted to investment grade status this year.
> 
> Those inflows have driven a 15 rise in the stock market so far this year, making it Asia's second best performing bourse after Vietnam.


This is a good start. 

I hope the succeeding Government will not waste this tremendous improvement in the credit rating.

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## Malaya

*The Philippines BRICS future*
By Dan Steinbock
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Monday, April 1st, 2013

Last week, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, or the BRICS nations, met for their fifth summit in South Africa. The growth prospects in these economies are no longer immune to the severe debt crises in the West. In the short term, India and South Africa may be at the biggest risk of sovereign-rating downgrade.

Among the emerging economies, the Philippines is best placed for an upgrade. It is favorably positioned to sustain growth in an exceptionally grim international landscape.

During the past decade, I have used much time to analyze and to consult on the transformation of the major advanced and large emerging economies worldwide. After the global crisis of 2008-09, this transformation has only accelerated.

When Goldman Sachs identified the emerging group of potential successors to BRICS a few years ago, the Philippines also made it into the list, in the footprints of two other major Southeast Asian nationsIndonesia and Vietnamthat have attracted much more foreign direct investments so far.

In the aftermath of the Ramos era, the inclusion was based mainly on the economic potential rather than a sustained growth record. In 2002, the Philippines gross domestic product (GDP) still amounted to $81 billion, in current prices. Today, it has tripled to $241 billion.

In the aftermath of the global crisis, the Philippines is one of the few nations in which forecasts are revised up by financial analysts. In January, it reported a 6.8-percent year-to-year growth, which made it the growth leader in Southeast Asia. Almost half of the recent growth can be attributed to private consumption, which has been coupled by investment, especially in construction. Due to the impending mid-term elections in May, government spending will accelerate through the spring.

Business process outsourcing now exceeds the value of the remittances flows. Diversification is accelerating into non-electronic exports. Meanwhile, the Philippine peso has been appreciating significantly, along with resurging capital inflows. The acceleration of domestic demand since the first quarter of 2012 reflects the countrys solid macroeconomic fundamentals, stronger government finances, and high confidence in the Aquino governments commitment to reform.

Along with current account surpluses and foreign exchange reserves, the growth record has given rise to a more diversified export basket, while shielding the economy from very challenging international headwinds.

*Complacency not an option*

In the past few months, one investment bank after another has argued that the Philippines is on its path for a bright BRIC future.

The beauty of the BRICS projections is that they allow policy architects to reflect on (very) long time perspectives. The trap of the same projections is that, when they create a sense of inevitability, they can lull even the most promising growth stories into complacency.

In the Philippines, delivering the growth promise is predicated on accelerated structural progress. According to various competitiveness indicators, the country has made dramatic strides in improving competitiveness, often from a very low base. The perception is that corruption and red tape are finally addressed decisively. In addition to the strong macroeconomic performance, the financial sector has become supportive of business activity.

Despite these positive trends, weaknesses remain to be addressed, including the poor infrastructure, various market inefficiencies and labor market rigidities. As the Aquino administration knows only too well, the economy needs to shift from consumption toward investment, both public and private. Sectorally, this requires rising productivity in agriculture, while requiring less dependence on low-wage and low-skill services and more on labor-intensive manufacturing and high value services.

In BRICS economies, such changes have typically preceded periods of sustained growth. However, they have required difficult policy reforms in agriculture, manufacturing, business and labor regulations, and social protection, in order to raise the incentives for entrepreneurship and job creation. In turn, these reforms make possible greater public investment in health, education, and infrastructure.

*Inclusive growth*

Today, the Philippines is at the verge of receiving an investment-grade rating by the major rating agencies. In the absence of adverse surprises, most agencies are likely to upgrade the Philippines economy within a year and a half, if not sooner. Nonetheless, significant challenges of poverty remain. Growth is not yet inclusive.

Except for Brazil, inequities have typically increased in all emerging economies during their high-growth phases, while job-creation has been strong and unemployment low. In the Philippines, the story is different because labor outcomes have been less responsive to growth. Even in 2011-2012, unemployment rate stayed at 7 percent, while underemployment rate rose to 22.7 percent since the number of full-time jobs declined by half a million in the same period.

In the next half a decade, GDP growth rate in the Philippines could climb close to that of China. In order to be sustained, this growth must become more inclusive, however.

In the Philippines, the BRICS future has potential for a large consumer economy, with some 150-170 million people by 2050. That objective is predicated on huge expansion of consumption, which is only viable through more inclusive growth.

Due to the historical legacies of the Philippine political and economic institutions, there remain strong vested interests in the current status quo. That, in turn, makes vital reforms challenging to implement, as the IMF and the World Bank have argued. However, the Aquino administration has proven able and willing to make difficult decisions.

In all BRICS nations, sustained growth has been neither inevitable nor automatic. It must be made to happen. It must be realized.

The Philippines

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## Malaya

*US to send amphibious landing ship for Phl-US annual exercise*
(philstar.com) | Updated April 1, 2013






MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The United States is sending USS Tortuga, an amphibious dock landing ship of the US 7th Fleet, to the Philippines to participate in the annual bilateral military exercise, the US Embassy in Manila said here today.

The ship is to arrive in Manila on Tuesday and then have a brief stop in Subic before taking part in the Philippine-US Balikatan exercises.

During Balikatan exercise, which takes place on the island of Luzon from April 5 to 17, the Tortuga will support Philippine and US troops'joint training for humanitarian assistance and disaster response scenarios, the embassy report said.

USS Tortuga (LSD-46) is part of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and is currently on deployment in the US 7th Fleet area of responsibility. 

Earlier, the Philippine military said that six other countries - Australia, Brunei, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand - will take part in this year's Balikatan joint military exercise. They will participate in the Multinational Maritime Security Roundtable Discussion, but will not take part in the actual field training exercises which will be limited to Filipino and US forces alone. 

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2...mphibious-landing-ship-phl-us-annual-exercise

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## Malaya

*Philippines participates in 10th ASEAN Chiefs of Defense Forces Informal Meeting in Brunei Darussalam*

MANILA, April 1 -- The 10th ASEAN Chiefs of Defense Forces Informal Meeting (10th ACDFIM), 10th ASEAN Military Intelligence Informal Meeting (10th AMIIM) and 3rd ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting (3rd AMOIM) were held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam from March 19 to 20. 

Gen. Emmanuel T. Bautista, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), attended the 10th ACDFIM along with his counterparts from other ASEAN member states, a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs said. 

Carrying the theme "Securing Our People, Our Future Together", the 10th ACDFIM affirmed the vital role played by ASEAN militaries in helping establish a more stable and secure Southeast Asian region. 

The meeting discussed a number of important security issues encompassing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, counter-terrorism, maritime security as well as mine clearance operations. These were among the important regional agenda items where the ASEAN militaries have agreed to continue to work together through information-sharing, capacity building, joint training as well as joint exercises. 

Among the important activities agreed upon during the meeting include:The first ADMM-Plus Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and Military Medicine Exercise (ADMM-Plus HADR and MM Ex) to be held in Brunei Darussalam in June 2013; The first ADMM-Plus Counter-Terrorism Exercise to be held in Indonesia (co-hosted by Indonesia-US) in September 2013; The first ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Exercise to be held in Australia (co-hosted by Malaysia-Australia) in September to October 2013; and The first ADMM-Plus Peacekeeping Operations Table Exercise to be held in the Philippines (co-hosted by Philippines-New Zealand) in the 4th quarter of 2013. 

The ASEAN Chiefs of Defense Forces were later granted an audience by His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan at the Istana Nurul Iman on March 20. 

After the official closing of the 10th ACDFIM, the chairmanship of the next ACDFIM was handed to Myanmar which will host the 11th ACDFIM in 2014. (DFA) 

PIA | Philippine Information Agency | Philippines participates in 10th ASEAN Chiefs of Defense Forces Informal Meeting in Brunei Darussalam


*PSEi march to 7,000 stalled*
By Neil Jerome C. Morales (The Philippine Star) | Updated April 2, 2013






MANILA, Philippines - The buying frenzy over the country&#8217;s landmark investment grade rating lifted the bellwether stock index past the 6,900 level for the first time yesterday, before jitters over tensions in the Korean peninsula kicked in.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slipped 0.12 percent or 7.88 points to 6,839.59, succumbing to selling pressures in the afternoon. It posted a new intraday high at 6,956.92 in the morning session, which eclipsed the previous record of 6,873.89 on March 27.

&#8220;I think towards the afternoon, there were already jitters due to Korea,&#8221; Astro C. del Castillo, managing director of First Grade Finance Inc., said in a phone interview.

Del Castillo said the selloff that reversed the gains in the early session resulted from the tensions between North and South Korea.

Asian stocks were also in the red yesterday on slow trading due to the Easter holidays.

Del Castillo said some investors were still on vacation following the Lenten season holidays.

In the local market, the broader All Shares index barely rose 0.06 percent or 2.59 points to 4,236.90.

Most sub-indices were in the red, led by mining and oil firms that dropped 1.85 percent or 397.41 points to 21,106.93 but holding firms (up 1.30 percent or 77.52 points) and financial companies (up 0.01 percent or 0.20 point) bucked the trend.

A total of P21.74 billion shares changed hands, way above the P12.92 billion on Wednesday.

http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/04/02/925812/psei-march-7000-stalled


*Pinoy group: Situation in South Korea 'calm, normal'*
April 1, 2013 

A group of Filipino scholars based in Seoul on Monday said there is no need to worry about them since the situation in South Korea remains "calm" and "normal" despite North Korea's declaration of a "state of war."

"We just want to assure anyone especially our families tsaka 'yung friends namin diyan that things remain calm and normal here in Korea, so business as usual po tayo," Eva Marie Wang, president of the Pinoy Iskolars in Korea (PIKO), said in an interview on GMA News TV's "Balitanghali."

PIKO is an official student organization recognized by the Philippine Embassy in Seoul.

In the phone interview, Wang said people in South Korea don't seem to be affected by the possibility of a war with North Korea, as they continue going to work and school as if there is no threat of danger.

"Actually ngayon po ako nga nagsusulat pa ako ng critical paper para sa klase ko so business as usual po tayo. I think mas kami [Filipinos] 'yung nag-aalangan than the Koreans," she said.

Wang, however, said that the Philippine Embassy has advised them to follow the news and to remain in contact with them.

"The Philippine Embassy is in touch with different Filipino communities here in Korea and we're waiting for instructions as the need arises so we can relay the information to our respective communities," Wang said.

"As of now wala pang movement but I think the Philippine Embassy is actually thinking of the plan na evacuation but there's no specific pa na instruction so we're still waiting for instructions as of now," she added.

She said that there are 450 Filipino students in South Korea while there are around 80,000 Filipinos overall in the country.

On Saturday, North Korea declared it was in a "state of war" against South Korea and warned that any provocation would swiftly escalate into an all-out nuclear conflict.

President Benigno Aquino III has already ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to coordinate closely with Filipinos in Korea amid the escalating tension.

On Monday, South Korea said it will strike back if North Korea attacks its territory. &#8212; Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News

Pinoy group: Situation in South Korea &#39;calm, normal&#39; | Pinoy Abroad | GMA News Online

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## Malaya

*DFA chief: PHL investing in defense 'at levels never before seen' amid row with China*

The Philippines is investing in defense "at levels never before seen" amid "excessive and exaggerated maritime and territorial claims," Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said Friday.

Speaking at the opening ceremonies of the 29th Philippines-United States Balikatan Exercises at Camp Aquinaldo, Del Rosario said this year's Balikatan "comes at a crucial time for my country and my region,&#8221; noting &#8220;excessive and exaggerated maritime and territorial claims have not only created uncertainty, but have undermined the rule of law.&#8221;

&#8220;Regional peace and stability had been placed at serious risk," he said.

Del Rosario later told reporters he was referring specifically to China, which claims most of the South China Sea, including waters and tiny rock outcrops near the coasts of smaller neighbors such as the Philippines. Tensions have escalated in recent years as China has sought to stamp its authority over the region.

"For my country we need to secure our borders and protect our territorial integrity more vigorously than we have before. Balikatan with its complex and comprehensive set of exercises is an important contribution in not only preparing both our armed forces to work together, but also in building my country&#8217;s own capacity to defend itself," Del Rosario added.

This year's Balikatan exercises, considered as the biggest combined military exercises between the Philippine military and the US Pacific Command, will run until April 17.

"The Philippines is investing in its own defense at levels never before seen, but we understand clearly that we can increase the value of these investments through joint training and other agreed activities with our allies," Del Rosario said.

In December, President Benigno Aquino III signed the new Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Act, which will have an allocation of around P75 billion in its first five years.

The Aquino administration has spent more than P28 billion for the AFP modernization program, compared to around P33 billion spent for the same purpose 15 years before his term.

AFP chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said Philippine-US relations and their "rich history of friendship" have helped their respective forces in addressing various threats.

"Today I must say that our partnership has helped in enabling both armed forces to become more responsive, agile, flexible, and capable to address emerging contingencies and threats," he said.

"This year&#8217;s (Balikatan) is a product of deliberate planning and preparation consistent with the imperative for capability development in the context of dynamic and evolving challenges in the region," Bautista continued.

Around 8,000 Filipino and American soldiers are set to participate in this year's exercises, which will involve military training as well as training in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. &#8212; KBK, GMA News

DFA chief: PHL investing in defense &#39;at levels never before seen&#39; amid row with China | News | GMA News Online



*DFA chief: As part of alliance, PHL to help US if North Korea attacks it*






Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Albert del Rosario on Friday said the Philippines is obliged to help its ally, the United States, if North Korea attacks it.

Speaking in an ambush interview Friday with reporters after the opening ceremonies of the 2013 Philippine-US Balikatan Exercises, Del Rosario said there is widespread concern about the recent statements of North Korea, which threatened to wage war against the US and South Korea.

*"I think as treaty allies, if there is an attack, we should help one another, which is what the treaty alliance is all about,"* he said.

North Korea, after coming under international sanctions for its nuclear test, announced on Saturday that it was entering a "state of war" with South Korea.

Reuters reported that US forces have previously used military bases and civilian airports in the Philippines to repair and refuel aircraft and warships deployed in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The US has ships in Subic, the former home of the U.S. 7th Fleet, and aircraft at the nearby Clark airfield, another former U.S. base on the main island of Luzon.

Manila signed a Mutual Defence Treaty with Washington in 1951, one of the key links in the chain of security alliances the United States has with Asia-Pacific states, including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Australia.

Del Rosario also noted that "we are all concerned about the actions of North Korea," and that the Philippines has its own contigency plans regarding the ongoing issue, though he did not specify what these are.

The secretary is also set to fly to South Korea during the weekend to check on developments that are set on ensuring the safety of an estimated 43,000 Filipinos there amid the ongoing tension in the Korean Peninsula.

The Philippines has called for "sobriety among all stakeholders and for the easing of tensions in the region."

Before the ambush interview, del Rosario gave a speech during the opening ceremonies of the Balikatan Exercises, where he mentioned that the Philippines is investing in defense "at levels never before seen."

This year's exercises, considered as the biggest combined military activities between the Philippine military and the US Pacific Command, will run until April 17.

Around 8,000 Filipino and American soldiers are set to participate in this year's exercises, which will involve military training as well as training in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. - VVP, GMA News

DFA chief: As part of alliance, PHL to help US if North Korea attacks it | News | GMA News Online


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## Malaya

*PH-Indonesia RORO trips to start mid-2013*

MANILA -- A Philippine roll-on, roll-off (RORO) vessel will start its service to Indonesia in the middle of the year, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry said.

The project, a first between two members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is expected to improve trade, tourism and connectivity between the Philippines and Indonesia, PCCI said in a statement. This is also said to be the country's first RORO service to an ASEAN country.

RORO vessels are designed to carry cars, trucks and other wheeled vehicles that are driven on and off the ship. 

PCCI, quoting from a study by Research Education and Institutional Development Foundation, noted exports of North Sulawesi, Indonesia to the Philippines in 2010 amounted to $6.84 million. Imports of Indonesia from the Philippines, meanwhile, summed up to $147.93 million in the same year.

The RORO service will utilize the Davao-GenSan to Bitung route and is foreseen to be in line with regional integration efforts under the ASEAN Economic Community 2015.

The project was pursued after a memorandum of cooperation between the Davao City and Manado (Indonesia) chambers of commerce and industry was signed during the Davao Investment Forum in November last year.

PH-Indonesia RORO trips to start mid-2013 | ABS-CBN News

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## Reashot Xigwin

*After US ship, Chinese vessel hits Philippine reef*
The Associated Press, Manila, Philippines | World | Tue, April 09 2013, 2:51 PM





Philippine officials say a suspected Chinese fishing vessel with 12 crewmen has run aground in a protected coral reef, where a U.S. Navy minesweeper got stuck recently.

Coast Guard Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista says the vessel strayed into the Tubbataha National Marine Park in the Sulu Sea and struck an atoll late Monday. It was still unclear why the vessel strayed into the no-sail area.

Park superintendent Angelique Songco said Tuesday that the 12 crewmen were taken into custody for investigation.

The USS Guardian ran aground in another Tubbataha atoll on Jan. 17 and was removed March 30.

Washington has been asked to pay $1.5 million for the 2,345 square meters (2,800 square yards) of coral reef damaged by the Guardian in Tubbataha, a World Heritage site.

 again? The place is a deathtrap.

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## Zero_wing

Reashot Xigwin said:


> *After US ship, Chinese vessel hits Philippine reef*
> The Associated Press, Manila, Philippines | World | Tue, April 09 2013, 2:51 PM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Philippine officials say a suspected Chinese fishing vessel with 12 crewmen has run aground in a protected coral reef, where a U.S. Navy minesweeper got stuck recently.
> 
> Coast Guard Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista says the vessel strayed into the Tubbataha National Marine Park in the Sulu Sea and struck an atoll late Monday. It was still unclear why the vessel strayed into the no-sail area.
> 
> Park superintendent Angelique Songco said Tuesday that the 12 crewmen were taken into custody for investigation.
> 
> The USS Guardian ran aground in another Tubbataha atoll on Jan. 17 and was removed March 30.
> 
> Washington has been asked to pay $1.5 million for the 2,345 square meters (2,800 square yards) of coral reef damaged by the Guardian in Tubbataha, a World Heritage site.
> 
> again? The place is a deathtrap.



Good so we can arrest this arrogant jerks


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## p3avi8tor69

What a lousy navy. Filipinos cannot police their own backyard. Maybe Aquino should just send all Pinoy sailors to Dubai and sing in bars. No point in having a Navy.

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## Fsjal

p3avi8tor69 said:


> What a lousy navy. Filipinos cannot police their own backyard. Maybe Aquino should just send all Pinoy sailors to Dubai and sing in bars. No point in having a Navy.



It's because of corruption. Even during the 80's and 90's we did not have any missile armed boats. Maybe in 20-30 years we might have an effective navy


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## Bob Ong

Reashot Xigwin said:


> *After US ship, Chinese vessel hits Philippine reef*
> The Associated Press, Manila, Philippines | World | Tue, April 09 2013, 2:51 PM
> 
> Philippine officials say a suspected Chinese fishing vessel with 12 crewmen has run aground in a protected coral reef, where a U.S. Navy minesweeper got stuck recently.
> 
> Coast Guard Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista says the vessel strayed into the Tubbataha National Marine Park in the Sulu Sea and struck an atoll late Monday. It was still unclear why the vessel strayed into the no-sail area.
> 
> Park superintendent Angelique Songco said Tuesday that the 12 crewmen were taken into custody for investigation.
> 
> The USS Guardian ran aground in another Tubbataha atoll on Jan. 17 and was removed March 30.
> 
> Washington has been asked to pay $1.5 million for the 2,345 square meters (2,800 square yards) of coral reef damaged by the Guardian in Tubbataha, a World Heritage site.
> 
> again? The place is a deathtrap.


It seems these Chinese poachers are looking for all possible option to get through Philippine waters to steal marine resources. They don'f fear being caught because they are supported by their government.


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## Bob Ong

p3avi8tor69 said:


> What a lousy navy. Filipinos cannot police their own backyard. Maybe Aquino should just send all Pinoy sailors to Dubai and sing in bars. No point in having a Navy.


That's only a proof that Philippine maritime security is very weak.

The Philippines has 7,100+ islands. These poachers will go on intruding Philippine territory because they know the Philippines has no capability to patrol the seas. 

The Philippines is naked and very vulnerable to any foreign intrusion.


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## Fsjal

Bob Ong said:


> That's only a proof that Philippine maritime security is very weak.
> 
> The Philippines has 7,100+ islands. These poachers will go on intruding Philippine territory because they know the Philippines has no capability to patrol the seas.
> 
> The Philippines is naked and very vulnerable to any foreign intrusion.



It will take time for the country to get some clothes on. For now, the US could help up modernize the navy, and maybe send some warships there.


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## Fsjal

Intrusion of 2 unidentified aircraft highlights need for military upgrade -- PHL military


The overflight by two unidentified aircraft, at high speed and altitude, over Pag-asa Island, highlights the need for the Philippine military to upgrade its equipment and facilities.

"(The overflight of two unidentified aircraft) highlights the need of the AFP to upgrade itself so that it can at least have a minimum credible deterrent," AFP Western Command head Maj. Gen. Rustico Guerrero said.

He added he is hoping the ongoing modernization programs of the military will address these needs so that Philippine borders can be protected.

Badly needed items by the AFP include "space" (surveillance) radars, modern interceptor aircraft and naval vessels with anti-ship and aircraft capability.

Guerrero said they have yet to identify the type of aircraft that flew over Pag-asa Island last April 4. "We cannot ascertain its type or the country where it originated because it was flying too fast and too high for our ground-based monitoring units," he stressed.

Pag-asa island is part of the Kalayaan Island Group over which the Philippines exercises territorial sovereignty, jurisdiction and effective administration in accordance with international law. Both aircraft were headed north and came over from a southwest direction.
---------------
Looks like our airspace is compromised. The military definitely needs modernization

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/asianet/130409/intrusion-2-unidentified-aircraft-highlights-need-military-upgrade-phl-


The overflight by two unidentified aircraft, at high speed and altitude, over Pag-asa Island, highlights the need for the Philippine military to upgrade its equipment and facilities.

"(The overflight of two unidentified aircraft) highlights the need of the AFP to upgrade itself so that it can at least have a minimum credible deterrent," AFP Western Command head Maj. Gen. Rustico Guerrero said.

He added he is hoping the ongoing modernization programs of the military will address these needs so that Philippine borders can be protected.

Badly needed items by the AFP include "space" (surveillance) radars, modern interceptor aircraft and naval vessels with anti-ship and aircraft capability.

Guerrero said they have yet to identify the type of aircraft that flew over Pag-asa Island last April 4. "We cannot ascertain its type or the country where it originated because it was flying too fast and too high for our ground-based monitoring units," he stressed.

Pag-asa island is part of the Kalayaan Island Group over which the Philippines exercises territorial sovereignty, jurisdiction and effective administration in accordance with international law. Both aircraft were headed north and came over from a southwest direction.
---------------
Looks like our airspace is compromised. The military definitely needs modernization


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## Zero_wing

and why do you care false flager?


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## Malaya

This is a wake call to the Gov't agency responsible in guarding our territories. It's been reported that these Chinese are likely to have been spying. If that is the case then this a more serious matter than simply illegal fishing and attempting to pervert the course of justice by corruption and bribery, these men need to be investigated. The Chinese are invading the Philippine waters and there is no resistance... a weak Coastguard and Navy. No lessons lessons from the Guardian incident it appears

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## Fsjal

Zero_wing said:


> and why do you care false flager?



'cause I care. Do you like it when foreigners stray into our territory.


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## Malaya

*As territorial disputes mount, Philippine Navy working on anti-submarine capabilities*

By Priam Nepomuceno, Philippine News Agency
April 13, 2013 







*MANILA, Philippines - As territorial worries, and actual incursions, fester around the Philippines' sea-bounded borders, the Philippine Navy this week announced that it is developing its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities to complement existing defense capacities.*

Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic, Navy spokesperson, said the long-term goal is to develop the navy's capability to detect, locate and if necessary, destroy submarines found intruding in the country's territorial waters.

"We have plans for (developing) an ASW capability but it is still in the long-term plans. This is part of the PN's 'Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy'. We are looking at ship mounted and helo (helicopter) ASW capability," Fabic said.

The PN said it had achieved a "significant milestone" in this regard with the signing of the contract with AgustaWestland, for the delivery of three AW-109 "Power" helicopters by 2014. "The PN finds it to be a significant development in line with the (ongoing) modernization program and capability upgrade."

The AW-109 "Power" helicopters will enhance the PN's capability in various naval operations such as maritime security patrols and search-and-rescue among others. "These helicopters are just a few among the list of future acquisition for the PN in order to attain its vision of becoming a strong and credible Navy that our maritime nation can be proud of," Fabic said.

The Philippines acknowledges that it has very limited capacity to patrol and guard its borders. It only recently acquired a refitted Coast Guard ship from the US for the Philippine Navy, while the Philippine Air Force has only begun to refleet an obsolete and out-of-commission squadron. In the face of all of these, the porous Philippine borders, particularly along the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) has seen a rise of incursions from Chinese vessels. The Philippines, China, and other countries within Southeast Asia stake overlapping claims over certain portions of the South China Sea.

As territorial disputes mount, Philippine Navy working on anti-submarine capabilities - InterAksyon.com


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## Fsjal

http://www.philstar.com/nation/2013/04/08/928367/military-loses-200-firearms-zamboanga-blaze


MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) lost more than 200 assault rifles and machine guns in a fire that razed its firearms supply building in Zamboanga del Sur over the weekend.

Belated reports reaching the Armed Forces of the Philippines' main headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo said that the blaze that hit the 1st Infantry Division Training Unit (IDTU) Supply building at Upper Labangan, Pulacan in Pagadian City, started with an explosion.

the blaze took place shortly after midnight on Saturday.

The firearms lost in the blaze include a caliber .50 and a caliber .30 machine guns, an M60 machine gun, 51 M-14 assault rifles,* one M-653 rifle, an M4 rifle, one M-79 grenade launcher, four M16 with M203 grenade launcher, two spare barrels for M60 machine guns, 131 pieces of M16 assault rifles, four K-3 assault rifles (Minimi), four spare barrels for K3 rifles and five caliber .45 pistols.

Initial investigation conducted by fire investigators showed that faulty electrical wiring could have caused the blaze.

There was no mention, however, about the explosion prior to the blaze on the findings filed by Senior Fire Officer 1 (SFO1) Richard Cafino.
-------------
Oh dear me


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## Malaya

*Manila offers US its military bases in case of North Korea war*
By: Agence France-Presse
April 13, 2013 






*MANILA&#8212;The US would be allowed to station forces at military bases in the Philippines if it went to war with North Korea, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Saturday citing a treaty between the allies.*

*"Our mutual defence treaty calls for joint action if either the Philippines or the United States is attacked,"* del Rosario said in comments sent to AFP at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula.

*"It would then be logical to assume that in the event of an attack on the Philippines or on our treaty ally, the US would be allowed to use our bases,"* he added.

Del Rosario was responding to a question about whether the archipelago, a former US colony, would allow the stationing of American troops on its soil in case war broke out between the US and North Korea.

The Korean peninsula has been engulfed by escalating military tensions and dire threats of nuclear war since North Korea conducted a rocket test last December and a nuclear test in February.

On Friday Philippine Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the government was prepared to undertake "extreme measures" including allowing US bases in the country, in the event of an "extreme emergency" on the Korean peninsula.

The US and Philippines are allied by a 1951 mutual defence treaty.

In the early 1990s US forces vacated Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base, two large facilities used during the Vietnam War, after a disagreement over rents.

In recent years the Philippines has been seeking to improve its defence ties with the United States amid a festering territorial dispute with China over parts of the South China Sea.

Some of its facilities are being used in ongoing annual joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States, where the Pentagon deployed a dozen F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets.

More than 8,000 Filipino and US troops are taking part in the 12-day drills which end on Wednesday.


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## Bob Ong

Malaya said:


> This is a wake call to the Gov't agency responsible in guarding our territories. It's been reported that these Chinese are likely to have been spying. If that is the case then this a more serious matter than simply illegal fishing and attempting to pervert the course of justice by corruption and bribery, these men need to be investigated. The Chinese are invading the Philippine waters and there is no resistance... a weak Coastguard and Navy. No lessons lessons from the Guardian incident it appears


Palau, our tiny neighbor in east sea of the Philippines, arrested Chinese poachers and prosecuted them with dignity without hesitation in spite of massive pressure from Chinese government. I hope we can stand too with dignity as a sovereign country from their huge pressure. Yes it is also possible they are spying to check Philippine water for the use of submarine tsk tsk

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## Malaya

*US smart bombs used in Sulu attack*
BY MARIA A. RESSA






MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines&#8217; first smart bomb attack on February 2 on Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists was the result of 15 months of training and technology transfer from the United States to Filipino forces.

The information below was gathered over more than a year from military officers and civilian intelligence sources in at least 3 different countries.






*This is a type of Scan Eagle, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It is equipped with high resolution, day and night camera and thermal imager.*

In the early morning hours of February 2, a Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) showed a joint team of US and Filipino soldiers a live feed of what was happening on the ground inside the camp of a senior Abu Sayyaf leader in Parang, Sulu.

They watched the thermal image of their "military asset" - a double agent - and compared what he was texting them with the images they were watching. The asset texted the location and pattern of movements of the people around him &#8211; information the soldiers verified through the thermal images they saw. When he texted that he was leaving the camp, the soldiers watched his thermal image walk away.

Scan eagles, also known as drones, have been operating in the Philippines for many years now.

Although originally flown from US navy ships and operated by civilian contractors, there are smaller drones operated by US special forces. Don&#8217;t mistake these for the Predator drones and Global Hawks carrying hell fire missiles that killed Al-Qaeda and other terrorist targets in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In the Philippines, drones are used only for surveillance.

This was confirmed by Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday largely because a drone strike handled by the Americans may violate the Philippine Constitution. US troops, Mr Aquino said, &#8220;are here as advisers. They are here as trainers. They cannot participate in combat operations.&#8221;

Which is exactly what they have been doing.

The US military arrived in the Philippines in February 2002, dubbed the second front in its &#8220;war against terrorism.&#8221; At its peak, US troops reached 1,200, including 660 US special forces.

The military alliance also includes technology transfer.

In mid-2010, Washington pledged $18.4 million of precision-guided missiles funded under a US Congressional Act, which allowed its defense department to train and equip foreign military allies.

A classified document from the Philippines is explicit: "Fiscal year 2010 assistance for the Philippines provides a precision-guided missile capability to assist Philippine Armed Forces' counter-terrorism efforts in southern regions to combat the activities of the Jemaah Islamiyah and Abu Sayyaf Group."

*November arrival*

The first smart bombs, PGMs or Precision-Guided Munitions kits, arrived in the Philippines on November 1, 2010.

According to a technical timeline obtained by Rappler, Philippine Air Force pilots sat down with subject matter experts to lay out a training plan in December.

Weapons training began the following year, on Jan 24, 2011.

Two months later, aircraft installation & training started, leading to test drops which were scheduled to begin in May of the same year.

On June 20, 2011, the US delivered at least 22 more PGM kits to the Philippine military.

During this period, US defense contractor Raytheon, the company which makes the PGMs, visited the Philippines 3 times, according to the documents.

Finally, on Feb 2, 2012, after nearly 8 months of training, the Philippines deployed its first smart bombs.

*Target: JI in Sulu*

The targets had long been under surveillance: the 2 most senior Jemaah Islamiyah or JI leaders in the Philippines sheltered by Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail, better known as Doc Abu.

They are Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, better known as Marwan, who carried a $5-M reward on his head from the US government, and Singaporean Mohammed Abdullah Ali, known as Muawiyah, who had a $500,000 reward for his capture or death.

&#8220;There was a target that was of high enough value with actionable intelligence and the right conditions that would warrant its use,&#8221; said a military source privy to the operations. &#8220;These are expensive devices so they are used for the right targets at the right time.&#8221;

There was a long, involved process to get to this point, governed by protocols set by both nations, according to documents obtained by Rappler.

The Philippines and the US followed 2 levels of clearance and parallel approval processes.

First, ground commanders from both nations identify a target. For the Americans, its Joint-Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) then coordinates with the US Embassy before getting approval from SOCPAC, the Special Operations Command, Pacific in Hawaii.

After SOCPAC approves, it alerts the US Pacific Command (PACOM). Then it goes back to JSOTF-P which then notifies its Philippine counterpart of concurrence for the target.

On the Philippine side, the commander of the Joint Task Force Comet (Sulu's military unit) coordinates with the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) and when US concurrence happens, WESTMINCOM approves the target and authorizes execution by Filipino troops.






Between 2 and 3 am on February 2, Philippine Air Force OV-10 Broncos dropped the 227 kg (500 lb) bombs in the strike zone in a remote village in Parang, Sulu, demolishing much of the area.

*In the dark*

The first signal that new technology was used was the choice of when to drop the bombs.

In the past, planes could only drop their payload during daylight because pilots used visual cues.

Now the smart bombs can strike in the dark because they are guided by GPS or a homing device.

About 45 minutes after the bombing, the military asset texted his handlers that he would check &#8220;the targets.&#8221;

Sources said they watched a thermal image move back to the area. His text said that Doc Abu had been &#8220;obliterated.&#8221; Marwan was allegedly &#8220;cut in half from the waist,&#8221; while Muawiyah was barely breathing with blood gushing out of a deep neck wound.

Based on that, the Philippine military announced the deaths of these key leaders.

*Wrong info*

But it now appears that the asset was wrong about Marwan and Muawiyah.

Civilian and military intelligence reports from at least 3 countries show both JI leaders are still alive.

Last week, Malaysia's chief counterterrorism official Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said Marwan was still alive.

Philippine military spokesman Col Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos maintained his position the JI leaders are dead and said Malaysia should provide "conclusive proof of life."

On the use of smart bombs, there are conflicting responses from the Philippines.

Col. Burgos, based in Manila, said the military "neither confirms nor denies the existence of such munitions citing operational security reasons. However, its pilots have been training vigorously to further improve their proficiency particularly in the precise delivery of munitions to its identified target."

Col Jose Cenabre, the head of Sulu's Task Force Comet, categorically denied the use of smart bombs: "I strongly deny that. That's just talk. We did not use them."

However, Lt Col Miguel Ernesto Okol, spokesman of the Philippine Air Force, told Rappler: &#8220;Our pilots&#8217; accuracy in the past was not good. They were not adept, but now with considerable time training and through the advice of our allies, particularly the US military, we are able to increase the accuracy of our pilots to 80 to 90%.&#8221; - with reports from David Santos/Rappler.com


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## Malaya

Bob Ong said:


> Palau, our tiny neighbor in east sea of the Philippines, arrested Chinese poachers and prosecuted them with dignity without hesitation in spite of massive pressure from Chinese government. I hope we can stand too with dignity as a sovereign country from their huge pressure. Yes it is also possible they are spying to check Philippine water for the use of submarine tsk tsk


Korek. I've had enough of these Chinese men who take advantage at the weakness and laxity of other nations.

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## Malaya

*Ospreys conduct first external lift from USNS Sacagawea*

SUBIC BAY, Philippines - An MV-22B Osprey conducts the first external lift of a Humvee from the USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2) April 11 at Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, during exercise Freedom Banner 2013. Freedom Banner is an annual Maritime Prepositioning Force exercise that demonstrates the Marine Corps and Navy's capability of generating and sustaining combat power ashore. Unlike other MPF vessels, T-AKE class ships provide sea-based, selective off-load sustainment capability and a high bandwidth organic communications infrastructure, allowing a Marine Expeditionary Brigade to tailor sustainment packages ashore. The Osprey is with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and assigned to 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade for FB13.

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## Malaya

*Armed Forces of the Philippines gets $1.8-B more
*






The Armed Forces of the Philippines gets P75 billion more (about $1.8 billion) to buy fighter aircraft, transport aircraft, helicopters, naval vessels and other equipment.

This is on top of the P28 billion (about $678 million) President Benigno Aquino released 3 years ago. The defense allocation is part of Aquino's efforts to build a "minimum credible defense posture" as deterrent to any aggressive action against the Philippines.

The Philippines and other neighboring countries are engaged in disputes with China over the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea). Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the military budget is insufficient given the Philippines' security issues. He recommended allocating the biggest share of the national budget to defense instead of education. Under the Philippine Constitution, the government is mandated to give education the biggest budgetary share. Defense expenditure under the Aquino government is almost 3 times bigger than the combined amount spent by the three previous administrations, with only P33 billion (about $800 million) spent during the past 15 years.

http://www.rappler.com/thewrap/april-15,-2013-edition/armed-forces-of-the-philippines-gets-$1-8-b-more

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## Bob Ong

Malaya said:


> Korek. I've had enough of these Chinese men who take advantage at the weakness and laxity of other nations.


They must have been frequenting these reef and this is the only time they got caught because they got trapped.


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## Bob Ong

*China row on agenda of Bolkiah-Aquino talks*
By TJ Burgonio, Jaymee T. Gamil
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, PhilippinesThe sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah flew in Monday for a 24-hour state visit to the Philippines, ahead of next weeks 22nd summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Brunei.

The sultan arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 on a private flight around 3:40 p.m. He disembarked from the Royal Brunei airbus to a red-carpet welcome from Vice President Jejomar Binay, among other VIPs.

A copy of his itinerary released to the media by the Presidential Communication Operations Office showed that Bolkiah will begin his official activities at 10:20 a.m. Tuesday, with a wreath-laying at the Rizal monument at Rizal Park. Bolkiah will then motor to Malacañang to pay a courtesy call on President Aquino.

He is expected at Malacañang at 10:45 a.m.

The Palace said the two leaders will tackle Bruneis chairmanship of the summit on April 24 and 25 in Bandar Seri Bagawan. The South China Sea conflict looms large on the agenda of their meeting.

The President will then host a state luncheon for Bolkiah and his delegation in Malacañangs Rizal Hall, where both will deliver remarks. Bolkiah is scheduled to fly out at 3 p.m.

In the recent Asean Ministerial Meeting, Asean foreign ministers stressed the importance of a peaceful resolution to the standoff in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) by the claimant countries, including the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Asean member countries are looking to Brunei to mediate a common position on the conflict with the signing of a code of conduct to minimize the risk of conflict in the international waterway.

Brunei is going to be the chairman, I think, of the Asean. So as to what the details will be, thats something that will be taken up during the bilateral meeting, said Secretary Edwin Lacierda, presidential spokesman, in a briefing.

*Code of conduct*

Lacierda could not say if the code of conduct would be tackled during the courtesy call, saying that as far as he knew, Asean member countries would draft this first, and then ask China to take a look at it.

Well see first, he said of the agreement by foreign ministers from Asean and China to hold a special meeting on the progress of the code of conduct.

In their recent meeting, Asean foreign ministers reiterated the importance of maintaining peace, stability, mutual trust and cooperation to enhance maritime security and the need for self-restraint in the South China Sea conflict.

They also vowed to work actively with China for the early completion of the code of conduct.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario was quoted in reports as saying the Philippines would focus on solidarity so that we can take a stronger position and we are pushing for the expedition of the code of conduct on the South China Sea.

He said the Philippines was urging the early conclusion of the code of conduct.

Brunei has vowed to pursue a binding code of conduct among competing South China Sea claimants during its Asean chairmanship.

Apart from the four Asean member countries, Taiwan is also claiming parts of what the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea.

*Stressing importance*

At the Asean summit in November last year, Aquino underlined the Philippines multilateral approach to the row and stressed the importance of adopting a code of conduct for the waterway.

At that summit, Aquino rebuked Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen for his statement that the regional bloc had agreed not to internationalize the issue.

Aquino said that five countries backed the Philippine position on the importance of a code of conduct with China. China maintained that the Asean was not the proper forum for this.

China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the sea, which is believed to sit atop vast amounts of oil and gas and is one of the regions most important fishing grounds and to shipping lanes that are vital to global trade.

In the July 2012 Asean summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia was accused of blocking efforts by the Philippines and Vietnam to take a more aggressive position against China. The meeting ended without a joint communiqué, a first in the regional blocs history.

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## Bob Ong

*Noy wants US basing obstacles cleared*
Written by Tribune Tuesday, 16 April 2013

*Charter is clear on ban of foreign bases in RP, nukes*







It is no longer a scenario of a return of US bases in this country but a reality under President Aquino, who is apparently pushing to get the American bases back in the Philippines &#8212; by constitutional hook or crook.

Malacañang appears to be very serious in going around the constitutional ban on the presence of foreign military bases and foreign troops in the country through a Palace legal position, along with the constitutional proviso of the country being nuclear-free.

A legal maneuver on the provisions of the 1987 Constitution is being studied by the President&#8217;s men in a bid to clear whatever constitutional obstacles exist for the possible stationing of the United States military forces in the Philippines, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda declared yesterday.

Despite the constitutional ban on nukes, Aquino has been known to allow entry to nuclear-armed ships from the US, which is against the Charter.
Lacierda said: &#8220;That has to be studied in line with the constitutional provision prohibiting foreign bases, so that will have to be studied.&#8221;

The framers of the of the 1987 Constitution had written in Article II, under the Declaration of Principles and State Policy, Section 8, stating that &#8220;The Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory,&#8221; apart from which the Constitution also clearly states that there can be no foreign bases or foreign troops in the country.

The Senate had already voided the treaty between the Philippines and the United States on the bases agreement decades ago.
Lacierda said he had talked to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin to clarify the issue on the foreign bases, saying that Gazmin had told him of the possibility of a US bases return that was discussed only if there would an actual scenario of war as an alternative brought about by a threat from North Korea.

&#8220;Again, these are only options and I spoke to Secretary Volts Gazmin. The context to his answer there was that if there was going to be an actual shooting war. Number two, in his view, the basing will only be temporary,&#8221; Lacierda said.

Lacierda stressed that which was on the mind of Gazmin was part of the anticipation if an imminent threat of war in the Korean peninsula would take place which is near Philippine territory.

&#8220;Again, these are scenario-building options that the Secretary of National Defense is mandated to do. Part of his mandate is to build, to look into several options, several scenarios, in case of conflict, if the Korean Peninsula conflict would escalate,&#8221; Lacierda said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario already said that the Philippine government has the obligation to provide support for the United States troops in case there would be war.

Del Rosario cited as basis the Mutual Defense Treaty Between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America that was signed on Aug. 30, 1951 in Washington, DC between representatives of the Philippines and the United States.

The overall accord contained eight articles and dictated that both nations would support each other if either the Philippines or the United States were to be attacked by an external party.

The treaty which contains only eight articles is purely for war purposes.

As stated in Article 1 of the treaty, each party is to settle international disputes in a peaceful manner so that international peace is not threatened and to refrain from the threat of the use of force in any manner that is inconsistent with the purpose of the United Nations. 

Article II states that each party either separately or jointly through mutual aid may acquire, develop and maintain their capacity to resist armed attack.

Article III states that from time to time the parties will consult one another through the use of their secretaries of state, foreign ministers or consuls in order to determine the appropriate measures of implementation. The parties will also consult one another when either of the party determines that their territorial integrity, political independence or national security is threatened by armed attack in the Pacific.

Article lV states that an attack on either party will be acted upon in accordance with their constitutional processes and that any armed attack on either party will be brought to the attention of the United Nations for immediate action. Once the United Nations has issued such orders all hostile actions between the signatories of this treaty and opposing parties will be terminated.
Article V defines the meaning of attack and its purpose which include all attacks by a hostile power will be held as an attack on a metropolitan area by both parties or on the island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific or on its armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific.

Article Vl states that this treaty does not affect, impede, or shall not be interpreted as affecting the rights and obligations of the parties under the Charter of the United Nations.

Article Vll states that the treaty shall be ratified in accordance with the constitutional processes delineated by the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. 

Lastly, Article Vlll stipulates that the treaty terms are indefinite until one or both parties wishes to terminate the agreement. If the agreement is to be terminated, either party must give one year advanced notice. 

Militant lawmakers yesterday expressed strong opposition to the proposal made by the defense chief for the return of the US military bases in the country.

Makabayan senatorial bet Teddy Casiño vehemently opposed the revival of US military bases in the Philippines, in case the Korean Peninsula conflict erupts into war, saying that the return of US bases will drag us into a war that is not to our national interest.

&#8220;Angeles and Olongapo City are already free of military bases and are doing fine. Since US military bases left their areas, they had become more productive and gotten over the social ills and vices that came with the bases. The return of these bases will only revive a host of problems such as vices of prostitution, and violence,&#8221; Casiño told his audience during a Makabayan Coalition assembly in Pampanga.

Casiño added that the return of the US bases will only erode the development in the area.

&#8220;The US military is now having frequent port calls, numbering in hundreds, in the country. There is already the Balikatan. US troops are virtually present in the Philippines. There are already US bases in South Korea, Japan and Guam. What else do they (US) want?&#8221;, Casiño said.

&#8220;It is an affront to our national sovereignty. Are we going to allow Americans to use us, the Filipinos? This is too much,&#8221; he said.
In addition to the numerous problems and human rights violations of US forces in the Philippines, Casiño cited former UP Law dean Pacifico Agabin&#8217;s argument that the Mutual Defense Treaty does not bind the United States into protecting the Philippines in case of war and that US assurances are &#8220;purely illusory&#8221; given that any attack in the Pacific would require an approval by the US Congress before the deployment of US troops.

Casiño is the author of House Joint Resolution 7, &#8220;A joint resolution terminating the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement&#8221; and House Resolution 1242, &#8220;A resolution strongly opposing the return of US troops and military facilities in Clark or Subic or any part of the country under the pretext of the Visiting Forces Agreement in affirmation of the Filipino People&#8217;s historic rejection of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement in 1991.&#8221;

For his part, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares denounced Gazmin&#8217;s statement that the US may set up their bases in the country, describing the proposal as a dangerous one and an outright defiance of the Constitution.&#8221;
&#8220;The Philippines is not involved in the dispute in Korea. If we set up US bases here then we become a legitimate target of the enemies of the United States,&#8221; said Colmenares.

&#8220;The US Bases renewal was voted down by the Senate of the Philippines in 1991 because of a number of reasons. One is that it is a magnet for attack from foreign adversaries of the US and it created and allowed the proliferation of the social ills like prostitution and drugs. Additionally it also constitutes a violation of the nuclear-free provision in our Constitution and may even cause a nuclear accident because US bases contain nuclear weapons. More importantly, the presence of foreign troops which is not under our command and control is a direct violation of our sovereignty,&#8221; the solon explained.

He also said that the country cannot benefit from the reestablishment of the US bases, even in cases which Gazmin describes as &#8220;extreme emergency&#8221;.

&#8220;By allowing the US to set-up bases again in our country, it will only make our nation and our people vulnerable. We will not in any way benefit from this because we have nothing to do with the Koreans&#8217; issue,&#8221; he also said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve been asking the government what possible benefits do we get from the VFA and US bases, and the government has no answer at all except that we earn a few millions in tourist dollars. We cannot sell our souls and endanger the lives of our people, and more importantly our sovereignty, in exchange for a few pieces of silver. This is treason!&#8221; Colmenares claimed.

&#8220;On the contrary, the Mutual Defense Treay as well as the Visiting Forces Agreement must already by abrograted. Considering that even the US-RP defense treaty does not allow for re-stationing of the US Bases in the country, what President Aquino should do is terminate these instead of toying with ideas that endanger the lives of the Filipino people,&#8221; Colmenares said. 

By Paul Atienza and Charlie V. Manalo
Published in Headlines


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## USAHawk785

Good news!


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## Fsjal

What a joke. Nothing new, just begging for American Daddy to come back


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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> What a joke. Nothing new, just begging for American Daddy to come back



Your the joke so please if you have nothing go to post you should just stop anyway this is good


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## Malaya

Bob Ong said:


> They must have been frequenting these reef and this is the only time they got caught because they got trapped.


malamang kaya dapat lang sila parusahan

OT: lolo Sy ikaw ba yan? 



Fsjal said:


> What a joke. Nothing new, just begging for American Daddy to come back


They are our allies. We look at each others out. We trust the US more than China who double talks in Spratly's issue.


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## Malaya

*PH's first bullet train *
Manila Bulletin
Apr 17, 2013

*Manila, Philippines --- The country will soon have its first bullet train after the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) announced that Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) has expressed its intention to finance the $3-billion Clark-Metro Manila project.
*
Another project, the $1.23-billion Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) that will run from San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan to SM North in Quezon City, will be financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Both projects will be built under the BOT scheme.

The plan for the bullet train is to construct the new railways between the lanes of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) because an earlier proposal to construct it parallel to the railway was scrapped due to some technical problems.

Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) said the project will be called &#8220;Express Airport Trains&#8221; which will have at least three stops in Metro Manila.

CIAC said that using the proposed trains, it will only take about 45 minutes to transport passengers from Clark to Manila, and vice versa.

The planned stopovers are Balintawak or near TriNoMa or SM North in Quezon City; Manila like Dimasalang or University of Sto. Tomas; and Makati at Buendia Avenue.

Meanwhile, NEDA is re-evaluating the MRT 7 project after the previous approval had lapsed and some changes in terms and conditions have been made.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya said that the proposal for the mass rail transit between North Avenue in Quezon City and Bulacan was already submitted to the NEDA- Investment Coordinating Committee (ICC).

The re-evaluation was needed because under the implementing rules and regulations of the government&#8217;s BOT Law, any changes in proposed project shall again be re-evaluated by the NEDA-ICC.

NEDA said that since JICA decided to fund the project, the government can expect the continuous construction of the rail once started.

The initial construction will be put up in Barangay Tala in San Jose Del Monte. The new MRT line will run through Fairview, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City Memorial Circle, and North EDSA.

The final station will be constructed in Paramount in Quezon City, in front of SM North EDSA and the Triangle of North Manila (TriNoMa) mall.

NEDA added that the new lane will be connected to the now operational LRT-MRT Closing Loop Interconnection Project.

It added that once the MRT-7 Line is completed, the Paramount Station will be a Mega Rail Station.

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## Malaya

United Defense Mfg. Co. (UDMC) PVAR M-4 Rifle - Phil. designed gas-system & 100% Philippine-made assault rifle PRODUCTS -- United Defense Manufacturing Corporation

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## Malaya

*Philippines participates in defense expo in Brazil*
An April 16, 2013, press release from the Department of Foreign Affairs






The Philippines participated in the 9th Latin America Aerospace and Defense (LAAD) Security Conference held in Riocentro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from April 9 to 12.

The Philippine delegates included Department of National Defense (DND) Assistant Secretary Patrick M. Velez as Head of Delegation, Philippine Air Force (PAF) Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Raul Gabriel L. Dimatatac, Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Eva G. Betita, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Eric P. Valenzuela and officials from DND and PAF.

Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer and Defense Minister Celso Amorim opened the 9th edition of the largest and most important defense and security trade show in Latin America. In his welcome speech, Vice President Temer said that Brazil&#8217;s defense always has peaceful objectives and that its dissuasive role is necessary to protect the country&#8217;s natural resources.

Minister Amorim reiterated that the end goal of armaments and military technology should be towards attaining world peace and balance of power. Minister Amorim also mentioned the current significance of State of Rio de Janeiro, which will house the future shipyard where a nuclear propulsion submarine will be built, as well as hosting future events of global importance.

LAAD 2013 was a great opportunity for defense and military officials to learn best practices and evaluate the best equipment and latest technology in military, defense and aerospace communications and operations.

On the sidelines of the expo, the Philippine delegation met with Gen. José Carlos de Nardi, Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of Brazil, to discuss the negotiation of a defense cooperation and logistics agreement between the Philippines and Brazil.

This year&#8217;s edition of LAAD attracted more than 26,000 guests and delegates and 660 exhibitors from about 60 countries.

Philippines participates in defense expo in Brazil | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines


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## Malaya

Tondo, Manila 1870's






Manila in early 1960's.







A joint Filipino and South Korean project: Manila's new financial hub. 

To be completed in 2016.

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## Malaya

*PHL growth to surpass Aspac level*
Published on Thursday, 18 April 2013 21:00 
Written by Max V. de Leon / Reporter






THE Philippine economy will continue to do better than the Asia-Pacific average although it will likely slow to 6.2 percent in 2013 due to external factors, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap).

In its &#8220;Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2013&#8221; that was launched on Thursday, Escap said strong private consumption will drive the projected 6.2-percent economic growth of the country this year.

&#8220;Poor global demand, including a slowdown in major trading partners such as China, could impede economic expansion, however,&#8221; it added.

The Philippine economy, as measured by the gross domestic product (GDP), grew by 6.6 percent in 2012.

For this year, Escap said speedy growth could materialize if progress on the Public-Private Partnership Program of the Aquino administration gained more momentum, &#8220;helped by the upgrade of the country&#8217;s rating to investment-grade status in March.&#8221;

The agency also cited the government&#8217;s plan to increase infrastructure spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2016 from 2 percent in 2012.

The World Bank and the government&#8217;s Development Budget Coordination Committee also estimated a 6.2-percent economic expansion for the year.

Escap noted that the country stepped up its public expenditure to sustain domestic demand dynamism, with the increased spending primarily concentrated on infrastructure projects.

Initiatives on private-public partnerships, which had made slow progress, have benefited from increased investor confidence, it said.

&#8220;More active fiscal policy has resulted in a manageable increase in budget deficit, from 2.2 percent of GDP in 2011 to 2.6 percent of GDP in 2012. To finance the development expenditures, the government is focusing on widening the tax base and efficient expenditure management,&#8221; Escap added.

On the social side, it said the share of the population covered by the government-owned health insurer increased from 62 percent in 2010 to 85 percent in 2012.

Escap also estimated Asia-Pacific-wide growth to be at 6 percent this year. In 2012 the region&#8217;s economy grew by an average of 5.6 percent.

It said an inclusive and environment-friendly growth is key to creating new sources of economic dynamism amid the persisting global uncertainty.

Escap further estimated that uncertainty in economic policy in the euro zone and the United States since the onset of the global crisis has shaved 3 percent off regional GDP&#8212;a loss of $870 billion in output.

&#8220;The 2013 survey reminds us that this is no time for complacency, as the need for a more inclusive and sustainable pattern of economic and social development continues to be critical,&#8221; Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, United Nations undersecretary-general and executive secretary of Escap, said in her preface to the survey.

&#8220;In the light of the region&#8217;s high degree of economic insecurity, large development and infrastructure gaps and heightened environmental fragility along with extreme exposure to climate change-related risks, it is necessary to better balance the stabilization and the developmental roles of macroeconomic policies,&#8221; Heyzer added.

China, Escap said, is estimated to record a moderate increase in growth from 7.8 percent in 2012 to 8 percent, &#8220;while India is projected to recover somewhat from last year&#8217;s low of 5 percent to 6.4 percent in 2013.&#8221;

Oil- and gas-exporting North and Central Asia will continue to benefit from high global energy prices, maintaining steady growth. In South and Southwest Asia, the economies of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are projected to grow 6 percent or more in 2013.

Export-led economies in East Asia and Northeast Asia as well as Southeast Asia are expected to gain from &#8220;improved, although still tepid, global trade.&#8221;

&#8220;Domestic demand will be the main economy driver in Indonesia, giving it a robust growth of 6.6 percent in 2013. Strong private consumption will support growth in the Philippines [6.2 percent in 2013] and Thailand [5.3 percent in 2013] while Vietnam&#8217;s economy is expected to pick up in the second half of 2013 to 5.5 percent,&#8221; Escap said.

It pushed for higher public investment to support a package of social protection and sustainable development policies comprising a job guarantee program, a universal pension scheme, disability benefits, increased public health spending, universal school enrollment and universal access to modern sources of efficient energy.

BusinessMirror - PHL growth to surpass Aspac level


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## Fsjal

Malaya said:


> *PH's first bullet train *
> Manila Bulletin
> Apr 17, 2013
> 
> *Manila, Philippines --- The country will soon have its first bullet train after the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) announced that Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) has expressed its intention to finance the $3-billion Clark-Metro Manila project.
> *
> Another project, the $1.23-billion Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) that will run from San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan to SM North in Quezon City, will be financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
> 
> Both projects will be built under the BOT scheme.
> 
> The plan for the bullet train is to construct the new railways between the lanes of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) because an earlier proposal to construct it parallel to the railway was scrapped due to some technical problems.
> 
> Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) said the project will be called &#8220;Express Airport Trains&#8221; which will have at least three stops in Metro Manila.
> 
> CIAC said that using the proposed trains, it will only take about 45 minutes to transport passengers from Clark to Manila, and vice versa.
> 
> The planned stopovers are Balintawak or near TriNoMa or SM North in Quezon City; Manila like Dimasalang or University of Sto. Tomas; and Makati at Buendia Avenue.
> 
> Meanwhile, NEDA is re-evaluating the MRT 7 project after the previous approval had lapsed and some changes in terms and conditions have been made.
> 
> Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya said that the proposal for the mass rail transit between North Avenue in Quezon City and Bulacan was already submitted to the NEDA- Investment Coordinating Committee (ICC).
> 
> The re-evaluation was needed because under the implementing rules and regulations of the government&#8217;s BOT Law, any changes in proposed project shall again be re-evaluated by the NEDA-ICC.
> 
> NEDA said that since JICA decided to fund the project, the government can expect the continuous construction of the rail once started.
> 
> The initial construction will be put up in Barangay Tala in San Jose Del Monte. The new MRT line will run through Fairview, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City Memorial Circle, and North EDSA.
> 
> The final station will be constructed in Paramount in Quezon City, in front of SM North EDSA and the Triangle of North Manila (TriNoMa) mall.
> 
> NEDA added that the new lane will be connected to the now operational LRT-MRT Closing Loop Interconnection Project.
> 
> It added that once the MRT-7 Line is completed, the Paramount Station will be a Mega Rail Station.



We would need China or Japan's help. Our train infrastructure is way behind than those aforementioned countries. Our workers also lack experience in this ambitious project.


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## Zero_wing

Dude it already says Japan would help your not reading at all plus why would the Philippines buy cheap copy teach from the lands of cheap copycats? Its unsafe technology


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## Fsjal

Well, Japanese trains are safe, and also Chinese. There was only 1 accident that happened in China's high speed trains. Anyway, China technology is not dangerous.


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## Zero_wing

Oh please i use to own some chinko cheap product even though it said one year use it broke the next day with the exception of foreign brand names made in china (like Shoes etc) majority of chinko products are dangerous and made poorly from original designs it should be avoided and condemn by everyone anyway going back its good that Japan and the rest of our economic partners have been very supportive of the Administrations projects and thank god those chinko Imperials left you can put your 500 billion on your @$$e$ were it belongs we have billions from other source anyway so you guys can keep your dirty money and we send you guys our middle fingers too.

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## Malaya

*Phl ranked 26th most socially advanced country*
By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star) | Updated April 19, 2013

*MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is the 26th most socially advanced country, a report by a London-based organization showed.*

The Philippines had good rankings in &#8220;ecosystem sustainability&#8221; (11th) and &#8220;personal freedom and choice&#8221; (15th) based on the Social Progress Index released recently by the Skoll World Forum.

The Philippines ranked 36th in &#8220;basic human needs&#8221; (shelter, safety, water, medical care, among others), 24th for &#8220;foundations of wellbeing&#8221; (access to ICT, health and wellness, and ecosystem sustainability) and 21st for &#8220;opportunity&#8221; (personal rights, personal freedom and access to higher education.)

However, the country scored poorly in &#8220;personal safety&#8221; (41st), access to ICT (38th) and &#8220;nutrition and basic medical care&#8221; (37th).

Sweden topped the survey, followed by Britain, Germany, the United States and Japan.

Of the other Southeast Asian countries covered by the survey, Thailand was 23rd, partly due to a very high score for &#8220;basic human needs&#8221; where it placed second out of the 50 nations in the category of &#8220;shelter.&#8221;

Vietnam was 30th and Indonesia, 38th.

Vietnam placed 4th for &#8220;shelter&#8221; but came out last for &#8220;personal rights.&#8221;

Indonesia did not place higher than 29th in any category grouping and no higher than 18th in any individual attribute.

Singapore and Malaysia were not covered in this first edition of the index. 

The Social Progress Index ranked 50 countries by their social and environmental performance.

The Skoll World Forum is the premier international platform for accelerating entrepreneurial approaches and innovative solutions to the world&#8217;s most pressing social issues.

The Social Progress Index is distinctive for being based entirely on social and environmental measures covering basic human needs, foundations of wellbeing and opportunity.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/04/19/932354/phl-ranked-26th-most-socially-advanced-country


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## Malaya

*Nuclear weapons in the Philippines?*
By Francisco S. Tatad | Posted on Apr. 22, 2013

Parallel moves by Washington and Beijing appear to have persuaded Pyongyang not to carry out its nuclear threat against South Korea, the United States and Japan. But unless the threat has been completely neutralized, President B. S. Aquino III may yet succeed in making the Philippines a potential target for North Korea or China.

While we had earlier feared that a North Korean missile could hit the Philippines purely by accident or mistake, in the future Pyongyang or even China could aim its missile directly at the Philippines, should it finally host American military bases all over again.

Malacañang spokesmen have been mooting the idea, 21 years after Clark Air Base, home base of the US 13th Air Force, and Subic Naval Base, home port of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, had shut down. It seems a question of legacy. It was during Cory Aquino&#8217;s presidency that the bases were thrown out of the country without war or hostility; it would be under her son&#8217;s presidency they would now return.

Should it happen, B. S. III would simply be making up for his late mother&#8217;s failure to extend the 1947 U.S.-Philippine military bases agreement after it expired in 1991. Mrs. Corazon C. Aquino had tried to extend it for another 10 years through a new Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation; but only 12 of the 22 senators who had been elected because they were her candidates supported her, even as she sat at the Senate gallery during the voting, and a mammoth rally, which she had led earlier at Rizal Park, chanted pro-bases slogans outside the building.

B.S. III apparently does not want to repeat his mother&#8217;s experience. Having pulled out all the stops to gain control of the two other branches of government last year in order to impeach and remove the then-Chief Justice Renato Corona and ram through the highly divisive and widely opposed Reproductive Health law whose constitutionality is under serious judicial question, Aquino wants to leave no stone unturned in trying to assure passage of a new bases treaty, should there be one.

He is now campaigning on government resources, full time, for a 12-0 senatorial sweep by the administration candidates in order to make sure he will have the required 16 votes minimum to support a new bases treaty, whatever its conditions and terms.

For the US, there seems to be some serious rethinking about the continued importance of permanent bases in the Philippines. When the US military began to pull out from Clark and Subic after Mt. Pinatubo erupted on June 15, 1991, and finally shipped out its last personnel and toilet bowl from Subic on Nov. 24, 1992, the &#8220;new thinking&#8221; then was that permanent land and naval bases had been rendered superfluous by mobile bases and rapid deployment. But China&#8217;s emergence as a regional maritime power, with a strategic role to play in maintaining the freedom of navigation in one of the world&#8217;s most important sealanes, has apparently brought the world&#8217;s military planners back to the old thinking.

In 1898, when the most heated debate in the U.S. dwelt on whether or not to colonize the Philippines, one of the most persuasive voices in that debate argued that the U.S. needed to &#8220;keep&#8221; the Philippines as a gateway to China, which Charles Denby described, as &#8220;a splendid market for our native products&#8212;our timber, our locomotives, our rails, our coal oil, our sheetings, our mineral plants, and numberless other articles.&#8221;

Now the US needs the Philippines in its effort to balance China, whose rise as an economic and military power seems to have become unstoppable, even as the United States and Europe enter into a period of decline. Moreover, the Philippines has become an emerging economy by itself, with a large consumer market, vast reserves of energy and mineral resources, and a young and dynamic population.

Thus, although the last report written by the former U.S. Ambassador to Manila, Kristie Kenney, on B.S. III before he became president, as recently revealed by WikiLeaks, contained an &#8220;unimprovable&#8221; portrait of the man, Washington has apparently decided to make Aquino a poster boy, precisely because he is in no position to threaten or displease his master.

Aquino himself may resent Kenney&#8217;s unforgiving characterization. But the fact that he did not measure up to the minimum requirements of someone who should be leading a nation of 95 million mostly baptized Flipinos was precisely what decided Washington to adopt him as its poodle.

The same thing happened with his late mother, who became Washington&#8217;s darling after A. M. Rosenthal, the Executive Editor of the New York Times, told Secretary of State Geroge Shultz that she was a &#8220;dazed, vacant woman.&#8221;

Aquino is not known to have any profound philosophical, theological, sociological or geopolitical confusions. His emotional quirks and addictions are well-known; even his mood swings are predictable. These are qualities most useful to a foreign government that would like to build an enduring relationship with him.

Aquino&#8217;s foreign friends have not been slow or shy in exploiting his well-known addiction to video games, fast cars, guns and military hardware. Thus, on May 15 last year, US Ambassador Harry Thomas, who had been the first to proclaim Aquino as the new president in 2010 even before the presidential electoral tribunal could finish its official canvass, took Aquino and three top Cabinet officials on a U.S. military aircraft and landed on board the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson while inside international waters.

This happened days after the Carl Vinson dumped into the Arabian sea what was supposed to have been the body of the slain Al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden. It was pure juvenile adventurism which served no known state purpose at all.

Accompanying him on this folly were Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, and his communications factotum Ricky Carandang. They all seemed delighted to have been there. None of them seemed to know, despite their respective Cabinet ranks, that boarding the U.S. military aircraft was a great wrong, and that boarding the U.S. aircraft carrier was an even greater wrong.

Both acts placed the person of the Filipino sovereign, as well as the sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines itself, under the jurisdiction and control of a foreign power&#8212;-specifically the military commander of the US aircraft and the US aircraft carrier. And the nation did not know anything about it, until it was revealed later.

With such incident in the background, there is no reason to believe Aquino would be thinking very deeply about the merit of hosting US bases again. He would probably be thinking more of how to remain America&#8217;s fair-haired boy, who would not have to perform as president in order to continue to be hyped as an &#8220;influential leader.&#8221; His drift to one-man rule and the systematic destruction of the country&#8217;s democratic institutions would remain uncommented upon by his American and European patrons, so long as they got what they wanted from him.

But unless North Korea is totally converted, and China welcomes US bases in the Philippines, the US bases, far from protecting this country, would make the danger larger. They would create, as Claro M. Recto repeatedly warned in the 50s, the strongest magnets for a possible nuclear strike from enemies we may not even know and who may not even be our own.

From a national security perspective, therefore, the proposed return of the bases needs a serious rethink. From the constitutional angle, it needs an even more serious rethink.

Under Sec. 25, Article XVIII of the Constitution, foreign military bases, troops or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines, &#8220;except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting state.&#8221;

That purely procedural issue presents nothing insurmountable. But Sec. 8, Article II provides: &#8220;The Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons.&#8221; That complicates the situation a little.

Further compounding the situation is the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone Treaty, which all Asean state parties signed on Dec. 15, 1995 and the Philippines ratified on June 21, 2001. The treaty obliges all not to develop, manufacture or otherwise acquire, possess or allow nuclear weapons within their respective territories, which include all their lands, waters (continental shelves and exclusive economic zone) and air space.

Unless the bases renounce their nuclear capability or possession of nuclear weapons, they would not be able to function under these prohibitions. Shall the contracting parties then conspire to circumvent or override the constitutional prohibitions by agreeing that no vessel or aircraft shall be subject to inspection, and that the operations of the bases shall be governed by the US policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence of nuclear weapons on board any vessel or aircraft?

That would constitute criminal conduct, and further and unimaginable abuses could follow. The US could even store nuclear weapons inside the bases, without the knowledge or consent of the Philippine government. This has happened before; it should never happen again.

Declassified official US records have revealed that in the 60s or perhaps even before then, the US stored nuclear weapons in the Philippines without the knowledge of the government. This information is contained in a top secret memo written in 1969 by Ambassador Robert McClintock to the Acting Secretary of State, and declassified in 2006.

According to this Memo, on Oct. 2, 1969, Sen. Stuart Symington, chairman of the National Stockpile and Naval Petroleum Reserves Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was to conduct a hearing on the &#8220;storage of nuclear weapons in the Philippines.&#8221; Sometime before then, President Nixon directed the State Department through the National Security Council to withhold any information about the storage of nuclear weapons in the Philippines from the Symington inquiry under the cover of &#8220;executive privilege.

The White House apparently feared that &#8220;divulgence of the fact that nuclear weapons are stored in the Philippines, and have been there for many years without prior consultation with the Philippine Government, would gravely jeopardize U.S.-Philippine relations, particularly on the eve of the presidential elections scheduled for October 11. The fact that President Marcos was secretly informed of the presence of these weapons in 1966 would not work to his advantage in the elections. The Philippine government and public are not aware of storage nor of President Marcos&#8217; knowledge thereof,&#8221; the Memo said.

McClintock feared that if the information was suppressed on the ground of executive privilege, the information could be leaked to the press, risking more damage than what was sought to be avoided. He recommended instead that the Secretaries of State and Defense get in touch with the senators on the Symington subcommittee, tell them the facts off the record without any transcript being taken, and enjoin them under no circumstances to reveal the secret.

The 1935 Constitution, which was operating then, has no provision on nuclear weapons. Nonetheless, respect for Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity demanded that the foreign ally should have at the very least sought the government&#8217;s prior consent before storing the weapons. That was not done.

Although this secret was declassified in 2006, it is not known until now whether those weapons had, in fact, been removed at all. Therefore, the first order of business in any related conversation between Aquino and his American patrons is to demand the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about those weapons.

Nuclear weapons in the Philippines? - Manila Standard Today


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## Bob Ong

Fsjal said:


> What a joke. Nothing new, just begging for American Daddy to come back


Well, I hope the Chinese are satisfied. Their bullying has only driven the Philippines back into the American embrace.



Malaya said:


> malamang kaya dapat lang sila parusahan
> 
> OT: lolo Sy ikaw ba yan?


Yup hehehe



Malaya said:


> *PH's first bullet train *
> Manila Bulletin
> Apr 17, 2013
> 
> *Manila, Philippines --- The country will soon have its first bullet train after the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) announced that Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) has expressed its intention to finance the $3-billion Clark-Metro Manila project.
> *
> Another project, the $1.23-billion Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) that will run from San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan to SM North in Quezon City, will be financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
> 
> Both projects will be built under the BOT scheme.
> 
> The plan for the bullet train is to construct the new railways between the lanes of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) because an earlier proposal to construct it parallel to the railway was scrapped due to some technical problems.
> 
> Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) said the project will be called Express Airport Trains which will have at least three stops in Metro Manila.
> 
> CIAC said that using the proposed trains, it will only take about 45 minutes to transport passengers from Clark to Manila, and vice versa.
> 
> The planned stopovers are Balintawak or near TriNoMa or SM North in Quezon City; Manila like Dimasalang or University of Sto. Tomas; and Makati at Buendia Avenue.
> 
> Meanwhile, NEDA is re-evaluating the MRT 7 project after the previous approval had lapsed and some changes in terms and conditions have been made.
> 
> Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya said that the proposal for the mass rail transit between North Avenue in Quezon City and Bulacan was already submitted to the NEDA- Investment Coordinating Committee (ICC).
> 
> The re-evaluation was needed because under the implementing rules and regulations of the governments BOT Law, any changes in proposed project shall again be re-evaluated by the NEDA-ICC.
> 
> NEDA said that since JICA decided to fund the project, the government can expect the continuous construction of the rail once started.
> 
> The initial construction will be put up in Barangay Tala in San Jose Del Monte. The new MRT line will run through Fairview, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City Memorial Circle, and North EDSA.
> 
> The final station will be constructed in Paramount in Quezon City, in front of SM North EDSA and the Triangle of North Manila (TriNoMa) mall.
> 
> NEDA added that the new lane will be connected to the now operational LRT-MRT Closing Loop Interconnection Project.
> 
> It added that once the MRT-7 Line is completed, the Paramount Station will be a Mega Rail Station.


Great news 



Fsjal said:


> We would need China or Japan's help. Our train infrastructure is way behind than those aforementioned countries. Our workers also lack experience in this ambitious project.


No thanks China.

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## Malaya

*Acquisition of 21 choppers for election support stalls*
By: Jaime Sinapit, InterAksyon.com







MANILA, Philippines &#8211; Delivery of 21 refurbished Huey helicopters meant to augment the air assets of the Philippine Air Force in helping Comelec airlift materials to far-flung, risky territory has stalled, but Department of National Defense (DND) officials insist this will not hinder the PAF&#8217;s work.

A check with PAF on the status of the acquisition revealed there was no update yet about the reported acquisition of the choppers. This, even though Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin had earlier said the acquisition of the choppers can be done before the May 13 polls.

Despite the stalled acquisition, PAF spokesman Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol said there are enough choppers for the lift requirement, and the absence of the 21 choppers would not disrupt the military&#8217;s capability to support Comelec&#8217;s requirements.

Okol noted, &#8220;the term is augment,&#8221; so non-delivery of the 21 will not unduly impact operations. &#8220;Of course, if the units will come on time, this will make it easier and better for us. But we assure you that with or without the additional 21 choppers this will not impede or hold or stop our operations especially the requirements that will be needed for that activity (election).&#8221;

PAF now has 16 operational Hueys, or 51 units fewer than the ideal number of units.

Still, Okol stressed that other air assets from the 505th Search-And-Rescue (SAR) and 205th Helicopter Wing may be used in case of emergency.

PAF chief Lt. Gen. Lauro Catalino dela Cruz earlier directed key officers and units to prepare the needed air assets to support the Comelec in ferrying election materials. According to Okol, &#8220;our air assets are being used to transport election materials especially to far-flung places where land transportation is bogged down.&#8221;

Poland-based PZL Swidnik recently completed the delivery of 8 brand-new Sokol helicopters to PAF. The choppers are also ready anytime for Comelec&#8217;s use.

&#8216;Issues&#8217; with Korean-made lead jets

As this developed, the Philippine and South Korean governments are still threshing out &#8220;issues&#8221; involved in Manila&#8217;s acquisition of two squadron of T50 South Korean-made lead jets, said Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo.

He said Manila is &#8220;waiting for some requirements that should be provided by South Korea,&#8221; but did not elaborate on what he called other issues that must also be resolved including the Terms of Preferences (TOR).

Manalo is confident such issues could be resolved by end-April and the contract for the acquisition could be signed in May.

Acquisition of 21 choppers for election support stalls - InterAksyon.com

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## Malaya

*Stellar performance for PH economy in 2013, 2014*

by Kathleen Martin, ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 04/24/2013 

*MANILA -- The Philippine economy is seen to expand within the 6.5%-7% range this year and the next, Moody's Analytics said in a report on Wednesday.*

"We expect GDP growth to remain in the 6.5% to 7% range in 2013 and 2014, making the Philippines one of the world&#8217;s fastest-growing economies," Glenn Levine, senior economist at Moody's Analytics, said in Philippines Outlook: Asia's Rising Star.

Moody's Analytics' 2013 economic growth projection is near the high-end of the Philippine government's target of a 6%-7% expansion this year. But the firm's 2014 forecast represents the lower half of the government's 6.5%-7.5% target next year.

Levine noted that last year's faster-than-expected 6.6% economic growth is deemed sustainable, as inflation remains low and within the central bank's target range.

"The strong growth has taken place in an environment of falling domestic risk and low inflation. Inflation has stabilized near 3% per year, comfortably at the lower end of the central bank&#8217;s targeted 3% to 5% range, allowing the overnight interest rate to be cut to 3.5%. This all suggests that the current rate of growth is sustainable," Levine recounted.

He further said most sectors of the economy are growing "solidly," led by the construction and the business process outsourcing industries.

"Construction surged 14% in 2012, while most other industries recorded solid but sustainable growth. This should continue in 2013, led by construction and business process outsourcing, which account for a sizable chunk of the Philippines' exports as less competitive industries such as electronics have receded," Levine said.

"On the demand side, government spending was strong in 2012, although this accounts for less than 10% of GDP. All of the other demand components recorded robust growth," he continued.

Risks to growth, however, remain. Levine said the increasing domestic debt and possible asset bubbles especially in the housing market are among the concerns of the Philippine economy.

"Still, the biggest risk for Philippine investment is operational... If the government wants to attract more foreign investment, it must ease its restrictions on foreign ownership and streamline the rules for starting businesses, paying taxes, and dealing with workers," Levine said.

The economy's growth so far has also been bolstered in part by the Aquino administration's good governance, he said.

"The crackdown on corruption and encouragement of local and foreign investment, in particular, have worked well. A commitment to infrastructure spending is beginning to pay dividends, albeit from a low base," Levine said.

He continued that there has also been improvement in infrastructure, but the government will need to do more if it wants to sustain the stellar performance of the economy.

For one, Levine noted "the difficulty of moving physical goods around the country precludes the growth of manufacturing."

Moreover, he pointed out public investment only accounts for 2.75% of GDP, which is "far too low for a country at this stage of development."

The economy has already been set on the right course, Levine stressed, and if reforms continue, it may grow toward a rate of 8% by 2016.

"This is far from assured, however, and much will depend on how smoothly the transition goes when President Aquino steps down in 2016," Levine said.

Stellar performance for PH economy in 2013, 2014 | ABS-CBN News

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## Malaya

*&#8216;Phl a rising star in a gloomy world&#8217;*
By Prinz P. Magtulis (The Philippine Star) | Updated April 25, 2013 






*MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is a &#8220;rising star&#8221; in a gloomy world economy and could grow by as much as eight percent by 2016 if reforms in governance and business policies continue, a unit of debt watcher Moody&#8217;s Investors Service said.*

Philippines economic growth could register between 6.5 percent and seven percent this year and the next, hitting government targets for both years, Moody&#8217;s Analytics senior economist Glenn Levine said in a report yesterday.

&#8220;The Philippines has been among the brightest parts of a generally gloomy global picture,&#8221; Levine said.

&#8220;Some low-hanging fruit has already been picked, but if development and reform continue near their current pace, the Philippines&#8217; potential rate of growth will rise towards eight percent by 2016,&#8221; he explained.

Projections compare with the medium-term targets of the Aquino administration: six to seven percent this year, 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent in 2014, seven to eight percent in 2015 and 7.5 percent to 8.5 percent in 2016.

&#8220;Sustainable&#8221; growth will likely occur as a result of strong government spending that is pushing up construction activities, Levine said, noting that the sector grew 14 percent last year.

The business process outsourcing industry, meanwhile, is expected to offset weakening exports, which already dropped 9.4 percent as of February as electronics shipments &#8220;receded.&#8221;

Topping it all is a low inflation environment, which allowed the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep borrowing costs at their cheapest level to support lending activities and boost growth.

Inflation has &#8220;stabilized&#8221; at 3.2 percent as of the first quarter, falling at the low-end of the BSP&#8217;s three to five-percent target for the year. Consumer prices rose by an average of 3.2 percent in 2012. The overnight borrowing rate is at record-low of 3.5 percent.

But the Aquino administration&#8217;s &#8220;greatest achievement,&#8221; Levine said, was containing the budget deficit which allowed the country to bag its first-ever investment grade rating from Fitch Ratings last March.

The deficit fell to just 1.8 percent of economic output last year, and the government aims to hold it &#8220;near two percent&#8221; up to 2016. Government liabilities have also been manageable, with more local than overseas debts accumulated.

&#8220;The Philippines&#8217; recent performance against a weak global backdrop shows that good governance is far and away the most important driver of growth in emerging markets,&#8221; Levine said.

&#8220;The crackdown on corruption and (the) encouragement of local and foreign investment, in particular, have worked well,&#8221; he added.

Policymakers should, however, treat rising domestic liabilities and asset bubbles as &#8220;mild concerns.&#8221; The bigger risk is the &#8220;complicated&#8221; taxation and business processes as well as limitation to foreign ownership. 

&#8220;If the government wants to attract more foreign investment, it must ease its restrictions on foreign ownership and streamline the rules for starting businesses, paying taxes and dealing with workers,&#8221; Levine said.

â&#8364;&#732;Phl a rising star in a gloomy worldâ&#8364;&#8482; | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Malaya

*Proposed PHL ranger station in Tubbataha Reef*
HomeNewsUlat FilipinoSportsEconomySciTechPinoy AbroadShowbizLifestyleOpinionHumorWeather
Proposed PHL ranger station in Tubbataha Reef
April 22, 2013






The World Wildlife Fund has just launched a capital campaign to raise P50M for the government to build a new ranger station for Tubbataha Reef National Park. The proposed design is the result of a collaboration between Dylan Melgazo and Emerging Architects Studio. WWF/EASt

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## Fsjal

Our economy is still small. Looks like we need to catch up to Indonesia and Thailand.


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## hassan346

mahal kita ph from pak

ph is really progressing when u come out of manila airport u can see the new industrialized philipiness

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## Fsjal

hassan346 said:


> mahal kita ph from pak
> 
> ph is really progressing when u come out of manila airport u can see the new industrialized philipiness



Yes we are progressing well. In 5-10 years time, when you fly out of Manila, you will see new, tall skyscrapers


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## p3avi8tor69

While there is pervasive poverty and incredible inequality with oligopolistic setting, their economy is progressing at 6-7%. Currently it is at $240 billion so if the current target is reached every year in 5 years their GDP would be around $340 billion and in ten years close to 500 billion and 1 trillion in 20 years.

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## Zero_wing

hassan346 said:


> mahal kita ph from pak
> 
> ph is really progressing when u come out of manila airport u can see the new industrialized philipiness



we got for four airports in manila so which one? Maybe terminal 3? because its located near new port city pasay. The old part of Vilamor Airbase.


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## USAHawk785

Good Job, Philippines ! Glory, Honor and Victory be to the friendship and strategic cooperation between the Philippines and the United States.



hassan346 said:


> mahal kita ph from pak
> 
> ph is really progressing when u come out of manila airport u can see the new industrialized philipiness



he he he, agreed! I flew over to Manila back in 2010, and attended a conference in Makati, wow, such a gorgeous city. 

the people are so friendly and beautiful.

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## USAHawk785

Zero_wing said:


> we got for four airports in manila so which one? Maybe terminal 3? because its located near new port city pasay. The old part of Vilamor Airbase.





Manila is alright, but I prefer the city of Cebu. I've been there plenty of times to visit friends' family. The beaches in Cebu and Bohol are just amazing , bro. 

You have a very beautiful , beautiful, country! The women are gorgeous..haha.

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## Zero_wing

USAHawk785 said:


> Manila is alright, but I prefer the city of Cebu. I've been there plenty of times to visit friends' family. The beaches in Cebu and Bohol are just amazing , bro.
> 
> You have a very beautiful , beautiful, country! The women are gorgeous..haha.



Me too love the place especially the breaches white sands

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## Malaya

*Philippines to remain Asia's second fastest-growing economy this year -- S&P*
By: Likha Cuevas-Miel, InterAksyon.com
April 25, 2013 






*MANILA - Standard and Poor's (S&P) said the Philippines this year would still be the second-fastest growing economy in Asia next to China despite the weak global economy.*

In its latest research note, S&P said the Philippines, which has been supported mainly by domestic consumption, would grow 6.5 percent this year and 6.3 percent in 2014.

This year's growth projection for the Philippines is ahead of its neighbors, save for China, which would expand 7.9 percent, faster than its 7.8-percent growth in 2012.

"China and the Asean-5 (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) are more domestically driven, and therefore continue to enjoy relatively high and stable growth rates. This is not the case elsewhere," S&P said.






It said economic fundamentals across the region remain strong and households, corporates, financial institutions and governments' balance sheets looked healthy--thanks to the lessons learned from the Asian financial crisis 15 years ago, thus the region managed to evade most of the problems pestering the advanced economies.

S&P said it sees a modest pick up in the growth of emerging Asia, which would expand by 6.5 percent this year and rise to 6.8 percent a year after under the assumption that the US starts to recover and Europe starts to emerge from recession.

China, as mentioned above, will lead the growth for the region, accompanied by an uptick but still low inflation, on the back of investments by state-controlled enterprises financed by state banks.

India, in contrast, will continue to wrestle with low growth and relatively high inflation. Its gross domestic product (GDP) growth fell to barely five percent last year from an average of more than nine percent prior to the 2008 global crisis.

As for the rest of Asia, S&P sees Asean-5 to outperform the newly industrialized economies (NIEs) of Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. The rating firm said the Asean-5's quarterly growth has been near five percent year-on-year for the past two years while the growth in NIEs had been slowing to two percent.

S&P said the NIEs tend to depend more on exports for growth, therefore outperform the Asean-5 when global growth surges. With the US still growing below potential and Europe still in recession, the Asean-5 economies would outperform the NIEs in the near-term.

"Asean-5 growth outperformance means higher inflation pressures as well. By our reckoning, most Asean-5 economies are running at or above capacity and growth remains at or above potential. This means that output gaps are closed, or even slightly positive, which implies that demand-driven price pressures are growing," S&P said.

Inflation, however, remains low -- with Philippines at 3.8 percent -- while liquidity is still loose. Central banks in the region had been keeping their policy rates on hold and if there is any pick up, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Bank of Indonesia would be the first two to hike rates. 

"We expect Asean-5 policymakers to have more of a tightening bias than their counterparts in the NIEs. This is because the Asean-5 economies have less unused capacity," S&P said.

The risks that could change S&P's growth forecast for the region are the following:

- Double-dip recession in the US, which could spell a sharp downturn in Asian exports;

- Another Euro zone debt-related flare-up;

- Another weakening of the Japanese yen, which means significant loss of competitiveness in Japan's major export competitors, namely Korea and China;

- Heightened capital inflows; and

- Trouble in China's nonbank financial sector.

Philippines to remain Asia's second fastest-growing economy this year -- S&P - InterAksyon.com


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## Malaya

*AFP chief: More soldiers needed*
By Alexis Romero (philstar.com) | April 26, 2013

*MANILA, Philippines - Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said Friday that the number of soldiers should increase to make the military more responsive to challenges posed by a higher population and insurgency.
*
Bautista noted that military&#8217;s strength has not changed even if the country&#8217;s population has grown by almost 100 million.

&#8220;The ideal is to increase the number of military personnel so we can address [the challenges] and so that we can be more responsive,&#8221; the military chief said.

Bautista said the strength of their troops is subject to budgetary constraints.

&#8220;But we take it as a challenge,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We work within (these) constraints.&#8221;

*The military&#8217;s strength stands at about 120,000.*

Bautista said the cooperation of civilians can make up for the low number of military personnel.

&#8220;If everyone helps, I am sure we will be able to curb violence,&#8221; he said.

Observers said the lack of military personnel allows rebels to launch deadly attacks like last Saturday&#8217;s ambush of the convoy of Gingoog City Ruthie Guingona.

The attack left two persons dead and three others, including Guingona, injured. Critics said security forces should explain why they do not have presence in the area where the ambush happened.

&#8216;*Jurassic concept&#8217;*

Meanwhile, Bautista called on the communist rebels to surrender, labeling the concept of armed struggle as &#8220;Jurassic.&#8221;

&#8220;It&#8217;s about time we get together as a nation to finally put an end to violence, to armed struggle. It will not solve our problems. It&#8217;s a Jurassic concept,&#8221; he said.

Unity among all sectors, Bautista said, is the key to achieving lasting peace.

Communist rebels, however, are not keen on heeding the military chief&#8217;s appeal.

Three soldiers were wounded in an attack staged by insurgents in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro last Thursday.

Col. Generoso Bolina, spokesman of the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command, said soldiers from the 76th Infantry Battalion had been conducting patrols in the area when they were fired upon by the rebels.

Wounded during the clash were Pfcs. Ariel Juagpao, Merdilito Sagmayao, and Aldrin Jamiro. They were airlifted to the Armed Forces Medical Center in Quezon City for treatment. &#8211; Alexis Romero with Bjorn Beltran and Catalina Madarang

AFP chief: More soldiers needed | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Fsjal

One small military we have. The only way to rise the number is to have conscription. Anyway, smaller armies like Australia have better and highly trained soldiers and have better equipments (tanks, planes, frigates, etc.)


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## Zero_wing

Well astig ito mga tol hehehe regardless on what the false flagger has said he really does not know anything about the Philippines the Philippine has been modernizing really well am really impress from were we came from and what we have now i mean we slowly showing progress here we manage to take care of the little things like guns and armor and supplies but its still slow but am confident on the current.

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## Malaya

Zero_wing said:


> Well astig ito mga tol hehehe regardless on what the false flagger has said he really does not know anything about the Philippines *the Philippine has been modernizing really well am really impress from were we came from and what we have now i mean we slowly showing progress* here we manage to take care of the little things like guns and armor and supplies but its still slow but am confident on the current.


President Aquino has just completed 3 years of his presidency, however for those 3 years he had accomplished plenty. Sana magtuloy tuloy na pagbili ng mga kailangan ng ating militar ng mga modern equipment.

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## Malaya

*PH growth seen at 7-9 pct in next several years*
by Recto Mercene, BusinessMirror
Posted at 04/29/2013 | Updated as of 04/29/2013







*MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine economy will continue to enjoy a 7-percent to 9-percent growth in the next several years, according to a prominent Filipino economist who, along with Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose L. Cuisia Jr., spearheaded Manila&#8217;s latest efforts to convince more American companies to put their funds in the Philippines.*

In providing an overview of the emergence of the Philippines as &#8220;Asia&#8217;s New Emerging Tiger,&#8221; Dr. Bernardo Villegas, co-organizer of the Second Philippine Investment Roadshow that earlier visited Los Angeles and Chicago, forecast in a forum in Boston on Friday that the Philippine economy will grow at an average of 7 percent to 9 percent in the next 20 years.

&#8220;The key is to build stronger institutions so that the reforms undertaken over the past 25 years are irreversible, no matter who is heading the administration beyond 2016,&#8221; said Villegas, who has been described as the Philippines&#8217;s &#8220;prophet of boom.&#8221;

&#8220;The Philippines&#8217;s emergence as Asia&#8217;s New Tiger is a strong demonstration of a tipping point phenomenon&#8212;a result of the transformational leadership changes and the policy reforms introduced in almost 30 years,&#8221; he added.

The Second Philippine Investment Roadshow, which was initiated by the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., in coordination with the Philippine Consulates General in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, concluded last week with major presentations by a top-notch business delegation on strategic investment opportunities in key sectors such as business-process outsourcing (BPO), mining, human resources, infrastructure and real estate, financial services, manufacturing, particularly electronics and medical devices and biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

In his presentation, Villegas acknowledged the reforms undertaken by each Philippine president, starting with the restoration of democracy under Corazon Aquino and the deregulation, liberalization and privatization of state-owned entities under Fidel Ramos.

He also gave credit to Jospeh Estrada for his emphasis on agriculture that led to the establishment of farm-to-market roads and irrigation systems and to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the promotion of tollways. Villegas cited President Aquino&#8217;s strong push to build more highways, airports, seaports and schools under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program.

&#8220;But the capping stone is President Aquino&#8217;s strong commitment to good governance and the fight against corruption, which has restored the confidence and optimism of both international and local investors,&#8221; according to Villegas.

In his remarks, Cuisia said he &#8220;strongly encourages American companies to invest more in the Philippines,&#8221; also citing such competitive advantages as the country&#8217;s strategic location, highly educated bilingual and talented work force and its democratic system, a business-friendly environment and attractive tax incentives for key projects.

&#8220;In addition, the Philippines is part of the larger Asean market, which promises a large consumer base of 600 million that also has a strong purchasing power,&#8221; he added.

Cuisia reiterated Mr. Aquino&#8217;s &#8220;personal message of deep sympathy, concern and solidarity with the people of Boston.&#8221;

&#8220;We are optimistic that Boston will move past the tragedy and continue to be the world&#8217;s most innovative city, a cutting-edge research center, and an incubator of ideas,&#8221; the ambassador said, referring to the Boston Marathon bombings earlier this month.

Other resource persons in the forum were ZMG Ward Howell Chairman Jesus Zulueta Jr., who mentioned the Filipinos&#8217; education, adaptability, multicultural exposure and English-language fluency that should prove attractive to possible inventors.

Zulueta said health-care information management outsourcing is the fastest-growing BPO sector in the Philippines today with revenues growing from $102 million in 2010 to $430 million in 2012.

Rainerio Borja, president of Expert Global Solutions, said the Philippine BPO sector will be a $25-billion industry by 2016 and will directly employ 1.6 million Filipinos, and account for 7.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Borja added that the Philippines is a top offshore BPO location because of its scalable educated talent pool, cost competitiveness, excellent infrastructure, government support and PPP, and proven track record.

Dr. Dan Lachica, president of Semiconductors and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI), said the electronics industry is the &#8220;driver of the Philippine economy&#8221; that makes up 55 percent of total Philippine exports and directly employs 258,000 operators, technicians and engineers.

According to Philip Romualdez, president of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, the strategic importance of the mining industry to the country, which not only boasts of having the fifth-richest mineral deposits in the world but also accounts for &#8220;2-percent additional GDP growth in the next several years.&#8221;

On infrastructure and real estate, Isidro Consunji, president of DMCI Holdings Inc., said growth in both the revenues and net income of listed real-estate companies in the country has consistently been in an upward trend since 2008.

The Philippines&#8217;s $13-billion pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry was discussed by Martin Pascual, board director of Pascual Laboratories, who said continued improvements in the country&#8217;s intellectual-property rights regime will bolster growth prospects of the industry.

&#8220;A framework should be developed to address investors&#8217; concerns on transparency and accountability and that both the government and the private sector should continue to collaborate to really accelerate research and development in the Philippines,&#8221; he said.

Back home, optimism was also high.

The economic performance of the Philippines may be better in the second quarter as indicated by composite leading economic indicators (LEI) released recently by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

The LEI slightly inched up in the second quarter (Q2) of 2013, posting -0.013, from the revised -0.075 in the first quarter of 2013.

&#8220;The composite index regained in Q2 of 2013 after four consecutive quarters of decline, but remained in the negative territory in the last three quarters,&#8221; NSCB Secretary-General Jose Ramon Albert said in a report.

PH growth seen at 7-9 pct in next several years | ABS-CBN News

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## Fsjal

Zero_wing said:


> Well astig ito mga tol hehehe regardless on what the false flagger has said he really does not know anything about the Philippines the Philippine has been modernizing really well am really impress from were we came from and what we have now i mean we slowly showing progress here we manage to take care of the little things like guns and armor and supplies but its still slow but am confident on the current.



The AFP modernisation is dissapointing, not really impressed by it. It would be impressive if we actually acquire more hi tech weapons than by talking about it.



Malaya said:


> President Aquino has just completed 3 years of his presidency, however for those 3 years he had accomplished plenty. Sana magtuloy tuloy na pagbili ng mga kailangan ng ating militar ng mga modern equipment.



Even for 3 years, he could do better.


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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> The AFP modernisation is dissapointing, not really impressed by it. It would be impressive if we actually acquire more hi tech weapons than by talking about it.
> 
> 
> 
> Even for 3 years, he could do better.



Modernization is spelled with a z sir and we are still finishing phase 1 (basic stuff and fixing bases, buying new and fixing old radars start buying ships (corvettes and offshore patrol ships etc) we not phase two yet were going to buy SAMs, and more ships and planes and new stuff etc. So what's your problem well you are chinese after all.


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## Fsjal

Zero_wing said:


> Modernization is spelled with a z sir and we are still finishing phase 1 (basic stuff and fixing bases, buying new and fixing old radars start buying ships (corvettes and offshore patrol ships etc) we not phase two yet were going to buy SAMs, and more ships and planes and new stuff etc. So what's your problem well you are chinese after all.



In Australia, we use Z, and also, training is another thing. Soldiers need to be properly trained.


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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> In Australia, we use Z, and also, training is another thing. Soldiers need to be properly trained.



Well spell it right and again i doubt it sir and as for training in terms of military training the Philippine is one of the most battled tested militarizes but its the equipment is the major problem so older than the man using them but now that phase 1 is about to end we can fill the gap with some basic equipments. before your troll about the Philippine military do some research or better go to the philippines every Independence day June 12 and see for yourselves what you chinese are up against.


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## Fsjal

Zero_wing said:


> Well spell it right and again i doubt it sir and as for training in terms of military training the Philippine is one of the most battled tested militarizes but its the equipment is the major problem so older than the man using them but now that phase 1 is about to end we can fill the gap with some basic equipments. before your troll about the Philippine military do some research or better go to the philippines every Independence day June 12 and see for yourselves what you chinese are up against.



If our soldiers are so trained, how come the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf are still active. Even the NPA are active.


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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> If our soldiers are so trained, how come the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf are still active. Even the NPA are active.



Sir study military strategy especially guerrilla warfare  besides the MNLF is like part of the government in majority of them are public officials in local government i think your talking about MILF which also now accepting government integration with a few exception the so called BIFF (bangsamoro islamic freedom fighters) but they can only attack civilian targets, police station and power station adding to problem but they been ostracize by everybody since they getting on the way of peace which everybody wants in Mindanao so they just die out soon and about the abus same as the BIFF they being hunted down by everybody they just common bandits now everybody hates them the NPA are in similar boat as the abus people hate they just steal and kill people at random. aka they are losing support from the people and they are in their last legs 

Again troll do some studying not just mao books they just nonsense


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## Fsjal

Zero_wing said:


> Sir study military strategy especially guerrilla warfare



Sir, study anti guerilla warfare and anti terrorism.


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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> Sir, study anti guerilla warfare and anti terrorism.



Sir guerrilla warfare see can't even spell it right let alone understand the concepts in warfare

typical chi#ko troll


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## p3avi8tor69

Fsjal said:


> If our soldiers are so trained, how come the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf are still active. Even the NPA are active.




In defence of the Pinoys, even my country, the only remaining superpower, is having a pita ridding Afghanistan of the Taliban despite our superior military might. Insurgency is a b**ch.

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## Fsjal

p3avi8tor69 said:


> In defence of the Pinoys, even my country, the only remaining superpower, is having a pita ridding Afghanistan of the Taliban despite our superior military might. Insurgency is a b**ch.



The thing is, the Taliban know their area. In the Philippines, the Military knows the area, and they should have easier finding the rebels compare to Americans looking for the Taliban, because the American soldiers are not local to the area in Afghanistan.


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## Malaya

*Europeans head to Philippines to escape financial woe*
The Economist on Tue, 04/30/2013







*Increasing numbers of Europeans are moving to countries the Philippines in a bid to find opportunities in the world&#8217;s emerging markets*

Europeans head to Philippines to escape financial woe | Philippines, ASIA and the Global Economy

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## Malaya

*PH earmarks P18 billion for two new warships*
By Aaron B. Recuenco
Published: April 29, 2013

*The government has allocated P18 billion for the purchase of two brand new frigates as the Department of the National Defense (DND) has opted to ditch its original plan of purchasing second-hand war ships. *

Fernando Manalo, DND Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions, Installations and Materiel, said the original allocation for the second-hand frigate is P6 billion each to maximize what the budget that the government has.

&#8220;We realized that it will be expensive in the long run if we are going to buy second hand,&#8221; said Manalo.

Manalo did not discuss the specifications of the frigate but said the two planned procurement war ships would be of big help in guarding the territorial waters of the country.

Unlike second-hand frigates wherein spare parts and efficiency are usually the problems, Manalo said the brand new ones assures good running condition for some 20 to 30 years.

The DND is planning to bid out the procurement of two frigates, with Spain, Singapore and South Korea reportedly planning to join.

The government earlier revealed that it may also buy fighter jets from South Korea.

He said they are now expediting the procurement process to make sure that all the procedures would be completed within the second quarter of this year.

Aside from fighter jets and frigates, the second Hamilton-class war ship that the Philippines bought from the United States is expected to arrive in July this year.

The Philippines has embarked on a modernization program for its Armed Forces after it was locked in a territorial dispute with China over the South China Sea which is locally referred to as West Philippine Sea. 

PH earmarks P18 billion for two new warships


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## Malaya

*PH stock market is one of the world's 'hottest'*

ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 04/30/2013 

*MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine stock market is one of the "hottest" in the world so far this year, according to a CNN report. *

On the CNN Money website, the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) was ranked the 5th "hottest" stock market in the world, after Kuwait, Argentina, United Arab Emirates and Japan. 

The PSEi has rallied 20% so far this year, as it breached the 7,000 level for the first time ever. The main index has reached 27 new all-time highs so far this year.

Investors have flocked to the Philippines as the country earned its first ever investment grade credit rating from any ratings agency last March. 

CNN Money quoted Ashraf Laidi, chief global strategist at City Index in London, as saying investors have been attracted to the Philippines "because it's shielded from the economic slowdown in China."

"The economy doesn't depend on exports to China like many other countries in the region... It's more tied to domestic consumption," Laidi said.

As of 12 noon Tuesday, the PSEi was up 0.46% to 7,060.81. 

Barely four months after it first breached the 6,000 level, the PSEi breached the 7,000 level last April 22. Analysts and fund managers are betting the PSEi will continue to rise, driven by optimism on the Philippine economy and further cut in interest rate of special deposit accounts (SDA). 

The Palace earlier said the PSEi's record highs is a "manifestation of continued confidence in the prospects of our economy, not only from the international community, but also from Filipinos who are raising their stake in our country&#8217;s success." 

PH stock market is one of the world's 'hottest' | ABS-CBN News




*PH picks Vietnam to supply 187,000 tonnes of rice*
Reuters
Posted at 04/30/2013

*MANILA - The Philippines has chosen Vietnam's bid for supplying 187,000 tonnes of rice to boost stocks and meet its annual import needs ahead of the typhoon season in the third quarter, the National Food Authority (NFA) said on Tuesday.
*
This year's demand from the Philippines, the world's biggest rice buyer in 2010, represents a small fraction of the 8 million tonnes Vietnam aims to export in 2013.

"We agreed to buy the 25 percent broken rice grade and the volume will form part of our buffer stock for the lean months from July to September," NFA Administrator Orlan Calayag told reporters.

Calayag said there was no need for the Philippines to import more rice as the government expects another record harvest this year.

The Philippines is targeting an 11 percent increase in unmilled rice output to 20 million tonnes this year, from a record harvest of 18 million tonnes last year. 

State-run Vietnam Southern Food Corp, or Vinafood II, offered a price of $459.75 per tonne on a cost, insurance and freight basis, beating Thailand's offer of $568 per tonne, Calayag said.

Vinafood's offer translates to a free-on-board cost of $367.62 per tonne, he said. Vietnamese 25 percent broken rice was quoted at $360-$370 a tonne FOB last week. 

Rice prices in Vietnam, the world's second-biggest exporter, fell to their lowest in more than two years last week and further declines may be expected as demand remained soft amid rising supply. 

The Philippines, which targets self-sufficiency in the grain this year, imported 500,000 tonnes of rice last year, after buying 860,000 tonnes in 2011 and a record 2.45 million tonnes in 2010.

PH picks Vietnam to supply 187,000 tonnes of rice | ABS-CBN News

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## Malaya

*'Iron Man 3' posts P306M in 5 days, biggest in Philippine box office history*
By Dexter Rodrigo Matilla (philstar.com) | Updated April 30, 2013






*"Iron Man 3" has shattered all Philippine box office records with its P306M 5-day output. It stars Ben Kingsley (left) and Robert Downey Jr. (right). - (Walt Disney Studios)*

MANILA, Philippines -* "Iron Man 3" debuted with the biggest opening day take in Philippine history*, and now, five days later, *the film has broken all existing box-office records in the Philippines*.

'Iron Man 3' opening day now highest grossing in Philippine history with P62.6M

The third installment in the "Iron Man" film series grossed a monumental P305.96-million in five days &#8211; *the biggest opening weekend ever and the fastest time to reach the P300-M mark in local history*, according to Victor R. Cabrera, Managing Director of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines, which distributed the film.

&#8220;We are elated and proud of this remarkable achievement,&#8221; said Cabrera. &#8220;Marvel has crafted a spectacular film and this just adds to Disney and Marvel&#8217;s commitment in keeping the property evergreen. You see Marvel and Iron Man everywhere, in movie theatres, on TV, malls, in retail, publishing, etc. You see people in Iron Man t-shirts, kids playing with Iron Man toys. Filipinos are just true Iron Man fans. We cannot be happier with the way the Filipino consumer is embracing the movie and the property.&#8221;

&#8220;Iron Man 3&#8221; opened across the country April 24 with a stunning P62.9-M which obliterated two box-office records &#8211; the highest opening day ever (beating 2007's &#8220;Spider-Man 3&#8221 and *all-time most successful Wednesday (surpassing &#8220;Marvel's The Avengers&#8221*.

From then on, the film never looked back &#8211; smashing single-day records one after another, specifically, biggest Thursday (P48-M), Friday (P48.41-M), Saturday (P71.94-M) and Sunday (P74.63-M). *All previous records were established last year by &#8220;Marvel's The Avengers.&#8221;*

Disney rolled out &#8220;Iron Man 3&#8221; in more than 500 cinemas throughout the archipelago and in 3D, 2D, IMAX 3D and 35mm formats. Getting the lion's share of gross receipts was SM Mall of Asia (P19.56-M), followed by SM North EDSA (P17.69-M) and Trinoma (P13.11-M).

Next are SM Megamall (P12.58-M), SM Cebu (P9.25-M) Glorietta 4 (P9.11-M), SM Southmall (P7.85-M), Newport (P6.35-M), SM Fairview (P6.29-M), Eastwood (P5.99-M) and Power Plant (P5.82-M).

Also posting impressive receipts are Alabang Town Center (P5.81-M), Greenbelt 3 (P5.73-M), SM Clark (P5.30-M), Market! Market! (P5.10-M), Gateway (P4.89-M), SM Marikina (P4.28-M), Ayala Cebu (P4.22-M) Shang Cineplex (P4.20-M), Robinsons Ermita (P4.156-M), SM San Lazaro (P4.154-M) and Robinsons Galleria (P4.02-M).

Now playing across the Philippines, &#8220;Iron Man 3&#8221; is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

'Iron Man 3' posts P306M in 5 days, biggest in Philippine box office history | Movies, Special Reports, Home | philstar.com

Great movie!

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## Malaya

Natawa ko dito na-starstruck ang Sultan kay Kris










*EYE-CATCHING The President&#8217;s sister and incidentally the country&#8217;s No. 1 taxpayer, Kris Aquino, at the state luncheon*

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## Malaya

*PN to get anti-submarine chopper*
Tuesday, April 30. 2013
by Priam F. Nepomuceno






*MANILA &#8212; The Philippine Navy (PN) on Tuesday announced that it will acquire an anti-submarine helicopter to boost up its naval air group.
*
This is aside from the three AgustaWestland "Power" 109 helicopters that will be arriving in 2014.
"This is under the Medium Term Capability Development Program (MTCDP 2013-2017)," PN spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said.

The PN air group is based at Sangley Point, Cavite. It operates around 12 to 14 helicopters and light aircraft.
He added that the acquisition of the anti-submarine helicopter is part of the PN's efforts to build its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability.

ASW refers to the capability to detect, locate and if necessary destroy submarines found intruding in the country's territorial waters.

He added that this program will be an important part of the Philippines' defense system once it reaches full bloom.

The PN earlier called the signing of the contract with AgustaWestland, regarding the delivery of three AW-109 "Power" helicopters by 2014, a "significant milestone".

"The PN finds it to be a significant development in line with the (ongoing) modernization program and capability upgrade," it stated.

The AW-109 "Power" helicopters will enhance the PN's capability in various naval operations such as maritime security patrols and search-and-rescue among others.

*"These helicopters are just a few among the list of future acquisition for the PN in order to attain its vision of becoming a strong and credible Navy that our maritime nation can be proud of,"* Fabic emphasized. (PNA)
LAM/PFN

PN to get anti-submarine chopper - ZamboTimes


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## p3avi8tor69

Malaya said:


> *PH earmarks P18 billion for two new warships*
> By Aaron B. Recuenco
> Published: April 29, 2013
> 
> *The government has allocated P18 billion for the purchase of two brand new frigates as the Department of the National Defense (DND) has opted to ditch its original plan of purchasing second-hand war ships. *
> 
> Fernando Manalo, DND Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions, Installations and Materiel, said the original allocation for the second-hand frigate is P6 billion each to maximize what the budget that the government has.
> 
> &#8220;We realized that it will be expensive in the long run if we are going to buy second hand,&#8221; said Manalo.
> 
> Manalo did not discuss the specifications of the frigate but said the two planned procurement war ships would be of big help in guarding the territorial waters of the country.
> 
> Unlike second-hand frigates wherein spare parts and efficiency are usually the problems, Manalo said the brand new ones assures good running condition for some 20 to 30 years.
> 
> The DND is planning to bid out the procurement of two frigates, with Spain, Singapore and South Korea reportedly planning to join.
> 
> The government earlier revealed that it may also buy fighter jets from South Korea.
> 
> He said they are now expediting the procurement process to make sure that all the procedures would be completed within the second quarter of this year.
> 
> Aside from fighter jets and frigates, the second Hamilton-class war ship that the Philippines bought from the United States is expected to arrive in July this year.
> 
> The Philippines has embarked on a modernization program for its Armed Forces after it was locked in a territorial dispute with China over the South China Sea which is locally referred to as West Philippine Sea.
> 
> PH earmarks P18 billion for two new warships



In China there is a department of warnings. In the Philippines there is a department of press releases which is also called the Department of Defence. That is all your defence ministry does, issue press releases. All talk and hot air. Your military announced to the world you were buying Italian frigates, sent your naval officers to Italy yet it was all talk in the end. This annoucement about new frigate will just be all talk.

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## Malaya

Well it doesn't matter what these Chinese crabs will say.





That is still a good news indeed, just wait and see. 

A good start for military modernization and upgrading. 

Thanks to the Aquino administration.


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## Malaya

*Military to acquire P40-M grenades*
(The Philippine Star) | Updated May 2, 2013 






MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will acquire close to P40 million worth of hand grenades to be used for security operations.

A bid bulletin published in The STAR yesterday showed that the AFP will acquire 11,364 smoke grenades and 11,460 fragmentation grenades.

The government has allotted P19.944 million for the smoke grenades and P19.998 million for the fragmentation grenades.

The opening of bids will be on May 20 at the AFP Bids and Awards Committee Conference Room in Camp Aguinaldo.

The AFP assures the public that the process would comply with the provisions of the procurement law.

The acquisitions of smoke and fragmentation hand grenades are separate projects. Interested parties can submit bids for one project or for both.

To be qualified, prospective bidders should have undertaken similar projects within the last five years.

Bidders should have inked a single contract equivalent to at least 25 percent of the approved budget for each project.

They should also have completed at least two similar contracts, the total amount of which should be equivalent to at least 25 percent of the approved budget for the project.

The larger of the two contracts must be equivalent to at least 12.5 percent of the approved budget for the project.

Prospective suppliers may buy a set of bid documents worth P6,000 for each project from May 2 to 29 in Camp Aguinaldo. &#8212; Alexis Romero

Military to acquire P40-M grenades | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Malaya

*Indofood may invest in PH*
By Anna Leah G. Estrada | Posted on May. 02, 2013

PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk of Indonesia may form a joint venture in the Philippines to invest in a large-scale commercial farm, according to its top executive.

First Pacific Co. Ltd. managing director Manuel Pangilinan, who is also president commissioner of PT Indofood, said his group was in talks with officials of the Agriculture Department about the major farm investment in the country.

PT Indofood is controlled by First Pacific, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate, which has stakes in Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Manila Electric Co. and Philex Mining Corp.

Pangilinan told reporters he relayed the intention of the group to Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala in a recent meeting.

&#8220;It was a broad ranging discussion, and we have requested them to identify parcels of land which could be available for large-scale commercial farming,&#8221; said Pangilinan.

Pangilinan said his group preferred to lease and develop the land into a large-scale commercial farm.

He said the group was willing to form a new company in partnership with Indofood, the largest food company in Indonesia.

&#8220;Indofood is a major plantation operator in Indonesia in palm oil, sugar, rubber, coffee and cacao. These are the crops that we&#8217;re familiar with,&#8221; he said.

&#8220;We are large scale. In Indonesia, for example, the plantation of palm oil alone is around 240,000 hectares. That is the scale we are looking for, maybe not entirely 240,000 but a sizable hectarage,&#8221; Pangilinan added.

Indofood, controlled by the Salim family, is engaged in oil palm cultivation and milling; as well as the production and marketing of branded cooking oils, margarine and shortening. It is also engaged in the cultivation and processing of rubber, sugar cane and other crops.

Alcala said he would meet Pangilinan&#8217;s group this month to discuss the proposed areas and crops for the possible investment.

He said Pangilinan&#8217;s investment would be most welcomed, as this would be a big help for the Filipino farmers.

Pangilinan is chairman of PLDT, Philex Mining Corp. and Meralco.

Indofood may invest in PH - Manila Standard Today

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## VietHome

> *PH picks Vietnam to supply 187,000 tonnes of rice*
> Reuters
> Posted at 04/30/2013
> 
> *MANILA - The Philippines has chosen Vietnam's bid for supplying 187,000 tonnes of rice to boost stocks and meet its annual import needs ahead of the typhoon season in the third quarter, the National Food Authority (NFA) said on Tuesday.
> *
> This year's demand from the Philippines, the world's biggest rice buyer in 2010, represents a small fraction of the 8 million tonnes Vietnam aims to export in 2013.
> 
> "We agreed to buy the 25 percent broken rice grade and the volume will form part of our buffer stock for the lean months from July to September," NFA Administrator Orlan Calayag told reporters.
> 
> Calayag said there was no need for the Philippines to import more rice as the government expects another record harvest this year.
> 
> The Philippines is targeting an 11 percent increase in unmilled rice output to 20 million tonnes this year, from a record harvest of 18 million tonnes last year.
> 
> State-run Vietnam Southern Food Corp, or Vinafood II, offered a price of $459.75 per tonne on a cost, insurance and freight basis, beating Thailand's offer of $568 per tonne, Calayag said.
> 
> Vinafood's offer translates to a free-on-board cost of $367.62 per tonne, he said. Vietnamese 25 percent broken rice was quoted at $360-$370 a tonne FOB last week.
> 
> Rice prices in Vietnam, the world's second-biggest exporter, fell to their lowest in more than two years last week and further declines may be expected as demand remained soft amid rising supply.
> 
> The Philippines, which targets self-sufficiency in the grain this year, imported 500,000 tonnes of rice last year, after buying 860,000 tonnes in 2011 and a record 2.45 million tonnes in 2010.



Nice, we need to have more economic and military cooperation between the two countries. This is the only way to fence off the You-Know-Who bully from the north. Vietnam has military advantage, Philippines has economic advantage. We can help each other out. I'm also glad that Philippines is boosting up her defense capabilities. Don't forget behind us are Russia and America. From Cam Ranh Bay to Subic Port, the two best natural military garrisons in Asia, we can surround the bully and catch all its pirates.

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## Malaya

VietHome said:


> *Nice, we need to have more economic and military cooperation between the two countries. *This is the only way to fence off the You-Know-Who bully from the north. Vietnam has military advantage, Philippines has economic advantage. We can help each other out. I'm also glad that Philippines is boosting up her defense capabilities. *Don't forget behind us are Russia and America. From Cam Ranh Bay to Subic Port, the two best natural military garrisons in Asia, we can surround the bully and catch all its pirates*.


I couldn't agree more. Filipinos and Vietnamese should be closer diplomatically, economically, socially and militarily. We need to forge that strong alliance 'cos it creates strength. Vietnam and Phil strong trade alliance will compete with China. While we're still beefing up our defense. Vietnam already has strong military advantage with lots of sophisticated guided missiles, strong Armed Forces, weapons etc. China will surely have to pay the highest price if they dare to take a flare and of course our strong military ties with the US, Russia, plus India and Japan will also help keep that big bully&#8217;s military adventurism always in check.

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## Malaya

*PH wins second investment grade*
BY RAPPLER.COM
POSTED ON 05/02/2013






MANILA, Philippines (4th UPDATE) - The Philippines won its second investment grade, this time from international credit rating firm Standard & Poors.

Seen as another vote of confidence in the country, S&P upgraded the Philippines' credit rating to BBB- on Thursday, May 2, from BB+. The outlook is stable.

"The upgrade on the Philippines reflects a strengthening external profile, moderating inflation, and the government's declining reliance on foreign currency debt," said S&P's credit analyst Agost Benard.






This was the second investment grade rating for the Philippines in less than two months.

On March 27, the Philippines joined the ranks of A-lister countries after Fitch Ratings raised its credit rating to BBB-.

Malacañang hailed the news. "We welcome the upgrade," it said in a statement, citing this as "the latest institutional affirmation of the Aquino administration&#8217;s good governance initiatives" as well as another indication of "sustained confidence in the Philippine economy."

"We are very pleased that S&P, along with Fitch, has also now affirmed the Philippines&#8217; strong economic and fiscal gains, progress that has been made thanks to the discipline and prudence in financial management instilled by President Aquino in his administration," Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima also said in a statement.

Purisima said S&P's new rating only reflects "what the markets already recognize."

"This investment grade rating is another resounding vote of confidence in the Philippines... Our economy's underlying soundness is on par with countries rated investment grade or higher," he added.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the S&P upgrade "cements the Philippines' status as an economy with one of the brightest prospects globally."

An investment grade is a seal of good housekeeping. It tells investors it is safe to do business in the country, and encourages them to put huge capital here.

An investment grade means the Philippines, as a borrowing country, has a strong ability to pay its debt. This lowers its borrowing costs, generating savings, which will be spent for social services.

(VIEW OUR INFOGRAPHIC: What a credit rating upgrade means for Filipinos)

What led to the upgrade?

In summary, these are the reasons S&P granted the Philippines an upgrade:

FISCAL FLEXIBILITY. The creditor rating firm cited the government's efforts to reduce the share of foreign-denominated debts to total borrowings, as well as the more robust domestic capital and improvements in revenue collections.

HEALTHY FOREX BUFFER. With foreign reserves buffer reaching substantial levels following sustained surplus in current accounts, modest net foreign direct investment (FDI) and hot money inflows, S&P said the Philippines has "low refinancing risk and an import cover ratio well above prudential norms."

RESILIENT REMITTANCES. Despite slowdown in economies that host overseas Filipino workers, S&P noted that remittances continue to be resilient. Coupled with the strong performance of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, another dollar earner, both could "generate foreign exchange earnings of approximately 15% of GDP, comfortably covering trade deficits of 6% to 9% of GDP."

MANAGEABLE INFLATION. S&P also noted the role of the healthy inflation environment, which supports economic growth. "Despite some shortcomings in monetary policy transmission, inflation is low and fairly stable, helped partly by currency appreciation," S&P's Benard said.

However, S&P cited the following factors the Philippines could improve:

LOW PER CAPITA INCOME. The "low income level remains a key rating constraint. Per capita GDP, at a projected US$2,850 in 2013, is below that of most similarly rated sovereigns," S&P said.

LIMITED JOB OPPORTUNITIES. S&P noted that "the economy is also unable to absorb its entire productive and workforce, as suggested by the high level of emigration." It cited the "concentrated nature of the economy, infrastructure shortfalls, and restrictions on foreign ownership, which deter foreign investment, are factors that hamper growth."

INCLUSIVE GROWTH. "Real GDP per capita growth averaged 3.3% over the past decade--somewhat slow at this stage in the country's development. Based on ongoing structural changes in the economy, rising private sector investment, and with increased fiscal space allowing greater public spending, we expect real GDP per capita growth to rise to 4.5% in the forecast period to 2016," S&P said.

Higher portfolio inflows

S&P's upgrade was not a surprise. University of Asia and the Pacific economist Victor Abola told Rappler that the debt watcher's decision was expected after Fitch's historic announcement in March.

Abola said with two credit rating agencies giving the country investment grade status, the Philippines can expect a steady inflow of portfolio investments.

"It was not a surprise, the market was expecting it. Nonetheless, its a confirmation that two out of 3 credit rating agencies has come to the same conclusion that the Philipppines is worthy of investment grade status," Abola said.

BDO chief market strategist Jonathan Ravelas said the credit rating upgrade given by S&P confirms that the Philippines is a worthy investment destination.

"This is a confirmatory upgrade. The market itself has anticipated this from Standard & Poor's. It just highlighted what was eventually happening in the market already," he said.

"This second (credit rating) upgrade will eventually allow investors to start looking at the Philippines as a serious investment destination."

Stronger peso?

Ravelas added that while the peso could further strengthen as a result of the investment grade, the BSP could counter any appreciation of the peso.

Abola, for his part, said the FMIC-UA&P Capital Market Research Center does not plan to revise its forecast on the peso following S&P's move. He said they still expect the peso to appreciate by 4% to 5% in 2013.

Philippine Economic Society (PES) President Alvin Ang told Rappler that the impact of the credit rating upgrade would be immediate on the bond and equity markets, but would not have a drastic effect on the peso.

Ang explained that the peso is stable at around P40 to P41.20 to the dollar and this could hold even with the second investment grade rating.

BSP's Tetangco said the central bank would remain vigilant against the risks associated with greater inflows. He expressed hope that these inflows would also include much-needed FDI that would help create more jobs for Filipinos.

"With our investment grade rating, we are more confident that these inflows, particularly of more FDIs, will swing toward increasing the country's productive capacity, thereby generating more employment and higher incomes," Tetangco said.

Infrastructure

Ang said the government still needs to focus on improving the business environment, particularly the ease of doing business in the country. He said the Philippines still has a long way to go in terms of making it easier for businesses to set up shops here.

Among the country's development constraints is lack of infrastructure, not only in terms of roads, but also power supply.

"The credit rating has no direct impact on the local economy," Ang said. "What (government) needs to do now is to go into the details to improve the country's investment climate."

Ravelas agreed and said there is still a lot more work to be done on infrastructure for growth to be inclusive. - Rappler.com

PH wins second investment grade

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## Malaya

*Philippines Beats Indonesia in Gaining S&P Investment Grade*
By Karl Lester M. Yap - May 3, 2013






Philippine stocks rose to a record after it beat Indonesia to win an investment grade from Standard & Poor&#8217;s, as President Benigno Aquino outshines Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in improving government finances and spurring growth.

The rating on the Philippines&#8217; long-term foreign-currency- denominated debt was raised one level to BBB- from BB+, with a stable outlook, S&P said in a statement yesterday. In contrast, the assessor revised its outlook on Indonesia&#8217;s BB+ rating to stable from positive.

&#8220;We&#8217;re continuing to address constraints to growth,&#8221; Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said in a Bloomberg Television interview with Susan Li today. &#8220;We&#8217;re fast tracking our infrastructure projects. We&#8217;re looking at areas we can open up to foreign investors.&#8221;

Aquino&#8217;s drive to transform the nation into one of the region&#8217;s fastest-growing economies is gaining strength, with the government forecasting record investment pledges this year as companies including Murata Manufacturing Co. expand. In Indonesia, President Yudhoyono has delayed cutting fuel subsidies that have drained government finances even as he tries to allocate more funds to infrastructure spending.

&#8220;For the Philippines, this is yet another confirmation that Aquino&#8217;s reforms have borne fruit, which would help in attracting not just short-term flows, but long-term direct investments,&#8221; said Santitarn Sathirathai, a Singapore-based economist at Credit Suisse Group AG. &#8220;The rating momentum for Indonesia is moving in the wrong direction.&#8221;

*Capital Inflows*

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PCOMP) rose as much as 1.9 percent today to a record. Indonesia&#8217;s benchmark Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) slid a second day.

The peso climbed to a four-week high, rising 0.3 percent to 40.93 per dollar, according to Tullett Prebon Plc. In the past 12 months, it is the biggest gainer after the Thai baht among 11 Asian currencies tracked by Bloomberg.

&#8220;The upgrade on the Philippines reflects a strengthening external profile, moderating inflation, and the government&#8217;s declining reliance on foreign currency debt,&#8221; S&P said. &#8220;In our assessment, the stalling of the reform momentum in Indonesia and a weaker external profile have diminished the potential for an upgrade over the next 12 months,&#8221; it said separately.

Higher ratings may boost capital inflows into the Philippines and prompt the central bank to add to measures to curb asset-bubble risks. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last month cut the rate it pays on special deposit accounts for a third time this year, while keeping the rate it pays lenders for overnight deposits at a record-low 3.5 percent.
*Continued Strength*

&#8220;The Philippine central bank has done a good job in managing inflows,&#8221; S&P credit analyst Agost Benard said in a teleconference today. Still, the peso will likely have to appreciate as inflows continue to rise, he said.

Moody&#8217;s Investors Service, which rates the Philippines one step below investment grade, is keeping a close eye on developments on the ground, Singapore-based sovereign analyst Christian de Guzman said in an interview today.

&#8220;Much of the momentum has continued in terms of growth, as well as the health of external payments position, as evidenced by the continued strength of remittance inflows and stability of foreign exchange reserves,&#8221; he said. &#8220;However, revenue performance is starting to slow and begs the question if efforts to increase tax efficiency have already been maximized.&#8221;

Philippine revenue collection fell a second month in March, a report showed yesterday, even after the implementation of a &#8220;sin tax&#8221; on alcohol and tobacco products. Indonesia&#8217;s rating of Baa3 above the Philippines is still justified, de Guzman said, citing a longer track record of growth and fiscal management.

*Infrastructure Investment*

Aquino has increased state spending and narrowed the budget deficit while seeking more than $17 billion of infrastructure investments to spur growth to as much as 7 percent this year. The Philippine economy, which was more than twice the size of Malaysia and 10 times bigger than Singapore&#8217;s in 1960, expanded 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter.

The president has taken on the Catholic Church with a bill to provide free contraceptives to the poor, arrested his predecessor on graft charges, and ousted the country&#8217;s top judge for illegally concealing his wealth. Transparency International raised the country&#8217;s ranking on its annual corruption index last year to 105, versus Indonesia&#8217;s 118.

Fitch Ratings was the first to upgrade the Philippines to investment grade in March. Moody&#8217;s Investors Service rates the nation one step below.

*Fuel Prices*

Ratings changes aren&#8217;t always followed by investors. French bonds and U.S. Treasuries both made gains after the nations were stripped of their AAA credit ratings, in a sign that downgrades may have little bearing on borrowing costs. Almost half the time, government bond yields fall when an action suggests they should climb, or they increase even as a change signals a decline, according to 38 years of data compiled by Bloomberg.

Yudhoyono said this week he will only increase fuel prices after Parliament approves compensation programs for the poor, a move that could delay efforts to contain a budget deficit that may be more than twice as much as estimated without subsidy cuts.

*Fuel Prices*

Failure to reduce subsidies last year drained government finances and led to a record current-account shortfall, hurting the rupiah as foreign investors lost confidence. Indonesia&#8217;s economy probably expanded near the slowest pace in more than two years last quarter as a decline in commodity prices hurt exports.

Indonesia may implement incremental measures such as a moderate increase in fuel prices, S&P&#8217;s Benard said, while stopping short of bold measures given the stage of the electoral cycle the country is in, he said.

S&P said yesterday it may raise the country&#8217;s rating if the fuel reforms are finalized, the state budget is improved, or if structural reforms boost economic growth. The assessment may be lowered if renewed fiscal or external pressures are not met with &#8220;timely and adequate policy responses,&#8221; it said.

&#8220;Policy and exchange-rate management need to be more focused on sending the right signals to the market so as not to induce portfolio outflows,&#8221; Benard said.


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## Malaya




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## Fsjal

p3avi8tor69 said:


> In China there is a department of warnings. In the Philippines there is a department of press releases which is also called the Department of Defence. That is all your defence ministry does, issue press releases. All talk and hot air. Your military announced to the world you were buying Italian frigates, sent your naval officers to Italy yet it was all talk in the end. This annoucement about new frigate will just be all talk.



Well, mainly, this is because the government would change mind. Usually the price would be too high. Anyway, the navy will get 2 Incheon class stealth frigate, even if it's not enough to intimidate the Chinese


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## Fsjal

Disappointing news

New PH warship arrives in June - Manila Standard Today

The Defense Department said Monday that the supposed arrival of the Philippines&#8217; second warship from the United States had been delayed for months due to various reasons.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told reporters that because of the delay,* the BRP Ramon Alcaraz was now expected to arrive by either the end of June or early July.

Gazmin said the delay was mainly caused by the long voyage as the Hamilton-class cutter had to pass through the Panama Canal from its homeport in Charleston, South Carolina.

Also, the Philippine Navy crew that had been assigned to bring the new cutter had to complete its &#8220;capability training&#8221; to familiarize themselves with the specifications of BRP Alcaraz before sailing into the country.

The BRP Alcatraz, Gazmin said, had a totally different specifications,* compared to the BRP Del Pilar,* the country&#8217;s other warship.

Defense Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions and Installations and Materiel Fernando Manila said the BRP Alcaraz was limited in terms of equipment and arsenal but is &#8220;better than BRP Del Pilar.&#8221;

Manalo said the acquisition of BRP Alcaraz would help boost navy presence especially with the Philippines&#8217; current territorial dispute against China over the West Philippine Sea.

He added that the government also plannned to acquire two new frigates abroad.

Manalo explained that buying new frigates was more practical rather than buying old ones which could be more expensive in terms of maintenance.
------
Not amused. While Vietnam buys Kilo subs and China constructs more warships, our new frigate has been delayed. 

Anyway, I wonder what they mean by "better than BRP Del Pilar"


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## Malaya

*US-based Remington wins bid to supply 50,000 M4 rifles for AFP, company rep says*
By: Jaime Sinapit, InterAksyon.com
May 4, 2013







The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of National Defense (DND) has declared the United States-based Remington company the winning bidder to supply 50,629 pieces of M4 rifles, according to the Philippine representative of the company. The bid was for little less than P2-billion.

"Remington was declared the winning single calculated bid on the AFP requirement for 50,629 pieces M4 cal 5.56mm assault rifles," Neri Dionisio, head of the P.B. Dionisio & Co., Inc., said. Dionisio is the official local representative of Remington.

In a follow-up phone interview, Dionisio said the bidding was conducted on Tuesday at the DND. Apart from Remington, it was participated in by Colt Defense, Sig Sauer and Manroy, he added.

"Remington submitted a total bid price of P1,944,261,591.66, saving government coffers P1,245,365,408.34, (based on) the total authorized budget of contract of P3,189,627,000." This would place the price for each rifle at around P38,400, or around $960.

Even as Dionisio announced Remington's winning bid, however, a source from the DND-BAC said they expected at least one of the losing bidders, particularly Colt, to file a motion for reconsideration.

"We've been expecting that, but we're confident the DND-BAC is certain they got the right bidder. With or without the contest of Colt we will be filing our request for a post-qualification bid on Friday," Dionisio said.

The post-qualification process will revalidate the documents for bidding. After this, the DND-BAC moves to the conduct of a pre-delivery inspection of the items from the winning bidder.

"A group from DND, most probably the Technical Group (TWG), will be going to the factory in the US to inspect the firearms. If there is no problem then the DND-BAC will finally award the contract to Remington," Dionisio said.

US-based Remington wins bid to supply 50,000 M4 rifles for AFP, company rep says - InterAksyon.com

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## Malaya

*US businesses seek PH partners*

ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 05/06/2013 

MANILA, Philippines - Seven US companies are visiting the Philippines this week to meet with potential Philippine partners.

The 2013 Trade Winds-Asia, a trade mission organized by the US Commercial Service, will visit Manila from May 8 to 11. They will hold business-to-business meetings with potential distributors and end-users in the country. 

"This mission is an indication that U.S. companies are taking an increasing interest in the Philippines as a place to do business. We are excited about the prospects for American business here and are planning more missions in the future," US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. said in a statement. 

The participating companies from Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia and New Jersey are engaged in building products, franchising, food supplements, chemicals, laboratory equipment, medical supplies, and software for the defense sector. These are: Analytical Graphics, Inc.; Feature Flooring Inc.; Focus Brands, Inc.; ITSI-Biosciences; North American Rescue; Plast-O-Matic Valves; and Resin Tech Inc.

Aside from the Philippines, the trade mission will also visit South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. 

US businesses seek PH partners | ABS-CBN News



*PSEi may hit 10,000 in 2 years - analyst*

Posted at 05/06/2013 





As the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) continues its bull run, an analyst says it's possible the benchmark index will hit 10,000 in two years.

COL Financial head of research April Lee-Tan talks to ANC's Warren de Guzman. Mornings@ANC, May 6, 2013

PSEi may hit 10,000 in 2 years - analyst | ABS-CBN News


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## Malaya

*First NBA Café in Asia to open in Philippines*
(philstar.com) | Updated May 6, 2013






*Muggsy Bogues and Nian (center) look over the floor plan of the NBA Café with (from left) Scott Levy, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, NBA Asia; Vicente Cheng, Chairman, Hoopla Inc.; and Carlo Singson, NBA Asia Country Manager-Philippines.*

MANILA, Philippines &#8211; The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Hoopla Inc. today announced that the first-ever NBA Café in Asia will be coming to Manila at the soon-to-open SM Aura Mall in the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

Scheduled to open in September this year, the NBA Café will feature a unique dining and entertainment experience that captures the excitement of the league through memorabilia displays, NBA highlights and programming, an NBA retail area, and will host viewing parties and appearances by NBA talent.

At the NBA Café, fans will enjoy quintessentially American bar and grill favorites and a selection of Asian-Filipino classics, giving it a local twist. It is the first sports bar and restaurant in Manila catering specifically to basketball fanatics and enthusiasts, in a nation where 40 million people play or have played the game.

This is the second league-owned restaurant set to open outside the US; an NBA Café also is planned for Madrid in 2013. NBA City, the league&#8217;s first themed restaurant, opened in 1999 at the Universal Studios Resort in Orlando.

&#8220;Basketball fans in the country now have a place dedicated and designed specifically for them,&#8221; said Nian Rigor, Assistant Vice President, Hoopla Inc. &#8220;NBA Café will provide them a taste of the authentic NBA experience that they can share with family and friends, complete with great food, custom-made NBA Café Manila merchandise and the finest in basketball entertainment. This stays in line with our goal to bring new experiences and concepts to Filipinos.&#8221;

&#8220;The NBA Café will be a unique destination that will bring NBA basketball closer to our fans in the Philippines,&#8221; said Carlo Singson, NBA Country Manager for the Philippines. &#8220;Given their vast knowledge in the food and entertainment industry, Hoopla is an ideal partner to bring the NBA Café to life and to provide fans another authentic NBA experience.&#8221;

NBA legend Muggsy Bogues, who was in Manila for the finale of the four-month long Jr. NBA program, made a special stop at the site, conducting a hard hat inspection with NBA executives to monitor the progress of the NBA Café (see photo caption).

&#8220;This is my first time in the Philippines and I&#8217;m overwhelmed by the passion the people have for basketball here,&#8221; said Bogues, who at 5-3 is the shortest player ever to play in the NBA. &#8220;More than a restaurant, the NBA Café will be a destination where fans here can watch games in an entertaining atmosphere that captures the history and excitement of the NBA.&#8221;

The NBA recently announced a comprehensive global games schedule that will include a total of eight games in six countries this October, including the first ever preseason game in the Philippines. In addition, each year the NBA conducts local events in the Philippines, including the Jr. NBA youth development program, which has reached more than 60,000 students, parents and coaches over the past five years, and NBA 3X, the league&#8217;s global basketball competition and lifestyle event which will be conducted in 14 countries outside the US this summer.

First NBA Café in Asia to open in Philippines | Sports, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Malaya

*US investors bullish on PH&#8211;Cuisia*
By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

*MANILA, Philippines&#8212;Investors in the United States are upbeat about the Philippine economy and have expressed &#8220;strong interest&#8221; in doing business here, according to the country&#8217;s ambassador to the US following the investment roadshow that brought top Filipino businessmen to three US cities last week.*

&#8220;The 2nd Investment Roadshow was a great success gauging not only from the turnout of American corporate and government executives but also the strong interest they expressed in investing in the Philippines,&#8221; said Ambassador Jose Cuisia in a statement.

Filipino businessmen representing the economy&#8217;s &#8220;hot sectors&#8221; participated in more than five days of an investment roadshow, the second such tour organized by the Philippine mission in Washington, D.C., to woo US and Filipino-American investors.

*Investment prospects*

The roadshow served as a seminar on Philippine investment prospects, with presentations on the state of the Philippine economy and developments in the mining, infrastructure, business process outsourcing and finance sectors.
Some 300 investors attended the roadshows in Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston, a 31 percent increase from last year&#8217;s attendance, officials said.

Leo Herrera-Lim, consul general to Chicago, said this year&#8217;s investment roadshow was unprecedented, with participants still &#8220;raving&#8221; about the Philippines a week after the event.

&#8220;No one remembers the last time there was a trade and investment roadshow of this kind in the US Midwest &#8230; Now, everybody wants to be in the game &#8230; Everyone is looking forward not only to the next seminar but to their next trip to the Philippines,&#8221; Herrera-Lim said in a statement.

&#8220;All the participants were pleased with the presentations of the Philippines&#8217; captains of industries. Now that they know more about the many business opportunities in our country, I am optimistic that the roadshow will lead to increased business transactions between Philippine and American companies, particularly in the US Northeast,&#8221; said Mario de Leon, the consul general to New York .

*Bigger roadshow*

Philippine diplomats in the US said they intend to hold an even bigger roadshow next year, targeting the cities of Houston, Atlanta and Philadelphia to explore opportunities for business linkages in these areas.

&#8220;We would like to do it this time in Houston, because it is the oil capital of the US, Atlanta because of its trade relations with Asean (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), and Philadelphia because of the presence of many young Filipino-American professionals there,&#8221; said Cuisia.

In next year&#8217;s investment tour, Cuisia plans to again bring Philippine corporate executives from the same sectors represented this year, with the additional of the electronics, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

The Philippine delegation in this year&#8217;s US investment tour included Benjamin Philip Romualdez, president of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines; Isidro Consunji, president of DMCI Holdings; Roberto Dispo, president of First Metro Investment Corp.; Rainerio Borja, president and country head of EGS Phil.; Dan Lachica, president of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Phil.; and Jesus Zulueta, Jr., chair of ZMG Ward Howell.




*BSP&#8217;s guard up as PH welcomes credit upgrade*
By Michelle V. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

*As the country welcomes the investment grade it received from Standard & Poor&#8217;s, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is rolling up its sleeves to prevent an asset price bubble that may arise from the bullish sentiment of portfolio investors in the economy.*

The BSP said the move of S&P on Thursday to lift the country&#8217;s credit rating from junk-bond status to investment grade would make peso-denominated securities more attractive to fund owners&#8212;locals and foreigners alike.

As a result, the central bank would need to closely monitor financial markets and prevent asset p
rices from rising sharply.

&#8220;The BSP remains vigilant for any asset price bubbles and/or other vulnerabilities that cause financial instability,&#8221; it said in a statement Friday.

The statement was issued just as the Philippine Stock Exchange Index hit a record high and as the peso strengthened back to the 40-to-a-dollar level during intraday trading yesterday.

The move of S&P came after Fitch Ratings raised the country&#8217;s credit last March.

Prior to the upgrade, the BSP had already implemented several measures to tame the effects of a surge in foreign portfolio inflows.

Some of the measures included the prohibition of foreign funds from being invested in special deposit accounts (SDAs), the imposition of higher capital requirement on banks&#8217; exposure to non-deliverable forwards, relaxation of foreign exchange rules, and reductions in the SDA interest rate.


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## Malaya

*Is now the time for PHL to change foreign ownership rules?*
SIEGFRID O. ALEGADO, GMA News






With investor confidence high on the latest Philippine credit rating to a full-blown investment grade, the lifting of restrictions on foreign ownership of businesses and companies could ignite more foreign direct investments (FDI) to make industries stronger and stoke job creation, an official of Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said Friday.

*&#8220;To attract more foreign direct investments, one of the measures is to change foreign ownership law which require constitutional and legal changes,&#8221;* Agost Benard, analyst at S&P, told a teleconference with reporters.

The media telecon came a day after the debt-watcher gave the Philippines the second investment grade rating since March 27 when Fitch Ratings upgraded the country's sovereign credit standing to the coveted status.

FDIs, Benard said, are key to improving productive sectors of the economy and providing much needed jobs.

FDIs increased by 9.8 percent to $2.03 billion in 2012 from $1.85 billion reported in 2011. Investor confidence have steadily increased since the Aquino administration remained firm on improving fiscal management by basically reigning in spending and raising revenues and introducing structural reforms, but analysts have noted the steps taken were relatively small compared to the Southeast Asian neighbors.

]Foreign direct investments up 10% as confidence in PHL rises* | Economy | GMA News Online

*&#8220;The concentrated nature of the economy, infrastructure shortfalls, and restrictions on foreign ownership, which deter foreign investment, are factors that hamper growth,&#8221;* S&P said in its report on the Philippine upgrade.

A review the 1987 Constitution&#8212;drafted during the term of then-President Corazon Aquino, the late mother of President Benigno S. Aquino III&#8212;limits on foreign equity ownership in land utilities and telecommunications among others at 40 percent has been raised repeatedly by various sectors including foreign business chambers and some Filipino legislators.

In September 2011, Congressional leaders batted for a bicameral constituent assembly&#8212;where both the Senate and the House of Representatives will vote on it separately&#8212;to review the Constitution.

Discussions on Charter change, however, took a back seat with the Aquino Cabinet currently reviewing the economic costs and gains in changing the foreign ownership rule.

Changes to the Constitution were proposed as early as the 1990s, but these never prospered because of fears that it would trigger the extension of the terms of office of public officials. &#8212; VS, GMA News


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## Malaya

*More teachers to train in teaching Spanish*
By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star) 






*MANILA, Philippines - More public high school teachers are set to undergo training in teaching the Spanish language after the Department of Education (DepEd) tapped the help of the government of Spain in its special program in foreign language (SPFL).*

The seminars, which will run from April to November this year, will be conducted in Manila, Cebu and Granada in Spain.

This year, 35 additional teachers will be trained in basic Spanish. Of the number, 26 are from schools selected for the program while nine are from pilot schools considered as Centers of Excellence.

&#8220;We welcome these enhancement activities as this will strengthen the capability of our teachers and prime them for globalization,&#8221; DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro said.&#8232;

The SPFL aims to develop students&#8217; skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing to achieve communicative competence in a second language.

The SPFL was piloted in selected public secondary schools during school year 2009-2010 with Spanish, French and Japanese. German was added in 2010-2011.

The SPFL-Spanish is jointly implemented by DepEd, Spain&#8217;s Ministry of Education, Instituto Cervantes Manila and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development.

The summer training course will conclude on May 25 at the Instituto Cervantes Manila. Immersion program will be in July to August either in Salamanca or Granada, both in Spain.

DepEd has also renewed its partnership with the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) for the preservation of Philippine dialects.

&#8220;Of the 170 plus languages we have, several are considered endangered. Together with SIL we will try to save them,&#8221; Luistro said.

He said the partnership with SIL helps preserve indigenous Philippine languages in danger of extinction. Luistro said 24 local dialects are &#8220;dying&#8221; while four were already extinct.

The institute also helps DepEd implement the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) which was started last school year.

&#8220;Primary education using the mother tongue helps the process of learning by introducing concepts to students in the language they are most used to,&#8221; he said.

DepEd is planning to add six more dialects to the MTB-MLE program including Ibanag and Ivatan. 

More teachers to train in teaching Spanish | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*PH stock market uptrend seen to continue*

ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 05/06/2013

*MANILA, Philippines (CORRECTED) - The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) surged to a fresh high on Monday morning, still buoyed by the Philippines' second investment grade rating.*

The main index hit 7,283.11, up 0.94% at 9:57 a.m., a likely intra-day high. This was the second straight day the PSEi hit a new all-time record, after the Philippines received its second investment grade rating from Standard & Poor's last Thursday. 

As of 12 noon, the PSEi stood at 7,237, up 0.3%. Among the most active during morning trade were SM Investments (up 0.85%) and Puregold (up 2.22%).

Shares of Gokongwei's Universal Robina Corp. and JG Summit also hit record highs in morning trade. 

*10,000 in 2 years? *

With the index's continued surge, COL Financial head of research April Lee Tan said the PSEi could possibly hit 10,000 in two years. 

"Last year we already talked about the possibility of hitting 10,000, but we're not saying its going to happen this year... Our view is definitely the factors that will drive the uptrend remain intact and are expected to remain here. When we talked about 10,000 last year, we talked about 3 possible scenarios and the best would be for us to hit 10,000 in 3 and a half years. And it looks like today, it's a possibility we could reach that in two years," she told ANC. 

With two investment grade ratings under its belt, Tan said the Philippines can expect more foreign investments.

"Today is the second trading day after the rating upgrade, but you still see strength in the market. We talked to some fund managers and they're saying if 2 ratings agencies give the Philippines a rating upgrade, it's actually more potent. There are some funds, pension funds or big funds who will not consider the Philippines as a legitimate investment grade if there's only 1 ratings agency that gives us investment grade... (Now) we can expect more foreign investors coming here," she said. 

For investors who remain on the sidelines, Tan said they should not be afraid to jump in. 

"This is going to be a buy-on-dips type of market. Every time the market sells off, don't be afraid. It's time to buy back this market. We don't see any bubbles, it's still okay. Although valuations are expensive, it would be important to remind people that in 1997, we hit 27 time P/E (price-to-earnings ratio). Yes we are expensive at 20 times, but we're not yet at 27 times," she said.

"As far as analysts are concerned, we have looked at the numbers and earnings are quite strong so far, strongest we've seen and there's a lot of room to upgrade." 

PH stock market uptrend seen to continue | ABS-CBN News


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## xuxu1457

Yao Ming visited Philippine and meet with Philippine Vice President

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## Malaya

Philippines Vice President Jejomar Binay (C) shows a souvenir jersey shirt given to him by visiting former National Basketball Association (NBA) player and owner of the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks Yao Ming, during their visit to the Coconut Palace in Manila May 6, 2013. Yao and his Shanghai Dongfang Sharks basketball team are in Manila on a friendly visit, local media reported.






Philippines Vice President Jejomar Binay (R) dribbles a ball while walking with Ma Que King, Chinese ambassador to the Philippines, and visiting former National Basketball Association (NBA) player and owner of the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks, Yao Ming (rear, C).






Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay (C) looks up as he talks to visiting former National Basketball Association (NBA) player and owner of the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks Yao Ming.






REFILE - CORRECTING GRAMMAR IN FIRST SENTENCE Philippines' Vice President Jejomar Binay (R) gestures as he talks to visiting former National Basketball Association (NBA) player and owner of the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks Yao Ming






Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay (C) dribbles a ball in front of visiting former National Basketball Association (NBA) player and owner of the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks Yao Ming (2nd L) At left is Zhang Max, a basketball player from the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks

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## Malaya

Gary David (8) of the Philippines greets a player from China after the friendly match between the Smart Gilas team and Shanghai Sharks held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City northeast of Manila. 






Greg Slaughter (17) of the Philippines being pressured by his opponents during the friendly match between the Smart Gilas and the Shanghai Sharks.






Kevin Alas (5) of the Philippines handles the ball during the friendly match between the Smart Gilas and the Shanghai Sharks






Japeth Aguilar (4) protects the ball during the friendly match between the Smart Gilas and the Shanghai Sharks held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, south of Manila on 06 May 2013.

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## Malaya

[BUSINESS]

*Philippines vs Indonesia: Which is 'better'?*
BY AYA LOWE
POSTED ON 05/04/2013






MANILA, Philippines &#8211; It&#8217;s been a close battle between *Asia&#8217;s two rising economic stars* -- *Philippines and Indonesia*.

At first, Indonesia was edging ahead with its two investment grade status from Fitch Ratings in December 2011 and Moody&#8217;s in January 2012.

But slowly and surely, the Philippines has crept up from behind, achieving its first investment grade rating from Fitch Ratings on March 27, and now its second from Standard and Poor's on May 2.






*Philippines and Indonesia both have two investment grades from different credit rating agencies. Graphic by Matthew Hebrona/Rappler*

Both countries, which are considered Asia's new tigers have been demonstrating strong economic growth against a sluggish global economy, almost catching up with Asia&#8217;s other economic powerhouses, China and India.

So the tallies are even, but which one is really winning?






*GDP growth*

In terms of GDP growth, the Philippines has emerged a winner with a 2012 GDP faster rate of 6.6%.

Indonesia, on the other hand, saw its economy slow down after the government failed to reduce subsidies, which drained the governments finances, hurting the rupiah, resulting in lower foreign investor confidence. Indonesia grew at 6.23%.

On Monday May 6, Indonesia reported a first quarter 2013 growth of 6.02%, the slowest pace in more than two years. The Philippines is due to announce their first quarter results on May 30.

In the 3rd quarter of 2012, the Philippines recorded a growth of 7.1%, replacing Indonesia as the second-fastest in Asia next to China's 7.7% and the fastest in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, which dropped down to 3rd position, registered a growth of 6.2%.

The year 2012 saw a turning of tables for the Philippines. In 2011, the Philippines expansion of 3.9% was well below Indonesia&#8217;s growth rate of 6.5% in 2011.

*Aquino vs Bambang Yudhoyono*

The promises of Presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Indonesia and Benigno Aquino III in the Philippines to fight corruption, lower budget deficits, and bring in investment has won them both upgrades from Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investors Service in the past year.

Philippine President Aquino, who is halfway through a 6-year term, has been successful in increasing state spending and managing the budget deficit, while seeking more than $17 billion of infrastructure investments to spur growths.

The country's budget deficit has been brought down to 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2012 from 3.9% when he took office in 2010. Aquino has also increased tax collections, passed the controversial sin tax law amendments, and ousted former Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012 for illegally concealing his wealth.

Indonesian President Bambang Yudhoyono, who is in his final year in office, failed in 2012 to cut fuel subsidies, which have drained the government finances. This means the government has to find more funds to allocate to infrastructure spending.

According to the World Bank, the President Yudhoyono has said that his government is weighing the pros and cons of raising fuel prices or choosing another method that would more effectively target the subsidies at poorer consumers in a nation where almost one in 5 people lives on less than $1.25 a day.

*Foreign investments*

In this arena, Indonesia has the lead. The country has been attracting the second biggest chunk of foreign direct investments - $19.2 billion in 2012 - flowing into Southeast Asia, next to Singapore's $54 billion.

The Philippines on the other hand has remained a laggard, capturing only $1.5 billion in 2012.






*Corruption Perceptions*

The Philippines has the lead and is now seen as less corrupt than Indonesia. The Transparency International&#8217;s Corruption Perceptions Index has boosted the *Philippines' ranking to 105th place* in 2012 from 139th in 2009, a year before Aquino became president.

Indonesia on the other hand was ranked 118th last year, slipping from 111th three years earlier.

As both rising stars diverge in their economic growth, it remains to be seen who will emerge the clear winner.

*Investment destinations*

To fund managers, however, both investment destinations remain attractive, and some don't even have to choose between the two.

Amid the economic woes, belt-tightening measures, gloomy outllook and credit rating downgrades in the west, most investment funds on the lookout for solid growth are eastward-bound.

A global fund manager told Rappler that the competition for investors' attention is not between Indonesia and the Philippines, but against other emerging economies in other regions, like Eastern Europe and South America.

Both are also part of the TIMP, a hot new group of high flying emerging economies, considered to be eclipsing the once-trendy group called BRIC.

The Philippines is the "P" and Indonesia is the "I" in "TIMP," which Bob Turner, chairman and chief investment officer of Turner Investments, coined to group together with Turkey and Mexico as the sexy alternative to the BRICs nations -- the large emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China.

In a March 28 opinion piece, Reuters noted that TIMPs' record stock market gains range from 9.4% for Indonesia to 37.7% for the Philippines. Against the smaller but excellently performing TIMP markets, the BRICs are "suddenly more mature, move a bit slower, and some hotter thing is threatening to replace you," Reuters noted.

Turner noted the the BRICs are "impaired by imbalanced economies, political corruption and poor demographics.&#8221;

The TIMPs could become the next generation to watch, said Turner whose investment firm has about $10 billion in assets under management. - with research from Ramon Calzado and Lean Santos/Rappler.com

Philippines vs Indonesia: Which is 'better'?

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## Malaya

*IMF to Phl: Ease rules on foreign ownership*
By Prinz Magtulis (The Philippine Star) 






*MANILA, Philippines - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged the Philippines to relax its foreign ownership rules to improve the business climate.*

This came as the multilateral agency gave policy recommendations to the Philippines in order to sustain economic growth and make it more inclusive.

Over the long term, the IMF said the Philippines must be able to utilize capital flows for bigger projects such as public-private partnerships (PPP) by continuously improving the business climate.

*&#8220;Improving the investment climate by allowing more foreign ownership, timely and transparent execution of PPPs, and adopting a continuously rolling medium-term fiscal plan would promote FDI (foreign direct investments),&#8221;* the IMF said in its Article IV staff report for the country released Thursday night.

The staff report details the findings of the IMF&#8217;s annual Article IV consultation with member-countries, conducted in the Philippines last January. The examination delves on the whole economy.

Praises were given for the country&#8217;s maneuver in the fragile global economy last year, being able to grow 6.6 percent. The IMF credited this to low inflation and interest rate environment, exports recovery and sustained remittance inflow.

*&#8220;The Philippine economy has weathered the volatile global environment well and the outlook is favorable. Macroeconomic fundamentals are on solid footing, but the long-standing challenge of fostering inclusive growth remains,&#8221;* it said.

The IMF expects the economy to grow six percent this year, but sees it slowing down to 5.5 percent in 2014 and 5.3 percent in 2015. It may inch up to 5.4 percent in 2016 before returning to 5.5 percent in 2017.

*Risks remain*

The IMF, however, said risks remain, particularly on &#8220;large persistent&#8221; capital flows due to the still fragile economic scenario abroad. Among others, inflows may stretch asset prices and excessive rise in reserves and too much peso appreciation.

Macroprudential measures put in place by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) were &#8220;welcome,&#8221; but the IMF reiterated the peso should move &#8220;broadly&#8221; in line with fundamentals.

&#8220;Accommodating normal appreciation pressures, but leaning gently against the wind of unusually strong pressures, is recommended, together with greater exchange rate flexibility,&#8221; the agency said.

It noted the losses incurred by the BSP in managing the peso&#8217;s movement, and urged the government to infuse more capital to the institution and share the burden of losses through a new law.

Meanwhile, the banking system, noted for its continued profitability and low bad loan accumulation, should be monitored for their &#8220;increasing exposure&#8221; to the real estate sector, for risk of asset bubbles.

&#8220;The existing 20-percent limit on a bank&#8217;s real estate exposure under the narrow definition should be applied to a more comprehensive measure,&#8221; the IMF said.

As of the first half of 2012, property exposure stood at around 15 percent.

The increasing number of non-bank financial institutions must also be checked.

On the fiscal side, the IMF backed the Aquino administration&#8217;s tack of improving tax compliance by running against tax evaders and smugglers, but said a reform of the tax system will be necessary to broaden the tax base.

The staff report further said revenue mobilization was one of the most important fiscal challenges that the country faced.

The IMF also welcomed recent actions to address weaknesses in the regime to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

ched $2.9 billion in 2006 and 2007,&#8221; he said.

He said for this year, foreign direct investments registered a net inflow of $576 million in January, down by nearly half from $1.05 billion posted in January last year. Consequently, NSO data showed that merchandise exports fell by 15.6 percent in February, the lowest in more than a year, Suarez said. &#8211; With Jose Katigbak (STAR Washington Bureau), Paolo Romero

IMF to Phl: Ease rules on foreign ownership | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Malaya

*China urges more open PH market**
Increased bilateral trade, investments seen*
By Riza T. Olchondra
May 6th, 2013

*Chinese businessmen are urging the Philippines to further open its market and to actively promote its business opportunities and famous brands to attract investors*, the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. has reported.

Philexport said Xu Ningning, executive secretary general of the China-Asean Business Council, had said in a meeting with local business leader that the two countries might further open their markets under the framework of a China-Asean free trade area.

Ningning pushed for the implementation of the five-year development program for trade and economic cooperation signed by the Philippines and China in 2011 that was aimed at expanding the volume of bilateral trade to $60 billion by 2016, Philexport said.

Philippine companies were also urged &#8220;to enhance their capacity to explore the Chinese market.&#8221;

China was willing to cooperate with the Philippines in sectors like agriculture, fishery, infrastructure, mining, energy, information and communications technology, manufacturing, tourism, engineering service, forestry and some other areas, Ningning said.

&#8220;There are huge cooperation potential and numerous business opportunities for trade and economic cooperation between China and the Philippines,&#8221; Ningning said.

Ningning said that as Chinese enterprises were eager to go out, Asean countries have become their biggest markets.

*He said the Philippines was one of their target markets due to its growing economic potential. The economy is expected to grow by 6 to 7 percent this year.*

&#8220;At present, the Philippines is actively attracting foreign investments and promoting its industrial development. And China is actively implementing its 12th Five-Year Plan, with its average annual GDP (gross domestic product) growth rate at 7 percent as planned,&#8221; he said.

Yu Ping, vice chair of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), said both countries were highly complementary in the areas of agricultural technology, industrial development, tourism and education. CCPIT is China&#8217;s biggest trade organization.

&#8220;With regards to industrial cooperation, China and the Philippines have vast space for growth as China has established a complete set of manufacturing systems and the Philippines has the advantage in semiconductor and electronic products,&#8221; Ping said.

Ping said many Chinese entrepreneurs in the automobile and electricity sectors were interested in exploring the Philippine market.

*In 2012, bilateral trade between China and the Philippines reached $36.37 billion, increasing 12.8 percent year on year. This growth rate was higher than the 6.2-percent expansion in China&#8217;s foreign trade.*

The two countries also enjoyed two-way investments of $195 million last year. Philippine investments in China reached $130 million, while China invested $65.45 million in the Philippines.

New project contracts signed by Chinese firms in the Philippines grew by 63.2 percent to $1.02 billion in 2012, according to Philexport.

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## Malaya

*Nido Petroleum to drill 115 million barrel Philippines offshore oil exploration well*
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 by Bevis Yeo	







Nido Petroleum (ASX: NDO) and partner PNOC Exploration Corporation have approved the plan to drill the Baragatan Prospect offshore Palawan Island, Philippines, that has estimated mean risked recoverable oil volumes of 115 million barrels.

The joint venture is progressing activities to secure a jack-up rig for the drilling of the exploration well and will drill the well as soon as practicable. All environmental approvals have already been secured.

Key long lead items such as the wellhead and casings have already been secured and are stored at the company&#8217;s forward operational base in Batangas.

Baragatan, located in Service Contract 63, is a large well defined rotated fault-block prospect with a mapped aerial closure of about 20 square kilometres.

Besides the mean oil volumes, it contains further upside recoverable potential of 166 million barrels of oil.

The primary reservoir objective are stacked Miocene-aged Pagasa Formation marine sandstones interpreted to be have been deposited in delta front/delta slope geological setting. 

The Galoc oil field in SC 14C1 produces oil from Miocene-aged fan sands associated with the slightly younger Miocene prograding delta front/delta slope depositional system predicted at the Baragatan Prospect.

Previous exploration included the Albion Head-1 well drilled by Phillips in 1975 on poor quality 2D seismic data that missed the Baragatan Prospect, instead drilling the main Baragatan bounding fault.

Importantly, when the bounding fault was penetrated by the Albion Head-1 well, moderate to good oil shows were encountered in an interbedded sandstone mudstone sequence within the upthrown Baragatan fault block, confirming an active oil charge into the lower part of the prospect. 

Baragatan is well positioned to receive oil charge from a large syn-rift graben located immediately to the south of the Baragatan structure which, based on the Joint Venture&#8217;s regional studies, is interpreted to contain thick, mature oil-prone source rocks.

These are the same source rocks which have produced the majority of oil and gas discovered offshore NW Palawan basin.

Nido&#8217;s 50% share of total drilling costs &#8211; estimated at between US$22 million and US$25 million - is fully funded from current cash reserves and ongoing production revenue from its interest in the Galoc and Nido/Matinloc fields.

The company is currently trading at about 67% cash backing with $28.7 million, or $0.014 per share, in cash as of 31 March 2013. Its market capitalisation is $42.94 million while its last traded share price was $0.021.

Its net share of proceeds from production from both the Galoc and Nido/Matinloc oil fields totalled $9.4 million during the March 2013 quarter.

Nido Petroleum to drill 115 million barrel Philippines offshore oil exploration well - Proactiveinvestors (AU)

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## Malaya

*Despite row, Phl-China defense cooperation eyed*
By Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) | Updated May 7, 2013 






*MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and China have agreed to explore ways to enhance defense cooperation despite a long-standing territorial row in the West Philippine Sea.*

The two countries made the commitment during the 4th Defense and Security Talks (DST) last April 27 attended by senior security officials in China.

&#8220;This year&#8217;s talks enabled the two sides to exchange views on the evolving regional security situation to include maritime security,&#8221; defense department spokesman Peter Galvez said in a statement released yesterday.

&#8220;The 2013 DST also provided the two sides with an opportunity to review their bilateral defense relations and explore mechanisms to further promote defense and military cooperation,&#8221; Galvez said.

Among the areas of cooperation being considered were the exchanges of personnel and collaboration to address natural disasters and climate change.

&#8220;The dialogue also served as a platform for the Philippines and China to share perspectives on regional security architecture to include relations with powers such as the US,&#8221; Galvez said.

Defense Undersecretary Honorio Azcueta led the Philippine delegation while Gen. Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of general staff of the People&#8217;s Liberation Army, headed China&#8217;s representatives.

Azcueta said the dialogue showed that the West Philippine Sea row is not the &#8220;totality of the relations between China and the Philippines even if it remains a key issue.&#8221;

Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan cited the importance of sustaining a dialogue between the two countries&#8217; defense and military establishments.

China claims virtually the entire West Philippine Sea, a view the Philippines has described as &#8220;excessive and exaggerated.&#8221;

Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the area.

The Philippines has protested China&#8217;s claim before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea.

China, however, insists that the row should be settled through bilateral negotiations and not involve non-claimants.

*Engagement with China*

Malacañang supports Filipino businessmen&#8217;s continuous engagement with China and would welcome more Chinese investors in the country.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda was reacting to a report that a powerhouse group of Filipino businessmen is flying to Nanjing, China in September to explore new investments and expand opportunities despite diplomatic strains due to the territorial dispute.

Businessman Francis Chua said the team would be composed of chief executive officers of the country&#8217;s top corporations.

The mission is an offshoot of another mission conducted by Chinese businessmen to the Philippines last month.

In a press briefing yesterday, Lacierda said it would be good for the country if businessmen would help bring in more investments.

He said many businessmen had become interested in the Philippines because investment rules were clear cut and President Aquino had assured them that these would not change.

&#8220;That is important. Not just from the Chinese... All investments here will be welcome,&#8221; Lacierda said.

He said prospects in the country had become better because of the investment grade rating from two credit rating agencies &#8211; Fitch and Standard & Poor&#8217;s.

He said aside from investments that could bring more jobs, the government could &#8220;open up more borrowings for our country at preferred rates&#8221; and provide more fiscal space for poverty alleviation and social services programs.

&#8220;So that will have lower cost for instance, for public schools, public hospitals (to be built),&#8221; Lacierda said.

On Sunday, the Philippine government shrugged off the decision of China&#8217;s foreign minister to exclude the Philippines in his Southeast Asia tour.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines continues to work toward further enhancing its bilateral relations with China with focus on deepening economic cooperation and strengthening people-to-people links, including seeking a peaceful rules-based resolution on West Philippine Sea disputes.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said, &#8220;it will not be healthy to engage in speculations.&#8221;

&#8220;We recognize perfectly the prerogative of the Chinese foreign minister to set his own agenda for trips outside of his country.

&#8220;This is a new minister that is holding the post and we reiterate, we have already conveyed our congratulations to him and we wish him great success,&#8221; she said. &#8211; With Aurea Calica

Despite row, Phl-China defense cooperation eyed | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Zero_wing

Man this is not good but we are a peace loving people after all


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## Malaya

Zero_wing said:


> Man this is not good but we are a peace loving people after all


Filipinos are friendly and peace-loving people. The problem we have at the moment is because someone is grabbing our territory. When somebody is grabbing a piece of territory on the other side of the sea, so far from their own, it can properly be called greed and aggression. 

Anyway I hope that the problem will be settled harmoniously like good neighbors.




*State, Defense Officials Back Phl Arbitration Initiative Phl, US Commit to Further Strengthen Security Relations*
Tuesday, 07 May 2013

07 May 2013 &#8211; *United States (US) State, Defense, and National Security Council (NSC) officials reiterated their strong support for the Philippines&#8217; legal track to settle the disputes in the West Philippine Sea, according to a senior Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official. *

*&#8220;Once more, officials from the State and Defense departments as well as the NSC made clear that the US backs our resort to arbitration proceedings under UNCLOS to peacefully resolve the disputes in the West Philippine Sea,&#8221;* said DFA Undersecretary for Policy Evan P. Garcia who had a series of meetings in the run up to the ASEAN-US Dialogue last May 03 in Washington, D.C. 

According to Undersecretary Garcia, *&#8220;The US has conveyed their strong interest in the maintenance of the rule of law in the Asia-Pacific region. For them, a rules-based regime in the West Philippine Sea is essential to promote peace and stability.&#8221; *

*&#8220;Our resort to arbitration is consistent with promoting the rule of law in Asia-Pacific. This is complimentary to ASEAN efforts to draft a Code of Conduct for the West Philippine Sea,&#8221;* Undersecretary Garcia added. 

Among the officials that Undersecretary Garcia met in Washington, D.C. were Defense Assistant Secretary Mark Lippert, State Acting Assistant Secretary for East Asia and the Pacific Joseph Yun, State Acting Assistant Secretary for Political Military Tom Kelly, and NSC Senior Director for Asia Daniel Russel. 

*PHL-US to continue to strengthen alliance *

*&#8220;Our countries acknowledged the security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. Territorial and maritime disputes have increased tensions in East Asia. We discussed how our efforts as allies will address these issues and help maintain stability in the region,&#8221; *according to Undersecretary Garcia. 

*&#8220;US assistance will reinforce Philippine efforts to build our defense capabilities. We also had fruitful discussions on how to implement our agreed policy of increased rotational presence and enhanced exercises. These are important in order for the Philippines-US alliance to continue to be a cornerstone of regional stability,&#8221;* said Undersecretary Garcia. 

The Philippines has been heavily investing in defense. The Aquino Administration has spent over Php28 billion for the AFP modernization program, in contrast with the Php33 billion spent for modernization in the fifteen years before 2010. Relatedly, the recently signed AFP Modernization Act (RA10349) will allocate PhP75 billion in the first five years of implementation for the Philippines' military upgrade. 

The Undersecretary added that Philippine-US defense cooperation also extends to non-traditional threats in Asia-Pacific such as natural disasters. &#8220;We continue to develop our capacities in humanitarian assistance and disaster response,&#8221; Undersecretary Garcia said. END

http://www.dfa.gov.ph/index.php/new...mmit-to-further-strengthen-security-relations

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## Malaya

*PH gets third investment grade rating*

ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 05/07/2013 6:11 PM | Updated as of 05/08/2013

*MANILA (UPDATED) - The Philippines on Tuesday received its third investment grade credit rating - this time from the Japan Credit Rating Agency Ltd. (JCRA). 
*
In a statement, JCRA said it raised its credit rating for the Philippines by a notch from BBB- to BBB, with stable outlook.

Fitch Ratings gave the Philippines its first investment grade rating in late March, while Standard & Poor's followed suit last week. 

In a statement, JCRA said the upgrade reflects improvements in the Philippines' political stability and fiscal position, as well as robust economic growth.

*"JCRA is of the view that the Philippine economy will, by and large, sustain an annual economic growth at around 6 percent in the years to come supported by strong domestic demand,"* it said. 

JCRA also noted the Philippines' resilience to external shocks rendered by the accumulation of foreign exchange reserves. It said the Philippines' current account will remain in surplus, on the back of remittances from overseas Filipino workers and revenues from business process outsourcing companies. 

*&#8220;Its fiscal position will continue to improve moderately as the Aquino government is committed to hold the fiscal deficit/gross domestic product (GDP) ratio within its 2 percent target from 2013 onwards,"* it said.

"The pattern in which OFW remittances support the balance of payments as well as private consumption is likely to continue in 2013."

However, the rating agency said the Philippines should upgrade its infrastructure and improve the business environment to ensure sustainable economic growth.

"As the uncertainty persists over the prospect of the world economy, especially the European economy, JCRA will closely monitor its future developments and their possible impact on the Philippine economy," it said. 

PH gets third investment grade rating | ABS-CBN News


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## Malaya

*3 PH schools in global university rankings*
BY PURPLE ROMERO
POSTED ON 05/08/2013






*MANILA, Philippines - Three Philippine universities made it into the 2013 QS World Rankings for Subjects, which lists the best schools for 30 disciplines including economics, psychology and law, among others.*

*The University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University were part of the top 51-100 schools for English Language and Literature, while De La Salle University is in top 101-150*.

*"Looking at the Philippines' overall performance, the country&#8217;s institutions are among the world&#8217;s top institutions for English Language and Literature,"* Ben Sowter, head of research at QS said.

Ateneo de Manila University also made it into the top 151-200 list for modern languages, while UP was in the 151-200 ranking for agriculture and forestry, QS said.

Harvard University was ranked number one in 10 disciplines, while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked first in 7. The University of California, Berkeley and Oxford topped in 4 subjects, while Cambridge ranked first in 3.

The QS World University Rankings by Subject series gathers the opinion of academics and employers through a global survey.

For 2013, the QS World University Rankings by Subject evaluated 2,858 universities and ranked 678 institutions. - Rappler.com

3 PH schools in global university rankings


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## Malaya

*Support dev&#8217;t of credible naval force &#8211; Angara*


*TEAM PNoy senatorial candidate Edgardo &#8220;Sonny&#8221; Angara said the Philippine Navy deserves all the support to make it a credible defense force that is fit for a maritime country like the Philippines.*

He said that a strong and vigilant navy would successfully defend the country&#8217;s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) along the country&#8217;s vast coastline and maintain sea lanes of communication with other countries to promote regional and global stability.

*&#8220;We are a peaceful maritime country. Peace, international cooperation and amity are the foundations of our foreign policy. But without a maritime defense force that our navy can be proud of, what we will have are porous coastal areas and an unprotected EEZ,&#8221;* Angara said.

He also stressed the need to balance resources with a strategy that is responsive across the full range of blue and brown water operations. Blue water refers to the open ocean, while brown water refers to lakes, rivers, and coastal areas (also called littorals).

Angara said that one of the good news that has come out of the tensions in the West Philippine Sea is the high morale of the Philippine Navy and its corps of officers as well as the enthusiasm of young military officers to enter the naval service.

The legislature, said Angara, can help beef up the country&#8217;s naval capacity through budgetary intervention and pushing for the return of the Philippine Coast Guard back into the navy.

*&#8220;With the current tension in the West Philippine Sea, the PCG should be reintegrated into the navy to augment its force during peacetime or wartime,&#8221;* he added.

Support dev

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## Zero_wing

Lets see pero sa akin lang kainlangan natin talaga mag modernized kasi ayoko lang mapako ulit tayo kasi bata pa ako nga start yan modernization program natin hangang ngayon wala pa rin puro improvements lang but that's good news for us at less someone is trying but it should be done faster.


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## Reashot Xigwin

*Remington Wins Bid to Supply 50,000 M4 Rifles for AFP*
07 Mei 2013





_Image from firearmblog.com_


The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of National Defense (DND) has declared the United States-based Remington company the winning bidder to supply 50,629 pieces of M4 rifles, according to the Philippine representative of the company. The bid was for little less than P2-billion.

"Remington was declared the winning single calculated bid on the AFP requirement for 50,629 pieces M4 cal 5.56mm assault rifles," Neri Dionisio, head of the P.B. Dionisio & Co., Inc., said. Dionisio is the official local representative of Remington.

In a follow-up phone interview, Dionisio said the bidding was conducted on Tuesday at the DND. Apart from Remington, it was participated in by Colt Defense, Sig Sauer and Manroy, he added.

"Remington submitted a total bid price of P1,944,261,591.66, saving government coffers P1,245,365,408.34, (based on) the total authorized budget of contract of P3,189,627,000." This would place the price for each rifle at around P38,400, or around $960.

Even as Dionisio announced Remington's winning bid, however, a source from the DND-BAC said they expected at least one of the losing bidders, particularly Colt, to file a motion for reconsideration.

"We've been expecting that, but we're confident the DND-BAC is certain they got the right bidder. With or without the contest of Colt we will be filing our request for a post-qualification bid on Friday," Dionisio said.

The post-qualification process will revalidate the documents for bidding. After this, the DND-BAC moves to the conduct of a pre-delivery inspection of the items from the winning bidder.

"A group from DND, most probably the Technical Group (TWG), will be going to the factory in the US to inspect the firearms. If there is no problem then the DND-BAC will finally award the contract to Remington," Dionisio said.

(InterAksyon)

*Military to Acquire P40-M Grenades*





_Smoke and fragmentation grenades (photo : jeeper)_

MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will acquire close to P40 million worth of hand grenades to be used for security operations.

A bid bulletin published in The STAR yesterday showed that the AFP will acquire 11,364 smoke grenades and 11,460 fragmentation grenades.

The government has allotted P19.944 million for the smoke grenades and P19.998 million for the fragmentation grenades.

The opening of bids will be on May 20 at the AFP Bids and Awards Committee Conference Room in Camp Aguinaldo.

The AFP assures the public that the process would comply with the provisions of the procurement law.

The acquisitions of smoke and fragmentation hand grenades are separate projects. Interested parties can submit bids for one project or for both.

To be qualified, prospective bidders should have undertaken similar projects within the last five years.

Bidders should have inked a single contract equivalent to at least 25 percent of the approved budget for each project.

They should also have completed at least two similar contracts, the total amount of which should be equivalent to at least 25 percent of the approved budget for the project.

The larger of the two contracts must be equivalent to at least 12.5 percent of the approved budget for the project.

Prospective suppliers may buy a set of bid documents worth P6,000 for each project from May 2 to 29 in Camp Aguinaldo.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/05/02/937251/military-acquire-p40-m-grenades

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## Bob Ong

Malaya said:


> *Despite row, Phl-China defense cooperation eyed*
> By Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) | Updated May 7, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and China have agreed to explore ways to enhance defense cooperation despite a long-standing territorial row in the West Philippine Sea.*
> 
> The two countries made the commitment during the 4th Defense and Security Talks (DST) last April 27 attended by senior security officials in China.
> 
> &#8220;This year&#8217;s talks enabled the two sides to exchange views on the evolving regional security situation to include maritime security,&#8221; defense department spokesman Peter Galvez said in a statement released yesterday.
> 
> &#8220;The 2013 DST also provided the two sides with an opportunity to review their bilateral defense relations and explore mechanisms to further promote defense and military cooperation,&#8221; Galvez said.
> 
> Among the areas of cooperation being considered were the exchanges of personnel and collaboration to address natural disasters and climate change.
> 
> &#8220;The dialogue also served as a platform for the Philippines and China to share perspectives on regional security architecture to include relations with powers such as the US,&#8221; Galvez said.
> 
> Defense Undersecretary Honorio Azcueta led the Philippine delegation while Gen. Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of general staff of the People&#8217;s Liberation Army, headed China&#8217;s representatives.
> 
> Azcueta said the dialogue showed that the West Philippine Sea row is not the &#8220;totality of the relations between China and the Philippines even if it remains a key issue.&#8221;
> 
> Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan cited the importance of sustaining a dialogue between the two countries&#8217; defense and military establishments.
> 
> China claims virtually the entire West Philippine Sea, a view the Philippines has described as &#8220;excessive and exaggerated.&#8221;
> 
> Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the area.
> 
> The Philippines has protested China&#8217;s claim before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea.
> 
> China, however, insists that the row should be settled through bilateral negotiations and not involve non-claimants.
> 
> *Engagement with China*
> 
> Malacañang supports Filipino businessmen&#8217;s continuous engagement with China and would welcome more Chinese investors in the country.
> 
> Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda was reacting to a report that a powerhouse group of Filipino businessmen is flying to Nanjing, China in September to explore new investments and expand opportunities despite diplomatic strains due to the territorial dispute.
> 
> Businessman Francis Chua said the team would be composed of chief executive officers of the country&#8217;s top corporations.
> 
> The mission is an offshoot of another mission conducted by Chinese businessmen to the Philippines last month.
> 
> In a press briefing yesterday, Lacierda said it would be good for the country if businessmen would help bring in more investments.
> 
> He said many businessmen had become interested in the Philippines because investment rules were clear cut and President Aquino had assured them that these would not change.
> 
> &#8220;That is important. Not just from the Chinese... All investments here will be welcome,&#8221; Lacierda said.
> 
> He said prospects in the country had become better because of the investment grade rating from two credit rating agencies &#8211; Fitch and Standard & Poor&#8217;s.
> 
> He said aside from investments that could bring more jobs, the government could &#8220;open up more borrowings for our country at preferred rates&#8221; and provide more fiscal space for poverty alleviation and social services programs.
> 
> &#8220;So that will have lower cost for instance, for public schools, public hospitals (to be built),&#8221; Lacierda said.
> 
> On Sunday, the Philippine government shrugged off the decision of China&#8217;s foreign minister to exclude the Philippines in his Southeast Asia tour.
> 
> Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei.
> 
> Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines continues to work toward further enhancing its bilateral relations with China with focus on deepening economic cooperation and strengthening people-to-people links, including seeking a peaceful rules-based resolution on West Philippine Sea disputes.
> 
> Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said, &#8220;it will not be healthy to engage in speculations.&#8221;
> 
> &#8220;We recognize perfectly the prerogative of the Chinese foreign minister to set his own agenda for trips outside of his country.
> 
> &#8220;This is a new minister that is holding the post and we reiterate, we have already conveyed our congratulations to him and we wish him great success,&#8221; she said. &#8211; With Aurea Calica
> 
> Despite row, Phl-China defense cooperation eyed | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


Everytime we encounter an impasse with China, we send our top brass to kowtow to their whims. Our leaders easily fall into this carrot-and-stick diplomacy. China gives us temporary reprieve from incursions in return for these high level visits. They are playing a game. It's about time our leaders learn how to play their game and play it well. And even better. We should continue to upgrade our defenses to deter any future incursions.



Zero_wing said:


> Man this is not good but we are a peace loving people after all


Well I want the best, but to be honest, I am expecting the worst. China has slammed every peaceful move her neighbors have made over a group of islands while they preach about peace.



Zero_wing said:


> Lets see pero sa akin lang kainlangan natin talaga mag modernized kasi ayoko lang mapako ulit tayo kasi bata pa ako nga start yan modernization program natin hangang ngayon wala pa rin puro improvements lang but that's good news for us at less someone is trying but it should be done faster.


tumpak kabayan.

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## Malaya

Bob Ong said:


> Everytime we encounter an impasse with China, we send our top brass to kowtow to their whims. Our leaders easily fall into this carrot-and-stick diplomacy. China gives us temporary reprieve from incursions in return for these high level visits. They are playing a game. It's about time our leaders learn how to play their game and play it well. And even better. We should continue to upgrade our defenses to deter any future incursions.


I agree. They shouldn't go on these invitation. They should just bypass it. As we all know China will just calm for now but behind our backs they are always up to something. Greedy indeed!


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## Malaya

*2013 investment &#8216;avalanche&#8217; seen*
Wednesday, 15 May 2013






*In Photo: The launch of the Asia CEO Awards 2013 on Wednesday is attended by, among other industry movers, (from left) Ford&#8217;s Josie Gonzales, Shore Solutions&#8217; Daray Lalonde, KPMG&#8217;s Joan Carino, Aseana&#8217;s Buds Wenceslao, Chairman of Asia CEO Awards Richard Mills, PLDT Enterprise&#8217;s Alpha Jovy Hernandez, SPI Global&#8217;s Maulik Parekh, Jones Lang Lasalle&#8217;s Sheila Lobien and The King&#8217;s School Manila&#8217;s Peter Lindsay. The kick-off for the awards, which is aimed at recognizing exemplary individuals and organizations in the business community, was held at Tower Club in Makati City. (Nonie Reyes)*

THE Philippine manufacturing sector will see an &#8220;avalanche of investments&#8221; this year, with projected revenues reaching $1 billion, a renowned economist said on Wednesday.

Bernardo Villegas told the 2013 Asia CEO Awards launch that the manufacturing sector will compete with the services sector in pushing up gross domestic product (GDP).

But he also said the country must make the necessary adjustments to take full advantage of the expected economic growth by setting up more economic zones and more infrastructure projects and economic-policy changes. He also called for immediate changes in economic provisions of the Constitution, particularly limitation of foreign ownership of businesses.

As of 2011, the manufacturing industry contributed about 33 percent to the country&#8217;s GDP. The services sector chipped in the largest&#8212;54.4 percent or more than half of the GDP.

&#8220;Manufacturing will have its renaissance. [It] will compete with services in fueling GDP growth rate of 7 percent to 9 percent in the next 20 years&#8230; that is because manufacturing investments are more capital-intensive than [those in the] BPO [business-process outsourcing sector], &#8221; Villegas said.

The bulk of the anticipated investments is expected to come from the Philippines&#8217;s neighboring countries. Villegas, quoting Lilia de Lima, director general of the Philippine Economic Zone Administration (Peza), said Japan is seen as the leading country in manufacturing investments in the Philippines.

De Lima &#8220;traveled to Japan probably 10 times during the last 12 months and she says that she cannot cope with all the requests of Japanese companies to move to the Philippines,&#8221; he added.

Soaring energy costs and lack of workers due to Japan&#8217;s low fertility rate drive Japanese companies to transfer to countries with better economic climates.

&#8220;The double problem is causing the Japanese to want to move away from Japan and the Philippines is one of their first choices,&#8221; Villegas said.

China and South Korea are also two of the Asian countries that invest heavily in the Philippines&#8217;s manufacturing sector.

Villegas said the country, however, has to make adjustments to optimize the economic growth that the Philippines is expecting. He called for more economic zones and more infrastructure projects and economic-policy changes. These are the major areas, he added, that the government must focus on.

The $1-billion projected revenue from manufacturing investments, according to Villegas, will depend heavily on the creation of more economic zones in the country. He said the Peza director general had appealed to developers of such zones to double or triple the space allotted for industries.

The Philippines&#8217;s lack in infrastructure must also be addressed, Villegas added.

&#8220;It&#8217;s still a long way to go. The typical Asian country invests 5 percent of its GDP in infrastructure. We are only at 2 percent,&#8221; he said.

Villegas also called for immediate changes in economic provisions of the Philippine Constitution, particularly limitation of foreign ownership of businesses. He said a &#8220;competition policy&#8217; must be implemented by the Aquino administration immediately.

&#8220;In the next three years, if the Aquino administration does not produce a competition policy, it will be considered a failure because we are still suffering from oligopoly. Small elite families still control the Philippine economy,&#8221; Villegas added.

&#8220;It [restrictive foreign ownership of businesses] does not benefit Filipinos. It benefits rich Filipinos because they are the ones who have a monopoly of all these things that foreigners cannot get into,&#8221; he said.

Villegas was a member of the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

BusinessMirror - 2013 investment ?avalanche? seen


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## Malaya

*Kalayaan island posts fastest vote*
By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star) 






MANILA, Philippines - Voting on Kalayaan island in the hotly contested Spratly archipelago was over in just six hours, the fastest ever recorded in the country&#8217;s history.

First Lieutenant Cherryl Tindog, Western Command (Wescom) spokesperson, said voting on the island, which is part of Palawan, started at 7 a.m. yesterday and ended at 1 p.m., with all 288 registered voters casting their ballots.

&#8220;The polls on the island started as scheduled and remained peaceful. The provincial Comelec (Commission on Elections) had announced earlier that the election in Kalayaan was expected to finish earlier than the rest of the province,&#8221; Tindog said.

Election paraphernalia were flown to the island before the May 13 elections and registered voters based at the Kalayaan&#8217;s satellite office in Puerto Princesa flew home to vote yesterday.

Tindog said they were awaiting results of the three-cornered political contest for mayor.

Aside from incumbent Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon, Puerto Princesa City-based businessman Noel Osorio and Rosendo Mantes, a retired military man, are contesting the mayoralty post in the island town located in the middle of territorial conflict among Spratlys-claimant countries, like China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei.

Kalayaan island posts fastest vote | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*The Grim Reality Behind the Philippines' Economic Growth*
The country is being heralded as the new Asian success story, but only an elite few reap the rewards.
JILLIAN KEENAN

In a neighborhood of so-called "Asian tigers," the Philippines has quietly emerged as the region's newest economic darling. At 6.6 percent, the Filipino economy's current GDP growth rate is the second highest in Asia, behind only China's. That growth is projected to continue over the next few years, in part because Filipinos are in a "sweet spot" demographically: the Philippines has the youngest population in East Asia, which translates into lower costs to support a younger workforce and less economic drag from retirees. Last month, Fitch Ratings (one of the world's three major credit rating firms) upgraded the Philippines to a "BBB-" with a stable outlook -- the first time the Philippines has ever received investment-grade status and a huge vote of confidence in the Filipino economy. And last year, the World Economic Forum moved the Philippines up ten points to the top half of its global competitiveness ranking for the first time in its history. These economic improvements are in part due to President Benigno Aquino, whose steps to increase transparency and address corruption sparked renewed international confidence in the Filipino economy even during the global slowdown.

"The Philippines is no longer the sick man of East Asia, but the rising tiger," announced World Bank Country Director Motoo Konishi during the Philippines Development Forum in Davao City in February.

But that economic growth only looks great on paper. The slums of Manila and Cebu are as bleak as they always were, and on the ground, average Filipinos aren't feeling so optimistic. The economic boom appears to have only benefited a tiny minority of elite families; meanwhile, a huge segment of citizens remain vulnerable to poverty, malnutrition, and other grim development indicators that belie the country's apparent growth. Despite the stated goal of President Aquino's Philippine Development Plan to oversee a period of "inclusive growth," income inequality in the Philippines continues to stand out.

In 2012, Forbes Asia announced that the collective wealth of the 40 richest Filipino families grew $13 billion during the 2010-2011 year, to $47.4 billion--an increase of 37.9 percent. Filipino economist Cielito Habito calculated that the increased wealth of those families was equivalent in value to a staggering 76.5 percent of the country's overall increase in GDP at the time. This income disparity was far and away the highest in Asia: Habito found that the income of Thailand's 40 richest families increased by only 25 percent of the national income growth during that period, while that ratio was even lower in Malaysia and Japan, at 3.7 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively. (And although critics have pointed out that the remarkable wealth increase of the Philippines' so-called ".01 percent" is partially due to the performance of the Filipino stock market, the growth of the Philippine Composite Index during that period would not account for such a dramatic disparity from neighboring countries.) Even relative to its regional neighbors, the Philippines' income inequality and unbalanced concentrations of wealth are extreme.

Meanwhile, overall national poverty statistics remain bleak: 32 percent of children under age five suffer from moderate to severe stunting due to malnutrition, according to UNICEF, and roughly 60 percent of Filipinos die without ever having seen a healthcare professional. In 2009, annual reports found that 26.5 percent of Filipinos lived on less than $1 a day -- a poverty rate that was roughly the same level as Haiti's. And a new report from the National Statistical Coordination Board for the first half of 2012 found no statistical improvement in national poverty levels since 2006. Even as construction cranes top Manila skyscrapers and the emerging beach town of El Nido unveils plans for its newest five-star resort, tens of millions of Filipinos continue to live in poverty. And according to Louie Montemar, a political science professor at Manila's De La Salle University, little is being done to destabilize the Philippines' oligarchical dominance of the elite.

"There's some sense to the argument that we've never had a real democracy because only a few have controlled economic power," he said in an interview with Agence France-Presse. "The country dances to the tune of the tiny elite."

Many observers blame the inequality on widespread corruption in local government, which makes it difficult or impossible for many Filipinos to launch small businesses. (In 2012, Transparency International, a non-governmental organization that monitors and reports a comparative listing of corruption worldwide, gave the Philippines a rank of 105 out of 176, tied with Mali and Algeria, among others.) Low levels of investment also suppress business growth: the Philippines' investment-to-GDP ratio currently stands at 19.7 percent. By comparison, the investment rate is 33 percent in Indonesia, 27 percent in Thailand, and 24 percent in Malaysia.

For the select few Filipinos who live in beach towns and other popular tourism areas, however, the recent influx of foreign tourists to the previously overlooked country has meant new business opportunities. Celso Serran, 38, a rickshaw driver in the growing tourist town of El Nido, said that the economic impact of tourism has had a significant impact on his income. "Today, a driver can reasonably expect to make 500 Philippine Pesos ($12.16) per day," said Serran. "Before the tourists started coming, he might make 200 PHP ($4.86) on a good day."

For some, the tourism industry is so clearly the only option that it even pulls them away from their hometowns towards more tourist-friendly cities. Dorina Genturo, 20, moved from Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, to El Nido for the better job opportunities there. "There are definitely a lot more jobs in tourism, in hotels and tour companies," she said. "But it's not like this in other towns."

Meanwhile, other huge sectors of Filipino industry (such as banking, telecommunications, and property development) are almost entirely monopolized by a few elite political families, most of whom have been in power since the Spanish colonial era. And despite wide-reaching government reforms from the 1980s, those industries remain effective oligarchies or cartels that vastly outperform small businesses. According to a paper released by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for roughly 99 percent of Filipino firms. However, those SMEs only account for 35 percent of national output--a sharp contrast with Japan and Korea, where the same ratio of SMEs accounts for roughly half of total output. This translates into far fewer high-paying jobs on the local level for Filipino employees and exacerbates the huge income disparity across the country.

"Is the economy growing here?" said Josefa Ramirez, 31, who earns roughly 123 pesos ($3) a day selling bottles of water and soda from a cart in Manila. "I didn't know that. For me, things feel the same as they always did."

The Grim Reality Behind the Philippines' Economic Growth - Jillian Keenan - The Atlantic


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## Malaya

*'Lifting of ownership limit key to more foreign investments'*

by Louella D. Desiderio, The Philippine Star
Posted at 05/16/2013 

MANILA, Philippines - More foreign investments are seen to be made in the local manufacturing sector this year given availability of skilled labor here and favorable economic conditions, an economist said.

To further encourage foreign investors to enter the country though, the government will have to consider reviewing the Constitution&#8217;s restrictions on foreign ownership.

University of the Asia and Pacific economist Bernardo Villegas told reporters at the sidelines of the ASIA CEO Awards yesterday the country could expect more foreign investments to be made in the manufacturing sector this year with the Philippines being seen as a more attractive location for business.

But while the country is already being considered by foreign firms for investments in manufacturing, the government would also have to consider opening more opportunities for them by reviewing the restrictions on foreign ownership.

Villegas said the next Congress would have to review the limits set by the Constitution on foreign ownership.

Under the Constitution, foreign ownership in certain industries is limited to 40 percent.

He added that the limits on foreign ownership does not benefit all Filipinos but only the rich since they own all the businesses that foreigners cannot get into.

&#8220;It is the economic provisions (of the Constitution) that are really stopping foreign investments,&#8221; Villegas said.

&#8220;We can expect probably another $1 billion (about P41 billion) (worth of investments) for this year. These manufacturing investments are more capital intensive,&#8221; he said.

Data from the National Statistical Coordination Board showed that total approved foreign investments for 2012 went up 12 percent to P289.1 billion from the previous year&#8217;s P258.2 billion.

Villegas said the investments are expected to be made by Japanese and Korean firms with the Philippines seen as a good location for manufacturing given the availability of a skilled work force as well as low labor costs.

&#8220;Our advantage is not only as far as wages are concerned. We have industrial peace,&#8221; he said noting that there were only two labor strikes last year.

He also said the Philippines is seen as a good location for manufacturing as it is strategically located in the Southeast Asian region, which is on its way to creating a single market by 2015 through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Economic Community.

The recent credit ratings upgrades received by the country from debt raters Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor&#8217;s Ratings Services to investment grade are likewise making it more attractive to foreign investors.

'Lifting of ownership limit key to more foreign investments' | ABS-CBN News

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## Malaya

*PSEi climbs near 7,400 amid heavy foreign buying*
By: Krista Angela M. Montealegre, InterAksyon.com
May 15, 2013 







MANILA - (UPDATE 2, 6:15 p.m.) Philippine share prices closed at a fresh record high on Wednesday, as heavy foreign buying pushed the benchmark index within earshot of the 7,400 level.

At the Philippine Stock Exchange, the composite index logged its 31st record high, adding 78.74 points or 1.08 percent to close at 7,392.20.

Except for the services and mining and oil counters, all other sub-indices registered at least one percent gains. Losers however beat gainers, 88 to 73, with 51 issues unchanged. A total of 3.046 billion stocks worth P21.39 billion changed hands.

Actively traded stocks were SM Investments, ICTSI, PLDT, Metrobank and MPIC. Top advancers were House of Investments, iRipple and Primex, while the biggest decliners were Calapan Ventures, ATN Holdings "A" and Omico.

Foreign buying nearly doubled to P14.845 billion from yesterday's P6.206 billion. At the close of trading, foreigners were net buyers of Philippine listed stocks to the tune of P6.805 billion, or nearly a third of total trades today.

"It's a combination of select companies that reported good results and strong fundamentals referring to growth prospects, low interest rates and low inflation," said Jose Vistan of AB Capital Securities Inc.

Vistan cited Universal Robina Corp, which reported a 21 percent increase in net income to P5.4 billion in the first six months of its year, pushing the company's share price to a 52-week high of P131.50 each. The Gokongwei-led food and beverage manufacturer accounted for 12 points of the PSEi's gain today.

"Adding fuel is the improving sentiment overseas brought by similar rallies to record highs in the global markets," Vistan said.

Overnight, the Dow Jones industrial average shot up 123.57 points, or 0.82 percent, to a fresh all-time high at 15,215.25, supported by the easy monetary policy of the Federal Reserve and other major central banks designed to stimulate their respective economies.

Also fuelling optimism was the National Federation of Independent Business data showing small business owners were slightly more optimistic in April.

"In a normal market, every run up should have some decent correction to temper any excesses. We're hitting record highs almost everyday without a correction," said Vistan.

PSEi climbs near 7,400 amid heavy foreign buying - InterAksyon.com


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## Malaya

*Philippines: Airports upgrade*
May 16, 2013
*
AIR TRAVEL in the Philippines could see major changes this year, with the government working to improve airport services and update older facilities in Manila and Cebu City.*

As air traffic increases both internationally and domestically, the private sector has a range of investment opportunities. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila is set to expand its operations and improve international services after the government put out a call for tenders on a number of refurbishment projects, which should help reduce congestion and delays. At the same time, domestic services are expected to receive more attention after several major multinationals bid on a project to build a new terminal at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu City, the country&#8217;s fifth-largest urban center.

According to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), the NAIA handled 31.56 million airplane passengers in 2012, a 6.2% increase from 29.72 million recorded in 2011. Of these, 13.93 million boarded international flights and 17.63 million travelled domestically. Today, the NAIA is the 34th-busiest airport in the world, up from 46th in 2011, according to the Center for Aviation, a think-tank.

However, the NAIA has been troubled by delays, disorganization and lax safety and security records. These woes were exacerbated in 2007, when the US Federal Aviation Authority, acting on the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), downgraded the Philippines&#8217; standing as a compliant member of the ICAO due to safety and management issues. As a result, Philippine Airlines (PAL) has not been able to expand its US service beyond Honolulu, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

More recently, the government has taken steps to open up the market. In 2011, President Aquino signed a number of laws liberalizing the aviation industry, and formed the Philippine Air Negotiating Panel and the Philippine Air Consultation Panel, with the aim of pursuing a more effective open skies policy. At the same time, foreign carriers were exempted from a pair of taxes amounting to 5.5% of gross turnover. 

Building on earlier plans, the government announced in January this year that it was accepting bids on tenders for refurbishments and renovations at NAIA, including a baggage porter system, a new remote-controlled and -monitored air navigation hazard prevention system, roof repairs in Terminal 2, speaker upgrades in Terminal 1 and five new mini-buses to shuttle passengers. The government has also ordered aviation schools and general aviation aircraft to transfer operations elsewhere by 2014, which should reduce delays and congestion. 

Further positive developments came about in March and April, when the ICAO announced that the NAIA had passed a five-day safety audit, clearing the way for further expansion into North America and the EU. Ramon S. Ang, the president and COO of PAL, told local media he would like to see flight services expand to New York and European destinations in the coming years. Weeks later, the Aquino administration announced it would tender bids for P434.5 million ($10.58 million) worth of upgrades and refurbishments at airports across the country. 

As the Philippines braces itself for double-digit growth in air traffic in the coming years -- passenger volumes are expected to reach 40 million by 2021 -- the government is also looking to focus more on domestic services, most notably with the redevelopment of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. This build-operate-transfer project involves the construction of an eight-million capacity passenger terminal, as well as a 20-year concession to operate and maintain all facilities at the airport. 

The government set a deadline of April 22 for bidders to submit pre-qualification documents. Among those that expressed interested are several domestic firms (Metro Pacific Investments, JG Summit Holdings, San Miguel Group), as well as a partnership between local company Megawide Construction and India&#8217;s GMR Infrastructure.

Philippines: Airports upgrade | BusinessWorld Online


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## Malaya

*US, RP authorities end four-day coast watch system exercises*
Written by Mario J. Mallari Saturday, 18 May 2013

*United States and Philippine authorities yesterday completed a four-day coast watch system exercises in Manila to improve the Philippines&#8217; capability in maritime security and prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).*

In a statement, the US Embassy said the US Department of National Defense-Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) hosted a National Coast Watch System (NCWS) operational planning table exercise in Manila from May 14 to 17, participated in by both US and Filipino authorities.

The US Embassy said the exercise was meant to &#8220;assist NCWS agencies improved the Philippines&#8217; capability in maritime domain awareness and of WMD proliferation prevention.&#8221;

The embassy said DTRA&#8217;s proliferation prevention program and international counter-proliferation program built upon previous workshops and seminars to further the development of a multiagency system focused on maritime security and WMD proliferation awareness in Philippine territorial waters.

At the same time, the US Embassy vowed DRTA&#8217;s continued assistance to the Philippines improved its maritime domain awareness.

&#8220;The Defense Threat Reduction Agency will continue assisting the Philippines in the development of a systematic approach to multiagency fusion center operations, the establishment of the NCWS, as well as training and mentoring in maritime domain and WMD awareness,&#8221; the US Embassy said.

The NCWS was established in September 2011 by President Aquino through Execuitve Order 57 and seeks to enhance interagency coordination on maritime issues.

The Department of National Defense has programmed acquisitions of modern equipment like radars aimed at enhancing the country&#8217;s coast watch system under the military&#8217;s capability upgrade and modernization program.

The program improvement of coast watch system went on full gear amid the tension between Manila and China over the disputed West Philippine Sea.

US, RP authorities end four-day coast watch system exercises


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## Yukio

*Japan to fast track coast guard vessels donation to the Philippines*






The plan for Japan to provide coast guard patrol ships to the Philippines will be accelerated, according to Japanese officials. Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario are expected to sign the final plan at their meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Manila formally requested 10 coast guard patrol ship from Japan last December. A fact-finding mission, which includes experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, was sent by the Japanese government this May to assess the situation. They will also work with officials in coming up with the equipment preferences and also devising with plans to operate the patrol ships once they are turned over. The delivery for the vessels are expected to begin by next fiscal year from April 2014. Each ship is expected to cost more than 1 billion yen (approx. 9.74 million dollars) and will be part of the official development assistance of Japan to the Philippines.

The fast-tracking of this plan is also due to the increasing activities of China in the South China Sea. The Philippines is currently involved in a territorial dispute over the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal. The ships and the plan being developed is to strengthen the capacity of the Philippine&#8217;s maritime police against possible actions by China over the row. Japan is considering providing assistance to Vietnam, who is also involved in a dispute with China over boundaries and territories in the maritime region as well.

Japan to fast track coast guard vessels donation to the Philippines - The Japan Daily Press

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## Malaya

*Benham Rise eyed as new fishing haven*
By Joyce Pangco Panares | Posted on May. 29, 2013






The government will open a new fishing ground on Benham Rise in Luzon amid reports that commercial fishing operations have been hampered on the Ayungin and Panatag shoals due to the Chinese presence in those areas, an official said Tuesday.

Benham Rise or Benham Plateau is a seismically active undersea region and an extinct volcanic ridge in the Philippines Sea, and is about 250 lometers east of the northern coastline of Dinapigue, Isabela. It a rich spawning ground and is also potentially rich in mineral and natural gas deposits.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources director Asis Perez said the surrounding waters of Benham Rise are rich in tuna and scad.

&#8220;We will develop the area for commercial fishing,&#8221; he said.

&#8220;We will be placing payaw [artificial fishing sanctuaries made of metal drums] in the area.&#8221; Perez said at least seven vessels had already signified their intention to start fishing operations in the area, which has been declared by the United Nations a part of the Philippines&#8217; extended continental shelf.

Perez said the BFAR had already erected several payaw at the Panatag Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc, so that fishermen no longer needed to venture farther out to sea where Chinese military and Coast Guard vessels are in position.

He said the payaw placed near Patanag Shoal were about 70 nautical miles away from the Chinese fleet.

He said they would be doing the same for the Ayungin Shoal, where Beijing has deployed two surveillance ships.

Earlier, deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said the policy of non-engagement with the Chinese did not mean the government was giving up the Ayungin and Panatag shoals.

&#8220;There is a deliberate choice to avoid or to not respond to any provocative actions and not to make any actions that would tend to escalate the situation,&#8221; Valte said.

&#8220;I cannot stress this enough: that our response to maritime disputes is we have always taken it to the proper forum, and from where we stand, we cannot take any action that may tend to exacerbate the situation apart from the approach that we&#8217;ve already taken.&#8221;

Malacañang on Monday advised the Filipino fishermen who have lost their livelihood to the Chinese military presence at the Ayungin Shoal and parts of the Kalayaan Island Group to look for alternative fishing grounds.

Valte said the BFAR had set up artificial fish sanctuaries surrounded by bamboo poles in the area so that Filipino fishermen no longer needed to venture far out at sea to avoid engaging the Chinese fishing vessels.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez on Monday called on Beijing to immediately withdraw its vessels.

&#8220;They should not be there. They do not have the right to be there,&#8221; Hernandez said.

&#8220;We consider this an aggressive action by China to project their so-called dash line claim, which is violative of international laws.&#8221;

The dispute over Ayungin followed the shooting death on May 9 of a Taiwanese fisherman who was suspected of poaching on Philippine waters off Batanes.

The shooting by the Philippine Coast Guard soured the relations between Manila and Taipei, which has imposed 11 sanctions against the Philippines including a freeze in the hiring of Filipino workers.


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## Malaya

*DND finalizing terms for jet acquisition*
By Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) | Updated May 29, 2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) is finalizing the terms of reference for the acquisition of 12 fighter jets from South Korea to beef up the military&#8217;s security capabilities.

&#8220;We are threshing out the terms of reference before we present them to the bids and awards committee,&#8221; Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo told The STAR in a phone interview yesterday.

The terms of reference contain details of the acquisition, including the equipment to be delivered, features and technical specifications, payment schemes and costs, among other information.

The details were discussed in a meeting of security officials last Thursday. The government hopes to start the negotiations with South Korea soon but did not give a specific timetable.

Manalo said the purchase of the jets remains a priority.

Officials were quoted as saying that the terms of reference for the 12 FA-50 fighter jets might be completed within the month.

The government has allotted P18 billion for the purchase of the jets that would boost the capabilities of the Air Force.

Manalo said they are waiting for the sales agreement from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), a state-run firm that coordinates with countries seeking to acquire South Korean military assets.

He said the DAPA would sign the deal in behalf of the South Korean government and would guarantee the performance of the assets even if these are manufactured by a private company.

Earlier, the interagency government procurement policy board allowed the DND to proceed with the pre-negotiations with South Korea for the purchase of the FA-50s manufactured by the Korean Aerospace Industries.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin has ordered security officials to hasten the acquisition of 21 UH-1 helicopters so these can be delivered in time for the rainy season.

Gazmin gave the assurance that procedures would be followed despite the speedy acquisition of the helicopters.

&#8220;I have asked Undersecretary Manalo to fast-track the acquisition without violating any law so we can use them during the rainy season,&#8221; Gazmin said over radio dzRH.

The defense chief said the 21 UH-1 helicopters or Hueys would be delivered within the year.

The DND will acquire the 21 refurbished Hueys through negotiated procurement after the two biddings for the air assets failed. The government expects to complete the procurement by July.

The government has allotted P1.26 billion for the 21 helicopters, which were originally intended to support poll-related duties. However, failed biddings delayed the acquisition.

*AFP chief visits PAF*

Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista made his first visit to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) headquarters in Pasay City last Monday, more than four months since he assumed as head of the military.

Bautista was warmly welcomed at Villamor Airbase by airmen led by Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Lauro de la Cruz, who was a contender for the top military post.

During the visit, Bautista thanked Air Force leaders for supporting and helping the military&#8217;s security plan.

The visit was meant to discuss efforts to enhance the Air Force&#8217;s capabilities.

DND finalizing terms for jet acquisition | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*Military upgrade*
The Philippine Star) | Updated May 29, 2013






After two failed bids, the government is preparing for a negotiated purchase of 21 combat utility helicopters, with delivery expected within a few months. The 21 refurbished UH-1 helicopters or Hueys were originally meant for use in maintaining peace and order during the midterm elections, but the failed bids delayed the acquisition.

The Philippine Air Force has only 16 mission-capable Hueys and needs 51 more for credible capability to perform its numerous tasks, including rescue and relief efforts, reconnaissance, and support for ground and sea forces. The Hueys are no top-of-the-line aircraft, but they will have to do, considering the budget constraints of the Philippine military. For this purchase, the PAF has a budget of P1.26 billion.

The defense department is also reportedly finalizing the acquisition of 12 fighter jets worth P18 billion from South Korea. In the ongoing upgrading, the defense and military establishments must make sure all deals will be aboveboard, particularly the negotiated purchases. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has not yet fully recovered from corruption scandals mostly involving supply procurements and fund juggling, with several AFP generals implicated.

Such scandals not only erode public trust in the nation&#8217;s defenders but also derail the upgrading program, modest as it is, that the AFP badly needs. The upgrade is not a preparation for war; the nation is already too far behind most of its neighbors in defense capability and will surely be outgunned in case of armed conflict. But the upgrade is necessary if the country wants to be capable of protecting its territory from smugglers, poachers and other foreign intruders. The upgrade is needed if the nation wants to stop depending on others for its own defense. If the upgrade is tainted by scandal, the biggest losers will be the AFP itself, and the public it is sworn to protect.

EDITORIAL - Military upgrade | Opinion, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*Philippines' 7.8% growth in Q1 outperforms peers, China*
By Camille Diola (philstar.com) | Updated May 30, 2013






*MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine economy exceeded targets and forecasts with its 7.8-percent growth in the first quarter of the year, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) announced on Thursday.
*
NSCB said the stellar performance of the construction and manufacturing industries was a main driver, while consumer spending and government expenditure also contributed to the growth.

The board added that sectors have generally recorded positive growth including construction with a staggering 32-percent surge, industry with 10.9 percent, services with 7 percent and agriculture having 3.3-percent expansion.

National Economic and Development Authority director general and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Artemio Balisacan said the country grew fastest in Southeast Asia, even overtaking growth rates of neighbors China and Indonesia having 7.7 percent and 6 percent respectively.

"The numbers speak for themselves. The numbers exceeded market forecasts, including my own," Balisacan said in a briefing on Thursday.

The rate has been the highest so far under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.

In 2012, a 6.6 -percent climb was recorded, with the year ending with a 7.1 percent GDP increment.

http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/05/30/948101/philippines-7.8-growth-q1-outperforms-peers-china


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## Malaya

*Philippines called 'brightest' in Southeast Asia*
By Camille Diola (philstar.com) | May 29, 2013






*MANILA, Philippines - A report by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) said the Philippines is significantly contributing to the "glowing" Southeast Asian region with its bright economic prospects.*

"The Philippines is the brightest spark in glowing Asean region," the report said, citing the recent quarterly review Economic Insight: South East Asia by its partner organization Cebr that highlights Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

ICAEW said that the "very positive" outlook for the country which is expected to grow 5.1 percent in GDP this year and in 2014 can be attributed to strong exports, "booming" household expenditures and the government's heavy infrastructure investments.

"The country looks set to shake off its former reputation as the &#8216;sick man of Asia&#8217;," Cebr's macroeconomics head Charles Davis said in a statement.

Davis said, however, that the country's capacity constraints will likely lead to a slowdown in growth, which is seen to fall to 4.5 percent in 2015. Such constraints cause higher inflation and tighter monetary policy.

Furthermore, the growth in stock prices in the Philippines--currently at 34 percent--is seen unsustainable and suggests a bubble to emerge, Davis warned.

&#8220;Stagnation in industrialized nations means investors are turning to emerging economies in search of higher yield,&#8221; Davis, also an economic advisor at ICAEW, said.

ICAEW South East Asia director Mark Billington, meanwhile, added that the Philippines' emergence in the region can be maintained through the management of its currently increasing credit levels taken on by firms and households.

"Debt levels in the region remain manageable for as long as the projected positive growth story remains. This is fine for now but would be a cause of concern if credit growth continues to outpace nominal GDP growth at the same rates we see today," Billington said.

Still, such scenarios are not as bleak compared to the country's larger prospects including its strong market investment matched with the higher credit levels, the report said.

&#8220;Growth outlook for both Philippines and ASEAN as a whole remains healthy. However careful judgment will be needed to ensure that credit growth and capital inflows are used to lay the foundation for future prosperity and not fuel a bubble,&#8221; Billington said.

The quarterly report provides the organization's 140,000 members with an overview of the region's economic performance.

Philippines called 'brightest' in Southeast Asia | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*The Philippines, Canada strengthen cooperation*
Posted by Online on May 30th, 2013 






Canada and the Philippines reiterated their commitment to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, agriculture, labor, education, security, and people-to-people ties, at the two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Canada Dialogue recently held in Toronto, Canada.

Canada and the Philippines are active partners on the international stage, working together to find solutions to global issues. Canada cooperates with the Philippines as an ASEAN Dialogue Partner, and both countries are active participants in the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) Forum, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

There are today more than 682,000 Filipinos in Canada, the third largest immigrant community in that country. They are among Canada&#8217;s most active citizens, contributing to the economic, social, and cultural dynamism of the country. The province of Manitoba alone hosts about 60,000 Filipinos and a number of its officials are of Filipino descent. Its capital, Winnipeg, has a sister-city relation with Manila. Of the total US$17-billion remittances from overseas Filipinos in 2010, 10% or about US$1.7 billion came from Canada. The Philippines has agreements on human resources development and deployment with the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.

Canada is one of the Philippines&#8217; key trading partners with total trade in 2009 estimated at US$497.88 million. Canada is also one of the Philippines&#8217; biggest sources of tourists with 80,500 Canadian visitors for the period of January-October, 2010. There are approximately 7,500 Canadians residing in the Philippines. The Philippines is Canada&#8217;s largest agricultural-food export market in Southeast Asia. In 2011, Canadian exports to the Philippines totalled C$554.6 million, while Canadian imports from the Philippines were valued at C$915.8 million. The Canadian International Developmental Agency (CIDA) works actively in the far-flung Philippines communities in the areas of agricultural cooperatives, local governance, and small-business development.

We congratulate the government of the Republic of the Philippines headed by H.E., President Benigno S. Aquino III, and the government of Canada headed by H.E., Prime Minister Stephen J. Harper in their commitment to strengthen the Philippine-Canadian economic cooperation and people-to-people ties towards inclusive growth. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!

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## Malaya

*PH economy grows 7.8 pct in Q1; highest in Asia*






by Kathleen A. Martin, ABS-CBNnews.com
05/30/2013 

*MANILA, Philippines (4th UPDATE) - The Philippine economy grew by an "impressive" 7.8% in the first quarter on higher consumption, manufacturing and government spending, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).*

This is faster than last year's 6.5% growth and the previous quarter's revised 7.1% expansion.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the figure is the highest so far among the major East and Southeast Asian economies, particularly Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China.

*In the first quarter, Indonesia grew by 6%, Thailand by 5.7%, Vietnam by 4.9 and China by 7.7%. *

"This growth rate of 7.8 percent exceeded market forecasts, including my own... This growth figure is significant since it puts to rest the doubts cast on the 2012 figure as being due to base effects only. It also indicates to us that we may now be moving along a new growth trajectory," Balisacan said. 

Moreover, the 7.8% growth is the highest so far under President Aquino's administration.

The stellar growth that beat market forecasts was driven by the strong performance of the manufacturing and construction segments which buoyed the industry sector's at 10.9%, NSCB Secretary General Jose Ramon Albert said.

Baliscan noted the manufacturing sector contributed the most to the growth in industry, offsetting the drop in exports.

"I am proud to say, that despite the contraction of 8.4 percent in our goods exports, local manufacturing has grown at an impressive rate of 9.7 percent, primarily from what can only be deduced as a heightened domestic demand," he said. 

Balisacan noted the construction sector's 32.5 percent growth also "indicates a good positioning towards an industry-led economy." 

"The sector has been increasing rapidly with double digit growth rates since the second quarter of 2012. Initially, this was led by infrastructure spending of the government. By the second half of 2012, private construction started to rebound," he said. 

At the same time, continued rise in consumer and government spending, sustained growth in the services sector at 7%, and a 3.3% expansion in the agriculture sector all contributed to the growth, Albert said.

The NSCB stressed this is the highest quarterly GDP growth since the second quarter of 2010.

The government still hopes to grow the economy by 6% to 7% this year, as Balisacan noted the first quarter GDP figure would be considered once the targets are under review.

"We remain vigilant of downside risks. Disasters can negate the gains and even push back development. Moreover, the global economy remains fragile, negatively affecting our trade performance. Due to the attractive investment opportunities, we are also at risk of receiving too much capital inflows as advanced economies implement quantitative easing. The challenge is to channel these inflows into productive investments," Balisacan said. 

A Reuters survey of economists had earlier placed the first quarter GDP number at 6.1%, while Bloomberg projected 6%. Both are slower than the fourth quarter last year.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo on Wednesday said the first quarter growth was expected to be "impressive", as suggested by various demand indicators.

On Wednesday night, the NSCB revised the 2012 GDP growth to 6.8% from an earlier 6.6%, after the fourth quarter GDP figure was hiked to 7.1% from 6.8%.

Meanwhile, markets' reaction to the data was mixed. The peso was off early lows and was quoted at 42.35 per dollar at 0216 GMT from a low of around 42.515 in early deals. But the Philippine stock market was down around 1 percent.

Economists said the central bank would most likely leave its key overnight borrowing rate on hold for the rest of the year, with inflation forecast to stay within the central bank's 3 to 5 percent target band this year despite strong growth.

The central bank next meets to review policy on June 13. It has kept its policy rate steady at a record low of 3.5 percent since December 2012, but has slashed the rate on its special deposit account (SDA) facility by more than 200 basis points since July 2012 to divert credit to more productive use.

"We think the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) will continue to cut the SDA rate to lift domestic spending as well as save costs," said Trinh Nguyen, economist at HSBC in Hong Kong.

With the outlook on exports still murky, domestic consumption will remain as the main driver for economic growth this year. 

Domestic demand is seen holding up well in 2013, underpinned by strong remittances, low inflation and record-low borrowing costs.

Economists forecast full-year 2013 growth of 6.2 percent, slower from the previous year but better than the 5.9 percent estimate in a Reuters quarterly poll in April. -- with Karen Lema, Reuters

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## p3avi8tor69

Only the super rich and the upper middle class benefits from the 7.8 % growth. The destitute are still unaffected as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of people ( a lot of whom are children) who are homeless.

There has been little progress in job creation according to the Asian Development Bank

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## Malaya

Thanks for your concern. Don't worry slowly but surely we're going up there

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## Malaya




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## Fsjal

Malaya said:


> *Benham Rise eyed as new fishing haven*
> By Joyce Pangco Panares | Posted on May. 29, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The government will open a new fishing ground on Benham Rise in Luzon amid reports that commercial fishing operations have been hampered on the Ayungin and Panatag shoals due to the Chinese presence in those areas, an official said Tuesday.
> 
> Benham Rise or Benham Plateau is a seismically active undersea region and an extinct volcanic ridge in the Philippines Sea, and is about 250 lometers east of the northern coastline of Dinapigue, Isabela. It a rich spawning ground and is also potentially rich in mineral and natural gas deposits.
> 
> Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources director Asis Perez said the surrounding waters of Benham Rise are rich in tuna and scad.
> 
> &#8220;We will develop the area for commercial fishing,&#8221; he said.
> 
> &#8220;We will be placing payaw [artificial fishing sanctuaries made of metal drums] in the area.&#8221; Perez said at least seven vessels had already signified their intention to start fishing operations in the area, which has been declared by the United Nations a part of the Philippines&#8217; extended continental shelf.
> 
> Perez said the BFAR had already erected several payaw at the Panatag Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc, so that fishermen no longer needed to venture farther out to sea where Chinese military and Coast Guard vessels are in position.
> 
> He said the payaw placed near Patanag Shoal were about 70 nautical miles away from the Chinese fleet.
> 
> He said they would be doing the same for the Ayungin Shoal, where Beijing has deployed two surveillance ships.
> 
> Earlier, deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said the policy of non-engagement with the Chinese did not mean the government was giving up the Ayungin and Panatag shoals.
> 
> &#8220;There is a deliberate choice to avoid or to not respond to any provocative actions and not to make any actions that would tend to escalate the situation,&#8221; Valte said.
> 
> &#8220;I cannot stress this enough: that our response to maritime disputes is we have always taken it to the proper forum, and from where we stand, we cannot take any action that may tend to exacerbate the situation apart from the approach that we&#8217;ve already taken.&#8221;
> 
> Malacañang on Monday advised the Filipino fishermen who have lost their livelihood to the Chinese military presence at the Ayungin Shoal and parts of the Kalayaan Island Group to look for alternative fishing grounds.
> 
> Valte said the BFAR had set up artificial fish sanctuaries surrounded by bamboo poles in the area so that Filipino fishermen no longer needed to venture far out at sea to avoid engaging the Chinese fishing vessels.
> 
> Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez on Monday called on Beijing to immediately withdraw its vessels.
> 
> &#8220;They should not be there. They do not have the right to be there,&#8221; Hernandez said.
> 
> &#8220;We consider this an aggressive action by China to project their so-called dash line claim, which is violative of international laws.&#8221;
> 
> The dispute over Ayungin followed the shooting death on May 9 of a Taiwanese fisherman who was suspected of poaching on Philippine waters off Batanes.
> 
> The shooting by the Philippine Coast Guard soured the relations between Manila and Taipei, which has imposed 11 sanctions against the Philippines including a freeze in the hiring of Filipino workers.



But we lack technology. Also, the Taiwanese are very angry.



p3avi8tor69 said:


> Only the super rich and the upper middle class benefits from the 7.8 % growth. The destitute are still unaffected as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of people ( a lot of whom are children) who are homeless.
> 
> There has been little progress in job creation according to the Asian Development Bank



We Filipino people are still behind China. Anyway, 8 or 9% is more impressive. look at China in the 80's. Before, a poor backward nation. Now, a great global power close to superpower status.

And yes, the super rich and middle class will only benefit. Philippines is still decades away.


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## Malaya

Fsjal said:


> But we lack technology. Also, the Taiwanese are very angry.
> 
> We Filipino people are still behind China. Anyway, 8 or 9% is more impressive. look at China in the 80's. Before, a poor backward nation. Now, a great global power close to superpower status.
> 
> And yes, the super rich and middle class will only benefit. Philippines is still decades away.



need to please your fellow Chinese here on our thread? 

Majority knows your just a damn freakin' false flagger TROLL. So suit yourself

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## Malaya

*Timor-Leste PM due for official visit*
By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Thursday, May 30th, 2013






MANILA, Philippines&#8212;Timorese Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão is set to fly to Manila next week on his first official visit to the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.

Gusmão, Timor-Leste&#8217;s first president after independence from Indonesia in 2002, will be in the Philippines from June 5 to 9 to firm up cooperation on education, trade and investment, infrastructure and defense, DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said Wednesday.

During his five-day stay, Gusmão will deliver a lecture at the University of the Philippines College of Law and visit industrial areas in Subic Bay in Olongapo City and Clark Field in Pampanga to link up with potential investors.

Gusmão is currently serving his second five-year term as prime minister and is concurrently Timor-Leste&#8217;s minister for defense and security. He was a leader of the resistance movement that campaigned for Timor-Leste&#8217;s independence from Indonesia, which occupied the territory after centuries of Portuguese occupation.

Timor-Leste is currently campaigning to become a member of the Association of Southest Asian Nations, of which the Philippines is a founding member.


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## Malaya

*Philippines competitive ranking up by 5 notches*

Thursday, May 30, 2013

MANILA -- The Philippines' competitiveness ranking climbed by five notches to No. 38 this year from No. 43 in 2012, removing the country out of the bottom-third position in prior years, the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) said on Thursday.

The IMD Competitiveness Report of a Switzerland-based institution reviewed 60 economies around the world based on four major factors - economic efficiency, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure. Each factor is further divided into five sub-factors.

"Our goal is to move from the bottom-third of world rankings to the top-third by 2016. The 2013 report now places the Philippines in the middle-third of the list and out of the bottom-third position in prior years," said Guillermo Luz, the Private Sector Co-Chairman of the NCC.

Compared to the other countries in Asia Pacific, the Philippines ranked 11th, up from 13th in 2011 and 2012, after overtaking Indonesia and India.

The Philippines is ranked 4th out of five ASEAN economies reviewed in the report but registered the largest gain over the last year.

The Philippines improved its ranking in three out of the four factors &#8211;economic performance (from 42nd to 31st), government efficiency (from 32nd to 31st), and business efficiency (from 26th to 19th).

Overall, the Philippines is moving in the right direction and its improved rankings in growth rates are a reflection of this, Luz said.

"Since we still lag in actual levels of performance across a number of key fronts (e.g., investments, trade, and others), it is absolutely critical for us to maintain momentum and a pace of improvement that is faster than that of our major competitors," he said.

"We are confident that the pace will continue to pick up. The release of strong first quarter 2013 figures of 7.8% GDP growth is an indication that the momentum continues for the Philippines," Luz added.

For its part, Malacanang welcomed the improvement on the country's competitiveness ranking, vowing to continue to work hard in order for the country to be more competitive.

"It's very good...for one, the agencies and the departments that are involved in the economic cluster have been undertaking discussions on how to improve our ranking, and we hope that this continues to go up," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a news briefing.

She expressed hope that the country's jump in the competitiveness report as well as the 7.8 percent economic growth rate during the first quarter of this year and the investment grade given to the Philippines by three international credit rating agencies could encourage more investors into the country.

"You know, when you take all these factors together, it gives you the picture and it is very encouraging also when foreign investors see that to come and give our country another shot," she said. (SDR/Sunnex)

Philippines competitive ranking up by 5 notches | Sun.Star


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## Malaya

*SEA Games: Angry Philippines to send small team*
May 30, 2013

MANILA - The Philippines said Thursday it would send a tiny delegation to this year's Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar to protest at the host's "unfair" exclusion of mainstream sports.

Between 30 and 50 Filipino athletes are expected to compete in Myanmar compared with 512 at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia told AFP.

"We're doing this to protest the unfair changes to the event that Myanmar is making," Garcia said.

Myanmar announced in January that it was excluding Olympic sports such as tennis and gymnastics from the Games, prompting accusations by rivals it was cherry-picking events to help home athletes.

Myanmar has included events such as chinlone, a dance-like sport, and bodybuilding.

Garcia said he would not attend the Games in December, and was urging his colleagues on the sports commission also to boycott them. - AFP


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## IamINDIA

is the Philippines expanding its coast guard ?


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## Zero_wing

IamINDIA said:


> is the Philippines expanding its coast guard ?



Yes 30 ship and were getting 10 new ships from Japan (loaned to owed) and 4 ships from France but no news yet we are trying to expand the PCG with 30 new ships and a fleet of helicopters but the priority is the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines)

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## p3avi8tor69

IamINDIA said:


> is the Philippines expanding its coast guard ?




Hard to say if so. Pinoys Defence ministry loves issuing out press releases and some more press releases contradicting earlier press releases. Then more press releases and the cycle permeates. I'm not kidding.

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## Zero_wing

p3avi8tor69 said:


> Hard to say if so. Pinoys Defence ministry loves issuing out press releases and some more press releases contradicting earlier press releases. Then more press releases and the cycle permeates. I'm not kidding.



Minister? since when did the Philippines became parliamentary? And other is the PCG is not even under the defense department man admiral general as we say here in the philippines huli ka kalbo! (got you!)


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## Soryu

*BRP Ramon Alcaraz Outfitted with ASW Capabilities*





PF-16 BRP Ramon Alcaraz (photo : Benjamin Apostol)

_The Philippine Navy's (PN) second Hamilton Class cutter, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), will be fitted with anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, a military spokesman said._

Alcaraz, now undergoing sea trial off the waters off South Carolina, is expected to leave the US and sail to the Philippines first week June. The ship is scheduled to arrive in the country by August.

Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic, the PN spokesman, said the ASW capability will be installed on the Alcaraz and a helicopter that will be assigned to her. ASW or Anti-submarine warfare capability refers to the capability to detect, track and destroy submarines. 

"As an additional asset it will greatly improve our maritime domain/situational awareness (capability) because of its capable of long range deployment," said Fabic.

At present, the Filipino warship is believed to be carrying an 76mm Oto Melara automatic cannon, two 25 Bushmaster guns and assorted machine guns.

It is also reported to be carrying a Harpoon anti-ship missile system.

Also, since the ship is fitted with hangar facilities, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz can embark a naval helicopter that can further extend its monitoring and detection capability.

"A helicopter can be launched from the vessel allowing wider and further coverage," said Fabic, who also disclosed that additional surveillance equipment like radar can also be installed on the ship.

"As a platform, radar equipment like that of the littoral observation stations (coast watch stations) can be mounted for wider range data gathering. All of these will be linked in a shore facility for better command and control for effective decision making," the PN spokesman stressed.

According to Fabic, Alcaraz is "fully mission capable" on her arrival. 

(Manila Bulletin)

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## p3avi8tor69

Zero_wing said:


> Minister? since when did the Philippines became parliamentary? And other is the PCG is not even under the defense department man admiral general as we say here in the philippines huli ka kalbo! (got you!)




Defense ministry or department of defence. = the same thing. You are arguing semantics not substance. My point is the Philippine defense establishment is full of hot air and lacking in substance.

Your hand me down rustbucket will not have harpoons when she sails to Manila.We have not sold you any harpoons. It is just another press release that your media loves to lie about. It will bet you the farm on it.

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## Pinoy

Seems like these yellow thieves posters here are far more concern than Filipinos.

Anyway the Philippines must continually invest and developed a formidable line of defense against these thieves. It is not too late to modernize. As long as the will to do it is there, it can be done.

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## sonicbomb

Pinoy said:


> Seems like these yellow thieves posters here are far more concern than Filipinos.
> 
> Anyway the Philippines must continually invest and developed a formidable line of defense against these thieves. It is not too late to modernize. As long as the will to do it is there, it can be done.



yeah right , how about help and feed your poor countryman first before you buy weapon and keep bragging about the economic growth which didn't benefit them at all. 

SWS: Hunger rises among Pinoy families | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## p3avi8tor69

Pinoy said:


> Seems like these yellow thieves posters here are far more concern than Filipinos.
> 
> Anyway the Philippines must continually invest and developed a formidable line of defense against these thieves. It is not too late to modernize. As long as the will to do it is there, it can be done.



Keep dreaming your elected politicians are incapable of making those decisions. They are more interested in thieving.

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## Pinoy

sonicbomb said:


> yeah right , how about help and feed your poor countryman first before you buy weapon and keep bragging about the economic growth which didn't benefit them at all.
> SWS: Hunger rises among Pinoy families | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com



A country only respects another country because of military capability. That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s a must that we should first modernize defense to gain respect among our neighbors. Malaysia truly with AMNESIA! Forgetting that you are just renting Sabah, to the point of twisting historical facts and killing the people that truly owns it. Right terrorist financer nation?

Right now we&#8217;re heading on the right direction under Aquino. The atmosphere generated by the policy of this administration is a big factor in generating confidence which drives a positive investment climate. The trickle-down effect does not happen overnight, not immediately but definitely in the near future. Three years in power is a short time for every government to turn around the economy positively given the debt of the country to be repaid to foreign lenders when Aquino took over in 2010. Turning the economy in the brighter side overnight is not an ordinary task for any president given all the obstacles that should be addressed and corrected first.



p3avi8tor69 said:


> Keep dreaming your elected politicians are incapable of making those decisions. They are more interested in thieving.



Three more years of good governance of the incorruptible President Aquino. And three more years of economic growth and progress for our country. 

It's a real progress, no matter what the Chinese thieves will say. 

God speed my beloved Philippines.

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## Pinoy

*Philippines takes China's crown as region's fastest growing economy*
By Denise Roland
30 May 2013

A surprise surge in the Philippines economy in the first quarter has put its pace of expansion ahead of neighbouring giant China.

The south-east Asian archipelago hailed a "new growth trajectory" as its GDP expanded 2.2pc in the first three months of the year, to grow 7.8pc year-on-year, outpacing even the most bullish analysts' predictions.

Its growth comes amid a regional slowdown that saw the Chinese economy unexpectedly slow to 7.7pc growth in the first quarter. Vietnam, India and Thailand have also seen growth falter in recent months.

The Filipino statistical office said the quarterly growth is the highest since reformist President Benigno Aquino III took office in 2010. It is also the third consecutive quarter that the GDP grew more than 7pc.

Growth was robust on multiple fronts. Strong domestic consumption, fuelled by remittances from around 10 million overseas Filipino workers, drove enthusiastic private sector expenditure on equipment and buildings, which jumped 47.7pc year-on-year. Meanwhile, public spending on construction climbed 45.6pc as the government hiked up efforts to renovate dilapidated schools, roads and bridges.

All sectors contributed to the first-quarter growth, with services growing 7pc, industry 10.9pc and agriculture 3.3pc.

Borrowing costs have also come down for the government after both Fitch and Standard and Poor's raised the credit rating for Filipino bonds to investment grade earlier this year.

"Business confidence and optimism fuelled this growth," said economic planning chief Arsenio Balisacan, who added that the government hopes to achieve 7pc to 8pc annual growth by 2016.
"We may now be moving along a new growth trajectory."

Mr Aquino, who swept into power three years ago on promises to crack down on corruption and cut poverty, won control of the Congress this month, easing the path for further reforms in the second half of his term.

One of his main challenges will be to tackle the island chain's high unemployment rate, which at 7.1pc shows no signs of easing in the short term as job creation struggles to keep pace with a booming population. Furthermore the poorest and least skilled remain excluded from the highest growth sectors, such as call centre outsourcing.

Mr Balisacan said that the government understood that for growth to be inclusive, the poor must be linked to the growth industries.

"The faster this can be done, the better it will be for the greater number of our people," he said.

Philippines takes China's crown as region's fastest growing economy - Telegraph

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## Fsjal

^Again, not that impressive.^

What impresses me is China and S. Korea.

Look at S. Korea, left to ruins by the Chinese and N. Koreans. Now an economic powerhouse.

China, once almost destroyed by Mao, now a Global power with the fastest growing economy, with an average of 9%

Also, 700 million people in China were lifted out of poverty and standard living rised


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## Bob Ong

Pinoy said:


> *Philippines takes China's crown as region's fastest growing economy*
> By Denise Roland
> 30 May 2013
> 
> A surprise surge in the Philippines economy in the first quarter has put its pace of expansion ahead of neighbouring giant China.
> 
> The south-east Asian archipelago hailed a "new growth trajectory" as its GDP expanded 2.2pc in the first three months of the year, to grow 7.8pc year-on-year, outpacing even the most bullish analysts' predictions.
> 
> Its growth comes amid a regional slowdown that saw the Chinese economy unexpectedly slow to 7.7pc growth in the first quarter. Vietnam, India and Thailand have also seen growth falter in recent months.
> 
> The Filipino statistical office said the quarterly growth is the highest since reformist President Benigno Aquino III took office in 2010. It is also the third consecutive quarter that the GDP grew more than 7pc.
> 
> Growth was robust on multiple fronts. Strong domestic consumption, fuelled by remittances from around 10 million overseas Filipino workers, drove enthusiastic private sector expenditure on equipment and buildings, which jumped 47.7pc year-on-year. Meanwhile, public spending on construction climbed 45.6pc as the government hiked up efforts to renovate dilapidated schools, roads and bridges.
> 
> All sectors contributed to the first-quarter growth, with services growing 7pc, industry 10.9pc and agriculture 3.3pc.
> 
> Borrowing costs have also come down for the government after both Fitch and Standard and Poor's raised the credit rating for Filipino bonds to investment grade earlier this year.
> 
> "Business confidence and optimism fuelled this growth," said economic planning chief Arsenio Balisacan, who added that the government hopes to achieve 7pc to 8pc annual growth by 2016.
> "We may now be moving along a new growth trajectory."
> 
> Mr Aquino, who swept into power three years ago on promises to crack down on corruption and cut poverty, won control of the Congress this month, easing the path for further reforms in the second half of his term.
> 
> One of his main challenges will be to tackle the island chain's high unemployment rate, which at 7.1pc shows no signs of easing in the short term as job creation struggles to keep pace with a booming population. Furthermore the poorest and least skilled remain excluded from the highest growth sectors, such as call centre outsourcing.
> 
> Mr Balisacan said that the government understood that for growth to be inclusive, the poor must be linked to the growth industries.
> 
> "The faster this can be done, the better it will be for the greater number of our people," he said.
> 
> Philippines takes China's crown as region's fastest growing economy - Telegraph


Keep it up Philippines! This economic GROWTH shows the Philippine economy NOT dependent on CHINESE or Taiwanese THREAT of ECONOMIC sabotage. This is the prayer of the vast majority of Filipinos worldwide, for the Philippine economy to grow and the country to progress.

Well Japan had constant 7 to 11% growth rate for 15 years (1946 to 1960) before they become rich. Same thing to SK, Taiwan etc.

The answer to that prayer is starting to unfold. For sure, the Philippines will be much better in 2016 compared in 2010 when President Aquino assumed office.

Keep up the good work PNoy (Aquino)! Most Filipinos want him to succeed.

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## Bob Ong

Fsjal said:


> ^Again, not that impressive.^
> 
> What impresses me is China and S. Korea.
> 
> Look at S. Korea, left to ruins by the Chinese and N. Koreans. Now an economic powerhouse.
> 
> China, once almost destroyed by Mao, now a Global power with the fastest growing economy, with an average of 9%
> 
> Also, 700 million people in China were lifted out of poverty and standard living rised


Actually the Philippines can achieve more if we could able to kicked the Chinese & Taiwanese out from fishing in our own backyard. 

We could just imagine thousands of thousands of tons of sea product hauled from our own territory. Right Fake Pinoy or Pinoy wanna be?

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## Bob Ong

sonicbomb said:


> yeah right , how about help and feed your poor countryman first before you buy weapon and keep bragging about the economic growth which didn't benefit them at all.


Still... haters and losers are not happy with this news... Ha ha ha. 



Pinoy said:


> A country only respects another country because of military capability. Thats why its a must that we should first modernize defense to gain respect among our neighbors. Malaysia truly with AMNESIA! Forgetting that you are just renting Sabah, to the point of twisting historical facts and killing the people that truly owns it. Right terrorist financer nation?
> 
> Right now were heading on the right direction under Aquino. The atmosphere generated by the policy of this administration is a big factor in generating confidence which drives a positive investment climate. The trickle-down effect does not happen overnight, not immediately but definitely in the near future. Three years in power is a short time for every government to turn around the economy positively given the debt of the country to be repaid to foreign lenders when Aquino took over in 2010. Turning the economy in the brighter side overnight is not an ordinary task for any president given all the obstacles that should be addressed and corrected first.
> 
> 
> 
> Three more years of good governance of the incorruptible President Aquino. And three more years of economic growth and progress for our country.
> 
> It's a real progress, no matter what the Chinese thieves will say.
> 
> God speed my beloved Philippines.


The losers will still complain and look for bad news anyway Congrats to all of us... I hope this will continue so that we can compete with our neighbors not only in economy but in military as well.

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## Zero_wing

p3avi8tor69 said:


> Defense ministry or department of defence. = the same thing. You are arguing semantics not substance. My point is the Philippine defense establishment is full of hot air and lacking in substance.
> 
> Your hand me down rustbucket will not have harpoons when she sails to Manila.We have not sold you any harpoons. It is just another press release that your media loves to lie about. It will bet you the farm on it.




We dont no for sure please admiral general really? just admitted you screw up



Bob Ong said:


> Actually the Philippines can achieve more if we could able to kicked the Chinese & Taiwanese out from fishing in our own backyard.
> 
> We could just imagine thousands of thousands of tons of sea product hauled from our own territory. Right Fake Pinoy or Pinoy wanna be?



Just kick them out the country too they all noting but trouble for the philippines, The Philippines will be better far better without them.

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## Bob Ong

Zero_wing said:


> We dont no for sure please admiral general really? just admitted you screw up
> 
> Just kick them out the country too they all noting but trouble for the philippines, The Philippines will be better far better without them.


Right on!


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## Malaya

*Philippine Economy Stuns with Q1 Growth*
By James Parker







*The country outperforms all regional rivals, including &#8211; for the first time in 19 years &#8211; China.
*
The Philippines, as covered previously on Pacific Money, is in the midst of a period of positive news and strong economic performance. Following reports that Philippine Government bonds had been upgraded to investment status at the start of May, this week saw further good news with the release of GDP figures for the first quarter. 

*Manila&#8217;s National Statistical Coordination Board published data showing that the economy had grown an extremely impressive 7.8% year on year in the first three months of 2013. The quarter-on-quarter figure was 2.2% growth. 
*
Although China&#8217;s slowing economy is by now received much comment, the comparative growth rates still caused double-takes (and related headlines) around the globe as the Philippine&#8217;s growth rate beat that of its troublesome northern neighbour (China&#8217;s first quarter year-on-year GDP grew at 7.7%). The last time that happened, according to Bloomberg, was 19 years ago in the first quarter of 1994. The Philippines also outdid all its other regional rivals and was thus the fastest growing East Asian state for the period.

Aside from the encouraging headline figure, statistics also revealed that manufacturing had performed strongly during the quarter &#8211; growing at 9.7%. Investment (reflected in the capital formation data) also proved exceptional &#8211; surging 47.7% in the first quarter as companies were encouraged by lower interest rates from the aforementioned credit rating upgrade and by resilient domestic demand driven consumption. The services sector also remains strong, now accounting for 60% of GDP.

One weakness in the Philippines remains the quality and level of infrastructure, so the news that public construction grew at 45.6% will put some worried minds at ease. It is clear that the government is following advice from the likes of the IMF about infrastructure upgrades, moving in the right direction at a fast pace, even if there is much still to be achieved.

Despite all the strong news, the country&#8217;s stock market had a rough day after GDP growth data was released, with the Philippine Stock Exchange index falling 3.8%. Although this drop was overshadowed by Tokyo&#8217;s plunge on the same day, it was not insignificant. One explanation could be that the country&#8217;s stocks have climbed dramatically over the last nine months, with price-earnings (PE) ratios climbing accordingly. Profit taking is not unexpected under such circumstances. Worries that the buoyant property market could start moving towards &#8220;bubble&#8221; territory are premature for now, even if the issue is worth watching.

With inflation staying low, the currency pulling back a bit from previous rises, GDP growing strongly, and the government making the right moves in areas requiring attention, 2013 continues to be a banner year for Manila. Its ongoing territorial spat with China may be a tough challenge, but eclipsing its large northern neighbour&#8217;s growth rate will surely be music to its leader&#8217;s ears. 

- - - -
Well done Mr President and the team for another excellent achievement. The vast majority of Filipinos want sustained economic growth now, next year, and beyond 2016 for the benefit of all. 

Anyway these few Crabs here will always be negative. That is their role in life.





Nonsense trash talks from these Chinese crabs will not derail the economic progress of our country. 

Cheers!

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## USAHawk785

Good Job, Philippines! Keep it up!

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## filipino_american

USAHawk785 said:


> Good Job, Philippines! Keep it up!



The Philippines, Asia's NEWEST TIGER ECONOMY and a NEWLY INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRY (not anymore developing) is ROARING.

Do not be surprised, BEFORE THE MARCOS DYNASTY/ MARTIAL LAW/ CORRUPTION ERA (After World War II till the 1970s), the PHILIPPINES was the 2nd WEALTHIEST and RICHEST nation in ASIA after JAPAN. Then it became POOR- the economists started calling the Philippines as the "SICK MAN OF ASIA"

The Philippines was the South Korea, Singapore, HK, and Taiwan of Asia back in the day.

The Philippines also had the STRONGEST MILITARY AFTER JAPAN with more than 200 JET FIGHTERS back in the DAY proving that the Philippines was wealthy.






























The Philippines WAS ONCE on top, and is now SLOWLY CLIMBING UP AGAIN.


Aside from being the CURRENT FASTEST GROWING ASIAN ECONOMY,

The Philippines is also:

1. The Newest Tiger Economy

http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/speech/2013/02/06/Press-Statement


http://www.asiancenturyinstitute.com/development/149-philippines-asia-s-

new-tiger-economy

2. The Strongest Performing Asian Economy

http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2012-08-08/philippines-strongest-

economy-in-asia

http://www.rappler.com/business/10420-ph-is-strongest-performing-asian-economy

3. A Newly Industrialized Country

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newly_industrialized_country

5. Has reached Investment Grade Status

http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/05/07/939413/phl-gets-3rd-investment-grade

6. The 3rd best Performing Currency Globally
http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/04/28/935664/peso-3rd-best-performing-currency-globally

7. The 5th Strongest STOCK MARKET GLOBALLY

http://money.cnn.com/gallery/invest...tm_campaign=Feed:+rss/money_markets+(Markets)


AND MANY MORE.....


The signs are HERE.

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## USAHawk785

These are ALL QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE signs that we in the United States can be confident about in our allies in the Philippines. 

A nation of some 100 million , with an educated and productive work force, a strong maritime nation with rich natural resources and a potential for unprecedented growth, the Philippines is what the United States is looking for as a stable and dependable partner in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Our two countries have a shared history. And I pray, a shared and prosperous future.

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## Snomannen

USAHawk785 said:


> These are ALL QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE signs that we in the United States can be confident about in our allies in the Philippines.
> 
> A nation of some 100 million , with an educated and productive work force, a strong maritime nation with rich natural resources and a potential for unprecedented growth, the Philippines is what the United States is looking for as a stable and dependable partner in the Asia-Pacific Region.
> 
> Our two countries have a shared history. And I pray, a shared and prosperous future.



All hail the USA!!!


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## USAHawk785

KirovAirship said:


> All hail the USA!!!



Yes, all hail the Divine God of the world, USA. 

Light some incense to us, and we shall shower you with our Graces.

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## bleedingboi

USAHawk785 said:


> These are ALL QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE signs that we in the United States can be confident about in our allies in the Philippines.
> 
> A nation of some 100 million , with an educated and productive work force, a strong maritime nation with rich natural resources and a potential for unprecedented growth, the Philippines is what the United States is looking for as a stable and dependable partner in the Asia-Pacific Region.
> 
> Our two countries have a shared history. And I pray, a shared and prosperous future.



Where the US goes, UK follows. Thumbs up for the partnership of the free world.

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## Malaya

*US to block moves to seize control of disputed seas*
(The Philippine Star) | June 6, 2013






*KUALA LUMPUR  The United States will oppose moves by any country to seize control of disputed areas in the South China Sea by force, the top American military commander in the Pacific said yesterday.*

Adm. Samuel Locklear added that rival claimants might need to seek compromises to resolve the feud over potentially oil-rich territories.

The commander of US Pacific Command did not mention any country by name, but Chinas increasingly aggressive claims to disputed islands have triggered worries about confrontations with others, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

*We will oppose the change of status quo by force by anyone, *Locklear told reporters during a visit to Malaysia.

*We need to retain the status quo until we get to a code of conduct or a solution by party nations that is peacefully accepted.*

Southeast Asian governments want a legally binding code of conduct with China to deter hostile actions and prevent fighting. But Beijing has not clearly said when it would discuss the proposal.

Locklear said the US would not take sides but added that a code of conduct that enables maritime officers to understand the boundaries of what they can do (would be) in the best interest for a peaceful solution.

He nevertheless said tensions were unlikely to escalate badly because the countries understand this could be a long process, they understand restraint.

China has sought to resolve disputes through bilateral talks.

*Locklear visit*

Locklear is expected to visit Manila on June 6 to 7 to discuss security matters with his Philippine counterparts.

During his visit, Admiral Locklear will consult with defense officials in the Philippine government on a range of common security challenges, the US embassy in Manila said without elaborating.

Locklear will meet with Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. His visit will not be open to the media.

Locklears visit follows his attendance at the recently concluded Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore where he met with security officials from the region.

Last week, *US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel reaffirmed Washingtons commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty with Manila, now embroiled in a territorial row with China.*

Hagel made the commitment during a meeting with Gazmin on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue.

The defense department has welcomed Hagels statement and is hopeful that the US will continue backing efforts to maintain freedom of navigation in the Asia Pacific region.

* We look forward to the continuous and more active role of the US in contributing to the freedom of navigation in the region, *defense department spokesman Peter Galvez told The STAR in a recent interview.

Tensions in the West Philippine Sea mounted last month after China deployed three ships around Ayungin Shoal, within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.

The Philippines has protested Chinas illegal deployment of vessels in its territory in violation of international law. The protest, however, fell on deaf ears as China continued to send ships and vessels around the shoal, just 105.77 nautical miles from Palawan.

Latest monitoring by Philippine authorities showed that at least three Chinese ships have remained in the area.

Chinas intrusion is not limited to Ayungin Shoal as Chinese ships continue to patrol the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, a Philippine-owned area located 124 nautical miles from the nearest base point in Zambales.  AP, Alexis Romero

US to block moves to seize control of disputed seas | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*US Navy submarine tender, submarine due in Subic*

INQUIRER.net
Thursday, June 6th, 2013






MANILA, Philippines&#8211; The U.S. Navy submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) and submarine USS Asheville (SSN 758) will arrive in Subic Bay on Friday, June 7, and Saturday, June 8, respectively, for routine port calls.

In a statement sent to media, the US Embassy said the visits will highlight the strong historic community and military relations between the Philippines and the United States.

During their visit, the Frank Cable and Asheville will refuel and receive supplies, and the crew will be given opportunities for community service in nearby areas as well as rest and recreation.

The L.Y. Spear-class USS Frank Cable (AS-40) was commissioned in 1980. It is nearly 200 meters long and has a crew of 1,500. The Frank Cable serves as the U.S. 7th Fleet&#8217;s mobile repair and support platform. The ship is named after Frank Taylor Cable, one of the pioneers in the development of submarines for the U.S. Navy. It is homeported in Guam.

Named for the city of Asheville, North Carolina, and commissioned in 1991, the USS Asheville is a Los Angeles-class submarine. It is 91 meters long, and has a top speed of 32 knots underwater. The Asheville is homeported in San Diego, California.


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## Malaya

*Philippines, Timor-Leste affirm strong relations*
(philstar.com) | Updated June 6, 2013







MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III and visiting Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao affirmed the strong relations of the two countries as they witnessed the signing of three agreements today.

Aquino welcomed Gusmao in Malacanang, the presidential palace. Gusmao is on a five-day visit to Manila.

"The discussions the Prime Minister and I had this morning affirm our dedication to strengthen the relationship between our two nations particularly through engagements in education, defense, infrastructure development, and trade," Aquino said.

The following agreements were signed in today's ceremonies: a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a bilateral mechanism between two foreign ministries; an MOU meant to help Timor-Leste with its infrastructure development; and an agreement between the Philippine Normal University and Timor Leste's education ministry to develop a program for teachers and education officials of Timor-Leste.

Aquino said the Philippines also support Timor-Leste's bid to join in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) community.

Gusmao thanked the Philippines for its support on Timor-Leste's bid for ASEAN membership.

He said his trip to Manila was part of his program to visit all ASEAN countries this year to strengthen both bilateral and regional ties with Timor-Leste's neighbors.

"We look forward to joining with the Philippines in the ASEAN family," he said.

Gusmao was Timor-Leste's first president after achieving independence in May 2002. He is currently serving his second five- year term as prime minister, having first assumed the position in 2007. He is concurrently minister for Defense and Security.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/06/06/951211/philippines-timor-leste-affirm-strong-relations


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## Malaya

*Taiwan president eyes fishing deal with Philippines*

By Ko Shu-ling, Kyodo News
Posted at 06/06/2013 

*TAIPEI - Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou stressed Thursday in an interview with Kyodo News he wants to see relations between Taiwan and the Philippines restored quickly.*

The comment came as relations with Manila have been strained for weeks over the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine Coast Guard last month.

"The Republic of China government is peace-loving and dedicated to resolving the dispute peacefully," Ma told Kyodo News. "The Taiwan-Japan fisheries agreement can serve as a fine example for reference."

The shooting incident took place May 9 when a 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman was killed as a Philippine Coast Guard vessel fired on his boat about 170 nautical miles off the southeastern coast of Taiwan in an area where exclusive economic zones claimed by Taipei and Manila overlap.

Taiwanese officials soon issued a harshly worded ultimatum demanding a formal apology from the Philippine government, compensation for the fisherman's family, punishment of those responsible and the start of talks on a bilateral fisheries pact.

Taiwan also ejected the Philippines' top diplomatic official and imposed sanctions including the suspension of visas for Filipino workers.

Saying all actions Taiwan has taken conform to international law and the United Nations charter, Ma emphasized all evidence pointed to the fact the shooting was "intentional homicide."

As both sides have wrapped up their respective investigations and will soon release their findings, Ma said he hopes to see the dispute come to an end soon so both sides can resume bilateral ties.

In addition to urging Manila to start talks on a bilateral fisheries pact, Ma floated the idea of signing a fisheries agreement on "conservation and management" in "waters claimed by Taipei and Beijing."

"We understand why China is hesitant to start such talks because they don't want the international community to see cross-strait relationship as one of state-to-state," Ma said. "But it is not a state-to-state relationship, but a special relationship."

As in the fishing pact signed with Japan, Ma said the 18 agreements signed since he was first elected in 2008 were not inked between two countries. However, they are legally binding and help resolve long-standing issues.

Taiwan president eyes fishing deal with Philippines | ABS-CBN News


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## Malaya

*PH an economic force &#8212; Germany*

By Charissa M. Luci
Published: June 6, 2013






*Berlin &#8211; Impressed by the country&#8217;s economic growth, the Federal Republic of Germany has branded the Philippines as an &#8220;economic powerhouse&#8221; as it continuously seek an immediate &#8220;closure&#8221; of the Fraport.*

Vice President Jejomar Binay, who met with German Foreign Minister Dr. Guido Westerwelle on Tuesday afternoon at the Federal Foreign Office during his first leg of five-day working visit, said Germany is not surprised by the Philippines&#8217; posting of first quarter economic growth.
*
&#8220;The Foreign Minister is not surprised anymore when I told him about our economic growth. He told me, we are a miracle, that our country is an economic powerhouse. All over the world, our economic growth is recognized,&#8221; *he told the Manila Bulletin in an exclusive interview at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in this European capital city.

*The Philippines&#8217; gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 7.8 percent in the first quarter of the year, beating its Southeast Asian neighbors and even China.*

The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) attributed the economic growth to the development in major sectors and the government&#8217;s increased infrastructure spending.

But Binay was quick to add that on top of the Westerwelle&#8217;s opening statement was the Fraport issue.

The Vice President assured Westerwelle that the Philippines is flexing its muscles to address the issue.

&#8220;We are looking forward na magkaroon ng just closure &#8216;yung problema sa Fraport. Of course, it is a minor irritant, natutuwa tayo na gusto na nilang matapos &#8216;yan,&#8221; he said.

Quoting Westerwelle, Philippine Ambassador to Germany Maria Cleofe Natividad said that Germany wants immediate resolution of the Fraport issue which strains the continuous influx of German investments to the Philippines.

&#8220;By the way, you know the relations is very robust, we have strong relations but we have one issue to be sorted out to further strengthen the bilateral relations and so that more German investments will come in,&#8221; she said, citing Westerwelle&#8217;s opening statement.

Fraport is the German firm-partner of the Philippine International Airport Terminals Co. (Piatco), the consortium that got the contract to build and operate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3). The contract, however, was aborted in 2002 by the Arroyo government.

With the Philippine government&#8217;s move, Fraport sought a relief from World Bank&#8217;s International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes and filed a compensation case, citing that such action was in violation of a bilateral investment treaty between the Philippines and Germany.

Binay described his meeting with Westerwelle as &#8220;very warm, very cordial.&#8221;

&#8220;Damang-dama mo na talagang ang Pilipinas ay katanggap tanggap ngayong mga panahon na ito,&#8221; he said.

He said the relations between the Philippines and Germany continued to be strengthened with the commitment of both sides to have high level exchange of visits.

*Binay has been assured by Westerwelle that Chancellor Angela Merkel would be visiting Philippines next year.*

During the meeting, Westerwelle told Binay that Merkel would not be able to visit Philippines this year because of the elections on September.

In a letter handed over to Westerwelle when he visited Manila last February, President Benigno S. Aquino III invited Merkel to visit the Philippines this year.

*Merkel also invited Aquino to visit Germany, but because of midterm elections and political situation in the Philippines, Aquino shelved his visit to Germany and planned to come over next year,* Natividad said.

Binay, who arrived Monday afternoon in Berlin started his five-day working visit to Germany to advance the interest of some 60,000 Filipino workers.

PH an economic force


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## Malaya

*Official Visit of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão of Timor-Leste*


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## Malaya

*US reaffirms defense treaty with Philippines*
By: Agence France-Presse






SINGAPORE -- The United States on Saturday reaffirmed its commitment to a defense treaty with the Philippines, which is currently embroiled in a territorial dispute with Beijing over the South China Sea.

The pledge came as US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met his Philippine counterpart Voltaire Gazmin on the sidelines of an annual security forum in Singapore set to be dominated by Beijing's growing might.

The Philippines, a former US colony, is involved not only in a row with China but also Taiwan over the recent killing of a Taiwanese fisherman along their sea border.

*"Secretary Hagel emphasized the importance of the Philippines as a treaty ally and reaffirmed the United States commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty,"* Pentagon spokesman George Little told journalists after the meeting.

"Secretary Hagel stressed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in the region," he added.

Both defense chiefs "also discussed deepening bilateral defense cooperation including work towards increasing rotational presence of US forces in (the) Philippines to address common challenges," Little said.

*The Philippines and the United States, whose soldiers fought side by side in the Pacific theatre during World War II, are bound to help defend each other in case of external attacks under a mutual defense treaty signed in 1951.*

The Philippines has one of Asia's most poorly equipped armed forces and has been protesting Chinese efforts to enforce Beijing's claims to the entire South China Sea, including waters and islands near the Philippine coast.

The Philippines along with Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam as well as China and Taiwan have laid full or partial claim to the South China Sea, which is believed to sit atop vast deposits of natural gas and hosts vital shipping lanes.

Taiwan threatened the Philippines with sanctions and held naval exercises near their sea border after a Taiwanese fisherman was killed when the Filipino coastguard fired on their vessel on May 9.

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## p3avi8tor69

I've saying it, the Philippine economic growth only affected the ultra rich. The rest of Pinoys are grinding and falling more in poverty.

Philippines' jobless rate soars despite record growth - Channel NewsAsia

Hunger persists as Philippine economy grows - Asia-pacific - Al Jazeera English

News Analysis: Philippines' jobless rate goes up while exports plunge - Xinhua | English.news.cn

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## Malaya

p3avi8tor69 said:


> I've saying it, the Philippine economic growth only affected the ultra rich. The rest of Pinoys are grinding and falling more in poverty.
> 
> Philippines' jobless rate soars despite record growth - Channel NewsAsia
> 
> Hunger persists as Philippine economy grows - Asia-pacific - Al Jazeera English
> 
> News Analysis: Philippines' jobless rate goes up while exports plunge - Xinhua | English.news.cn


What's all the fuss? In Spain, it's 26%. In Japan, it's 25%. Well it takes time, things don't change overnight. The jobless rate is high in the rural areas which are mostly agricultural. Agriculture in this country has been the most neglected sector of the economy. The situation is compounded by the higher birth rate in the countryside. It's only now that the economic managers are giving more attention to agriculture.

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## Malaya

*New Philippine warship test-fires main gun*






by Jojo Malig, ABS-CBNnews.com
06/12/2013 

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines' new naval warship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, fired its main weapons system in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, the Philippine Embassy in the United States said.

Capt. Ernesto Baldovino, commanding officer of the Alcaraz, said the ship successfully fired its OTO Melara 76 mm naval artillery gun "with a high degree of accuracy."

"This weapons system is very reliable," he said, in an embassy statement.

Baldovino, in a report to Capt. Elson Aguilar, Defense and Naval Attache at the embassy, said the ship's rapid-fire cannon, which can shoot as many as 80 rounds per minute, fired 15 rounds.

Three shots were used to calibrate the gun and 12 were aimed at floating targets two to three miles away.

"Captain Baldovino was more than satisfied with how the Oto Melara performed," Aguilar said.

Countries in Asia that have warships armed with OTO Melara naval guns include Indonesia, India, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore.

Defense sources said the cutter will also be fitted with anti-ship Harpoon missiles.

"Her weapons system is heavier and more sophisticated compared to her sister ship, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar," one source said.

The Alcaraz is also armed with M242 Bushmaster guns and heavy machineguns.

The Alcaraz, a cutter that previously served in the US Coast Guard, was bought and refurbished by the Philippines.

Alcaraz weighs 3,250 tons, has a length of 378 feet, beam of 43 feet, and draft of 15 feet.

Its propulsion systems consist of two diesel engines and two gas turbine engines, giving it a top speed of 29 knots.

When deployed, the Alcaraz, with a total of 167 officers and men complement, will have a cruising range of 14,000 miles and can stay in the high seas for 45 days.

The ship is now proceeding to the Panama Canal, its next stop in its almost 2-month journey to the Philippines.

The Alcaraz left Charleston, South Carolina, on Monday, more than a year after it was acquired from the US Coast Guard.

The ship will also make stops in San Diego, Honolulu, and Guam enroute to Manila. - with a report from Don Tagala, ABS CBN North America Bureau

New Philippine warship test-fires main gun | ABS-CBN News


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## Malaya

*Philippines files racism complaint against HK football fans*

Associated Press

Thursday, June 13th, 2013

MANILA, Philippines &#8212; The Philippine Football Federation (PFF)has asked FIFA to investigate allegations that Filipino supporters and players were subject to racist abuse during last week&#8217;s friendly in Hong Kong, officials said Thursday.

The Azkals won the match, 1-0, but home fans pelted the players and their supporters, many of them women and children, with water bottles and other debris after the match.

The complaint was filed Tuesday after reports of &#8220;physical and racist abuse against Philippine players and supporters,&#8221; PFF General Secretary Ed Gastanes said in a statement.

A representative of the Asian Football Confederation in Kuala Lumpur said Thursday that it had not received any formal complaint and would only be able to investigate or take action if asked to do so by the Philippines or FIFA. The official declined to be identified, citing protocol.

He said he did not have information of any previous racism complaints in Asia. The latest incident comes as FIFA has toughening punishments for racial abuse.

The complaint contains statements from Filipino fans who said they were called &#8220;slaves&#8221; and that Hong Kong fans threw bottles at them and booed the Philippine national anthem.

The Hong Kong Football Association last week condemned inappropriate behavior and said it was investigating the incidents. Spokesman Benny Chan said that the HKFA has a &#8220;zero-tolerance&#8221; approach to racism.

A reporter for the Philippine Daily Inquirer who covered the June 4 match, Cedelf Tupas, said last week that Hong Kong fans were jeering and taunting the Filipinos, including calling their country a &#8220;slave nation.&#8221;

Tupas said that the hostility intensified after the Philippines scored in the second half. By then, spectators were throwing bottles and juice cartons at the Filipino fans and later the players, Tupas said, adding that others made obscene gestures.
The Filipino fans, who were mostly women and children, made up about 10 percent of the crowd of 4,500.

Some in the southern Chinese city still hold a grudge against the Philippines since a Manila hostage-taking incident in 2010, in which eight Hong Kong tourists were killed in a bungled police rescue. The Hong Kong government has maintained a travel warning for the Philippines since the incident.

Filipinos are also looked down upon in Hong Kong because more than 100,000 of them work as domestic helpers, toiling long hours taking care of children and doing chores for middle-class families for low pay.


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## Malaya

*World Bank keeps Philippine growth forecast*
By: Arnold S. Tenorio, InterAksyon.com
June 13, 2013






MANILA - The World Bank has kept this year's economic growth forecast for the Philippines despite its record expansion in the first quarter, according to the lender's latest report.

In its Global Economic Prospects 2013 report, the Washington-based lender retained its 6.2 percent growth forecast for the Philippines' gross domestic product (GDP), unchanged since December last year. The Bank also kept this forecast when it came out with its East Asia and Pacific Update report last April.

The Bank likewise retained next year's Philippine GDP growth forecast at 6.4 percent. The government is aiming for GDP growth of 6-7 percent this year and 7-8 percent next year.

The retention of its Philippine growth forecast comes as the Bank cut its global economic outlook, including that for East Asia and the Pacific.

The Bank said the Philippines has benefited from a weakening Japanese yen, citing a pickup in local industrial production brought about by its participation in Japan's regional production network. Manila also is among the countries that has enjoyed a rise in Japanese investments, both the job-creating foreign direct investment (FDI) and portfolio flows.

The Philippine economy expanded at a brisk 7.8 percent in the first quarter, making it Asia's best performing. Driving growth were construciton and manufacturing.

The country's record expansion however hasn't translated to jobs, as the unemployment rate hit a three-year high of 7.5 percent last April on account of a drop in farm-sector jobs.

World Bank keeps Philippine growth forecast - InterAksyon.com


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## Malaya

*AFP chief leads pledge to defend sovereignty amid internal, external challenges*
By: Jaime Sinapit






MANILA, Philippines -- Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista led soldiers Wednesday in renewing their pledge of &#8220;commitment to the Filipino nation. With honor and pride, we vow to fulfill our duties as the protectors and defenders of the Philippine sovereignty and integrity.&#8221;

&#8220;We will remain as this nation&#8217;s staunch catalyst of peace and development. And we will continue to uphold the pillars of good governance, democracy and human rights -- ideals and values that hold us together as one people,&#8221; Bautista said on Independence Day.

A hundred and fifteen years since the declaration of Philippine independence, the AFP, which continues to battle a more than 40-year old communist insurgency, also finds itself facing increasing external challenges with China becoming more aggressive in pursuing its claim to territories in the West Philippine Sea, also known as the South China Sea.

This year, the New People&#8217;s Army has stepped up offensives that have claimed the lives of a good number of soldiers, policemen and militia members with the government seemingly undecided about resuming peace talks with the National Democratic Front, stalled since February 2011.

The government, which has sought United Nations arbitration on the territorial disputes, is also trying to fulfill its commitment to beefing up the military&#8217;s external defense with a start-up fund of P75 billion even as China has continued deploying military and civilian vessels to Panatag (Scarborough) Shoel and Ayungin Reef, with some reports suggesting they have begun building structures in the two areas.

The latest acquisition is the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF16) which is homeward bound and, like the BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF15), is a refitted US Coast Guard cutter more than 40-years old.

Sources say the Department of National Defense is also &#8220;in the thick of negotiations&#8221; for the purchase of ground-to-air missiles from Israel, reported for the Philippine Army.

AFP chief leads pledge to defend sovereignty amid internal, external challenges - InterAksyon.com


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## Malaya

*Philippines eyes stronger ties with KSA*
Wednesday, June 12, 2013 






The Puerto Princesa underground river, above, is one of the new seven wonders of nature. The other six are Amazon Rainforest (Brazil), Halong Bay (Vietnam), Iguazu Falls (Argentina and Brazil), Jeju Island (South Korea), Komodo National Park (Indonesia), and Table Mountain (South Africa).

THE Philippines, one of the few economies with positive economic growth achieved in 2012, is a newly industrialized emerging market economy, with exports as its key driver of growth. Its P1.5-trillion GDP, the fourth largest in Southeast Asia, is accounted for by the service sector (50 percent), industry (33 percent) and agriculture (17 percent). Key economic activities in the Philippines include business process outsourcing (BPO), food processing, textiles and garments, and assembly operations in the manufacturing of electronics and other high-tech components.

*Trade *

In their meeting in Saudi Arabia in 2012, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario discussed ways on how to further improve Philippine-Saudi bilateral trade cooperation, among vital economic areas.

Bilateral merchandise trade between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been expanding in recent years. According to latest available Saudi government statistics, two-way trade rose to $3.6 billion in 2011 as compared to $2.7 billion in the previous year. In 2011, Saudi imports from the Philippines amounted to around $208 million while Saudi exports to the Philippines were valued at $3.4 billion.

In 2012, Saudi Arabia ranked 10th as the Philippines&#8217; trading partner, 31st as export market (up four notches in 2011, when it was 35th as export market) and 8th as import supplier. During the same period, Saudi Arabia both ranked first as the Philippines&#8217; trading partner and import supplier, and ranked second as export market in the Middle East region.

While the Philippines relies largely on Saudi Arabia&#8217;s oil and petroleum products, the Philippines is working to reduce the balance of trade by introducing more product exports to the Kingdom that include medium- to high-end garments; fresh and processed food including agriculture crops such as bananas, pineapple, mango and other staples; furniture of all types and home décor; leather goods and fashion accessories; costume jewelry; health and wellness products; construction materials and industrial goods.

The Philippines is encouraging Saudi businessmen to look at what the Philippines could offer by inviting them to attend and/or participate in major trade fairs and exhibitions in the Philippines, such as the International Food Exhibition (IFEX), Philippine International Furniture Show, and Manila FAME in October 2013. 

*Tourism* 

The Philippines is open to Saudi investors in tourism, infrastructure, hotels and resorts.

The &#8220;It&#8217;s More Fun in the Philippines&#8221; campaign by the Department of Tourism had positive effect in increasing tourism in the Philippines. With over 4.2 million tourists in 2012, representing a 7.2 % increase compared to 2011 tourist arrivals of 3.917 million, the Philippines invites more foreign investors in the tourism sector. 

In December 2012, the Kingdom Hotel Investments (KHI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingdom Holding Company, through a joint investment with Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), formally opened the 280-room Fairmont Hotel, a 32-suite Raffles Hotel and 237-room Raffles-branded private residences, in the bustling Makati business district in the Philippine capital. 

The Shanghai Morning Post identified the Philippines as the &#8220;Most Romantic Destination&#8221; in the world, a distinction inspired by the magnificent sunsets over its numerous white sand beaches, or the pristine, secluded coves dotting its many islands. 

Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, in speaking to business executives in Davos, cited that the new hotels sprouting around the Philippines in the past two years are positive proof of Philippines&#8217; tourism boom.

In Boracay, one of the Philippines&#8217; most popular beach destinations, an additional 1,599 rooms have been built. 

In April 2012, President Aquino officially inaugurated the Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan as one of the world&#8217;s New Seven Wonders of Nature (N7WN). 

*An invitation to Public-Private Partnership projects *

The Philippine government has put infrastructure as a top priority, realizing that it is a key ingredient for further growth and development. Since 2010, the Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways has already completed 28 percent, or 2,006 kms, of the 7,256 kms of national arterial and secondary roads that need paving.

Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ezzedin H. Tago has outlined the Philippines&#8217; public-private partnership (PPP) program under which a number of projects have been planned to be developed in cooperation with foreign and local investors. He urged Saudi investors to participate in these projects. 

In January 2013, four major infrastructure projects under the PPP program have already been approved. The projects covers roads and railways, communications, and a gas pipeline.

In the past, the Saudi government contributed to infrastructure development in the Philippines, providing $20 million as soft loans for the development of various road projects in the Mindanao region. This was part of Saudi Arabia&#8217;s commitment of $100 million to Philippine development projects.

*Creative Industries/Knowledge-Based Services *

Besides diversifying its markets and increasing its concentration on the production of goods and services with clear competitive advantage, the Philippines is looking to further value-add growth sectors such as IT-BPO and penetrate high growth markets in Asia to achieve the projected growth of the country.

Under its 2012 Investment Priorities Plan, investment in preferred activities such as the creative industries will be given incentives. The creative industries cover business process outsourcing (BPO) activities, and IT and IT-enabled services that involve original content.

The Philippine BPO industry is reputed globally to have talented, highly-proficient in English, and service-oriented human resources. It is also cost-competitive, strategically located (gateway to Asia) and boasts of excellent telecom infrastructure, reliable infrastructure support and strong government-private sector partnership.

According to the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippine, the revenues of the information technology business process management sector alone grew 19 percent in 2012 to $13.2 billion while employment rose 21 percent, bringing in additional jobs of 137,066 and ending last year with a total workforce of 776,794 individuals. The industry is targeting revenues worth $25 billion and 1.3 million jobs by 2016. 

Members of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) posted $8.7 billion in revenues, an increase from 2011 by 18 percent. The next biggest segment of IT-BPM is corporate services, which includes knowledge process outsourcing and back-office services, which grew 20 percent with total earnings at $2.5 billion. 

The Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) meanwhile reported a 17 percent growth in revenues, earning $1.16 billion in 2012. The healthcare information management revenues also increased rapidly to $460 million or 66 percent growth.

Fastest growing in terms of revenues was the Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP), which leapt more than three times from $14 million in 2011 to $50 million in 2012.

Clearly, the Philippine BPO industry is a promising investment opportunity. &#8212; SG

Saudi Gazette - Philippines eyes stronger ties with KSA


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## Fsjal

So, the BRP Gregorio Del Pila fired its main gun (yippy Kai yai), World Bank keeps eye on Philippines (but they are still behind in economy), racism from HK fans (typical) and an AFP general pledges for defending soveriegnity. 

Nothing new... same old news


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## Zero_wing

One your wrong again as usual first its the Ramon Alcaraz same class of ship but the wrong ship the goyo is here and the Alcaraz is in the states and again rural areas not the whole country is rural but soon it reach those areas Read before you post that makes never mind i think you already know

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## Malaya

*Japan eyes Philippines, US keeping China in check*

Kyodo News
Posted at 06/14/2013

TOKYO - Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera is making final arrangements to visit the Philippines later this month and Hawaii in the United States next month in a bid to keep China in check, a Japanese government source said Friday.

Onodera, during his trip to the Southeast Asian country from June 26 and his Hawaii trip on July 1, aims to stress the need to ensure maritime safety based on the rule of law amid China's growing assertiveness at sea, the source said.

In Hawaii, Onodera aims to reconfirm that the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea fall under the scope of the Japan-U.S. security treaty which requires the United States to defend Japan in the event of an armed attack.

Ahead of the July 4 start of the House of Councillors election campaign, the government also wants to assure conservatives at home that Japan is maintaining a hard-line posture in security issues, political analysts say.

The Japanese defense minister plans to discuss with Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin the current tensions in the East China Sea and South China Sea and coordinate their responses to China, the source said.

Japan and China remain at odds over the ownership of the Senkaku Islands. Japan says no dispute exists since the islets are an inherent part of the country's territory in terms of history and international law, while Beijing claims the islands and calls them Diaoyu.

China is also involved in a dispute with the Philippines and several other Southeast Asian nations over the ownership of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Both Tokyo and Manila have protested Chinese vessels' intrusion in their respective territorial waters near the disputed areas.

In Hawaii, Onodera is also set to discuss with Adm. Samuel Locklear, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, on whether the current missile defense system is sufficient to deal with North Korea given Pyongyang's progress in missile development.

Since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to power in December, he has been striving to bolster defense ties between Japan and other countries, having already sent top officials of the Self-Defense Forces to Southeast Asian nations including Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Japan eyes Philippines, US keeping China in check | ABS-CBN News


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## Fsjal

PHL Army finishes third in Macau dragon boat race | Sports | GMA News Online

The Philippine Army placed a "close" third behind the national teams of Indonesia and China in the 500-meter Open Standard Dragon Boat Race in the Macau International Dragon Boat Races on Wednesday.

While team manager Maj. Harold Cabunoc said there is no alibi for the third-place finish, he was proud that the Army had proven it "can be in the same league as the best Dragon Boat teams in Asia."

"I wouldn't offer any alibis. We were beaten by the national squads of Dragon Boat powerhouses in Asia... [But] as a club team, the Army has proven that it can be in the same league as the best Dragon Boat teams in Asia," Cabunoc, who heads the 7th Civil Relations Group, said in a post on his blog Thursday.

"As the popular saying goes: 'We did our best but it wasn't good enough,'" he added.

The Army team had logged a time of one minute and 54 seconds, behind the Chinese team's 1:53.65 and champion Indonesia's 1:53.30.

Cabunoc also wished there could be a 200-meter sprint where the Army can strut its stuff.

"Yes, our team is indeed a force to reckon with in the sprints [200m-300m]. How I wish that there was a 200m sprint because the Army will surely show who 'The Flash' is," he said.

For its part, the Army's Dragon Boat Team posted a photo on its Facebook account showing a Philippine Army soldier raising the Philippine flag while receiving a banner recognizing the Philippines' third-place finish.

"It was indeed an honor to compete with the best teams which gave us the rare opportunity to assess our own strengths and weaknesses," Cabunoc addeed. - AMD, GMA News
-----------------
Pppfffffff

Even the army is no match for highly trained Chinese and Indonesian athletes


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## Malaya

*PH plans to tap Israel for missile launchers*

By Florante S. Solmerin | Posted on Jun. 15, 2013 

Amid rising tensions over territorial disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea, the government is planning to buy anti-aircraft guided missiles from Israel, reliable sources told the Manila Standard Friday.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the surface-to-air missiles or multiple launch rocket systems were being offered by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. and Israel Military Industries Ltd., both based in Israel.

&#8220;SAMs and MLRS are mobile anti-aircraft weapons designed against jet fighters,&#8221; the source said, adding that these had been suggested some time ago but had not been taken seriously because the defense establishment had no interest in investing at the time.

&#8220;Now, here comes the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea, and at last they&#8217;ve opened their eyes,&#8221; the source added.

Another source said Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin was planning to go to Israel next week to forge an agreement with the prospective suppliers.

&#8220;If you have an agreement this would hasten the procurement process, say in three to six months you would already have the weapons. The agreement gives you the leeway to access all the information you want know about a particular weapon you want to procure,&#8221; the source said.

Manila Standard tried to reach Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo and spokesman Peter Paul Galvez for confirmation, but both did not return calls or answer text messages.

In his first year in office, President Benigno Aquino III had released P75 billion to fund the upgrading of the military&#8217;s capability through the procurement of ships and aircraft.

Gazmin then said they had some 138 big-ticket defense items that were being considered on a government-to-government procurement basis.

Part of this buildup was the recent procurement of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, a rehabilitated US Coast Guard cutter introduced in the 1960s.

The refurbished cutter, procured for will be the country&#8217;s most modern warship and is expected to arrive in July or August.

But Senator Gregorio Honasan seemed unimpressed with the extent of help offered by the United States, and called for a review of the US Visiting Forces Agreement and the Mutual Defense Treaty, which he described as useless.

&#8220;We are not getting anything out of it. We have many international economic, military and security arrangements with other nations but why did they not say anything while the Scarborough Shoal standoff was heating up?&#8221; said the former Army colonel.

Because of this, Honasan said the country should abrogate all treaties that do nothing to help the country.

At the same time, however, he said a joint fishing agreement with Taiwan would be beneficial because it would afford protection to fishermen from both countries.

His remarks follow the May 9 fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine Coast Guard personnel in the Balintang Channel that soured relations between Taiwan and the Philippines.

Also on Friday, the Foreign Affairs Department said it welcomed the filing of a resolution in the US Senate in support of a peaceful resolution to territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

&#8220;We understand that the resolution has yet to undergo the necessary congressional process before it is passed by the US Senate, nonetheless, we extend our appreciation on the mere fact that some US senators have deigned it necessary to express their views on a fundamental issue that affects the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region,&#8221; the department said in a statement.

&#8220;The Philippines especially appreciates the reaffirmation of the peaceful resolution of disputes, including through arbitration; its condemnation of the use of threat or use of force; its recognition of the significance of the role of ASEAN and of the code of conduct; and its support for the ongoing and deepening efforts of the US in the region relating to ensuring freedom of navigation, maintenance of peace and stability, and respect for universally recognized principles of international law.&#8221; With Macon Ramos-Araneta

PH plans to tap Israel for missile launchers - Manila Standard Today


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## kbd-raaf

Fsjal said:


> PHL Army finishes third in Macau dragon boat race | Sports | GMA News Online
> 
> The Philippine Army placed a "close" third behind the national teams of Indonesia and China in the 500-meter Open Standard Dragon Boat Race in the Macau International Dragon Boat Races on Wednesday.
> 
> While team manager Maj. Harold Cabunoc said there is no alibi for the third-place finish, he was proud that the Army had proven it "can be in the same league as the best Dragon Boat teams in Asia."
> 
> "I wouldn't offer any alibis. We were beaten by the national squads of Dragon Boat powerhouses in Asia... [But] as a club team, the Army has proven that it can be in the same league as the best Dragon Boat teams in Asia," Cabunoc, who heads the 7th Civil Relations Group, said in a post on his blog Thursday.
> 
> "As the popular saying goes: 'We did our best but it wasn't good enough,'" he added.
> 
> The Army team had logged a time of one minute and 54 seconds, behind the Chinese team's 1:53.65 and champion Indonesia's 1:53.30.
> 
> Cabunoc also wished there could be a 200-meter sprint where the Army can strut its stuff.
> 
> "Yes, our team is indeed a force to reckon with in the sprints [200m-300m]. How I wish that there was a 200m sprint because the Army will surely show who 'The Flash' is," he said.
> 
> For its part, the Army's Dragon Boat Team posted a photo on its Facebook account showing a Philippine Army soldier raising the Philippine flag while receiving a banner recognizing the Philippines' third-place finish.
> 
> "It was indeed an honor to compete with the best teams which gave us the rare opportunity to assess our own strengths and weaknesses," Cabunoc addeed. - AMD, GMA News
> -----------------
> Pppfffffff
> 
> Even the army is no match for highly trained Chinese and Indonesian athletes



Were you born stupid or did your parents drop your on your head?

Are soldiers some sort of superhumans? 

The fact that they placed within half a second of the national teams of both China and Indonesia while considering that this isn't their primary occupation is amazing for ANY sport.

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## Malaya

*Israel commends Filipino peacekeepers*
By Frances Mangosing

Friday, June 14th, 2013

MANILA, Philippines&#8212;Israel on Friday expressed gratitude to the Filipino peacekeepers &#8220;for their courage&#8221; and determination to keep peace in the volatile Golan Heights.

&#8220;The government of Israel, through its Embassy in Manila, sincerely thanks the brave men and women of the Philippine Army for their courage and adherence to the goals of peace and security,&#8221; the Israeli Embassy in Manila posted in its Facebook account.

The embassy tagged the Filipino soldiers as &#8220;world class.&#8221;

The 341 Filipino members of the United Nations Disengagement Force now comprise the biggest contingent in the Golan Heights after Austria began pulling out its 377 troops amid intense fighting between Syrian troops and rebels.

&#8220;The continued contribution and deployment of the Filipino contingency is an asset to international society as we highly respect the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Force. The Filipino soldier is, indeed, world-class,&#8221; the embassy said.

Manila has been considering to bring the Filipino troops home soon, after some were briefly kidnapped by Syrian rebels in recent months.

On Tuesday, President Benigno Aquino urged the United Nations to provide more security to its depleted peacekeeping force so the Filipino contingent could stay.

Aquino said the peacekeepers&#8217; situation had become more tenuous by the day, after one Filipino peacekeeper was wounded last week by wayward mortar fire amid a fight between Syrian troops and rebels.

Austria started to pull out its peacekeepers from the UN mission on Wednesday due to the worsening security situation in the region. Austria peacekeepers take up about one-third of the UN mission.

When Austria completes the pull out, there will be only 534 peacekeepers left, 341 of which are from the Philippines.
Only contingents from India and Philippines have remained after Canada, Japan and Croatia and Austria as the most recent, decided to quit the peacekeeping mission.

The peacekeepers are part of the UN Disengagement Observer Force. They monitor the buffer zone between Syria and Israel.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a report to the UN Security Council on Wednesday, said that self defense capabilities of the UN peacekeeping mission in the area must be enhanced, and also proposed to increase the force strength of the UN mission to about 1,250 troops. With Agence France-Presse


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## Fsjal

kbd-raaf said:


> Were you born stupid or did your parents drop your on your head?
> 
> Are soldiers some sort of superhumans?
> 
> The fact that they placed within half a second of the national teams of both China and Indonesia while considering that this isn't their primary occupation is amazing for ANY sport.



Military World Games - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Heard of that. Looks like you're born stupid.

Anyway, where is India in this list. Where is your army athletes?


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## Malaya

*Philippines welcomes US Senate move on China dispute*

by Jojo Malig, ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 06/14/2013

MANILA - The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday welcomed US senators' condemnation of China's use of threats and force in the Asia-Pacific.

The DFA, in a press statement, thanked US Senator Robert Menendez, Senator Benjamin Cardin, Senator Marco Rubio, and Senator Bob Corker, in filing Senate Resolution 167 that reaffirms Washington's support for the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes in the region.

"We understand that the Resolution has yet to undergo the necessary congressional process before it is passed by the U.S. Senate, nonetheless, we extend our appreciation on the mere fact that some U.S. Senators have deemed it necessary to express their views on a fundamental issue that affects the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region," the DFA said.

"The Philippines especially appreciates the reaffirmation of the peaceful resolution of disputes, including through arbitration; its condemnation of the use of threat or use of force; its recognition of the significance of the role of ASEAN and of the code of conduct; and its support for the ongoing and deepening efforts of the U.S. in the region relating to ensuring freedom of navigation, maintenance of peace and stability, and respect for universally recognized principles of international law," it added.

US Senate Resolution 167, which was filed on Monday, has been referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

It cited many dangerous incidents involving Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea and the East China Sea.

These include Chinese vessels cutting the seismic survey cables of a Vietnamese oil exploration ship in May 2011; Chinese vessels barricading the entrance to the Scarborough Reef lagoon in April 2012; China issuing an official map that defines its contested "9-dash line'' as China's national border; and, since May 8, 2013, Chinese naval and marine surveillance ships maintaining a regular presence in waters around the Second Thomas Shoal, located approximately 105 nautical miles northwest of Palawan.

It also cited a Department of State spokesperson expressing concern in 2012 over China's upgrading of the administrative level of Sansha City in the West Philippine Sea and the establishment of a new military garrison in the contested area.

The resolution added that in January 2013, a Chinese naval ship allegedly fixed its weapons-targeting radar on Japanese vessels near the Senkaku islands, and on April 23, 2013, 8 Chinese marine surveillance ships entered the 12-nautical-mile territorial zone off the Senkaku Islands, further escalating regional tensions.

The senators said Beijing recently took other unilateral steps, including declaring the Senkaku Islands a "core interest", "improperly drawing'' baselines around the Senkaku Islands, and maintaining a military presence around the islands that are under control by Japan.

The resolution is asking the US Senate to condemn "the use of coercion, threats, or force by naval, maritime security, or fishing vessels and military or civilian aircraft in the South China Sea and the East China Sea to assert disputed maritime or territorial claims or alter the status quo."

It urged all parties in the disputed areas to exercise self-restraint to prevent any acts that would escalate tensions.

Philippines welcomes US Senate move on China dispute | ABS-CBN News

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## Malaya

*Philippines&#8217;s shift to external defense seen*
Saturday, 15 June 2013 

HE Philippines has experienced a number of territorial issues over the last several years. Most of these issues have involved China intruding into territorial waters, and in some regard have resulted in the loss, if not invasion, of Philippine sovereign territories such as the Scarborough Shoal off Zambales.

In the last six months, those issues have further extended to other neighbors such as Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Effectively, the Philippines has no naval or air forces to impede or deny access to its territorial waters, thereby the only recourse has been through diplomatic means, which have yielded very little results.

Over the last several decades, the Philippines has focused on internal security operations (ISO) and has relied on its Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States to tend to its external defenses.

However, given the new global climate wherein the United States has shifted focus to Asia, US alignment has broadened to several other nations, including those involved in current territorial 
issues with the Philippines.

This, coupled with the current US financial crisis, has caused the Philippines&#8217;s historical treaty partner to step back and away from Philippine territorial issues.

As a result, the reliance on the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States has effectively resulted in the loss of external defenses for the Philippines at a period in history where it is needed most.

The current direction of modernization was conceptualized under different circumstances, limited understanding and obvious misconceptions.

During those times, it was a widely held belief that the United States would continue to support external defense through the US Navy (USN) and aid in modernizing the Philippine Navy (PN) and Air Force (PAF).

However, recent history has shown that Philippine expectations on the political will of the US to support the Philippines&#8217;s military modernization plans have been gravely misconceived.

The 1960s era retired Hamilton-class US Coast Guard cutters supplied to the PN clearly demonstrates this misconception. Expected to be a modern combat vessel, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, the fist to be delivered, showed a number of flaws, to include improper ballast system, lack of spare parts, need for restoration and insufficient power generation. Furthermore, the electronics equipment and weapons systems were completely removed and replaced with an antiquated 76mm gun and no longer state-of-the-art fire control systems.

In the case of the PAF, its attempt to obtain the F-16 multirole fighters would have been the next and most appropriate evolution from their F-5 fighters decommissioned in 2005.

Evolution to the F-16 has been the case for many other nations worldwide with full support from the US.

However, in the recent global climate, the political will of the US to support its allies directly in conflict with China have diminished. For the PAF, the supply of F-16 fighters were negated owing to the official US position that maintenance costs were found to be excessive for the Philippines. Although this point could be argued, the larger perspective shows Taiwan also being denied the purchase of F-16 fighters during the same time period. Taiwan already has an F-16 fleet, so some other political issue was used to prevent supply of the fighter plane to Taiwan.

In a broader perspective, other Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries have purchased missiles from the US for their aircraft, but the US has withheld the deliveries, storing them instead in US facilities until the US government determines an appropriate time for their release.

With that, one must consider how a sovereign nation can purchase articles for its own national defense, and yet be at the mercy of another nation&#8217;s discretion as to when and if they can use them.

Recent history has demonstrated that the original concept for Philippine military modernization with regards to external defense has been flawed, simply because of a lack of consideration to the changing environment and a misconception of support from the US. This direction would further degrade the sovereignty of the Philippines and allow continued unimpeded access by other countries to its sovereign territories.
*
Foundation for territorial defense concepts*

EXTERNAL defense has traditionally been a concept of preventing invading forces from reaching Philippine soil. However, a new outlook toward Territorial Defense must be taken in order to defend Philippine resources at sea and understand the need to properly modernize and prepare the PN and PAF for combat readiness to defend the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

For an archipelago such as the Philippines, traditional thinking requires massive naval forces to defend its seas and littoral areas. However, military and political history has shown that an arms race, such as that of the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, can be won on the financial front, and not necessarily on the front lines.

Furthermore, conventional warfare can be extremely expensive when an opponent follows a more unconventional, guerrilla doctrine as shown in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Spearheaded by the special operations community, an evolution in warfare has developed into a cost-effective unconventional doctrine that focuses on having greater situational awareness and conducting more precise and effective use of forces.

Learning from these new doctrines, the Philippines can benefit from many of the advantages to include efficient use of resources, rapid employment of new technologies and increased operational readiness

In Photo: Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin (center), Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Lauro Catalino de la Cruz (right) and Sweden&#8217;s SAAB Vice President Kaj Rosander in a huddle during the &#8220;Air Power&#8221; symposium on Thursday held at the SMX building at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City. (Zaff Solmerin)

BusinessMirror - Philippines?s shift to external defense seen

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## kbd-raaf

Fsjal said:


> Military World Games - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> Heard of that. Looks like you're born stupid.
> 
> Anyway, where is India in this list. Where is your army athletes?



And do you think, those military athletes would ever be able to compete with professional athletes?

a) I'm an Australian, not Indian.

b) Any competition that has North Korea beating most of the world is clearly utter tripe.

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## Zero_wing

kbd-raaf said:


> Were you born stupid or did your parents drop your on your head?
> 
> Are soldiers some sort of superhumans?
> 
> The fact that they placed within half a second of the national teams of both China and Indonesia while considering that this isn't their primary occupation is amazing for ANY sport.



Hahaha viva pantalones you suck hard boy! see


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## Fsjal

Type 056 sinking the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar 

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/707/056magazinecover.jpg/


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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> Type 056 sinking the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar
> 
> ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting



Nice pick then we can see next is that BRP Ramon Alcaraz sinking it along with the allied fleet and sicking the whole of china's poorly made cheap copies as artificial coral reefs and china being kick out of International community and excommunicated to do business and people all around the world will cheer because no one will steal from them from ideas to resources and Americans and Filipinos can have their jobs back in the end who is the real losers?


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## Malaya

*PHL seeks to expand trade with Hungary*







The Philippines is looking to expand its trading with Hungary, which, according to the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), is "focusing in the Southeast Asian region."

In a statement Friday, the PCCI said Hungary is planning to open a trade office in the Philippines as proof of confidence in the country's economic status.

"(Hungary) is focusing in the Southeast Asian region and the Philippines in particular is an attractive destination for Hungarian investors due to its sound business practices," the PCCI said.

PCCI met with the Special Envoy of Hungary to the Philippines Attila Kalimet "to discuss how to enhance trade and economic relations" between the two countries.

The Philippines exports to Hungary electronic microassemblies, parts and accessories of machines, measuring and checking instruments, appliances and machines, transmission apparatus, parts of motor vehicles.

Imports from Hungary, meanwhile, include transmission apparatus, materials for the manufacture of electrical and electronic machinery, parts and accessories of the automatic data processing machines, materials for the manufacture of semiconductor devices and rodenticides, antibiotics, medicaments.

PCCI recently held a forum to share business interests and trade opportunities from both countries.

Data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) show Hungary is the 40th largest trading partner of the Philippines with total bilateral trade of around $156.49 million.

PCCI said it is working with the Hungarian Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia "to conduct networking activities between Filipino and Hungarian businessmen." &#8212; KBK, GMA News


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## Malaya

*Manila to become one of world's new aviation megacities by 2021--Airbus*
By: Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
June 17, 2013






MANILA - Airbus is now considering the Philippines as one of the key markets in the Asia Pacific region as it is set to host one of the world's aviation megacities in eight years.

"For sure in Asia Pacific generally we see the largest growth. It's a huge market growth for the future," Simon Azar, senior analyst of Airbus Twin Aisle marketing division, said.

"The middle population is able to travel more and that's [a] substantial market for the airline, including the Philippines. That's why you can see a lot of growth in the Philippines in the coming years," Azar added.

The number of domestic passengers in the Philippines rose by 9.6 percent to 20.56 million last year from 18.77 million in 2011. While international passengers rose by 6.8 to 16.74 million in 2012 from 15.67 million the year before.

Alizee Genilloud, Airbus media relations manager for Southeast Asia and Japan, said the Philippines will become one of the eight new aviation megacities worldwide by 2021, with more than 10,000 daily long-haul passengers.

She also said that passenger traffic growth is strongest in Asia, adding that over 600 Airbus aircraft are expected to be delivered this year: 24 percent of which would be sent to Asia Pacific; 14 percent to Europe, 13 percent to China; and 9 percent to North America.

Data from Airbus showed that Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (PAL) have placed orders of 171 aircraft, 60 of which had been delivered.

Sean Lee, Airbus communications director for Asia, said he expects to deliver these remaining 111 aircraft "in the coming years."

Cebu Pacific had ordered 71 Airbus while rival PAL expects 100.

Since Airbus was founded in 1979, the French aircraft manufacturer delivered 7,800 aircraft out of the 12,800 orders.

Manila to become one of world's new aviation megacities by 2021--Airbus - InterAksyon.com


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## Malaya

*PHL Navy welcomes Indian Navy officers*






*The Philippine Navy (PN) welcomes the Indian Navy (IN) ships at South Harbor, Manila, as they arrived for a five-day goodwill visit from June 12-16. Under the command of Rear Admiral Ajit Kumar, are the INS Saptura, a Shivalik-class stealth multi-role frigate, INS Shakti (A57), a Deepak-class fleet tanker, INS Ranvijay (D55), a Rajput class destroyer, and INS Kirch (P62), a Kora class corvette. NPAO*

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## Malaya

*Taiwan, Philippines to have another fishing meeting next month: official
*
Staff writer, with CNA
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 

Taiwan and the Philippines are expected to hold another meeting early next month to continue negotiating on fishing operations in the overlapping waters of their exclusive economic zones, an official said yesterday.

The second preparatory meeting &#8212; to pave the way for fishery talks between the two countries &#8212; is set to take place in Taipei, said Benjamin Ho (&#20309;&#30331;&#29004, director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs&#8217; Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Issues on the agenda are to include establishing regulations on fishing order and defining the areas in which fishermen can operate, Ho said, adding that the meeting would be attended by officials from the two countries&#8217; fishery, foreign affairs and maritime patrol agencies.

&#8220;Our goal is to sign a fishery agreement with the Philippines,&#8217; he said. &#8220;We will continue to negotiate with the Philippines [on that issue].&#8221;

Ho also cited as an example the Taiwan-Japan fishing pact signed in April on fishing rights in disputed waters in the East China Sea. The agreement designates an area in overlapping waters in which fishermen from both sides can operate freely.

A fishery agreement will help prevent a recurrence of the shooting of 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-cheng (&#27946;&#30707;&#25104 by Philippine Coast Guard personnel on May 9, when his Taiwanese fishing boat was operating in the overlapping exclusive economic zones of the two countries, the ministry said.

Asked about the investigations into the shooting, Ho said that Taiwan and the Philippines have completed their own reports on the incident.

Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (&#26519;&#27704;&#27138 said the reports are expected to be released &#8220;soon.&#8221;

In an effort to pave the way for bilateral fishery talks, officials from Taiwan and the Philippines held their first preparatory meeting on Friday in Manila, during which the two sides reached consensus on four points, including no use of force or violence in policing their fishing grounds.

Both sides also signed the minutes of Friday&#8217;s meeting, which the ministry said makes it an official document that is legally binding. Participants in the meeting agreed to jointly work out a mechanism for cooperating on law enforcement in overlapping waters of the two countries&#8217; exclusive economic zones, the ministry said.

According to the minutes, the proposed mechanism will enable each side to notify the other in the event of fishery incidents and ensure that there is no use of force and violence.

The mechanism will also facilitate notification about incidents involving chases, boarding and inspections of each other&#8217;s fishing boats or the arrest and detention of each other&#8217;s fishermen.


In the wake of the May 9 incident, Taiwan demanded that the Philippines issue a formal apology, compensate Hung&#8217;s family, punish those responsible for his death and begin fishery talks to prevent any similar incidents.

Friday&#8217;s meeting was the first consultation on cooperation since the shooting and could be seen as a goodwill response from Manila on Taiwan&#8217;s demand for fishery talks.


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## Malaya

*Philippines welcomes improved global peace rating*
*Country shows a 6-notch improvement*

Manila: The presidential palace has welcomed a report showing the Philippines&#8217; improving standing in the Global Peace Index, proving the country&#8217;s peace and security concerns are being addressed.

&#8220;We&#8217;ve been taking concrete steps to address peace-related issues that have been confronting the administration,&#8221; deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told a government radio station.

&#8220;Moving forward of course, this does not mean that our quest for peace will stop because our ranking in the peace index improved,&#8221; she said.

Based on the Global Peace Index 2013, released this week by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the Philippines&#8217; ranking improved slightly according to the report, which also pointed out that the country was still among the &#8220;least peaceful&#8221; in the world and the Asia Pacific.

According to the GPI, the Philippines was placed 129th among 162 countries surveyed, showing a six-notch improvement over its ranking of 133 in 2012 and 135 a year before that.

GPI said it saw improved prospects for peace between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front following the signing of a framework deal last year for a potential peace agreement.

However, despite an improvement in its GPI standing, the Philippines remained &#8220;among the least peaceful countries in Asia Pacific,&#8221; alongside Thailand and Myanmar. Both Southeast Asian countries confront domestic civil conflict. Iceland was the most peaceful country based on the GPI ranking. This is largely because of Iceland&#8217;s political stability, low homicide rate and small prison population.

The other countries at the top of the index include Denmark, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, Finland, Canada, Sweden and Belgium.

Philippines welcomes improved global peace rating | GulfNews.com


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## Malaya

*Onodera to visit Philippines, Hawaii to discuss China containment steps*
KYODO
JUN 16, 2013







In a bid to keep China in check, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera is making final arrangements to visit the Philippines and Hawaii from later this month, a government source said.

During his trip to Manila from June 26 and Hawaii on July 1, Onodera will stress the need to ensure maritime safety based on the rule of law amid China&#8217;s growing assertiveness in the East and South China seas, the source said.

In Manila, Onodera plans to discuss with Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin the current tensions in the region and to work out a coordinated response toward China, the source said.

In Hawaii, the defense minister will reconfirm that the Japan-administered but China-claimed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea fall under the scope of the bilateral security treaty with the U.S., which requires American forces to defend Japan in the event of an armed attack.

Onodera is also set to meet with Adm. Samuel Locklear, head of U.S. Pacific Command, to discuss whether the two sides&#8217; missile defense system is sufficient to deal with North Korea, given the recent progress of its missile and nuclear development programs.

Ahead of the July 4 start of the Upper House election campaign, the government hopes to use Onodera&#8217;s trip to assure conservatives at home that it is maintaining a hard-line stance on security issues, political analysts said.

Tokyo and Beijing remain at odds over the ownership of the Senkakus, known in China as Diaoyu. Japan denies the existence of any sovereignty dispute, arguing the islets are an inherent part of its territory in terms of history and international law.

China is also involved in a dispute with the Philippines and several other Southeast Asian nations over the sovereignty of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Both Tokyo and Manila have protested repeated incursions by Chinese vessels in their respective territorial waters near the Senkakus and the Spratlys.

Since taking office in December, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has looked to bolster Japan&#8217;s defense ties with Southeast Asian nations, and top Self-Defense Forces officials already have been dispatched to Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, among other destinations.

Onodera to visit Philippines, Hawaii to discuss China containment steps | The Japan Times


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## Malaya

*Phl companies eye investment opportunities in Iraq*
By Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star) | June 17, 2013






MANILA, Philippines - Philippine companies are looking at opportunities for trade and investments in Iraq.

The Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) said yesterday Iraq is shaping up to be a promising export destination and a potential joint-venture partner for Philippine enterprises.

&#8220;Iraq is a place being considered for exports,&#8221; Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said in a telephone interview.

&#8220;Iraq has expressed interest in importing raw and finished products from the Philippines, including electronics, auto parts, polypropylene granules, furniture, processed foods, fresh and frozen agricultural products, garments, raw and refined sugar, vegetable oil, coconut oil, dairy products, baby milk formulas, tobacco leaves, and yellow corn,&#8221; the Philexport said.

It said Iraq is seeking technical assistance as well as partners for the production of fertilizers, petrochemicals, cigarettes, sugar, automobile tires, raw rubber, and cement.

The Philexport said there are opportunities available for Philippine service companies that intend to tap the Iraqi market.

&#8220;The nation needs providers of training courses in strategic planning, data gathering, and preparing statistical reports,&#8221; it said.

The group added there are exploratory talks on opening a commercial center in Baghdad to showcase Philippine products. 

Phl companies eye investment opportunities in Iraq | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Fsjal

Zero_wing said:


> Nice pick then we can see next is that BRP Ramon Alcaraz sinking it along with the allied fleet and sicking the whole of china's poorly made cheap copies as artificial coral reefs and china being kick out of International community and excommunicated to do business and people all around the world will cheer because no one will steal from them from ideas to resources and Americans and Filipinos can have their jobs back in the end who is the real losers?



Wow, how low is your IQ?

The Ramon Alcaraz is a floating garbage. Where is that floating junk?

Last time I check, the Phil Navy still does not have it.

Anyway, it has no stealth feature, and the Type 056 could easily sink it.

China could just send a Type 054A frigate or Type 052C destroyer to wipe out the Phil Navy.




Type 054A launches HQ-16 SAM to sink any Philippine flying junk




Type 052C sets sail to wipe out the Phil Navy

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## ManilaBoy45

Philippines to Acquire Israeli Missiles 

Rafaei and Israel Military Industries in Negotiations with the AFP

16/6/2013

In the wake of the increased tension with China over a territorial dispute in the western Philippine Sea, the Philippine newspaper Manila Standard is reporting the Philippine government is planning to procure guided antiaircraft systems from Israel.

According to the newspaper, the missiles and launch systems that are being considered are produced by Rafael and Israel Military Industries (IMI), and Philippine Secretary of Defense Voltaire Gazmin is expected to arrive in Israel this week in order to close the details of the deal. The Philippine source who conveyed the information to the newspaper claimed that once an agreement has been concluded, the systems could reach the state within three to six months.

Efforts are underway in the Philippines to upgrade the state's military capabilities, which includes the procurement of new aircraft and naval vessels, and the state intends to procure additional measures and products in the framework of government-to-government deals.


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## Fsjal

Philippines is still years behind from becoming a regional power.

Instead, Philippines is the lapdog of US. 

Anyway, two junk frigates, a small number of trainer jets and a couple of missiles is not enough.

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## Apothecary

Fsjal said:


> Philippines is still years behind from becoming a regional power.
> 
> Instead, Philippines is the lapdog of US.
> 
> Anyway, two junk frigates, a small number of trainer jets and a couple of missiles is not enough.



Just leave this thread. This thread is about the philippine news update and not your brainwashed PRC trashtalk horseshit.

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## Fsjal

Apothecary said:


> Just leave this thread. This thread is about the philippine news update and not your brainwashed PRC trashtalk horseshit.



I will if only your countrymen stop talking crap about China.

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## Apothecary

Fsjal said:


> I will if only your countrymen stop talking crap about China.



So basically you're venting off your shittalk in this thread about philippine news update because of one person named zero_wing? lrn2ignore


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## Zero_wing

Apothecary said:


> So basically you're venting off your shittalk in this thread about philippine news update because of one person named zero_wing? lrn2ignore



Kabayan gago yan wala alam yan kung hindi maggago hayaan mo na basta puro magandang balita para sa pinas nandito let it go


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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> I will if only your countrymen stop talking crap about China.



Well if your country start being a civilized country and stop pretending just like you were once pretending to be filipino nothing well be said but you like you trollface warmonger racist jerk off countrymen continue to agitate everyone with your this all china and chinese are better than everyone crap. that's why you people are rich but stupid ignorant and bigot and lacking any thing human heck you even kill millions of your own for political reasons while we maybe smaller but we stop a dictator with just will of force and courage at time you guys were running people over with tanks at less we never killed millions of our own and claim all for ourselves so put that in your pipe and smoke it b@tich



Fsjal said:


> Philippines is still years behind from becoming a regional power.
> 
> Instead, Philippines is the lapdog of US.
> 
> Anyway, two junk frigates, a small number of trainer jets and a couple of missiles is not enough.



It think you forgot that Alcaraz is armed with missiles and the trainer jet will be replace soon and if its true why is the US made it clear they will only help us if you attack us and not even say anything about the issue typical chinese nonsense b.s again wih S and M thing i told you trolls this is a military forum please keep your sexual fantasies master and slave thing to yourselves


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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> Wow, how low is your IQ?
> 
> The Ramon Alcaraz is a floating garbage. Where is that floating junk?
> 
> Last time I check, the Phil Navy still does not have it.
> 
> Anyway, it has no stealth feature, and the Type 056 could easily sink it.
> 
> China could just send a Type 054A frigate or Type 052C destroyer to wipe out the Phil Navy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Type 054A launches HQ-16 SAM to sink any Philippine flying junk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Type 052C sets sail to wipe out the Phil Navy



I think you forgot our MDT with the states and with other coountries so try to do so and with the next 48 hrs the whole chinese navy will be in the bottom of the sea sure wipe out the PN no problem go ahead be my gust but you forgot that if you attack us it will be the end of china as nation International condemnation for one attacking a peaceful country following international law which china for being a bully and coward has refuse while the case is being discus at ITCLOS not even your one vote can save from that i mean you got a lot of countries you people just angered not just us and the fear of all of the neighbors will be proven right the funny thing is your just too stupid to see why your leaders can't attack us its not just 7th fleet but everything your moderate leaders have work hard for will be gone with in that 48hrs of attack so please do so you be dinging your own graves. As we say here malalagas lang kami pero patay na man kayo sa resback ng tropa (we just get hurt but you be dead soon because we got back up)


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## p3avi8tor69

Zero_wing said:


> Well if your country start being a civilized country and stop pretending just like you were once pretending to be filipino nothing well be said but you like you trollface warmonger racist jerk off countrymen continue to agitate everyone with your this all china and chinese are better than everyone crap. that's why you people are rich but stupid ignorant and bigot and lacking any thing human heck you even kill millions of your own for political reasons while we maybe smaller but we stop a dictator with just will of force and courage at time you guys were running people over with tanks at less we never killed millions of our own and claim all for ourselves so put that in your pipe and smoke it b@tich
> 
> 
> 
> It think you forgot that Alcaraz is armed with missiles and the trainer jet will be replace soon and if its true why is the US made it clear they will only help us if you attack us and not even say anything about the issue typical chinese nonsense b.s again wih S and M thing i told you trolls this is a military forum please keep your sexual fantasies master and slave thing to yourselves



You fool, that rust bucket does not have any missiles. Prove me wrong. As usual you misrepresent facts. Your navy is either so corrupt or so incompetent that your top brass did Not even know that 45 year old rust bucket was missing an engine. That s right your commanding officers were so clueless that they had to send another inspection team nearly a year after receiving the ship to inventory items aboard the ship. Geez you are so clueless like your own government that a foreigner knows more about your affairs.

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## sdjd2013

Let them feel good about themselves. They have no inkling about world affairs. They don't know that neighboring countries are courting them for their pathetic military budget - $1.5 billion over 5 years? how much can you build with that puny amount? I think Oprah Weinfry makes more in a year. As for MDT, it will be activated only to the extent your allies are willing to sacrifice their economies and precious resources (especially human) for your sorry *** country.

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## Zero_wing

sdjd2013 said:


> Let them feel good about themselves. They have no inkling about world affairs. They don't know that neighboring countries are courting them for their pathetic military budget - $1.5 billion over 5 years? how much can you build with that puny amount? I think Oprah Weinfry makes more in a year. As for MDT, it will be activated only to the extent your allies are willing to sacrifice their economies and precious resources (especially human) for your sorry *** country.



Well lets see you chinese are just like that because people don't like you that much in fact your one of the major headaches in the region so if insult is the only thing making you feel good about yourselves insult away then


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## Zero_wing

p3avi8tor69 said:


> You fool, that rust bucket does not have any missiles. Prove me wrong. As usual you misrepresent facts. Your navy is either so corrupt or so incompetent that your top brass did Not even know that 45 year old rust bucket was missing an engine. That s right your commanding officers were so clueless that they had to send another inspection team nearly a year after receiving the ship to inventory items aboard the ship. Geez you are so clueless like your own government that a foreigner knows more about your affairs.



Oh please you and your agitation rants admiral general as usual if you get teabag in COD black ops you take out on me and the Filipinos its not my fault you suck playing first person shooters and war games in general just find a cheat code oh wait can't do that in PVP then just improve your skills then why take it out on us


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## p3avi8tor69

Zero_wing said:


> Oh please you and your agitation rants admiral general as usual if you get teabag in COD black ops you take out on me and the Filipinos its not my fault you suck playing first person shooters and war games in general just find a cheat code oh wait can't do that in PVP then just improve your skills then why take it out on us



As usual you cannot refute the facts and your response is as usual. Lame. You keep talking about COD which only proves that you do nothing but play video games. You are lame kid. Try harder and try using facts to counter.

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## Malaya

*PH becomes 26th G8 Global Partnership member*

ABS-CBNnews.com
06/18/2013

MANILA  The Philippines has become the latest member of a group of countries seeking to end the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

The US Department of State said the Philippines is the 26th country to join the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (GP), a subsidiary body of the Group of 8 (G8).

The State Department said the entrance of the Philippines "marks an important expansion of Southeast Asian representation in the GP."

The GP addresses nuclear and radiological security, biosecurity, chemical security, and scientist engagement, as well as facilitates the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 through cooperative projects.

The GP, established following the September 11 attacks in 2001, began at the 2002 Kananaskis G8 Summit as a 10-year, $20 billion initiative to prevent terrorists or states that support them from acquiring or developing WMD.

The G8, in its 2011 Deauville Summit, agreed to extend the GP beyond 2012.

Since its establishment, the GP has allocated more than $21 billion world-wide to enhance WMD security to include locking down vulnerable weapons and materials, destroying Russian nuclear submarines and chemical weapons, export controls, and engaging with scientists and other technical experts with knowledge and experience dealing with these items.

PH becomes 26th G8 Global Partnership member | ABS-CBN News


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## Malaya

*Phl, China stand firm on territorial claims*
By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) | Updated June 19, 2013 







MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and China are standing firm on their respective positions on maritime territorial disputes but are committed to keeping peace in the region and improving bilateral relations.

This was stressed by delegates of the two countries to the 19th Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC) in Beijing held last June 14.

In the meeting, Philippine and Chinese representatives discussed developments in bilateral relations between the two countries, and how they could further strengthen cooperation in trade, defense and security, socio-cultural and people-to-people exchanges, among others.

The officials also witnessed the Exchange of Instruments of Ratification of the Philippines-China Consular Agreement. This clarifies procedures and defines time frames to better protect and provide assistance to Filipino and Chinese nationals in each other&#8217;s country.

Foreign Affairs Under-secretary for policy Evan Garcia and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin led the Philippine and Chinese delegations, respectively.

The foreign ministry consultations were followed by a courtesy call by the Philippine delegation, led by Garcia, on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

In the same event, the two sides stressed the need to promote mutual trust as well as cooperation in achieving goals beneficial to both countries.

Manila also strongly asked China to refrain from dictating what actions the Philippines can exercise within its own maritime domain.

Last month, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the rotation as well as positioning of soldiers in disputed areas held by the Philippines - particularly in Ayungin Shoal - should not be questioned by China because such moves were part of Manila&#8217;s sovereign and humanitarian duties.

The DFA issued the statement following Chinese ambassador Ma Keqing&#8217;s raising concerns before Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin over Manila&#8217;s setting up of structures in Ayungin Shoal.

*&#8220;The Philippines exercises jurisdiction and sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf (CS) in the West Philippine Sea and has all the right to undertake lawful activities within its maritime domain without any interference or objection by any other state,&#8221; *DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said.

*&#8220;China is not in a position to dictate on what the Philippines can do within its maritime domain,&#8221; *Hernandez said. The DFA also urged China to withdraw and leave the Philippines EEZ and continental shelf.

Phl, China stand firm on territorial claims | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*Thai foreign minister to visit PHL, meet with DFA chief*

Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul will be in the Philippines for a two-day official visit this week, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday.

Surapong will pay a courtesy call on President Benigno Aquino III and will meet with Philippine counterpart Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario.

The two ministers will be co-chairing the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation on June 20 to 21 where both countries will discuss issues on law enforcement, defense, energy, education, and technical cooperation.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said agreements on taxation and establishment of an energy forum between the Philippines and Thailand will be signed during the meeting.

Manila and Bangkok first held the JCBC in March 24, 1992. &#8212; Michaela del Callar/BM, GMA News

Thai foreign minister to visit PHL, meet with DFA chief | News | GMA News Online


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## Malaya

*U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus Arrives for Official Visit to Philippines*
June 18, 2013

MANILA: U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus will arrive today for a three-day visit to the Philippines where he will conduct official government meetings and visit with U.S. personnel.

Mabus is scheduled to meet with Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines General Emmanuel Bautista, the Flag Officer in Command of the Navy Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano, and other senior U.S. and Philippine government and military officials. Mabus&#8217; visit reflects the importance that the United States holds for the strong and enduring relationship with the Philippines. Mabus is expected to discuss bilateral and multilateral security issues and efforts, maritime security, counter-terrorism efforts, and regional humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.

&#8220;As we rebalance to the Pacific, our alliance with the Philippines has never been more important than it is today,&#8221; said Mabus. &#8220;I look forward to exploring opportunities to work with the Philippine armed forces to build greater maritime capacity and increase security and stability in the region.&#8221;

The Secretary of the Navy conducts all business matters for the two uniformed services that make up the Department of the Navy, the Navy and the Marine Corps. This involves implementing policies and programs to support the national security objectives established by U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Additionally, Mabus oversees the construction and repair of naval ships, aircraft, and facilities. He is responsible for an annual budget in excess of $170 billion and provides leadership for almost 900,000 people.

U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus Arrives for Official Visit to Philippines | The Manila Times Online


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## Malaya

*Phl, US troops to hold drills near Panatag*
By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star) | June 19, 2013 






MANILA, Philippines - Naval forces of the Philippines and the United States are set to conduct joint exercises next week in the waters of Zambales near Panatag Shoal, an area claimed by the Philippines which Chinese ships have occupied.

*&#8220;Next week&#8217;s joint naval exercises will be just 20 nautical miles from Panatag Shoal,&#8221;* a senior security official who declined to be named said.

The Philippine Navy is sending the BRP Gregorio del Pilar along with smaller ships to the joint naval maneuver called Cooperation Afloat Readiness Training or CARAT. Philippine Coast Guard vessels will also join CARAT. The naval exercise is from June 27 to July 2.

The joint exercise will involve amphibious landing as well as humanitarian activities in coastal areas in Northern Luzon.

Panatag Shoal, located just 124 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales, is now under China&#8217;s de facto control. Philippine vessels temporarily abandoned the area supposedly to ease tensions with China after a botched arrest of Chinese poachers. Since the departure of Philippine forces, Chinese gunboats and surveillance vessels have been guarding the shoal round-the-clock to keep Filipino fishermen at bay.

Ahead of the CARAT launching, US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus met yesterday with defense and military officials at Camp Aguinaldo led by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista and Navy chief Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.

The meeting reportedly focused on regional security issues and on Philippine-US defense and military relations, the defense department said. Mabus met with the Philippine officials for nearly an hour.

Mabus, accompanied by US Ambassador Harry Thomas, declined to grant media interview after the meeting.

&#8220;The representatives from the two departments discussed security issues in the Asia-Pacific region, modernization efforts and the US&#8217;s commitment to provide humanitarian assistance in times of disasters and calamities,&#8221; a statement from the Department of National Defense said.

The US embassy, meanwhile, said Mabus&#8217; three-day visit was reflective of the importance the US holds for its strong and enduring relationship with the Philippines.

*&#8220;As we rebalance to the Pacific, our alliance with the Philippines has never been more important than it is today. I look forward to exploring opportunities to work with the Philippine Armed Forces to build greater maritime capacity and increase security and stability in the region,&#8221;* the US embassy quoted Mabus as describing his visit to the country.

Thomas, when asked if the maritime issue with China was discussed or if the US is ready to aid the Philippines in a confrontation with China, said he does not comment on &#8220;hypothetical&#8221; scenarios.

*&#8220;We want to ensure freedom of navigation, no economic coercion and these sea lanes are open and it is important for all of us that that we need to adhere to the code of conduct,&#8221;* he said.

&#8220;We discussed these things on the table. As we have said, we always stand by our treaty commitment. The question is hypothetical and I think nobody wants to go to war. We want peace,&#8221; Thomas said.

Phl, US troops to hold drills near Panatag | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*2013 PHL output to exceed 7% &#8212; NEDA's Balisacan*
SIEGFRID O. ALEGADO, GMA News
June 19, 2013 






The Aquino administration is confident the economy could breach its growth goal for the year, banking on a strong services sector and a likely uptick in manufacturing and consumption, the Philippine economic chief said Wednesday. 

"It would be better than the targeted 6 to 7 percent," Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan told reporters at the sidelines of the Global Development Network conference at the Asian Development Bank headquarters, referring to the 2013 gross domestic product (GDP). 

Balisacan, who is also NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) director general, said the services sector will stay robust and buoyed by tourism and business process outsourcing and industries. 

"Continued growth" in private and public construction and manufacturing expansion will also support output for this year, he added.

Economic growth in the second quarter is "going to be good" as economic fundamentals remain intact, the economic chief said. 

In March to June, the threats to growth may stem from a lag in agriculture due to typhoons and monsoon rains. 

"A lag in one quarter will be a growth in the other,&#8221; Balisacan, however, said. &#8220;So, gains will even out," he added.

The economy grew by 7.8 percent in the first quarter, the fastest in Asia, on consumer and government spending as well as higher investments in construction and durable equipment, National Statistical Coordination Board data showed. &#8212; VS, GMA News

2013 PHL output to exceed 7% &mdash; NEDA's Balisacan | Economy | GMA News Online


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## Malaya

*'PH economy strong enough to withstand shocks'*
Reuters
06/19/2013 






MANILA - The broad sell-off in Asian emerging markets is unlikely to destabilize the Philippine economy, with growth expected to stay robust on the back of strong domestic consumption, Economic Planning Chief Arsenio Balisacan said on Wednesday.

Balisacan also said "it is possible" that full-year growth would exceed the government's 6 to 7 percent target after stronger-than-expected growth in gross domestic product (GDP) of 7.8 percent in the first quarter.

*"I don't expect it to have a destabilizing effect on the economy because our growth as you can see is driven more by domestic demand,"* Balisacan told reporters referring to the current market rout.

*"We are not that sensitive to the shocks,"* he added.

The country's main stock index was down 0.5 percent at 0311 GMT, extending its losses to more than 12 percent since mid-May, on fears that foreign investors will continue to sell out of emerging markets.

The peso was trading weaker at 43.18 to the dollar by 0313 GMT versus the previous day's close of 43.12.

'PH economy strong enough to withstand shocks' | ABS-CBN News


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## Malaya

*Phl, Thailand sign agreements to boost ties*
By Aurea Calica and Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) | Updated June 22, 2013






MANILA, Philippines - Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul paid a courtesy call on President Aquino and signed three agreements aimed at strengthening relations and cooperation between the Philippines and Thailand.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario joined the President in welcoming Tovichakchaikul and other Thai officials during a simple ceremony held at the Music Room of Malacañang Thursday afternoon.

Yesterday, Tovichakchaikul and Del Rosario spearheaded the signing of agreements that aimed to strengthen the cordial relations and cooperation between the two ASEAN countries.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the agreements signed were the Convention between the Philippines and Thailand for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, the Joint Statement for the Establishment of an Energy Forum, and the Memorandum of Understanding on the Cooperation between Thailand-Philippines and the Philippines-Thailand Business Councils.

The agreement on taxation and income would facilitate economic activities between the Philippines and Thailand, while the joint statement for the establishment of an energy forum would advance cooperation in the energy sector. 

Meanwhile, the MOU on the development of cooperation between the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking would promote cooperation and develop collaboration on trade and investment between Philippine and Thai companies.

Tovichakchaikul and Del Rosario also presided yesterday over the 5th Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation. The JCBC is a mechanism established by the Philippines and Thailand in March 1992 to facilitate cooperation and consultation between the two countries on a wide range of issues and bilateral and regional concerns.

This was preceded on Thursday by the JCBC Senior Officials&#8217; Meeting, which was co-chaired by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Evan Garcia and Thai Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Sihasak Phuangketkeow. 

The two sides provided updates on political and economic developments in the respective countries.

Among the topics discussed were trade and investment, technical cooperation, education, tourism and transportation, law enforcement and legal cooperation, taxation, energy, labor and defense. 

Phl, Thailand sign agreements to boost ties | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*PHILIPPINES SEEKS TO EXPAND TIES WITH JAMAICA*






22 June 2013 - The Philippines is looking forward to strengthening its relations with the Caribbean island-state of Jamaica by opening new doors for increased trade and cooperation.

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr. conveyed President Benigno S. Aquino III&#8217;s strong desire to further improve relations with Jamaica when he formally presented his credentials as Manila&#8217;s non-resident ambassador to Governor General Patrick Allen in ceremonies at the King&#8217;s House in Kingston, Jamaica on Tuesday.

&#8220;The Philippines would like to strengthen its relationship with Jamaica not only by expanding trade but also exploring other areas where our two countries could cooperate,&#8221; Ambassador Cuisia told Governor General Allen.

According to the Ambassador, the Philippines, which is among the top providers of seafarers in the world, would like to enter into an agreement on cooperation in maritime training and manning services to allow it to share its best practices with Jamaica, which is host to as many as 100 Filipino seafarers.

He said Manila would also like to explore the possibility of exporting more Philippine-made products such as furniture to the former British colony as well as deploying Filipino workers in sectors where their skills and expertise may be required.

At present, Jamaica ranks as Manila&#8217;s 125th export destination and 123rd import source with more than $730,000 in exports from January to October 2012. Philippine exports to Jamaica include electrical and electronic machinery, equipment and parts; pineapple juice; and lead acid while imports include rum and tafia; stainless steel waste and scrap; and recovered paper and paperboard waste and scrap.

In his earlier call on Sen. Arnold Nicholson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Ambassador Cuisia thanked Jamaican authorities for accommodating the close to 300 Filipinos who have made the island their second home.

The Ambassador noted that Jamaica is one of the few Caribbean governments that the Philippines has recognized as having adequate labor and social laws that protect the rights of migrant workers.

Ambassador Cuisia said he expects a more robust engagement with Kingston with the promotion of Jamaican businessman Everoy Hugo Chin from Honorary Consul to Honorary Consul General of the Philippines.

The Consulate and later the Consulate General in Kingston was overseen by the Philippine Embassy in Havana until it was closed in 2012. Jamaica and several other Caribbean states were then placed under the consular jurisdiction of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.

According to Honorary Consul General Chin, majority of the Filipinos based in Jamaica are missionaries and seafarers. The rest are administrative and managerial workers, equipment operators, technicians, clerical and related workers, engineers, accountants, chefs, teachers and household service workers.

A former British colony, Jamaica is the fifth largest island in the Caribbean. With a population of 2.8 million, it is the third largest English speaking country in the Americas next to the United States and Canada.

Jamaica was discovered for Spain by Christopher Columbus in 1494 but was seized by the British in 1665. It gained full independence in 1962 but remains part of the British Commonwealth with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state.


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## Malaya

*PHL has best human resource pool in Asia &#8211;Lalonde*

THE Philippines is the easiest place to be in Asia for start-up businesses mainly because of its competent human resources and easy-does-it business environment, Shore Solutions Managing Director Darcy Lalonde said on Thursday.

&#8220;From my perspective, it&#8217;s the people [that makes the Philippines an attractive investment destination]. The human-resource pool is very talented, the English [speaking ability] is great, the attitude is great, the loyalty is good,&#8221; Lalonde told reporters at the sidelines of the Asia CEO Forum in Makati City.

Considered one of the most successful executives and entrepreneurs in Asia given his track record of building large enterprises from scratch after being acquired by larger entities, he said nowhere else in Asia has such high-quality human resources available, with the cost of doing business so affordable.

&#8220;If you were just [a] start-up in the United States, it would definitely cost 10 times what it does cost here,&#8221; he cited for instance. &#8220;To set up here is very quick. If you have the right experts and advisers with you, you can be up and running in 30 to 60 days.&#8221;

With such factors that create a welcoming environment that is conducive for doing business, Lalonde said there is no doubt foreign investments continue to pour in capital to the country over the last few years.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that foreign direct investments constantly registered net inflows, amounting to $1.3 billion in the first three months of 2013.

&#8220;I think the Philippines has historically been very attractive in the last 10 years. Actually, it became less attractive maybe because of the growth of Malaysia and Singapore, and some of the other Southeast Asian group. But right now, we&#8217;re seeing that the Philippines is actually coming back on the map as an investment opportunity,&#8221; he said.

Among the key sectors that will continue to benefit from foreign capital inflows, he said, are business-process outsourcing, tourism, manufacturing, health and wellness.

The Philippines keeps on dominating the voice sector of the BPO, while in the knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), it comes next to India.

&#8220;I think on voice, definitely the Philippines is No. 1. I don&#8217;t think anybody argues that anymore from cultural and resource perspectives. I think on the KPO, there&#8217;s still need to be more work done around that space to get into the higher value services, higher paying jobs and higher opportunities,&#8221; Lalonde said.

Since the real value proposition for the Philippines is the English proficiency of its people with a good accent, which he said is a lot better 10 years ago than today, support for the educational system is highly needed.

&#8220;The government really needs to focus on continuing to give decent levels of education for all people. It is not just the top 20 percent. You need to educate all levels of society,&#8221; he stressed.

Another area that has been benefited by foreign investments in the country is the manufacturing sector which, according to Shore Solutions&#8217; top executive, China dominated for quite some time. But because of the improving labor situation here than it was two decades ago, he said it is now &#8220;shifting a little bit back for the Philippines again.&#8221;

Besides the BPO and manufacturing, Lalonde said tourism, health and wellness, and some other niche industries are also the core competitive sectors of the country that create interesting opportunity for investors.

While the Philippines continues to attract capitals from overseas to come in, he cited that there are still barriers that hinder the entry of foreign investments. These include restrictions to foreign ownership of land and property, plus the high cost of power and rental fees. &#8220;These are hard dynamics to still work with because cost of people is not the issue.&#8221;

In terms of security and political stability, Lalonde suggested that the current administration continue with its programs to foster good governance and to show the world that the Philippines is a safe country from a business perspective.

&#8220;I think sometimes our media and our politicians have to make sure they expound that to the outside world &#8216;coz I get many customers who are almost scared to come to Manila. And I used that analogy that it&#8217;s much scarier to go to some big cities in United States than it is to come to Manila,&#8221; the managing director of Shore Solutions stressed.

He commended the government for carefully managing the currency, interest rates and inflation. He reminded, however, if the exchange rate goes below P40, it would drive away investments.

BusinessMirror - PHL has best human resource pool in Asia ?Lalonde


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## Zero_wing

p3avi8tor69 said:


> As usual you cannot refute the facts and your response is as usual. Lame. You keep talking about COD which only proves that you do nothing but play video games. You are lame kid. Try harder and try using facts to counter.


 
Oh please spare me your stupidity Admiral General now your using what i told you against me? Ha prove something you have nothing else to say i told you kid you know nothing from the first post you ever made here until now so nice try and again tea bagging is not nice but still its your own fault for being a N00b i told you once i told you again real life is not like fast building and rush attacks its takes a lot time money and decision making because millions of lives hangs on the balance. The day you understand that the better so remember COD is nice game with great story but not real ok you can't go back and do it again.


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## Malaya

*Manila plans air, naval bases at Subic with access for U.S., officials say*
Manuel Mogato
Reuters






MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine military has revived plans to build new air and naval bases at Subic Bay, a former U.S. naval base that American forces could use to counter China's creeping presence in the disputed South China Sea, senior navy officials said.

The proposed bases in the Philippines, a close U.S. ally, coincides with a resurgence of U.S. warships, planes and personnel in the region as Washington turns its attention to a newly assertive China and shifts its foreign, economic and security policy towards Asia.

he bases would allow the Philippines to station warships and fighter jets just 124 nautical miles from Scarborough Shoal, a contentious area of the South China Sea now controlled by China after a tense standoff last year.

The Philippine navy, whose resources and battle capabilities are no match for China's growing naval might, has yet to formally present its 10-billion-peso ($230 million) base development plan to President Benigno Aquino.

But senior officials say they believe it has a strong chance of winning approval as Aquino seeks to upgrade the country's decrepit forces.

The Philippine Congress last year approved $1.8 billion for military modernization, with the bulk going to acquisition of ships, aircraft and equipment such as radar. The military had raised the plan in the past, but is now pushing it with more urgency following a series of naval stand-offs with China.

"The chances of this plan taking off under President Aquino are high because his administration has been very supportive in terms of equipment upgrade," said a senior military officer who asked not to be identified.

"The people around him understood our needs and more importantly, what our country is facing at this time."

Subic, a deep-water port sheltered by jungle-clad mountains 80 km (50 miles) north of Manila, has been a special economic zone since U.S. forces were evicted in 1992, ending 94 years of American military presence in the Philippines and shutting the largest U.S. military installation in Southeast Asia.

Since then, American warships and planes have been allowed to visit the Philippines for maintenance and refueling.

U.S. military "rotations" through the Philippines have become more frequent as Beijing grows more assertive in the South China Sea, a vast expanse of mineral-rich waters and vital sea lanes claimed entirely by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and in part by Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines - one of Asia's biggest security flashpoints.

A 30-hectare (74-acre) area has been identified for the bases, which would station fighter jets and the Philippines' biggest warships that patrol the disputed sea, including two Hamilton-class cutter ships it acquired for free from the United States.

The plan has taken on added urgency since a tense two-month standoff last year between Chinese and Philippine ships at the Scarborough Shoal, which is only about 124 nautical miles off the Philippine coast. Chinese ships now control the shoal, often chasing away Filipino fishermen.

U.S. and Philippine navy ships begin war games near the shoal on Thursday.

The South China Sea dispute will again loom large over regional diplomacy next week when U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry joins his counterparts from Southeast Asian nations and China among other countries for an annual meeting in Brunei.

The Philippines plans to raise the issue of Chinese ships' "encroachment" near another disputed coral reef where Manila recently beefed up its small military presence, diplomatic sources told Reuters. China in turn has accused the Philippines of "illegal occupation" of the reef, which is a strategic gateway to an area believed to be rich in oil and natural gas.

RISE IN U.S. NAVY VISITS

There is no plan to allow the United States to rebuild its old bases, a sensitive issue in the Philippines where a nationalist backlash against the U.S. military helped lead to the 1992 closure of Subic and Clark Air Base.

New Philippine air and naval bases, however, would give visiting U.S. warships more security to launch operations in the South China Sea and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. A Visiting Forces Agreement, ratified by the Philippine Senate in 1999, allows U.S. forces full access to Philippine bases.


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## Fsjal

I thought the US plans not to base any soldiers to Philippines again?


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## Malaya

*Philippines, Germany boost labor partnership*
Jun 28th, 2013







The training of Filipino health care workers and seafarers is in the agenda to boost labor relations between Republic of the Philippines and Federal Republic of Germany. Germany is known for its &#8220;dual system&#8221; of vocational school. A student learns his craft at both the workplace and at vocational school. Providing knowledge and skills is linked to acquiring job experience.

Germany will assist in training Filipino seafarers, to help strengthen the country&#8217;s maritime industry. A joint committee will serve as forum for the two countries to discuss seafaring issues. Filipino seafarers will benefit from the scheme. Data from German Shipowners&#8217; Association showed that 30 percent of 80,000 seafarers in Germany are Filipinos. There are over 300,000 Filipino seafarers manning international ships, with a large number deployed in Europe.

The Philippines may start deploying the first batch of Filipino nurses in German government hospitals starting this year. The Philippine government signed on May 29, 2013, the &#8220;instrument of ratification&#8221; to implement an agreement that will open the German health care sector to Filipino health care professionals. The agreement, signed on March 19, 2013, between the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and German Federal Employment Agency/International Placement Agency, provides for a government-to-government system of placing Filipino health workers in Germany.

The agreement will address the shortage of workers in the German health sector, as well as provide new opportunities for skilled Filipinos. Filipino workers may not be employed in Germany under conditions less favorable than those for German workers. They will have German social security system coverage such as pension and unemployment insurance.

We congratulate Republic of the Philippines Vice President and Overseas Filipino Worker Concerns Presidential Adviser Jejomar C. Binay, Philippine Ambassador to Germany Maria Cleofe R. Natividad, Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz, German Labor and Social Affairs Minister Ursula von der Leyen, and Federal Employment Agency/International Placement Services Director Monika Varnhagen, in their collective efforts to upgrade the skills and competence of overseas Filipino workers. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!

http://www.tempo.com.ph/2013/06/philippines-germany-boost-labor-partnership/#.Uc0YQ_mnpn8


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## Malaya

*Japan to take Phl's side in South China Sea dispute*
By Camille Diola and Alexis Romero (philstar.com)






MANILA, Philippines - Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera on Thursday assured the Philippines that Japan will be on its side in defending disputed territories in the South China Sea.

Onodera, who is in a two-day visit in Manila, told Department of National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in a courtesy call that Japan will cooperate to resolve the sea row with China.

*"We agreed that we will further cooperate in terms of defense of remote islands as well as the defense of territory, or territorial sea as well as protection of maritime interest ... We will cooperate with the Philippine side in this matter,"* Onodera said.

The Japanese official said that both countries are facing "common concerns" as China feuds with different states over territorial claims in overlapping waters.

"I also said that Japan(ese) side is very concerned that this kind of situation in South China Sea (as it) could affect the situation in East China Sea," he said.

Onodera also said that peaceful means over military might should remain paramount and that the rule of law must be considered in seeking arbitration.

"I would like to emphasize here that the current situation should not be changed with use of force ... I think this the concept that is agreed upon in international communities these days," he said.

Likewise, Onodera lauded the Philippines' action in seeking arbitration to resolve the matter.

*&#8220;I have also learned about the Philippines&#8217; efforts for the United Nations (UN) arbitration process in the principle that the Philippine side seeks to solve this problem based on the rule of law. Japan side is totally supporting these kinds of efforts,&#8221;* he said.

He added that Japan's priority, meanwhile, is to keep and protect its own territorial space in sea or air more than to get involved in international matters.

Onodera visited U.S. naval base at Subic Bay before meeting with Gazmin, while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe intends to visit the country in July.

Japan claims that China had intruded into the Senkaku Islands, which China calls Diaoyu Islands.

The Philippines for its part, accuses China of intruding into various areas that are within its exclusive economic zone

Chinese intruders have strengthened their presence in the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal off Zambales and Ayungin Shoal off Palawan.

They have also built structures in the Mischief Reef or Panganiban Reef, which is about 70 nautical miles from Palawan and Subi Reef, an islet 12 nautical miles southwest of Pag-asa Island in the same province.

The Philippines has been advocating a multilateral rules-based approach to settle the West Philippine Sea dispute. It has also

China, however, insists that the row be addressed through direct bilateral negotiations.

A report from the newspaper The Japan Times said the meeting between Onodera and Gazmin was meant &#8220;to keep China in check.&#8221;

The report also quoted an unnamed source as saying that Onodera and Gazmin would work out a &#8220;coordinated response&#8221; toward China.

Onodera clarified that their security efforts are not directed against a specific country.

&#8220;The Japanese government is not aiming at protecting from any specific nation but our stance is that we keep out territorial space, territorial air and sea space well-protected. This should be done according to the rule of law,&#8221; he said.

Last January, the Philippines challenged China&#8217;s territorial claim to most of the West Philippine Sea before an international tribunal of the UN.

China claims almost the entire West Philippine Sea and the East Sea. The area, delineated by a so-called nine-dash line, covers more than 100 islets, atolls and reefs.

The Philippines believes China&#8217;s nine-dash line, which outlined its claims over most of the sea, is illegal. China&#8217;s claims also overlap with those of the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam. 

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/06/27/958907/japan-take-phls-side-south-china-sea-dispute

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## Malaya

*US trains Philippines on how to use drones amid China fears*
Jun 28, 2013	






*A US Navy serviceman (left) prepares to launch an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with Philippine Navy servicemen aboard a patrol boat during a joint annual military exercise called Carat at former US military base Sangley Point in Cavite city, west of Manila on June 28, 2013. US troops trained their Philippine counterparts how to use surveillance drones on Friday, as Manila seeks to boost military ties with Washington and counter what it perceives as a rising security threat from China. -- PHOTO: REUTERS*

CAVITE CITY, Philippines (AFP) - US troops trained their Philippine counterparts how to use surveillance drones on Friday, as Manila seeks to boost military ties with Washington and counter what it perceives as a rising security threat from China.

The naval exercises are part of annual training operations between the two defence partners, but they have come under closer scrutiny this year due to simmering tensions between Manila and Beijing over rival claims to the South China Sea.

At a naval base around 13 kilometres southwest of the capital Manila, US Navy SEALs trained Filipino soldiers how to use small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, launching one from a boat out at sea after which it circled the base and landed in the water.

US maritime civil affairs officer Jeremy Eden said these were the smaller "Puma" drones used only for surveillance and not the more lethal, armed versions employed in Afghanistan.

US trains Philippines on how to use drones amid China fears


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## Malaya

*Govt eyes forces pact with Japan*
By Joyce Pangco Panares 
Jun. 29, 2013 






*To allow Japanese troops join military exercises*

The Philippines and Japan have agreed to study the possibility of pursuing a status of forces agreement that could enable Japanese troops to participate in joint military exercises here, the Defense Department said Friday.

&#8220;The details still need to be firmed up. Right now we are at the level of forming the technical working groups,&#8221; said Defense spokesman Peter Galvez.

Galvez said such a military agreement was broached during a meeting between Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and his Japanese counterpart, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera.

Under the government&#8217;s 2010-2016 National Security Policy, the Aquino administration will purse a &#8220;larger border security&#8221; program to ensure territorial sovereignty and defense.

National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia said it is &#8220;desirable&#8221; to pursue other status of forces agreements with neighboring countries and other allies instead of relying heavily on the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States.

The Mutual Defense Treaty paved the way for the Visiting Forces Agreement, which governs joint military exercises of Philippines and American troops in the country.

*The Philippines currently has a status of forces agreement with Australia.*

In December 2006, then President Gloria Arroyo directed the Defense department to be more active in drawing up similar agreements with other neighboring countries after Washington temporarily suspended joint military exercises.

The suspension was seen as a move to pressure the Philippine government into turning over the custody of convicted rapist Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith, a participant to the Balikatan in 2005, to the US.

The Balikatan eventually resumed after Smith was transferred to the US embassy in Manila.

The Palace said China, which has conflicting territorial claims with the Philippines, should not see a proposal to give rights to American troops to use military bases in the country as an aggressive action.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte also assured the public that whatever access agreement is reached with the United States will be in accordance with the Constitution and the Visiting Forces Agreement.

She said the proposal was part of an agreement to increase the &#8220;rotational presence&#8221; of American forces in the country.

Asked if the proposed access rights would result in more incursions from China, the Palace official pointedly said that it was none of China&#8217;s business.

&#8220;At this point, whatever that we do within our territory is perfectly within our rights to do. Other countries must respect that,&#8221; Valte said.

On Thursday, Gazmin clarified that the proposed access agreement is not equivalent to basing rights.

Gazmin said other defense allies of the Philippines can also be given access to military bases.

China, reacting to reports of the planned access agreement, has warned that countries with territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea which look for help from third parties will find their efforts &#8220;futile.&#8221;

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the strategy was a &#8220;path of confrontation&#8221; and it would be &#8220;doomed.&#8221;

But Gazmin on Friday said the Philippines needs allies to defend itself against the China.

&#8220;You know at this point we cannot stand with our own feet; we need allies. If we will not do this we will always be at the mercy of big powers. What is happening is that China is already here, they are already on our territory. We cannot just attack them. We had already run after them before a court but look they will not leave us. So, what are we going to do now? Shall we wait they will come further and enter our doorsteps? They are already inside our garage,&#8221; Gazmin said.

Gazmin&#8217;s remarks came as leftist lawmakers slammed the government for negotiating anew with the United States government for its forces to have greater access into military facilities in the country.

The government is also exploring a similar agreement with Japan.

Gazmin brushed aside Chinese warnings.

&#8220;Well that is their right, their prerogative to say such a statement but you know we have to protect ourselves too. In the process of building up our defense we should be able to collaborate with other countries so that we become stronger, we become united,&#8221; he said.

After Beijing rejected a series of diplomatic protests by Manila over its relentless intrusions into Philippine territory in the West Philippine Sea, President Benigno Aquino III ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs to bring the case for arbitration before an international court, which triggered more aggressiveness on the part of China.

At present, China has roped off and is building structures in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which is within the Philippines&#8217; exclusive economic zone.

China also intruded into Ayungin Reef, part of the municipality of Kalayaan Island Group in Palawan. The Philippine Marines have troops stationed in the area.

Gazmin also explained that the possible &#8220;access agreement&#8221; for American forces would be in accordance to the Visiting Forces Agreement, which needs the approval of the Senate.

&#8220;Of course, it should pass Congress approval. Right now, our legal luminaries are carefully studying it,&#8221; he said.

Gazmin said such an agreement could include introducing &#8220;new military technology&#8221; from US.

The Defense chief also said the agreement was part of a US agreement to increase the presence of its forces in the Asia Pacific.

He also said that with the expected increase in joint military exercises, the US would need access to bases here in Subic and Lumbia Airport so they could temporarily park their planes from Okinawa or Guam or Hawaii while the exercises were ongoing.

Gazmin said a similar agreement can be forged with Japan, which he described as a &#8220;strategic ally.&#8221;

He said, however, that without a visiting forces agreement, Japanese troops wouldn&#8217;t be able to enter or be stationed here.

&#8220;We might hold an exercise with Japan but they wouldn&#8217;t be able to disembark. Our technical working group will explore this and come up with a mechanism,&#8221; Gazmin said.

Leftist lawmakers on Friday accused Aquino of insulting Filipino war veterans and comfort women by allowing Japan to gain greater access to Philippine military bases and facilities.

They also said it was a shameful act of national betrayal if President Aquino overturned the 1991 historic verdict of the people and the Philippine Senate against the US bases by turning the country&#8217;s bases and facilities into American military outposts.

They demanded that the Department of National Defense divulge the details of the access agreement that will give open access to US troops and other foreign forces to Philippine territories.

&#8220;These so called access arrangements are so vague that it appears to expand the Visiting Forces Agreement. The Aquino government is allowing an undetermined number of US military troops as well as Japanese forces to stay and make use of an unidentified and undetermined number of Philippine facilities for an undetermined period of time. These are de facto military bases,&#8221; Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan said.

&#8220;Japan&#8217;s military presence in the Philippines is not only unwanted, it is also unwelcome. This is an insult to our veterans and comfort women who suffered under the Japanese,&#8221; said Bayan Muna Reps. Neri Colmenares and Carlo Zarate in a statement.

&#8220;While we should strongly assert our territorial integrity against China&#8217;s bullying, basing the US and Japanese military here is not the solution to the territorial dispute with China. Bringing our case to a multi-lateral body and gather international support against China&#8217;s bullying is the strong but peaceful track that we should follow. The Visiting Forces Agreement with the US must be terminated instead of expanded,&#8221; Colmenares said.

Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap said since 2010, US naval ships have frequented Subic Bay supposedly for maintenance, refueling and courtesy visits.

&#8220;In the past six months, 72 US warships and submarines docked at Subic, 88 ships visited in 2012, 54 in 2011 and 51 in 2010,&#8221; Hicap said citing official reports.

&#8220;These visits are not simple logistical stopovers. The Philippine government is obviously portraying an active role in the US government&#8217;s increasing economic, political and presence and military build-up in the Asia-Pacific region,&#8221; Hicap said.

Hicap also lambasted the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training exercises that started this week near the disputed Panatag Shoal.

&#8220;We refuse to be dragged into the proxy military wars between US and China. Filipinos must raise concerns over the increasing presence and deployment of US and foreign troops in the country under the guise of joint military trainings. We must not allow further encroachment of our national sovereignty by US superpowers and foreign forces,&#8221; Hicap said.

ACT Teachers Rep. Anotnio Tinio said historically, the US has used the Philippines as a stepping-stone for military intervention in China.

US troops based in the Philippines were among the foreign troops that invaded China and occupied Beijing in 1900, Tinio said.

&#8220;Most Filipinos are probably unaware of this, while the Chinese certainly have not forgotten. Instead of forging an independent and self-reliant foreign policy in response to Chinese territorial incursions, the Aquino administration would let this country reprise its role as neocolonial outpost, a staging area for the encirclement of China by the US,&#8221; Tinio said.

He said the Aquino administration should stop fooling the people.

&#8220;Whether they&#8217;re called basing or access agreements, the expanded access deal for US forces will further diminish our national sovereignty, perpetuate the abject dependence on the US military for external defense, and aggravate the tension over the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea,&#8221; Tinio said.

&#8220;The government&#8217;s disturbing hospitality towards US and other foreign troops is a direct affront to our national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The DND is acting like a willing host and aide to foreign forces without giving due consideration to the safety and security of Filipinos,&#8221; Hicap said.

Amid the controversy over access rights, US Secretary of State begins his first Southeast Asian trip with a visit to Brunei to attend a regional security forum with more than 20 counterparts from countries including China, Japan and North Korea.

The US 7th Fleet, meanwhile, said it has deployed its amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard to patrol its area of responsibility in the Asia Pacific. With lorante S. Solmerin and Christine F. Herrera

Govt eyes forces pact with Japan - Manila Standard Today


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## Malaya

*PH, Switzerland to establish joint economic commission*
ABS-CBNnews.com
06/28/2013 






MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and Switzerland on Friday inked an agreement to establish the Joint Economic Commission (JEC).

The signing coincided with the visit to the Philippines of Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, State Secretary and Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Federal Department of Economic Affairs of the Swiss Confederation this week. 

The agreement institutionalizes a mechanism for regular dialogue and exchanges between the Philippines and Switzerland related to the business environment to improve and facilitate bilateral trade and investment flows. 

The JEC will also serve as the platform to conclude other mutually beneficial economic agreements between the two countries.

Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said the agreement is among the priorities of President Benigno S. Aquino. 

After the signing, Domingo and Ineichen-Fleisch held a bilateral meeting to discuss the next steps towards operationalizing the JEC and other economic issues. 

Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. said the JEC demonstrates the commitment of the two countries to strengthen and move forward their economic relations. 

In 2012, Switzerland ranked as the country's 23rd major trading partner (out of 214 countries), 16th largest export market (out of 212 countries) and 29th top import supplier (out of 171 countries). 

Total trade was valued at $646.79 million with exports at $381.03 million and imports at $265.75million. Switzerland was the country's 5th largest export market in Europe for the same period.


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## Malaya

*Spanish military offers aid to modernize AFP*






Spain&#8217;s Vice-Minister of Defense Constantino Mendez Martinez said his country is willing to provide equipment to help modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Martinez arrived in the Philippines last Sunday accompanied by Spanish military officials to meet with officials of the military and the defense department. He was also accompanied by executives of several Spanish companies engaged in the supply and services of defense systems engineering consultancy; information systems and electronic radars; aircraft; ammunition and mortars; and disasters and emergency situations. 

Martinez said Spain has naval and air assets that may be offered to the Philippines upon the request of the AFP. 

The Aquino administration has vowed to support the AFP&#8217;s capability upgrade program to boost its territorial defense capabilities. 

The government aims to acquire lead-in jet trainers, surface attack aircraft, air defense radars, long-range patrol aircraft and closed air support aircraft for the Air Force. It also seeks to buy new equipment for the Army. 

Not to be left out, the Navy will be provided with strategic sea-lift vessels with amphibious capability, off-shore patrol vessels, naval helicopters, coast watch stations, and weather-heavy endurance cutters.


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## Malaya

*Aquino vows to rebuild air force by 2016*
Agence France-Presse
07/01/2013 






*MANILA - Philippine President Benigno Aquino vowed Monday to acquire fighter jets, air defense radar and other equipment within three years to bolster the country's weak air force, amid a territorial dispute with China.*

*"I assure you that before I step down from office, our skies will be guarded by modern air assets," *he said in a speech during a visit at an air base in Clark, north of Manila. The speech was broadcast live on radio and television.

*Among these are "lead-in fighters, long-range patrol aircraft, close-air-support aircraft", as well as transport planes, attack- and multi-use helicopters, air defense radar and flight simulators.*

He gave no details of the aircraft and equipment, or the terms for their acquisition.

In January an Aquino spokesman announced the government would buy 12 South Korean FA-50 fighter jets to be used for "training, interdiction and disaster response".

The Philippines, a former US colony, retired the last of its US-designed F-5 fighters in 2005 and lacks air defense.

Aquino, whose-six-year term ends in mid-2016, has set about modernizing the military in his first three years in office as tensions rise with China over overlapping territorial claims to islands and waters in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

The main focus was initially the navy with the acquisition of two Hamilton-class cutters decommissioned by the US Coast Guard.

The first of the two refurbished vessels became the Philippine Navy's flagship in 2011, replacing a warship initially built for the US Navy in World War II.

The second cutter is set to arrive in the Philippines later this year.

Aquino said Monday he was committed to reversing the under-spending on military capability that he said had characterized the Philippines since the early 1990s.

"Over the past decades the air force had its wings broken and we relied on old and rickety planes and equipment," he said.

Parliament has since authorized the defense department to spend 75 billion pesos ($1.7 billion) on modernizing the military over the next five years, Aquino added.

This is on top the more than 19 billion pesos that it had spent over the past three years for this purpose.

Between 1992 and 2010, the Philippines had spent just 33 billion pesos for military modernization, Aquino said.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/07/01/13/aquino-vows-rebuild-air-force-2016


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## Malaya

*AFP modernization now making significant headway
*
By Priam Nepomuceno






MANILA, July 01 (PNA) -- Like a phoenix slowly rising from the ashes, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is making significant headway in developing its minimum-credible deterrent capability.

This is also called the ability to forestall attempts by intruders attempting to violate the country's maritime, aerial and land territories, thanks to the commitment given by President Benigno S. Aquino III to the military.

The latter allocated around P75 billion to modernize the AFP. This money will be spent within five years.

"It is a step forward, a keen capability upgrade for all of our forces. We may not be comparable to other countries in the totality of equipage but the (modernization) program addresses a lot of our tactical and operational needs," AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan said of the development.

Highlighting this focus is the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), the second Hamilton-class cutter acquired by the Aquino administration from the Americans, is now on its way home and is expected to be in Philippine territory by first week of August.

The Aquino government utilized more than USD15 million in refurbishing and re-equipping this ship.

The ship, which naval experts said is more heavily-armed that its sistership, the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15), is expected to be in service by next September.

It is expected to improve the country's domain awareness capability or the capacity to detect, deter and pursue intruders in the Philippines' vast territorial waters

Aside from the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the Philippine Navy is expecting the delivery of three AW-109 naval choppers by December courtesy of AgustaWestland.

As of this posting, the flight and maintenance crew of these aircraft are now undergoing training at Sesto Calende, Italy (and) these are avionics and maintenance trainings.

"The PN is also very thankful to the present administration for the continued support that the Navy is receiving," PN spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic stressed emphasized.

The contract for the three AW-109 naval helicopters were signed last April and will be delivered this coming December.

These choppers are worth around P1.33 billion.

"With the support we are getting from the present administration and the capability upgrade and modernization efforts in place, the officers and men of the PN are esteemed to serve the country and the people," he added.

Aside from these, Fabic said equipment in the pipeline includes three more multi-purpose assault craft, a anti-submarine helicopter, engineering and other support equipment.

Recently, the Dept. of National Defense announced that it is allocating P4-billion for two strategic sealift vessels and another P18-billion to acquire two brand-new missile-firing frigates as to fully boost the deterrent capability of the PN.

Fabic's earlier sentiments was also echoed by Philippine Air Force spokesperson Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol who stressed that he is very confident with the way the Aquino government is conducting the AFP's modernization.

"Most of (big) ticket items (equipment upgrade for the PAF) we have requested for has been approved," he added.

This includes the so-called surface attack aircraft, lead-in fighter aircraft, surveillance radars, medium lift and light transport and long-range patrol aircraft.

Recently, the PAF has completed the delivery of its eight W-3A "Sokol" combat utility helicopters with the last four being delivered last Nov. 26, 2012 and Feb. 17 this year.

The first batch of four was delivered in sometimes in 2011. These "Sokols' were commissioned and place in PAF service in March 9, 2012.

Aside from this, the Air Force has also beefed up the number of Lockheed C-130 "Hercules" aircraft from one to three, thanks to the ongoing modernization and upgrade programs.

The additional C-130s were activated during the latter part of 2012.

Besides this, DND observers said that the Philippines is now on the closing stages of the contract regarding the acquisition of 12 South Korean F/A -50 "Golden Eagle" jet aircraft which is touted to be the PAF's interim fighter aircraft.

It has allocated P18 billion for this program.

The Government Procurement Policy Board earlier gave the DND the "green-light" to start pre-negotiations with the South Korean government for 12 F/A 50 aircraft last January.

This boost to Philippine military equippage was made possible by the Dec. 11, 2012 signing of President Aquino signing of Republic Act No. 10349 which amends Republic Act No. 7898 or the AFP Modernization Act.

The amendment will "boost the AFP's capability upgrade program as it shifts from internal to external defense capability."

With the passage of the law, the military will be able to push for the acquisition of equipment which is listed in our medium term (2013-2017) acquisition list.

"(This amendment will extend) the implementation of our modernization and capability upgrade program will also provide greater opportunities and enough time for us to finally achieve a minimum credible defense posture which will help us in better fulfilling our mandate to protect the people and the state," the AFP stressed.

Republic Act No. 10349 has a budget of P75 billion for the first five years of implementation subject to the capacity of the DND to utilize and implement the program in accordance with the Defense System of Management.

The new law exempts certain major defense purchases such as aircraft, vessels, tanks, armored vehicles, communications equipment and high-powered firearms from public bidding.

It also exempts from value-added tax and customs duties the sale and importation of weapons, equipment and ammunition to the AFP which are directly and exclusively used for its projects, undertakings, activities and programs.

Republic Act 10349 also institutionalizes the defense system of management, which incorporates a collegial and collaborative planning and decision-making process by senior defense and military leaders.

It also allows additional funding from public-private partnerships entered into by the DND as well as multi-year contracts.

This law will hopefully repair the damage caused by long years of neglect to the military which during the 1960s up to the 70's was considered to be Southeast Asia's best.

DND undersecretary for finance, munitions, installations, and materiel Fernando Manalo earlier said that the signing and passage of the revised AFP Modernization Act will definitely make the military more capable of carrying out its constitutional mandate.

"This law will give the AFP a minimal credible deterrent posture," he emphasized.

Aside from defense equipment, engineering and search-and-rescue materiel will also be acquired, Manalo pointed out, giving the Philippines more assets in its peace and community development. (PNA)
HBC/PFN

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn&sid&nid&rid=539672

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## Malaya

*DND bares shopping list for AFP modernization*
By David Santos
Wed, July 03, 2013






*Less than two weeks before the President's State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Department of National Defense (DND) made public on Wednesday the government's shopping lists of assets and equipment that would boost the capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).*

It will be the fourth State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III, during which he is expected to underscore the P75 million modernization of the AFP, especially with the brewing tensions with China over disputed areas of the West Philippine Sea.

Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo justified the presentation as part of the government policy of transparency, particularly because of the enormous budget involved.

But he was quick to point out that there would be details of the program that would be kept from the public.

"Hindi lahat pwede nating sabihin openly. Gaya sa inyong pamilya, may mga bagay kayo na kinakailangan itago sa ibang tao  for obvious reasons *[We can't divulge everything. As in your family, there are some things that you need to hide from other people  for obvious reasons],"* Manalo said.

The major procurements include two frigates with a combined tag price of P18 billion and 12 FA-50 fighter jets from South Korea worth close to P19 billion.

The shopping lists also consists of additional naval and aerial assets, such as amphibious assault vehicles and close-support aircraft, as well as major military hardware, like rocket launchers, night-fighting equipment and radars.

*There will even be flight simulators to improve Air Force pilots' training.*

All these, according to Manalo, should project to the world that the Philippines is determined to become a regional military power and to assuage concerns of countrymen in the face of the growing aggression of China.

"Para naman kahit papano magda-dalawang isip din yung magpaplano na, ika nga, ay makipaggyera sa atin. Mahirap magsabi na talagang pwede na tayong makipagbangaan kahit kanino. At least, meron tayo kahit papano na tinatawag natin na minimum deterence capabity. Yun lang ang pwede nating maibigay na assurance dito sa ating mga kababayan *[At least, anyone who has plans to make war with us would think twice. We still cannot say that we can readily get into clash with anyone. But we can at least have what we could call minimum deterence capability. That's all the assurance we can give our countrymen],"* Manalo said.

But the DND has also been questioned and criticized for supposedly exposing too much information on the country's defense capabilities and tactics.

Online discussions have been raging on whether the Philippines is taking the right strategy of being upfront on its actual military might, as well as its plans to upgrade, allowing other countries including China to counter our defenses.

Manalo said media was partly to blame, as well as the government's need to be transparent in spending taxpayer's money.

But he said the publicity had its good side, as it would let other countries know that the Philippines would stand up to bullying.

Manalo said that, when the modernization program was created in 1995, its goal was not geared towards arming the country solely to engage any nation in an armed conflict.

But with the changing security situation in the region, it has become inevitable to factor in external threats in government's plans of beefing up our military capability.


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## Malaya

*US access to bases OK'd*
Manila Bulletin &#8211; Wed, Jul 3, 2013

*Manila, Philippines --- President Benigno S. Aquino III has approved the proposal of the Department of National Defense (DND) to give the United States increased access to the country's military bases, saying this is "a natural circumstance" to achieve a "credible alliance."*

The President, however, made clear that the proposed access agreement with US troops will not lead to their permanent presence in the country.

"I want to make clear that they (US troops) will not be permanent fixtures in our bases but they are our allies," the President said in a media interview after the distribution of new handguns to policemen in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

At present, Aquino said the country has two strategic partners, the United States and Japan, citing that any military training between forces should be done "within our territory or the allies' territory."

If we don't coordinate with them and establish a system in case of chaos, there's no preparation at all. So they must have the knowledge of our terrain... there should be inter-operability with them, the President said.

"So it is but the natural circumstance..., if you want a credible alliance, then you will have to have mutual training and that will normally occur within our territory or the allies' territory," he added.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin had earlier announced that the government is drafting an agreement that will provide the United States greater access to the country's bases. Gazmin clarified though there is no plan for the US troops to establish bases in the country since the Constitution prohibits it.

The proposed access pact is reportedly one of the modalities being discussed for increased rotational presence of US forces in the region.

Some militant groups have criticized the government's plan to allow increased US presence in the country due to concerns it could violate the country's sovereignty.


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## Malaya

*Aquino: US, Japan need to know PH terrain*
BY RAPPLER.COM






*STRATEGIC PARTNERS: President Benigno Aquino III says U.S. and Japan are Philippines' 'only strategic partners'. Malacañang photo*

MANILA, Philippines &#8212;President Benigno Aquino III justified a government plan to give the US and Japan more access to Philippine military bases. He said these "strategic partners" should be familiar with Philippine terrain in case of a "disturbance."

*"There are only two strategic partners that we have. It is America and Japan.... If we don't coordinate with them and fix our systems for a possible disturbance, I think that is wrong preparation. That is the absence of preparation,"* the President told reporters in Filipino on Tuesday, July 2.

*"They need to know our terrain. We need to practice inter-operability,"* he added.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the government is drafting plans to allow US forces to spend extended time on the Philippines' military bases. He said the same plan will be offered to Japan's military.

The plan drew mixed reactions.

READ: Give Australia, ASEAN access to bases

And it comes at a difficult time for Philippine-China relations.

On Saturday, June 29, China's state-run media warned that the Philippines should brace itself for a possible "counterstrike should Beijing continue to be provoked in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

The Philippines has accused China of "massive" military buildup in the disputed West Philippine Sea. In a statement released on the first day of the annual Asia-Pacific talks in Brunei, the Philippines warned that the Asian giant's tactics threatened peace in the region.

"Hindi naman siguro pwedeng mag-practice tayo outside of our territory. It is but the natural circumstance. If you want a credible alliance, then you will have to have mutual training that will normally occur within our territory or teh allies' territory," he explained.

Nevertheless, the President said the government will do everything to pursue peaceful means in resolving the conflict.

The Philippines brought the territorial row before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

READ: Top maritime judge to hear PH case vs China

"It is in our Constitution. We renounce war as policy," Aquino stressed. &#8212; Carmela Fonbuena/Rappler


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## Malaya

*AFP modernization to include bases upgrade*
By Alexis Romero (philstar.com) | Updated July 3, 2013 






MANILA, Philippines - The improvement of existing military bases will be part of the items to be funded by the new Armed Forces modernization law, a defense official said Wednesday.

Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said the facilities would be readied for the arrival of the military assets to be acquired through the same law.

&#8220;Included in the items to be funded by the P75-billion (modernization budget) are the facilities,&#8221; Manalo said in a press conference.

*&#8220;That includes the hangar and the berthing facilities for the Navy. These are included in the infrastructure that we will need,&#8221;* he added.

Manalo, who oversees the military&#8217;s modernization program, noted that the hangars would be used to house the helicopters and other air assets. The berthing facilities, meanwhile, will provide space for floating assets to dock.

The government will also provide support facilities for naval bases in Cebu and Palawan.

Manalo, however, could not tell if the bases in Subic would be covered by the upgrade efforts.

&#8220;As for Subic, there is no definite decision yet,&#8221; he said.

Manalo said the modernization program would also involve the construction of access roads for aerial radars to be used to monitor the country&#8217;s territory.

Earlier, the government announced that it is ready to provide the US and other allies access to its bases in a bid to counter China&#8217;s aggressive activities in the region.

Officials, however, clarified that there is no plan to put up new foreign military installations as this would violate the constitution.

The Philippines is strengthening its security ties with its allies and beefing up its defense capabilities to defend its territory in the face of China&#8217;s bullying.

*&#8216;Our lives are at stake&#8217;*

Manalo stressed that the modernization of the military is crucial in addressing internal security threats and in asserting the country&#8217;s sovereignty.

*&#8220;What we want is a minimum deterrence capability so that those who plan to wage war with us would think twice,&#8221;* Manalo said.

&#8220;Our lives are at stake here,&#8221; he added.

President Aquino signed last December a new Armed Forces modernization law that allotted P75 billion for the first five years of the capability upgrade program. The law effectively extended the modernization program that was enacted in 1995.

The new law seeks to enhance the capabilities of the military, which have been depleted due to lack of resources. It requires the military, defense and budget departments to submit to the president a list of equipment to be acquired.

The Department of National Defense (DND) plans to undertake a total of 24 modernization projects to enhance the military&#8217;s capabilities.

Manalo declined to enumerate all the projects for security reasons but revealed that these include the acquisition of rocket launchers, hand-held radios and night fighting system for the Army.

For the Air Force, the government aims to acquire radar systems, close air support aircraft, combat utility helicopters, and 12 lead in fighter trainer jets for the Air Force.

Manalo said the FA-50 fighter jets will be acquired through government-to-government transaction from the Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI). The government has allotted P18.9 billion for the fighter jets.

The Defense department is awaiting the sales agreement from Malacañang, which will pave the way for the start of negotiations with KAI.

For the Navy, the government will acquire two frigates worth P18 billion to improve the military&#8217;s maritime defense capability. Manalo said at least five companies from South Korea, Spain, Australia, and Singapore have expressed interest to join the bidding. He said they include Hyundai, Daewoo and Navantia and Austal.

Other equipment to be acquired for the Navy include the amphibious assault vehicle, naval helicopters, multi purpose attack craft, and base support facilities.

AFP modernization to include bases upgrade | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*Economic boom spreads wealth wider in Philippines*
By Teresa Cerojano (Associated Press) | Updated July 4, 2013 






*MANILA, Philippines &#8212; Just three years ago, a new car and an overseas holiday were unthinkable luxuries for J. Ante and her family of six. The insurance company manager's commissions have soared since then as the Philippines, blighted for a generation by venal and incompetent leaders, has unexpectedly boomed, putting middle-class comforts within tantalizing reach of many.*

The $250 billion economy surged 7.8 percent in the first quarter of this year, outpacing China, and a middle class stunted by widespread poverty, political strife and corruption is beginning to share in a prosperity captured for decades by a clannish business and political elite.

The growing affluence and a burgeoning population have lured many global brands. Students and office workers flock to gleaming outlets opened by Zara, Gap, Forever 21, Starbucks and Japan's Uniqlo. New apartment blocks are springing up on almost every corner of metropolitan Manila and other cities, often clustered around malls and office buildings housing outsourcing businesses such as call centers, which are forecast to earn around $25 billion by 2016.

Luxury car maker Rolls Royce said it was flooded with inquiries since it opened its first dealership in Manila two weeks ago. The first car selling for $605,000 went to a popular TV show host, according to newspaper reports.

"Last year and this year have been a big leap in terms of my total income," Ante said. "Times have become better for our family."

She said three years ago it was difficult to come up with the school fees for her four children. Travel abroad or a new car were impossible, but "they seem more realistic now since my income is growing at a faster rate," she said. The family holidayed in Hong Kong this year and a vacation in the U.S. and Canada is planned. They hope to afford a family-friendly Toyota Innova this year.

Many credit the new vitality to the policies of President Benigno Aquino III, elected in 2010 on promises of eradicating graft and fighting poverty. He introduced new taxes, reformed the judiciary, and set the country on a path that shows sign of enduring &#8212; it has now enjoyed three straight quarters of economic growth above 7 percent. Standard and Poor's and Fitch Ratings earlier this year upgraded the Philippines' credit rating to investment grade for the first time.

"Disposable income has increased and we see a rising middle class," said Jose E.B. Antonio, chairman of Century Properties Group that brought in Donald Trump's sons and Paris Hilton to launch luxury condos in Manila.

Sheila Abay, a real estate agent for the past 10 years, said competition in her industry has become stiffer but she still sells more condominiums these days compared to five or 10 years ago.

The bulk of her clients are Filipinos working abroad, who buy property for retirement or investment. Over the last few years, however, she said she has seen a growing number of younger clients mostly aged 25 to 35. Many of them are midlevel managers at outsourcing companies who receive good pay for doing backroom operations for overseas companies.

"Their buying power is bigger," she said.

It adds up to dramatic shift for a country that has perennially lagged most of its Southeast Asian neighbors despite perceived advantages of a relatively free media, democratic elections and widespread use of English &#8212; the language of global business.

The Philippines is only sixth among 10 Southeast Asian countries in terms of GDP per head. Compared with Indonesia, which attracted nearly $20 billion in foreign investment last year, the Philippines managed only $2.8 billion, not far from $2.2 billion for Myanmar, a pariah state until recently. Thailand wooed more than 22 million visitors last year, the Philippines received 4.3 million.

Doubts still linger whether the country can stay on its new course.

President Aquino, in the mold of his late parents &#8212; democracy icon and former President Corazon Aquino and anti-dictatorship champion Benigno Aquino Jr. &#8212; won the presidency on a reformist platform following two corruption-tainted predecessors. His term ends in 2016.

But in a country where powerful families dominate politics and "name recall" ensures votes even for corrupt or incompetent leaders, another wrong turn can reverse recent gains.

There is a still a long way to go before the 28 percent of the population who live below the poverty line feel they too are benefiting from the boom that has dotted Manila with cranes and propelled the local stock market to new heights.

Elizabeth Yap, a 51-year-old single woman with close-cropped hair, scrapes a living by pedaling her tricycle around Manila to ferry passengers. She makes 400 to 500 pesos ($9 to $11) on good days, when she does not run afoul of law enforcers on their on-and-off campaign to clear the capital's traffic-choked streets.

"How can we feel the progress in the Philippines when we are poor," Yap said. "We can see the nice buildings, but for us poor, we can see that we are still poor."

Antonio, the property developer, believes it's only a matter of time before prosperity trickles down. He called for more focus on building infrastructure &#8212; roads, airports, hotels, restaurants &#8212; to support the tourism industry, which he said is a key to providing jobs for drivers, farmers, cooks and other lower income groups.

Despite the strong economic growth, joblessness soared to 7.5 percent in April, up from 6.9 percent a year earlier. Another 19.2 percent were "underemployed," or part-time workers.

Aquino blamed the increase in joblessness to delays in the planting season due to poor weather, leaving farm workers temporarily out of work during the survey period.

The government has intervened through a program that gives cash directly to the poorest families on condition children stay in school and see a doctor. The program will continue in the remaining three years of Aquino's administration, along with building mass housing and creating durable jobs in manufacturing, tourism and agriculture, Aquino said.

"We cannot have a society where a few flourish, and the rest must make do with crumbs," he told a recent development conference. "We must have inclusive growth."

Economic boom spreads wealth wider in Philippines | News Feature, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

No more Chinese partner 

*Sun Cellular taps Norwegian firm for mobile Internet service*
By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star) | Updated July 4, 2013 

MANILA, Philippines - Sun Cellular, a unit of dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), has tied up with Norway-based Opera Software ASA to provide subscribers with strong, fast, and reliable mobile Internet connection.

Sun Cellular taps Norwegian firm for mobile Internet service | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com





*Spanish dairy company eyes more investments in PH*
By Patrick Camara Ropeta, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
07/04/2013






MADRID - A dairy company from Spain is hoping to invest more in the Philippines following the successful launch of their products in the local market, reflecting the recent upward trend of foreign investments into the economy.

Grupo Leche Pascual (GLP), based in Madrid, is considering the possibility of building a factory in the Philippines, which will be used to produce pasteurized yogurts, depending on local demand for the product in the next year or so.

GLP launched a variety of yogurt products in the Philippines in 2012, and according to the company, demand exceeded expectations in the first quarter of 2013 - to the point that they ran out of stock from initial shipments.

&#8220;We are now focused on the Philippines,&#8221; said Tomas Melendez, Director of International Division at GLP, who believes the country could be an ideal gateway for their business in Southeast Asia.

&#8220;It&#8217;s very important because Philippines will be the door to open Asia, and in particular, as a base for the ASEAN region. We are doing a wonderful launch of the product and when we reach a certain volume, we will think in the future of the possibility to build a factory in the Philippines.&#8221;

A new factory, which takes 1-3 years to develop, will be a welcomed investment for local communities, offering the possibility of employment as well as capital injection for the burgeoning Philippine economy.






&#8220;Every business needs to grow in order to provide opportunities,&#8221; said Tomas Pascual Gomez-Cuetara, President of GLP.

&#8220;Our most important projects right now are the international efforts. Not only exporting from Spain, but developing markets and implanting ourselves in those markets. That&#8217;s why we are so focused and provide so much energy to the Philippine project that we are beginning to develop.&#8221;

GLP is working with local business partners in emerging markets as part of their international strategy. In the Philippines, the company has chosen to work with Asia Brewery Inc (ABI) owned by the prominent Tan family, which includes dozens of well-known brands in its portfolio from airlines to banks and beverages.

&#8220;It was love at first sight,&#8221; revealed Pascual Gomez-Cuetara. &#8220;We thought we had the same values and the same purpose. That&#8217;s why I decided first to partner with the Tan family, with Michael Tan, which has proven for us a moving leading person, and secondly to do that business where he was in the Philippines.&#8221;

&#8220;We serve the same values and the same way of doing business,&#8221; added Melendez, who oversees the company&#8217;s international operations.

&#8220;ABI for us is a great corporation: it&#8217;s a family company, and both our companies think in the long-term. We have to partner with a wonderful distribution with the same way we do business. Our strategy is to create a joint venture through 50/50 with local partners.&#8221;

GLP, which has been producing dairy products since 1969, has an annual average output of 436.9 million liters of packaged dairy products, 403 million liters of bottled water, 29 million liters of juice, and 48.6 million liters of soya-based beverages.

It has created a recognizable brand in Spain and is now present in 70 countries, predominantly in Asia, South America and Africa.

&#8220;For our business, emerging markets are the most important. It&#8217;s almost 80% of our business,&#8221; Melendez revealed. &#8220;We are growing more than 25%, and now we are building a factory in South America, and we are thinking of opening other factories in different parts of the world.&#8221;

*Attracting Investors*

GLP&#8217;s interest in the Philippines follows a recent surge of direct foreign investments into the country, which rose by 8% in 2012 according to official government figures, reaching a healthy $2 billion sum.

This has been largely attributed to positive developments in the country&#8217;s economy in recent years, as well as the relative stability and transparency of the sociopolitical landscape under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.

The Philippine Stock Market, for instance, grew by 30% in 2012, supported by a strong Philippine peso which reached record levels of exchange rates against foreign currencies, peaking at P40.87 against the US dollar in November 2012.

In 2013, the Philippine economy continues its good streak with a 7.8% growth in the first quarter, the fastest in the whole of Asia for this period, beating the performance of larger economies like China.

Last month, global financial service company Nomura also labelled the Philippines as a &#8220;low risk&#8221; zone for investment in terms of macroeconomics, alongside neighboring Taiwan.

Furthermore, the government continues its public battle against corruption, as well as its drive to attract more investments into the country through various incentives and initiatives.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/07/03/13/spanish-dairy-company-eyes-more-investments-ph


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## Malaya

*PHL less risky among Asian economies &#8212; Nomura*
SIEGFRID O. ALEGADO, GMA News

*Sustained growth spurred by tourism, investments, remittances, and business process outsourcing limits the risks faced by the Philippine economy in the coming years compared to its Asian peers, according to global financial services giant Nomura.*

Its June 28 report &#8220;Asia's rising risk premium,&#8221; released on Tuesday, noted Asian economies will be distinguished based on macroeconomic risks when the US Federal Reserve starts scaling back its $85-billion bond buying stimulus. 

&#8220;The investor preference would be for sustainable growth over fast growth, favoring countries that pursue structural reforms and unwind the loose macro policies... The Philippines stands out in this low-risk category,&#8221; the report read.

&#8220;[C]ountries either with weak economic fundamentals or that are too slow in normalizing macro policies and implementing structural reforms could struggle to attract investment,&#8221; it added. 

Nomura groups China, Hong Kong and India &#8220;firmly&#8221; in the high-risk danger zone category, while Indonesia is at the lower end of high-risk zone.

Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Japan are in the medium risk zone, while Taiwan shares the low risk zone with the Philippines. 

Nomura's barometer was largely based on residential property prices, domestic private credit and savings as well as their ratio to a country's output. 

&#8220;The danger zone does not mean that a financial or balance of payments crisis is imminent,&#8221; Nomura clarified. 

&#8220;But it does mean that, without a move toward less-accommodative macro policies to rein in debt and property markets, and a step-up of structural reforms to boost productivity-enhancing supply, some countries could face a crisis in the next few years,&#8221; it added. 

*Rising investments*

By contrast, the Philippines' rising investments, particularly in infrastructure, as well as sustained dollar inflows from remittances and BPOs &#8220;continue to be highly supportive of strong growth momentum which looks to be set in motion for the next couple of years,&#8221; Nomura said. 

Nomura noted that the Philippines is slowly moving towards an investment driven economy. &#8220;From a savings/investment perspective, a strong investment cycle is underway, led by private sector capex (capital expenditure) spending,&#8221; the report read. 

&#8220;This rise in investment ratios has been accompanied by higher domestic savings, boosted by a growing middle class, as well as lower fiscal deficits as a result of reforms to improve governance,&#8221; it added. 

The financial giant expects remittances&#8212;already up 5.7 percent year-on-year to $6.916 billion as of end-April&#8212;to remain the Philippines' key economic driver on the back of &#8220;strong demand for higher-skilled workers.&#8221;

Sought for comment, University of Asia and Pacific School of Economics dean Peter U said the Philippines is now &#8220;better positioned to face risks.&#8221;

&#8220;We're at a high point compared to our past. And probably better ,&#8221; U told GMA News Online. 

The economist said the country will &#8220;stay within strong growth trajectory&#8221; on the back of government hiking infrastructure spending and private construction. 

The country's &#8220;fairly healthy&#8221; dollar reserves&#8212;$82.9 billion as of end-May&#8212;provide room for monetary policy moves that can cushion any risks, U noted. 

The Philippine economy grew 7.8 percent in the first quarter, the fastest in Asia. &#8212; VS, GMA News



*Amid uncertain global outlook, Philippine economic managers keep growth targets for now*
By: Likha Cuevas-Miel, InterAksyon.com
July 3, 2013

*MANILA - The Aquino administration has kept its economic targets for this year and next year, as it took on a cautious stance amid the uncertain global outlook.*

"Well i don't think the volatility has really settled down, so the position of the DBCC is to take a conservative approach," Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said on the sidelines of the Development and Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) meeting, which he chairs.

"Although of course, US and Japan are our top trading partners--and while we are seeing imporvements in their situation--we have not seen it stabilize to a point where we can be confident and make adjustments in our growth assumption," Abad added.






While the government has kept its targets, it is redirecting its efforts from improving governance to creating more jobs by cranking up infrastructure spending. 

"Part of the reason for that is that, you know the investments in quality sustainable jobs, will take some time to develop so that in the meantime, while that is happening, you're investing also in projects that generate quick employment, and one of this is infra. So we're going to be rationalizing the infra program because unlike in the past, each agency was worrying about its own infra program," Abad said.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsensio Balisacan said the government is synchronizing the infrastructure projects across the different agencies. 

He said President Benigno Aquino III is anchoring the second half of this administration on "massive employment creation", with construction as the centerpiece.

Balisacan, however, said the government cannot push its plan forward to hike infrastructure spending to five percent of gross domestic product (GDP) before 2016 given that there are other basic services that need attention, such as education and health.

There is also the problem of agencies' absorptive capacity, given that five percent of GDP is equivalent to P800 billion, he said.

http://www.interaksyon.com/business...economic-managers-keep-growth-targets-for-now


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## Malaya

*Return to Relevance: The Philippine-U.S. Alliance*
By Renato Cruz De Castro, on 09 Jul 2013, Feature

Prior to 1992, Philippine-U.S. security relations were framed by several bilateral defense arrangements. The two countries became formal allies in 1951 upon signing the Philippines-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty. Both countries also became members of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization in 1956. However, the most important of these bilateral defense arrangements predated the collective defense treaties binding the two countries: the 1947 Philippines-U.S. Military Bases Agreement, which facilitated the hosting of major American naval and air facilities in Philippine territory. The U.S. military bases in the Philippines, including the Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base, extended vital logistical support to American forward-deployed forces operating in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean and even in the Persian Gulf during the Cold War. Furthermore, U.S. air and naval assets acted as de facto armed forces against external threats to the Philippines, since the Philippine military was primarily involved in internal security operations.

In September 1991, the Philippine Senate failed to ratify the Philippine-American Cooperation and Friendship Treaty of 1991 (PACT). PACT provided the legal basis for extending the stay of the U.S. military facilities on Philippine territory beyond 1992. Motivated either by simple anti-Americanism or disgust over the low base-related economic and military compensation, the majority of the senators voted down the treaty. With the withdrawal of these American military facilities from the country in 1992, the alliance assumed a form different from the previous configuration. Philippine-U.S security relations became dormant as the Philippines focused its attention on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Meanwhile, the U.S shifted its strategic priorities away from Southeast Asia to Northeast Asia. 

Starting in 2001, the U.S. global war on terror, and later the tension in U.S.-China relations after 2008, helped restore the U.S.-Philippines strategic partnership. Security relations were revitalized, and the alliance achieved two political and strategic objectives. First, Manila received U.S. support for the Philippine government&#8217;s counterterrorism and counterinsurgency campaign in the country&#8217;s south. Second, Washington deepened its alliance with Manila, not only to neutralize terrorist groups, but also to counter Beijing&#8217;s political and economic influence in the country. The U.S. now regularly extends technical training and defense assistance to the armed forces of the Philippines (AFP) to firm up the U.S.-Philippines security partnership in the face of growing Chinese military power and assertiveness in the South China Sea. 

Most recently, the standoff between the Philippines and China over the Scarborough Shoal in April 2012 underscored an international reality&#8212;Chinese naval power casts a long shadow over the Philippines, which, along with Vietnam, is at the forefront of the South China Sea dispute with China. Clearly, China is specifically targeting the Philippines in a brinkmanship game. Given the dismal state of the Philippine military, the administration of President Benigno Aquino III has acknowledged the need for U.S. diplomatic support and military assistance in the Philippines&#8217; territorial row with China. 

Southeast Asia&#8217;s Military Laggard 

Since its independence in 1946, the Philippines has been plagued by domestic insurgency. For more than six decades, the government has concentrated its efforts and resources on containing rebel and secessionist groups, including a nation-wide Maoist insurgency and Islamist separatists in Mindanao. This preoccupation with internal security was most evident during the Arroyo administration. In January 2002, the AFP released an internal security plan called &#8220;Bantay Laya&#8221; (Freedom Watch), which envisioned the AFP decisively defeating the armed component of the Philippines&#8217; communist insurgency within five years. However, the strategic focus on the domestic insurgents left the AFP with no time or funds to develop credible air and maritime capabilities that could modestly deter China&#8217;s creeping occupation of the Spratly Islands. 

The September 2007 AFP Capability Assessment indicated that the poor condition of AFP equipment adversely affected the military&#8217;s effectiveness and efficiency in counterinsurgency operations. Worse still, the report noted that the emphasis on low-intensity conflicts had diverted the military&#8217;s attention and resources away from external defense-related modernization projects. Regarding the AFP&#8217;s conventional military capabilities, it noted that the Philippine navy &#8220;lacks the assets for conduct of maritime patrols over territorial waters, since it does not have any anti-air capability and is incapable of conducting anti-submarine and mine warfare operations.&#8221; The assessment likewise underscored the inadequacies of the Philippine air force&#8217;s air defense, surveillance, airlift and ground attack capabilities. The report candidly acknowledged: &#8220;This situation [of limited combat capabilities] is nowhere more manifest than in the Kalayaan Island Group [in the Spratlys] wherein the AFP is unable to prevent and respond to intrusion into our [exclusive economic zone] or show our resolve in defending areas we are claiming.&#8221; 

Thus, the Philippine government simply had no choice but to propose diplomatic and security measures with China and other claimant states to foster confidence-building, and to forge bilateral military cooperation agreements for joint patrols and exercises. 

*Confronting the China Challenge *

Since assuming office in July 2010, Aquino has articulated the need to modernize the AFP in the face of new security challenges. Taking the cue from the new president, a joint Department of National Defense-AFP task force has formulated the AFP Long-Term Capability Development Plan. The plan calls for the AFP&#8217;s immediate shift from internal security to territorial defense. The plan also pushes for the immediate development of a modest deterrent capability to protect the country&#8217;s vast maritime borders and its territorial claim over some islands in the Spratlys. Specifically, the plan calls for the development of maritime surveillance and intelligence capabilities and the upgrade of the Philippine navy&#8217;s capabilities for joint maritime surveillance, defense and interdiction operations in the South China Sea. 

The urgency of the AFP&#8217;s shift from internal to external security was underscored in March 2011, when two Chinese patrol vessels harassed a survey ship from the Department of Energy in the Reed Bank&#8212;now called Recto Bank by the Philippine government&#8212;about 150 miles east of the Spratly Islands and 40 miles west of the Philippine island of Palawan. 

In response to Beijing&#8217;s subsequent rejection of Manila&#8217;s official protest, the Philippine government increased its military presence on its western border, which faces the South China Sea. Manila likewise allocated $18.4 million for the repair of its existing runway on one of the islands it occupies in the Spratlys, and for the acquisition of naval and air equipment to monitor movements along the country&#8217;s vast maritime borders. During a joint Philippine-U.S. military exercise in Luzon, Aquino ordered the release of an estimated $22.5 million in addition to the annual defense appropriation for the immediate purchase of patrol craft, helicopters and modern rifles for the AFP. 

The Aquino administration&#8217;s 2011-2016 national security policy (.pdf) requires a defensive capability extending from the country&#8217;s maritime territory to its contiguous waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Hence, the Philippine military needs to develop a comprehensive territorial and maritime protection system based on its surveillance, modest deterrence and border patrol capabilities. This goal became policy when the Philippine government announced in September 2011 that it would allocate roughly $1.1 billion from the annual national budget for base support and logistic systems, as well as the acquisition of high-endurance cutters and six helicopters for the navy and air force, so that the Philippine military can establish a strong security perimeter in the Reed Bank, Kalayaan Island Group and Palawan.

*Bringing in the Philippine-U.S. Alliance *

Manila&#8217;s turn to the U.S. for assistance in addressing the China threat was facilitated by the fact that the Philippine-U.S. alliance had been revitalized on the heels of the Sept. 11 attacks. For the past decade, Manila and Washington have cooperated in containing the various insurgent and terrorist groups in the Philippines. In 2002, the U.S. Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSTOF-P) was established as a separate and new stream of U.S. troops to counter transnational terrorists located in the Philippines. 

Through the JSTOF-P, the Pentagon trained three light reaction companies that eventually constituted the AFP&#8217;s 1st Special Forces Group. The JSTOF-P operates alongside the AFP to improve the latter&#8217;s operational capacity in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency warfare (.pdf). It is also training and equipping two more light reaction companies and four light infantry battalions for the Philippine army, while enhancing the night-flying mission capabilities of the UH-1 pilots of the Philippine air force. The U.S. Navy also provided the AFP with another refurbished Cyclone-class special operations mother ship for smaller patrol craft, in order to bolster the interdiction and reconnaissance capabilities of the Philippine navy along the country&#8217;s coastal areas and territorial waters. 

In addition to supporting the AFP&#8217;s programs to improve its internal security capabilities, the Pentagon Has supplied the Philippine military with essential materiel such as spare parts for V-150 and V-300 armored fighting vehicles and UH-1 helicopters, assorted rifles and squad machine guns, combat life-saver kits, communication equipment, ammunition for small arms and artillery pieces, night-vision devices and armored vests, as well as training manuals for combat operations. 

The Pentagon has also enhanced its access arrangements with the Philippine government. For example, in 2007, the allies renewed the Military Logistic Support Arrangement originally signed in 2002. This agreement allows American forces to source logistics such as food, fuel, ammunition and equipment from the host state on a reimbursement basis. It lowers the cost of alliance cooperation by minimizing administrative outlays and developing the interoperability of the allies during joint activities, peacekeeping missions and other multilateral military deployments under the United Nations. Interestingly, the Pentagon has also established temporary and small forward operating bases in the southern Philippines and potential cooperative security locations in strategic parts of the country that can be used by American forces in any crisis situation in East Asia. A current &#8220;big ticket&#8221; security undertaking between the allies is the Coast Watch South project in southern Philippines. This project involves the installation of listening and communication stations along the coast of Mindanao linked to Philippine air force aircraft and naval patrol craft operating in the Sulu and Sulawesi Seas. 

Since 2009, however, China&#8217;s assertiveness in the South China Sea has been an increasing concern of the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Board, the liaison and consultative body that oversees the Philippine-U.S. defense posture against external threats. The Mutual Defense Board&#8217;s annual meeting in August 2010 discussed the security challenges the allies face, such as terrorism, domestic insurgency and maritime security concerns, as well as potential flashpoints like the contentious territorial dispute in the South China Sea. The U.S. and the Philippines decided to complement each other&#8217;s military capabilities, to enhance interoperability between their armed services and to strengthen the AFP&#8217;s territorial defense capabilities with tangible U.S. security assistance. 

Consequently, during the height of the Philippines&#8217; territorial row with China in mid-June 2011, the Aquino administration acknowledged the need for U.S. diplomatic support and military assistance. The U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, Harry Thomas, readily pledged U.S. support to the Philippines. Further expression of support came from then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. During her meeting in Washington with Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario, she expressed U.S. wariness about China&#8217;s intrusion into the Philippines&#8217; EEZ and declared that the U.S. would honor the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and strategic alliance with its Southeast Asian ally. She also reaffirmed American support to the Philippines, even if it meant providing &#8220;affordable&#8221; material and equipment to enable the AFP to defend the country. 

*The Role of Philippine-U.S. Alliance *

Undoubtedly, the Philippine military needs new arms and equipment to develop its territorial defense capability. Current U.S. assistance includes the transfer of three former U.S. Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutters to the Philippine navy through the Foreign Military Sales credit. Once transferred to the Philippines, these cutters will be the largest vessels in the country&#8217;s inventory and will replace vintage World War II-era destroyer escorts (.pdf) still used by the Philippine navy for patrolling the high seas. 

Likewise, the AFP will require pressing reforms before it can devote its attention and resources to territorial defense. These reforms will prepare the organization for its evolving function of territorial defense in its medium-term defense program. Decades of internal security operations have bred a bureaucratic inertia within the AFP that prevents it from undertaking a territorial defense function. Indeed, a crucial task at hand is for the U.S. and the Philippines to discuss how the latter can reorient its present security outlook and restructure its defense expenditures. 

No amount of American material and technical assistance, however, will enable the Philippines to confront an assertive China in the South China Sea. Given its limited military capabilities, Manila has asked for an unequivocal U.S. commitment to Philippine defense and security as provided by the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. This U.S. commitment to assist its ally was indeed tested during the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff between the Philippines and China. 

During the standoff, the Philippines appealed for diplomatic and military support from the United States. In response, Washington sent the USS North Carolina, a Virginia-class fast attack submarine, on a port call to Subic Bay on May 13, 2012. A month later, another nuclear-powered attack submarine, the USS Louisville, made a port call to Subic Bay. Though formally routine port calls, the fact that the much-publicized visits were made during the standoff intimated that the U.S. would not stand idly by if its treaty ally were threatened by any form of armed aggression. 

After the standoff, Aquino asked for a definite security guarantee when he met President Barack Obama in the Oval Office in June 2012. Obama answered that the U.S. would abide by its treaty obligation under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. The United States&#8217; ability to guarantee the Philippines&#8217; external defense, however, actually depends on whether American forces are physically pre-positioned to provide immediate and timely assistance. The U.S. can effectively defend its ally only if it has access to facilities near the South China Sea from which it can respond in a timely manner in case of an armed confrontation. 

To this end, during the August 2011 meeting of the Philippine-U.S. Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board, the allies agreed to develop a framework for heightened bilateral and multilateral security and domain awareness. The board considered the following measures: rotational presence of U.S. maritime defense assets in the Philippines to support Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board activities while the AFP develops its own capability for territorial defense; increased joint bilateral maritime security activities in the South China Sea; development of joint-use maritime security support facilities; improved information-sharing between U.S. and Philippine forces; and the conduct of integrated maritime security initiatives involving the U.S. Pacific Command and the AFP. Washington has also expressed its commitment to strengthening Manila&#8217;s capability to monitor and defend its maritime territory through an increase in military exercises and capacity-building efforts. 

In January 2012, the Philippine-U.S. Bilateral Security Dialogue was held in Washington, where Philippine foreign and defense officials emphasized the need for an expanded U.S. military presence in the Philippines. This presence was proposed in the face of China&#8217;s naval capabilities and assertiveness in East Asia, and in line with the Obama administration&#8217;s strategic guidance, which provides for a rebalancing of the U.S. force structure and investments to meet persistent and potential threats in the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, and to advance capabilities for maintaining access and projecting power globally. 

The two allies are also currently developing the concept of an increased rotational presence of American forces in the Philippines. This might involve the stationing of a squadron of U.S. Marine fighter planes in a Philippine air force base for six months, after which it would be replaced by a U.S. Navy fighter-bomber squadron that would be stationed in another Philippine base for another six months. Currently, the Pentagon is implementing a three-year program that aims to enhance credible U.S. maritime presence in Philippine archipelagic waters through rotational presence. The program entails improving Philippine port infrastructure, upgrading equipment, developing secure communication to allow greater interoperability between the U.S. military and the AFP and assisting in Philippine interagency planning and coordination at the ministerial and operational levels.

However, greater U.S. strategic access to the Philippines will surely be opposed by nationalist political figures and militant left-wing organizations in the Philippines. The Aquino administration will also face widespread public discomfort with relying too much on the Philippines&#8217; only strategic ally. Closer security ties with the U.S. will also limit the Philippines&#8217; room for diplomatic maneuver in negotiating with China for an amicable settlement of the territorial row as well as adversely affecting vibrant Philippine-China trade relations. As a result, the Aquino administration will have to muster enough political capital to weather the massive protest and economic fallout that a ubiquitous U.S. strategic footprint in the Philippines could generate.

*Conclusion*

Notwithstanding the dismal state of the Philippine military, the Aquino administration has adopted a delicate balancing policy toward China. In mid-2011, it decided to pursue a substantial modernization of the AFP, which at the time was still focused on internal security operations against domestic insurgent groups. Preoccupied with internal security and devoid of U.S. military assistance after the withdrawal of the American forces from the country in 1992, the AFP found itself with no military capability to confront China&#8217;s heavy-handed behavior in the South China Sea.

The post-Sept. 11 revitalization of the Philippine-U.S. alliance has now created the opportunity for the U.S. to assist its ally in facing up to the China challenge. Currently, the U.S. extends technical, material and financial assistance to develop the AFP&#8217;s capabilities for maritime surveillance and patrols. In the long run, the U.S. must also help rid the Philippine defense establishment of the bureaucratic inertia that inhibits it from assuming the function of territorial defense. 

Such assistance demands that the AFP incorporate external defense in its security planning and revamp its defense spending, which prioritizes personnel expenditures over capital outlay. Furthermore, the U.S. must also assure the Philippines that it will abide by its treaty obligations under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty in the face of China&#8217;s assertive moves in the South China Sea. Finally, these assurances must also be buttressed by U.S. resolve to remain the foremost Pacific power far into the second decade of the 21st century. Both sides have an abiding interest in seeing that their security partnership continues to expand, in the context of a stable Asia-Pacific region.

WPR Article | Return to Relevance: The Philippine-U.S. Alliance


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## Malaya

*BRP Ramon Alcaraz to boost patrol abilities in Philippine waters -- Palace*
By: Lilybeth G. Ison, Philippine News Agency
July 10, 2013







MANILA, Philippines - Amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea, Malacanang on Tuesday said that Philippines war ship BRP Ramon Alcaraz, which is expected to arrive first week of August, will boost capabilities of authorities patrolling the country's waters.

"It's (BRP Ramon Alcaraz) a step in the right direction in terms of upgrading our hardware, our capabilities, and that this will certainly be a boost to our patrol abilities," said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte in a press briefing on Tuesday.

"As you know, as an archipelago medyo mahaba po &#8216;yung talagang kailangang i-patrol ng ating Navy, so this will be a good addition to the Philippine Navy," she added.

The Alcaraz is a 115-meter decommissioned US Coast Guard ship that the Philippines acquired last year. It underwent $15.5-million (P620-million) refitting and refurbishment and sea trials in May.

The Hamilton-class weather high endurance cutter had served as the US Coast Guard&#8217;s USCGC Dallas for four decades before it was turned over to the Philippine Navy under the Excess Defense Article Military Assistance Program of the United States.

Meanwhile, Valte said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has sent three Philippine Navy officers to the United States last week to join the crew of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz and document its journey from San Diego to the Philippines.

The team is composed of Commander Gilbert O. Pacio, Navy Lieutenant Marineth Riano Domingo, and Lieutenant Junior Grade Errol N. dela Cruz who are all Public Affairs officers.

As part of the project -- in partnership with the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) -- Valte said, the group will share, through blogs and social media, their experiences aboard the newest ship of the Philippine fleet.

"We encourage everyone to follow the updates on the BRP Alcaraz -- the first of the Navy's ships to be named in honor of a Philippine Naval officer -- and learn about the life and experiences of the members of the Philippine Navy," said Valte.

BRP Ramon Alcaraz to boost patrol abilities in Philippine waters -- Palace - InterAksyon.com

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## Malaya

*Ooh la la! More French tourists coming to PH*
By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Wednesday, July 10th, 2013






MANILA, Philippines&#8212;From a &#8220;question mark,&#8221; the Philippines is slowly becoming a destination to check out for the French.
Tourist traffic from France is gradually picking up amid growing interest in the Philippines, about which the French virtually know nothing, French Ambassador to Manila Gilles Garachon said on Monday night.

French awareness of the Philippines has been increasing of late as cultural, political and academic exchanges between the two countries increase, said Garachon, who has been serving in Manila since 2012.

&#8220;It&#8217;s starting. There is a momentum. And I think we have to keep this momentum. This is going to increase, I&#8217;m sure. There is plenty of room to increase the relations&#8212;of course there is cultural relations, but also in the field of trade, in the field of politics, also the exchange of students between universities,&#8221; Garachon said on the sidelines of the French Embassy&#8217;s celebration of Bastille Day at his Makati City residence.

Embassy data showed French tourist arrivals in the Philippines increased by 14 percent from 29,591 in 2011 to 33,709 in 2012.

*Main difficulty*

Garachon said promoting the Philippines in France was his &#8220;main difficulty &#8220;as an ambassador, as most French knew only nations that figured in their history.

&#8220;French people&#8230; see the geography very linked to history. And if a country has historical links with France, then it appears on the map. But for the Philippines, we never had any historical connection. Not at all. So for French people, the Philippines is just a question mark,&#8221; Garachon said.

&#8220;So part of my job and part of the job of the ambassador of the Philippines in Paris is to make French people discover more about the Philippines,&#8221; said Garachon, who had been posted to Hong Kong, Jakarta and Bangkok before being assigned to Manila.

*Texting PH envoy*

According to Garachon, he is constantly in touch with Philippine Ambassador to France Cristina Ortega, hoping to coordinate their efforts to boost people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

&#8220;I text the Philippine ambassador in Paris every week. We exchange a lot of information and we work very much closely together,&#8221; Garachon said.

He is optimistic that air services negotiations between the Philippines and the European Union would lead to the reopening of European destinations to Philippine airlines.

The European Union is set to decide Wednesday on the Philippines&#8217; bid to lift a ban on Philippine airlines in Europe.

&#8220;[I hope] it will work out. We don&#8217;t have any direct flight to Europe now. And there should be, because to go to France from the Philippines, it takes 24 hours. If there were a direct flight, it would take only 12 hours. So we all look forward to having those direct flights. I think it&#8217;s going to happen,&#8221; Garachon said.

*Philippine exhibit*

The Philippines is boosting its image in France with a three-month exhibit of precolonial art at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris.
The exhibit, &#8220;Philippines: Archipel des échanges&#8221; (Philippines: An Archipelago of Exchanges), opened on April 9 and will end on July 14, coinciding with France&#8217;s National Day.

&#8220;I think this exhibit is a great occasion. [All over] Paris, you had a signboard about this exhibit about the Philippines, with beautiful pictures,&#8221; Garachon said.

&#8220;People loved it and because they were discovering something completely new. In France, nobody knows about the art of the Philippines. And so they discovered it and they enjoyed it very much,&#8221; he said.

The exhibit brings together Philippine precolonial art and artifacts from collections in the Philippines, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and the United States.

It is the largest exhibit of Philippine art in Europe, according to the French Embassy in Manila.


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## Malaya

*More patrol boats for Coast Guard*
By Jerry E. Esplanada
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Wednesday, July 10th, 2013

MANILA, Philippines&#8212;Aside from the 15 patrol boats it expects to get from Japan and France in late 2014 or early 2015, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) plans to acquire a 52-meter vessel from an unnamed country, the PCG announced Tuesday.

Cmdr. Armand Balilo, also chief of the PCG public affairs office, said the vessel would be &#8220;second-hand but in very good condition.&#8221;

&#8220;The project has been approved for negotiation by the DOTC. But there&#8217;s no timetable yet for the purchase of the patrol boat,&#8221; he said. The Coast Guard is a Department of Transportation and Communications-attached agency.

Balilo did not go into detail.

But on the patrol boats from France, he said &#8220;the government is wrapping up talks with its French counterpart.&#8221;

&#8220;We&#8217;re hoping delivery of the new boats would be made late next year or early in 2015,&#8221; he said.

Last month, the National Economic and Development Authority approved the procurement of the French patrol boats.

In October 2012, the PCG announced it was buying the patrol vessels&#8212;one 82-meter craft and four 24-meter boats&#8212;for around 90 million euros ($116 million or P5 billion).

Earlier, Balilo said the new patrol boats would be deployed throughout the archipelago and not just to areas of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) being contested by the Philippines and China.

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## Malaya

*Japanese premier to visit Philippines*
Kyodo News
07/09/2013 






TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to visit the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore later this month to discuss with their leaders economic and security cooperation, a Japanese government source said Tuesday.

The three-day trip will start on July 25 after Japan's House of Councillors election on July 21. Abe aims to further enhance economic and security ties with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, following his trips earlier this year to Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar, the source said.

China's maritime assertiveness has amounted to a major security concern for some Asian countries. Malaysia and the Philippines are in territorial rows with China in the South China Sea, while Japan faces strong opposition from Beijing over its control of a group of islands in the East China Sea.

Abe's latest trip comes as China is apparently trying to avoid being isolated in the region over such security issues.

Late last month, foreign ministers from China and the ASEAN agreed to talk on creating a legally binding code of conduct that would help prevent conflicts in the South China Sea.

Japanese premier to visit Philippines | ABS-CBN News

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## Malaya

*IMF raises Philippine outlook*
July 10,2013






*A DAY after it announced it had slashed global growth projections for this year, including overall outlook for five members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN-5), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said yesterday it has raised its forecast for the Philippines for both 2013 and 2014.*

Speaking to reporters at the central bank headquarters in Manila yesterday, IMF Resident Representative Shanaka Jayanath Peiris said: *"For the Philippines -- given the very strong growth in the first quarter and the strong growth momentum for 2013 -- we have raised the forecast to 7% this year from 6% (announced in November last year), and 6% in 2014 from 5.5%."*

*The country&#8217;s gross domestic product grew by 7.8% in the first quarter, beating both market and government expectations, and 6.8% in 2012, topping the government&#8217;s 5-6% target and the IMF&#8217;s own 6.5% forecast.
*
IMF&#8217;s revised growth forecast this year is at the upper end of the government&#8217;s 6-7% goal. But the outlook for 2014 is below the official 6.5-7.5% target for that year.

Mr. Peiris explained that the new forecast for 2014 was lower than the revised projection for this year due to "base-effects."

He added that second-quarter growth could have been "within the same range" as that of the first quarter, and that expansion this semester could be slower than the first half due to the government&#8217;s "front-loading" of spending.

*The Philippines, Mr. Peiris said, will stand out among its peers in ASEAN-5* -- comprising Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam as well -- for which the IMF had slashed growth projections this year to 5.6% from 5.9% previously, but raised the 2014 outlook to 5.7% from 5.5%. In the latest World Economic Outlook Update it released last Tuesday, the IMF had also slashed its global growth projection this year to 3.1% from 3.3% previously, while forecast for next year was cut to 3.8% from 4.0%.

"Economic growth here is higher; the region has been softer than expected," Mr. Peiris noted. "Most countries&#8217; forecasts were reduced, but the Philippines is an outlier."

*Asked if the Philippines was the only country in ASEAN-5 that got an upward adjustment in forecast, Mr. Peiris replied,* *"Yes."*

*"The growth momentum: leading indicators such as remittances, which continue to drive domestic spending, and last year&#8217;s fiscal spending, which has a carry-over effect this year"* Mr. Peiris said, when asked for growth drivers particularly in the face of a slump in exports amid continuing weakness in global markets. -- A. R. R. Gregorio

http://www.bworldonline.com/content...&title=IMF-raises-Philippine-outlook&id=73206

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## Malaya

*DND approves terms for acquisition of 12 fighter jets*
By Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) | Updated July 11, 2013






MANILA, Philippines - The government is moving closer to acquiring 12 fighter trainer jets for the Air Force after the defense department&#8217;s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) yesterday approved the terms of reference for the project.

Defense Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez said the terms of reference, which contain key details of the acquisition, would soon be forwarded to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin for final approval.

Once the terms of reference are approved with finality, the defense department could begin negotiations with the aircraft supplier, state-run Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI).

Velez told The STAR they hope to finish the negotiations by the end of August.

&#8220;We are expediting it because it is a priority project,&#8221; Velez said.

The government has allotted P18.9 billion for the acquisition of the 12 FA-50 fighter jets for the Air Force, which has suffered from a depleted inventory due to recent aircraft accidents.

Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo had said that they are awaiting the sales agreement from Malacañang, which will pave the way for the start of negotiations with KAI. 

Manalo previously told The STAR that the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), a state-run firm that coordinates with other countries seeking to acquire South Korean military assets, would sign in behalf of Seoul.

He said DAPA would also guarantee the performance of the assets to be bought even if a private firm manufactured the aircraft. 

President Aquino has vowed to modernize the military to enable it to secure the country&#8217;s territory and to perform internal security operations.

For the Air Force, the government aims to acquire fighter jets, radar systems, close air support aircraft, and combat utility helicopters.

The Navy will be provided with two warships, amphibious assault vehicles, naval helicopters, multi-purpose attack craft, and base support facilities.

The government would also acquire rocket launchers, hand-held radios and night fighting system for the Army.

DND approves terms for acquisition of 12 fighter jets | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Malaya

*Korean telco keen on entering Philippine market, exec says*
By: Ben Arnold O. De Vera, InterAksyon.com
July 18, 2013 






MANILA - A South Korean telecom company is looking for a local partner to enter the Philippine market, the head of a visiting business delegation said today.

Thomas T. Y. Shinn, chairman and chief executive of Korea Importers Association (KOICA), told reporters that a "big" South Korean telco is interested in pursuing a joint venture in the Philippines.

Shinn, refused to identify the company, only to say that its executive approached him to tell Philippine officials about its interest in the local telco business.

"I'll talk to [Trade] Secretary [Gregory L.] Domingo about it," Shinn said. South Korea has three telecom service providers, namely SK Telecom, Korea Telecom and LG.

Besides telecoms, a number of South Korean investors are also looking into prospects for food processing, aluminum foil manufacturing, and fertilizer production, Shinn said.

South Korean traders are eyeing to increase imports of minerals and processed food from the Philippines, he said.

Korean telco keen on entering Philippine market, exec says - InterAksyon.com


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## Malaya

*Army to shift to territorial defense
Nolcom chief Catapang says troops ready to defend PH vs China aggression*
By Tonette Orejas
Inquirer Central Luzon
Wednesday, July 17th, 2013






*CITY OF SAN FERNANDOThe militarys Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) is shifting its operations from internal security to territorial defense in 2014, focusing on the Luzon coastlines amid disputes over marine boundaries in Southeast Asia, the new Nolcom chief said on Wednesday.*

Maj. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. revealed the new thrust two weeks after he assumed leadership of the AFP command, which operates in the Ilocos, Cagayan, Cordillera and Central Luzon regions.

Nolcom has jurisdiction over the Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal in Zambales, which is being claimed by China. President Aquino has publicly stated that his administration would give the United States and Japan wider access to Philippine bases to protect the countrys territory.

*Gas rich*

Also in Nolcoms area of concern is the gas and mineral-rich Benham Rise off northeastern Luzon.

Nolcom oversees the 5th and 7th Infantry Divisions of the Philippine Army, 1st Air Division of the Philippine Air Force and the Naval Forces Northern Luzon of the Philippine Navy.

Replying to questions the Inquirer sent to him by e-mail, Catapang said he would begin to integrate the capability of major services operationally controlled by Nolcom in conducting joint operations so that we can transition from internal security operations to territorial defense.

He said the responsiveness of the* Armed Forces of the Philippines is adjusting to a** very globalized world [where] the threats to our national security will likewise be global.*

Of course, we have to protect our 7,100 plus islands against global threats such as terrorism, climate change, international crimes and maritime security, plus protect our interest in exclusive economic zones, he said.

*2013 target*

By the end of 2013, Nolcom should have declared the four regions peaceful and ready for further development, he said.

As of June, Nolcom had assessed the insurgency in the four regions as having been reduced to a very minimal level, which would allow it to shift priorities next year, Catapang said.

He said remnants of the New Peoples Army (NPA) that killed nine policemen in two recent ambushes in Luzon are being hunted down.

He described as desperate moves the rebel attacks on policemen on May 27 in Cagayan where eight policemen were killed, and on July 28 in Tadian, Mt. Province, where a policeman was killed among more than 90 officers who were jogging in the mountains.

*Core competency*

In the absence of a clear headway toward a negotiated peace settlement between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines, the NPA remnants will [fight] to survive, Catapang said.

He said the attacks were meant to highlight that there are still NPA remnants and spoilers that can sow fear in the area.
The police would take the lead role in internal security operations, with the AFP providing support role, he said.

We will not give up our core competency in fighting the remnants of the NPA to maintain our skills for guerrilla warfare, he said, clarifying that the Scout Rangers and Special Forces would focus on military operations. This will free our infantry battalions to train for territorial defense, he said.

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## Malaya

*Philippines' new attack choppers could fire laser-guided rockets*
(philstar.com) | July 26, 2013 

MANILA, Philippines - The country will acquire eight new attack choppers that will be equipped with laser designators capable of firing laser-guided rockets.

The bids and awards committee of the Department of National Defense said that the laser designator is a laser light source which is used to designate a target.

The said equipment provides targeting for laser-guided bombs, rockets, missiles, or precision artillery munitions.

The Boeing Company, Eurocopter Group, AgustaWestland NV and MD Helicopters, Inc. were the international helicopter manufacturers that participated in the pre-bid conference of the DND's attack helicopter program.

The four aerospace companies have acquired the required bidding documents.

The DND attack helicopter program has a budget of P3.44 billion and will be sourced from the General Appropriations Act and the AFP Modernization Act Trust Fund of 2000.

The helicopters must have full night operation capability and complete weapon systems aside from integrated logistics support package.

"These helicopters shall be capable of performing close air support during day and night, and navigate safely during inadvertent instrument meteorological condition. Furthermore, they shall be equipped with armaments and avionics system highly suitable for said flying operation conditions," documents obtained by the Philippine News Agency disclosed.

Philippines' new attack choppers could fire laser-guided rockets | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Malaya

*PNoy to welcome home Alcaraz warship*
By Camille Diola (philstar.com) | July 25, 2013 






MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III will lead the welcoming ceremony of the Philippine Navy's newly acquired Hamilton-class cutter BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) upon its arrival.

Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said Thursday that Aquino will grace the event on August 6 after the warship docks at Subic Bay.

"We will be having a meeting with the Presidential Management Staff regarding (the event) as President Aquino will be our guest of honor," Fabic revealed.

The vessel is expected to enter Philippine territory by August 3 and will be painted with the Navy's traditional haze gray while in Subic.

He said the warship's arrival is met with much anticipation in the Navy.

"The morale of the PN is very high with the arrival of the 378-foot BRP Ramon Alcaraz as (it) will greatly boost the capabilities of our fleet," Fabic said.

Declining to reveal the ceremony's exact venue for security reasons, Fabic explained that another Navy vessel will meet the Alcaraz at sea to escort the frigate as tradition requires.

The Alcaraz will be commissioned in the second week of October and will be reportedly deployed to protect the country's exclusive economic zones.

PNoy to welcome home Alcaraz warship | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Silverblaze

This sudden expansion of military muscle is happening a bit too fast.

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## Pinoy

We have to thank China because its recent movements and strategies in the South China Sea have made us look at our defense policies anew and it really invigorates our appetite to modernize our Armed Forces therefore our spending have been positive to those countries we are buying armaments from.

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## Pinoy

*PH hopes for early ratings upgrade from Moody's*
Reuters
07/26/2013

MANILA - The Philippines hopes to get its third investment grade rating after a visit next week from Moody's Investors Service, which has placed its rating for the country on review for an upgrade.

"We are hoping to receive investment grade rating sooner than we earlier expected," central bank Governor Amando Tetangco told reporters in a mobile text message on Friday.

Moody's last upgraded the Philippines' credit rating to Ba1 from Ba2 in October, and a one notch upgrade would bring it to Baa3, the lowest investment grade.

The Philippines has won investment-grade ratings from two agencies this year. Fitch Ratings delivered the first, in March, and that was followed five weeks later by Standard & Poor's. 

News about a possible upgrade from Moody's helped push yields on longer-dated peso bonds lower by 10-15 basis points, a local debt trader said.

A team from Moody's will be in Manila next week, Tetangco said, and soon after the visit, the U.S.-based ratings agency is expected to hold a committee meeting.

"Hopefully they would be convinced even more that the positive overall performance and the reforms are sustainable," Tetangco said.

Moody's said on Thursday the country's economic performance had exceeded its expectations, supporting the view that growth could be significantly faster than similarly rated peers over at least the next two to three years.

The ratings agency also cited stable and favorable government funding conditions, improving fiscal and debt dynamics, political stability and a strengthened government policy mandate as the main triggers for the ratings review. 

On Thursday, the Philippine central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a record low, saying the domestic economy remains strong despite subdued global prospects and possible external shocks.

The government is targeting growth of as much as 8.5 percent before President Benigno Aquino steps down in 2016.

PH hopes for early ratings upgrade from Moody's | ABS-CBN News


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## Zero_wing

mabuhay ng Republika


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## p3avi8tor69

Malaya said:


> *PNoy to welcome home Alcaraz warship*
> By Camille Diola (philstar.com) | July 25, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III will lead the welcoming ceremony of the Philippine Navy's newly acquired Hamilton-class cutter BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) upon its arrival.
> 
> Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said Thursday that Aquino will grace the event on August 6 after the warship docks at Subic Bay.
> 
> "We will be having a meeting with the Presidential Management Staff regarding (the event) as President Aquino will be our guest of honor," Fabic revealed.
> 
> The vessel is expected to enter Philippine territory by August 3 and will be painted with the Navy's traditional haze gray while in Subic.
> 
> He said the warship's arrival is met with much anticipation in the Navy.
> 
> "The morale of the PN is very high with the arrival of the 378-foot BRP Ramon Alcaraz as (it) will greatly boost the capabilities of our fleet," Fabic said.
> 
> Declining to reveal the ceremony's exact venue for security reasons, Fabic explained that another Navy vessel will meet the Alcaraz at sea to escort the frigate as tradition requires.
> 
> The Alcaraz will be commissioned in the second week of October and will be reportedly deployed to protect the country's exclusive economic zones.
> 
> PNoy to welcome home Alcaraz warship | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com



Pathetic, the Pinoy newspaper had to misrepresent the image of their new cutter with a US warship at the background.

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## Pinoy

*PH may grow faster than China*
By Julito G. Rada | Aug. 02, 2013

The Philippines can grow faster than China in the coming years, a top official of British bank Standard Chartered said Thursday.

Standard Chartered global macro research head Marios Maratheftis said the economy might expand 8 percent or faster annually beyond 2015, if current policies of the present administration, healthy fundamentals and strong business confidence were sustained.

&#8220;There is no reason for the Philippines not to grow faster than China,&#8221; Maratheftis said.

&#8220;Policy, fundamentals and confidence would be the three key drivers of growth. Policies are moving in the right direction, especially on public-private partnership projects, fundamentals are also very healthy and confidence is high. These three are well aligned for the Philippines,&#8221; Maratheftis said.

A Standard Chartered&#8217;s recent business confidence survey showed the Philippines obtained the highest score in 2013, with the United Arab Emirates getting the second highest result.

&#8220;Generally, there is more confidence from the corporate sector. If this level of confidence can be translated into actions, the Philippines can attract more foreign direct investments,&#8221; Maratheftis said.

Maratheftis said within the Asean region, their top picks were the Philippines and Indonesia. He said the Philippines was a positive story, which was just starting and had a very long way to go.

He said because of the country&#8217;s boundless potentials, Standard Chartered adjusted upward its 2013 growth projection for the Philippines to 7 percent from the previous 6.9 percent.

He said the country&#8217;s more exposure to the US economy than China would be a plus factor. He said while China&#8217;s economy was on a high growth recently, it was &#8220;slowing down.&#8221;

PH may grow faster than China - Manila Standard Today


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## Pinoy

*PH acquiring French vessel for South China Sea*
8/03/2013
Agence France-Presse






MANILA - The Philippines said Saturday it is purchasing a surplus French Navy vessel to boost its forces in the South China Sea where it has an ongoing territorial dispute with China.

The 26-year-old "La Tapageuse" vessel is likely to be the first of several French ships that will be acquired by the Philippine coastguard as it contends with increasingly assertive Chinese forces.

The 54.8-meter patrol ship will cost six million Euros ($7.97 million) and is due to arrive in the country by April next year, a coastguard statement said.

The ship, which is armed with two cannon and two machine-guns, was inspected before acquisition and is good for 20 more years of service, the coastguard said.

"This French vessel is multi-functional and it would be a major contribution to our fleet, particularly in our search and rescue operations," coastguard chief Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena was quoted as saying in the statement.

The Philippines is also "finalizing" with the French government the purchase of four brand-new 24-meter and one 82-meter multipurpose vessels, Isorena said.

These new ships would arrive in the first quarter of 2015, the statement added, without specifying their cost.

Isorena also recalled that the Philippine coastguard was already set to acquire 10 multi-role patrol boats under an aid program with Japan.

The announcement came as a second-hand US Hamilton-class cutter acquired by the Philippine Navy sailed into the country's waters, where it will also help in patrolling the South China Sea.

Tensions have risen in recent years over China's increasingly-forceful claims to almost all of the South China Sea, even up to the coast of its neighbors like the Philippines.

These tensions have worsened since Chinese government vessels seized the Scarborough Shoal, a South China Sea outcrop just 230 kilometers east of the main Philippine island of Luzon, last year.

The Philippines has also complained about the presence of Chinese navy vessels near the Manila-controlled Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands.

The Philippines has one of the most poorly-equipped militaries in the region and has been trying to beef up its armed forces in the face of the maritime disputes.


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## Pinoy

*SUSTAINABLE: PH growth model attracts investors*
Written by REUTERS






*MEXICO AND THE PHILIPPINES ARE EXPECTED TO SUSTAIN GROWTH BY POURING DOMESTIC MONEY ON INFRASTRUCTURE. THE PHILIPPINES HAS OFFERED PRIVATE SECTOR FIRMS CONTRACTS TO MODERNIZE AT LEAST FIVE AIRPORTS AND AN A $814 MILLION TOLL ROAD PROJECT.*

LONDON - Headline growth numbers are no longer enough to attract foreign capital to emerging markets as discriminating investors home in on countries with the most sustainable economic models.

This transition to a new model is already underway, with equity and bond funds in both countries attracting net inflows in the past six months despite a sharp emerging market sell-off.

The Federal Reserves plan to withdraw its massive monetary stimulus is dividing emerging markets fortunes, with capital draining rapidly out of countries with large financing needs.

To make themselves less vulnerable to the ebb and flow of foreign short-term money, some countries are beginning to invest in their economies, backed by a more stable financing base.

The Philippines, where remittances from overseas workers provide a steady flow of income, is channelling a pool of domestic money to build airports and roads in a project costing 3 percent of gross domestic product.

Mexico plans to spend almost a third of GDP on improving its infrastructure in the next six years and is among Latin American countries that have reformed their pension systems to encourage workers to save regularly.

That creates a base to finance infrastructure spending, which should boost domestic demand and potential growth.

In emerging markets, you are no longer trying to find a winner but youre trying to find a survivor, said Salman Ahmed, global fixed income and FX strategist at Lombard Odier Investment Managers.

We still think Mexico and Philippines are well placed ... Winners of yesterday, Brazil and Turkey, are looking trickier.

According to estimates by Lipper, dedicated Mexico equity and bond funds saw a combined inflows of $3.7 billion in the six months to end-June, while Philippine equity and bond funds attracted a combined net inflows of $2.56 billion.

Mexicos stock market has risen 1.6 percent since May 22, while the broader index has lost nearly 7 percent.

The Philippines stock market has risen more than 14 percent in 2013 and its sovereign credit rating is on review for an upgrade by Moodys.

The ratings firm has cited stable and favorable government funding conditions and a strengthened government policy mandate among triggers for the rating review.

Latin America is a step ahead in building up an institutional domestic savings base, having reforming its pension systems following the debt crisis of the 1980s. Mexico, Chile, Peru, and Columbia all have relatively high savings rates of above 20 percent of GDP, according to the World Bank.

Chile is the highest-ranked emerging economy after Singapore and Taiwan in BlackRocks Sovereign Risk Index, which measures credit risk through a broad list of fiscal, financial and institutional metrics.

Its interesting to know that a considerable number of emerging markets get very high ratings in that index because of domestic finance savings institutions, said Ewen Cameron Watt, BlackRock Investment Institutes chief investment strategist.

Countries that are tending to find their financing of currencies more resilient are those who have deepened their domestic financial system, usually with the development of the domestic contractual financing and savings industry.

Mexico is beginning to channel domestic savings to building projects via its state pension funds, which have about 1.919 trillion Mexican peso in assets, representing about 23 percent of private savings. They hold 1.5 percent of assets in domestic debt specifically labelled as infrastructure.

State funds may be key to its plans to spend $300 billion in the next six years to build highways, rail lines and communications infrastructure, and upgrade the countrys ports. 

After two decades without a passenger rail service, Mexico has earmarked 95 million pesos for three routes, including a 300-km line across the Yucatan peninsula, home to its famous Cancun beach resort and the ancient Maya pyramids.

The government has also promised to consider a second airport in Mexico City to ease pressure on the current sole hub, which is Latin Americas second largest by traffic.

The Philippines government has offered private sector firms contracts to modernize at least five airports in two of its three main regions and will soon take bids for a $814 million toll road contract in two provinces just south of the capital.

For both economies, Japan could be a model. Much of its post-war growth, kick-started with foreign capital, was driven by private savings that were chanelled by banks to finance massive infrastructure and reconstruction projects.

By the time it passed West Germany to become the worlds No. 2 economy in the 1960s, Japan no longer relied on foreign capital to grow.

Infrastructure in the long term is a positive factor. It makes you more competitive and improves the supply side of the economy, Ahmed at Lombard Odier said.


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## Pinoy

*PH economy to grow 8% by 2015 - StanChart*
08/02/2013 

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines could begin growing by more than eight percent in 2015 and sustain that even onto the next administration given the correct policies and strong fundamentals driving investor confidence now, a top executive of a global investment bank said yesterday.

&#8220;There is no reason why the Philippines could not start growing faster than China,&#8221; Marios Maratheftis, global head of macro research at Standard Chartered Bank, said in a briefing.

&#8220;The country is moving into the right direction. There is no reason why the Philippines will not grow by eight percent plus by 2015,&#8221; he added.

The statement compares with Standard Chartered&#8217;s official forecast of seven percent growth by 2015. For this year and next, the economy is expected to expand by 6.9 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively.

The Aquino administration has set the following medium-term growth targets: six- to seven-percent this year, 6.5-percent to 7.5-percent next year, seven- to eight-percent by 2015 and 7.5- to 8.5-percent by 2016.

According to Maratheftis, the &#8220;positive story&#8221; of the Philippines has reverberated across the world given that &#8220;right plans,&#8221; especially on infrastructure, are in place. The bank also credited the public-private partnership (PPP) initiative.

In a report dated July 1 but released yesterday, Standard Chartered said low interest rates and a &#8220;flush of liquidity&#8221; will help finance PPP projects, of which only three have been successfully awarded since its launch in November 2010.

The awarding of investment grade status could also boost foreign direct investments (FDI) &#8212; tagged as the missing link to the country&#8217;s success story. Maratheftis noted that &#8220;strong confidence&#8221; in the Philippines from corporations globally.

&#8220;FDI will eventually catch up. There is a lot of room for Philippines to catch up,&#8221; Maratheftis said.

&#8220;If you have the three drivers of growth: correct policies, strong fundamentals and confidence, it will be difficult to isolate one over the other,&#8221; he pointed out.

A recovery in the US would also work on the country&#8217;s favor, the official said, noting that the Philippines is &#8220;most sensitive&#8221; to developments in the world&#8217;s largest economy. Among others, trade and FDI gains are expected once the US fully recovers.

For his part, Steve Brice, the bank&#8217;s chief investment strategist, said it would be important for the government &#8220;not to become complacent&#8221; despite all its laurels.

Growth, he said, will need to be sustained by ensuring public projects are bid out accordingly and in time.

Brice also said there is a need to create more channels for investments to keep the Philippines on the radar screen. On the local bourse for instance, he said &#8220;a lot of money chasing limited assets&#8221; have caused valuations to ratchet up relative to our neighbors.

&#8220;Valuations are really high. It&#8217;s a challenge for the market. But we always believe on the structural rerating story,&#8221; Brice told reporters.

&#8220;You would expect earnings to grow up faster here than in the US against this backdrop (of strong growth),&#8221; he added.

On the property market, Brice said the market is seen to remain &#8220;relatively buoyant,&#8221; with slight correction on prices in the future owing to huge supply coming in. &#8220;But we don&#8217;t expect it to slump back dramatically.&#8221; &#8211; With Ted Torres




*Japan rating firm raises Philippine outlook*
August 2, 2013

JAPAN-BASED debt watcher Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (R&I) has raised the Philippines&#8217; credit outlook to "positive" from "stable", citing improvements in the country&#8217;s fundamentals.

In a statement on Friday, R&I affirmed the country&#8217;s foreign currency issuer rating of BBB-. It also affirmed the foreign currency short-term debt rating of a-2.

A BBB- issuer rating, according to the debt watcher&#8217;s website, means the country&#8217;s creditworthiness is sufficient "though some factors require attention in times of major environmental changes". An a-2 rating on short-term debt, meanwhile, denotes that the certainty of fulfillment of a short-term obligation is high.

R&I&#8217;s last rating action on the country&#8217;s debt was in June last year, when it affirmed both BBB- and a-2 ratings and its "stable" outlook. The debt watcher had assigned the ratings and outlook in 2009.

In raising the issuer outlook, R&I cited major improvements in the country&#8217;s economic, fiscal, and external position.

"The economy of Republic of the Philippines has started to show strong growth thanks to continued robust consumption driven by remittances from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), coupled with expansions in public investment and exports," it said.

"At the same time, the inflation rate has been stable. As a result of the sustained current account surplus, the level of foreign reserves is rising. This has diminished concern about external liquidity," it added.

Financial management has also improved, it noted, and "steady" progress towards fiscal consolidation has allowed the government to spend more on infrastructure and education.

R&I likewise cited the country&#8217;s stable political environment, which it said had helped attract investments.

"The government significantly restored the peace of western Mindanao, a part of the island which used to ruin the country&#8217;s image. As improvement of the investment climate will accelerate direct investment by foreign investors, expectations for sustainable expansion of investment are growing," it said.

"If fundamentals for economic growth are solidified and steady increases in per-capita income become more promising, R&I will consider a rating upgrade."

The Philippine economy expanded by 6.8% in 2012, substantially higher than the 3.6% recorded in the previous year and above the government&#8217;s 5-6% target. In the first quarter, growth was a better-than-expected 7.8% -- faster than the government&#8217;s 6-7% goal for this year.

R&I said the economy&#8217;s growth would likely "stay robust" this year and the next.

Inflation -- 2.93% as of end-June, at the low end of the central bank&#8217;s 3-5% target -- is likewise expected to settle within target.

"Furthermore, public- private partnerships ... are expected to gain the momentum ... Whether such trend will be translated into a steady rise in investment ratio, and in turn, investment will serve as a growth driver, along with consumption, will be the key to future economic growth," it said.

R&I, however, noted that the country&#8217;s per-capita gross domestic product was still low relative to its peers in the region.

"The Philippines is the only country which has yet to reach per-capita GDP of US$3,000 among the five founding members of ASEAN; at long last, the country sees a clearer opportunity for catching up," it noted.

Public investment, while up, could also still be improved.

"The fiscal position serves as a major constraint. The 2012 figures show that tax revenues are only 12-13% of GDP. R&I positively views the government&#8217;s leadership in raising the &#8217;sin&#8217; tax levied on tobacco and alcohol beverages. Still, reform on the tax code and system aimed at a stronger tax collection capacity and better spending efficiency remains an important issue to be addressed," it noted.

The government also still needs "to address the issues ranging from lack of infrastructure to the perception of widespread corruption in order to improve the investment climate."

"A focus will be placed on whether the Aquino administration will be able to make the best use of positive factors, such as the strong economic growth and political stability, in efforts to break a stalemate in investment, a structural problem that has haunted the Philippine economy," R&I said.

"In consideration of the execution and progress of specific plans, along with economic trends, R&I will incorporate developments into the rating."

http://www.bworldonline.com/content...ating-firm-raises-Philippine-outlook&id=74382

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## Pinoy

*S&P: Philippines leads Southeast Asia growth*
08/07/2013






MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is seen to lead Southeast Asia in terms of growth as what was once regarded as Asia&#8217;s laggard spearheads an outperforming region this year until 2015 amid a weakening China.

&#8220;The major ASEAN economies we cover (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines) continue to outperform,&#8221; debt watcher Standard & Poor&#8217;s Ratings Services (S&P) said in a report released Monday. ASEAN refers to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

&#8220;The Philippines, which S&P recently upgraded to investment grade, has taken over the ASEAN growth leadership role from Indonesia,&#8221; it added.

Other members of the ASEAN are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Singapore.

According to S&P&#8217;s baseline forecasts, the Philippines is projected to grow 6.9 percent, 6.1 percent and 6.5 percent for 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. This is faster than ASEAN&#8217;s 5.5 percent, 5.6 percent and 5.4 percent during similar periods.

The 10-nation group is expected to be more &#8220;domestically focused,&#8221; essentially keeping them insulated from China&#8217;s faltering export-driven and investment-led economy.

Indonesia is still expected to remain strong, although its current account deficit &#8211; a situation that indicates fleeing dollars &#8211; is a problem. Thailand, meanwhile, could be hurt through weak trade, S&P said.

On the other hand, Malaysia will remain afloat, thanks to a surge in public investments, while Vietnam continues to struggle with large bad credit accumulated by its banks.

&#8220;The risks to growth within ASEAN are tilted modestly to the downside,&#8221; the credit rater said.

Collectively though, ASEAN remains a key driver of Asia-Pacific growth, which is projected to slow to 5.3 percent this year, before accelerating to 5.6 percent and 5.5 percent for 2014 and 2015.

S&P said this would be due to a slowdown in China, the world&#8217;s second largest economy, which is suffering from &#8220;waning private and public investments.&#8221; Beijing&#8217;s woes are expected to add to Europe&#8217;s still-fragile environment.

S&P: Philippines leads Southeast Asia growth | ABS-CBN News





*Philippines optimistic 2013 growth can top 6-7% target*
Published August 07, 2013






The Philippine economy can grow faster than a government target of 6-7 per cent this year, but headwinds from the global economy are keeping officials conservative in their forecasts, the country's economic planning chief said on Wednesday - PHOTO: REUTERS

[MANILA] The Philippine economy can grow faster than a government target of 6-7 per cent this year, but headwinds from the global economy are keeping officials conservative in their forecasts, the country's economic planning chief said on Wednesday.

The Southeast Asian country posted the region's fastest annual growth in the first quarter, and was the only nation which received an upwardly revised forecast from the International Monetary Fund.

"We're optimistic we can grow beyond 7 per cent this year, but given external risks we maintained the GDP target," Arsenio Balisacan, economic planning secretary, told a budget hearing at the lower chamber of Congress.

Economists in a Reuters quarterly poll in July raised their growth forecast for the Philippines to 6.8 per cent from 5.9 per cent in April, after the economy expanded by a stronger-than-expected annual rate of 7.8 per cent in the first quarter.

Philippines optimistic 2013 growth can top 6-7% target


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## Pinoy

*Aquino approves 20,000 more troops for AFP*
BY CARMELA FONBUENA






_APPROVED. President Aquino approves DND's proposal to recruit additional 20,000 troops._

MANILA, Philippines &#8212; President Benigno Aquino III has approved a plan to recruit 20,000 more soldiers. Most of them will go to the Philippine Army, the largest branch of service under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

"It&#8217;s with DBM (Department of Budget and Management). We&#8217;re looking into the appropriate ways to fund this," said defense department spokesperson Peter Galvez.

The training requirement will cost P5 billion while the salaries for all 20,000 new posts will cost additional P4 billion annually, based on the approved budget plan shown to Rappler.

"The important thing is the plan is approved," Galvez added. Implementation is pending availability of funds but the plan is to "gradually" fill up the 20,000 posts "within a 3-year period," Galvez said.

"We are simply addressing what should have been addressed long before," Galvez added. "The 20,000 will fill up the troop requirement to achieve a 95% complement of a unit. At present, most of our units are not filled up."

Aquino in his 2013 State of the Nation Address (SONA) talked about the need to augment the country's security forces. "In 1986, there were an estimated 250,000 policemen and soldiers protecting a total of 55 million Filipinos. Today, we still have an estimated 250,000 policemen and soldiers, who protect 95 million Filipinos. Our population has almost doubled; while the number of our protectors has not changed," Aquino said in his SONA.

The last big recruitment in the AFP happened in 2006 when then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo approved the hiring of 11,000 new troops. Then AFP chief Gen Hermogenes Esperon Jr justified this by saying the military needed more soldiers to stop the New People's Army (NPA) from operating in urban centers.

*External threats*

The approval of new recruits comes at a time when the Air force and the Navy are also getting better equipment.

READ: Fair winds: Navy's new warship arrives and DND wants delivery of 4 fighter jets ASAP

"Something that will help our units in the frontline is very important," said Army chief Lt Gen Noel Coballes.

The Army has a current strength of 85,000 men and women fighting the NPA, the Abu Sayyaf Group, rogue members of the Moro National Liberation Front, and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF). The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is in peace talks with the government.

The additional troops will increase the number of Army troops to about 105,000. It's still far from the ideal troop strength of 150,000, based on estimates by Coballes. He said his computation is based on the country's population growth rate.

He said the Army units are undermanned. Troops are very tired because they are forced to extend their tours of duty, he added. They have to be regularly taken out of the field for reorientation, Coballes explained.

Coballes said external security threats also made it more urgent for the military to improve its posture. "There is a shift from internal defense to external defense. We have to improve our military posture," he said. The bulk of the new recruits, however, will go to the Army, which is not the primary force in external defense.

The AFP has highlighted the new challenges posed by the row between Manila and Beijing over the West Philippine Sea. Commanders have been instructed to "conclude" these internal security threats by 2016 so the military can focus on external defense and other tasks.

READ: Finish insurgency, AFP chief tells commanders

Coballes said the additional troops will help achieve this. "The performance of the organization will be improved," he said. "We now have a population of 100 million. We have to increase our soldiers to protect security fo the people."

READ: Retired generals want ROTC back in colleges

Coballes also supports new calls to make the ROTC mandatory in colleges. &#8212; Rappler.com

http://www.rappler.com/nation/35627-aquino-approves-more-troops-military

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## Fsjal

Funny how Aquino wants more soldiers, yet the military is lightly armed. The Australian army, smaller than the AFP, has better firepower.
As for your economy, it won't go any faster, and Philippines is not an industrialized nation.


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## Pinoy

Philippine Navy special operations group on board speed boats patrol off Subic Bay.


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## Pinoy

*US looking forward to successful base access talks with PH*
By Tarra Quismundo
August 13th, 2013

MANILA, Philippines &#8212; The United States is confident about the positive conclusion of its base access talks with the Philippines, reiterating its support for the country&#8217;s defense buildup and preparedness for disaster response.

In a statement on Tuesday, US Embassy officials expressed hopes that negotiations, set to begin on Tuesday, in Manila, would reinforce the long-standing partnership between the two allies as both keenly pursued a common bid for a more stable Asia-Pacific region.

&#8220;We support the Philippine Government in its desire to build a credible defense and respond rapidly during times of humanitarian crisis and natural disasters,&#8221; said US Embassy officials in a statement sent to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

&#8220;We are optimistic that the first round of negotiations will result in positive outcomes that will further strengthen our 62-year alliance,&#8221; officials said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Monday announced the formal start of negotiations between the Philippines and the US on the latter&#8217;s expanded access to Philippine military bases, a move that has invited criticism from those long opposed to US military presence here.

Del Rosario earlier said the talks would include discussions on &#8220;modalities and parameters&#8221; within which US troops would be allowed greater rotational presence in the Philippines under existing bilateral agreements and in compliance with Philippine law, particularly the Constitution.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reiterated this on Tuesday and said the bounds of the agreement had already been defined in deference to Philippine law.

&#8220;The parameters have already been set and both secretaries (Del Rosario and Gazmin) have already stated this yesterday (Monday). These are very clear parameters &#8212; respect for Philippine Constitution, the laws and jurisprudence, the preservation of Philippine sovereignty, the non-permanence of US troops and non-exclusivity of use of facilities by US side and the mutuality of benefits,&#8221; Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesman, said.

He also addressed criticism thrown at Del Rosario for leading the effort, particularly remarks of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, saying the official was &#8220;drawing attention to himself&#8221; in making announcements on the Philippine-US negotiations.

Del Rosario and Trillanes were at opposite ends in 2012, when the top diplomat said the senator&#8217;s backchannel effort to settle the territorial dispute with Beijing was &#8220;doing more harm than good.&#8221;

Trillanes, who has long showed displeasure over Del Rosario&#8217;s stay at the DFA, meanwhile accused the official of using the territorial dispute as a leverage to pursue business interests.

&#8220;Defending what is ours, securing our nation and keeping our people safe is a combined effort of diplomacy and defense. The close partnership of the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and the DND (Department of National Defense) is of paramount importance. So we need to be transparent to the public. We need to let our people know how we intend to safeguard their welfare at all times,&#8221; said Hernandez.

The Philippines looks to the US, its strongest defense ally, in building a &#8220;minimum credible defense posture&#8221; as it fortifies territorial security amid disputes with military giant China over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Most recently, the Philippine Navy acquired a former US Coast Guard cutter as the country&#8217;s latest warship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz. Both countries also continue joint military exercises &#8212; activities set to increase once the new agreement is firmed up.

While neutral on the dispute, the United States has been keenly watching over security in the waters, a critical international trade route, as it pursued a strategic pivot to the Asia Pacific amid its gradual troop withdrawal from the Middle East.

The move is viewed in China as an effort to &#8220;contain&#8221; its rise as an economic and military power in the region.

The Philippines has meanwhile been vocal in criticizing China for incursions in the West Philippine Sea, including sea patrols and fishing trips to the country&#8217;s exclusive economic zone. Government believes Chinese ships come and go in at least two of shoals within the country&#8217;s maritime boundaries, including the Ayungin Shoal off Palawan and the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal off Zambales.

Asserting &#8220;indisputable sovereignty&#8221; over almost all of the waters, China has lashed back at the Philippines for &#8220;internationalizing&#8221; the regional dispute, an apparent reference to the country&#8217;s defense alliance with the US.

In January, the Philippines haled China before the United Nations arbitral tribunal, the only standing legal action in the six-way dispute that also involves Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

The legal action aims to nullify China&#8217;s nine-dash line claim, which encompasses almost all of the West Philippine Sea, and to halt its incursions into the country&#8217;s maritime borders. China has refused to take part in the arbitration but proceedings continue before the five-member ad hoc panel holding court in The Hague.


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## Pinoy

*PH expected to outperform regional rivals
Citi notes country&#8217;s resilience to shocks from US or China*
By Doris C. Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 15th, 2013

MANILA, Philippines&#8212;American banking giant Citigroup sees the Philippines outperforming neighbors in the region and better withstanding external shocks arising from the tapering of the US Federal Reserve&#8217;s easy money policy and a slowdown in China.

The Philippines can attain an above-trend gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 7 percent this year and 6.8 percent for next year, said Johanna Chua, the managing director and head of Asia-Pacific economic and market analysis at Citi.

The Hong Kong-based Filipino economist said the Philippines was beating global growth forecast trends and that the stage was set for an investment-led recovery in the country.

Chua said growth in the country was &#8220;very resilient,&#8221; supported by ample fiscal space for government spending alongside high business confidence levels.

Economic growth in the second quarter would likely be slower than the first quarter, when the domestic economy grew by 7.8 percent year on year, but the growth rate would still be &#8220;quite elevated,&#8221; she said. In the last decade, Philippine trend growth rate was at less than 5 percent.

The economist said emerging markets in the region continued to face two major external risks: the tapering of the US Federal Reserve&#8217;s $85 billion in monthly bond purchases and a structural slowdown of the Chinese economy. Citi sees the tapering of easy money starting by September this year and going down to zero by the middle of next year.

&#8220;If we look at and combine both risks, the Philippines stands out as the country most insulated to both, with macroeconomic and financial stability intact,&#8221; she said.

&#8220;The sudden reversal of capital flows may hurt the domestic growth of some markets but the Philippines is in better shape,&#8221; she added.




*Taiwan investors back in PH*
By Othel V. Campos | Aug. 15, 2013

Taiwanese companies are reinvesting in the Philippines, following the lifting of trade sanctions by Taipei, with three groups committing $42 million worth of new capital, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office said Wednesday.

&#8220;High labor cost is driving Taiwanese companies from mainland China to invest here,&#8221; Meco chairman Amadeo Perez said in an interview. Meco serves as the government&#8217;s trade office in Taiwan.

Perez said Taiwan&#8217;s interest in the Philippines &#8220;never waned, but everything was put on hold in the last three months due to the unfortunate shooting incident.&#8221;

Taipei lifted the sanctions against the Philippines, after an official apology from Manila, following the May 9 shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Coast Guard in Philippine waters.

Perez said Biotech Medical, a Taiwanese manufacturer of syringes and medical supplies, would invest $12 million for a three-hectare facility at the Hermosa Economic Zone in Bataan.

Taiwan Fructose is putting up a $10-million sweetener plant inside the First Philippine Industrial Estate in Tanauan, Batangas. Taiwan Fructose will supply liquid sweetener to Nestlé Philippines Inc.

Perez said Tai Han would build a $20-million plant to manufacture printer parts for Epson and Brother.

He said apart from these companies, a supplier of Coach leather goods was also keen on putting up a facility in the country to complement its China and Taiwan operations.

An agro-industrial company based in Taiwan also expressed interest to invest in a fish processing plant in Pangasinan.

&#8220;These two investments are still understudy. In fact, we could have a deluge of Taiwanese firms locating here, if not for the recent impasse,&#8221; said Perez.

Taiwan&#8217;s imports from the Philippines reached $1.5 billion in 2012, while its exports to the Philippines amounted to $4.8 billion.

Taiwan exported $1.9 billion worth of merchandise to the Philippines in the first four months while imports from the Philippines reached only $517 million.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/08/15/taiwan-investors-back-in-ph/



*'PH is Asia's most insulated economy to external risks'*
08/15/2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines shouldn't worry about financial stability risks at this point, unlike its Asian counterparts, according to Johanna Chua, Citi managing director and Asia-Pacific head of economic and market analysis.

This as the Philippines continues to enjoy sound fiscal management, strong growth, and stable primary surpluses, allowing the debt-to-GDP ratio to continue to decline.

Chua cited two regional risks: first, the slowdown in China, though still viewed to be at tolerable levels by authorities; and second, the tapering of the US Federal Reserve&#8217;s bond-buying program.

As markets brace for the liquidity withdrawal, they can expect a weaker foreign exchange (FX) to loosen monetary conditions.

&#8220;Our view is that inflation for most countries in Asia, including the Philippines, can absorb this FX weakness. The sudden reversal of capital flows may hurt the domestic growth of some markets, but the Philippines is in better shape," she said.

"And if we look at and combine both risks, the Philippines stands out as the country most insulated to both, with macroeconomic and financial stability intact," she added.

Chua welcomed the Philippines' proposed 15% spending increase in 2014. Citi viewed the resulting fiscal gap to still be prudent due to buoyant revenues.

Chua also noted that balance sheet concerns from FX weakness is also a non-issue. "The Philippines is an increasing net creditor nation," she said.

Citi cited two key catalysts for the Philippines' investment-led recovery: fiscal spending with strong bias toward infrastructure; and rising investment approvals.

She said this is the first time that they are seeing infrastructure spending to have a prominent share in capital outlays, exceeding the share of interest payments.

"Fiscal expenditures accounted for the fastest-rising demand component in the first half of 2013. The sustained improvements in collection efficiency have resulted in a rising tax-to-GDP ratio. We noted that the 2013 budget retains a bias for infrastructure spending," she said.

Citi also noted the rising contribution of FDI approvals when charted over the past two to three years.

&#8220;Clearly, the investment credit rating will help spur investment-driven growth. Historically, most investment-grade countries attracted billions of dollars of FDI over time... While some challenges remain, including how to address perceptions when it comes to the relative ease of doing business here, as reported in the World Bank 2013 survey, the stage is set for an investment-led recovery, and we believe the Philippines has started to take off," she said.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/08/14/13/ph-asias-most-insulated-economy-external-risks


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## Fsjal

Philippines will never outperform China.

1. Philippines is not industrialized. As a result, Philippines's economy will not grow any faster
2. Many people still live in poverty. Look at China in the 80's. Deng Xiaoping lifted 700 million people out of poverty. Did Aquino lift anyone out of poverty?
3. Many companies in Philippines are small, compare to big companies in Japan, S. Korea and China.


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## Apothecary

Fsjal said:


> Philippines will never outperform China.
> 
> 1. Philippines is not industrialized. As a result, Philippines's economy will not grow any faster
> 2. Many people still live in poverty. Look at China in the 80's. Deng Xiaoping lifted 700 million people out of poverty. Did Aquino lift anyone out of poverty?
> 3. Many companies in Philippines are small, compare to big companies in Japan, S. Korea and China.



1. Do please quote us when the Philippine nation explicitly said or implied that they want to overcome china's economy in this 24 page thread.
2. NEWS FLASH, poverty is found ALL around the world.
3. Why do you keep changing your flag? Are you a spineless turncoat in heart?

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## Zero_wing

Apothecary said:


> 1. Do please quote us when the Philippine nation explicitly said or implied that they want to overcome china's economy in this 24 page thread.
> 2. NEWS FLASH, poverty is found ALL around the world.
> 3. Why do you keep changing your flag? Are you a spineless turncoat in heart?



Na wala tapos bumalik wala talaga yan kabayan parang tipical na tongresita lang na militante hahahahaha pag gago lang talaga si fsjal at lahat ng mga imperilista tsinoka dito kahit iba bandila pinipirata nila 

Any how your right but the economy is picking up but still we have to do more work


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## Pinoy

Otto Energy expands Philippines offshore oil and gas acreage with award of new block
Tuesday, September 03, 2013 by Bevis Yeo	






Otto Energy (ASX: OEL) has been awarded Service Contract 73 in the Mindoro Basin offshore Philippines and will reprocess existing 2D seismic of over 3,000 kilometres.

The block has the potential to restock the company&#8217;s exploration inventory with oil been discovered near the block with an Extended Production Test conducted in 1994 at the Maniguin wells. 

Oil seepages in the Mindoro Island region also confirms the presence of an active petroleum system in the area.

SC 73 covers 8,440 square kilometres with water depths ranging from 100 metres to 1,300 metres.

Petroleum play types identified are reef build-ups, fault blocks and anticlines with reservoir intervals in the Early Miocene to Pliocene carbonates and Early to Late Miocene carbonates and clastics. Source rocks are coaly and organic-rich claystones of Eocene to Middle Miocene.

http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.a...as-acreage-with-award-of-new-block-47500.html


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## Pinoy

*'Q2 GDP growth makes PH stand out in SE Asia'*







The Philippines' better-than-expected 7.5% GDP growth in the second quarter makes it the fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia.

"This helps us distinguish ourselves from the rest of the ASEAN region, which are now in a slowdown. Thailand is in a technical recession, Indonesia is growing slower than 6% for the first time in 4 years. This is a way for us to distinguish, distance ourselves from the rest of the region, hopefully investors around the world take notice," BPI economist Nicholas Mapa said.



*Philippines: Asia&#8217;s &#8220;Sick Man&#8221; Gets Strong*
By Anthony Fensom
September 3, 2013






*Filipino President Benigno Aquino III reportedly loves telling anyone who will listen that the country is no longer the &#8220;sick man of Asia.&#8221; With economic growth rising by more than 7 percent again for the fourth straight quarter, the leader of the Southeast Asian nation has a point.*

In the latest June quarter, gross domestic product expanded by 7.5 percent from a year earlier, following the previous quarter&#8217;s 7.7 percent gain. The rise exceeded even the 7.2 percent median estimate of economists polled by Bloomberg News.

*&#8220;The Philippines remains a bright spot in Asia,&#8221;* Jeff Ng, an economist at Standard Chartered in Singapore, told Bloomberg.

&#8220;While expansions in other countries are fading, Philippine GDP growth remains very much robust and we see growth persisting at above-trend levels.&#8221;

According to Bloomberg surveys, the Philippines could be among the world&#8217;s five fastest-growing economies in 2013 and 2014, likely expanding by 6.9 percent this year and 6 percent in 2014.

Filipino economic planning minister Arsenio Balisacan told reporters the country would surpass its 2013 growth target of 6 to 7 percent.

ANZ&#8217;s Eugenia Fabon Victorino described the latest GDP figure as &#8220;the strong man of Asia remains strong!&#8221; The economy posted its 16th straight quarter of growth, with private consumption gaining 6.2 percent over the previous year, government spending up 9.5 percent, but investment posting a standout 19.7 percent rise, boosted by strong construction spending.

Trade growth was less buoyant, with a 4 percent rise in services exports only partially offsetting an 8.7 percent fall in goods exports. Exports account for around a third of the economy, which has been buffeted by weakness in major trading partners, although the nation&#8217;s thriving business process outsourcing industry has helped lift services.

In a research note, Victorino said the Philippine economy would expand by 7.1 percent in 2013, with domestic growth underpinned by public and private investment.

Victorino pointed to high business confidence and low debt, with outstanding credit at around a third of GDP, &#8220;the lowest in emerging Asia&#8221; and loan growth to key sectors pointing to &#8220;ample projects in the pipeline.&#8221;

The analyst expects the Philippines central bank, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to hold its key overnight borrowing rate steady at 3.5 percent through the first half of 2014, although pointing to &#8220;upward risks&#8221; to ANZ&#8217;s 2014 inflation forecast of 3.4 percent. The BSP has held its benchmark rate at a record low 3.5 percent since last October.

The strengthening Philippine economy is even more remarkable following a regional slowdown that has seen Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand battered by a slowing China and capital flight back to developed economies. Thailand recently entered into recession for the first time since 2009, while Indonesia posted its weakest expansion since 2010.

Comparing the nation to Asia&#8217;s &#8220;emerging tigers,&#8221; the BSP&#8217;s deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo told an ASEAN forum that &#8220;this cat is beginning to let the world hear its mighty roar&#8221;.

Guinigundo cited solid GDP growth and manageable inflation within the government&#8217;s 3 to 5 percent target range.

&#8220;We call this sweet convergence of high growth and low inflation. To a large extent, this was on account of the expansion in the country&#8217;s potential capacity,&#8221; Guinigundo was quoted saying by the Manila Times.

He also noted that the nation posted a balance of payments surplus amounting to $1.5 billion in the first quarter, with total reserves reaching $82.9 billion as of July &#8211; equivalent to a year&#8217;s worth of goods imports and payments.

&#8220;This shows that the Philippines possesses sufficient reserves to ride out any turbulent period that we may encounter,&#8221; he said.

*Regional risks*

However, the central bank official noted risks from the U.S. Federal Reserve&#8217;s unwinding of its monetary stimulus, &#8220;which may result in the outflow of capital from emerging market economies,&#8221; in addition to the ongoing recoveries in the United States and eurozone.

Regional risks were highlighted this week, when President Aquino reportedly cancelled a visit to a Chinese trade fair over a territorial dispute with China.

According to diplomatic sources, the president cancelled a visit to Nanning for Tuesday&#8217;s opening of the annual China-ASEAN Exposition after Beijing demanded Manila withdraw its international arbitration case challenging China&#8217;s claim to nearly the entire South China Sea.

The two countries have been in a diplomatic rift since last year over maritime disputes, with Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan also having overlapping claims.

For now, however, Asia&#8217;s new &#8220;strong man&#8221; is economically outmuscling its regional rivals. 

Philippines: Asia

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## Pinoy

*PH seen to expand further in Q3*
September 3, 2013 






The expansion of the Philippine economy is seen to continue in the third quarter of the year despite market volatilities.

In a recent report, Standard Chartered Bank (SBC) said that its outlook for the country&#8217;s growth remains positive.

&#8220;While Philippine markets are likely to remain volatile in the short term on US Fed tapering concerns, we expect this volatility to have a limited impact on long-term economic trends,&#8221; SBC economist Jeff Ng stated.

Ng is referring to the expected tapering of the $85 billion a month stimulus program of the United States Federal Reserve known as quantitative easing (QE).

He added that the economic growth in the country has been resilient over the past decade, even during periods of market volatility, adding the &#8220;Philippines has several strengths relative to its Asian peers.&#8221;

Growing 7.5 percent in the second quarter of 2013, the Philippines remains the fastest growing economy among emerging economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It also surpassed the growth rates of its Asian neighbors.

The economist noted that the country has solid domestic consumption and investment that would &#8220;likely to support growth in the next three years.&#8221;

Data from the National Statistical Coordination Board said that for the second quarter of 2013, household spending continued to expand by 5.2 percent, while Government Final Consumption Expenditure (GFCE) substantially grew by 17.0 percent.

Investments in Fixed Capital Formation in the second quarter of 2013 increased to 9.7 percent from 8.7 percent of the same period last year.

Furthermore, Ng said that the economy ranks favorably based on Moody&#8217;s External Vulnerability Indicator, indicating its resilience to external shocks.

He said &#8220;strong remittance inflows from overseas workers more than make up for the trade deficit in the current account.&#8221;
Overseas Filipino workers remittances remained robust at the first half of the year as it soared by 6.2 percent to $11.8 billion.
&#8220;The 2012 current account surplus of 2.8 percent of GDP [gross domestic product] would have been a deficit of 4.3 percent if overseas workers&#8217; remittances were excluded,&#8221; Ng said.

The economist also said that the SBC is maintaining its 6.9-percent projection for the Philippines for full year 2013. MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

http://www.manilatimes.net/ph-seen-to-expand-further-in-q3/36104/


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## Pinoy

*Philippines to host training with thousands of US Marines*
September 2, 2013






MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Marine Corps will host an annual interoperability training with about 2,300 United States and Philippine servicemen on September 18.

The bilateral exercise called PHIBLEX focuses on air-ground and amphibious training and staff planning and create a venue to share best practices.

The US' Marine Expeditionary Unit and 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade will be paired with the country's Navy, Air Force and Army units for training and community assistance in various locations.

Selected training camps of the Armed Forces will include such as the Naval Education and Training Command in Zambales, Crow Valley in Tarlac, Marine Base Gregorio Lim in Cavite, Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown in Manila and Basa Airbase in Pampanga.

This year's PHIBLEX started in 1999 aiming to improve readiness and abilities of two camps to respond to natural disasters and other regional contingencies.

Both forces will also carry out humanitarian and civic assistance projects in several communities in Legaspi City, Albay.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1


The country is currently negotiating a temporary access of US troops amid China's assertiveness over Philippine-claimed coastal territories. - Camille Diola

Philippines to host training with thousands of US Marines | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Bienvenido

While the central government is busy with PDAF scam. There are other things that must be taken into account. Misuari and his men are now hungry of power and attention. One solution: show no mercy to their terrorist group! Kill Misuari, he is the source of shame not only for the Philippines but to Muslims as well.

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## Zero_wing

Yup nice turn out for the Philippines

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## Bob Ong

There's a saying "A just war is better than an unjust peace" Isa lang ang ginawang tama ni Erap ng panahon niya, ginera nya ang mga muslim na ito and we almost accomplished our mission kung hindi lang sumingit ang 'peaceloving' mediators.

Pagkatapos ng peace treaty sa MNLF, kumalas ang MILF group pagkatapos ng MILF peace treaty BIFF naman ang kumalas ... ngayon MNLF nakiki epal nanaman .Pinaglalaruan lang tayo ng mga muslim na ito and govt should start realizing that .

This a the best time to deal strongly with these muslims, Khadafi is gone and Malaysia will surely no longer support them.

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## Wholegrain

Bienvenido said:


> While the central government is busy with PDAF scam. There are other things that must be taken into account. Misuari and his men are now hungry of power and attention. One solution: show no mercy to their terrorist group! Kill Misuari, he is the source of shame not only for the Philippines but to Muslims as well.



The sycophant who is waving his former colonial master's flag in his avatar is now talking about assassination.



Bob Ong said:


> There's a saying "A just war is better than an unjust peace" Isa lang ang ginawang tama ni Erap ng panahon niya, ginera nya ang mga muslim na ito and we almost accomplished our mission kung hindi lang sumingit ang 'peaceloving' mediators.
> 
> Pagkatapos ng peace treaty sa MNLF, kumalas ang MILF group pagkatapos ng MILF peace treaty BIFF naman ang kumalas ... ngayon MNLF nakiki epal nanaman .Pinaglalaruan lang tayo ng mga muslim na ito and govt should start realizing that .
> 
> This a the best time to deal strongly with these muslims, Khadafi is gone and Malaysia will surely no longer support them.



If there were no American military in the Philippines and no treaty between Philippines and America, the "Flilipino" Indios would have been de-hispanicized and de-programmed from centuries of Spanish and American brainwashing by China and then the mentally liberated Luzonian and Visayan Indios could live in peace with their independent Moro, Lumad, Igorot and Palawanian neighbors.

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## Apothecary

Wholegrain said:


> T
> If there were no American military in the Philippines and no treaty between Philippines and America, the "Flilipino" Indios would have been de-hispanicized and de-programmed from centuries of Spanish and American brainwashing by China and then the mentally liberated Luzonian and Visayan Indios could live in peace with their independent Moro, Lumad, Igorot and Palawanian neighbors.



That's how colonization works you class A+ idiot. Are we now judging the present by the actions of the past now? And why the fuc,k do you even care about *OUR* internal affairs? This thread is about *OUR* military and *OUR* economy you gobshite,so stop going  in *OUR* thread.

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## Wholegrain

Apothecary said:


> That's how colonization works you class A+ idiot. Are we now judging the present by the actions of the past now? And why the fuc,k do you even care about *OUR* internal affairs? This thread is about *OUR* military and *OUR* economy you gobshite,so stop going  in *OUR* thread.



What the Philippines does has very much to do with China and Taiwan. Remember the Spratly islands? My post isn't offtopic, we are talking about the Moro issue which several Filipino posters on here started to talk about.

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## Apothecary

Good grief, are you incapable of reading? Just leave this thread, before you drown in your own sh,it.


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## Wholegrain

Apothecary said:


> Good grief, are you incapable of reading? Just leave this thread, before you drown in your own sh,it.



I can read English pretty well, not sure about Zero_wing. This is an international forum so no one can tell me to leave any thread. Filipnos do not own this thread for their exclusive use.

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## Apothecary

Wholegrain said:


> I can read English pretty well, not sure about Zero_wing. This is an international forum so no one can tell me to leave any thread. Filipnos do not own this thread for their exclusive use.



And you keep going offtopic by posting offtopic things. Look at the thread title and comeback to me again.


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## Zero_wing

Well me too you just full of bull whole b.s


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## Bob Ong

Wholegrain said:


> If there were no American military in the Philippines and no treaty between Philippines and America, the "Flilipino" Indios would have been de-hispanicized and de-programmed from centuries of Spanish and American brainwashing by China and then the mentally liberated Luzonian and Visayan Indios could live in peace with their independent Moro, Lumad, Igorot and Palawanian neighbors.


Typical pygmy symptoms your limited knowledge can be boosted to above moronic level. Anyway you need to refine your trolling technique so you can bait more

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## Wholegrain

Bob Ong said:


> Typical pygmy symptoms your limited knowledge can be boosted to above moronic level. Anyway you need to refine your trolling technique so you can bait more



The Philippine state will be "dealt with" strongly by Nur Misuari.

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## Bienvenido

Wholegrain said:


> The sycophant who is waving his former colonial master's flag in his avatar is now talking about assassination.


Who wants to be a Chinese anyway? Even Hong-Kong and Macau if given a choice will prefer to stay being a slave by the British, the locals despise China and the mainland Chinese, not to mention Taiwan.

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## Bienvenido

Wholegrain said:


> The Philippine state will be "dealt with" strongly by Nur Misuari.


MNLF group of Misuari are not brave enough to face their Allah. They used people to shield themselves from government forces. 

This is an act of cowardice, they are not bound to fight 'till the end. Only terrorist group use civilians as human shield. I hope Mr Aquino will put a bounty on Nur Misuari's head, dead or alive. Those kinds of nuisances are not worthy to live even for another single day.

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## Zero_wing

Well whole bs has no knowledge of the Philippines his good in disinformation nothing more


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## Wholegrain

Bienvenido said:


> MNLF group of Misuari are not brave enough to face their Allah. They used people to shield themselves from government forces.
> 
> This is an act of cowardice, they are not bound to fight 'till the end. Only terrorist group use civilians as human shield. I hope Mr Aquino will put a bounty on Nur Misuari's head, dead or alive. Those kinds of nuisances are not worthy to live even for another single day.



AFP.com



> *Absalom Cerveza, a Misuari spokesman, told ABS-CBN civilians were not being used as human shields, but fighters feared letting them leave in case they were caught in crossfire.*

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## Reashot Xigwin

Bienvenido said:


> MNLF group of Misuari are not brave enough to face their Allah. They used people to shield themselves from government forces.
> 
> This is an act of cowardice, they are not bound to fight 'till the end. Only terrorist group use civilians as human shield. I hope Mr Aquino will put a bounty on Nur Misuari's head, dead or alive. Those kinds of nuisances are not worthy to live even for another single day.



Don't seem like it. Misuari faction is now seems ready for negotiation.


> *MNLF ready to face gov&#8217;t in talks to end Zamboanga standoff*
> By Karlos Manlupig
> Inquirer Mindanao
> 5:48 pm | Wednesday, September 11th, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> FILE PHOTO
> 
> DAVAO CITY, Philippines &#8211; *The spokesperson of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) expressed his group&#8217;s openness to a &#8220;bilateral&#8221; ceasefire and a political resolution to the hostilities.
> *
> *Lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla, spokesperson and legal counsel of the MNLF faction led by Nur Misuari, said Wednesday afternoon that the issue would never be settled through the skirmishes.*
> 
> *&#8220;The question that must be answered right now is how to resolve this through political solutions rather than military solutions,&#8221; Fontanilla told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone.*
> 
> Read more: MNLF ready to face gov
> Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

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## Fsjal

Bienvenido said:


> *Who wants to be a Chinese anyway? Even Hong-Kong and Macau if given a choice will prefer to stay being a slave by the British, the locals despise China and the mainland Chinese, not to mention Taiwan.*



They're not real Chinese. Those Hong Kongers/Macau locals are not Han. They're Cantonese. As for Taiwan, they're influenced by the DPP, a prominent Anti-China party.



Wholegrain said:


> AFP.com



Philippine media is biased. They want to paint Misuari as evil, when in fact he just wants independence.


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## peaceful

Fsjal said:


> They're not real Chinese. Those Hong Kongers/Macau locals are not Han. They're Cantonese. As for Taiwan, they're influenced by the DPP, a prominent Anti-China party.
> 
> 
> 
> Philippine media is biased. They want to paint Misuari as evil, when in fact he just wants independence.



loser, how about learn more before opening up your stupid mouth? 
Han people consists of different groups, e.g. Wu people for which I am a member. 

you low caste animal should not comments on our people.



Reashot Xigwin said:


> Don't seem like it. Misuari faction is now seems ready for negotiation.



such loser nations should be handed over to Chinese.


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## Zero_wing

peaceful said:


> loser, how about learn more before opening up your stupid mouth?
> Han people consists of different groups, e.g. Wu people for which I am a member.
> 
> you low caste animal should not comments on our people.
> 
> 
> 
> such loser nations should be handed over to Chinese.



Wow typical nazi racist



Fsjal said:


> They're not real Chinese. Those Hong Kongers/Macau locals are not Han. They're Cantonese. As for Taiwan, they're influenced by the DPP, a prominent Anti-China party.
> 
> 
> 
> Philippine media is biased. They want to paint Misuari as evil, when in fact he just wants independence.



Well if you held a whole city as a hostage and not even part of ARMM and has beeen Governor and done nothing to uplift the people what would you call that and as for bias you people are in no position to tell anything heck you tekwas wrote the book on bias and one sided wins hahahahaha man your just full of bull heck what can you expect from chinamen


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## Fsjal

Philippines, China sign military logistics deal | Frontlines of Revolutionary Struggle

Old news, but I think Philippines should ask China for weapons, since the Americans always supply us with second hand junk.


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## Snomannen

Bienvenido said:


> Who wants to be a Chinese anyway? Even Hong-Kong and Macau if given a choice will prefer to stay being a slave by the British, the locals despise China and the mainland Chinese, not to mention Taiwan.



There are more than 80% of HK citizens, 94% of Macau citizens and 40% Taiwanese consider themselves as Chinese. S.Korean doesn't like N.Korean, does it mean that S.Korean doesn't want to be Korean. 
You should mind your own issue instead of worrying about the others:


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## Bienvenido

Wholegrain said:


> AFP.com


No doubt there will be collateral damage in this new adventure of Nur Misuari. The people should expect it but there is no other way now for government but to do everything it can to do away with this brazen attack on innocent civilians. These terrorist must know there is a limit to what government and people are willing to take, this is the right time to do away with these bad element in society. No more compassion no more mercy.



KirovAirship said:


> There are more than 80% of HK citizens, 94% of Macau citizens and 40% Taiwanese consider themselves as Chinese. S.Korean doesn't like N.Korean, does it mean that S.Korean doesn't want to be Korean.
> You should mind your own issue instead of worrying about the others:


mind your own issue? okay tell that to your fellow Chinese here

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## Wholegrain

Bienvenido said:


> No doubt there will be collateral damage in this new adventure of Nur Misuari. The people should expect it but there is no other way now for government but to do everything it can to do away with this brazen attack on innocent civilians. These terrorist must know there is a limit to what government and people are willing to take, this is the right time to do away with* these bad element in society*. No more compassion no more mercy.
> 
> 
> mind your own issue? okay tell that to your fellow Chinese here



"do away with these bad element in society" - great idea, Misuari can jail the entire Philippines government and the problem is fixed.


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## Bienvenido

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Don't seem like it. Misuari faction is now seems ready for negotiation.


Misuari has all the chance to help in developing ARMM when he was a governor. He has done nothing maybe pocketing the billions of fund supposed to be for ARMM. Its time to silence this guy once and for all he has no right to demand anything from the government.

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## Bienvenido

Wholegrain said:


> "do away with these bad element in society" - great idea, Misuari can jail the entire Philippines government and the problem is fixed.


He's getting older and signs of an early dementia and late adulthood crisis is caving in. I think it's really time to end his suffering.

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## Reashot Xigwin

Bienvenido said:


> Misuari has all the chance to help in developing ARMM when he was a governor. He has done nothing maybe pocketing the billions of fund supposed to be for ARMM. Its time to silence this guy once and for all he has no right to demand anything from the government.



Just finish it quickly before the situation gone out of control. I found it rather pathetic that PH lost a city to Rebel attack. Are the PH army is so weak or the Rebels are just too strong?

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## Fsjal

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Just finish it quickly before the situation gone out of control. I found it rather pathetic that PH lost a city to Rebel attack. Are the PH army is so weak or the Rebels are just too strong?


The commanders are just corrupted as the government. That's why the nation isn't united.


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## Bienvenido

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Just finish it quickly before the situation gone out of control. I found it rather pathetic that PH lost a city to Rebel attack. Are the PH army is so weak or the Rebels are just too strong?


It's not really the whole city that was occupied by these terrorist group but only small portion (5 out of 95 villages) yet sad to say I think the whole city is paralyzed, catatonic and bleeding. Well I hope Aquino should know that by delaying and hesitating to take definitive actions, more serious incidents could sprout anytime, anywhere or everywhere in the future. The test of a true leader is his resolve to deal firmly with any threat against the nation and procrastinating in hope of resolving this thru negotiation is only playing right into the hands of Misuari.

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## Pinoy

*Aquino: MNLF's happy days are over*
BY NATASHYA GUTIERREZ







*MANILA, Philippines &#8211; President Benigno Aquino III arrived in Zamboanga City on Friday, September 13, and made it clear that the rebels' days of inciting chaos are over.*

Aquino addressed reporters past noon upon his arrival 5 days since the stand-off between government troops and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels, and vowed the government will continue to track down "lawless elements."

"Tapos na and maliligayang araw nila *(Their happy days are over)*," he said, expressing confidence that government forces are can defeat the rebels and prevent the violence from spreading to other towns and provinces.

He said the military is "sufficient" and "overwhelming" in terms of numbers and equipment, and that the rebels are now contained in 4 barangays.

"Hindi natin sila pinayagan makapagkalat ng lagim (We did not allow them to sow terror)," Aquino said.

*No surrender?*

The President also took the chance to deny a Rappler report that around 80 rebels surrendered Thursday night, September 12, echoing the denial by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

"Mali ata yun, walang sumuko (I don't think that's correct. No one surrendered)," Aquino said, but adding that there were some MNLF members who were arrested.

Rappler reported the surrender, based on information obtained from the ground. Police intelligence sources and residents in Barangay Sta Barbara told Rappler they surrendered to a team of the Philippine National Police, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime.

Sources said: "A certain member of MNLF under commander Ismael with white flag reached our position and negotiated their surrender. About 80 of them are armed and one is wounded."

The MNLF member who served as the coordinator was identified as Paulo Casa. At around 6:30 pm, he said he approached government troops positioned across the street from the mosque they were occupying in barangay Sta Barbara.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala also denied the rebels surrendered, saying negotiations are still ongoing.

*Willing to cooperate*

Aquino said the objectives behind the MNLF's actions remain unclear, but emphasized "there are really some groups that don't want the Comprehensive Framework Agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to continue."

He said the administration continues to speak and negotiate with MNLF head Nur Misuari.

The President asserted that the government has not failed in addressing the demands of the MNLF. He said substantial components of the government's 1996 agreement with the MNLF was implemented, including the integration of more than 6,000 former rebels into the state security sector.

He said the aspects of the agreement that were still unmet were because the government was waiting on actions or updates from the other side.

In his address, Aquino gave assurances the government is looking at possible charges it can file against Misuari and his men, something he ordered Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to do since the start of the crisis in Zamboanga.

The President thanked soldiers, and said the government values their lives as much as it values those of civilians.

"Nandito kami kasama ninyo (We are here with you)," he told at least 300 government troops.

Different government agencies have been mobilized to address the needs of affected residents, he said.

"Preservation of life is paramount," he said, vowing safety for the people of Zamboanga. &#8211; with reports from Karlos Manlupig/Rappler.com


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## Pinoy

*Philippines, Japan agree to increase flights in 'most liberal' air agreement to date*
By: Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
September 13, 2013 






MANILA - The Philippines and Japan have agreed to increase flights between the two countries -- an increase that the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) described as the "most liberal" to date.

In text message to Interaksyon.com, CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the air panels of both countries signed a new air service agreement (ASA), increasing the traffic rights or total maximum flight frequencies for the airlines of each country to 400 per week between Manila and Narita from the previous 119 flights.

"We also agreed on new traffic rights between Haneda Airport and Manila at 14 flights per week for each side, and unlimited traffic rights between points in the Philippines except Manila and points in Japan except Haneda," Arcilla said, adding that, "Fifth freedom traffic rights remain as previously agreed."

"This is a major breakthrough, especially that Japan is a major and third biggest tourism market for the Philippines, and also since the last talks was held in 2008, and the current Philippine entitlements are almost fully utilized," he said.

Arcilla described the new concessions from Japan as the "most liberal increases that we have concluded so far, made possible by the current liberal aviation policies of both the Philippine and Japan."

The air talks were held last September 11-13 in Tokyo.

Arcilla said the expected traffic rights will support the expansion of the Philippine-Japan market.

At present, Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific fly to Japan, but other Philippine carriers are expected to enter the market as well.

PAL controls 43 percent of total seat capacity in the Philippine-Japan route, while Cebu Pacific has less than three percent.

PAL flies to and from Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka and Tokyo, while Cebu Pacific operates three weekly flights to Osaka.

For Japan, both Japan Airlines and ANA fly to the Philippines.

Before this new deal, Japan had prevented Philippine carriers from mounting more flights because of the safety concerns raised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The international body as well as the European Union however recently removed the Philippines from their blacklist.

Data from the Department of Tourism showed that visitors from Japan totaled 412,000 last year.

Philippines, Japan agree to increase flights in 'most liberal' air agreement to date - InterAksyon.com


*Philippines to hold 'air talks' with Israel, Russia in November*
By: Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
September 12, 2013

MANILA - The Philippines plans to hold air talks with Israel and Russia in November, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said today.

Jesus Ibay, CAB officer-in-charge for planning and research, told reporters that the Philippines is looking to hold discussions with Israel on November 4-5.

Air talks with Russia are scheduled on the same month, but an exact timetable has yet to be drawn. 

Earlier, the Philippine air panel concluded successful air negotiations Macau and Brazil.

The Philippine Air Services Negotiating Panel is composed of officials from the CAB, Departments of Transportation and Communications, of Foreign Affairs, and of Tourism, as well as from the Clark International Airport Corp and representatives of local airlines.

According to CAB, air talks this year would be aligned with the priorities of the Department of Tourism to meet the government's tourist arrivals target of 5.5 million.

The Aquino administration is pursuing air talks as part of its open skies policy. The government aims to generate six million tourists, three million jobs and $4.6 billion in tourism revenues by 2016, allowing the sector to contribute 6.35 percent to gross domestic product.

Philippines to hold 'air talks' with Israel, Russia in November - InterAksyon.com


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## Pinoy

*Israel distributes goods to 'Maring' victims in Marikina*
By Dennis Carcamo (philstar.com) | September 13, 2013






MANILA, Philippines - The Israeli government has distributed relief goods to Marikina City residents affected by tropical storm "Maring" last August.

The relief program, led by Ambassador Menashe Bar On and Mayor Del de Guzman, was conducted Thursday at the the Marikina Sports Complex.

The food and perishable goods were given to the residents of several villages of the city.

"Israel has a long history of helping others, the Holocaust taught us that we have a responsibility towards each other as human beings, and should always help no matter of our cultural differences," Bar On said.

In the Philippines, Israel had sent medical teams and donated relief goods during typhoon Ondoy in 2009 and rains brought by "Habagat" in 2012.


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## Pinoy

*Muslims see punishment for Misuari's followers*
By John Unson (philstar.com) | September 13, 2013






*COTABATO CITY, Philippines --- Pious Muslims firmly believe &#8220;murkah&#8221; will fall on the renegade Moro revolutionaries for the troubles now causing miseries to thousands and for having disrupted, as a consequence, the journey to Mecca of zealous pilgrims to perform the obligatory hajj.*

Muslims believe in murkah, or divine wrath, as punishment even for the mere thought of harming someone, which for them is an affront in the same magnitude as having deliberately done real harm to others, regardless of their religions and races.

Many clerics were disgusted with the plight now of some 2,000 prospective pilgrims in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, stranded by the closure of the seaport and airport in Zamboanga City due to security constraints.

*&#8220;True Muslims ought not to cause any discomfort, or any inconvenience to people that are to perform religious activities, or any congregational activity with noble purpose. Importance of religious activities and practices can never be outweighed in importance by any desire to fight a premeditated war,&#8221;* said Imam Abdulmuin, a Yakan cleric. 

Islam has extensive teachings against actions that disrupt religious practices by Muslims and non-Muslims.

Catholic residents of Zamboanga City are to commemorate the &#8220;Fiesta Pilar&#8221; on October 12, a yearly event graced by pilgrims from Basilan and Lamitan City was well.

*Hampered*

Muslim pilgrims are supposed to take commercial flights from Zamboanga City to Manila, en route to Saudi Arabia, where they are to perform the hajj, which is one of the so-called &#8220;Five Pillars&#8221; of the Islamic faith.

These five pillars, regarded as the main foundation of Islam, include absolute belief in Allah, praying five times a day facing the direction of Mecca, giving of zakat (alms) to the poor, fasting from dawn to dusk during the 30-day Ramadhan season, as a spiritual purification process to strengthen faith.

&#8220;In Lamitan City alone there are dozens of them (pilgrims) who cannot depart. Local officials are helping facilitate their departure via small motorized vessels, but we&#8217;re having problems with security procedures, which are understandable because of the security problems in Zamboanga City, &#8220;said Vice-Mayor Roderick Furigay of Lamitan said.

Thursday&#8217;s running firefights between Moro gunmen and government forces in the Colonia-Burgos District in Lamitan City prevented hundreds of well-wishers and prospective pilgrims from Basilan's Al-Barka, Tipo-Tipo and Sumisip towns to get through the city&#8217;s port where they are wait for the resumption of voyages from the local seaport to Zamboanga City.

The Lamitan City government even helped negotiate for the military&#8217;s assistance in working out the return to the three towns of the stranded pilgrims and their relatives who were to send them off.

Amir Mawalil, director of the Bureau of Public Information in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said ARMM officials are now documenting the pilgrims that have arrived in Zamboanga City before Monday&#8217;s start of hostilities between Moro National Liberation Front Liberation (MNLF) members loyal to Nur Misuari and government forces.

&#8220;These concerns are now being looked into by the ARMM leadership. There are efforts now aimed at helping facilitate their departure for Saudi Arabia,&#8221; Mawalil said.

*Flights for Tawi-Tawi pilgrims*

The management of Cebu Pacific has agreed to transport 300 pilgrims from Tawi-Tawi to Cebu City via special flights to start Friday, according to Tawi-Tawi Rep. Hadja Ruby Sahali.

Tawi-Tawi is touted as the ARMM&#8217;s most peaceful province, which has newly-rehabilitated airport where big planes, such as an Airbus 300, can land and take off.

Secretary Mejol Sadain of the National Commission on Filipinos helped negotiate for the special flights, Sahali said.

Tawi-Tawi Gov. Nurbert Sahali and the office of his lawmaker-sibling, who was vice governor of the province before her election on May 13 as congressional representative, have volunteered to pay for half of the cost of the transport of pilgrims from the Island province to Cebu.

&#8220;It&#8217;s fortunate enough that we have an airport that can accommodate big passenger planes and we have no security problems in the area, even if there are local MNLF forces,&#8221; Rep. Sahali said.

Sahali said provincial officials have been assured by Tawi-Tawi based MNLF leaders that they will not join in the violent forays in Zamboanga City of Misuari&#8217;s followers.

Sahali said the governor of Tawi-Tawi, members of the provincial board and the religious communities have also been assured by local MNLF officials there will be no spill over to the island province of the conflicts in Zamboanga City and Lamitan.

*Spiritual standards*

Islamic missionaries in Maguindanao have complained of the adverse effects to the public and this year&#8217;s pilgrimage to Mecca by Muslims from the ARMM of the conflicts the MNLF &#8220;Misuari group&#8221; instigated.

&#8220;We have been taught, as written in the Qur&#8217;an and as exemplified by Prophet Mohammad, that warfare in Islam is only for defense of land, nation and religion,&#8221; said Ustadz Fahad.

Another cleric, Ustadz Yahyah, said warfare in Islam is governed by doctrines on respect for the lives of non-combatants and protection of the welfare of children, the elderly and women, which can never be compromised under any situation.

&#8220;Muslim warriors fighting war for defense purposes are even obliged to give food and sanctuary to enemies that have lost capability to fight, or have conceded. They must be fed and given sanctuary and returned to their homes, and not tortured or slaughtered helplessly,&#8221; he said. 

Muslims see punishment for Misuari's followers | Nation, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Pinoy

*Aquino: Military operation in Zamboanga to continue
Bodies of 6 MNLF gunmen retrieved*
By Julie Alipala, Dennis Santos
Inquirer Mindanao






_Government troopers continue their assault on Muslim rebels Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013, at Zamboanga city in the southern Philippines. Philippine troops battled Muslim rebels on two fronts Thursday, after extremists attacked a second city near the southern port where guerrillas have been holding scores of residents hostage in a four-day standoff with government forces. AP_

*ZAMBOANGA CITY &#8211; Government forces assaulted positions held by Moro National Liberation Front guerrillas in Zamboanga&#8217;s Santa Catalina district here on Friday, barely 30 minutes after President Aquino announced there would be no let-up in military operations to dislodge an unknown number of MNLF gunmen who have been occupying at three least city districts and holding a number of hostages since Monday.*

Mr. Aquino arrived here Friday morning to check on the condition of ground troops and the affected residents.

&#8220;Their happy days are over,&#8221; the President said to at least 300 government soldiers at 12:33 p.m. Friday. At 1 p.m., soldiers in Santa Catalina armed with mortars, M-203 grenade launchers and machine-guns fired at positions of guerrillas belonging to a faction of the MNLF headed by MNLF founder Nur Misuari.

A few hours later, at least five armored personnel carriers were seen moving into the besieged area, where smoke could be seen billowing from at least three areas where fires had been reported.

Thursday night, Ustadz Ismael Dasta, leader of the Basilan-based MNLF forces holed up in Santa Catalina, had called for a ceasefire, saying there were wounded hostages.

On Friday morning, Dasta told the Inquirer they were open for negotiations and a ceasefire.

When the military started its operations at 1 p.m., Dasta again called the Inquirer. He sounded angry and said in Filipino: &#8220;Where is the ceasfire? What is this? We had proper talks since last night and this morning and now this. They are hitting us with cannon, mortar and M-203.&#8221;

Dasta refused to identify the persons he claimed he had negotiated with.

At the height of heavy firing, mostly coming from the side of government forces, a fire broke out on Lustre Street.

The firing also happened minutes after a number of people, apparently hostages, waved a piece of white cloth some 500 meters away from the military&#8217;s position.

Capt. Arvin Lawrence Llenaresas, chief of the 7th Scout Ranger Company, said they did not have a &#8220;clear number of civilians being held hostage and taken as human shield by these rebels.&#8221;

In his speech at the Western Mindanao Command headquarters, Mr. Aquino said the government valued not only the lives of civilians but also those of the soldiers.

&#8220;In behalf of the people, I thank you,&#8221; Mr. Aquino told the soldiers.

The President said the government had not failed in addressing the demands of the MNLF or Misuari, who has been critical of the government&#8217;s peace talks with the Moro islamic Liberation Front, which had broken away from the MNLF after it concluded a peace agreeement with the government in 1996.

The MNLF guerrillas who occupied at least three seaside Zambonga districts belong to the faction of Nur Misuari, who has complained that the government had failed to fully implement the 1996 peace agreement, prompting him to declare independence for the Bangsamoro Republik.

&#8220;The government has not stopped talking with him and the MNLF,&#8221; Mr. Aquino said.

He said substantial components of the agreement had been implemented, including the integration of more than 6,000 former rebels into the Armed Foirces of the Philippines.

Responding to a report that Misuari had disowned the actions of the MNLF forces who entered Zamboanga, the President said he heard about it but was not aware that Misuari had condemned his followers actions.

MNLF guerrillas from Basilan, Sulu and Zamboanga Sibugay arrived in Zamboanga City on Monday, claiming that they were scheduled to march to and hold a rally at Plaza Pershing, the city&#8217;s central square fronting City Hall. Their presence caused panic among residents in several coastal distgricts and sparked sporadic exchanges of fire with government forces.

Mr. Aquino said the rebels were contained in four districts and &#8220;We won&#8217;t let them spread more mayhem.&#8221;

Mr. Aquino also denied reports that 80 rebels had surrendered Thursday evening.

&#8220;The report is wrong. nobody surrendered. There were some who were arrested and others who were driven away,&#8221; he said.

In Santa Catalina, three suspected MNLF members were captured and turned over to the police on Thursday night. Another MNLF fighter identified as Bashier Daud was turned over to the military Thursday night due to injury.

Dasta said during a lull in firing Thursday night that he had requested the government troops to secure Daud for medical treatment.

Col. Ignacio Obligacion, chief of the Army&#8217;s 102nd Brigade, said they &#8220;just accepted this Daud and brought him to the hospital last night for treatment.&#8221;

Dasta also said none of his men surrendered, but a few had left them, including the father of former mayor Tahira Ismael of Lantawan in Basilan. He added that two of his men were killed in the fighting Thursday.

But Llenaresas, the 7th Scout Ranger Company commander, said they got information that three MNLF mebers, including a woman sniper, were killed.

Catholic priest Michael Ufana, who had been held hostage by another group of MNLF men, was also freed early Friday morning. He was brought to Camp Batalla for debriefing and medical check-up.

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## Pinoy



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## Pinoy

*Obama to visit the Philippines in October*
BY RAPPLER.COM
POSTED ON 09/14/2013 






MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) &#8211; US President Barack Obama will make his first trip to the Philippines in October, the White House announced.

In a statement on Friday, September 13, the office of White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said: "The President will travel to Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines from October 6-12 as part of his ongoing commitment to increase U.S. political, economic and security engagement with the Asia Pacific."

Manila will be Obama's last stop. He will first attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders in Bali, then the US-ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Brunei, and meet with Prime Minister Najib in Malaysia.

"The President will then travel to the Philippines, the fifth Asian treaty ally he has visited during his presidency," the statement said.

"He will meet with President Aquino to reaffirm the strong economic, people-to-people, and security links between our two countries," it said.

Malacañang spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Obama will be Manila October 11-12 "upon the invitation of [His Excellency] President Benigno S Aquino."

The two presidents will "discuss ways to further strengthen the enduring Philippines-US alliance including the expansion of our security, economic and people to people ties," the Palace said.

Obama&#8217;s visit comes as Washington and Manila negotiate an agreement that will allow increased rotational presence of American troops in the Philippines, and give them wider access to the country&#8217;s military bases. It is forged amid tension between the Philippines and China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Yet Filipino activists criticized the deal as a ploy to circumvent the constitutional ban on permanent bases. It is envisioned to be an executive agreement between the US and the Philippine departments of defense, and does not require Senate ratification unlike a treaty.

In August, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel also visited the Philippines and discussed the agreement with President Aquino.

Obama&#8217;s trip also coincides with his administration&#8217;s so-called pivot to Asia, Washington&#8217;s effort to rebalance its strategic priorities to the Asia-Pacific.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel first announced the trip when he visited Manila last month.

&#8220;I spoke with the President and he is very much looking forward to his trip to Southeast Asia and I know that the White House is preparing for that and his meetings. There&#8217;s a lot to discuss,&#8221; Hagel said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

Obama to visit the Philippines in October


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## Pinoy

*Philippines supports US repivot to Asia*
Thursday, September 12, 2013





THE Philippines support the United States government's repivot to Asia policy since it will enhance the military-to-military engagement between the two countries, Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia Jr. said Thursday (Manila time).

The envoy said this as the two countries prepare for the third round of negotiations on a framework agreement that will allow the increased rotational presence of US military forces in Philippine camps.

Cuisia noted that the "increased attention" the United States is placing on the Asia-Pacific region is important to ensure the growth and stability in the region.

*"As a treaty ally, the Philippines recognizes and accepts our important role in the rebalance to Asia. We welcome the US rebalancing to the region as a clear recognition of the importance of ensuring the stability and growth of the Asia Pacific region,"* he said during the Ambassador's Forum at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a Washington-based think-tank.

*"We view the rebalance as more than a policy decision, but a strategic imperative, as the Asia-Pacific region has become the nexus of the world's most dynamic of opportunities, and the most intransigent of challenges,"* Cuisia added.

The third round of negotiations are for a framework agreement that would make possible a more robust military-to-military engagement between the two treaty allies that would cover arrangements for the temporary stationing of US troops and assets in Philippine military facilities.

*"We are working closely with the United States on mechanisms that will ensure that our security arrangements remain relevant and mutually beneficial,"* the envoy said.

He added that this complements initiatives being undertaken by the Aquino government to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines and attain a minimum credible defensive posture.

US President Barack Obama announced his government's repivot to Asia amid China's massive economic and military growth. His government said this is to ensure the stability of the Asia Pacific region, including the Southeast Asian region where more than $5 trillion of global trade passes annually.

A fifth of this amount belongs to the United States.

China continues to frown on what it sees as Washington's intervention in a regional dispute, referring to the territorial issues between Beijing, Manila and four other claimant-states to the resource-rich Southeast Asian region.

The four other claimants are Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam.

To establish a credible defense posture, Manila sought the US help under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), which includes a provision under which Washington is ordered to aid the Philippines in modernizing its military and coming to its defense in case of external armed attacks.

Washington already has increased military presence in Singapore and Australia.

But aside from the military presence in the region, Cuisia said both countries will also work to enhance "the economic dimension" of the repivot policy and other areas that require stronger international responses such as "humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities, transnational crimes, and combating pandemic diseases."

Cuisia noted that the increased cooperation between the Philippines and Asia has been engendered by the economic dynamism of the Asian Pacific, which has also resulted in the increased economic interaction between the US and Asia.

In the case of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the envoy said the value of US exports to the 10-member bloc is about the same as those to China and four times the value of US exports to India.

US direct investment in the region was $99 billion in 2006, fourfold that of China and tenfold that of India, and has gone up to $159 billion in 2011.

Meanwhile, the ambassador also called on the international community to support Manila's bid for an international arbitration in the case it filed against China before the United Nations-backed International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (Itlos).

"To support the Philippines in the path we have chosen to peacefully settle the [West Philippine Sea] dispute is to support a rules-based international order, where disputes are settled not through force or might but through an objective and just application of international law," Cuisia said during the same forum.

The envoy made his remarks a few weeks after the Philippines was told to formally present its case before the five-member Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague that was convened at Manila's request to resolve issues related to China's claim over the West Philippine Sea.

"At the end of the day, the case we have lodged before the Arbitral Tribunal will be a building block towards the strategic landscape of the future," Cuisia said. "A victory for the rule of law will guarantee a rules-based regional landscape, where all nations can grow and prosper together."

The envoy said the Philippines is "counting" on the international community not just to support the Philippines but the "primacy of the rule of law" as well.

He said that if the international community will express its support to the arbitration, they would have "contributed significantly to shaping an enduring peace for the Asia Pacific region."

Cuisia pointed out that in the last two years, there has been a heightened increase in intrusions from China in Philippines-claimed territories.

"This creeping assertion violates the Philippines' territorial sovereignty and sovereign rights. It is our duty to pursue the national interest and defend the Philippine territory and maritime domain," he said.

While some would like to characterize the issue as a purely territorial dispute that should be resolved directly by the parties concerned, Cuisia said the maritime row has far reaching implications to the international community, in terms of respect for the freedom of navigation and commerce and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

"We believe all countries whether directly affected or not, have an interest and a stake in protecting these fundamental tenets of international law," he said.

Cuisia also expressed his appreciation to the statements of support from other nations, particularly the United States, which also believe that the pursuit of dispute settlement mechanism under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea should not preclude negotiations on a binding Code of Conduct.

"Through these various mechanisms, our vision is clear: to contribute to creating a rules based framework that will provide a just, peaceful and enduring solution to the disputes in the South China Sea," he said.

Tensions between Beijing and Manila increased when Chinese vessels intruded into the Scarborough Shoal, which sits well within the Philippines' 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

The result was a two-month naval standoff in mid-2012 that was followed by several instances of diplomatic spats and more than a dozen protests from the Philippines to China.

In January this year, the Philippines brought the case before an arbitral tribunal under the Itlos. China, in February, said it will not participate in the arbitration that seeks to invalidate its nine-dash line claim.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2013/09/12/philippines-supports-us-repivot-asia-302843


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## Pinoy

*Philippines, Albania sign visa waiver agreement*
By Matikas Santos
INQUIRER.net
Friday, September 13th, 2013






*MANILA, Philippines- Filipinos can now go to Albania, one of the top travel destinations in the world, without getting a visa.*

Philippines recently signed an agreement with Albania, the number 1 country for travel in 2011 according to travel magazine Lonely Planet, for the waiver of visa requirements, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

&#8220;On September 9, the two countries signed the &#8216;Agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic, Service and Official Passports&#8217;,&#8221; the DFA said in a statement.

&#8220;The agreement will facilitate exchanges of high-level and official visits and hopefully pave the way for greater cooperation in the political, economic and cultural spheres,&#8221; it said.

Albania, which is located in Europe just northwest of Greece, was visited by 4.2 million tourists in 2012. The tourism industry has been contributing up to 10 percent of the country&#8217;s gross domestic product in 2013.

&#8220;Since backpackers started coming to elusive Albania in the 1990s, tales have been told in &#8216;keep it to yourself&#8217; whispers of azure beaches, good cuisine, heritage sites, nightlife, affordable adventures and the possibility of old-style unplanned journeys complete with open-armed locals for whom travelers are still a novelty,&#8221; Lonely Planet said in its website.

The 28,748 square kilometer country (smaller than the Cagayan Valley Region in Luzon which is 31,159 square kilometers) is home to nearly 3 million people as of 2011.

Philippine ambassador to Albania Virgilio Reyes Jr. signed the agreement which was the first since bilateral diplomatic relations was established between the two countries 26 years ago.

&#8220;The signing ceremony was preceded by a meeting between the two envoys that discussed the status of Philippine-Albanian relations and other agreements under negotiation, including a Cultural Cooperation Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Establishment of a Political Consultations Mechanism between the Philippine DFA and the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,&#8221; it said.

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## Pinoy

Finish the muslim barbarians who have no respect on humanity.

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## Pinoy

*US earmarks P26.4 million for Zamboanga aid*

The United States government has set aside $600,000 (roughly P26.4 million) to help address the immediate needs of some 14,000 citizens displaced by the ongoing crisis situation in several areas of Zamboanga City.

In a statement issued Thursday afternoon, the US Embassy in Manila said the emergency assistance, which will be released through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is an expression of concern for the well-being of the people of Zamboanga.

&#8220;The United States has always been there for the Philippines in times of need, and we continue that tradition today for those suffering in Zamboanga,&#8221; said US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr.

According to Ambassador Thomas, through its local partner Growth With Equity in Mindanao (GEM), USAID has procured 5,000 bottles of water, 1,500 sleeping mats, blankets, tooth brushes, toothpaste, buckets, and canned goods for distribution to those in need.

He said the USAID expects to procure a total of 10,000 units of these items to help meet the needs of evacuees.

Additionally, Thomas disclosed that USAID is supporting the local construction of 40 portable toilets and is providing four 500 gallon water tank to ensure better sanitation and access to water for those who have been displaced.

He pointed out that the delivery of these items has been coordinated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) with the support of the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P).

&#8220;This coordination of Philippine and US partners for the assistance of people in need, is an example of the close working cooperation between both countries,&#8221; Thomas declared as he revealed that the items sent were requested by the local government of Zamboanga City.

&#8220;While we continue to pray for calm to prevail and for a peaceful and speedy resolution to this crisis, we are proud to be able to work beside our Philippine colleagues in time of need,&#8221; the top US diplomat in the country stated. &#8220;I want to commend the people in the local community who are banding together through social media and other means to help their friends and neighbors.&#8221;

US earmarks P26.4 million for Zamboanga aid | Manila Bulletin


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## Pinoy

*Misuari, myths and the MNLF*
09/14/2013 






He speaks as if he has not failed his own people. He talks as if he had taken good care of their needs.

How many else are like him who has put self and ego above community? How many else are like him in a region once proud and rich but which now thrives on its homegrown industry called violence?

How could this man &#8212; and others like him &#8212; face us, blame the world, society, and history for what essentially has been squandered opportunity? Wasn't he given every chance to rectify what needed to be rectified? Wasn't he offered the gubernatorial post of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on a silver platter in July 1996, even before his group could sign a peace agreement with the Ramos government? Wasn't his separatist movement given all the resources and assistance it needed and wanted after it signed the final deal in September 1996?

The past is an easy recourse for those who have failed. Nur Misuari basks in the past and, unfortunately, so do some of us.

One former government official said in a recent TV talk show that the Zamboanga siege could have been prevented had the Aquino government paid closer attention to Misuari. He forgot to say Misuari has been getting attention for more than two decades now. Cory Aquino first did the honors on Sept 6, 1986, when she went all the way to Jolo to meet him and return the salute of his armed troops. Constantly threatened by military coups and transition problems, however, Ms Aquino failed to sign a peace pact with the MNLF. It took her successor, retired general Fidel V Ramos, to seal a deal with the rebel firebrand.

It is worth recalling how Misuari negotiated that deal. Because if the 1996 peace agreement is infirm, that's largely due to how it was negotiated.

Misuari held peace talks with the Ramos government with clear tactical goals in mind: the MNLF should take control of the regional government; the MNLF should be given a piece of the pie in the bureaucracy; the MNLF should be provided livelihood projects. Ramos had the same tactical goals, too &#8212; to pull the MNLF into the mainstream through political and economic concessions. He did this in two ways: set up government structures to accommodate the MNLF and lure them to electoral politics by promising to support them in the ARMM elections.

Was ARMM even part of the 1996 peace agreement? No. The MNLF loathed ARMM; they joined the peace talks precisely to kill it and replace it with a provisional government. This is why it pushed for the establishment of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD), envisioned as the transition authority towards a powerful and more independent regional government, similar to what the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is negotiating now with the Aquino administration.

READ: The MNLF, MILF and 2 peace agreements

When both parties entered the final stage of the peace negotiations, Mindanao politicians, fearful of a powerful SPCPD, campaigned hard to weaken it. As the final provisions were being hammered out, the MNLF refused to accept a "toothless" SPCPD. The mostly Catholic power brokers in Mindanao, on the other hand, branded the proposed SPCPD as a provisional government in disguise.

A deadlock followed, and Ramos dispatched Misuari's former University of the Philippines buddy, then Executive Secretary Ruben Torres, to the Middle East to ask Misuari to persuade the MNLF to resume the talks. It was in Dubai where the "package deal" was offered to Misuari. The MNLF would accept a powerless SPCPD; in return the rebel leader would run unopposed as ARMM governor.

On July 8, 1996, before any final agreement could be signed and despite warnings from his MNLF comrades that this was a trap, Misuari registered as a voter in Jolo. Malacañang by that time had managed to convince Congress to postpone the ARMM polls from March 1996 to September that same year. In my previous interview with Torres, he recalled that moment when Misuari filled up his voter's certificate as a prelude to his gubernatorial candidacy.

"Ruben, is this surrender?" Misuari asked him. Torres said, "I pitied him at that point. I told him, of course not. It's just a scrap of paper. You can withdraw it anytime and it will then mean nothing if you resume your revolution."

READ: The 1996 peace agreement

Misuari would later demand that he be named head of the SPCPD. Even Indonesia, an MNLF supporter, was skeptical. They feared the two agencies would divide Misuari's attention. True enough, soon after the peace agreement was signed and he became governor of ARMM and head of the SPCPD, Misuari came face to face with the nightmare of running a government.






*Internal revolt*

The demands of the bureaucracy bored him; he preferred to travel abroad or stay in a Manila hotel and come to appointments 4 hours late. In the end, his long and frequent absences turned ARMM into what it's always been: mismanaged, corrupt, unable to serve the Bangsamoro people.

Meantime, the SPCPD, tasked to facilitate socio-development projects in Mindanao, could not hit the ground running, powerless as it was, and confronted with roadblocks thrown its way by anti-MNLF executives in Mindanao. The MNLF knew it signed an agreement that paved the way for a weak SPCPD. But because of the protests against the original vision for the council and the enticements dangled before them, they gave in &#8212; at their peril.

By the time the SPCPD's 3-year term was about to expire in 1999, Misuari was faced with an internal revolt. As I write this, I vividly remember all of them &#8212; their anger, their hurt, their harsh words for their chairman, their deep sense of regret over bungled chances.

You have to understand: MNLF leaders are most articulate when angry. They plotted to oust Misuari as chairman, conniving with some government officials along the way. They had wanted to do it earlier, but since he was both ARMM governor and SPCPD chairman, ousting him also spelled political death for the MNLF. Thus they planned to give him a graceful exit through a law that would ban him from seeking re-election. The MNLF leaders were convinced he would not win another bid anyway. And the SPCPD was also about to end.

The astute Misuari of course found this out so he called all his leaders to a meeting in Zamboanga and let them sign a petition of support saying he was the "life and soul" of the movement. They signed, including some who were part of the ouster plot. Such was &#8212; and is &#8212; the mythical charm of this man.

Over the years, the MNLF splintered into factions. Muslimin Sema would become mayor of Cotabato City and officially replace him as chairman of the MNLF, a move never recognized by Misuari. The soft-spoken Melham Alam, whom I met in one of Zambonga's coastal villages in 1999, formed the breakaway Islamic Command Council. Parouk Hussin also once headed the faction composed of MNLF's top leaders. Some disgruntled members joined the Abu Sayyaf while others stayed in the mainstream with jobs or livelihood projects.

But the MNLF's mass base remained where they were before the 1996 peace agreement because of the failure of administrations tasked to serve them and their leaders who betrayed them. They remained in poor villages struggling to make both ends meet, isolated from the new world, and thwarted by limited access to basic government services.

To them, Misuari remained their savior. A savior who has repeatedly failed them, yes, but a savior who might just bring them to the promised land.

Misuari knows this, and he has exploited this to the hilt. Whenever he got sidelined he would again go to this mass base, scream independence, and pander to their basic needs. We have a stake in this land we once owned, he would tell them. And they would nod in agreement.

READ: MNLF's major attacks






If these villages were to become modern local governments run by honest and competent leaders, Misuari would have no audience.

So the challenge isn't simply to make him irrelevant, but to constantly remind him &#8211; and ourselves &#8212; that he blew it. And blew it badly. - Rappler.com

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## Wholegrain

Even your media admits that he commands a significant following among the Moro people. The Philippines better start listening to his demands.



Pinoy said:


> To them, Misuari remained their savior. A savior who has repeatedly failed them, yes, but a savior who might just bring them to the promised land.
> 
> Misuari knows this, and he has exploited this to the hilt. Whenever he got sidelined he would again go to this mass base, scream independence, and pander to their basic needs. We have a stake in this land we once owned, he would tell them. And they would nod in agreement.


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## Snomannen

Bienvenido said:


> mind your own issue? okay tell that to your fellow Chinese here




Do you know when should people "mind their own business"?
This is when you know nothing/ just a few thing but pretend to be "professional" and spread rumors, just like what you did in #376. 
You tell her to "mind her own business", IF you can.

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## Bienvenido

KirovAirship said:


> Do you know when should people "mind their own business"?
> This is when you know nothing/ just a few thing but pretend to be "professional" and spread rumors, just like what you did in #376.
> You tell her to "mind her own business", IF you can.


Is that what your fellow Chinese doing here? Oh well sorry but it's a fact and you can't just hide and accept it. Maybe you're just guilty as one of those Macauan Chinese people who discriminate the Mainlanders? Well actually this is becoming a very serious issue in HK/China. It is very unfortunate that HKongers can definitely be extremely discriminatory at times to anyone who is not from HK but in the case of Mainlanders, it's not only discrimination, it's a reaction of bad behaviour. They show hatred to the Mainland Chinese eversince Hong Kong had been handed over from British to Chinese rule, everything has gone either downhill, or not at the wishes of the HKongers. This coupled by the fact that the Chinese coming from Mainland with all their money openly do things that annoy HKongers (even more when Chinese immigrants were poor people coming to HK), makes them look at the Chinese as not even the same 'type' of people. 

I'll show you some of the interesting clips that might open a bit of your eyes.






Hong Kong's dirty little secret: Racism

Regional discrimination in China - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

_In both Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Region of People's Republic of China, some people discriminate against the mainland Chinese, call them "the mainland Aberdeen", meaning they are from the mainland.[12] Immigrants from the provinces and autonomous zones outside of Guangdong Province who are predominantly Mandarin-speaking and have no knowledge of indigenous languages such as Cantonese, Teochew, or Hakka, are called "&#21271;&#20332;&#8220; or &#8221;&#21271;&#22993;" (literally, &#8221;Northern guys&#8220; or "Northern sluts"). In particular, at the beginning of the 1980s, Guangdong saw a massive influx of out-of-province immigrant workers who did not have the habit of taking showers on a regular basis, and they were especially socially distanced._

Discrimination in Hong Kong | InterNations.org

Hong Kong paper runs ad calling mainlanders 'locusts' - The China Post

Conflict Erupted between Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese Reporters in the Press Conference of &#8220;Double Negative&#8221; | Dictionary of Politically Incorrect Hong Kong Cantonese

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## Bienvenido

Pinoy said:


>


This rebellion cannot continue forever. Finish them soonest. Give them the bullets they want. This MNLF terrorist did the same thing 4 years ago in the same place causing 200 deaths to innocent civilians and military personnel. There is a need to have a final solution to this issue that will not include peace talk or surrender that will leave these rebellious with their weapons and territory. There are consequences to rebellion one these adventurist must know and ready to face to.



Wholegrain said:


> Even your media admits that he commands a significant following among the Moro people. The Philippines better start listening to his demands.


You forget to quote the last part "*he blew it. And blew it badly.*"

Misuari himself was implicated in several anomalies and eventually lost his leadership and credibility among his people. Now he is only leading a bunch of outlaws.

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## Bienvenido

*No ceasefire with MNLF
Aquino rejects Misuari&#8217;s conditions*
By Tarra Quismundo, Nikko Dizon Julie S. Alipala and Dennis Jay Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Sunday, September 15th, 2013

What ceasefire?

Fighting between government troops and Moro rebels holding hostages in coastal villages in Zamboanga City intensified on Saturday despite reports of a ceasefire taking effect at midnight on Friday.

By late Saturday, government troops had started to advance on rebel positions in a &#8220;calibrated&#8221; offensive to free the hostages and retake the villages from the rebels.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told the Inquirer by phone that a ceasefire had not been declared, contrary to statements by Vice President Jejomar Binay late on Friday.

Binay said he had spoken by telephone to Nur Misuari, leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) faction involved in the crisis here, and to Gazmin and they agreed to a ceasefire and talks to resolve the conflict.

The Vice President said the ceasefire was to take effect at midnight.

But Gazmin said there was no ceasefire.

&#8220;What I said was there would be a ceasefire only if they (MNLF rebels) would stop firing. Then we will follow suit. They were the ones who started this,&#8221; Gazmin said.

Gazmin said the order from President Benigno Aquino III was to ensure that the hostages would be &#8220;protected&#8221; as government forces moved in to rescue them.

Binay traveled to Zamboanga City on Friday and met with President Aquino at the military&#8217;s Western Mindanao Command headquarters.

He returned to Manila in the evening with fighting still going on in Zamboanga.

Binay said his efforts to broker a peaceful end to the conflict failed because both the government and the MNLF rejected conditions each set to halt the fighting.

&#8220;It&#8217;s a pity,&#8221; Binay said when reached by phone after he landed in Manila.

&#8220;There was a good start. Both were for peaceful settlement. But the President did not accept the conditions [set by Misuari],&#8221; Binay said.

Safe passage

He declined to disclose the conditions, but sources said one of Misuari&#8217;s conditions was safe passage for his followers who were boxed in four coastal villages here.

Gazmin said he was not privy to the discussions between the President and Binay and Misuari.
&#8220;But I know the President. He would not like that,&#8221; Gazmin said, referring to the safe-conduct supposedly demanded by Misuari for his men.

But Gazmin said he met with Binay in Zamboanga City and discussed with the Vice President his ceasefire announcement on Friday night.

&#8220;We discussed [what happened] last night. I told him my condition was very clear. They stop firing, we stop firing,&#8221; Gazmin said.
Heavy fighting broke out after midnight Friday in Kasanyangan village as government troops began to retake rebel positions, killing four rebels.

One soldier was killed and five others were wounded in the fighting, said Maj. Angelo Guzman of the AFP Public Affairs Office.

Rising death toll

The deaths brought the toll from six days of fighting to 53 dead and 70 wounded, more than double the previously announced total as of Friday.

The dead included three soldiers, three policemen, four civilians and 43 rebels.
Of the wounded, 35 were soldiers, six policemen, 20 civilians and nine rebels.

Nineteen MNLF rebels have either surrendered or been captured.

In the morning, fighting erupted again in the village, lasting for half an hour. After that, sporadic exchanges of gunfire went on throughout the day.

The national government took over the handling of the crisis on Saturday, with President Aquino personally overseeing the situation, Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said.

That meant the city government would deal with the humanitarian problem caused by the crisis while the national crisis management committee would handle the tactical and other security matters, Salazar explained.

With help from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the city government is caring for tens of thousands of evacuees jamming the sports complex and other shelters in the city.

The DSWD said that as of Saturday, the evacuees numbered 62,329.

President Aquino ordered a &#8220;calibrated offensive&#8221; to stop the rebels from endangering the lives of the hostages, according to Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, spokesperson for the military.

Gazmin explained that troops were moving to &#8220;get the hostages alive and safe.&#8221;

He said the military could have launched an attack on the rebels because the armed forces knew the exact positions of the insurgents, but that would not be easy as it might endanger the lives of the hostages.

In Santa Catalina village, where about 100 hostages were being held, the rebels and the soldiers exchanged gunfire and grenade attacks at dawn on Saturday.

Sporadic gunfire rang out in the village throughout the day.


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## Wholegrain

Bienvenido said:


> This rebellion cannot continue forever. Finish them soonest. Give them the bullets they want. This MNLF terrorist did the same thing 4 years ago in the same place causing 200 deaths to innocent civilians and military personnel. There is a need to have a final solution to this issue that will not include peace talk or surrender that will leave these rebellious with their weapons and territory. There are consequences to rebellion one these adventurist must know and ready to face to.
> 
> 
> You forget to quote the last part "*he blew it. And blew it badly.*"
> 
> Misuari himself was implicated in several anomalies and eventually lost his leadership and credibility among his people. Now he is only leading a bunch of outlaws.


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## Snomannen

Bienvenido said:


> Is that what your fellow Chinese doing here? Oh well sorry but it's a fact and you can't just hide and accept it. Maybe you're just guilty as one of those Macauan Chinese people who discriminate the Mainlanders? Well actually this is becoming a very serious issue in HK/China. It is very unfortunate that HKongers can definitely be extremely discriminatory at times to anyone who is not from HK but in the case of Mainlanders, it's not only discrimination, it's a reaction of bad behaviour. They show hatred to the Mainland Chinese eversince Hong Kong had been handed over from British to Chinese rule, everything has gone either downhill, or not at the wishes of the HKongers. This coupled by the fact that the Chinese coming from Mainland with all their money openly do things that annoy HKongers (even more when Chinese immigrants were poor people coming to HK), makes them look at the Chinese as not even the same 'type' of people.
> 
> I'll show you some of the interesting clips that might open a bit of your eyes.



Sigh, what are you doing. You didn't even get the main point did you? You have proved *nothing *but only punching a scarecrow. 
I was showing you the data to refute your nonsense of "most HK peopel refuse to be Chinese", do you even know what the main topic is. 
Also what am I even hiding, there is no secret that most of the HK and Macau people dislike many Mainlanders, including myself. Nobody even says that there is no conflict between each other~ 
I have seen and watched more related articles and videos than you do, Mr.Knowitall, since _I live there. _ Do you even know that there is a huge different between "conflict between HKers and Chinese" and " conflict between HKers and *Mainland *Chinese" . We always call them &#27515;&#22823;&#38520;&#20332; (freaking Mainalnder) but seldom do I hear people call them &#27515;&#20013;&#22283;&#20154; (freaking Chinese) in reality. And yes of course you can find a lot of "&#27515;&#20013;&#22283;&#20154;" and even "&#27515;&#25903;&#37027;&#20154;" in the internet~ but I can also find a lot of HK and Macau people trying to maintain the relationship between each other~ 
By the way, you are talking to a guy holding both HK and Macau identities, just saying~

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## Zero_wing

Wholegrain said:


>



And yet when he was Governor he did nothing some leader again full of bull sir your just full of bull

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## Bienvenido

KirovAirship said:


> Sigh, what are you doing. You didn't even get the main point did you? You have proved *nothing *but only punching a scarecrow.
> I was showing you the data to refute your nonsense of "most HK peopel refuse to be Chinese", do you even know what the main topic is.
> Also what am I even hiding, there is no secret that most of the HK and Macau people dislike many Mainlanders, including myself. Nobody even says that there is no conflict between each other~
> I have seen and watched more related articles and videos than you do, Mr.Knowitall, since _I live there. _ Do you even know that there is a huge different between "conflict between HKers and Chinese" and " conflict between HKers and *Mainland *Chinese" . We always call them &#27515;&#22823;&#38520;&#20332; (freaking Mainalnder) but seldom do I hear people call them &#27515;&#20013;&#22283;&#20154; (freaking Chinese) in reality. And yes of course you can find a lot of "&#27515;&#20013;&#22283;&#20154;" and even "&#27515;&#25903;&#37027;&#20154;" in the internet~ but I can also find a lot of HK and Macau people trying to maintain the relationship between each other~
> By the way, you are talking to a guy holding both HK and Macau identities, just saying~


That's why I said if they will only be given a choice, especially Hkongers, for sure they will prefer to stay being a slave by the British than mainland because the locals despise China and the mainland Chinese. By the way your data a pure crap just like your made in China products.

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## Bienvenido

Wholegrain said:


>


He is just a nuisance at this point in time. His men are dying because of his delusions and past mistakes. These terrorist must know there is a limit to what government and people are willing to take. Enough is enough.

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## Pinoy

*Nearly 100 rebels killed or captured in Zamboanga*

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Updated) -- Philippine forces have killed or captured nearly 100 of the Moro rebels who have been holding scores of hostages for a week in this city, as the government pushes ahead with an offensive to retake rebel-held coastal communities, officials said Sunday.

Army troops and police special forces have regained rebel-held grounds and are pressing an assault deeper into communities in the coastal outskirts of Zamboanga city, where more than 100 Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels are holding hostages, military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala said.

Several hostages have escaped or were freed, but it was unclear how many were still in rebel custody. Zamboanga City Mayor Isabelle Climaco Salazar said the rebels were still holding up to 40 hostages in one community alone.

Zagala said troops taking part in the offensive were calibrating their firepower to avoid harming civilians.

"We're gaining ground, we're pushing forward," he said.

At least 51 rebels have been killed and 42 others captured, most while trying to escape along the coast after discarding their camouflage uniforms for ordinary clothes, Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas said, adding that the gunmen would face criminal charges.

The bodies of two rebels, a man and a woman, were found Sunday by advancing troops.

Six policemen and soldiers, along with four villagers, have been killed in the standoff, which began Monday when troops foiled an attempt by the rebels to march and hoist their flag at Zamboanga's City hall.

The rebels, who arrived by boat from outlying islands, barged into five coastal villages and took more than 100 hostages as human shields.

Army troops and police, backed by helicopters and navy gunboats, initially surrounded the rebels with their hostages while government officials tried to convince the insurgents to free their captives and surrender. But government forces decided to attack Friday after the rebels started setting on fire clusters of houses and fired mortar rounds that wounded several Red Cross aid workers, Zagala said.

While the government's offensive is gaining momentum, Roxas said it's difficult to tell when the troops will be able to end the standoff, which has displaced more than 67,000 residents.

The crisis has virtually paralyzed the port city of nearly a million people, after authorities closed its international airport, suspended sea ferry services and shut down schools and offices. Officials of a Zamboanga city hospital evacuated 472 patients as clashes erupted nearby last week. They pleaded to the military Sunday to help them return to the hospital to retrieve ventilators, anesthesia machines and other equipment for their patients.

The Moro insurgents, led by rebel leader Nur Misuari, signed a peace deal in 1996, but the guerrillas did not lay down their arms and later accused the government of reneging on a promise to develop long-neglected Muslim regions in Mindanao.

The rebels have become increasingly restive in recent months as they have been overshadowed by a rival rebel group that engaged President Benigno Aquino III's government in peace talks brokered by Malaysia. The talks have steadily progressed toward a new and potentially larger autonomy deal for minority Muslims in the south.

Misuari, whose group launched a similar attack in Zamboanga City in 2001, has not been seen in public since the standoff began. (AP)

Nearly 100 MNLF rebels killed or captured in Zamboanga City | Sun.Star


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## Snomannen

Bienvenido said:


> That's why I said if they will only be given a choice, especially Hkongers, for sure they will prefer to stay being a slave by the British than mainland because the locals despise China and the mainland Chinese. By the way your data a pure crap just like your made in China products.



Oh my goodness you are so _amazing_. 

Typical "black & white or nothing" thinking. Have you seen any Singaporean wants to become part of Britain once again. You hate someone doesn't mean that you must accept the other. 

Who wants to be a Chinese anyway you say. I have described many times, we don't like Mainlander, we have conflicts but that doesn't mean that we don't want the Chinese identity, simple like that. 
Why can't you understand such simple logic. 

And yeah my data from the University of Hong Kong is a pure crap, your mighty big mouth tells the holy truth. All hail Lord Welcome the greatest god of the universe. 

Please, if you can't refute the fact and fail to think logically, then remain silent, say "okay" or "sorry" and "mind your own business", instead of defending your nonsense with another nonsense in front of a local who knows much more than you. That doesn't help you but making yourself look more ridiculous .


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## Pinoy

*Asia's Week: Filipinos Juggle Boom With Blow-Ups*

If the Philippines really manages a 7% GDP growth rate for 2013, as forecast, it will likely continue to lead Asia unless China wants to keep pumping in stimulants. That accomplishment will set the onetime U.S. battleground apart from other recent stars such as Indonesia, which is having to come to grips with a failure of government policies to keep up with the investment interest of the last several years. Maybe because its uptick came later, Manila apparently has more running room left.

But that doesn&#8217;t make for smooth sailing for President Benigno &#8220;Noynoy&#8221; Aquino III, who despite winning personal plaudits as a good democrat is at the helm of a still-leaky civic boat. That was obvious on at least two fronts this week.

The bloodier of them was in Zamboanga City in southernmost Mindanao, where the latest outbreak of long-standing hostilities with some factions of the indigenous Muslim population gripped widespread attention. It included a human hostage drama, in an area that itself has long been hostage to grinding poverty amid enormous mineral wealth. That itself is a familiar socio-tale in Southeast Asia, but in this case the juxtaposition of a Catholic-dominated central authority with Islamist agitation has made for especially explosive results. Short of a confederation that the various parties don&#8217;t seem up to, Aquino&#8217;s administration (and its tacit American allies) won&#8217;t likely find a peaceful bargain to be affordable no matter how prosperous the larger economy proves to be this year or next. Cease-fires may be the best we can hope for. If it comes down to heavier military suppression of the big island&#8217;s violent insurgents, then at some point Manila&#8217;s ability also to confront ever-more aggressive Chinese testing of South China Sea waters could be exhausted.

The second of Aquino&#8217;s agonies was a far cry from Islam: pork. Pork-barrel politics, to be specific, practiced on a scale in the Philippines that most other democracies young or old could only marvel at. This country&#8217;s variant involves its longstanding ruling families as the pass-throughs, and like most forms of graft, it is tolerated until it is not. Lately, as the riches of recent times have piled up in a few hands, and as Aquino (himself a legacy of the system) has spearheaded an anti-corruption drive, Filipinos reached a breaking point. Mass demonstrations have gone on for weeks and as late as late as Friday were cropping up in the capital. The poster abuse involved a well-connected businesswoman named Janet Lim Napoles, who is alleged to have cooked up a revenue sharing arrangement with some of the pols. But her special crime was having an indiscreet daughter who flaunted the family&#8217;s good fortune in incendiary ways (and apparently got some ceremonial time with the president himself).

Maybe this bout of indignation will lead to long-needed reforms (the Philippines continues to rank a low 105 out of 176 on the international Transparency Index, a corruption barometer) even as it singes much of the governing class in the process. (And maybe those two outcomes are necessarily related.) As positive as several of the economic omens may be&#8211;from gambling resorts to manufacturing, and especially entailing a large, young, English-speaking workforce&#8211;an orderly rule of law is going to be necessary for the nation to finally, and firmly, win emergence into the middle-income fraternity. Its challenges are hardly unique, but, as a function of geography and history, in few other spots are they as much in the world&#8217;s sights.

Asia's Week: Filipinos Juggle Boom With Blow-Ups - Forbes



*Taiwan calls for more direct Philippine investments*
September 15, 2013 

Taipei City, Taiwan: Taiwan&#8217;s Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) is calling on more foreign investors, specifically those that are from the Philippines, to consider scouting for investment opportunities in its country.

CEPD is the government agency in Taiwan responsible for setting up plans for national economic development.

During the international press briefing on Taiwan&#8217;s participation in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), CEPD Director General Cheryl Tseng said that since Taiwan currently has a relatively low foreign-direct investments (FDIs) rate, it is now trying to encourage more foreign businessmen to invest in the country.

&#8220;So far, we&#8217;re trying to attract more FDI,&#8221; she said.

&#8220;All the investors are welcome whatever country they would come from, because every country do have their advantage and Philippines, especially, we are very close neighbors,&#8221; Tseng added.

She even mentioned that a lot of Taiwanese make a living in the Philippines, a sign of the close ties between the two countries.
&#8220;We have quite a lot of investments in the Philippines and a lot of Taiwanese are very successful in the Philippines,&#8221; the official further said.

Still in a bid to boost its FDIs, Tseng also said that Taiwan is also inviting investors from Vietnam and Indonesia.

*Free-economic pilot zones*

According to Tseng, the outlook on Taiwan&#8217;s FDI this year is still as not as &#8220;optimistic,&#8221; or is even lower than last year, but the country has been undertaking efforts to improve the inflow of foreign investments.

&#8220;The council just finished with the framework of the Free Economic Pilot Zone,&#8221; Tseng said, explaining that this could be part of the country&#8217;s initiative to establish a firmer international economic presence.

Free Economic Pilot Zones, a concept drafted by the CEPD, are &#8220;test beds&#8221; of Taiwan&#8217;s economic liberalization and internationalization.

In a CEPD research, it was described that the concept involves promotion of free movement of personnel, goods and funds in the country; opening markets to align with other countries, creation of a friendly tax environment; providing fast and easy land acquisition; and establishment of a prime environment for doing a business.

http://www.manilatimes.net/taiwan-calls-for-more-direct-philippine-investments/40085/


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## Pinoy

*PH-Malaysia war exercise fosters ties*
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Monday, September 16th, 2013

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Philippines&#8212;The Philippine and Malaysian armies concluded a two-week battle simulation exercise at Camp O&#8217;Donnell in Capas, Tarlac, on Sunday.

Gathered at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Peacekeeping Operations Center at the camp, Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes and Gen. Datuk Raja Mohamed Affandi Bin Raja Mohamed Noor declared Land MALPHI 14-2013 closed, citing &#8220;stronger ties&#8221; as a result of the bilateral exercise.

&#8220;The overarching goal of Land MALPHI Exercise is to provide the venue where both the armies of the Philippines and Malaysia can work and operate together in a simulated conventional environment to address the various defense and security challenges confronting our respective countries,&#8221; Coballes, the Philippine Army chief, said in a statement.

At least 70 Filipino and 40 Malaysian officers took part in the command post and battle simulation exercise.

The exercise, the statement said, adopted a &#8220;conventional operational setting that is centered on the Malaysian forces coming in aid of the Philippine forces to defend the latter&#8217;s territory from a national invading force.&#8221;

Col. Wilson Marie Reyes, the exercise director, said the objectives were met.&#8212;Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon


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## Pinoy

*Phl to Jakarta: Gov&#8217;t doing everything to resolve standoff*
By Delon Porcalla (The Philippine Star) | September 16, 2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines assured Indonesia yesterday that the government is doing all it can to end the week-long standoff between security forces and Muslim rebels who have tried to take over Zamboanga City in Mindanao since last week.

&#8220;Rest assured that we are doing all we can at this point to solve the situation there,&#8221; deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a radio interview over dzRB.

She said the only problem that has complicated the situation was the fact that forces loyal to the faction of former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari have taken civilians as hostages and used them as human shields.

&#8220;We very well know the complication (on the ground). This is why the operations of our security forces are very calibrated, if only to ensure that there will be no more hostages and casualties as a result of the standoff,&#8221; she said.

Over the weekend, the Indonesian government urged Manila to reach a peaceful resolution of the continuing conflict between Misuari&#8217;s men and members of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said their government is concerned with recent developments in the ongoing armed conflict in Zamboanga City.

&#8220;As neighbors and as facilitator of the achievement of the final peace agreement in 1996 between the Philippines and the MNLF, Indonesia urged all parties concerned to exercise restraint and ensure the safety and security of civilians,&#8221; he said.

&#8220;Peaceful solution is the only option that should be taken by both parties,&#8221; he said in a statement sent to The STAR by the Indonesian embassy in Manila.

Natalegawa urged both parties to find a peaceful solution to the conflict and stand by the 1996 peace agreement.

&#8220;The 1996 final peace agreement is a comprehensive agreement as the foundation for solving problems in the southern Philippines for a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace,&#8221; he said.

Natalegawa said Indonesia is always ready, at the request of stakeholders, to contribute to the restoration of normalcy in southern Philippines.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2...akarta-govt-doing-everything-resolve-standoff


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## Pinoy

*Indian farming technology set for test in PH*
September 15, 2013

*The International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) will sign a memorandum of agreement with the provincial government of Ilocos Sur for the implementation of a project that will pilot India&#8217;s Bhoochetana program in the Philippines.*

William Dar, Icrisat director general, said that local government of Ilocos Sur has allotted P100 million for the collaborative project on the adoption of the Bhoochetana approach to improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers, by enhancing agricultural productivity in the province.

Dubbed as Sustainable Intensification for Prosperity and Growth (Sipag), the proposed project will provide technical assistance aimed at increasing crop productivity, cropping intensity and farmers&#8217; income in the province by 20 percent in three years, while improving and maintaining soil health.

&#8220;We aim to pilot the Bhoochetana concept in Ilocos Sur, which is a strategic rain-fed area in the Philippines to contribute in increasing the average productivity of crops by 20 percent in three years while improving and preserving the overall soil health condition,&#8221; Dar said.

He said that Icrisat would provide the technical assistance to the local government of Ilocos Sur for the conduct of a three-year soil rejuvenation program, which will include the development of soil fertility map for the province.

Besides the creation of the soil fertility map, Dar said that they have also discussed additional funding for the establishment of soil laboratories and training of farmers, which would help the local government fast-track soils analysis in some 42,000 hectares of rain-fed agricultural land in the province.

&#8220;They would need another P20 million for the construction of a soils laboratory, and additional funding for infrastructure that would maximize the rainwater harvesting in the province,&#8221; he said.

*Nationwide application*

Dar said that they hope to gradually out-scale the Bhoochetana approach and replicate the program in the entire Philippines, which is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change.

&#8220;We must implement a new paradigm of resilience, or face 30- to 40-percent reduction in yields,&#8221; Dar said.

Dar said that government should include programs that would focus on the development of soil analysis to optimize production&#8212;particularly in dry land agriculture areas.

&#8220;Soil analysis has been taken for granted in Philippine agriculture. We have been mining away our soils, which prevent us from maximizing production. We must bring back the health of the soil for us to optimize productivity,&#8221; he added.

Rain-fed agriculture, farming practices that rely on rainfall for water, covers 80 percent of the overall physical agricultural area of the world.

http://www.manilatimes.net/indian-farming-technology-set-for-test-in-ph/40070/


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## Pinoy

*France Helps The Philippines Get Respectable Against China *
by James Dunnigan
September 15, 2013

The Philippines has turned to France to obtain more offshore patrol ships for its coast guard. The first to arrive (in 2014) is a recently retired P400 class patrol boat. The 373 ton, 54.8 meter (180 foot) long vessel has a crew of up to 29 and two ten-seat small power boats on board. Top speed is 44 kilometers an hour and can stay out up to 20 days at a time. Armament consists of a 40mm and 20mm autocannon, plus two heavy machine-guns and some small arms. The 26 year old P400 will be refurbished before delivery to the Philippines. Total cost to the Philippines will be about $8 million.

Separately, the Philippines is buying a newly built 82 meter (271-foot) patrol ship and four 24 meter (79-foot) patrol boats from France for $120 million. The larger ship is similar to the P400 and meant to patrol hundreds of kilometers off the coast, while the smaller boats are for coastal patrols. The larger vessels will be dealing with even larger ships China is building for patrols off the coast of neighboring countries. China claims all of the South China Sea, including areas very close to the Filipino coast.

France Helps The Philippines Get Respectable Against China

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## Pinoy

*PAL returns to Europe via London Nov. 4*
By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star) | September 16, 2013 







MANILA, Philippines - National flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is set to return to Europe after a 15-year hiatus by mounting direct flights to London starting November.

PAL is flying directly to the Heathrow Airport five times a week starting Nov. 4 using Boeing 777-300ER.

The national flag carrier earlier sought a green light from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to impose a $170 fuel surcharge on its international operations from Manila to any country in Europe.

No less than PAL president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang announced last July 10 that the national flag carrier is preparing for the much awaited return to popular European destinations as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Rome, and Madrid.

Last July 12, the European Union lifted the ban imposed in 2010 after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) addressed major safety concerns raised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

In March of 2010, the 27-member European Commission imposed a ban on Philippine carriers from European airspace for the failure of CAAP to reform the country&#8217;s civil aviation system.

In 2008, the safety rating of the Philippines was downgraded by the US FAA upon the recommendation of ICAO to Category 2 from Category 1 after CAAP failed to comply with safety standards for the oversight of air carrier operations.

ICAO lifted the remaining significant security concerns after the Philippines through the CAAP passed the audit conducted from Feb. 18 to Feb. 22, paving the way for the series of upgrades.

PAL senior vice president for operations Ismael Augusto Gozon earlier said the airline is looking at mounting direct flights to two European countries within the year. &#8220;We will fly to two European destinations before the end of the year,&#8221; Gozon said.

PAL is in the middle of a major refleeting program with an end view of acquiring 100 new aircraft. It has entered into a $9.5 billion contract with the EADS Group for the delivery of 65 aircraft.

PAL entered into a $7 billion deal for the acquisition of 45 A321 and 10 A330-300 last August and exercised an option to acquire 10 more A330-300 worth $2.5 billion last September.

PAL has received two A321-200 last August and expects the delivery of its first A330-300 in the last week of September. In all, PAL would take the delivery of 12 aircraft this year, 17 next year, 10 in 2016, two in 2017, four in 2018, and four in 2019.

PAL is focusing on regional and international destinations as it expanded its code sharing arrangement with affiliate PAL Express (formerly Airphil Express) to cover all domestic routes except Cebu, Kalibo and Davao.

PAL has a fleet of 48 aircraft composed of five Boeing 777-30ER, five Boeing 747-400, six A340-300, eight A330-300, 18 A320-200, four A319-100, and two A321-200 while PAL Express has a fleet of 14 A320, four Bombardier Q300 and four Q400.

SMC through San Miguel Equity Investments Inc. controls about 49 percent of Trustmark Holdings of PAL after infusing $500 million in April of 2012. Trustmark and affiliate Zuma Holdings own PAL Holdings and sister airline AirPhil Express.


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## Pinoy

*UK minister for trade and investment visits PH
*
Monday, September 16, 2013

THE United Kingdom's minister of state for trade and investment arrived in Manila Monday for a three-day visit that will boost the trade and investment relations between the two countries.

A statement from the British Embassy in Manila said that Lord Stephen Green of Hurstpierpoint will be in Manila for three days.

Green is expected to meet various high-level government officials and business leaders in trade, infrastructure and finance "to promote the deepening partnerships between the two countries."

The embassy said he will hold discussions with his counterparts in the Philippine government regarding "a high-level trade Philippine mission to the United Kingdom next month." Green will also meet members of the British Chamber of Commerce regarding a new partnership to support UK companies doing business in the country.

Also, Green will be in Manila "to prepare the ground" for a five-month celebration of the best of British business and culture, which will be organized by the British Embassy in Manila. Such activity is believed to "build mutual prosperity and deeper friendship with the Philippines."

The official will also be holding a range of meetings with senior business leaders to discuss potential commercial opportunities and partnerships."

UK's trade relations with the Philippines are strong and increasing, the embassy said.

The United Kingdom is the highest European and fourth highest overall source of foreign direct investments in the Philippines.

In 2012, total UK exports to the Philippines were up 13% at over £550 million.

British companies have been entering the Philippine market in recent years.

Among the recent successes are the launch of iconic men&#8217;s wear brand TM Lewin, the opening of the new Bentley showroom and the entry of Rolls Royce, the start of deliveries of new Airbus planes with major British components following the $7 billion deal with Philippine Airlines, and the tender won by GlaxoSmithKline with the Philippines&#8217; Department of Health for the supply of pneumococcal vaccine this year.

Green began his career with the British government&#8217;s Ministry of Overseas Development.(CVB/Sunnex)

UK minister for trade and investment visits Philippines | Sun.Star

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## Pinoy

*Philippines leapfrogs 25 places in global biz growth index*
By Jovan Cerda (philstar.com) | September 16, 2013 






MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines posted its biggest climb in a global index of dynamic business growth environments, British-based advisory firm Grant Thornton International reported on Monday.

The country leapfrogged by 25 places to land at the 21st spot in this year's Global Dynamism Index (GDI), improving the most among 60 countries included in the report.

&#8220;The fast-paced growth of the Philippine economy certainly underlined our substantial rise in this year&#8217;s GDI. This means our business growth environment improved quicker than any other country in 2012,&#8221; said Marivic Españo, chair and chief executive officer of Punongbayan & Araullo (P&A), the Grant Thornton member firm in the Philippines.

Among countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations included in the report, the country ranked behind Singapore (7th), Malaysia (13th) and Thailand (19th), and ahead of Vietnam (27th).

Australia, Chile, China, New Zealand and Canada topped the list while Ukraine, Italy, Kenya, Algeria and Greece placed at the bottom.

On the area of economics and growth, the Philippines jumped by 11 places to tie at fourth place with Peru. It posted the biggest improvement in terms of labor and human capital, galloping by 40 places to rank fifth globally.

&#8220;I think the key point here is that the Philippines is starting to realize its potential domestically. Aside from remittances, which have recovered well since the global financial crisis, private construction and government spending on infrastructure contributed to our above-target expansion. Domestic demand in the form of private investment and consumer growth has also helped the country outpace its Southeast Asian neighbors, which are showing signs of slowing down,&#8221; Españo said.

In terms of science and technology, however, the country ranked 51st, indicating the lack of infrastructure improvements needed for businesses to expand. P&A said while spending on information technology improved by 9.5 percent last year, it only translated to 0.1 percent of the country's gross domestic product, the fourth lowest among the 60 economies studied.

&#8220;The government recognizes that local infrastructure needs to be improved. Eighty public-private partnerships with around $17.6 billion of capital to boost the investment environment were supposed to be launched between 2011 and 2016, but progress is well behind schedule. Add to this a rank of 44 for business operating environment, which looks at how easy and risky it is to operate in an economy, and you can clearly see there is some room for improvement,&#8221; Españo said.

&#8220;The good news is that both total and worker output is expanding rapidly. The key now is to combine this growth with infrastructure and operating environment improvements. With the right mix of policies in place, our economy could offer even more opportunities for dynamic businesses,&#8221; she added. 

Philippines leapfrogs 25 places in global biz growth index | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Pinoy

*Japannese hair styling wax maker eyes 30 pct growth in Philippines*
By: Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
September 16, 2013 

MANILA - The Philippine unit of a Japanese manufacturer of cosmetics and toiletries expects sales to grow more than 30 percent this year with the launch of new products.

"We are hoping that we will be able to grow more than 30 percent because of these products," Patricia Gregorio, marketing manager of Mandom Philippines Inc, last week said, referring to among others its hair styling wax, which accounts for 80 percent of its local business. 

"We are doing good [in the Philippines], the [hair] styling wax is our killer brand. More than 80 percent of our business is styling wax," she told reporters. 

Last year, the company earned more than P500 million in the Philippines. 

The company has expanded its portfolio from hair style products to body care, facial wash and fragrances, targeting males aged 20 to 35 years old. 

Mandom Philippines, the manufacturer of Gatsby hair styling wax, last Friday launched its new product called Gatsby Deodorant Acua, an all over body deodorant. 

"Most of our products are manufactured in Indonesia, but Deo Acqua is manufactured in Japan," Gregorio said. 

Besides Japan and Indonesia, Mandom also manufactures in China. 

"Our products are very affordable and comparable to locally made cologne, targeting the mass market," Gregorio said.

The Mandom Group, which is based in Japan has nine consolidated subsidiaries in eight Asian countries, namely, the Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.



*Philippines clocks up biggest improvement in business dynamism -- Grant Thornton survey*
By: Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
September 16, 2013 






MANILA - The Philippines catapulted to the 21st spot among 60 countries ranked for the dynamism of their business climates.

In its Global Dynamism Index (GDI) 2013, Grant Thornton said the Philippines jumped 25 notches to land on the 21st place in the annual ranking.

According to Grant Thornton, dynamism refers to the changes in an economy over the past 12 months that are likely to lead to a fast rate of future growth. The GDI is based on the assessment of five key areas: business operating environment, science and technology, labor and human capital, economics and growth, as well as financing environment.

&#8220;The fast-paced growth of the Philippine economy certainly underlined our substantial rise in this year&#8217;s GDI,&#8221; said Marivic Españo, chief executive officer of Punongbayan & Araullo (P&A), the Philippine member-firm in the Grant Thornton Group. 

&#8220;This means our business growth environment improved quicker than any other country in 2012,&#8221; Españo said.

In the area of economics and growth, the Philippines moved up 11 places to rank fourth overall. The country&#8217;s economic growth last year was the third highest among the 60 economies surveyed, with private consumption growth of 9.8 percent being the 10th highest globally.

The country registered its biggest improvement in the area of labor and human capital, rising 40 places to join the world's top five behind China, Australia, Thailand and Indonesia.

This means the Philippines' labor force is the fifth best in the world for growing businesses. The boost was driven by labor productivity growth of 5.4 percent, next only to the 7.4 percent increase in China.

&#8220;I think the key point here is that the Philippines is starting to realize its potential domestically,&#8221; said Españo.

&#8220;Aside from remittances, which have recovered well since the global financial crisis, private construction and government spending on infrastructure contributed to our above-target expansion. Domestic demand in the form of private investment and consumer growth has also helped the country outpace its Southeast Asian neighbors, which are showing signs of slowing down," she said.

The Philippines however didn't fare as well as in the area of science and technology, where it ranked 51st. This, as IT spending increased 9.5 percent last year, to 0.1 percent of GDP, or the fourth lowest among the 60 countries polled.

&#8220;The government recognizes that local infrastructure needs to be improved,&#8221; Españo said.

&#8220;Eighty public-private partnerships with around $17.6 billion of capital to boost the investment environment were supposed to be launched between 2011 and 2016, but progress is well behind schedule. Add to this a rank of 44 for business operating environment, which looks at how easy and risky it is to operate in an economy, and you can clearly see there is some room for improvement,&#8221; she said.

&#8220;The good news is that both total and worker output is expanding rapidly. The key now is to combine this growth with infrastructure and operating environment improvements. With the right mix of policies in place, our economy could offer even more opportunities for dynamic businesses,&#8221; Españo added.

Grant Thornton is an international tax and auditing firm.

Philippines clocks up biggest improvement in business dynamism -- Grant Thornton survey - InterAksyon.com

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## Pinoy

*Malaysia backs Philippines' bid for peace in Mindanao*
09/17/2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur yesterday welcomed Malaysia's expression of confidence in the Philippine government&#8217;s resolve to restore peace in Zamboanga.

The embassy also welcomed Malaysia&#8217;s reaffirmation of its commitment to the ongoing peace process in Mindanao.

In a statement issued last Wednesday, Foreign Minister Anifah Aman stated that Malaysia will not meddle in the conflict between elements of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Philippine security forces in Zamboanga.

Anifah said Malaysia is confident that Manila would restore peace in the affected area.

&#8220;As facilitator to the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Malaysia is committed to resolve the southern Philippine conflict in a peaceful manner that will benefit all, in particular Filipinos in Mindanao,&#8221; Anifah said.

In a symposium last June at Kuala Lumpur&#8217;s Institute of Islamic Understanding, Prime Minister Najib Razak called for a permanent solution to the problems of indigenous Muslim minorities in its neighboring countries, referring to Muslims in Mindanao, southern Thailand and Myanmar.

*&#8220;These Muslims should be made to understand that they must live under current national governments&#8230; and must recognize the true responsibilities within the current nation-states and contribute the utmost to the moral and socioeconomic strengths of the nation,&#8221;* Najib said.

Najib added that Muslim minorities &#8220;must eschew violence and forget this idea of having an independent Muslim state, which is not realistic. Muslims must also understand the sensitivities of non-Muslim as well.&#8221;

Widening division

Datu Dima Ambil, chairman of the Sebangen Kutawato Revolutionary State of the MNLF&#8217;s &#8220;Sema Group,&#8221; yesterday assured the police and military that his followers are ready to help quell, even by force, any attempt to create trouble by Nur Misuari&#8217;s followers in any part of Central Mindanao.

Ambil made the statement amid reports that the deadly forays of Misuari&#8217;s men in Zamboanga City and Basilan have widened the factional divide between his group and the Sema group &#8211; the largest, most politically active faction in the MNLF.

Ambil belongs to the MNLF faction led by former Cotabato City vice mayor Muslimin Sema, which has 20 &#8220;revolutionary states&#8221; scattered across Central Mindanao and Moro-dominated southern island provinces.

&#8220;We will fight them because our 1996 peace agreement with government enjoins us to help government address peace and security issues in areas covered by the agreement. It&#8217;s a big shame for us to just look at them do travesty to that agreement,&#8221; said Ambil.

Ambil said they are opposed to the hostile activities going on now in Zamboanga City and Basilan of the MNLF Misuari group, which is largely composed of ethnic Tausugs from mainland Sulu and a handful of Yakans from Basilan.

&#8220;We do not like it. We will never support any violent action they are instigating just to catch attention,&#8221; Ambil said. &#8220;We will not stop from recognizing and upholding the Sept. 2, 1996 government-MNLF final peace agreement, whose initial dividends are now being felt by our members in North Cotabato.&#8221;

Meanwhile, Sema said key officials of the MNLF opposing the hostile actions of Misuari and his men will hold a &#8220;revolutionary conclave&#8221; today to draft a manifesto reaffirming their recognition of the Sept. 2, 1996 government-MNLF final peace accord and renouncing him for good.

&#8220;This is a follow up to our position to just stand down and not participate in any of the &#8216;acts of war&#8217; being done by Misuari&#8217;s group,&#8221; Sema said yesterday. &#8211; With John Unson, Ramil Bajo, Ben Serrano, Gerry Lee Gorit, Alexis Romero

Malaysia backs Philippines' bid for peace in Mindanao | ABS-CBN News



*'Zamboanga conflict won't affect PH economy'*
by Alvin Elchico, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines - Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima does not see the Zamboanga siege affecting the economy. 

Purisima said once the standoff is resolved, Mindanao will have higher growth potential. 

Asked what happens if the conflict lingers, Purisima maintained the Zamboanga incident is isolated. He expressed hope the issue will be resolved soon. 

&#8220;Geographically, the area that has issues is closer to other ASEAN nation than in Manila. And we see business usual on the other side of Mindanao. Mindanao is a big island and the area that has some issues is just a small portion,&#8221; Purisima said. 

Mindanao contributes around 40% of the Philippines' total annual agricultural output and 20% of the economy's gross domestic product.

"Mindanao is a window of opportunity for the country that's why President Aquino has been committed to achieving peace in that area," the DOF chief added. 

'Zamboanga conflict won't affect PH economy' | ABS-CBN News


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## Pinoy

*Philippines, US to start joint military drills*
*The Philippines and the United States are to start joint military drills near the disputed South China Sea waters.*






*The United States (US) Navy Wasp Class Amphibious Assault Ship USS Boxer is guided by tugboats as it docks at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone yesterday*

The joint Philippines-US Amphibious Landing Exercise (Phiblex) is slated to begin on September 18 at a naval base in Zmabale Province in the western coast of Luzon island. 

Some 2,300 American and Filipino marines are to take part in the annual military exercise, which will last three weeks. 

The drills came as the allies are laying the groundwork for expanding the presence of US forces in the Philippines, a move which could fuel the current tensions with China. 

Tensions between the Philippines and China started on April 8, 2012 following a naval standoff between the two countries in the South China Sea over the region&#8217;s shoal, which both sides claim as their territory. 

China has time and again criticized the Philippines for refusing to stop the territorial dispute and seeking to expand US military presence in the region. 

PressTV - Philippines, US to start joint military drills



*Japanese warships dock in Manila port*
By Frances Mangosing
INQUIRER.net
Tuesday, September 17th, 2013






MANILA, Philippines&#8211; Two Japanese warships have docked in Manila for a two-day port call.

In a statement, the Philippine Navy said on Tuesday that JS Akebono (DD-108) and JS Hamagiri (DD-155) of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force Escort Six Division headed by Captain Tsutomu Iwasawa arrived at the port of Manila last Sunday.
The visit will be until today, Tuesday.

&#8220;The purpose of the visit was for re-provisioning and rest of crew before it heads back to Japan,&#8221; the Navy said.

Captain Iwasawa and his party visited the Navy Headquarters and paid a courtesy call to the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Jesus Millan. The Navy also hosted a welcome reception for the officers and crew of the ships.

The ships came from counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden near Arabian Sea before it arrived to the Philippines.

The visit was expected to promote stronger ties and military cooperation between the Philippine Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force.

Both Japan and the Philippines share a rival claimant in China. Last June, defense ministers of both countries met to step up their &#8220;strategic partnership in the field of defense, particularly in maritime affairs.

The Philippines is engaged in a dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), while Japan and China have a maritime row over Senkaku (known Diaoyu) in the East China Sea.


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## Pinoy

*Two drillings in Galoc indicate bigger reserve*

The Galoc oil field in northwest Palawan may contain an additional 12 million to 15 million barrels of oil based on the preliminary results of new drilling on two wells, an industry source said Friday.

The source said the additional reserves would bring the current level of production at the Galoc field to 10,000 to 15,000 barrels a day from the current 5,000 to 6,000 barrels.

The Galoc field is located in Service Contract SC14C. Two wells, Galoc-5H and Galoc-6H, are being drilled within the existing producing field that has delivered over 10 million barrels of oil since its commissioning in 2008. Oil from the Galoc field is sold to Asia Pacific refinery customers.

The Galoc oil field is expected to remain in production beyond 2020.

The second phase of drilling started on June 4 and is expected to be completed after 115 days, including the flowing of the wells for cleanup. First oil from the expansion is expected during the fourth quarter this year.

Two drillings in Galoc indicate bigger reserve - Manila Standard Today



*Korean firms to invest*
September 16, 2013

*COMPANIES from Chungnam province, Korea, are willing to invest in the Philippines to expand their global operations, some of the firms said yesterday.*

During the Korean Trade Mission meeting yesterday at the Intercon Hotel in Makati City, Yun-Gi Ha, director at cutting machine manufacturer Hi-Worth Co., Ltd., said that his company plans to partner with a local welding machine manufacturer and invest 500 million (about P20.1 million) from 2015 to 2017.

&#8220;We&#8217;re planning to form a partnership with a Filipino company. At the first level, which is from the beginning to the next two years, we plan to invest half a billion Korean won, so that&#8217;s 1 billion for the partnership,&#8221; Mr. Ha told BusinessWorld. He that the amount would double by 2017.

Mr. Ha noted that as part of the investment, the company will also build a factory that will house at least 50 locals and 10 Korean engineers in 2015.

&#8220;It will double after two years,&#8221; he added.

&#8220;The Philippines is one of the biggest markets that we are currently looking at, specifically because it has a big sheet-production industry,&#8221; Mr. Ha said.

Cosmetics manufacturer Juhwan Bio.Cell Co., Ltd. Marketing Business Manager Hong Kyun said that his company will spend $100,000 on promotions and exhibits of its cosmetic products.

&#8220;We are looking for one distributor here in the Philippine market. We are looking for just one because many distributors would haggle for lower prices,&#8221; Mr. Kyun said, noting that investments would start the moment the company has struck a distribution deal with a Filipino cosmetics firm.

Paint and cosmetics producer DongYang E&P Co., Ltd. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kang-Jung Jin said that the company will invest 3 billion in the Philippines, depending on the condition of the market.

&#8220;We will be focusing on architecture and the beauty product industry; we need a partner which has a high ability to sell our products in the Philippines,&#8221; Mr. Jin said.

&#8220;We will invest in the Philippines, but we first need to check the entire condition of the market of the Philippines. We will decide with the partner [firm], that&#8217;s why we first need to find a partner,&#8221; he said.

Dong-ho Kim, director of vitamin manufacturer FNBio Co. Ltd., noted that his company is still studying the Philippine market before proceeding to investment.

&#8220;Our plan is to export our products and enter the Philippine market. But, I&#8217;m not sure about the exact amount of investment, because we need to do the market research first,&#8221; Mr. Kim said.

&#8220;We are still studying if we could create a market (store) in the Philippines or just export our products,&#8221; he added.

One company, Daesung Metal Printing Co., Ltd. declined to be interviewed.

The trade mission was organized by the Korean Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra), Small and Medium Business Corp. (SBC), and the Chungnam local government.

According to Jinhee Park, an organizer of the event, the purpose of the trade mission is to help Korean companies find prominent buyers, importers and distributor agents to discuss possible market entry of their products.

&#8220;In the national level, we do this twice or thrice a year,&#8221; Ms. Park said.

A Korean trade mission was also set by the organizers last July, when nine companies from the Gyeongsangbuk-do province participated. -- Lorenz Christoffer S. Marasigan

Korean firms to invest | BusinessWorld Online



Australian company to raise fund for Cebu oil wells
By Alena Mae S. Flores | Posted on September 17, 2013

Gas2Grid Ltd. of Australia said Monday it will raise $1.625 million through a private placement to fund an oil and gas exploration program at the Malolos-1 well in Cebu province, as the company looks for partners in the project.

Gas2Grid said in a disclosure to the Australian Stock Exchange the private placement involved 73.88 million ordinary shares at $0.022 per share.

&#8220;The funds raised will be applied to exploration and appraisal, including flow testing oil at Malolos-1 well in order to convert some contingent resource into reserves (at Service Contract 44), exploration at St. Griede in Aquitaine Basin in France and general working capital,&#8221; the company said.

Gas2Grid reported in June a significant oil recovery from two sandstone intervals at Malolos-1 followed by an initial assessment of the volume potential within the Malolos field.

It said an estimate of &#8220;contingent resource&#8221; for oil in place in the two lower oil productive sandstones indicated a range between a &#8220;low estimate&#8221; of 4 million barrels and a &#8220;high estimate&#8221; of 42 million barrels, with a &#8220;best estimate&#8221; of 12 million barrels of total oil initially in place.

&#8220;The forward plan is to conduct a longer-term production test of the two oil bearing sandstone intervals with the aim of moving some of the contingent resource of oil in a reserve category and also gather technical data to help plan field development,&#8221; Gas2Grid said.

Australian company to raise fund for Cebu oil wells - Manila Standard Today

*Two drillings in Galoc indicate bigger reserve*

The Galoc oil field in northwest Palawan may contain an additional 12 million to 15 million barrels of oil based on the preliminary results of new drilling on two wells, an industry source said Friday.

The source said the additional reserves would bring the current level of production at the Galoc field to 10,000 to 15,000 barrels a day from the current 5,000 to 6,000 barrels.

The Galoc field is located in Service Contract SC14C. Two wells, Galoc-5H and Galoc-6H, are being drilled within the existing producing field that has delivered over 10 million barrels of oil since its commissioning in 2008. Oil from the Galoc field is sold to Asia Pacific refinery customers.

The Galoc oil field is expected to remain in production beyond 2020.

The second phase of drilling started on June 4 and is expected to be completed after 115 days, including the flowing of the wells for cleanup. First oil from the expansion is expected during the fourth quarter this year.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/09/14/new-drillings-in-galoc-indicate-bigger-reserve/



*Korean firms to invest*
September 16, 2013

*COMPANIES from Chungnam province, Korea, are willing to invest in the Philippines to expand their global operations, some of the firms said yesterday.*

During the Korean Trade Mission meeting yesterday at the Intercon Hotel in Makati City, Yun-Gi Ha, director at cutting machine manufacturer Hi-Worth Co., Ltd., said that his company plans to partner with a local welding machine manufacturer and invest 500 million (about P20.1 million) from 2015 to 2017.

Were planning to form a partnership with a Filipino company. At the first level, which is from the beginning to the next two years, we plan to invest half a billion Korean won, so thats 1 billion for the partnership, Mr. Ha told BusinessWorld. He that the amount would double by 2017.

Mr. Ha noted that as part of the investment, the company will also build a factory that will house at least 50 locals and 10 Korean engineers in 2015.

It will double after two years, he added.

The Philippines is one of the biggest markets that we are currently looking at, specifically because it has a big sheet-production industry, Mr. Ha said.

Cosmetics manufacturer Juhwan Bio.Cell Co., Ltd. Marketing Business Manager Hong Kyun said that his company will spend $100,000 on promotions and exhibits of its cosmetic products.

We are looking for one distributor here in the Philippine market. We are looking for just one because many distributors would haggle for lower prices, Mr. Kyun said, noting that investments would start the moment the company has struck a distribution deal with a Filipino cosmetics firm.

Paint and cosmetics producer DongYang E&P Co., Ltd. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kang-Jung Jin said that the company will invest 3 billion in the Philippines, depending on the condition of the market.

We will be focusing on architecture and the beauty product industry; we need a partner which has a high ability to sell our products in the Philippines, Mr. Jin said.

We will invest in the Philippines, but we first need to check the entire condition of the market of the Philippines. We will decide with the partner [firm], thats why we first need to find a partner, he said.

Dong-ho Kim, director of vitamin manufacturer FNBio Co. Ltd., noted that his company is still studying the Philippine market before proceeding to investment.

Our plan is to export our products and enter the Philippine market. But, Im not sure about the exact amount of investment, because we need to do the market research first, Mr. Kim said.

We are still studying if we could create a market (store) in the Philippines or just export our products, he added.

One company, Daesung Metal Printing Co., Ltd. declined to be interviewed.

The trade mission was organized by the Korean Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra), Small and Medium Business Corp. (SBC), and the Chungnam local government.

According to Jinhee Park, an organizer of the event, the purpose of the trade mission is to help Korean companies find prominent buyers, importers and distributor agents to discuss possible market entry of their products.

In the national level, we do this twice or thrice a year, Ms. Park said.

A Korean trade mission was also set by the organizers last July, when nine companies from the Gyeongsangbuk-do province participated. -- Lorenz Christoffer S. Marasigan

http://bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=Korean-firms-to-invest&id=76550



Australian company to raise fund for Cebu oil wells
By Alena Mae S. Flores | Posted on September 17, 2013

Gas2Grid Ltd. of Australia said Monday it will raise $1.625 million through a private placement to fund an oil and gas exploration program at the Malolos-1 well in Cebu province, as the company looks for partners in the project.

Gas2Grid said in a disclosure to the Australian Stock Exchange the private placement involved 73.88 million ordinary shares at $0.022 per share.

The funds raised will be applied to exploration and appraisal, including flow testing oil at Malolos-1 well in order to convert some contingent resource into reserves (at Service Contract 44), exploration at St. Griede in Aquitaine Basin in France and general working capital, the company said.

Gas2Grid reported in June a significant oil recovery from two sandstone intervals at Malolos-1 followed by an initial assessment of the volume potential within the Malolos field.

It said an estimate of contingent resource for oil in place in the two lower oil productive sandstones indicated a range between a low estimate of 4 million barrels and a high estimate of 42 million barrels, with a best estimate of 12 million barrels of total oil initially in place.

The forward plan is to conduct a longer-term production test of the two oil bearing sandstone intervals with the aim of moving some of the contingent resource of oil in a reserve category and also gather technical data to help plan field development, Gas2Grid said.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/09/17/australian-company-to-raise-fund-for-cebu-oil-wells/


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## Minjitta

Pinoy said:


> *Philippines leapfrogs 25 places in global biz growth index*
> By Jovan Cerda (philstar.com) | September 16, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines posted its biggest climb in a global index of dynamic business growth environments, British-based advisory firm Grant Thornton International reported on Monday.
> 
> The country leapfrogged by 25 places to land at the 21st spot in this year's Global Dynamism Index (GDI), improving the most among 60 countries included in the report.
> 
> &#8220;The fast-paced growth of the Philippine economy certainly underlined our substantial rise in this year&#8217;s GDI. This means our business growth environment improved quicker than any other country in 2012,&#8221; said Marivic Españo, chair and chief executive officer of Punongbayan & Araullo (P&A), the Grant Thornton member firm in the Philippines.
> 
> Among countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations included in the report, the country ranked behind Singapore (7th), Malaysia (13th) and Thailand (19th), and ahead of Vietnam (27th).
> 
> Australia, Chile, China, New Zealand and Canada topped the list while Ukraine, Italy, Kenya, Algeria and Greece placed at the bottom.
> 
> On the area of economics and growth, the Philippines jumped by 11 places to tie at fourth place with Peru. It posted the biggest improvement in terms of labor and human capital, galloping by 40 places to rank fifth globally.
> 
> &#8220;I think the key point here is that the Philippines is starting to realize its potential domestically. Aside from remittances, which have recovered well since the global financial crisis, private construction and government spending on infrastructure contributed to our above-target expansion. Domestic demand in the form of private investment and consumer growth has also helped the country outpace its Southeast Asian neighbors, which are showing signs of slowing down,&#8221; Españo said.
> 
> In terms of science and technology, however, the country ranked 51st, indicating the lack of infrastructure improvements needed for businesses to expand. P&A said while spending on information technology improved by 9.5 percent last year, it only translated to 0.1 percent of the country's gross domestic product, the fourth lowest among the 60 economies studied.
> 
> &#8220;The government recognizes that local infrastructure needs to be improved. Eighty public-private partnerships with around $17.6 billion of capital to boost the investment environment were supposed to be launched between 2011 and 2016, but progress is well behind schedule. Add to this a rank of 44 for business operating environment, which looks at how easy and risky it is to operate in an economy, and you can clearly see there is some room for improvement,&#8221; Españo said.
> 
> &#8220;The good news is that both total and worker output is expanding rapidly. The key now is to combine this growth with infrastructure and operating environment improvements. With the right mix of policies in place, our economy could offer even more opportunities for dynamic businesses,&#8221; she added.
> 
> Philippines leapfrogs 25 places in global biz growth index | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


Guess China bananas move doesn't effect Philippines economy growth.

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## Pinoy

Minjitta said:


> Guess China bananas move doesn't effect Philippines economy growth.


No not even when they are trying to sabotage our economy by targeting agricultural export and the tourism industry in the country.

*Fresh growth upgrades for the Philippines*
October 08, 2013

*THE WORLD BANK (WB) has hiked its growth forecasts for the Philippines, which is expected to be buoyed by robust fundamentals amid a challenging global and regional outlook.*

In its East Asia and Pacific Economic Update released yesterday, the bank said it expected gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 7% this year, up from the 6.2% projected in April.

The expansion will likely ease to 6.7% next year and pick up to 6.8% in 2015. The new 2014 outlook is still higher than the 6.4% previously held by the bank.

Both the updated 2013 and 2014 projections are within the government&#8217;s 6-7% and 6.5-7.5% growth goals for those years. The 2015 forecast, on the other hand, falls below the 7-8% target.

&#8220;The Philippines is bucking the trend in the rest of the region, mainly on the back of private consumption, increased spending by the government, the continued solid expansion of the services and industry sectors, and public and private investments as was seen in the first half,&#8221; said Rogier van den Brink, WB lead economist for the Philippines, in a briefing.

&#8220;Over the medium term, all these are expected to continue and this will make for a very good performance for the country,&#8221; he added.

The bank&#8217;s improved outlook for the Philippines came as it cut its 2013 and 2014 growth forecasts for developing East Asia to 7.1% and 7.2%, respectively, from 7.8% and 7.6% previously. The region, however, is still expected to be among the main drivers of the global economy. The WB likewise slashed its outlook for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to 5.1% for this year and the next from 5.4% and 5.7%, respectively.

&#8220;The regional forecasts are a bit down from six months ago as domestic demand has disappointed compared to earlier expectations,&#8221; said Bert Hofman, the bank&#8217;s chief economist for the East Asia and Pacific Region, via a video conference.

Mr. Hofman said that going forward, one risk to the regional outlook would be the US Federal Reserve&#8217;s tapering of its stimulus program, which could &#8220;impact capital flows and suppress domestic demand, and in turn the region&#8217;s capacity for medium-term growth.&#8221;

An economic slowdown in China could also affect export demand. Meanwhile, gradual recoveries in the United States and Japan would provide &#8220;a bit of a tailwind&#8221; because of their high trade share in East Asian economies, he said.

&#8220;However, countries in the region would now need to be better prepared for potentially disruptive adjustments. Structural reforms are needed across the region, such as the improvement of investment climates and infrastructure,&#8221; Mr. Hofman noted.

Central banks and governments in the region must also be prepared to manage their fiscal and monetary policies to manage risks resulting from global headwinds, the WB said. In the Philippines&#8217; case, it said the country remained relatively shielded.

&#8220;The country&#8217;s strong macroeconomic fundamentals, characterized by low and stable inflation, healthy external balance and stronger government finances have continued to shield the economy from the persistent weaknesses of the global economy,&#8221; the report states.

&#8220;Going forward, the government needs to focus its attention on generating higher, sustained, and more inclusive growth -- the type that creates more and better jobs and reduces poverty.&#8221;

Mr. van den Brink said bankrolling and institutionalizing these reforms would require &#8220;a broad coalition&#8221; between different sectors. &#8220;The government and private sector must work to lock in this inclusive growth path, these reforms, which cut across a wide range of issues,&#8221; he noted.

Reform initiatives the country must embark on include those that will enhance competition, protect property rights, simplify business regulations and increase investments in infrastructure, education and health. In particular, the country&#8217;s tax system can still be tweaked to help improve the investment climate as well as shore up much-needed revenues for the government, Mr. van den Brink said.

&#8220;The system is very much set up to make it difficult for citizens to pay and for the government to collect taxes ... The government must improve the administration of the system first,&#8221; he noted.

Tax loopholes, he added, must also be plugged.

&#8220;[T]ax breaks -- the fiscal incentives bill could address that. It&#8217;s a transparency principle that&#8217;s behind it. The first step would be to make tax system simpler, more transparent, and level the playing field,&#8221; Mr. van den Brink said.

These would go hand in hand with other public finance reforms such as improving customs administration to minimize smuggling and enhancing accountability and transparency with regard to the budget.

Spending, said Mr. van den Brink, must also be done prudently and be targeted towards sectors such as health, education, and infrastructure, which could generate employment and attract investments.

&#8220;The macroeconomic framework of the Philippines at the moment is quite good, both on the fiscal and monetary sides. We would urge the government to continue on this path while continuing to be watchful of risks that could emerge over the medium term,&#8221; he said.

The downside risks to growth include a slower global recovery, uncertainties in advanced economies as stimulus programs are withdrawn, potential asset bubbles in the real estate sector and a lag in domestic reforms, the World Bank said.

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=Fresh-growth-upgrades-for-the-Philippines&id=77607



*Outsourcing revenues seen to reach $16 B*
By Louella D. Desiderio (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 8, 2013 

MANILA, Philippines - The Information Technology Business Processing Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) expects to exceed its revenue and employment targets this year as more companies from overseas prefer the Philippines as the location for outsourcing operations.

In a press conference held during the 5th International Outsourcing Summit yesterday, IBPAP president Jose Mari Mercado said the group expects revenues to reach $16 billion this year, 21 percent higher than the $13.2 billion last year.

The projection, he said, is above its target of 19 percent growth or revenues worth $15.7 billion.

He said the group also expects to go above the employment target of 925,000 or up 19 percent from last year&#8217;s 777,000, with the total information technology business process management (IT-BPM) workforce seen to reach 960,000 by the end of the year.

&#8220;These are the numbers we are seeing,&#8221; he said.

The group expects to exceed its targets as the country remains to be the preferred destination for voice as well as non-voice services.

IBPAP chairman Danilo Sebastian Reyes said the country is now well-positioned to serve the requirements of companies across different geographies.

&#8220;There is really pinpointed request for Philippines not just for voice but for higher value non-voice services. I think we have been quite successful in marketing the Philippines as providing full service,&#8221; he said.

&#8220;Many companies see the capacity of Filipino workers to service their requirements,&#8221; he added.

The group does not see the US shutdown affecting the revenues and employment to be generated by the industry this year.

&#8220;It is too early to assess. In my view, I think the shutdown will be resolved soon so as a result there will no impact to the industry,&#8221; Mercado said.

This, even as 70 percent of the IT-BPM industry&#8217;s revenues last year were accounted for by the US market.

Reyes said the IT-BPM industry has been looking for new markets.

In the same event, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Information and Communications Technology Office deputy executive director Monchito Ibrahim said the country is on track to achieve the $25 billion revenue target and 1.3 million employees goal by 2016.

&#8220;What&#8217;s more challenging is the new target given by the President,&#8221; he said.

He noted that President Aquino who wants the country to achieve inclusive economic growth, has given the IT-BPM industry a target of increasing the workforce count in the provinces to account for 40 percent of operations, and have 60 percent remain in Metro Manila by 2016.

Currently, 73 percent of IT-BPM workers are in Metro Manila while the balance is accounted for by the provinces.

He also said that as part of preparations for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community (AEC) to be established by 2015, the Philippines would like to work with other members to market the region an IT-BPM hub.

Mercado said the IBPAP is working on a road map to promote the ASEAN as an IT hub with other countries in the region.

&#8220;Even if we will be marketing the region, we are confident because of our track record of being number one in voice and being a reliable provider of service,&#8221; he said.

http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/10/08/1242597/outsourcing-revenues-seen-reach-16-b

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## Pinoy

*The road to a bully-free Philippines*
10/08/2013

On September 12, 2013, President Aquino signed into law Republic Act No. 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013. In a nutshell, the law prohibits bullying or any severe or repeated act which has any of the following effects: Causing physical or emotional harm; Creating a hostile environment at school; Infringing on another&#8217;s rights; and Substantially disrupting the orderly operation of a school.

Bullying under the law takes place only among elementary or high school students, whether or not of the same school, whether or not within school premises, and whether or not at a school-sanctioned event. Hence, bullying involving a college student, or one committed by or against a teacher, is not covered. Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 40, or the Department of Education Child Protection Policy addresses the latter.

Cyberbullying now illegal

It is worthy to note that the fact that bullying can be committed outside school premises means that cyberbullying, or bullying done through electronic means, is amply covered. Accessing a computer at home away from school in order to bully another will not provide refuge to the offender.

In addition to defining the prohibited act and giving examples thereof, the law imposes an obligation on elementary and secondary schools to craft and publish within school premises and website their respective policies against bullying. The same must incorporate mandatory provisions on the redress of grievance and prevention of injury caused by bullying, which include:

Sanctions against the offender, which sanctions must be commensurate to the act done;
A rehabilitation program for both the offender and the victim, joined by their parents; and
Procedures for the prompt and effective response to bullying.
Also, all teachers and members of the school administration now have a duty to immediately report any instance of bullying that may come to their attention. These incidents, in turn, will have to be reported to DepEd every first week of each school year beginning school year 2014-2015.

Lastly, schools have six (6) months from the effectivity of the law within which to submit to DepEd their RA 10627-compliant anti-bullying policies.

Public school teachers and administrators who fail to perform a duty under the law will be imposed administrative sanctions, while private school teachers and employees will be dealt with in accordance with the procedure of their own schools. The license to operate of erring private schools will likewise be suspended.

*A good start*

Although the law is only limited to elementary and secondary schools, it is a welcome development.

At this point, no one questions the horrible outcomes of bullying. If the victim is unable to return to normal and integrate into society, he either dies or survives without self-esteem. The latter means that the victim is a shell without the human spirit&#8212;unable to dream and reach his potential. Worse, he feeds off on healthier spirits, slowly transforming into a bully himself. As a result, gifts and talents remain hidden. Leaders shirk. No street is safe. Society then is marred by mediocrity and defeat.

A government that claims progress is at hand yet fails to acknowledge the issue is indeed to be doubted. After all, a competitive nation is characterized by creation, not destruction.

*State policy*

Given the dangers, the fight against bullying has always had legal underpinnings. The Constitution provides that the State has a duty to defend children from all forms of &#8220;abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development,&#8221; [Article XV, Sec. 3(2)], and to assure them of &#8220;quality education at all levels.&#8221; (Article XIV, Sec. 1) Certainly, education, much less quality education, is a myth when bullying thrives and makes the atmosphere hardly conducive to learning.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the Philippines became a signatory in 1990, states that the &#8220;best interests of children&#8221; must be the primary concern of all governments when making decisions affecting them. It is in the best interests of children to be &#8220;protected from being hurt and being mistreated, physically or mentally.&#8221; (Art. 19)

In line with the Constitution and our international commitment towards children welfare, we have enacted domestic legislation. Presidential Decree No. 603, or the Child and Youth Welfare Code states that &#8220;[e]very child has the right to a well-rounded development of his personality to the end that he may become a happy, useful and active member of society.&#8221; To attain this, every child should be protected against &#8220;conditions or circumstances prejudicial to his physical, mental, emotional, social and moral development.&#8221;

The Family Code, on the other hand, imposes on the parents and those exercising substitute parental authority the duty to &#8220;enhance, protect, preserve and maintain (the child&#8217;s) physical and mental health at all times.&#8221;

Given that bullies are often a reflection of the precept and example set by their parents, parents have a duty to &#8220;prevent (children) from acquiring habits detrimental to their health, studies and morals.&#8221;

*At par globally*

Today, we have successfully added to these the new law against bullying, in line with the Constitution and our international commitment. In so doing, we have placed ourselves on the map in terms of global competitiveness and innovation along with nations like the United States, where a majority of states have an anti-bullying law, and Japan, whose anti-bullying law dates back to a decade earlier in 2001.

Plainly, we are all stakeholders in the matter. We must see to it that underway are more measures to curb, if not totally obliterate, this evil. With the new law, the first of its kind, we are a step closer to a bully-free Philippines. In an advanced civilization, being bullied does not reflect poorly on the victim. It reflects poorly on society.

The road to a bully-free Philippines


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## Pinoy

*PH planning to acquire 3 submarines, other military assets - report*
October 7, 2013 

MANILA - The Philippines plans to acquire three submarines and among many other military assets, Northern Luzon Command head Major Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang says in a paper cited by the state-run Philippine News Agency.

PNA quoted Catapang as noting that submarines, by their inherent stealth capabilities, may be deployed to monitor and protect the country's extensive maritime domains. The vessels being eyed are conventional-powered or diesel-electric types, and not the nuclear-powered ones.

*Also supposedly being eyed is the acquisition of six frigates for anti-air warfare, 12 corvettes for anti-submarine warfare, 18 offshore patrol vessels, and three anti-mine warfare ships.*

The PNA said Catapang's paper did not specify when and how much it will cost the Philippines to complete these acquisitions.

An earlier Philippine Navy (PN) study revealed that some P497 billion is needed to fully upgrade its fleet.

Once it has this money, the Navy will acquire the above-mentioned items along with four sealift vessels, 18 landing craft utility vessels, three logistics ships, 12 coastal interdiction patrol boats, 30 patrol gunboats, and 42 multi-purpose assault craft that can be equipped with torpedoes and missiles.

Also envisioned are eight amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, 18 naval helicopters, and eight multi-purpose helicopters.

"Looking at the PN's inventory of mission essential equipment, it is very discernible that the majority of our assets and vessels were acquired not necessarily because they fit into our strategy or operational requirement but because they are available as grant from the US or from our allies," the PN study said.

BEEFING UP | PH planning to acquire 3 submarines, other military assets - InterAksyon.com



*Govt spent P500M to build Palawan naval base for US -- leftist fishermen's group*

MANILA, Philippines - The government has spent P500 million of taxpayers&#8217; money to build a naval base in Palawan for the use of visiting United States military forces in the country, the leftist fishermen&#8217;s group Pamalakaya said in a statement Sunday.

Vice chairperson Salvador France of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said the Department of Public Works and Highways has released half a billion pesos to complete some major infrastructure, including a 12-kilometer access road from the Luzon mainland to develop Oyster Bay in Palawan which the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Philippine Navy seek to transform into a naval base capable of hosting large US military warships. 

France is reacting to the statements of Commodore Joseph Rostum Peña, commander of Naval Forces West, who said that once completed, the Oyster Bay naval base in Palawan could accommodate &#8220;at least four large naval vessels.&#8221; The Philippine Navy officer said the development of Oyster Bay is part of the Philippine military&#8217;s modernization program, which would include the installation of high-powered radar systems in strategic areas from north to south of Palawan facing the highly disputed West Philippine Sea. The radar systems, he said, would allow the AFP to monitor developments in the contested region.

But the leftist fishermen&#8217;s leader said the construction of a &#8220;mini-Subic naval base in Oyster Bay violates the sovereign rights of the Filipino people.&#8221; He said the plan will make Palawan the launching pad of US pivot and Washington's war of aggression in East Asia and the Pacific.

&#8220;The plan would (also) have (a) disastrous impact on the livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk and marine environment,&#8221; he said.

&#8220;The 500 million pesos of hard-earned taxpayers' money had already been spent for this naval base tp be used by US troops in their unjust wars and terrorist activities,&#8221; he added.

Stop construction of naval base

France thus urged the Philippine Navy and the DPWH to stop the construction of mini-naval base, warning Commodore Pena that he could face criminal and other charges for violating the sovereign rights of Filipinos and the 1987 Constitution which prohibit the building of foreign bases inside the Philippine territory. 

He also urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to stop releasing funds for the construction of the naval base.

Earlier, the group said it will officially ask the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and Senate Committee on National Defense to investigate the plan to transform Oyster Bay in Palawan into a naval base for visiting American forces.

Pamalakaya said the plan to convert Oyster Bay into a mini-Subic Naval Base was revived under the administration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III in response to Washington's gesture to donate frigates in 2011 and 2012.

"We will contest this grand mockery of Philippine sovereignty in the parliament of the streets, in any appropriate court or forum, and in the court of public opinion. US President Barack Obama and the puppet president in Manila should be held accountable for this grandslam crime against national sovereignty and patrimony," France said. 

The group said this construction is grossly unconstitutional and would put extreme danger to the lives and livelihood of the people and their environment.

France said a US military base in Palawan is not only to check China&#8217;s aggressive expansion into the West Philippine Sea but also to maintain the military hegemony of Washington in the region. 

Pamalakaya called on Philippine senators to be extra vigilant as the plan to build a mini-Subic Naval Base in Oyster Bay is in preparation for the signing of the framework agreement on &#8220;increased rotational presence&#8221; of American forces in the Philippines which would allow more American access to local military bases and even the construction of new US military facilities. 

&#8220;The Philippine Senate, the ratifying authority of any military agreement in the country, is completely ignored here,&#8221; said Pamalakaya. 

The group said the Senate should investigate the Oyster Bay project and summon officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of National Defense (DND), and compel them to report on the current status of the US naval base plan and the outcome of the talks between Malacanang and the US government. 

Earlier, Foreign Affairs official Carlos Sorreta said the government sees no problem with the construction of US military facilities as long as it is pre-approved by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and that ownership is turned over to the Philippines after every joint military exercise.

Pamalakaya said this planned relocation of AFP air force and navy camps to the former American Naval Base in Subic, Zambales is also part of the grand design to &#8220;justify Washington's unlimited access to Philippine bases.&#8221;

This would reverse the decision of the Philippine Senate in September 1991 to kick out the US military bases in the country, Pamalakaya said.

The Philippines plans to grant visiting US forces, ships, and aircraft temporary access to more of its military camps to allow for a larger number of joint military exercises than are currently staged each year.

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## Pinoy

IBON Infographic/ October 2013 | Increasing US military presence in the Philippines, 2001-2013 (update)

With or without talks between Manila and Washington to increase the rotational presence of American troops in the country, by virtue of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the US and the Philippines and in light of heightened US focus on the region in its pivot to the Asia Pacific, US military land, sea and air operations in the country continued to increase from March 2012 to April 2013. These military activities included increased docking of US warships on Philippine shores from Luzon to Mindanao not to mention that which caused massive destruction to the resource-rich Tubbataha reef, disaster response assistance, the Balikatan series, Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, Philippine Bilateral Exercise, command post and field training exercises as well as port calls, goodwill visits and meetings. 

Though the anticipated first official visit of US President Barck Obama to the Philippines on October 10 and 11 may be affected by the recent US government shutdown, increased bilateral engagement between the Philippines and the US remains a certainty.



*Philippines and U.S. troops hold infantry drills in joint war games*
October 07, 2013

Philippines and U.S. forces conducted infantry drills at a naval encampment in Zambales province on Monday (October 7) as part of a three-week bilateral exercises aimed at boosting security ties.

The bilateral training between the U.S. and Philippine marines takes place annually under a mutual defence agreement. It is aimed at strengthening regional security and improving the two countries' humanitarian assistance and disaster response and relief operations.

Troops underwent live fire exercise and infantry attacks training, with soldiers being instructed on proper marksmanship and ambush crisis situations.

Philippine Marines spokesperson Lieutenant Vince Salmingo said U.S. President Barack Obama's canceled trip to Manila will not affect their training regiment.

"We all see that in the news but as you can see the training is still ongoing, so I thinks it is not really affecting what we have done for the past two weeks," he said.

Obama has canceled his four-country Asian trip, which included the Philippines, last week after the U.S. government had partially shut down when it failed to pass its budget on time.

The bilateral exercise comes ahead of an ongoing negotiations between Manila and Washington to increase U.S. military presence in the Philippines, including the storage of equipment and supplies.

The Philippines has been seeking for greater military help from its treaty ally, the United States, to help boost its defence capability amid growing tensions in the Asia-Pacific region over territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Claims by an increasingly powerful China over most of the sea have set it directly against U.S. allies Vietnam and the Philippines. Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also claim parts of the waters and China has a separate dispute withJapan in the East China Sea, making it a potential military flashpoint in the region.

Philippines and U.S. troops hold infantry drills in joint war games - Solar News

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## Pinoy

*Phl, Australia hold military drills*
By Alexis Romero (philstar.com) | October 4, 2013






MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and Australia have started conducting bilateral military drills under the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) ratified by the Senate last year.

Eight Philippine Navy sailors are now in Sydney to join the Exercise Triton Century 2013 and witness the Australian International Fleet Review.

The event marks the 100th year of the Royal Australian Navy&#8217;s first fleet entry into Sydney.

&#8220;The Philippine Navy participation is historic as it marks the first contingent from the Armed Forces of the Philippines to travel to Australia and participate in joint exercises since the SOVFA was ratified in 2012,&#8221; Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Gregory Fabic said.

Members of the Philippine contingent are now on board the ship HMAS Parramatta to join the boarding activities and to cross train on various warship systems. They are expected to return the country on Monday.

Philippine Navy chief Vice Adm. Jose Luis Alano said the activity is a great opportunity for their sailors to learn new skills.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
"Filipinos and Australians have much in common, as both countries have sizable maritime borders,&#8221; Alano said in a statement.

&#8220;We find this a great opportunity for Philippine sailors to work side by side their Australian counterparts and likewise gain significant knowledge, skills and training that would be very crucial in a modernizing navy," he added.

For his part, Australia ambassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell said the exercises reflect the rich defense relationship between the two countries.

&#8220;We look forward to more similar engagement in the future," he said.

The SOVFA with Australia was ratified by the Philippine Senate in July 2012 despite claims that it could infringe into the country&#8217;s sovereignty.

The agreement permits Australian troops to temporarily use land and sea areas of the Philippines for combined training, exercises or other activities agreed upon by the two parties.

It was signed by the two countries on May 31, 2007 in Canberra, Australia.

Phl, Australia hold military drills | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com 

*DND to upgrade 2 PN Hamilton-class cutters*
October 5. 2013






MANILA &#8212; While waiting for the delivery of its two brand-new frigates worth P18-billion, the Department of National Defense (DND) announced that plans are underway to upgrade the two Hamilton-class cutters in Philippine Navy (PN) service.

This was revealed by DND undersecretary for finance, modernization, installation, and munitions, Fernando Manalo Friday.

"While waiting for these ships to be constructed and delivered, we may upgrade our Hamilton-class cutters (to make them more capable of protecting the country's vast maritime territories)," he added.

The two new frigates are expected to be delivered in four years time upon announcement of a winning bidder.

But the DND official declined to comment on what upgrades the two ships will get for reasons of operational security.

The PN currently operates two Hamilton-class cutters in its fleet.

These are the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16).

The ship has cruising range of 14,000 miles and has a sea and loiter time of 45 days. It has a complement of 167 officers and men. (PNA)

DND to upgrade 2 PN Hamilton-class cutters - ZamboTimes

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## Pinoy

*Philippines secures P190-billion loan from allies*






FOREIGN Secretary Albert F. del Rosario on Friday said the country has made significant progress in economic cooperation with other countries and obtained grants and loans of more than $4.4 billion&#8212;$3 billion from Japan&#8217;s official development assistance, close to $900 million from Australia and almost $500 million from South Korea.

He also said the Philippines-European Union Partnership and Cooperation Agreement &#8220;would allow both sides to address new challenges on issues such as customs and trade facilitation, energy and migration.&#8221;

Del Rosario spoke at the Second Annual Dinner of the US-Philippines Society in New York on September 27. In 2012 alone, he said, the Philippines finalized 43 agreements involving economic cooperation in investment, tourism, development assistance education and care services, and assisted in developing more than 700 trade and business missions.

&#8220;The Philippine hosting of the 23rd World Economic Forum on East Asia in 2014 and the annual meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in 2015&#8212;the second since 1996&#8212;reaffirms the leadership role of the Philippines in the global arena,&#8221; he said.

Del Rosario said that in the promotion of economic diplomacy, the foreign office entered into a partnership with the Asian Institute of Management to enhance the skills of its Foreign Service officers who undergo a program on economic diplomacy before being assigned abroad.

&#8220;This training is essential to hone our peoples&#8217; skills as the nation&#8217;s front liners in identifying and pursuing economic opportunities abroad,&#8221; he said.

US President Barack Obama is scheduled shortly to make his first state visit to the Philippines, the eighth by a sitting American president. He said in their meeting in April in Washington, D.C., US Secretary of State John Kerry said the &#8220;relations between the US and the Philippines have never been better.&#8221;

&#8220;President Obama&#8217;s visit will reaffirm the strong economic, people-to-people and security links between our countries. Indeed, we are witnessing a more vibrant cooperation,&#8221; Kerry said.

Del Rosario said over the years, there have been discussions between the two countries on how to enhance their defense and security cooperation, particularly in maritime security and maritime domain awareness.

He said during the official working visit of President Aquino to the US last year, &#8220;our leaders ushered in a new era of strategic partnership, with the US government reaffirming support for Philippine efforts to build the country&#8217;s minimum credible defense posture.&#8221;

&#8220;This broadening and deepening of Philippines-US relations is being positively viewed in the context of the US rebalance toward Asia,&#8221; he said, adding that last month, the two countries began discussions on institutionalizing increased rotational presence through a framework agreement premised on mutuality of benefits and in full accord with the Philippine Constitution.

On China, he said, the core issue of the dispute is China&#8217;s claim of indisputable sovereignty over nearly all of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) under its nine dash line position. Del Rosario said this claim is &#8220;expansive, excessive and in gross violation of international law, specifically Unclos,&#8221; or the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

&#8220;China&#8217;s continuous overwhelming naval and maritime presence in the area is also contributing to the raising of regional tensions.

&#8220;Although the Philippines had undertaken many efforts to peacefully engage China and settle these disputes, these were unsuccessful,&#8221; he said.

&#8220;Our last resort was to utilize the legal track toward the resolution of disputes,&#8221; del Rosario added.

From the Philippine perspective, he said, the rules-based approach contains two elements: The third-party arbitration toward the resolution of disputes, in accordance with the universally recognized principles of international law, specifically Unclos; and the early conclusion of a Code of on the South China Sea between Asean and China toward the management of tensions.

He said the Philippine move to bring China before the UN&#8217;s Arbitral Tribunal will benefit everyone.

BusinessMirror - Philippines secures P190-billion loan from allies

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## Bob Ong

Pinoy said:


> *PH planning to acquire 3 submarines, other military assets - report*
> October 7, 2013
> 
> MANILA - The Philippines plans to acquire three submarines and among many other military assets, Northern Luzon Command head Major Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang says in a paper cited by the state-run Philippine News Agency.
> 
> PNA quoted Catapang as noting that submarines, by their inherent stealth capabilities, may be deployed to monitor and protect the country's extensive maritime domains. The vessels being eyed are conventional-powered or diesel-electric types, and not the nuclear-powered ones.
> 
> *Also supposedly being eyed is the acquisition of six frigates for anti-air warfare, 12 corvettes for anti-submarine warfare, 18 offshore patrol vessels, and three anti-mine warfare ships.*
> 
> The PNA said Catapang's paper did not specify when and how much it will cost the Philippines to complete these acquisitions.
> 
> An earlier Philippine Navy (PN) study revealed that some P497 billion is needed to fully upgrade its fleet.
> 
> Once it has this money, the Navy will acquire the above-mentioned items along with four sealift vessels, 18 landing craft utility vessels, three logistics ships, 12 coastal interdiction patrol boats, 30 patrol gunboats, and 42 multi-purpose assault craft that can be equipped with torpedoes and missiles.
> 
> Also envisioned are eight amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, 18 naval helicopters, and eight multi-purpose helicopters.
> 
> "Looking at the PN's inventory of mission essential equipment, it is very discernible that the majority of our assets and vessels were acquired not necessarily because they fit into our strategy or operational requirement but because they are available as grant from the US or from our allies," the PN study said.
> 
> BEEFING UP | PH planning to acquire 3 submarines, other military assets - InterAksyon.com
> 
> 
> 
> *Govt spent P500M to build Palawan naval base for US -- leftist fishermen's group*
> 
> MANILA, Philippines - The government has spent P500 million of taxpayers&#8217; money to build a naval base in Palawan for the use of visiting United States military forces in the country, the leftist fishermen&#8217;s group Pamalakaya said in a statement Sunday.
> 
> Vice chairperson Salvador France of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said the Department of Public Works and Highways has released half a billion pesos to complete some major infrastructure, including a 12-kilometer access road from the Luzon mainland to develop Oyster Bay in Palawan which the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Philippine Navy seek to transform into a naval base capable of hosting large US military warships.
> 
> France is reacting to the statements of Commodore Joseph Rostum Peña, commander of Naval Forces West, who said that once completed, the Oyster Bay naval base in Palawan could accommodate &#8220;at least four large naval vessels.&#8221; The Philippine Navy officer said the development of Oyster Bay is part of the Philippine military&#8217;s modernization program, which would include the installation of high-powered radar systems in strategic areas from north to south of Palawan facing the highly disputed West Philippine Sea. The radar systems, he said, would allow the AFP to monitor developments in the contested region.
> 
> But the leftist fishermen&#8217;s leader said the construction of a &#8220;mini-Subic naval base in Oyster Bay violates the sovereign rights of the Filipino people.&#8221; He said the plan will make Palawan the launching pad of US pivot and Washington's war of aggression in East Asia and the Pacific.
> 
> &#8220;The plan would (also) have (a) disastrous impact on the livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk and marine environment,&#8221; he said.
> 
> &#8220;The 500 million pesos of hard-earned taxpayers' money had already been spent for this naval base tp be used by US troops in their unjust wars and terrorist activities,&#8221; he added.
> 
> Stop construction of naval base
> 
> France thus urged the Philippine Navy and the DPWH to stop the construction of mini-naval base, warning Commodore Pena that he could face criminal and other charges for violating the sovereign rights of Filipinos and the 1987 Constitution which prohibit the building of foreign bases inside the Philippine territory.
> 
> He also urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to stop releasing funds for the construction of the naval base.
> 
> Earlier, the group said it will officially ask the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and Senate Committee on National Defense to investigate the plan to transform Oyster Bay in Palawan into a naval base for visiting American forces.
> 
> Pamalakaya said the plan to convert Oyster Bay into a mini-Subic Naval Base was revived under the administration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III in response to Washington's gesture to donate frigates in 2011 and 2012.
> 
> "We will contest this grand mockery of Philippine sovereignty in the parliament of the streets, in any appropriate court or forum, and in the court of public opinion. US President Barack Obama and the puppet president in Manila should be held accountable for this grandslam crime against national sovereignty and patrimony," France said.
> 
> The group said this construction is grossly unconstitutional and would put extreme danger to the lives and livelihood of the people and their environment.
> 
> France said a US military base in Palawan is not only to check China&#8217;s aggressive expansion into the West Philippine Sea but also to maintain the military hegemony of Washington in the region.
> 
> Pamalakaya called on Philippine senators to be extra vigilant as the plan to build a mini-Subic Naval Base in Oyster Bay is in preparation for the signing of the framework agreement on &#8220;increased rotational presence&#8221; of American forces in the Philippines which would allow more American access to local military bases and even the construction of new US military facilities.
> 
> &#8220;The Philippine Senate, the ratifying authority of any military agreement in the country, is completely ignored here,&#8221; said Pamalakaya.
> 
> The group said the Senate should investigate the Oyster Bay project and summon officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of National Defense (DND), and compel them to report on the current status of the US naval base plan and the outcome of the talks between Malacanang and the US government.
> 
> Earlier, Foreign Affairs official Carlos Sorreta said the government sees no problem with the construction of US military facilities as long as it is pre-approved by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and that ownership is turned over to the Philippines after every joint military exercise.
> 
> Pamalakaya said this planned relocation of AFP air force and navy camps to the former American Naval Base in Subic, Zambales is also part of the grand design to &#8220;justify Washington's unlimited access to Philippine bases.&#8221;
> 
> This would reverse the decision of the Philippine Senate in September 1991 to kick out the US military bases in the country, Pamalakaya said.
> 
> The Philippines plans to grant visiting US forces, ships, and aircraft temporary access to more of its military camps to allow for a larger number of joint military exercises than are currently staged each year.


We should really start getting our own machinery for air,land and water assets. While the talks were on progress we need to build our defenses just in case it went wrong. Being prepared is better than to regret later. Our enemy is at our doorstep.

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## Pinoy

Bob Ong said:


> We should really start getting our own machinery for air,land and water assets. While the talks were on progress we need to build our defenses just in case it went wrong. Being prepared is better than to regret later. Our enemy is at our doorstep.


There should be sacrifice to be made. It is irresponsible to ignore the current external threats or risk losing sovereignty. Our country should increase its military appropriation by at least 2% of GDP.

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## Pinoy

*Luzon gives biggest economic share*
October 14, 2013







*LUZON was the biggest contributor to the Philippine economy from 2010 to 2012, but its share in the gross domestic product (GDP) shrank while Mindanao&#8217;s grew, based on a post on the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) Web site.*

Among the Philippines&#8217; three major island groups, Luzon was the top contributor to the country&#8217;s economy with an average share of 37.3% for the three-year period, according to &#8220;The Economies of the Regions of the Philippines: Trends and Structures&#8221;, written by NSCB Secretary General Jose Ramon G. Albert and posted Oct. 11.

However, Luzon&#8217;s share had dropped from 37.5% in 2010 to 37.1% in 2012.

In contrast, Mindanao&#8217;s share within the period increased from 14.2% in 2010 to 14.4% in 2012.

Meanwhile, Visayas&#8217; share in the country&#8217;s GDP remained the smallest at 12.6% in 2010, 12.9% in 2011 and 12.7% in 2012.

Mindanao also posted the fastest growth rate among the island groups in 2012 at 8.2%. Luzon followed with accelerated growth of 6.3% from 3.3% in 2011. Visayas, though the fastest growing island group in 2011, maintained its 5.6% pace in 2012.

Mr. Albert noted that Mindanao&#8217;s economy in 2012 was fueled by industry, which grew 13.3% that year. The services sector, meanwhile, was the main driver for Luzon and Visayas.

As for individual regions, Region XIII (Caraga) saw the highest growth rate, with an annual average of 9.5% for the 2010-2012 period, while Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) saw the slowest, with an annual average of negative 2.1%.

Regions VII (Central Visayas) and XIII were &#8220;the most consistent regions in the country&#8221;, the post read.

Though Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) has surpassed its 2010 and 2011 growth rates, Mr. Albert noted: &#8220;The recent crisis in Zamboanga City does not augur well for the newfound vibrance of Region IX&#8217;s economy.&#8221;

&#8220;It is estimated that the city accounts for 70% of the region&#8217;s output. Estimates ... place economic cost of the standoff at P331 million daily. Had the crisis continued, the region would likely revert to the lethargic state [of] the past two years.&#8221;

Luzon gives biggest economic share | BusinessWorld Online



*St. Augustine restructures Philippines' $2 bln copper-gold project*
Mon Oct 14, 2013

Oct 14 (Reuters) - Toronto-listed St Augustine Gold & Copper Ltd has restructured its stake in the $2 billion King-king copper-gold project in southern Philippines, one of Southeast Asia's biggest undeveloped mines, in a bid to kickstart funding.

St Augustine hopes to begin construction next year, although it faces similar problems to those hounding other big mining ventures in the mineral resources-rich country, including tax issues, security concerns and regulatory hurdles.

King-king, located on the west of the southern Mindanao island, could produce up to 3.2 billion pounds of copper, 5.4 million ounces of gold, and 11.7 million ounces of silver, based on St Augustine's 22-year mine plan.

Under the restructure with 50/50 joint venture partner the Philippines' Nationwide Development Corp (Nadecor), St. Augustine will own King-king's ore milling company and 40 percent of the mining concession. Nadecor will hold the rest of the concession and take a 40 percent stake in St. Augustine.

"This restructuring agreement puts St Augustine and Nadecor in the position to advance the King-king project," St. Augustine country manager Clyde Gillespie told a briefing, saying St Augustine would take take responsibility for raising funding.

St Augustine, which has a market capitalisation of $98.5 million, aims to list on the Philippine Stock Exchange by the second half of 2014 and bring in another foreign partner to help fund the project, Gillespie said.

The restive Mindanao region, home to Muslim rebels, is also the site of Glencore Xstrata Plc and Indophil Resources N.L.'s $5.9 billion Tampakan copper-gold project, whose future is in doubt.

Glencore said in August it would eliminate up to 920 jobs and slash spending at Tampakan, which has faced a provincial ban on open-pit mining, public opposition and difficulty in winning regulatory approval.

Gillespie said King-king would face similar issues, but had worked closely with the local community.

"Security is a challenge, we're on Mindanao island. But what we've found is that as we work closely with the community and with the indigenous people in the area, that we have less challenges from the security perspective," he said.

However, Gillespie warned that legislation being drafted by Manila that would increase the government's share of mining revenues, could make the project unviable. (Reporting by Erik dela Cruz; Editing by Richard Pullin)

CORRECTED-St. Augustine restructures Philippines' $2 bln copper-gold project | Reuters


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## Pinoy

*Glencore AG to invest $600 million in Pasar*

MANILA, Philippines - The local copper smelter of Swiss trader Glencore International AG will finalize this year its decision to invest around $600 million for its expansion.

Fresh investments will fund the expansion of Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp.&#8217;s (PASAR) smelting plant and its first venture into power generation, a top company executive said.

&#8220;It is being studied now...We will make a decision before the year ends,&#8221; PASAR chairman Angel Veloso Jr. said in an interview.

Specifically, PASAR is looking to spend $300 million to expand the copper smelting plant in Leyte and another $300 million for a power plant, he said.

In June, President Benigno S.C. Aquino III&#8217;s investment mission in the United Kingdom resulted in the signing of more than $1 billion in business agreements between British and Filipino companies.

PASAR&#8217;s parent firm Glencore announced its plan to invest $600 million in the Philippines, which would create up to 700 new jobs.

For the power plant, Veloso said the copper smelter wants to build a 200-megawatt (MW) power plant but the plant&#8217;s technology is still subject to the ongoing feasibility study.

&#8220;This will be for our own use and also for the possibly of [selling to the] grid and to support the downstream program for copper,&#8221; Veloso said.

In April last year, PASAR said it is exploring the possibility of putting up a 60-MW coal-fired power plant.

To date, copper smelting plant in Leyte requires around 32 MW for its operations.

But given the expansion plans, its consumption might more than double to 70 MW, Veloso said.

Excess electricity of around 100 MW can be sold to the grid, Veloso said.

Under the Power Development Plan 2010-2030, the Visayas grid needs 2,150 MW in new capacity but only 654 MW is considered &#8220;committed&#8221; given the availability of project financing and 186 MW is still indicative.

For the smelting plant, Veloso said the mining boom encouraged the company to expand locally.

PASAR targets to increase output to as much as one million metric tons (MT) of copper concentrates per year from the current capacity of around 700,000 MT, Veloso said.

The refinery, which is inside the Leyte Industrial Development Estate, can also produce 215,000 MT of Grade A electrolytic copper cathodes per year.

&#8220;There is no local market to speak of but we have a project with the Trade department to come up with an integrated mining industry from mining down to manufacturing,&#8221; Veloso said.

Veloso said the government can encourage firms to supply concentrates to PASAR, which will process and even sell the minerals.

The strategic location of PASAR&#8217;s 80-hectare smelting complex gives it access to copper concentrate supplies from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Brazil and Chile.

It is also close to refined copper markets of China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan.
PASAR was created by the Philippine government in 1976 to help industrialize the country.

Manila Economic and Cultural Office - Glencore AG to invest $600 million in Pasar



*Purisima named best Finance minister in Asia*
ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 10/13/2013 





MANILA, Philippines - Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima was named the best Finance minister of the year in Asia by Emerging Markets.

This is the second time Purisima has received the award, having won it in 2011.

Purisima shared the award with President Benigno Aquino, saying the economic gains were attributed to the President's good governance reforms.

"I must make it clear that this award is not mine. The award recognizes things that were only made possible by President Aquino's commitment to good governance, as well as his honesty, leadership, and astute use of political capital." Purisima said.

The DOF chief also emphasized the government will continue to pursue reforms to eliminate corruption.

"This means to continue to pursue reform in agencies, such as our Bureau of Customs, where corruption has built strongholds. This also means investing further in our people and especially our infrastructure, the roads, power plants, ports, airports and more that form an equalizing backbone for our economy." Purisima said.

Purisima also received the Finance Minister of the Year award from Euromoney in 2012.


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## Pinoy

*PH, Korea to ink defense pact*
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Tuesday, October 15th, 2013






MANILA, Philippines&#8212;The Philippines will forge a defense pact with South Korea during President Aquino&#8217;s two-day state visit to one of Asia&#8217;s superpowers this week.

In a briefing on the Korean state visit in Malacañang, Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said President Aquino and President Park Geun-hye will witness the signing of at least one memorandum of understanding (MOU) between their respective defense ministries.

Hernandez said the MOU will cover an exchange of visits between their respective soldiers, humanitarian personnel and international peacekeepers.

During his visit from Oct. 17 to 18, the President will meet with executives of Korea&#8217;s &#8220;chaebols,&#8221; or giant business conglomerates; touch base with the Filipino community in Asia&#8217;s third-largest economy; and confer the Order of Lakandula on Rep. Jasmine Bacunay-Lee, who left her roots in Cavite and Davao City to become the first naturalized Filipino-Korean to win a seat in the National Assembly.&#8212;Gil Cabacungan

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## Pinoy

just a while ago tsk tsk grabe ang lakas nito sana naman walang nasaktan sa lindol

*Magnitude 7.4 quake hits Philippines, no tsunami threat*

*(Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 hit the southern Philippines on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
*
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said there was no threat of a Pacific-wide tsunami after the quake.

The quake struck at a depth of about 35 km (22 miles) around Bohol island, to the north of Mindanao island. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Magnitude 7.4 quake hits Philippines, no tsunami threat | Reuters


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## Pinoy




----------



## Pinoy

*U.S. default 'unthinkable', but Philippines ready - Purisima*
10/14/2013

No one expects the United States to default on its debt obligations, but if it happens, the Philippines, which holds nearly half of its global reserves in U.S. Treasuries, could weather the storm, the Philippines' top finance official said late on Sunday.

"A U.S. default is something unthinkable. But we're facing it from a much stronger position," Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima told Reuters in an interview.

He added that the Philippines is finally growing at a healthy and steady pace after years of being Asia's economic laggard. Its improved economic performance will help it face this latest global challenge, Purisima added.

"There's really nothing we can do, but focus on the things that we can control and that's why we're continuing to work on our fundamentals."

U.S. Senate talks to resolve the latest fiscal crisis showed signs of progress, but there were no guarantees that the U.S. government shutdown was about to end or that a historic default would be avoided.

The U.S. Treasury reaches its debt ceiling and runs out of authority to borrow on Thursday.

He added that the Philippines does not have a specific action plan in case of a default, because Purisima believes it's not going to happen.

"I am not even thinking of a default. We have full faith and confidence in the United States," Purisima said.

The Philippines held about $38.9 billion in U.S. Treasuries as of July 2013, based on the latest U.S. capital flows data from the Treasury department. That's equivalent to about 47 percent of the Philippines' international reserves in July of $82.942 billion.

The Philippines, a long-time ally of the United States, feels the need to hold U.S. Treasuries because the U.S. is one of the country's largest trading partners.

Yet despite the troubles facing the United States, Purisima believes the U.S. dollar should still be the world's reserve currency.

"The U.S. is still the world's largest economy and it is the most efficient even though its politics has been polarized," said Purisima. "It has the traits and features that make the dollar ideal as a global reserve currency."

The Philippines has been one of the few bright spots in Asia, having been upgraded to investment grade by all three ratings agencies. It has been growing at a solid pace in the last few quarters: the economy grew 7.6 percent from April to June. It has kept pace with China, with the two becoming the region's fastest growing nations this year.

Purisima said the prospect of the Federal Reserve's eventual reduction of stimulus would have a muted effect on the Philippines because it has a current account surplus and it is less dependent on hot money capital flows.

"No one is immune from the Fed's tapering, but global investors have started to differentiate the countries within emerging markets," the finance official said.

"There are emerging market countries that are export dependent, and there are economies like the Philippines that relies on domestic consumption, which means we are less dependent on the vagaries of the global economic environment."

The Philippine peso was down 4.7 percent so far this year against the U.S. dollar, but has been spared the steep losses suffered by its peers in Southeast Asia, as the Fed tapering its bond buying became evident from May until early September. The Indonesia rupiah, for instance, has fallen more than 15 percent in 2013.

In fact, he said the Philippine government intends to raise financing in the offshore debt market next year, "not because we need the money, but because there has been demand for our debt paper." He hasn't decided yet on the size of the bond issue.

(Editing by Nick Zieminski)

By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss

http://www.4-traders.com/news/US-default-unthinkable-but-Philippines-ready-Purisima--17361337/


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## Pinoy

*Aquino gives award to outgoing US envoy*

Monday, October 14, 2013






PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III conferred Monday the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross, Silver Distinction (Datu, Katangiang Pilak) on outgoing United States Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr.

The President conferred the prestigious award on the outgoing envoy in recognition of his invaluable contribution to deepening the relations between the Philippines and the United States during a ceremony in Malacanang.

The recognition cited the envoy's "advocacy for a stronger, more robust Philippines-United States defense alliance, playing a key role in the signing of the 2011 Manila Declaration that reaffirmed the Philippines-United States of America Mutual Defense Treaty."

Thomas was also recognized for advancing high-level dialogues and consultations between the Philippines and the US, facilitating the creation of mechanisms such as the Philippines-United States of America Bilateral Strategic Dialogue and the 2+2 Ministerial Consultations.

He was also cited for his outstanding contribution to the Philippine democracy and development, especially for taking the lead on the establishment and implementation of the programs under the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Partnership for Growth.

Aquino also acknowledged Thomases steadfast support to the Philippines in times of calamities, especially for the significant assistance from the US to address the disasters caused by Typhoons Pablo and Sendong.

Thomas was also cited for pursuing activities that nurtured friendship, mutual appreciation and understanding between Filipinos and Americans.

In a press briefing, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte expressed confidence that the relations of the Philippines and the US will continue to be strong under the new ambassador.

"Were pretty confident that the good relations will remain even with the changing of the representative here," she said.

It was earlier reported that US President Barack Obama has nominated former ambassador to Bolivia Philip Goldberg to replace Thomas.

During the event, Thomas was accompanied by Deputy Chief of Mission for the US Embassy Brian Goldbeck. Also present were Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario; DFA Assistant Secretary Carlos Sorreta; Colonel Rocky Carter, senior defense official-Philippines; and 3rd Secretary and Vice Consul Luke Meinzen.

The Order of Sikatuna was established in 1953 and is conferred by the President of the Philippines upon individuals who have rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the Philippines.

It is also bestowed upon diplomats, officials and nationals of foreign states who have rendered conspicuous services in fostering, developing, and strengthening relations between their country and the Philippines. (SDR/Sunnex)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2013/10/14/aquino-gives-award-outgoing-us-envoy-308550


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## Bienvenido

Pinoy said:


> just a while ago tsk tsk grabe ang lakas nito sana naman walang nasaktan sa lindol
> 
> *Magnitude 7.4 quake hits Philippines, no tsunami threat*
> 
> *(Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 hit the southern Philippines on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
> *
> The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said there was no threat of a Pacific-wide tsunami after the quake.
> 
> The quake struck at a depth of about 35 km (22 miles) around Bohol island, to the north of Mindanao island. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
> 
> Magnitude 7.4 quake hits Philippines, no tsunami threat | Reuters


This is a natural calamity we cannot control. We just have to stay calm. I send prayers and condolences for the families' victims who died by that strong earthquake.

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## Bienvenido

Pinoy said:


> *Philippines secures P190-billion loan from allies*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> FOREIGN Secretary Albert F. del Rosario on Friday said the country has made significant progress in economic cooperation with other countries and obtained grants and loans of more than* $4.4 billion&#8212;$3 billion from Japan&#8217;s official development assistance, close to $900 million from Australia and almost $500 million from South Korea.*
> 
> He also said the Philippines-European Union Partnership and Cooperation Agreement &#8220;would allow both sides to address new challenges on issues such as customs and trade facilitation, energy and migration.&#8221;
> 
> Del Rosario spoke at the Second Annual Dinner of the US-Philippines Society in New York on September 27. In 2012 alone, he said, the Philippines finalized 43 agreements involving economic cooperation in investment, tourism, development assistance education and care services, and assisted in developing more than 700 trade and business missions.
> 
> &#8220;The Philippine hosting of the 23rd World Economic Forum on East Asia in 2014 and the annual meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in 2015&#8212;the second since 1996&#8212;reaffirms the leadership role of the Philippines in the global arena,&#8221; he said.
> 
> Del Rosario said that in the promotion of economic diplomacy, the foreign office entered into a partnership with the Asian Institute of Management to enhance the skills of its Foreign Service officers who undergo a program on economic diplomacy before being assigned abroad.
> 
> &#8220;This training is essential to hone our peoples&#8217; skills as the nation&#8217;s front liners in identifying and pursuing economic opportunities abroad,&#8221; he said.
> 
> US President Barack Obama is scheduled shortly to make his first state visit to the Philippines, the eighth by a sitting American president. He said in their meeting in April in Washington, D.C., US Secretary of State John Kerry said the &#8220;relations between the US and the Philippines have never been better.&#8221;
> 
> &#8220;President Obama&#8217;s visit will reaffirm the strong economic, people-to-people and security links between our countries. Indeed, we are witnessing a more vibrant cooperation,&#8221; Kerry said.
> 
> Del Rosario said over the years, there have been discussions between the two countries on how to enhance their defense and security cooperation, particularly in maritime security and maritime domain awareness.
> 
> He said during the official working visit of President Aquino to the US last year, &#8220;our leaders ushered in a new era of strategic partnership, with the US government reaffirming support for Philippine efforts to build the country&#8217;s minimum credible defense posture.&#8221;
> 
> &#8220;This broadening and deepening of Philippines-US relations is being positively viewed in the context of the US rebalance toward Asia,&#8221; he said, adding that last month, the two countries began discussions on institutionalizing increased rotational presence through a framework agreement premised on mutuality of benefits and in full accord with the Philippine Constitution.
> 
> On China, he said, the core issue of the dispute is China&#8217;s claim of indisputable sovereignty over nearly all of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) under its nine dash line position. Del Rosario said this claim is &#8220;expansive, excessive and in gross violation of international law, specifically Unclos,&#8221; or the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
> 
> &#8220;China&#8217;s continuous overwhelming naval and maritime presence in the area is also contributing to the raising of regional tensions.
> 
> &#8220;Although the Philippines had undertaken many efforts to peacefully engage China and settle these disputes, these were unsuccessful,&#8221; he said.
> 
> &#8220;Our last resort was to utilize the legal track toward the resolution of disputes,&#8221; del Rosario added.
> 
> From the Philippine perspective, he said, the rules-based approach contains two elements: The third-party arbitration toward the resolution of disputes, in accordance with the universally recognized principles of international law, specifically Unclos; and the early conclusion of a Code of on the South China Sea between Asean and China toward the management of tensions.
> 
> He said the Philippine move to bring China before the UN&#8217;s Arbitral Tribunal will benefit everyone.
> 
> BusinessMirror - Philippines secures P190-billion loan from allies



Thanks to our allies especially Japan

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## Pinoy

*Philippine quake damages centuries-old churches*
















Philippine quake damages centuries-old churches | News OK

*Quake toll now 156; 3.2M people affected*











Quake toll now 156; 3.2M people affected


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## Pinoy

*Remittances rose by 6.8% in August*
*More Filipino workers being deployed abroad, say gov&#8217;t officials*
By Paolo G. Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Thursday, October 17th, 2013

Money sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFW) continued to rise in August, helping sustain consumer demand that drives the local economy, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

BSP officials said that, despite the weakness in the global economy, more cash from abroad entered the country due to sustained demand for Filipino labor overseas.

&#8220;The steady deployment of OFWs remained one of the key drivers of growth in remittance flows,&#8221; the BSP said in a statement.

Citing data released on Wednesday, the central bank said that cash remittances reached $1.918 billion in August, an increase of 6.8 percent over the same month last year. This brought the year-to-date figure to $14.545 billion&#8212;up 5.9 percent year on year.

The cash sent in by land-based OFWs grew by 5.5 percent. About 75 percent of the workers held contracts of at least one year. Government officials consider the length of OFW contracts to be a good indicator for the sustainability of remittances.

Also, cash transfers made by sea-based workers and land-based workers with short-term contracts, grew by 7.4 percent year on year.

Major sources of remittances were the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Canada and Japan.

Citing data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the BSP reported that job orders for Filipino labor continued to grow in August, further strengthening the flow of remittances.

In the eight months to August, approved job orders reached 542,367, of which 39 percent were for posts in the services, production, professional and technical sectors. Job orders mainly came from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Qatar.

The POEA also reported that workers with processed contracts reached 1.164 million in the first semester of 2013.


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## Pinoy

*Japan Firm bids $300 Million Dollars E-tryke Mass production in the Philippines; more jobs*






Japanese electric vehicles maker and distributor Uzushio Electric Co. is making a bid to distribute electric tricycles in the Philippines as the country implements a plan to replace 100,000 gasoline-burning, air-polluting tricycles by 2016.

Tokushi Nakashima, head of BEET Philippine Inc., a local subsidiary of Uzushio Electric Co., told a press conference Monday that his company has submitted a bid to the Asian Development Bank, which is providing $300 million toward the e-tricycle project being carried out in cooperation with the Philippine government.

The company, which opened in March, also registered its e-trike model with the Philippines&#8217; Land Transportation Office, affirming its roadworthiness and making it accessible for interested private consumers.

Nakashima said Uzushio Electric, having developed more than 50 models of electric vehicles in Japan, is ready to help the Philippines solve its environmental woes through participation in the project, while at the same time improve the lives of tricycle drivers who are expected to take home a bigger daily income because electricity costs less than gasoline.

Also called tuk tuks, tricycles, which carry between four to nine passengers, are commonly seen in residential areas of Metro Manila, as well as on highways in the countryside. They are notoriously loud and emit a lot of exhaust.

The Philippine government hopes the e-tricycle project will cut down on noise, save more than $100 million a year in fuel imports, create jobs through local production of e-tricycles and decrease annual carbon dioxide emissions by about 260,000 tons.

An ADB study shows gasoline-fueled tricycles are responsible for more than two-thirds of all air pollution generated by the country&#8217;s entire transport sector, and without intervention, the carbon emissions are set to almost quadruple in less than 25 years.

Nakashima said BEET&#8217;s e-tricycle is made of five key components, which satisfy the requirements for the Philippines&#8217; various road and weather conditions: a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, an AC motor, an inverter, a vehicle control unit, and a battery management system.

It weighs around 500 kg, accommodates up to seven people including the driver, runs at speeds of up to 60 kph and can cover 50 km on a single charge.

Nakashima said BEET Philippine has tied up with Softbank Mobile Corp. to develop a billing system for lease or loan payment, as well as the integration of an advanced telecommunication system to track the trikes.

BEET Philippine is in talks with potential assemblers in the Philippines in preparation for mass production, he added.

Nakashima declined to disclose how much the company&#8217;s e-tricycle units would sell for since the ADB is still assessing its bid, along with those of another Japanese firm, a South Korean one and a Taiwanese one.

Japan Firm bids $300 Million Dollars E-tryke Mass production in the Philippines; more jobs | THE FILIPINO MEDIA

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## Pinoy

*South Korea to honor President Aquino&#8217;s father during state visit*
By Marlon Ramos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Wednesday, October 16th, 2013

SEOUL, South Korea&#8212;A recognition from the Korean government honoring his martyred father and namesake will be among the highlights of President Aquino&#8217;s two-day state visit here.

The President is scheduled to fly here on Thursday upon the invitation of President Park Gyeun-hye, the newly elected leader of this fast industrializing country considered to be the third-most vibrant economy in Asia.

Aquino said he would not be canceling the state visit to South Korea, expressing confidence that the government has responded adequately to the quake-devastated regions in the Visayas, particularly Bohol and Cebu, which suffered a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday.

&#8220;I will be going to Bohol and Cebu tomorrow and if possible other areas and if the assessment is that there are a lot of things that are not being taken care of, then we will reconsider the visit,&#8221; Aquino said.

The two countries have long had historical ties, deepened by the Philippines&#8217; gesture of sending of combat troops to help defend Korean democracy during the Korean War in the 1950s.

Aquino said Korea had extended the invitation to him three times, beginning from the term of President Lee Myung-bak, Park&#8217;s predecessor.

&#8220;If we suddenly cancel the visit, we might delay our good relations with Korea,&#8221; Aquino said.

Aquino and his official delegation, who will be taking a chartered Philippine Airlines flight, will be welcomed by top Korean officials led by Cho Tae-yul, the second vice minister of foreign affairs, at the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do.

After offering a wreath at the Memorial Tower of the Seoul National Cemetery, Aquino will proceed to the Blue House, Korea&#8217;s seat of power, where a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation will be signed by officials of the two countries.
Park will host a state dinner on Thursday in honor of the President.

The second and last day of Aquino&#8217;s visit will start with a wreath-laying ceremony at the War Memorial, after which he will be presented with a plaque of appreciation for his late father, the assassinated opposition leader Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., who worked as a news correspondent during the Korean war.

He will also speak before a group of Korean businessmen to invite them to invest in the Philippines.&#8212;With a report from Nikko Dizon


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## Pinoy

*Otto Energy flows oil from Philippines offshore development well*
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 by Proactive Investors	







Otto Energy (ASX: OEL) has successfully flowed oil at a rate of 6,300 barrels per day from the Galoc-5H development well in the offshore Palawan Basin, Philippines.

This is inline with the forecast overall field production of 12,000bpd once the Phase II expansion is brought into production in late November 2013.

The company will now move to test the Galoc-6H development well.

Phase II development of the Galoc oil field is designed to more than double production to 12,000 barrels of oil per day and ensures the field will remain in production beyond 2020.

Otto has a 33% operating stake in the Galoc oil field, while fellow Australian Nido Petroleum (ASX: NDO) holds 22.88%. The other partners are Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (26.84%), Oil Gas & Power Corporation 7.79%, The Philodrill Corporation 7.21% and the Forum Energy Philippines Corporation 2.28%.

Otto Energy flows oil from Philippines offshore development well - Proactiveinvestors (AU)

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## Pinoy

*PH economy seen growing 7-10% in next 10 years: Villegas*
By Louella D. Desiderio, The Philippine Star
10/17/2013 






MANILA- The Philippine economy could grow by seven to 10 percent in the next 10 years amid improving governance and business climate, one of the country&#8217;s leading economists said.

&#8220;Growth rates of seven to 10 percent is possible in the next 10 years,&#8221; University of Asia and the Pacific economist Bernardo Villegas said during the general membership meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines yesterday.

He noted though that what is more possible for the country to attain is the seven- to eight-percent growth as the country still lacks the necessary infrastructure to support faster expansion of the economy.

Among the factors seen to help the country sustain its positive economic performance are stable democracy; improving governance; labor peace; availability of young, educated, English-speaking workforce, strategic geographic location in Southeast Asia; renaissance of manufacturing; high rate of savings due to overseas Filipino workers&#8217; remittances; and low rate of dependence on petroleum.

The economy grew 7.5 percent in the second quarter, bringing first semester growth at 7.6 percent.

&#8220;The bad news is the 10-percent growth is at the moment far-fetched.

We can grow by 10 percent but unfortunately, we have very weak link to transport system,&#8221; Villegas said.

He added that reaching the high-end of the range is also difficult as the rollout of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects has been slow.

For the economy to grow at 10 percent, he said the government needs to spend more on infrastructure. Inefficient infrastructure is among the weaknesses faced by the country in achieving faster economic growth.

Villegas said the restrictive economic restrictions of the Constitution also prevent foreign firms from investing in certain activities here.

The Constitution sets a 40-percent limit on foreign ownership in the following activities: development of natural resources, investment in areas recommended by the national and planning agency to be of national interest, operation of public utility franchises, and educational institutions, except those established by religious or mission groups.

Engagement in the advertising industry meanwhile, is limited to firms that are at least 70 percent Filipino owned.

Those which are only open to Filipino citizens are agricultural lands of public domain, ownership and management of mass media, as well as holding of executive and managing positions in the advertising industry.

Villegas said amending the restrictive economic restrictions will allow the country to attract more foreign investments and to participate in the Trans Pacific Partnership which seeks to liberalize 12 economies in the Asia-Pacific region and offers huge economic opportunities.

&#8220;Why do we need FDIs (foreign direct investments)? It is not because we lack money. We lack long term money to be tied down to projects.

Even more, we need access to technology,&#8221; he added.

PH economy seen growing 7-10% in next 10 years: Villegas | ABS-CBN News

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## Pinoy

*Sulu sultanate presses for Sabah bid*
By Ferdinand Fabella | Posted on October 16, 2013 






As the Muslim community celebrates Eid&#8217;l Adha, the Sultanate of Sulu, the Islamic Tausug state that ruled over many islands in southern Philippines, vowed never to abandon its territorial claim over Sabah.

Abraham Idjirani, the sultanate&#8217;s spokesman and secretary-general, said they have to fight for their rights over Sabah after the Aquino administration abandoned its claim on the territory, which Malaysia controls as its 13th state.

&#8220;The claim of the Sultanate of Sulu over Sabah through the Government of the Republic of the Philippines is now abandoned by the Philippine government. In view of that, the Sultanate is compelled to pursue independently the claim, acting on its historic and legal rights over Sabah,&#8221; Idjirani said from the residence of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III in Maharlika Village, Taguig City.

On February, Kiram sent his brother, Raja Muda (crown prince) Agbimuddin Kiram to Sabah, along with 200 fighters to revive the sultanate&#8217;s long-standing claim over the resource-rich Sabah.

The intrusion prompted the Malaysian military to launch offensive operations to flush out Kiram&#8217;s armed followers. A total of 68 members of the sultanate&#8217;s Royal Security Forces (RSF) and 10 Malaysian policemen and soldiers were killed in the series of clashes.

Seven months after the cessation of hostilities, the RSF in Sabah has grown to 1,600 men, backed up by volunteers from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), according to Idjirani.

&#8220;The continued presence of Raja Muda in Sabah is now the Sultanate&#8217;s assertion by itself of their sovereign and proprietary rights over the territory,&#8221; Idjirani pointed out.

The RSF, Idjirani said, remained in Lahad Datu, maintaining a defensive stand to avoid further clashes with the Malaysian security forces.

&#8220;They were continuously repositioning in controlled areas to avoid an encounter with the Malaysian forces, which is in compliance with the previous call of the United Nations for sobriety,&#8221; the sultanate official added.

The sultanate&#8217;s presence in Sabah, Idjirani stressed, also hopes to prove to the international community that Malaysia does not respect international agreements as in the case of the Manila Accord of 1963.

The 1963 agreement was signed by the Philippines, Indonesia, then Federation of Malaya and the Sulu Sultanate in July 31, 1963 wherein the three signatory-states agreed to recognize the Sulu Sultanate&#8217;s claim over Sabah and peacefully solve the dispute in the UN.

&#8220;Malaysia is a mere administrator of Sabah as the issue is still pending resolution in the UN since 1962,&#8221; Idjirani said.

Sulu sultanate presses for Sabah bid - Manila Standard Today


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## Fsjal

10%?

1. That's almost impossible. Compare to South Korea, Japan, China and Indonesia, we aren't even industrialized.

2. The Philippines has no technology. Its economy will grow a little bit and hit a brick wall. The Indians are familiar with this problem. The barrier is called non-industrialized country. You need technology to sustain growth in your economy and become a developed country.

What technology am I talking about?

a) Can we build a five-axis machine tool?
b) Can we build semiconductor chips at 40nm or below?
c) Can we build an offshore billion-dollar oil rig?
d) Can we build a 10,000 pound satellite that carries 32 transponders with a 15-year lifespan?
e) Can we build gasoline-powered or electric-powered vehicles?

If the answer is "no" to most of the above, then our country is not industrialized.

3. An 8% growth in the Philippine economy doesn't mean a thing if its currency depreciates. Look at the Indians. The Indian currency has depreciated 40% in two years. Indian economic growth doesn't mean jack sh*t. Their currency is going straight to hell.

4. The Philippine economy is about $200 billion. 8% growth means an increase of $16 billion added to your economy.

China's economy is $8.23 trillion. Factoring in 7.5% economic growth and 3% currency appreciation, China's economy will reach $9 trillion this year. China's economy will grow by $800 billion this year.

It will take the Philippines 50 years of 8% growth to match China's growth for 2013 alone. In other words, Philippine absolute economic growth is minuscule and unworthy of attention.

5. Philippine economic performance will not help the Philippines' non-existent military. China has a $106 billion military budget and they're preparing to introduce stealth fighters. Chinese military technology is hundreds of years ahead of the Philippines. No amount of 8% Philippine economic growth can fix the military gap.

In conclusion, Philippine economic growth may hold interest for the locals. However, it has little influence on geostrategic issues. Philippine economic growth will not move the meter in the Philippines' dimunitive economic power or its ability to purchase small quantities of foreign arms. Furthermore, Philippine economic growth shows no apparent effect on the Philippine level of technology (which is pretty darn low) and has no detectable impact on non-existent indigenous Filipino military technology.

Compare to Deng Xiaoping, Aquino is nothing. Deng Xiaoping made China's economy growth very high while lifting millions of people out of poverty, while modernizing the military. As for Aquino, he complaints on how China is aggressive, while he cries to Uncle Sam.

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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> 10%?
> 
> 1. That's almost impossible. Compare to South Korea, Japan, China and Indonesia, we aren't even industrialized.
> 
> 2. The Philippines has no technology. Its economy will grow a little bit and hit a brick wall. The Indians are familiar with this problem. The barrier is called non-industrialized country. You need technology to sustain growth in your economy and become a developed country.
> 
> What technology am I talking about?
> 
> a) Can we build a five-axis machine tool?
> b) Can we build semiconductor chips at 40nm or below?
> c) Can we build an offshore billion-dollar oil rig?
> d) Can we build a 10,000 pound satellite that carries 32 transponders with a 15-year lifespan?
> e) Can we build gasoline-powered or electric-powered vehicles?
> 
> If the answer is "no" to most of the above, then our country is not industrialized.
> 
> 3. An 8% growth in the Philippine economy doesn't mean a thing if its currency depreciates. Look at the Indians. The Indian currency has depreciated 40% in two years. Indian economic growth doesn't mean jack sh*t. Their currency is going straight to hell.
> 
> 4. The Philippine economy is about $200 billion. 8% growth means an increase of $16 billion added to your economy.
> 
> China's economy is $8.23 trillion. Factoring in 7.5% economic growth and 3% currency appreciation, China's economy will reach $9 trillion this year. China's economy will grow by $800 billion this year.
> 
> It will take the Philippines 50 years of 8% growth to match China's growth for 2013 alone. In other words, Philippine absolute economic growth is minuscule and unworthy of attention.
> 
> 5. Philippine economic performance will not help the Philippines' non-existent military. China has a $106 billion military budget and they're preparing to introduce stealth fighters. Chinese military technology is hundreds of years ahead of the Philippines. No amount of 8% Philippine economic growth can fix the military gap.
> 
> In conclusion, Philippine economic growth may hold interest for the locals. However, it has little influence on geostrategic issues. Philippine economic growth will not move the meter in the Philippines' dimunitive economic power or its ability to purchase small quantities of foreign arms. Furthermore, Philippine economic growth shows no apparent effect on the Philippine level of technology (which is pretty darn low) and has no detectable impact on non-existent indigenous Filipino military technology.
> 
> Compare to Deng Xiaoping, Aquino is nothing. Deng Xiaoping made China's economy growth very high while lifting millions of people out of poverty, while modernizing the military. As for Aquino, he complaints on how China is aggressive, while he cries to Uncle Sam.




Can you shut up and have brain for ones you stupid troll! its like your comparing a zebra to a horse? Its like your just dumb well you are chinese after all.

Anyway economies of both countries are different one you have cheap labor force and companies love that (but good thing your losing this since you alienate some of them due to extreme nationalism, racism and your constant violations of International copy rights besides UNCLOS basically International law in general)the thing is your country copied majority of its products and steal ideas, Resources from other countries etc and flood markets with said stolen fake cheap made products and helping local and fellow chinese smugglers grow (no customs taxes or any kind of tax paid at all) Results on lose of revenue for the government, killing of local industries etc. Tell my this you stupid troll did peng had this problems? He had one big job to clean moron mao messes during the cultural revolution (aka kill millions for my stupid ideas and let me hold in to power campaign) so again dude have brain!

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## Bienvenido

Fsjal said:


> 10%?
> 
> 1. That's almost impossible. Compare to South Korea, Japan, China and Indonesia, we aren't even industrialized.
> 
> 2. The Philippines has no technology. Its economy will grow a little bit and hit a brick wall. The Indians are familiar with this problem. The barrier is called non-industrialized country. You need technology to sustain growth in your economy and become a developed country.
> 
> What technology am I talking about?
> 
> a) Can we build a five-axis machine tool?
> b) Can we build semiconductor chips at 40nm or below?
> c) Can we build an offshore billion-dollar oil rig?
> d) Can we build a 10,000 pound satellite that carries 32 transponders with a 15-year lifespan?
> e) Can we build gasoline-powered or electric-powered vehicles?
> 
> If the answer is "no" to most of the above, then our country is not industrialized.
> 
> 3. An 8% growth in the Philippine economy doesn't mean a thing if its currency depreciates. Look at the Indians. The Indian currency has depreciated 40% in two years. Indian economic growth doesn't mean jack sh*t. Their currency is going straight to hell.
> 
> 4. The Philippine economy is about $200 billion. 8% growth means an increase of $16 billion added to your economy.
> 
> China's economy is $8.23 trillion. Factoring in 7.5% economic growth and 3% currency appreciation, China's economy will reach $9 trillion this year. China's economy will grow by $800 billion this year.
> 
> It will take the Philippines 50 years of 8% growth to match China's growth for 2013 alone. In other words, Philippine absolute economic growth is minuscule and unworthy of attention.
> 
> 5. Philippine economic performance will not help the Philippines' non-existent military. China has a $106 billion military budget and they're preparing to introduce stealth fighters. Chinese military technology is hundreds of years ahead of the Philippines. No amount of 8% Philippine economic growth can fix the military gap.
> 
> In conclusion, Philippine economic growth may hold interest for the locals. However, it has little influence on geostrategic issues. Philippine economic growth will not move the meter in the Philippines' dimunitive economic power or its ability to purchase small quantities of foreign arms. Furthermore, Philippine economic growth shows no apparent effect on the Philippine level of technology (which is pretty darn low) and has no detectable impact on non-existent indigenous Filipino military technology.
> 
> Compare to Deng Xiaoping, Aquino is nothing. Deng Xiaoping made China's economy growth very high while lifting millions of people out of poverty, while modernizing the military. As for Aquino, he complaints on how China is aggressive, while he cries to Uncle Sam.


Tonta! Bobo! Tanga! Did you even bother to read and understand the whole article? 

No tienes cerebro! And also stop saying "we" because your not a real Filipino. Everyone knows your just a damn Chinese freakin Troll

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## Bob Ong

Fsjal said:


> 10%?
> 
> 1. That's almost impossible. Compare to South Korea, Japan, China and Indonesia, we aren't even industrialized.
> 
> 2. The Philippines has no technology. Its economy will grow a little bit and hit a brick wall. The Indians are familiar with this problem. The barrier is called non-industrialized country. You need technology to sustain growth in your economy and become a developed country.
> 
> What technology am I talking about?
> 
> a) Can we build a five-axis machine tool?
> b) Can we build semiconductor chips at 40nm or below?
> c) Can we build an offshore billion-dollar oil rig?
> d) Can we build a 10,000 pound satellite that carries 32 transponders with a 15-year lifespan?
> e) Can we build gasoline-powered or electric-powered vehicles?
> 
> If the answer is "no" to most of the above, then our country is not industrialized.
> 
> 3. An 8% growth in the Philippine economy doesn't mean a thing if its currency depreciates. Look at the Indians. The Indian currency has depreciated 40% in two years. Indian economic growth doesn't mean jack sh*t. Their currency is going straight to hell.
> 
> 4. The Philippine economy is about $200 billion. 8% growth means an increase of $16 billion added to your economy.
> 
> China's economy is $8.23 trillion. Factoring in 7.5% economic growth and 3% currency appreciation, China's economy will reach $9 trillion this year. China's economy will grow by $800 billion this year.
> 
> It will take the Philippines 50 years of 8% growth to match China's growth for 2013 alone. In other words, Philippine absolute economic growth is minuscule and unworthy of attention.
> 
> 5. Philippine economic performance will not help the Philippines' non-existent military. China has a $106 billion military budget and they're preparing to introduce stealth fighters. Chinese military technology is hundreds of years ahead of the Philippines. No amount of 8% Philippine economic growth can fix the military gap.
> 
> In conclusion, Philippine economic growth may hold interest for the locals. However, it has little influence on geostrategic issues. Philippine economic growth will not move the meter in the Philippines' dimunitive economic power or its ability to purchase small quantities of foreign arms. Furthermore, Philippine economic growth shows no apparent effect on the Philippine level of technology (which is pretty darn low) and has no detectable impact on non-existent indigenous Filipino military technology.
> 
> Compare to Deng Xiaoping, Aquino is nothing. Deng Xiaoping made China's economy growth very high while lifting millions of people out of poverty, while modernizing the military. As for Aquino, he complaints on how China is aggressive, while he cries to Uncle Sam.


WARNING: This poster Fsjal is a paid 50c party troll. His comments at best worth a dime. Take his posts with a grain of salt.

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## Fsjal

Zero_wing said:


> Can you shut up and have brain for ones you stupid troll! its like your comparing a zebra to a horse? Its like your just dumb well you are chinese after all.
> 
> Anyway economies of both countries are different one you have cheap labor force and companies love that (but good thing your losing this since you alienate some of them due to extreme nationalism, racism and your constant violations of International copy rights besides UNCLOS basically International law in general)the thing is your country copied majority of its products and steal ideas, Resources from other countries etc and flood markets with said stolen fake cheap made products and helping local and fellow chinese smugglers grow (no customs taxes or any kind of tax paid at all) Results on lose of revenue for the government, killing of local industries etc. Tell my this you stupid troll did peng had this problems? He had one big job to clean moron mao messes during the cultural revolution (aka kill millions for my stupid ideas and let me hold in to power campaign) so again dude have brain!



You need to have a brain, you illiterate moron. 

All you do is barf out garbage, which is not understandable. 

Looks like the truth has hurt your ego.


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## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> You need to have a brain, you illiterate moron.
> 
> All you do is barf out garbage, which is not understandable.
> 
> Looks like the truth has hurt your ego.



Ha running out of things to say? again just because you made a post it does not make you genus! you trolling fool

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## p3avi8tor69

Why don't you Pinoy clowns challenge Fsjal's assertion. Challenge it point by point. Instead you clowns responded by calling him this that. Are you Pinoys so bereft of intellect that you cannot present your counter arguments. How in the fark can you clowns defend your country's image with senseless garbage. If you think his post is infantile then present your side. As it is, Fsjal wins since he presented his arguments with what he believes are his set of facts.

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## Fsjal

Zero_wing said:


> Ha running out of things to say? again just because you made a post it does not make you genus! you trolling fool



I didn't say I was a genius 'cause of that post.

I'm saying that you can't accept the very fact that the economy will never grow at 10% because of those many reasons.


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## Bob Ong

p3avi8tor69 said:


> Why don't you Pinoy clowns challenge Fsjal's assertion. Challenge it point by point. Instead you clowns responded by calling him this that. Are you Pinoys so bereft of intellect that you cannot present your counter arguments. How in the fark can you clowns defend your country's image with senseless garbage. If you think his post is infantile then present your side. As it is, Fsjal wins since he presented his arguments with what he believes are his set of facts.


Yeah win my azz shitty hired 50c troll. Moronic gibberish comment not worth answering and who the hell cares what you are thinking, you are just a nuisance for the Pinoys.

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## Bienvenido

Fsjal said:


> I didn't say I was a genius 'cause of that post.
> 
> I'm saying that you can't accept the very fact that the economy will never grow at 10% because of those many reasons.


Philippines isn't the greatest country in the world and neither is China. Philippines is changing rapidly, if you ever go to the Philippines you would be surprised how much more it developed, you can make fun and talk bad about Philippines, but in the end it is obvious that Philippines will become a develop nation before China. Yes there's a lot of poor Filipinos but you do know China's poverty is worst due to your population size. Your government just hides it because they controlled the media since it's gov owned. So before you go pointing out other countries flaw, fix your country's flaws. Change does not happen overnight. What people should highlight is Filipinos can prosper properly given the right conditions. If we continue this path for the next 10 years, poverty will definitely be solved.

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## Pinoy

Kawawa nman ang mga shekwas na ito dito hehe. These typical false flaggers crab will always focusing on shortcomings, always complaining and expecting a perfect government as if China has the perfect government. Poor crabs, whatever they say will not change anything. President Aquino and his good governance is really making a big difference in the progress of our country. He is is really good for the economy. I am sure this is just the beginning of a sustained economic expansion of the Philippines and these few crabs here can not do anything about it. They can not change that fact anymore no matter what.

just my 2 cents donation for Fsjal and p3avi8tor69 




*S. Korea gives jet, backs PH approach in sea row*

By Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
10/17/2013 






SEOUL - President Aquino and South Korean President Park Geun-hye discussed the current situation in the West Philippine Sea during their summit talks at the Blue House. 

Aquino thanked South Korea for supporting the countrys position in taking a rules-based approach in resolving conflicting territorial claims with China. 

We do not want to pick up a fight with anybody but we will do what is needed to protect our sovereignty. As we respect other nations rights, we expect them to respect ours, Aquino was quoted by Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma as saying. 

Aquino thanked Park for the imminent transfer to the Philippines of one FA-50 combat jet. 

In addition, the Philippines will also be acquiring from South Korea additional aircraft, military vessels and equipment, and command-and-control equipment as part of the AFP modernization program. 

Aquino said the newly signed memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation could expand and strengthen the long-standing partnership between the two countries. 

President Park, meantime, acknowledged the Philippines and ASEANs support in persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear program. 

*TRADE*

Both sides committed to enhance bilateral trade with Korea promising to complete the accreditation process that will pave the way for Philippine chicken exports. 

Aquino hoped Korea will be able to facilitate the entry of additional Philippine fruits into the Korean market. 

Park requested an easing of restrictions to foreign direct investments from her country, including those on market access, appointment of senior corporate officials, and renewal of business licenses and permits, according to Coloma. 

President Aquino pledged that the Philippine government will do what is needed to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks, Coloma said. 

*SAFETY OF KOREANS *

Aquino committed to protect and ensure the safety of Korean citizens in the Philippines numbering around 100,000, but noted that it is difficult to prosecute cases involving Koreans if the perpetrators of crimes against Koreans are their fellow nationals. 

A Korean consulate will be opened in Cebu that will serve the needs of Korean nationals there, said Aquino.


----------



## Zero_wing

Fsjal said:


> I didn't say I was a genius 'cause of that post.
> 
> I'm saying that you can't accept the very fact that the economy will never grow at 10% because of those many reasons.



Its only been three years and its still growing its not like its so easy to things happen! How stupid are you really! Its not and never easy to build and rebuild economies stupid in fact it took Singapore 5 decades to do it and Japan only decade and china took half a century again building a country's economy takes time and effort and good economic planing your just dumb to understand its not in Sims were you push buttons and make things happen! It takes a lot to make it and this is a good start and was good that despite the world crises and other man made and natural problems the Philippine economy is still growing and if that's not a miracle then what is?



Pinoy said:


> Kawawa nman ang mga shekwas na ito dito hehe. These typical false flaggers crab will always focusing on shortcomings, always complaining and expecting a perfect government as if China has the perfect government. Poor crabs, whatever they say will not change anything. President Aquino and his good governance is really making a big difference in the progress of our country. He is is really good for the economy. I am sure this is just the beginning of a sustained economic expansion of the Philippines and these few crabs here can not do anything about it. They can not change that fact anymore no matter what.
> 
> just my 2 cents donation for Fsjal and p3avi8tor69
> 
> *S. Korea gives jet, backs PH approach in sea row*
> 
> By Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
> 10/17/2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SEOUL - President Aquino and South Korean President Park Geun-hye discussed the current situation in the West Philippine Sea during their summit talks at the Blue House.
> 
> Aquino thanked South Korea for supporting the country&#8217;s position in taking a rules-based approach in resolving conflicting territorial claims with China.
> 
> &#8220;We do not want to pick up a fight with anybody but we will do what is needed to protect our sovereignty. As we respect other nations&#8217; rights, we expect them to respect ours,&#8221; Aquino was quoted by Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma as saying.
> 
> Aquino thanked Park for the imminent transfer to the Philippines of one FA-50 combat jet.
> 
> In addition, the Philippines will also be acquiring from South Korea additional aircraft, military vessels and equipment, and command-and-control equipment as part of the AFP modernization program.
> 
> Aquino said the newly signed memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation could expand and strengthen &#8220;the long-standing partnership between the two countries.&#8221;
> 
> President Park, meantime, acknowledged the Philippines&#8217; and ASEAN&#8217;s support in persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.
> 
> *TRADE*
> 
> Both sides committed to enhance bilateral trade with Korea promising to complete the accreditation process that will pave the way for Philippine chicken exports.
> 
> Aquino hoped Korea will be able to facilitate the entry of additional Philippine fruits into the Korean market.
> 
> Park requested an easing of restrictions to foreign direct investments from her country, &#8220;including those on market access, appointment of senior corporate officials, and renewal of business licenses and permits,&#8221; according to Coloma.
> 
> &#8220;President Aquino pledged that the Philippine government will do what is needed to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks,&#8221; Coloma said.
> 
> *SAFETY OF KOREANS *
> 
> Aquino committed to protect and ensure the safety of Korean citizens in the Philippines numbering around 100,000, but noted that &#8220;it is difficult to prosecute&#8221; cases involving Koreans &#8220;if the perpetrators of crimes against Koreans are their fellow nationals.&#8221;
> 
> A Korean consulate will be opened in Cebu that will serve the needs of Korean nationals there, said Aquino.




Tol mga oga kasi yung mga hayop na yan post lang post parang Unil pero wala na man kwenta anyway lets jump to english baka ma site na man tayo.

This great news its just take so long to have and get



p3avi8tor69 said:


> Why don't you Pinoy clowns challenge Fsjal's assertion. Challenge it point by point. Instead you clowns responded by calling him this that. Are you Pinoys so bereft of intellect that you cannot present your counter arguments. How in the fark can you clowns defend your country's image with senseless garbage. If you think his post is infantile then present your side. As it is, Fsjal wins since he presented his arguments with what he believes are his set of facts.



Oh really then tell me what so factual about it? Then do you even know what trolling is? Oh right i forgot your one yourself of course you should know. Go back to your video games Admiral general from gameland


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## farhan_9909

You must develop Philippines,

Yes there will be no comparision between China and PH GDP overall but you can compete with them in per capita income.China having 13times more population than you will always have a greater GDP than Philippines.But as earlier said the comparision should be between the per capita income.



All the best to philippines

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## Pinoy

Presidents Park Geun-hye and Benigno S. Aquino III of the Philippines watch Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin (right) and the Philippines Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin sign a memorandum of understanding on bilateral defense cooperation at Cheong Wa Dae. (Yonhap News)



*Korean companies to invest $1.7-B in PH*

By Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
0/19/2013 

SEOUL  At least two Korean companies confirmed commitments to invest in the Philippines, amounting to at least US$1.7 billion, following President Aquino's meetings with business leaders here.

Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) is pushing through with its plan to build a new coal-fired power plant "that will produce at least 150 megawatts and to follow this up with a similar facility for a total additional capacity of 300 megawatts in Bataan."

"Other proposed power projects that are in the pipeline are as follows: Bislig, Surigao del Sur, 200 MW; Cadiz, Negros Occidental, 200 MW," Coloma said.

Estimated total cost of all three projects is pegged at US$700 million.

Top conglomerate Lotte also committed to build a 350-room hotel in Cebu "and to make other investments in confectionery, retail, real estate, and food manufacturing."

"Projects in pipeline are estimated to total US$ 1 billion over their projected completion in the next 5 years," Coloma said.

President Aquino urged Lotte to explore the possibility of investing in new tourist facilities in Palawan.

Hanjin and KEPCO offered to lease the facilities of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant for new coal-fired power plants.

Coloma said, "President Aquino directed Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla to work out with the two companies alternative options on locating proposed new power plant facilities within the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant reservation. This is government's response to the two companies' offer to lease the BNPP facilities." 

*DEMOGRAPHIC SWEET SPOT*

In meeting with Korean business executives, Aquino pointed out that the Philippines will enter a "demographic sweet spot" in 2015 when "the bulk" Filipinos reach working age and provide a pool of manpower for investors.

"In 2015, the Philippines will enter a demographic sweet spot, with the bulk of our people hitting working age-a professional, loyal, English-speaking work force that can surely contribute to the growth of investors. This situation, one that is conducive to business, will remain for the next 40 years," Aquino said in his speech before the Korean business community.

GDP per capita is expected to reach $6,000 by 2019, which is expected to boost the buying power of Filipinos.

"By 2019, we will enter another sweet spot: GDP per capita will hit around $6,000. This middle income sweet spot means a more empowered consumer base, as proven by other countries that hit an inflection point in the buying power of their citizens. Studies foresee that in the next fifteen years or so, four out of five Filipinos can hit middle class status if we continue on our current trajectory."

Korean companies to invest $1.7-B in PH | ABS-CBN News




*BOP posts $465-M surplus in Sept*
By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 19, 2013 






MANILA, Philippines - The countrys balance of payments (BOP) position reverted to a surplus in September amid the return of foreign portfolio and direct investments into the country, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported yesterday.

The country posted a surplus of $465 million in September, a turnaround from the $318-million deficit in August.

The latest surplus, however, was 38 percent lower than last years $751-million surplus.

BOP position for September... (was) on account of continued inflow of foreign exchange from different sources particularly foreign portfolio and direct investments, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo said in a text message.

Data for exports, remittances and BPO (business process outsourcing) receipts are still not available although initial indicators show their continued strength, he added.

These inflows were supported by BSP investment income from abroad and NG (national government) deposits of FX (foreign exchange) with the BSP, Guinigundo further said.

The BoP position summarizes a countrys transactions with the rest of world. This includes exports, imports, foreign direct and portfolio investments, other investments, and even remittances from Filipinos abroad.

A surplus means more funds went into the country, while a deficit means otherwise.

In the nine months to September, the countrys BoP surplus declined 34 percent to $3.824 billion from $5.831 billion a year ago.

The central bank expects a surplus of $4.4 billion in the countrys BOP for this year.

Guinigundo earlier said this projection is under review in light of latest developments that could affect financial markets globally.

BOP posts $465-M surplus in Sept | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Pinoy

_President Benigno S. Aquino III addresses the Korean Business Community at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul during his State Visit to the Republic of Korea on Friday (October 18). Korea is one of the Philippines&#8217; major investment and trade partners and remains the country&#8217;s top source of tourists_



*'Nothing stopping PH from growing at 7 pct'*
By Cai U. Ordinario, BusinessMirror
10/18/2013 

MANILA - Strong consumption spending will sustain the Philippines&#8217;s economic growth to around 7 percent this year and next year, according to local analysts.

In a briefing at the media launch of the 13th Pacific Region Investment Conference on Thursday, COL Financial Group Inc. Head of Research April Lee-Tan said there is &#8220;nothing stopping&#8221; the economy from posting a 7-percent growth this year, given the strong 7.6-percent growth in the first semester of 2013. Tan said she expects &#8220;more of the same&#8221; level of growth in 2014.

&#8220;We&#8217;re very positive in the economy, largely because of our huge consumer base. In the Philippines 70 percent of our GDP [gross domestic product] is consumption. The drivers remain intact,&#8221; Tan said.

Tan said these growth drivers include overseas Filipino worker (OFW) remittances, the strong business-process outsourcing sector and other new sources of consumption growth.

She said the increased availability of consumer credit, for one, would allow consumers to increase their spending for real estate, vehicles and other investments. The stable growth in auto sales, Tan said, could already be indicative of this phenomenon.

Tan also said that in light of recent disasters, there is a possibility that the spending allotted to rehabilitation efforts in earthquake-affected areas would boost growth in those areas and translate into higher Philippine GDP growth.

&#8220;Believe it or not, GDP actually picks up during times of calamities. During times of calamities, people are forced to spend and what is captured by GDP is the actual spending. What we are fortunate to have at this point is that the government is in a position to [spend],&#8221; Tan said.

*Young peso*

Apart from these short-term growth drivers, another key source of growth of the Philippine economy is its demographic dividend, Tan said. She noted that the average age of Filipinos is only 23 years old, which means a strong and steady supply of labor would keep the economy going for years to come.

Tan said this is one of the attractions of the Philippines to firms abroad and is one of the reasons the country remains a favored destination of outsourcing firms.

BDO Private Bank Wealth Advisory and Trust Group Senior Vice President Rafael Ayuste Jr. said apart from consumption, the younger population is also driving the growth in financial investments.

Ayuste said young Filipinos are now more investment-savvy and are aggressive when it comes to their investment portfolio. He attributes this to the perception that the younger generation believes it is &#8220;invincible&#8221; and this now translates into their investment decisions.

&#8220;They are more inquisitive and any additional information they need, they search online. They come up with very intelligent questions,&#8221; Ayuste said.

Overall, Ayuste said, Filipinos are now more investment-savvy and are now willing to invest for longer periods of time, longer than 10 years.

He attributes this to the increased financial education of Filipinos, that the management of financial institutions and even trusts are now being taught in school.

'Nothing stopping PH from growing at 7 pct' | ABS-CBN News


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## Fsjal

> china took half a century again building a country's



From 1949 to 1959, China was going well, meaning it took 10 years for them to turn from an agriculture state to a heavy industrialized state, much more industrialized than Philippine today, and it only took 10 years.

Also, during the 1980's, the economy didn't grow fast, even when at that time, the economy was at it's best.

Like what I said, the Philippines can't have a 10% growth if we aren't industrialized enough.


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## Apothecary

Fsjal said:


> From 1949 to 1959, China was going well, meaning it took 10 years for them to turn from an agriculture state to a heavy industrialized state, much more industrialized than Philippine today, and it only took 10 years.
> 
> Also, during the 1980's, the economy didn't grow fast, even when at that time, the economy was at it's best.
> 
> Like what I said, the Philippines can't have a 10% growth if *we* aren't industrialized enough.



You were once a taiwanese
You were once once a north korean
You were once a chinese
You were once an australian
And now you're a filipino?

What a sack of sh!t you are.


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## Fsjal

Apothecary said:


> You were once a taiwanese
> You were once once a north korean
> You were once a chinese
> You were once an australian
> And now you're a filipino?
> 
> What a sack of sh!t you are.



Are you a bloody idiot? 

I didn't even say I was Taiwanese. Why would I be those KMT b*stards?

Get your sack of dog sh?t out of here.


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## p3avi8tor69

Bob Ong said:


> Yeah win my azz shitty hired 50c troll. Moronic gibberish comment not worth answering and who the hell cares what you are thinking, you are just a nuisance for the Pinoys.



That is your response? God help you clown or should I say bay area gangster. Your choice of vocabulary betrays your ghettoness.

Your answer is a great illustration of your and your kind's intellectual deficiency. Grow some balls and counter the arguments point by point.


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## p3avi8tor69

Zero_wing said:


> Oh really then tell me what so factual about it? Then do you even know what trolling is? Oh right i forgot your one yourself of course you should know. Go back to your video games Admiral general from gameland



Yeah yeah yeah sure home slice. 

I'm sorry but I do not see your country getting out of the middle income trap. You are corrupt to the core. Even with Aquino on the helm your senators and congressmen are robbing you blind. I just read numerous stories of elected senators conspiring with corrupt lobbyist stealing what you clowns call pork aid. 

No wonder your college graduates are working as maids in Hong Kong and janitors and waiters in cruise lines. Blame your elected robber barons.

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## Zero_wing

p3avi8tor69 said:


> Yeah yeah yeah sure home slice.
> 
> I'm sorry but I do not see your country getting out of the middle income trap. You are corrupt to the core. Even with Aquino on the helm your senators and congressmen are robbing you blind. I just read numerous stories of elected senators conspiring with corrupt lobbyist stealing what you clowns call pork aid.
> 
> No wonder your college graduates are working as maids in Hong Kong and janitors and waiters in cruise lines. Blame your elected robber barons.



blah blah nothing but more trolling go play your games because your ideas are just good for first person shooters and sim games


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## Pinoy

*Billionaire Sy Faces Counterbid for Manila Bay Prime Real Estate*






Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), the largest Philippine builder by market value, plans to counter billionaire Henry Sys offer to reclaim prime land along Manila Bay for development.

Ayala Land has asked the local government for an extension of the Nov. 4 deadline to submit competing bids, the Manila-based builder said in an e-mailed statement today. This will confirm our interest to submit a counter proposal, Ayala Land said.

Sys SM Land Inc., rivaling Ayala Land as the nations biggest developer, made an unsolicited offer of 54.5 billion pesos ($1.3 billion) to the Pasay City government this month for the 300-hectare (3 square kilometers) reclamation project. The offer comes amid scarcity of large plots for development in the area comprising the capital and its neighboring cities, known as Metropolitan Manila, which accounts for 36 percent of the $250 billion Philippine economy.

It is a strategic move on the part of Ayala Land to counter the developments of SM, Jomar Lacson, an analyst at Manila-based Campos Lanuza & Co., said by phone. This project can further diversify Ayala Lands products and market.

The current deadline is too short to develop a master plan, study its financial and environmental impact, and how to maximize the benefits to Pasay, the national government, and the public at large, Ayala Land said.

Ayala Land was unchanged at 30.60 pesos as of 1:35 p.m. in Manila trading, taking its gain this year to 16 percent. SM Investments Corp. (SM), the parent of SM Land, climbed 1.4 percent to 857 pesos. SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPH), which will hold SM Investments property assets, rose 3.2 percent, headed for the biggest gain since Sept. 19.

Sy is the Philippines richest man, with a net worth of $14.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Billionaire Sy Faces Counterbid for Manila Bay Prime Real Estate - Bloomberg



*Infrastructure spending surges by 38% to P170B*
By Michelle V. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013

Government spending for infrastructure surged in the year to August, with officials reiterating the commitment to help the Philippines catch up with its neighbors in terms of quality of roads, bridges, irrigation systems and national highways.

The Department of Budget and Management reported Tuesday that disbursement for capital outlays and infrastructure hit P169.6 billion in January to August, up by 38.5 percent from that in the same period last year.

Consistent improvements in our infrastructure and capital outlay disbursements are proof of the Aquino administrations commitment to further expand the economy through strategic infrastructure investments, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said in a statement.

The amount spent so far in the year for infrastructure and capital outlays was used not only for road repairs and rehabilitation, but also for irrigation projects administered by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).

But despite the increased spending, public infrastructure spending was estimated to be equivalent to just 2.5 percent of the countrys gross domestic product.

This is way below the average of 5 percent for Southeast Asia.

The low infrastructure spending-to-GDP ratio in the Philippines is partly blamed for the countrys difficulty in competing against its neighbors for foreign direct investments.

The estimated $2 billion in FDIs that went to the Philippines last year, for instance, was 10 times smaller than the over $20 billion in investments cornered by Indonesia.

The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, two of the biggest foreign lenders to the Philippines, said the country needed to increase spending for public infrastructure to at least 5 percent of GDP to better compete for FDIs.

The Aquino administration has accepted the challenge and aims to hit the 5-percent ratio by the time its term ends in 2016.

We are looking at speeding up our spending momentum for infrastructure and other key expenditures, in line with our goal of pushing infrastructure spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2016, Abad said.

On a similar note, economist Felipe Medalla said the government was bent on hitting the 5-percent target regardless of whether tax collection rises as targeted.

Medalla, who represents the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in the interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), said in a forum on Tuesday that deficit spending for infrastructure should not harm the economy because it positively impacts on investments.

Higher investments, in turn, should help increase overall income of the economy.

Infrastructure spending should double relative to the size of the economy within the term of the Aquino administration. This is a plan agreed upon by the DBCC regardless of what happens to tax collection by the BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue], Medalla said.


----------



## Pinoy

*PH says gas from disputed field should be used domestically*
by Rosemarie Francisco and Manny Mogato, Reuters
10/23/2013






MANILA - The Philippines will insist that any gas produced from an offshore field a unit of Philex Petroleum Corp hopes to develop with China's CNOOC Ltd be used domestically, a senior energy official said on Wednesday.

London-listed Forum Energy Plc a unit of Philex, is holding talks with CNOOC, the Hong Kong-listed unit of China National Offshore Oil Company, for a possible joint venture to explore for oil and gas reserves in an area of the disputed South China Sea, a deal that may later lead to a production agreement, Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla said.

Service Contract 72 in the Reed Bank holds the Sampaguita field, which is estimated to have 20 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, dwarfing Malampaya, the Philippines' current sole gas producer with only about 2.7 tcf of gas.

"What I know is they are having regular meetings, that's the way to move forward," Petilla told reporters. "Certainly, we will not agree that it (the gas) will be sold elsewhere when we actually need it," he said.

Manila needs to find a replacement for the natural gas produced in the Malampaya field, which is expected to operate only until 2024, Petilla said.

Any deal would have to be reviewed by government lawyers, but Manila is open to an ownership structure of SC 72 similar to that of Malampaya, he said.

Malampaya is 90 percent owned by a consortium led by Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. of Royal Dutch Shell Plc and 10 percent held by a state agency.

China says it owns the Reed Bank, but SC 72 falls within the Philippines' 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), with Manila insisting on sole sovereignty over the waters.

"We maintain that the area that Forum Energy is exploring is clearly within our EEZ and therefore any exploitation of the same has to be in conformity with our laws," Philippine President Benigno Aquino said in a forum with foreign press.

Forum approached CNOOC as early as last year for an agreement on a joint exploration venture so that the gas resources in the SC 72 block could be developed despite the sovereignty dispute.

Forum Energy has extended its drilling programme for SC 72 by two years to August 2015 due to the territorial dispute.

Forum had earlier disclosed plans to conduct a survey to identify and evaluate other gas prospects near the Sampaguita gas field and the Reed Bank, despite problems with previous survey and drilling attempts due the diplomatic wrangling between Manila and Beijing.

When asked about how sovereignty issues raised by China and the Philippines over the waters weigh on the discussions between Forum and CNOOC, Petilla said: "Those are the governments, I'm hopeful of the commercial (talks)."

There was no immediate reply from Forum Energy when asked about the talks.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/10/23/13/ph-says-gas-disputed-field-should-be-used-domestically


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## Pinoy

*Phl eyes frigates from India*
(The Philippine Star) | October 23, 2013 






_Photo of Indian Navy's stealth frigate INS Satpura._

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines, which is beefing up its defense capability, is considering the procurement of naval frigates from India.

Philippine officials discussed this the other day with a visiting delegation from India led by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

India has intensified its engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as part of its &#8220;Look East&#8221; policy in the past decade.

Khurshid, who met yesterday with Vice President Jejomar Binay, said the relationship between the two countries is &#8220;extremely important.&#8221;

&#8220;Now is the time to begin a new chapter,&#8221; Khurshid said yesterday over lunch with Filipino officials as he emphasized the two countries&#8217; &#8220;shared aspirations and shared attitudes.&#8221;

The Philippines is eyeing the procurement of two frigates from India, a nuclear power with its own military shipbuilding capability.

India has built its own stealth-capable warship, which visited Manila several months ago. The Indians are developing their first aircraft carrier and will acquire one soon from Russia.

Like the Philippines, India has a territorial dispute with its neighbor China. Khurshid told The STAR yesterday that his government was pursuing engagement with the Chinese.

The other day, Khurshid and his delegation met separately with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Philippine security officials.

Khurshid, who proceeded to Manila from meetings in Brazil, leaves for Singapore today.

The Philippines is currently finalizing the procurement of fighter jets from South Korea.

Not connected with territorial row

The defense department maintained yesterday that the acquisition of fighter jets from South Korea has nothing to do with the territorial row in the West Philippine Sea.

&#8220;This has been planned even before the developments in the West Philippine Sea,&#8221; defense department spokesman Peter Galvez said in a phone interview.

Galvez was asked for a reaction after a Japanese paper reported on Monday that China had asked South Korea not to sell FA-50 jets to the country.

Galvez declined to comment on the report itself but said the military&#8217;s upgrade efforts are not related to the territorial row with China.

The defense department previously said that the lead-in fighter jets acquisition project would boost the territorial defense capabilities of the country.

Officials, however, stressed that the modernization program is not directed toward any country. &#8211; With Alexis Romero

Phl eyes frigates from India | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Pinoy

*India, Philippines set to upgrade ties, reinvigorate relations *
Oct 23, 2013






Manila, Oct 22 (IANS) India and the Philippines have set aside years of limited contact and are going to work towards a full and comprehensive upgrade of their bilateral relations which will be manifest in the visit of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee to this country in 2014.

In what was described as an exceptional meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Secretary of the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario here Monday, the two countries agreed to take their ties to a substantially higher level. 

The two country have decided to upgrade their military relations and have the second meeting of the Philippines-India Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) in New Delhi as early as next month, a joint statement issued after the talks said. 

The second meeting of the India-Philippines Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation had comprehensive discussions on political, defence, security, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries. Both sides committed to increasing bilateral trade and investment and maximising the potential on offer. 

According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, it was decided that the two countries would work to fully maximize the potential of the Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment. Khurshid welcomed the Philippines facilitation in the expansion of Indian investments in this Southeast Asian nation in different sectors, particularly textiles and garments, pharmaceuticals, agribusiness, tourism, renewable energy and automotive parts. 

Given the phenomenal growth and symbiotic relationship of Indian and Philippine information technology-enabled services (ITeS) companies, both sides committed to conclude at the earliest a proposed memorandum of understanding in information and communications technology (ICT). 

Regarding terrorism, both sides affirmed their condemnation of this global scourge in all its forms and manifestations and reiterated their commitment to expand and deepen cooperation in counter-terrorism. The two countries decided to convene a joint working group on counter terrorism, in New Delhi next year to discuss all issues related to terrorism and other transnational crimes. 

Both sides also agreed to start negotiations on a mutual legal assistance treaty in criminal matters (MLAT) in December this year and consider a transfer of sentenced persons agreement (TSP). 

Del Rosario also committed to push for the immediate ratification of a Philippines-India extradition treaty. 

They also committed to increase exchanges in military training and education. The two sides agreed to step up cooperation in combating non-traditional threats through exchange of experiences and capacity building in areas like disaster management, food security and pandemics. 

The Philippines side welcomed the cash support of $100,000 provided by India side for disaster relief following the recent devastating earthquake in that country. 

Secretary Del Rosario also briefed Minister Khurshid on the developments in the West Philippine Sea. Minister Khurshid expressed support for a peaceful resolution of the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea dispute consistent with freedom of navigation and the rule of law, the statement said. 

Del Rosario reiterated the invitation of the Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino to Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit this country. Welcoming the invitations, Khurshid said that President Mukherjee looked forward looked forward to his visit to the Philippines in 2014. 

Given that personal equations matter in such issues, both Khurshid and Del Rosario hit it off like old friends to start a new chapter in bilateral relations, Indian Ambassador Amit Dasgupta told IANS. 

Read more at: India, Philippines set to upgrade ties, reinvigorate relations | Firstpost


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## Cossack25A1

Old news but this is the only thread about PH navy, thus this is the latest news about the PH military

-----

Korea Navy Donates Pohang-Class Corvette to Philippine Navy >> Naval Today

*The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) will decommission a Pohang-class corvette (PCC) by year end for donation to the Philippine Navy, yet another sign of the two countries’ growing defense cooperation, according to the Philippine Embassy in Seoul.*

Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin said the warship follows the acceptance by the Armed Forces of the Philippines of an earlier ROKN donation of a landing craft utility and 16 rubber boats.

Secretary Gazmin, who was on official visit to South Korea from May 29 to 31, was accompanied by the new Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S Hernandez.

South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwang-jin remarked at the start of the meeting at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul’s Yonsan-gu that Secretary Gazmin is the defense secretary he has met with the most.


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## Cossack25A1

South Korean firm sole bidder in DND’s assault vehicle deal | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

*South Korean firm sole bidder in DND’s assault vehicle deal *

MANILA, Philippines - Only one company joined last week’s bidding for the purchase of eight brand new amphibious assault vehicles worth P2.5 billion for the Marines.

South Korean firm Samsung Techwin offered to supply the vehicles for P2.42 billion, lower by P76.5 million than the approved budget.

The Department of National Defense (DND) Bids and Awards Committee has declared the company as the “single calculated bidder” for the project.

However, Samsung Techwin cannot be declared the winning bidder until it hurdles the post-qualification phase to determine whether the supplier is capable of undertaking the project.

If Samsung Techwin wins the bidding, it is required to deliver the vehicles within 910 days upon opening of the letter of credit, which assures the supplier that the government will fulfill its obligations.

The bidding held last May 15 was the second time that the DND tried to look for suppliers for the vehicles.

The first bidding was held last November, but it failed because it did not attract any offer.

At that time, Samsung Techwin bought bid documents but did not submit an offer.

The amphibious assault vehicle acquisition project is one of the items to be bankrolled by the Revised Armed Forces Modernization Program contained in a law signed by President Aquino in 2012.

------

I would prefer BMP-3 armed with 30mm cannon for troop transport and 100mm cannon-armed version for anti-tank/amphibious fire support over the AAVP as the PH Marine Corps lacks fire power and the only "anti-tank" vehicle the Marine Corps has is the LAV-300 armed with 90mm gun and a "re-activated" LVTH-6.

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## Aepsilons

@WebMaster , @Aeronaut , 

Sirs, can we make this thread into a sticky?


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## Pinoy

*Credible defense posture within Noy's term -Gazmin*
By Camille Diola (philstar.com) | July 29, 2014







Members of Naval Special Operations Group and Naval Air Group conduct heliborne training at Sangley Point, Cavite in July 2014. *Navy/Danny Pata

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will attain a minimum credible defense posture within the term of President Aquino, which will end in 2016, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said.*

In an interview with Philstar.com, Gazmin said that efforts to modernize the military have taken great strides the past years with heavier spending on procurement of assets.

"Kitang kita naman. Maraming nangyari na mula noon hanggang ngayon, napakarami nang nagawa," Gazmin said Monday after Aquino's State of the Nation Address in Batasan.

"By the time matapos ang presidente, maa-attain natin ang minimum defense posture. By his term ends, 2016," he added.

*The international community has urged the Philippines to build the defense capabilities enough to effectively respond to border threats amid maritime dispute over the South China Sea with China and disaster situations.*

The Armed Forces' internal peace and security plan states that "territorial defense is an inherently platform and resource-intensive activity, which entails substantive costs."

Justin Goldman, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said that besides physical upgrades, the Philippine government should also address bureaucratic friction between the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy.

"While [the government's Coast Watch South] effort highlighted the lead role of the Philippine Navy, the Navy remained resentful towards the PCG because although the latter is smaller, it is better funded," Goldman said in a Banyan Analytics brief.

The armed forces also begun its pivot from internal security concerns such as the crisis sparked by rebels in Mindanao to external defense buildup, especially in the maritime domain.

Goldman said that the shift contributes to attaining a credible posture but it must require "sustained investment and political will."

"Certainly the country must address shortcomings in its ability for humanitarian response to disasters, but the Aquino Administration’s effort to establish minimum credible defense in contested waters must endure," Goldman added.

In his SONA, Aquino cited developments in security the past year, in acquiring eight Sokol Combat Utility Helicopters, three AgustaWestland-109 helicopters and Philippine-made landing craft utility ship BRP Tagbanua.

The country also placed into service two refurbished Navy cutters and four UH-1 helicopters, while Naval Forces West's command center in Palawan was completed.

Aquino said the Department of National Defense targets to acquire 8 Bell combat utility helicopters, 10 more Power choppers, two light-lift and three medium-lift aircrafts and a radar system in the following years.

Two of the 12 FA-50 lead-in fighter trainer jets, meanwhile, are set to be delivered in 2015.

Credible defense posture within Noy's term -Gazmin | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com







*
PRESIDENT AQUINO ADVANCES 2015 BUDGET FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH
July 30, 2014

From the Department of Budget and Management




*

_ Abad: Proposed P2.606-trillion 2015 Budget signals brighter development prospects_

President Benigno S. Aquino III—through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)—today submitted the government’s proposed P2.606-trillion 2015 National Budget to Congress, in fulfillment of the Administration’s commitment to further facilitate rapid, inclusive, and sustainable growth in the country.

*The Administration’s proposed expenditure program for 2015 is 15.1 percent higher from the current year’s P2.265-trillion budget, representing 18.4 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and reflecting the jump in the Administration’s growth assumption of 7.0-8.0 percent for 2015.*

“Our proposed spending program is an expression of the President’s unerring commitment to bring inclusive socio-economic development to the people. In 2011, we started our budget reform agenda from the jump-off point of good governance, with the end goal of lifting more Filipinos out of poverty.

“It has been four years since President Aquino assumed his position, and the 2015 proposed Budget—aptly themed _Kaunlaran Para sa Lahat_—shows the progression of our priorities. Now that we’ve set many of the critical foundations of good governance, we’re working harder at bringing inclusive growth to the country through transparent, accountable, and participatory budgeting,” Budget and Management Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said.

According to Abad, the 2015 Budget takes off from the achievements that the Administration has so far recorded over the last four years, including various fiscal reform accomplishments, as well as several groundbreaking investments in social protection and economic services.

*“The Philippines was once considered the weak man of Asia, so to speak. By now, however, we’ve earned quite a reputation as one of the region’s most promising economies, given the expansion of our GDP and our unprecedented governance gains.

“This time around, the challenge is for us to make public spending even more efficient and effective, especially in the wake of the previous year’s calamities. Thousands of Filipinos are still recovering from the effects of Super Typhoon Yolanda and other disasters that struck the country in 2013, and this budget—in line with the Administration’s Philippine Development Plan—will carefully account for these communities’ needs. No one should be left behind; this principle is the driving force of our 2015 expenditure program,”* Abad said.

President Aquino advances 2015 Budget for inclusive growth | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines

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## Cossack25A1

While this was reported back in April 2014, this is the latest news on the supposedly newest line of metro rail transit in Manila

San Miguel eyes 2018 completion of MRT7

If only political bickering was stopped, red-tapes are removed, foreigners are 100% fully allowed to invest here in the Philippines and had Metro Manila transformed into a single entity rather than as a conglomeration of nearly 20 cities, this project would have began around 2013 and ended by 2016-2017.



Pinoy said:


> *Credible defense posture within Noy's term -Gazmin*
> By Camille Diola (philstar.com) | July 29, 2014
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Members of Naval Special Operations Group and Naval Air Group conduct heliborne training at Sangley Point, Cavite in July 2014. *Navy/Danny Pata
> 
> MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will attain a minimum credible defense posture within the term of President Aquino, which will end in 2016, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said.*
> 
> In an interview with Philstar.com, Gazmin said that efforts to modernize the military have taken great strides the past years with heavier spending on procurement of assets.
> 
> "Kitang kita naman. Maraming nangyari na mula noon hanggang ngayon, napakarami nang nagawa," Gazmin said Monday after Aquino's State of the Nation Address in Batasan.
> 
> "By the time matapos ang presidente, maa-attain natin ang minimum defense posture. By his term ends, 2016," he added.
> 
> *The international community has urged the Philippines to build the defense capabilities enough to effectively respond to border threats amid maritime dispute over the South China Sea with China and disaster situations.*
> 
> The Armed Forces' internal peace and security plan states that "territorial defense is an inherently platform and resource-intensive activity, which entails substantive costs."
> 
> Justin Goldman, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said that besides physical upgrades, the Philippine government should also address bureaucratic friction between the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy.
> 
> "While [the government's Coast Watch South] effort highlighted the lead role of the Philippine Navy, the Navy remained resentful towards the PCG because although the latter is smaller, it is better funded," Goldman said in a Banyan Analytics brief.
> 
> The armed forces also begun its pivot from internal security concerns such as the crisis sparked by rebels in Mindanao to external defense buildup, especially in the maritime domain.
> 
> Goldman said that the shift contributes to attaining a credible posture but it must require "sustained investment and political will."
> 
> "Certainly the country must address shortcomings in its ability for humanitarian response to disasters, but the Aquino Administration’s effort to establish minimum credible defense in contested waters must endure," Goldman added.
> 
> In his SONA, Aquino cited developments in security the past year, in acquiring eight Sokol Combat Utility Helicopters, three AgustaWestland-109 helicopters and Philippine-made landing craft utility ship BRP Tagbanua.
> 
> The country also placed into service two refurbished Navy cutters and four UH-1 helicopters, while Naval Forces West's command center in Palawan was completed.
> 
> Aquino said the Department of National Defense targets to acquire 8 Bell combat utility helicopters, 10 more Power choppers, two light-lift and three medium-lift aircrafts and a radar system in the following years.
> 
> Two of the 12 FA-50 lead-in fighter trainer jets, meanwhile, are set to be delivered in 2015.
> 
> Credible defense posture within Noy's term -Gazmin | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *PRESIDENT AQUINO ADVANCES 2015 BUDGET FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH
> July 30, 2014
> 
> From the Department of Budget and Management
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> 
> _ Abad: Proposed P2.606-trillion 2015 Budget signals brighter development prospects_
> 
> President Benigno S. Aquino III—through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)—today submitted the government’s proposed P2.606-trillion 2015 National Budget to Congress, in fulfillment of the Administration’s commitment to further facilitate rapid, inclusive, and sustainable growth in the country.
> 
> *The Administration’s proposed expenditure program for 2015 is 15.1 percent higher from the current year’s P2.265-trillion budget, representing 18.4 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and reflecting the jump in the Administration’s growth assumption of 7.0-8.0 percent for 2015.*
> 
> “Our proposed spending program is an expression of the President’s unerring commitment to bring inclusive socio-economic development to the people. In 2011, we started our budget reform agenda from the jump-off point of good governance, with the end goal of lifting more Filipinos out of poverty.
> 
> “It has been four years since President Aquino assumed his position, and the 2015 proposed Budget—aptly themed _Kaunlaran Para sa Lahat_—shows the progression of our priorities. Now that we’ve set many of the critical foundations of good governance, we’re working harder at bringing inclusive growth to the country through transparent, accountable, and participatory budgeting,” Budget and Management Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said.
> 
> According to Abad, the 2015 Budget takes off from the achievements that the Administration has so far recorded over the last four years, including various fiscal reform accomplishments, as well as several groundbreaking investments in social protection and economic services.
> 
> *“The Philippines was once considered the weak man of Asia, so to speak. By now, however, we’ve earned quite a reputation as one of the region’s most promising economies, given the expansion of our GDP and our unprecedented governance gains.
> 
> “This time around, the challenge is for us to make public spending even more efficient and effective, especially in the wake of the previous year’s calamities. Thousands of Filipinos are still recovering from the effects of Super Typhoon Yolanda and other disasters that struck the country in 2013, and this budget—in line with the Administration’s Philippine Development Plan—will carefully account for these communities’ needs. No one should be left behind; this principle is the driving force of our 2015 expenditure program,”* Abad said.
> 
> President Aquino advances 2015 Budget for inclusive growth | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines



Since the Philippine Army would prefer more M113s then this modification of the said M113 seem suitable for the Philippine army.

http://www.combatreform.org/FSCV_003.jpg

No Male Tanks: U.S. OUT-GUNNED ON THE NON-LINEAR BATTLEFIELD?


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## C130

Philippines needs a strong navy with a credible air force, but I don't see how you all can afford it in the next decade or two.
pretty much at the mercy of invading Chinese.
I honestly don't feel no love for the Pinoy for what they did in the 90's, snuffed their noses at us.


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## eazzy

Philippines still lives in the old world. Hopefully the next leadership will understand.


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## Zero_wing

eazzy said:


> Philippines still lives in the old world. Hopefully the next leadership will understand.



Try newly industrial country sir old world my foot


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## xunzi

Who allow the Philippines to buy weapon ? Why don't you use the money to feed those in need during the Typhoon?

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## Cossack25A1

^Ironically, that question is like asking why other poor countries buy weapons instead of feeding people.

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## JayMandan

xunzi said:


> Who allow the Philippines to buy weapon ? Why don't you use the money to feed those in need during the Typhoon?



Nah, we have China to help us during calamities. They would even send their pride hospital ship. Yay!

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## JayMandan

C130 said:


> Philippines needs a strong navy with a credible air force, but I don't see how you all can afford it in the next decade or two.
> pretty much at the mercy of invading Chinese.
> I honestly don't feel no love for the Pinoy for what they did in the 90's, snuffed their noses at us.



Do you even know what happened during that time? The people did not kick you out. One recent poll even says Filipinos like America more than Americans do lol.

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## Aepsilons

JayMandan said:


> Do you even know what happened during that time? The people did not kick you out. One recent poll even says Filipinos like America more than Americans do lol.



True, from my readings, it was the oligarchs in the Philippine Senate that defeated the populists by 1-2 votes in closing the bases. Am i right?

The calamities in Pinatubo was used as pretext.


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> True, from my readings, it was the oligarchs in the Philippine Senate that defeated the populists by 1-2 votes in closing the bases. Am i right?
> 
> The calamities in Pinatubo was used as pretext.



Yup, the Senate voted to kick the bases out due to misguided nationalism and because the oligarchs want the country for themselves thus any reforms will be shot down immediately.

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## Zero_wing

and maoist in congress under the pay roll of you know who



xunzi said:


> Who allow the Philippines to buy weapon ? Why don't you use the money to feed those in need during the Typhoon?



Because you people are threat and we need to defend ourselves two those are different things which money has been properly allocated for and three your a d bag so read the topic before you post and lastly why questin something so obvious are you brain dead or something oh wait your chinese troll of course you are.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> True, from my readings, it was the oligarchs in the Philippine Senate that defeated the populists by 1-2 votes in closing the bases. Am i right?
> 
> The calamities in Pinatubo was used as pretext.



Well thats what happens if maost runs congress and morons try to think of themsevles not the country


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## xunzi

JayMandan said:


> Nah, we have China to help us during calamities. They would even send their pride hospital ship. Yay!


It just shows our heart and generosity even to an enemy. 



Zero_wing said:


> Because you people are threat and we need to defend ourselves two those are different things which money has been properly allocated for and three your a d bag so read the topic before you post and lastly why questin something so obvious are you brain dead or something oh wait your chinese troll of course you are.


Threat of what? How can we be a threat when we have not involved in a war for over 30 years? LOL You think a couple aircraft you bought is going to scare us from defending our position in South China Sea?


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## terranMarine

xunzi said:


> It just shows our heart and generosity even to an enemy.


The punishments the Japanese war criminals received reflects this statement


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## Nike

@Nihonjin1051 no need to made this thread a sticky, we will rarely heard their military modernization programme

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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> @Nihonjin1051 no need to made this thread a sticky, we will rarely heard their military modernization programme



Most funds for military modernization ends up in the pockets of generals and some admirals here while the current funds we have for modernization are of dubious origins... though one theory that Filipino netizens have as to why the sudden acquisition of weapons other than because of the China in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea/Whatever-name-Sea is that it is a way to silently put-down any coup attempts against Aquino specially due to current issues of about the usage of national funds.

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## Nike

Cossack25A1 said:


> Most funds for military modernization ends up in the pockets of generals and some admirals here while the current funds we have for modernization are of dubious origins... though one theory that Filipino netizens have as to why the sudden acquisition of weapons other than because of the China in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea/Whatever-name-Sea is that it is a way to silently put-down any coup attempts against Aquino specially due to current issues of about the usage of national funds.



Once upon a time, in South East Asia we always heard and maybe reading in some old book sections about the three power house in military matter. They are Philippine, Thailand and Indonesia. The Philippine armed forces is powerful enough, they have hundreds modern fighter, dozens of fighter bomber, dozens of capable warships and potent cadre and logistic support in which their industrial base in homeland giving the armed forces sufficient funds and support for their wartime operation. Surely there is something wrong when we see the sorry state of PAF today. 

I would love to see the potent and modern PAF in future, there is a lot of thing must to do. And just like what i said before something about Reformation or even people revolution. There is something wrong about your democracy


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## Genesis

madokafc said:


> Once upon a time, in South East Asia we always heard and maybe reading in some old book sections about the three power house in military matter. They are Philippine, Thailand and Indonesia. The Philippine armed forces is powerful enough, they have hundreds modern fighter, dozens of fighter bomber, dozens of capable warships and potent cadre and logistic support in which their industrial base in homeland giving the armed forces sufficient funds and support for their wartime operation. Surely there is something wrong when we see the sorry state of PAF today.
> 
> I would love to see the potent and modern PAF in future, there is a lot of thing must to do. And just like what i said before something about Reformation or even people revolution. There is something wrong about your democracy



just wondering can I also use the argument some like to use with China on Mao and the other country, how since Mao never apologized why should they.

Well, we did almost nothing that resulted in anything even remotely major or affected the Philippines in any meaningfully negative way, but if what you say is true, the Filipino government screwed their people far more than we have or will do in the future.


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> Once upon a time, in South East Asia we always heard and maybe reading in some old book sections about the three power house in military matter. They are Philippine, Thailand and Indonesia. The Philippine armed forces is powerful enough, they have hundreds modern fighter, dozens of fighter bomber, dozens of capable warships and potent cadre and logistic support in which their industrial base in homeland giving the armed forces sufficient funds and support for their wartime operation. Surely there is something wrong when we see the sorry state of PAF today.
> 
> I would love to see the potent and modern PAF in future, there is a lot of thing must to do. And just like what i said before something about Reformation or even people revolution. There is something wrong about your democracy



Well one of the main reasons why the Philippine military is said to be one of the most well-equipped in South-east Asia is because of the presence of the US military and that other reason is a much more stable economy. Then came the 1980s political turmoil which was worsened by the so-called People Power Revolution in 1986 and the failure of the successor of the Marcos Administration, the first Aquino administration. The 1990s would have made some economic reforms as well as a plan to modernize the military but the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis came, followed by the Abu Sayyaf threat and eventually the Second People Power in 2001. From then on, the economic situation of the Philippines is like a see-saw while the military modenization program halted or slowed down. Reliance in the remittances of the Overseas Filipino Workers have become the norm but it is a very risky policy that should be changed immediately.

The problem with "Philippine democracy" lies in the Filipino-interpretation of "Democracy:" they equal it to something similar to anarchy with some equal Democracy to a movement which only returned the old oligarchy back to power and lastly, the idea of Democracy being free from any foreign power and local dictators. In fact, our government is no longer a democracy but a hybrid of oligarchy and plutocracy and I am not sure if there is this term of "Showbiztocracy."

Well the only update on the PH Air Force is that it bought eight new Augusta-Westland AW109s and twelve KAI FA-50 which will arrive around late-2014 to 2016.

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## Nike

Cossack25A1 said:


> Well one of the main reasons why the Philippine military is said to be one of the most well-equipped in South-east Asia is because of the presence of the US military and that other reason is a much more stable economy. Then came the 1980s political turmoil which was worsened by the so-called People Power Revolution in 1986 and the failure of the successor of the Marcos Administration, the first Aquino administration. The 1990s would have made some economic reforms as well as a plan to modernize the military but the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis came, followed by the Abu Sayyaf threat and eventually the Second People Power in 2001. From then on, the economic situation of the Philippines is like a see-saw while the military modenization program halted or slowed down. Reliance in the remittances of the Overseas Filipino Workers have become the norm but it is a very risky policy that should be changed immediately.
> 
> The problem with "Philippine democracy" lies in the Filipino-interpretation of "Democracy:" they equal it to something similar to anarchy with some equal Democracy to a movement which only returned the old oligarchy back to power and lastly, the idea of Democracy being free from any foreign power and local dictators. In fact, our government is no longer a democracy but a hybrid of oligarchy and plutocracy and I am not sure if there is this term of "Showbiztocracy."
> 
> Well the only update on the PH Air Force is that it bought eight new Augusta-Westland AW109s and twelve KAI FA-50 which will arrive around late-2014 to 2016.



there is some Sokol helos, 21 secondhand UH-1 Huey, 3CN-295, 3CN-212, 114 M-113 ex US army and two Gregorio de Pillar in the list of assigned contract and yet 2 SSV makassar class.

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## Aepsilons

Also, don't forget the 12 F-50 Eagles that will be coming from South Korea.


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> there is some Sokol helos, 21 secondhand UH-1 Huey, 3CN-295, 3CN-212, 114 M-113 ex US army and two Gregorio de Pillar in the list of assigned contract and yet 2 SSV makassar class.



Aside from the 114 M-113 APCs, there are 10 M-113 with 76mm gun taken from Scorpions CVR-T and 10 M-113s with a remote-operated 25mm autocannon although these are only for combating insurgents and not enough to take let's say ZBD-05s and ZLT-05s and I am not sure on how effective Airtronic RPG-7s against modern armor like the Type 96G and Type 99A; something must complement the RPG-7 like Carl Gustaf M3 or Mk. 153 SMAW.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Also, don't forget the 12 F-50 Eagles that will be coming from South Korea.



We should also consider the JAS 39 Gripen because if we rely on the US, the chances are we are going to get F-16A, an older version of the F-16.

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## Cossack25A1

We should really consider this: 8 Questions About the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, Answered

Maybe we can also secretly enrich uranium to compensate for something.


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## NarThoD

lol dont play secret with US, otherwise you'll ended up embargoed and sanctationed and it will make ur country far worse than now


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## Zero_wing

xunzi said:


> It just shows our heart and generosity even to an enemy.
> 
> 
> Threat of what? How can we be a threat when we have not involved in a war for over 30 years? LOL You think a couple aircraft you bought is going to scare us from defending our position in South China Sea?



Ya sure lets see making military bases is one using force is two and threating war with almost all of your niegbours is three so ya suck it and last that statement of yours is just full of bs arrogance and your asking me why? how arrogant you are


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## Cossack25A1

NarThoD said:


> lol dont play secret with US, otherwise you'll ended up embargoed and sanctationed and it will make ur country far worse than now



Well I doubt we can enrich anything even in secret, that nuke plant has been mothballed for nearly 30 years.


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## NarThoD

Any news about Gripen for philippines? i heard philippines considering gripen for their multirole fighter?


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## Cossack25A1

NarThoD said:


> Any news about Gripen for philippines? i heard philippines considering gripen for their multirole fighter?



No news about that as at the moment, we bought FA-50 from South Korea.


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## NarThoD

any possible plan for AFP to aquire MBT's? maybe seconhand T-55/T-72 are quite cheap, maybe less than a million dollar and i think USA wont have problem with few tanks for AFP


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## Cossack25A1

NarThoD said:


> any possible plan for AFP to aquire MBT's? maybe seconhand T-55/T-72 are quite cheap, maybe less than a million dollar and i think USA wont have problem with few tanks for AFP



There are no plans to acquire MBTs for the PH Army because of some reason involving Philippine terrain which is just full of BS as wheeled vehicles are worse in muddy terrain. The only alternative to MBTs are either the Swedish CV90120-T or Polish PL-01 Light tank. I am not counting M113s with 76mm gun or even 90mm gun as these type of gun is not enough to fight MBTs head on.

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## Nike

Cossack25A1 said:


> There are no plans to acquire MBTs for the PH Army because of some reason involving Philippine terrain which is just full of BS as wheeled vehicles are worse in muddy terrain. The only alternative to MBTs are either the Swedish CV90120-T or Polish PL-01 Light tank. I am not counting M113s with 76mm gun or even 90mm gun as these type of gun is not enough to fight MBTs head on.



yes those bullshit is prevailing too in Indonesia, talking about Indonesia terrain doesn't suit for MBT operations. I think Philippine can afford to operate some MBT battalion (maybe T-72 series or Leo 2's) they are quite a deterrence and booster morale for your army when fighting against insurgents.

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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> yes those bullshit is prevailing too in Indonesia, talking about Indonesia terrain doesn't suit for MBT operations. I think Philippine can afford to operate some MBT battalion (maybe T-72 series or Leo 2's) they are quite a deterrence and booster morale for your army when fighting against insurgents.



I guess T-72 derivatives would be better like the Polish PT-91 "Twardy" or Ukranian T-84 "Oplot" though the Leopard 2 is a bit expensive and I am not expecting from the Americans as they might likely offer the oldest variants of M60 Pattons; those M113s we acquired are second-hand American M113s that are in storage, another "hands-me-down" weapon system.

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## xunzi

Zero_wing said:


> Ya sure lets see making military bases is one using force is two and threating war with almost all of your niegbours is three so ya suck it and last that statement of yours is just full of bs arrogance and your asking me why? how arrogant you are


Making military base to defend ourselves mean we are threatten others? You know what is real threat? It is you bringing the US into the picture and allow them to base their military to target us. That is a threat! We are a reactionary force. You provoke us first, so we respond. It is that simple.

I am not kidding when I said we are the most peaceful loving country on earth. With our size and power, you would think we should be more aggressive to defend ourselves but we are not. Only 1% of GDP spent on military, the lowest of all P5. In fact, some of the lowest in the world. We are very nice to our neighbors. If this is the US or India, they annex first and then offer you the left over to negotiate.


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## bdslph

Philippines will have to spend a lot more in billions USD but at the same time keep it tranparents from corruption as it is full of it in armed forces sadly 

after theFA50 PH will have to look for long range plane which can be deployed near spartly island
F18 F15 expensive but will do the trick 
for normal use buy the F16 cd version or Jas39 Gripen which is excellent for the PH


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## Cossack25A1

bdslph said:


> Philippines will have to spend a lot more in billions USD but at the same time keep it tranparents from corruption as it is full of it in armed forces sadly
> 
> after theFA50 PH will have to look for long range plane which can be deployed near spartly island
> F18 F15 expensive but will do the trick
> for normal use buy the F16 cd version or Jas39 Gripen which is excellent for the PH



JAS 39 Gripen would be better as it would be brand new unlike F-15s, F-16s and F/A-18s which are likely the older models (F-16A, F-15A, F/A-18A) and are re-furbished. We should also consider the Rafale fighter because of the same reason as the Gripen.

I just hope that the government will be transparent enough as many netizens here in the Philippines are pushing for the "Freedom of Information" bill.


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## Cossack25A1

Also, I wonder, is there a way to separate the economic "updates" from this topic?


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## Zero_wing

NarThoD said:


> any possible plan for AFP to aquire MBT's? maybe seconhand T-55/T-72 are quite cheap, maybe less than a million dollar and i think USA wont have problem with few tanks for AFP



Yes but its still on Phase three of the modernization plan according to the DND (Department of National Defense) the Philippines is on Capability upgrade going to full blown Modernization so currently we are rebuilding our current and old capabilities like upgrading equipments, replacing iteams, training, etc while buying new assets like the Ships we are buying in your country for PN (Philippine Navy) SSV Project and the MACPACS and the Frigate Project and the PAF LIFT and New COIN aircraft program so we are still studying the possibility of MBT but most in the DND and AFP does not like the Idea of MBT since we are country of Islands but the Idea is still being studied right now its just upgrade to credible defense


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Yes but its still on Phase three of the modernization plan according to the DND (Department of National Defense) the Philippines is on Capability upgrade going to full blown Modernization so currently we are rebuilding our current and old capabilities like upgrading equipments, replacing iteams, training, etc while buying new assets like the Ships we are buying in your country for PN (Philippine Navy) SSV Project and the MACPACS and the Frigate Project and the PAF LIFT and New COIN aircraft program so we are still studying the possibility of MBT but most in the DND and AFP does not like the Idea of MBT since we are country of Islands but the Idea is still being studied right now its just upgrade to credible defense



I remember reading somewhere that the new COIN aircraft was supposed to be procured from Brazil, specifically the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano, any news from it? I only keep hearing and reading the FA-50 from South Korea.


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## Zero_wing

xunzi said:


> Making military base to defend ourselves mean we are threatten others? You know what is real threat? It is you bringing the US into the picture and allow them to base their military to target us. That is a threat! We are a reactionary force. You provoke us first, so we respond. It is that simple.
> 
> I am not kidding when I said we are the most peaceful loving country on earth. With our size and power, you would think we should be more aggressive to defend ourselves but we are not. Only 1% of GDP spent on military, the lowest of all P5. In fact, some of the lowest in the world. We are very nice to our neighbors. If this is the US or India, they annex first and then offer you the left over to negotiate.



No your not peace loving your just ask everyone if you believe in the bull its yours own so good luck second actions speaks louder than words no one believe that the current actions you guys are making is not at all peace and the So called PLA is not making things better your leaders alone are advocating war like it would help so those alone says a lot and evidence that you are not a peaceful country that and your country history of war is not helping too second we brough the US here to help defened us from you because you guys never negotiate you just intemidate and lie about trying to negotiate and dont tell me otherwise because that's just propaganda aka bull and other point negotiate what its ur EZZ our Exclusive Economic zone what is their to negotiate? the UNCLOS is clear on those matters and china delcared its theres and no one else over the whole sea which is a first in history no other country has done it only china does and negotiate means your willing to give compromise to any one china just said they own the whole sea so tell me were is compromise here? That sir is what negotiations means willing to compromise to benefit all so were is the comprimise? If your claiming the whole sea? 

So you can say your propaganda but no one here believes you as we say here in the Philippines ang mali ay mali kahit baliktarin mo ang mondo mali pa rin (what is wrong is wrong even if you trun the world up side down its still wrong) so if you keep insisting on this no one is going to believe you because your country is not willing to real work things with other countries.



Cossack25A1 said:


> I remember reading somewhere that the new COIN aircraft was supposed to be procured from Brazil, specifically the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano, any news from it? I only keep hearing and reading the FA-50 from South Korea.



On the Super Tucano no formal news about it but its one of the top contenders but the FA 50 is already pick as the PAF new LIFT figther we now studying and preparing the bidding for the figther planes while the Gripen is the top chioce for many Pilots and DND officials but no word has been given yet as of now


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## bdslph

there is a lot people who will say PH dont have moeny that is a big lie to buy expensive aircraft
as i was saying F18 F15 the model i am talking abt are not the old one they will be the latest spec including the F16 
Rafael i am not sure because it is expesnive and many countries turn it down
better to go for the Jasgripen and F16 cd 50 52 
but if u want in for the coastal line then best twin engine


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## Zero_wing

bdslph said:


> there is a lot people who will say PH dont have moeny that is a big lie to buy expensive aircraft
> as i was saying F18 F15 the model i am talking abt are not the old one they will be the latest spec including the F16
> Rafael i am not sure because it is expesnive and many countries turn it down
> better to go for the Jasgripen and F16 cd 50 52
> but if u want in for the coastal line then best twin engine



Sir we can buy planes but we cant maintain or train or equip them our funds are too limited so we only have these methods to consider buy in small numbers but it takes time or lease to own them or just lease them so far we pick buying in limited numbers in terms of euipment and upgrading the rest remember we working on limted funds impose by congress (they the one setting budgets in government and apporves of it) but at less we improve our budget now we added 10 billion more to the modernization efforts but maintains the thrid place of the DND (which one of the highest budget in the whole national budget for 2015) but still its still short so we can buy but maintain and train and equip is a whole different story so we make due by buying small and setting budget to a already smaller budget and that's why we have Defense cooperation agreements with other countries to help fill the gap on the training part as example of making due of our limitation.


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## Cossack25A1

bdslph said:


> there is a lot people who will say PH dont have moeny that is a big lie to buy expensive aircraft
> as i was saying F18 F15 the model i am talking abt are not the old one they will be the latest spec including the F16
> Rafael i am not sure because it is expesnive and many countries turn it down
> better to go for the Jasgripen and F16 cd 50 52
> but if u want in for the coastal line then best twin engine



We do have money, sadly it is in the pockets of generals and admirals. I did read in blogs about PH military that the F/A-18 was considered aside from F-16. Between the two, the F/A-18 is a better option than the F-16.


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## Nike

Zero_wing said:


> Sir we can buy planes but we cant maintain or train or equip them our funds are too limited so we only have these methods to consider buy in small numbers but it takes time or lease to own them or just lease them so far we pick buying in limited numbers in terms of euipment and upgrading the rest remember we working on limted funds impose by congress (they the one setting budgets in government and apporves of it) but at less we improve our budget now we added 10 billion more to the modernization efforts but maintains the thrid place of the DND (which one of the highest budget in the whole national budget for 2015) but still its still short so we can buy but maintain and train and equip is a whole different story so we make due by buying small and setting budget to a already smaller budget and that's why we have Defense cooperation agreements with other countries to help fill the gap on the training part as example of making due of our limitation.



Philippine has the potential, you has been known as a major power in ASEAN back in 60 decades, your GDP is twice larger than Vietnam. The only thing you people need is a Revolution, mentally and structurally.

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## Zero_wing

Sir excuse me but that wrong one we need to build what we lose two we to build infracture and support system like better utilities and service and lower our taxes to encourage more investors (again no more chinese please) to the Philippines.


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> Philippine has the potential, you has been known as a major power in ASEAN back in 60 decades, your GDP is twice larger than Vietnam. The only thing you people need is a Revolution, mentally and structurally.



Not only mentally and structurally but also culturally - the reason for the restrictions on foreign investors lies on how we interpret our own history. For some reason, we just can't overcome hating what Spain did despite that what the Spanish did from the 16th century to the 19th century is basically what the local politicians and church has been doing. Even if we have an improved mentality and better structures, if that cultural inferiority doesn't disappear, then the development would be reversed. another aspect of culture we have to change is the "Bahala na" mentality which translates "Leave it to God or some deity" and mediocrity.

I just hope people here in the PH would also make changes culturally.


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## sweetouch

You sure have some money. You have a higher GDP than Pakistan yet you have poor defense. You need to topple your government and change the system.


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## Cossack25A1

sweetouch said:


> You sure have some money. You have a higher GDP than Pakistan yet you have poor defense. You need to topple your government and change the system.



We could have, sadly many Filipinos still believe on the crap the local media controlled by the oligarchy here, brainwashed by the Aquino government.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Not only mentally and structurally but also culturally - the reason for the restrictions on foreign investors lies on how we interpret our own history. For some reason, we just can't overcome hating what Spain did despite that what the Spanish did from the 16th century to the 19th century is basically what the local politicians and church has been doing. Even if we have an improved mentality and better structures, if that cultural inferiority doesn't disappear, then the development would be reversed. another aspect of culture we have to change is the "Bahala na" mentality which translates "Leave it to God or some deity" and mediocrity.
> 
> I just hope people here in the PH would also make changes culturally.



The part of our outlook of foriegn investors in pair with our past i agree but sir revolution is not really need what we need new blood in politics but that alone is not enough we the people need to do our share but majority of people are not helping at all.

Will all due respect kabayan but i reject majority of our opnion just adding a friendly anti thesis sir nothing personal


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> The part of our outlook of foriegn investors in pair with our past i agree but sir revolution is not really need what we need new blood in politics but that alone is not enough we the people need to do our share but majority of people are not helping at all.
> 
> Will all due respect kabayan but i reject majority of our opnion just adding a friendly anti thesis sir nothing personal



The only alternative we have is the election, but with the current trend, I don't know if the people will vote for the right people; we had the chance to do so back in 2010 but something happened a year before that influenced people on who to vote.

I just hope nothing will happen in the coming months and in 2015 because if something happens before 2016 that involves blood, expect a revolution.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> The only alternative we have is the election, but with the current trend, I don't know if the people will vote for the right people; we had the chance to do so back in 2010 but something happened a year before that influenced people on who to vote.
> 
> I just hope nothing will happen in the coming months and 2015 because if something happens before 2016 that involves blood, expect a revolution.



Losing our fate in democracy is like losing fate in change we are in the right derection but we need to make the change ourselves


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Losing our fate in democracy is like losing fate in change we are in the right derection but we need to make the change ourselves



Well I can't say if what we have is a democracy - sure we were free from Marcos dictatorship which did improve the standings of the Philippines until 1980s but after the 1986 People Power, the old oligarch that Marcos installed (only to be replaced with his own) regained their influence in Philippine politics. Worse, many actors and actresses are planning to run for political positions, from City councilors to Senators.

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## Zero_wing

True but not the whole truth because new people are running and actors and actress thing not all of them are bad but then again many fail to win anyway again never lose hope


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## xunzi

Zero_wing said:


> No your not peace loving your just ask everyone if you believe in the bull its yours own so good luck second actions speaks louder than words no one believe that the current actions you guys are making is not at all peace and the So called PLA is not making things better your leaders alone are advocating war like it would help so those alone says a lot and evidence that you are not a peaceful country that and your country history of war is not helping too second we brough the US here to help defened us from you because you guys never negotiate you just intemidate and lie about trying to negotiate and dont tell me otherwise because that's just propaganda aka bull and other point negotiate what its ur EZZ our Exclusive Economic zone what is their to negotiate? the UNCLOS is clear on those matters and china delcared its theres and no one else over the whole sea which is a first in history no other country has done it only china does and negotiate means your willing to give compromise to any one china just said they own the whole sea so tell me were is compromise here? That sir is what negotiations means willing to compromise to benefit all so were is the comprimise? If your claiming the whole sea?
> 
> So you can say your propaganda but no one here believes you as we say here in the Philippines ang mali ay mali kahit baliktarin mo ang mondo mali pa rin (what is wrong is wrong even if you trun the world up side down its still wrong) so if you keep insisting on this no one is going to believe you because your country is not willing to real work things with other countries.


Our peaceful policy is back by evidence and result, not by threat of words.


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> True but not the whole truth because new people are running and actors and actress thing not all of them are bad but then again many fail to win anyway again never lose hope



The thing is that the "new people" in politics are related by blood (even as cousins and distant relatives) to current politicians who may have been sheltered when they were raised - Noynoy Aquino is one such case and he even have mental health issues and the paper should have been released around 2011 to early 2014 and not only recently.

Hell, we even have an "OJT senator" in the Senate, a senator who shamelessly plagiarizes speeches and threatens to ban the Internet, a 90-year old senator who should have been retired and a senator who likely sold us to China, these aside from the "traditional" corrupt Senators and Representathieves, some of which happen to be closeted-Communists.

If Pacquiao wins in 2016 as a Senator and KriSTD gets a political position, the whole Philippine government will become a joke in the international stage. Consider this, only the rich can advance in this country and has monopoly over power. Do you think that these politicians will remain here in the Philippines when SCO attacks the Philippines? Hell no! They will run to Uncle Sam's backyard like cowards while others will make cheesy statements then run like cowards and live in luxury while the common Filipino are being fed by the thousands to the Chinese war-machine.

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## bdslph

Zero_wing said:


> Sir we can buy planes but we cant maintain or train or equip them our funds are too limited so we only have these methods to consider buy in small numbers but it takes time or lease to own them or just lease them so far we pick buying in limited numbers in terms of euipment and upgrading the rest remember we working on limted funds impose by congress (they the one setting budgets in government and apporves of it) but at less we improve our budget now we added 10 billion more to the modernization efforts but maintains the thrid place of the DND (which one of the highest budget in the whole national budget for 2015) but still its still short so we can buy but maintain and train and equip is a whole different story so we make due by buying small and setting budget to a already smaller budget and that's why we have Defense cooperation agreements with other countries to help fill the gap on the training part as example of making due of our limitation.



well sadly it will take time a long time


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## Nike

seriously Phil has politicians like this guy?

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## JayMandan

madokafc said:


> seriously Phil has politicians like this guy?


We have lots of them to be honest with you.


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## Aepsilons

Politicians like these should do the nation a favor and commit hara kiri.
A las, I don't think Philippines knows what hara kiri is, does she?


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## Nike

JayMandan said:


> We have lots of them to be honest with you.



seriously, you people need to get rid those kind of politicians. They will kill you in long term

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## JayMandan

madokafc said:


> seriously, you people need to get rid those kind of politicians. They will kill you in long term


We did try to kill each other so many times for change. The last one resulted in the presidency of Gloria Arroyo. And look what she did to our country... Sadly all sides of our politics are corrupt fighting for supremacy so we're not going anywhere unless someone stands in between. We do have one person, only if runs for president in which he openly declined, that would surely change or country's direction namely Rodrigo Duterte. An extremist mayor of the city of Davao in Mindanao. I really hope he runs.

Mobile Site Preview

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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> seriously Phil has politicians like this guy?



He belongs (or at least affiliated) to the Communist Party of the Philippines, the political wing of the Maoist "New People's Army" and some of us here in the Philippines suspect he receives "foreign" money in secret.



madokafc said:


> seriously, you people need to get rid those kind of politicians. They will kill you in long term



We could but the only way to do that is to start a Libya-style uprising as some politicians have their own armed militia: one perfect example is that Ampatuan guy who is responsible for the Maguindanao Massacre.



JayMandan said:


> We did try to kill each other so many times for change. The last one resulted in the presidency of Gloria Arroyo. And look what she did to our country... Sadly all sides of our politics are corrupt fighting for supremacy so we're not going anywhere unless someone stands in between. We do have one person, only if runs for president in which he openly declined, that would surely change or country's direction namely Rodrigo Duterte. An extremist mayor of the city of Davao in Mindanao. I really hope he runs.
> 
> Mobile Site Preview


Sadly, he honestly mentioned that he is not cut out to run the whole Philippines.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Politicians like these should do the nation a favor and commit hara kiri.
> A las, I don't think Philippines knows what hara kiri is, does she?



Sadly, Catholic culture prevents us from prevent from committing honorable suicide and besides, even without that Catholic culture, these people are too shameless to do anything aside from lying and be corrupt.


-----

*To all Pinoy users here, just a question. Would you agree to have Noynoy Aquino to be elected for a second term if given the chance?*

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## Cossack25A1

Air Force chopper in Cabinet execs' convoy crashes | Nation, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines *(UPDATED)* — A recently-acquired Polish-made Philippine Air Force helicopter, traveling as part of the convoy of Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, crash landed in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur on Thursday.

Capt. Franco Suelto, spokesman of the 1st Army Division, said the pilot managed to maneuver the helicopter and saved its 11 passengers, including 4th Army Division chief, Maj. Gen. Ricardo Visaya.

The chopper's crewmember, Staff Sgt. Darius Valdez and a bystander identified as Santiago Savedra were hurt. The bystander was hit by a debris from the chopper, Suelto said.

Roxas, meanwhile, sent messages to members of the media who were inquiring if he was among the passengers of the helicopter.

"Hi all. Thanks for your text queries. Secretary Volts [Gazmin] and I are safe. An [Armed Forces of the Philippines] Sokol providing area security crashed," Roxas said in a text message to reporters.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya said in an interview with radio dzBB that the cause of the crash around 2:30 p.m. is still being investigated.

Canaya also clarified that the chopper took a precautionary landing shortly after it took off from Marawi City en route to Cagayan de Oro City.

"Hindi ito land crash," the official said.

Canaya added that the chopper did not record any defects after it was acquired brand new in 2012.

The entire fleet of the Air Force's Sokol helicopters were grounded following the incident. - reports from Cecille Suerte Felipe, Alexis Romero and Camille Diola

Suelto, meanwhile, said that the chopper that made an emergency landing was part of a four-helicopter convoy carrying Roxas, Gazmin and Energey Secretary Jerico Petilla.

He said the incident happened about a kilometer away from Camp Ranaw.

“The helicopter barely took off when the incident happened. It was fortunate that the pilot managed to maneuver and made a force-landing,” suelto said.*- reports from Roel Pareño, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Alexis Romero and Camille Diola*


*-----*

The mentioned helicopter is the Polish PZL W-3 Sokół


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## Nike

the Sokol, i think the main frame is still intact and not much damage has been done


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> the Sokol, i think the main frame is still intact and not much damage has been done



Either it is either pilot error or mechanical failure or "ran out of fuel."


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## Reashot Xigwin

* DND Wants Additional P10-B for Military Modernization Program *




_ DND needs P20 billion for this year but, only P10 billion was funded to the General Appropriations (photo : AFPwillRise)_

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) is looking for additional P10-billion supplemental budget for the modernization of the Armed Forces. This is to fill in the amount that was not provided to the AFP modernization program for this year.

Fernando Manalo Defense Undersecretary, said to The STAR that DND needs P20 billion for this year but, only P10 billion was funded to the General Appropriations. An additional budget is on top of the annual national budget passed by Congress.
In 2012, President Aquino signed a contract allocating P75 billion worth of fund for the first five years of the military’s modernization program alone. The next year budget offered by Malacañang required P20 billion for the Armed Forces Modernization Program.

The stated amount will be given and managed by the defense secretary and shall be completely used to fund the modernization projects itself.

The allotment of the funds will only be released once the DND submits to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) the recommendation of the bids and awards committees for the award of agreements. As soon as the funds become available, a notice of award will be issued to a winning bidder.

The DND is obliged to submit to the budget department, the House of Representatives appropriations committee and the Senate finance committee quarterly reports on carrying out of the program.

So far, the administration has completed 37 military upgrade project amounting P9.2 billion. But there are still expected modernization equipment to be acquired this year.Fourteen projects worth P6.2 billion are slated for accomplishment before the year ends.

(ABS CBN News)

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## Zero_wing

madokafc said:


> seriously Phil has politicians like this guy?



Well his partlylist rep his not really a politician but his worse a maoist his working with NPA a terrorist group in the Philippines his part of the so called parliamentary struggle. They menace



Cossack25A1 said:


> Either it is either pilot error or mechanical failure or "ran out of fuel."



Strong wind it happens if that was the case then the whole batch would have fall years ago



madokafc said:


> seriously, you people need to get rid those kind of politicians. They will kill you in long term



Thats the failure part of democracy but still its the best we can always change the Government its give and take system but saidly some people dont understand this part of the system but slowly we improving



xunzi said:


> Our peaceful policy is back by evidence and result, not by threat of words.



Ha sure military bases in my country unauthorized invasion stealing resources etc very peaceful 

man you people are not good in the propaganda department are you look man whatever help you people sleep at night but the truth is truth and no amount of bull that post will change.

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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Well his partlylist rep his not really a politician but his worse a maoist his working with NPA a terrorist group in the Philippines his part of the so called parliamentary struggle. They menace



And they are very noisy in front of the US Embassy everytime a news that involves Americans and local issues breaks out. Had he been active during Marcos' time, he would be barking behind bars somewhere in Taguig.

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## Zero_wing

Amen this people is paid by the chinese maoist meance too well anyway they nothing but troublemakers


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Amen this people is paid by the chinese maoist meance too well anyway they nothing but troublemakers



I am sure you have heard about the "MV Karagatan" ship which would have armed the CPP-NPA.

Anyways, I always wonder if there is a way or even possible to merge those old M101 howitzers into the back of a truck or modifying decommissioned FV-101s just to have this howitzers.


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## Zero_wing

Too much recoil


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## NarThoD

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Politicians like these should do the nation a favor and commit hara kiri.
> A las, I don't think Philippines knows what hara kiri is, does she?


lol i dont know hara kiri? what does it mean?


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## Cossack25A1

NarThoD said:


> lol i dont know hara kiri? what does it mean?



A Japanese form of suicide rite where one must commits a suicide using a blade if one commits an act that is dishonorable and could bring shame to his family.



Zero_wing said:


> Too much recoil



I see, anyways, I remember reading somewhere that the Americans are planning to make a prototype vehicle, specifically the Stryker that uses tracks. I think the government or someone should consider developing the vehicle in the picture below but instead of wheels, it should have tracks, the soldiers go out at the rear and has upgraded armor and guns, relying less on wheeled vehicles and relying less in importing weapons.

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## Zero_wing

Old project we have new project self reliance projects


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## Bienvenido

Cossack25A1 said:


> *To all Pinoy users here, just a question. Would you agree to have Noynoy Aquino to be elected for a second term if given the chance?*


Aquino needs this term extension because once he steps out in 2016 he will surely be charged with plunder and put behind bars like former Pres Estrada and and Arroyo.

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## Bienvenido

madokafc said:


> seriously Phil has politicians like this guy?





Zero_wing said:


> Well his partlylist rep his not really a politician but his worse a maoist his working with NPA a terrorist group in the Philippines his part of the so called parliamentary struggle. They menace


That guy will only sell the Philippines to China. He will give our controlled (Spratly) Kalayaan islands to China. He showed no interest in showing his disgust against China's moves. In fact he defended it just like other paid maoist group who are also associated with him.


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## xunzi

Zero_wing said:


> Ha sure military bases in my country unauthorized invasion stealing resources etc very peaceful
> 
> man you people are not good in the propaganda department are you look man whatever help you people sleep at night but the truth is truth and no amount of bull that post will change.


We build our military base in our controlled island, what is the problem here? Can you leave us alone? Stop poking at our business or we cock your head. LOL


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## JayMandan

xunzi said:


> We build our military base in our controlled island, what is the problem here? Can you leave us alone? Stop poking at our business or we cock your head. LOL



And yet that ship we intentionally grounded inside your territory is still there. Will you please do something about it?


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## xunzi

JayMandan said:


> And yet that ship we intentionally grounded inside your territory is still there. Will you please do something about it?


LOL that junk is like a dead rock. Why should we waste our ammo to sink it?


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## Oldman1

xunzi said:


> LOL that junk is like a dead rock. Why should we waste our ammo to sink it?



That junk is holding a couple of foreign soldiers in Chinese territory in your eyes. What are you going to do about it?

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## Bienvenido

That is only one obstacle for China`s open attack to the Philippine military or civilian assets whether these Philippine assets are superior or inferior in military capacity, the long standing MDT especially the Article 4 that gives power to the US to act...an attack on the Philippine registered air, ships or land especially if that is a military assets will be an attack also to the US sovereignty.


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## Aepsilons

The Philippines is enforcing the Sierra Madre forward outpost? What's the updates on that?


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## xunzi

Oldman1 said:


> That junk is holding a couple of foreign soldiers in Chinese territory in your eyes. What are you going to do about it?


That junk sit on an open ocean. Are you sure it sits on our control territory? LOL


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## Nike

Bienvenido said:


> That is only one obstacle for China`s open attack to the Philippine military or civilian assets whether these Philippine assets are superior or inferior in military capacity, the long standing MDT especially the Article 4 that gives power to the US to act...an attack on the Philippine registered air, ships or land especially if that is a military assets will be an attack also to the US sovereignty.



US will not always can be depended upon, as you can see they have their own problems and National Interest. Your country is a sovereign one, it's defend shouldn't depend on another country's military might.


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## Bienvenido

madokafc said:


> US will not always can be depended upon, as you can see they have their own problems and National Interest. Your country is a sovereign one, it's defend shouldn't depend on another country's military might.


I agree that we should not solely depend on US. But right now we need help from our allies (US, Japan, S.Korea etc) while we are still in the process of building our credible defense.

What I just want to say is that the U.S. has a defense treaty with the Philippines and it honors its obligations. To not do so would do irreparable harm to its position worldwide. Its commitment to other alliances (e.g. NATO,Japan, S.Korea, Australia) would be called into question. U.S. guarantees would lose their value.


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## Oldman1

xunzi said:


> That junk sit on an open ocean. Are you sure it sits on our control territory? LOL



Thats funny, so its not in an area you controlled right now even though you claim all of SCS.


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Old project we have new project self reliance projects


Well, modifications in that MX-1 such as turning it into something similar to the Stryker series but uses tracks instead of wheels which will allow the Philippine Army to acquire such vehicles without relying on foreign imports though re-developing that vehicle would likely require some foreign assistance. Who knows, if the blue pritns of the Santa Barbara project and merge it to a re-developed MX-1, we may have something that is similar to Russia's TOS-1 vehicle.

Anyways, I have always wondered as to whether is it possible to make a man-made island over Benham plateau.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> The Philippines is enforcing the Sierra Madre forward outpost? What's the updates on that?



Nothing much, aside from logistics issue (aerial dropping of supply of transporting the said supply by boat) and that the whole "ship" is rusting with holes.

Wrecks, rats and roaches: Standoff in the South China Sea -- CNN.com

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## Zero_wing

Bienvenido said:


> Aquino needs this term extension because once he steps out in 2016 he will surely be charged with plunder and put behind bars like former Pres Estrada and and Arroyo.



The current constitution the 1987 constitution does not allow second terms for Presidents And its Filipino and how President Aquino is good President but he doe


xunzi said:


> We build our military base in our controlled island, what is the problem here? Can you leave us alone? Stop poking at our business or we cock your head. LOL



Well your invading that's the problem you dont belong here and i thought your peaceful that sound more like threat to me so go ahead to it so the world can see you people for you people really are if you have control over the military oh wait its the party the neo nazi party of china which has control over its army not the people or the state my mistake.


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## Zero_wing

xunzi said:


> LOL that junk is like a dead rock. Why should we waste our ammo to sink it?



Wow what happen to your clam way of propaganda i told you before you suck at propaganda work so just oh wait your part of the PLA 50 cent army right? so good luck saving your @$$ hehehehe


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## Genesis

Cossack25A1 said:


> Nothing much, aside from logistics issue (aerial dropping of supply of transporting the said supply by boat) and that the whole "ship" is rusting with holes.
> 
> Wrecks, rats and roaches: Standoff in the South China Sea -- CNN.com



lol, I think Chinese ships should just share rations with Philippines marines, I mean damn. Trapped there is really a cruel and unusual punishment.

Does the Philippines have a better plan than what hippies do which is lying on the ground motionless while police drag them away.

I thought Chinese frontier marines had it hard.....

Also why does everyone say they will defend. Against what? 130mm rounds? I don't think guns work in this scenario.


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## Aepsilons

Genesis said:


> lol, I think Chinese ships should just share rations with Philippines marines, I mean damn. Trapped there is really a cruel and unusual punishment.
> 
> Does the Philippines have a better plan than what hippies do which is lying on the ground motionless while police drag them away.
> 
> I thought Chinese frontier marines had it hard.....
> 
> Also why does everyone say they will defend. Against what? 130mm rounds? I don't think guns work in this scenario.



The moment Chinese military fires on the Filipino marines, it will initiate the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States. 

You have a war not just with the Philippines, but the United States. 

If the United States is attacked, we, their ally, have the moral responsibility to come in their defense. 

That means, you fire on Filipino marines = United States and Japan comes in. 

That would be, in my conservative opinion, poor Chinese strategic calculus.

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## Genesis

Nihonjin1051 said:


> The moment Chinese military fires on the Filipino marines, it will initiate the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States.
> 
> You have a war not just with the Philippines, but the United States.
> 
> If the United States is attacked, we, their ally, have the moral responsibility to come in their defense.
> 
> That means, you fire on Filipino marines = United States and Japan comes in.
> 
> That would be, in my conservative opinion, poor Chinese strategic calculus.



Let me ask you something, do you see us firing rounds at Philippines. Then why talk like we are 10 seconds away from it. Besides what is the US going to do really, powerful yes, but we both have MAD, so we would both keep our distance, it's not a coincidence, no major wars have happened since the invention of nukes. 

Since we didn't fire on Philippines, it's obvious we are waiting for more development. 

Why do you keep bring up the Mutual defense thing, we don't care of its validity, we assume that it's good enough. Whether America would respond is irrelevant, we assume America would.

The final brick that would cement Chinese has arrived on the world stage is not to beat the Philippines, it's to one up the US. 


Now I wouldn't necessarily mean war, since MAD means bad for both.


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## Aepsilons

Genesis said:


> Let me ask you something, do you see us firing rounds at Philippines.



To quote what you said in this thread, _*"Also why does everyone say they will defend. Against what? 130mm rounds? I don't think guns work in this scenario."*_

If and when China attacks Philippine marines , it will receive a conventional response from the United States and Japan. The end result will, unfortunately, be contrary to Chinese interests.


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## Genesis

Nihonjin1051 said:


> To quote what you said in this thread, _*"Also why does everyone say they will defend. Against what? 130mm rounds? I don't think guns work in this scenario."*_
> 
> If and when China attacks Philippine marines , it will receive a conventional response from the United States and Japan. The end result will, unfortunately, be contrary to Chinese interests.



Yes, and that's not true? If I were to say Fire on them bastards, that be in line with your thinking. US constantly says Chinese navy is no match for US blah blah blah and even you posts how Japanese navy will rock the PLAN from time to time, can I take that as a declaration of war.


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## Cossack25A1

Which is why it is better for both side to restraint each other from shooting each other unless one of the claimants would want to take the gamble and risk itself on doing something reckless which would end badly.


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## xunzi

Zero_wing said:


> Wow what happen to your clam way of propaganda i told you before you suck at propaganda work so just oh wait your part of the PLA 50 cent army right? so good luck saving your @$$ hehehehe


Man, go eat banana. Leave the gun to our American friend, alright?



Oldman1 said:


> Thats funny, so its not in an area you controlled right now even though you claim all of SCS.


If we are serious about anything inside the 9-dash line as our territorial water, don't you think we would shoot any boat trespassing without our permission?


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## Zero_wing

Genesis said:


> lol, I think Chinese ships should just share rations with Philippines marines, I mean damn. Trapped there is really a cruel and unusual punishment.
> 
> Does the Philippines have a better plan than what hippies do which is lying on the ground motionless while police drag them away.
> 
> I thought Chinese frontier marines had it hard.....
> 
> Also why does everyone say they will defend. Against what? 130mm rounds? I don't think guns work in this scenario.



Really more like preventing them to be resupplied and that is for us to do and for you people to figure out and do that then the MDT is in effect good luck



xunzi said:


> Man, go eat banana. Leave the gun to our American friend, alright?
> 
> 
> If we are serious about anything inside the 9-dash line as our territorial water, don't you think we would shoot any boat trespassing without our permission?



Again with the bananas dude learn to read facts about the Philippines then talk to me second banana are health but you dont know anything about do you? And again china does not know anything so if you continue to insist on your illegal illogical claims well good luck with that.

The chinese former here need some real world education but that's impossible for them too bad for them.


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## Zero_wing

Genesis said:


> Yes, and that's not true? If I were to say Fire on them bastards, that be in line with your thinking. US constantly says Chinese navy is no match for US blah blah blah and even you posts how Japanese navy will rock the PLAN from time to time, can I take that as a declaration of war.



Wow super racist alert really dude the Philippine Marines are the best combat alfit in the Philippines they more better weapons than the army so thats going to be hard and those ships our any chinese attack will be uphill battle and since American forces are here with in 24hrs even if you push the out or kill them all the MDT will be in force and good luck with world war 3


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Wow super racist alert really dude the Philippine Marines are the best combat alfit in the Philippines they more better weapons than the army so thats going to be hard and those ships our any chinese attack will be uphill battle and since American forces are here with in 24hrs even if you push the out or kill them all the MDT will be in force and good luck with world war 3



Marines need armored Boghammars armed in similar manner as WW2-era P.T. Boats.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Marines need armored Boghammars armed in similar manner as WW2-era P.T. Boats.



they dont need to they are marines they are the navy's army thats the navy's job but the marines have more better weapons than the army does with the new barrets and the new assualt rifles they can defend their possition for now


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> they dont need to they are marines they are the navy's army thats the navy's job but the marines have more better weapons than the army does with the new barrets and the new assualt rifles they can defend their possition for now


Maybe other weapons too like Carl Gustav gun and Airtronic RPG-7 just to increase firepower.


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## Nike

Zero_wing said:


> they dont need to they are marines they are the navy's army thats the navy's job but the marines have more better weapons than the army does with the new barrets and the new assualt rifles they can defend their possition for now



What i can see about Phil Marines is their sorry state and condition today, no firepower, no ISR support, no modern tactical doctrine per-se utilizing combined arms, no C4ISR capability, augmented with corrupt politician at home and their ranks is filled with corrupt general ready to bash and steal their own soldiers logistics supply. You should more honest about your own armed forces conditions, this way you can putting up more critics and giving more suggestions and recommendation for better Phil. armed forces. Honestly i can't see it from your comments.


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> What i can see about Phil Marines is their sorry state and condition today, no firepower, no ISR support, no modern tactical doctrine per-se utilizing combined arms, no C4ISR capability, augmented with corrupt politician at home and their ranks is filled with corrupt general ready to bash and steal their own soldiers logistics supply. You should more honest about your own armed forces conditions, this way you can putting up more critics and giving more suggestions and recommendation for better Phil. armed forces. Honestly i can't see it from your comments.



Which is why the PH Marine Corps should also opt for BMP-3s, helicopters such as AH-1 Cobras as well as anti-tank weapons such as Carl Gustav recoiless guns, Mk. 153 SMAWs and RPG-7s, along with better training, communications gear and protective gear just to increase the capability of the PhMC. Sadly, the generals and admirals are heavily involved in Philippine politics.


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## Oldman1

xunzi said:


> If we are serious about anything inside the 9-dash line as our territorial water, don't you think we would shoot any boat trespassing without our permission?



There is a difference between serious and actually able to enforce it. But from you are saying the 9 line dash is joke to you.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Maybe other weapons too like Carl Gustav gun and Airtronic RPG-7 just to increase firepower.


We have no carl gustav in the marines inventory we have law weapons and the airtronic RPG is only for the army



madokafc said:


> What i can see about Phil Marines is their sorry state and condition today, no firepower, no ISR support, no modern tactical doctrine per-se utilizing combined arms, no C4ISR capability, augmented with corrupt politician at home and their ranks is filled with corrupt general ready to bash and steal their own soldiers logistics supply. You should more honest about your own armed forces conditions, this way you can putting up more critics and giving more suggestions and recommendation for better Phil. armed forces. Honestly i can't see it from your comments.



No actual the marines are better armed than the army plus better train and the few compare to the army and they funded more plus no corruption maybe a few years ago but not today


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> We have no carl gustav in the marines inventory we have law weapons and the airtronic RPG is only for the army
> 
> 
> 
> No actual the marines are better armed than the army plus better train and the few compare to the army and they funded more plus no corruption maybe a few years ago but not today



Which is why the PH Marine Corps must also acquire those weapons or at least similar weapons that are cheaper. I think the LAW weapon is the Armbrust, possible replacement for that weapon are either Panzerfaust 3 or Matador, the latter being a weapon based from the Armbrust. With the exception to the AAVP-7, if we cannot give amphibious fighting vehicles (such as BMP-3) to the Marines, we should at least give them better anti-armor and anti-materiel weapons.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Which is why the PH Marine Corps should also opt for BMP-3s, helicopters such as AH-1 Cobras as well as anti-tank weapons such as Carl Gustav recoiless guns, Mk. 153 SMAWs and RPG-7s, along with better training, communications gear and protective gear just to increase the capability of the PhMC. Sadly, the generals and admirals are heavily involved in Philippine politics.



Well we going there if you been monitoring the credible minimum defense projects of the AFP you would know.
as far is equipment goes they far better equip now from assualt rifles to presonnel protection to comminications the have good anti tank and anti material weapons too they still keep older modified weapons but majority are new ones as for air support thats the job of the Navy air corp and the airforce as part of the credible defense program the Aw109 can droop troops and the Anti sub helicopters can also support air strikes (still in bidding but the AW159 Wildcat naval helicopter is strong contender) and also we have the AAV7 amphibious assault vehicle (korean version for the SSV project)

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Which is why the PH Marine Corps must also acquire those weapons or at least similar weapons that are cheaper. I think the LAW weapon is the Armbrust, possible replacement for that weapon are either Panzerfaust 3 or Matador, the latter being a weapon based from the Armbrust. With the exception to the AAVP-7, if we cannot give amphibious fighting vehicles (such as BMP-3) to the Marines, we should at least give them better anti-armor and anti-materiel weapons.



Well the Laws are pretty much effective but and yes there are plans to replace them but no bids yet becuase the Navy and the Airforces projects must good first and the PMC still have projects to bid off to but like the Army since the Navy air corp and the Airforce did buy the same helicopters the AW109 project which both them bought so maybe after the Army is finish with the deliever of Amercian RPGs maybe the PMC can do the samething but since they have some difference in mission profiles i think the Spike ER or the new version of the Spike would be bought by the PMC with the Army following because they asking for bigger specification then the Army which sometimes the Army ignores or follows anyway as for the BMP we are currently looking at it but the Koreans since we have defense cooperation and pact with South Korea we are looking at the AAV7A1 Korean version since we are familiar with the vechicle than the BMP family of Vechicles which is something new but Russia is also asking for a bigger defense cooperation with the Philippines as of now they pushing for a defense cooperation deal with Philippines to supply the Philippines with equipment, vehicles (BMP being look at by the Philippines and offered by Russia) among others but due to the ukraine crisis and the shoot down of that Malaysian plan that killed 3 filipinos we can not say for sure if the defense cooperation pact will happen anytime soon


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Well we going there if you been monitoring the credible minimum defense projects of the AFP you would know.
> as far is equipment goes they far better equip now from assualt rifles to presonnel protection to comminications the have good anti tank and anti material weapons too they still keep older modified weapons but majority are new ones as for air support thats the job of the Navy air corp and the airforce as part of the credible defense program the Aw109 can droop troops and the Anti sub helicopters can also support air strikes (still in bidding but the AW159 Wildcat naval helicopter is strong contender) and also we have the AAV7 amphibious assault vehicle (korean version for the SSV project)



Well for the Army, we should also consider buying more ACV-300, specifically the one with a BMP-3 turret. I just feel the M113 armed with 76mm gun is not sufficient against armored vehicles.

Anyways, what about the air-defense missiles? The last time I read about it, we are in talks with Israel for the SPYDER air-defense missiles and the government is also considering the HAWK air-defense missiles.

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Well for the Army, we should also consider buying more ACV-300, specifically the one with a BMP-3 turret. I just feel the M113 armed with 76mm gun is not sufficient against armored vehicles.
> 
> Anyways, what about the air-defense missiles? The last time I read about it, we are in talks with Israel for the SPYDER air-defense missiles and the government is also considering the HAWK air-defense missiles.



No need we have alot of M113 and are new ones are armed with 90mm guns and 20mm guns with new fire control system from Israel plus new armor please read the credible defense projects of the AFP and as for the HAWK air defense no news and also for the Spyder air defense system

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## Nike

Cossack25A1 said:


> Which is why the PH Marine Corps should also opt for BMP-3s, helicopters such as AH-1 Cobras as well as anti-tank weapons such as Carl Gustav recoiless guns, Mk. 153 SMAWs and RPG-7s, along with better training, communications gear and protective gear just to increase the capability of the PhMC. Sadly, the generals and admirals are heavily involved in Philippine politics.



the willing to reform is the key, the needs of weapons is largely depend on your perception of threat and what kind of doctrine your armed forces to adopt. Basically, without knowing the essence of why some weapons is made you cannot utilize them to the full extent of their potential uses.

As an examples, the formation of Ph Marine forces today is largely composed of infantry soldiers with not withstanding amphibious armored units, without adequate infantry fire support and the most important your Navy doesn't have adequate Naval unit to protect your Marines and doesn't have any means to landing your marine forces into the shore of their intended target . But as far as i can see, the Ph Marine forces is still trying to adopt a similar way and similar doctrinal combined in arms approach of the US Marines forces as part of US Marines forces legacy had into your Marine forces.

Thus with the minimum resources you had today and doctrinal approach you had, we can deduct what the most important thing the Ph Marines right now urgently needed.

1. Your Marine need a necessary platform to doing some amphibious landing operation, thus we need an LPD or LST first, then you need Landing Craft Tank and RHIB to bring your marine forces ashore.
2. Your Marine need a necessary support from your Navy to protect their Landing Ship Platform when conduct an operation, thus your Frigate acquisition programme actually is an urgent need. But Pohang class corvette grants will give you some minor rest
3. Your marine need amphibious armored unit to giving some level of protection and firepower for the first wave of landing operation, IMHO AAV7A is actually a preferred choice over BMP-3F given the urgent need to bring more squad units with their own firepower for the first landing unit. Actually Ph more needed a battle taxi than an IFV today. 
4. Your marines need more firepower by giving more infantry fire support to the arms, thus by giving more artillery unit to Ph Marines you can deliver more punch to your adversary.

that's all i want to say, and for the portable infantry weapons, anything you has mentioned above is a capable and combat tested weapons platform.

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## kalu_miah

@WebMaster @Jungibaaz @Manticore please consider making this a sticky thread, with more than 50,000 views, I think it deserves to be one.

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## Cossack25A1

*Port congestion in Manila may lead to higher inflation, traders warn*
August 7, 2014 8:47pm

Prices of most imported goods would likely go up in the coming days due to limited supply caused by the congestion in two ports in Manila, traders and government officials warned Thursday.

Steven Cua, President of the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association Inc. (PASI), said the delay in the movement of container vans from the Manila International Container Port and the Port of Manila has already caused a significant decrease in the supply of fresh milk and detergent soap.

The limited supply of these everyday consumer goods would likely result in an increase in prices, he said in a report aired on GMA News' 24 Oras program.

A daytime truck ban in Manila and related transport problems have caused a backlog in the delivery of goods in and out of the ports in recent months, leading to the congestion.

Cua said the supply of imported raw materials used by local manufacturers was also affected by the problem.

“A lot of items mag-iincrease ng presyo kung ganun, dahil a lot of the components ng ating ginagamit pang araw-araw ay imported. In fact, may manufacturer na nagsabi, paglabas (from port) medyo sira na yung produkto nila,” Cua said.
_(A lot of items will have an inflation because a lot of components that we used everyday are all imported. In fact, a manufacturer said that their products have expired once it leaves the port._)

Emerson Palad, Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for Field Operations, also warned of a possible increase in prices of agricultural produce due to the gridlock in and around the ports.

“Maaari po na dahil sa congestion sa ports ay ma-discourage ang ilang importers na magpasok ng kanilang kalakal at magkulang ang lokal na supply at magbungsod ng posibleng pagtaas ng presyo,” Palad said in a statement.
_(It is this congestion in the ports that many importers will be discourage to import their products, leading to a low supply and would cause inflation on prices.)_

He said several traders are already complaining about the delays in the release of containers vans, which has reportedly resulted in the spoilage of goods and additional costs.

Several shipments of imported fruits and garlic remain stuck at the ports, Palad said, citing information they received from the Bureau of Plant Industry.

In one supermarket in Quezon City, prices of imported fruits such as pear, apple, orange and ponkan have begun to increase by up to 20 to 25 per cent, the 24 Oras report noted.

Fuji Apples are now at P25 per piece from the previous P20; oranges now sell at P25 per piece from P20; ponkans are at P20 from P15, and pears at P37 from P25.

*Probe sought*

On Wednesday, Senators Chiz Escudero and Bam Aquino filed separate resolutions seeking an investigation on the congestion in Manila ports, saying the situation must be resolved immediately to avoid the prospect of a nationwide “economic catastrophe.”

Aquino said the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion's forecast of a 5.8 percent to 7.2 percent export growth this year may no longer be attained because of the situation in the ports.

The senator said inefficient port operations have adversely effected free enterprise and the competitiveness of Philippine goods.

Aquino suggested that authorities look into the possibility of using the Ports of Batangas and Subic Bay as alternative drop-off points for cargo vessels.

He said Vietnam had the same problem, but was solved after cargo vessels were diverted to the alternate ports of Ben Nghe and Phu Huu, aside from upgrading the Cat Lai port.

Prof. Cayetano Paderanga of the University of the Philippines School of Economics warned that the delay in the delivery of goods might also affect the country's gross domestic product for the whole year.

“Kasi kapag yung intermediate goods or raw materials hindi nakapasok, babagal ang produksyon, titigil ang trabaho, maapektuhan yung output,” Paderanga said.
_(If the intermediate goods or raw materials are not delivered, production will slow down, jobs will stop and the output will be affected.)_

*Subic as alternative port*

Meanwhile, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and director Roberto Garcia said the port of Subic is willing to accommodate some of the container vans from Manila's ports.

“Para makatulong naman sa mga negosyante namin dito sa Subic at Central Luzon, sabi namin, bakit hindi kaya gamitin muna ang aming container port bilang storage area dahil under-utilized po ang container port namin at kasyang-kasya ang 7,000 container vans dito,” Garcia said in a phone patch interview aired on GMA News TV's “Quick Response Team”.
_(We said that, in order to helps the traders here in Subic and Central Luzon, the container port storage here in Subic should be used as a storage area as this is under-utilized and 7000 container vans (intermodal containers) can be stored here.)_

He said Subic could also accommodate ships carrying cargo for delivery in neighboring provinces.

“Ang problema diyan sa Maynila ay hindi na sila makapag-baba ng cargo dahil wala nang space na paglalagyan dahil marami pong empty containers po dun. So, this is mainly for the empty container vans and cargoes destined for Central Luzon,” Garcia said.
_(The problem as to why cargo cannot be unloaded in Manila(port) is because there is no space left for the cargo to be unloaded to as there are many empty containers there. So, this is mainly for the empty container vans and cargoes destined for Central Luzon.)_

“Imbes na makadadag pa sila sa traffic diyan sa Maynila, dapat yung cargo for Central Luzon, ideretso na nila dito,” he added.
_(This in turn increases the traffic in Manila thus all cargo bound for Central Luzon should be directed here (in Subic))_

“Marami kaming importer at exporter na mga Japanese companies, Taiwanese companies na kailangang kailangan makagamit ng Port of Subic. Mas mura ang shipping fee dito, walang truck ban, 24 hours ang operation at walang baha, so marami talagang benefits,” Garcia said.
_(We have a lot of importer and exporter coming from Japanese companies and Taiwanese companies that need to use the Port of Subic. The shipping fee here is cheaper and there is no truck ban thus the port has 24-hour continuous operation and the area is not prone to flooding, thus there are many benefits here.)_

*— Elizabeth Marcelo/NB/YA, GMA News*

*-----
Port congestion in Manila may lead to higher inflation, traders warn | Economy | GMA News Online*

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## Cossack25A1

Since no Pinoy members has posted this news which was reported last July, I guess I should post this.

------

*Phl’s tallest structure to rise in QC*

MANILA, Philippines - Plans are underway to build what could be the highest structure in the Philippines on a seven-hectare property formerly occupied by the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation (MSBF), a Quezon City official said yesterday.

Victor Endriga, senior adviser to Mayor Herbert Bautista, said in a phone interview with The STAR yesterday that they plan to build a P15 billion, 612-meter telecommunications tower that will be called the Philippine Diamond Tower.

Endriga confirmed this even as a proposed resolution regarding the development of the property owned by the National Housing Authority (NHA) was filed before the city council.

In the proposal, Councilors Jesus Manuel Suntay and Marivic Co-Pilar asked their peers to approve a resolution that will allow Bautista to enter into a joint venture agreement with the NHA.

“The Quezon City government and the (NHA) are committed and actively participating as partners in providing resettlement to (informal settler families),” read the proposed measure.

It noted that the NHA is the owner of the 69,759-square meter property that was formerly occupied by the MSBF.

Nation ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
The details on the joint venture have yet to be released. However, the councilors said the Urban Development Act of 1992 has tasked the NHA to provide assistance to the local government in implementing its housing programs.

NHA general manager Chito Cruz has yet to respond to requests for interview regarding the matter.

The city took control of the property and demolished the structures built by its occupants last year after claiming that the MSBF failed to pay real property taxes to the city government.

*No to integrated terminal*

Earlier, the Department of Transportation and Communications said they are considering the site as a possible location of an integrated transport terminal, similar to the one in Pasay City.

But according to Endriga, they are not keen on agreeing to such proposal since they have already come up with studies for the development of the Philippine Diamond Tower, which would be the second highest self-supported tower in the world next to Japan’s Tokyo Sky Free (634 meters).

When compared to tallest buildings in the world, its height would be next to Burj Khalifa in Dubai (828 meters) and Shanghai Tower in China (632 meters). It would be taller than the Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel in Saudi Arabia (601 meters) and the One World Trade Center in New York (541.3 meters).

In addition to telecommunications, Endriga said the tower will also be used for disaster risk reduction. He also admitted that a number of land developers are already in talks with the local government for the development of the other parts of the property.

He said they are looking into the possible development of hotels, shopping areas and parks in the area.

The official said the development could be a public-private partnership, and maintained that it would be beneficial for the local government and its residents as it would provide jobs and increase revenue.

He also assured safety of the proposed tower, saying they already surveyed the sturdiness of the soil and confirmed that the area is not prone to earthquakes.

“We hope to develop something that could be a pride of every Filipino,” he said.

-----

Phl’s tallest structure to rise in QC | Metro, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

----

This will be the second attempt of the PH to build a really high tower because the last one (PAGCOR Tower) went to bust as it was located in the area where airplane descent due to being in the area where the main airport (NAIA) and its potential replacement (Sangley Point) are located...and a group here in the PH rejected the idea of building a Vegas-style "amusement" area in which this tower is part of the project.


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## Zero_wing

madokafc said:


> the willing to reform is the key, the needs of weapons is largely depend on your perception of threat and what kind of doctrine your armed forces to adopt. Basically, without knowing the essence of why some weapons is made you cannot utilize them to the full extent of their potential uses.
> 
> As an examples, the formation of Ph Marine forces today is largely composed of infantry soldiers with not withstanding amphibious armored units, without adequate infantry fire support and the most important your Navy doesn't have adequate Naval unit to protect your Marines and doesn't have any means to landing your marine forces into the shore of their intended target . But as far as i can see, the Ph Marine forces is still trying to adopt a similar way and similar doctrinal combined in arms approach of the US Marines forces as part of US Marines forces legacy had into your Marine forces.
> 
> Thus with the minimum resources you had today and doctrinal approach you had, we can deduct what the most important thing the Ph Marines right now urgently needed.
> 
> 1. Your Marine need a necessary platform to doing some amphibious landing operation, thus we need an LPD or LST first, then you need Landing Craft Tank and RHIB to bring your marine forces ashore.
> 2. Your Marine need a necessary support from your Navy to protect their Landing Ship Platform when conduct an operation, thus your Frigate acquisition programme actually is an urgent need. But Pohang class corvette grants will give you some minor rest
> 3. Your marine need amphibious armored unit to giving some level of protection and firepower for the first wave of landing operation, IMHO AAV7A is actually a preferred choice over BMP-3F given the urgent need to bring more squad units with their own firepower for the first landing unit. Actually Ph more needed a battle taxi than an IFV today.
> 4. Your marines need more firepower by giving more infantry fire support to the arms, thus by giving more artillery unit to Ph Marines you can deliver more punch to your adversary.
> 
> that's all i want to say, and for the portable infantry weapons, anything you has mentioned above is a capable and combat tested weapons platform.



Sir we do have armored forces and artillery units in the PMC but the formation is small because that is what the navy wanted as standing forces of the Marines and we are geting the AAV7 vechicles and other equipment and other military items remember we are buying items from Indonesia or SSVs and other military suppliers but we following a listdue to the new modernization law and credible defense program so we have to wait.


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## MarveL

salamat....., PAGBATI........ welcome to the sticky....... pinoys

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## Zero_wing

OK welcome i guess


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Sir we do have armored forces and artillery units in the PMC but the formation is small because that is what the navy wanted as standing forces of the Marines and we are geting the AAV7 vechicles and other equipment and other military items remember we are buying items from Indonesia or SSVs and other military suppliers but we following a listdue to the new modernization law and credible defense program so we have to wait.



Well the armored forces of the PH Marine Corps consists of V-150s, LVTH-6 and LAV-300 but I think this are just light...and I mean too-light. I may have to agree with madokafc about the need of more amphibious transports and air-support platforms with the eight AAVP-7s being acquire as the first step, however we need should buy another 8 more while have vehicles like BMP-3 or other vehicles to replace the LAV-300 and LVTH-6 for fire support. We should also consider rocket artillery/MLRS-type artillery for the Marines such as the Brazilian Astros II MLRS as the Army already has too much armor and heavy weapons once the procured weapons arrive.

As for the Simba APCs we have, me thinks it is better to have those relegated to roles done by Humvees though I am not sure if the Simba APC can withstand IEDs like the MRAP vehicles.

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## MarveL

Two persons were hurt after a Sokol helicopter carrying an Army general and providing escort to Cabinet officials 

Sokol helicopter crashes in Marawi; 2 hurt
By Roel Pareño and Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) | Updated August 8, 2014 - 12:00am







MANILA, Philippines - Two persons were hurt after a Sokol helicopter carrying an Army general and providing escort to Cabinet officials crashed in Marawi City yesterday.

Army division spokesman Capt. Franco Suelto said the pilot managed to maneuver the ill-fated helicopter and saved 11 passengers, including Maj. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, chief of the 4th Army Division; 4th Infantry Division Inspector-General Col. Alexander Macario, five staff members of Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and four crew members, including the two pilots.

Injured were Staff Sergeant Darius Valdez, crew of the Sokol 921 and Santiago Savedra, a bystander who was hit by debris during the crash.

The helicopter crashed at 2:23 p.m. shortly after takeoff from the 103rd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Marawi City.

“The Sokol helicopter barely took off when the incident happened. It was fortunate that the pilot managed to maneuver and made a forced landing,” Suelto said.

The helicopter, a backup for another Sokol carrying Gazmin, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, reportedly lost control after it was buffeted by heavy winds.

“As a result of the crash, one crew from the chopper was wounded in action while another civilian was injured,” Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said.

The helicopters were en route to Cagayan de Oro City.

The other Sokol carrying the Cabinet officials arrived safely at the Langundingan Airport in Cagayan de Oro.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang has ordered Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado to determine the cause of the accident.

Visaya said he was in Marawi City to accompany Gazmin, Roxas and Petilla as they try to solve the power problems in the area.

He said the helicopter appeared to have difficulty flying around two to three minutes after it took off, at about 15 meters above ground.

“The helicopter turned left and then crashed. It did not explode so no one among us died,” Visaya said.

Suelto added the helicopter that crashed was among the eight Sokol delivered in 2012 to the Philippine Air Force. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Edith Regalado

Sokol helicopter crashes in Marawi; 2 hurt | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Cossack25A1

We should have at least an "all-weather" utility helicopter.


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## Aepsilons

@Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , @JayMandan , @Pinoy , @Nihonjin1051

Kamusta mga Amigong Pilipino,

Meron mo ba news updates sa development sa situwasyon sa Philippine Navy ? Sobrang interesado ako sa development sa PN.

Maraming na maraming salamat,
Isang Amigong Hapon,
@Nihonjin1051


PS. Anong news update sa Cebu? Kasi mahal na mahal ko Cebu Ciy!


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> @Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , @JayMandan , @Pinoy , @Nihonjin1051
> 
> Kamusta mga Amigong Pilipino,
> 
> Meron mo ba news updates sa development sa situwasyon sa Philippine Navy ? Sobrang interesado ako sa development sa PN.
> 
> Maraming na maraming salamat,
> Isang Amigong Hapon,
> @Nihonjin1051
> 
> 
> PS. Anong news update sa Cebu? Kasi mahal na mahal ko Cebu Ciy!



Magandang umaga! 

Anyways, well for the Philippine Navy, the only latest news is the transfer of a Pohang-class ship which will arrive I think 2014 or 2015.

As for Cebu, this is one of the recent news. 

------

*Cebu Business Park as model village *

Cebu Business Park as model village | Sun.Star

THE Cebu Business Park is being eyed as a model village for low carbon emission.

The Cebu City Council's committees on energy and environment nominated the Cebu Business Park as the focus area for the Low Carbon Model Town (LCMT) Project of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Councilor Nida Cabrera, chair of the committee on environment, said that Cebu Business Park initiated a clear target of carbon dioxide emission reduction and comprehensive measures to achieve the same for sustainable development.

Among the park's more notable programs are its solid waste management, lighting system, cooling system, and green grass emission management.

Another upcoming project for the Ayala development is the plan to create a terminal for the Bus Rapid Transport once implemented.

The Cebu Business Park is the lone nominee from the Philippines.

Indonesia also has one nominee.

Cabrera said that even if Cebu City doesn't get the LMTC award, at least through the nomination, Cebu City's initiatives and good practices have been acknowledged and recognized by APEC.

The LCMT project was conceptualized during the 9th APEC Energy Ministers Meeting held in Fukui, Japan on June 19, 2010.

The project aims to name cities from Asian countries that have conducted comprehensive measures to reduce Carbon dioxide emissions.

The project carries the theme, “Low Carbon Paths to Energy Security.”

The nomination was done during the APEC energy ministers meetings with Kazutomo Irie, the general manager of the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre and its members.

Also present during the meeting were representatives of the Department of Energy, Cebu City Traffic Operations Management, Cebu Business Park, Cebu Holdings Inc., Ayala Property and the Cebu Provincial Police Office. *Zash del Pilar, USJ-R Mass Com Intern*

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## xunzi

Oldman1 said:


> There is a difference between serious and actually able to enforce it. But from you are saying the 9 line dash is joke to you.


Flexibility is what we want to achieve with the 9-dash line, just as you avoid ratifying UNCLOS. It serves a purpose, my friend. Nothing is joke. We have a reason for every intention we made.


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## Aepsilons

The 9 Dash Line is not recognized by any nation besides China. Let that be known. The United States, Japan, Australia, and ASEAN, as well as the EU do not recognize it. Period.

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## Cossack25A1

By using ancient documents as basis for the claims, well if China claims the whole sea, then by that "right" alone means Italy should take control of most of the European continent, England (and I mean England only, excluding Ireland and Scotland), Israel/Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and some parts of Arabian peninsula, Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Morocco as these used to be part of the Roman Empire.

Or Iran has legal claim over what makes up the Middle East, South Asia and parts of Turkey as this used to be parts of the old Achaemenid Empire. 

Or Mexico should pursuit reclaiming Texas, New Mexico, American California, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma because these territories used to be part of Mexico before USA annexed Texas.

...and these three can already ignite a massive war, what more if the other many possible claimants decided to join in the foray.

This is the end logic.

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> By using ancient documents as basis for the claims, well if China claims the whole sea, then by that "right" alone means Italy should take control of most of the European continent, England (and I mean England only, excluding Ireland and Scotland), Israel/Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and some parts of Arabian peninsula, Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Morocco as these used to be part of the Roman Empire.
> 
> Or Iran has legal claim over what makes up the Middle East, South Asia and parts of Turkey as this used to be parts of the old Achaemenid Empire.
> 
> Or Mexico should pursuit reclaiming Texas, New Mexico, American California, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma because these territories used to be part of Mexico before USA annexed Texas.
> 
> This is the end logic.



No one, besides China, in the world recognizes their 9 dash claim. No One.


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## Viet

xunzi said:


> Flexibility is what we want to achieve with the 9-dash line, just as you avoid ratifying UNCLOS. It serves a purpose, my friend. Nothing is joke. We have a reason for every intention we made.


The only thing you achieve is instability and hostility. The next major war can happen next to your house doors. Thank you.

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## Aepsilons

Viet said:


> The only thing you achieve is instability and hostility. The next major war can happen next to your house doors. Thank you.



I just read report about how the JMSDF's 1st Escort Fleet is planning to conduct major naval exercises with the US 7th Fleet in South China Sea this coming year. 

Interesting developments. Will update later.

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## xunzi

Viet said:


> The only thing you achieve is instability and hostility. The next major war can happen next to your house doors. Thank you.


Just like our friend, United States of the World, we like to maintain flexibility and predictability near our sea. If there is a flash point, we want to maintain control and can disrupt the fire as we see fit.


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## Aepsilons

xunzi said:


> Just like our friend, United States of the World, we like to maintain flexibility and predictability near our sea. If there is a flash point, we want to maintain control and can disrupt the fire as we see fit.



How so? You cannot expand further. Do you understand how contained the PLAN is? It has always been susceptible to a pincer strategy , which, has now been realized. Do you understand this? 

You had ball, my friend. You just gave it back to us.


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## xunzi

Nihonjin1051 said:


> How so? You cannot expand further. Do you understand how contained the PLAN is? It has always been susceptible to a pincer strategy , which, has now been realized. Do you understand this?


Expand further? We are going to extend our military reach and build 5 lighthouses to watch over our properties. LOL

Like I said, you guys do what you want. We will continue to do what we want. Our goal is clear cut. We want to maintain control. Just like the oil rig. We leave on our term and come back on our term. Nobody can threaten us. LOL


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## Aepsilons

xunzi said:


> Expand further? We are going to extend our military reach and build 5 lighthouses to watch over our properties. LOL
> 
> Like I said, you guys do what you want. We will continue to do what we want. Our goal is clear cut. We want to maintain control. Just like the oil rig. We leave on our term and come back on our term. Nobody can threaten us. LOL



What oil rig? Your removed it from Vietnam's waters. No, it is apparent to both U.S.A and Japan that there must be active participation and observation in the SCS.


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## xunzi

Nihonjin1051 said:


> What oil rig? Your removed it from Vietnam's waters. No, it is apparent to both U.S.A and Japan that there must be active participation and observation in the SCS.


You didn't pay attention, did you? We basically removed the rig only after we finished our strategy and already announced that we might be back because we indeed found oil there. You can be an observers. You can equip and sell weapons to them. It is your business and your choice and we will continue to do what we want. LOL Don't you get it? We don't care what others are doing in their business and we want others to respect our position and allow us to do our things, so to speak. LOL


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## Aepsilons

xunzi said:


> You didn't pay attention, did you? We basically removed the rig only after we finished our strategy and already announced that we might be back because we indeed found oil there. You can be an observers. You can equip and sell weapons to them. It is your business and your choice and we will continue to do what we want. LOL Don't you get it? We don't care what others are doing in their business and we want others to respect our position and allow us to do our things, so to speak. LOL



LOL. You tell yourself that. In other words your government was pressured by the United States, Japan. 
Vietnam has now reclaimed the region and has increased maritime patrol command and control. 

Don't you see the strategy, dear friend?


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## xunzi

Nihonjin1051 said:


> LOL. You tell yourself that. In other words your government was pressured by the United States, Japan.
> Vietnam has now reclaimed the region and has increased maritime patrol command and control.
> 
> Don't you see the strategy, dear friend?


 Are you sure you pressure us to leave the oil rig? If we come back, does that mean your pressure is a joke? LOL

No, China Did Not Blink by Removing Its Oil Rig | The Diplomat


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## Aepsilons

xunzi said:


> Are you sure you pressure us to leave the oil rig? If we come back, does that mean your pressure is a joke? LOL
> 
> No, China Did Not Blink by Removing Its Oil Rig | The Diplomat



Ha Ha Ha. My dear friend, your side relented to the Vietnamese. You gave the tactical victory for them; they lost 1 fishing ship, but your side relented. Now, the Vietnamese Navy has all but cordoned the area, with increased coast guard patrol.

Good Job to our Vietnamese friends! ^^,


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## xunzi

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Ha Ha Ha. My dear friend, your side relented to the Vietnamese. You gave the tactical victory for them; they lost 1 fishing ship, but your side relented. Now, the Vietnamese Navy has all but cordoned the area, with increased coast guard patrol.
> 
> Good Job to our Vietnamese friends! ^^,


Don't be surprise if we come back to patrol our properties. We are in the process of building a couple more oil rigs. LOL


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## Aepsilons

xunzi said:


> Don't be surprise if we come back to patrol our properties. We are in the process of building a couple more oil rigs. LOL



LOL. Hajime, my dear friend.


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## xunzi

Nihonjin1051 said:


> LOL. Hajime, my dear friend.


I love when I talk with my friend Nihon! LOL


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## Aepsilons

xunzi said:


> I love when I talk with my friend Nihon! LOL



Oh my dear friend, trust me, I enjoy our sincere chit chats. 

It comes from both our hearts, sure.


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## Mugwop

15 Year Old Invents Device That Generates Electricity While You Walk





15-year-old Angelo Casimiro, from the Philippines, has recently made international news with a new invention that generates electricity in a very new and interesting way. The invention is a shoe insole that harnesses electricity every time that the person wearing the shoe takes a step. Angelo constructed his device using piezoelectric materials, which actually generate an alternating current voltage every time they are squeezed.According to a blog post made by the teenager, “Piezoelectricity was present ever since mid-18th century. Piezoelectricity is the electric charge that accumulates in certain solid materials (such as crystals, certain ceramics in response to applied mechanical stress.”
Young Angelo has been working hard developing this idea for the past 4 years, since he was 11 years old. Now that he believes he has perfected his invention, he is prepared to share it with the world. He started by entering the project into this year’s Google’s Science Fair, where he has become a regional finalist.
The device can be used to charge cell phones and other electronic devices, which may not sound like a big deal, but it is actually a huge innovation. Imagine never worrying about charging your cell phone ever again when you are out on vacation, at a festival or on a hike. Additionally, Angelo has made the plans for the device open sourced, so others can apply their own ideas to this concept, and possibly be able to improve this idea for wider uses.

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## Zero_wing

Oh please you have real points to make its like try to justicy how paint drys its illogical just admit it.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> @Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , @JayMandan , @Pinoy , @Nihonjin1051
> 
> Kamusta mga Amigong Pilipino,
> 
> Meron mo ba news updates sa development sa situwasyon sa Philippine Navy ? Sobrang interesado ako sa development sa PN.
> 
> Maraming na maraming salamat,
> Isang Amigong Hapon,
> @Nihonjin1051
> 
> 
> PS. Anong news update sa Cebu? Kasi mahal na mahal ko Cebu Ciy!



Wow nice taglish keep praticing man you will get the it soon as of now wala pa just the Anti sub helicopter project and the SSV project and the Marines corp projects Assault Amphibious vechicle project and the equipment project the rest is Army and Airforce


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## Cossack25A1

Palparan captured while drawing cash from ATM | The Manila Times OnlineThe Manila Times Online

*Palparan captured while drawing cash from ATM*
August 12, 2014 11:30 pm

ALL the years of hard work and painstaking intelligence gathering by an exclusive unit of military operatives under Task Force Run Away were finally rewarded yesterday morning with the arrest of the elusive fugitive, retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said he ordered a few years back the formation of Task Force Run Away, a unit under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which was solely dedicated to the manhunt and capture of Palparan.

The controversial general was spotted withdrawing cash in an automated teller machine, hours before he was arrested by combined elements of the AFP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Tuesday.

Gazmin, likewise, confirmed that Palparan sent surrender feelers last year on condition that he would only give himself up to President Benigno Aquino 3rd.

But he reportedly rejected Palparan’s condition and had not heard from him again thereafter.

AFP chief of staff Gen. Catalino Pio Catapang said he would order an investigation to determine if some active members of the military had coddled Palparan as a fugitive.

He pointed out, though, that they have no jurisdiction on retired military officers and personnel.

Catapang said he had known Palparan since the time they were young officers.

“He was really an aggressive officer, an anti-communist and he really did his job well,” Catapang said, even as he pointed out that under the rule of law, Palparan is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, meanwhile, disclosed that the New People’s Army (NPA) has a standing “shoot to kill” order against Palparan.

“The CPP-NPA has already declared him guilty and the standing order against him is ‘shoot on site’,” he added.

Palparan and three other Army personnel are charged with the 2006 kidnapping of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan.

*Strong evidence*
State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera said there are eye witnesses who can pin down Palparan, who is facing criminal raps at the Bulacan Regional Trial Court Branch 14.

“Of course, of course, [the evidence against Palparan is strong], based on the testimonies of Raymond Manalo and the other eye witnesses,” Navera told reporters.

Navera said Palparan’s arrest will expedite the resolution of the case.

Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) challenged the administration of President Benigno Aquino 3rd not to give special treatment to the retired major general, who is also known as the “notorious butcher,” after he was arrested by the NBI agents early on Tuesday.

But KMU Vice-Chairperson Lito Ustarez said Palparan should rot in jail.

“The handling of his [Palparan] case will be a test for the Aquino government and the justice system,” Ustarez said in a statement.

“We are calling on the Filipino workers and people to continue the struggle to make
Palparan accountable. Let us continue the struggle for human rights and justice,” he added.

Meanwhile, Vencer Crisostomo, Anakbayan chairperson, said the arrest of Palparan reminded them of the disappearance, torture, abduction and murder of the victims of counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya 1 and 2, a project of Palparan during the Arroyo presidency, where militant students, youth leaders, peasants and workers like Empeño, Cadapan, Cris Hugo, Ambo Guran and Farley Alcantara were arrested or abducted.

Crisostomo added that the campaign against militants continues even today under the Aquino administration’s Oplan Bayanihan.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS-Phils) cheered Palparan’s arrest.

They said Palparan led the US-backed counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay-Laya during the nine-year rule of Arroyo.

Under the program, human rights group Karapatan has documented at least 1,206 cases of extra-judicial killings and 206 victims of enforced disappearances who remain missing to this day.

*Fulfillment of a promise*
In Malacañang, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the former military general’s downfall was a “fulfillment” of Aquino’s promise.

“President Aquino promised that those who evade the law will be found. That promise to capture General Palparan has been fulfilled today,” Lacierda said.

“Today, this resolute determination has paid off, the long arm of the law has finally reached Mr. Palparan,” he stressed.

WITH ROBERTZON F. RAMIREZ AND JOEL SY EGCO

---------------

Sadly, the government would rather listen to Communists (Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front and even New People's Army) who spread lies and launch raids in the province in an attempt to gain more "followers" while their leader is in exile in the Netherlands.

The picture says:

"Dear (leftist) Activists, while you expose yourself under the scorching heat of the sun and get an untimely beating, Joma (Jose Maria Sison - leader of the CPP) who duped you into his movement is living an extravagant life in the Netherlands. What kind of STUPIDITY is that?"

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## Cossack25A1

Wooops...
-----
*30 hurt as MRT 3 overshoots barrier*
*4:24 pm | Wednesday, August 13th, 2014*

MANILA, Philippines—At least 30 people were hurt when a wayward Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT) train got derailed Wednesday afternoon after overshooting the barrier at the Taft Avenue Station on Edsa in Pasay City.

“There were 30 to 35 persons injured and they were already brought to the hospitals,” said Pasay City Mayor Antolino Calixto.

A video of the accident obtained by INQUIRER.net showed some passengers scampering to safety.

The injured were brought to San Juan de Dios Hospital, Pasay City General Hospital and Manila Sanitarium.

“Definitely there were some that suffered fractures,” he said.

The front part of the train, which usually carries women, children elderly and disabled punched through the wall.

The driver of the train is currently with MRT officials, Calixto said.
At the Pasay City General Hospital, Dr. Noel Lo said that of the injured passengers rushed there, three suffered serious injuries.

“Three were seriously injured. A man suffered fracture on his foot while the others suffered lacerations,” Lo said.

The eldest among the 20 is a 51-year-old woman.

Meanwhile in San Juan de Dios Hospital, eight individuals were admitted but their injuries were not critical.

*Coupling failure*

Hernando Cabrera, MRT spokesman, said in a radio interview that the train, which stalled between Magallanes and Taft Avenue stations due to power problem, was being pushed by another train, but the coupling that should lock the two trains got unbuckled.

Cabrera said the defective train, which gained momentum after the initial push, broke away and overshot the “wall stopper” (barrier) at Taft Avenue Station.

“We are checking if human error or not [caused the accident],” Cabrera added.

It is also worth noting that the rail tracks from Magallanes to Taft Avenue stations is a downward ride.

*MRT still operational*

Despite the accident, the MRT management said its operations remain normal, but the management said passengers should expect delays.

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) advised motorists to expect heavy traffic along the Edsa Taft intersection while the authorities clear the area.


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/628821/mrt-train-derailed-report


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## Cossack25A1

Water rationing looms in 2015 | ABS-CBN News

*Water rationing looms in 2015*
By Neil Jerome Morales, The Philippine Star
Posted at 08/13/2014 2:56 AM

MANILA, Philippines - West zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc., the country’s largest water distributor, is considering water rationing early next year should a moderate El Nino weather phenomenon hit the country in the fourth quarter of this year.

“The worst case is that we will have El Niño and we end the year below the 200 meters above sea level (MASL),” said Maynilad chief financial officer Randolph Estrellado.

He said some Maynilad customers might not be able to enjoy 24 hours of service, while others might experience a decline in water pressure given the rationing, which could last until summer.

“(The water supply) will depend on how bad El Niño will be,” he said.

Maynilad president and chief executive officer Victorico Vargas added that withdrawal of water from Angat Dam would have to be reduced to expand its usage.

Manuel Pangilinan, chairman of Maynilad’s parent firm Metro Pacific Investments Corp., said the target is for Angat Dam to end the year at 200 MASL, ideally 210 MASL, to ensure water supply in the coming year. However, El Niño will cut rainfall and typhoons in the coming months.

As of Aug. 11, water at Angat Dam was at 177 MASL. The National Water Resources Board is no longer releasing water for irrigation of rice farms.

But officials said there would be no repeat of the 2010 situation when water level at Angat Dam went down to 157 MASL, with around 322,000 Maynilad customers affected.

*Repair projects*

Vargas said non-revenue water, or water lost through leaks and theft, dropped to a record 31 percent in June from 35.3 percent in the first quarter this year, given Maynilad’s pipeline repair projects.

When MPIC took over Maynilad in 2007, non-revenue water stood at 68 percent.

“You may have to tap water treatment plant in Putatan, which is now 70 million liters per day but we should increase that capacity,” Pangilinan said, adding that Maynilad has built 28 water reservoirs in the city to help increase water supply.


-----

Sadly, this news was revealed way back in 2010, just before former president Arroyo stepped down. So what the hell did Aquino did from 2010 up to 2014, aside from blaming everyone and "hiding inside Malacanang complex to play PS3/PS4 and PSP/Vita all day"?

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business...a-water-preparing-against-2015-water-shortage


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## Cossack25A1

Bad news for the Philippines: 

VIDEO, NEWS5 EXCLUSIVE | President Aquino says he is open to Cha-Cha, 2nd term, and a weaker SC

(UPDATED 9:00 p.m.) MANILA - President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday said he is open to constitutional amendments, expressing what he perceives to be a need to clip the powers of the Supreme Court, while potentially paving the way for a second term for himself.

In an exclusive interview with News5's resident legal analyst Atty. Mel Sta. Maria, Mr. Aquino replied to this question: "_Sarado ba kayo sa pag-aamyenda ng Constitution hanggang ngayon_?" (Are you still closed to amending the Constitution until now?)

Aquino replied: "_Bago nito, bago nangyari lahat ng ito, sarado....aminado ako_ (Before all these things happened, I was closed to it, I admit that)."

"_Pero ngayon, napapag-isip ako talaga... yung tinatawag na judicial reach_ (But now, I'm seriously rethinking things. Because of the judicial reach.)"

The President stressed that he was worried that opening up the Constitution to amendments could result in some of the "good provisions" also being "diluted." Still, he noted how the 1987 Constitution mandated the Supreme Court to step into even political questions, in contrast to the setup when the Marcos-era SC refused to check the Executive on the 1972 martial law declaration because it was a "political question."

"And in fact in the 1987 Charter's martial law provision, any citizen may petition the SC as to the factual basis for the imposition of martial law," Aquino noted. "_Ang problema lang ngayon, may nagtatanong, sobra ba?_" (The problem now is, there are those who ask: Has it gone too far?)

He said under the current setup, the court can say, "_Yung kongreso, executive, kumilos kayo, pero anytime, puede namin kayong kastiguhin.._.(Congress and Executive may do their work, but we can check them anytime)." Consequently, instead of being judicious with "judicial restraint," added Aquino, "_parang masyadong madalas ginagamit_ (it seems the Court is using its powers to check other branches much too often)."

He added: "_Ngayon, yung balance between the three branches, tila nawala_." (Now, the balance between the three branches seems to be vanishing.)

Mr. Aquino alluded to the ruling on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which he said shattered the constitutional presumption of innocence before being proven guilty. He noted that the Court not only declared the DAP unconstitutional, it also excoriated the Executive's "bad faith" and the presumption of regularity of official acts.

Aquino's statement came on the eve of hearings in the House of Representatives for the judiciary's 2015 budget. Representatives of the Court, led by SC justices, were expected to attend the hearings on Thursday.

The hearings on the judiciary's budget comes amid weeks of tension between the Executive and the Judiciary following the July 1, 2014 ruling by the high tribunal, declaring unconstitutional the key planks of the President's pet economic stimulus scheme, the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

The President fired the opening salvo in the ensuing word war by openly attacking the SC in a national address aired live on television last July 14.

Then, his close allies in the House of Representatives aired moves to abolish the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF), or at least investigate how the SC has been spending it. Some allies openly talked of impeaching SC justices, reviving criticism about how the Executive "bribed" lawmakers to secure a conviction of then Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012.
Soon after, the court blocked two attempts by Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares to get copies of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of all sitting justices over the past 10 years. Court sources earlier told InterAksyon.com the request was unprecedented and smacked of a "fishing expedition."

The latest irritant between the two branches is the Judicial and Bar Council's exclusion of Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza from the list of nominees to be considered for the vacant SC seat left by the May 2014 retirement of Associate Justice Roberto Abad. Malacanang Palace wrote the SC, asking it to direct the JBC to give Jardeleza a chance to answer questions raised against him.

*Second term? PNoy will listen to 'bosses'*

Asked by News5's Sta Maria if the constitutional amendment the President is now backing would also render him open to seeking another term in office, Mr. Aquino said: "_Nung pinasukan ko ito, ang tanda ko one term of six years...Ngayon, after having said that, syempre ang mga boss ko, kelangan kong pakinggan 'yon_." (When I first got into this, I noted, one term of six years. Now, after having said that, of course I have to listen to the people.)

He quickly stressed, however: "_Hindi naman ibig sabihin..na automatic na hahabol pa ako na magkaroon pa ako ng dagdag dito, 'no_?" (That doesn't automatically mean I'll be chasing after another term, right?)

The President told Sta. Maria he wants to consult the people on one crucial question: "How do we ensure the reforms we began will become permanent?" he said in Filipino.

His response echoed the coy remarks of Lacierda last week when he was asked by Palace reporters to comment on the statement made by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to ANC, saying that if it were up to him, he'd rather have Mr. Aquino serve for another term.

Lacierda stoked intrigue over the President's openness to Roxas' float last week, even as all the talk was later quashed by Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma. Coloma said the President was in fact "counting the days" left in his term and was looking forward to being spared of the crushing burden of his office in 2016.

Lacierda did not shoot down outright the notion of a second term for Aquino despite the 1987 Constitution's term limits, but instead kept saying that it was the President's policy right from the start to "listen to his bosses," the term Aquino had used to refer to the people, since he took power in 2010.

Lacierda insisted, however, the Palace had nothing to do with a perceived "campaign" in social media to get more people to line up behind the idea of a second term for Aquino.

The 1987 Constitution is ironically called "the Cory Constitution" because it was drawn up soon after the incumbent's mother Corazon became president in 1986 with the peaceful revolt that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The former president made it her top priority to put in place a Constitution to guide the nation through the process of democratic restoration after two decades of strongman rule.

Mrs. Aquino repeatedly shot down suggestions to amend the 1987 Charter later, and mustered a huge rally at the Rizal Park in September 1997, in a bid to dissuade her hand-picked successor, then President Fidel Ramos, from tinkering with the Charter to lift term limits.

-----

His reasons for constitution change is *not to open the Philippines to foreign investors, rather, Noynoy Aquino is trying to reduce the power of the Philippine Supreme Court and likely center it to the Executive and Legislature or worse, the Legislature would allow the Executive to have more power, destroying the concept of "Separation of Powers."*

*And the fact that ABNoy now said that he will listen to his bosses (the pro-Aquino masses and "shadowy" figures in the oligarchy) means that he would likely consider to be president until 2022. I don't care if he is re-arming the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the fact that he is willing to destroy the constitution means he IS NOT FIT to be president. Since 2010, the Philippines has seen one fiasco go by, only to be followed with more fiasco and disaster!*

*To Filipino users here, if you are pro-Aquino and agree with DAP, then you are blinded by the local media!*

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## Pinoy

I think Aquino government's thrusts is only to please the oligarchs.

6 years is long enough if he sincerely want to eradicate poverty, make health and education more accessible, lower down energy costs, and lower down prices of basic commodities...in fact, having all the powers vested in him ( as president), 6 years is even too long. To effect change that is felt, we do not need programs that enriches only the rich and keep the lower sector of society waiting for the leftovers. this is not hard to understand as well.



*Saab positions to meet Philippines combat aircraft requirement*
*Jon Grevatt, Bangkok* - IHS Jane's Defence Industry

Saab is positioning itself as an early contender to meet the Philippine Air Force's (PAF's) anticipated requirement to procure a multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) platform.

The Swedish group displayed its JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft at the inaugural Asian Defence, Security & Crisis Management (ADAS) exhibition held in Manila in mid-July.

Mikael Olsson, executive vice president, Saab Asia Pacific, told _IHS Jane's_ on 31 July that although the PAF has not yet formerly announced the MRCA programme, Saab is ready to meet the requirement with the Gripen aircraft and help the PAF maximise the benefits of operating the multirole fighter.

Saab positions to meet Philippines combat aircraft requirement - IHS Jane's 360



*CAS aircraft to be armed with precision guided munitions --DND *
Friday, 08 August 2014

In line with its efforts to make its close air support (CAS) aircraft more capable, the Department of National Defense (DND) has said the plane will be armed with precision guided munitions, a kind of weaponry that can be guided by lasers to its targets.

In a supplemental bid bulletin posted on the DND website, it said this capability must be present in the designs which will be submitted by prospective bidders to the P4.9-billion CAS aircraft project.

Bid opening and submission for the CAS project has been reset to Oct. 3 from the original date of Aug. 11.

In connection with this, DND Special Bids and Awards Committee-1 chair Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said that a second pre-bid conference will be held this coming Sept. 15.

This will be held at the DND Bidding and Awards Committee Conference Room, DND Building, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Bid opening and submission will also take place at the same place.

The DND is planning to acquire six CAS aircraft to replace or beef up the Philippine Air Force's existing Rockwell OV-10 "Bronco" turboprop attack planes.

CAS refers to the capability to provide air support to infantry and naval units in contact with the enemy.

Funding for this weapon system will be sourced from the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program.

Manalo earlier said that the contract includes integrated logistic support system.

Winning bidders must be able to deliver the aircraft within 540 calendar days from contract effectivity.

Participants in the DND's CAS project must have completed a similar program within the last 10 years.

Manalo added that the CAS aircraft must be used by the countries offering and manufacturing them. (PNA)

- See more at: CAS aircraft to be armed with precision guided munitions --DND



*Two armed AW-109s to be delivered by January 2015*
by Editor 13/08/2014

Philippine News Agency – The two armed AgustaWestland AW-109 “Power” helicopters, which are intended for the use of the Philippine Navy (PN), will be delivered by January 2015.

This was revealed by PN public affairs office chief Lt. Cmdr. Marineth Domingo in a message to the PNA. “The two [armed versions] AW-109s are expected to be delivered by January 2015,” she added.

This is part of the five helicopter order from AgustaWestland inked by the Department of National Defense last year. Three of the planes were delivered in Dec. 8 and were commissioned in Dec. 20 last year. The contract is worth P1.33 billion.

The AW-109 “Power” helicopter is a three-ton class eight seat helicopter powered by two Pratt and Whitney PW206C engines.

The spacious cabin is designed to be fitted with a number of modular equipment packages for quick and easy conversion between roles.

The aircraft’s safety features include a fully separated fuel system, dual hydraulic boost system, dual electrical systems and redundant lubrication and cooling systems for the main transmission and engines.

The AW-109 has established itself as the world’s best selling light-twin helicopter for maritime missions.

It’s superior speed, capacity and productivity combined with reliability and ease of maintenance make it the most cost effective maritime helicopter in its class.

For shipboard operations the aircraft has a reinforced-wheeled landing gear and deck mooring points as well as extensive corrosion protection measures.

The ability to operate from small ships in high sea state enables the AW-109 to perform its mission when many other helicopters would be confined to the ship’s hangar.

Two armed AW-109s to be delivered by January 2015

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## Pinoy

*Philippines proposes 29% defence budget increase*

*



*

Philippine President Benigno Aquino has proposed a 2015 defence budget of PHP115.5 billion (USD2.6 billion), which according to official figures is a 29% increase over military spending in 2014.

A government statement said the proposed defence budget - announced on 30 July - amounts to 4.4% of total government spending for 2015 and 0.8% of GDP. The defence budget comprises PHP100 billion from annual government expenditures and PHP15 billion allocated towards procurement from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernisation programme.

Of the PHP100 billion, the Philippine Army will receive PHP41.2 billion while the Philippine Air Force and Philippine Navy have been allocated PHP14.6 billion and PHP13.3 billion respectively.



*Philippines DND seeks additional USD228m procurement spending*
10 August 2014

The Philippines Department of National Defense (DND) is seeking an additional PHP10 billion (USD228 million) in military procurement funding, a DND spokesman told _IHS Jane's_ on 11 August.

The funding, if secured, would be in addition to the PHP115 billion that defence was allocated in the Philippines' Fiscal Year 2015 (FY 2015) national budget, which was announced on 30 July.

The DND spokesman said the additional allocation is part of a "supplemental request" and will be used for military procurement. The extra funding would be made available by the government's Department of Budget and Management for specific purchases requested by Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and the DND's bids and awards committee.



*PH economy to grow 6.7% in 2014 – UN ESCAP*
The Philippines will end the year with private consumption- and investment-driven growth, the UN ESCAP says







MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine economy is forecast to expand by 6.7% this year, with growth to be driven by private consumption and investment, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific's (UN ESCAP) said Wednesday, August 6.

The UN ESCAP forecast is at the lower end of the government's 2014 target of 6.5% to 7.5%.

"The Philippines, in contrast to other major economies experiencing moderate growth, is forecast to experience a high growth rate of 6.7% in 2014. This is, however, lower than the strong growth performance of 7.2% in 2013 despite the destruction wrought by Typhoon Haiyan in November that year," the UN ESCAP said in its latest report.

The UN ESCAP report, "Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2014," also cited the Philippines as an example of growth driven by a conducive policy climate. It mentioned the government's significant productive public spending in infrastructure and social areas, and increased private investment.

The UN ESCAP also said that the Philippine government may need to consider relaxing its fiscal deficit gap of 2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to finance the reconstruction of Typhoon Haiyan-hit areas and to close infrastructure gaps in general.

The UN ESCAP analysis also suggests that tax revenues could be raised by about 11%.

"Among others, policies to enhance domestic resource mobilization include rationalizing the tax system to create a larger tax base, tackling tax evasion and tax fraud, and strengthening tax administration," the UN ESCAP said.

*June spending to 'support' Q2 growth*

Meanwhile, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Arsenio Balisacan said on Wednesday, August 6, that the increased spending in June can help support economic growth in the second quarter of the year.

"The manufacturing and services sectors are doing quite well. As for the agriculture sector, some crops were destroyed, so Typhoon Glenda could have dampened a bit of the growth," Balisacan said at the sidelines of the Development Budget Coordination Committee briefing on the proposed 2015 budget.

The NEDA chief added that he hopes the truck ban in Manila and the resulting cargo congestion at the Manila port would have only marginal effect on the economy, even as he suggested that these had contributed to higher prices of goods.

"[It would be best] if we would be able to solve this the soonest. I think the port problems would have contributed to the escalation of prices," Balisacan said.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, who was also at the budget briefing, said that the truck ban is not the only issue that needs to be addressed, but also the lack of capacity of Manila ports to handle all containers.

"We encourage users to use the Batangas and Subic ports. So far there has been a big improvement in the utilization of both ports," Purisima said.

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## Pinoy

*PH’s first subway system included in P602 billion worth PPP projects*
8/08/2014






Private-Public Partnership Center executive secretary Cosette Canilao said 18 major infrastructure projects worth PhP602.2 billion will be launched before June 2015.

“We have identified these 18 projects which we are to roll out by June of 2015.” These projects are among 47 PPP projects included in the pipeline.

“This is product of about two years of streamlining processes of establishing interaction between various government agencies including capacities not only in the public sector but increasing the appreciation of the private sector on PPP projects,” PPP Center executive secretary said.

One of the biggest ticket in the list is the first subway system in the country. It is a 12-kilometer underground rail line that will connect Bonifacio Global City, Makati Central Business District and the Mall of Asia in Pasay City. The project will cost P132 billion, project launching is expected on December.

Another big ticket, the biggest, is the PhP265.3 billion North-South Commuter Rail project aiming to modernize the PNR Railway system. Project is expected to be launched on November.

Included in the 18 major infrastructures are the development of airport in Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod, Laguindingan, Bohol and Puerto Princesa. These projects are expected to be open for bidding next month.



*PH exports jump 21% in June, highest in 6 months*
Aug 12, 2014

The country was the ‘top performer’ among trade-oriented economies in East, Southeast Asia





POSITIVE GROWTH. Semiconductors, which comprised more than half of the country’s total electronics exports during the period, posted its first positive growth rate in 2014. File photo by Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine exports grew at their fastest pace in 6 months in June, on the back of a rebound in electronics shipments. The country is the top exporter among “trade-oriented” East and Southeast Asian economies, according to the government.

Export earnings in June totaled $5.44 billion, up 21.3% from $4.49 billion in June 2013. This was the fastest growth since December, when exports grew 24.9%.

For the first half of 2014, exports rose 8.3% to $29.8 billion from $27.5 billion in a comparable period last year, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

The Philippines outperformed Vietnam (12.7%), People’s Republic of China (7.2%), Malaysia (5.6%), Singapore (4.7%), Thailand (3.9%), Indonesia (3.8%), Hong Kong (2.7%), Republic of Korea (2.5%), Taiwan (1.2%), and Japan (-6.5%).

“This is the highest level since the economy started posting a continuous positive growth in the same period last year. It is also way faster than the 6.9% increase in May 2014and the 4.1% in June 2013,” Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

“The export gains are broad-based, as reflected by increased overseas demand for our manufactures, mineral products, total agro-based, and forest products. This also indicates that the global economy is ready for a strong recovery,” he added.

*Top export commodities*

Shipments of the biggest export group, electronics, mainly semiconductors, rose 10.7% in June to $2.22 billion. This was a reversal of the 2.2% decline last year.

“The positive performance of semiconductor exports mirrored the upward trend in the global chip industry,” Balisacan said.

Other commodities that posted positive growth were:


machinery and transport equipment
bananas (fresh)
other mineral products
other manufactures
articles of apparel and clothing accessories
ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircraft, and ships
electronic products
chemicals

*Favorable performance throughout 2014*

Balisacan said the overall outlook for Philippine exports was bullish in view of favorable expectations on the global economy, particularly the advanced countries of US and Europe.

On the domestic front, industry expectations also point to favorable export performance. The Semiconductors and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. and exporters of some non-electronics manufactures such as furniture, fixtures, and garments “expect upward adjustment and expansions in their annual growth forecasts,” Balisacan noted.

“For agro-based commodities, bright prospects for banana and mango exports are seen on the back of a possible increase in market access, notably in Australia and the US,” the cabinet official concluded.

*Japan biggest market*

Japan was still the top destination of Philippine exports in June, accounting for 17.6% or $956 million of the receipts.

China came second, with a 15.8% share, followed by the US, with 13.8% share.

In terms of regional destination, shipments to the Association of Southeast Nationsmember-countries comprised about 14.2% of total exports while the European Union cornered 10.2%.

PH exports jump 21% in June, highest in 6 months


*Demographics plus factor for PHL*
13 Aug 2014

THE Philippines is seen attracting larger chunks of foreign direct investments (FDI) over the near term, as the country’s working- age population becomes increasingly more productive and consumption activities accelerate, global financial- services giant HSBC said.

Favorable demographics, one in which the most number of Filipinos contribute the most to local output, measured as the gross domestic product (GDP), should continue to boost domestic demand and attract even more investments for the $270-billion economy, looking to grow as high as 7.5 percent this year.

But at the same time, the British-owned lender warned of dark economic clouds in the form of poor infrastructure and employment issues acting as dampener on sustained high consumption activities in the country. Consumption accounts for more or less 70 percent of the economy and fed for the most part by the foreign currency earnings of some 10 million overseas Filipinos.

At a recent HSBC-sponsored briefing, HSBC economist Trinh Nguyen said the Philippines should reap handsome rewards from its young population in the form of robust domestic demand that will, in turn, help attract greater amounts of foreign investments down the line.

Nguyen looked ahead to the Philippines becoming a haven for “consumption-oriented” investments as other country destinations like Japan, for instance, begin reporting emasculated domestic demand as its population continues to age.

“As demand in Japan decline, as its population gets older, they will look for places like the Philippines because what the Philippines has is rising demand” Nguyen said.

“Not only that, the demographic profile of the Philippines will shift from high dependency to a more even-out shape. That is, you have more workers and less dependents. This is why the Philippines see its FDI [foreign direct investments] rising, we see more consumption-oriented firms try to look into the Philippines,” Nguyen added.

Consumption spending in the Philippines reached an all-time high of P1.2 trillion in the first three months of the year, the same having averaged only around P858 billion the past six years, based on central bank data.

The HSBC economist said favorable demographics, among other factors, are concrete reasons to be “bullish” on the Philippine economy no matter the certainty of higher interest rates both locally and abroad over the medium horizon.

“We believe that the Philippines is destined for a bright future ahead. In fact, in the past few years, we saw a lot of progress. And if the demographic transition is capitalized well, the Philippines will be a bright star in Asia,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen also said that while the low level of household debt in the Philippines portray households lacking full access to credit, the same provides a level of comfort for when the cost of money rises dramatically over time.

“Household debt in the Philippines is only 6 percent of GDP, the lowest in Asia, and that means when interest rates rise, the higher interest expenses [should] not hurt Filipinos as much,” Nguyen said of an aggregate pertaining to home mortgages, credit-card debt, as well as car loans that provide a snapshot of the consumption activities going on in a typical Filipino household. The New York-based sovereign credit watcher Moody’s Investor Service earlier said the country’s poor showing in household debt is attributable in part to the low level of bank penetration as lenders tend to congregate in urbanized areas in the country.

Nguyen reiterated HSBC’s observation that the deceleration in local output in the first quarter was indicative of an economy showing signs of fatigue.

Nguyen also said there is a need for the country to boost employment and pursue the buildup of infrastructure to prevent prices from spilling over the anticipated inflation path this year.

“The Philippines’s growth trend actually increased from 5 percent to 5.5 percent and there is a need for an increase in employment and supply structures such as infrastructure, electricity and food,” Nguyen said,

“These can push prices higher,” the economist added.

Inflation did rise and averaged 4.9 percent in July this year, the highest in three years, based on official data.

BusinessMirror - Demographics plus factor for PHL

Reactions: Like Like:
2


----------



## Aepsilons

Pinoy said:


> *PH’s first subway system included in P602 billion worth PPP projects*
> 8/08/2014
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Private-Public Partnership Center executive secretary Cosette Canilao said 18 major infrastructure projects worth PhP602.2 billion will be launched before June 2015.
> 
> “We have identified these 18 projects which we are to roll out by June of 2015.” These projects are among 47 PPP projects included in the pipeline.
> 
> “This is product of about two years of streamlining processes of establishing interaction between various government agencies including capacities not only in the public sector but increasing the appreciation of the private sector on PPP projects,” PPP Center executive secretary said.
> 
> One of the biggest ticket in the list is the first subway system in the country. It is a 12-kilometer underground rail line that will connect Bonifacio Global City, Makati Central Business District and the Mall of Asia in Pasay City. The project will cost P132 billion, project launching is expected on December.
> 
> Another big ticket, the biggest, is the PhP265.3 billion North-South Commuter Rail project aiming to modernize the PNR Railway system. Project is expected to be launched on November.
> 
> Included in the 18 major infrastructures are the development of airport in Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod, Laguindingan, Bohol and Puerto Princesa. These projects are expected to be open for bidding next month.
> 
> 
> 
> *PH exports jump 21% in June, highest in 6 months*
> Aug 12, 2014
> 
> The country was the ‘top performer’ among trade-oriented economies in East, Southeast Asia
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> POSITIVE GROWTH. Semiconductors, which comprised more than half of the country’s total electronics exports during the period, posted its first positive growth rate in 2014. File photo by Agence France-Presse
> 
> MANILA, Philippines – Philippine exports grew at their fastest pace in 6 months in June, on the back of a rebound in electronics shipments. The country is the top exporter among “trade-oriented” East and Southeast Asian economies, according to the government.
> 
> Export earnings in June totaled $5.44 billion, up 21.3% from $4.49 billion in June 2013. This was the fastest growth since December, when exports grew 24.9%.
> 
> For the first half of 2014, exports rose 8.3% to $29.8 billion from $27.5 billion in a comparable period last year, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
> 
> The Philippines outperformed Vietnam (12.7%), People’s Republic of China (7.2%), Malaysia (5.6%), Singapore (4.7%), Thailand (3.9%), Indonesia (3.8%), Hong Kong (2.7%), Republic of Korea (2.5%), Taiwan (1.2%), and Japan (-6.5%).
> 
> “This is the highest level since the economy started posting a continuous positive growth in the same period last year. It is also way faster than the 6.9% increase in May 2014and the 4.1% in June 2013,” Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
> 
> “The export gains are broad-based, as reflected by increased overseas demand for our manufactures, mineral products, total agro-based, and forest products. This also indicates that the global economy is ready for a strong recovery,” he added.
> 
> *Top export commodities*
> 
> Shipments of the biggest export group, electronics, mainly semiconductors, rose 10.7% in June to $2.22 billion. This was a reversal of the 2.2% decline last year.
> 
> “The positive performance of semiconductor exports mirrored the upward trend in the global chip industry,” Balisacan said.
> 
> Other commodities that posted positive growth were:
> 
> 
> machinery and transport equipment
> bananas (fresh)
> other mineral products
> other manufactures
> articles of apparel and clothing accessories
> ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircraft, and ships
> electronic products
> chemicals
> 
> *Favorable performance throughout 2014*
> 
> Balisacan said the overall outlook for Philippine exports was bullish in view of favorable expectations on the global economy, particularly the advanced countries of US and Europe.
> 
> On the domestic front, industry expectations also point to favorable export performance. The Semiconductors and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. and exporters of some non-electronics manufactures such as furniture, fixtures, and garments “expect upward adjustment and expansions in their annual growth forecasts,” Balisacan noted.
> 
> “For agro-based commodities, bright prospects for banana and mango exports are seen on the back of a possible increase in market access, notably in Australia and the US,” the cabinet official concluded.
> 
> *Japan biggest market*
> 
> Japan was still the top destination of Philippine exports in June, accounting for 17.6% or $956 million of the receipts.
> 
> China came second, with a 15.8% share, followed by the US, with 13.8% share.
> 
> In terms of regional destination, shipments to the Association of Southeast Nationsmember-countries comprised about 14.2% of total exports while the European Union cornered 10.2%.
> 
> PH exports jump 21% in June, highest in 6 months
> 
> 
> *Demographics plus factor for PHL*
> 13 Aug 2014
> 
> THE Philippines is seen attracting larger chunks of foreign direct investments (FDI) over the near term, as the country’s working- age population becomes increasingly more productive and consumption activities accelerate, global financial- services giant HSBC said.
> 
> Favorable demographics, one in which the most number of Filipinos contribute the most to local output, measured as the gross domestic product (GDP), should continue to boost domestic demand and attract even more investments for the $270-billion economy, looking to grow as high as 7.5 percent this year.
> 
> But at the same time, the British-owned lender warned of dark economic clouds in the form of poor infrastructure and employment issues acting as dampener on sustained high consumption activities in the country. Consumption accounts for more or less 70 percent of the economy and fed for the most part by the foreign currency earnings of some 10 million overseas Filipinos.
> 
> At a recent HSBC-sponsored briefing, HSBC economist Trinh Nguyen said the Philippines should reap handsome rewards from its young population in the form of robust domestic demand that will, in turn, help attract greater amounts of foreign investments down the line.
> 
> Nguyen looked ahead to the Philippines becoming a haven for “consumption-oriented” investments as other country destinations like Japan, for instance, begin reporting emasculated domestic demand as its population continues to age.
> 
> “As demand in Japan decline, as its population gets older, they will look for places like the Philippines because what the Philippines has is rising demand” Nguyen said.
> 
> “Not only that, the demographic profile of the Philippines will shift from high dependency to a more even-out shape. That is, you have more workers and less dependents. This is why the Philippines see its FDI [foreign direct investments] rising, we see more consumption-oriented firms try to look into the Philippines,” Nguyen added.
> 
> Consumption spending in the Philippines reached an all-time high of P1.2 trillion in the first three months of the year, the same having averaged only around P858 billion the past six years, based on central bank data.
> 
> The HSBC economist said favorable demographics, among other factors, are concrete reasons to be “bullish” on the Philippine economy no matter the certainty of higher interest rates both locally and abroad over the medium horizon.
> 
> “We believe that the Philippines is destined for a bright future ahead. In fact, in the past few years, we saw a lot of progress. And if the demographic transition is capitalized well, the Philippines will be a bright star in Asia,” Nguyen said.
> 
> Nguyen also said that while the low level of household debt in the Philippines portray households lacking full access to credit, the same provides a level of comfort for when the cost of money rises dramatically over time.
> 
> “Household debt in the Philippines is only 6 percent of GDP, the lowest in Asia, and that means when interest rates rise, the higher interest expenses [should] not hurt Filipinos as much,” Nguyen said of an aggregate pertaining to home mortgages, credit-card debt, as well as car loans that provide a snapshot of the consumption activities going on in a typical Filipino household. The New York-based sovereign credit watcher Moody’s Investor Service earlier said the country’s poor showing in household debt is attributable in part to the low level of bank penetration as lenders tend to congregate in urbanized areas in the country.
> 
> Nguyen reiterated HSBC’s observation that the deceleration in local output in the first quarter was indicative of an economy showing signs of fatigue.
> 
> Nguyen also said there is a need for the country to boost employment and pursue the buildup of infrastructure to prevent prices from spilling over the anticipated inflation path this year.
> 
> “The Philippines’s growth trend actually increased from 5 percent to 5.5 percent and there is a need for an increase in employment and supply structures such as infrastructure, electricity and food,” Nguyen said,
> 
> “These can push prices higher,” the economist added.
> 
> Inflation did rise and averaged 4.9 percent in July this year, the highest in three years, based on official data.
> 
> BusinessMirror - Demographics plus factor for PHL



Wonderful News!


----------



## Cossack25A1

Pinoy said:


> *PH’s first subway system included in P602 billion worth PPP projects*
> 8/08/2014
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Private-Public Partnership Center executive secretary Cosette Canilao said 18 major infrastructure projects worth PhP602.2 billion will be launched before June 2015.
> 
> “We have identified these 18 projects which we are to roll out by June of 2015.” These projects are among 47 PPP projects included in the pipeline.
> 
> “This is product of about two years of streamlining processes of establishing interaction between various government agencies including capacities not only in the public sector but increasing the appreciation of the private sector on PPP projects,” PPP Center executive secretary said.
> 
> One of the biggest ticket in the list is the first subway system in the country. It is a 12-kilometer underground rail line that will connect Bonifacio Global City, Makati Central Business District and the Mall of Asia in Pasay City. The project will cost P132 billion, project launching is expected on December.
> 
> Another big ticket, the biggest, is the PhP265.3 billion North-South Commuter Rail project aiming to modernize the PNR Railway system. Project is expected to be launched on November.
> 
> Included in the 18 major infrastructures are the development of airport in Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod, Laguindingan, Bohol and Puerto Princesa. These projects are expected to be open for bidding next month.
> 
> 
> 
> *PH exports jump 21% in June, highest in 6 months*
> Aug 12, 2014
> 
> The country was the ‘top performer’ among trade-oriented economies in East, Southeast Asia
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> POSITIVE GROWTH. Semiconductors, which comprised more than half of the country’s total electronics exports during the period, posted its first positive growth rate in 2014. File photo by Agence France-Presse
> 
> MANILA, Philippines – Philippine exports grew at their fastest pace in 6 months in June, on the back of a rebound in electronics shipments. The country is the top exporter among “trade-oriented” East and Southeast Asian economies, according to the government.
> 
> Export earnings in June totaled $5.44 billion, up 21.3% from $4.49 billion in June 2013. This was the fastest growth since December, when exports grew 24.9%.
> 
> For the first half of 2014, exports rose 8.3% to $29.8 billion from $27.5 billion in a comparable period last year, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
> 
> The Philippines outperformed Vietnam (12.7%), People’s Republic of China (7.2%), Malaysia (5.6%), Singapore (4.7%), Thailand (3.9%), Indonesia (3.8%), Hong Kong (2.7%), Republic of Korea (2.5%), Taiwan (1.2%), and Japan (-6.5%).
> 
> “This is the highest level since the economy started posting a continuous positive growth in the same period last year. It is also way faster than the 6.9% increase in May 2014and the 4.1% in June 2013,” Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
> 
> “The export gains are broad-based, as reflected by increased overseas demand for our manufactures, mineral products, total agro-based, and forest products. This also indicates that the global economy is ready for a strong recovery,” he added.
> 
> *Top export commodities*
> 
> Shipments of the biggest export group, electronics, mainly semiconductors, rose 10.7% in June to $2.22 billion. This was a reversal of the 2.2% decline last year.
> 
> “The positive performance of semiconductor exports mirrored the upward trend in the global chip industry,” Balisacan said.
> 
> Other commodities that posted positive growth were:
> 
> 
> machinery and transport equipment
> bananas (fresh)
> other mineral products
> other manufactures
> articles of apparel and clothing accessories
> ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircraft, and ships
> electronic products
> chemicals
> 
> *Favorable performance throughout 2014*
> 
> Balisacan said the overall outlook for Philippine exports was bullish in view of favorable expectations on the global economy, particularly the advanced countries of US and Europe.
> 
> On the domestic front, industry expectations also point to favorable export performance. The Semiconductors and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. and exporters of some non-electronics manufactures such as furniture, fixtures, and garments “expect upward adjustment and expansions in their annual growth forecasts,” Balisacan noted.
> 
> “For agro-based commodities, bright prospects for banana and mango exports are seen on the back of a possible increase in market access, notably in Australia and the US,” the cabinet official concluded.
> 
> *Japan biggest market*
> 
> Japan was still the top destination of Philippine exports in June, accounting for 17.6% or $956 million of the receipts.
> 
> China came second, with a 15.8% share, followed by the US, with 13.8% share.
> 
> In terms of regional destination, shipments to the Association of Southeast Nationsmember-countries comprised about 14.2% of total exports while the European Union cornered 10.2%.
> 
> PH exports jump 21% in June, highest in 6 months
> 
> 
> *Demographics plus factor for PHL*
> 13 Aug 2014
> 
> THE Philippines is seen attracting larger chunks of foreign direct investments (FDI) over the near term, as the country’s working- age population becomes increasingly more productive and consumption activities accelerate, global financial- services giant HSBC said.
> 
> Favorable demographics, one in which the most number of Filipinos contribute the most to local output, measured as the gross domestic product (GDP), should continue to boost domestic demand and attract even more investments for the $270-billion economy, looking to grow as high as 7.5 percent this year.
> 
> But at the same time, the British-owned lender warned of dark economic clouds in the form of poor infrastructure and employment issues acting as dampener on sustained high consumption activities in the country. Consumption accounts for more or less 70 percent of the economy and fed for the most part by the foreign currency earnings of some 10 million overseas Filipinos.
> 
> At a recent HSBC-sponsored briefing, HSBC economist Trinh Nguyen said the Philippines should reap handsome rewards from its young population in the form of robust domestic demand that will, in turn, help attract greater amounts of foreign investments down the line.
> 
> Nguyen looked ahead to the Philippines becoming a haven for “consumption-oriented” investments as other country destinations like Japan, for instance, begin reporting emasculated domestic demand as its population continues to age.
> 
> “As demand in Japan decline, as its population gets older, they will look for places like the Philippines because what the Philippines has is rising demand” Nguyen said.
> 
> “Not only that, the demographic profile of the Philippines will shift from high dependency to a more even-out shape. That is, you have more workers and less dependents. This is why the Philippines see its FDI [foreign direct investments] rising, we see more consumption-oriented firms try to look into the Philippines,” Nguyen added.
> 
> Consumption spending in the Philippines reached an all-time high of P1.2 trillion in the first three months of the year, the same having averaged only around P858 billion the past six years, based on central bank data.
> 
> The HSBC economist said favorable demographics, among other factors, are concrete reasons to be “bullish” on the Philippine economy no matter the certainty of higher interest rates both locally and abroad over the medium horizon.
> 
> “We believe that the Philippines is destined for a bright future ahead. In fact, in the past few years, we saw a lot of progress. And if the demographic transition is capitalized well, the Philippines will be a bright star in Asia,” Nguyen said.
> 
> Nguyen also said that while the low level of household debt in the Philippines portray households lacking full access to credit, the same provides a level of comfort for when the cost of money rises dramatically over time.
> 
> “Household debt in the Philippines is only 6 percent of GDP, the lowest in Asia, and that means when interest rates rise, the higher interest expenses [should] not hurt Filipinos as much,” Nguyen said of an aggregate pertaining to home mortgages, credit-card debt, as well as car loans that provide a snapshot of the consumption activities going on in a typical Filipino household. The New York-based sovereign credit watcher Moody’s Investor Service earlier said the country’s poor showing in household debt is attributable in part to the low level of bank penetration as lenders tend to congregate in urbanized areas in the country.
> 
> Nguyen reiterated HSBC’s observation that the deceleration in local output in the first quarter was indicative of an economy showing signs of fatigue.
> 
> Nguyen also said there is a need for the country to boost employment and pursue the buildup of infrastructure to prevent prices from spilling over the anticipated inflation path this year.
> 
> “The Philippines’s growth trend actually increased from 5 percent to 5.5 percent and there is a need for an increase in employment and supply structures such as infrastructure, electricity and food,” Nguyen said,
> 
> “These can push prices higher,” the economist added.
> 
> Inflation did rise and averaged 4.9 percent in July this year, the highest in three years, based on official data.
> 
> BusinessMirror - Demographics plus factor for PHL



Other than that subway, is there any news about "MRT-9" (formerly called MRT-4) which is supposed to have one of its terminus at North Avenue, supposedly connecting LRT-1, MRT-3 and MRT-7 and run thorugh West Avenue heading to Quezon Avenue and Espana Blvd and ends somewhere in Recto?

Reactions: Like Like:
1


----------



## Bob Ong

Cossack25A1 said:


> Bad news for the Philippines:
> 
> VIDEO, NEWS5 EXCLUSIVE | President Aquino says he is open to Cha-Cha, 2nd term, and a weaker SC
> 
> (UPDATED 9:00 p.m.) MANILA - President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday said he is open to constitutional amendments, expressing what he perceives to be a need to clip the powers of the Supreme Court, while potentially paving the way for a second term for himself.
> 
> In an exclusive interview with News5's resident legal analyst Atty. Mel Sta. Maria, Mr. Aquino replied to this question: "_Sarado ba kayo sa pag-aamyenda ng Constitution hanggang ngayon_?" (Are you still closed to amending the Constitution until now?)
> 
> Aquino replied: "_Bago nito, bago nangyari lahat ng ito, sarado....aminado ako_ (Before all these things happened, I was closed to it, I admit that)."
> 
> "_Pero ngayon, napapag-isip ako talaga... yung tinatawag na judicial reach_ (But now, I'm seriously rethinking things. Because of the judicial reach.)"
> 
> The President stressed that he was worried that opening up the Constitution to amendments could result in some of the "good provisions" also being "diluted." Still, he noted how the 1987 Constitution mandated the Supreme Court to step into even political questions, in contrast to the setup when the Marcos-era SC refused to check the Executive on the 1972 martial law declaration because it was a "political question."
> 
> "And in fact in the 1987 Charter's martial law provision, any citizen may petition the SC as to the factual basis for the imposition of martial law," Aquino noted. "_Ang problema lang ngayon, may nagtatanong, sobra ba?_" (The problem now is, there are those who ask: Has it gone too far?)
> 
> He said under the current setup, the court can say, "_Yung kongreso, executive, kumilos kayo, pero anytime, puede namin kayong kastiguhin.._.(Congress and Executive may do their work, but we can check them anytime)." Consequently, instead of being judicious with "judicial restraint," added Aquino, "_parang masyadong madalas ginagamit_ (it seems the Court is using its powers to check other branches much too often)."
> 
> He added: "_Ngayon, yung balance between the three branches, tila nawala_." (Now, the balance between the three branches seems to be vanishing.)
> 
> Mr. Aquino alluded to the ruling on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which he said shattered the constitutional presumption of innocence before being proven guilty. He noted that the Court not only declared the DAP unconstitutional, it also excoriated the Executive's "bad faith" and the presumption of regularity of official acts.
> 
> Aquino's statement came on the eve of hearings in the House of Representatives for the judiciary's 2015 budget. Representatives of the Court, led by SC justices, were expected to attend the hearings on Thursday.
> 
> The hearings on the judiciary's budget comes amid weeks of tension between the Executive and the Judiciary following the July 1, 2014 ruling by the high tribunal, declaring unconstitutional the key planks of the President's pet economic stimulus scheme, the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
> 
> The President fired the opening salvo in the ensuing word war by openly attacking the SC in a national address aired live on television last July 14.
> 
> Then, his close allies in the House of Representatives aired moves to abolish the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF), or at least investigate how the SC has been spending it. Some allies openly talked of impeaching SC justices, reviving criticism about how the Executive "bribed" lawmakers to secure a conviction of then Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012.
> Soon after, the court blocked two attempts by Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares to get copies of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of all sitting justices over the past 10 years. Court sources earlier told InterAksyon.com the request was unprecedented and smacked of a "fishing expedition."
> 
> The latest irritant between the two branches is the Judicial and Bar Council's exclusion of Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza from the list of nominees to be considered for the vacant SC seat left by the May 2014 retirement of Associate Justice Roberto Abad. Malacanang Palace wrote the SC, asking it to direct the JBC to give Jardeleza a chance to answer questions raised against him.
> 
> *Second term? PNoy will listen to 'bosses'*
> 
> Asked by News5's Sta Maria if the constitutional amendment the President is now backing would also render him open to seeking another term in office, Mr. Aquino said: "_Nung pinasukan ko ito, ang tanda ko one term of six years...Ngayon, after having said that, syempre ang mga boss ko, kelangan kong pakinggan 'yon_." (When I first got into this, I noted, one term of six years. Now, after having said that, of course I have to listen to the people.)
> 
> He quickly stressed, however: "_Hindi naman ibig sabihin..na automatic na hahabol pa ako na magkaroon pa ako ng dagdag dito, 'no_?" (That doesn't automatically mean I'll be chasing after another term, right?)
> 
> The President told Sta. Maria he wants to consult the people on one crucial question: "How do we ensure the reforms we began will become permanent?" he said in Filipino.
> 
> His response echoed the coy remarks of Lacierda last week when he was asked by Palace reporters to comment on the statement made by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to ANC, saying that if it were up to him, he'd rather have Mr. Aquino serve for another term.
> 
> Lacierda stoked intrigue over the President's openness to Roxas' float last week, even as all the talk was later quashed by Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma. Coloma said the President was in fact "counting the days" left in his term and was looking forward to being spared of the crushing burden of his office in 2016.
> 
> Lacierda did not shoot down outright the notion of a second term for Aquino despite the 1987 Constitution's term limits, but instead kept saying that it was the President's policy right from the start to "listen to his bosses," the term Aquino had used to refer to the people, since he took power in 2010.
> 
> Lacierda insisted, however, the Palace had nothing to do with a perceived "campaign" in social media to get more people to line up behind the idea of a second term for Aquino.
> 
> The 1987 Constitution is ironically called "the Cory Constitution" because it was drawn up soon after the incumbent's mother Corazon became president in 1986 with the peaceful revolt that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
> 
> The former president made it her top priority to put in place a Constitution to guide the nation through the process of democratic restoration after two decades of strongman rule.
> 
> Mrs. Aquino repeatedly shot down suggestions to amend the 1987 Charter later, and mustered a huge rally at the Rizal Park in September 1997, in a bid to dissuade her hand-picked successor, then President Fidel Ramos, from tinkering with the Charter to lift term limits.
> 
> -----
> 
> His reasons for constitution change is *not to open the Philippines to foreign investors, rather, Noynoy Aquino is trying to reduce the power of the Philippine Supreme Court and likely center it to the Executive and Legislature or worse, the Legislature would allow the Executive to have more power, destroying the concept of "Separation of Powers."*
> 
> *And the fact that ABNoy now said that he will listen to his bosses (the pro-Aquino masses and "shadowy" figures in the oligarchy) means that he would likely consider to be president until 2022. I don't care if he is re-arming the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the fact that he is willing to destroy the constitution means he IS NOT FIT to be president. Since 2010, the Philippines has seen one fiasco go by, only to be followed with more fiasco and disaster!*
> 
> *To Filipino users here, if you are pro-Aquino and agree with DAP, then you are blinded by the local media!*


The constitution currently prohibits term extensions for the president. But the constitution itself can be changed to allow term extensions. It is not unconstitutional to change the constitution. If the people wants it , the law can be changed . Congress has to bow. To be honest, I'd rather trust the President than those majority in the SC who are all cohorts of the previous corrupt regime who are only good at obstructing the reforms being instituted by the gov't.



Pinoy said:


> I think Aquino government's thrusts is only to please the oligarchs.
> 
> 6 years is long enough if he sincerely want to eradicate poverty, make health and education more accessible, lower down energy costs, and lower down prices of basic commodities...in fact, having all the powers vested in him ( as president), 6 years is even too long. To effect change that is felt, we do not need programs that enriches only the rich and keep the lower sector of society waiting for the leftovers. this is not hard to understand as well.


Ganun lang ba kadali? sana nagawa yan ng mga naging pangulo dati. Besides lahat ng mga nabanggit mo problema na yan ng pilipinas way before PNoy took office. Pero tanggapin nyo rin na marami ring improvements simula naging pangulo sya. Kaya nga our country badly needs a president like him. A true reformist and I honestly think that it is really a good idea for PNoy to have another term in office so he can continue with the reforms he initiated.


----------



## Cossack25A1

Bob Ong said:


> The constitution currently prohibits term extensions for the president. But the constitution itself can be changed to allow term extensions. It is not unconstitutional to change the constitution. If the people wants it , the law can be changed . Congress has to bow. To be honest, I'd rather trust the President than those majority in the SC who are all cohorts of the previous corrupt regime who are only good at obstructing the reforms being instituted by the gov't.
> 
> 
> Ganun lang ba kadali? sana nagawa yan ng mga naging pangulo dati. Besides lahat ng mga nabanggit mo problema na yan ng pilipinas way before PNoy took office. Pero tanggapin nyo rin na marami ring improvements simula naging pangulo sya. Kaya nga our country badly needs a president like him. A true reformist and I honestly think that it is really a good idea for PNoy to have another term in office so he can continue with the reforms he initiated.



So you agree in the the idea of destroying the concept of Separation of Powers? Then we are not going to be much different from the Marcos era, particualrly from 1972 to 1986. Hell, prices on everything went up but they are reluctant in raising wages. Who is his real bosses? The Filipino people, the Fil-Chinese oligarchs or someone inside Hacienda Luisita?

As for your quote directed to the forum-member, "Pinoy"... if there were really "improvements" in the country, why is it that everything went downhill? Why does Noynoy keep playing the blame game from 2010 up to present, that is very evident during his SONA and lastly, why is it that he is against the idea of removing the 60/40 Economic Restriction? Is it because his (Noynoy) fellow Fil-Chinese that are in the business sector who are make up the economic elite in the Philippines (and eventually the richest people in the PH) are afraid to lose money because of foreign competition?

Hell, it is that 60/40 Economic Restriction is the only stumbling block in fully-developing the Philippines, all because of bullcrap reasons such as "Foreign enslavement."

Because you support Noynoy to be president up to 2022, I guess you would also agree that his cousin, Bam Aquino will run to become president in 2022 because he will likely say that he will "continue Noynoy's legacy."

And oh, before you say something, I also DO NOT support that Leprechaun president nor a supporter of anyone in the Opposition and lastly, I am NOT pro-China. Many Noytards and Yellow-zombies would likely accuse of such things... and I am just inches away in mentioning that the true power here in the Philippines are in the hands of the Chinese - the Aquino-Cojuangco clan itself are Chinese, so is the Sy family, the Tan family, Gokongwei family, Caktiong family, hell, the Lopez family who owns ABS-CBN is a Chinese family using a Hispanicized surname...and I bet that you are also a Fil-Chinese living in the USA who watches news in the TFC channel and has no damn idea about the TRUE situation of the Philippines.

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## bdslph

madokafc said:


> seriously Phil has politicians like this guy?




and seriously how can he be a senator he should be fired



Cossack25A1 said:


> Other than that subway, is there any news about "MRT-9" (formerly called MRT-4) which is supposed to have one of its terminus at North Avenue, supposedly connecting LRT-1, MRT-3 and MRT-7 and run thorugh West Avenue heading to Quezon Avenue and Espana Blvd and ends somewhere in Recto?



it should be done and built quickly the a lot of space in the Quezon area and a lot of ppl will be living here if the project finish i wish they start soon

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## Cossack25A1

bdslph said:


> it should be done and built quickly the a lot of space in the Quezon area and a lot of ppl will be living here if the project finish i wish they start soon



I just hope that this project would be re-considered and started using legal funds.


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## Nike

*Coup rumours and Philippine president's declining popularity highlight growing political divisions ahead of 2016 general election*
IHS Jane's Intelligence Weekly
13 August 2014


*Key Points*

There have been several military mutinies in the Philippines, most recently in 2007. Given the ongoing political corruption scandal over the government's controversial stimulus package and President Benigno Aquino's declining popularity, the rumours of another coup or impeachment, which were started by Senator Antonio Trillanes, are unsurprising.
These rumours do not increase the risk of government instability significantly, but they demonstrate growing political divisions in the Philippines ahead of the 2016 election.
The present political scandal is likely to continue to undermine the Aquino government's popularity and trigger anti-government protests in Manila in the one-year outlook, but these are likely to remain small and peaceful.



To read the full article, client login
(107 of 1183 words)

Coup rumours and Philippine president's declining popularity highlight growing political divisions ahead of 2016 general election - IHS Jane's 360

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## Nike

*Crashed Sokol chopper can be repaired - Air Force*

(philstar.com) | Updated August 11, 2014 - 3:48pm

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/08/...aired-air-force


MANILA, Philippines — The W-3A "Sokol" helicopter that crashed in Marawi City while part of the convoy of Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II last week can still be repaired, a Philippine Air Force official said.

"Initially, based on the damage to the airframe, it will be costly and will take time to recover. Costs and how long to repair are not yet determined," Lieutenant Colonel Enrico Canaya, Air Force spokesman, said in a state news report.

The damaged air asset is among the eight Sokol helicopters of the Air Force acquired brand new from Polish firm PZL-Swidnik and British-Italian firm AugustaWestland for P2.8 billion in 2012.

The unit, which was designated backup helicopter for the one carrying Roxas and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, crashed immediately after taking off at Camp Ranao on August 7. A crew member and a civilian were injured from the crash.

Canaya said that the manufacturer has been notified of the incident, the cause of which has not yet been ascertained.

The seven remaining "Sokol" helicopters in service have been grounded as a precautionary measure until after findings have been released by the investigation team. - Camille Diola

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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> *Coup rumours and Philippine president's declining popularity highlight growing political divisions ahead of 2016 general election*
> IHS Jane's Intelligence Weekly
> 13 August 2014
> 
> 
> *Key Points*
> 
> There have been several military mutinies in the Philippines, most recently in 2007. Given the ongoing political corruption scandal over the government's controversial stimulus package and President Benigno Aquino's declining popularity, the rumours of another coup or impeachment, which were started by Senator Antonio Trillanes, are unsurprising.
> These rumours do not increase the risk of government instability significantly, but they demonstrate growing political divisions in the Philippines ahead of the 2016 election.
> The present political scandal is likely to continue to undermine the Aquino government's popularity and trigger anti-government protests in Manila in the one-year outlook, but these are likely to remain small and peaceful.
> 
> 
> 
> To read the full article, client login
> (107 of 1183 words)
> 
> Coup rumours and Philippine president's declining popularity highlight growing political divisions ahead of 2016 general election - IHS Jane's 360



Well, last July there was a new that is reported about a possible coup plot against Noynoy Aquino.

DND: Stop peddling coup plot rumors | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----
*DND: Stop peddling coup plot rumors *
By Alexis Romero (philstar.com) | Updated July 31, 2014 - 6:26pm

MANILA, Philippines - The Defense department on Thursday urged those who are peddling rumors about destabilization plots to stop and focus on “positive things” happening in the country.

Defense department spokesman Peter Galvez said talks about supposed coup plots could harm the economy and do not help in promoting development.

“Whoever is spreading such kind of rumors should stop. There are no complaints among the soldiers and we can see what the President is doing,” Galvez told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

“They should not talk like that. Maybe it would be better if we concentrate on the positive things that are happening in our nation,” he added.

Galvez said the Aquino administration is providing soldiers the equipment they need to perform their mission.

Earlier, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV revealed that some retired generals identified with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are hatching a plot against the Aquino administration.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
He claimed that former generals are meeting with active military officers to convince them to destabilize the government.

Trillanes’ allies in Magdalo, a group of rebel soldiers who staged a failed uprising against the Arroyo administration, confirmed that some retired generals are planning to destabilize the government but until now, no names have been revealed.

*Loyalty check?*

Galvez accompanied Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in his visit to Camp Aquino in Tarlac on Thursday, a trip that was supposed to assess the soldiers’ readiness to respond to disasters.

There were speculations that the visit was part of a “loyalty check” but Galvez claimed it had nothing to do with the alleged coup plots.

“We just reminded our troops to prepare especially now that we have entered the typhoon season,” Galvez said in Filipino.

“We are checking their readiness and determining the equipment they need. Hopefully we can try to get all these equipment so they can strengthen their disaster relief operations,” he added.

Gazmin said he has not detected any plan to destabilize the government.

“I have been going around even before the (reports about) coup came out. I am checking the readiness of AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) as first responders during disasters and calamities,” the defense chief said. 

*‘Retired generals discussing issues’*

A source who requested anonymity confirmed that two groups of retired generals had met to discuss important issues.

“But they did not talk about coup. It was more of people expressing their views on DAP (disbursement acceleration program) and PDAF (priority development assistance fund),” the source said.

The source said the generals were associated with previous administrations.

“They just talked and there is nothing wrong with that,” the source added.

Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Maj. Gen. Eduardo Ano said they have not monitored any plans to unseat the administration.

He said discussions about current issues are just “part of the democratic space.”

“As long as they’re not recruiting from the AFP or instigating for soldiers to take up arms against the government, then there’s no problem,” Ano said.


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## Aepsilons

madokafc said:


> *Crashed Sokol chopper can be repaired - Air Force*
> 
> (philstar.com) | Updated August 11, 2014 - 3:48pm
> 
> http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/08/...aired-air-force
> 
> 
> MANILA, Philippines — The W-3A "Sokol" helicopter that crashed in Marawi City while part of the convoy of Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II last week can still be repaired, a Philippine Air Force official said.
> 
> "Initially, based on the damage to the airframe, it will be costly and will take time to recover. Costs and how long to repair are not yet determined," Lieutenant Colonel Enrico Canaya, Air Force spokesman, said in a state news report.
> 
> The damaged air asset is among the eight Sokol helicopters of the Air Force acquired brand new from Polish firm PZL-Swidnik and British-Italian firm AugustaWestland for P2.8 billion in 2012.
> 
> The unit, which was designated backup helicopter for the one carrying Roxas and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, crashed immediately after taking off at Camp Ranao on August 7. A crew member and a civilian were injured from the crash.
> 
> Canaya said that the manufacturer has been notified of the incident, the cause of which has not yet been ascertained.
> 
> The seven remaining "Sokol" helicopters in service have been grounded as a precautionary measure until after findings have been released by the investigation team. - Camille Diola



Good Luck!


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> *Crashed Sokol chopper can be repaired - Air Force*
> 
> (philstar.com) | Updated August 11, 2014 - 3:48pm
> 
> http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/08/...aired-air-force
> 
> 
> MANILA, Philippines — The W-3A "Sokol" helicopter that crashed in Marawi City while part of the convoy of Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II last week can still be repaired, a Philippine Air Force official said.
> 
> "Initially, based on the damage to the airframe, it will be costly and will take time to recover. Costs and how long to repair are not yet determined," Lieutenant Colonel Enrico Canaya, Air Force spokesman, said in a state news report.
> 
> The damaged air asset is among the eight Sokol helicopters of the Air Force acquired brand new from Polish firm PZL-Swidnik and British-Italian firm AugustaWestland for P2.8 billion in 2012.
> 
> The unit, which was designated backup helicopter for the one carrying Roxas and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, crashed immediately after taking off at Camp Ranao on August 7. A crew member and a civilian were injured from the crash.
> 
> Canaya said that the manufacturer has been notified of the incident, the cause of which has not yet been ascertained.
> 
> The seven remaining "Sokol" helicopters in service have been grounded as a precautionary measure until after findings have been released by the investigation team. - Camille Diola



Well, the damage doesn't seem to be severe and only the tail needs replacing but this means ordering the spare parts if we don't have.

-----------

Not sure but I think the Russian BMPT or Russian BTR-T are suitable for the Army instead of an M113 with remote-operated 25mm autocannon or 12.7mm (.50 caliber) machine gun and M113 APCs as these vehicles have tougher armor compared to the M113s. Also, the BMPT can perform the same purpose as an M113 armed with 25mm autocannon and M113 armed with 76mm gun in one package and the BTR-T can perform the role of the M113 APC and provide better armor protection.


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## Cossack25A1

'Philippines has highest income tax rate in ASEAN' | ABS-CBN News
--------

*'Philippines has highest income tax rate in ASEAN'*
by Alvin Elchico, ABS-CBN News

Posted at 08/13/2014 5:54 PM | Updated as of 08/13/2014 11:51 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino workers pay the highest income tax in the entire Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, according to the Tax Management Association of the Philippines.

A position paper submitted by the TMAP to Congress, where several measures to bring down the tax rate or tax bracket are being tackled, showed the Philippines has the highest applicable personal income tax rate. 


A Filipino employee earning a little over P500,000 is taxed 32 percent while his Thai counterpart earning the equivalent income is only taxed 10 percent. 


A worker earning an equivalent P500,000 in Singapore pays only 2 percent income tax. In Vietnam, the tax rate is 20 percent while in Malaysia, it is 11 percent. 


In Cambodia, the same income gets 20 percent income tax while in Laos, a 12 percent income tax is levied. 


In Brunei, workers who earn the equivalent amount of P500,000 do not have to pay any income taxes.


TMAP President Rina Manuel said it's really time to lower the tax bracket or amend the tax bracket to make it equitable. 


"Yung corporations are only subjected to 30 percent tax rate while individuals are taxed 32 percent. Ang corporations may deductions pa, while ang empleyado personal exemptions lang at additional for the children," Manuel said. 
_(The corporations here are only subjected to 30 percent tax rate while (private)individuals are taxed 32 percent. The corporations has deductions on the taxes they pay while an employee has only exemptions and has to pay additional taxes for the children.)_


Also included in the TMAP's position paper is the tax exemption of marginal income earners, whose income are actually small yet are taxed 5 percent, the minimum income tax level. 


While a minimum wage earner is tax-exempt, getting additional income no matter how small in excess of the minimum wage, the whole income will now become taxable.


The Bureau of Internal Revenue warned smaller tax collections could hurt government spending, which is crucial to drive economic growth.


"As far as BIR is concern, any tax eroding measure should be accompanied by a reduction of the revenue goal. I think it is reasonable and but logical that if you lower tax rate, amount collectible will go down or there will automatically be an amount that cannot be collected because there is nothing to collect," the BIR said.


"So if the final decision is to reduce tax rates, you cannot expect the BIR to collect from air, you will have to reduce the revenue goal. It is like a household, if someone decide to stop working, you cannot keep on spending the way you use to do because eventually you will go bankrupt or you do not expect people to keep on lending to someone who is a credit risk," it added.


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## Nike

let me became a salesperson for a while 
*
Indonesians Boost CN235 Sales after Pact with Airbus D&S*
Today 09:51
Indonesians Boost CN235 Sales after Pact with Airbus D&S

by Alan Warnes
August 14, 2014, 9:18 AM





PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has stepped up its marketing of maritime versions of the CN235 and is completing assembly of its first C295. The moves result from the strategic collaboration agreement that PTDI signed with Airbus Defense & Space in 2011. That deal also transferred production of the smaller C212 transport to PTDI’s facility in Bandung.

Arie Wibotwo, PTDI’s vice president of marketing, told AIN that PTDI is bidding for several maritime patrol requirements in the region.* “We have been selected by the Philippines government to supply two CN235 ASWs. A contract is expected to be signed this summer with delivery taking place 26 months afterwards” he said. Working with PTDI as a mission systems supplier will be Raytheon Systems, the first time a U.S. company has gone into partnership with the Indonesians.*

Several other CN 235 MPA/ASW proposals are on the table “but the mission systems will be flexible, completely the choice of the customer,” Arie added. “Malaysia prefers Thales, Vietnam wants the Airbus D&S Fully Integrated Tactical Systems (FITS) or a Swedish SSC system, while Thailand and Brunei seem fairly relaxed over the systems they want.” This means that PTDI could find itself working with several differentsystems integrators from Europe and the U.S. if these countries opt for the CN235. In the past PTDI has even worked with Israel’s Elta, on the Korean Coast Guard deal for four CN 235-220MPAs in 2011-12.

Having recently delivered a CN235 to Thailand’s parapublic KASET organization, with options on another two, PTDI feels it is well positioned to provide the Royal Thai Navy with a solution for its ASW/MPA requirement for up to four aircraft.

Domestically, PTDI will shortly deliver a second CN235 MPA to the Indonesian Navy as part of MARPAT (MARitime PATrol) 1 program. These aircraft are equipped with the Thales AMASCOS system on board and include the FLIR Systems Star Safire sensor turret. “Another two CN235MPAs are contracted by the Navy as part of MARPAT 2 but the radar system will come from Telephonics,” Wibotwo revealed.

Meanwhile, PTDI is assembling the first of two C295s for the Indonesian air force.

Airbus D&S previously delivered seven from its production line at Seville, Spain. The two being assembled at Bandung complete the order.

Indonesians Boost CN235 Sales after Pact with Airbus D&S | Aviation International News

it is true? @Cossack25A1 @Pinoy @JayMandan @Zero_wing


----------



## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> let me became a salesperson for a while
> *Indonesians Boost CN235 Sales after Pact with Airbus D&S*
> Today 09:51
> Indonesians Boost CN235 Sales after Pact with Airbus D&S
> 
> by Alan Warnes
> August 14, 2014, 9:18 AM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has stepped up its marketing of maritime versions of the CN235 and is completing assembly of its first C295. The moves result from the strategic collaboration agreement that PTDI signed with Airbus Defense & Space in 2011. That deal also transferred production of the smaller C212 transport to PTDI’s facility in Bandung.
> 
> Arie Wibotwo, PTDI’s vice president of marketing, told AIN that PTDI is bidding for several maritime patrol requirements in the region.* “We have been selected by the Philippines government to supply two CN235 ASWs. A contract is expected to be signed this summer with delivery taking place 26 months afterwards” he said. Working with PTDI as a mission systems supplier will be Raytheon Systems, the first time a U.S. company has gone into partnership with the Indonesians.*
> 
> Several other CN 235 MPA/ASW proposals are on the table “but the mission systems will be flexible, completely the choice of the customer,” Arie added. “Malaysia prefers Thales, Vietnam wants the Airbus D&S Fully Integrated Tactical Systems (FITS) or a Swedish SSC system, while Thailand and Brunei seem fairly relaxed over the systems they want.” This means that PTDI could find itself working with several differentsystems integrators from Europe and the U.S. if these countries opt for the CN235. In the past PTDI has even worked with Israel’s Elta, on the Korean Coast Guard deal for four CN 235-220MPAs in 2011-12.
> 
> Having recently delivered a CN235 to Thailand’s parapublic KASET organization, with options on another two, PTDI feels it is well positioned to provide the Royal Thai Navy with a solution for its ASW/MPA requirement for up to four aircraft.
> 
> Domestically, PTDI will shortly deliver a second CN235 MPA to the Indonesian Navy as part of MARPAT (MARitime PATrol) 1 program. These aircraft are equipped with the Thales AMASCOS system on board and include the FLIR Systems Star Safire sensor turret. “Another two CN235MPAs are contracted by the Navy as part of MARPAT 2 but the radar system will come from Telephonics,” Wibotwo revealed.
> 
> Meanwhile, PTDI is assembling the first of two C295s for the Indonesian air force.
> 
> Airbus D&S previously delivered seven from its production line at Seville, Spain. The two being assembled at Bandung complete the order.
> 
> Indonesians Boost CN235 Sales after Pact with Airbus D&S | Aviation International News
> 
> it is true? @Cossack25A1 @Pinoy @JayMandan @Zero_wing



There is no recent news about the acquisition but if this blog Philippines to Acquire CN235 Medium Lift Aircraft - Everything is Under Ten and this news reported May 2013 Indonesia pitches transport planes to PAF -Solar News is to be believed, then the news is likely true although this "list" and the second link that leads to the news story seems to indicate that it is the CN295 that will be acquired instead.

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## Cossack25A1

Another bad news despite what Aquino spits out from hit mouth.

Get ready for higher interest rates as PHL failed to create more jobs, attract more investments – HSBC economist | Economy | GMA News Online

*Get ready for higher interest rates as PHL failed to create more jobs, attract more investments – HSBC economist*
By DANESSA O. RIVERA, GMA NewsAugust 12, 2014 7:10pm 

The Philippine economy has seen strong growth over the past few years but has failed to create more jobs and induce more investments in infrastructure and agriculture, which in turn, tends to push consumer prices higher, an economist of British banking giant HongKong Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Limited said Tuesday.

As a result, the central bank will be forced to further raise interest rates as inflation continues to trend higher.

However, this will also help the economy draw more job-generating investments and induce more infrastructure spending.

Signs of growth fatigue are starting to eat up on Philippines given the strong growth rates in the past years, Hong Kong-based economist Trinh Nguyen said during HSBC Premier Personal Economy Forum in Makati City.

"The trend of Philippine growth rate has increased from 5 percent to 5.5 percent, but without increase in employment and supply like infrastructure, electricity and food... it will push prices higher," she said.

The Philippine economy grew by 7.2 percent in 2013, compared with 6.6 percent in 2012 and 3.7 percent in 2011.

In the first quarter, the GDP expanded by 5.7 percent as the economy reeled from the impact of Typhoon Yolanda.

Higher consumer prices will drive Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to raise interest rates, Nguyen said.

*Higher interest rates bode well *

Bangko Sentral raised its policy rates by 25 basis points or 0.25 percent from record lows during the Monetary Board meeting last July 31 in response to inflation pressures.

Inflation in July rose by 4.9 percent, its fastest in nearly three years, as food prices spiked and the cost of utilities contributed to overall price increases for the month.

This brought the year-to-date average to 4.3 percent, which is at the upper end of the government target of 3 to 5 percent.

Nguyen noted a higher interest rate environment in the Philippines will bode well for the country as it will attract more investments, saying the global interest rate environment will stay low for a long time – at least until the third quarter of 2015.

With a slow economic growth on the global front, central banks of different countries will continue to inject more money in their respective financial systems, the economist noted.

"The global economy has not improved that much... Banks will have trillions and trillions of dollars looking for high yields, better investments elsewhere as the interest rates in their countries drop to near zero," she said.

"Philippine interest rates will rise modestly due to the fact that the Western economies are dragging their feet," she added.

Higher rates will also be a "fix" for the economy in the short-term, Nguyen said.

"The Philippine economy has saved up and is now a net saver economy – meaning investment is less than savings which means it has a current account positive," she said.

"Banks are flushed with cash... The Philippines, in many ways, has a very easy challenge moving ahead, which is to spend it," she added *– VS, GMA News*
(Of all the people, it has to be my sister to report this news T___T )


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## Bienvenido

Pinoy said:


> *
> 
> 
> 
> *


To fully catch-up with our neighbors in ASEAN. Why not make the Defense budget to 10%?



Cossack25A1 said:


> So you agree in the the idea of destroying the concept of Separation of Powers? Then we are not going to be much different from the Marcos era, particualrly from 1972 to 1986. Hell, prices on everything went up but they are reluctant in raising wages. Who is his real bosses? The Filipino people, the Fil-Chinese oligarchs or someone inside Hacienda Luisita?


The writngs on the wall clearly shows Aquino wants to extend his term. He is no better than his hated Ferdinand Marcos. But at least Marcos had leadership and vision...

God Bless the Philippines!


----------



## Cossack25A1

Bienvenido said:


> To fully catch-up with our neighbors in ASEAN. Why not make the Defense budget to 10%?
> 
> 
> The writngs on the wall clearly shows Aquino wants to extend his term. He is no better than his hated Ferdinand Marcos. But at least Marcos had leadership and vision...
> 
> God Bless the Philippines!



Well, if the taxes were used properly, a 10% defense budget would have been possible and there are still left to improve the country and services. Sadly, that is not the case.

From 2010, Noynoy Aquino has shown to be a revanchist president, punishing anyone who conflicts with the interests of the Aquino-Cojuangco clan and his recent talks about charter-change to reduce the Supreme Court's power indicates that Noynoy Aquino is plotting his revenge against SC because his DAP has been judged as illegal. He already mentioned in his SONA that those who are against his policies and slams them.

The only way to talk to this kind of people is through blood, gunfire and molotovs.


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## Nike

Cossack25A1 said:


> Well, the damage doesn't seem to be severe and only the tail needs replacing but this means ordering the spare parts if we don't have.
> 
> -----------
> 
> Not sure but I think the Russian BMPT or Russian BTR-T are suitable for the Army instead of an M113 with remote-operated 25mm autocannon or 12.7mm (.50 caliber) machine gun and M113 APCs as these vehicles have tougher armor compared to the M113s. Also, the BMPT can perform the same purpose as an M113 armed with 25mm autocannon and M113 armed with 76mm gun in one package and the BTR-T can perform the role of the M113 APC and provide better armor protection.



if i am Ph procurement staff, i will trying to recommend second hand Marder 1A3 to my superior. The prices is legit (Indonesia has been offered circa 300.000 US dollar per-unit and surely they will be overhauled and modernized before the shipment), their 20 mm cannon is quite capable weapons, their armor is fairly strong enough to fend off up to 20/30 mm caliber at 400 meter range and they too bring MILAN missile for protection against enemy armored units.

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## Bob Ong

Cossack25A1 said:


> So you agree in the the idea of destroying the concept of Separation of Powers? Then we are not going to be much different from the Marcos era, particualrly from 1972 to 1986. Hell, prices on everything went up but they are reluctant in raising wages. Who is his real bosses? The Filipino people, the Fil-Chinese oligarchs or someone inside Hacienda Luisita?
> 
> As for your quote directed to the forum-member, "Pinoy"... if there were really "improvements" in the country, why is it that everything went downhill? Why does Noynoy keep playing the blame game from 2010 up to present, that is very evident during his SONA and lastly, why is it that he is against the idea of removing the 60/40 Economic Restriction? Is it because his (Noynoy) fellow Fil-Chinese that are in the business sector who are make up the economic elite in the Philippines (and eventually the richest people in the PH) are afraid to lose money because of foreign competition?
> 
> Hell, it is that 60/40 Economic Restriction is the only stumbling block in fully-developing the Philippines, all because of bullcrap reasons such as "Foreign enslavement."
> 
> Because you support Noynoy to be president up to 2022, I guess you would also agree that his cousin, Bam Aquino will run to become president in 2022 because he will likely say that he will "continue Noynoy's legacy."
> 
> And oh, before you say something, I also DO NOT support that Leprechaun president nor a supporter of anyone in the Opposition and lastly, I am NOT pro-China. Many Noytards and Yellow-zombies would likely accuse of such things... and I am just inches away in mentioning that the true power here in the Philippines are in the hands of the Chinese - the Aquino-Cojuangco clan itself are Chinese, so is the Sy family, the Tan family, Gokongwei family, Caktiong family, hell, the Lopez family who owns ABS-CBN is a Chinese family using a Hispanicized surname...and I bet that you are also a Fil-Chinese living in the USA who watches news in the TFC channel and has no damn idea about the TRUE situation of the Philippines.


The 3 branches have to work together under 1 gov't so that it can deliver its constitutional mandate to the people. The problem is SC doesn't see it that way. Their only goal is to be the Supremes. The SC had been too complacent in its role. Just look at the justice system in the Philippines, it moves at a glacial pace if it moves at all. The Ampatuan massacre is more than 5 years old. PNoy breaks the mould. It's time to usher in change. Why shouldn't we question the Supremes? Their decision vs DAP has endangered the country’s economic gains. Yan ba ang gusto ng Supreme Court? Well it's the job of the president to improve the economy of our nation and in turn that will gradually benefit the poorer of the poor. Those bunch of SC doesn't care anything that's why the poorer becomes more poorer because of them.

And FYI the 60/40 economic restriction NOT a stumbling block in fully-developing the Philippines. The rule is still a good rule to avoid depriving Filipinos of their own resources. Besides not all industries are covered by the 60/40 rule, there are a lot more business where foreigners can own more than 40%. Its not about ownership it's about the present state of our country where there are so many red tapes,corruption, poor infrastructure etc. Poor economy so less income and at the same time our law about labor is better compared to other countries. In our country we have minimum wage laws and unfair Labor Practice law which protects our citizens, this however is despised by investors. They prefer China and other ASEAN countries that do not protect their labor. Do you know that in China, workers are not given enough salary. In short, there are many factors that affect foreign investment, not just the 60/40 rule. Also, if you will give 100% ownership to foreigners, you are literally selling Philippines to them. So its not a stupid law, it was meant to protect Filipino businessmen and it is pursuant to the "Filipino muna" policy.

ALSO, do not kid yourself. There are countless Filipinos of Chinese ancestry (not only me) who love the country as any other true patriotic Filipino. So regardless of the ancestry, I would like to see all Filipinos succeed. Period. Problem is we see things differently because we tend to see them through our own political lenses. And I don't think your even aware that the Philippines is actually improving economically.

Well sad to say some Filipinos here are just really hopeless. They don't seem to know what they want. They keep saying that they want an honest President who will try to make drastic changes to bring the country back to its feet. Now that they finally have one after decades of suffering from corruption and mismanagement, they are now deliberately trying to put roadblocks to prevent this President from fulfilling his task. These people are either those who gained from the corruption, or, they are just plain stupid.

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## Bob Ong

Bienvenido said:


> To fully catch-up with our neighbors in ASEAN. Why not make the Defense budget to 10%?
> 
> 
> The writngs on the wall clearly shows Aquino wants to extend his term. He is no better than his hated Ferdinand Marcos. But at least Marcos had leadership and vision...
> 
> God Bless the Philippines!


Well it would be perfect if PNoy will follow Marcos way of controlling the government... with his honest heart and soul. Philippines will progress on a speed of light!


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## Zero_wing

madokafc said:


> if i am Ph procurement staff, i will trying to recommend second hand Marder 1A3 to my superior. The prices is legit (Indonesia has been offered circa 300.000 US dollar per-unit and surely they will be overhauled and modernized before the shipment), their 20 mm cannon is quite capable weapons, their armor is fairly strong enough to fend off up to 20/30 mm caliber at 400 meter range and they too bring MILAN missile for protection against enemy armored units.



Good but not know we still rebuilding our capabilities


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## Nike

giving suggestion will do no harm, hihihi

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## Cossack25A1

Bob Ong said:


> The 3 branches have to work together under 1 gov't so that it can deliver its constitutional mandate to the people. The problem is SC doesn't see it that way. Their only goal is to be the Supremes. The SC had been too complacent in its role. Just look at the justice system in the Philippines, it moves at a glacial pace if it moves at all. The Ampatuan massacre is more than 5 years old. PNoy breaks the mould. It's time to usher in change. Why shouldn't we question the Supremes? Their decision vs DAP has endangered the country’s economic gains. Yan ba ang gusto ng Supreme Court? Well it's the job of the president to improve the economy of our nation and in turn that will gradually benefit the poorer of the poor. Those bunch of SC doesn't care anything that's why the poorer becomes more poorer because of them.
> 
> And FYI the 60/40 economic restriction NOT a stumbling block in fully-developing the Philippines. The rule is still a good rule to avoid depriving Filipinos of their own resources. Besides not all industries are covered by the 60/40 rule, there are a lot more business where foreigners can own more than 40%. Its not about ownership it's about the present state of our country where there are so many red tapes,corruption, poor infrastructure etc. Poor economy so less income and at the same time our law about labor is better compared to other countries. In our country we have minimum wage laws and unfair Labor Practice law which protects our citizens, this however is despised by investors. They prefer China and other ASEAN countries that do not protect their labor. Do you know that in China, workers are not given enough salary. In short, there are many factors that affect foreign investment, not just the 60/40 rule. Also, if you will give 100% ownership to foreigners, you are literally selling Philippines to them. So its not a stupid law, it was meant to protect Filipino businessmen and it is pursuant to the "Filipino muna" policy.
> 
> ALSO, do not kid yourself. There are countless Filipinos of Chinese ancestry (not only me) who love the country as any other true patriotic Filipino. So regardless of the ancestry, I would like to see all Filipinos succeed. Period. Problem is we see things differently because we tend to see them through our own political lenses. And I don't think your even aware that the Philippines is actually improving economically.
> 
> Well sad to say some Filipinos here are just really hopeless. They don't seem to know what they want. They keep saying that they want an honest President who will try to make drastic changes to bring the country back to its feet. Now that they finally have one after decades of suffering from corruption and mismanagement, they are now deliberately trying to put roadblocks to prevent this President from fulfilling his task. These people are either those who gained from the corruption, or, they are just plain stupid.



The president could develop the country without resorting to illegal means? So you are saying two wrongs make right? Does the creation of DAP justifies that it is okay to disrespect the constitution? This shows that you do NOT believe in the idea of "Separation of Powers" and would rather have a Fil-Chinese moron as the president. The SC may be slow and not perfect but but the concept of the Separation of Powers" limits the powers of Executive, Legislative and Judiciary; no one is above anyone. Hell, if you are an American and prefers limiting the SC and give more power to the President, the other Americans would have you lynched or killed.

The way you defend 60/40 Restriction in everything means that you are pro-oligarchy. Thus, you do not want the local Filipinos to succeed and to have social mobility which is restricted to the Fil-Chinese community because the common Filipino has no access to better education and thus forced to leave the country, breaking up families because someone has to work all day just to give their children a better future. Most those job in big foreign firms could have been available here in the Philippines had the restrictions not been in place. And now you are comparing us to the Chinese in Mainland China? They have a different political system than us: we are "democratic" while China is a single-party socialist government. You cannot compare two things that are different. Also, your defense of the 60/40 Economic restriction shows that you believe in a twisted interpretation of "Foreign Ownership," as if you see foreigners will be back to"enslave" the Philippines for the fourth time and will be exploited like its 1571 all over again. Can the 6-7% economic growth could feed the people if there are no jobs being made because the local Fil-Chinese oligarchy keeps lobbying the government and influencing them on NOT to fully open the Philippines to foreign investors?

Do you really love the Philippines or do you love the Chinese enclave here in the Philippines? I am pretty sure that it's the latter, because the Fil-Chinese do not give a DAMN about the locals here and would rather not lose their wealth, prestige and power, thus they are preventing foreign investors to invest here and create better services than the local oligarch companies could provide. You Fil-Chinese always think you know everything what's best for the country...or more like your lot only knows what is best to the Chinese enclave here in the Philippines. Improving economically? Then tell me, why is everything rising up here, all the prices and living standards? Why are there more unemployment with less jobs being created? Why is there an impeding power and water crisis in 2015? If your god-king ABNoy stopped the blame game and stopped being revachist when he took power, then this country would have been able moved forward WITH VISIBLE RESULTS but no, he chose to be a revanchist president and always blame his midget predecessor or a preserved dead man! Your lot are worst than Zionists.

Is he an honest president? I doubt it! But what do I expect from a Fil-Chinese supporting his fellow Fil-Chinese. Hell, I even wonder why is NOT wearing the Philippine flag pin and instead wears that damn Yellow Ribbon pin! Is he ashamed of the flag of the Philippines?! Or is it the flag of the Fil-Chinese community?

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## Zero_wing

Am saying sir is we are following a program to slowly but surely get us what we need your suggestion is appreciated heck if it was me i want 200 Gripens 150 F18 10 transport aircraft 10 patrol aircraft 10 AWACS aircraft 10 special misssion aircrafts 100 training aircraft of all types 50 special fighters from acrobatics and missiles systems defense and batteries and radars systems 500 tanks 200 support vechicles 1000 trucks and 500 ships of all kinds and mixture of equipments like majority Israeli and German guns and armor some belgain, korean, Japanese equipments and facilities of support them both civilian and military but am not getting it because we have a budget and plan to follow no offense sir but i have to live with that budget and that god awful bidding which BS if you ask me but still the law of the Country we have to follow it


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## Aepsilons

The Philippines , as an archipelagic nation, needs to acquire ASM and AAM platforms as soon as possible.


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## Zero_wing

Nihonjin1051 said:


> The Philippines , as an archipelagic nation, needs to acquire ASM and AAM platforms as soon as possible.



Yes we are but we have to follow the defense plan currently being follow

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## Bob Ong

Cossack25A1 said:


> The president could develop the country without resorting to illegal means? So you are saying two wrongs make right? Does the creation of DAP justifies that it is okay to disrespect the constitution? This shows that you do NOT believe in the idea of "Separation of Powers" and would rather have a Fil-Chinese moron as the president. The SC may be slow and not perfect but but the concept of the Separation of Powers" limits the powers of Executive, Legislative and Judiciary; no one is above anyone. Hell, if you are an American and prefers limiting the SC and give more power to the President, the other Americans would have you lynched or killed.
> 
> The way you defend 60/40 Restriction in everything means that you are pro-oligarchy. Thus, you do not want the local Filipinos to succeed and to have social mobility which is restricted to the Fil-Chinese community because the common Filipino has no access to better education and thus forced to leave the country, breaking up families because someone has to work all day just to give their children a better future. Most those job in big foreign firms could have been available here in the Philippines had the restrictions not been in place. And now you are comparing us to the Chinese in Mainland China? They have a different political system than us: we are "democratic" while China is a single-party socialist government. You cannot compare two things that are different. Also, your defense of the 60/40 Economic restriction shows that you believe in a twisted interpretation of "Foreign Ownership," as if you see foreigners will be back to"enslave" the Philippines for the fourth time and will be exploited like its 1571 all over again. Can the 6-7% economic growth could feed the people if there are no jobs being made because the local Fil-Chinese oligarchy keeps lobbying the government and influencing them on NOT to fully open the Philippines to foreign investors?
> 
> Do you really love the Philippines or do you love the Chinese enclave here in the Philippines? I am pretty sure that it's the latter, because the Fil-Chinese do not give a DAMN about the locals here and would rather not lose their wealth, prestige and power, thus they are preventing foreign investors to invest here and create better services than the local oligarch companies could provide. You Fil-Chinese always think you know everything what's best for the country...or more like your lot only knows what is best to the Chinese enclave here in the Philippines. Improving economically? Then tell me, why is everything rising up here, all the prices and living standards? Why are there more unemployment with less jobs being created? Why is there an impeding power and water crisis in 2015? If your god-king ABNoy stopped the blame game and stopped being revachist when he took power, then this country would have been able moved forward WITH VISIBLE RESULTS but no, he chose to be a revanchist president and always blame his midget predecessor or a preserved dead man! Your lot are worst than Zionists.
> 
> Is he an honest president? I doubt it! But what do I expect from a Fil-Chinese supporting his fellow Fil-Chinese. Hell, I even wonder why is NOT wearing the Philippine flag pin and instead wears that damn Yellow Ribbon pin! Is he ashamed of the flag of the Philippines?! Or is it the flag of the Fil-Chinese community?


The SC is ego tripping. The Executive (President) is a co-equal branch of the judiciary represented by the Supreme Court and as such, the check-and-balance mechanism that is set in place by the Constitution is reciprocal and not one-sided. That’s the reason why nagpa-file ng motion for reconsideration si PNoy. Yung pag-file ng MR on SC's ruling, just a proof PNoy respects the High Court’s authority over judicial and Constitutional matters. He just said we will go through the legal process by filing an MR. The problem with the SC is that it loses its common sense when there are political issues involved.

Anyway the most important thing is PNoy is not pocketing money and he is doing his best to improve the Philippines. Opposition are just speculating and have done nothing to improve the life of the Filipino people, but instead serve themselves and comment not for the best of the country but for their own self-interest. People who is trying to destroy the president only talks like a child fighting, but have done nothing but only good in talking. These eviltards keeps on firing their “pautot” to make everyone know that they are too retarded to understand the implications of the SC ruling. Now to those turds who believe they have more bullets that could hit the President hard, I say fire it. Let us see if your bullet could withstand your airtards and reach the public/courts.

Again putting ALL the blame on the 60-40 rule is just plain wrong. Just look at the reality. I don't care that we are not as fast as other countries in "100% opening up" the economy. Besides opening it up will make us even more vulnerable to economic crises that will and WILL DEFINITELY occur in the long-run.

BTW I am sensing a bitterness and jealousy on your part and I honestly feel sorry for you. Most of us maybe wealthy, are acknowledged to be very good entrepreneur, control most of the economy. So what? at least we also contribute and help improve the lives of the Filipino people. Just live in harmony with people of different ethnic background same as we all with nature. Go work and perhaps, you'll improve yourself! And about that damn Yellow Ribbon pin. Don't be a fool. You know what it means.

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## Cossack25A1

Bob Ong said:


> The SC is ego tripping. The Executive (President) is a co-equal branch of the judiciary represented by the Supreme Court and as such, the check-and-balance mechanism that is set in place by the Constitution is reciprocal and not one-sided. That’s the reason why nagpa-file ng motion for reconsideration si PNoy. Yung pag-file ng MR on SC's ruling, just a proof PNoy respects the High Court’s authority over judicial and Constitutional matters. He just said we will go through the legal process by filing an MR. The problem with the SC is that it loses its common sense when there are political issues involved.
> 
> Anyway the most important thing is PNoy is not pocketing money and he is doing his best to improve the Philippines. Opposition are just speculating and have done nothing to improve the life of the Filipino people, but instead serve themselves and comment not for the best of the country but for their own self-interest. People who is trying to destroy the president only talks like a child fighting, but have done nothing but only good in talking. These eviltards keeps on firing their “pautot” to make everyone know that they are too retarded to understand the implications of the SC ruling. Now to those turds who believe they have more bullets that could hit the President hard, I say fire it. Let us see if your bullet could withstand your airtards and reach the public/courts.
> 
> Again putting ALL the blame on the 60-40 rule is just plain wrong. Just look at the reality. I don't care that we are not as fast as other countries in "100% opening up" the economy. Besides opening it up will make us even more vulnerable to economic crises that will and WILL DEFINITELY occur in the long-run.
> 
> BTW I am sensing a bitterness and jealousy on your part and I honestly feel sorry for you. Most of us maybe wealthy, are acknowledged to be very good entrepreneur, control most of the economy. So what? at least we also contribute and help improve the lives of the Filipino people. Just live in harmony with people of different ethnic background same as we all with nature. Go work and perhaps, you'll improve yourself! And about that damn Yellow Ribbon pin. Don't be a fool. You know what it means.



Whatever the reasons, DAP is illegal and limiting the SC's power borders into a dictatorship.

Doing to improve the Philippines or to further accelerate the agenda of the Aquino-Cojuangco clan? So it is in self-interest to criticize the president now? I bet you support criminalizing criticism against the president.

If you are afraid of opening the country because the PH will be vulnerable to economic crisis indicate that you see the country as stupid because you indirectly states that once an economic crisis hits, no one in the Philippines will work for a solution. So you prefer Filipinos to be OFWs and leave their family behind? If the restrictions are removed, it means that more investors will come in and more jobs will be created.

How do you feel if I tell you that it is your own kin that wreck my family now huh? A damned Fil-Chinese young woman, whose father works as a franchiser at a certain cola company seduced my father and have ruined my family?! FYI I have previously worked at the Dept. Of Tourism under a contractual job and lasted for two years but my contract ended because I got hospitalized and that damned family issue. I am now waiting for my applications to be processed in other govt. agencies.

And for the yellow ribbon? I am not a fool! In the PH, it is the sign of the Aquino-Cojuangco clan! So, the Aquino-Cojuangco clan now represent the Philippines now? Is the red-white-blue flag now obsolete?


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## Zero_wing

No again the Philippines is a republic and democratic republic has both problems and possibility we all have to do the possibility of success wala tutulong sa pilipinas kung hindi tayo mga pilipino its our job to help the country its not just on the Foriegn invests or the President or any clan its the People all of us or none.


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## JayMandan

The current administration is the best we have for many years but we need someone who is 100x more aggressive in dealing with the corrupt officials pocketing our tax money. I can only think of one person. Any suggestion my kababayans? Please don't say Binay.

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## Zero_wing

Kung ako no binay yes i agree but how about Sen Defensor Santiago yes she run the last time maybe this year she get luckly or Grace poe am willing to give her a chance no more traditional politicians please those people need to go no more of them

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## JayMandan

Zero_wing said:


> Kung ako no binay yes i agree but how about Sen Defensor Santiago yes she run the last time maybe this year she get luckly or Grace poe am willing to give her a chance no more traditional politicians please those people need to go no more of them


I really like Santiago but in my honest opinion, if she got cheated on the 92 presidential election then she is not strong enough. I don't have much info on grace poe but I heard she did some good deeds.


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## Aepsilons

I commend our Filipino members @Cossack25A1 and @Bob Ong for their spirited and eye opening discussions on the politics of the Philippines. And the yearnings of the Filipino people, at that. I will say this, as an outside observer, that there may be some policies that the current Aquino Regime needs to expand upon, but I do applaud the current administration's policies in trying to tackle and deal with the corruption in government. Perhaps in succeeding administrations, more can be done , to further enhance government's transparency and responsibility. What ever the case, let it be known that we Japanese are impressed with the level of maturity and growth the Philippines has undergone these past 5 years. Keep it up.

Mabuhay !


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Kung ako no binay yes i agree but how about Sen Defensor Santiago yes she run the last time maybe this year she get luckly or Grace poe am willing to give her a chance no more traditional politicians please those people need to go no more of them



Defensor Santiago is the best bet for 2016. May she have better health so that she can lead the country.

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> I commend our Filipino members @Cossack25A1 and @Bob Ong for their spirited and eye opening discussions on the politics of the Philippines. And the yearnings of the Filipino people, at that. I will say this, as an outside observer, that there may be some policies that the current Aquino Regime needs to expand upon, but I do applaud the current administration's policies in trying to tackle and deal with the corruption in government. Perhaps in succeeding administrations, more can be done , to further enhance government's transparency and responsibility. What ever the case, let it be known that we Japanese are impressed with the level of maturity and growth the Philippines has undergone these past 5 years. Keep it up.
> 
> Mabuhay !



The problem with Aquino is that he is selective on who gets charged with plunder and other corruption charges - only the ones in the opposing party whereas those in his Liberal party are unscathed, one example is the secretary of the Dept. of Budget and Management. And about the destruction of Typhoon Haiyan, if you mentioned to the people of Tacloban that Aquino is rebuilding the said city, they would likely lambast you and be hostile.

Tacloban rehab: Slow and furious | ABS-CBN News

Sadly, some Noytards and Yellow-zombies will say that because the SC said DAP is illegal, the rebuilding of Tacloban slowed. My counter-argument will be: "Where the hell did the billions of dollars that other countries gave went to? Why did DSWD put the other aid in storage and left to rot?"

'Gov't wasted no time in responding' - PNoy; Survivors have different story, 9 months after Yolanda
Wasted food aid for Yolanda victims infested with worms - DZRH News

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## Nike

Hmm it will be alright if i put pics about Phil armed forces, this thread seems lack of its?







Ph Navy Special Warfare Group, A member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Naval Special Operations Group participates in a battlefield exercise during a combat medic subject matter expert exchange at Naval Base Cavite, Philippines.






An Armed Forces of the Philippines Navy SEAL climbs a caving ladder aboard the Philippine Navy logistics support vessel BRP Dagupan City (LC-551) during a maritime interdiction operation exercise.






SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 14, 2010) - Republic of the Philippines Navy ship BRP Humabon (PF 11), steams in formation for a photography exercise as a part of exercise Balikatan 2010 (BK 10). Essex, commanded by Capt. Troy Hart, is part of the forward-deployed Essex Amphibious Ready Group and is participating in BK 10, an annual, bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Republic of the Philippines. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez/Released)






SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 14, 2010) - Republic of the Philippines Navy ship BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS 36) steams in formation for a photography exercise as a part of exercise Balikatan 2010 (BK 10). Essex, commanded by Capt. Troy Hart, is part of the forward-deployed Essex Amphibious Ready Group and is participating in BK 10, an annual, bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Republic of the Philippines. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez/Released)

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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> Hmm it will be alright if i put pics about Phil armed forces, this thread seems lack of its?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ph Navy Special Warfare Group, A member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Naval Special Operations Group participates in a battlefield exercise during a combat medic subject matter expert exchange at Naval Base Cavite, Philippines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An Armed Forces of the Philippines Navy SEAL climbs a caving ladder aboard the Philippine Navy logistics support vessel BRP Dagupan City (LC-551) during a maritime interdiction operation exercise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 14, 2010) - Republic of the Philippines Navy ship BRP Humabon (PF 11), steams in formation for a photography exercise as a part of exercise Balikatan 2010 (BK 10). Essex, commanded by Capt. Troy Hart, is part of the forward-deployed Essex Amphibious Ready Group and is participating in BK 10, an annual, bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Republic of the Philippines. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez/Released)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 14, 2010) - Republic of the Philippines Navy ship BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS 36) steams in formation for a photography exercise as a part of exercise Balikatan 2010 (BK 10). Essex, commanded by Capt. Troy Hart, is part of the forward-deployed Essex Amphibious Ready Group and is participating in BK 10, an annual, bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Republic of the Philippines. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez/Released)



You are free to do so. 

I also hope other Filipino members do the same.


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## Zero_wing

Nihonjin1051 said:


> I commend our Filipino members @Cossack25A1 and @Bob Ong for their spirited and eye opening discussions on the politics of the Philippines. And the yearnings of the Filipino people, at that. I will say this, as an outside observer, that there may be some policies that the current Aquino Regime needs to expand upon, but I do applaud the current administration's policies in trying to tackle and deal with the corruption in government. Perhaps in succeeding administrations, more can be done , to further enhance government's transparency and responsibility. What ever the case, let it be known that we Japanese are impressed with the level of maturity and growth the Philippines has undergone these past 5 years. Keep it up.
> 
> Mabuhay !



Well yes but the problem is the future will future leaders take the mantel and improve on the changes that current administration has started or they throw it all away. But thanks for the inputs and good news comrade nihonjin your insights and questions are much appreciated 

arigatou gozaimas did i say and spell that right?



madokafc said:


> Hmm it will be alright if i put pics about Phil armed forces, this thread seems lack of its?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ph Navy Special Warfare Group, A member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Naval Special Operations Group participates in a battlefield exercise during a combat medic subject matter expert exchange at Naval Base Cavite, Philippines.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An Armed Forces of the Philippines Navy SEAL climbs a caving ladder aboard the Philippine Navy logistics support vessel BRP Dagupan City (LC-551) during a maritime interdiction operation exercise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 14, 2010) - Republic of the Philippines Navy ship BRP Humabon (PF 11), steams in formation for a photography exercise as a part of exercise Balikatan 2010 (BK 10). Essex, commanded by Capt. Troy Hart, is part of the forward-deployed Essex Amphibious Ready Group and is participating in BK 10, an annual, bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Republic of the Philippines. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez/Released)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 14, 2010) - Republic of the Philippines Navy ship BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS 36) steams in formation for a photography exercise as a part of exercise Balikatan 2010 (BK 10). Essex, commanded by Capt. Troy Hart, is part of the forward-deployed Essex Amphibious Ready Group and is participating in BK 10, an annual, bilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Republic of the Philippines. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez/Released)



Sure no problem your welcome to do so

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## DarkElf

Cossack25A1 said:


> How do you feel if I tell you that it is your own kin that wreck my family now huh? A damned *Fil*-Chinese young woman, whose father works as a franchiser at a certain cola company seduced my father and have ruined my family?! FYI I have previously worked at the Dept. Of Tourism under a contractual job and lasted for two years but my contract ended because I got hospitalized and that damned family issue. I am now waiting for my applications to be processed in other govt. agencies.



Well i don't know anything about your country politic, but i just curious with that statement.

Is the Bob Ong really have family ties with the woman and you guys know each other in real life, or are you just blaming the entire Fil-Chinese community because your father have an affair with Fil-Chinese? Btw if you don't know each other and your father have affair with Fil woman will you also blame your entire nation? Remember it takes two to tango.


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## Cossack25A1

DarkElf said:


> Well i don't know anything about your country politic, but i just curious with that statement.
> 
> Is the Bob Ong really have family ties with the woman and you guys know each other in real life, or are you just blaming the entire Fil-Chinese community because your father have an affair with Fil-Chinese? Btw if you don't know each other and your father have affair with Fil woman will you also blame your entire nation? Remember it takes two to tango.



No, but racially, they are related: being Filipino-Chinese. Also, the situation changed when that girl made an indirect threats, and that last question is more of a personal matter as he stepped into it. My counter-argument was more on the Fil-Chinese oligarchy that has influence over the country, leading to wrong decisions which only benefits their enclave here in the Philippines.


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## Bienvenido

Bob Ong said:


> Well it would be perfect if PNoy will follow Marcos way of controlling the government... with his honest heart and soul. Philippines will progress on a speed of light!


The last time a sitting president tried to change the constitution to extend his term ended up in exile in Hawaii. How ironic would it be if Aquino got a taste of People Power?

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## Bienvenido

*Philippine military don’t need to be in par with China, PNoy*
August 18,2014
*





*
President Aquino said during an exclusive interview aired by TV5 Sunday night, the Armed Forces of the Philippines really needs to be equipped with modern hardware. But having said that, Philippines don’t need to be in parity or some semblance of parity with China’s military.

Aquino noted that China has nuclear power and China is indeed a military super power. He added that our constitution does not allow the government to invest in nuclear weapons.

On earlier report, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said “The Armed Forces of the Philippines is drawing closer to its projected minimum defense posture with the expected deliveries of more equipment under its modernization program.”

“We are getting closer to our desired state in terms of capability and readiness,” Gazmin noted.

Gazmin said that Philippine military will reach the state of having minimum credible defense in 2016.


Philippine military don’t need to be in par with China, PNoy

*_____________________________


PAF to buy affordable yet best combat aircraft*
August 5,2014






Philippine News Agency – With two South Korean F/A-50 “Fighting Eagle” jet aircraft expected to arrive and be in commission by 2015, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) announced that it will soon form an assessment team that will sift through the technical specifications of the various fighter aircraft available and decide which one is the best and affordable for the country.

This was stressed by Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya, PAF spokesperson, in a statement to the PNA.

“There are several fighter aircraft available in the market that can fit the requirement for future fighter aircraft of the PAF,” he added.

But Canaya said that an assessment team will need to look and evaluate the specification of these fighter aircraft .

“An assessment team (is needed) to determine the technical specifications which will be the basis for selection. At present, we don’t have the team in place yet but (it) can be expected soon now that the F/A 50 lead-in fighter aircraft is expected to be delivered beginning next year,” he added.

This is in wake of reports that the Swedish SAAB JAS-39 “Gripen” light engine mult-role jet aircraft is being considered by the Philippine defense establishment as the next jet fighters of the PAF.

The “Gripen” has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stability design and fly-by-wire flight controls. It is powered by the Volvo RM12, and has a top speed of Mach 2.

The “Gripen” was designed to be flexible as it had been anticipated that newly developed sensors, computers, and armaments would need to be integrated as technology advances.

It can be armed with a variety of air-to-air, air-to-surface missiles and automatic cannons.

Production models are priced at an estimated USD68 million per unit.

*_______**______________________*


*PH finalizing P2.68B air defense radar deal with Israel*

The project will fund the installation of radar systems in Palawan to cover the West Philippines Sea and old radar sites Lubang and Pasuquin





'BETTER TERMS': The Department of National Defense says Israel's Elta Systems offered the best terms for the country's air defense radar system. Rappler photo

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is fast tracking the acquisition of air defense surveillance radars from Israel’s Elta Systems so it can monitor intrusions in its air space.

The project worth P2.68 billion ($62.85 million*) will fund the installation of radar systems in Palawan to cover the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea) and old radar sites Lubang Island in Occidental Mindoro and Pasuquin Air Station in Ilocos Norte.

“Palawan is a new location but even the old ones have to be restored or we have to build new basing facilities. This is part of the overall capability upgrade. Even without the incidents that came in recent years, this was already programmed,” Defense Undersecretary Eduardo Batac told reporters on Wednesday, July 9, after a meeting of the Bids and Awards Committee to discuss the project.

The radar systems cover a 350-nautical mile radius, Batac said.

Batac said they are now determining the the proposed values to specific deliverables in the government-to-government project. Aside from the radar systems, the project includes the construction of radar platforms, communication systems, tests, and provision of spare parts.

Technical specifications were discussed during the pre-negotiation stage although Batac said this has to be formalized. Limited details were divulged to the media. The committee held an executive session following a discussion of the proposed values.

Batac gave assurances that Israel offered “better terms” than other proponents of the project.

The project is part of the capability upgrade of the Philippine Air Force, which is also acquiring a squadron of fighter jets from South Korea, long range patrol aircrafts, andanti-submarine helicopters, among other brand new air assets.

The Philippines has one remaining radar system at the Wallace air station in San Fernando, La Union, leaving its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) practically unprotected. The radar system there also has limited range and is no longer fully operational.

"Your radars are supposed to be 24/7 facilities for purposes of detection against intrusions into our air space," Batac said.

The Philippines had first rate air defense capabilities from the 1950s until the early 1990s when radar systems were in place as well as several squadrons of F-86F and fighters like F-5s.

The US, which used to maintain bases here, also complemented the country’s air defense capabilities.

“Over the years, we have lost almost all of our air defense equipment. Our fighters are old and there are no more spare parts to maintain them,” Batac said.

The first radar system is expected to be installed 22 months after the notice to proceed is issued and the letter of credit is signed. 


*_____________________________*


*Aquino hits China over 2 ships in Recto Bank*
Aug 18, 2014

China's hydrographic ships have been sighted within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. President Aquino says he fears heightened tension between the 2 countries in the South China Sea.





FEARING TENSION. President Benigno Aquino III says the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spotted two Chinese hydrographic ships in the disputed South China Sea. In this photo taken on August 14, 2014, Aquino leads the ceremonial distribution of assault rifles at the AFP Headquarters. In front of him is Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. Photo by Robert Viñas/Malacañang Photo Bureau

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Benigno Aquino III criticized China in an interview aired Sunday, August 17, after the Philippines spotted 2 Chinese hydrographic ships in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

In his exclusive interview with TV5, Aquino said the Armed Forces of the Philippines reported seeing these hydrographic ships in the potentially oil-rich Recto (Reed) Bank in the West Philippine Sea.

Aquino pointed out that Recto Bank lies 80 nautical miles from Palawan in the Philippines.

This means it falls within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, an area 200 nautical miles from a coastal state's baselines or edges, within which it has the exclusive rights to exploit sea resources.

“_Anong ginagawa nila diyan? Anong studies nila? Sana hindi nagbabadya 'to ng mas malaki, may dagdag na naman, o panibagong tensyon sa ating dalawa_,” Aquino said in his interview with lawyer-columnist Mel Sta Maria.

(What are they doing there? What are their studies? I hope this doesn't lead to worsened or additional tension between the two of us.)

The sighting of the 2 Chinese vessels came after the Philippines, in July, extended a British company's permit to conduct oil drilling activities in Recto Bank.

China promptly rejected this as “illegal and invalid.”

The permit allowed Forum Energy, a British firm led by Filipino businessman Manuel Pangilinan, to conduct its oil drilling in Recto Bank until August 15, 2016.

*China 'harassment' in 2011*

Aquino recalled that Recto Bank was already the site of heightened tension between the Philippines and China earlier in his presidency.

In 2011, a year into his term, the Philippines accused Chinese vessels of harassing a Filipino exploration vessel in Recto Bank.

The Philippines and China both show interest in Recto Bank because of its oil potential.

In a report in February 2013, the United States Energy Information Administration said Recto Bank could possibly hold up to 5.4 billion barrels of oil and 55.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. (READ: Reed Bank 'holds huge oil, gas reserves')

The dispute between the Philippines and China over the West Philippine Sea, however, has delayed the exploration of Recto Bank.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, while the Philippines has challenged the Asian giant by filing a historic case over the contested waters.

Despite this, Pangilinan earlier said Forum Energy was negotiating with the state-run China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) for the joint exploration of Recto Bank.

His only condition, Pangilinan said, was for CNOOC to respect the Philippines' rights over Recto Bank.

Aquino has said he is willing to jointly develop Recto Bank as long as the Philippine claim is respected.

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## Aepsilons

Good Job, Philippines. Keep it up.


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## Cossack25A1

*Cadillac Gage Commando: V-150 variant*

*



*

The M706 Cadillac Gage Commando is a 4x4 amphibious armored car built by the American firm Cadillac Gage. The vehicle has been outfitted for many roles, including armored personnel carrier, ambulance, fire apparatus, anti-tank vehicle, and mortar carrier. They saw service in the Vietnam war where it became known as the Duck, or the V. It was also supplied to many American allies, including Lebanon and Saudi Arabia which used them in the first major ground engagement of the Persian Gulf War. No longer produced, it has been largely replaced by the M1117 Armored Security Vehicle, which was developed as tougher alternative to up-armored Humvees.


The V-150 was a hybrid variant which actually came after the V-200 and was based on the V-200 but had some V-100 features. It could be equipped with diesel or gasoline engines and most were produced for the Saudi Arabian National Guard. Their version was called the V-150S. In the Battle of Khafji, between 7 and 10 of the lightly armored Saudi V-150s were destroyed when they were used in conjunction with AMX-30 main battle tanks to drive Iraqi armored forces out the town in the first major ground engagement of the 1991 Gulf War.

In the 1980s Portugal updated its Chaimites (originally built between 1967 and 1974) with a 90 mm turret (V-400), but the Portuguese Army also bought 15 examples of the U.S.-made V-150 Commando.

The *Philippine Army* has about 130 V-150s that are in service. Typical armament for Philippine V-150s is one .50 cal MG and one 7.62mm MG in a one-meter turret. The *PH Marine Corps* has about 18 of this vehicles in service

---------------


*GKN Simba*














The Simba is a wheeled armoured personnel carrier designed by GKN Sankey (acquired since then by Alvis plc and now part of BAE Systems) and is currently in service with the Philippine Army.

The Simba Light Combat Vehicle (LCV) was designed by GKN primarily for export market sales and following continuous and rigid trials was selected by the Armed Forces of the Philippines which placed an initial order of 150 vehicles.[2]


Of the 150 vehicles ordered, eight were delivered in complete kit form, two in knocked-down kit form, and the remainder were later assembled in the Philippines in a facility owned by the joint venture company Asian Armoured Technologies Corporation in Subic Bay.

The driver is seated conventionally front-left with the powerpack to his right and the troop compartment extending up to the rear of the vehicle. The troops on seats down either side can dismount the vehicle via the door in the rear or the door in the left side of the hull. The driver and commander can dismount via the cupola hatch and the driver's side door. The vehicle used by the Philippine Army has a one-man turret armed with a .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO) M2 Browning heavy machine gun. Some vehicles were fitted with a one-person gun turret. Some Simbas armed with a 25mm cannon and a co-axial 7.62mm General-purpose machine gun.

A wide range of optional equipment can be fitted to the vehicle including a front-mounted winch, heater/air-conditioning system, and various weapon systems.

Simbas in Philippine Army service are fitted with an air-conditioning system, due to the tropical climate of the country. These vehicles have seen action from anti-insurgency campaigns against communist rebels in the north and central part of the country and have dealt with terrorists in counter-terrorism campaigns in the southernmost provinces in the island of Mindanao.


---------------


*Bravia Chaimite*






The Bravia Chaimite is an armored vehicle with all wheel drive axles built by the Portuguese company Bravia and used by the Portuguese Army in the Portuguese colonial wars in Angola, Mozambique and Portuguese Guinea, from 1967 to 1974 when it ended.


There were two versions of the Chaimite, the VBTP V-200 and the VBPM V-600. The VBTP, (_Viatura Blindada de Transporte de Pessoal_, Armoured Personnel Transport Vehicle), had an 11-man capacity and was armed with one .50 Browning heavy machine-gun, while the VBPM, (_Viatura Blindada Porta-morteiro_, Armoured Mortar Carrier Vehicle), had only a 4-man capacity and was armed with one Browning .30 heavy machine-gun and one 81 mm mortar. These vehicles had diesel engines with 155 hp (115 kW) at 3300 rpm with automatic gear capable of taking on speeds to a maximum of 99 km/h (62 mph). The armour of this APC was capable of defeating rounds up to 7.62 mm NATO.

The *Philippine Army* has the APC version and about 20 of this vehicle are in service.


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## Cossack25A1

---------------

*AIFV*











The *AIFV* (_Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle_) is a tracked light armored vehicle that serves as an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) in the armies of several countries. It is a development of the M113A1 armored personnel carrier.

The hull of the vehicle is made of welded aluminum, with spaced steel laminate armor bolted onto the side and front. The voids of the armor are filled with polyurethane foam, which gives the vehicle extra buoyancy when travelling in the water.


The engine sits on the front right of the hull, behind a hatch that can be used to remove the complete powerpack. The powerpack is similar to the M113A1, except for a larger radiator capacity and turbocharger. The transmission is also fitted with heavy duty components from the M548 tracked cargo carrier. Immediately to the left of the engine is the driver, above whom is a hatch that opens to the right. The driver has four M27 day periscopes. The driver's center periscope can be replaced by a passive infra-red periscope for night driving. The commander sits immediately behind the driver, and has a cupola that can be completely traversed. The cupola has five periscopes, four of which are M17 day periscopes, the fifth has 1x to 6x variable magnification.

The turret is fitted on the right side of the hull behind the engine. The turret, which has electro-hydraulic traverse, can elevate from -10 to +50° and can traverse and elevate at a speed of 60°/sec. The turret mounts an Oerlikon Contraves 25 mm KBA-B02 cannon with a dual ammunition feed and 180 rounds of ready use ammo, with another 144 rounds stored in the hull. Mounted to the left of this gun is a 7.62 mm FN MAG machine gun, which has 230 rounds of ready ammo, with a further 1,610 in the hull.

The troop compartment is at the rear of the hull; a large power operated ramp allows access through the rear of the vehicle, a door is also provided in the ramp. Additionally a single piece hatch covers the top of the troop compartment. The compartment contains seven troops in the Dutch variant, with six sitting back to back facing outwards and a single passenger sitting between the command and the turret facing backwards. There are two firing ports in each side of the hull and a single firing port in the rear. The side firing ports are provided with M17 periscopes, the rear one is fitted with a M27 periscope.

The *Philippine Army* has about 50+ of this vehicle in service, most are armed with 25mm autocannon but some are armed with.50 caliber machine gun


---------------

*FNSS ACV-15 (formerly known as ACV-300)*

*



*

ACV-15 is the designation of a armored combat vehicle family developed by the Turkish defense company FNSS Savunma Sistemleri A.Ş., containing an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC). The ACV-15 is based on the American Advanced Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

FNSS developed the ACV-15 based on the AIFV to meet the Turkish Land Forces Command's (TLFC's) operational requirement. The first production vehicles were delivered in 1992. The basic AIFV has a one-person power-operated turret armed with a 25mm cannon and 7.62mm co-axial machine gun. FNSS Defense Systems' latest development is the Armored Combat Vehicle - New Generation which has an additional roadwheel each side. This can undertake a wider range of battlefield missions as it has greater internal volume and load-carrying capability. The vehicle is fully amphibious, propelled in the water by its tracks. Standard equipment includes passive night vision equipment, an NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protection system and smoke grenade launchers.

The *Philippine Army *has about 7 of this vehicle in service, one of which is purposed as a recovery vehicle.


---------------


*M113 armored personnel carrier*

*



*
*



*
*



*


Most M113s in the Philippine Army have the old armored ring-mounted .50 cal MG. The PA also uses M113s mounting surplus Scorpion tank turrets as fire support vehicles.

The M113 series of armored vehicles is the most widely produced vehicle of its type. As of 1999 over 76,000 units of all variants have been produced. The first vehicle was completed in 1960 and it is still in production. There are too many variants to list. The latest model is the M113A3 which introduces several improvements such as a more powerful engine, spall liners, external fuel tanks and optional applique/standoff armor. Standofff armor provides extra protection from HEAT rounds (such as an RPG) by detonating the charge far enough away from the actual armor for the explosive gas jet to have its desired effect. Several upgrade packages are available for countries with existing M113 fleets.

The *Philippine Army *has about 120 units in service with additional 142 that are modified will arrive soon.


---------------

Cadillac Gage Textron *LAV-300*
*



*

The Cadillac Gage Textron LAV-300 is a family of American light armored vehicles (LAVs) including up to 15 configurations. LAV-300 offers high mobility, speeds of up to 65 mph (105 km/h), and can be air-transported by a C-5 Galaxy, C-141 Starlifter, C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft. Some versions can be air-transported by CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter.

The LAV-300 6x6 series is the complement to Textron’s Marine and Land Division’s (formally Cadillac Gage) 4x4 Commando series. The Philippine Marines were supplied with an armored personnel carrier (APC) version with a turret armed with a .50 caliber and 7.62 mm machine gun and a fire support version armed with a Cockerill 90 mm Mk III. The Marine Corps had wanted the US-built LVTP7A1 (now called the AAVP-7A1) amphibious armored landing vehicle, and 36 vehicles were offered in the 1980s; however, partisan political and financial interests shot down the deal. Instead, V-150s were secured through FMS. In 1991, LAV-300s were proposed as the Philippine Marine Corps' share in the US bases compensation package. The Marines accepted them but mandated modifications to better suit their needs: pump jets for amphibious operations, a rear ramp for the easier discharge of troops, and a trim-vane. Smoke grenade launchers and the winch were scrapped to trim costs.

The *Philippine Marine Corps* has 23 of this vehicles in service, nearly half of which are armed with 90mm gun and the remaining half having a 1-meter turret armed with a .50 caliber machine gun and 7.62mm machine gun.

---------------

*LVTH-6 (Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Howitzer)*










The *LVTP-5* (*Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Personnel*) was a family of amphibious armored fighting vehicles used by the United States Marine Corps. It was designed by the BorgWarner company and built by FMC (Food Machinery Corporation) along with a few other companies. It was first accepted into service in 1956. Some 1,124 basic units were produced, plus the specialist variants, and many saw action in the Vietnam War.

The *Philippine Marine Corps* initially have this in service but was put out of service. In 2006, four LVTH-6 are refurbished and recommissioned while one is displayed in Philippine Navy HQ along Roxas Boulevard near Manila-Pasay city border.


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## Cossack25A1

*FV-101 Scorpion: 76mm gun variant








*
British armoured reconnaissance vehicle. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), CVR(T), family of seven armoured vehicles. Manufactured by Alvis, it was introduced into service with the British Army in 1973 and served until 1994.[2] More than 3,000 were produced and used as a reconnaissance vehicle or a light tank.

The Scorpion was armed with the low velocity 76 mm L23A1 gun, which could fire high-explosive, HESH, smoke and canister rounds. Stowage was provided for 40 or 42 rounds. A 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun (3,000 rounds carried) and two multi-barreled smoke grenade dischargers were also fitted each side of the turret.[1] Main armament elevation is 35 degrees and depression of 10 degrees with a full 360 degree traverse. The vehicle was fitted with a nuclear, biological, chemical protection system, image intensification sights for gunner and driver and a floatation screen.[1] A commode was located under the commander's seat, an internal water tank and a boiling vessel for cooking and heating water were also provided.

The *Philippine Army* has 45 in service and was delivered back in the 1970s.


---------------

*FV-106 Samson*






FV106 Samson is a British Army armoured recovery vehicle, one of the CVR(T) family. The main role of this vehicle is to recover the CVR(T) family of vehicles, but can recover other light tracked vehicles such as the FV430 series.

The Samson was conceived in the early 1970s with the final design entering production in 1978. The hull is an all-welded aluminium construction. It usually carries a crew of three operating a 3.5T capstan winch that can also be utilised in a lifting configuration. It carries suitable equipment to enable a 4:1 mechanical advantage with 228m of winch rope. This winch is capable of recovering up to 12 Tonnes of vehicle. A manually operated earth anchor is situated at the rear to anchor the vehicle while operations are carried out.

Rear view of a Samson showing the rear crew hatch, A-frame and anchor The Samson can be fitted with a floatation screen so it can be operated amphibiously using its own tracks at 6.5 km/h or at 9.6 km/h if also fitted with a propeller kit. The Samson can also be fitted with a full NBC protection unit.

The *Philippine Army *has about 6 of this vehicles in serivce.

---------------

*HMMWV (Humvee)*










The *High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle* (*HMMWV*), commonly known as the *Humvee*, is a four-wheel drive military automobile produced by AM General.[7] It has largely supplanted the roles originally performed by the original jeep, and older Military light utility vehicles such as the Vietnam-era M151 1⁄4-short-ton (230 kg) MUTT, the M561 "Gama Goat", their M718A1 and M792 ambulance versions, the CUCV, and other light trucks. Primarily used by the United States military, it is also used by numerous other countries and organizations and even in civilian adaptations. The Humvee's widespread use in the Persian Gulf War helped inspire the civilian Hummer automotive marque.

The *Philippine Army* has undisclosed number of units with variants being M998A1, M1038A1, M1025A1, M1025P1 and M1114 while the *Philippine Marine Corps* has the M998A1, M1038A1 and M1025A1.


--------------

*Marine Multi-purpose Vehicle*

*







*

The *Marine Multi-purpose Vehicle* or *MMPV* is a 4x4 utility vehicle built by the Philippine Marine Corps. Similar in concept and appearance to the HMMWV, it was created to replace the M151 MUTT jeeps in service, which were becoming difficult to maintain due to a lack of available spare parts. The first prototypes of the MMPV are equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine, rated for 141 kW (189 hp/192 ps) and 306 Nm torque. diesel engine and transmission, 4WD and chassis.

The Marine Multi-purpose Vehicle is built around a tubular-steel frame safety roll-cage which protects the passenger compartment if the vehicle turns over. This cage is covered by a heavy-gauge sheet metal. An electrical winch with a capacity of 5,000 kg (11,023 lb) can be mounted at the front of the vehicle if required, and the windshield can be removed. The passenger compartment is in the center of the vehicle with the driver on the left and two passenger seats to his right. There is space for 0.93 cubic metres (33 cu ft) of cargo behind the passenger seats. A full length skid pan protects the hull and allows the vehicle to slide over obstacles. The transmission is a Mitsubishi A-727 fully automatic with a torque converter, there are 3F and 1R gears - the Marine Multi-purpose Vehicle is in 4 x 4 drive all the time. Limited-slip clutches, in front and rear, and inter-axle differentials automatically distribute more torque to those wheels with the most grip. The independent suspension is of a double 'A' design with a torsion-bar spring and hydraulic telescopic shock absorber at each station. A stabilizer bar is provided for the rear suspension.

The vehicle uses independent suspensions and portal geared hubs similar to portal axles to make for a full 16 inches of ground clearance. The vehicle also has disc brakes on all 4 wheels, and 4-wheel double-wishbone suspension. The brake discs are not mounted at the wheels as on conventional automobiles, but are inboard, attached to the outside of each differential. The front and rear differentials are Torsen type, and the center differential is a regular, lockable type.

The steering is power-assisted and the tubeless tires have a high-pressure tube inner tire which provides a built-in spare for each tube as well as eliminating rim leaks during high speed cornering. The tires are self-cleaning and disc brakes are fitted on all four wheels. The electrical system is 24V DC and two batteries with a capacity of 45 Amp/Hr are provided. The alternator is of the integral rectifier and regulator type. The Marine Multi-purpose Vehicle is proved with a heavy duty towing pintle as well as a trailer wiring harness receptacle. It is air-transportable and can be air-dropped.

Variants include the following:

Anti-Armour: A recoilless 106 mm rifle mounted above the crew compartment and a total of thirty five rounds of ammunition.

Reconnaissance: Fitted with a ring-mounted .50cal M2HB machine guns with a 360 degree traverse

Convoy Escort/ Security Vehicle: This can be provided with a pintle-mount 5.56mm/7.62 mmCal GPMG's, M174 automatic grenade launcher's and various other similar weapons. These weapons can also be mounted on the reconnaissance model on the ring mount.


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## Cossack25A1

Reported last July but it is still relevant, sadly Pinoys will see this as lies and opposition propaganda while Filipinos will agree on this.
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*FOCUS | Economy under the Aquino administration a case of worsening exclusivity*

After four years of the Aquino administration, the most recent available data on various socioeconomic indicators affirm the exclusionary nature of the country's economic growth:

*1. Jobs crisis continues*

The country is still facing the most unemployed and underemployed Filipinos in history. The government’s labor force data shows that there were 4.5 million unemployed (correcting for official government underestimation) and 7.3 million underemployed. Put together, this means that 11.5 million Filipinos (over ¼ of the labor force) are unemployed or looking for more work.

The country's unemployment rate – whether using IBON's adjusted estimate of 10.4% or the official rate of 7.0% – is the worst in Asia. Recent unemployment rates in other Asian countries including those at similar levels of economic development as the Philippines are much lower: Brunei (1.1%), Cambodia (0.10%), Indonesia (5.7%), Malaysia (2.9%), Myanmar (4.0%), Singapore (2.0%), Thailand (0.9%), Vietnam (2.2%), South Korea (3.7%), India (3.8%) and China (4.1%). It is not coincidental that the Philippines has among the most liberalized economies among this group.

It is also important to assess the quality of work in interpreting the 2014 April round figures. Around 1.7 million additional employed persons were reported to reach a total of 38.7 million employed. However, the additional work was in effect wholly in part-time work which increased by 2.2 million compared to a marked 673,000 decline in the numbers in full-time work. These results continue a marked trend since the start of the Aquino administration in 2010 of part-time work steadily outpacing full-time work. Nearly four in 10 jobs (38.7%) in the country now are part-time and very likely low-pay and insecure work.

It is also important to consider that the number of those employed but classified as working without pay increased by 296,000 from last year to reach over 4.3 million in April. The informal sector – composed of own-account and unpaid family workers – thus continues to grow and reached 16.5 million or a very substantial four out of 10 (42.5%) of total employed in the same period.

The number of unemployed remains most concentrated among the youth where half (49.8%) of all unemployed are in the 15-24 year old age group – at least 19.1 million youth nationwide – and another almost third (30.5%) are in the 25-34 age group.

Among the unemployed, almost four out of 10 (36.9%) have a college education with at least 655,000 or over two out of 10 (22.4%) actually having graduated. Another one out of 10 (8.6%) have at least some post-secondary education while over three out of 10 (33.2%) have a high school degree. That nearly eight out of 10 (78.2%) of unemployed Filipinos have at least a high school degree, with others even having post-secondary or college degrees, underscores how the main factor driving joblessness is not low educational attainment so much as the weak job creation by the economy.

This point is further stressed by considering the continuing large numbers of Filipinos forced to go abroad to find work, which includes among the country's most educated. The LFS is not able to capture this because of some long-unresolved methodological limitations in its survey. However, administrative records from the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) report that 1.8 million Filipinos left the country for work in 2013 - which is equivalent to a record 5,031 leaving the country every day. This is more than the daily average of 4,937 leaving in 2012 although a smaller year-on-year increase than in previous years.

*2. Rising prices eroding low incomes*

Food prices started increasing more rapidly in the latter part of 2013 and then in the first semester of 2014, which further reduced the value of already low and falling real incomes. These pushed monthly inflation rates to their highest in the last 2 1/2 years especially with how food consumption can account for 40-50% of total expenditure of the country's vast low- income households.

The rising prices have to be measured for their impact given the actual levels of poor families' incomes. Rough estimates on the results of the latest 2012 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) show that the poorest 70% of Filipinos – or some 66 million Filipinos – try to live off incomes of around just P38, P51, P59, P71, P84, P100 and P125 per day (corresponding to the lowest seven income deciles). These were computed by dividing average annual income per decile by 365 days and an assumed average family size of five. Larger families mean lower incomes per family member and vice versa for smaller families.

The cost of education has also started to crawl upwards. The opening of the school year 2014-2015 had the Department of Education (DepED) approving four-fifths of 1,477 petitions for tuition fee increases in private elementary and secondary schools. Similarly, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved over four-fifths of applications for tuition fee increases for academic year 2014-2015. This has meant an average increase in tuition fees and of school fees nationwide by around 8% and going up to 13-14% in some regions; the tuition fee increase in the NCR is 6 percent.

Oil product price increases, meanwhile, are moderate for now although the price of gasoline, diesel and LPG still generally remain higher than in recent years. The price of LPG has tempered from extremely high prices in 2013. The momentum of rising power rates in the last part of 2013 has, however, been arrested with the Supreme Court continuing for an indefinite period its temporary restraining order on the Meralco rate hike upon alleged wholesale electricity spot market (WESM) manipulation.

All these price pressures drove monthly inflation rates to a range of 3.9-4.5% in the first semester of 2014. The lowest inflation was recorded in March (3.9%) and the highest in May (4.5%) while inflation remains high at 4.4% in June. These rates are much higher compared to the annual averages of 3.2% in 2012 and 3.0% in 2013. Accelerating inflation is among the most important precipitating factors for interest rate hikes by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

*3. Poverty is still severe*

The government’s poverty figures at most only measure trends among the poorest 20-30% of the population or at the very deepest levels of poverty in Filipinos and families in the country – which amounts to around 25 million Filipinos in severe poverty in 2013. As it is, using but reinterpreting data from the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), some 56 million Filipinos live off around P100 or less a day and some 66 million Filipinos live off around P125 or less a day. These are better indicators of the real extent of poverty in the country. They are also more consistent with IBON national opinion survey results which reported 67.0% of respondents describing their family's situation as poor.

It must be noted that there are no significant changes in the real economy, whether on the production or demand side, to suggest that it has already shifted to a new and higher level of economic expansion. In the absence of any structural transformation the economy's trajectory in the next few years will be heavily influenced by the degree of government spending and by how far private construction increases, which remains a question.

Over the medium-term, the Aquino government is still relying on greater foreign investments to propel economic growth and development. The recent credit rating upgrades have been played up as outcomes of good governance and signaling increased flows of foreign debt and equity financing to the country. But the problem with this is that any increased foreign financing will have a short-term and limited impact if they are concentrated in foreign firms in low value-added areas of the economy rather than building domestic agriculture and Filipino industry.

The poor socioeconomic performance is the necessary result of a Philippine economy that does not serve the needs of the majority of Filipinos. The economy is dysfunctional for not having agricultural and industrial sectors commensurate to its vast human and natural resources. It is also organized to generate wealth for a few rather than provide for the needs of its tens of millions of peasants, fisherfolk, private and public sector workers, employees, and smaller domestic enterprises.

_IBON Foundation, Inc. is an independent development institution established in 1978 that provides research, education, publications, information work and advocacy support on socioeconomic issues._


FOCUS | Economy under the Aquino administration a case of worsening exclusivity

------

Well it only benefits the Oligarchy here.

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## Bienvenido

*Naval exercises in Australia to enhance surface warfare capability of PN*
August 17,2014







Philippine News Agency – With the departure of BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) and her embarked Agusta Westland AW-109 “Power” helicopter (PNH-431) Sunday for “Kakadu 2014″, the Philippine Navy expects to further boost its surface warfare capability with its incoming interaction with the Royal Australian Navy and 12 other participant nations.

“[The] PN’s participation is expected to enhance its surface warfare capabilities and interoperability with regional navies. It will also be an opportunity for the PN to enhance cooperation, camaraderie, and good working relationship with the participating navies,” PN public affairs officer for “Kakadu 2014″ Ensign John Windy Abing said.

The biennial exercises, the largest hosted by the RAN, will from Aug. 25 to Sept. 12 at the Northern Australian Exercise Area.

The send-off ceremony for BRP Ramon Alcaraz and the 180 officers and enlisted personnel aboard her was spearheaded by PN vice commander Rear Admiral Isabelo H. Gador at Subic Bay Freeport, Olongapo, Zambales.

“Kakadu 2014″ will be participated in by 12 countries. The participating countries with navy ships/aircrafts are Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, Pakistan and Australia while Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vanuatu, South Korea, and India will be sending personnel as observers.

Abing said that this is the second time the PN has sent its ship to participate since the exercise began way back in 1993.

The first time that the PN sent a ship was in 1999. PN observers were also sent in 2003, 2005, and 2007.

It can be recalled that on March 2014, Alcaraz’s sister ship, BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) was also sent to Indonesia to participate for the first time in the Multilateral Naval Exercise codenamed “Komodo” which was participated in by 16 countries.

The PN’s participation in multilateral exercises is an affirmation of its commitment in collaborating with other navies to promote peace and stability in the maritime region.

Naval exercises in Australia to enhance surface warfare capability of PN









Personnel of BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) haul the recently acquired brand new Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) on board the ship.







Philippine Navy personnel inspect the BRP Ramon Alcaraz’s Oto Melara, the ship’s main gun, in preparation for its participation in the multilateral naval exercise dubbed as “KAKADU 2014” that will be hosted by Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from Aug. 25, to Sept. 12, 2014 at Northern Australia Exercise Area.








Members of Naval Air Group secures AW 109 naval helicopter at the flight deck of BRP Ramon Alcaraz. Alcaraz and AW109 will be sent to participate in the biggest Aussie war games as the PN aims to level up the capabilities of its operating ships and aircrafts with other navies.








The women power on deck of BRP Ramon Alcaraz

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## Bienvenido

*Fil-Am named commanding officer of US Navy aircraft carrier*
August 11, 2014


*





MANILA, Philippines - Filipino sailors are looking forward to meeting Capt. Ronald Ravelo, who made history by being the first Filipino-American to be named commanding officer of a US Navy aircraft carrier.*
Lt. Cdr. Marineth Domingo, acting spokesperson for the Philippine Navy, said they are proud of the achievements of Ravelo, who assumed as commander of USS Abraham Lincoln last Aug. 7.

“During exercises with the US, we meet a lot of servicemen. It will be a pleasure to meet him,” Domingo told The STAR yesterday.

“As Filipinos, we are proud that a Filipino-American was named the commander of such a large ship,” she added.

No joint activities involving the Philippine Navy and crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln have been scheduled so far.

Domingo, nevertheless, said an engagement with Ravelo would provide Filipino sailors an opportunity to learn from his experiences as a Navy officer.

“We can learn about his challenges and how he was able to prove himself. It really shows that Filipinos can excel in whatever duty given to them,” she said.

According to the US Navy website, Ravelo hails from San Diego, California and is a 1987 graduate of University of Southern California, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering.

A naval aviator, Ravelo served with the Chargers of HS-14 in all of his fleet aviation tours, eventually leading the squadron from 2005 to 2007.

During his stint with the Chargers, he joined various operations, including Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War.


___________________

*AFP to acquire 2 C-130 transport planes from US for P2.66B*
August 5, 2014
*



*

*The Philippines is set to acquire two C-130 transport planes from the US for $61 million (about P2.66 billion), after the US State Department approved the sale.*

According to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DCSA), the Philippine government requested the sale of the planes plus 10 T56-16 engines (eight installed and two spares). The arrangement will also include the logistical sustainment of the planes for three years.

The DCSA notified the US Congress of the sale on July 23. In its statement, the agency said the Philippines wants to procure the planes "to improve the mobility and resupply of its forces and for the provision of humanitarian assistance in the Philippines and the wider region, thereby reducing the potential level of US assistance requested/needed for these purposes."

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) currently has three C-130s, which are used in the transport of troops and the delivery of relief goods to disaster areas.

In an earlier interview, AFP chief Lt. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said the PAF is expecting the delivery of the aircraft next year. "We are just finalizing the documents," he said. — BM, GMA News

___________________







August 9-10 2014 - Naval Forces Southern Luzon hosted the Philippine Navy Recruitment Examination here in Bicol Region headed by LTJG CUNTAPAY PN of NPMC, with a total of Four hundred ninety two (492) examinees wherein twelve (12) out of two hundred thirty seven (237) passed the NOCC exam while two hundred forty five (245) out of two hundred fifty eight (258) passed the BSC examination
















BRP Artemio Ricarte






BRP Apolinario Mabini






BRP Emilio Jacinto


*Organization and branches*


The 1987 Philippine Constitution placed the AFP under the control of a civilian, the President of the Philippines, who acts as its Commander-in-Chief. All of its branches are part of the Department of National Defense, which is headed by the Secretary of National Defense.

*The AFP has three major branches:*



Philippine Army (PA) – _Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas_

Philippine Navy (PN) – _Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas_

Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) – _Hukbong Kawal Pandagat ng Pilipinas_

Philippine Air Force (PAF) – _Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas_

These three major branches are unified under a Chief of Staff who normally holds the rank of General/Admiral. He is assisted by a Vice Chief of Staff, normally holding the rank of Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral. Each of the three major branches are headed by an officer with the following titles: Commanding General of the Philippine Army (Lieutenant General), Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy (Vice Admiral), and Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force (Lieutenant General).

*Military ranks*

Ranks of officers in the Philippine Military are usually pronounced in Filipino, in which they adapt the military ranks from the U.S. Military. The officer ranks are as follows:




_Pangalawang Tenyente_ (Second Lieutenant),

_Unang Tenyente_ (First Lieutenant),

_Kapitan_ (Captain),

_Magat_ (Major),

_Tenyente Koronel_ (Lieutenant Colonel),

_Koronel_ (Colonel),

_Brigadyer_ Heneral (Brigadier General),

_Magat Heneral_ (Major General),

_Tenyente Heneral_ (Lieutenant General),

_Heneral_ (General)

These ranks are officially used in the Philippine Army, Air Force and Marine Corps. Also, the pronunciations of these ranks are actually adaptations from the Spanish and English language except, for the words “pangalawang” and “unang” which came from original Tagalog pronunciation.

In the Philippine Navy however, the pronunciation in Filipino of the officer’s ranks, is just the same as in English since these ranks were adopted from the ranks of U.S. and British Royal navies. There are some ranks though (placed in parenthesis) that can be translated and officially pronounced in Filipino. The ranks are as follows:



Ensign

Lieutenant Junior Grade (_Tenyente na Mabababang Baitang_)

Lieutenant or Lieutenant Senior Grade (_Tenyente_ or _Tenyente na Mataas na Baitang_)

Lieutenant Commander (_Tenyente Kumander_)

Commander (_Kumander_)

Captain (_Kapitan_)

Commodore

Rear Admiral

Vice Admiral(_Bise Admiral_)

Admiral

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## Cossack25A1

Current combat aircraft in the Air Force's service.

*SIAI-Marchetti (Aermacchi) S.211*

*



*

The SIAI-Marchetti (later Aermacchi) S-211 is a turbofan-powered military trainer aircraft designed and originally marketed by SIAI-Marchetti as the S.211. Some 60 aircraft have been sold to air forces around the world. Aermacchi bought the production rights in 1997. The redesigned M-311 is currently under development by Alenia Aermacchi.

Since the 1990s, the Philippine Air Force has been using the S-211 as a Trainer with secondary Attack Capability. These were redesignated as AS-211s and nicknamed as "Warriors".With the retirement of the F-5 fighters in 2005, the additional task of air defense was assigned to it as well. Because of this, the Philippine Air Force initiated some improvements to the AS-211s to improve its combat capability thru a series of programs and innovations.

The first program was called "Project Falcon" which installed the Norsight Optical Sight from retired F-5s into the AS-211. The program was initiated by Lieutenant Colonel Enrique Dela Cruz, the Group Commander of the 5th Tactical Fighter Group. This was followed by the "Project Falcon Uniform" program which repainted the aircraft with a 2-tone Light and Dark Ghost Gray paint scheme along with low visibility markings to reduce their overall visibility.

The "Project Falcon Hear" program saw the optimizing of air-ground communications on the AS-211 by upgrading and installing the AN/ARC-34 UHF radios from the F-5A/B. These aircraft were also fitted with a Belly Gun Pod designed, developed and manufactured by Philippine company Aerotech Industries Philippines, Inc. (AIPI). Each Pod is equipped with an M3 .50 cal Machine Gun, an automatic charger and approximately 240 rounds of .50 cal ammunition.

The *Philippine Air Force* has about five units that are in active service.

--------------

*Alenia Aermacchi SF-260*











The SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 (now Alenia Aermacchi SF-260) is an Italian light aircraft marketed as an aerobatics and military trainer. It was designed by Stelio Frati, originally for Aviamilano, which flew the first prototype of it (then designated F.260) on July 15, 1964. Actual production was undertaken when SIAI Marchetti purchased the design soon thereafter and continued with this firm until the company was bought by Aermacchi in 1997. The military versions are popular with smaller air forces, which can also arm it for use in the close-support role.


In the early 1970s an order was placed for 48 SF.260s (32 SF.260M; 16 SF.260W). The first six were delivered in May 1973, replacing the Beech T-34A Mentor with 100th Training Wing at Fernando Air Base

The 15th Strike Wing on airbase Sangley Point received the SF.260W Warrior as an addition to the North American T-28 Trojans. They were possibly used in combat against rebel forces in the south of the Philippines. But little is known about its service life. In the early 1980s, the surviving Warriors were disarmed and transferred to the training role with 100th Training Wing.

The Philippines Air Force signed with Agusta a contract for the delivery of 18 SF.260TP turboprops on 31 December 1991, replacing the SF.260M/W in the training role. The first SF.260TP was noted in country on 1 July 1993.

Under "Project Layang" the Philippines Air Force plans to upgrade 18 SF.260M/W aircraft to the SF.260TP standard, by replacing the Lycoming piston engine with the Allison 250-B17D turbopropengine and newer avionics. The first upgraded SF.260 was delivered in 1996, no further details are available.

The Philippines has finalized a deal with Alenia Aermacchi for 18 new-build SF.260F primary/basic trainers. All 18 were delivered by Aermacchi Italy which was locally assembled by Aerotech Industries Philippines by April 2011.

Six Warriors were sold to Bourkina-Faso via Belgium in 1986.

The *Philippine Air Force* has about 20 "SF-260TP/MP" light attack variant and 18 "SF-260FH" primary trainers in service.

---------------

*North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco*






The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is a turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency (COIN) combat, and one of its primary missions was as a forward air control (FAC) aircraft. It can carry up to three tons of external munitions, internal loads like paratroops or stretchers, and can loiter for three or more hours.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) received 24 OV-10As from U.S. stocks in 1991, later followed by a further nine from the United States, and eight ex-Thai Air Force OV-10Cs in 2003–2004.[25][26] The OV-10s are operated by the 16th Attack Squadron and 25th Composite Attack Squadron of the 15th Strike Wing, based in Sangley Point, Cavite. The PAF flies Broncos on search-and-rescue and COIN operations in various parts of the Philippines. The first two women combat pilots in the PAF flew OV-10s with the 16th. This squadron flew anti-terrorist operations in the Jolo Islands.[28]

PAF OV-10 Broncos have been repeatedly used in air strikes against Moro Islamic Liberation Front positions during ongoing fighting in 2011,[29] and two were used in an air strike on February 2012 which resulted in the death of three Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah commanders, among others. Philippine Air Force OV-10s have been reportedly modified in order to employ modern smart bombs.

At present, the *Philippine Air Force* has about 10 units in active service.

-----

I didn't include the *KAI T-50 Golden Eagle* as it has not yet arrived in the Philippines and it is not yet in service.

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## Cossack25A1

I think both the Philippine Army and PH Marine Corps should consider replacing the V-150s with the *Oshkosh M-ATV* as not only it is armored but also mine-resistant. A possible modification will have an M-ATV sporting a 1-meter turret that are found in V-150s and Simba APCs that are in PH military service.










Another possible vehicle is the *M1117 ASV* as this vehicle is the successor to the old Cadillac Gage Commando series to which the V-150 is a variant of that vehicle.

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## Cossack25A1

This may have been written way back in August 2011, but the following topic gives an idea how the Fil-Chinese oligarchy is technically in control of the Philippines' economy, why the country is in a very-sorry state and why they HATE the idea of removing the 60/40 Economic restriction, which some Pinoy users would prefer at the expense of having below-quality services.

------
Filipinos to remain at the mercy of oligarchs

------

*Filipinos to remain at the mercy of oligarchs*

In June this year, the Philippines celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of its national hero, Jose Rizal, who was executed by the Spanish colonialists. Rizal believed that the only justification for national liberation was the restoration of the dignity of the people, saying '... why independence, if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow?' In light of this, the following analysis of the country's economy makes uncomfortable reading.

_Nick Legaspi_

THE Philippines, which claims to be the first democratic government in Asia, is actually ruled by oligarchs.

'The oligarchs still rule the country, and Filipinos will forever be the victims of their profiteering,' says political science professor Benito Lim of the Ateneo de Manila University.

Lim says the oligarchs can be controlled but it will require strong political will. Asked if President Benigno S Aquino III, who continues to enjoy high popularity and trust ratings, can do it, Lim responds: 'Mukhang hindi siya pinakikinggan. Maliit ang boses. [It seems nobody listens to him. Weak.]'

Members of the oligarchy in the Philippines have 'little corners' of their own and hardly get out of their own spheres of industries, apparently realising that if they resort to competition, one of them will fall.

'In general, we see no competition among the oligarchs because the role of the oligarchs is chasing after profits,' Lim notes. 'There is no crossing of swords resulting in big competition except for the PLDT-Globe dispute.'

On the other hand, everybody wants to be on top. 'Right now, Henry Sy is the richest,' Lim relates, 'but others continue to aspire for that position.'

Political analyst Alex Magno says oligarchy is a term in political science which applies to a government controlled by a group. Loosely used, oligarchy can apply to the dominance of the national economy by a few individuals or a group.

*Imperfect regulatory structure*

'With an imperfect regulatory structure and uneven access to opportunities the tendency is for a few to control the economy,' Magno explains.

He says oligarchs in the Philippines are not so different from those in other countries - 'they are protected and nourished by an imperfect regulatory structure.'

Asiasec Equities, in a recent report, cites the situation in the domestic cement industry.

According to the report, the cement industry has had little investment in new capacity for the past 15 years after the 'Big Three' foreign players consolidated domestic ownership and controlled practically 90% of industry capacity.

'Instead of building, the big three cement players decommissioned several kilns and reduced domestic capacity to 14mn MT against claimed installed capacity of 22mn MT,' Asiasec relates. 'The current price of cement of US$110/MT is the highest among emerging markets in Asia and the average age of the Philippine cement facilities is over 40 years.'

'There is an apparent "controlled supply environment", which is conducive for pricing,' the equities firm avers.

*The Russian example*

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines oligarchy as 1) 'a government by the few', or 2) 'a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes; also: a group exercising such control'.

Wikipedia says oligarchy is 'a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a small number of people. These people could be distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, corporate, or military control.'

'Aristotle pioneered the use of the term as a synonym for rule by the rich, for which the exact term is plutocracy, but oligarchy is not always a rule by wealth, as oligarchs can simply be a privileged group, and do not have to be connected by bloodlines as in a monarchy,' Wikipedia relates.

As an example of a modern oligarchy, Wikipedia cites what happened after the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, when privately owned Russia-based multinational corporations, including producers of petroleum, natural gas and metal, became oligarchs.

Wikipedia's narration is strikingly similar to what is happening in the Philippines today: 'Privatisation allowed executives to amass phenomenal wealth and power almost overnight. In May 2004, the Russian edition of Forbes identified 36 of these oligarchs as being worth at least $1 billion.'

In the Philippines, Forbes magazine listed 11 Filipino billionaires for 2011, up from five for 2010. The new billionaires are: San Miguel Chairman and CEO Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. ($1.4 billion), David Consunji ($1.98 billion) of DMCI Holdings Corp., Enrique Razon ($1.68 billion) of the International Container Terminal Services Inc., Metrobank's George S.K. Ty ($1.1 billion), former Trade and Industry Minister Roberto Ongpin ($1.3 billion) and Jollibee Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong ($1 billion).

Retailing and banking king Henry Sy remains the richest with a net worth estimated at $7.28 billion, followed by Lucio Tan ($2.88 billion), John Gokongwei Jr. ($2.48 billion), Andrew Tan ($2 billion) and Jaime Zobel de Ayala ($1.78 billion).

*Oligarchs won't allow charter change*

Senator Manny Villar says oligarchy is the reason why attempts to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution have failed - three presidents (Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) tried to amend the Constitution in the past 15 years, to no avail.

'We're still an oligarchy run by a few families,' Villar says. 'They're happy with the present setup now and they will not allow the Constitution to be tampered with.'

'The media, from what I've seen, is also controlled by groups that do not want to change the Constitution,' the former Senate president adds. 'And that is why any proposal [to amend the Constitution] will be killed right away.'

Villar notes the difficulties encountered by small entrepreneurs in growing their business.

'We always look at foreign investments but we don't look at the local, the small entrepreneurs, who are unable to borrow, unable to access credit because our banking system is controlled by five or six families and they are happy investing in ROPs [government debt papers] or lending to big industries,' the senator relates. 'Right now that is our banking system - it's a cartel and it's getting fewer and bigger through consolidation.'

Villar did not identify the families that control the banking system.

The biggest bank in terms of resources, Banco de Oro, is owned by Henry Sy, who also owns China Bank. George Ty owns the second largest bank, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Corp.

The Ayalas own Bank of the Philippine Islands, the third largest and the most profitable, while Lucio Tan owns the Philippine National Bank and Allied Banking Corp.

Taipan Alfonso Yuchengco owns Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. while the Cebu-based Aboitiz family owns Union Bank.

Then Socioeconomic Secretary Romulo Neri, during a forum organised by the University of the Philippines in 2004, indicated that the oligarchs were the first and foremost to oppose tax measures being proposed by government such as those for sin products, medicine, telecommunications, and power.

In its newsletter, the UP Third World Studies Center and Department of Political Science recalled that 'in 1997, with the passage of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Package, the country's tax effort declined. In one of its provisions, corporations enjoyed a cut in their tax rates along with other numerous tax incentives.'

*Oligarchy breeds political dynasties*

Philippine Star columnist Carmen N Pedrosa believes that oligarchy has become a culture in the Philippines. 'Our culture is so deeply imbibed with the ambition for wealth and power,' she said in her column 'From a Distance' published by the Philippine Star on 10 July 2010. 'So when we blame oligarchs for the sorry state of our country, we must also look into ourselves and say yeh, but we also want to be oligarchs or be friends with an oligarch because that is the system.'

According to Pedrosa, political dynasties are among the effects of oligarchic culture. 'So it should not surprise anyone that in the last two governments we have had children of past presidents, one of them from a very wealthy family,' she said.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the daughter of President Diosdado Macapagal, while President Benigno Aquino is the son of President Cory Aquino.

'The trouble is that all this is done under cover of democracy,' Pedrosa said. 'We delude ourselves that we are democratic and we have elections to prove that. There will be few who will accept that if we were to think it through, elections merely vote in or vote out leaders from the same small pool of oligarchs or would-be oligarchs.'

'We need to break out of this vicious oligarchic circle,' she stressed. 'Unfortunately, we can only do that by changing our Constitution or launching a revolution, hopefully not a violent one.'

'The oligarchic stranglehold on the Philippine political economy can be loosened by strengthening the bureaucracy, reforming the political party system and amending the Philippine Constitution,' said Romulo Neri. 'Without these reforms, the oligarchic dominance over the state will never be broken.'

The statement of Ateneo's Benito Lim is grim: 'There is harmony among the oligarchs. Filipinos will continue to be at the mercy of the oligarchs.'

*7 groups dominate economy*

Asiasec's report identifies seven conglomerates that dominate the Philippine economy, without labelling them as oligarchs. These are: San Miguel Corp. (SMC), Ayala Corp., First Pacific, SM Investments Corp., JG Summit, DM Consunji and Aboitiz.

Asiasec says that, among the conglomerates, SMC has a very tight grip - its control and ownership remain substantial in its key business units - compared with the other groups that have neither a super majority interest nor a consolidating stake of 51% in their key businesses.

SMC has 100% interest in its power generation business, 90% in Petron (fuel and oil), 100% in telecom, 99% in food, 78% in Ginebra, 99% in property (San Miguel Properties Inc.), 70% in Bank of Commerce, 100% in mining (coal) and 100% in airport (Caticlan).

SMC enjoys majority interest in San Miguel Brewery (51%), Metro Rail Transit 7 (51%) and toll roads (51%).

In addition, SMC has a significant minority in other businesses: 37% in the Manila Electric Co., 40% in Liberty Telecom and 35% in Manila North Harbor.

Ayala Corp. has 68% interest in Integrated Micro-electronics Inc., 54% in Ayala Land Inc., 31% in Globe Telecom, 34% in Bank of the Philippine Islands and 43% in Manila Water Co.

Asiasec notes that Ayala Corp's ownership in key businesses it controls such as telecom and banking has not even reached a majority (51%) ownership, in contrast with SMC's controlling and super majority position in most of its businesses.

'The power generation ambition of Ayala Corp., which was welcomed by the market, is in contrast a very small wind-farm (less than 50 MW) vis-a-vis San Miguel's diverse power portfolio (3,145 MW),' Asiasec says.

Hong Kong-based First Pacific, represented by PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, has a controlling interest (100%) in TV5, majority interest in Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (55%) and controlling but not majority interest in Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (27%), Philex Mining Corp. (46%) and Manila Electric Co. (41%).

Henry Sy's SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) has controlling interest in its department store business (90%) and supermarket (100%), majority interest in SM Prime Holdings (51%), controlling but not majority interest in Banco de Oro (41%) and SM Development Corp. (44%), and significant minority interest in China Bank (20%), Highlands Prime (31%) and Belle Corp. (35%).

'For the SM group, it is worth highlighting that their retail assets (department store and supermarket) are all consolidated under SMIC and remain super majority,' Asiasec says. 'They have a majority controlling interest in SM Prime, albeit the ownership has been opened to the public, and controlling interest in both SMDC and BDO.'

John Gokongwei's JG Summit has controlling interest in petrochem (80%), majority interest in Universal Robina Corp. (60%), Robinsons Land Corp. (60%), Digital Telecoms (50%) and Cebu Air (65%), and a significant minority in UIC (32%).

The Aboitiz group controls Pilmico (100%) and Aboitiz Power (76%) and has controlling but not majority stake in Accuria, its transportation business, at 49.5%.

DMCI has a 100% stake in DMCI Homes, 56% in Semirara Mining Corp. and 33% in Maynilad Water Services Inc. 

_Nick Legaspi is Managing Editor of the Philippine weekly business newsmagazine BizNews Asia, from which this article is reproduced (July 18-25, 2011 issue)._

------
Realities of Philippine oligarchy - The Manila Times OnlineThe Manila Times Online
_------

The following article was written back in May 2014.
_
*Realities of Philippine oligarchy*

It is not common in a developing country like the Philippines that you will find multi-billionaires of genuine Filipino blood. A true blooded Filipino is easily identifiable because he is born with both a Filipino mother and father. And perhaps, to further boost his Filipino lineage, both parents should have been born of Filipino ancestral origin. Of course this is not to cast doubts on the ancestry of the elite class of local “Filipino” billionaires in the country who are without doubt of predominantly Chinese origin, with the total wealth of the Top 10 billionaires approximately more than double what the entire Filipinos combined have in their pockets at $39.1 billion.

With the current running rate of the dollar at 44 to a peso, this is about P1,720 billion or P1.7 trillion which is more than double the approximate total Philippine money in circulation of about P600 billion! This is not to mention other personalities in the mainstream who are also making waves in the field of business and entreneurship.

Henry Sy alone has about $11 billion of fortune in his portfolio. That in itself is equivalent to about 73 percent of the local money in circulation. Sy’s total accumulated fortune approximately doubles what the distant second richest Lucio Tan has in his arsenal of wealth of about $6 billion. Henry Sy’s fortune of $11 billion is more than the combined wealth of Lucio Tan ($6.1 billion) and Andrew Tan ($4.7 billion), the second and third richest locally.

See the great disparity of living in a too democratic economy like the Philippines? Not because opportunities were made for the chosen few but for other reasons that are either personal or institutional to the individual or society.

This is not to say that true blooded Filipinos lack the opportunity of accumulating a fortune in their own land or that they don’t have the essential skills or capabilities to be one of the best in the field of entrepreneurship. Sad to say, it has become a rarity in the Philippines to see a true blooded Filipino achieve such kind of feat in his own land. Perhaps more than the opportunity available at our dispensation is the attitude displayed by our local talents. We see a long list of Filipino entrepreneurs who risked a considerable amount of money for a business venture but came home empty handed.

Many bright Filipinos in our midst who possess the skills and academic ammunition to succeed in the field of commerce and industry choose to remain unperturbed in the sidelines and would rather pursue a career as technocrats instead of being an entrepreneur but in the end wallow in mediocrity. This perhaps puts the true blooded Filipino in a bind as regards everyone’s dream of becoming a tycoon is concerned.

As time goes on, business entrepreneurship has become competitive more so with the growing cost of technology making the price of success more prohibitive. This in effect dampens our desire for competition especially if you are a struggling businessman with a meager budget looking for an immediate result in your investment.

This is unlike the inherent resiliency displayed by the likes of successful entrepreneurs you always see and read in the limelight of the business front, where success and fortune has become a tradition for these “Filipino Chinese” entrepreneurs who are in the elite class of “Filipino billionaires.”

The nature of oligarchy that exists in our midst has further created a disparity in resource distribution which aggravates the growing incidence of hunger and poverty locally. Latest statistics show that hunger statistics and self-rated poverty have grown despite the local growth rate. Does this have something to do with the lesser opportunities available to the Filipinos because local wealth is concentrated on the few?

Is it an apt time for the government to devise a policy that will provide greater opportunities for the less fortunate? In what way will true blooded Filipinos be given an equal chance if not more than equal odds of getting a “dip in the pie” of wealth opportunities? The way the system works, the breaks of the game go to the personality with a lot to spare which only the current crop of billionaires possess.

Competing with their equal will always be a battle between David and Goliath. While David was able to create the opportunity of winning in his favor; it would seem unlikely that struggling entrepreneurs would possess even that slim chance of surviving in a competition dominated by mammoth personalities in the field of business.

Unless and until the government comes up with a measure that will provide true blooded Filipinos more than equal opportunities for investment, then the nagging problem of poverty and other related economic quandaries will perpetually be a part of our system.

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## Bienvenido

*General Catapang: AFP has bigger wars, support modernization*
August 19, 2014






Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang told Jessica Soho on GMA News TV’s State of the Nation that the military has greater wars to go to and the armed forces has no time for Coup d’état or to join politics.

“In the 21st century we will be faced by global problems, global terrorism, global climate change, global maritime concern, and then global transnational crime,” General Catapang explained.

The AFP Chief of Staff added that our military will be having a minimum defense posture. In boxing, our military, even though a bantam weight will not be knocked out immediately by a heavy weight and can survive at least the first round, Catapang explained.

In the said interview, Catapang asked for continued support for the AFP modernization program. He asked for supplemental budget from the executive branch through legislation after DAP was declared partially unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Catapang also envisions military camps to be upgraded as part of military upgrading.


*___________________________________*


*Upgrade of military facilities in Pagasa Island ‘is a go’*
August 19, 2014






The Philippine Air Force and Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Rancudo airstrip at Pagasa Island part of Kalayaan Group of Islands in West Philippine Sea will be upgraded and repaired. This is amid the Philippine government’s call for a moratorium.

“We have been occupying Pag-asa before the 2002 DOC, so any improvements there should not be a violation of the DOC,” DFA spokesman Charles Jose said.

“Ever since we signed the 2002 DOC, I think the Philippines has been faithful. We have not taken any unilateral action to violate the DOC.”

Chief of Air Staff Maj. Gen. Edgar Fallorina said first stage of repair is a go. The first stage will involve dredging activities to enable ships from approaching the island. Second stage is the actual repair of the air strip.

PhP480 million is allocated to upgrade Navy and Air Force facilities in Pagasa Island.

A firm already won the first stage repair and expected to be finished within the year.

On the other hand, China is calling all Filipino troops and civilians occupying Kalayaan Group of Islands including citizens of Pagasa Island. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea including West Philippine Sea.

*___________________________________*


*



*

President Benigno S. Aquino III, assisted by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, leads the Ceremonial Distribution of Assault Rifles to the Philippine Army (PA) and Philippine Navy (PN) Marine troops at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) General Headquarters Canopy of the Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday (August 14, 2014). One of the major programs of the AFP Modernization is to upgrade the mission-essential capability requirements of the AFP in terms of firepower for the ground troops. Under this program, the acquisition of 50,629 units of Assault Rifles, 5.56mmM4 was prioritized to supplement and replace the early models of M-16 and M-16A1 assault rifles. The whole project will be delivered within the year and will be shipped in two batches. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau)







The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) display the newly acquired M4 assault rifle before the ceremonial distribution at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. The AFP said that, a total of 50,629 rifles were bought from United States-based Remington Outdoor Company. The first 27,300 units will be given to the Philippine Army and Philippine Marine Corps while the remaining 23,329 rifles are expected to be delivered in December 2014.


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## Bienvenido

*Binay: becoming the country’s president is my childhood dream*
August 19,2014






Vice President Jejomar Binay positively answered reporters when asked if he is ready to face President Aquino in the coming 2016 elections. However, he believes that Aquino won’t seek for a second term amid PNoy’s openness to a political charter change.

Binay added that becoming the country’s President is his childhood dream.

He said that he can use his 21-year experience from becoming the mayor of country’s business capital. He added he has proper education that he can use as country’s president.

Binay also distanced himself from DAP. “To those who are saying that we will not qualify because of DAP, we are not supporting DAP. We are against it.”

“I think that the decision of the Supreme Court should be respected. The position of Chief Justice Sereno is also correct. That is against the Constitution. Now they are saying that it is not, so they agree to it. DAP is wrong,” Binay added.

_______________________________

*Joint venture wins bidding for supply of AFP protection gear*
By Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) 
August 18, 2014 

MANILA, Philippines - A joint venture between Israeli firm Achidatex Nazareth Elite and local company Colorado Shipyard Corp. has won the bidding to supply 44,080 sets of force protection equipment for soldiers.

The STAR learned over the weekend that the Department of National Defense (DND) issued the notice of award to the joint venture last July 28.

The project involves the acquisition of 44,080 sets of force protection equipment for Army and Marine troops. The equipment will protect soldiers who are serving on the frontlines of security operations.

The government has allotted P1.763 billion for the project.

Sources said the DND will save around P300,000 if the deal with Achidatex and Colorado pushes through.

The joint venture, however, was not the lowest bidder for the project.

During the opening of bids held last year, South Korean firm Kolon Global Corp. submitted the lowest bid, offering to supply the equipment for P894 million. The bid price would have allowed the government to save P870,000.

The bids and awards committee, however, disqualified Kolon after the company failed to meet some requirements during the post-qualification phase.

A defense department post-qualification team said Kolon’s goods did not meet certain standards aimed at ensuring the protection of soldiers in the field. The team said all ballistic inserts of samples submitted by Kolon did not conform to dimensional requirements since they have shorter measurements.

Joint venture wins bidding for supply of AFP protection gear | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Cossack25A1

Aside from RPG-7, are we considering other anti-armor weapons or other launchers such as the Mk.153 which can be used to destroy bunkers.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Aside from RPG-7, are we considering other anti-armor weapons or other launchers such as the Mk.153 which can be used to destroy bunkers.



Those are for other bids comrade i hope it includes spike missiles from Israel


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Those are for other bids comrade i hope it includes spike missiles from Israel



I just hope that an portable anti-bunker weapon - thermobaric armed and anti-tank missile will be bought. The RPG-7 is more suited at taking out enemy armor and most of the insurgents across the PH may likely use caves as hiding posts and the ATGM can be either portable or mounted into vehicles like the V-150 or Simba.


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## Cossack25A1

*ALI: Common station at Trinoma will benefit more people*
ABS-CBNnews.com

Posted at 08/20/2014 1:28 PM | Updated as of 08/20/2014 1:28 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Ayala Land on Wednesday maintained that putting the MRT-LRT common station in front of its Trinoma mall would be beneficial for more people, especially with the on-going development of the Quezon City business district.

"The technical argument showed Trinoma is the ideal location for that (common station) and more people will benefit if it is located in Trinoma," Ayala Land president Bobby Dy said in an interview on ANC.

This comes after the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) proposed two common stations, one near SM North EDSA and another near Trinoma mall, as a "win-win" solution to the ongoing legal battle between the two parties.

SM, which signed a 2009 memorandum of agreement with the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) for the common station, was able to obtain a temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court preventing the transfer of the station to Trinoma.

Dy said the decision on two common stations would be up to the DOTC to decide.
But Dy cited three reasons why Trinoma would be a better location for the common station. "More people would benefit with the Quezon City Vertis North business district (next to Trinoma)... And government will save about a billion pesos, instead of doing 2 stations. Third is quite important, it will be much faster to execute, which means the public stands to benefit with that infrastructure project in a faster way," Dy said.

Ayala Land is currently developing Vertis North, located next to Trinoma, as a mixed-use urban complex. The company allocated P65 billion to develop the National Housing Authority (NHA) property, which is touted to become Quezon City's central business district.

Phase 1, which would cost P15 billion, will have three new high-rise residential towers, two high-rise office buildings, a lifestyle mall and a Seda hotel. 

------
ALI: Common station at Trinoma will benefit more people | ABS-CBN News
------

To all every one reading this, I would present you a map of the original plan and the new (more like retarded) plan.The define what "Common Station" means.












What the station would look like had the Original Plan was followed:







If you were a passenger of a train who would transfer from Line A to Line B or Line C, which of the plans would make sense?

The "Original Plan"(by SM group) where all train lines terminates at a large station where passengers would HAVE NOT TO WALK MORE THAN 50 METERS just to get into a train heading to a different line.

Or

The "New Plan" (by Ayala Holdings) where two lines are connected with the third line separated and only connected by a walkway that is ABOUT 350 METERS LONG, FORCING THE PASSENGERS TO WALK GREAT DISTANCES aside from going in into their mall (though the mall opens at 10AM PH Standard Time (same as Hong Kong Time)) just to transfer to a different line and this doesn't include the rush hour scenario where people would line up just to ride the trains...and the morning rush hour is around 5AM to 9AM.

I upper-case some words here because some Pinoys here would likely support the "New Plan." I do not support SM but their plan for the station is more logical and makes more sense.

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## Bienvenido

*Philippine Army to get all 28 upgraded APCs by Q1 of 2015*
August 21,2014

*Philippine News Agency – The Philippine Army (PA) announced that the delivery of its 28 Israeli upgraded APCs (armored personnel carriers) is scheduled for the first quarter of 2015.*

This was revealed by Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato Thursday.

“Delivery of all APCs is scheduled for the first quarter of 2015,” he added.

The Department of National Defense (DND) earlier announced that the payment for the PHP 882 million upgraded armored personnel carrier (APC), bagged by Israeli defense manufacturer Elbit Systems Ltd., will be done in three tranches.

Dr. Peter Paul Galvez, Defense spokesperson, said first payment will be pegged at P405 million, the second will be PHP 335 million and the third at PHP 142 million.

Elbit Systems Ltd., formally announced the signing of the PHP 882 million deal (roughly USD20 million) last June 22.

Upgrades include 25 mm unmanned turrets, 12.7 mm remote controlled weapon stations (RCWS) and fire control systems (FCS) for 90 mm turrets.

The APCs, 28 in all, will be supplied over a one-year period.

The contract marks a significant breakthrough for Elbit Systems, as it is the first one awarded to the company in the Philippines.

“We are very pleased to be awarded our first contract for the Philippines Armed Forces, which we hope will be followed by others. Our extensive portfolio and our vast experience enable us to offer our customers advanced solutions, answering the specific requirements of various combat vehicles, and this award further positions us as world leaders in the field of ground vehicle upgrades,” Elbit Systems’ Land and C41 general manager Udi Vered said.

The APCs are for the use of the Philippine Army.

The latter operates around 343 AFVs (armored fighting vehicles) and APCs.

Around 85 percent of these AFVs are on green status (fully mission capable) while another 10 percent are on yellow status (undergoing repair) and five percent are on red (beyond repair)

150 of these are the United Kingdom-built GKN “Simba” with the remaining AFVs consisting of US designed V-150 and V-200 APCs, M-113 “Bradley”, Turkish made ACV-300s and British Scorpion CVRTs.

These vehicles give the PA its armor capability and are organized into a 14-vehicle mechanized infantry companion for deployment with regular units.


__________________________________

*Indian warship arrives in Manila for port visit*
August 20,2014

*



*
*Philippine News Agency – One of India’s most modern surface combatants, the INS Sahyadri, arrived Wednesday in Manila South Harbor for a routine port call and visit which aims to strengthen the naval ties between the two countries.*

The INS Sahyadri is a Shivalik class stealth multi-role frigate constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai, India.

Construction of the vessel began in 2003 and was completed by 2011.

Prior her arrival in Manila, she was one of the participants in Exercise RIMPAC 2014 in Hawaii last July.

INS Sahyadri steamed around 5,000 nautical miles (9,000 kilometers) to get to Manila.

She boasts of an array of weaponry in her arsenal. Long range anti-ship missiles, medium and short range surface to air missiles augmented by powerful guns of different calibers provide a formidable shield against all types of threats.

Two multi-role helicopters carried by the ship act as force multipliers in all maritime scenarios due to their versatility and long range.

Commissioned on July 2012, INS Sahyadri is commanded by Capt. Jyotin Raina and is manned by 25 officers and 255 sailors.

During her stay in Manila, the ship would undertake operational turn around while the ship’s crew would participate in various events like professional interaction, sports events and social fixtures.

Manila is a regular port of all for Indian naval ships. INS Satpura, Ranvijay, Shakti, and Kirch visited Manila in 2013.

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## Bienvenido

*AFP modernization contributed largely to the 63% Infrastructure spending surged*
August 21, 2014

Due to various infrastructure projects, government spending rose by nearly two thirds in June of this year. According to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Wednesday, this year infrastructure spending rose by 62.7 percent to 24.4 billion pesos, bringing total government disbursements to P987.7 billion in the first six months of 2014.

DBM added that a total government disbursements as of end-June registered a P97-billion, or 10.9-percent, increase over the P890.8 billion recorded in 2013. Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said. “These infrastructure projects actually open up job opportunities, helping us bring immediate- and long-term benefits to communities around the country,”

Increase in infrastructure disbursements in June was due largely to the release of P4.9 billion for the Aircraft Acquisition Project under the Revised AFP Modernization. Also, key infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) contributed in the rise of spending for the month.

Abad also noted that subsidies to government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs) helped increase in June disbursements, going up by nearly six-fold to reach P46.3 billion for the month, compared to the P7 billion tracked in June 2013. Electrification projects under the National Electrification Administration also brought about the increase.

According to the report, this increase in infrastructure spending is one of the key pillars of the present administration’s economic platform. By 2016, the government targets to spend at least 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on infrastructure. A remarkable growth compared to 2010 which is only 1.8 percent.


_____________________







Philippine Army night combat training

______________________


*Law proposed to increase public service airtime of TV, radio stations*
August 20,2014






Sorsogon First District Representative Evelina Escudero proposed House Bill 4641 to require broadcast media to increase public service airtime to boost government’s capability to reach Filipinos nationwide. This will pave way to effective dissemination of important public information and issues.

*“Broadcast media is the best tool to relay information and motivate people to participate in nation building. It is the most effective vehicle to carry out the government’s ultimate goal to promote the objectives of sound government,”* Escudero explained.

Escudero added that broadcast media has a great influence in shaping public perceptions and behavior, changing social attitudes and bringing about social integration.

The lady from Sorsogon noted that health, road and traffic discipline, good values, public safety, welfare rights and benefits and disaster preparedness are matters of public interest and concern.

*“Thus, the government should relay and communicate the public policy on these matters through the use of the most effective and accessible means, the broadcast media,” *she added.

Moreover, the measure wants to guarantee and confirm the social responsibility of broadcast media (television and radio stations) in serving the interest and welfare of the people.

If implemented, any TV or radio station who will not comply will be grounded for suspension, revocation or non-renewal of license to operate.

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## Cossack25A1

If the 60/40 Economic restriction is NOT remove, this happens.

Policy delay has Japanese carmakers reviewing Philippine expansion plans | Economy | GMA News Online

*Policy delay has Japanese carmakers reviewing Philippine expansion plans*
By ROSEMARIE FRANCISCO, Reuters August 21, 2014 10:05am 

Top Japanese automakers in the Philippines are threatening to shift production to cheaper Southeast Asian countries as the government drags its feet on a plan to rebuild its shrinking car manufacturing industry.

The potential pullout of production lines by Toyota Motor Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors, which have a combined 50,000 vehicle annual capacity in the country, would mean the Philippines could lose more than 1,000 jobs and millions of dollars worth of planned and existing investments.

Time is running out, industry officials say, because there's less than two years left in the term of President Benigno Aquino III, who has been backing the plan.

"I believe that if this does not get approved this quarter and signed by the president by the end of the year and even in the first quarter next year, then let's forget about it because nothing will happen anymore," said Ferdinand Raquelsantos, head of the motor vehicle parts industry group MVPMAP.

The original government plan includes tax incentives to help rebuild the country's tiny auto industry and turn it into a major manufacturing hub.

*To cheaper countries*

But two years of government and industry debates, revisions and disagreements over how best to grow the auto sector have carmakers saying they may move to cheaper countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.

The reforms have also been delayed because Manila wants the industry to ramp up production first to produce 40,000 units of a single car model annually before they can use the incentives. Industry insiders say only Toyota could meet that requirement with no incentives.

The carmakers had hoped to capitalize on the government roadmap to boost local production after car sales hit record highs for several months this year on robust consumer spending, and vehicle ownership remains the lowest among Southeast Asia's five biggest economies at just around 35 per 1,000 people.

"We have been telling the government, please issue the roadmap so there will be a clear policy direction and basis for Toyota's investments in the Philippines," Rommel Gutierrez, spokesman of Toyota Philippines, told Reuters. Gutierrez also serves as president of the auto industry group CAMPI.

"The mother company in Japan has many options, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia... As early as now, it is already scouting (for locations)," Gutierrez said, adding it's debating whether to continue production of Vios compact and Innova in the Philippines in the absence of clear policy direction.

The Philippine unit of Mitsubishi Motors, which has been planning to more than triple its existing capacity after purchasing a former Ford Motors plant earlier this year, hasn't decided on starting local production of new models.

"Without the EO (executive order), I am not so sure if we will launch a new car or not," Hikosaburo Shibata, president and chief executive of Mitsubishi Philippines, told Reuters.

*Running out of time*

Government officials declined to comment on a target date for the roadmap, but automakers say based on discussions with the government the plan will likely be released this year.

"We have to balance. It's always a cost-benefit trade-off," said Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, adding the government is continuing consultations with industry and state agencies.

Carmakers are hoping the plan will include adequate fiscal and non-fiscal incentives such as tax credits and common testing facilities for auto parts makers to ease manufacturing disadvantages. It costs around $1,800 to $2,000 more to produce a locally assembled car than it is to import a complete vehicle, according to industry estimates.

The Philippines ceased being a car exporter after Ford closed local production in 2012 partly due to increasing imports of pre-owned cars, most of them smuggled, and tariff relaxation after trade deals. – *Reuters*

------

By the way, there is another PH user here that I usally see when I was lurking before I made an account here. He usually have "verbal" clashes with Zero_Wing...it seems he is a bit "in-active" at the moment.


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## Cossack25A1

Military gets 27,300 new M4 assault rifles | Inquirer News
-----
*Military gets 27,300 new M4 assault rifles*
Nestor Corrales |INQUIRER.net 5:00 pm | Thursday, August 14th, 2014 

MANILA, Philippines—The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday received 27, 300 units of 5.56mm M4 rifles as part of modernizing the military’s firepower capability. 

President Benigno Aquino III led the distribution of assault rifles to the Philippine Army and Philippine Marine Corps during a turnover ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. 

“These rifles were delivered in two batches last July 5 with 100 units and July 31 with 27,200 units,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lieutenant General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. 

He said the procurement of the brand new assault rifles is part of the modernization program of the armed forces under the joint Philippine Army and Philippine Marine Corps Assault Rifle Acquisition Project by the government. 

Under this project, the AFP will receive a total of 50,629 units of M4 rifles, he added. 

He said the remaining rifles would be distributed early next year. 

According to him, the 5.56mm M4 rifle would supplement and replace the early models of M-16 and M-16A1 rifle, majority of which dated back to the Vietnam War, and are in poor condition and in bad need of repair or replacement. 

“The acquisition will significantly contribute to the development and transformation of the AFP into a multi-mission-oriented force, capable of effectively addressing both internal and external threats,” he said. 
Read more: Military gets 27,300 new M4 assault rifles | Inquirer News 
-----
Do note that the carbines the PH military acquired is actually this: Remington Defense
The *Remington R4 (GPC) carbine *and not the M4 carbine made by Colt because our M16A1s are too worn out. We should also consider the H&K M27 IAR to complement the R4 carbines (since both the M27 and M16A1 are almost the same length can fire full-automatic, Mk. 14s to replace our M14s that is still in service and newer sub-machine guns to replace our Uzi and "resurrected" M3 grease guns.

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Military gets 27,300 new M4 assault rifles | Inquirer News
> -----
> *Military gets 27,300 new M4 assault rifles*
> Nestor Corrales |INQUIRER.net 5:00 pm | Thursday, August 14th, 2014
> 
> MANILA, Philippines—The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday received 27, 300 units of 5.56mm M4 rifles as part of modernizing the military’s firepower capability.
> 
> President Benigno Aquino III led the distribution of assault rifles to the Philippine Army and Philippine Marine Corps during a turnover ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
> 
> “These rifles were delivered in two batches last July 5 with 100 units and July 31 with 27,200 units,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lieutenant General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.
> 
> He said the procurement of the brand new assault rifles is part of the modernization program of the armed forces under the joint Philippine Army and Philippine Marine Corps Assault Rifle Acquisition Project by the government.
> 
> Under this project, the AFP will receive a total of 50,629 units of M4 rifles, he added.
> 
> He said the remaining rifles would be distributed early next year.
> 
> According to him, the 5.56mm M4 rifle would supplement and replace the early models of M-16 and M-16A1 rifle, majority of which dated back to the Vietnam War, and are in poor condition and in bad need of repair or replacement.
> 
> “The acquisition will significantly contribute to the development and transformation of the AFP into a multi-mission-oriented force, capable of effectively addressing both internal and external threats,” he said.
> Read more: Military gets 27,300 new M4 assault rifles | Inquirer News
> -----
> Do note that the carbines the PH military acquired is actually this: Remington Defense
> The *Remington R4 (GPC) carbine *and not the M4 carbine made by Colt because our M16A1s are too worn out. We should also consider the H&K M27 IAR to complement the R4 carbines (since both the M27 and M16A1 are almost the same length can fire full-automatic, Mk. 14s to replace our M14s that is still in service and newer sub-machine guns to replace our Uzi and "resurrected" M3 grease guns.



The Remingtons are just to modernized our old arsenal we currently trying to make our own rifles made the Government Arsenal but its still in the development stage so we bought the Remingtons to fulfill the role of modernizeding the arsenal of the AFP while we continue with the development of the GA 5.56 rifles and others rifles.


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> The Remingtons are just to modernized our old arsenal we currently trying to make our own rifles made the Government Arsenal but its still in the development stage so we bought the Remingtons to fulfill the role of modernizeding the arsenal of the AFP while we continue with the development of the GA 5.56 rifles and others rifles.



If we are going to make our own rifle, we should at least consider a slightly different design from the M16. Is the common Filipino soldier used to wield bullpup rifles?


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## Cossack25A1

*China ships planting markers in Phl zone | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com*
-----
*China ships planting markers in Phl zone*
By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star) | Updated August 20, 2014 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea are not only conducting an extended maritime patrol over Recto Bank but are also putting markers within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the oil-rich area, a senior security official bared yesterday.


“They’re not only patrolling in the area, they are also installing their own markers. While they’re continuously putting up their own maritime markers at Recto Bank, we are also continuously blasting them,” the security official told The STAR.


The latest maritime operation that resulted in the destruction of the markers put up by Chinese at Recto Bank was launched middle of July.


This operation was in line with the standing government directive issued in the 1990s to remove any structures put up by anybody in the area, the security official said.


A naval officer, who used to be assigned in the area, confirmed the government directive, adding that during his time there were several instances that elite naval teams had to be dispatched to remove the Chinese markers at Recto Bank.


Recto Bank is believed to contain huge mineral deposits. And maritime security experts, including former National Security Adviser Roilo Golez, believe that this is the main reason why the Chinese continue posturing at the West Philippine Sea, specifically in Ayungin Shoal.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Ayungin Shoal is strategically located between Panganiban Reef and Recto Bank where the government has ongoing oil exploration projects.


China started deploying regular maritime patrols in the disputed region and has blockaded the entrance of Ayungin Shoal in a bid to starve the Philippine Marines guarding the area and force them to abandon their post aboard a grounded Philippine Navy ship, BRP Sierra Madre.


On a regular basis, at least three Chinese coast guard missile-firing frigates are guarding Ayungin Shoal. They are coming from Mischief Reef.


Mischief Reef is now under Beijing’s de facto control after it grabbed the unoccupied area from the Philippines in 1994, purportedly as a fishermen’s shelter but later transformed into a highly fortified forward naval facility.


“It would be a different story if anybody or groups will force their way into Recto Bank. We will not allow it,” a naval officer said.


Last Aug. 1, a Chinese coast guard vessel harassed a small fishing boat carrying local officials and journalists on their way to Pag-Asa Island in Palawan. This will be included in the diplomatic protest that the Philippines will file this week, the Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.


Meanwhile, the militaries of the Philippines and the United States are holding a five-day forum on biological, chemical and nuclear hazards to enable them to address risks posed by dangerous substances.


The expert exchange on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards started last Monday and will be held until Aug. 22 at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio.


Army spokesman Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato said the event would allow Filipino soldiers to learn from the experiences of their counterparts at the US Army Pacific Command.


“They (US troops) have the experience during World War II. We do not have such experience. They will share with us their experiences and organizational structure,” he said in a phone interview.


Detoyato said sufficient knowledge about hazardous substances would enable the troops to protect life, property and the environment.


“We can learn the best practices and hopefully, we can develop our own doctrine later on,” he added.


Detoyato clarified that the Philippines is not facing any biological, chemical, nuclear or radiological threat. The event just seeks to improve the capabilities of soldiers so they can respond to any emergency.


“We should always be ready. For example, it can happen, in factories. A chemical spill is possible,” he said. “It will also enable us to help our neighbors as a member of the family of nations.”


Detoyato said the Philippines has an advantage in terms of detecting threats posed by hazardous substances. “We are an island nation and such threats can be easily detected and controlled because of the point of entry is through airports and seaports.”


The Philippine Army’s Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear was activated on April 16, 2013 to detect, identify, decontaminate and dispose of biological agents to save lives and protect the environment. *With Alexis Romero, Pia Lee-Brago*


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> If we are going to make our own rifle, we should at least consider a slightly different design from the M16. Is the common Filipino soldier used to wield bullpup rifles?



Well the projects is still base on the M16 system because filipinos got use to the said system and only selected Units have bullpup rifles on use namely the Scout Rangers, Light Reaction battlion, Marine Force Recon Battlion and the Navy's Naval Special Warfare Gourp. So the system will still be use in the Future and besides the GA is already good in fixing old rifles and making ammunition for said rifles and machine guns as part of their own modernization they now jumping to arms production the parts and rifle production and development and now soon ammunition of the Philippine Airforce and soon the Navy and the rest of the Army's weapons but in due time.


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Well the projects is still base on the M16 system because filipinos got use to the said system and only selected Units have bullpup rifles on use namely the Scout Rangers, Light Reaction battlion, Marine Force Recon Battlion and the Navy's Naval Special Warfare Gourp. So the system will still be use in the Future and besides the GA is already good in fixing old rifles and making ammunition for said rifles and machine guns as part of their own modernization they now jumping to arms production the parts and rifle production and development and now soon ammunition of the Philippine Airforce and soon the Navy and the rest of the Army's weapons but in due time.



Well, whoever will make our own rifle should consider the aspects of the FN SCAR where in the rifle or more like its barrel can be replaced so the said rifle can accept different calibers. If I am correct, the AR-15 derived rifles can have its upper receiver replace, thus there are different upper receivers for AR-15 rifles that has either 6.5mm caliber, 6.8mm caliber,.50 Beowulf caliber, and possibly a 7.62mm caliber.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Well, whoever will make our own rifle should consider the aspects of the FN SCAR where in the rifle or more like its barrel can be replaced so the said rifle can accept different calibers. If I am correct, the AR-15 derived rifles can have its upper receiver replace, thus there are different upper receivers for AR-15 rifles that has either 6.5mm caliber, 6.8mm caliber,.50 Beowulf caliber, and possibly a 7.62mm caliber.



Ya the prototypes did have floting barrel system it could work but its still in the developing stage the GA is more focus on ammo productions and repair and moderzing current and old equipments and buying new ones

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## Cossack25A1

*The Philippines’ booming economy is causing a maid drain in Hong Kong and Singapore*
By Heather Timmons @HeathaT August 21, 2014 

The Philippines’ economy has been one of Asia’s best performers recently, and is forecast by the World Bank to increase by more than 6% annually over the next three years.

+






This growth is having a disconcerting effect on the “maid trade” in Hong Kong and Singapore, employment agents in both cities say. In both cities, tens of thousands of Filipino women work long hours cooking, cleaning and caring for children for about $500 a month, often while separated from their own children and families for years. Now there’s evidence some of these women are opting to stay home instead.

+
Thanks to the Philippines’ stronger economy, wealthy Singaporeans are having to “lower the bar” when hiring a Filipino maid, recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani told The Straits Times. Filipino women with excellent English and a good education are finding jobs at home, leaving Singapore’s upper class with no choice but to import women with few specialized skills from impoverished rural areas. “Now, as long as the maids can speak and write English, it’s okay,” he said.

+
The shift comes as President Benigno Aquino is championing billions of dollars in infrastructure and development projects designed to build up the country’s provincial towns, a push that is drawing migrants back to once-sleepy towns, as Bloomberg reported this week.

+
Hong Kong employment agencies have been importing women from poorer nations, like Myanmar and Bangladesh, to deal with a maid shortage, but with limited success, the South China Morning Post recently reported. Better paying factory jobs in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan are also hiring Filipino woman that might have once worked as domestic helpers in Hong Kong, employment agencies said. Now potential employers in Hong Kong who previously had several candidates to choose from when recruiting a new maid are now down to only one.

+
After growing rapidly in recent years, the overall number of Filipinos employed in Hong Kong, which is mostly domestic helpers, declined slightly last year.

+





And the overall number of Filipinos working in Singapore has virtually plateaued after years of fast growth.

+





The Philippines has long been one of the major labor sources for the rest of the world, supplying everything from maids to fishing vessel crews to electrical engineers. Nearly 10.5 million Filipinos, or about 10% of the population, were overseas in 2012, according to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas:

+





Commission on Filipinos Overseas
There’s no evidence yet that fewer Filipinos overall are actually heading overseas for work, and overall domestic unemployment remains high. But given the country’s strong economic growth forecast, Filipino workers from around the world may be coming home in larger numbers in years to come. 

---------------

*I usually don't believe this news as there no new jobs made here save for the BPO industry but if we remove the 60/40 Economic restriction and open the country to foreign investments which will created jobs across the Philippines, it would mean less people will leave the country and the "Maid Trade" will be reduced and will no longer affect our foreign policy.*

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## Ayan81

The CROC has been developed by Opcentec over the past two years and is being offered as a solution for the Philippine Marine Corps

Opcentec also exhibited the Coastal Riverine Offroad Craft (CROC) amphibious vehicle. Future models capable of 40 km/h speeds will carry eight passengers, satcom for controlling UAVs, and a remote weapon station.




The Opcentec T.Re.X4 is a rotorcraft UAV designed to be transported as a backpack by one man. It will undergo tests with the Armed Forces of the Philippines later in 2014

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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> The CROC has been developed by Opcentec over the past two years and is being offered as a solution for the Philippine Marine Corps
> 
> Opcentec also exhibited the Coastal Riverine Offroad Craft (CROC) amphibious vehicle. Future models capable of 40 km/h speeds will carry eight passengers, satcom for controlling UAVs, and a remote weapon station.
> 
> View attachment 44856
> 
> 
> 
> The Opcentec T.Re.X4 is a rotorcraft UAV designed to be transported as a backpack by one man. It will undergo tests with the Armed Forces of the Philippines later in 2014
> 
> View attachment 44855



Will this come in different variants like the Humvee?


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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> Will this come in different variants like the Humvee?



What u mean by variants like humvee? this is amphibious craft. i doubt the marines will have this cuz they already have this




maybe an appropriate customer for C.R.O.C are the LGU's

BTW can u see the pic i post? can u help me how to paste pic here pls


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> What u mean by variants like humvee? this is amphibious craft. i doubt the marines will have this cuz they already have this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> maybe an appropriate customer for C.R.O.C are the LGU's
> 
> BTW can u see the pic i post? can u help me how to paste pic here pls



The humvee has different variants, like in this chart






The picture is visible.


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## Ayan81

u can mount any at the back like they did here











theres plenty of room at the back for med evac or install manpads there

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> *The Philippines’ booming economy is causing a maid drain in Hong Kong and Singapore*
> By Heather Timmons @HeathaT August 21, 2014
> 
> The Philippines’ economy has been one of Asia’s best performers recently, and is forecast by the World Bank to increase by more than 6% annually over the next three years.
> 
> +
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This growth is having a disconcerting effect on the “maid trade” in Hong Kong and Singapore, employment agents in both cities say. In both cities, tens of thousands of Filipino women work long hours cooking, cleaning and caring for children for about $500 a month, often while separated from their own children and families for years. Now there’s evidence some of these women are opting to stay home instead.
> 
> +
> Thanks to the Philippines’ stronger economy, wealthy Singaporeans are having to “lower the bar” when hiring a Filipino maid, recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani told The Straits Times. Filipino women with excellent English and a good education are finding jobs at home, leaving Singapore’s upper class with no choice but to import women with few specialized skills from impoverished rural areas. “Now, as long as the maids can speak and write English, it’s okay,” he said.
> 
> +
> The shift comes as President Benigno Aquino is championing billions of dollars in infrastructure and development projects designed to build up the country’s provincial towns, a push that is drawing migrants back to once-sleepy towns, as Bloomberg reported this week.
> 
> +
> Hong Kong employment agencies have been importing women from poorer nations, like Myanmar and Bangladesh, to deal with a maid shortage, but with limited success, the South China Morning Post recently reported. Better paying factory jobs in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan are also hiring Filipino woman that might have once worked as domestic helpers in Hong Kong, employment agencies said. Now potential employers in Hong Kong who previously had several candidates to choose from when recruiting a new maid are now down to only one.
> 
> +
> After growing rapidly in recent years, the overall number of Filipinos employed in Hong Kong, which is mostly domestic helpers, declined slightly last year.
> 
> +
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the overall number of Filipinos working in Singapore has virtually plateaued after years of fast growth.
> 
> +
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Philippines has long been one of the major labor sources for the rest of the world, supplying everything from maids to fishing vessel crews to electrical engineers. Nearly 10.5 million Filipinos, or about 10% of the population, were overseas in 2012, according to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas:
> 
> +
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Commission on Filipinos Overseas
> There’s no evidence yet that fewer Filipinos overall are actually heading overseas for work, and overall domestic unemployment remains high. But given the country’s strong economic growth forecast, Filipino workers from around the world may be coming home in larger numbers in years to come.
> 
> ---------------
> 
> *I usually don't believe this news as there no new jobs made here save for the BPO industry but if we remove the 60/40 Economic restriction and open the country to foreign investments which will created jobs across the Philippines, it would mean less people will leave the country and the "Maid Trade" will be reduced and will no longer affect our foreign policy.*




The number: 243,000 in Japan only includes the documented Filipinos immigrants. This does not include Japanese children who have either Filipino mothers or fathers. They are are regarded as Japanese citizens. So there's actually a lot of Japanese of Filipino ancestry in Japan.



Ayan81 said:


> u can mount any at the back like they did here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> theres plenty of room at the back for med evac or install manpads there




Looking good. How many are deployed in the Philippine Army ?


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> The number: 243,000 in Japan only includes the documented Filipinos immigrants. This does not include Japanese children who have either Filipino mothers or fathers. They are are regarded as Japanese citizens. So there's actually a lot of Japanese of Filipino ancestry in Japan.



Not very surprising though what surprises me is that Filipinos becoming immigrants and adopt to the culture of their new home.


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Looking good. How many are deployed in the Philippine Army ?



None yet as it is a likely a prototype and it is likely that the Marine Corps would use this vehicle, not the Army


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## Bienvenido

*Philippine Navy ships to get arms upgrades*
August 25,2014







MANILA, Philippines–It looks like Christmas just came early for two of the Philippine Navy’s two lead frigates.

BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz are set to be fitted with two Mark 38 Model 225 millimeter “Bushmaster” automatic cannons, with the former the first to get the upgrades.

Lieutenant Commander Marineth Domingo, Philippine Navy Public Affairs Office Chief, said the BRP Gregorio del Pilar would have the upgrades installed at the end of the year as support weapons for its main one, the 76 mm Oto Melara automatic cannon.

“Both vessels are programmed for upgrades in terms of sensors and firepower to revive their original capabilities,” Domingo said Monday.

She added that it has been the intention of the Navy to upgrade their ships to protect the country.

“We want to make them stronger, and of course to protect itself and the Philippines against whoever the adversary is,” Domingo said.

He added it’s always better to have more firepower added to the ship.

“We can still add more to make it better equipped in the seas,” Domingo said. “It’s always to maximize, especially if we have the opportunity.”


Philippine Navy ships to get arms upgrades | Inquirer News

______________________________________






President Benigno S. Aquino III with the newly sworn-in generals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), led by AFP Chief of Staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang, Jr. after administering the oath in a ceremony at the Rizal Hall of the Malacañan Palace, August 11, 2014. Also in photo is Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. 







______________________________________

*Russia looking to supply PH with radar and missile systems*







In an exclusive interview of Manila Bulletin with visiting Russian Federal Service Deputy Director Konstantin Biryulin for Military-Technical Cooperation, it was made known that Russia is currently negotiating with Philippine government to provide the country’s armed forces with “radar stations and means of intercepting and destruction of violators.”

Russia may be offering the Department of National Defense with radar and surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, something that could shot down an aircraft flying in an altitude of 10,000 meters or more sophisticated hardware.

“We fully understand the problems Philippines has to face with its huge maritime border,” Konstantin Biryulin told Manila Bulletin on Friday.

“We have similar problems in Russia and we know how to tackle them. That’s why we have a proposal regarding equipments which could help in controlling those areas.”

About a day ago, a Russian-made SAM was reported to have allegedly downed a Malaysian Airlines plane killing 298 persons on board.

Would China or US allow a Russia-PH military hardware deal, will Philippines enter in this kind of deal.


______________________________________

*Immigration: No crackdown, arrested Chinese are simply illegally working*
August 22,2014






Tuesday, August 19, Chinese Embassy in Manila voiced concern regarding Chinese nationals being held by Philippine government suspected for working illegally in the country.

Chinese Embassy demanded that these Chinese individuals’ cases must be handled swiftly and fairly and they must be treated properly.

Fifty-five Chinese are currently in custody of BI as result of raids. Some are working in a construction site and some in retail stores in Manila.

Today, August 22, Philippine Bureau of Immigration clarified that there is no crackdown against Chinese nationals. BI added that arrests are not connected to maritime spat between Philippines and China.

BI spokesperson Atty. Elaine Tan said arrests are part of the government’s campaign to solve the problem in growing number of foreigners working in the Philippines without proper documents and working permit.

She added that this is a part of the bureau’s regular day to day tasks. “We are in touch with the consul as to the documents of their nationals. If a foreign national fails to present any document to support his employment, he will be issued the necessary charge sheet and will eventually be deported.”

Immigration: No crackdown, arrested Chinese are simply illegally working







Battle simulation participated by 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division PA and US Army units at Fort Magsaysay


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## Bienvenido

*'Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno' tops Philippine box office*
(philstar.com) | August 25, 2014






*MANILA, Philippines - "Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno" topped the Philippine box-office with P42.61 million in five days, from its first day of screening last August 20 to 24.*

The movie captured the "All-Time Biggest Opening Weekend" for a Japanese film and its opening figure has surpassed the lifetime gross of the first "Rurouni Kenshin" movie, which earned P40.4 illion in its overall run in 2012.

“This is a phenomenal bow for `Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno,' one that surely exceeded even our aggressive estimates,” says Francis Soliven, general manager of Warner Bros. (F.E.), Inc. which locally distributed the film.

“We'd like to thank the loyal fans of the franchise for their unwavering support and offer our congratulations to director Keishi Otomo and the cast led by Takeru Satoh, Emi Takei and Munetaka Aoki. The aforementioned talents graciously helped promote the film when they visited here for the Asian Premiere three weeks ago. We have no doubt that their visit enabled us to launch the film in the best way possible,” he added.

Posting the biggest receipts was SM Megamall with P2.39 million over five days, while Trinoma was second with P2.16 million, and SM Cebu at third with P1.62 million.

In the Top Ten Theaters are SM Mall of Asia (P1.57 million), Glorietta 4 (P1.41 million), SM North EDSA (P1.38 million), Ayala Cebu (P1.30 million), Greenbelt 3 (P1.23 million), Eastwood (P866,850) and Gateway (P864,056).

Completing the Top Twenty are Alabang Town Center (P841,091), Greenhills (P774,768), Shangri-la (P743,634), Power Plant (P717,510), SM Aura (P655,044), Centrio Cagayan de Oro (P643,260), Robinsons Ermita (P617,200), Robinsons Magnolia (P608,664), Bonifacio High Street (P597,550) and Market! Market! (P579,084).

Based on the Kyoto arc of the popular manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki, the “Rurouni Kenshin” sequels follow the story of Kenshin Himura (Takeru Satoh), a legendary swordsman in the wars accompanying the turbulent fall of Japan's Shogunate in the 19th century. Once feared as "Battosai the Killer," he has adopted a peaceful life since the arrival of the "new age."

But Makoto Shishio (Tatsuya Fujiwara), the "Shadow Killer" and successor to Kenshin's position as the deadly assassin, has since then been scheming in the Kyoto underworld, raising an army of disaffected former samurais with the aim of overthrowing the new regime.

Agreeing to a request by the new government to defeat Shishio, Kenshin leaves his beloved ones in Tokyo and sets out for Kyoto.

The last installment of the Samurai X movies "Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends" opens in Philippine theaters on Sept. 24, 2014.

'Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno' tops Philippine box office | Movies, Special Reports, Home | philstar.com


_________________________________

*India reinforces naval ties with PH*
August 25th, 2014

*

*
*Indian Naval ship Sahyadri. Photo courtesy of Philippine Navy*

*MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Navy on Monday hailed the Indian navy following the latter’s visit to the country last week.*

Lieutenant Commander Marineth Domingo, Philippine Navy Public Affairs Office Chief, said the visit of Indian Naval ship Sahyadri, under the command of Commodore Jyotin Raina, was about reinforcing the relations between the two nations and their navies.

“This affair aims to enhance and strengthen mutual relationship between the two nations and forces as it offers great liberty and an opportunity for the Indian Navy to show friendly aspect to the Philippines,” Domingo said.

“The goodwill visits are also opportune time for a visiting ship to unwind and relax, and see the beauty of our countrymen and at the same time build camaraderie with their counterparts,” Domingo added.

Arriving last Wednesday, Sahyadri left for India last Saturday after its crew played basketball and football with the troops of the Philippine Navy.

*

*
*Commodore Jyotin Raina (left) and Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Jesus Millan (right). Photo courtesy of Philippine Navy*

BRP Abraham Campo met Sahyadri near Corregidor Island and escorted it to the anchorage site at Pier 15, South Harbor, Manila.

Raina and his party visited the headquarters of the Philippine Navy in a courtesy call that Rear Admiral Jesus Millan, Philippine Navy Chief, initiated.

During the visit, the Philippine and Indian Navies conducted Subject Matter Expertise Exchanges, Community Relations and Community Service.

India reinforces naval ties with PH | Inquirer Global Nation

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## Cossack25A1

First impeachment rap vs Aquino found sufficient in form | Inquirer News

-----

*First impeachment rap vs Aquino found sufficient in form*
Marc Jayson Cayabyab |INQUIRER.net 11:38 am | Tuesday, August 26th, 2014 

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives justice committee has found sufficient in form the first impeachment complaint against President Benigno Aquino III.

During Tuesday’s committee hearing, chairman Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. noted that 53 members found sufficient in form the first impeachment rap. Meanwhile, one objected while another abstained.

Upon finding it sufficient in form, the committee concurred that the complaint was verified by the endorsing lawmakers.

The first two complaints were about Aquino’s outlawed Disbursement Acceleration Program, parts of the stimulus program declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The third is over the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which seeks a greater US military presence in the country despite a constitutional ban on foreign bases.
The impeachment raps were endorsed by militant lawmakers Bayan Muna Representatives Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate, Anakpawis Rep Fernando Hicap, Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon, Act Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio aand Gabriela Rep. Emmi De Jesus.

A fourth impeachment rap accused Aquino of sustaining the outlawed Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in the 2014 budget. The SC declared as unconstitutional the congressional pork at the height of a corruption scandal under the alleged scheme of Janet Lim-Napoles.

But the complaint failed to reach the floor in time for the committee referral of the first three complaints.

-----

_And now ABNoy now wants a Constitutional Reform to lessen the power of the Judiciary and Legislative body said before that they are willing to give more power to the Executive Branch. Doesn't this sound similar to a dictatorship rather than republic-democracy?_


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## Nike

Sea Platforms
*Philippine Navy mulling best way to upgrade Del Pilar frigates*
*Dzirhan Mahadzir, Kuala Lumpur and James Hardy, London* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
25 August 2014






The PN is debating the best way to upgrade weapons and sensors on its two Del Pilar-class frigates. Source: PA Photos
The Philippine Navy (PN) is having internal talks on how best to upgrade the weapon and electronic systems of its Del Pilar-class frigates.

The PN has two Del Pilar-class frigates, BRP _Gregorio Del Pilar_ (PF15) and BRP_Ramon Alcaraz_ (PF16), which are ex-US Coast Guard Hamilton- and Hero-class cutters acquired in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The two vessels each originally mounted a Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS), which was removed when transferred to the Philippines. A sister ship, the USCGC _Mellon_ , mounted a Harpoon anti-ship missile launcher in the 1990s.

"Our initial target is for the Del Pilar frigates to have the same capabilities as the Hamilton-class did when they were in US service, such as having the Phalanx CIWS and Harpoon anti-ship missiles," Marine Colonel Eric Nicanor, commander of the PN's Naval Communications, Electronic and Information Center and chairman of the technical working group for the Del Pilar-class frigate upgrade, told _IHS Jane's_ at the Integrated Air and Missile Defence Asia conference in Kuala Lumpur on 20-21 August.

"We are also discussing whether the combat systems and sensors should be the same as [those of] the frigates that will be acquired in the future," he added.

As well as new weapons and sensors, the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) is buying two new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters for the Del Pilar frigates, with an acquisition set to be announced before the year's end.

Col Nicanor said that having a similar combat system and sensors to the yet-to-be-determined new frigates that Manila is looking to buy would simplify logistics and maintenance support for the navy. Shared combat systems and sensors would also allow the Del Pilar-class frigates to act as training ships for crews of the future frigates, he said.

However, another school of thought is that it would be better for different systems to be installed on the Del Pilar frigates to allow the PN to access different capabilities, while also making the navy less vulnerable to electronic countermeasures.

"We are still discussing and conducting the studies as to which of the two approaches we should consider regarding the Del Pilar upgrade and we also want surface-to-air missile capability for them, so we are studying the options for that also," Col Nicanor said.

Philippine Navy mulling best way to upgrade Del Pilar frigates - IHS Jane's 360

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## Cossack25A1

Remington GPC (R4) Carbine






The *Remington GPC* (or *Remington R4*) introduced in 2010 was a AR-15 derivative with an extruded upper receiver acting as a barrel cooling jacket mounted with STANAG rails. A derivative product called the Modular Gas Piston Carbine was being offered to the US Army for its Aborted Improved M4A1 Program . It features a Ferritic Nitrocarburized (FNC) coating, 10.5 inch or 14.5 inch barrel offerings with a six groove 1:7 right hand twist. The hand guard is an eight-sided ventilated free floating unit with monolithic Mil-Std-1913 rail on the upper portion and user configurable rail sections that can be added on the other seven sides. The Remington R4 would become in 2012 the prototype for a line of AR-15 based carbines produced under the Remington brand for Defense and Civilian applications. This series consists of the R4; a Direct impingement operated M4/M4A1/M16A4 clones, and R5 or Remington Gas Piston; the most direct production version of the GPC. both series use off the Shelf Furniture including M4 style teliscopic stocks, pistol grips and in the case of the R4, traditional M16A2 or M4 style round hand guards. Variants of the R4 and the stock R5 are offered with updated versions of the 

Initially thought to be the M4 made by Colt, the* Philippine Army* and *Philippine Marine Corps *actually procured Remington's R4 carbine which will replace the M16A1 rifles as the standard service rifle.


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> Sea Platforms
> *Philippine Navy mulling best way to upgrade Del Pilar frigates*
> *Dzirhan Mahadzir, Kuala Lumpur and James Hardy, London* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
> 25 August 2014
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The PN is debating the best way to upgrade weapons and sensors on its two Del Pilar-class frigates. Source: PA Photos
> The Philippine Navy (PN) is having internal talks on how best to upgrade the weapon and electronic systems of its Del Pilar-class frigates.
> 
> The PN has two Del Pilar-class frigates, BRP _Gregorio Del Pilar_ (PF15) and BRP_Ramon Alcaraz_ (PF16), which are ex-US Coast Guard Hamilton- and Hero-class cutters acquired in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The two vessels each originally mounted a Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS), which was removed when transferred to the Philippines. A sister ship, the USCGC _Mellon_ , mounted a Harpoon anti-ship missile launcher in the 1990s.
> 
> "Our initial target is for the Del Pilar frigates to have the same capabilities as the Hamilton-class did when they were in US service, such as having the Phalanx CIWS and Harpoon anti-ship missiles," Marine Colonel Eric Nicanor, commander of the PN's Naval Communications, Electronic and Information Center and chairman of the technical working group for the Del Pilar-class frigate upgrade, told _IHS Jane's_ at the Integrated Air and Missile Defence Asia conference in Kuala Lumpur on 20-21 August.
> 
> "We are also discussing whether the combat systems and sensors should be the same as [those of] the frigates that will be acquired in the future," he added.
> 
> As well as new weapons and sensors, the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) is buying two new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters for the Del Pilar frigates, with an acquisition set to be announced before the year's end.
> 
> Col Nicanor said that having a similar combat system and sensors to the yet-to-be-determined new frigates that Manila is looking to buy would simplify logistics and maintenance support for the navy. Shared combat systems and sensors would also allow the Del Pilar-class frigates to act as training ships for crews of the future frigates, he said.
> 
> However, another school of thought is that it would be better for different systems to be installed on the Del Pilar frigates to allow the PN to access different capabilities, while also making the navy less vulnerable to electronic countermeasures.
> 
> "We are still discussing and conducting the studies as to which of the two approaches we should consider regarding the Del Pilar upgrade and we also want surface-to-air missile capability for them, so we are studying the options for that also," Col Nicanor said.
> 
> Philippine Navy mulling best way to upgrade Del Pilar frigates - IHS Jane's 360



Me thinks the upgrades of the Del Pilar-class frigate should concentrate more on having anti-ship capabilities such as installing Harpoon missiles while for air-defense, we should have a different ship for it, possibly a new ship and not a refurbished one.


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## Dante

Cossack25A1 said:


> Me thinks the upgrades of the Del Pilar-class frigate should concentrate more on having anti-ship capabilities such as installing Harpoon missiles while for air-defense, we should have a different ship for it, possibly a new ship and not a refurbished one.


currently, adding AShM on both del Pilar & Alcaraz are not feasible financially, they currently try to find cheaper way for installing Typhoon/Mark38 gun

lets hope the govt allocate more money for military modernization on the next CUP phase

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## Cossack25A1

Dante said:


> currently, adding AShM on both del Pilar & Alcaraz are not feasible financially, they currently try to find cheaper way for installing Typhoon/Mark38 gun
> 
> lets hope the govt allocate more money for military modernization on the next CUP phase



One solution is to simply by a new frigate and by that, I mean a literal new ship ordered and made from a shipyard and not "new" in the sense that it is a refurbished ship.

Not sure on who to look for in buying new ship, America will only give us a refurbished but obsolete ships.


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## Dante

Cossack25A1 said:


> One solution is to simply by a new frigate and by that, I mean a literal new ship ordered and made from a shipyard and not "new" in the sense that it is a refurbished ship.
> 
> Not sure on who to look for in buying new ship, America will only give us a refurbished but obsolete ships.



DND now currently are still assessing all tender for the frigate project, even with budget close to 20 billion PhP, they realize that their budget are kinda short.

So yeah, either the govt put more money or prioritizing their modernization project

Well the US gave del Pillar & Alcaraz because those ships are the ships that the Philippine can afford and manage, at about 15mill USD each, both ship are actually very cheap.
With proper mid life upgrade & refurbishment plus rearming, del Pilar & Alcaraz can be transformed into more capable warship, but again there is no money for doing it

so the ball for defense modernization is actually in the hand of filipinos

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## Ayan81

the BAE Mk. 38 Mod. 2 arrive last year and its still not on the ship, they say that they are waiting for the USCG personel to install them on the ship cuz its much more cheaper than installing them on the shipyard (hai naku talaga kaung taga PN buti pa PAF umaarangkada na)

Other upgrades they are aiming for is the Phalanx CIWS and the RGM-84 Harpoon because they were previously armed with this one each. Some say they are waiting for the outcome of the bidding for the two new frigates and the ASW heli cuz weapons system are separate from the bidding


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## Nike

Cossack25A1 said:


> One solution is to simply by a new frigate and by that, I mean a literal new ship ordered and made from a shipyard and not "new" in the sense that it is a refurbished ship.
> 
> Not sure on who to look for in buying new ship, America will only give us a refurbished but obsolete ships.



seriously, i am not a fans of Second hand warships, but looking at Phil armed forces financial conditions made me suggest an otherwise. A refurbished and fully armed Maestrale or Bremen class frigate will give Phil. Navy an adequate platform to increase their Surface combatant presence. I will recommend Chile solutions to their Navy, they never bought a new warships aside for their Submarine forces, but they seriously maintained and updating their surface combatant fleet technology and armament with the latest one and if one of their warships got obsolete, they starting to hunting second hand warship again. But seriously, no one in South America want to messing up against Chilean Navy as they are regarded as one the best equipped and trained Naval forces there.

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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> seriously, i am not a fans of Second hand warships, but looking at Phil armed forces financial conditions made me suggest an otherwise. A refurbished and fully armed Maestrale or Bremen class frigate will give Phil. Navy an adequate platform to increase their Surface combatant presence. I will recommend Chile solutions to their Navy, they never bought a new warships aside for their Submarine forces, but they seriously maintained and updating their surface combatant fleet technology and armament with the latest one and if one of their warships got obsolete, they starting to hunting second hand warship again. But seriously, no one in South America want to messing up against Chilean Navy as they are regarded as one the best equipped and trained Naval forces there.



You could be right there about the financial situation and in fact we did try to buy a second-hand Maestrale class frigate from Italy back in 2012 but the DND opted to buy new frigates rather than procuring a second-hand frigate. As for submarines, there were plans but the Navy is at present concentrated on acquiring surface combat vessels. I doubt that we can rely on Americans on submarines, thus we are likely to look at Europe for subs.

Anyways, I always though it is Brazil or Argentina has the most powerful navy in South America.



Ayan81 said:


> the BAE Mk. 38 Mod. 2 arrive last year and its still not on the ship, they say that they are waiting for the USCG personel to install them on the ship cuz its much more cheaper than installing them on the shipyard (hai naku talaga kaung taga PN buti pa PAF umaarangkada na)
> 
> Other upgrades they are aiming for is the Phalanx CIWS and the RGM-84 Harpoon because they were previously armed with this one each. Some say they are waiting for the outcome of the bidding for the two new frigates and the ASW heli cuz weapons system are separate from the bidding



The old Hamiltons only have 76mm gun, 25mm chainguns and the Phalanx CIWS. The PH Navy should have at least put two 40mm automatic grenade launchers along with four M2s instead of six M2 machine guns.


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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> You could be right there about the financial situation and in fact we did try to buy a second-hand Maestrale class frigate from Italy back in 2012 but the DND opted to buy new frigates rather than procuring a second-hand frigate. As for submarines, there were plans but the Navy is at present concentrated on acquiring surface combat vessels. I doubt that we can rely on Americans on submarines, thus we are likely to look at Europe for subs.
> 
> Anyways, I always though it is Brazil or Argentina has the most powerful navy in South America.
> 
> 
> 
> The old Hamiltons only have 76mm gun, 25mm chainguns and the Phalanx CIWS. The PH Navy should have at least put two 40mm automatic grenade launchers along with four M2s instead of six M2 machine guns.




The USCG Mellon was once equipped with harpoons


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> The USCG Mellon was once equipped with harpoons



but it was later removed due to "fiscal constraints"... well they are the Coast Guard and unless they are going to war, a cutter with an anti-ship missile would be pointless and the purpose of the mounting is likely for compatability.

If Harpoons are going to be mounted on the two Hamilton ships the PH Navy has, it needs two launchers where each launcher will be placed on the port and starboard side of the ship. We should also consider putting SeaRAM on this ship aside from Phalanx.


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## Ayan81

*BRP Ramon Alcaraz now in Australia for 'Kakadu 2014' naval exercises*






credits goes to PF 16 FB page

Pollywogs perform push-ups as one of their punishments during the Crossing the Equator ceremony on board BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16).
“Pollywog” is a term which refers to a person/sailor who has not yet crossed the equator.






AW 109 Naval Helicopter takes off from the flight deck of BRP Ramon Alcaraz to conduct maritime air surveillance off the vicinity of Basilan





BRP Ramon Alcaraz’s personnel conduct fire drill while the ship is en route to Australia to participate in Exercise Kakadu 2014





As a safety measure on board BRP Ramon Alcaraz, personnel from Damage Control Department demonstrate to ship riders the proper procedure on how to wear and use a fire fighting suit and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). 





Medical Team on board BRP Ramon Alcaraz administers flu vaccine to troops as a preventive measure against flu viruses.

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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> but it was later removed due to "fiscal constraints"... well they are the Coast Guard and unless they are going to war, a cutter with an anti-ship missile would be pointless and the purpose of the mounting is likely for compatability.
> 
> If Harpoons are going to be mounted on the two Hamilton ships the PH Navy has, it needs two launchers where each launcher will be placed on the port and starboard side of the ship. We should also consider putting SeaRAM on this ship aside from Phalanx.



My point on the harpoon was it was done before and can be done again. 

I aggree with you on favoring the sea ram rather than the phalanx as it can engange ASh threats but then again it depends on the PN on how much are they willing to spend on the upgrades. 4 harpoons, Sea RAM, new fire control system, surveillance and detection sensors, sonar and torpedos, thats about 50-60USD million.

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## Zero_wing

Ayan81 said:


> My point on the harpoon was it was done before and can be done again.
> 
> I aggree with you on favoring the sea ram rather than the phalanx as it can engange ASh threats but then again it depends on the PN on how much are they willing to spend on the upgrades. 4 harpoons, Sea RAM, new fire control system, surveillance and detection sensors, sonar and torpedos, thats about 50-60USD million.



Someday but not today


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## Ayan81

*Misuari surfaces in Sulu, reiterates Mindanao independence*
By: Persues Echeminada (Philippine Star)






Fugitive Muslim leader Nur Misuari surfaced recently in Sulu and led flag-raising ceremonies to commemorate the first anniversary of declaration of independence under the Federated States of Bangsamoro Republik.

In the website of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Misuari was shown in full battle gear, urging his followers to pursue their right to self-determination.

MNLF Islamic Command Council chief Habib Mujahab Hashim said he was informed of the gathering last Aug. 12 at Barangay Lampaya, Panamao town by Ustadz Murshi, Misuari's former secretary-general.

Hashim said Misuari maintained his call for independence after observing the planned closure of the Tripartite Review on the 1996 MNLF final peace agreement by the government peace panel as a unilateral act of abrogating their accord.

Hashim also belied military reports that Misuari is ailing and weak while hiding in Sulu.

_____________

Millions of Intelligence Fund on ISAFP wasted again  Bakit hinde pa mamatay tong gago nato


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> *Misuari surfaces in Sulu, reiterates Mindanao independence*
> By: Persues Echeminada (Philippine Star)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Fugitive Muslim leader Nur Misuari surfaced recently in Sulu and led flag-raising ceremonies to commemorate the first anniversary of declaration of independence under the Federated States of Bangsamoro Republik.
> 
> In the website of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Misuari was shown in full battle gear, urging his followers to pursue their right to self-determination.
> 
> MNLF Islamic Command Council chief Habib Mujahab Hashim said he was informed of the gathering last Aug. 12 at Barangay Lampaya, Panamao town by Ustadz Murshi, Misuari's former secretary-general.
> 
> Hashim said Misuari maintained his call for independence after observing the planned closure of the Tripartite Review on the 1996 MNLF final peace agreement by the government peace panel as a unilateral act of abrogating their accord.
> 
> Hashim also belied military reports that Misuari is ailing and weak while hiding in Sulu.
> 
> _____________
> 
> Millions of Intelligence Fund on ISAFP wasted again  Bakit hinde pa mamatay tong gago nato



May backer. Ang tanong ay sino ang sumusuporta dito?


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> My point on the harpoon was it was done before and can be done again.
> 
> I aggree with you on favoring the sea ram rather than the phalanx as it can engange ASh threats but then again it depends on the PN on how much are they willing to spend on the upgrades. 4 harpoons, Sea RAM, new fire control system, surveillance and detection sensors, sonar and torpedos, thats about 50-60USD million.



If I were given the chance to upgrade the two Del Pilar-class frigates, I would rather put two SeaRAMs on the port and starboard side of the ship and a Phalanx CIWS behind the 76mm gun. This would give the ship anti-air defense capability as well as capability to counter any incoming anti-ship missiles.


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## Cossack25A1

Bienvenido said:


> *Russia looking to supply PH with radar and missile systems*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In an exclusive interview of Manila Bulletin with visiting Russian Federal Service Deputy Director Konstantin Biryulin for Military-Technical Cooperation, it was made known that Russia is currently negotiating with Philippine government to provide the country’s armed forces with “radar stations and means of intercepting and destruction of violators.”
> 
> Russia may be offering the Department of National Defense with radar and surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, something that could shot down an aircraft flying in an altitude of 10,000 meters or more sophisticated hardware.
> 
> “We fully understand the problems Philippines has to face with its huge maritime border,” Konstantin Biryulin told Manila Bulletin on Friday.
> 
> “We have similar problems in Russia and we know how to tackle them. That’s why we have a proposal regarding equipments which could help in controlling those areas.”
> 
> About a day ago, a Russian-made SAM was reported to have allegedly downed a Malaysian Airlines plane killing 298 persons on board.
> 
> Would China or US allow a Russia-PH military hardware deal, will Philippines enter in this kind of deal.



Maybe we could also buy BTR-T and BMPT from them so that we no longer have to deploy Simba APCs and V-150s when something like the Zamboanga siege happens again; the BMPT is very suitable for urban operations like the said siege.


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## Dante

Great idea, bremen class of the kriegsmarine were also have 2 RAM on each port and starboard, but it would be expensive, I think integration cost might reach to 50mill usd/2.5 bill php for each ship



Cossack25A1 said:


> If I were given the chance to upgrade the two Del Pilar-class frigates, I would rather put two SeaRAMs on the port and starboard side of the ship and a Phalanx CIWS behind the 76mm gun. This would give the ship anti-air defense capability as well as capability to counter any incoming anti-ship missiles.


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## Cossack25A1

Dante said:


> Great idea, bremen class of the kriegsmarine were also have 2 RAM on each port and starboard, but it would be expensive, I think integration cost might reach to 50mill usd/2.5 bill php for each ship



This option could be possible for a future frigate acquisition or we can mount it in the Peacock-class vessels we have since the Kriegsmarine's Gepard-class fast attack craft has SeaRAM and is about the same size as the Peacock-class the PH Navy have and because it had undergone extensive upgrades, my guess is that the SeaRAM could be mounted onto this corvette.

@Zero_wing @Ayan81 @Bienvenido 

The three Peacock-class corvette was sold to us back in the late 90s, is it possible that we can reproduce this ship?


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> *Misuari surfaces in Sulu, reiterates Mindanao independence*
> By: Persues Echeminada (Philippine Star)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Fugitive Muslim leader Nur Misuari surfaced recently in Sulu and led flag-raising ceremonies to commemorate the first anniversary of declaration of independence under the Federated States of Bangsamoro Republik.
> 
> In the website of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Misuari was shown in full battle gear, urging his followers to pursue their right to self-determination.
> 
> MNLF Islamic Command Council chief Habib Mujahab Hashim said he was informed of the gathering last Aug. 12 at Barangay Lampaya, Panamao town by Ustadz Murshi, Misuari's former secretary-general.
> 
> Hashim said Misuari maintained his call for independence after observing the planned closure of the Tripartite Review on the 1996 MNLF final peace agreement by the government peace panel as a unilateral act of abrogating their accord.
> 
> Hashim also belied military reports that Misuari is ailing and weak while hiding in Sulu.
> 
> _____________
> 
> Millions of Intelligence Fund on ISAFP wasted again  Bakit hinde pa mamatay tong gago nato



Why doesn't the Philippine Army just execute this terrorist ?



Ayan81 said:


> *BRP Ramon Alcaraz now in Australia for 'Kakadu 2014' naval exercises*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> credits goes to PF 16 FB page
> 
> Pollywogs perform push-ups as one of their punishments during the Crossing the Equator ceremony on board BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16).
> “Pollywog” is a term which refers to a person/sailor who has not yet crossed the equator.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AW 109 Naval Helicopter takes off from the flight deck of BRP Ramon Alcaraz to conduct maritime air surveillance off the vicinity of Basilan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BRP Ramon Alcaraz’s personnel conduct fire drill while the ship is en route to Australia to participate in Exercise Kakadu 2014
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As a safety measure on board BRP Ramon Alcaraz, personnel from Damage Control Department demonstrate to ship riders the proper procedure on how to wear and use a fire fighting suit and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Medical Team on board BRP Ramon Alcaraz administers flu vaccine to troops as a preventive measure against flu viruses.




What are the armaments of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz and the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar ?


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Why doesn't the Philippine Army just execute this terrorist ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What are the armaments of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz and the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar ?



For the Misuari guy, my guess is that he has connections with someone within the Philippine government or elsewhere that prevents the PH government to assassinate him and there will be repercussions the likes the PH have not seen since the Jabidah massacre.

As for the frigates, the _BRP Greogrio Del Pilar _has a Mk.75 Oto Melara 76 mm gun, one Mk. 38 Mod 0 25mm chain gun, two Mk.16 20mm autocannons midships and six M2 .50 caliber machine guns. The_ BRP Ramon Alcaraz _on the other hand has a Mk.75 Oto Melara 76 mm gun and four M2 .50 caliber machine guns. The Mk.38 25mm chain gun is yet to be installed on BRP Ramon Alcaraz.

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> This option could be possible for a future frigate acquisition or we can mount it in the Peacock-class vessels we have since the Kriegsmarine's Gepard-class fast attack craft has SeaRAM and is about the same size as the Peacock-class the PH Navy have and because it had undergone extensive upgrades, my guess is that the SeaRAM could be mounted onto this corvette.
> 
> @Zero_wing @Ayan81 @Bienvenido
> 
> The three Peacock-class corvette was sold to us back in the late 90s, is it possible that we can reproduce this ship?



Too small maybe Manpods like Spikes NICOLS or ER for Anti ship capabilities and some Sinbads or Iglas or Stingers for anti air for CIWS we already have them in the ship has 76mm Oto melara dual role main gun and CIWS and 20mm bushmaster
MSI Defence Seahawk mount 2 × 20 mm Mk. 16 cannons on Mk.68 mounts (M242) not the 30mm new verson but its only for small UAVs and slow moving aircraft along with the OPVs present in the Shiplist the PN can armed them with light Anti air and Antiship as i listed before but for SEA Rams, Harpoons Etc not a chance too big and heavy for the Ships maybe the Datu Kalantiaw class but according to the the defense plans of the PN she will be replace very soon so their is no point giving her that kind of update.

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## Nike

Cossack25A1 said:


> This option could be possible for a future frigate acquisition or we can mount it in the Peacock-class vessels we have since the Kriegsmarine's Gepard-class fast attack craft has SeaRAM and is about the same size as the Peacock-class the PH Navy have and because it had undergone extensive upgrades, my guess is that the SeaRAM could be mounted onto this corvette.
> 
> @Zero_wing @Ayan81 @Bienvenido
> 
> The three Peacock-class corvette was sold to us back in the late 90s, is it possible that we can reproduce this ship?



how about to install Super igla dual launcher Shorad system in your Peacock class like Fearless class of Singapore Navy? they must be a logical choice, or you can trying to going to chose a more expensive choice like integrating Simbad Mistral tetral into your CMS and going fully automatic.

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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> how about to install Super igla dual launcher Shorad system in your Peacock class like Fearless class of Singapore Navy? they must be a logical choice, or you can trying to going to chose a more expensive choice like integrating Simbad Mistral tetral into your CMS and going fully automatic.



I guess it is possible to arm them with a modified MANPADS just to give the vessel minimum air-defense capabilities but for now we have no MANPADS in service. Maybe we could look into Japan because I doubt Uncle Sam would give us Stingers.



Zero_wing said:


> Too small maybe Manpods like Spikes NICOLS or ER for Anti ship capabilities and some Sinbads or Iglas or Stingers for anti air for CIWS we already have them in the ship has 76mm Oto melara dual role main gun and CIWS and 20mm bushmaster
> MSI Defence Seahawk mount 2 × 20 mm Mk. 16 cannons on Mk.68 mounts (M242) not the 30mm new verson but its only for small UAVs and slow moving aircraft along with the OPVs present in the Shiplist the PN can armed them with light Anti air and Antiship as i listed before but for SEA Rams, Harpoons Etc not a chance too big and heavy for the Ships maybe the Datu Kalantiaw class but according to the the defense plans of the PN she will be replace very soon so their is no point giving her that kind of update.



If the Peacock-class (Jacinto-class) will be replace, is there by chance that this will be transferred to the Coast Guard? We need every assets availavble now just to maintain the capability to patrol PH waters and territories while the Navy gets newer ships.


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## Nike

Cossack25A1 said:


> I guess it is possible to arm them with a modified MANPADS just to give the vessel minimum air-defense capabilities but for now we have no MANPADS in service. Maybe we could look into Japan because I doubt Uncle Sam would give us Stingers.
> 
> 
> 
> If the Peacock-class (Jacinto-class) will be replace, is there by chance that this will be transferred to the Coast Guard? We need every assets availavble now just to maintain the capability to patrol PH waters and territories while the Navy gets newer ships.



Today you can find a lot of Manpads producer around the world in market, like RBS 70 of Sweden, Chiron from South Korea, Mistral missile from France, Starstreak from UK, Anza from Pakistan, Igla from Russia and so on. Don't depend yourself to US too much.


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> Today you can find a lot of Manpads producer around the world in market, like RBS 70 of Sweden, Chiron from South Korea, Mistral missile from France, Starstreak from UK, Anza from Pakistan, Igla from Russia and so on. Don't depend yourself to US too much.



Yup, we can't depend all the time to the US specially that we will only get inferior weapons from them. For now, MANPADS is not yet on the PH's shopping lists but with the wide selection of MANPADS out there, maybe soon we would procure such weapons.


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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> If I were given the chance to upgrade the two Del Pilar-class frigates, I would rather put two SeaRAMs on the port and starboard side of the ship and a Phalanx CIWS behind the 76mm gun. This would give the ship anti-air defense capability as well as capability to counter any incoming anti-ship missiles.



There's no room for SeaRAMS from the sides look here





instead the Mk.38 Mod.2 MGS will be put there from both sides. Whats interesting is that the new frigates that's being bid atm will have a strong influence on the choices of weapon and surveilance system on the GDP class as the bid on the ship and weapons are split (para isa nalang) we can buy it in bulk to save money.

I just hope they go for SeaRAM rather than phalanx


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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> Maybe we could also buy BTR-T and BMPT from them so that we no longer have to deploy Simba APCs and V-150s when something like the Zamboanga siege happens again; the BMPT is very suitable for urban operations like the said siege.



*Philippines are interested in Russian BMP-3F*
20/06/2014
Military-Industrial Courier





Russia and the Philippines are discussing the possibility of delivery to the Asian country the Russian infantry fighting vehicle BMP-3F. The journalists at the International Salon of weapons "Eurosatory 2014" Deputy General Director of "Rosoboronexport" Igor Sevastyanov.

_"We are working with the country on the BMP-3F. The specific results are reported later,"_- he said.

Deputy director recalled that recently the Philippine government announced several rearmament programs, including for the protection of the country's coastline.

BMP-3F is a version of the basic machine, designed for the Marine Corps. It can also be used coastguards and border troops. BMP-3F is used to fighting in the coastal zone, on the coast, landing at sea.

In armament includes basic machine 100mm gun, twin 30-mm gun, anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), 7.62 mm machine gun. BMP-3F is served by a crew of three and can carry seven troops.
______________________________________
Let's not waste our time alam mo naman pag sinabing "interested" walang patutunguhan. But of course why not diba but the army already has aquired the 100+M113s plus and another 28 upgraded. The upgraded M113 will be on here on 1st Q of 2015 and it will look like this


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> *Philippines are interested in Russian BMP-3F*
> 20/06/2014
> Military-Industrial Courier
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Russia and the Philippines are discussing the possibility of delivery to the Asian country the Russian infantry fighting vehicle BMP-3F. The journalists at the International Salon of weapons "Eurosatory 2014" Deputy General Director of "Rosoboronexport" Igor Sevastyanov.
> 
> _"We are working with the country on the BMP-3F. The specific results are reported later,"_- he said.
> 
> Deputy director recalled that recently the Philippine government announced several rearmament programs, including for the protection of the country's coastline.
> 
> BMP-3F is a version of the basic machine, designed for the Marine Corps. It can also be used coastguards and border troops. BMP-3F is used to fighting in the coastal zone, on the coast, landing at sea.
> 
> In armament includes basic machine 100mm gun, twin 30-mm gun, anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), 7.62 mm machine gun. BMP-3F is served by a crew of three and can carry seven troops.
> ______________________________________
> Let's not waste our time alam mo naman pag sinabing "interested" walang patutunguhan. But of course why not diba but the army already has aquired the 100+M113s plus and another 28 upgraded. The upgraded M113 will be on here on 1st Q of 2015 and it will look like this




I did posted here a suggestion for the BMP-3 for the PH Marine Corps to replace the LAV-300 and LVTH-6 while the suggestion for the BMPT and/or BTR-T is of the PH Army.


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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> This option could be possible for a future frigate acquisition or we can mount it in the Peacock-class vessels we have since the Kriegsmarine's Gepard-class fast attack craft has SeaRAM and is about the same size as the Peacock-class the PH Navy have and because it had undergone extensive upgrades, my guess is that the SeaRAM could be mounted onto this corvette.
> 
> @Zero_wing @Ayan81 @Bienvenido
> 
> The three Peacock-class corvette was sold to us back in the late 90s, is it possible that we can reproduce this ship?



No need to upgrade it, just let it be. I don't see any reason to upgrade cuz there's no room unlike the GDP class.


----------



## Ayan81

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Why doesn't the Philippine Army just execute this terrorist ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What are the armaments of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz and the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar ?



Why doesn't the Philippine Army just execute this terrorist ? Because there's this two things called religion and politics


----------



## Nike

Ayan81 said:


> *Philippines are interested in Russian BMP-3F*
> 20/06/2014
> Military-Industrial Courier
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Russia and the Philippines are discussing the possibility of delivery to the Asian country the Russian infantry fighting vehicle BMP-3F. The journalists at the International Salon of weapons "Eurosatory 2014" Deputy General Director of "Rosoboronexport" Igor Sevastyanov.
> 
> _"We are working with the country on the BMP-3F. The specific results are reported later,"_- he said.
> 
> Deputy director recalled that recently the Philippine government announced several rearmament programs, including for the protection of the country's coastline.
> 
> BMP-3F is a version of the basic machine, designed for the Marine Corps. It can also be used coastguards and border troops. BMP-3F is used to fighting in the coastal zone, on the coast, landing at sea.
> 
> In armament includes basic machine 100mm gun, twin 30-mm gun, anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), 7.62 mm machine gun. BMP-3F is served by a crew of three and can carry seven troops.
> ______________________________________
> Let's not waste our time alam mo naman pag sinabing "interested" walang patutunguhan. But of course why not diba but the army already has aquired the 100+M113s plus and another 28 upgraded. The upgraded M113 will be on here on 1st Q of 2015 and it will look like this



BMP-3F is a good complement for your SSV fleet in near future, that's what i can say. Coupled with their tremendous firepower and mobility they will give your marines a valuable protection and fire support ashore to suppress your enemy movement in the ground.

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## Ayan81

madokafc said:


> BMP-3F is a good complement for your SSV fleet in near future, that's what i can say. Coupled with their tremendous firepower and mobility they will give your marines a valuable protection and fire support ashore to suppress your enemy movement in the ground.



The Phil Marine choose the AAV7 platform for their amphibious vehicle on the 2 upcoming SSV ordered from indonesia. A korean firm was chosen to provide KAAV7A1 amphibious assault vehicle, but problems occur due to technical issues on the bid. Until now there's no news, its either the PMC choose the AAV7 or look for other tanks like the BMP-3F. A combination of both is a good idea as the BMP-3 offer fire support role. 

You guys have BMP-3 and AAV7's right?


----------



## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> *Philippines are interested in Russian BMP-3F*
> 20/06/2014
> Military-Industrial Courier
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Russia and the Philippines are discussing the possibility of delivery to the Asian country the Russian infantry fighting vehicle BMP-3F. The journalists at the International Salon of weapons "Eurosatory 2014" Deputy General Director of "Rosoboronexport" Igor Sevastyanov.
> 
> _"We are working with the country on the BMP-3F. The specific results are reported later,"_- he said.
> 
> Deputy director recalled that recently the Philippine government announced several rearmament programs, including for the protection of the country's coastline.
> 
> BMP-3F is a version of the basic machine, designed for the Marine Corps. It can also be used coastguards and border troops. BMP-3F is used to fighting in the coastal zone, on the coast, landing at sea.
> 
> In armament includes basic machine 100mm gun, twin 30-mm gun, anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), 7.62 mm machine gun. BMP-3F is served by a crew of three and can carry seven troops.
> ______________________________________
> Let's not waste our time alam mo naman pag sinabing "interested" walang patutunguhan. But of course why not diba but the army already has aquired the 100+M113s plus and another 28 upgraded. The upgraded M113 will be on here on 1st Q of 2015 and it will look like this



Looks like a good opportunity for the Philippine Army and Philippine Marines. Good Luck!


----------



## Zero_wing

I guess but we have a problem we have filipino victims on that plane crash and we are one of the nation calling for investigation


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> I guess it is possible to arm them with a modified MANPADS just to give the vessel minimum air-defense capabilities but for now we have no MANPADS in service. Maybe we could look into Japan because I doubt Uncle Sam would give us Stingers.
> 
> 
> 
> If the Peacock-class (Jacinto-class) will be replace, is there by chance that this will be transferred to the Coast Guard? We need every assets availavble now just to maintain the capability to patrol PH waters and territories while the Navy gets newer ships.



I guess but that would be a long time before it happens so it will be updraged but following the current defense plan the priority is familiarization then replacement of older vessels and the priority is the frigates which we only have three the two Goyo (Gregorio del pilar class and the only surviving Datu Kalantiaw class the Rajah Humabon so following said plan the current credible defense plan it calls for Frigates Occean going thats why we bought the Goyo class to have updgrade capabilities and familiarization for the first of the two Frigates we are going to get by the end of Aquino Administration and the rest is a SSVs (stratigic sealift vessels) more MACPACs new OPVs new Corvettes, new Auxillary vessels, new Naval Helicopters and Naval Aircraft for the Navy air group and lastly items and equipment for the marines.

And on the subject of giving America can but the government has to pay for the items because its not a big ticket item like ships and aircraft and besides from what i can sense on the Americans they put money on countries who they are not popular with them like Pakistan to boost somehow thier credits with said countries anyway for the stingers we buy we can but in limited numbers and the Ammo would be problem but if the plan goes well GA would probably produce ammo and weapons and other items under license but like the modernization process its slow so its other wait and see.

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## Nike

Ayan81 said:


> The Phil Marine choose the AAV7 platform for their amphibious vehicle on the 2 upcoming SSV ordered from indonesia. A korean firm was chosen to provide KAAV7A1 amphibious assault vehicle, but problems occur due to technical issues on the bid. Until now there's no news, its either the PMC choose the AAV7 or look for other tanks like the BMP-3F. A combination of both is a good idea as the BMP-3 offer fire support role.
> 
> You guys have BMP-3 and AAV7's right?



yes, have both of them surely help the Marines. AAV-7 is a good platform for their battle taxi roles, and BMP-3F giving them fire support while in amphibious landing operations. In the sky, the Navy will attached an rocket pod armed version of Bo-105 to giving them sufficient CAS.


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## Zero_wing

madokafc said:


> yes, have both of them surely help the Marines. AAV-7 is a good platform for their battle taxi roles, and BMP-3F giving them fire support while in amphibious landing operations. In the sky, the Navy will attached an rocket pod armed version of Bo-105 to giving them sufficient CAS.



Yes because you guys have both thanks for the inputs but i think my government for now is sticking with V300 and the V150s or the M117 probably but again no official bids yet just the AAV7s


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## DarkElf

Cossack25A1 said:


> Yup, we can't depend all the time to the US specially that we will only get inferior weapons from them. For now, MANPADS is not yet on the PH's shopping lists but with the wide selection of MANPADS out there, maybe soon we would procure such weapons.





Cossack25A1 said:


> Maybe we could look into Japan because I doubt Uncle Sam would give us Stingers.


Don't blame the US for the weapon quality, it's well known that US made weapon is the most expensive to procure. I think, expecting free top of the line of weapon is a bit much, unless your country have great strategic importance (Pakistan, Afgan, Egypt) or Israel. I seriously don't believe and see no reason at all why US will reject PH purchase if they really want to pay. After all, PH government always have the chance to buy from the EU/Korea anytime they ready to pay up using cash/loan.


----------



## Zero_wing

DarkElf said:


> Don't blame the US for the weapon quality, it's well known that US made weapon is the most expensive to procure. I think, expecting free top of the line of weapon is a bit much, unless your country have great strategic importance (Pakistan, Afgan, Egypt) or Israel. I seriously don't believe and see no reason at all why US will reject PH purchase if they really want to pay. After all, PH government always have the chance to buy from the EU/Korea anytime they ready to pay up using cash/loan.


 
May be in the past but now no because we bought FA50 the Americans did not say anything in fact china was trying to block the deal but luckly for us our Korean allies were loyal to us and honor the agreement


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## Cossack25A1

DarkElf said:


> Don't blame the US for the weapon quality, it's well known that US made weapon is the most expensive to procure. I think, expecting free top of the line of weapon is a bit much, unless your country have great strategic importance (Pakistan, Afgan, Egypt) or Israel. I seriously don't believe and see no reason at all why US will reject PH purchase if they really want to pay. After all, PH government always have the chance to buy from the EU/Korea anytime they ready to pay up using cash/loan.



What I mean is that when it comes to more sophisticated weapons, we can't rely on US giving better weapons as we will end up acquiring used weapons from them that they do not want anymore, thus we should look less towards US and more towards other countries that supplies weapons.

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## Ayan81

*Representatives from the Phillippines Navy Toured the M/V Susitna*

Aug 30, 2014 

Ketchikan, AK - Efforts to sell an unused ferry owned by the Mat-Su borough continued Thursday. Four officials from the Phillippines Navy, and a U.S. Navy advisor examined the ship during a demonstration outside of Ketchikan.

“We get a lot of typhoons, and we do a lot of disaster response operations, this is something that we can do for that purpose."

*The M/V Susitna is not your typical ferry. It was designed by the navy as a warship prototype for 75 million dollars*. ...

*Now the borough wants to sell it for $6 million.*

The M/V Susitna was originally designed to carry 150 passengers and 50 vehicles, but if the Philippines Navy is interested in buying it, they plan to use it for other purposes.

"This is a very unique vessel, that we can beach it,” said Captain Carlos. “It's a catamaran type; we can load a lot of stuff in here."

*It could be several months before the Philippines government makes a decision on the ship*. Meantime, the Mat-Su Borough is settling up on a bill from the federal government. 










____________________________________________
Wish we had this prior Typhoon Haiyan. Hope the PN get this ship

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## Aepsilons

This definitely looks like a worthy asset for the Philippine Navy , especially in regards to disaster relief efforts in the future. 

Good Luck !

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## Zero_wing

Even more it could carry supplies and equipments


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## Dante

AAV/KAAV 7 functionally is different from BMP3, AAV/KAAV7 is more like amphibious APC whereas BMP3 have more and bigger punch and can be put as spearhead on beaching operation


So both are actually complementing each other rather than replacing one another




Ayan81 said:


> The Phil Marine choose the AAV7 platform for their amphibious vehicle on the 2 upcoming SSV ordered from indonesia. A korean firm was chosen to provide KAAV7A1 amphibious assault vehicle, but problems occur due to technical issues on the bid. Until now there's no news, its either the PMC choose the AAV7 or look for other tanks like the BMP-3F. A combination of both is a good idea as the BMP-3 offer fire support role.
> 
> You guys have BMP-3 and AAV7's right?


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## Cossack25A1

Dante said:


> AAV/KAAV 7 functionally is different from BMP3, AAV/KAAV7 is more like amphibious APC whereas BMP3 have more and bigger punch and can be put as spearhead on beaching operation
> 
> 
> So both are actually complementing each other rather than replacing one another



That's why we should procure the BMP-3 armed with 100mm gun so that we can replace our fire-support vehicles which are the LAV-300 and the "resurrected" LVTH-6.


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## Dante

Cossack25A1 said:


> That's why we should procure the BMP-3 armed with 100mm gun so that we can replace our fire-support vehicles which are the LAV-300 and the "resurrected" LVTH-6.


Totally agree with you

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## Cossack25A1

Golan Heights peacekeeper crisis: Filipinos escape, Fijians taken hostage | World news | The Guardian
-----
*Golan Heights peacekeeper crisis: Filipinos escape, Fijians taken hostage*
_40 UN peacekeepers escape their besieged outpost while 44 Fijian troops are taken by al-Qaida affiliate al-Nusra Front_
Associated Press in Beirut, The Guardian, Sunday 31 August 2014 19.06 BST

Under cover of darkness, 40 Filipino peacekeepers escaped their besieged outpost in the Golan Heights on Sunday after a seven-hour gun battle with Syrian rebels. Al-Qaida-linked insurgents are still holding 44 Fijian troops captive.

The getaway, combined with the departure of another entrapped group of Filipino troops, marked a major step forward in a crisis that erupted on Thursday when Syrian rebels began targeting the peacekeeping forces. The United Nations security Ccouncil has condemned the assaults on the international troops monitoring the Syrian-Israeli frontier, and has demanded the unconditional release of those still in captivity.

The crisis began when Syrian rebels overran the Quneitra crossing located on the de facto border between Syrian- and Israeli-controlled parts of the Golan Heights on Wednesday. A day later, insurgents from the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front seized the Fijian peacekeepers and surrounded their Filipino colleagues, demanding they surrender.

The Filipinos, occupying two UN encampments, refused and fought the rebels on Saturday. The first group of 35 peacekeepers was then successfully escorted out of a UN encampment in Breiqa by Irish and Filipino forces on board armoured vehicles.

The remaining 40 peacekeepers were besieged at the second encampment, called Rwihana, by more than 100 gunmen who rammed the camp's gates with their trucks and fired mortar rounds. The Filipinos returned fire in self-defense, Philippine military officials said.

At one point, Syrian government forces fired artillery rounds from a distance to prevent the Filipino peacekeepers from being overwhelmed, said Colonel Roberto Ancan, a Philippine military official who helped monitor the tense standoff from the Philippine capital, Manila, and mobilise support for the besieged troops.

"Although they were surrounded and outnumbered, they held their ground for seven hours," Philippine military chief General Gregorio Pio Catapang said, adding that there were no Filipino casualties. "We commend our soldiers for exhibiting resolve even while under heavy fire."

As night fell and a ceasefire took hold, the 40 Filipinos fled with their weapons, travelling across the chilly hills for nearly two hours before meeting up with other UN forces, who escorted them to safety early Sunday, Philippine officials said.

"We may call it the greatest escape," Catapang told reporters in Manila.

The Syrian and Israeli governments, along with the US and Qatar, provided support, the Philippine military said without elaborating.

In New York, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), whose mission is to monitor a 1974 disengagement in the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria, reported that shortly after midnight local time, during a ceasefire agreed with the armed elements, all 40 Filipino peacekeepers left their position and "arrived in a safe location one hour later."

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon spoke with the prime minister of Fiji by telephone Sunday, and promised that the United Nations was "doing its utmost to obtain the unconditional and immediate release" of the Fijian peacekeepers, Ban's office said.

The Fiji Times Online reported that Fiji's military commander expressed concern that the exact locations of the Fijian peacekeepers remain unconfirmed.

Military commander brigadier general Mosese Tikoitoga also told reporters in the South Pacific island nation on Sunday that contacts on the ground in the Golan Heights have assured the military of the captured soldiers' well-being, the report said.

He said a UN negotiation team and Fijians in Syria were working toward the peacekeepers' release.

The Nusra Front, meanwhile, confirmed that it had seized the Fijians. In a statement posted online, the group published a photo showing what it said were the captured Fijians in their military uniforms along with 45 identification cards. The group said the men "are in a safe place and in good health, and everything they need in terms of food and medicine is given to them."

It was unclear why the number of detained peacekeepers differed from the 44 figure provided by the UN.

The statement mentioned no demands or conditions for the peacekeepers' release.

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## Cossack25A1

New York Times hits Aquino for ‘political mischief’ | Inquirer Global Nation

*New York Times hits Aquino for ‘political mischief’*
Marc Jayson Cayabyab |INQUIRER.net 9:03 pm | Friday, August 29th, 2014 

MANILA, Philippines – The “New York Times” criticized President Benigno Aquino III for alleged “political mischief” as he accused the Supreme Court of having grown “too powerful” after it voted against his economic program and of hinting at extending his term beyond 2016.

“President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines is now hinting at running for a second term in 2016, which would require a constitutional amendment,” read the August 28 NYT editorial entitled *“Political mischief in the Philippines”.*

“He has also suggested limiting the power of the Supreme Court, which, on July 1, declared parts of his economic program illegal. That, too, would require adjusting the Constitution,” the same editorial read.

It said that these were “threats” that “jeopardize Philippine democracy”.

In a recent interview on local radio, Aquino said he was not after a second term but that he was willing to listen to what his constituents had to say, citing how some have expressed their wish for him to extend his term.

“Am I the one who has this ambition to extend my term?… As I said when I first ran for office, ‘I’m no masochist,’” Aquino said in Filipino.

“Mr. Aquino wants more time to complete his reform programs, but there will always be unfinished business. The 1987 Constitution limits the president to a single six-year term. The Constitution was promulgated under his mother, Corazon Aquino, after the overthrow of the 20-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Despite her efforts, the presidency remained a fount of patronage and a source of corruption. Mr. Aquino’s two immediate predecessors, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Joseph Estrada, were charged after they left office with illegally feeding from the public trough. Ms. Arroyo was charged with misusing state lottery funds. Mr. Estrada was removed from office and convicted of various corruption charges, but he was pardoned in 2007,” the editorial said.

Aquino has also been at loggerheads with the Supreme Court since it ruled that parts of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) were unconstitutional.

He claimed that the high tribunal has become “too powerful” and that “someone has to reassert executive authority”.

“Mr. Aquino believes that the Supreme Court has grown too powerful and that someone needs to reassert executive authority. By a 13-to-0 vote, the court struck down a spending program he created to stimulate the economy. It ruled that he had exceeded his authority in disbursing funds and that parts of the program consisted of irregular pork-barrel spending,” the same editorial read.

The editorial said that Aquino came to power in 2010 with the promise to rid the Philippines of corruption.

It said that at that time, the country ranked 134th in Transparency International’s corruption index and 94th in 2013.

“Mr. Aquino should uphold the Constitution of a fragile democracy if only out of respect for his father, who was assassinated in the struggle against Marcos, and for his mother, who died in 2009 after leading the ‘people power’ that triumphed over the excesses and abuses of the presidency,” the editorial said.

“In practical terms, that means he should stop butting heads with the court and gracefully step down when his term is up,” it said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_The said New York Times article...which is in an "Opinion Pages"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_
*Political Mischief in the Philippines*
*The Opinion Pages | Editorial 
AUG. 28, 2014
*
President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines is now hinting at running for a second term in 2016, which would require a constitutional amendment. He has also suggested limiting the power of the Supreme Court, which, on July 1, declared parts of Mr. Aquino’s economic program illegal. That, too, would require adjusting the Constitution. These threats jeopardize Philippine democracy.

Mr. Aquino wants more time to complete his reform programs, but there will always be unfinished business. The 1987 Constitution limits the president to a single six-year term. The Constitution was promulgated under his mother, Corazon Aquino, after the overthrow of the 20-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Despite her efforts, the presidency remained a fount of patronage and a source of corruption. Mr. Aquino’s two immediate predecessors, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Joseph Estrada, were charged after they left office with illegally feeding from the public trough. Ms. Arroyo was charged with misusing state lottery funds. Mr. Estrada was removed from office and convicted of various corruption charges, but he was pardoned in 2007.

Mr. Aquino believes that the Supreme Court has grown too powerful and that someone needs to reassert executive authority. By a 13-to-0 vote, the court struck down a spending program he created to stimulate the economy. It ruled that he had exceeded his authority in disbursing funds and that parts of the program consisted of irregular pork-barrel spending.

Mr. Aquino came to power in 2010 vowing to rid the Philippines of corruption. At that time, the country ranked 134th in Transparency International’s corruption index. In 2013, it ranked 94th. Mr. Aquino should uphold the Constitution of a fragile democracy if only out of respect for his father, who was assassinated in the struggle against Marcos, and for his mother, who died in 2009 after leading the “people power” that triumphed over the excesses and abuses of the presidency. In practical terms, that means he should stop butting heads with the court and gracefully step down when his term is up.
*



*


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## Ayan81

Let's not make this thread an aquino hate thread please, leave the politics out of this. I'm not defending him or proving to everyone here your wrong, its just that im tired of hearing this $hit. Hearing it everytime in news and now here, our officials and politician (administration/opposition) should just concentrate on the problems were facing instead of bickering



Dante said:


> AAV/KAAV 7 functionally is different from BMP3, AAV/KAAV7 is more like amphibious APC whereas BMP3 have more and bigger punch and can be put as spearhead on beaching operation
> 
> 
> So both are actually complementing each other rather than replacing one another



That's just what I said

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## Bob Ong

Paranoids exaggerate their own delusions! the cottage industry of Aquino bashers here are just out of making noise, anyway they're just a nano-minority so I don't care! 







Just read the good news!

*Philippine House Rejects Aquino Impeachment*
MANILA, Philippines — Sep 2, 2014





*The Philippine House of Representatives' justice committee has rejected three impeachment complaints against President Benigno Aquino III.

The committee, dominated by Aquino allies, voted against the complaints, 54-4, on Tuesday, declaring them insufficient in substance and killing the challenges.*

The complaints were filed by mostly left-wing activists and sponsored by the House's left-wing bloc. They accused Aquino of culpable violation of the constitution, betrayal of public trust and corruption.

The complaints cited Aquino's implementation of a major economic stimulus program declared partly unconstitutional by the Supreme Court and a defense cooperation agreement that gives American troops greater access to bases across the Philippines.

The son of pro-democracy icons, Aquino won the presidency by a wide margin in 2010 on a promise to rid his nation of corruption and widespread poverty.

Philippine House Rejects Aquino Impeachment - ABC News

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## Bienvenido

President Aquino is credited for the modernization of AFP, peace deal with MILF and some economic improvements but there are so many issues that need to be resolved.

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## Cossack25A1

Bienvenido said:


> President Aquino is credited for the modernization of AFP, peace deal with MILF and some economic improvements but there are so many issues that need to be resolved.



But that doesn't mean you have to become a drone. I have notice that many Pinoys here are "pro-Aquino" and that I am the only "anti-Aquino" here. I am beginning to wonder if the old posts here are always pro-Aquino and that I am the only one who posts the other side of the PH government that is rarely tackled by the the majority of Pinoy members here.

and before anyone judge, I am NOT pro-China.

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> But that doesn't mean you have to become a drone. I have notice that many Pinoys here are "pro-Aquino" and that I am the only "anti-Aquino" here. I am beginning to wonder if the old posts here are always pro-Aquino and that I am the only one who posts the other side of the PH government that is rarely tackled by the the majority of Pinoy members here.
> 
> and before anyone judge, I am NOT pro-China.



As for me am not anti or pro i just give him my thumb up and thumb down if he screws up its just that simply his the President i dont support the person i could not care less about some political elite but i do care about the Office and the Presidency and the symblolism of said office that Embodies the Nation.

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## Bienvenido

Cossack25A1 said:


> But that doesn't mean you have to become a drone. I have notice that many Pinoys here are "pro-Aquino" and that I am the only "anti-Aquino" here. I am beginning to wonder if the old posts here are always pro-Aquino and that I am the only one who posts the other side of the PH government that is rarely tackled by the the majority of Pinoy members here.
> 
> and before anyone judge, I am NOT pro-China.


I'm not really pro-Aquino. I actually do not support him in some areas. But I must admit that there is more change today than it had been in the past though there still so many issues that he needs to address. I just hope our politicians both administration and opposition can work together hand-in-hand to serve the people well instead of bickering in public.

_______________________

*Funding for Cebu Bus Rapid Transit system approved*
The BRT, which is set to roll out this year, will be funded through loans from various international agencies

Published Aug 27, 2014






MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the funding strategy for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

Of the total project cost of P10.62 billion ($244.78 million*), P9.48 billion ($218.48 million) will be funded by borrowings and the remaining P1.14 billion ($34.11 million), which will be used to acquire vehicles for the BRT, will be financed by the private sector.

The P9.48 billion will come from loans from Agence Française de Développement, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Clean Technology Fund.

DBM Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad said the borrowings would be sourced through a Forward Obligational Authority, a process needed for government to be spared from servicing unnecessary commitment fees.

The Cebu BRT is one of the current administration's priority projects, as mentioned by President Benigno Aquino III in his 5th State of the Nation Address.

Set to roll out this year, the 23-kilometer Cebu BRT will have 33 stations and 176 environment-friendly buses. It is meant to enhance urban mobility in the country's second biggest metropolis.

"The new bus transit …will provide a safer, more efficient, and environment-friendly mode of travel in and around Cebu City," Abad said, adding that the project would be completed by 2018.

Earlier, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the BRT system aims to improve commuter experience and upgrade the country's transportation system in light of worsening traffic congestion.

The BRT system was popularized in Bogota, Colombia in 2000 through the efforts of its mayor at the time – Enrique Peñalosa. The system was widely recognized for helping reduce air pollution, average travel time, and road accidents in Bogota.

In a message, Peñalosa said the BRT system would be of tremendous benefit to Cebuanos.

“The Cebu BRT will do many things: it will help Cebu’s mobility and save transportation time to tens of thousands of Cebuanos, which they will better spend with family and friends; it will help Cebu’s urban structure; it will be a symbol of democracy, as public transport users move faster than those in private cars; it will strengthen Cebuanos’ confidence in their capacity to create their destiny,” Peñalosa said.

Funding for Cebu Bus Rapid Transit system approved

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## Cossack25A1

Bienvenido said:


> I'm not really pro-Aquino. I actually do not support him in some areas.
> _______________________
> 
> *Funding for Cebu Bus Rapid Transit system approved*
> The BRT, which is set to roll out this year, will be funded through loans from various international agencies
> 
> Published Aug 27, 2014
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the funding strategy for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
> 
> Of the total project cost of P10.62 billion ($244.78 million*), P9.48 billion ($218.48 million) will be funded by borrowings and the remaining P1.14 billion ($34.11 million), which will be used to acquire vehicles for the BRT, will be financed by the private sector.
> 
> The P9.48 billion will come from loans from Agence Française de Développement, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Clean Technology Fund.
> 
> DBM Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad said the borrowings would be sourced through a Forward Obligational Authority, a process needed for government to be spared from servicing unnecessary commitment fees.
> 
> The Cebu BRT is one of the current administration's priority projects, as mentioned by President Benigno Aquino III in his 5th State of the Nation Address.
> 
> Set to roll out this year, the 23-kilometer Cebu BRT will have 33 stations and 176 environment-friendly buses. It is meant to enhance urban mobility in the country's second biggest metropolis.
> 
> "The new bus transit …will provide a safer, more efficient, and environment-friendly mode of travel in and around Cebu City," Abad said, adding that the project would be completed by 2018.
> 
> Earlier, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the BRT system aims to improve commuter experience and upgrade the country's transportation system in light of worsening traffic congestion.
> 
> The BRT system was popularized in Bogota, Colombia in 2000 through the efforts of its mayor at the time – Enrique Peñalosa. The system was widely recognized for helping reduce air pollution, average travel time, and road accidents in Bogota.
> 
> In a message, Peñalosa said the BRT system would be of tremendous benefit to Cebuanos.
> 
> “The Cebu BRT will do many things: it will help Cebu’s mobility and save transportation time to tens of thousands of Cebuanos, which they will better spend with family and friends; it will help Cebu’s urban structure; it will be a symbol of democracy, as public transport users move faster than those in private cars; it will strengthen Cebuanos’ confidence in their capacity to create their destiny,” Peñalosa said.
> 
> Funding for Cebu Bus Rapid Transit system approved



It is time to de-congest Manila and should look at Cebu and Davao as potential expansion for business. Manila is now too small that it can no longer accommodate any further expansion that the current situation here would worsen if such expansion was further pushed whereas Cebu and Davao are ripe for further expansion of businesses.

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## Aepsilons

Bienvenido said:


> I'm not really pro-Aquino. I actually do not support him in some areas. But I must admit that there is more change today than it had been in the past though there still so many issues that he needs to address. I just hope our politicians both administration and opposition can work together hand-in-hand to serve the people well instead of bickering in public.
> 
> _______________________
> 
> *Funding for Cebu Bus Rapid Transit system approved*
> The BRT, which is set to roll out this year, will be funded through loans from various international agencies
> 
> Published Aug 27, 2014
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the funding strategy for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
> 
> Of the total project cost of P10.62 billion ($244.78 million*), P9.48 billion ($218.48 million) will be funded by borrowings and the remaining P1.14 billion ($34.11 million), which will be used to acquire vehicles for the BRT, will be financed by the private sector.
> 
> The P9.48 billion will come from loans from Agence Française de Développement, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Clean Technology Fund.
> 
> DBM Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad said the borrowings would be sourced through a Forward Obligational Authority, a process needed for government to be spared from servicing unnecessary commitment fees.
> 
> The Cebu BRT is one of the current administration's priority projects, as mentioned by President Benigno Aquino III in his 5th State of the Nation Address.
> 
> Set to roll out this year, the 23-kilometer Cebu BRT will have 33 stations and 176 environment-friendly buses. It is meant to enhance urban mobility in the country's second biggest metropolis.
> 
> "The new bus transit …will provide a safer, more efficient, and environment-friendly mode of travel in and around Cebu City," Abad said, adding that the project would be completed by 2018.
> 
> Earlier, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the BRT system aims to improve commuter experience and upgrade the country's transportation system in light of worsening traffic congestion.
> 
> The BRT system was popularized in Bogota, Colombia in 2000 through the efforts of its mayor at the time – Enrique Peñalosa. The system was widely recognized for helping reduce air pollution, average travel time, and road accidents in Bogota.
> 
> In a message, Peñalosa said the BRT system would be of tremendous benefit to Cebuanos.
> 
> “The Cebu BRT will do many things: it will help Cebu’s mobility and save transportation time to tens of thousands of Cebuanos, which they will better spend with family and friends; it will help Cebu’s urban structure; it will be a symbol of democracy, as public transport users move faster than those in private cars; it will strengthen Cebuanos’ confidence in their capacity to create their destiny,” Peñalosa said.
> 
> Funding for Cebu Bus Rapid Transit system approved






Excellent news. Thanks for the link, too. This will make a great many Japanese businessmen operating in the Visayas very happy. Thanks !

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## Cossack25A1

Palparan asks for military detention

------

*Palparan asks for military detention*
*Published 11:50 AM, Sep 01, 2014/ *Updated 12:38 PM, Sep 01, 201 

*Palparan's motion asks the court to transfer him either to the Philippine Army Custodial Center (PACC) in Fort Bonifacio or at the detention center of the Intelligence Agency of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) in Camp Aguinaldo.*

MANILA, Philippines – After being denied his motion to be detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters instead of the Bulacan Provincial Jail, retired Major General Jovito Palparan is now filing a motion to be detained instead by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The motion, for filing Monday, September 1, asks the court to transfer Palparan either to the Philippine Army Custodial Center (PACC) in Fort Bonifacio or at the detention center of the Intelligence Agency of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) in Camp Aguinaldo.

Two of the four accused in the case, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt Edgar Osorio, both Army personnel, are detained at the custodial center.

The prosecution earlier maintained that Palparan's status as a retired general bans him from being allowed into the AFP's custody.

Palparan, along with 3 others, is charged with the 2006 kidnapping and serious illegal detention of University of the Philippines (UP) students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. Witnesses claim the young women were tortured, raped and held under the orders of the former partylist representative.

He was apprehended on August 12, 2014, after nearly 3 years in hiding.

According to Palparan's counsel Eduardo Millares, the AFP's Judge Advocate General's Office has expressed willingness to handle Palparan's detention.

Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 14 Judge Teodora Gonzales asked the defense to file the motion within the day for comment from the prosecution counsel as well as the proposed institutions for detention.

The National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) labeled the move as "detention-shopping."

"Palparan detention-shopping as if going on holiday. The audacity to make flippant choices betrays the desire to come home to a conniving AFP," the group said on Twitter.

*'Free Palparan'*

About two dozen officers in the blue uniforms of the Philippine National Police (PNP) stood guard before the steps of the Regional Trial Court. Several others were stationed at the second floor outside branch 14.

A dozen jail guards also appeared with the retired general, 8 of them inside the courtroom, blocking Palparan from the view of the rest of the court. The NBI also had their representatives armed with a variety of automatic weapons.

Palparan had earlier claimed that detention at the Bulacan Provincial Jail would put his life in jeopardy.

Between 2005 and 2006, under the Arroyo administration, Palparan served as commanding general of the military's 7th infantry division, which commanded troops in central Luzon, including Bulacan, once the hotbed of communist insurgency.

Under the Arroyo government, it was the subject of a massive campaign by the Philippine military to weed out the mass supporters of the rebel New People's Army (NPA).

Activists with megaphones led protests outside the trial court during the hearing. To one side were the families of Palparan's alleged victims as well as members of progressive groups carrying posters with the faces of the dead and missing. Opposite them were a group of at least thirty Palparan supporters, many of them widows of soldiers killed in alleged NPA ambushes.

Both sides attempted to outshout the other. "Butcher Palparan," screamed one side. "Free Palparan," shouted the other. It is a change from Palparan's previous hearing, when Palparan's supporters were content to stand quietly.

Myra Ochave, the 60-year-old widow of soldier Richard Ochave, says her husband was killed in the Mountain Province by the NPA in an ambush against the 24th Infantry Battalion.

"It is not true (that the two women were kidnapped). All the left wants to do is to jail all the generals so they can be free to do what they want," said Ochave in Filipino.

She said that Richard's death in 1991 has never been brought to justice. A pension of PHP 7,000 (159 USD) is not enough to compensate for her husband's lost.

The retired general will appear again in court next Monday, September 8. - *Rappler.com*


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## Bienvenido

*Shipbuilder Herma Group wants to build vessels for PHL military*
August 28, 2014 
*



*
*(Herminio Esguerra, Herma Group president and CEO.)
*
Shipbuilder Herma Group of Companies is pitching its ship building expertise to the government as part of a strategy to diversify from barges and oil tankers, company officials said.

*The group is looking at military designed vessels, Herma Group vice chairman Peter Favila said in an interview with reporters on the sidelines of an oil tanker launching ceremony in Makati City late Wednesday.*

"We're looking at how we can diversify and mainly that's what we're looking at," he said.

*"The message is we have the capabilities to build such. We're not talking of aircraft carriers, we're talking of patrol boats," Favila said. "Kasi bumibili tayo ng segunda mano... Maybe we can build new ones using Filipino ingenuity."*

Herma Group launched and turned over its 16th vessel – M/Tkr Matapat – from Herma Shipyard Inc. to Herma Shipping and Transport Corporation, a company that provides petroleum transport services to the oil industry.

Herma Shipyard builds international standard tankers while Herma Shipping and Transport provides marine services in the Philippines.

*




The M/Tkr Matapat, an oil tanker built by the Herma Group for a subsidiary servicing the domestic oil transport industry. Herma Group
*
Ships for the military

In his speech, Herma Group president and CEO Herminio Esguerra said the latest tanker and the number of vessels made shows the capability of the company to build ships for the Philippine Navy or the Philippine Coast Guard.

*"All the ships that the government needs, we can build. [We're] confident because we have done it, as seen in the shipyard all over the world,"* he said. *"But we need support from the government," *he added.

Building ships for military use would entail consultations with the government, Favila said. For the moment, there are no talks, he noted. 

The group also sees big opportunity in cargo shipping once the ASEAN economic integration is in place starting next year, Favila said.

"Within ASEAN, when we start opening borders, bringing down barriers, we'll be moving goods more extensively," he said.

"If you have your own vessels, you can service the needs of other countries as well," he added.

By 2015, the ASEAN Economic Community sets in motion the creation of a single market and production base for the 10-nation bloc with a free flow of goods, services, skilled labor, investments and capital.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

Shipbuilder Herma Group wants to build vessels for PHL military | Economy | GMA News Online 

__________________________

*Japan, Philippines to Combat China’s Assertive Stance at Sea*
Simone Orendain
September 03, 2014 






*Philippine Congressman Rodolfo Biazon, left, Chair of the House Committee on National Defense, and Hiroshi Nakada, Head of delegation of the Japanese opposition Party for Future Generations, shake hands shortly after signing a non-binding documents to real*

*MANILA—
Japanese and Philippine lawmakers in Manila signed an informal agreement Wednesday to form an international body promoting peaceful means to settle disputes in waters where they have competing claims with China.*

Members of the two congressional delegations have agreed to push for a “Parliamentarians’ League for Maritime Security in Asia” within their respective legislative bodies. They stress settling territorial disputes and clarifying claims based on international law.

Japan's Representative Hiroshi Nakada led six of his fellow-party members in a visit to the Philippines. Through an interpreter, he reiterated their pitch for avoiding “force or coercion” in staking claims and not doing anything unilaterally that would upset the status quo.

*“All of these items are things that nobody in our world, nobody in humanity would likely go against. These are things that we all adhere to as human beings,” *Nakada said.

Japan and China have a long-running squabble over a group of rocks called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China in the East China Sea. Tensions between the two countries have steadily intensified in recent years after the Japanese government bought part of the grouping from a private owner. Chinese government ships have been active in the surrounding waters ever since. In November last year, China declared the area above the islands an air defense identification zone, compelling all craft to follow Beijing’s rules when flying there.

The United States military does not recognize the zone and Japan ignores it.

China has sweeping claims in the South China Sea, stating it has “indisputable sovereignty” over more than 80 percent of those resource-rich waters. The Philippines accuses China of encroaching on formations it says are clearly within its exclusive economic zone. In 2012 China all but took control of Scarborough Shoal, keeping Philippine fishermen out.

In recent months, Philippines surveillance photos have shown Chinese reclamation activity on at least four reefs and shoals that the Philippines claims.

Manila filed a case last year with the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague questioning Beijing’s claim to nearly all of the sea. Beijing rejects arbitration and has not responded to the case.

Thirteen members of the Philippine House and the six representatives from Japan signed on to the campaign for the multinational league, but they are all acting individually, not in their capacities as congressmen.

*“I emphasize that we need to do this campaign to raise the awareness of nations that there must be a resolution to the dispute and this resolution must be in accordance with the provisions of international law,”* said Philippine Congressman Rodolfo Biazon, who heads the House Committee on National Defense and Security.

Apart from the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have competing claims in the South China Sea. In 2002, the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China signed a non-binding agreement to keep things peaceful in the sea. But China, which prefers one-on-one meetings to sort out claims, has been slow to act. It only recently called for implementing the terms of the non-binding agreement. Work on a legally binding code of conduct on managing competing claims has been slow-going.

The lawmakers say they hope to get the parliaments of other countries to sign on to the body. Hiroshi says the Japanese delegation is looking at Vietnam as another potential signatory to its campaign.

Japan, Philippines to Combat China’s Assertive Stance at Sea

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## Cossack25A1

Bienvenido said:


> *Shipbuilder Herma Group wants to build vessels for PHL military*
> August 28, 2014
> *
> 
> 
> 
> *
> *(Herminio Esguerra, Herma Group president and CEO.)
> *
> Shipbuilder Herma Group of Companies is pitching its ship building expertise to the government as part of a strategy to diversify from barges and oil tankers, company officials said.
> 
> *The group is looking at military designed vessels, Herma Group vice chairman Peter Favila said in an interview with reporters on the sidelines of an oil tanker launching ceremony in Makati City late Wednesday.*
> 
> "We're looking at how we can diversify and mainly that's what we're looking at," he said.
> 
> *"The message is we have the capabilities to build such. We're not talking of aircraft carriers, we're talking of patrol boats," Favila said. "Kasi bumibili tayo ng segunda mano... Maybe we can build new ones using Filipino ingenuity."*
> 
> Herma Group launched and turned over its 16th vessel – M/Tkr Matapat – from Herma Shipyard Inc. to Herma Shipping and Transport Corporation, a company that provides petroleum transport services to the oil industry.
> 
> Herma Shipyard builds international standard tankers while Herma Shipping and Transport provides marine services in the Philippines.
> 
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The M/Tkr Matapat, an oil tanker built by the Herma Group for a subsidiary servicing the domestic oil transport industry. Herma Group
> *
> Ships for the military
> 
> In his speech, Herma Group president and CEO Herminio Esguerra said the latest tanker and the number of vessels made shows the capability of the company to build ships for the Philippine Navy or the Philippine Coast Guard.
> 
> *"All the ships that the government needs, we can build. [We're] confident because we have done it, as seen in the shipyard all over the world,"* he said. *"But we need support from the government," *he added.
> 
> Building ships for military use would entail consultations with the government, Favila said. For the moment, there are no talks, he noted.
> 
> The group also sees big opportunity in cargo shipping once the ASEAN economic integration is in place starting next year, Favila said.
> 
> "Within ASEAN, when we start opening borders, bringing down barriers, we'll be moving goods more extensively," he said.
> 
> "If you have your own vessels, you can service the needs of other countries as well," he added.
> 
> By 2015, the ASEAN Economic Community sets in motion the creation of a single market and production base for the 10-nation bloc with a free flow of goods, services, skilled labor, investments and capital.
> 
> ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam
> 
> Shipbuilder Herma Group wants to build vessels for PHL military | Economy | GMA News Online



We could also ask help from other countries that has experience in building their own warship for our own warship, particularly in weapon systems, defense systems and radar system.

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## Bienvenido

I also hope this present administration will have the guts to change some economic provisions in our Constitution.

------------------

*Philippines found among most restrictive*
September 04, 2014

*THE PHILIPPINES has the most restrictive environment for foreign investments in Southeast Asia, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said in a recent report, warning this could prevent the country from enjoying an expected surge of new money from investors now taking a closer look at the region.*

In a report, titled: _Southeast Asia Investment Policy Perspectives_ that was published last June, the 34-country group -- whose members include France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States -- also cited its own FDI (foreign direct investment) Regulatory Restrictiveness Index showing the Philippines as the most restrictive among 64 developed and developing countries. The index measures restrictiveness of FDI rules across 22 sectors, including agriculture, mining, electricity, manufacturing, as well as “main services” like transport, construction, distribution, communications, real estate, financial and professional services.

The report noted that Southeast Asia’s FDI prospects have improved in the last two decades due to the relatively strong economic growth of the region’s economies.

“Partly in response to these growth prospects and the rising middle class in one of the world’s most dynamic markets, direct investment in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) -- both from outside and within the region -- is likely to be at record levels for many countries over the next few years,” the report read.

*“Southeast Asia was the only region to see rising inflows of foreign direct investments in 2012, while global flows fell 6%.”

However, benefits from such favorable scenario will not be equally distributed in ASEAN due to restrictions imposed by member states, OECD said.*

*In Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Myanmar were tagged as having the most restrictions for FDIs.*

*“In the Philippines, many restrictions on foreign equity and land ownership remain,” *the report noted.

*“The 1987 Constitution has a clause that supports laws restricting foreign ownership of property to 40%, with minor adjustments by subsequent laws. Further reforms in foreign access to local land require constitutional amendments,”* the report noted.

Moreover, OECD cited the country’s restrictions on foreign ownership of banks, retail enterprises, telecommunications, and transport companies.

It should be noted, however, that the report was published prior to the enactment of the Republic Act No. 10641, or “An Act Allowing the Full Entry of Foreign Banks in the Philippines”, by President Benigno S.C. Aquino III last July.

*‘LESS APPEAL’*

Singapore was deemed the most open to FDI in the region, with OECD noting that the city-state is “often the first choice as a location by a wide margin.”

From the perspective of OECD investors, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia come next to Singapore, while the Philippines and Vietnam have “less appeal to OECD investors.”

Meanwhile, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar are likely to be export-oriented in the medium term given their vast wealth of mineral and waters resources and a pool of relatively cheap labor, the OECD noted.

The findings of the report jibe with the results of the latest Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum, which evaluated 144 economies based on 12 “pillars of competitiveness” that drive productivity.

Singapore led the region in terms of business impact of rules on FDI -- one of the indicators used by the Forum to rank the economies surveyed -- followed by Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar.

Sought for comment, Guillermo M. Luz, National Competitiveness Council private sector co-chairman, said: “Yes, we have a lot of foreign ownership restrictions which are very challenging for the business community.”

“However, we have to be very careful in pursuing economic amendments to the Constitution,” Mr. Luz warned in a text message.

“The current proposal will toss everything to Congress and that will put the entire burden on legislators. With all the bills they have to pass -- which are equally important -- then the amendments might take a long time to get passed.”

Asked if the OECD report bolsters the case for amending foreign ownership restrictions of the Constitution, House SpeakerFeliciano R. Belmonte, Jr. replied via text: “Definitely.”

Mr. Belmonte had filed the Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 1 at the start of the 16th Congress in July last year which seeks to add the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” to provisions of the current Constitution that impose restrictions to foreign ownership and business participation, particularly for land, public utilities, natural resources, as well as media and advertising.

Mr. Belmonte has said that lifting such restrictions was critical to achieving the government’s goal of inclusive growth, since more FDIs are expected to result in additional quality jobs that, in turn, will lift more Filipinos out of poverty.

Plenary debates on RBH No. 1 are ongoing at the House of Representatives.

*CONTROVERSIAL*

Charter change has been proposed as early as the 1990s, but these efforts never prospered over fears that public officials would use it as an opportunity to extend their terms of office.

To allay fears that the current move to amend the Constitution could be used to extend the term of incumbent elected officials, Mr. Belmonte led the signing of a pledge at the House that committed legislators to introduce changes only for the charter’s economic provisions.

Latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that net FDI inflows as of May amounted to $2.923 billion, 34% higher than the $2.182 billion registered in the same five months last year.

In May alone, net inflows reached $473 million, a turnaround from the $62-million net outflow recorded in the same month last year, BSP data showed further.

The increase, the central bank said, reflected “investors’ confidence in the country’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals.”

FDI net inflows reached $3.86 billion last year, 20% more than the $3.215 billion recorded in 2012 and breaching the central bank’s full-year forecast of $2.1 billion.

For this year, the central bank expects net FDI inflows to reach $1 billion, down from the initial estimate of $2.6 billion -- a drop the central bank said would be due to continued global financial market uncertainties.

BusinessWorld | Philippines found among most restrictive

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## Bienvenido

*Philippine general seeks arms upgrade as China expands*
September 4,2014






MANILA, Philippines — Philippine military chief Gregorio Pio Catapang likens his task to a boxing match. Dwarfed by neighbors like China, with whom ties are strained, he'd like his forces to last at least a few rounds in the ring.

*"Even if we are a bantam-weight fighting against a heavy weight, we are going to defend our sovereignty and national interest," General Catapang, 55, said in an interview Wednesday in his office in Manila. "We renounce war as a national foreign policy, but we will have to stand and show the world we are a principled country."*

Sitting in his office surrounded by history, philosophy and psychology books, Catapang, who has been in the job since July, sets out his priorities for an army that for years was occupied by an insurgency in the south. With China building artificial islands in the resource-rich South China Sea and boosting its naval presence to support its territorial claims, the focus for the Philippine military is turning outward.

Catapang is looking to boost defenses in Ulugan Bay on the island of Palawan, the Philippine military post about 160 kilometers (99 miles) from the disputed Spratly archipelago. He's also seeking lawmakers' approval for about $10 billion to buy fighter jets and warships to achieve a "world-class armed forces" by 2028. China's defense budget this year is around 47 times that of the Philippines' 123 billion pesos ($2.8 billion) -- 1 percent of gross domestic product.

The Spratlys are a collection of more than 100 islands or reefs that dot the waters of the southern South China Sea, and have been at the center of sparring for decades, claimed in part by Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and China.

China is carrying out construction on some islands and shoals claimed by the Philippines and plans to erect five lighthouses there. The Philippines has sought international arbitration over its disputes with China, a process that country refuses to join.

China is "projecting the image that they own the South China Sea, but it's still under litigation," Catapang said, adding he doesn't view conflict with China as inevitable. "While it is being arbitrated, we want to show that we really own those islands. That's why we're putting the marines, the navy, the army in the islands that we possess."

*Under the first phase of the modernization plan which lasts until 2017, the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, will buy three frigates to take its stock to six, Catapang, who is responsible for 120,000 servicemen and women, said. The military plans to increase its squadrons to three from one and install a nationwide early warning radar system and air defense artillery, he said.*

*"The modernization program is primarily focused on upgrading military capabilities, equipment and infrastructure," Budget Secretary Butch Abad said in e-mailed comments. "It's especially critical now, as the country faces threats to its security."*

As other countries focus on projecting power outward, building longer-range naval and air capacity, the Philippines too wants to be part of a "bigger community," Catapang said.

"Twenty-first century wars will all be global," he said. "Global terrorism, global climate change, global warming, global maritime concern, global transnational crime, and hopefully not, global proliferation of weapons of mass destruction like nuclear war. Those are what we're preparing for."

President Xi Jinping has sought to extend China's reach since coming to power in November 2012, and the navy is modernizing and expanding its nuclear submarine base at Yalong Bay on Hainan Island, its gateway to the South China Sea. The Communist Party leadership has for the first time stated a national goal of making China a maritime power, with a more combat-ready military to bolster its territorial claims.

On Wednesday, Catapang traveled to Fort Magsaysay in the northern province of Nueva Ecija to distribute new 5.56 millimeter M4 assault rifles to soldiers, as the military acquires 50,629 of the weapons. Eight combat utility helicopters and eight long-range patrol jets will arrive this year, President Benigno Aquino said in July, while two of 12 FA-50 jets from South Korea will be delivered in 2015.

Equipment acquired from 2010 to 2014 included combat utility helicopters, troop carrier trucks and watercraft, according to the budget department.

The Philippines has replenished supplies to the Ayungin Shoal, where it scuttled a naval boat in 1999 to serve as an outpost, Catapang said, after China in March warned two Philippine boats near the disputed reef. In Ulugan Bay, the military needs about 4 billion pesos to develop a base, build a runway and expand its 1,000 strong-troops, Catapang said.

*The modernization of the military also depends on the strength of the economy and gains in tax revenue, according to the general, who studied at the Australian Defence College. Aquino has overseen a revival of the economy with growth exceeding 7 percent in 2013 and tax revenue rising to a record.*

"The progress of the nation is very crucial or else it will be a gun versus basic food, services issue," Catapang said.

Philippine general seeks arms upgrade as China expands - Chicago Tribune

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## Cossack25A1

Bienvenido said:


> *Philippine general seeks arms upgrade as China expands*
> September 4,2014
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MANILA, Philippines — Philippine military chief Gregorio Pio Catapang likens his task to a boxing match. Dwarfed by neighbors like China, with whom ties are strained, he'd like his forces to last at least a few rounds in the ring.
> 
> *"Even if we are a bantam-weight fighting against a heavy weight, we are going to defend our sovereignty and national interest," General Catapang, 55, said in an interview Wednesday in his office in Manila. "We renounce war as a national foreign policy, but we will have to stand and show the world we are a principled country."*
> 
> Sitting in his office surrounded by history, philosophy and psychology books, Catapang, who has been in the job since July, sets out his priorities for an army that for years was occupied by an insurgency in the south. With China building artificial islands in the resource-rich South China Sea and boosting its naval presence to support its territorial claims, the focus for the Philippine military is turning outward.
> 
> Catapang is looking to boost defenses in Ulugan Bay on the island of Palawan, the Philippine military post about 160 kilometers (99 miles) from the disputed Spratly archipelago. He's also seeking lawmakers' approval for about $10 billion to buy fighter jets and warships to achieve a "world-class armed forces" by 2028. China's defense budget this year is around 47 times that of the Philippines' 123 billion pesos ($2.8 billion) -- 1 percent of gross domestic product.
> 
> The Spratlys are a collection of more than 100 islands or reefs that dot the waters of the southern South China Sea, and have been at the center of sparring for decades, claimed in part by Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and China.
> 
> China is carrying out construction on some islands and shoals claimed by the Philippines and plans to erect five lighthouses there. The Philippines has sought international arbitration over its disputes with China, a process that country refuses to join.
> 
> China is "projecting the image that they own the South China Sea, but it's still under litigation," Catapang said, adding he doesn't view conflict with China as inevitable. "While it is being arbitrated, we want to show that we really own those islands. That's why we're putting the marines, the navy, the army in the islands that we possess."
> 
> *Under the first phase of the modernization plan which lasts until 2017, the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, will buy three frigates to take its stock to six, Catapang, who is responsible for 120,000 servicemen and women, said. The military plans to increase its squadrons to three from one and install a nationwide early warning radar system and air defense artillery, he said.*
> 
> *"The modernization program is primarily focused on upgrading military capabilities, equipment and infrastructure," Budget Secretary Butch Abad said in e-mailed comments. "It's especially critical now, as the country faces threats to its security."*
> 
> As other countries focus on projecting power outward, building longer-range naval and air capacity, the Philippines too wants to be part of a "bigger community," Catapang said.
> 
> "Twenty-first century wars will all be global," he said. "Global terrorism, global climate change, global warming, global maritime concern, global transnational crime, and hopefully not, global proliferation of weapons of mass destruction like nuclear war. Those are what we're preparing for."
> 
> President Xi Jinping has sought to extend China's reach since coming to power in November 2012, and the navy is modernizing and expanding its nuclear submarine base at Yalong Bay on Hainan Island, its gateway to the South China Sea. The Communist Party leadership has for the first time stated a national goal of making China a maritime power, with a more combat-ready military to bolster its territorial claims.
> 
> On Wednesday, Catapang traveled to Fort Magsaysay in the northern province of Nueva Ecija to distribute new 5.56 millimeter M4 assault rifles to soldiers, as the military acquires 50,629 of the weapons. Eight combat utility helicopters and eight long-range patrol jets will arrive this year, President Benigno Aquino said in July, while two of 12 FA-50 jets from South Korea will be delivered in 2015.
> 
> Equipment acquired from 2010 to 2014 included combat utility helicopters, troop carrier trucks and watercraft, according to the budget department.
> 
> The Philippines has replenished supplies to the Ayungin Shoal, where it scuttled a naval boat in 1999 to serve as an outpost, Catapang said, after China in March warned two Philippine boats near the disputed reef. In Ulugan Bay, the military needs about 4 billion pesos to develop a base, build a runway and expand its 1,000 strong-troops, Catapang said.
> 
> *The modernization of the military also depends on the strength of the economy and gains in tax revenue, according to the general, who studied at the Australian Defence College. Aquino has overseen a revival of the economy with growth exceeding 7 percent in 2013 and tax revenue rising to a record.*
> 
> "The progress of the nation is very crucial or else it will be a gun versus basic food, services issue," Catapang said.
> 
> Philippine general seeks arms upgrade as China expands - Chicago Tribune



While acquiring frigates is a good idea, we should also consider a fleet of fast attack ships armed with anti-ship missiles. If I remember it correctly, the US Navy's _Millennium Challenge 2002 _shows that a US Navy carrier battle group can be defeated by a large number of well-armed smaller ships and using WW-2-type signals and motorcycles.. Our tech may not advance but it is still more advance than any WW2-era tech.

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> While acquiring frigates is a good idea, we should also consider a fleet of fast attack ships armed with anti-ship missiles. If I remember it correctly, the US Navy's _Millennium Challenge 2002 _shows that a US Navy carrier battle group can be defeated by a large number of well-armed smaller ships and using WW-2-type signals and motorcycles.. Our tech may not advance but it is still more advance than any WW2-era tech.



Yes they are check the plans for the MAPACS

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## Cossack25A1

PA-RDC Raptor UAV and Knight Falcon UAV 







Overview:*


Wingspan: 1.68m / 1.9m
Weight: 2.1 kg
Operating Altitude: 1000 feet
Operating Radius: 3 to 7 km
Payload: 12 Megapixel CCD Camera
Cost: P 150,000 to P 350,000
Technical Specifications:*

Developer: AFP - Philippine Army Research and Development
Airframe: Skywalker RC Airframe - Two variations V3 and carbon fibre boom version.
Propulsion: Electric brush-less
Power System: Lithium-Polymer
Radio Control: Futaba FASST 2.4gHz or with 433mhz range extender 
Autopilot: FeiyuTech (China) UAV GPS capable autopilot system with radio datalink. 433 or 900mhz.
Ground Station: Software-based FYGCS on Windows 7.
Video Link: Standard 5.8 gHz. FY Hornet OSD (On Screen Display)
-----
First used during the *2013 Zamboanga City crisis*.

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> PA-RDC Raptor UAV and Knight Falcon UAV
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overview:*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wingspan: 1.68m / 1.9m
> 
> Weight: 2.1 kg
> 
> Operating Altitude: 1000 feet
> 
> Operating Radius: 3 to 7 km
> 
> Payload: 12 Megapixel CCD Camera
> 
> Cost: P 150,000 to P 350,000
> 
> Technical Specifications:*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Developer: AFP - Philippine Army Research and Development
> 
> Airframe: Skywalker RC Airframe - Two variations V3 and carbon fibre boom version.
> 
> Propulsion: Electric brush-less
> 
> Power System: Lithium-Polymer
> 
> Radio Control: Futaba FASST 2.4gHz or with 433mhz range extender
> 
> Autopilot: FeiyuTech (China) UAV GPS capable autopilot system with radio datalink. 433 or 900mhz.
> 
> Ground Station: Software-based FYGCS on Windows 7.
> 
> Video Link: Standard 5.8 gHz. FY Hornet OSD (On Screen Display)
> 
> -----
> First used during the *2013 Zamboanga City crisis*.



Wow fate satay night na man Saber Lily and Dark Saber aka Saber Alter anyway its nice UAV soon sana we can make bigger version of this things with longer range and possibily an attack version

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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Wow fate satay night na man Saber Lily and Dark Saber aka Saber Alter anyway its nice UAV soon sana we can make bigger version of this things with longer range and possibily an attack version



Well, I prefer Saber Lily than the other version of Saber. 

Anyways, I hope that we do make it bigger since buying drones from others is more expensive and it would be better to create our own. A VTOL type drone could also be possible, similar to the MQ-8 drone.

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## Aepsilons

Bienvenido said:


> The modernization of the military also depends on the strength of the economy and gains in tax revenue, according to the general, who studied at the Australian Defence College. Aquino has overseen a revival of the economy with growth exceeding 7 percent in 2013 and tax revenue rising to a record.



Indeed, the performance of the Philippines has been known to all investors and partners, and this should be used as a pretext to increase defense expenditure. An acquisition bill should be concluded to purchase more frigates, more fighter aircraft and either anti tank vehicles or anti-tank weapons.

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## Pinoy

Philippine designed/built CES-Craft *[link:* Boat Shop - 400 Vigilante ]

*400 VIGILANTE ASSAULT BOAT*





*SPECIFICATION*

Length over all: 30 ft.
Beam: 7 ft. 8in.
Depth: 4 ft.
Recommended Power: 3×300 HP Outboard

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## Bienvenido

*Infra can push growth to 9%*
Sep. 05, 2014 

*





The Philippine economy may grow faster by as much as 9 percent if the necessary infrastructure are in place, a leading economist said Friday.*

Bank of the Philippine Islands lead economist Emilio Neri Jr. said the government must speed up the construction of priority infrastructures, especially on transportation.

*“We need more seaports, airports, even trains to speed up the safe transport of goods and services. Within the new regional setup in the Asean, we have to upgrade our infrastructure if we are to compete and not lag behind,” *he told reporters in a forum at the BPI head office in Makati City.

He said the Philippine economy had the potential to expand faster and would continue to lead growth in Asean if the government would seriously consider the needed reforms to push infrastructure.

“The potential of the economy will be eroded if the problem on infrastructure development will not be immediately addressed,” Neri said.

He cited the recent results of the World Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum. The Philippines, he said, still had much to do to catch up with more than a hundred economies in terms of good infrastructure network.

Infra can push growth to 9% - Manila Standard Today


___________________________

*Current Philippine GDP 2nd Qtr 2014*






PH economy picks up steam in 2nd quarter

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## Bienvenido

*Philippines' tourism sector bullish on 2015 Asean integration*
Saturday, Sep 06, 2014
*




*

*MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines' tourism sector is catching up with its neighbours and is more optimistic on its prospects with the ASEAN integration moving into full swing by 2015, tourism officials said on Friday.*

*"We are really catching up in terms of standardization in the tourism industry. We have to be at par with the competencies of our ASEAN neighbours," said Cesar Cruz*, president of the Philippine Tour Operators' Association (Philtoa) which leads a three-day travel trade exposition called the Philippine Travel Mart from Sept 5 to Sept. 7.

The Philippine Travel Mart, where travelers can find travel and holiday packages and airline tickets on sale, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

The vision of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) integration which seeks to create a single market and production base through the free flow of goods, services and funds by 2015 is evident during the travel sale held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

Apart from the country's best and emerging tourist destinations, some destinations in other ASEAN countries were also presented to prospective travelers.

As part of the Philtoa's support for the ASEAN integration efforts, it presented travelers packages it called "twinnings" where they can choose one of their favourite Philippine destinations and pair this with another destination in another ASEAN country.

*"They can choose Boracay and Bali or Cebu and Singapore," Cruz said in an interview. This, he said, their group is doing in support of the idea of the "borderless" travel.*

But Cruz sees some problems once the ASEAN integration goes on full swing by the end of 2015.

"With our entry level skills, the Filipinos will be lagging behind our Asian neighbours since we have just started our K to 12 system," he said.

K to 12 programme, which has added two years to the country's basic education cycle, was implemented in 2013 through a law signed by the President.

But he said there are remedies for the tourism industry. "We are initiating short courses for tourism professionals just to fill in the gap," he said.

Philtoa, an organisation of 352 tour operators in the country, also plans to set up a tourism academy in Makati that will offer short tourism courses.

Tourism Secretary Mon Jimenez who attended the event on Friday said the tourism industry is becoming more optimistic, especially with the ASEAN integration fully realised by next year.

"The attitude of the Filipinos towards tourism has changed completely. There is a willingness to learn and perform better than we did before and that includes our ability to catch up," Jimenez said.

The tourism sector has began to consider the advantages of including in the marketing its neighbours in the region.

*"The world doesn't just travel in just one specific place. The people go to a region, especially if they have come from a far place. What is good for Philippine tourism is good for ASEAN tourism," he said.*

"We will bridge the gap. If we have to smile wider, we will," Jimenez said.

Earlier, Jimenez announced that his department would be launching a campaign "Visit Philippines Year 2015" to capitalise on the successes of the earlier "It's more fun in the Philippines."

*The tourism sector in the Philippines has become a serious business, growing into a US$4.8 billion (S$6 billion) industry as of last year.*

Philippines' tourism sector bullish on 2015 Asean integration, AsiaOne Relax News


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## Cossack25A1

Bienvenido said:


> *Infra can push growth to 9%*
> Sep. 05, 2014
> 
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Philippine economy may grow faster by as much as 9 percent if the necessary infrastructure are in place, a leading economist said Friday.*
> Bank of the Philippine Islands lead economist Emilio Neri Jr. said the government must speed up the construction of priority infrastructures, especially on transportation.
> 
> *“We need more seaports, airports, even trains to speed up the safe transport of goods and services. Within the new regional setup in the Asean, we have to upgrade our infrastructure if we are to compete and not lag behind,” *he told reporters in a forum at the BPI head office in Makati City.
> 
> He said the Philippine economy had the potential to expand faster and would continue to lead growth in Asean if the government would seriously consider the needed reforms to push infrastructure.
> 
> “The potential of the economy will be eroded if the problem on infrastructure development will not be immediately addressed,” Neri said.
> 
> He cited the recent results of the World Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum. The Philippines, he said, still had much to do to catch up with more than a hundred economies in terms of good infrastructure network.
> 
> Infra can push growth to 9% - Manila Standard Today
> 
> ___________________________
> 
> *Current Philippine GDP 2nd Qtr 2014*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PH economy picks up steam in 2nd quarter


We are also going to have the need to build many bridges over Manila and expand in Cebu (for Visayas) and Davao (for Mindanao)



Bienvenido said:


> *Philippines' tourism sector bullish on 2015 Asean integration*
> Saturday, Sep 06, 2014
> *
> 
> 
> 
> *
> 
> *MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines' tourism sector is catching up with its neighbours and is more optimistic on its prospects with the ASEAN integration moving into full swing by 2015, tourism officials said on Friday.*
> 
> *"We are really catching up in terms of standardization in the tourism industry. We have to be at par with the competencies of our ASEAN neighbours," said Cesar Cruz*, president of the Philippine Tour Operators' Association (Philtoa) which leads a three-day travel trade exposition called the Philippine Travel Mart from Sept 5 to Sept. 7.
> 
> The Philippine Travel Mart, where travelers can find travel and holiday packages and airline tickets on sale, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
> 
> The vision of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) integration which seeks to create a single market and production base through the free flow of goods, services and funds by 2015 is evident during the travel sale held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
> 
> Apart from the country's best and emerging tourist destinations, some destinations in other ASEAN countries were also presented to prospective travelers.
> 
> As part of the Philtoa's support for the ASEAN integration efforts, it presented travelers packages it called "twinnings" where they can choose one of their favourite Philippine destinations and pair this with another destination in another ASEAN country.
> 
> *"They can choose Boracay and Bali or Cebu and Singapore," Cruz said in an interview. This, he said, their group is doing in support of the idea of the "borderless" travel.*
> 
> But Cruz sees some problems once the ASEAN integration goes on full swing by the end of 2015.
> 
> "With our entry level skills, the Filipinos will be lagging behind our Asian neighbours since we have just started our K to 12 system," he said.
> 
> K to 12 programme, which has added two years to the country's basic education cycle, was implemented in 2013 through a law signed by the President.
> 
> But he said there are remedies for the tourism industry. "We are initiating short courses for tourism professionals just to fill in the gap," he said.
> 
> Philtoa, an organisation of 352 tour operators in the country, also plans to set up a tourism academy in Makati that will offer short tourism courses.
> 
> Tourism Secretary Mon Jimenez who attended the event on Friday said the tourism industry is becoming more optimistic, especially with the ASEAN integration fully realised by next year.
> 
> "The attitude of the Filipinos towards tourism has changed completely. There is a willingness to learn and perform better than we did before and that includes our ability to catch up," Jimenez said.
> 
> The tourism sector has began to consider the advantages of including in the marketing its neighbours in the region.
> 
> *"The world doesn't just travel in just one specific place. The people go to a region, especially if they have come from a far place. What is good for Philippine tourism is good for ASEAN tourism," he said.*
> 
> "We will bridge the gap. If we have to smile wider, we will," Jimenez said.
> 
> Earlier, Jimenez announced that his department would be launching a campaign "Visit Philippines Year 2015" to capitalise on the successes of the earlier "It's more fun in the Philippines."
> 
> *The tourism sector in the Philippines has become a serious business, growing into a US$4.8 billion (S$6 billion) industry as of last year.*
> 
> Philippines' tourism sector bullish on 2015 Asean integration, AsiaOne Relax News



During my time as a Data Encoder in the Department of Tourism from 2012 to 2014, the yearly number of tourists arriving here is over 6 million...and surprisingly, the most numerous visitors here from South Korea, Mainland China and Taiwan.

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## JayMandan

Kind of late but this is good news.

September 3, 2014 7:00 pm JST

Japanese companies turn Filipino workers into overseas leaders

MINORU SATAKE, Nikkei staff writer


MANILA -- The Philippines has long provided the Western world with highly skilled and motivated workers, especially in such fields as nursing, domestic help and back-office services. Now, Japanese companies are tapping into the potential of Filipino engineers and technicians.

A growing number of Japanese manufacturers are setting up "mother factories" in the Philippines and dispatching Filipino engineers to work as leaders in other parts of the world. Mother factories are responsible for product design and for standardizing production specifications and conditions.

Philippine-based Tsuneishi Heavy Industries, a subsidiary of Tsuneishi Holdings in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, has been working to pass its expertise and skills on to Filipino workers. Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Chief Director Kenji Kawano said the aim is to develop THI into one of the world's mother factories. 

Since its establishment in 1994, THI has been steadily expanding its factory on the island of Cebu, where it builds bulk container ships and other vessels of 30,000 to 180,000 gross tons. The number of workers has grown apace, recently reaching 13,000.

Orders are up thanks to a rebound in global demand, and the company aims to increase the number of ships it builds each year by 50% to 30 by 2018. THI exerts a significant influence over the region's economy, including its job market.

THI sends Filipino hires to Tsuneishi Shipbuilding, a core company of Tsuneishi group, in Fukuyama, for training in Japanese craftsmanship. Kawano said the company's goal is to dispatch engineers from Cebu as instructors in Tsuneishi factories around the world.

Fifty THI employees have already been sent to Paraguay to work as technology instructors at a Tsuneishi Holdings dock that began building river boats in 2011. Tsuneishi also plans to build a new shipyard in Southeast Asia and dispatch THI technology instructors there too.

Learning to lead

Toyota Motor is already employing Filipino workers for global assignment to address surging demand for automobiles. In 2013, Toyota Motor Philippines, a local unit of the Japanese automobile giant, opened Toyota Motor Philippines School of Technology in Santa Rosa, Laguna, near Metropolitan Manila. The school is aimed at preparing Filipino technicians for work in the Japanese carmakers' factories there and abroad.

Upon completion of the two-year program in automobile maintenance and repair, the 600 members of the inaugural class will be eligible to land jobs as mechanics at Toyota-certified car dealers anywhere in the world. English-speaking Filipino mechanics have been often headhunted by dealers abroad.

In 2013, Nippon Yusen increased the number of new-student slots at NYK-TDG Maritime Academy Opens, near Manila, by 50% to 180 as part of efforts to recruit and develop more human resources.

The Japanese shipping company sets great store by its Filipino sailors. Already 70% of NYK's crew members are Filipino, the first Filipino to be appointed captain of a liquefied natural gas tanker. Captaining an LNG tanker requires a high-level of knowledge and specialized skills.

Filipino engineers also pay a key role in designing and operating plants. Japanese plant builder JGC and Chiyoda, an integrated contractor for the hydrocarbon and chemical industries, have each established a base in Manila. U.S.-based engineering construction company Fluor Daniel employs several thousand Filipinos to design plants in the Middle East and Australia.

For Japanese companies, one of the benefits of establishing mother factories in the Philippines is the nation's English proficiency, as it provides a common language for explaining technology. The large workforce is another attraction. The country's population has already topped the 100 million mark and the average age is just 23 years old. The International Monetary Fund estimates that the country's population will reach 109 million by 2019.

Unlike Western rivals, Japanese makers have tended to focus on other Asian nations, such as Thailand and Indonesia, where there are already many subcontractors. With more and more Western businesses outsourcing call-center work and other back-office services to the Philippines, however, such operations are now spilling over to the islands of Mindanao and Panay, where labor costs are cheaper than elsewhere in the country.

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## Zero_wing

Pinoy said:


> Philippine designed/built CES-Craft *[link:* Boat Shop - 400 Vigilante ]
> 
> *400 VIGILANTE ASSAULT BOAT*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *SPECIFICATION*
> 
> Length over all: 30 ft.
> Beam: 7 ft. 8in.
> Depth: 4 ft.
> Recommended Power: 3×300 HP Outboard



Something for the Coast Guard not for the military they should just built more MACPACs just my personal opinion. 
But hey anything to boost the Military defense of the Country aganist the red imperialist sure why not.


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## Ayan81

*KOREAN, JAPANESE SHIPYARDS EXPANDING IN DAVAO TO CREATE 40,000 JOBS*
Ang Malaya Net | Page 10

Hanjin Heavy Industries Corporation Philippines (HHIC Phil.), a South Korean shipyard, will be expanding its ship building capabilities in the Philippines. Hanjin will start its expansion works next year in Davao del Sur.

“It is part of the company’s expansion process overseas,” Davao del Sur Governor Claude Bautista told Edge Davao.

HHIC Phil will put up a shipyard in a 272 hectares industrial park in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. Along with the Korean shipbuilder, a Japanese shipbuilder is also eyeing to put up a yard in Malita, Davao del Sur.

“As of now, the province cannot provide the manpower requirement of each company. That’s why we are preparing as early as today,” the governor said.

Bautista added that they are working with TESDA to train skilled personnel.

Bautista sees 40,000 job positions for welders in Davao next year. Additional jobs for human resource and administrative positions will also be available when these two shipyards start operating.

“I already talked to the president of San Miguel Power Consolidated Corporation (SPCC) and they said that construction can be started since there will [be] enough power supply,” Bautista added.

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## Cossack25A1

Pinoy said:


> Philippine designed/built CES-Craft *[link:* Boat Shop - 400 Vigilante ]
> 
> *400 VIGILANTE ASSAULT BOAT*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *SPECIFICATION*
> 
> Length over all: 30 ft.
> Beam: 7 ft. 8in.
> Depth: 4 ft.
> Recommended Power: 3×300 HP Outboard



Is it possible to have this boat converted into an armed unmanned boat or at least have the front gunner replaced with a remote-operated gun.


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## Cossack25A1

*Outgunned Philippine General Seeks Arms Upgrade as China Expands*
*By Karl Lester M. Yap and Clarissa Batino September 05, 2014*

Philippine military chief Gregorio Pio Catapang likens his task to a boxing match. Dwarfed by neighbors like China, with whom ties are strained, he’d like his forces to last at least a few rounds in the ring.

“Even if we are a bantam-weight fighting against a heavy weight, we are going to defend our sovereignty and national interest,” General Catapang, 55, said in an interview in his office in Manila yesterday. “We renounce war as a national foreign policy, but we will have to stand and show the world we are a principled country.”

Sitting in his office surrounded by history, philosophy and psychology books Catapang, who has been in the job since July, sets out his priorities for an army that for years was occupied by an insurgency in the south. With China building artificial islands in the resource-rich South China Sea and boosting its naval presence to support its territorial claims, the focus for the Philippine military is turning outward. 

Catapang is looking to boost defenses in Ulugan Bay on the island of Palawan, the Philippine military post about 160 kilometers (99 miles) from the disputed Spratly archipelago. He’s also seeking lawmakers’ approval for about $10 billion to buy fighter jets and warships to achieve a “world-class armed forces” by 2028. China’s defense budget this year is about 47 times that of the Philippines’ 123 billion pesos ($2.8 billion) -- 1 percent of gross domestic product.

*Spratlys Dispute *
The Spratlys are a collection of more than 100 islands or reefs that dot the waters of the southern South China Sea, and have been at the center of sparring for decades, claimed in part by Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and China.

China is carrying out construction on some islands and shoals claimed by the Philippines and plans to erect five lighthouses there. The Philippines has sought international arbitration over its disputes with China, a process that country refuses to join.

China is “projecting the image that they own the South China Sea, but it’s still under litigation,” Catapang said, adding he doesn’t view conflict with China as inevitable. “While it is being arbitrated, we want to show that we really own those islands. That’s why we’re putting the marines, the navy, the army in the islands that we possess.”

*Modernization Plan *
Under the first phase of the modernization plan which lasts until 2017, the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, will buy three frigates to take its stock to six, Catapang, who is responsible for 120,000 servicemen and women, said. The military plans to increase its squadrons to three from one and install a nationwide early warning radar system and air defense artillery, he said.

“The modernization program is primarily focused on upgrading military capabilities, equipment and infrastructure,” Budget Secretary Butch Abad said in e-mailed comments. “It’s especially critical now, as the country faces threats to its security.”

Catapang, who is scheduled to retire in July next year, was an army commander who rose to become head of the Northern Luzon Command. In the 1980s, he joined the Reform the Armed Forces Movement, a group of junior military officers whose attempt to stage a coup against former dictator Ferdinand Marcos helped spur protests that led to Corazon Aquino, President Benigno Aquino’s mother, taking power.

The head of the military has traditionally been picked from among the most senior officials. The mandatory retirement age of 56 means most military chiefs serve for one to two years.

*‘All Global’ *
As other countries focus on projecting power outward, building longer-range naval and air capacity, the Philippines too wants to be part of a “bigger community,” Catapang said.

“Twenty-first century wars will all be global,” he said. “Global terrorism, global climate change, global warming, global maritime concern, global transnational crime, and hopefully not, global proliferation of weapons of mass destruction like nuclear war. Those are what we’re preparing for.”

President Xi Jinping has sought to extend China’s reach since coming to power in November 2012, and the navy is modernizing and expanding its nuclear submarine base at Yalong Bay on Hainan Island, its gateway to the South China Sea. The Communist Party leadership has for the first time stated a national goal of making China a maritime power, with a more combat-ready military to bolster its territorial claims.

----------
Outgunned Philippine General Seeks Arms Upgrade as China Expands - Businessweek
----------

*A year after siege, Zamboanga City evacuees still struggling*
Julie M. Aurelio, Julie S. Alipala |Inquirer Mindanao, Philippine Daily Inquirer 
1:03 am | Monday, September 8th, 2014 

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—A year after Moro rebels attacked the renowned southern City of Flowers, Junior Santander Morte is still trying to put normalcy back to his life while more than 12,000 others are painfully struggling to cope with appalling conditions in evacuation centers.

Morte was one of the 198 residents taken hostage by the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) since Day One of the siege of Zamboanga—Sept. 9 last year. He was able to escape from his captors seven days later.

A soldier-turned-businessman, Morte said he, his wife Quirina and five children were still living in constant fear, especially when they would see men in camouflaged uniform.

This, despite the assurance of Senior Supt. Angelito Casimiro, city police chief, that the provincial capital’s 98 barangays (villages) are in safe hands following the setting up of a comprehensive defense plan.

Called the Guardian Shield, the plan serves as protection to Zamboangueños from possible attacks, but Casimiro refused to give details.

Morte said “good intelligence work,” not the number of uniformed personnel patrolling the streets, would thwart any possible attack.

“I remember last year, the city had enough security forces but the rebels managed to penetrate the city and everyone was caught flat-footed,” he said, referring to the deployment of soldiers to vital installations following the declaration of independence by MNLF leader Nur Misuari at his house in Barangay San Roque.

Barely a month after Misuari’s declaration, residents woke up to a fire fight and reports of armed men taking hostages in Barangays Santa Catalina, Mampang and Talon-Talon. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said 198 people were taken hostage and used as human shields by the attacking forces.

Senior Supt. Chiquito Malayo, former acting city police chief, last year told the Inquirer that about 200 to 300 MNLF rebels attacked the city, occupying some areas near the shorelines of Talon-Talon, Mampang, Rio Hondo, Mariki and Kasanyangan, and the mainland areas of Santa Barbara and Santa Catalina.

Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the fighting had left 20 soldiers and five policemen dead, and 194 wounded on the government side. Zagala said 208 MNLF members were killed, including their leader Habier Malik, while 294 others were captured. Twelve civilians were killed, including four hostages, while 79 residents were wounded.

The DSWD said 118,819 people, or 23,794 families, were displaced during the fighting. Some 2,304 families, or 12,476 individuals, are still in ragged tents at Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex, which has been turned into a makeshift evacuation center.

Appalling conditions in the facility and other smaller evacuation sites have resulted in 167 deaths from diseases and malnutrition in the past year, prompting concerns from local and international humanitarian groups working in the encampments.

*Long road*

Zagala announced Sunday that the AFP and law enforcement agencies were putting up a detachment near the seaside Rio Hondo, where the fighting last year was centered. He said the Zamboanga City government had offered a piece of land at Rio Hondo, which had been reduced to ashes.

There, the military, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fire Protection can set up its offices, he said.

“We will have an area which will have joint law enforcement agencies stationed there that will contribute to the normalization, at least in the security and law enforcement aspect,” he added.

“It’s still a long road but we are getting there; I am talking about normalization in terms of law enforcement and security…. On the security side, we have some detachments in place so we have access there, unlike before when there was none. Before, lawless elements can do whatever, but not now,” he stressed.

Zagala said law enforcers were close on the heels of Misuari. “Misuari’s faction was heavily debilitated as a consequence of their failed attack on Zamboanga City. Right now, he is in hiding and eventually, the law will catch up to him,” he said.

The AFP spokesman commended the heroism and sacrifices of government troops who valiantly defended Zamboanga.

“We all witnessed the restraint and focus of our soldiers, who successfully rescued the civilians being used as human shields. This manifests the maturity and professionalism and respect for human rights of our soldiers,” he said.

*September to remember*

Jimmy Villaflores, village chair of Santa Catalina, said that as barangay folk prepared for “September to Remember,” an event commemorating the siege, they wanted the “healing of minds and hearts” of those who went through the experience “so our people can start to move on.”

“Every time our people hear about talk of an attack or reported movement of armed men or suspected MNLF forces, they panic and become so afraid,” Villaflores said.

Santa Catalina and neighboring Santa Barbara village were the hardest hit during the standoff.

“It was not just burning. Houses were destroyed by bombs, bullets and looting,” Villaflores said. “We want to remember how it was and how we can stand up, rise again and restore normalcy in our day-to-day living.”

Villaflores said Monday’s event would be capped with sharing, prayers, vigil, Mass and candle lighting.

*Unfortunate lesson*

Habib Mudjahab Hashim, commander of the MNLF Islamic Command Council, told the Inquirer by phone that there would be no more such incidents.

“We have learned our lessons. It was not a siege. It was supposed to be a peaceful caravan to manifest displeasure with the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro [that the government signed with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front]. Unfortunately, it resulted in the standoff and fire fights,” Hashim said.

The MNLF rebels claimed that they were supposed to march to City Hall to hold a rally. They were, however, armed when they arrived in the city from the provinces of Sulu, Basilan and Zamboanga Sibugay.

Peter Medalle, assistant regional state prosecutor, said all captured MNLF members were still awaiting court proceeding for charges of rebellion and violation of international humanitarian law, particularly the use of civilians as human shields.

---------
A year after siege, Zamboanga City evacuees still struggling | Inquirer News


----------



## Nike

*Armor vests for Zambo troops still sitting in warehouse*



MANILA, Philippines – At the height of the Zamboanga siege in September 2013, the Department of National Defense (DND) tried to rush the delivery of armor vests to its troops.

The delivery had been delayed to begin with. As early as December 2012, Serbian company UM-Merkata was awarded the contract to deliver 3,480 units of armor vests – force protection equipment, as they are called in bid documents – worth P120 million ($2.7 million)*.

About 3,000 troops were to be deployed to Zamboanga in the biggest operation of the Philippine military in recent history. They badly needed the armors as protection in the combat zone manned by an estimated 500 heavily-armed followers of Moro National Liberation Front Commander (MNLF) Habier Malik. (At least 25 policemen and soldiers were killed while 194 were wounded in the 20-day conflict.)

But the vests from the Serbian company never reached the troops, forcing the Philippine Army to request an emergency purchase of about 1,000 vests for an additional cost of P28.3 million (about $630,000). The emergency purchase was made through the Philippine International Trading Corporation, a unit under the Department of Trade and Industry.

One year after the siege, the armor vests that the Serbian company was supposed to deliver have yet to reach soldiers in the battlefield. They are locked in a warehouse inside Camp Aguinaldo because of defects, a defense official told Rappler.

Worse, the supplier of the armors for the emergency procurement, Stone of David Tactical Equipment Company, is curiously linked to the Serbian company UM-Merkata. Christopher Manaluz, the local representative UM-Merkata, is the general manager of Stone of David.

Failed tests

What happened after the emergency purchase was made?

UM-Merkata eventually delivered the body armors to the Armed Forces of the Philippines in January 2014. Buttest after test showed they are defective. The vests can repel bullets but they're not thick enough to prevent internal injuries that could be fatal.

"The samples (Soft Ballistic Panels) failed to comply with the Back Face Signature requirement since it exceeded the maximum allowable of 44 mm.... Exceeding the required BFS even without bullet penetration can cause fatal internal injuries to the user (soldier)," read the analysis portion of the May 26, 2014, Initial Technical Inspection Report.

Rappler learned that Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin ordered the termination of the contract after it failed the tests twice. But the Serbian supplier is still exhausting its appeal. It is the Department of National Defense (DND) that is on top of the procurement of military equipment and supplies.

"There's still appeal, submission of a position paper. Then there's a request for arbitration. There's a clause in the contract that allows that," according to Patrick Velez, Defense Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Installations, and Logistics.

Favoritism?

Last year's DND bidding for the armor vests was marked by allegations of favoritism. It appeared at the time that one person was set to win 3 separate contracts totalling about P2 billion (about $45 million).

UM-Merkata was also set to win in 2013 the succeeding bidding for a much bigger project – 44,0000 units of armor vests worth P1.76 billion (about $40million) following the curious disqualification of the lowest bidder Kolon Global of South Korea.

But UM-Merkata's luck changed in 2014, coincidentally when the leadership in the DND bid and awards committee also changed.

UM-Merkata was disqualified in the P1.7-billion project because of questionable documents. Now, it also stands to lose the first project worth P120 million because of defective units.

Rappler obtained documents on the controversy-riddled bidding processes for the two projects for the military's armor vests. What is happening shows the continuing struggle inside the defense establishment, which has been notorious for corruption, to fix its systems.

Transparency of government contracts would have prevented delays because it would have allowed the public to flag down the problems that persisted in the contracts since the beginning. It is critical in a department that is getting up to P80 billion (about $1.8 million) for the revived Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization program.

The officials who have been on top of the first project for body armors last year were:

Fernando Manalo – Defense Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions, Installations, and Materiel
Undersecretary Efren Fernandez, former Bid and Awards Committee (BAC) chairman
Patrick Velez, Assistant Secretary
Editha Santos, Defense Acquisition Office lawyer
(BAC shuffles officers every year. In 2014, Defense Undersecretry Natalio Ecarma III succeeded Fernandez to become chairman of the BAC that was in charge of the armor vests.)

Armor vests for Zambo troops still sitting in warehouse

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## Cossack25A1

Other than America, who produces protective vests and gears that are cost-effective?


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## Ayan81

Its not about cost its about what suits the best on our troops in the field, i don't know if vest deteriorate fast when use in marshes/rivers. Personally i just want all afp modernization projects to go GtoG, there's this false belief that the government shows that if the projects go to a bidding all is corruption free, well in 15 years of contracting theres not a single honest bidding I attended.

There's also the problem of our newly acquired kubar boots, they say that it does not perfrom well in the field.


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## Nike

Cossack25A1 said:


> Other than America, who produces protective vests and gears that are cost-effective?




nah, UK, US of A, France, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Russia, Germany, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, India, and many more countries can produce their own protective vests and gears for their soldiers en masse and economically

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## Zero_wing

You guys to are making your own right?


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## Bienvenido

*DND seeks P25 B for modernization projects*
By Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) | Updated September 8, 2014 






MANILA, Philippines - A total of P24.7 billion is needed next year to fund 12 projects to enhance the military’s capabilities.

*The STAR obtained data showing that among the projects that the Department of National Defense (DND) wants to include in the 2015 budget are lead-in fighter trainer jets ammunition, long-range patrol aircraft, multi-purpose attack craft, rocket launchers and base upgrades.*

Four of the 12 projects will go to the Air Force: six units of close air support aircraft (P4.968 billion), two units of long-range patrol aircraft (P5.976 million) and basing support systems in three provinces (P187.43 million).

Also in the list is the purchase of munitions for the 12 FA-50 lead-in fighter trainer jets acquired from South Korea for about P4.52 billion.

*The Navy will have three projects: two units of helicopters capable of anti-submarine warfare (P5.402 billion), three units of multi-purpose attack craft (P1.18 billion) and support and logistics for naval bases (P313.62 million).

Four of the projects seek to improve the Army’s capabilities: 4,464 units of night fighting systems (P1.116 billion), 744 units of rocket launchers (P407.41 million), 1,446 units of 2-5W handheld radios (P430.8 million) and 60 units of high frequency 50W radios (P144 million).

The DND also needs P133.4 million to buy 46 units of light utility vehicles for the Armed Forces of the Philippines general headquarters.*

Officials expect the upgrade projects to strengthen the military’s territorial defense and internal security capabilities.

Last month, The STAR reported that the DND is seeking a P10-billion supplemental budget to support the modernization of the military.

It would fill in the amount that was not provided to the upgrade program this year.

Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said the DND needs P20 billion for 2014, as programmed. “However, only P10 billion was included in the (General Appropriations Act), hence the request,” he said.

A supplemental budget is on top of the annual national budget passed by Congress.

In 2012, President Aquino signed a law allocating P75 billion for the first five years of the military’s modernization program.

The 2015 budget proposed by Malacañang allocated P20 billion for the Armed Forces Modernization Program.

So far, the administration has completed 37 military upgrade projects worth P9.2 billion.

*Fourteen projects worth P6.2 billion are slated for completion before the end of the year, including the delivery of assault rifles for the Army and Marines, additional UH-1H helicopters for the Air Force, close combat optics and explosive ordnance disposal equipment.

Ten projects worth P17.3 billion are scheduled for delivery in 2015, including Army armored vehicles, attack helicopters, combat utility helicopters, light lift and medium lift aircraft and naval helicopters.

DND seeks P25 B for modernization projects | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


_________________________





*
Philippine Navy BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ship JS Hatakaze (DDG 171) conduct Officer of the Watch drills with HMAS Sydney (FFG 03) during Exercise KAKADU 2014 off the coast of Darwin.


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## Bienvenido

*PNoy: Manila port congestion is hurting the economy*
Reuters
9/09/2014 





*
MANILA - Severe congestion at the Philippines' main seaport due to rules restricting truck access is hurting the economy, President Benigno Aquino said on Monday, hinting it could put this year's growth target at risk.*

Aquino said the government is doing all it can to ease congestion at the Manila port, and to prevent the supply chain problem from pushing up food prices, which have reached five-year highs.

*"We ask for forgiveness from the public," Aquino told reporters. "There is an impact of this congestion on the growth of our economy."*

Import growth fell for two straight months in May and June, a sign of the economic impact of the port congestion.

The congestion began in February, when the city government of Manila - the historical part of the much larger Metropolitan Manila area - banned trucks from being on roads between 5 am and 9 pm to address monstrous traffic in the city.

That effectively prevented trucks from leaving or entering the country's busiest port for 16 hours a day.

To try to deal with the problem, the government has opened a "trade lane" into the port area that is always open. That has cut the backlog of containers to load and unload, but far from ended it as trucks face long waiting lines.

*USING OTHER PORTS*

Also, authorities have urged shipping firms to use under-utilized seaports outside Manila. It has opened yards in economic zones where empty containers can be moved.

Aquino said he does not want the situation to "exacerbate problems like increasing prices for food because of the difficulty in the transport and logistics."

"Bear in mind that we can sacrifice somewhat here or have longer-term effects that everybody will suffer from because of this phenomenon that has happened," the president said.

Consumer prices hovered at near three-year highs in August, while core inflation, which takes out volatile items in the consumer basket to measure the underlying trend in prices, climbed to a 17-month high last month, due to higher food costs.

The government wants to keep inflation between 3-5 percent this year as it aims to get the consumption-driven economy to grow 6.5-7.5 percent this year after 7.2 percent last year.

To achieve this year's target, growth should be least 6.9 percent in the second half of the year, according to Arsenio Balisacan, socioeconomic planning secretary said, following a 6.0 percent growth in the first half.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/09/08/14/pnoy-manila-port-congestion-hurting-economy


_____________________________

*DOE pushes solar power in schools, gov’t hospitals*
By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star) | Updated September 8, 2014 






*MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing for the use of solar power in schools, government hospitals and eventually, in homes.*

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla led yesterday the ceremonial switch-on of the solar photovoltaic (PV) net metering Facility in La Consolacion College – Manila (LCCM), the first school under the DOE’s solar pilot project.

Under the program, solar companies will install the system in schools at no cost to the educational institutions and to the DOE, with the schools agreeing to use solar energy for roughly 15 years.

Petilla is also eyeing to have the system installed in other schools, including Manuel L. Quezon University, St. Scholastica’s College and Miriam College, this year.

“When we started this endeavour, we envisioned it to project an idea that can convince other institutions from different sectors to follow the bandwagon of putting solar panels in their respective buildings,” Petilla said.

Petilla said the project is a win-win scenario both for the institution and the company that installed the panels. He also noted that the maintenance of the panels will be handled by the company.

DOE pushes solar power in schools, gov’t hospitals | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

_____________________________

*P20-B expansion project for Bacolod airport OK’d*
(The Philippine Star) | Updated September 8, 2014






*BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – A P20-billion project for the expansion of the Bacolod-Silay airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental has been approved by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).*

Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia, vice chairman of the House committee on transportation and communications, said yesterday DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya confirmed the project during abudget hearing of the House committee on appropriations last Wednesday.

Leonardia said the expansion would be implemented in three phases over the next 20 years. 

“Work is expected to start late next year or early 2016. The bidding is scheduled late this year,” Leonardia said in a press statement.

The project will be implemented by the DOTC under an “operate-add-transfer” scheme with the private sector, he added.

“The P20-billion project is expected to create a multiplier effect on the economy because this will also be a private sector investment,” Leonardia said.

P20-B expansion project for Bacolod airport OK’d | Nation, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
_____________________________

*Philippine committee approves bill banning mineral ore exports*
MANILA, Mon Sep 8, 2014 

(Reuters) - A Philippine bill seeking a halt to exports of unprocessed mineral ores has been approved at the committee stage in the lower chamber of Congress, one of two bills aimed at extracting more value from the country's mineral resources.

The measure will go next to a full session of the lower house of Congress for discussion and voting, but no schedule has yet been set, said Ronald Madrigal, staff to Congressman Erlpe John Amante who introduced the bill in July.

A counterpart bill has also been introduced in the upper house Senate by Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino, a first cousin of President Benigno Aquino.

The bills, which would require domestic processing of all minerals extracted in the country prior to export, have raised concern at the possibility of a halt to exports of nickel ore from the Philippines, in line with similar action by Indonesia.

London Metal Exchange nickel rose 1.7 percent in early European trade on Monday and have risen more than 7 percent since news of the potential Philippines ban was revealed last week.

The Philippines currently supplies China with virtually all of the nickel ore that it uses to make nickel pig iron, a raw material used by steelmakers, following the Indonesian ban that took effect in January.

The bills aim to generate more income from the Philippines from mining, which has vast but largely untapped mineral resources.

If passed, nickel miners would be have to build more smelters to process ore before shipment.

The Philippines currently has two processing plants for nickel, both owned by the country's top producer Nickel Asia Corp, two for gold, and one for copper, according to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

Philippine committee approves bill banning mineral ore exports| Reuters


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## Cossack25A1

This will have negative effects on donations if the Philippines suffer a disaster
-----

*COA: Yolanda fund, donations did not reach victims*
*Reynaldo Santos Jr*. Published 8:42 PM, Sep 08, 2014

The OCD had P692.77 million for quick response in 2013, while the NDRRMC received P48.82 million in donations, but these were used for operations or kept in banks

MANILA, Philippines – Hundreds of millions of pesos in funds intended for the relief and rehabilitation of disaster victims did not reach them in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 because government offices used them up for operations or kept them in banks.

This was the finding of the state auditors in a report on how the quick response funds (QRF) of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the donations received by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) were utilized.

In its assessment report, the Commission on Audit (COA) said OCD had a total of P692.77 million in available QRF for 2013, while the NDRRMC – which is administered by the OCD – had received a total of P48.82 million in donations for the typhoon victims.

However, not a single centavo of these amounts has so far reached the typhoon victims, according to COA.

The QRF should serve as a “stand-by to be used for relief and rehabilitation programs in order that the situation and living conditions of people living in communities or areas stricken by calamities, epidemics, crises, and catastrophes occurring during the year may be normalized as quickly as possible.”

Based on the COA report, at least 17% of the total QRF for 2013, or P121.18 million, was spent on Yolanda-related operations.

COA identified the items on which the P121.18 million was spent:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

*NATUREAMOUNT*
Cash advances for operational requirements of the NDRRMC Operations Center = P 1,600,000

Cash advances for operational requirements of ROVIII Operations Center = P 200,000

Office supplies = P 56,445.00

Fund transfer to AFP for petroleum, oil and lubricant (POL) reserve for disaster operations, subject to liquidation = P 118,645,912

Various groceries and medicines intended for daily subsistence of duty personnel at Command Center and RDRRMC VIII Operations Center = P 680,193

*TOTAL = P 121,182,550*


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

The biggest disbursement was for “petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL),” which amounted to 98% of the total amount spent by OCD for its Yolanda-related operations.

OCD said the amount was transferred to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reportedly as “reserve for disaster operations” and is subject to liquidation.

There were various groceries and medical supplies purchased, but they were allotted for OCD-NDRRMC personnel. Also, these items remained unused as of March 5, 2014, after NDRRMC’s activities in Yolanda-hit areas had ended. Many of the supplies were nearing expiry dates, according to COA.

“[T]he funds were spent for the requirements of the Operations Centers and POL, while nothing was reported for the basic subsistence needs of calamity victims notwithstanding the guidelines and other issuances on the matter,” said the report.

COA mentioned a study by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) which shows that OCD was able to fully utilize its QRF prior to 2012. But since 2012, restrictions on the use of funds affected how the fund was utilized.

“Before 2012, QRF can be used for pre-disaster activities, but starting 2012, QRF was designated as standby fund, thus, it can only be used at the onset of disasters or for response activities,” COA said.

*Untouched donations*

COA also noted that local and foreign cash donations have not been utilized by the NDRRMC.

“The donations remained intact with the depository bank. There were no donations to date out of the donations received,” COA said.

This is despite NDCC Memorandum Order 13, signed in 1998, which states that families affected by disasters were supposed to receive P10,000 cash assistance for each dead relative and P5,000 for those injured subject to submission of required documents including medical or death certificates.

“It will be noted that under this Memorandum Order, financial assistance can only be availed if claims are filed at the RDCC supported by the documents enumerated above. However, in case of emergencies, the production alone of the documentary requirements would be very cumbersome for the victims, thus, provision of assistance takes some time,” COA said.

COA added that this has been “depriving the disaster/calamity victims of timely assistance in their lowliest times and defeating the purpose of the donations.” *– Rappler.com*

*--------------------------------------*
COA: Yolanda fund, donations did not reach victims


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## Nike

Zero_wing said:


> You guys to are making your own right?



yes


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## Bienvenido

*ARMY PAYS TRIBUTE TO FILIPINO KOREAN WAR VETERANS*
September 8, 2014







The Philippine Army, today, pays tribute and respect to Filipino Korean War Veterans who were members of Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK).

The 10th Battalion Combat Team, as first PEFTOK troops, arrived at South Korea in September 1950 in assistance to the United Nation’s effort to stop North Korea’s Communist invasion of South Korea in 1950s.

10th Battalion Combat team composed of 900 Filipino soldiers fought and withstood 40, 000 Chinese army in the Battle of Yuldong in North Korea on April 23, 1951.

“The Philippines and its 20 other UN allies paid in blood and pain for defending democracy in South Korea. This First World War between democracy and communism took the lives of 112 Filipino fighting men, wounding 313 others while 16 men remain officially missing-in-action to this day,” Philippine Army said in a news release.

Former president and PEFTOK Veterans Fidel V Ramos assisted by personnel from the Army’s Security and Escort Battalion during the wreath laying ceremony and floral offering in commemoration of the 2014 Korean War Veterans of the Philippines Memorial Day celebration at the Korean War Memorial Pylon, Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Army pays tribute to Filipino Korean war veterans | Ang Malaya Net

______________________

*Philippines Closer to Approving Autonomous Muslim Region*
President Benigno Aquino III Said He Will Personally Submit Bangsamoro Bill to Congress
Sept. 8, 2014






MANILA—Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said Monday that he will personally submit to Congress a bill that would create the Bangsamoro, an autonomous area in the southern region of Mindanao that is expected to settle a decades-old Muslim separatist rebellion and spur growth in a resource-rich part of the country.

Mr. Aquino said he would submit the bill to lawmakers this Wednesday in ceremonies that will be held in the presidential palace.

Teresita Quintos Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process, said the president "has decided to personally submit the completed draft to Congress to highlight the importance of the proposed legislative measure."

Murad Ebrahim, chairman of Muslim separatist group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, met with Mr. Aquino last week to agree on a final draft of the Bangsamoro bill.

The proposed legislation comes nearly two years after the government and the MILF, which split from the Moro National Liberation Front to become the country's biggest Muslim rebel group, signed a peace deal superseding one from 1997. Mr. Aquino called that deal a failed experiment for its inability to deliver on development objectives set at the region's inception.

Mr. Aquino wants the bill passed by Congress before the year ends. This deadline would allow enough time for a referendum in the areas affected by the bill and to set up the Bangsamoro regional government before he leaves office by June 2016.

While Mindanao is rich in natural resources and strategically close to trade partners such as Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, its economy has been hobbled by the decadeslong rebellion. In September last year, a faction of the MNLF protested the agreement between the MILF and the government because it believed it was excluded from the deal. The MNLF faction against the peace deal laid a weekslong siege on the southern city of Zamboanga, many victims of which remain displaced.

Philippines Closer to Approving Autonomous Muslim Region - WSJ

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## Bienvenido

*SENATE ADOPTS RESOLUTION COMMENDING UN FILIPINO PEACEKEEPERS*
September 8, 2014






Philippine News Agency – The Senate adopted on Monday a resolution commending the United Nations Filipino peacekeepers for their display of bravery and resolve during a standoff against the Syrian rebels at the Golan Heights.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang received the Senate Resolution 876 in behalf of the 40 UN Filipino peacekeepers who are scheduled to return to the country in October.

Authored by Senator Lito Lapid, the SR 876 was approved with 16-0 vote, taking into consideration SR 877, 881, and 899 filed by Senators Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Teofisto Guingona III and Antonio Trillanes IV.

*The senators lauded the 40 UN Filipino peacekeepers for exhibiting “extraordinary valor” when they refused to surrender their firearms to the Syrian rebels and instead planned for ‘great escape.’*

*The Filipino peacekeepers, together with the UN peacekeeping force, have been stationed in Golan Heights since 1974 to monitor a ceasefire between Israel and Syria.*


*Of the 331-strong Filipino contingent serving as part of the UN Disengagement Force in the Golan Heights, 75 were encamped at the region’s Positions 68 and 69.*

Last Aug. 28, the Syrian rebels surrounded the two encampments and demanded that the Filipino peacekeepers surrender their firearms in which the Filipino peacekeepers refused, resulting in a standoff.

On Aug. 30, the 40 Filipino soldiers valiantly held their ground as around 100 rebels attacked Position 68 while 35 Filipino peacekeepers from Position 69 managed to leave their encampment with Irish peacekeepers securing their escape route.

At midnight of the same day, the 40 Filipino soldiers from Position 68 also managed to flee, walking 2.3 kilometers to safety, as the rebels slept.






*“Our Filipino peacekeepers exhibited extraordinary valor above and beyond their call of duty, demonstrating once again that Filipinos are among the bravest peacekeepers in the world,”* Guingona said.

*“Our soldiers’ brave front only proves that Filipinos will not back down from any challenge that we face,” *Aquino, for his part, said.

Aquino described the Filipino peacekeepers as the new “action heroes of the world.”

Senate adopts resolution commending UN Filipino peacekeepers | Ang Malaya Net

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## Cossack25A1

I have notice that the PH Air Force are considering more UH-1s and Bell 412s helicopters and fixed-wing transports but no heavy transport helicopters. Should the PH Air Force consider helicopters like CH-47s, CH-53 or Mi-26s which are heavy transport helicopters after the first phase of modernization?

CH-47






CH-53






Mi-26

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> I have notice that the PH Air Force are considering more UH-1s and Bell 412s helicopters and fixed-wing transports but no heavy transport helicopters. Should the PH Air Force consider helicopters like CH-47s, CH-53 or Mi-26s which are heavy transport helicopters after the first phase of modernization?
> 
> CH-47
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CH-53
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mi-26



All too expensive to operate and buy so no plus the Credible defense plan is on capability upgrade meaning what we currently have must be replace of the same equivalent or better than the current equipment and plus its prevents logistical nightmares an example is the buying of AW109 by both the Naval Aircorp and the Airforce improving current abilities and adding new ones at the same time replacing old aircraft. So yes as much like to see all those aircrafts or one of them flying with the AFP its just too expensive and too dificult to change the logistics, the know how and the budget to buy and reequip and retrain the pilots and crews for the planes to be purchase.



Cossack25A1 said:


> Other than America, who produces protective vests and gears that are cost-effective?



Israeli for one the other is buying ASEAN like from Singapore or Indonesia since they have Defense Industries that are well known but we have local industries here but i dont know why the government is not buying here i guess the standards the DND puts up is just too high to meet.

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## Ayan81

How about the Merlins?






we can get this for 60-70 mill per unit, paf and pn already operates the 109 and augusta has already have a service center here


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## Nike

that's a good


Cossack25A1 said:


> I have notice that the PH Air Force are considering more UH-1s and Bell 412s helicopters and fixed-wing transports but no heavy transport helicopters. Should the PH Air Force consider helicopters like CH-47s, CH-53 or Mi-26s which are heavy transport helicopters after the first phase of modernization?



i think, Phil. armed forces doing the right thing, focusing to develop their operational capability and increasing the number of platform they are operated without giving more burden into their scarcely allocated funds. Fixed wing transport aircraft can doing what the Heavy helicopter can do at some points while the other roles will be augmented by the medium sized utility helicopter such as UH-1 huey

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## Zero_wing

Ayan81 said:


> How about the Merlins?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> we can get this for 60-70 mill per unit, paf and pn already operates the 109 and augusta has already have a service center here



That too but maybe in the next modernization program the DND may include something similar but i think we sticking with the 214s and thw AW109s for now to replace the old UH1s, bells, MD500s and the the S76s now converted for ambuance and rescue duties.


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> That too but maybe in the next modernization program the DND may include something similar but i think we sticking with the 214s and thw AW109s for now to replace the old UH1s, bells, MD500s and the the S76s now converted for ambuance and rescue duties.



About the MD500s, maybe we should consider the Unmanned Little Bird which is a variant of the MD500. The said tech could be integrated into existing MD500s, removing the crews and likely allow the MD500 to carry more weapons.

Little Bird demo for the Republic of Korea | sUAS News


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## Zero_wing

Currentl


Cossack25A1 said:


> About the MD500s, maybe we should consider the Unmanned Little Bird which is a variant of the MD500. The said tech could be integrated into existing MD500s, removing the crews and likely allow the MD500 to carry more weapons.
> 
> We have our own UAV program maybe in the near future but as of now the UAV of the PA (Philippine Army) is the current UAV in use.

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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Currentl


well the idea is to have it as an unmanned light attacker different from the OV-10 and its intended replacement.


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## Aepsilons

@Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , --

I believe that the Philippine Government has finalized with the Spanish Government on acquisition of C-295 transport planes. These would be pertinent , considering that the PAF needs greater transport vehicles. 

MaxDefense: PAF Confirms Acquisition of C-295 as its Medium Lift Fixed Wing Transport Aircraft

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> @Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , --
> 
> I believe that the Philippine Government has finalized with the Spanish Government on acquisition of C-295 transport planes. These would be pertinent , considering that the PAF needs greater transport vehicles.
> 
> MaxDefense: PAF Confirms Acquisition of C-295 as its Medium Lift Fixed Wing Transport Aircraft



The PH government may have already ordered it and waiting for its arrival as that news was reported last March but I am not sure if it will arrive by the end of 2014 or sometime in 2015.

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> The PH government may have already ordered it and waiting for its arrival as that news was reported last March but I am not sure if it will arrive by the end of 2014 or sometime in 2015.



I'm glad to see the development of the PAF's capabilities. 

Visible change, indeed.

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## Water Car Engineer

Cossack25A1 said:


> Other than America, who produces protective vests and gears that are cost-effective?



Many, there's even a Indian company that wants to supply Philippines with gear.

5 firms eye bid for P1.76-B military protection equipment | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
MKU in Advanced Stage of Readiness to Comply With Force Protection Requirements of Philippines Armed Forces - Yahoo Finance

MaxDefense: Israeli Firm Confirmed Winner for Force Protection Equipment for the Philippine Army and Marine Corps

Israeli firm won.

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## Ayan81

Nihonjin1051 said:


> @Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , --
> 
> I believe that the Philippine Government has finalized with the Spanish Government on acquisition of C-295 transport planes. These would be pertinent , considering that the PAF needs greater transport vehicles.
> 
> MaxDefense: PAF Confirms Acquisition of C-295 as its Medium Lift Fixed Wing Transport Aircraft



Typhoon Haiyan shows how poor our airlift capabilities were, the upcoming medium and light fixed wing and 2 additional c-130s will greatly enhance our airlift capabilities. However fixed wing assets requires airstrips to land, during the relief operation most of the supplies did not reach all those who in need in far areas that's only accessible by air. the ospreys stole the show and made a free advertisement  and I think that's the reason why japan will buy some. IMO we need some heavy lift choopers on the inventory (maybe 6).

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## Ayan81

*Kjwan - Aking Pangako (Official Music Video)*





Featuring our Army. Thanks Kjwan for the Tribute

look at 2:15 DUCK TAPE


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## Zero_wing

Nihonjin1051 said:


> @Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , --
> 
> I believe that the Philippine Government has finalized with the Spanish Government on acquisition of C-295 transport planes. These would be pertinent , considering that the PAF needs greater transport vehicles.
> 
> MaxDefense: PAF Confirms Acquisition of C-295 as its Medium Lift Fixed Wing Transport Aircraft





Nihonjin1051 said:


> @Cossack25A1 , @Zero_wing , --
> 
> I believe that the Philippine Government has finalized with the Spanish Government on acquisition of C-295 transport planes. These would be pertinent , considering that the PAF needs greater transport vehicles.
> 
> MaxDefense: PAF Confirms Acquisition of C-295 as its Medium Lift Fixed Wing Transport Aircraft



Yes along with Spartans (no new news about that) i hope too they will get will fill the gap that our once had in the 70s, 80s and early 90s


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> that's a good
> 
> 
> i think, Phil. armed forces doing the right thing, focusing to develop their operational capability and increasing the number of platform they are operated without giving more burden into their scarcely allocated funds. Fixed wing transport aircraft can doing what the Heavy helicopter can do at some points while the other roles will be augmented by the medium sized utility helicopter such as UH-1 huey



Well it may be true, Typhoon Haiyan demonstrated the limitations of fixed-wing aircraft as the airport's runways in the affected province was initially unusable and needs to be cleaned up for fix-wing aircraft. While not a priority, we should consider heavy-lift helicopters.

I didn't include the MV-22 Osprey in the list as I have read somewhere that the MV-22 is designated as "medium-lift" VTOL aircraft.



Water Car Engineer said:


> Many, there's even a Indian company that wants to supply Philippines with gear.
> 
> 5 firms eye bid for P1.76-B military protection equipment | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
> MKU in Advanced Stage of Readiness to Comply With Force Protection Requirements of Philippines Armed Forces - Yahoo Finance
> 
> MaxDefense: Israeli Firm Confirmed Winner for Force Protection Equipment for the Philippine Army and Marine Corps
> 
> Israeli firm won.



Good thing as we are not sure if America could supply us with bullet-proof vests or will it be cost-effective.



Ayan81 said:


> Typhoon Haiyan shows how poor our airlift capabilities were, the upcoming medium and light fixed wing and 2 additional c-130s will greatly enhance our airlift capabilities. However fixed wing assets requires airstrips to land, during the relief operation most of the supplies did not reach all those who in need in far areas that's only accessible by air. the ospreys stole the show and made a free advertisement  and I think that's the reason why japan will buy some. IMO we need some heavy lift choopers on the inventory (maybe 6).



This is right. Considering that the runway in Tacloban airport was unusable after the Typhoon struck and needs to be cleaned up, heavy lift helicopters, which do not need runways to land could at least do the job.

I didn't include the MV-22 Osprey as they are considered "medium-lift" types.


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## Bienvenido

*AFP CHIEF URGED LAWMAKERS TO SUPPORT MODERNIZATION PROGRAM*
SEPTEMBER 10, 2014






Philippine News Agency – The AFP modernization law was enacted on Feb. 23, 1995 during the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos. On Dec. 11, 2012, President Benigno S. Aquino III signed into law Republic Act No. 10349, which amends the AFP modernization law by extending the program for another 15 years with an initial budget of Php75 billion for the first five years.

*Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Catapang urged lawmakers during the 2015 budget hearing to continue supporting the AFP Modernization Program. “So with your help, we really need our modernization program to proceed. We are very much thankful for this 16th Congress for supporting us because we have already lined up Php85 billion for our first horizon,”* he said.

Catapang said what he wants done before his term ends is to declare the entire country peaceful and ready for further development so that it can transition towards territorial defense. “In as much as we know, the wars we will be facing in the 21st century will all be global — global terrorism, global climate change, global maritime concern, global transnational crime, and global proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” he said.

*He expressed hope that by 2028, the AFP would already have achieved a ‘heavy weight’ status and able to protect Filipinos not only in the country but also those who are abroad. “If they have problems, if there is war in the country they are working in, then we need to respond immediately and get them out of harm’s way,” *said Catapang.

AFP chief urged lawmakers to support modernization program 

________________________________________

*66 MILITARY PROJECTS SET FOR DELIVERY, COMPLETION BY 2015*
SEPTEMBER 10, 2014






Philippine News Agency – Sixty-six capability upgrade projects for the military will be completed by 2015, a ranking official of the Department of National Defense said during the hearing on the DND’s proposed budget for next year at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Tuesday.

Defense Undersecretary for Modernization Fernando Manalo said that these include the attack helicopters, medium and light-lift aircraft, strategic-sealift vessels, and F/A-50 fighter aircraft.

This was in response to the question made by Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate on what equipment can the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) expect within the coming years.

Manalo said they are ready to submit to Congress a more detailed description of the 66 military upgrade projects slated for delivery and completion next year.

The DND is proposing a Php141.85-billion budget for 2015. These can be broken down into: 37.75 percent for personnel services of the Army, Air Force, Navy; 15.29 percent for capital outlay; 17.11 percent for MOOE (maintenance and other operating expenses); and 29.87 percent for pensions of retired military personnel.

66 military projects set for delivery, completion by 2015 

________________________________________

*PHILIPPINES PLANS TO GIVE MUSLIMS AUTONOMOUS ZONE*
SEPTEMBER 10, 2014






Associated Press – The president of the overwhelmingly Catholic Philippines proposed Wednesday to give Muslims in the south the ability to run their own government under their own flag, part of a peace plan aimed at ending a four-decade rebellion that has killed 150,000 people.

*The draft law submitted by President Benigno Aquino III to Congress fleshes out a peace deal signed in March by the country’s largest Muslim insurgent group, the 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front.*

The autonomous region in the southern island of Mindanao, to be called Bangsamoro, would get its own 60-member parliament that would wield exclusive power over such areas as agriculture, trade, tourism and education.

Under the proposal, Islamic Shariah law would apply to Muslims in the region, but the country’s justice system would continue to apply to non-Muslims. The Moro group has renounced the terrorist acts of extremist groups, including the Islamic State, which seeks to impose a harsh version of Shariah law in areas under its control in Syria and Iraq.

But at least three smaller Muslim rebel groups in the southern Philippines oppose the autonomy deal and have vowed to continue fighting for a separate Muslim homeland.

The autonomous zone, which generally covers five provinces, would replace an existing one, seen as a dismal failure. The new plan grants much more autonomy to the region, and Aquino’s government also has promised to pour 17 billion pesos ($389 million) in special development funds over the next five years into the region, which has been stunted economically by the long-drawn conflict.

The new region will also get larger revenue shares, including 75 percent of national taxes, fees and charges collected by the government in Bangsamoro. The current Muslim region gets 70 percent of those taxes.

The rebels have been fighting since the 1970s for Muslim self-rule in Mindanao in an insurrection that has killed about 150,000 combatants and civilians. The United States and other Western governments have backed the autonomy deal partly to prevent the insurgency from breeding extremists who could threaten their countries.

The peace accord and the draft law came after 13 years of tough negotiations.

*The Philippine autonomy bill is expected to come under intense scrutiny in Congress, but it is eventually expected to pass given that both the Senate and House of Representatives are dominated by Aquino’s allies. The bill may face legal challenges from Christian politicians and groups, which are wary of ceding territory, power and influence to Muslims.*

Philippines plans to give Muslims autonomous zone

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## Bienvenido

*PHILIPPINE EXPORTS INCREASED, JAPAN REMAINS TOP DESTINATION*
SEPTEMBER 10, 2014






*Philippine Statistics Authority said exported merchandise in July 2014 amounted to $5.461 billion, a 12.4 percent higher compared to $4.859 billion of July of 2013.*

“The positive growth was mainly brought about by the increase of nine major commodities out of the top ten commodities for the month. These are: machinery and transport equipment; other mineral products; ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships; articles of apparel and clothing accessories; coconut oil; woodcrafts and furniture; other manufactures; and electronic products.”

“Total merchandise exports for January to July 2014 registered a 8.5 percent increase to $35.129 billion in 2014 from $32.374 billion in same period of 2013.”

*It added that, “Japan including Okinawa remained as the country’s top destination of exports with revenue amounting to $1.212 billion, comprising 22.2 percent share to total exports for July 2014.”*

*Second was USA*, followed by China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan and Netherlands.

Along with growth in exports, US-based UPS Inc. layouts plan to further expand its business in the Philippines. “Everything will be driven by demand. We will always look into investing here as we continue to upgrade our intra-Asian network and build our global portfolio,” Maurice Tim Gohoc of UPS SCS Philippines Inc. said.

“Investments will be mostly in capacity-building because of the expected economic growth.

“This means investments for additional trucks and personnel. We will be increasing our capacity if there’s a demand, and that’s what we’re looking at and studying right now.”

Philippine exports increased, Japan remains top destination


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## Ayan81

Unfortunately heavy lift helo is not included in the 2015 budget, we never know when is the next haiyan comes. those 21 refurbished uh-1 is not enough for disaster relief operations, we need something that can do the heavy lifting for like generators, trucks and heavy equipment.

But look at the bright side the budget given to the MPAC's Mk.3 is three time bigger, well see a more bigger and missile capable fast attack craft in the near future

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## Bienvenido

*Military reservists to get refurbished weapons*
By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star) September 7, 2014






*MANILA, Philippines - Military reservists are guaranteed hand-me down weapons in good working condition from regular troops undergoing rearming as part of the armed forces modernization.*

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said the M16 rifles issued to regular troops are gradually being recalled and replaced with new Remington M4 assault rifles.

The recalled M-16s would be refurbished and stocked for issuance to reservists during emergencies requiring military mobilization.

*The military has 1.2 million reservists, more than 106,000 of whom are considered ready reserve and can mobilize on short notice.

The AFP has 125,000 regular personnel spread among the Army, Navy, and Air Force.*

For now, Catapang said the military’s reservists or “weekend warriors” are usually tapped as first responders during natural calamities.

“The call that we have in the AFP as protectors of our nation now encompasses a greater mission of safeguarding our fellow Filipinos from the devastating effects of climate change and various natural disasters,” Catapang said in a speech during the opening ceremony of the 35th AFP National Reservist Week held at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.

Catapang also urged the reservists to take their responsibilities with utmost dedication.

In line with yesterday’s celebration, the AFP Reserve Command launched an annual tree-growing program.

In coordination with military camp commanders, the weekend warriors would plant and nurture 700 seedlings of Bukidnon gold cherry blossom trees at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City and at Fort Bonifacio and Libingan ng Mga Bayani in Taguig City.

“Growing of at least one tree per year for every reservist would result to the production of more than 100,000 trees per year. In 10 years’ time, the AFP weekend warriors can produce more than one million trees,” Catapang said.

Military reservists to get refurbished weapons | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Bienvenido

*Philippines displays ancient maps to debunk China's sea claims*
Sep 11, 2014






(Reuters) - The Philippines on Thursday put on display dozens of ancient maps which officials said showed that China's territorial claims over the South China Sea did not include a disputed shoal at the centre of an acrimonious standoff.

The Philippines is in dispute with China over parts of the South China Sea, including the Scarborough Shoal, an area believed to be rich in oil and natural gas as well as fisheries resources.

China seized control of the shoal in June 2012 and has prevented Philippine fishermen from getting close to the rocky outcrop, a rich fishing ground.

Philippine officials said the exhibition of old maps at a university showed that for almost 1,000 years, from the Song Dynasty in the year 960 until the end of the Qing Dynasty early in the 20th century, China's southernmost territory was always Hainan island, just off the Chinese coast.

*"We should respect historical facts, not historical lies," said Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who has done extensive research on the territorial disputes.*

The facts were graphically illustrated on the ancient maps, both official and unofficial, he said.

Carpio said the exhibition could be viewed online and it would help everyone in all claimant states understand the facts, "either to restrain extreme nationalism fuelled by historical lies or give hope to a just and durable settlement of disputes".

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea.

But Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan also have claims in the sea, which is traversed each year by ship-borne trade worth about $5 trillion.

Exhibition organisers said the Scarborough Shoal never appeared in any old Chinese maps. But on numerous ancient maps made by foreigners and Filipinos, from as early as 1636, the rocky outcrop was consistently shown to be Philippine territory.

Carpio, in an earlier lecture, said the shoal was also used as a naval gunnery range by U.S. and Philippine armed forces from the 1960s to the 1980s, and neither China nor any other country protested against the bombing practice.

In June, China unveiled a new official map of the country, giving greater play to its claims on the South China Sea.

The Philippines, a close U.S. ally, has brought a case to the U.N. arbitral court in The Hague, seeking clarification on its entitlements under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

China has refused to take part in the arbitration. A ruling is expected late next year.

Philippines displays ancient maps to debunk China's sea claims| Reuters

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## Cossack25A1

*Military base in West Philippine Sea? China skirts query*
By Camille Diola (philstar.com) | Updated September 10, 2014 - 10:55am

MANILA, Philippines — Insisting that it has the right to do so, Beijing barely answered reporters' questions on why it is building islands in South China Sea areas claimed by the Philippines.

Asked about BBC's coverage of the large-scale reclamation work in the waters, China Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying said that China "asserts indisputable sovereignty" over Spratlys group of islands and adjacent waters.

"China's activities on relevant islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands fall entirely within China's sovereignty and are totally justifiable," Hua said in the transcription of the press conference on Tuesday.

Hua also indirectly answered a question on whether the islands being build on the contested area is for business or military purposes.

"As far as I know, the construction work China does on relevant islands is mainly for the purpose of improving the working and living conditions of people stationed on these islands," she said.

On Tuesday, the British media firm released a special report on China's Island Factory near the Philippine-claimed Mabini (Johnson South) Reef amid the United States' push for a moratorium on provocative activities in the disputed strategic waterway.

The BBC report noted China's massive dredging work the past months and presented footage of new islands being constructed through reclamation.

"What exactly they're building here, no one is really sure. They may just be making a bigger island. They may be building a new port here. But there are some reports, especially from the Philippine government, that this is where [China] is going to build [its] new air base," BBC journalist Rupert Wingfield-Hayes said in the report broadcast globally.

Hua was asked how come the purpose of the islands is for the improvement of lives when there are no inhabitants yet. She only responded, "I have already answered your question."

In June, the Department of Foreign Affairs released aerial photos of the development of China's reclamation work from March 2012 to March 2014 in what the Philippines considers part of its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Manila also lodged a diplomatic protest on the reclamation work, which was similarly condemned by the United States as potential threats to the freedom of navigation and overflight in the major trading route.

-----

Military base in West Philippine Sea? China skirts query | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Cossack25A1

Time to post something not related to politics but has something to do with our cultural legacy...or sort of.
----
Torre de Manila condo probe shows more Old Manila sites ‘in danger’ | Inquirer Lifestyle
----

*Torre de Manila condo probe shows more Old Manila sites ‘in danger’*
TJ Burgonio |Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:23 am | Sunday, September 7th, 2014 

Dr. Jose Rizal is not alone as a potential casualty of Manila’s changing cityscape.

Amid the furor over a rising condominium project that is said to be spoiling the view of the Rizal Monument, other heritage sites in Manila are in danger of being sold or torn down, according to a former tourism secretary and current chair of the Heritage Conservation Society.

Gemma Cruz-Araneta called attention to “endangered” sites like the El Hogar and other old buildings on Escolta, the Manila Post Office, and the Manila Metropolitan Theater.

Some of the buildings on Escolta were designed by the son of renowned Filipino painter Juan Luna, Araneta told the Senate committee on education, culture and arts on Thursday.

“They’re in danger of being torn down or being sold to groups that may not respect heritage,” she said during the Senate hearing on the effect of the 48-story Torre de Manila condominium on the sight line of the monument of Dr. Jose Rizal. Araneta’s great grandmother Maria is a sister of the national hero.

She also cited as an example the Binondo house of Gen. Antonio Luna, the brilliant Filipino-American War tactician and Juan’s younger brother, which had been turned into a noodle factory and warehouse.

“The city of Manila is duly notified of your concern,” committee chair Sen. Pia Cayetano told Araneta.

The city government under Mayor Joseph Estrada earlier announced plans to revive Escolta, Manila’s high-end shopping center in the 1930s, by reusing heritage buildings as call center hubs while preserving their architectural design.

El Hogar, one of the few remaining American-colonial era landmarks in Binondo facing Pasig River, was earlier reported to be set for demolition after tenants were asked to vacate the century-old building in February this year.

The preservation of the Manila Post Office and the dilapidated Metropolitan Theater has been a concern among conservationists for years.

Araneta appeared at the Senate hearing as a resource person on the raging controversy over Torre de Manila, a DMCI condominium project which obtained permits from the previous Manila City administration, under then Mayor Alfredo Lim. Critics since 2012 have warned that the condo, now about 20 floors tall, would ruin the sight line of the Rizal Monument at Luneta Park.

Another resource person, Wilkie Delumen, chief architect of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), disclosed that a developer was planning to turn the American-era Army Navy Club on Roxas Boulevard into a hotel.

According to Delumen, Oceanville Hotel and Spa Corp. had commissioned architect Felino Palafox Jr. to rehabilitate and develop the building into a hotel with a promise to “maintain the integrity of the structure.”

So far, the NHCP had given the developer permits to clean the area in order to make a “detailed engineering study” of the structure, he said. But the commission allowed the demolition of the annex building since it was already in a “bad state” and deemed hazardous, Delumen added.

Palafox and his firm had yet to present a development plan which would be subject to NHCP’s approval, he said. “Until now, there’s none. They promised to present the plan in two weeks. Before anything else, we asked them to display tarpaulins to inform the public about the ongoing activity.”

Cayetano agreed with Delumen’s view that the commission and the heritage conservation community should first be consulted on the matter.

_Originally posted:_ 7:11 pm | Saturday, September 6th, 2014


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> well the idea is to have it as an unmanned light attacker different from the OV-10 and its intended replacement.



i mean currently not sorry kabayan anyway the Super tucano is the top runner for the OV10 replacement but again no official pick yet and again the UAVs for combat is not yet in the radar of the AFP because they want to develop our own UAVs which we are now using


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## Ayan81

Hinde ko lang ma gets kung bakit hinde nalang super tucano ang binili nila, dinaan pa sa bidding at napatagal pa. They based there specifications for the CAS to the tucanos and invite other firms for bid? katangahan.

Those UAVs they use during zamboanga siege are just hobby planes costing P 150,000, a bigger drone is in the works costing P 1.5 mill, Gusto ko lang sana na kumuha sila ng mas malaking drone na kayang mag acquire ng targets day and night and can carry precision munitions para wala ng takas yang mga rebelde na yan.

Marines getting UAV's
http://www.dnd.gov.ph/transparency/procurement/DND_BAC/Invitation_to_bid/ITB-Marine Forces Imagery and Targeting Support Systems.pdf

*Marine Forces Imagery and Targeting Support Systems (MITSS)*
6 sets - Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Subsystem
9 sets - Target Acquisition Device Subsystems
12 kits - Tactical Sensor Integration Subsystems
1 lot - IILS

ABC: P 684,230,000

The Department of National Defense (DND), and the Philippine Marines has down selected the AeroVironment RQ-20A Puma AE (All Environment) as a UAS contender for the Marine Forces Imagery and Targeting Support Systems (MITSS) project.


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> i mean currently not sorry kabayan anyway the Super tucano is the top runner for the OV10 replacement but again no official pick yet and again the UAVs for combat is not yet in the radar of the AFP because they want to develop our own UAVs which we are now using


They are not going to wait for the OV-10X...are they?


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## Zero_wing

It must be use by the host country first before we buy


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## C130

has the Philippines ever considered buying drones for COIN/surveillance? 

the Reaper seems like a good fit


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## Reashot Xigwin

C130 said:


> has the Philippines ever considered buying drones for COIN/surveillance?
> 
> the Reaper seems like a good fit



Y effing joking right?

Not also they're expensive, but down here we are still considering the ethical consideration of arming a heartless killing machine. Back on topic:

If Philippines going to a buy a MALE drones they would prob go with an Israeli Hermes.


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## C130

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Y effing joking right?
> 
> Not also they're expensive, but down here we are still considering the ethical consideration of arming a heartless killing machine. Back on topic:
> 
> If Philippines going to a buy a MALE drones they would prob go with an Israeli Hermes.
> View attachment 50374



meh can get 16 reapers and all the service that goes with it for coooool $1.5 billion
not cheap but defiantly worth it for the long haul.

hermes is alright, but can it also attack?


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## Zero_wing

C130 said:


> has the Philippines ever considered buying drones for COIN/surveillance?
> 
> the Reaper seems like a good fit



We already have our own drones but its still a few units


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## Reashot Xigwin

C130 said:


> meh can get 16 reapers and all the service that goes with it for coooool $1.5 billion
> not cheap but defiantly worth it for the long haul.
> 
> hermes is alright, but can it also attack?



Like I said there's still an ethical consideration of arming drones in SEA region.


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## Zero_wing

Ya but in our case our UAVs are new and basiclly we made them for recon


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## Dante

C130 said:


> meh can get 16 reapers and all the service that goes with it for coooool $1.5 billion
> not cheap but defiantly worth it for the long haul.
> hermes is alright, but can it also attack?


1.5 billion is more than half of Philippine annual defense budget, so I don't think your idea is feasible

And the Philippines so far done well with the Broncos, sure they need to be replaced soon, but they can replace it with other COIN plane like Super Tucano, which is cheaper, rather than with UCAV


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## Cossack25A1

An old news but it should give an idea why Philippine Economy is still behind compared to most ASEAN states
-----
PH still lags in FDI inflows as Asean integration nears - The Manila Times OnlineThe Manila Times Online
-----
*PH still lags in FDI inflows as Asean integration nears*
June 24, 2014 9:37 pm

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Philippines still lags behind those of other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members, and unless deterrents to investment are addressed, the country could lose out to its neighbors when an integrated Asean community begins implementation next year.

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) World Investment Report 2014, FDI inflow in the Philippines grew 24 percent to $3.8 billion last year, with a phenomenal 118 percent increase seen in the first three quarters, but it took a hit from Typhoon Haiyan in the fourth quarter.

Presenting the UNCTAD report, Cielito Habito, chief of party of the USAID Trade Related Assistance for Development (TRADE) Project and former Philippine economic planning chief, said , “We are breaking last year’s FDI performance but we are still lagging behind our neighbors.”

*Habito said some deterrents to FDI persist in the Philippines, such as constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership, the high cost of power, infrastructure inadequacies, cumbersome trade transaction processes, and governance hurdles including at the local government levels.*

*“(Our) policy measures are mostly geared towards investment promotion and liberalization but the share of regulatory or restrictive investment policies increased 27 percent in 2013,” Habito noted.*

According to UNCTAD report, FDI inflow in Asean last year increased by 7 percent to $125 billion, with Singapore attracting half of it or $63.7 billion, Indonesia getting $18.4 billion, Thailand attracting $12.9 billion, Malaysia taking $12.3 billion, and Vietnam taking $8.9 billion.

The 10 member states of Asean and its six free trade agreement (FTA) partners—Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand—have launched negotiations for a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

In 2013, combined FDI inflows to the 16 negotiating members of the RCEP amounted to $343 billion, accounting for 24 percent of world inflows.

Over the last 15 years, proactive regional investment cooperation efforts in East and Southeast Asia have contributed to a rise in total and intraregional FDI in the region, the report said.

It said FDI flows from RCEP now makes up more than 40 percent of inflows to Asean, compared to 17 percent before 2000. Intraregional FDI in infrastructure and manufacturing, in particular, is bringing development opportunities to low-income countries such as Laos and Myanmar, the report said.

Asia is the world’s top recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI), accounting for nearly 30 percent of global FDI inflows, the report said. Total inflows to developing Asia (excluding West Asia) amounted to $382 billion in 2013, or 4 percent higher than in 2012.

*Investment in sustainable development goals*
“In a second analysis by UNCTAD, the investment incentives mostly focus on economic performance objectives, and less on sustainable development,” he said. “There is a need to better align incentives to sustainable development goals (SDGs),” Habito said.

“The SDGs are intended to galvanize action worldwide through concrete targets for the 2015 to 2030 period for poverty reduction, food security, human health and education, climate change mitigation, and a range of other objectives across the economic, social and environmental pillars,” Habito said.

Habito added that inadequate public finances will need to be supplemented by private sector investments, which are currently very low.

The UNCTAD report bats for doubling the annual growth rate of private investment from 8 percent to 15 percent per annum. It also cites the need for a proper balance between easing investment versus regulation to protect public interest, ensuring attractive returns versus accessibility and affordability of services for all, and is pushing for more private investment versus a parallel push for more public investment, which should complement each other.

_Voltaire Palaña_

-----

A 2012 chart of FDI in ASEAN region but due to the 60/40 Economic restriction, the PH still lags behind at present year (2014).







Because of the Economic protectionism clause in the 1987 PH Constitution which are the following:

*40% foreign equity limit on the operation and management of public utilities (Article XII, Section 11)*

*40% foreign equity limit on the exploitation of natural resources (Article XII, Section 2)*

*40% foreign equity ceiling on the ownership of educational institutions (Article IX, Section 4)*

*30% foreign equity limit on advertising agencies (Article XVI, Section 11)*

*Restriction on foreign ownership of media (Article XVI, Section 11)*

*Restriction on private land ownership by foreigners (Article XII, Section 7)*
...the economy of the Philippines cannot move forward.


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## Ayan81

C130 said:


> has the Philippines ever considered buying drones for COIN/surveillance?
> 
> the Reaper seems like a good fit



For now the afp are making its own drones for surveillance only, pretty much like a hobby plane





Let's wait for EDCA to be finalized and see what will america brings when they station there wares here. although US has secretly has drones stationed before like this, i can't seemed to identify what kind of drones it is

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## Bienvenido

*Philippines, EU show common stance on China*
Sep 16, 2014

*The EU supports the Philippines’ bid for the resolution of its South China Sea dispute under UNCLOS, even as China rejects the 'internationalization' of the maritime row*

*




UPHOLDING UNCLOS. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (right) greets Philippine President Benigno Aquino III (left) at the European Commission in Brussels on September 15, 2014. Photo by Emmanuel Dunand/AFP
*
*MANILA, Philippines – Portraying a common stance likely to agitate China, the Philippines and the European Union (EU) both upheld a key United Nations treaty that China allegedly violates in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).*

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III told European Commission President José Manuel Barroso on Monday, September 15, that the Philippines “remains committed to advancing a peaceful, rules-based resolution to the disputes in the South China Sea.”

*“Like the European Union, we believe that the only viable and effective solution is one that is based on international law – and in particular, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS,"* Aquino said in a statement at his joint press conference with Barroso at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, after their bilateral meeting.

Aquino added: "This is the basis for the arbitral proceedings we initiated last year. We also continue to work with ASEAN and with China towards the early conclusion of a legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea."

For his part, Barroso said at the news conference, “Let me stress that the European Union encourages all parties to seek peaceful solutions, through dialogue and cooperation, in accordance with international law – in particular with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.”

He added that the EU “is proud to be a party” of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, which aims “to settle differences by peaceful means, to renounce the threat or use of force, and to effectively cooperate among partners.”

Aquino is visiting Europe for 8 days, at a cost of P31.9 million, to boost trade and to seek support for the Philippines' dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea.

*'Europe supports us'*

*“Europe supports us in terms of peaceful resolution of China conflict within framework of international law including arbitration,” Philippine Foreign Assistant Secretary Zenaida Collinson earlier said. “We expect these countries to uphold their positions and take into cognizance recent developments.”*

China, however, has frowned upon the “internationalization” of the South China Sea dispute.

Instead, it insists on bilateral or one-on-one talks with the parties involved in the dispute, instead of a multilateral or third-party approach.

International bodies like the EU have not explicitly taken sides on the South China Sea dispute, but have stressed the need to adhere to the UNCLOS.

The Philippines argues that China's 9-dash line, the demarcation it uses to claim virtually the entire South China Sea, violates the UNCLOS or the so-called Constitution for the Oceans. (READ: Grand theft of the global commons)

To resolve this dispute, the Southeast Asian country has filed an arbitration case against China, which the Asian giant has consistently rejected.

Philippines, EU show common stance on China

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## Cossack25A1

Oh boy...
-----
China media: Philippines a 'quasi-rogue' state | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----
*China media: Philippines a 'quasi-rogue' state *
By Camille Diola (philstar.com) | Updated September 17, 2014 - 10:48am





_In this Aug. 14, 2014 file photo, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, center, hands brand new assault rifles to Filipino soldiers in a ceremonial distribution at the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces at Quezon City. *AP/Bullit Marquez*
_
MANILA, Philippines — Chinese media reacted to crimes and supposed threats against Chinese nationals in the Philippines, calling the country a "quasi-rogue" state without any real guarantee of safety of Chinese citizens.

The English-language Global Times in its editorial on Tuesday criticized Philippine authorities for instigating the public's "nationalist and anti-China sentiment," saying it can easily turn into "extremism" and can be used by the government as an excuse to cover its inefficiency in controlling crime.

"Poor social governance, an anti-China sentiment and a Western-style democratic system where nationalism can foment wantonly make the Philippines a quasi-rogue state," the state-run newspaper said.

It was an apparent reference to a recent incident at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport involving suspected bombers with a plot targeting Chinese businesses and an embassy. It also mentioned the 2010 hostage crisis that left dead eight Hong Kong nationals in Manila even as both governments have settled the matter earlier this year.

An article in Haiwai Net, meanwhile, claims that President Aquino and the Philippine media "led the country astray" by focusing on foreign policy than domestic issues.

"Yet he is also not good at handling foreign affairs," the commentary said amid Aquino's ongoing European trip.

The Global Times, moreover, slammed Manila for lack of sincerity in wanting to secure Chinese citizens, urging President Aquino to publicly apologize for the "serial attacks" in Philippine soil.

"Apart from this, Manila should take actions to crack down on provocations emanating from the extreme anti-China sentiment," it said.

Taking an apparent jab at the Philippines' claims over disputed areas in the South China Sea, the newspaper said that the crime incidents make Chinese citizens "highly suspicious" of whether the country can abide by international laws.

"We advise Chinese citizens not to travel there in the near future, which, while being an act of caution to ensure one's safety, is also a warning signal to the Philippines," it said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry last week strongly warned against travel to the Philippines "given that the safety situation is deteriorating." China is among the major sources of tourists to the Philippines.

The warning comes as relations between the countries have soured and even turned hostile in recent years as Beijing and Manila battle over maritime claims.

-----

*Define "rogue state" without using Superpower-centric definition.*

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Oh boy...
> -----
> China media: Philippines a 'quasi-rogue' state | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
> -----
> *China media: Philippines a 'quasi-rogue' state *
> By Camille Diola (philstar.com) | Updated September 17, 2014 - 10:48am
> 
> View attachment 56418
> 
> _In this Aug. 14, 2014 file photo, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, center, hands brand new assault rifles to Filipino soldiers in a ceremonial distribution at the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces at Quezon City. *AP/Bullit Marquez*
> _
> MANILA, Philippines — Chinese media reacted to crimes and supposed threats against Chinese nationals in the Philippines, calling the country a "quasi-rogue" state without any real guarantee of safety of Chinese citizens.
> 
> The English-language Global Times in its editorial on Tuesday criticized Philippine authorities for instigating the public's "nationalist and anti-China sentiment," saying it can easily turn into "extremism" and can be used by the government as an excuse to cover its inefficiency in controlling crime.
> 
> "Poor social governance, an anti-China sentiment and a Western-style democratic system where nationalism can foment wantonly make the Philippines a quasi-rogue state," the state-run newspaper said.
> 
> It was an apparent reference to a recent incident at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport involving suspected bombers with a plot targeting Chinese businesses and an embassy. It also mentioned the 2010 hostage crisis that left dead eight Hong Kong nationals in Manila even as both governments have settled the matter earlier this year.
> 
> An article in Haiwai Net, meanwhile, claims that President Aquino and the Philippine media "led the country astray" by focusing on foreign policy than domestic issues.
> 
> "Yet he is also not good at handling foreign affairs," the commentary said amid Aquino's ongoing European trip.
> 
> The Global Times, moreover, slammed Manila for lack of sincerity in wanting to secure Chinese citizens, urging President Aquino to publicly apologize for the "serial attacks" in Philippine soil.
> 
> "Apart from this, Manila should take actions to crack down on provocations emanating from the extreme anti-China sentiment," it said.
> 
> Taking an apparent jab at the Philippines' claims over disputed areas in the South China Sea, the newspaper said that the crime incidents make Chinese citizens "highly suspicious" of whether the country can abide by international laws.
> 
> "We advise Chinese citizens not to travel there in the near future, which, while being an act of caution to ensure one's safety, is also a warning signal to the Philippines," it said.
> 
> The Chinese Foreign Ministry last week strongly warned against travel to the Philippines "given that the safety situation is deteriorating." China is among the major sources of tourists to the Philippines.
> 
> The warning comes as relations between the countries have soured and even turned hostile in recent years as Beijing and Manila battle over maritime claims.
> 
> -----
> 
> Define "rogue state" without using Superpower-centric definition.



This comming from the blocks who killed someone for diving a Japanese car and mass ralles to destory property and people using items from hated countries talk to us about being safe and civilized i mean really the chinese are real morons if they think that the vast majority of the Filipinos will take this arrogant post sitting down from a mouthpiece non the less well think again i for one would love the chinese pluage from coming here just conducting illegal activities here anyway and as tourist majority of them are uncivilized bad tourist from bad people and this coming from a the nation allowed a filipino to killed in beijing and notorious for blackmailing tourist to buy more and taking from place to place asking them higher fares and pollution that blocks off the sun ha laughble safety wish and health wish china is more dangerous than Philippines could ever be. Nice try china on the Safety issues but if your looking for unsafe and unhealth better look in mirror chumps.


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## Zerozen

C130 said:


> has the Philippines ever considered buying drones for COIN/surveillance?
> 
> the Reaper seems like a good fit


COIN shouldn't be the topic of modernization. Should be on long-range/high endurance maritime reconnaissance platforms. The Philippine should invest on.


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## Aepsilons

Zerozen said:


> COIN shouldn't be the topic of modernization. Should be on long-range/high endurance maritime reconnaissance platforms. The Philippine should invest on.



I agree, they may do well to invest also in replacing their aging maritime aviation platform. Since Japan concluded a defense deal with India on the ShinMaywa US-2 , I believe that Japan should consider selling these to the Philippines for use in their Navy.


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## Ayan81

decommissioned and refurbished maybe, but brand new? not a chance


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## C130

Zerozen said:


> COIN shouldn't be the topic of modernization. Should be on long-range/high endurance maritime reconnaissance platforms. The Philippine should invest on.



Triton sounds like the thing they need, but no way they can afford it.


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> decommissioned and refurbished maybe, but brand new? not a chance



We also have the ShinMaywa PS-1, which was designed as an Anti-Submarine platform, but technically can also be used for search and rescue. The Philippines could do well with this.

The ShinMaywa PS-1 is also financially more feasible for the Philippines, imho.



C130 said:


> Triton sounds like the thing they need, but no way they can afford it.
> 
> View attachment 58106



This is unrealistic for the Philippines right now, what they need immediately is a greater number of attack fighters, tactical fighters. In addition to this, they need an SSM platform, AAMs.


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## Ayan81

C130 said:


> Triton sounds like the thing they need, but no way they can afford it.
> 
> View attachment 58106



i question myself several times, countries who has much worse economy than us have better military.

triton/ cmon man its to pricey.

a 500 million investment on anti air and anti surface missile is doable but until now, nothing. why? god only knows why

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## Cossack25A1

The MQ-1 Predator would be possible though I think it is still expensive.


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> i question myself several times, countries who has much worse economy than us have better military.
> 
> triton/ cmon man its to pricey.
> 
> a 500 million investment on anti air and anti surface missile is doable but until now, nothing. why? god only knows why



I admire the Filipino people and culture, but one thing they need to truly amend is the culture of political pork barreling, and corruption when it comes to defense expenditure. So long as the Philippine Defense Department continues a culture of gifting their generals with millions of pesos on their retirement, the culture of corruption will continue.


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## Ayan81

Nihonjin1051 said:


> I admire the Filipino people and culture, but one thing they need to truly amend is the culture of political pork barreling, and corruption when it comes to defense expenditure. So long as the Philippine Defense Department continues a culture of gifting their generals with millions of pesos on their retirement, the culture of corruption will continue.



every military procurement has some kind of corruption going on its not only common for us, but the real problem is on the side of the government, our's is a reactive kind they only do $hit when the $hit is already there/over. take for instance haiyan..

no president has the guts to eliminate pork barrel system, PAST, FUTURE, PRESENT


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> every military procurement has some kind of corruption going on its not only common for us, but the real problem is on the side of the government, our's is a reactive kind they only do $hit when the $hit is already there/over. take for instance haiyan..
> 
> no president has the guts to eliminate pork barrel system, PAST, FUTURE, PRESENT



This is truly saddening to hear. Can you expand on the reasons for its perpetuity ?

Salamat po.


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## Ayan81

Nihonjin1051 said:


> This is truly saddening to hear. Can you expand on the reasons for its perpetuity ?
> 
> Salamat po.



First of all what is pork barrel - it is the appropriation of the government for the funding of localized projects.
It was introduce in the early years (1900's) of the republic when the reach of the government is still not in full effect.

Fast forward, Presidents use pork barrel to control / gather support of the congress or just to strengthen his power base. its a numbers game. For the legislators it is were they can pocket money from those funded projects (roads, schools, ports etc.). if your not in the administration block its sure your pork will be delayed.

For me, pork system is already outdated and needs to be abolished. but in order for that to happen the congress must vote for it first  crazy right?. another revolution? i doubt it, we filipinos are jaded for another EDSA. the last time i took the revolution path is in EDSA 2, we dethroned a womanizing, gambling, corrupt pres for a much more worse scum

How does japan allocate its funds?

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> This is truly saddening to hear. Can you expand on the reasons for its perpetuity ?
> 
> Salamat po.



The shortest would be is that it was one of the legacy America left behind. The other is that they (Congress and Senate) use it to fund their "local projects" although the said "projects" seem to involve their mansions and vacation houses.

It was said that Pork Barrel system have been removed during the Marcos era, specifically in 1973 when a new constitution was drafted although it was replaced by crony system and pork barrel may have been likely masked and the current pork barrel was re-established when the 1987 constitution was drafted.

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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> First of all what is pork barrel - it is the appropriation of the government for the funding of localized projects.
> It was introduce in the early years (1900's) of the republic when the reach of the government is still not in full effect.
> 
> Fast forward, Presidents use pork barrel to control / gather support of the congress or just to strengthen his power base. its a numbers game. For the legislators it is were they can pocket money from those funded projects (roads, schools, ports etc.). if your not in the administration block its sure your pork will be delayed.
> 
> For me, pork system is already outdated and needs to be abolished. but in order for that to happen the congress must vote for it first  crazy right?. another revolution? i doubt it, we filipinos are jaded for another EDSA. the last time i took the revolution path is in EDSA 2, we dethroned a womanizing, gambling, corrupt pres for a much more worse scum



Thank you for the explanation , pare @Ayan81.



Cossack25A1 said:


> The shortest would be is that it was one of the legacy America left behind. The other is that they (Congress and Senate) use it to fund their "local projects."
> 
> It was said that Pork Barrel system have been removed during the Marcos era, specifically in 1973 when a new constitution was drafted although it was replaced by crony system is still there and was re-established when the 1987 constitution was drafted.



I agree, I don't know why the Republic of the Philippines that was founded on 1946 didn't keep the Meritocracy culture that was espoused by Philippine President Jose P. Laurel.


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## Ayan81

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Thank you for the explanation , pare @Ayan81.


 Want to learn more Evolution of the Pork Barrel System in the Philippines | University of the Philippines System Website
Does Japan has similar system like ours in allocating funds in their prefecture/regions?

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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> Want to learn more Evolution of the Pork Barrel System in the Philippines | University of the Philippines System Website
> Does Japan has similar system like ours in allocating funds in their prefecture/regions?



Maraming Salamat for the link, I'll have to read more into this.


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Thank you for the explanation , pare @Ayan81.
> 
> 
> 
> I agree, I don't know why the Republic of the Philippines that was founded on 1946 didn't keep the Meritocracy culture that was espoused by Philippine President Jose P. Laurel.



Since the question mentions Pres. Jose P. Laurel, the main reason was most likely an act of revanchism.

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Since the question mentions Pres. Jose P. Laurel, the main reason was most likely an act of revanchism.



I remember reading about the lives of the early presidents such as Quezon, Laurel, Magsaysay who were renowned as ideologues, all three being politicians by training and art. I do wish that our friends in the Philippines can revert back to the meritocracy culture that was common during the early phase of the Philippine Republic. This is afterall the land of noble men such as Dr. Jose Rizal, one of the early fathers of Democracy in Asia.

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> I remember reading about the lives of the early presidents such as Quezon, Laurel, Magsaysay who were renowned as ideologues, all three being politicians by training and art. I do wish that our friends in the Philippines can revert back to the meritocracy culture that was common during the early phase of the Philippine Republic. This is afterall the land of noble men such as Dr. Jose Rizal, one of the early fathers of Democracy in Asia.



With the current politicians and their descendants as well as showbiz actors and actresses running for political positions, it is somewhat impossible now specially since the local populace would rather place their votes on people that are renowned due to their political name or showbiz stint rather than those who are competent.


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## Zero_wing

We try to but i think we should stick to development of local UAVs now being use by the AFP and build most of our weapons which we are going right now with the GA which now think of manufacturing more higher caliber bullets and ammunitions and going froward from refurbishing weapons to weapons production all thanks to the GA efforts so guys lets just wait and see the DND and its agencies are making some huge changes and am for one is pretty proud of the DND even if its a bit slow i take it over 15 years of little and corrupt no change status of the AFP before.


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## Zero_wing

The MACPAC are new sir so as the BRP Tagbanua we can make ships for the moment we can make small OPVs, small Attack crafts and Landing utility ships so yes we can make small OPVs and support ships but not warships.


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## Ayan81

Phl satellite project scientists leave for Japan | Education and Home, Other STAR Sections, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines - Sixteen engineers and scientists from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and UP Diliman will soon leave for Japan and start their studies and training alongside experts from Hokkaido University for an effort to design, develop, and launch the country’s very own micro-satellite into space as early as 2016.

“In a couple of weeks, we have 16 engineers and scientists going to Japan,” DOST Secretary Mario Montejo told the STAR in an interview at the just concluded National Science and Technology Week last week held at the SMX Convention Center.

Montejo said that the group of 16 scientists and engineers will start their training and education in the design and development of mini or micro-satellites.

“They are mostly from UP (Diliman),” Montejo said.

It will be recalled that the DOST’s Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards), and their DREAM (Disaster Risk Exposure Assessment for Mitigation (DREAM) Project tapped UP Diliman meteorologists and engineers to develop and build the weather modelling and cutting-edge LiDAR (light ranging and detection) technology systems.

Montejo earlier said the the premier Japanese higher educational institution has already accepted the DOST’s proposal for a partnership for the country’s move to build the capability to develop and assemble on its own a micro-satellite and launch it into space in two or three years. The program to build a micro-satellite, Montejo said was mainly a levelling up of the DOST’s multi-hazard modelling and map-making capability to identify flood, storm surge, landslide and other hazard areas in the country pursued under their Projects NOAH and DREAM.

Homepage ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
He said that with the LiDAR mapping technology, DOST now wants to establish one remote ground sensor that will help in the information gathering for the LiDAR mapping effort.

The micro-satellite, he said, would be a key part in this whole program since it will course information orbiting in the skies over the country onto the remote ground sensor.

However, Montejo said that there were expected surprise uses in the Philippines’ having a micro-satellite of its own serving as its “eye in the sky.”

_____________________________

Military satellite next pls

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## Zero_wing

someday but not today mabuhay ang Japan at Pilipinas


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## Cossack25A1

I always wonder if this variant of M113 was developed,





A tank destroyer would be a possible complement for the 76mm-gun M113.

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## Ayan81

The Exciting Centennial of Philippine Aviation: A400M Offered To The Philippines






A pair of brand new Airbus A400M Transport plane has been offered by the French Government to the Philippines for disaster relief. The offer was made by French President Francois Hollande at Palais de l’Elysee in Paris to President Aquino Wednesday as it signed updated bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the Philippines.

No further details are available. But sources in Paris said that sale could be in the form of Official Government Assistance (ODA) from the French government financing the acquisition of the aircraft similar to the Rosenbauer firetruck purchases which was secured via loan grant from the Austrian government.

The Philippines-France Defense Cooperation Agreement was signed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian.

“The Philippines is in the process of modernizing our armed forces and improving our defense capability, and we believe that France will be a reliable partner in this regard,” Aquino said in a Press release.

Pierre Jaffre, Airbus executive vice president for Asia Pacific said said that it sees the possibility of selling its€150 million A400M military transport plane to the Philippine military. If approved, the Philippines could be the second country in ASEAN after Malaysia to order the aircraft. The Philippines operate a fleet of 5 refurbished C-130 aircraft for disaster relief.

-----------------------------------------
Hope this news is true and will push through next year. A 400 million loan? is it feasible for us to pay this big amount


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## Cossack25A1

Germany backs arbitration in maritime dispute | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----
* Germany backs arbitration in maritime dispute *
 By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) | Updated September 20, 2014 - 12:00am




_German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes the President of the Philippines, Benigno S. Aquino III, with military honors at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 19. _*AP 
*
BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed belief yesterday that the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea could be settled through international arbitration.

The chancellor, together with President Aquino, was responding to a question about collective international action that could be taken immediately to reduce tensions in the West Philippine Sea amid observations that effective occupation was already happening in disputed and even in non-disputed areas.

Speaking to reporters after a bilateral meeting at the Federal Chancellery here, Aquino said he and the German leader shared the conviction that disputes must be settled peacefully and should be based on international law.

“As the President said right now, we share the concerns about the tensions arising in that particular part of the world and we believe in good, pragmatic approaches. But we also believe in solid, legal settlements of the disputes,” she said, adding that the “international dispute settlement arrangements that we have” based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is a “very good way forward in order to settle those differences.”

For his part, Aquino said the problem had been put on the back burner for far too long and that was the reason why, in the Philippines’ case, it opted for a resolution when asked if delaying international action would mean denying the realities on the ground that could affect global trade, freedom of navigation and even the emotions of people.

“We have been working through ASEAN to ensure that the Code of Conduct is formally and finally formulated. And also we are working through the United Nations offices specifically to address the arbitration issue we have brought up against China,” Aquino said.

“I guess what we can report is that from being on the back burner, this is at least in the consciousness of claimant-countries as well as the rest of the world. And therefore it is not a situation that can be ignored and it has to be confronted, and perhaps that will prod everybody to arrive at a solution based on international law, based out of justice and fairness,” Aquino said.

As to the role of Germany, Merkel said that whenever she visited China, she would also always talk to those in political responsibility there “about the approach that I think is one would be well-advised to take namely, that a peaceful approach and diplomatic approach is always the one that is called for.

“And I think that... Germany would be also well-advised to point to the fact that we have international bodies to settle such matters, for example the International Tribunal (for) the Law of the Sea,” she said.

“For example, we’ve had similar problems in Europe with Slovenia and others, where we – in Slovakia, where we said, well, we should embark on such roads where delimitation for example of borders has to be settled by arbitration. So that is the road that we would opt for,” Merkel said.



-------------------------------------------------------------------




Ayan81 said:


> The Exciting Centennial of Philippine Aviation: A400M Offered To The Philippines
> 
> View attachment 63487
> 
> 
> A pair of brand new Airbus A400M Transport plane has been offered by the French Government to the Philippines for disaster relief. The offer was made by French President Francois Hollande at Palais de l’Elysee in Paris to President Aquino Wednesday as it signed updated bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the Philippines.
> 
> No further details are available. But sources in Paris said that sale could be in the form of Official Government Assistance (ODA) from the French government financing the acquisition of the aircraft similar to the Rosenbauer firetruck purchases which was secured via loan grant from the Austrian government.
> 
> The Philippines-France Defense Cooperation Agreement was signed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian.
> 
> “The Philippines is in the process of modernizing our armed forces and improving our defense capability, and we believe that France will be a reliable partner in this regard,” Aquino said in a Press release.
> 
> Pierre Jaffre, Airbus executive vice president for Asia Pacific said said that it sees the possibility of selling its€150 million A400M military transport plane to the Philippine military. If approved, the Philippines could be the second country in ASEAN after Malaysia to order the aircraft. The Philippines operate a fleet of 5 refurbished C-130 aircraft for disaster relief.
> 
> -----------------------------------------
> Hope this news is true and will push through next year. A 400 million loan? is it feasible for us to pay this big amount



With a better, non-restrictive economy and paid taxes being used properly, it is possible although it won't happened in an instant.

Also, maybe the French could help us improving our infantry similar to their FELIN program.

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## Zero_wing

Ayan81 said:


> The Exciting Centennial of Philippine Aviation: A400M Offered To The Philippines
> 
> View attachment 63487
> 
> 
> A pair of brand new Airbus A400M Transport plane has been offered by the French Government to the Philippines for disaster relief. The offer was made by French President Francois Hollande at Palais de l’Elysee in Paris to President Aquino Wednesday as it signed updated bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the Philippines.
> 
> No further details are available. But sources in Paris said that sale could be in the form of Official Government Assistance (ODA) from the French government financing the acquisition of the aircraft similar to the Rosenbauer firetruck purchases which was secured via loan grant from the Austrian government.
> 
> The Philippines-France Defense Cooperation Agreement was signed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian.
> 
> “The Philippines is in the process of modernizing our armed forces and improving our defense capability, and we believe that France will be a reliable partner in this regard,” Aquino said in a Press release.
> 
> Pierre Jaffre, Airbus executive vice president for Asia Pacific said said that it sees the possibility of selling its€150 million A400M military transport plane to the Philippine military. If approved, the Philippines could be the second country in ASEAN after Malaysia to order the aircraft. The Philippines operate a fleet of 5 refurbished C-130 aircraft for disaster relief.
> 
> -----------------------------------------
> Hope this news is true and will push through next year. A 400 million loan? is it feasible for us to pay this big amount



Baka mahal we just have to wait and see


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## Reashot Xigwin

Ayan81 said:


> i question myself several times, countries who has much worse economy than us have better military.
> 
> triton/ cmon man its to pricey.
> 
> a 500 million investment on anti air and anti surface missile is doable but until now, nothing. why? god only knows why



They also have worse live expectancy/ HDI than the Philippines. A country with great economy, have great military. Not the other way around. 

Philippines right now need to reform the economy 1st not the military.

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## Zero_wing

Reashot Xigwin said:


> They also have worse live expectancy/ HDI than the Philippines. A country with great economy, have great military. Not the other way around.
> 
> Philippines right now need to reform the economy 1st not the military.



We are in the process of doing that and we are in the correct path just hope the next administration does not screw it up one can only hope.


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## Ayan81

TAGALIGTAS

It features the show of courage and dedication that each SAF member has to protect the democracy in the country. This documentary serves as an inspiration that ignites the patriotism and loyalty to our law enforcers that continually fight for the freedom we all enjoy.

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## Cossack25A1

*Islamists in Philippines threaten to kill German hostages*
Philip Oltermann in Berlin
The Guardian, Wednesday 24 September 2014 14.24 BST

_*Abu Sayyaf group says pair will be killed unless Germany withdraws support for US fight against Isis in Syria and Iraq
*_
Islamists in the Philippines have threatened to kill two German hostages unless Germany pays a ransom and withdraws its support for the US fight against Isis in Syria and northern Iraq.

In a message circulated via Twitter, the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group announced it would kill one of the hostages unless its demands were met within 15 days, according to US company Site Intelligence Group, which tracks communications from radical Islamist groups.

The message calls on Germany to “stop supporting America in its killing of our Muslim brothers in Iraq and Syria, especially the mujahideen of the Islamic State”.

The German pair, 71-year-old Stefan O and 55-year-old Henrike D, were reported missing in April, after their yacht was found empty in the Palawan province in the western Philippines.

In August, photographs showing the couple in front of a German flag and surrounded by masked fighters were released by Abu Sayyaf. The militant group originally demanded a ransom of 250m pesos (£3.4m) to release the hostages.

Filipino police say they suspect the couple are being held hostage near the militants’ base on Jolo island in the Sulu province in the southern Philippines.

The German government on Wednesday confirmed it was aware of the new threats and that it had set up an emergency taskforce within the foreign office which was “continuing its efforts to achieve a release”.

It said its foreign policy towards Isis would not be influenced by the incident. “Threats are not an appropriate way of influencing Germany’s policy towards Syria and northern Iraq,” a spokesperson said.

Founded in the early 1990s, the small but active Abu Sayyaf group has been listed as a terrorist organisation since 1997. It rose to prominence after the kidnapping of a group of 21 foreigners in the dive resort of Sipadan in May 2000.
*
Khair Mundos, a leading figure in the militant group, was arrested in June this year. The group has previously had ties to al-Qaida, though security experts say it now operates autonomously. In June, Abu Sayyaf’s leader, Isnilon Hapilon, announced his group’s support for Isis in a video circulated on the internet.*

Germany is currently not directly involved in the military offensive against Isis in northern Iraq, but has pledged logistical support and called for a “political strategy” against the militant group.

Foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier recently ruled out Germany participating in US-led air strikes in Iraq.

*However, Germany has confirmed that it will provide logistical support for military operations in northern Iraq, including sending a squad of 40 paratroopers to train Kurdish fighters in the use of machine guns.*

A shipment of arms – including 4,000 G3 rifles, 4,000 P1 pistols, 20 Milan anti-tank guns, 120 anti-tank rockets and 20 MG3 machine guns – was scheduled to fly out from Leipzig to Iraq on Wednesday.

---------

Islamists in Philippines threaten to kill German hostages | World news | The Guardian


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## Ayan81

*'Abu Sayyaf taking advantage of int'l attention on ISIS'*

The Abu Sayyaf Group's threat to behead its two German captives will not intimidate the Philippines, which vowed to continue its military offensive against the local terrorist group






MANILA, Philippines – The defense department said Abu Sayyaf's threat to behead their two German hostages is propaganda to ride on the international attention that the Islamic State (formerly ISIS) is getting, said a military general in charge of Western Mindanao.

"They are taking advantage of the international attention ISIS is getting so that the ransom would increase. All their activities are criminal in nature," said Lieutenant General Rustico Guerrero, commander of the military's Western Mindanao Command.

The military also reiterated that it has contained Abu Sayyaf members in pockets of Sulu. "There is continuous effort by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police," Guerrero added.

The local terrorist group responsible for several bombing incidents in the country and kidnappings in the region has threatened to kill the hostages, unless they are paid P250 million ($5.62 million, 4.4 million euros) and if Germany stops supporting the US-led campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Germany responded saying it will not withdraw support for US action against the jihadists. "There will be no change to our Syria and Iraq policy," said a German foreign ministry spokeswoman.

Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf will continue. "We will not be intimidated by these gestures and actions. We will continue to contain them," Gazmin told local radio _dzRH_Thursday morning, September 25.

The government maintains that ISIS presence in the Philippines remains unconfirmed inspite of reports received by the Philippine Embassy in Damascus that at least 3 Filipino jihadists were killed in Syria in separate incidents in October and December 2013.

Members of the Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters have pledged allegiance to ISIS, but military officers dismissed them as the rebels' way of giving ISIS moral support. They claimed they have not monitored ISIS support – finances and weapons – going to the Philippines.

"We are validating if there really is ISIS here. The report of Mayor Maturan is very deserving but we have not had any confirmation on this," said Gazmin, referring to claims by Mayor Joel Maturan of Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan that ISIS has penetrated the province.

The government has created a technical working group to monitor foreign fighters in the Philippines.

The military stepped up operations against the Abu Sayyaf since last year. "The order from the President is to once and for all stop the Abu Sayyaf. We're moving towards that direction. We have been reshuffling forces in Sulu. It will not be purely Marines anymore. We will deploy joint forces of Marines and Army in the area," said Gazmin.

Gazmin confirmed there are ongoing negotiations for release of the German captives through other parties. *– Rappler.com*

'Abu Sayyaf taking advantage of int'l attention on ISIS'
______________________________________________________________________________

*Philippines posts P30-B budget surplus in August*

*



*

The surplus in August is 36% higher than the P22-billion surplus registered in the same period in 2013. Netting out interest payments, government spending only grew by 4% year-on-year.

MANILA, Philippines – The national government incurred a surplus of P29.9 billion ($671.26 million)* in August as the year-on-year revenue growth outpaced that of spending, the Department of Finance (DOF) reported on Thursday, September 25.

The surplus in August was 36% higher than the P22-billion ($492.21 million) surplus registered in the same period in 2013.

Expenditures grew by a mere 5% to P140.12 billion ($3.13 billion) from the P133.24 billion ($2.98 billion) recorded in August last year.

Expenditures grew by 6% to P1.3 trillion ($290.06 billion) in the first 8 months of the year.

Netting out interest payments, government spending only grew by 4% year-on-year.

The Department of Budget and Management has yet to release its statement on the spending performance for August.

Effects of port congestion

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said that the government has been determined in mapping out a solution to the port congestion in Manila to further augment the growth of the Philippine economy.

Purisima quoted the finance department’s chief economist Gil Beltran as saying that if port congestion is solved and delayed shipment are out of the ports within this year, the annual tax collection can increase by as much as 7% or 0.2 percentage points of the gross domestic product.

Government revenues in January to August jumped by 12% to P1.27 trillion ($284.49 billion) compared to the same period last year.

Revenues in August posted a double-digit growth of 10% to P169.98 billion ($3.8 billion).

The collections generated by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs during the said month grew by 8% and 11%, respectively.

Customs collections totaled P29.1 billion ($649.87 million) for the month, growing 11.4% from last year’s tally and marking the 8th straight month of above 10% year-on-year growth.

Year-to-date, the BOC’s take amounted to P232.9 billion ($5.20 billion), rising 17.1% from January-August collections in 2013.

Meanwhile, BIR collections increased by 8% to reach P127.6 billion ($2.85 billion) in August. This brought year-to-date BIR collections to P890.7 billion ($19.89 billion), up 9.7% year-on-year.

The Bureau of Treasury also exceeded its target for the month, raking in P5-billion ($111.63 million) due to higher investment income and dividend collections. As of end-August, the Treasury’s collections have totaled P75.7 billion ($1.69 billion), a growth of 24.3% over comparable figures last year.

The August performance brings the year-to-date deficit to P25.87 billion ($578.29 million), which is only about 10% of the P266.2 billion ($5.95 billion) deficit cap for 2014. – Rappler.com

_($1 = P44.78)_
*Philippines posts P30-B budget surplus in August*

*_____________________________________________________________________________________*

*More non-BPO operations favor the Philippines
*
The business process outsourcing sector will sustain the real estate momentum toward 2016, CBRE Philippines reports






MOST ATTRACTIVE. Makati, still the most attractive to global firms, has a vacancy rate of 1.35%, according to CBRE Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines – While business process outsourcing (BPO) will continue to drive the office space sector, non-BPO operations like front office, regional headquarters, and brick and mortar headquarter offices are beginning to locate in the Philippines, citing competitive costs.

Eighty to 90% of the 700,000 square meters (sqm) on stock this year are for BPO operations, but the country is well-positioned to be the site in 2016 for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) headquarters as the economies of the region integrate next year, said Rick Santos, chairman and chief executive officer of property consultancy firm CBRE Philippines, on Tuesday, September 23.

The bulk of the office stock will come from major developers Ayala Land Inc, Megaworld Corporation, Robinsons Land Corporation, and SM.

Megaworld pioneered in the development of BPO hubs starting with Eastwood City in Libis, Quezon City.

The highly skilled labor pool has likewise piqued the interest of foreign locators in expanding their operations to the country.

According to the 2014 AT Kearney Global Services Location Index, the Philippines ranks 7th among 51 countries as prime BPO location.

“This bright prospect in the BPO sector, along with the strong performance of other real estate sectors, will see the Philippines through and beyond 2016,” Santos said.

*Vacancy in tight supply*

Supply is tight as shown by vacancy rates as of the second quarter of the year.

Santos said vacancy rates will continue to be in check to about 5% by 2015 as demand continues to grow, even as an additional 500,000 sqm of space come on stream that year.

Makati City, still the most attractive site for global firms, has a vacancy rate of 1.35% where the average lease rate is the highest at P970 ($21.77*) per sqm, per month.

Makati's lease rates are at $29 per square foot per annum, one of the most competitive among 19 central business districts in the region.

The Philippines' biggest competitor in the call center/BPO industry, India, charges $31 to $118 per square foot per year, depending on the city.

Hong Kong charges 5 times the Philippines' rate, at $221 per square foot per year.

Makati is followed by Fort Bonifacio, where the vacancy rate has gone up to 3.78% from 2.23% in the first quarter, and where the lease is at P797.12 ($17.89) per sqm per month.

Ortigas' vacancy rate went up 0.72% in the first quarter to 8.75% in the second quarter as it has the cheapest rate of P572.87 ($12.87) per sqm per month.

*Bullish toward 2016*

Other real estate sectors such as retail, hospitality, and industrial are also experiencing bullish growth. For the former, middle-income earners and overseas Filipino workers’ families are seen to fuel growth, with developers and global retailers becoming keener on setting up outlets in the country.

At least 170,000 sqm of new retail space was introduced in the first quarter of the year, and more than 100,000 sqm of new space will be completed before 2014 closes.

The upbeat tourism of the country, with international tourism revenues at P109.8 billion ($2.47 billion) in the first half of 2014, has increased the demand for more hotels and retail establishments in tourist spots and central business districts (CBDs) of the Philippines.

Similarly, the strengthening of the global manufacturing sector, coupled with stable lease rates, are boosting industrial operations in the country, with players looking into areas outside the usual CBDs, such as in Clark and Cebu.

Also, Japanese locators, in particular, are showing interest in expanding their operations in the country, CBRE Philippines reported. *–* *Rappler.com

More non-BPO operations favor the Philippines*

___________________________________________________________________________________

*Real estate is fastest-growing industry in Q3 - officials*

*



*

MANILA, Philippines - The real estate industry saw a revenue growth rate of 18.8% in the third quarter of the year, making it the fastest growing among all industries, said officials.

“Real estate posted strong expansion as major players including Ayala Land, SM Prime Holdings and Megaworld posted double-digit revenues in terms of real estate and rent of commercial spaces,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary, Arseio Balisacan, at a press conference on the Philippines' third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth on Wednesday, November 28.

According to Jose Ramon Albert, Secretary-General of the National Statistical Coordination Board, the country's better-than-expected 7.1% growth in the third quarter was driven largely by services sector growth, which was, in turn, partly fueled by real estate, renting and business activity.

Comprising half of GDP growth, the services sector expanded 7% in the third quarter.

“We have previously noted that a major driver of this growth is the demand for office space due to the strong outlook of the BPO sector. Also favorable economic conditions led more individuals to purchase residential properties,” said Balisacan.

Aside from BPO, real estate growth was also buoyed by higher construction expenditures, said Balisacan.

“Spending for construction of physical capital increased by 24.3% in the third quarter of 2012 a huge turnaround from a negative 8.8% performance in the third quarter of 2011. Both private and public construction registered more than 20% growth rates during the period,” he explained.

Public construction grew 23.7% in the third quarter, reversing its 19% drop in 2011, while private construction expanded 25%, also reversing its 5.9% decline last year.

“Public spending on construction grew back by higher capital outlay of government 38.4% more for roads and irrigation projects. Most of these projects were implemented outside NCR in keeping with our objective of inclusive growth,” said Balisacan

“These figures just confirm that theres a lot of investment going on. While the growth of the economy is primarily consumption driven there are also investmetns coming in.”

Major players and consultants have remained bullish on their real estate forecasts.

“It took 20 years to get the stars aligned but now we’re looking at sustained growth. We are now experiencing the best real estate market in the Philippines in the last 20 years,” Rick Santos, chairman and CEO of property advisory firm CBRE Philippines, previously said. - Rappler.com


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## Cossack25A1

*One of the results of playing the blame-game for 4 straight years!
*
--------------------------------------

*With or without PNoy emergency powers, electricity prices to go up by P2 per kWh *

*By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NewsSeptember 25, 2014 1:55pm *

Even if Congress declines to give the emergency powers being sought by the executive for the President to bargain for additional power supply, the price of electricity is bound to increase by as much P2 per kilowatt hour (kWh) next year, a Cabinet official revealed on Thursday.

During the Senate energy committee hearing, Senator Ralph Recto queried Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla on how much the price of electricity will go up even without government intervening against the power crisis.

"Basically, every summer, mahal ang kuryente, then it goes down. It is a cycle," Petilla said. He cited that during the non-summer months this year, electricity prices went up by 60 to 70 centavos per kWh. 

"Without you doing anything... assuming that there is supply… I mean, it is normal to understand... tataas ang presyo. Magkano tataas ang presyo?" Recto asked. "Potentially, papalo ba sa P4 ang presyo next year?" 

The senator was referring to the P4 per kWh price increase sought by the Manila Electric Co. from the Energy Regulatory Commission last December, which the Supreme Court subsequently struck down.

However, Petilla gave the assurance that the price will not increase by P4 per kWh. "Without the secondary cap (at WESM), possible ang dalawang pisong (pagtaas)."

WESM is the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market where power distributors and generating companies buy and sell electricity. 

In a separate interview, Recto told reporters: "So, tatas ng P2 per kWh kung walang gagawin na emergency power at… potentially may brownout pa."

If government intervention is in place, Recto claimed that electricity prices will still increase by P2 per kWH at most – and with no power outages. – *VS, GMA News*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
With or without PNoy emergency powers, electricity prices to go up by P2 per kWh | Economy | GMA News Online
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exchange Rates:

*PH Peso to Renminbi: *PHP 2.00 is equals to RMB 0.27
*PH Peso to US Dollar: *PHP 2.00 is equals to US$ 0.04
*PH Peso to Yen: *PHP 2.00 is equals to ¥ 4.00
*PH Peso to Pakistani Rupee: *PHP 2.00 is equals to Rs 4.58
*PH Peso to Indian Rupee: *PHP 2.00 is equals to



2.74

----------------


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## Viet

Ayan81 said:


> The Exciting Centennial of Philippine Aviation: A400M Offered To The Philippines
> 
> View attachment 63487
> 
> 
> A pair of brand new Airbus A400M Transport plane has been offered by the French Government to the Philippines for disaster relief. The offer was made by French President Francois Hollande at Palais de l’Elysee in Paris to President Aquino Wednesday as it signed updated bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the Philippines.
> 
> No further details are available. But sources in Paris said that sale could be in the form of Official Government Assistance (ODA) from the French government financing the acquisition of the aircraft similar to the Rosenbauer firetruck purchases which was secured via loan grant from the Austrian government.
> 
> The Philippines-France Defense Cooperation Agreement was signed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian.
> 
> “The Philippines is in the process of modernizing our armed forces and improving our defense capability, and we believe that France will be a reliable partner in this regard,” Aquino said in a Press release.
> 
> Pierre Jaffre, Airbus executive vice president for Asia Pacific said said that it sees the possibility of selling its€150 million A400M military transport plane to the Philippine military. If approved, the Philippines could be the second country in ASEAN after Malaysia to order the aircraft. The Philippines operate a fleet of 5 refurbished C-130 aircraft for disaster relief.
> 
> -----------------------------------------
> Hope this news is true and will push through next year. A 400 million loan? is it feasible for us to pay this big amount


the bird still has many flaws. the german airforce has ordered 53 aircraft for $10b with delivery 2009. now airbus has promised to deliver the first one midle of 2015. France is keen to export the aircaft, because the country needs to secure the jobs at their factories.

you are US ally. why not ask uncle sam for some air transporters such as C-17, perhaps second hand?


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## Cossack25A1

Viet said:


> the bird still has many flaws. the german airforce has ordered 53 aircraft for $10b with delivery 2009. now airbus has promised to deliver the first one midle of 2015. France is keen to export the aircaft, because the country needs to secure the jobs at their factories.
> 
> you are US ally. why not ask uncle sam for some air transporters such as C-17, perhaps second hand?



Uncle Sam doesn't trust us that much with more advance weapons.


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## Viet

Cossack25A1 said:


> Uncle Sam doesn't trust us that much with more advance weapons.


you are US ally with mutual defence treaty or not?

well, I can understand the US was not amused as you closed their bases some years ago. but now, with the US pivot to Asia, the Yankees should support your military build-up. Or is there anything I miss in the picture?


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## Ayan81

Viet said:


> the bird still has many flaws. the german airforce has ordered 53 aircraft for $10b with delivery 2009. now airbus has promised to deliver the first one midle of 2015. France is keen to export the aircaft, because the country needs to secure the jobs at their factories.
> 
> you are US ally. why not ask uncle sam for some air transporters such as C-17, perhaps second hand?



Last week the Philippines and France signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) thus enables the French government to assist the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). When such DCA is signed, expect a deal to be made like from Canada (bell 412's), South Korea (FA-50's), Indonesia (SeaLift Vessel), France? (No News Yet).

Airbus which is a french company won the bid for the supply of medium lift for the PAF. STX France is one of the qualified bidders in the frigate and MBDA System is offering assorted missile system for upcoming/current air and naval assets.

With dwindling customers, French are desperate to keep the operations going and save cost thus offering us the plane cash or loan. Airbus is also working to promote the Phil as hub for aircraft parts in Asia. They must be thinking you must help us first so we can help you.

It all depends on us whether we accept it or not, is having old C130's cost effective in the long run? or we go for newer platform. Is their a requirement for a heavy transport?



Cossack25A1 said:


> Uncle Sam doesn't trust us that much with more advance weapons.



Its not about trust, why would you even be thinking about that. They offered 2 squadrons of f16's and you still say that they don't trust us?


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> Its not about trust, why would you even be thinking about that. They offered 2 squadrons of f16's and you still say that they don't trust us?



Then they could have offered us the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate instead of the Hamilton-class cutters and C models of the F-16 and/or F/A-18 because I feel that the F-16s they offer are the "A" models..


*http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&r...=dr1fa19-depun0cEXFm4jw&bvm=bv.76247554,d.dGc*



Viet said:


> you are US ally with mutual defence treaty or not?
> 
> well, I can understand the US was not amused as you closed their bases some years ago. but now, with the US pivot to Asia, the Yankees should support your military build-up. Or is there anything I miss in the picture?



Yes we are but I doubt that they will give us any advance weapons without anything in return.


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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> Then they could have offered us the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate instead of the Hamilton-class cutters and C models of the F-16 and/or F/A-18 because I feel that the F-16s they offer are the "A" models..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes we are but I doubt that they will give us any advance weapons without anything in return.



We request for the hamilton not the OHP's. the deal for the f16's is free of charge we just have to pay for the refurbishment and upgrade it to C/D's.


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## Zero_wing

Viet said:


> the bird still has many flaws. the german airforce has ordered 53 aircraft for $10b with delivery 2009. now airbus has promised to deliver the first one midle of 2015. France is keen to export the aircaft, because the country needs to secure the jobs at their factories.
> 
> you are US ally. why not ask uncle sam for some air transporters such as C-17, perhaps second hand?



It was not offered the US is pretty hard on military hardware why do you think we buying from other countries the American only gives us what they want to give us and what both sides agree to give and with congress blessings not unless US congress changes its position on thier alliance list it would hard for us to get anything from them Ya you can think the old Emperor of Iran for the US position on sales arms to its allies or even give them arms grants.

Besides a C17 is a good white elephant we can make use of but cant maintain anyway it would far be better for the Philippines to buy C27s and C295s in huge numbers.



Ayan81 said:


> We request for the hamilton not the OHP's. the deal for the f16's is free of charge we just have to pay for the refurbishment and upgrade it to C/D's.



Its been discuss to death here kababayans the OHPs and refurbishing old blocks of the F16s is expensives remember the F8 gave us a huge leap but in the end we simply did not have the Facilities or the money to keep them in operation care for a repeat of that? We have to build slowly and surely this time hey dont get me wrong if its up to me i buy a whole airforce to match the Imperial maoist threat right down to best trainers and equipment but simply we have to match our needs and our limitations in this case cash so as much as i want to buy F15s and F18s and the latest block 60s F16s we have no cash to maintain, operate this planes plus the training for the crew and the pilots. If we did this erlier sure it would be possible to have a few units but sadly our parents and our grandparents are stupid voters who elect stupid people in offfice with no dreams or vission for our country sad but true if only if we have leaders who actually love this country we would not be in this weak state lucky for us President Aquino does care a little to make things happen but the local maoist Sc#m just put their political dreams over the good of the country again sad but true but again we have to keep the fate and vote smart in the next election for people who give a flying F about the Philippines and continues the improvements of the current administration.

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## Ayan81

Zero_wing said:


> It was not offered the US is pretty hard on military hardware why do you think we buying from other countries the American only gives us what they want to give us and what both sides agree to give and with congress blessings not unless US congress changes its position on thier alliance list it would hard for us to get anything from them Ya you can think the old Emperor of Iran for the US position on sales arms to its allies or even give them arms grants.
> 
> Besides a C17 is a good white elephant we can make use of but cant maintain anyway it would far be better for the Philippines to buy C27s and C295s in huge numbers.
> 
> 
> 
> Its been discuss to death here kababayans the OHPs and refurbishing old blocks of the F16s is expensives remember the F8 gave us a huge leap but in the end we simply did not have the Facilities or the money to keep them in operation care for a repeat of that? We have to build slowly and surely this time hey dont get me wrong if its up to me i buy a whole airforce to match the Imperial maoist threat right down to best trainers and equipment but simply we have to match our needs and our limitations in this case cash so as much as i want to buy F15s and F18s and the latest block 60s F16s we have no cash to maintain, operate this planes plus the training for the crew and the pilots. If we did this erlier sure it would be possible to have a few units but sadly our parents and our grandparents are stupid voters who elect stupid people in offfice with no dreams or vission for our country sad but true if only if we have leaders who actually love this country we would not be in this weak state lucky for us President Aquino does care a little to make things happen but the local maoist Sc#m just put their political dreams over the good of the country again sad but true but again we have to keep the fate and vote smart in the next election for people who give a flying F about the Philippines and continues the improvements of the current administration.



Im not implying we get f16's. Im just replying to the post earlier.

Newer planes will serve us better than those refurbished ones. It will be more cost effective to maintain and will last 15 years+


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## Cossack25A1

I would place more emphasis on looking elsewhere for weapons than to rely heavily on Uncle Sam alone.

I would prefer either the Rafale or JAS 39 than the F-16.

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## Ayan81

*MV Karagatan, The Ship of the Chinese Communist*
The history reveals how the Communist Government of China supported the NPA rebels of this country. The Chinese provided them weapons to be used in their revolt against the government.

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## Zero_wing

Ayan81 said:


> Im not implying we get f16's. Im just replying to the post earlier.
> 
> Newer planes will serve us better than those refurbished ones. It will be more cost effective to maintain and will last 15 years+



Yes New planes are better am just saying the PAF does not want other F8 experince with F16 we simply cant affored that right now so its just upgrades for now hey like every real filipino i wanna see the AFP on per of all the militaries of the world simply reality is that our past leadership were stupid and we have maoist triators in congress and society at large that is adding to our problems next to corrupt officials and the stupid voters we simple need to vote smart and do what we can to stop this selfish people in our country and support our nation through it.


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## Ayan81

Philippine army latest inventory 12 units of KM503 tractor truck + trailer for transporting heavy equipment's like armoured personnel carrier,M113,AIFV and incoming assets M113A2,155mm artillery

















cr: AFP will RISE Facebook

Philippine Navy Seals emerge from the water as part of their training at the Philippine Navy headquarters in Sangley Point, Cavite city, south of Manila September 26, 2014.


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## Cossack25A1

A slightly different news
-----

* Rare Carnelian bead, Chinese artifacts found in Aklan *
 (philstar.com) | Updated September 16, 2014 - 8:00pm

KALIBO, Philippines (*Xinhua*) - A rare Carnelian bead and Chinese artifacts, possibly dating back to the Ming Dynasty, were found by local archaeologists in Aklan.

Archaeologists from the National Museum of the Philippines said today that they have also discovered decorated earthenware, glass beads and human teeth in two caves located in Tigayon village in this town.

The National Museum excavated the caves of Tigayon Hill for four days after getting information that it is a treasure trove of cultural and archaeological artifacts.

Giovanni Bautista, a researcher at the National Museum, said the Carnelian bead is a semi-precious gem stone that is used as jewelry in some parts of the world.

The rare bead is trapezoid-shaped and is said to date back to the 16th century.

"What puzzles us is why a Cornelian bead was found at the caves here. The Chinese traders may have brought it here. Since we have seen only one piece, we believe there are more of these gems in the caves," said Bautista, adding that it was their "most important and interesting find."

He said he would recommend to the National Museum to conduct more diggings in other caves in Tigayon Hill.

Archaeologists noted that the first cave where they conducted excavation was a burial site while the second one appeared to have served as a place for making ceramics. 

-----
Rare Carnelian bead, Chinese artifacts found in Aklan | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

* Rare bead artifact found in Aklan *
by Jun Aguirre, September 16, 2014

KALIBO, Aklan—A rare type of bead has been found during the four-day archaeological digging inside two caves in Kalibo, Aklan.

National Museum Researcher Giovanni Bautista said the team found a piece of Carnelian bead, which is a semi-precious gem stone that is used as jewelry in India, Brazil, Siberia and Germany.

“What puzzles us is why a Carnelian bead has been found at the caves,” said Bautista, who led the three-man research team of the National Museum.

“The Chinese traders may have brought it here. Since we had only seen one piece, we believe they are still more of them that have to be unearthed,” added Bautista.

The National Museum team also found 15 kilos of teeth, earthen wares and other Chinese artifacts believed to trace back during the Ming Dynasty.

Bautista noted that the two caves of Tigayon Hill, which is the highest peak in Aklan, have different characteristics.

“The first cave may have been a burial site,” said Bautista as it is where the 15 kilos of human teeth were found.

“The second cave was where most artifacts were found including the ceramics,” he said.

With little time to explore the other caves, Bautista reiterated he will suggest to the National Museum to conduct more diggings at Tigayon Hill.

It was the local government of Kalibo that requested the National Museum to conduct archaeological excavation to provide more information that will boost its historical and cultural tourism.

-----
Rare bead artifact found in Aklan | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines


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## Cossack25A1

I wonder if the Phase 2 of the Army modernization will have this type of M113s since the 105mm tank destroyer M113 would have been likely be develop from scratch.






Maybe Israel can modify M113s armed with something like this but uses Spike ATGMs and a .50 caliber machine gun for protection.


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## Dante

cossack25A1 said:


> I would place more emphasis on looking elsewhere for weapons than to rely heavily on Uncle Sam alone.
> 
> I would prefer either the Rafale or JAS 39 than the F-16.


I think it's not a bad thing relying on the US, I'm sure US is more than willing helping the Philippines with fighter and other military hardwares

I think the major obstacle for both nation are that the US is no longer able to spend more money to its allies and friend, and the Philippines govt are not yet ready to fully commit building its military, in which is reflected on its defense budget

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## Zero_wing

Viet said:


> you are US ally with mutual defence treaty or not?
> 
> well, I can understand the US was not amused as you closed their bases some years ago. but now, with the US pivot to Asia, the Yankees should support your military build-up. Or is there anything I miss in the picture?



Well one the US congress is and always the deciding factor of foreign sales the US makes so in their end what congress does not want to sell or like to is up to the US congress second the DND is looking at other countries namely South Korea, France, Italy, Germany and Israel and others sources due to our budget limitations so its not like we dont want US military Items we have to fit them over our limited budget.



Dante said:


> I think it's not a bad thing relying on the US, I'm sure US is more than willing helping the Philippines with fighter and other military hardwares
> 
> I think the major obstacle for both nation are that the US is no longer able to spend more money to its allies and friend, and the Philippines govt are not yet ready to fully commit building its military, in which is reflected on its defense budget



No we are its just we have a budget and its limited second the US items on offer is good but we simply dont want a repeat of the F8 3rd we are looking more other sources like South Korea, EU (mostly Poland, France, Germany and Italy and some in iteams form the UK) and Israel possibily Sweden and Russia to fit our budget and for strategic proposes as well.


----------



## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Well one the US congress is and always the deciding factor of foreign sales the US makes so in their end what congress does not want to sell or like to is up to the US congress second the DND is looking at other countries namely South Korea, France, Italy, Germany and Israel and others sources due to our budget limitations so its not like we dont want US military Items we have to fit them over our limited budget.
> 
> 
> 
> No we are its just we have a budget and its limited second the US items on offer is good but we simply dont want a repeat of the F8 3rd we are looking more other sources like South Korea, EU (mostly Poland, France, Germany and Italy and some in iteams form the UK) and Israel possibily Sweden and Russia to fit our budget and for strategic proposes as well.



What was the issue about the F-8 Crusader as the only news I know about it is that it got hammered by Mt. Pinatubo when it erupted. I mean, Uncle Sam gave us this instead of F-4 or F-15 and we could have bought "spare parts" from other decommissioned F-8s unless US already sold them as scrap the moment we acquired the jets.


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## Viet

Cossack25A1 said:


> Then they could have offered us the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate instead of the Hamilton-class cutters and C models of the F-16 and/or F/A-18 because I feel that the F-16s they offer are the "A" models..
> 
> Yes we are but I doubt that they will give us any advance weapons without anything in return.


I don´t get it. Indonesia gets many modern toys from America and Germany lately, from aircraft, to heli to tanks.
you should be able to afford such things as well. on paper, your GDP is bigger than ours. where is the money?


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## Cossack25A1

Viet said:


> I don´t get it. Indonesia gets many modern toys from America and Germany lately, from aircraft, to heli to tanks.
> you should be able to afford such things as well. on paper, your GDP is bigger than ours. where is the money?



In the pockets of corrupt politicians, lawyers, police chiefs and generals.


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## Dante

Hi zero_wing
Thanks for the reply

But I honestly do hope that the Philippines can increase their defense budget more,
with the increasing cost of military tech and, the mounting burden of pension and retirement cost, I'm afraid the Philippines simply cannot keep up with the rest of the world militarily

I understand lesson are learned on F-8 deals, but I believe PAF official during that time know enough that the fighter should be replace by other fighter after 10 years in service
So I believe the problem were too aggravated by lack of planning on the Philippines part

And I completely agree with you on the idea of
outsourcing military hardware from other nations, but again military build up will never survive without long term commitment, politically and financially

And I wish the best for the Philippines, because I think a strong Philippine and strong ASEAN members is a stable ASEAN



Zero_wing said:


> No we are its just we have a budget and its limited second the US items on offer is good but we simply dont want a repeat of the F8 3rd we are looking more other sources like South Korea, EU (mostly Poland, France, Germany and Italy and some in iteams form the UK) and Israel possibily Sweden and Russia to fit our budget and for strategic proposes as well.





If my brain serve me right, the F-8 Crusader were grounded after just 5 years in service from its 10 years service life, because lack of spare.....and then the pinatubo disaster happens and destroy all the grounded fighter



Cossack25A1 said:


> What was the issue about the F-8 Crusader as the only news I know about it is that it got hammered by Mt. Pinatubo when it erupted.

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## Zero_wing

Dante said:


> Hi zero_wing
> Thanks for the reply
> 
> But I honestly do hope that the Philippines can increase their defense budget more,
> with the increasing cost of military tech and, the mounting burden of pension and retirement cost, I'm afraid the Philippines simply cannot keep up with the rest of the world militarily
> 
> I understand lesson are learned on F-8 deals, but I believe PAF official during that time know enough that the fighter should be replace by other fighter after 10 years in service
> So I believe the problem were too aggravated by lack of planning on the Philippines part
> 
> And I completely agree with you on the idea of
> outsourcing military hardware from other nations, but again military build up will never survive without long term commitment, politically and financially
> 
> And I wish the best for the Philippines, because I think a strong Philippine and strong ASEAN members is a stable ASEAN
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If my brain serve me right, the F-8 Crusader were grounded after just 5 years in service from its 10 years service life, because lack of spare.....and then the pinatubo disaster happens and destroy all the grounded fighter



Yes because of lack of funds and spares to begain with mother nature just put other nail on the coffen dont get me wrong the F8 a good fighter in fact the best the Philippines ever had and frankly will never have again but not good for the budget of the Philippines in my opnion of the current administration efforts they are trying to prevent that and building support for the items we are going to buy and maintain. So its a slow but a right way of doing things we cant have a strong military over night it needs to be build bit by bit i only wish we had leaders who gives a flying f about sooner. But better late than never.



Cossack25A1 said:


> In the pockets of corrupt politicians, lawyers, police chiefs and generals.



Not Just that its also allocation of funds and political will on the part of the government to do so.



Viet said:


> I don´t get it. Indonesia gets many modern toys from America and Germany lately, from aircraft, to heli to tanks.
> you should be able to afford such things as well. on paper, your GDP is bigger than ours. where is the money?



True but you have policy base on military streaghting along with nation building we have policy of building the Nation building and lastly the on the barrel is the military and the police so you put that with a limited budget for maintaince, operations and modernizations discounting corruption its a bad mix and the lack of political will does not help things even if you have money its still up to political will and the policies of that country to make things happen but good news we are slowly making things and moving at the right way of thinking its slow but i take it over nothing.


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## Dante

Viet said:


> I don´t get it. Indonesia gets many modern toys from America and Germany lately, from aircraft, to heli to tanks.
> you should be able to afford such things as well. on paper, your GDP is bigger than ours. where is the money?


The problem in the Philippines is that their defense budget at 2.8B usd are only enough mostly for operational and retirement-pension cost

Indonesia on the other hand had much larger defense budget at average 8B usd yearly and 15B usd military modernization fund on top of that for a period of five year


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## baukiki88

Cossack25A1 said:


> Uncle Sam doesn't trust us that much with more advance weapons.


In my opinion, I think it is possible that the US did not give Philippines F-16 or F-18 is because they want philippines to be always dependent on US and hence, a long term presence of military base in philippine



Dante said:


> The problem in the Philippines is that their defense budget at 2.8B usd are only enough mostly for operational and retirement-pension cost
> 
> Indonesia on the other hand had much larger defense budget at average 8B usd yearly and 15B usd military modernization fund on top of that for a period of five year


Dante, 8B + 15 B = 24B. but the military equipments procurement from 2009-2014 ( Jet fighters, Sub, munitions, choppers, navys, etc ) cost 10B the Most. Where did the rest of the money go??


----------



## Zero_wing

baukiki88 said:


> In my opinion, I think it is possible that the US did not give Philippines F-16 or F-18 is because they want philippines to be always dependent on US and hence, a long term presence of military base in philippine
> 
> 
> Dante, 8B + 15 B = 24B. but the military equipments procurement from 2009-2014 ( Jet fighters, Sub, munitions, choppers, navys, etc ) cost 10B the Most. Where did the rest of the money go??



That would be fine since we have other places to buy arms but sadly its a 3rd priority of the country again slow but better than nothing and about comparing the Philippines to Indonesia is not a good first the Philippines did not have a good Self reliance program but Inodnesia manage to build and continue to maintain one while the Philippines let all down thanks to the Anti Marcos idiots and the maoist in congress the so called makabayan bloc in fact after the 90s majority of the support structures and programs were all scrap simply because it was started by marcos they did not see the value of keeping them running or continuing it to support it even though there are laws that tells that the Philippine Government must support filipino products and any form of self relience programs in general but it was deeply politicize but this groups.


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## Cossack25A1

baukiki88 said:


> In my opinion, I think it is possible that the US did not give Philippines F-16 or F-18 is because they want philippines to be always dependent on US and hence, a long term presence of military base in philippine
> 
> 
> Dante, 8B + 15 B = 24B. but the military equipments procurement from 2009-2014 ( Jet fighters, Sub, munitions, choppers, navys, etc ) cost 10B the Most. Where did the rest of the money go??



In the end, we ended up with F-5s and F-8s with the F-8 being decommissioned first due to Mt. Pinatubo and the F-5s were decommissioned way back in 2005, leaving us with no jet fighters for 9 years.


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## Dante

baukiki88 said:


> Dante, 8B + 15 B = 24B. but the military equipments procurement from 2009-2014 ( Jet fighters, Sub, munitions, choppers, navys, etc ) cost 10B the Most. Where did the rest of the money go??



I think you got it wrong

The 8B is annual defense budget, which basically gone for operational cost, maintenance, military operation and exercise, education and training, administrative, pension fund, some research etc.....the annual defense budget might be used for procuring some basic military equipment, but in very small number

And the big ticket item like subs, fighter jet, mbt were bought using the 15B military modernization fund, which the govt have to spend those money in 5 years or about 3B annually in average

As you kind of notice, that the govt have spended some 10B of the 15B modernization budget
The rest of the money had been used for revitalizing Indonesian strategic industries, direct and indirect to military industries

like PT PAL, in which they get a substantial funds for modernizing their equipment, building several new shipyards facilities including a new shipyard for building submarine, and some of the money are for restructuring their management and work force. The same situation happen to the numerous Indonesia strategic industries

A portion of it also gone for extensive R & D budget, like for medium tank, the KFX/IFX, artillery rocket, UAV, cruise missile etc
And some for license production of several military equipment and hardware

The aim is not only for modernizing Indonesian armed forces military hardware, but also for strengthening self-reliant defense posture program

I'm sorry for this off topic discussion

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## DarkElf

baukiki88 said:


> In my opinion, I think it is possible that the US did not give Philippines F-16 or F-18 is because they want philippines to be always dependent on US and hence, a long term presence of military base in philippine



Too far fetched, there's no guarantee that philippine will only buy US made jet only. Beside as last resort, as long as they have the money, good chance Russia willing to sell to them.


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## Zero_wing

DarkElf said:


> Too far fetched, there's no guarantee that philippine will only buy US made jet only. Beside as last resort, as long as they have the money, good chance Russia willing to sell to them.



Yes Russia did in fact they did offer many times even so far as to even want to joint develop arms here but even though the Russians are willing but the problem will be in our end not just the lack of will but we have to change everything overnight not an option for us though as i said we are finding other sources for arms not just the US the days of us have the best US equipment is over we are on our own on this issue.


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## Cossack25A1

Tell me something new! Old news but true.
-----
Philippines Named as One of the Most Racist Countries in the World - When In Manila
-----
*Philippines Named as One of the Most Racist Countries in the World*
By WhenInManila Contributor on April 12, 2014

Recent data from the World Value Survey shows that the Philippines is one of the most racist countries in the world.

This survey basically asked people what kinds of people they wouldn’t want to live near and then counted the amount of people who chose ‘people of a different race’ for each country. Apparently, societies, in which people wouldn’t want to live near other races are considered to be more racially intolerant.





*Philippines Named as One of the Most Racist Countries in the World*


The global social attitudes study claims that the most racially intolerant populations are all in the developing world, with Jordan and India in the top five.

While the country with the most racially intolerant people is Jordan, with 51.4% not wanting to live near another race, India is close behind with 43.5%. The Philippines lies in the 20 to 29.9% bracket along with other countries like Thailand, France, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Hong Kong; only below counties such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea in the 30-39.% bracket.

The most racially tolerant countries are mostly Western countries, such as Britain, Canada, Australia and the U.S. In fact, only 3.8% of U.S. residents are reluctant to live near another race.


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## Aepsilons

Any updates on those T-50s and the Pohang Class Corvette?


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Any updates on those T-50s and the Pohang Class Corvette?



First delivery of the KAI T-50 would be around September-October 2015 after 18 months of signing the contract which was made way back on March 28, 2014.

As for the Pohang-class ship, no news about it.

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## Cossack25A1

Axe the 60/40 economic restriction...
-----
* US giant offers solution to power crisis *
 By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 3, 2014 - 12:00am






*MANILA, Philippines - AES Philippines Inc., the local unit of American energy giant AES Corp. is offering its battery energy storage (BES) technology as a possible long-term solution to the power problem in the country.*

AES market business leader Neeraj Bhat said the company has also been offering the energy storage technology in other countries.

“This project started prior to the emergency power issue. The BES is potentially part of the solution because it will free up capacity for energy generation. If we can get it in time for summer then we will contribute to the solution,” he said in a briefing with reporters yesterday.

Furthermore, AES said the battery storage can help in improving the country’s ancillary services requirements with its safe technology.

*It can be constructed within nine to 12 months and can be dispatched in less than one second, according to data from the company.*

In the same briefing, AES vice president for commercial Chrysogonus Herrera said the battery storage project is a new technology using rechargeable cells, which will be used for ancillary services.

“We are looking at installing a 40-megawatt BES project in Negros and NGCP (National Grid Corp. of the Philippines) has directed us that there because that is where they have a ready installation. We can immediately connect to that,” he said.

NGCP is the country’s power grid operator.

*Herrera said AES plans to put up a 10-MW BES within the Masinloc power plant in Zambales, initially as pilot and then scale this up eventually.*

AES officials believe that in the Philippine island grids, there’s a lot of capacity for energy storage.

Bhat said while construction of the energy storage installations has not started yet, the company is already in talks with potential customers including NGCP.

In June, AES president and chief executive officer Andres Gluski said the company is pouring in $2 billion in the Philippines for the expansion of its 630-MW Masinloc coal-fired power plant and for its energy storage project.

Of the $2 billion, AES will invest $1.2 billion for the expansion of Masinloc by another 600 MW.

For the energy storage project, Gluski has said the company may invest $300 million or $500 million, depending on the capacity.

According to documents from the Department of Energy, AES Philippines is planning to embark on a 40-MW battery storage project in Negros.

The project is among the list of indicative power projects for the Visayas grid, which could come online next year.

-----

US giant offers solution to power crisis | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


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## Zero_wing

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Any updates on those T-50s and the Pohang Class Corvette?



Sir its FA50 not T50 thats a Trianer version


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## Ayan81

*10 of 21 refurbished ‘Huey’ helicopters now in PH





*
Ten out of the 21 refurbished UH-IH “Huey” helicopters are now at Clark Air Force Base in Angeles City, Pampanga, a military observer said Saturday.

The aircraft are now undergoing inspection and flight testing.

The remaining 11 are expected to be delivered within the end of the year, the observer added.

These planes were acquired as the Philippine Air Force’s “Huey” fleet was whittled down to just 18 helicopters, from an estimated 100, due to airframe aging and accidents.

The contract for the 21 refurbished UH-1Hs is estimated to be worth around P1.2 billion.

It was signed earlier this year with Rice Aircraft Services Inc. and the Canadian company 

10 of 21 refurbished 'Huey' helicopters now in PH - The Manila Times OnlineThe Manila Times Online

_____________________________________________________________
*Navy SEALs trainee dies in night training*
by Chiara Zambrano, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 10/03/2014 8:31 PM | Updated as of 10/03/2014 9:59 PM

MANILA (UPDATED) - After a 2-day search, the lifeless body of Navy officer Ensign Jan Clet Edward Labalan was found floating in Manila Bay, 3 nautical miles from the Philippine Navy SEALs headquarters at Sangley Point, Cavite.

Labalan, a graduate of the Philippine Military Class of 2013, applied for the Navy SEALs in June. He endured intensely rigorous and difficult training under one of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' most elite units.

The Navy SEALs (short for sea, air, and land) are sometimes called "the complete soldiers." They are trained in covert military insertions on all fronts and terrains.

They are capable of conducting search and destroy operations, reconnaissance missions, and enemy demolition, even underwater demolitions.

Initial information reveals that at around 7 p.m. on September 30, Labalan and 32 other trainees underwent a "night reconnaissance evolution," a training exercise in the dark that requires them to swim covertly from a ship to the shore.

Navy SEALs are known for swimming long distances for long periods of time.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, the Navy spokesperson, said the trainees were already swimming when Labalan's training buddy heard him shout, "Lambat! lambat! (there's a net, there's net)," as a warning to him and other swimmers.

Labalan's training buddy himself got snagged in the fishing net, and lost one fin. He also lost sight of Labalan.

This prompted Labalan's training buddy to signal to surrounding trainors that something was wrong.

The training exercise was suspended, all trainors and swimmers began searching for Labalan, but he was no longer there.

A full search and rescue operation was immediately launched and continued throughout the night, involving the 7 rubber boats of the trainors, 2 rigid hull inflatable boats, and 2 more patrol boats.

The following morning, the search was reinforced by a multipurpose attack craft and a helicopter. Labalan's classmates joined in on the search that extended to the waters of Naic, Tanza, Bataan, and Corregidor.

The family was notified and taken 1 mile offshore, where the night recon training took place.

The family and Navy officers offered prayers in order to find Labalan.

At around 3 p.m. Friday, October 3, Labalan's body was found at the Manila Bay anchorage area, three nautical miles from his training grounds.

Scene of the crime operatives are now on site to investigate the cause of Labalan's death.

Rear Admiral Jesus Millan, the Navy flag officer in command, has ordered an inquiry into the incident, and is committed to hold accountable any personnel should it be proven that there was negligence involved.

Labalan's remains are now with his family, and will be given full military honors as a junior officer who died in the conduct of his duties.

Navy SEALs trainee dies in night training | ABS-CBN News
Taps

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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> *10 of 21 refurbished ‘Huey’ helicopters now in PH
> 
> View attachment 109626
> 
> *
> Ten out of the 21 refurbished UH-IH “Huey” helicopters are now at Clark Air Force Base in Angeles City, Pampanga, a military observer said Saturday.
> 
> The aircraft are now undergoing inspection and flight testing.
> 
> The remaining 11 are expected to be delivered within the end of the year, the observer added.
> 
> These planes were acquired as the Philippine Air Force’s “Huey” fleet was whittled down to just 18 helicopters, from an estimated 100, due to airframe aging and accidents.
> 
> The contract for the 21 refurbished UH-1Hs is estimated to be worth around P1.2 billion.
> 
> It was signed earlier this year with Rice Aircraft Services Inc. and the Canadian company
> 
> 10 of 21 refurbished 'Huey' helicopters now in PH - The Manila Times OnlineThe Manila Times Online
> 
> _____________________________________________________________
> *Navy SEALs trainee dies in night training*
> by Chiara Zambrano, ABS-CBN News
> Posted at 10/03/2014 8:31 PM | Updated as of 10/03/2014 9:59 PM
> 
> MANILA (UPDATED) - After a 2-day search, the lifeless body of Navy officer Ensign Jan Clet Edward Labalan was found floating in Manila Bay, 3 nautical miles from the Philippine Navy SEALs headquarters at Sangley Point, Cavite.
> 
> Labalan, a graduate of the Philippine Military Class of 2013, applied for the Navy SEALs in June. He endured intensely rigorous and difficult training under one of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' most elite units.
> 
> The Navy SEALs (short for sea, air, and land) are sometimes called "the complete soldiers." They are trained in covert military insertions on all fronts and terrains.
> 
> They are capable of conducting search and destroy operations, reconnaissance missions, and enemy demolition, even underwater demolitions.
> 
> Initial information reveals that at around 7 p.m. on September 30, Labalan and 32 other trainees underwent a "night reconnaissance evolution," a training exercise in the dark that requires them to swim covertly from a ship to the shore.
> 
> Navy SEALs are known for swimming long distances for long periods of time.
> 
> Col. Edgard Arevalo, the Navy spokesperson, said the trainees were already swimming when Labalan's training buddy heard him shout, "Lambat! lambat! (there's a net, there's net)," as a warning to him and other swimmers.
> 
> Labalan's training buddy himself got snagged in the fishing net, and lost one fin. He also lost sight of Labalan.
> 
> This prompted Labalan's training buddy to signal to surrounding trainors that something was wrong.
> 
> The training exercise was suspended, all trainors and swimmers began searching for Labalan, but he was no longer there.
> 
> A full search and rescue operation was immediately launched and continued throughout the night, involving the 7 rubber boats of the trainors, 2 rigid hull inflatable boats, and 2 more patrol boats.
> 
> The following morning, the search was reinforced by a multipurpose attack craft and a helicopter. Labalan's classmates joined in on the search that extended to the waters of Naic, Tanza, Bataan, and Corregidor.
> 
> The family was notified and taken 1 mile offshore, where the night recon training took place.
> 
> The family and Navy officers offered prayers in order to find Labalan.
> 
> At around 3 p.m. Friday, October 3, Labalan's body was found at the Manila Bay anchorage area, three nautical miles from his training grounds.
> 
> Scene of the crime operatives are now on site to investigate the cause of Labalan's death.
> 
> Rear Admiral Jesus Millan, the Navy flag officer in command, has ordered an inquiry into the incident, and is committed to hold accountable any personnel should it be proven that there was negligence involved.
> 
> Labalan's remains are now with his family, and will be given full military honors as a junior officer who died in the conduct of his duties.
> 
> Navy SEALs trainee dies in night training | ABS-CBN News
> Taps




1. Good to see the developments in the Philippine Military

2. Rest In Peace to the NAVY Seal.


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## Ayan81

it was a long wait due to failed bidding, but whats important is they're here now. @Nihonjin1051 

this is just a "band aide" solution to lack of assets and this birds will not last long, given its only 20, is there a need for us to acquire additional batch? @Zero_wing @Cossack25A1

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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> it was a long wait due to failed bidding, but whats important is they're here now. @Nihonjin1051
> 
> this is just a "band aide" solution to lack of assets and this birds will not last long, given its only 20, is there a need for us to acquire additional batch? @Zero_wing @Cossack25A1



I would choose a different model of helicopter, such as the UH-60. We did operate a very small number of the said helicopters, another prospect helicopters are the NH Industries NH90 and AgustaWestland AW139 which are cheaper than the UH-60


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## Nike

Bell 412EP i would like to recommend

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## Zero_wing

Ayan81 said:


> it was a long wait due to failed bidding, but whats important is they're here now. @Nihonjin1051
> 
> this is just a "band aide" solution to lack of assets and this birds will not last long, given its only 20, is there a need for us to acquire additional batch? @Zero_wing @Cossack25A1



Well kabayan its not a band aid solution its slow but surely and the lack of political will and budget we have other priorities.



Cossack25A1 said:


> I would choose a different model of helicopter, such as the UH-60. We did operate a very small number of the said helicopters, another prospect helicopters are the NH Industries NH90 and AgustaWestland AW139 which are cheaper than the UH-60



Me too since PAF is using A109 why not the AW139 we can be a hub for AgustaWestland in Asia.


----------



## Ayan81

If I were to choose our next CUH, it must have large cabin (14 passengers +) and has long range (500 km +) and with a decent payload. With money into consideration, only 3 comes to my mind the S_70i, UH_60L and the AW_139. This birds cost around 20 million full package.



Zero_wing said:


> Well kabayan its not a band aid solution its slow but surely and the lack of political will and budget we have other priorities.



at 300 billion gdp, if we increase our defense expenditure by 1.5% thats 4.5 billion a year. leave the 3.5 bill for salaries, pensions, expenses and upgrading in facilities, etc. and we have a 1 billion for buying assets per year. a president implementing this kind of change have a 6 year leeway. set aside 100 mill per year for the CUH and will have 30 fleet by the end if his term. what you think?



madokafc said:


> Bell 412EP i would like to recommend



No doubt Bell 412 suits the terrain in this part of the globe because of its versatility and performance in extreme environments. we also acquire this bird and waiting for the delivery, but my concern is the size. btw how much did you pay for your bell 412s?


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## Nike

Ayan81 said:


> If I were to choose our next CUH, it must have large cabin (14 passengers +) and has long range (500 km +) and with a decent payload. With money into consideration, only 3 comes to my mind the S_70i, UH_60L and the AW_139. This birds cost around 20 million full package.
> 
> 
> 
> at 300 billion gdp, if we increase our defense expenditure by 1.5% thats 4.5 billion a year. leave the 3.5 bill for salaries, pensions, expenses and upgrading in facilities, etc. and we have a 1 billion for buying assets per year. a president implementing this kind of change have a 6 year leeway. set aside 100 mill per year for the CUH and will have 30 fleet by the end if his term. what you think?
> 
> 
> 
> No doubt Bell 412 suits the terrain in this part of the globe because of its versatility and performance in extreme environments. we also acquire this bird and waiting for the delivery, but my concern is the size. btw hoe much did you pay for your bell 412s?



between 10 to 15 million US dollar depend on the suit and sensor system

if you taking much concern with the size you opt for Mi-17 family, they are great and ready in great number around the globe

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## Ayan81

madokafc said:


> between 10 to 15 million US dollar depend on the suit and sensor system
> 
> if you taking much concern with the size you opt for Mi-17 family, they are great and ready in great number around the globe



good heli but you already know the reason why, maybe in the future perhaps.


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## Zero_wing

madokafc said:


> between 10 to 15 million US dollar depend on the suit and sensor system
> 
> if you taking much concern with the size you opt for Mi-17 family, they are great and ready in great number around the globe



Again not plan for the Philippines due its Russian


----------



## Zero_wing

Ayan81 said:


> If I were to choose our next CUH, it must have large cabin (14 passengers +) and has long range (500 km +) and with a decent payload. With money into consideration, only 3 comes to my mind the S_70i, UH_60L and the AW_139. This birds cost around 20 million full package.
> 
> 
> 
> at 300 billion gdp, if we increase our defense expenditure by 1.5% thats 4.5 billion a year. leave the 3.5 bill for salaries, pensions, expenses and upgrading in facilities, etc. and we have a 1 billion for buying assets per year. a president implementing this kind of change have a 6 year leeway. set aside 100 mill per year for the CUH and will have 30 fleet by the end if his term. what you think?
> 
> 
> 
> No doubt Bell 412 suits the terrain in this part of the globe because of its versatility and performance in extreme environments. we also acquire this bird and waiting for the delivery, but my concern is the size. btw how much did you pay for your bell 412s?



It can be done but then again the problem is maoist in congress and the corrupt officials both in the Military and the Government.

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## Cossack25A1

I have always wonder if the AFP has its own MRE.... do our armed forces have MRE?

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Any updates on those T-50s and the Pohang Class Corvette?



The only "recent" update about the Pohanc-class corvette is that the ex-ROKN _PCC-758 Gyeongju _is the ship that will be donated by South Korea as earlier news didn't state which of the Pohang-class corvettes would be donated.

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## nametag

Zero_wing said:


> Again not plan for the Philippines due its Russian


IMHO you should not limit yourself to western product, remember that the US Government are buying MI-17 from the Russian for the Afghan armed forces


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## Zero_wing

nametag said:


> IMHO you should not limit yourself to western product, remember that the US Government are buying MI-17 from the Russian for the Afghan armed forces



Thats different since the Afgans have been using Warsaw pact equipment ever since while the Philippines have been using western euipment since the days of the Commonwealth Army Air corp we can use equipment from former Warsaw pact countries if they been made to Nato standard so again no luck not unless an agreement has been reach to make them semi Nato or to Nato standard by replacing their previsious equipment or support structure and support from those countries would be set up in the Philippines to support the products and that would take time. 

Hey dont get me wrong i would love to a mix of non west warsaw pact but it would be a nightmare for the AFP would support etc


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## Reashot Xigwin

Cossack25A1 said:


> I have always wonder if the AFP has its own MRE.... do our armed forces have MRE?



Don't know, but in Zamboanga the Pinoy army resort to begging & other unsavory stuff to get their meal.





The worst part is in the middle of the city.

https://ph.news.yahoo.com/soldiers-in-zamboanga-beg-for-food--water-082830784.html?clear=cache

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## Cossack25A1

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Don't know, but in Zamboanga the Pinoy army resort to begging & other unsavory stuff to get their meal.
> View attachment 116593
> 
> The worst part is in the middle of the city.
> 
> Soldiers in Zamboanga beg for food, water - Yahoo News Philippines



It is quite sad that they fight to secure a city yet have to resort to "begging" for food, as if we are living in the Medieval period. This just shows how corrupt the Philippine government is and how "politicized" the top brass are.


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## Pinoy

*Ten Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters now at Clark Air Base*
*October 7,2014*


Ten out of twenty-one ordered refurbished Bell UH-1 Iroquois or Huey helicopters are now at Clark Air Base in Pampanga. Philippine News Agency reported that these aircraft are now undergoing flight testing and inspection.

Before the end of July this year first four units were delivered. US based Rice Aircraft Services and Canadian Eagle Copters was contracted by Philippine government to provide 21 units of Huey helis through negotiated procurement after several unsuccessful bidding. The contract price is PhP1.25 billion.

These helicopters will act as Philippine Air Force’s utility helicopters. Roles these helicopters can assume include ground attack, air assault, cargo, MEDEVAC, command and control, and troop transport.

Department of National Defense expects these helicopters to be heavily used on transport of troops, search and rescue, and delivery of goods during relief operations.

Remaining units are expected to be delivered before the year ends.

Ten Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters now at Clark Air Base 


*AFP respects Aquino’s order to maintain status quo in West PHL Sea*
October 7,2014






*“We know that this has a higher purpose and we respect whatever decision we have to make in order to ensure that we can peacefully settle this territorial dispute,”* Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs head Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said commenting on the deferred rehabilitation of military facilities in Pagasa Island.

*“We are known as resilient people. Our soldiers can continue performing their mandate with the current equipment and facilities that they have,” *Lt. Col. Cabunoc states.

Cabunoc said re-supply operations and the logistics run including the transport of troops is not impeded.

AFP will use “naval assets to carry out this logistics run. There are also instances wherein the Naval Air Group is tasked to drop supplies when necessary.”

Without a rehabilitated airstrip, bigger aircraft will not be able to access Pagasa Island for resupply and deployment missions.

President Aquino ordered to maintain the status quo in West Philippine Sea sometime in the middle of 2014.

AFP respects Aquino’s order to maintain status quo in West PHL Sea


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## Cossack25A1

*Yet again....*
-----
* NAIA still among world’s worst *
(The Philippine Star) | Updated October 8, 2014 - 12:00am
An ANC report said the ranking was made by US website The Cheat Sheet, which held that the airport – designed for six million passengers – is unsurprisingly unable to accommodate more than 32 million people who use its facilities every year.

“This Manila-based airport struggles with the 32 million passengers who use its facility each year. That shouldn’t come as a shock, though, considering it only has the capacity for six million passengers, according to CNBC,” it said.

Travelers have complained of discourteous airport staff despite the Filipinos’ being known for their hospitality.

But The Cheat Sheet said ongoing upgrades and renovations at the NAIA provide the “good news.”

*NAIA earned the notoriety of being one of the worst airports in the world in 2013 based on a survey by travel website Sleeping In Airports. The website asked travelers to rank airports based on comfort, conveniences, cleanliness and customer service.*

The government earlier said it hopes to complete the NAIA upgrade in April next year and appealed to the public for understanding while renovation is in progress.

The Cheat Sheet’s list also includes Charles De Gaulle in Paris, Los Angeles International Airport, Italy’s Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport, New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Zurich International in Switzerland, Chad’s N’Djamena International Airport, Russia’s Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Arkansas, and India’s Calcutta Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.

-----
NAIA still among world’s worst | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

*For the lighter side of the news concerning the said airport....*

-----
-----

*PNoy welcomes world's largest passenger plane at NAIA*
By Louis Bacani (philstar.com) | Updated October 8, 2014 - 9:14am

MANILA, Philippines - The world's largest passenger aircraft landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Tuesday night and was welcomed by President Benigno Aquino III.

Footage from Radio and TV Malacañang (RTVM) showed Aquino inside the NAIA Terminal 3 as the Emirates Airbus A380 arrived from Dubai past 10 p.m.

The President later talked to officials of Emirates Airline.

In an earlier post on its official Facebook page, Emirates said it took its flagship Airbus A380 aircraft to Manila to celebrate the airline's move to the international terminal.

Based on the RTVM footage, the Airbus A380 was given a water cannon salute while Aquino met the plane's Filipino pilot, Capt. Franklyn Desiderio,

According to television reports, Aquino also welcomed the passengers of world's largest plane and observed the operations of the Terminal 3.

The A380's landed at the NAIA after the country's main gateway was named by US website The Cheat Sheet as among the world's worst airport.

“This Manila-based airport struggles with the 32 million passengers who use its facility each year. That shouldn’t come as a shock, though, considering it only has the capacity for six million passengers, according to CNBC,” it said.

-----
PNoy welcomes world's largest passenger plane at NAIA | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


----------



## Pinoy

*PHILIPPINE, US MARINES SHARPEN AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS DURING PHIBLEX 2015*
By Sgt. Anthony Kirby, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
October 6,2014






*PALAWAN, Philippines -- *U.S. and Philippine Marines raided a small island Oct. 2 utilizing combat rubber raiding crafts during Amphibious Landing Exercise 15.

The Philippine Marines are with the 12th Marine Battalion and the U.S. Marines are with Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

For the U.S. Marines, the raid was part of their Certification Exercise, a semi-annual assessment to test the capabilities of the MEU’s ability to conduct a variety of missions. This iteration of CERTEX is unique because it is running concurrently with the objectives of PHIBLEX 15.

The assessment evaluates the 31st MEU’s planning, briefing, preparation and execution processes. After the evaluation, each phase is broken into categories of accomplished, partially accomplished or mission unsuccessful, so the MEU commander and Marine Expeditionary Force commanding general are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the team.

The day prior to the raid, Philippine and U.S. Marines integrated and trained side by side to prepare for the mission.

“It was great working with the Armed Forces of the Philippines; within the hour of us meeting, everyone had already linked up and immediately started running rehearsals for training,” said U.S. Marine Capt. Brian T. Spillane, commander of Company L, BLT 3/5.

The mission scenario, developed by Special Operations Training Group, required the BLT to raid a small island via combat rubber raiding crafts. Once there, they had to clear and secure several houses while taking simulated enemy fire from a combined group of AFP and U.S. Marines acting as an opposing force.

“I feel this is important training for all of us because we learn different tactics," said Philippine Marine Staff Sgt. Julius Tumpag, intelligence chief with 12th Marine Bn., AFP. “It’s meaningful, and in a way, it’s also fun.
The strong alliance between AFP and U.S. Marines has made the execution of the mission a successful one, according to Spillane. “They’re a gracious, welcoming host, and I think we synched up pretty well,” said Spillane. “It’s been a productive bilateral training exercise.”

PHIBLEX 15 is being conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines alongside U.S. Marine and Navy forces to strengthen interoperability across a range of military operations to include disaster relief and contingency operations.

Philippine, US Marines sharpen amphibious operations during PHIBLEX 2015 > The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website > News Display




*Philippines invites bids for ASW helicopters*
By: GREG WALDRON
SINGAPORE
Source: Flightglobal.com
a day ago






*The Philippines has issued a tender for two anti-submarine warfare helicopters, with bidding to commence on 21 October.*

In a bidding document posted on its web site, the Department of National Defence says that the budget for the two helicopters is Ps5.4 billion ($120 million). This amount will also cover weapons, key equipment, and logistics support.

Manila is in the process of recapitalising its military in the context of simmering territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.

Flightglobal’s World Air Forces directory shows that the Filipino navy has a modest aviation component, with just six Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander aircraft and four Airbus Helicopters Bo105s.

In addition, Manila has orders for eight AgustaWestland AW109s, which the navy will use for patrol, surveillance, and search and rescue duties.

Philippines invites bids for ASW helicopters - 10/7/2014 - Flight Global




*Israel remembers PH help during the Holocaust*
ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 10/07/2014





MANILA - Israeli Ambassador Ephraim Ben Matityau met with President Benigno Aquino III as he pitched efforts to strengthen the ties between the two countries.

Both Aquino and Matityau exchanged views on strengthening Israeli-Philippine relations, particularly in the areas of high-tech innovation, research and development, emergency preparedness and agro-technology.

The new Israeli envoy also pushed for the implementation of a joint committee for science and technology as proposed earlier by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.

“With this kind of initiative, we can reach a new chapter in our developing relations. Israel’s position as a HiTech Nation and the Philippines aspirations are a perfect match – from new challenges of the CyberTech to BioTech, NanoTech or AgriTech – the future is full of opportunities,” he said.

Matityau highlighted the strong relationship between the two nations, which has spanned years.

*He noted that 1,300 Jewish people were saved by the Philippine government under President Manuel Quezon during the Holocaust.

He also noted the Philippines gave one vote for the United Nations resolution for the creation of the state of Israel.

“Next year, we are going to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the liberation of Manila. On that occasion, we hope to dedicate a friendship monument in Manila presented by the people of Israel in appreciation to the Filipino people,”* he said.

*"Israel has 1,301 good reasons to thank the Philippines and you Mr. President. Your nation has 1,301 good reasons to stand proud before the family of nations as a role model.”*

He said Israel’s door is also open to Filipinos.

“We hope to see 540 Filipino students coming over to Israel in a unique 11-month internship in agriculture. The door is open to so many more opportunities to the benefit of our nations,” he said.

“Israel is thankful to many thousands of Filipinos who, with great hearts, are working so hard as caregivers to many Israelis in need. Those Filipinos and the Israelis they care for are Ambassadors of goodwill and another pillar of friendship,” he added.

Ambassador Matityau arrived in Manila on August 1.

He is a veteran of Israel's Foreign Service and a graduate of its Diplomatic School in 1981. He had served as a member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Peace and Normalization team with Egypt.

In 1983, he served as Israel’s Deputy Consul General in Toronto, Canada. He also served as Deputy Ambassador in Nicosia-Cyprus (1985-88), Consul-Director of Israel's Academic Affairs Office to the US based in New York (1991-96), Consul General to East Australia based in Sydney (1999-2002), Acting Ambassador in Copenhagen (2004), and Ambassador to Vietnam and Laos (2005-2009), and Acting Ambassador to Ethiopia (Summer 2013).

In Jerusalem’s home office, Matityau served as Head of the Canadian Affairs and Israel's North American missions for Public Diplomacy (1988-1991), Spokesman and Deputy Director of the Press Division (1996-1999), and Head of the Overseas Development Projects and Public Private Partnership Bureau for MASHAV-Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation (2009-2014).

Israel remembers PH help during the Holocaust | ABS-CBN News



*Philippine, Australia conduct joint maritime training exercise “LUMBAS 2014″*
Posted on October 7, 2014 ·
_*



Davao City, Philippines, (DWDD) —* _The Philippine Navy (PN) and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) formally started the PN-RAN Exercise LUMBAS 2014 last September 29, 2014 and will culminate on October 11, 2014 at Naval Station Felix Apolinario, Panacan, Davao City.

Exercise LUMBAS is an annual combined PN and RAN Exercise being conducted in the different parts of the country on a yearly basis. For this year, the exercise was held in Davao Region conducted in three parts. The first part is the Table Top Exercise (TTX) participated by the different stakeholders coming from the PCG, PNP, BFAR, DENR-XI, PDEA, BI, BOC, RDRMC, PPA and CENRO.

The objective in this TTX is to simulate the role and cooperation of the different agencies in any given scenario. The second part is the at Sea Phase training to be conducted from Oct. 4-10, 2014 at the waters off Davao Gulf. The PN will involve two 108-foot PN Patrol Boats and one 35-meter RAN Patrol Boat with 30 RAN Crew Members.

The activities at sea will involve various scenarios like Border Protection, Anti-terrorism and Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HADR) in consonance with the status of Visiting Forces Agreement between Australia and the Philippines and the third part is the conduct of a sport activity amongst the two navies to further boost camaraderie and friendly acquaintances.

Further, the Exercise aims to enhance interoperability between PN, RAN and Inter-Agency participants focused on common operational procedures and to foster maritime cooperation between the two countries.

Philippine, Australia conduct joint maritime training exercise “LUMBAS 2014″ | DWDD

Reactions: Like Like:
1


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## Zero_wing

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Don't know, but in Zamboanga the Pinoy army resort to begging & other unsavory stuff to get their meal.
> View attachment 116593
> 
> The worst part is in the middle of the city.
> 
> Soldiers in Zamboanga beg for food, water - Yahoo News Philippines



Well try buying food in the middle of the warzone.

Allow me to answer this one they have issued ready to eat meals but the soldiers hate those issued ready to eat meals they like prefer eat something fresh and what they use to so they normally buy food in towns they stop in or before an operation get from a town before leaving but in this stituation they were rush due to emergency operations and stores like the normal sari sari stores were close due to the battles ranging all around hey tell a store open in the middle of a war zone i give you money its just common sense that there are none so this stories are just that stories not connected with corruption or anything heck i even ask soilders why they keep their old combat shoes while they get new ones every year or in emergency cases they say it brings some kind of luck for them i guess they have this culture of lucky items are good in battle thing hey look i dont like the idea of them using something beyond their prime but again am not in command of the AFP if i was that would end with the Miswari head on a sliver plater. And no more with this would be the last peace deal with Rebel groups they waste of money and they constantly waste everything due to their indifference and their werid understanding of the world and Islam.


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## Reashot Xigwin

Zero_wing said:


> Well try buying food in the middle of the warzone.
> 
> Allow me to answer this one they have issued ready to eat meals but the soilders hate those issued ready to eat meals they like prefer eat something fresh and what they use to so they normally buy food in towns they stop in or before an operation get from a town before leaving but in this stituation they were rush due to emergency operations and stores like the normal sari sari stores were close due to the battles ranging all around hey tell a store open in the middle of a war zone i give you money its just common sense that there are none so this stories are just that stories not connected with corruption or anything heck i even ask soilders why they keep their old combat shoes while they get new ones every year or in emergency cases they say it brings some kind of luck for them i guess they have this culture of lucky items are good in battle thing hey look i dont like the idea of them using something beyond their prime but again am not in command of the AFP if i was that would end with the Miswari head on a sliver plater. And no more with this would be the last peace deal with Rebel groups they waste of money and they constantly waste everything due to their indifference and their werid understanding of the world and Islam.



this pictures showed that the AFP have a very, very bad logistical problem. I mean how hard can it be to drive a truck carrying MRE to a city, it's not like in the middle of the jungle like in Aceh where the soldiers supplies needed to be airdropped regularly. 



> “Bai? naa moy kanun or bahaw bsan gamay lang wala pa man gud mi nagkaon ganina buntag pa and walay tulog (Friend, do you have rice? Even leftovers, just a bit, because we haven’t eaten since this morning and we haven’t had sleep),” Bulahan quoted the soldier as saying.
> 
> He even has a photo, which is now viral, to prove it.
> “Ang gusto nga nila noong una, bumili sa tindahan namin. Pero nung sinabi kong sarado kami, humingi na lang ng kanin (They initially wanted to buy from our store. But when we told them we were closed, he begged for rice),” Bulahan told Yahoo Southeast Asia.
> He said soldiers divided what little rice he shared with them and paired it with dried fish. Even soldiers’ water supply is scarce, Bulahan said, adding that many of the households in his neighborhood have put out water containers outside their doors.


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## Zero_wing

Not b


Reashot Xigwin said:


> this pictures showed that the AFP have a very, very bad logistical problem. I mean how hard can it be to drive a truck carrying MRE to a city, it's not like in the middle of the jungle like in Aceh where the soldiers supplies needed to be airdropped regularly.



Well to be far the MNLF Miswari faction had good sniper position in the city before the Army reclaim those positions i do understand your questions but again if that was true how come the Army manage to recapture the city if the soilders were not properly resuppied? maybe this are isolated units most of the units did fight on for days non stop so it could happen but again soilders do hate our army's issued ready to eat meals that they would normally carry that's what the soldiers i knew said to me maybe it is bad logistics i dont know but that was they said to me to be far the guys i talk to participated in the the final operations in city so maybe this the guys who were in the sige at the hard point of time normally Soilders do buy food from towns and citiesin the operational area or bring some supplies before moving out i just dont know if what those soilders told is true or not or this story is true or not.


----------



## Reashot Xigwin

Zero_wing said:


> Not b
> 
> 
> Well to be far the MNLF Miswari faction had good sniper position in the city before the Army reclaim those positions i do understand your questions but again if that was true how come the Army manage to recapture the city if the soilders were not properly resuppied? maybe this are isolated units most of the units did fight on for days non stop so it could happen but again soilders do hate our army's issued ready to eat meals that they would normally carry that's what the soilders i knew said to me maybe it is bad logistics i dont know but that was they said to me to be far the guys i talk to participated in the the final operations in city so maybe this the guys who were in the sige at the hard point of time normally Soilders do buy food from towns and citiesin the operational area or bring some supplies before moving out i just dont know if what those soilders told is true or not or this story is true or not.



It's common knowledge to bring supply trucks along with the army convoy. I never heard of any army whatever it kinds not to have any kind of MRE within grabbing distance. Especially in a middle of a city.


----------



## Zero_wing

Reashot Xigwin said:


> It's common knowledge to bring supply trucks along with the army convoy. I never heard of any army whatever it kinds not to have any kind of MRE within grabbing distance. Especially in a middle of a city.



Me too but but again i dont know if it is the constant change of the battlelines or they hate those meals or bad logistics (which i dont because if they did the outcome would be different and the MNLF Miswari faction would have one that battle and the Phillippines would not be hear now) or they love home made cook meals but in my conclusion its the two change of the battlelines I much i hate saying this the Philippine Army needs to brush up on urban warfare their tactics was poorly executed and they use heavy weapons and light vechicles and lack of battlefield management and they had UAVs this time and air support but over all they corangeous they given it their all but still problems and poor execution is still present but going back other one is they really hate those meals which the Army should change as soon as possible its not helping the Army at all and the soldiers they so picky they should be if that story was true or not it does not matter its problem whatever it is its embrassing no matter what of this is true.


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## NarThoD

your government should pay attention to your soldier's stomach. Hungry soldiers will easily defect to enemy side if they think their country cant feed them.

MRE's taste like hell, but one biscuit is enough for all day


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## Pinoy

In times of war soldiers are trained to be resourceful. As usual logistics has always been our problem. But our soldiers resourcefulness is good practice. However in cases like these I must admit it's pathetic. It's quite ironic how during disasters we see photos of our soldiers handing out rations while in times of siege when they themselves need it nothing is available to provide.

Well I think the US Armed Forces sells off as surplus its MRE's that only have a year or so left on their shelf-life. There's no reason the AFP can't get a supply of these meals. They offer a full day's ration for a soldier in strenuous combat,operations, about 4,200 calories (kcal's). They even offer vegetarian and halal versions of MRE's.


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## Cossack25A1

I just want to share a picture I found about the possibility of Clark airport (DMIA) to replace NAIA, which would have been "cheaper" compared to the proposed Sangley Point Airport.

Apparently, there were two designs for Clark











There is a reason why Manila Skyway is being extended to connect NLEX and SLEX... and why the botched North Rail Project was conceived.


----------



## Pinoy

*Aquino set to meet Indonesia’s incoming, outgoing presidents*
October 9, 2014
*




*

President Aquino will be leaving the country today, October 9 for an overnight trip to Bali, Indonesia. He is scheduled to attend Bali Democracy Forum tomorrow with theme “Regional Development in the Democratic Architecture: Dynamics of Political Development, Social-Economic Progress and Public Participation in the Democratic Process.”

Aquino will act as co-chairman of the forum with outgoing Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He is also set to meet the incoming leader Joko Widodo who will oath to office, October 20.

The forum will tackle experiences in promoting democracy. Best practices on developing democracy in the region will also be discussed.

PNoy’s Indonesia trip will be one of his last three out of the country trips this year. He is scheduled to attend APEC Leaders’ week in China next month. It is expected that a personal meeting between Presidents of PHL and China will take place in the sidelines.

After China, he will be traveling to Myanmar for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit to meet leaders from the region and its partners.

Aquino set to meet Indonesia’s incoming, outgoing presidents | Ang Malaya 



*Asean integration seen to create, not destroy, jobs in Philippines*
By: *Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com*
October 8, 2014






MANILA - Asean economic integration will generate more jobs than it destroys in the Philippines.

According to a joint report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the bulk of additional jobs will be created in agriculture, trade, transportation and other services.

"We are seeing that there is potential for the Philippines to gain an additional 3.1 million jobs in 2025," Kee Beom Kim, ILO employment specialist said during a briefing on Wednesday.

The report claims that the correlation between poverty and agriculture highlights the need to increase productivity and to promote off-farm agribusiness as means to reduce the number of poor households in rural areas.

The Asean Economic Cooperation (AEC) goes into force by end-2015, creating a common market and production base.

"If decisive policy action is taken, AEC has the potential to ensure sustained economic growth centered on decent and productive work -- thus, helping the Philippines achieve its goal of inclusive growth that creates jobs and reduces poverty," Lawrence Jeff Johnson, ILO Philippine country office director, said.

In this regard, the government should boost skills training and strengthen social protection.

"At the heart of promoting decent work is the goal of ensuring that the outcome yields workers that are mobile, job-ready, skilled and competent, which in turn should help produce sustainable and competitive enterprises," Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.

The AEC is widely seen to accelerate labor migration, especially for low- and medium-skilled workers.

"The prospect of large gains in such jobs calls for coordinated labor market policies to improve working conditions and reduce vulnerability," said Johnson.

According to the ILO-ADB study, here are the priority areas for action in the Philippines:


Create better jobs, including through industrial policies that target agro-industry for high-value farming products and more investment in irrigation, infrastructure and transport in rural areas;
Enhance social protection programs, improve implementation of existing schemes and enforce better disaster preparedness and response measures;
Upgrade skills to meet shifting demand including effective implementation of the K-12, increase enrollment, minimize dropout and expand schools in remote areas as well improve technical and vocational education and training and reform the curricula to be demand-driven;
Improve protection for migrant workers to provide legal and social protection and social security coverage to overseas Filipino workers, while further enforcement is also needed to stop recruitment malpractice; and
Strengthen collective bargaining to improve the productivity-wage link since better mechanisms can help translate the benefits of closer economic integration into shared prosperity.
Asean integration seen to create, not destroy, jobs in Philippines


----------



## Pinoy

Cossack25A1 said:


> I just want to share a picture I found about the possibility of Clark airport (DMIA) to replace NAIA, which would have been "cheaper" compared to the proposed Sangley Point Airport.
> 
> Apparently, there were two designs for Clark
> 
> View attachment 120355
> 
> 
> View attachment 120352
> 
> 
> There is a reason why Manila Skyway is being extended to connect NLEX and SLEX... and why the botched North Rail Project was conceived.


I agree that we really need to replace NAIA. If it's Clark I hope they will build a fast track train from Clark connected to one big station of MRT/LRT. Kailangan na talagang isara ang pinaka worst airport dahil sobrang nakakahiya na. Just sell the land and use the generated income to finance and develop Clark or continue the proposed Sangley Point Airport in Cavite instead.


----------



## Zero_wing

NarThoD said:


> your government should pay attention to your soldier's stomach. Hungry soldiers will easily defect to enemy side if they think their country cant feed them.
> 
> MRE's taste like hell, but one biscuit is enough for all day



I dont think so again from the source themselves the soldiers will never do that to many of them died in the hands of terrorist and rebels alike they would never do that and plus they have survival training they know what not to eat and what to eat they just picky about this MRE or ready to eat meals they like to cook food than to get it from a pack or cook by others but if ask me they should take their MREs and stop being so picky about it.



Pinoy said:


> *Aquino set to meet Indonesia’s incoming, outgoing presidents*
> October 9, 2014
> *
> View attachment 120356
> *
> 
> President Aquino will be leaving the country today, October 9 for an overnight trip to Bali, Indonesia. He is scheduled to attend Bali Democracy Forum tomorrow with theme “Regional Development in the Democratic Architecture: Dynamics of Political Development, Social-Economic Progress and Public Participation in the Democratic Process.”
> 
> Aquino will act as co-chairman of the forum with outgoing Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He is also set to meet the incoming leader Joko Widodo who will oath to office, October 20.
> 
> The forum will tackle experiences in promoting democracy. Best practices on developing democracy in the region will also be discussed.
> 
> PNoy’s Indonesia trip will be one of his last three out of the country trips this year. He is scheduled to attend APEC Leaders’ week in China next month. It is expected that a personal meeting between Presidents of PHL and China will take place in the sidelines.
> 
> After China, he will be traveling to Myanmar for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit to meet leaders from the region and its partners.
> 
> Aquino set to meet Indonesia’s incoming, outgoing presidents | Ang Malaya
> 
> 
> 
> *Asean integration seen to create, not destroy, jobs in Philippines*
> By: *Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com*
> October 8, 2014
> 
> View attachment 120357
> 
> 
> MANILA - Asean economic integration will generate more jobs than it destroys in the Philippines.
> 
> According to a joint report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the bulk of additional jobs will be created in agriculture, trade, transportation and other services.
> 
> "We are seeing that there is potential for the Philippines to gain an additional 3.1 million jobs in 2025," Kee Beom Kim, ILO employment specialist said during a briefing on Wednesday.
> 
> The report claims that the correlation between poverty and agriculture highlights the need to increase productivity and to promote off-farm agribusiness as means to reduce the number of poor households in rural areas.
> 
> The Asean Economic Cooperation (AEC) goes into force by end-2015, creating a common market and production base.
> 
> "If decisive policy action is taken, AEC has the potential to ensure sustained economic growth centered on decent and productive work -- thus, helping the Philippines achieve its goal of inclusive growth that creates jobs and reduces poverty," Lawrence Jeff Johnson, ILO Philippine country office director, said.
> 
> In this regard, the government should boost skills training and strengthen social protection.
> 
> "At the heart of promoting decent work is the goal of ensuring that the outcome yields workers that are mobile, job-ready, skilled and competent, which in turn should help produce sustainable and competitive enterprises," Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.
> 
> The AEC is widely seen to accelerate labor migration, especially for low- and medium-skilled workers.
> 
> "The prospect of large gains in such jobs calls for coordinated labor market policies to improve working conditions and reduce vulnerability," said Johnson.
> 
> According to the ILO-ADB study, here are the priority areas for action in the Philippines:
> 
> 
> Create better jobs, including through industrial policies that target agro-industry for high-value farming products and more investment in irrigation, infrastructure and transport in rural areas;
> Enhance social protection programs, improve implementation of existing schemes and enforce better disaster preparedness and response measures;
> Upgrade skills to meet shifting demand including effective implementation of the K-12, increase enrollment, minimize dropout and expand schools in remote areas as well improve technical and vocational education and training and reform the curricula to be demand-driven;
> Improve protection for migrant workers to provide legal and social protection and social security coverage to overseas Filipino workers, while further enforcement is also needed to stop recruitment malpractice; and
> Strengthen collective bargaining to improve the productivity-wage link since better mechanisms can help translate the benefits of closer economic integration into shared prosperity.
> Asean integration seen to create, not destroy, jobs in Philippines



Job in ASEAN countries maybe but not here in the Philippines we have little local business here and we have nothing to shield us from the influx of both foreign workers and foreign companies


----------



## Cossack25A1

Pinoy said:


> I agree that we really need to replace NAIA. If it's Clark I hope they will build a fast track train from Clark connected to one big station of MRT/LRT. Kailangan na talagang isara ang pinaka worst airport dahil sobrang nakakahiya na. Just sell the land and use the generated income to finance and develop Clark or continue the proposed Sangley Point Airport in Cavite instead.



I feel the Sangley Point proposal is more expensive because by the looks of this...





You need to build an artificial island, basically similar to the idea of Kansai airport whereas you already has a massive free space in Clark, complete with C-5 Galaxy-worthy runways and the said airport has enough space that you can create a new runway similar to the existing one and has more room for expansion.

As for the idea that the Sangley Point being nearer NAIA, the counter-questions should be "why is it that there is a Manila Skyway exit ramp heading to NAIA Terminal 3 and why is the Manila Skyway being extended up to NLEX."



Zero_wing said:


> I dont think so again from the source themselves the soldiers will never do that to many of them died in the hands of terrorist and rebels alike they would never do that and plus they have survival training they know what not to eat and what to eat they just picky about this MRE or ready to eat meals they like to cook food than to get it from a pack or cook by others but if ask me they should take their MREs and stop being so picky about it.
> 
> 
> 
> Job in ASEAN countries maybe but not here in the Philippines we have little local business here and we have nothing to shield us from the influx of both foreign workers and foreign companies



Actually, the "Shield" against Foreign Companies is the "60/40 Economic Restriction" which makes foreign companies hesitant in investing here, thus less jobs are made and inferior serivces.


----------



## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> I feel the Sangley Point proposal is more expensive because by the looks of this...
> 
> View attachment 120536
> 
> You need to build an artificial island, basically similar to the idea of Kansai airport whereas you already has a massive free space in Clark, complete with C-5 Galaxy-worthy runways and the said airport has enough space that you can create a new runway similar to the existing one and has more room for expansion.
> 
> As for the idea that the Sangley Point being nearer NAIA, the counter-questions should be "why is it that there is a Manila Skyway exit ramp heading to NAIA Terminal 3 and why is the Manila Skyway being extended up to NLEX."
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, the "Shield" against Foreign Companies is the "60/40 Economic Restriction" which makes foreign companies hesitant in investing here, thus less jobs are made and inferior serivces.



True but again we need to also grow Local business to compliment foreign business


----------



## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> True but again we need to also grow Local business to compliment foreign business



The idea of the removing the _60/40 Economic Restriction_ is not to kill the local business but to give the common Filipino better options on services and create more jobs. It is up to the local industries to cope up with the changes in order to compete and survive if foreign companies can fully invest here in the PH.

If many of the Filipinos are "uplifted" from below-poverty to at modest, livable conditions due to the removal of the _60/40 Economic Restriction_, the common people can afford any services and the local industry can thrive even if there are presence of foreign companies in the country.


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## Zero_wing

Its a double edge sword sir but i agree to remove the 60/40 economic restrictions but we need a strong local business to make sure that if the time comes we can have a economic defense better safe than sorry


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Its a double edge sword sir but i agree to remove the 60/40 economic restrictions but we need a strong local business to make sure that if the time comes we can have a economic defense better safe than sorry


It is a gamble, a risk that needs to be taken. Most countries take the risk which is why some were successful. I am pretty sure that PH will be able to take the risk and come out at the top in the end.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> It is a gamble, a risk that needs to be taken. Most countries take the risk which is why some were successful. I am pretty sure that PH will be able to take the risk and come out at the top in the end.



But if those people pull out we screwed thats why its important to have both foriegn and local business to develop our country.


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> But if those people pull out we screwed thats why its important to have both foriegn and local business to develop our country.



The risk I meant is that allowing foreign investors to fully invest here in the PH without restriction while at the same time, making sure that the local industry doesn't collapse and become competitive.


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## NarThoD

Zero_wing said:


> I dont think so again from the source themselves the soldiers will never do that to many of them died in the hands of terrorist and rebels alike they would never do that and plus they have survival training they know what not to eat and what to eat they just picky about this MRE or ready to eat meals they like to cook food than to get it from a pack or cook by others but if ask me they should take their MREs and stop being so picky about it.
> 
> 
> 
> Job in ASEAN countries maybe but not here in the Philippines we have little local business here and we have nothing to shield us from the influx of both foreign workers and foreign companies



your armed forces should really thinking about basic stuffs for your soldiers such as MRES. anyway did Zamboanga crisis still happening or the situation has warmed?


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## Cossack25A1

NarThoD said:


> your armed forces should really thinking about basic stuffs for your soldiers such as MRES. anyway did Zamboanga crisis still happening or the situation has warmed?



After a year, the city seems to have settle down although there are still refugees as rebuilding the city is not fast as many would have anticipated.


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## Zero_wing

NarThoD said:


> your armed forces should really thinking about basic stuffs for your soldiers such as MRES. anyway did Zamboanga crisis still happening or the situation has warmed?



Its over but the civilians are still recovering but like every this country has gone to they live and survived.

Yes i agree the MRES are good but our soldiers are picky about what they eat so again its not a question of logistics its really their attitude about said ready to eat meals.


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## Reashot Xigwin

Zero_wing said:


> Its over but the civilians are still recovering but like every this country has gone to they live and survived.
> 
> Yes i agree the MRES are good but our soldiers are picky about what they eat so again its not a question of logistics its really their attitude about said ready to eat meals.



They're Grunts who cares what they eat. As long as the food are filling & nutritious. Only the French Army can "foo foo" about their food:




The French Have the Best MRE on the planet, period!

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## Zero_wing

Reashot Xigwin said:


> They're Grunts who cares what they eat. As long as the food are filling & nutritious. Only the French Army can "foo foo" about their food:
> View attachment 123368
> 
> The French Have the Best MRE on the planet, period!



Count the AFP on the picky list too i told you i dont know what their deal is with MRE or ready to eat meals its annyoing me too but they said they dont like they like to cook for themsleves i guess its cultural they use to what they can find it the market or the jungle.


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## Reashot Xigwin

Zero_wing said:


> Count the AFP on the picky list too i told you i dont know what their deal is with MRE or ready to eat meals its annyoing me too but they said they dont like they like to cook for themsleves i guess its cultural they use to what they can find it the market or the jungle.



Just buy French MRE then.


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## baukiki88

Any news on your FA-50 guys? Cant wait to see them arrives at Philippine.

Any news on your SPYDER SAM?? Heard you guys Bought this??

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## Cossack25A1

baukiki88 said:


> Any news on your FA-50 guys? Cant wait to see them arrives at Philippine.
> 
> Any news on your SPYDER SAM?? Heard you guys Bought this??



The FA-50 is likely to arrive around late-2015 as the deliveries of the aircraft will proceed 18 months after the signing of contract which occurred last March of this year.

As for the SPYDER, no new news about that.


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## Zero_wing

Same here no info yet


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## Zero_wing

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Just buy French MRE then.



Well not a bad plan but its up to the AFP leadership not to me or any other memebers of the Forum its karatehan (picky) of the soldiers to do thing i know one those werid traditions of the AFP but i think we need to educate the soldiers more on the value of MREs and stop depending on their taste but again its a filipino thing to eat cook meal made by family or yourself its just odd culture mindset we have.


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## Cossack25A1

I think it is time to explore the possibility of the Navy or Marine Corps operating hovercrafts.

The Finnish hovercraft _Tuuli _is an armed hovercraft:

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## Dante

I don't think you can do that, GDP alone cannot signify defense budget increase

Some of the problem Philippines has to face is that up until now they still have very low tax ratio, I believe is under 15%, which in term of fiscal capability, your government are incapable to generate enough money through taxes to finance all government spending and expenses, and as the result, your goverment basically run in deficit budget annually

2ndly, most of your national budget by law had already been allotted for numerous post (education, pork barrel etc, i.e. you cannot erase it nor decrease the amount of money that had been allocated for those specific spending/expenses ), which creates fiscal inflexibility for the government to juggle the budget allocation around




Ayan81 said:


> at 300 billion gdp, if we increase our defense expenditure by 1.5% thats 4.5 billion a year. leave the 3.5 bill for salaries, pensions, expenses and upgrading in facilities, etc. and we have a 1 billion for buying assets per year. a president implementing this kind of change have a 6 year leeway. set aside 100 mill per year for the CUH and will have 30 fleet by the end if his term. what you think?

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## Cossack25A1

* Attack helicopters with night vision for Philippine Air Force arriving *
(philstar.com) | Updated October 13, 2014 - 12:55pm






*A photo of a AW109 Power helicopter, which the Philippine Air Force is purchasing from an Italian company. AugustaWestland photo*

MANILA, Philippines — New attack helicopters that can operate in the dark are set to arrive for the Philippine Air Force, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said.

The new units will have night vision capability allowing pilots to target hostile subjects even in the dark.

"We have capable helicopters arriving for the PAF," Catapang said while touring in Sulu on Sunday, according to a state news report.

Catapang said that the new helicopters set to arrive this year shows progress in the military's modernization campaign.

The Air Force earlier selected eight pilots to man and operate the AgustaWestland AW-109 Power helicopters and sent them to train in Costa di Samarate, Italy.

Also undergoing training are 22 maintenance personnel.

The Air Force signed the contract for eight AW109 Power light twin helicopters last November. The P3.44-billion contract includes initial logistics support and training for aircrew and maintenance personnel, the Italian firm said.

"These aircraft will be used to perform a range of duties including homeland security, armed reconnaissance and close support," AugustaWestland said in an earlier statement.

The AW109 Power is a three-ton class eight seat twin engine helicopter, dubbed as the most cost effective helicopter in its class for a range of government tasks. *- Camille Diola*

*-----*

Attack helicopters with night vision for Philippine Air Force arriving | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

-----

I would personally prefer the A129 or Tiger attack helicopters...

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## Zero_wing

We dont have the budget kabayan


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## Zerozen

Zero_wing said:


> We dont have the budget kabayan



Your govt needs to compromise and amend the budgetary laws that are very restrictive. New actions to the laws enable it to accommodate the needed and necessary spending in order such deterrence to be fruit full. Basically have the very best weapons for your soldiers on the market not on affordability.

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## Zero_wing

Yes thats what we are doing and we doing it slow we have a lot of problems not just the chinese imperialist its no secret that we do we need to budget our money thats it.


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## Aepsilons

Zerozen said:


> Your govt needs to compromise and amend the budgetary laws that are very restrictive. New actions to the laws enable it to accommodate the needed and necessary spending in order such deterrence to be fruit full. Basically have the very best weapons for your soldiers on the market not on affordability.



My friend, that is indeed very true. In fact, we should also do the same regarding Japan's own defense expenditure law, which restricts it at less than 1% of the GDP. We should increase this to 2%.

Currently, our defense budget at $59 Billion is not enough. It should be at least $120 Billion.



Zero_wing said:


> Yes thats what we are doing and we doing it slow we have a lot of problems not just the chinese imperialist its no secret that we do we need to budget our money thats it.



I say strip the pork barrel system, imprison all the corrupt officials , policy makers in your country. Reinstate the capital punishment , have those guilty of crimes hanged or shot. That should send a clear signal and message.

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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> We dont have the budget kabayan





Zero_wing said:


> Yes thats what we are doing and we doing it slow we have a lot of problems not just the chinese imperialist its no secret that we do we need to budget our money thats it.



We could have budget if the someone confiscates all unaccounted assets of every single politician in the country at gunpoint and divert them to infrastructure and defense spending.


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## NarThoD

lol sorry wrong post


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## Zero_wing

Nihonjin1051 said:


> My friend, that is indeed very true. In fact, we should also do the same regarding Japan's own defense expenditure law, which restricts it at less than 1% of the GDP. We should increase this to 2%.
> 
> Currently, our defense budget at $59 Billion is not enough. It should be at least $120 Billion.
> 
> 
> 
> I say strip the pork barrel system, imprison all the corrupt officials , policy makers in your country. Reinstate the capital punishment , have those guilty of crimes hanged or shot. That should send a clear signal and message.



The first one is done no more pork barrel second one never not as long the people are dumb enough to vote for the same names and family names luckly i am not one of them and the last one so far its just for drug offenders if the bill passes in congress and i dont think with the same set of people that any bill that would kill this SOBs will pass any time soon



Cossack25A1 said:


> We could have budget if the someone confiscates all unaccounted assets of every single politician in the country at gunpoint and divert them to infrastructure and defense spending.



Good luck with that if your voter vote for people who gives a flying f about our country i too want a stronger better Philippines but the people themselves dont want too.


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## katarabhumi

*Firms from Italy, Indonesia, Israel interested to supply two anti-submarine choppers.*

In a pre-bid conference for the procurement of two anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters held Tuesday, October 7, four prospective bidders attended. AugustaWestland, PT Dirgantara Indonesia, Israel Aerospace Industries and the partnership of Bell Helicopter Asia (PTE) Ltd. and Serpenair Group Inc. attended the conference.

First stage bidding will be held on October 21. Firms mentioned above are expected to submit their individual bid for the PhP 5.4 billion helicopter procurement project.

Under Medium Term Development Capability Plan of AFP Modernization program, winning bidder must deliver goods within seven hundred thirty days after receiving the notice to proceed.

Early report said that AgustaWestland is a strong contender in the said project and will offer it’s AW-159 “Wildcat”. AgustaWestland is the manufacturer of Philippine Navy and Air Force’s armed AW-109 to be delivered before the year ends.

Specification of two ASW choppers includes endurance of at least two hours in ASW configuration, range of 240 nautical miles in full ASW configuration and has Identification Friend or Foe (IFF)/Selective Identification Feature (SIF).

Firms from Italy, Indonesia, Israel interested to supply two anti-submarine choppers | Ang Malaya Net

==

Choose us, yeah?


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## Bienvenido

*Philippine militants free two German hostages*
MANILA Fri Oct 17, 2014







(Reuters) - Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militants in the Philippines released two German hostages on Friday, after saying they would behead one of them if their demands were not met.

The hostages, captured by the Abu Sayyaf group in April from a yacht on the high seas, had been held on the remote island of Jolo, 600 miles (960 km) south of Manila and a hotbed of Islamist militancy in the mainly Roman Catholic nation.

"The hostages, Dr. Stefan Viktor Okonek and (Henrike) Dielen were released in Patikul at around 8.50 p.m. and reached the brigade headquarters at Busbos around 9:20 p.m. for (a) medical check up," said a text message from Brigadier General Charlie Galvez, deputy commander of Western Mindanao Command.

"The kidnap victims will proceed to Zamboanga City, taking a navy ship."

The police said local residents had found the Germans walking outside Patikul town and brought them to the nearest police checkpoint, from where they were taken to the army base.

Officials said that they would stay the night in the southern city of Zamboanga before flying to the capital Manila on Saturday morning.

The German foreign ministry thanked the Philippine government for its "close and trusting cooperation".

"We are relieved to be able to confirm that both Germans are no longer in the hands of their kidnappers," a spokeswoman said. "Both Germans are now in the care of staff of the embassy in Manila."

Okonek, a doctor in his early 70s, had told commercial radio in the Philippines earlier in the week that he was being held in a hole in the ground which his captors had told him would be his grave if ransom demands were not met.

Dielen, the other captive, is in her mid-50s.



REBELS SAY RANSOM PAID

Before officials confirmed the release, Abu Rami, the spokesman for the small but violent Abu Sayyaf group, had told a radio station based in Zamboanga that the hostages had been freed.

The rebels had demanded a 250 million pesos ($5.6 million) ransom and for Germany to stop supporting U.S.-led air strikes in Syria. They had threatened to kill Okonek on Friday afternoon.

Rami said Abu Sayyaf had received the amount in full.

"The (money) arrived, nothing more, nothing less," he said.

Philippines officials did not comment on his claim.

In a separate hostage incident in August, a German foreign ministry spokesman said that "no state money" was paid after a German citizen was freed by Islamist militants in Syria having being held captive for about a year.

The German government was not open to blackmail, the spokesman had said in August.

German government sources told Reuters that Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier had sent a special envoy to the Philippines to negotiate a deal with the rebels. The envoy, Ruediger Koenig, arrived in Manila on Thursday evening.

The rebels have a record of kidnappings, killings and bombings.

Some Muslim groups in the southern Philippines have long been fighting Manila's rule, but Abu Sayyaf rose to prominence in 2000 after kidnapping 21 tourists and workers from a dive resort in nearby Malaysia.

Philippine militants free two German hostages| Reuters Philippine militants free two German hostages| Reuters


----------------------------------------------


*Philippines approves $3.7 bln worth of new PPP projects*
MANILA Fri Oct 17, 2014

Oct 17 (Reuters) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Friday gave authorities the go-ahead to offer for tender 165.6 billion pesos ($3.7 billion) worth of new infrastructure projects under his flagship Public-Private Partnership program in line with efforts to upgrade ageing roads, airports and ports.

The country needs private funds to upgrade and modernise its dilapidated infrastructure as it aims to lift its growth rate upwards to 8 percent so it can catch up with its richer Southeast Asian neighbours.

To be included in the pipeline of projects that could be offered to investors soon under a PPP scheme are the following: operation and maintenance of the Puerto Princesa Airport (5.23 billion pesos; operation and maintenance of Iloilo Airport (30.4 billion pesos); operation and maintenance of Davao Airport (40.57 billion pesos); operation and maintenance of Bacolod Airport (20.26 billion pesos); Regional Prison Facilities (50.18 billion pesos; and Davao Sasa Port (18.99 billion pesos).

"These approved projects will significantly contribute to the infrastructure investment needed to sustain growth and make it inclusive," Socioeconomic Planning Chief Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement.

Since launching the PPP programme in 2010, the government has awarded eight infrastructure projects worth around 133 billion pesos. They consist of toll roads, schools, an automated fare collection system, a railroad and a hospital.

The government has faced criticism from investors over the slow pace of its infrastructure roll out, but argues it had to rework the deals to prevent the corruption that has plagued similar projects in the past.

Top conglomerates like Ayala Corp, San Miguel Corp , Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc, JG Summit Holdings Inc, Metro Pacific Investments Corp and SM Investments Corp have been active in the PPP biddings. (1 US dollar = 44.8300 Philippine peso) (Reporting By Karen Lema and Erik dela Cruz; Editing by Robert Birsel)

Philippines approves $3.7 bln worth of new PPP projects| Reuters

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## Bienvenido

*Anti-US sentiment following slaying could threaten US-Philippine security agreement plans*
By Paul Alexander
Stars and Stripes
Published: October 17, 2014






Anti-American protests have long been a staple outside the U.S. Embassy in Manila. It doesn’t take much to get leftists and students riled up, chanting and burning flags and effigies.

But while they’re vocal, protests generally have represented a fairly small segment of Philippine society, except during major flare-ups in bilateral ties. Now the slaying of a transsexual at Subic Bay a week ago, allegedly by a Marine taking part in joint exercises, has the anti-U.S. tide seeping into the mainstream again at a particularly sensitive time.

This was the one thing that neither government wanted to see as they scaled up military ties that badly frayed when the Philippine Senate refused to renew leases for U.S. bases in 1991 but had been on the mend for the past 12 years.

The lurid details of the slaying – the victim’s nude body was found in a hotel bathroom, her head on the toilet, with drowning listed as the cause of death – have dominated newspapers and TV. Four of five U.S. ships that had anchored after the exercise were delayed in departing, and the fifth, with the suspect in the brig, is still there.

Every detail of how the case is handled will be scrutinized for any hint of favoritism toward the Marine, right down to where he’s detained while the legal process unfolds. An American soldier accused of rape several years ago was held on U.S. Embassy property during his trial, which remains a sore spot for many Filipinos.

The U.S.-Philippines relationship has long been a tangled one, not atypical for a former colony and its colonial rulers.

The sprawling archipelago of more than 5,000 islands has embraced American culture. Marriages between foreigners and locals are accepted far more than in most Asian countries. America is the prime target for people seeking overseas jobs and a better life. Americans fought beside Filipinos during World War II, and the U.S. military today is peppered with Philippine faces.

But there also are sensitivities of a country that is proud to have gained its independence but still struggles to deal with problems common in young nations, including an underfunded and undertrained military.

That issue became painfully obvious in 2001. Islamic extremist groups like the Abu Sayyaf had been growing in strength, drawing from the disenfranchised rural poor. When the Abu Sayyaf staged a mass kidnapping at an upscale resort that included three American captives, the Philippine navy tried to follow but couldn’t keep up with the escape boat.

The saga dragged on for a year, with the kidnappers and their captives fleeing at one point from a surrounded hospital. Finally, with the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan having toppled the Taliban, Washington dispatched military counterterrorism trainers to the Philippines to keep the country from becoming a safe haven for terror groups.

Their arrival drew heated protests, and strict rules were drawn up that banned the Americans from combat. U.S. equipment and surveillance assistant trickled in. When the chief Abu Sayyaf spokesman was killed in a sea battle, the presidential palace watched it all live via a U.S. surveillance aircraft.

Today, while the Abu Sayyaf remains a prickly thorn, it has been called a spent force. And the U.S. trainers have been praised for playing a crucial behind-the-scenes role.

So when increasingly expansionist China began flexing its muscles in the South China Sea, clashing with a Philippine vessel, the Philippine government realized it was time to bolster its coastal defenses. At the same time, the U.S. was working on its “Pacific pivot” as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq came to an end.

So in the wake of the goodwill generated by U.S. aid following last year’s devastating typhoon in the central Philippines, Manila and Washington worked out a deal. It was designed to ramp up the U.S. military presence in the Philippines with rotational forces and prepositioned disaster aid without fully reopening the close bases, walking a fine line to avoid sparking too much local dissent.

At the time the deal was announced during President Barack Obama’s visit to the Philippines, analysts forecast that protests against the deal would fade as long as there was no major incident to fan the flames.

That appeared to be happening. Until a week ago.

Anti-US sentiment following slaying could threaten US-Philippine security agreement plans - News - Stripes


----------------------------------

*Aquino vows PCG modernization by 2017 amid new challenges*
Oct 16, 2014

The agency's new equipment include more boats, two new helicopters, increased lighthouses, and Multi-Role Responsive Vessels from Japan






MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III emphasized the need to modernize the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in line with evolving challenges, and said new equipment will arrive in full by 2017.

On Thursday, October 16, at the 113th founding anniversary of the PCG, Aquino vowed the Coast Guard would keep up with the change in times.

“_Isandaan at labintatlong taon na nga po ang Philippine Coast Guard; at sa paglipas ng panahon, nagbabagong-anyo rin ang mga kinakaharap nating hamon,_” he said.

“_Dala nga po ng climate change, nakikita nating dumadalas at lumalakas ang mga bagyo. Alam din natin ang komplikadong sitwasyon sa kanlurang bahagi ng ating bansa. At habang nag-iiba ang mga pangyayari sa tubig, kailangan ding bumagay ng ating mga pamamaraan para tugunan ang mga ito._”

(The Philippine Coast Guard is 113 years old; and with the passing of time, the nature of the challenges they face have changed as well. Because of climate change, typhoons are stronger and more frequent. We also know about the complicated situation in the Western portion of our country. And while the incidents in our seas change, our ways to meet these challenges must change as well).

In line with the increase complexity and diversity of the challenges, Aquino said 40 rubber boats and 300 aluminum boats are on their way, to increase the PCG’s capacity to patrol the seas and increase effectiveness of search and rescue operations. Two medium helicopters are also expected to come by 2015.

Additionally, 10 40-meter Mutli-Role Responsive Vessels from Japan are also scheduled for arrival: the first in October 2015, two in March 2016, another two in September of the same year, 3 on April 2017, and the final two in October 2017.

All these are part of the government’s modernization initiative, or the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project, a loan agreement signed in December 2013, worth P9.27 billion ($206.8 million)*.

Aside from new equipment, the construction of 113 new lighthouses have begun. The government said 109 more may be added if the government acquires the plots of land needed for them. He also said the National Coast Watch Center – a center for coordination among agencies for more effective surveillance of the seas – is expected to be completed by April 2015.

_"Ang lahat po ng mga inisyatibang ito, nakaangkla sa iisang prinsipyo: Ang pagiging handa sa anumang problema o tensyong maaaring maganap sa ating karagatan,"_ he said.

"_Umaga man o gabi, umulan man o umaraw, anumang pagkakataon, dapat mulat tayo at alerto sa anumang nakaambang banta o peligro."_

(All these intitiatives lie on one principle: the need to be ready for whatever problem or tension may arise in our seas. Morning or night, rain or shine, whatever the incident, we must be alert for any sort of danger).

The modernization of the Philippine Coast Guard comes amid a maritime dispute with China over territories in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). China's claim to nearly all of the area, which straddles vital sea lanes and is believed to sit on vast oil and gas reserves, has strained its ties with Southeast Asian countries.

On March 29, 2014, the Philippines submitted a nearly 4,000-page document, called a memorial, in a bid to end what it considered decades of bullying by China. The superpower has refused to acknowledge the designated arbitral tribunal's jurisdiction to hear the case. (READ: China rejects PH case, invokes int'l law)

*Dog receives medal*

In his speech, Aquino also praised the PCG’s courage and dedication in warding off any form of danger, from smugglers, to human traffickers, to poachers, also crediting them for their rescue operations in time of disasters.

The President also hailed the increased coordination of the PCG with other government agencies in addressing various challenges, noting its work with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to avoid instances that could increase tensions in disputed territories.

One of those that were recognized at the event for their service was a Coast Guard working dog named Bosh, who received a Coast Guard Search and Rescue Medal and Ribbon for “being instrumental in recovering 4 cadavers during the search and retrieval operations in the aftermath of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol.”

Bosh, an 8-year-old Labrador Retriever, had also been to Compostela Valley to search for bodies trapped by a landslide.

Aquino vows PCG modernization by 2017 amid new challenges

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## Bienvenido

*10 Pinoys off to Japan to develop PH’s first microsatellite in space*
by Edd K. Usman
October 12, 2014






Unknown to many, the Philippines is seriously into space research and development and that later this week, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is sending 10 Filipino students to Japan to learn how to develop a microsatellite that may be launched into space in 2016.

The DOST said the students will start their research on October 19 at Japan’s Tsukuba University (TU) and then head for Hokkaido University (HU) for their Master of Science (MS) until 2015.

After the study program, unless a hitch comes up, the 10 are expected to be able to develop and produce a microsatellite for launching into space in 2016.

It was learned that this is being undertaken by the government through the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), one of DOST’s 20 attached agencies.

The space program has two components, a microsatellite project dubbed the Development of Philippine Scientific Earth Observation (PHL-MICROSAT) and a ground station, the Philippine Earth Data Resources and Observation (PEDRO) Center.

More or less P800 million has been earmarked for the space venture by DOST until 2016, the target launch of the planned microsatellite.

Marie Christie B. Santos, senior science research specialist at PCIEERD, said seven of the trainees will leave first just before the first day of their training, remaining three scheduled for training on November 4.

The microsatellite development is a DOST priority project, she said.

Santos said PCIEERD approved the Special Research Attachment of the 10 researchers: two from DOST’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI); four from University of the Philippines Diliman-Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UPD-EEEI); one from UPD-Training for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry (TCAGP); and three from UPD-Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM).

She said the first group will be undergoing a study/research on Microsatellite BUS and the second group on microsatellite payload systems.

Their schedules are October 19-31 (the first part); a two-week study at TU; and November 4-16 at HU.

The second part lasts for five months from Nov. 5, 2014 to March, 2015.

“The two researches/studies of the 10 participants will be part of their MS (Master of Science studies) which will start in April 2015. By the end of their MS program, they will be able to produce/develop a microsatellite with the assistance/guidance of the Japanese researchers for Philippines which is targeted to be launched by 2016 (first or second quarter),” said Santos.

She said their thesis will be on the development of a microsatellite.

DOST Secretary Mario Go Montejo and PCIEERD Executive Director Dr. Rowena Cristina C. Guevara earlier this year made separate announcements about the country’s venturing into space.

With its own microsatellite, the government can use it to enhance weather detection and forecasts, determine agricultural growth patterns, and monitor forest cover as well as the country’s territorial borders, Montejo said.

He said the government will save much money with its own microsatellite by not relying anymore on expensive data from foreign sources.

Guevara said training on the microsatellite development will be in cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

10 Pinoys off to Japan to develop PH’s first microsatellite in space | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines

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## Cossack25A1

This is why Ninoy Aquino is NOT a hero, but instead a fraud and a TRAITOR
* do note, this is old news but should give reason why the Sabah incursion occurred last year

------

* ‘Ninoy vowed to drop Sabah claim to get KL support vs Marcos’ *
 By Janvic Mateo (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 13, 2013 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. had promised Malaysia in 1983 that the Philippines would drop its claim over Sabah in exchange for its support in the move to oust strongman Ferdinand Marcos, a former foreign affairs official revealed yesterday.

Hermes Dorado, former national territory division head of the Department of Foreign Affairs, said Aquino met with then Malaysian Prime Minister Mohammad Mahathir before he went back to the Philippines and was assassinated on Aug. 21, 1983.

Dorado said there were no official records of the supposed meeting between Aquino and Mahathir, but said he “became privy to this bit of intelligence” from former ambassador and retired general Rafael Ileto.

“General Ileto indirectly confirmed that Ninoy Aquino asked for help from Mahathir in exchange for dropping the Sabah claim when he gains power,” Dorado told a forum at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City.

Dorado said Ileto was the person assigned to monitor Aquino’s movement on his journey back to Manila.

“Our hands are tied today because the leadership up to this day is committed to drop the Philippine claim of Sabah,” he said.

According to Dorado, the clearest proof of Ninoy’s supposed pledge to Malaysia will be found in the 1987 Constitution, which was written during the presidency of his widow Corazon Aquino.

Dorado said the 1987 Constitution amended the first article of the 1973 Constitution and removed the phrase, “and all other territories belonging to the Philippines by historic right or legal title.”

The 1987 Constitution revised the definition of Philippine territory and “deleted Sabah as a historic claim backed up by the legal title pertaining to the sultanate of Sulu,” he added.

Dorado said Mrs. Aquino had no choice but to honor Ninoy’s commitment to Mahathir because she needed support from ASEAN nations to legitimize her ascendancy to the presidency through the people power revolution.

“Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir adamantly refused to attend the ASEAN Summit in Manila until President Cory made a firm commitment to amend Article 1 of the 1973 Constitution,” Dorado pointed out.

“Malaysian hard-ball diplomatic and guerrilla war maneuverings, backed by shrewd use of economic leverage, sourced from huge revenues from oil extracted in Sabah, were completed by 1987,” he added.

“They succeeded in forcing the Constitutional Commission to drop the Philippine Sabah claim, hands down.”

Dorado said the amended Baselines Law approved in March 2009 resulted in the exclusion of Sabah from the Philippine territory.

He said the amended law removed Section 2 of the 1968 law that included the phrase, “…the territory of Sabah, situated in North Borneo, over which the Republic of the Philippines has acquired dominion and sovereignty.”

“Removal of the specific reference to Sabah represented a disastrous outcome to the claims of the sultanate of Sulu,” Dorado said.

He claimed the results of the supposed “Ninoy-Mahathir pact” have destroyed all peaceful possibilities of pursuing the country’s claims.

*Proprietary rights*

Reacting to Dorado’s presentation, Princess Jacel Kiram – daughter of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III – maintained that Filipinos have proprietary rights in Sabah.

“We have so much wealth in Sabah na dapat tayo ang nakikinabang (we should be the ones benefitting),” Jacel said.

She said the lease agreement over North Borneo expired in 1978.

She accused the Aquino administration of protecting the interests of the Malaysian prime minister rather than the interest of the Filipino people.

“I would prefer to be another (nationality) rather than a Filipino citizen under our current set of leaders,” she said.

During the forum, Jacel confirmed the meeting between her uncle Sultan Bantilan Esmail Kiram II and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

“This is the first official talk from our side and from the side of the government,” she said, declining to provide additional information as she was not privy to what was discussed in the meeting.

Jacel said the development was a “good gesture” on the part of the government, and that its intention was for the benefit of the Filipino people.

Citing latest information from Sabah, Jacel said Agbimuddin Kiram and his people are safe but a lot of Filipinos have become victims of excessive force by Malaysian security forces. – *With Paolo Romero, Jaime Laude, Marvin Sy*

*------*

‘Ninoy vowed to drop Sabah claim to get KL support vs Marcos’ | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

-----
-----
*In Other News:*

*Indian tries to enter PHL as a fake air traffic controller*
October 17, 2014 3:48pm 

Human smuggling rings at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport appear to have become more brazen, with those involved pretending to be airport employees to skip immigration checks.

The Bureau of Immigration disclosed this Friday following the arrest of an Indian who tried to pass himself off as a NAIA employee. He carried a fake visa.

In a post on its Facebook page, the BI identified the Indian national as Sevah Singh, who arrived via Cathay Pacific flight number CX912 from Hong Kong before noon on Tuesday.

Singh tried to head toward the personnel exit at the NAIA's immigration area but was intercepted after immigration officers Arneliza Parungo and Jeathone Largo noticed him behaving oddly.

"He was seen wearing an airport ID and a reflectorized vest, similar to those worn by air traffic controllers," the BI said.

Further investigation showed Singh was assisted by a Cebu Pacific Air employee identified as Ronnie Ballesteros.

Also, the BI said Singh had no arrival stamp and had a fake entry visa.

“When he was intercepted, immigration officers discovered that his Philippine visa was counterfeit, and he attempted to evade immigration inspection. What happened was illegal and is a serious breach of security,” said lawyer Elaine Tan, the bureau spokesperson.

The BI has filed charges against Singh and Ballesteros for violating the Philippine Immigration Act. *—Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News*

*-----
Indian tries to enter PHL as a fake air traffic controller | News | GMA News Online*

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## Aepsilons

Bienvenido said:


> *10 Pinoys off to Japan to develop PH’s first microsatellite in space*
> by Edd K. Usman
> October 12, 2014
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unknown to many, the Philippines is seriously into space research and development and that later this week, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is sending 10 Filipino students to Japan to learn how to develop a microsatellite that may be launched into space in 2016.
> 
> The DOST said the students will start their research on October 19 at Japan’s Tsukuba University (TU) and then head for Hokkaido University (HU) for their Master of Science (MS) until 2015.
> 
> After the study program, unless a hitch comes up, the 10 are expected to be able to develop and produce a microsatellite for launching into space in 2016.
> 
> It was learned that this is being undertaken by the government through the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), one of DOST’s 20 attached agencies.
> 
> The space program has two components, a microsatellite project dubbed the Development of Philippine Scientific Earth Observation (PHL-MICROSAT) and a ground station, the Philippine Earth Data Resources and Observation (PEDRO) Center.
> 
> More or less P800 million has been earmarked for the space venture by DOST until 2016, the target launch of the planned microsatellite.
> 
> Marie Christie B. Santos, senior science research specialist at PCIEERD, said seven of the trainees will leave first just before the first day of their training, remaining three scheduled for training on November 4.
> 
> The microsatellite development is a DOST priority project, she said.
> 
> Santos said PCIEERD approved the Special Research Attachment of the 10 researchers: two from DOST’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI); four from University of the Philippines Diliman-Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UPD-EEEI); one from UPD-Training for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry (TCAGP); and three from UPD-Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM).
> 
> She said the first group will be undergoing a study/research on Microsatellite BUS and the second group on microsatellite payload systems.
> 
> Their schedules are October 19-31 (the first part); a two-week study at TU; and November 4-16 at HU.
> 
> The second part lasts for five months from Nov. 5, 2014 to March, 2015.
> 
> “The two researches/studies of the 10 participants will be part of their MS (Master of Science studies) which will start in April 2015. By the end of their MS program, they will be able to produce/develop a microsatellite with the assistance/guidance of the Japanese researchers for Philippines which is targeted to be launched by 2016 (first or second quarter),” said Santos.
> 
> She said their thesis will be on the development of a microsatellite.
> 
> DOST Secretary Mario Go Montejo and PCIEERD Executive Director Dr. Rowena Cristina C. Guevara earlier this year made separate announcements about the country’s venturing into space.
> 
> With its own microsatellite, the government can use it to enhance weather detection and forecasts, determine agricultural growth patterns, and monitor forest cover as well as the country’s territorial borders, Montejo said.
> 
> He said the government will save much money with its own microsatellite by not relying anymore on expensive data from foreign sources.
> 
> Guevara said training on the microsatellite development will be in cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
> 
> 10 Pinoys off to Japan to develop PH’s first microsatellite in space | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines




Good to read this. Do update this development, amigo.

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## Cossack25A1

* Noy to lead anniversary celebration of Leyte landing *
 By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 19, 2014 - 12:00am


MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino will lead tomorrow the 70th anniversary celebration of the Leyte Landing that liberated the country from Japanese rule, Malacañang said yesterday.

The Philippines will commemorate the day when then US General Douglas MacArthur returned to the Philippines to liberate it from Japanese forces.

On the morning of Oct. 20, 1944, American forces led by MacArthur landed on Red Beach in the municipality of Palo, Leyte.

The Battle of Leyte lasted from Oct. 20 to Dec. 31, 1944, resulting in a victory for the Allied forces. It was a milestone in the Second World War in the Pacific that culminated in the end of almost three years of Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

The Leyte landing also marked the re-establishment of the Commonwealth government on Philippine soil after years of government-in-exile in the US.

Australians also fought in Philippines during the Second World War.

To honor the 92 Australians who died during the liberation of the Philippines, a memorial has been dedicated to them at Palo and it will be unveiled today.

The monument stands close to the site where MacArthur first stepped ashore after leading the advance from Australia.

“Australians fought and died in the Philippines from the time of the US surrender in 1942 until the country’s final liberation in 1945,” said Colonel Bruce Murray, Australia’s defense attaché to the Philippines.

“The Royal Australian Navy’s participation in what is arguably history’s largest naval battle at Leyte Gulf, and its role in providing crucial support to nine amphibious landings during the campaign, made a valuable contribution to the overall success,” he added.

But currently, Leyte, particularly Tacloban City, is still recovering from the devastation wrought by Super Typhoon Yolanda that hit the country in November of last year. *– With Pia Lee Brago *

*-----*
*Noy to lead anniversary celebration of Leyte landing | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com*
*-----*

*Goldberg in Leyte Gulf landing anniversary*
October 18, 2014 9:50 pm

UNITED States Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg will visit Palo, Leyte tomorrow to join in the commemoration of the 70th Leyte Gulf landing anniversary.

While in Leyte, Goldberg will also preside in the inauguration of projects that support rehabilitation efforts in areas devastated by typhoon Yolanda.

He will visit Barangay Poblacion where he will turn over 36 sari-sari stores reconstructed and restocked through the initiatives of United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) along with Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble.

Goldberg will also announce the establishment of the micro enterprise disaster assistance fund for resiliency, implemented in partnership with Philippine Business for Social Progress.

This P176 million credit facility will enable eligible entrepreneurs from Yolanda-hit communities to borrow money to establish or expand their micro enterprises.

-----
Goldberg in Leyte Gulf landing anniversary - The Manila Times OnlineThe Manila Times Online
-----

_Yolanda is the local name for Typhoon Haiyan*_


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## Pinoy

*REGIONAL AIRPORTS IN THE PHILIPPINES TO BE EXPANDED*
OCTOBER 21, 2014




The National Economic Development Board (NEDB) in the Philippines has given the green light to a €355 million transformation project at Bacolod-Silay International Airport.

Work is set to be carried out in three phases and includes extension of the runway along with terminal expansion, and once complete means the airport can handle three million passengers by 2025.

The development will be in a 30-35 year concession period and funded through a public-private partnership.

It was approved by the NEDB along with 11 other new countrywide infrastructure projects in a meeting, which was chaired by Philippines president Benigno Aquino III.

NEDA explains the project will “provide additional facilities and other necessary improvements to enhance safety, security, access, passenger and cargo movement efficiency, and operational efficiency at the airport, excluding air navigation control, air navigation services and their associated services."

Other airports in the Philippines are to also receive funds for operations, maintenance and development projects.

They include Davao Airport, where a €711 million operations and maintenance development has been earmarked, to be completed in three phases, and the concession will be for 30-35 years, as part of a public-private partnership.

Iloilo Airport will also be transformed in three phases as part of €532 million development, through a public-private partnership, and NEDA says the operations and maintenance project will be on a concession period of 30-35 years, and construction will start in January 2016.





Davao Airport

Puerto Princesa Airport will also be expanded in a €91 million public-private partnership project and will have a concession period of 30-35 years.

NEDA explains: “The project will cover operations and maintenance duties, commercial development of the facility, and future investment in necessary asset to expand capacity and to absorb traffic increase on the horizon of the concession period and beyond.”

All the projects will be done under an 'operate-add-transfer' scheme with the private sector and are expected to start sometime late next year, or early in 2016 with concessions bidding set for later this year.

NEDA economic planning secretary, Arsenio M Balisacan, says: "These approved projects will significantly contribute to the infrastructure investment needed to sustain growth and make it inclusive.

“The projects will allow Filipinos to have more access to social and economic opportunities.

"The transportation and port projects will improve the mobility of people and the efficiency of the flow of goods and services. Also, some of these projects will instill or enhance resiliency of many areas against climate-related risks and disasters."

Regional airports in the Philippines to be expanded - Airport World Magazine

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## Cossack25A1

I think it is better to look at Russia and Europe for economic ties as it is dead-end to China due to territorial disputes and the "Dodds Report" indicate that the Philippines is just Japan's source for natural resources and enforced by the USA.

The Philippines and Russia: Prospects for Security Cooperation | Foreign Service Institute
European Union - EEAS (European External Action Service) | nomenu


Other prospect country is South Korea...

Prospects in Partnership: The Philippines and South Korea | Foreign Service Institute

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## Cossack25A1

BSP exec warns of more uncertainty | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----
* BSP exec warns of more uncertainty *
 By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 27, 2014 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Markets should brace for more uncertainty if the US Federal Reserve decides to further hold up raising interest rates or put an end to its monthly asset purchases, a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas official said ahead of the Fed’s meeting this week.

“Anything that will delay the normalization of the credit cycle in the US and the conclusion of the quantitative easing will force continuing uncertainty in the market,” BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo said.

*The US Fed will meet again this week to decide whether to finally end its massive bond buying program as planned or to defer it for another time. All eyes are on the two-day meeting which starts on Oct. 28 as analysts and market players watch out for the language the Fed will use to convey when it would raise interest rates.*


But any delay in the Fed’s expected actions will also give the BSP some policy space, Guinigundo said, especially amid concerns of a slowing global activity.


“That can also provide on the other hand some space in terms of flexibility in maintaining our policy rates or our monetary policy stance at this point especially as growth has become a key issue for both emerging market and the advanced economies,” Guinigundo said.


Monetary authorities last week decided to keep key policy rates steady as inflation is expected to be within the three-to five-percent target range for this year and the two to four percent band in 2015 and 2016. Overnight borrowing and overnight lending were maintained at four percent and six percent, respectively, in a move widely expected by the markets.


BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. last Thursday said latest forecasts showed a “lower inflation path” for 2014 until 2016 as pressures on commodity prices start to ease.


The BSP lowered its forecast for average inflation this year to 4.4 percent from 4.5 percent, while next year’s forecast was downgraded to 3.7 percent from 3.8 percent. The central bank also slashed its forecast for 2016 average inflation to 2.8 percent from three percent.


Inflation decelerated to 4.4 percent in September from 4.9 percent in August and in July due to lower increases in food prices and in housing and utility rates. This brought the nine-month average to 4.4 percent, still above the midpoint of the BSP’s target range for the year.


Tetangco said upside risks to the inflation outlook emanate from the pending petitions for power adjustments and the looming power shortages. However, the uneven prospects of the global economy should reduce pressures on commodity prices, he said. 


The central bank will revisit policy settings on Dec. 11, its last rate-setting meeting for the year.


The BSP earlier this year already raised key policy rates by 50 basis points to ensure inflation will remain within target over the policy horizon. At the same time, the reserve requirement ratios and the special deposit account facility rate were hiked to rein in excess liquidity in the system.

---------------------------------------------

IMF says Phl should focus on key structural reforms | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

* IMF says Phl should focus on key structural reforms *
 By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 27, 2014 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the country should keep its focus on key structural reforms and continuity even after a new administration takes office in 2016 to sustain the gains it has achieved in the past years.

IMF Resident Representative to the Philippines Shanaka Jayanath Peiris said the strong economic growth the country has been seeing in the last two years was an offshoot of the various reforms instituted by the current and past administrations.

To further grow the economy, Peiris said the country should “focus on continuity, focus on what kind of structural reforms can drive investments.”

*This should be done in order to take advantage of its young population through fostering an environment conducive to attract more investments to create more jobs, he said.*

“The Philippines has the youngest population in Asia and that alone is a huge opportunity… But demographic dividend without creating jobs won’t mean high growth and won’t mean better income,” Peiris said.

So far, the government has laid a solid foundation to enable a better environment for growth through strong macroeconomic fundamentals.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Peiris said the decline of the credit to GDP (gross domestic product) to below 40 percent in the first quarter, the relatively low inflation which averaged 4.4 percent as of September, and the strong six-percent growth in the first half gives the country the cushion to take on more measures to accelerate economic growth.

“With our young population and with our macro stability, we have the ability to grow faster,” Peiris said.

The Philippines expanded by 7.2 percent last year, sustaining the already faster-than-expected 6.8 percent in 2012.

The government hopes to grow the economy by 6.5 to 7.5 percent this year and further accelerate this to 7.5 to 8.5 percent by 2016.

“The story of the Philippines has improved in the last 10 years and something very striking is that growth has been domestic-led,” Peiris said.

However, he said the country still lags behind other economies in Asia in terms of investments, infrastructure, and even in competitiveness.

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## Ayan81

*PNP to buy P133-M sub-machine guns



*
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is buying 568 sub-machine guns worth P133.798 million.

In an advertisement in *The STAR*, Director Juanito Vaño, chief of the PNP Directorate for Logistics, said the police is inviting bids for sub-machine guns for an approved budget contract of P133,798,080.

As provided in the invitation to bid, Vaño said the delivery of the machine guns could be done in two tranches of 300 units and 268 within 60 days after the last day of the first delivery.

“The pre-bid conference is on Nov. 7 at the main conference hall of the PNP national headquarters. Bids must be delivered on or before Nov. 21. Bid opening shall be on Nov. 21 at 9:01 a.m.,” said Vaño.

Since 2013, the PNP has been buying equipment as part of its the Capability Enhancement Program (CEP), but police officials later admitted that the funds came the Disbursement Assistance Program (DAP), parts of which the Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional.






For the PNP SAF and PNP mobile companies, P1.5 billion will soon be allocated for the procurement of brand new assault rifles and ammo. Each and every member of the SAF and mobile forces will receive a brand new assault rifle.

Particulars of the bidding will be announced later.

*The STAR* reported that the fund for the assault rifles will be sourced from the CEP 2012 with P501,475,000, CEP 2013 with P130,845,000 and operational transformation plan worth P883,805,000 for a total of P1,516,125,000.

The PNP earlier scrapped an allegedly questionable P391-million procurement of 3,330 assault rifles after President Aquino noticed the deal to be overpriced.

Based on the President’s own Google search, the price of the rifle should have only been at most P40,000 apiece and not P80,000. The original price of the rifle was listed at P150,000 apiece, then it went down to P119,000.

The PNP Supply Management Division and the Directorate for Logistics were instructed to further study the specifications for the assault rifles.

In September 2013, the Directorate for Logistics and vice chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee said the PNP might bid out the combined 1,500 and 1,800 assault rifles with the same budget.

The 1,500 assault rifles, to be procured at a cost of P178,332,000, will be assigned to members of the Special Action Force (SAF), while the 1,800 long firearms, to cost P213,998,400, will be given to members of the Mobile Forces.

PNP to buy P133-M sub-machine guns

________________________________________________________________________________________

*BRP Benguet one of world’s oldest commissioned ship to undergo repair, drydocking*

*



*

One of the world’s oldest navy ship commissioned, now serving the Philippine Navy, BRP Benguet will undergo repair and dry-docking. The Armed Forces of the Philippines will apply the sum of PhP40 million for the said project.

BRP Benguet (LT-507) is a tank landing ship designed for US Navy during the World War 2 era. It was first commissioned way back May 1944. The World War 2 vessel USS Daviess County was transferred to Philippine Navy last September 1976. It then was named BRP Benguet.

Benguet is being used by PN to transport soldiers, military cargo and help carry out relief operations. It is also being used to transport civilians when requested.

Philippine Navy is currently waiting for the delivery of two brand-new Makassar-class Landing Platform Dock from Indonesia. When delivered, these LPDs can act as PN’s floating command center while carrying out its main purpose as military sealift and transport vessel.

Two Makassar are expected to be supplied in 2016 and 2017.

These sealift vessels will be carrying landing craft utility/mechanized, including the upcoming Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) and attack helicopters. 






LST-692 somewhere in Europe during WWII. She is now BRP Benguet.
I dont know if I be happy or Sad from this news 

BRP Benguet one of world’s oldest commissioned ship to undergo repair, drydocking | Ang Malaya Net

___________________________________________________________________________________

*Commanding officer of USS Stethem fired after destroyer hits canoe off of the Philippines*

*



*

The commanding officer of the destroyer USS Stethem has been fired a week after the ship struck and sank a canoe off of Subic Bay in the Philippines.

Cmdr. John Bradford was relieved by his immediate superior “due to loss of confidence in Bradford’s ability to command,” according to the Navy Times.

Bradford’s relief is related to the incident with the canoe, the release said, and the investigation is ongoing.

“The decision to relieve Bradford came after a recent incident involving a 19-foot wooden vessel reportedly hit by Stethem while the ship was underway from Subic Bay, Philippines, Oct. 13,” a Navy release said.

The USS Stethem (U.S. Navy file)





According to Philippine media reports, the unlit canoe crossed Stethem’s course around 8:36 p.m. The boat’s occupants were rescued uninjured by the Stethem’s crew.

Capt. Chris Sweeney, the deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 15, is in command of the boat until a permanent replacement is named, the release said.

Commanding officer of USS Stethem fired after destroyer hits canoe off of the Philippines | WTKR.com

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## Ayan81

PAF CTU/CAHOU in Action

Counter Terrorist Unit or Counter Aircraft Hijacking Operations Unit are the Elite Ground Combat forces of the Philippine Air Force from 710th Special Operations Wing

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## Ayan81



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## Ayan81

*Euronaval 2014: Philippine OPV contract confirmed*

The Philippines Coast Guard will receive a new 82 m offshore patrol vessel (OPV) by around 2016, shipbuilder OCEA told _IHS Jane's_ at the Euronaval exhibition in Paris.

A EUR90 million (USD113 million) contract for five vessels from France was announced by Philippine coastguard chief Rear Admiral Luis Tuason in 2012.

At Euronaval in 2012, OCEA confirmed that four OCEA 24 m FPB 72 patrol boats similar to units delivered to Nigeria and Surinam would partly fulfil this requirement, although whether the final vessel would be a larger OPV was still to be finalised at that time.

The larger unit is now confirmed to be based on the company's new OPV 270, with the baseline design featuring an aluminium hull with twin diesel propulsion for speeds of more than 25 kt.





OCEA 24 m FPB 72





OPV 270

Euronaval 2014: Philippine OPV contract confirmed - IHS Jane's 360

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## Reashot Xigwin

*PNP general a world-class inventor*
*By MST Business* | Nov. 01, 2014 at 10:30pm
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/11/01/pnp-general-a-world-class-inventor/
Percival Gammad Barba, a high-ranking official of the Philippine National Police, spent his career protecting the public from crimes. With only a few weeks left before his retirement from the service, the 55-year-old father of six children now wants to use his invention to protect motorists and commuters from accidents caused by poorly lit roads.





Percival Barba shows his invention — solar-powered
road markers
Barba, who currently serves as the Philippine National Police deputy director for Western Mindanao with a rank of chief superintendent, invented the solar-powered road marker, a world-class device which was awarded a gold medal during the British Invention Show in London on Oct. 26, 2013.

A feature of modern highways, road safety devices enhance road delineation and guide vehicles at low-visibility conditions. Barba says his version of road safety devices glows at night, without using electricity from the power grid, and can supplement street lights, which are costly to build.

“This is a road safety device that we can use on our roads. I call it Barbalite solar-powered road marker. The Barbalite brand carries our name,” Barba says in an interview at the Filipino Inventors Society Producer Cooperative at Delta Building located at the corner of Quezon Ave. and West Ave. in Quezon City.

“There are different types of road safety devices, and all of them have reflectors. What makes Barbalite solar-powered road marker different is that it emits light at night. It is a self-illuminated road pavement stud. During the day, when it gathers solar power, the light turns off, and it is also a reflector on ordinary surface during the day,” he says.

“Three hours of sunlight gathered during the day are enough to power the device for the whole night. So even during the storm and rainy days, it can still gather solar energy and emit lights at night. It is also a reflector,” Barba says.

The invention, made of aluminum alloy, polycarbonate and photovoltaics, flashes red, white and yellow lights that can be seen from a distance of up to 400 meters. Twelve straight hours of flashing mode are enough to guide vehicles from dusk until dawn. Barba says the LED lights have up to 30,000 lamp hours.

Barbalite Technologies, the company established by Barba in Capas, Tarlac in 1987, was also bestowed the Filipinnovation Award by the Department of Science and Technology for excellence in electronics in 2011.

“I am turning 56 on Dec. 15. We are now shifting our focus to our invention. If the orders had pushed ahead last year, I could have retired from the service earlier. So now, on my 56th birthday, I will focus full-time on Barbalite Technologies,” he says.

Barba received a patent and copyright from the Intellectual Property Office for his invention, which also passed the rigid standards of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Bureau of Research and Standards. The invention also received international certification from SGS, a global testing company.

Barba says the invention has the following components: a rechargeable lithium ion battery, solar panel, control board, light emitting diode and reflector. “This means it is a reflector and a road safety device as well,” he says.

Asked what led him to invent the device, Barba points to his own experience in driving at night. “The reason why I saw a need for self-illuminating road safety devices is when I was assigned as the provincial director in Pangasinan, I would go home to Fairview in Quezon City every Friday night. When I reached Fairview via Commonwealth Ave., it was difficult to drive and follow the ordinary road paints. When it rained, you could not see the lines,” he says.

“Most vehicles were using their blinkers during heavy rain at night, because the drivers could not see the road safety devices implanted on the road. Now, we have a solution,” Barba says.

Barba says the Barbalite solar-powered road marker gathers energy during the day and stores it in the battery. At night, the LED flashes and guides the motorists, he says. “We can reduce accidents at Commonwealth Ave. by installing the solar-powered road markers. The MMDA reported an average of three accidents a day at Commonwealth, especially the stretch of an elevated road divider near Technohub, which was only given a yellow-colored GI sheet,” he says.

Barba says he offered to freely install 24 pieces of solar-powered road markers at Fairview Circle as samples. “Because of what we installed, we received an order for P13.20 million worth of our devices in April. But it remains pending at the Road Board,” he says.

“It is just one of the many requests we received. We received orders from Regions 5, 9, 10 to 13, or the whole of Mindanao. We received orders for P520 million. It sounds good to the ear, but all these remain pending at the Road Board. We are still waiting for their approval and endorsement to the DBM [Department of Budget and Management]. I believe it will eventually be approved, starting with the project along Commonwealth, where accidents often occur,” he says.

“This is a solution and it is more affordable than ordinary road markers. Ordinary road markers cost P3,511.15 and they do not have lights. The Barbalite solar-powered road marker costs only P2,800,” he says. 

The Barbalite device comes in three types, including those ideal for elevated dividers, the heavy-duty studs and the more affordable medium-type markers for street gutter.

Barba says the heavy-duty studs can withstand a 27-ton capacity. “It is shock-proof, water-proof and scratch-proof,” he says. He says the device has a one-year warranty. He also offers maintenance-free services.

He says aside from local district engineers, he met with officials of expressway operators. “Lately, we received calls from the Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway. We installed 24 pieces at SCTex in Porac in December, which are still functioning well until today. Because of the free samples we installed, I think they are including us in their budget program,” he says,

Barba says with the help of banks, he can supply the P520 million worth of request all over the country. “At present, I don’t have the capacity to manufacture it here. I just spent my own money for the mold. The DOST helped us prepare the CD and video presentation, which we distributed to district engineers.”

“Many still do not know about our invention. It takes a long process in the bureaucracy, that’s why our funding also takes long. But I believe it will be eventually endorsed by the Road Board,” he says.

Barbalite Technologies’ first order came from the Porac municipal government covering 700 markers worth P1.8 million. “We installed 700 pieces of solar-powered road markers in Porac,” he says.

Barba’s interest in invention started when he was a student. Before joining the Philippine Military Academy in 1978, Barba was among the first batch of Industrial Engineering students at the Mapua Institute of Technology.

He says being an inventor was not unique in the family. His older brother, Roman Gammad Barba Jr., was a member of the Filipino Inventors Society who invented printing and laminating apparatus, a snail killer, an organic fertilizer, barcrete construction materials and other useful devices.

“I am an inventor on the side. My older brother, Roman Barba, was a full-time inventor who won many awards for his inventions from the 1960s to 2000. It was he who taught me. He is credited for many inventions, but he died a pauper. His inventions are still being used to this day. What happened to him was that he became very dependent on financiers,” he says.

“This is the predicament of Filipino inventors. We need support. But I believe that we have better prospects now. Many banks, for example, have expressed interest to finance our project. One private bank even offered to finance our capital, as long as I name the PO [purchase order] for solar-powered road markers after the bank,” he says.

“It is also faster to get a patent, as long as there is no similar innovation. One thing that will help Filipino inventors is the patronage of the public. If the solar-powered road marker will only be patronized, there are a number of jobs that will be created in the Philippines,” he says.

Barbalite Technologies currently has existing partnerships with L-Trend Optoelectronics and GreenPro Technology Inc. of Taiwan and its branch in Indonesia for the production of solar-powered road markers.

“Our dream is to establish a manufacturing plant in the Philippines. I think Subic would be a very viable site,” he says.

Barba says aside from the solar-powered marker, he is pursuing another innovation. “The mufflers of vehicles are now used to muffle or silence the sound of engine. What I am developing is something that will trap the soot [exhaust deposits], the carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and other pollutants released into the air by cars. I now have a prototype. It has no name yet, but it is an anti-pollution filter or anti-pollution device,” he says.

Barbalite Technologies has also designed and developed other novel products and gadgets such as typhoon-proof billboard, floating garbage collector and portable hot tub.

“Now, I understand my older brother who had kept on inventing, even after successfully developing new products. So this is how an inventor feels. You are inspired to keep inventing to help other Filipinos,” he says.

Barba is a member of the Filipino Inventors Society and is among the speakers during the National Inventors Week to be held on Nov. 13 to 16 at the event center of Fisher Mall and at Delta Building in Quezon City.

Filipino Inventors Society Producer Cooperative chairman Popoy Pagayon says the National Inventors Week will showcase outstanding Filipino inventions, which are designed to help the Filipino people.

“We want to show to our nation the Filipino inventors’ talents, innovations and skills that are at par with the best of the world,” Pagayon says. *RTD*

PNP general a world-class inventor - Manila Standard Today

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## Ayan81

*FREEDOM IS NOT FREE*. It is paid for with the blood of fighting men and stained with the tears of loved ones left behind.
(PEFTOK Creed)







Have a blessed and safe All Souls Day. Salute!

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## Cossack25A1

We should really exterminate these people
-----
*Abu Sayyaf militants kill 6 Filipino soldiers *
by AP 
November 2, 2014 




*Philippine soldiers wave to the media in this file photo. (AP Photo/Nickee Butlangan)*

Abu Sayyaf gunmen on Sunday killed six soldiers who were guarding a road project that has been delayed by militant attacks in a southern Philippine province, the military said.

The soldiers were patrolling the outskirts of a farming village in Sumisop town on the island province of Basilan when about 20 heavily armed Abu Sayyaf fighters opened fire, sparking a 45-minute battle, army Col. Rolando Bautista.

At least one soldier also was wounded. It was not immediately clear if there were rebel casualties.

The Abu Sayyaf, which is on a U.S. list of terrorist organizations, was founded in the early 1990s in Basilan, a predominantly Muslim province in the majority Catholic nation, about 880 kilometers south of Manila. Despite many battle setbacks, the group has endured, surviving mostly on kidnappings and extortion, and remains a national security threat.

Bautista said he deployed additional troops to pursue the attackers, who were led by a commander he identified as Radzmi Jannatul.

The attack came as hundreds of troops hunted down Abu Sayyaf gunmen on nearby Jolo island, where the militants freed two German tourists last month reportedly after a huge ransom payment.

-----

Abu Sayyaf militants kill 6 Filipino soldiers | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines


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## Ayan81

So the air strike yesterday was unsuccessful. It is time the afp use drones with strike capability to hunt these animals.


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> So the air strike yesterday was unsuccessful. It is time the afp use drones with strike capability to hunt these animals.


drones with Agent Orange weapon


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## Ayan81

*PNP seeks bids for 1,000 patrol cars*

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine National Police is planning to buy additional patrol vehicles before the year ends to boost anticrime operations.

The bidding for the contract to supply 1,021 patrol jeeps worth P918.9 million will be conducted this month to add to the 560 vehicles bought by the PNP earlier this year.

The PNP bids and awards committee, which is inviting prospective suppliers of 12-seater, diesel-run vehicles, has set a pre-bid conference on Nov. 4 in Camp Crame.

Funding for the new vehicles will be drawn from the PNP’s 2013 budget.

Bid documents can be bought from the bids and awards committee at the PNP headquarters for P75,000 until Nov. 18.

*An Indian company, Mahindra, won the earlier bid to supply the first 560 vehicles. It offered P895,000 per unit for a total of P504 million.*

In October, the PNP conducted tests on the patrol vehicle to evaluate its performance and durability. The tests included a long-distance drive on rough terrain.

The PNP said bidding for the new contract would be open to sole Filipino proprietorships or partnerships and organizations that are at least 60 percent Filipino-owned.

The first batch of the delivery must be made 120 days from the issuance of the Notice to Proceed, while the second and third batches must be delivered 120 days apart.


PNP seeks bids for 1,000 patrol cars | Inquirer News

This is one of the Mahindra Patrol Jeep that is now undergoing test and evaluation


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## Reashot Xigwin

*PH honors Indonesian military chief*
To highlight the close ties between both countries. the Indonesian military chief gives General Gregorio Catapang Jr a free ride to Brunei on November 3





* Carmela Fonbuena *
Published 2:06 PM, Nov 03, 2014
Updated 4:31 PM, Nov 04, 2014




_LEGION OF HONOR: Indonesian military chief General Moeldoko receives the Philippine Legion of Honor with the Degree of Commander. Rappler photo_

MANILA, Philippines – It's an arrangement that "highlights the good relationship" between the Philippine and Indonesian militaries, said Armed Forces chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr.

When Indonesian military chief General Moeldoko was told he was going to be awarded the Philippine Legion of Honor with the Degree of Commander, he made a special arrangement with his Philippine counterpart. "He told me: "If you allow me to be awarded today, you can join me, you can join me in my plane,"" Catapang told reporters.

General Moeldoko received the award on Monday morning, November 3, during the flag ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo. He met with high-ranking defense officials and military officers and then left with Catapang for Brunei Monday afternoon aboard the Indonesian military's aircraft. They're both attending the annual Chief of Defense Conference 2014.



"This hightlights our good relationship with them. We are very close," said Catapang before their departure. He was originally scheduled to leave for Brunei last Sunday.

In May 2014, the Philippines and Indonesia sealed a historic maritime deal drawing a boundary between the overlapping Exclusive Economic Zone in the Mindanao Sea and Celebes Sea. (READ: Philippines, Indonesia seal historic maritime deal)

In a recent interview with Bloomberg, General Moeldoko joined calls for China to avoid destablizing Asia. "China is a great economic superpower, however we don’t want this great force to create instability in the region," Moeldoko was quoted in the article.

Indonesia's new president Joko Widodo earlier said he was ready to act as "intermediary" to calm rising tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. (READ: Indonesia ready to mediate in South China Sea, says Jokowi – report)

*Highest award*

The Philippine Legion of Honor is awarded to Filipino and foreign citizens for their meritorious service in the military and defense affairs or for exceptional performance of their duties. It is also the highest award the President can bestow without the need for approval of Congress.

Moeldoko was cited for the following contributions:


for strengthening bilateral defense and military cooperation between the Indonesian armed forces and the AFP through the agreement on military cooperation in the field of defense and security activities;
for actively supporting the International Monitoring Team task force contingent on the consequent signing of the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in March 2014;
for promptly directing 3 Indonesian Hercules C-130 aircraft to transport essential relief items from the Indonesian government to the typhoon-stricken areas at the height of supertyphoon Yolanda in November 2013
“The visit of General Moeldoko and his party today reaffirms that shared commitment of mutual thrust and growing partnership not only between our governments but our armed forces as well,” Catapang said.

General Moeldoko responded: “I express my sincere gratitude and high appreciation to General Catapang for this most gracious award. Let us hope that the relationship and cooperation between TNI (Tentara Nasional Indoensia) and AFP will last for a long time.” *– Rappler.com*

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## Cossack25A1

One year after Haiyan (Yolanda in PH terminology), yet no significant development.

------------------------------

*24,000 candles to light up 24-km stretch of road in Tacloban City*
*Joey A. Gabieta, Nestor P. Burgos Jr. | Inquirer Visayas 6:56 AM | Friday, November 7th, 2014*

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines—Some 24,000 candles will light up a 24-kilometer stretch of roads on Saturday, not only to recall the devastation and deaths caused by the strongest typhoon to hit landfall but also to show gratitude for the international community’s outpouring of assistance.

“This is a tribute to humanity’s finest hour,” said Jeff Manibay, organizer of the Yolanda Candlelight Memorial ceremony.

He was referring to the swift outpouring of support and assistance from international and national organizations to Tacloban, considered the Ground Zero of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan), rampaged across the Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013.

The first anniversary of Yolanda will be marked in many areas with prayers, flowers and songs. Others will hold protest rallies to call to task the government for alleged delayed and inadequate assistance.

In the city, survivors will light 24,000 candles from Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in San Jose District, the hardest-hit area, to Nula-Tula District, site of a memorial park where 2,273 of the 6,300 Yolanda killed were buried.


*Rites of thanksgiving*

“This candlelight memorial is not only meant to remember our loved ones who were killed during the typhoon but also to use it as an opportunity to say thank you for all those who helped us,” said Maniba, who lost his father Felipe, 70, and mother Venicia, 74, in the tragedy.

The candles were distributed earlier this week. Each will be placed in a small glass and will be set a meter apart. These will be lighted at exactly 6:30 p.m., an hour after the Mass at the Plaza Rizal. The ringing of the church bells will signal the start of the hourlong ceremony.

Manibay said he expected more than 50,000 people including those still living in tents and bunkhouses to line the streets for the event.

*About 20,000 typhoon survivors also are expected to march in the streets of Tacloban on Saturday morning to decry the government’s alleged failure in giving assistance, especially housing and livelihood.*

*The protesters will call for the resignation of President Aquino. “He is callous to our plight. We have done our part to talk with him and inform him of our demands. But he never listened to us. We are supposed to be his bosses and yet what did we get from him? Nothing,” said Efleda Bautista, chair of People Surge.*

In Capiz, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and Buylog sa Pagbangon Capiz expect 10,000 protesters from 11 towns and Roxas City to join a caravan and march rally.

In Iloilo, about 3,000 survivors will converge in Estancia town for a protest rally, according to the groups.

In the capital town of Kalibo in Aklan, protesters will release two miniature boats along the Aklan River. The boats will display messages calling for continued assistance.

A rally expected to be joined by 3,000 survivors and other protesters will be held at Pastrana Park in Kalibo.

-----
24,000 candles to light up 24-km stretch of road in Tacloban City | Inquirer News
-----

*One year after Typhoon Haiyan: Resilience rebuilds the Philippines*
By *Sofia Klemming Nordenskiöld, *Special to CNN

November 7, 2014 -- Updated 0143 GMT (0943 HKT)


_*Editor's note:* Sofia Klemming Nordenskiöld is a press officer with Plan International in Sweden. She has been to the Philippines three times over the past year with award-winning photographer Pieter ten Hoopen, collecting photographs and stories from the communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan. The views expressed in this opinion piece are solely hers._

*(CNN)* -- It's 7 a.m. in Tanauan, the Philippines, and the church bells are ringing for Sunday mass.


It's May 2014 and I'm accompanying 11-year-old Jednel and his parents to the weekly service. Jednel is one of the children I have got to know through my work with children's charity Plan International. When Typhoon Haiyan wreaked havoc across the Philippines in November 2013, I was deployed to support the team.

 
Jednel lives in a coastal village in Leyte, which was badly destroyed by the tsunami-like waves that followed the storm.

 
Many of the people attending the church service lost family members and friends, many of whom are now buried in the mass grave outside on the main square. When the minister calls for prayers, the air is thick with sorrow.


There is a common experience that, as an outsider, I cannot fully grasp. Everyone in here has sensed the risk of death. They have been so close to the end, but they have survived.

Soon the air fills with a sense of power and energy. When the minister cracks a joke, laughter echoes out through the open doors.

Now, having visited the Philippines three times over the past year (in November 2013, and then May and September, 2014), I truly believe the disaster recovery has come this far because of the remarkable resilience and spirit of the Filipino people.


*Rush to rebuild*

When I first arrived in Western Samar in November 2013, just three weeks after the typhoon, all I could see was piles of debris, reminiscent of apocalyptic destruction.

Yet, in the middle of the rubble and burning waste, I could hear the sound of people hammering, already in the process of rebuilding their houses. Women were washing their clothes and hanging it between the few walls that were left of their homes. Children were running around in flip-flops looking for scrap metal and old glasses they could sell to help their families get food. I even heard people singing.

A year later and a lot has happened; Jednel's school is being rebuilt, he is attending a temporary school, and plays with his friends on the weekend.

The rubble and fallen trees have been cleared and the vegetation is lush and green. Shops have reopened and the streets are crowded with cars, bicycles and taxis, while the community is out in full force, selling fruit and sweets. Children can play freely on the beach and they are finally allowed to go swimming in the sea once again.


*Children among most vulnerable*

Jednel has grown a great deal since last November. Now he is a confident, relaxed boy who welcomes me to the house of his great grandmother. He says he's still afraid of storms and bad weather, but the nightmares come more seldom.


Plan International's priority is protecting children who are among those worst affected by a disaster, and among the most vulnerable after.

After Haiyan, Plan set up "Child Friendly Spaces," providing a safe space for 21,000 children to play, learn and get much-needed emotional support -- while nearly 10,000 parents, children and community members were trained on how to avoid violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Over the past year, Plan has helped more than 40,000 children to return to school with its "Back to School" kits -- including bags, books and pens -- or by rebuilding classrooms, training teachers and supplying school equipment.

Although we've come a long way from the devastating scenes my colleagues and I witnessed a year ago, work still remains.

In Tacloban City, one of the areas worst hit by Typhoon Haiyan, Plan's "Building Back Better" project is working with the government and community members to help residents build a community that's better able to withstand the next powerful storm.

As for Jednel, he now dreams of becoming a scientist and learning more about typhoons and climate change.

We look out towards the calm ocean and I ask him what it's like to live in the Philippines, where a natural disaster never seems too far away.

Jednel replies: "This is my favorite place. It's like a freedom, where my family can live and be happy and proud."

For me, hearing his words is testament to the resilience of Jednel, his family and the Filipino community.

-----
Resilience rebuilds Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan - CNN.com
-----

*A year on, typhoon-devastated Philippine city fails to rebuild homes*
MANILA Tue Oct 28, 2014 5:51am EDT 

Oct 28 (Reuters) - The mayor of the central Philippine city worst hit by a super typhoon a year ago said on Tuesday fewer than 100 of 14,500 promised permanent homes had been built and that thousands were still living in danger zones.

Typhoon Haiyan wiped out or damaged practically everything in its path as it swept ashore on Nov. 8, 2013, with seven-metre storm surges destroying around 90 percent of the city of Tacloban in Leyte province.

*Haiyan killed or left missing close to 8,000 people and displaced as many as four million.*

"Building more permanent homes is very slow and takes time. Hopefully, by January next year, the pace will pick up," Mayor Alfred Romualdez, nephew of the Philippines' former first lady, Imelda Marcos, told reporters.

He blamed the lack of suitable land where houses which could withstand 250-kph (155-mph) winds could be built but said he hoped the 14,500 homes would be completed by 2017.

"There are still 3,000 people in danger zones, many in tents and we want them all transferred to transitional shelters by next month," Romualdez said.

"...One year after typhoon Haiyan, we are back but only about 50 percent," he said, saying the recovery effort was slowed down by bureaucracy, shortage of manpower and resources and other delays.

Construction materials, like galvanized iron sheets, were also scarce, he said, forcing people to use fallen coconut trees to build temporary shelters.

Romualdez did not mention graft as a factor in one of Asia's most corrupt countries.

The Philippines came in at 94 out of 175 countries in Transparency International's corruption perceptions index last year.

The Aquino government has a six-year 170 billion pesos ($3.80 billion) master plan to rebuild devastated areas, building about 200,000 homes and providing more sustainable jobs for 2.6 million people who living below the poverty line. 

_(Reporting by Manuel Mogato; Editing by Nick Macfie)_

-----
A year on, typhoon-devastated Philippine city fails to rebuild homes| Reuters
-----


_So much for the "santong-anito" president..._


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## Ayan81

*Elite PH, US units launch joint exercises in Basilan*

*



*
_SPECIAL OPERATION. 'Balance Piston' is a regular training exercise between special units of the US and Philippine armies. Photo by Richard Falcatan/Rappler_

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine and US armies have launched a 3-week war fighting capability training in Basilan, a war-weary province plagued by threats including the Abu Sayyaf group.

The joint exercises, called "Balance Piston," was launched on Wednesday, November 5, at the headquarters of the 4th Special Forces Battalion in Basilan.

"It is focused on enhancing the AFP war fighting capability and interoperability with US forces," said Captain Eugem Espino, military spokesperson in Basilan.

It is a regular army-to-army special operation exercise under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). It involves the Armed Forces of the Philippines Special Operation Command (AFP-SOCOM) and the US Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC).

The exercises began as Basilan mayors called forintensified military operations against the Abu Sayyaf following the killing of 6 soldiers, including a fresh graduate of the Philippine military academy. (READ: Basilan's hero: Fresh PMA grad dies in Abu Sayyaf hands)

The exercises, which will last until November 26, usually includemarksmanship, helicopter medical evaluation, combat lifesaving techniques, cross training of Philippine and US personnel on airborne operations, and medical civic operations. 

_Timing is a little suspect wherein phil. troops is at the moment undergoing operations against the abu sayaf. 

Elite PH, US units launch joint exercises in Basilan
_________________________________________________________________________________

_
*Returning Pinoy peacekeepers to be quarantined on Caballo Island*

_





An island near Corregidor will serve as home for three weeks of the 138 Filipino peacekeepers when they arrive from Ebola-hit Liberia next week, President Benigno Aquino III said Friday.

Aquino said the 138 military and police personnel will need to undergo the mandatory 21-day quarantine on Caballo Island to ensure that they are not infected with the dreaded Ebola virus, which has killed thousands in West Africa. 

“Humihingi tayo ng pang-unawa sa ating mga peacekeepers, lalo na sa kanilang pamilya. Sa loob ng 21 araw hindi muna sila makakauwi sa sariling tahanan; pagbabakasyunin muna natin sila sa isang isla kung saan maaari silang mag-relax at magpahinga,” Aquino said during a briefing on Ebola virus at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

“Bahagi ito ng itinakdang proseso ng inyong gobyerno upang siguruhing hindi lalaganap ang Ebola virus sa bansa or makakapasok ang Ebola virus sa bansa,” he added.

Aquino said he ordered the return to the country of the peacekeepers upon learning of the spread of Ebola virus in Liberia, one of the countries hardest hit by the disease.

“Bilang Commander-in-Chief, at ama ng bansa, hindi ko ho maaatim na hayaan lang silang manatili sa lugar kung saan maaari silang mahawa ng nakamamatay na sakit,” he said.

On Caballo Island, located 2.6 miles east of Corregidor, the peacekeepers will have three to four doctors to monitor their condition. The island will have facilities for water desalination, power, and recreation.

Aquino clarified that undergoing quarantine doesn't mean the person is infected with the virus.

“Linawin ko lang po: Hindi ibig sabihin na dahil nanggaling sila sa lugar na laganap ang Ebola, taglay na rin nila ang virus. Kailangan lang po muna nating tiyaking ligtas na silang makihalubilo sa iba. Quarantine po ang tawag nga dito,” he said.

Returning Pinoy peacekeepers to be quarantined on Caballo Island | Pinoy Abroad | GMA News Online_

_____________________________________________________________________
*HAPPY BIRTHDAY *

HAPPY 64th ANNIVERSARY PHILIPPINE MARINES











____________________________________________________________________________

Today in Philippine History, November 7, 1914, Jesus Antonio Villamor was born in Abra




_General Douglas MacArthur (left) is shown pinning a Distinguished Service Cross on Captain Jesús A. Villamor of the Philippine Army Air Corps, for heroism in the air._


*On November 7, 1914*, Jesus Antonio Villamor, a Filipino ace pilot who fought the Japanese invaders during the World War II, was born in Abra.


Villamor, who joined the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) Flying School in his early 20s, was an outstanding cadet sent to the United States for advance flight training for three years instead of four years.

He also took part in the training of the U.S. Air Force’s Strategic Bombing Squadron which used the B-17 and B-22 bomber planes.

After a variety of postings upon his return to the Philippines, he was assigned to lead the 6th Pursuit Squadron shortly before the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in December 1941.

Overmatched against Japanese Zeros, his squadron of P-26 Fighters held their own against fierce enemy in dogfight after dogfight. The Filipino pilots etched their courage and skills in the skies above Zablan and Batangas Fields.

After his squadron was destroyed, Villamor continued his war against the Japanese this time as an intelligence officer.

On Dec. 27, 1942, Villamor slipped through the Japanese Navy aboard the submarine USS Gudgeon (SS-211) and established communications from the Philippines to Australia where General Douglas MacArthur's headquarters was based.

He served as the “clearing house” of all the information, including the activities of the guerrilla (which was formed in anticipation of what was then believed as a short stay of the enemy in the Philippines) movements in Luzon, Visayas and Mindandao.

These reports helped MacArthur immensely in planning his return to the Philippines, which took place in the beach of Leyte in Oct. 20, 1944, and eventually allowed the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) to map out a strategy to liberate the Philippines.

Hence, for his bravery as a pilot and ingenuity as an intelligence officer, President Ramon Magsaysay awarded Villamor the Medal of Valor, the highest Philippine military decoration on Jan. 21, 1954.

He also received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Legion of Merit.

Also, the Philippine Air Force's (PAF) principal facility in Metro Manila has been named Col. Jesus Villamor Air Base.

He died at the age of 56 on Oct. 28, 1971.

Jesus Antonio Villamor was born in Abra November 7, 1914

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## Bob Ong

*PNoy seeks harmonious ties with neighbors, China*
By RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
11/09/2014

BEIJING – President Benigno Aquino III wants harmonious ties with the country’s neighbors, including China, amid the maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea.

*"It’s also in the Philippines’ interest to achieve harmony with all of its neighbors. There are so many practices that each country can benefit from as we face common challenges,"* he said.

"For instance, right now we will be welcoming some of our peacekeepers back to the country next week, who are coming from the West African states, specifically from Liberia where Ebola is, I think, a virus or a disease that is in the minds of everybody."

Aquino said this in response to a question thrown at him during the open forum of the APEC CEO Summit.

Aquino added: "We actually firmly believe that without stability, prosperity is an impossibility. And I think all governments, regardless of where they are, are set up primarily to improve the people’s lot or their people’s lot in life. So anything that fosters greater stability is an objective for us because we do want to achieve more prosperity for our people and together with the rest of our brothers and sisters throughout the region and throughout the world."

Aquino also recalled that during his last trip to China in 2011, former Chinese President Hu Jintao had said that one issue should not describe the relations of two countries.

*"On a state visit here in 2011, we were very heartened to hear then President Hu Jintao who said the be-all and end-all of our relationships do not have to be with just one particular issue, but there are so many other aspects of our relationships. And we are happy to note that, for instance, in trade, there is a very significant growth in trade between our countries. In so many different other aspects, even from food production, there have been a lot of cooperation already,”* he said.

Aquino also cited people-to-people exchanges, such as in the field of education.

The President highlighted the fruits of the relations between the two countries despite the strained ties.

*"I believe that in 2011, the figures that are in my mind right now… Philippine corporations have invested $2.5 billion in the Chinese economy, and in turn, China has given us about $600 million in investments. We send something like 800,000 tourists into China’s way and China sent us 200,000 tourists,”* he said.

These numbers continue to grow, Aquino stressed.

“And we seek to have harmonious relationships with everybody so that we can concentrate on solving a lot of domestic problems that have to be addressed now,” he said.

In his speech earlier in the CEO summit, Aquino also lauded China for its hosting of the APEC.

"Thank you for the opportunity and we hope we emulate China’s success at hosting APEC,” he said.

The Philippines will host APEC next year.

Aquino also took the opportunity to reiterate the economic progress that he claims were the fruits of his administration.

"We fostered a business environment that rewarded hard work and innovation as opposed to a mere willingness to bend the rules. Indeed, over the course of our administration, we have proven that good governance is good economics,” he added.

Meanwhile, Aquino asked the audience, composed of CEOs across the region, to invest in the Philippines.

"We are extremely eager to work with all of you and are hopeful that you can eventually invest in our country and become part of the great Philippine turnaround,” he said, reiterating that there is a level playing field for businesses in the Philippines.

Aquino is on his first trip to China since relations soured over the West Philippine Sea issue.

While China and Japan have initiated talks over their own dispute, there is no indication China and the Philippines will follow. No bilateral meetings have been announced for Aquino and his Chinese counterpart.

PNoy seeks harmonious ties with neighbors, China | ABS-CBN News

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## Bob Ong

*U.S. Losing Philippine Allegiance To China?*
Nov 09, 2014


Reports have surfaced that the United States might be losing the allegiance of ts longtime ally, the Philippines, to China as it has already signed up for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) last October 24 in a move that was dubbed as an unexpected development.

The head of the Philippine LaRouche Society, Antonio "Butch" Valdes, warned the citizens of the Philippines about the ploy of the U.S. He pressed that the country was being set up for destruction and that the war of the U.S. against China has something to do with the financial system of the West.

Philippine media have also reported accusations against China, pressing that it would like to take over the country.

For these reasons, the move of the Philippines has come as a surprise as the U.S. President Barack Obama has pressed other nations to boycott the China-led AIIB. Obama also asked Aquino to reject the offer of China in setting aside territorial issues in order for them to have a joint development.

The AIIB, whose goal is to counter the refusal of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in lending money to countries for long-term basic infrastructure, has 21 founding members. The group will be lending money to the other members without any strictness or conditions.

Political figures in the Philippines have noted that Obama is already losing control of the archipelage and predicted that Aquino will also be pulled down once Obama loses in the 2016 Presidential elections. They pointed out the progress of other Asian nations that are collaborating with China.

On October 29, former Philippine President Fidel Ramos gave a speech in Manila which touched on this issue. He urged the Philippines to restore its close relations with China because their economy will continue to collapse if the government will not do so.

Ramos also emphasized the importance of stability in the region, saying businesses will not be able to operate and help "produce wealth" without it.




*Ambassador sees stronger Philippine-China relations under China's five-year development plan*

By: *Philippines News Agency*
November 8, 2014


BEIJING, China - The business relations between the Philippines and China continue to develop under China's Five Year Plan in a robust manner with the business sectors from both sides taking the initiatives to enhance trade and investment, the Philippine ambassador here said early this week.

In an interview with Radio TV Malacanang on Monday, Erlinda Basilio, the Philippine ambassador to China said that both sides recognize that there are opportunities in each other economies so the business sector continue the contacts and works in addition to government initiatives.

China's legislature, the National People's Congress, endorsed the country’s 12th Five-Year Plan on March 14, 2011.

The far-reaching plan sets China's course for the next five years: the social and economic measures contained in the plan will have a deep impact on the business landscape, both within China and in countries that do business with China.

Basilio said that the year 2014 is a good year for business contacts between the two countries.

The Philippine embassy and different Philippine consulates general in China have held a series of business roadshows as well as trade and investment and business matching meetings, she told RTVM.

For instance, PEZA Dir. Gen. Lilia de Lima successfully visited Beijing in the third quarter of this year to promote investments in the Philippines' economic zones.

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade also brought a business delegation to the Philippines to look for investment opportunities in the country, she said.

With regards to programs aimed at strengthening economic cooperation and how to urged China to invest more in the Philippines, she said that since the signing of the China-Philippines development program for trade and economic cooperation in 2011, both countries agreed to work together to boost economic relations.

In the 27th meeting of the Philippines-China joint commission on economic cooperation held in Shanghai in early August 2011, Basilio said Filipino and Chinese trade officials sought to further bolster the level of trade and investment to reinvigorate technical cooperation and trade promotion.

The Philippines and China also agreed to expedite their work in establishing a China desk manned by the Chinese official board of investment so that inbound and outbound investors in the Philippines can be served more efficiently, she noted.

The memorandum of understanding on this initiative was signed during the visit of President Aquino to China in August 2011.

Basilio also said that since 2011, China has assigned two Chinese advisers to the Department of Trade and Industry and the Board of Investments.

A memorandum of understanding between investments promotion agencies and the China-ASEAN business council on industrial cooperation was signed at the sidelines of the China-ASEAN expo last year, she added.

Ambassador sees stronger Philippine-China relations under China's five-year development plan

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## Ayan81

*SEA’s biggest wind farm powers Luzon *






MANILA, Philippines - The country’s bid to wean itself off fossil fuels and tap its massive potential for renewable energy has received a big boost following the completion of the largest wind farm in Southeast Asia.

EDC Burgos Wind Power Corp. (EBWPC), an affiliate of Lopez-led Energy Development Corp. (EDC), informed the Department of Energy (DOE) last Nov. 5 that its 150-megawatt (MW) wind project in Burgos, Ilocos Norte had achieved successful commissioning.

“We are happy to have met our target commissioning date, even a bit earlier than expected. This is a major achievement for us,” said Richard Tantoco, EDC president and chief operating officer.

Tantoco said that while renewable energy has a long way to go before it can meet the country’s ever-growing energy demands, the development of the wind farm is a significant step.

Under the DOE’s guidelines, successful commissioning means that the renewable energy project “is now physically connected to the grid” and is “delivering power to the transmission system.”

According to EDC data, the Burgos wind project will be providing 370 GWh of electricity to power approximately two million households.

SEA’s biggest wind farm powers Luzon | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

_____________________________________________________________________________

*France to invest in PH aerospace industry*






The EU country is also keen on exploring more opportunities in infrastructure, with several French firms already involved in PPP projects in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – Exploratory talks are ongoing as France is eyeing prospects of investing in the aerospace industry of the Philippines.

France ambassador to the Philippines Gilles Garachon said in an interview there are exploratory talks on the private sector side, in time for the visit to the country of French President Francois Hollande.

The opportunities are seen in both the supply of aircraft parts, including maintenance, repair, and overhaul.

For instance, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is now working with Groupement des industries françaises aéronautiques et spatiales (GIFAS), the French aerospace industry association, on initiatives that will improve the country’s capabilities as a supplier in the global aerospace supply chain.

The DTI had said the Philippines is well credentialed as leading companies like SDV, Lufthansa Technik, MOOG Technologies, and BE Aerospace have already given the country a foothold in the global aerospace supply chain.

Early this year, the Mouvement des entreprises de France (MEDEF, or the Movement of the Enterprises of France), early this year recently sent a business delegation where the Philippine government encouraged French investment, technology, and training in aerospace, including in the field of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, and logistics.

MEDEF was a 23-man mission composed of representatives from French companies involved in airport design and construction (Aéroports de Paris, Vinci Airports); energy (Green Lighthouse); financial services (Crédit Agricole); infrastructure, transport, and public works (Citelum, Egis, SNC Lavalin, Systra, Vossloh Cogifer); (Socotec); shipbuilding (Ocea); and space technology (Collecte Localisation Satellite).

France is also looking into other industries like infrastructure, where private sector can partner with local firms, Garachon said.

French firms are already participating in some of the government's public-private partnership (PPP) projects.

In September, French RATP Development signed a technical service agreement with the Light Rail Manila Consortium for the operation and maintenance of Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite extension project.

Bouygues Travaux Publics and Alstom Transport also signed an agreement with the consortium for the design and construction of the LRT1 Cavite extension project.

Food and health are also other areas that France can participate in the country, Garachon said.

Several French companies are already present in the country, such as Alstom, Airbus, Bureau Veritas, Cofely, Freyssinet, Matiere, Socotec and Systra, and Total. – *Rappler.com*

France to invest in PH aerospace industry

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## Cossack25A1

*China Bypasses Philippines in Its Proposed ‘Maritime Silk Road’*
By Andrew Browne 
Nov. 10, 2014 11:14 a.m. ET

_Manila’s Legal Challenge to China’s Territorial Claims Is a Service to Southeast Asia, Official Says_

BEIJING—The Philippines has paid a high price for launching a legal challenge to China over its sweeping claims to the South China Sea: Two-way trade, travel and investment are all languishing.


Now, it risks missing out on a planned Chinese infrastructure spending bonanza designed to boost trade and bring jobs to the region.


China is dangling the prospect of tens of billions of dollars of investment in ports strung out along its proposed “21st-Century Maritime Silk Road,” a trade route snaking through Southeast Asia all the way to Venice by way of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Official Chinese maps, however, show the route conspicuously bypassing the Philippines.


“Of course, we feel we’re alone,” Laura Del Rosario, an undersecretary at the Philippine Foreign Ministry, said Monday.


The Philippines has infuriated China by asking a United Nations arbitration panel in The Hague to rule on the legality of China’s “nine-dash line” that marks its claim to almost the entire South China Sea. The line loops down like a lolling cow’s tongue from the Chinese coast all the way to Indonesia. Along the way, it cuts through the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone as mandated under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

No other country has joined the legal action, even though Chinese territorial claims in the area also conflict with those of Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei. For a while, the Philippines hoped Vietnam might come on board, but that prospect is now looking more remote as China and Vietnam patch up relations.

Yet, Ms. Del Rosario says the Philippines is doing all its Southeast Asian neighbors a favor by pushing to make the legal status of the claims clearer.

“If clarity is achieved, all of them will benefit. In a way, we’re also doing a service,” she said in an interview on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Beijing. A ruling could come next year, when the Philippines will host the 21-member APEC gathering.

China has so far declined to take part in the legal proceedings. It is convinced that the U.S., a close ally of the Philippines, is pulling the strings, trying to win a legal victory that will undermine China in the region, according to international relations experts.

Lately, says Ms. Del Rosario, Beijing’s “rhetoric has quieted down.”

She said she is also encouraged by an agreement between China and Japan to sidestep their territorial spat over a set of islands in the East China Sea and work toward improving relations. That agreement paved the way for a meeting Monday between Chinese President Xi Jinping  and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“China is trying to show it can be magnanimous in a way,” she says.

Manila, she insists, is focused on “what China wants to do as a regional power and how can we be part of that.”

Evidently, the Philippines won’t be part of the Maritime Silk Road, even though Manila is one of the great entrepôts of Asia, with a storied history at least equal to ports like Singapore, Jakarta and Colombo that are all shown as stops on the Chinese map.

China hasn’t explicitly said the trade route excludes the Philippines.

On the positive side, says Ms. Del Rosario, relations with China can’t get much worse. “There’s no way to go but up,” she says.

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## Ayan81

*AW-159 Wildcat now for second stage scrutiny*






AgustaWestland is the lone firm eligible for Department of National Defense anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter acquisition project. During the first stage of bidding held October 28 only two firms participated, they were Augusta Westland and PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

_*PT Dirgantara Indonesia failed to present a document proving it has participated in a similar project. The Indonesian firm is given until Friday to file a Motion for Reconsideration.*_

Israel Aerospace Industries and the partnership of Bell Helicopter Asia (PTE) Ltd. and Serpenair Group Inc. who joined the pre-bidding conference last October 7 did not join the first stage bidding.

Department of National Defense Bids and Awards Committee will now proceed to second stage which is the checking of financial aspect of the bid in contrast to technical specification set by the committee.

AgustaWestland, a British-Italian helicopter design and manufacturing company, is offering their AW-159 “Wildcat”. AgustaWestland is the manufacturer of Philippine Navy and Air Force’s armed AW-109 to be delivered before the year ends.

http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/2014/11/05/5447-aw-159-wildcat-now-for-second-stage-scrutiny

______________________________________________________________________________

*Delivery of eight AW-109 attack helicopters will start January*






New attack helicopters that can operate in the dark are set to arrive for the Philippine Air Force, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said.

The new units will have night vision capability allowing pilots to target hostile subjects even in the dark.

“We have capable helicopters arriving for the PAF,” Catapang said while touring in Sulu on Sunday, according to a state news report.

Catapang said that the new helicopters set to arrive this year shows progress in the military’s modernization campaign.

The Air Force earlier selected eight pilots to man and operate the AgustaWestland AW-109 Power helicopters and sent them to train in Costa di Samarate, Italy.

Also undergoing training are 22 maintenance personnel.

The Air Force signed the contract for eight AW109 Power light twin helicopters last November. The P3.44-billion contract includes initial logistics support and training for aircrew and maintenance personnel, the Italian firm said.

“These aircraft will be used to perform a range of duties including homeland security, armed reconnaissance and close support,” AugustaWestland said in an earlier statement.

The AW109 Power is a three-ton class eight seat twin engine helicopter, dubbed as the most cost effective helicopter in its class for a range of government tasks.

Delivery of eight AW-109 attack helicopters will start January

________________________________________________________________________________


*Army shooting team off to Hanoi





*
MANILA, Nov. 10 — Philippine Army (PA) commander Lt. Gen. Hernando Iriberri on Monday formally led the send-off ceremony for the members of the Philippine Army Shooting Team, who will compete in the prestigious 2014 ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM) in Hanoi, Vietnam.


The send off ceremony for the 50-man contingent was held at the Training and Doctrine Command headquarters in Camp O' Donnel, Capas Tarlac.

The contingent, headed by Lt. Col. Palmer M. Parungao, will compete in the 24th AARM, which will be held in Mieu Mon Training Center, Hanoi, Vietnam from Nov. 11 to 30.

_*The Philippine Army Shooting Team is competing against nine teams, including the Indonesian National Army, Lao People's Army, Malaysian Army, Myanmar Armed Forces, Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Singapore Army, Thailand Army, and Vietnam People's Army.*_

In previous competitions, the PA has distinguished itself by consistently landing in the Top 3, making it one of the bests in the ASEAN region.

It is also the four-year defending champion in the Perpetual Trophy for the Rifle Overall Individual Championship.

With the Army shooters' high marksmanship skills, the PA is confident that they will finish at the top in this year's competition.

The AARM is an annual shooting competition among ASEAN armies which aims to develop and strengthen the relationship among the Armies from senior military leaders to the soldiers.

Also part of the activity is the conduct of the ASEAN Chiefs of Armies Multilateral Meeting (ACAMM) attended by the Chiefs of Armies.

The PA is slated to host the 26th AARM in 2016. (PNA)

Army shooting team off to Hanoi : balita.ph

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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> *AW-159 Wildcat now for second stage scrutiny*
> 
> *
> View attachment 149553
> *
> 
> AgustaWestland is the lone firm eligible for Department of National Defense anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter acquisition project. During the first stage of bidding held October 28 only two firms participated, they were Augusta Westland and PT Dirgantara Indonesia.
> 
> _*PT Dirgantara Indonesia failed to present a document proving it has participated in a similar project. The Indonesian firm is given until Friday to file a Motion for Reconsideration.*_
> 
> Israel Aerospace Industries and the partnership of Bell Helicopter Asia (PTE) Ltd. and Serpenair Group Inc. who joined the pre-bidding conference last October 7 did not join the first stage bidding.
> 
> Department of National Defense Bids and Awards Committee will now proceed to second stage which is the checking of financial aspect of the bid in contrast to technical specification set by the committee.
> 
> AgustaWestland, a British-Italian helicopter design and manufacturing company, is offering their AW-159 “Wildcat”. AgustaWestland is the manufacturer of Philippine Navy and Air Force’s armed AW-109 to be delivered before the year ends.
> 
> http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/2014/11/05/5447-aw-159-wildcat-now-for-second-stage-scrutiny



I seriously hope we consider the A129 helicopter as it is a dedicated attack helicopter.


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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> I seriously hope we consider the A129 helicopter as it is a dedicated attack helicopter.



or just skip this light attack 109 and instead upgrade our PAF MD-520MG. and go for the mangusta for our attack helo. sometimes i question the mindset of the DND, they fak up a lot of projects lately.

btw are the pictures visible? or you still have to click to view full image? ty


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> or just skip this light attack 109 and instead upgrade our PAF MD-520MG. and go for the mangusta for our attack helo. sometimes i question the mindset of the DND, they fak up a lot of projects lately.
> 
> btw are the pictures visible? or you still have to click to view full image? ty



The AW-109 is for armed recon which is not bad but the PH Military needs dedicated attack helicopters to complement our lack of MBTs (if the CV90105, CV90120 or BMP-3 were only considered). The MD-520 could be upgraded into an unmanned version as there are developments about this.

The pictures are visible without clicking them.


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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> The AW-109 is for armed recon which is not bad but the PH Military needs dedicated attack helicopters to complement our lack of MBTs (if the CV90105, CV90120 or BMP-3 were only considered). The MD-520 could be upgraded into an unmanned version as there are developments about this.
> 
> The pictures are visible without clicking them.



I just get it now, maybe the afp was thinking that the gap for md 520 to dedicated attack helo is to high, thats why they choose the light armed recon first. i have no problem going agustawestland all the way for ease of maintenance and training.

About MBT's, i just really don't get it why some of us is clamoring for it, not here but on the other filipino defense forum , we are an island nation. The only way for an hostile force to land its mobile force is through the sea, destroy them there and dont let them in. a good coverage of radars and coastal defense can do that for us. APC's and IFV's is what we need.

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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> I just get it now, maybe the afp was thinking that the gap for md 520 to dedicated attack helo is to high, thats why they choose the light armed recon first. i have no problem going agustawestland all the way for ease of maintenance and training.
> 
> About MBT's, i just really don't get it why some of us is clamoring for it, not here but on the other filipino defense forum , we are an island nation. The only way for an hostile force to land its mobile force is through the sea, destroy them there and dont let them in. a good coverage of radars and coastal defense can do that for us. APC's and IFV's is what we need.



The CV90120 and BMP-3 are not MBTs and one advantage of the latter over the former is that the BMP-3 is amphibious. I think dedicated attack helicopters should be transferred to the Army while the Air Force should concentrate on fixed-wing aircrafts and should consider having a gunship similar to AC-130 but smaller since the PH Air Force did operate AC-47s before as well UAVs and the Navy should pursue more ASW helicopters.


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## Cossack25A1

* ‘How to harness the opportunities from the Asean Economic Community 2015’ *
_CROSSROADS (Toward Philippine Economic and Social Progress) _
By Gerardo P. Sicat (The Philippine Star) | Updated November 12, 2014 - 12:00am

In last week’s column, I posed the question, Are we ready for the Asean Economic Community (AEC)? The concept of “readiness” implies the ability to take maximum advantage of the opportunities offered by the institution.


_“There will be gains, but are we maximizing them?”_ Being part of the AEC will bring in some gains for us. But the important issue is how we can harness the greatest amount of gains from the opportunities that are being opened to us within Asean.

 
The Asean free trade expands the potentials of more trade among the member countries. It also enhances the competition among the traders and producers within the region, effectively bringing benefits to all its members.

 
But such benefits will not be uniform among them. Those countries with the freest and most flexible policy mechanisms will gain the most, while those burdened with domestic restrictions will be slowed down by those restrictions since they could prevent or cause investments from happening.

 
We must therefore face the question: How do we maximize the fulfilment of opportunities offered to us by the by the deepening trade and investments within Asean further?

 
It is a must to be especially mindful of this. In the past, we squandered many opportunities for trade and investment because we did not install the right policies. Let me illustrate.

 

Under the trade agreement with the US after independence (the so-called Laurel-Langley agreement), the national effort was too focused in securing advantages and support for our old industries like sugar and coconut.

 
Little effort was exerted to secure access to the US market for products of manufacturing. In fact, Philippine industrialization ignored the trade opportunities but instead built new industries under heavy protectionist barriers.

 
In contrast, countries without any preferential trade agreement during those times adopted policies built around their comparative advantage in trade and encouraged industries that exploited the market for consumer goods in the huge and high income US market. That was the story of how South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore which took off early in their industrial developments and made them prosperous, self-sustaining growing economies.

 
Another example: the quotas given to Philippines exports of garments and textiles under the General System of Preferences under the UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) before the creation of the WTO (World Trade Organization). Our quotas were under-utilized and quite poorly by our garment industries. At the same time, the countries just mentioned were exporting large quantities of these exports without the benefit of quotas.

 
These types of disconnect in opportunities available against the policies in effect continue to exist and reduce our ability to perform economically. Through the years we have moved our policies toward more openness as a result of our poor performance in the past. But our efforts at reforms have not been sufficient.

 
_“The main story of Philippine industrial development.” _This, in short, is the Philippine development story writ large over many decades. But in the public mind, (and especially because in satisfying the need for a comprehensible explanation, the general public is given alternative, simple, and seemingly more apt reasons for) we instead get the refrain that corruption, inadequate infrastructure, poor leadership, etc. are the sources of our failures and difficulties.

 
In my view, the presence of many types of restrictions in our economic policies (originating from the restrictive economic provisions in our Constitution) has given rise to the multifarious explanations for our problems in development. The root cause is often the hidden cause.

 
The myriad complications arising from the conduct of economic affairs in the midst of policy restrictions have induced the events that we see and therefore decry: rent-seeking, corruption, and poor investment results in public infrastructure and in other productive activities.

 
We were shackled by constitutional provisions that few suspected to have been that crippling at the time. In fact, even today, we are being made to believe by those against these measures, that these measures are only of second order.

 
_“PEZA firms and reforms of BOI policies.”_ I further note the need for immediate reforms and how the problem goes deep to the structural problems of Philippine industrialization. Our government is again saying we must energize industry.

 
Total industrial output as a percent of GDP has retreated in value despite the country’s forward growth in recent decades. The premature decline of relative industrial output is due to BOI (Board of Investments) policies failing to strengthen the progress of industry over time. This led to the collapse of quite a few of industries promoted under the protectionist period of the past, causing many firms to close shop and give way to competition.

 
On the other hand, firms promoted under PEZA (Philippine Export Processing Authority) incentives have put the country in the world map of industry. PEZA firms have succeeded where BOI firms have remained essentially small and confined to serving the domestic market.

 
To do well, PEZA firms are allowed to import their raw materials from other countries. Hardly little internal trade exists between PEZA firms and BOI firms. As a result, PEZA firms contribute little value added, with their main raw materials imported from other countries.

 
While we will need to increase our trade with our Asean neighbors as a consequence of the free trade principle, our industries also need to create a deeper integration within the economy.

 
Our PEZA industries which export to the world, including other Asean countries, are essentially import dependent enterprises for their raw materials. There is little integration of their requirements with domestic supplies and even less integration of their manufacturing operations with domestic industries.

The obvious solution to this is to reform BOI policies to allow greater participation of foreign capital in the industries designed to serve the domestic market. This will create pressure on competition for domestic firms. It will further deepen the operations of PEZA firms with the local economy and raise the domestic value added of their exports.


To reform BOI policies much more effectively requires relaxation of many provisions of industrial policies regarding the economic restrictions to foreign capital as provided in the Constitution. The efforts we take to amend the Constitutional provisions can accelerate the participation of FDIs in domestic industry.

-----
‘How to harness the opportunities from the Asean Economic Community 2015’ | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

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## Ayan81

*113'th Philippine Coast Guard Anniversary Static Display*


























































cc: Philippine Defense Photos

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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> The AW-109 is for armed recon which is not bad but the PH Military needs dedicated attack helicopters to complement our lack of MBTs (if the CV90105, CV90120 or BMP-3 were only considered). The MD-520 could be upgraded into an unmanned version as there are developments about this.
> 
> The pictures are visible without clicking them.





Cossack25A1 said:


> The CV90120 and BMP-3 are not MBTs and one advantage of the latter over the former is that the BMP-3 is amphibious. I think dedicated attack helicopters should be transferred to the Army while the Air Force should concentrate on fixed-wing aircrafts and should consider having a gunship similar to AC-130 but smaller since the PH Air Force did operate AC-47s before as well UAVs and the Navy should pursue more ASW helicopters.



We are not acquiring attack helo for the lack of MBT's but for ground support. If ever BMP-3's will be considered were not going to get it from russia (alam na natin kung bakit) we can source it from ukraine. I prefer K-21 over CV90.


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## Ayan81

Black Flag said:


> *Do more than making do? The Philippine Navy faces the future*
> 
> From Jane's Navy International (Nov 1, 2014)
> 
> 
> 
> A nice long analysis for yous to read.
> 
> Also check out the article about the Russian missile boats on the Viet military thread. There are 2 ASEAN navies showing interest in those boats. What are the chances of the Filipino navy being one of them?



chances are none, its like asking vietnam to buy m16 to replace ak's. maybe it was indonesia who is interested. If the Maestrales deal had push through, PN would have 2 capable ships by now. The budget they given to the 2 new frigate would have paid for the 2 maestrales and buy 1 frigate (bare). No news for the frigate acquisition yet and for that the arming for the del pilar class is delayed for likely the 2 class carries the same weapon and sensors.

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## William Hung

Ayan81 said:


> chances are none, its like asking vietnam to buy m16 to replace ak's. maybe it was indonesia who is interested. If the Maestrales deal had push through, PN would have 2 capable ships by now. The budget they given to the 2 new frigate would have paid for the 2 maestrales and buy 1 frigate (bare). No news for the frigate acquisition yet and for that the arming for the del pilar class is delayed for likely the 2 class carries the same weapon and sensors.



That make sense, but I've read somewhere that Russia is also keen to offer their stuff to the Filipino military. I don't think it's Indonesia as they can build their own indigenous FAC. Over at the Viet forum they dont think it's VietNam either. Myanmar can build their own ships too. The only countries I can think of is Cambodia, Malaysia and the Philippines.


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## Ayan81

Black Flag said:


> That make sense, but I've read somewhere that Russia is also keen to offer their stuff to the Filipino military. I don't think it's Indonesia as they can build their own indigenous FAC. Over at the Viet forum they dont think it's VietNam either. Myanmar can build their own ships too. The only countries I can think of is Cambodia, Malaysia and the Philippines.



Were not the one. what ship are we talking about?

Russia negotiating military deal with PH | Tempo - News in a Flash
Russia offers radars to track incursions in PH borders | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines

Before the russia/ ukraine crisis and the shooting down of a commercial plane maybe there' a chance but now it's impossible.


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## William Hung

Ayan81 said:


> Were not the one. what ship are we talking about?
> 
> Russia negotiating military deal with PH | Tempo - News in a Flash
> Russia offers radars to track incursions in PH borders | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
> 
> Before the russia/ ukraine crisis and the shooting down of a commercial plane maybe there' a chance but now it's impossible.



These ones:

Project 12300 Scorpion
Project 20970 Katran

I'm too lazy to post pics because of the new upload method but you can easily Google for pics. 



> Russian shipbuilder Vympel Shipyard Joint Stock Company is embarking on a programme to market its Scorpion (Project 12300) and Katran (Project 20970) missile gunboats to navies in the Southeast Asian region, the company confirmed on 7 Nov
> 
> Speaking to _IHS Jane's_ via an interpreter at the Indodefence 2014 exhibition in Jakarta, Andrei V. Chikayev, Vympel's senior marketing expert, described the programme as responding to demands from Southeast Asian navies for smaller platforms that can be equipped with not just naval guns but also a range of surface-to-surface and surface-to-air guided missiles and defence systems against hostile aircraft and projectiles.
> 
> "For example we are marketing the Scorpion boats equipped with the KASHTAN-1 close-in weapon system (CIWS) that comprises of eight 9M311-1M anti-aircraft missiles and two 30 mm rapid fire guns. This is a very compact yet complete defence system for smaller ships suitable for waters in this region", said Chikayev.
> 
> The 56 m Scorpion boats displaces 465 tonnes at full load and can reach a top cruising speed of 40 kt. Besides the CIWS turret, the platform can also be armed with the A-190 100 mm main gun that can fire between 60 and 90 rds per minute. Vympel's 46 m Katran boat displaces about 300 tonnes at full load and can also reach top speed of 40 kt. These vessels can be quipped to carry up to four URAN-E missile system launchers.



Actually, considering the Philippines Navy can only purchases a handful of >2000-ton ships, it would make sense that they would be looking at buying these kind of cheaper small missile boats to compliment the limited number of bigger ships.


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## Ayan81

Black Flag said:


> These ones:
> 
> Project 12300 Scorpion
> Project 20970 Katran
> 
> I'm too lazy to post pics because of the new upload method but you can easily Google for pics.
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, considering the Philippines Navy can only purchases a handful of >2000-ton ships, it would make sense that they would be looking at buying these kind of cheaper small missile boats to compliment the limited number of bigger ships.



PN is putting missiles on their MPAC's, the planned 3 will be a little longer then the previous MPAC mark 1 and 2.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/02/23/1293505/dnd-buy-3-new-multi-purpose-attack-craft


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## Reashot Xigwin

*Time to reorient the Philippine Navy*

*Blueboard 
Alma Maria O. Salvador*




*FOR MANY DECADES, naval modernization in the Philippines has been suspended to give way to an army-led warfare against insurgency. This has led to a tremendous allocation of resources in support of the development of personnel, operations and capital needs of the ground forces, leaving the archipelagic state devoid of a focused and well-financed maritime strategy.*





_Philippine navy ships are anchored during the navy’s anniversary celebration at Fort San Felipe, in Cavite city on May 21, 2013. -- AFP_

With the ongoing peace process that ended the Moro rebellion and the “handover” of Communist-cleared provinces to the local governments, a more prominent role for the Philippine Navy is being called for as the Armed Forces of the Philippines shifts from internal to external defense.

Recognizing the altered transnational threat in the region, the new Navy chief, Vice-Admiral Jesus Millan, aptly states that “the menace of various threats to national security and territorial integrity are real and present.”

Aligned with the National Security policy 2011- 2016 and the Philippine Defense Transformation 2012, the Navy is now being poised to beef up its amphibious capabilities. Its mandate: to protect maritime interests and to “ensure the sovereignty of the archipelago and the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.”

Koh Swee Lean Collin, associate research fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, notes that the makeup of an amphibious capability upgrade is inclusive of the development of “specialized amphibious ground forces” and the procurement of amphibious vessels such as landing platform docks (LPD), large amphibious landing ships and amphibious transport docks, landing helicopter docks (LHDs, such as amphibious assault ships), amphibious troop carriers, aircraft carriers, etc.

The strategic importance of these forces is based on the increasing requirement of the militaries for airlifts and sealifts for transporting supplies, relief personnel, water and relief goods overseas and in locations ravaged by disasters. Because ASEAN has been wanting of these capabilities, a collective response expected of an emergent political and security community fell short during Typhoon Haiyan.

* As in all other choices that the Philippines has to make, the military has to contend with either a territorial or a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR)-oriented defense.*

To Wu Shang-su, RSIS research fellow, the choice is a zero-sum game that would translate to giving priority to sea-control and sea-denial-capable patrol vessels, fast-attack crafts and the like, over sea lift-capable amphibious forces. The dilemma is further compounded when neighbours in the region factor in these choices in making their own external threat calculations. For instance, China has viewed the Philippines’ joint and interoperability exercises with the United States as part of the US’ Asia-Pacific “rebalancing” strategy and a realist positioning to boost the Philippines’ claims in the South China Sea.

RSIS analyst Euan Graham’s pragmatic perspective highlights the duality of purpose of certain types of amphibious forces such as frigates which can be positioned in realpolitik terms and for humanitarian assistance. Objectives of “force mobility,” “territorial defense,” and “power projection” can be achieved when amphibious forces are deployed for joint exercises. At the same time, large amphibious landing ships (LALS) are able to perform the peacetime functions of patrolling, crisis response and HADR. During Haiyan, LALS were used to transport personnel, goods and vehicles.

As has previously reported, the recently concluded agreement between the Philippine government and an Indonesian naval firm will build up the Philippine Navy’s LALS capability in 2016.

But how can the goals of minimum credible deterrence and active archipelagic defense be sustained after the end of President Aquino III’s term in 2016? What progress has been made in the non-materiel areas of doctrine, force structure and human resources? What is the emergent role of the Philippine Army and how effectively does the Army Transformation Roadmap pave the way for a paradigm and operational shift? How much attention has the government paid to police reform?

Alma Maria O. Salvador, PhD, former chair of the Political Science Department of Ateneo de Manila University, is an assistant professor of international relations and the convener of the Working Group on Security.

BusinessWorld | Time to reorient the Philippine Navy

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## Ayan81

*KAI, private goodwill diplomacy program "1st Global KAI camp held"*

Filipino workers camp involved 40 people, state-of-the-art fighter production field trips
KAI · Philippines Embassy, HRD Korea signed mutual cooperation MOU.











Filipino workers are being produced on-site visits to repair participated in the first Global KAI camp. [Photo courtesy of = KAI]

Very economic yisohyeon reporter = Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has been expanded in March domestic relationship with the FA-50 fighter Philippines started exporting to the Philippines as a private diplomatic goodwill. 

KAI is Anniversity Embassy of the Philippines in the last 15 to 16 workers, aimed at the 1st Global KAI Camp "held in the said 17 days. 

KAI camp was composed of global cultural visits, etc. to enhance the lecture, Korea Cultural Understanding for Healing is of course to experience the development and production of advanced aircraft field. Reconstruct the creative personnel training program for KAI Aviation camp for foreign workers by a global CSR program. 

About 40 Filipino workers through this camp field trips, etc. FA-50 fighter production site for export to the country, and showed great interest. Then participants were advanced aerospace Sichuan Science Museum, Nanhai boriam, German town, Tuna, etc. Watching the village and spent the time to understand more deeply the culture of our country and the aerospace industry developments. 

National Assembly of Filipino Congressman and jasmine through a video message, "Thanks to the president of KAI haseongyong sold in global social contribution activities" and "leaving home to cheer you're working hard in the Republic of Korea," he encouraged the Filipino workers. 






Raul Hernandez, Philippine Ambassador to Korea poses on board the aircraft FA-50. [Photo courtesy of = KAI]

KAI and the Philippine embassy in Korea, Human Resources Development Service of Korea has signed a cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the successful and continuous operation of the global KAI camp. 

KAI haseongyong said "In March this year, the domestic FA-50 aircraft were the ties between the KAI and the Philippines started to export to prepare the camp hoping to become a more developed mind" and "KAI is a global camp - the more one muscled friendship between the Philippines a good opportunity to increase hope and expectation, "he said. 

Raul Hernandez, Ambassador Embassy of the Philippines, "Thanks for the hospitality of the Filipino workers KAI" and "KAI global camp continues to expect to become operational," he said. 

Chairman of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea Young-Bum Park "South Korea and the Philippines is the first country signed an MOU Employment Permit System," said, "We will cooperate with South Korea to support the successful life of the workers," he said. 

KAI plans to expand its global operations gradually camp. KAI through the camp to inform the developments in the global aerospace industry in Korea go out raising the friendly relations between the world's countries is a policy. In addition to domestic aircraft are expected to lead to expanded exports. 

KAI said, "pushing the first exporter and KF-X Development of a co-worker in Indonesia 2nd destination of KAI KT-1 trainer of the primary global camp and advanced trainer T-50" he said.

http://translate.google.com/transla...http://www.ajunews.com/view/20141117090205435

________________________________________________________________________________

*DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CELEBRATES 75th ANNIVERSARY *

*



*



Earlier today, November 17, 2014, President Benigno S. Aquino III attended the commemoration of the 75th founding anniversary of the Department of National Defense. The President delivered this speech: http://www.gov.ph/2014/11/17/speech...ersary-of-the-department-of-national-defense/

The Department of National Defense is tasked with guarding the Republic of the Philippines “against external and internal threats to national peace and security, and to provide support for social and economic development.” Learn more about its history: http://www.gov.ph/history-the-department-of-national-defense/

All photos by the Malacañang Photo Bureau.

75th anniversary of the Department of National Defense | Facebook

______________________________________________________________________________

*BRP Artemio Ricarte getting P249.6M upgrade*





_PN ships PS-37 and PS-36 in formation ..._

BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS-37), one of the three Emilio Jacinto-class patrol corvettes, is getting a marine engineering upgrade worth PhP249,671,000 as part of Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization through the Department of National Defense to ensure combat readiness and seaworthiness of current assets of Philippine Navy.

The said marine engineering upgrade is the second phase of upgrade. Phase one which was completed in 2005 consisted of brand-new M242 Bushmaster 25mm-cannon installation, upgrade of Command and Control & Fire Control Systems. Raytheon Gyro Compass, Sperry Marine Naval BridgeMaster E Series Surface Search Radar, GPS, Anemometer, and EM logs were also integrated in the system of BRP Ricarte.

On the second phase, the ship’s hull will be repaired and undergo remediation. Main propulsion system will be overhauled and improved including control and monitoring systems, electrical plant, and auxiliary systems.

BRP Ricarte is also armed with an Oto Melara 76-mm gun.

The three Jacinto-class patrol corvettes previously served the Royal Navy for Hong Kong as Peacock-class patrol vessels. However, in 1997, when sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred to China from United Kingdom, three Peacock-class vessels were sold to Philippine government as sign of good-will. 

BRP Artemio Ricarte getting P249.6M upgrade | Ang Malaya Net

_____________________________________________________________________________

*Japan Donates Emergency Vehicles To BFP*

*



*

The Japanese Government extends its assistance once again to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda with the provision of 17 fire trucks and 3 ambulances, in addition to a cash grant amounting to USD 202,760 (approx. 8.5 million Php) to be distributed to the municipalities seriously affected by last year’sTyphoon Yolanda.

BFP Officer-in-Charge CSUPT CARLITO S ROMERO and Japanese Charges d’affaires to the Philippines MR. TETSURO AMANO signed the grant contract for the “Project for Providing Emergency Vehicles for the Typhoon-Affected Areas of the Philippines” held at the BFP National Headquarters, Agham Road, Quezon City yesterday.

The BFP has expressed their greatest appreciation andis eagerly awaiting the arrival of the fire trucks and ambulances which is expected to be arriving at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority this early November. The vehicles are made by Japanese manufacturers such as Hino, Isuzu, Mitsubushi and Toyota. The agency currently has 1,592 serviceable fire trucks, which is only 44.58% of 3,571, the ideal number of fire trucks for the whole population of the Philippines which reached 100 million this 2013. The donated equipment of 7 water tankers, 8 pumpers, and 2 rescue vehicles are a welcome addition the agency’s firefighting capabilities.

The project was initiated on May 5, 2014, when SEN. FRANKLIN DRILON accepted the terms of donation by the Japanese House of Councilors represented by HON. KENJI KOSAKA, President of the Japan-Philippines Parliamentarians’ Friendship League (JPPFL).

Ambassador Amano assured the continuing good relations between the governments of the Philippines and Japan in matters of security and mutual progress.

Donated firetrucks for Yolanda victims | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
http://bfp.gov.ph/japan-donates-emergency-vehicles-bfp/

_______________________________________________________________________________

*Gazmin: AFP to acquire P23B worth of new ships, equipment*






 The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will soon acquire more than P23 billion worth of brand new boats, helicopters, rifles and other combat and communication equipment, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin announced on Monday.

In his speech during the 75th founding anniversary of the Department of National Defense (DND) in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Gazmin said 36 projects with a total contract price of P23.39 billion were “already obligated and are just awaiting delivery” to the AFP.

Among the units to be acquired under the said projects are the following:

Strategic sea-lift vessels (two units)
Naval helicopters (two units)
Attack helicopters (eight units)
Medium-lift aircraft (three units)
Light-lift aircraft (two units)
Assault riffles (several units)
Force protection and communication equipment (several units)

Gazmin said these projects were part of the AFP Modernization Program under Republic Act (RA) 7898 and amended by RA 10349.

Gazmin said that apart from the 36 projects, the DND, in line with the implementation of RA 10349 or the Revised AFP Modernization Program, has also lined up an additional 33 projects to be implemented over the next five years, from 2013 to 2017 with the total amount of P90.86 billion.

Gazmin said President Benigno Aquino III had already approved two projects under the Revised AFP Modernization Program—the acquisition of 12 units of surface attack lead-in fighter aircraft and eight units of combat-utility helicopters with a total contract price of P23.6 billion.

“To date, total payment made for these two projects amount to P9.74 billion,” Gazmin said.

 Gazmin said other items set to be purchased under the Revised AFP Modernization Program are _*air defense surveillance radar system, long-range patrol aircraft, close-air support aircraft, C-130 Tango aircraft, anti-submarine warfare helicopters, frigates, amphibious assault vehicles, and various items of communication equipment and night-fighting systems.*_
 
Gazmin also boasted of the Philippine Defense Transformation (PDT) Roadmap that the DND has recently crafted to serve as guide of various government agencies in responding to disasters and other emergency situations.

“Even in peaceful times, we must be prepared to protect our countrymen from the wrath of nature and assist in saving lives and properties during disasters. We must also continue to inculcate in our citizens the importance of risk reduction and individual preparedness, and teach them how to counter-act the effects of earthquakes, typhoons, heavy rains, floods, and climate change,” Gazmin said.

Gazmin: AFP to acquire P23B worth of new ships, equipment | News | GMA News Online

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## Ayan81

*SC orals on EDCA: China threat looms over charter issues*

*



*

Will the High Court approach the case from a purely legal standpoint? Or will they consider the security situation in the West Philippine Sea?

More of it here --- SC orals on EDCA: China threat looms over charter issues

__________________________________________________________________________

*Justices to EDCA critics: How to defend West PH Sea?*

*



*

Acting Solicitor General Florin Hilbay feels victorious after the first day of Supreme Court oral arguments on the PH-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement

MANILA, Philippines – Listening to the way she grilled for 45 minutes and demolished the arguments of a counsel of the petitioners against the PH-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) on Tuesday, November 18, it appears Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is the biggest defender of the pact.

"It seems that she (Sereno) is in favor of either relegating the issue to the Senate or dismissing the petition. It's just my speculation," said former University of the Philippines College of Law Dean Pacifico Agabin, a petitioner calling for the nullification of EDCA, after the first day of Supreme Court oral arguments on EDCA on Tuesday.

First, Sereno offered arguments to dismiss petitioners' claims that EDCA requires Senate ratification. Next, she dismissed as "speculative" declarations made by petitioners that EDCA violates territorial integrity and sovereignty and that it is meant only to advance US interests and not the Philippines'.


And when anti-EDCA counsel Rachel Pastores argued that EDCA poses threats to national sovereignty and integrity, Sereno started talking about the incursions in the West Philippine Sea as the "single biggest threat" to the country's security.

The Chief Justice wrapped up to say that expanded US military presence in the country – along with the prepositioning of their ships and other defense assets – may be needed to defend the West Philippine Sea(South China Sea). (READ: SC orals on EDCA: China threat looms over charter issues)

"In a situation where the West Philippine Sea becomes a theater of war, is that not, in fact, in the concept of self defense? If the prepositioning has been in consultation with the Philippines and we have to wait for how this mutual help is going to be really actualized. What those prepositioned materials can do, is to try to have inhibitory effects within a certain area. I believe that Palawan has already been announced as one of the envisioned agreed locations. Palawan is nearest Reed Bank and all the areas that we thought we can exploit economically for the benefit of the people," Sereno said.

When Pastores expressed doubts that EDCA will address security threats in the West Philippine Sea because it's a "one-sided agreement" meant only to advance US interests, Sereno asked her what's the alternative for government. "We should, your honor, improve our own defense capacity and not be dependent on the US," said Pastores.

Sereno replied: "Yes, that is a desire. Even AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) understands that they do no want to be dependent on foreign aid. But they are admiting here in EDCA that they have short-term capability ssues. What do we do with short-term capabilies issues? We ignore them?"

Signed in April 2014, EDCA allows American troops 2 new activities in the Philippines: The construction of facilities and the prepositioning of defense assets in agreed locations that the US military will have operational control over. The rotational presence of US troops is already covered by the Visiting Forces Agreement, which was ratified by the Senate in 1999.

In May, EDCA critics asked the High Court to declare the agreement unconstitutional, saying it's contrary to national interest and should have been scrutinized by the Senate first.

*'Give them a chance'*

Sereno however said it may be "premature" to rule on the constitutionality of EDCA because the deal has yet to be implemented and the implementing arrangements have yet to be finalized. The Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board has yet to identify the Agreed Locations, the types of facilities the US may build, and the types of assets they can bring in.

"Should we not just give them a chance first? When we see implementing agreements and acts that really derogate Philippine sovereignty and then that is when we step in," she added. Pastores argued that the provisions in the EDCA giving powers and authorities to US forces is already a threat to territorial integrity.

Acting Solicitor General Florin Hilbay felt victorious even before he could present the government's arguments next week, November 25. Hilbay said the oral arguments on Tuesday were able to establish that "the President has the power to defend the nation."

Another anti-EDCA petitioner and counsel, Harry Roque, brushed off Sereno's line of questioning, however. Roque said it's possible that the Chief Justice was only playing "devil's advocate."

*Spratlys, US help*

Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio was the first to bring the oral arguments on EDCA to the practical situation in the West Philippine Sea. Citing an old letter of a US envoy, Carpio established that the West Philippine Sea is covered by the Mutual Defense Treaty.

_Carpio: Let us go specifically to Spratlys. We have a warship there, Sierra Madre. It doesn't run anymore but in the roster of active Philippine warships, it is still part of our warships. Supposing now that China has been running around guarding that place without touching it because they are worried that if they attack that warship and evict our Marines there it could be an armed attack on a public vessel of the Philippines and that will trigger the MDT's operation.You think that if China evicts those Marines there, we can invoke the MDT?_

_Roque: We can invoke but there's no guarantee that the US will, in fact, undertake its operation._

_Carpio: Yes, it's a different thing. We can invoke but we do not know if the Americans will actually do it._

Carpio noted how the US declared during the tense standoff in Scarborough Shoal that it would not take sides inspite of early maps showing that the shoal has always been a part of Philippine territory and were actually used by the US military as target range from the 60s to the 80s.

Roque also noted that China is the largest foreign holder of US debt, that the 2 countries are each other's biggest trading partners, and that they also have military cooperation agreements.

Considering the realities, Carpio also asked Roque what he would suggest the President would do to defend the West Philippine Sea. Carpio asked: "Knowing that China has moved its borders and been reclaiming islands and reefs and everything within the Philippines is within their range. Knowing that Filipino fishermen cannot fish in Scarborough. You are now the adviser of the President, what would you advice him?"

Carpio gave Roque 4 options:

a) Increase defense spending

b) Enter into alliances with neighboring countries such as Japan

c) Strengthen partnership with sole treaty partner, the US, under the MDT

d) Sue China under UNCLOS

Roque replied: "Except strengthening our partnership with the US, your honor.... We are considered as factotum of US. What is crucial, I believe, to a peaceful resolution of this conflict is to explain to China that we have become an independent state from the US."

This is where Carpio noted that China evicted Vietnam, which is fiercely independent, from the Paracels and the Johnsoon Reef. "To China, it doesn't matter," he said. (READ: What's at stake in our case vs China)

*EDCA doesn't need ratification?*

Two petitions were filed before the High Court to demand the nullification of EDCA on 2 grounds: procedural and substantive. Procedurally, petitioners argued that EDCA cannot be a simple executive agreement to be signed by the defense secretary. It requires Senate ratification because it is "de facto" basing, which is only allowed in the 1987 Constitution through treaties, they said.

Pastores argued that EDCA is tantamount to basing. Some provisions in the EDCA, she said, recalls provisions in the already defunct PH-US Military Bases Agreement. "The gamut of rights and authorities granted to US forces with respect to Agreed Locations is practically surrendering to the US forces the sovereignty of the Philippines with respect to the agreed locations," Pastores explained.

Sereno said it is a non-issue. While Pastores recalled ugly episodes in Philippine-US relationship, the Chief Justice stuck to the wordings of EDCA and explained that the High Court is not a trier of facts. Based on the agreement, she said it is clear that the facilities to be constructed by the US military belong to the Philippines.

_Sereno: All buildings remain the property of the Philippines. The 'Agreed Location' means the location plus the facilities are owned by the Philippines. The ownership dictates that characterization of whether it is foreign or not._

_Pastores: Even though, your honor, the EDCA provides that ownership and title to these agreed locations - plus the structures - shall remain with the Philippines, your honor, the Philippines cannot exercise the rights of an owner._

_Sereno: The allegation that you basically have no title to whatever is going to be built is not correct. The situation under EDCA is that of a usufructuary, is that not correct? That is similar to the usufructuary situations that we allow in many instances._

_Pastores: I don't think so, your honor. The Agreed Locations are given to US forces for free._

_Sereno: The use of it is given for free.

MORE OF IT HERE === Justices to EDCA critics: How to defend West PH Sea?_

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## Reashot Xigwin

* Philippines Allots P90.86B to Boost Defense *
Posted by Maki Catama on 7:11 PM 





MANILA, -- The government has set aside P90.86 billion to sustain the implementation of the defense and military modernization program until 2017, President Aquino announced on Monday.

The President shared the government’s initiatives to further upgrade military capacity and equipment at the 75th anniversary of the Department of National Defense (DND) in Camp Aguinaldo.

“Ongoing na rin ang ating DND Medium Term Capability Development Program na saklaw ng ating Revised AFP Modernization Law. Sa programang ito, 33 proyekto ang kinukumpleto na natin na aabot hanggang 2017. Ang halagang inilaan na natin dito: P90.86 billion. [The DND Medium Term Capability Development Program under the Revised AFP Modernization Law is ongoing. Under the program, 33 projects must be completed by 2017 with a budegt of P90.86 billion],” the President said in his speech.

* SURPASSED*

The President said the government has already spent P41.38 billion on 46 various military modernization and capability upgrade projects from June, 2010, to October, 2014. Aquino took pride that his administration has surpassed the 45 combined projects of three previous administrations since 1995.

“Mayroon pa tayong natitirang mahigit isang taon at pitong buwan, kaya’t tiyak na madaragdagan pa ang makukumpleto natin [We have one year and seven months left so I’m certain we will complete more projects],” the President said.

In 2013 alone, Aquino said 12 projects, including the purchase of two modern ships, three naval helicopters, and eight combat utility helicopters, were completed under the AFP modernization program.

He also welcomed the formation of the Philippine Defense Transformation Roadmap 2028 that will ensure all reform initiatives will be implemented.

* BENEFIT FOR SOLDIERS*

Apart from the military upgrade program, the President assured that the government will continue to provide benefits for the country’s brave soldiers such as decent and affordable housing, reforms in their pension system, and livelihood programs for retired and active soldiers.

With these programs, Aquino said gone are the days when soldiers and their needs are neglected. “Ang nais natin: Ipagkaloob ang mga benepisyong karapat-dapat lang matanggap ng mga nagmamalasakit sa bayan [Our goal is to provide the benefits commensurate to those who cares for the nation],” he said.

While the government promotes the welfare of soldiers, Aquino said he has higher expectation from the military to improve its service, particularly in protecting the country’s sovereignty.

Philippines Allots P90.86B to Boost Defense ~ ASEAN Military Defense Review

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## NarThoD

Reashot Xigwin said:


> * Philippines Allots P90.86B to Boost Defense *
> Posted by Maki Catama on 7:11 PM
> 
> View attachment 154476
> 
> MANILA, -- The government has set aside P90.86 billion to sustain the implementation of the defense and military modernization program until 2017, President Aquino announced on Monday.
> 
> The President shared the government’s initiatives to further upgrade military capacity and equipment at the 75th anniversary of the Department of National Defense (DND) in Camp Aguinaldo.
> 
> “Ongoing na rin ang ating DND Medium Term Capability Development Program na saklaw ng ating Revised AFP Modernization Law. Sa programang ito, 33 proyekto ang kinukumpleto na natin na aabot hanggang 2017. Ang halagang inilaan na natin dito: P90.86 billion. [The DND Medium Term Capability Development Program under the Revised AFP Modernization Law is ongoing. Under the program, 33 projects must be completed by 2017 with a budegt of P90.86 billion],” the President said in his speech.
> 
> * SURPASSED*
> 
> The President said the government has already spent P41.38 billion on 46 various military modernization and capability upgrade projects from June, 2010, to October, 2014. Aquino took pride that his administration has surpassed the 45 combined projects of three previous administrations since 1995.
> 
> “Mayroon pa tayong natitirang mahigit isang taon at pitong buwan, kaya’t tiyak na madaragdagan pa ang makukumpleto natin [We have one year and seven months left so I’m certain we will complete more projects],” the President said.
> 
> In 2013 alone, Aquino said 12 projects, including the purchase of two modern ships, three naval helicopters, and eight combat utility helicopters, were completed under the AFP modernization program.
> 
> He also welcomed the formation of the Philippine Defense Transformation Roadmap 2028 that will ensure all reform initiatives will be implemented.
> 
> * BENEFIT FOR SOLDIERS*
> 
> Apart from the military upgrade program, the President assured that the government will continue to provide benefits for the country’s brave soldiers such as decent and affordable housing, reforms in their pension system, and livelihood programs for retired and active soldiers.
> 
> With these programs, Aquino said gone are the days when soldiers and their needs are neglected. “Ang nais natin: Ipagkaloob ang mga benepisyong karapat-dapat lang matanggap ng mga nagmamalasakit sa bayan [Our goal is to provide the benefits commensurate to those who cares for the nation],” he said.
> 
> While the government promotes the welfare of soldiers, Aquino said he has higher expectation from the military to improve its service, particularly in protecting the country’s sovereignty.
> 
> Philippines Allots P90.86B to Boost Defense ~ ASEAN Military Defense Review


PhP90.86 billion. how much value if converted to US dollars? Philippines are also should build up it's naval strength to protect it's wide archipelago.

Wish the best from Indonesians for our Philippines friends!

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## Cossack25A1

NarThoD said:


> PhP90.86 billion. how much value if converted to US dollars? Philippines are also should build up it's naval strength to protect it's wide archipelago.
> 
> Wish the best from Indonesians for our Philippines friends!



It is around $2,022,259,208, thus we have about $2 billion to spend for defense.

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## Ayan81

NarThoD said:


> PhP90.86 billion. how much value if converted to US dollars? Philippines are also should build up it's naval strength to protect it's wide archipelago.
> 
> Wish the best from Indonesians for our Philippines friends!



that is only for the next 2 years until the current pres steps down (still low compare to its neighbors). and another for the next phase


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## pr1v4t33r

Behold... SSV Phillipines
Picture taken from : s3 (d o t) zetaboards (d o t) c o m/Defense_Philippines/topic/836305/71/







*Nice picture of SSV model that will be build by PT PAL Indonesia for Phillipine Navy**.*





*Even better picture showing more detail of SSV model that will be build by PT PAL Indonesia for Phillipine Navy. *
*Contract has already been signed.*

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## Ayan81

*Six FA-50 commissioned in 2016, S-211 pilots to handle*

*



*

Philippine Air Force formed a committee, composed of KAI and PAF officials, to screen possible pilots who will to train in South Korea next year for the FA-50 Fighting Eagle. According to PAF Commanding Officer Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado, SIAI-Marchetti S-211 pilots will most likely be chosen for the training.

PAF earlier said that pilots with high jet flying time from the ranks of major and captain will be chosen to train to operate the Fighting Eagle. These pilots who will train in South Korea will eventually become trainors when they return.

Department of National Defense announced earlier this year that two out of twelve ordered FA-50s will be delivered September next year. DND added that in 2016 six Fighting Eagles are already commissioned.

FA-50 can load up to 4.5 tons of weapons and has a wide-range of armament system. It has a 20 mm three-barrel gun that can fire at extremely high rate internally installed.

It can be fitted with AIM-9 Sidewinder, a short-range air-to-air missile; AGM-65, an air-to-surface missile designed for close-air support missions; cluster bombs and rocket launchers.

The Fighting Eagle is equipped with Multimode Airborne Fire Control Radar system designed to accomplish air-to-air and airstrike missions.

http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/2014/11/24/5962-six-fa-50-commissioned-in-2016-s-211-pilots-to-handle

_______________________________________________________________________________

*Air Force pilots return with AW109 attack skills*

*



*

Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado, Philippine Air Force commanding officer, announced that the six pilots for the brand-new AgustaWestland AW-109 attack helicopters who went for a training last July are set to return to the Philippines on December.

“They will be arriving home this December,” Lt. Gen. Delgado said.

The pilots’ training which is part of the acquisition package is being conducted at Costa Di Samarate, Italy.

First batch, two out of eight ordered armed AW109 Power, is scheduled to be delivered by January 2015. The AW-109 attack helicopter contact worth Php3.44 billion was signed by PAF and AgustaWestland last November 2013.

These attack helicopter will carryout missions like armed reconnaissance, homeland security and close support.

According to AgustaWestland, “the Philippine Air Force’s AW109 Power configuration will feature a dedicated mission package and equipment including a combination of weapon systems. These aircraft will be used to perform a range of duties including homeland security, armed reconnaissance and close support.”

“We are committed to deliver the improved mission capabilities and high quality services the customer (PAF) deserves,” AgustaWestland Chief Executive Officer Daniele Romiti said.

Air Force pilots return with AW109 attack skills | Ang Malaya Net

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## Aepsilons

pr1v4t33r said:


> Behold... SSV Phillipines
> Picture taken from : s3 (d o t) zetaboards (d o t) c o m/Defense_Philippines/topic/836305/71/
> 
> 
> View attachment 155941
> 
> *Nice picture of SSV model that will be build by PT PAL Indonesia for Phillipine Navy**.*
> 
> View attachment 155942
> 
> *Even better picture showing more detail of SSV model that will be build by PT PAL Indonesia for Phillipine Navy. *
> *Contract has already been signed.*



What are the armaments of this vessel? 

Advanced Thank You.


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## Ayan81

Nihonjin1051 said:


> What are the armaments of this vessel?
> 
> Advanced Thank You.



The ships weapon and sensor system are separate from the said budget and will be provided by the PN

*Weapons:* Primary: 1 x gun (possibly between 40mm to 127mm), Secondary: 2 x 30mm automated cannons port and starboard sides (EO FCS controlled), ? x machine guns (all separate items to be supplied by PN)
_*(From Maxdefense)*_

Surveillance, air search radars, EW suites and combat management system will be added later on and will be the same for the future PN ships (2 new frigates/GDP Class). No news on it yet cuz the frigate acquisition is still ongoing. And its taking a long time if u ask me.

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## pr1v4t33r

Hi guys, with defense cooperation keep strengtening between Phillipine and Indonesia, including the recent purchase of 2 SSV (around $90m price tag) from PT. PAL, what do you think about the chance that Phillipine Navy will consider adding more military weapons and equipment from Indonesia. As we know Phillipines still require alot of naval vessel to protect its vast maritime area. 

With archipelagic condition, surrounded by thousands island just like Indonesia, I think despite your current procurement of frigates, some smaller fast patrol/missile boat from Indonesia can also be introduced to Philippine Navy. The price tag is "right" the technology also quite good.









*KCR-40 (40 m Fast Missile Boat) Price tag araound $8m*









*KCR-60 (60m Fast Misile Boat) Price tag around $12m*

With this kind of price tag, i believe Phil Navy can procure quite alot of vessel and add some more presence and punch around your maritime area.

*@Nihonjin1051*, yup just like *Ayan81* said, the ship weaponary and sensor system are separate from the contract and will be procured by the Phil. It's fitted for, but not with.

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## Aepsilons

I think its great news to see the collaboration between the Philippines and Indonesia ! First, both were able to peacefully demarcate each others' maritime boundary, now they're cooperating in terms of strategic defense. Very mature relationships here. Good Job, guys!

@Ayan81 , thanks for the answer !

@pr1v4t33r , thanks for the info as well !


Salamat / Selamat !

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## Zero_wing

Nihonjin1051 said:


> I think its great news to see the collaboration between the Philippines and Indonesia ! First, both were able to peacefully demarcate each others' maritime boundary, now they're cooperating in terms of strategic defense. Very mature relationships here. Good Job, guys!
> 
> @Ayan81 , thanks for the answer !
> 
> @pr1v4t33r , thanks for the info as well !
> 
> 
> Salamat / Selamat !



Yes and along some and really hoping for here a lot of Japanese missile boats and Some of the Agesis type Destroyers too

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## Aepsilons

Zero_wing said:


> Yes and along some and really hoping for here a lot of Japanese missile boats and Some of the Agesis type Destroyers too



I really hope that Japan's Ministry of Defense can do more to aid the Philippines' needs. Let's see our governments can work out.


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## Ayan81

pr1v4t33r said:


> Hi guys, with defense cooperation keep strengtening between Phillipine and Indonesia, including the recent purchase of 2 SSV (around $90m price tag) from PT. PAL, what do you think about the chance that Phillipine Navy will consider adding more military weapons and equipment from Indonesia. As we know Phillipines still require alot of naval vessel to protect its vast maritime area.
> 
> With archipelagic condition, surrounded by thousands island just like Indonesia, I think despite your current procurement of frigates, some smaller fast patrol/missile boat from Indonesia can also be introduced to Philippine Navy. The price tag is "right" the technology also quite good.
> 
> View attachment 156504
> 
> View attachment 156511
> 
> *KCR-40 (40 m Fast Missile Boat) Price tag araound $8m*
> 
> View attachment 156501
> 
> View attachment 156512
> 
> *KCR-60 (60m Fast Misile Boat) Price tag around $12m*
> 
> With this kind of price tag, i believe Phil Navy can procure quite alot of vessel and add some more presence and punch around your maritime area.
> 
> *@Nihonjin1051*, yup just like *Ayan81* said, the ship weaponary and sensor system are separate from the contract and will be procured by the Phil. It's fitted for, but not with.



PT Dirgantara Indonesia / Indonesian Aerospace (PT DI / IAe) already is participating on the light and medium fixed wing tender, indonesian companies is always welcome as long as they qualify for the requirements, the KCR by the way does not cuz it serves only with one armed forces (the indonesian navy).



Nihonjin1051 said:


> I really hope that Japan's Ministry of Defense can do more to aid the Philippines' needs. Let's see our governments can work out.



If you ask me, Japs can transfer to us their decommissioned CG ships and will pay for the refurbishment. navy ships brings to much heat


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## JayMandan

Japanese not "Japs" kabayan.

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## Aepsilons

JayMandan said:


> Japanese not "Japs" kabayan.



Salamat kaibigan, pwede lang 'Hapon' at chaka "Hapones" pero wag yan 'Japs' dahil sakit na sakit ya sa puso namin..

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## Ayan81

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Salamat kaibigan, pwede lang 'Hapon' at chaka "Hapones" pero wag yan 'Japs' dahil sakit na sakit ya sa puso namin..



Pasensya Na Tol' , I did not think about it.


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## Reashot Xigwin

*4 killed, 7 injured in NPA attack on civilians in Agusan*
The victims were on their way home from a thanksgiving service, the military says


* Rappler.com *
Published 12:19 AM, Dec 02, 2014
Updated 12:19 AM, Dec 02, 2014





File photo by Karlos Manlupig

MANILA, Philippines – Four civilians were killed and 7 others were injured in an attack staged by alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) in Rosario, Agusan del Sur, on Monday, December 1, the military said.

An 8-year-old child was among those injured.

Killed in the attack were Neljoy Cerna, 27; Alfredo Cerna, 51; Nonie Mabong, 51; and Vanessa Sabas, 30.

The wounded victims were identified as Elmer Adonis, 37; Mac Roselyn Adonis, 8; Liza Casilla, 47; Diryun Mordeno; Expedito Sabado; and Reynaldo Austral.

Jun Solidor, chairman of Barangay Marfil, was also injured and is now in critical condition.

The victims were on their way home from a thanksgiving service at the Wayside Baptist Church when around 20 NPA fighters attacked the ambulance ferrying them at Sitio Latay, Barangay Marfil, at around 5:30 pm.

Lieutenant General Aurelio Baladad, chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, condemned the attack.

“This is a blatant violation of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) that the NPAs have sworn to observe, but only in words and never in deed, as they have always demonstrated,” Baladad said.

Pursuit operations are ongoing against the alleged NPA members. – *Rappler.com*

4 killed, 7 injured in NPA attack on civilians in Agusan

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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> Pasensya Na Tol' , I did not think about it.



Okey na okey, walang problema amigo ! Tagay na !


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## Aepsilons

Reashot Xigwin said:


> *4 killed, 7 injured in NPA attack on civilians in Agusan*
> The victims were on their way home from a thanksgiving service, the military says
> 
> 
> * Rappler.com *
> Published 12:19 AM, Dec 02, 2014
> Updated 12:19 AM, Dec 02, 2014
> 
> 
> 
> 
> File photo by Karlos Manlupig
> 
> MANILA, Philippines – Four civilians were killed and 7 others were injured in an attack staged by alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) in Rosario, Agusan del Sur, on Monday, December 1, the military said.
> 
> An 8-year-old child was among those injured.
> 
> Killed in the attack were Neljoy Cerna, 27; Alfredo Cerna, 51; Nonie Mabong, 51; and Vanessa Sabas, 30.
> 
> The wounded victims were identified as Elmer Adonis, 37; Mac Roselyn Adonis, 8; Liza Casilla, 47; Diryun Mordeno; Expedito Sabado; and Reynaldo Austral.
> 
> Jun Solidor, chairman of Barangay Marfil, was also injured and is now in critical condition.
> 
> The victims were on their way home from a thanksgiving service at the Wayside Baptist Church when around 20 NPA fighters attacked the ambulance ferrying them at Sitio Latay, Barangay Marfil, at around 5:30 pm.
> 
> Lieutenant General Aurelio Baladad, chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, condemned the attack.
> 
> “This is a blatant violation of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) that the NPAs have sworn to observe, but only in words and never in deed, as they have always demonstrated,” Baladad said.
> 
> Pursuit operations are ongoing against the alleged NPA members. – *Rappler.com*
> 
> 4 killed, 7 injured in NPA attack on civilians in Agusan



Sorry to read these , best way to crush this NPA movement is not just through military means, but through nation building and moralization of the affected regions. Philippines is doing that as we speak and they're doing a great job. The late president , Ramon Magsaysay, was effective in crushing the Huk Rebellion through this 'Win Their Hearts' Campaign back in the 50's and 60's.

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## Aepsilons

* Troops capture Abu Sayyaf camp; kill 5 bandits *


MILITARY forces have killed five members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) as they overrun an ASG camp following a clash in the hinterlands of Basilan province, a top military official reported Monday.

Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade commander Rolando Joselito Bautistta said the clash broke out around 7:50 a.m. in the village of Baiwas, Sumisip, Basilan.

Colonel Bautista said the clash resulted in the death of five Abu Sayyaf bandits while no one was wounded among the government troops.

Bautista said the rest of the Abu Sayyaf bandits fled to different directions.

The ASG camp has 10 nipa huts with fortified trenches and foxholes that could accommodate about 50 people.

Bautista said the troops have recovered a solar charger, wet cell battery, a shotgun with two ammunition, 40 millimeters high explosive device ammunition and subversive documents.

The operation started after the bandits killed in an ambush five soldiers earlier this month in Sumisip, Basilan.

The soldiers were providing security to workers of a Saudi-funded road concreting project when they were ambushed.

Philippine Army captures Abu Sayyaf camp; kills 5 bandits | Sun.Star


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## Ayan81

Nihonjin1051 said:


> * Troops capture Abu Sayyaf camp; kill 5 bandits *
> 
> 
> MILITARY forces have killed five members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) as they overrun an ASG camp following a clash in the hinterlands of Basilan province, a top military official reported Monday.
> 
> Army’s 104th Infantry Brigade commander Rolando Joselito Bautistta said the clash broke out around 7:50 a.m. in the village of Baiwas, Sumisip, Basilan.
> 
> Colonel Bautista said the clash resulted in the death of five Abu Sayyaf bandits while no one was wounded among the government troops.
> 
> Bautista said the rest of the Abu Sayyaf bandits fled to different directions.
> 
> The ASG camp has 10 nipa huts with fortified trenches and foxholes that could accommodate about 50 people.
> 
> Bautista said the troops have recovered a solar charger, wet cell battery, a shotgun with two ammunition, 40 millimeters high explosive device ammunition and subversive documents.
> 
> The operation started after the bandits killed in an ambush five soldiers earlier this month in Sumisip, Basilan.
> 
> The soldiers were providing security to workers of a Saudi-funded road concreting project when they were ambushed.
> 
> Philippine Army captures Abu Sayyaf camp; kills 5 bandits | Sun.Star

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## Ayan81

*Today in Philippine Military History, December 2, 1899, the Battle of Tirad Pass took place *

*



*

_On December 2, 1899, the Battle of Tirad Pass between 60_ Filipino soldiers under General Gregorio del Pilar and more than 300 American soldiers under General Peyton C. March took place. 


General Del Pilar, confidante and right-hand man of General Emilio Aguinaldo, was ordered to block the Yankees' advance into Tirad Pass, a mountain gap in the Cordillera Mountains of Northern Luzon. 





He followed the order of General Aguinaldo to defend the pass to stop the Americans so the revolutionary leader could build a guerrilla force in Isabela beyond the Cordilleras 

Del Pilar asked his 60 men to position themselves on top of the mountain where, from their vantage point, they could see a whole battalion of 300 American soldiers advancing. 

Hence, Aguinaldo and his men were able to retreat safely to the north. 

Del Pilar gave encouragement to his men while watching the Americans coming within the range. “This is the most glorious moment in our lives,” he said. “We are fighting for our motherland.” 

After sometime, the enemy stopped firing. The Filipino forces halted their fire too, thus the whole valley fell silent. 

However, unknown to Del Pilar and his men, a Filipino was leading a group of American soldiers to their rear. As he heard a volley of fire coming from the back, Del Pilar saw many of his soldiers fall one by one. 

Standing alone, he took out his diary from his breast pocket and wrote the following words: ”What I am doing now is for my beloved land.” After returning his diary to his pocket, he mounted his horse once more with saber in hand, but a single shot claimed the life of the young, brave general. 

The American soldiers rushed to the spot where the fallen general was. One of them got his diary, another one took the spurs from Del Pilar’s boots, one other got the boots, another followed and took his shirt off, someone collected his buttons, tore off the bloody collar and pants. 

But there was one thing that the American soldiers were not able to take away from General Del Pilar -– his love of country, a love that neither extreme hardship nor death was able to extinguish. 

Del Pilar's heroism won the admiration of _American Lieutenant Dennis P. Quinlan_, who ordered the burial of his remains with military honors, and marked his grave with a headstone bearing this inscription: 

_ "GENERAL GREGORIO DEL PILAR, KILLED AT THE BATTLE OF TIRAD PASS, DECEMBER 2, 1899, COMMANDING AGUINALDO'S REAR GUARD, AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN." 

The Battle of Tirad Pass took place December 2, 1899_
*_______________________________________*

*WINDHAM WEAPONRY partners with UNITED DEFENSE in the Philippines.*

*



*

Windham Weaponry, Inc. from Maine, U.S.A. and Philippines company, United Defense Manufacturing Corp. have signed a Joint Venture Agreement and a Manufacturing License Agreement that will allow United Defense to build in the Philippines and supply Windham brands of M4 rifles to Philippines armed forces and law enforcement agencies.

The fusion of Windham and United Defense will enable the manufacture in the Philippines of NATO specs M4 rifles at a price and quality that will compete with the big players in the global weapons industry in big volume tenders, the main objective of the joint venture. Most important of all, with United Defense as manufacturer in the Philippines, the Windham warranty can be backed-up with speed, full coverage and service.

The majority of the Windham Weaponry management and operations teams were formerly employed for many, many years by Bushmaster until 2011, thus, bringing with them a wealth of experience and technical expertise in the manufacture of rifles in the AR platform. Historically, the owners of Windham Weaponry were the former owners of Bushmaster.

*_______________________________________________________________________________________

Pinoy peacekeepers end quarantine, leave Caballo Island






*
Filipino peacekeepers from Liberia have left Caballo Island on Tuesday after undergoing a 21-day quarantine there, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said.

Cabunoc said the peacekeepers left the island at around noon aboard a Philippine Navy vessel. They were then brought to Sangley Point in Cavite, and transported by military buses to the AFP Medical Center in Quezon City for routine medical screening.

The Navy vessel carrying the 132 peacekeepers docked at Sangley Point at 6:38 p.m., radio dzBB's James Agustin reported.

Of the peacekeepers who arrived at Sangley Point, 107 were from the Air Force, one was a military observer, 23 were from the Philippine National Police, and one was from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

A welcome ceremony, to be led by AFP chief General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., for the peacekeepers will be held at around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

"I am very happy that the peacekeepers have successfully finished the quarantine without any untoward incident. I am commending them for their self-sacrifices to make our country Ebola virus-free," Cabunoc said.

He added that a UN Service Medal will be awarded to the peacekeepers "for their splendid performance and invaluable services as members of the peacekeeping contingent in Liberia."

'Island paradise'

Major Gerard Alvaran, one of the peacekeepers, said while he is looking forward to returning home, he enjoyed their stay on Caballo Island.

"I am eagerly waiting to this day that we finish this quarantine period. I can’t wait to see my family during the Hero’s Welcome that is scheduled for us," he said.

"Our stay was never boring because we had lots of activities including fun games, environmental protection activities and also the rare opportunity to discover the historic spots there," Alvaran added.

For her part, SPO4 Shirley B. Alonzo, a member of the police peacekeepers, said despite being quarantined, they have been productive.

"It also gave us an opportunity to show our creativity by making the island a better place by planting trees and conducting coastal cleanup," she said.

Pinoy peacekeepers end quarantine, leave Caballo Island | News | GMA News Online

_
_

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## Reashot Xigwin

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Sorry to read these , best way to crush this NPA movement is not just through military means, but through nation building and moralization of the affected regions. Philippines is doing that as we speak and they're doing a great job. The late president , Ramon Magsaysay, was effective in crushing the Huk Rebellion through this 'Win Their Hearts' Campaign back in the 50's and 60's.



There's a book by Rob Kaplan called the "Imperial Grunts" that actually does touch upon this issue. There's a story when a group of american soldiers got sent to Mindanao to help improve the people lives. At first they are not welcomed as illustrated by a child making neck slitting gesture and after they leave the child now making a thumbs up at the american soldiers.

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## Aepsilons

Reashot Xigwin said:


> There's a book by Rob Kaplan called the "Imperial Grunts" that actually does touch upon this issue. There's a story when a group of american soldiers got sent to Mindanao to help improve the people lives. At first they are not welcomed as illustrated by a child making neck slitting gesture and after they leave the child now making a thumbs up at the american soldiers.



I'll have to check that book out sometime. There's a book that I enjoyed very much that covered this issue, written by Benedict Kirkvliet , _"The Huk Rebellion: A Study of Peasant Revolt in the Philippines". _It touched upon the issue of Communist Domino Theory and how this applied to the peasant revolt in the Philippines' Hukbalalahap War (Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon = The Nation's Army Against the Japanese). Its interesting to see how this group of nationalists forces, which was formed to fight the Imperial Japanese Army during the Occupation (1941-1945), but turned into a national communist revolution. Anyways, it touches on the issue of class warfare, abuses of power of oligarchy, and the role of humanitarian campaign in collaboration with military strikes as a way to win the support of dispossessed individuals. 

Its an interesting analysis of the Philippine national will. In a way, one can even argue the Huk War was the progenitor of the 1986s People's Power Revolution (Edsa). 

So yea, @Reashot Xigwin , check it out if you have time. 


Best Regards,
@Nihonjin1051


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> View attachment 159665



ha ha ha! Nice !


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> I'll have to check that book out sometime. There's a book that I enjoyed very much that covered this issue, written by Benedict Kirkvliet , _"The Huk Rebellion: A Study of Peasant Revolt in the Philippines". _It touched upon the issue of Communist Domino Theory and how this applied to the peasant revolt in the Philippines' Hukbalalahap War (Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon = The Nation's Army Against the Japanese). Its interesting to see how this group of nationalists forces, which was formed to fight the Imperial Japanese Army during the Occupation (1941-1945), but turned into a national communist revolution. Anyways, it touches on the issue of class warfare, abuses of power of oligarchy, and the role of humanitarian campaign in collaboration with military strikes as a way to win the support of dispossessed individuals.
> 
> Its an interesting analysis of the Philippine national will. In a way, one can even argue the Huk War was the progenitor of the 1986s People's Power Revolution (Edsa).
> 
> So yea, @Reashot Xigwin , check it out if you have time.
> 
> 
> Best Regards,
> @Nihonjin1051



And what has EDSA '86 brought us? Marcos overthrew the old oligarchy but sadly replaced them with his own cronies but the '86 revolt only paved way for the return of the old oligarchy who are AFRAID of foreign investors and foreign direct investments that they use media to say that foreigners of all races and nationalities are evil and are here to rape Filipino women, enslave the Filipino men and ruin the country's environmental landscape as well as steal the natural resources.

Such mentality is prevalent in the Philippine media.

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## Aepsilons

But that in itself is ironic since most of the Filipinos in media and/ or in show business in the Philippines are Hapas.



Cossack25A1 said:


> And what has EDSA '86 brought us? Marcos overthrew the old oligarchy but sadly replaced them with his own cronies but the '86 revolt only paved way for the return of the old oligarchy who are AFRAID of foreign investors and foreign direct investments that they use media to say that foreigners of all races and nationalities are evil and are here to rape Filipino women, enslave the Filipino men and ruin the country's environmental landscape as well as steal the natural resources.
> 
> Such mentality is prevalent in the Philippine media.


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> But that in itself is ironic since most of the Filipinos in media and/ or in show business in the Philippines are Hapas.



The idea of "lighter skin tone = beauty" is very prevalent in the Philippines that the sale of whitening products are booming here whereas the people in showbiz industry that has lighter skin tones are of mixed heritage, whether they have half-Spanish, half-American, half-European, half-Chinese, half-Korean, half, Japanese, etc.

This is why Rizal is against the idea of Independence (though it was in his "list" albeit being the last).

There is always stereoptypes in Philippine media that it could beat American media in being racist.

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> The idea of "lighter skin tone = beauty" is very prevalent in the Philippines that the sale of whitening products are booming here whereas the people in showbiz industry that has lighter skin tones are of mixed heritage, whether they have half-Spanish, half-American, half-European, half-Chinese, half-Korean, half, Japanese, etc.
> 
> This is why Rizal is against the idea of Independence (though it was in his "list" albeit being the last).
> 
> There is always stereoptypes in Philippine media that it could beat American media in being racist.



Very interesting. I always wondered that about Filipino media. But why are they ashamed to put on the average looking Filipino? In my opinion, there's nothing ugly about their beautiful tan skin, and black hair. The euro-centric mentality is not good, imho.

The native Filipina beauty is something that captivates , definitely. Nothing to be ashamed about that at all.


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Very interesting. I always wondered that about Filipino media. But why are they ashamed to put on the average looking Filipino? In my opinion, there's nothing ugly about their beautiful tan skin, and black hair. The euro-centric mentality is not good, imho.
> 
> The native Filipina beauty is something that captivates , definitely. Nothing to be ashamed about that at all.



A product of Westernization although interest in lighter-tone people is said to predate the arrival of the Spanish Empire here in the PH. If there are native Filipinos appearing in media, they are depicted as aloof and "less-intelligent", similar to how some blacks are depicted in American media.

I can't say about that as I am more interested in 2D...


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## Zero_wing

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Sorry to read these , best way to crush this NPA movement is not just through military means, but through nation building and moralization of the affected regions. Philippines is doing that as we speak and they're doing a great job. The late president , Ramon Magsaysay, was effective in crushing the Huk Rebellion through this 'Win Their Hearts' Campaign back in the 50's and 60's.



Which we been doing but the NPA maoist $cum are godless inhuman animals for them and the maoist imperialist chinese their way is superior to anything and anyone they just terrorist now



Nihonjin1051 said:


> I'll have to check that book out sometime. There's a book that I enjoyed very much that covered this issue, written by Benedict Kirkvliet , _"The Huk Rebellion: A Study of Peasant Revolt in the Philippines". _It touched upon the issue of Communist Domino Theory and how this applied to the peasant revolt in the Philippines' Hukbalalahap War (Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon = The Nation's Army Against the Japanese). Its interesting to see how this group of nationalists forces, which was formed to fight the Imperial Japanese Army during the Occupation (1941-1945), but turned into a national communist revolution. Anyways, it touches on the issue of class warfare, abuses of power of oligarchy, and the role of humanitarian campaign in collaboration with military strikes as a way to win the support of dispossessed individuals.
> 
> Its an interesting analysis of the Philippine national will. In a way, one can even argue the Huk War was the progenitor of the 1986s People's Power Revolution (Edsa).
> 
> So yea, @Reashot Xigwin , check it out if you have time.
> 
> 
> Best Regards,
> @Nihonjin1051



Actual the correct translation of Hukbalahap is the Peoples anti Japanese Army later in the HUK rebellion they change it to peoples liberation army which ironic because they were Marxist-Lennist Not maoist anyway if feel sorry for them becuase they were just people who wanted to better the Philippines by using a model US seen as evil again people are evil not the system but case in point they were not evil they just want betterment of the Philippines but the rural people's view using a marxist-lennism concept if and they have peoples support because one they fought the Imperial Japnese sorry comrade and seen as heros and they at first use the political processe i mean Luis taruc their leader was even voted as member of congress but due to Americas bad vibe of communisim and we were dependant on US aid they were not allowed to be part of the congress which was one of Americas blunders in the Philippines but due to the killing of former first lady Aurora Quezon it just when down hill for them and the Taruc surrender and the whole organization join society again but some did not and this led to the creation of the maoist terrorist organization the NPA

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## Cossack25A1

*I don't trust the Aquino government on doing something and it will be Haiyan redux.*

*Also, a pretty ironic name.*
-----
*Super Typhoon Hagupit takes aim on the Philippines*
Doyle Rice, USA TODAY 5:14 p.m. EST December 3, 2014

Super Typhoon Hagupit — on track to be the world's most powerful storm this year — is forecast to hit or graze the Philippines by the weekend.

Hagupit strengthened into a typhoon Tuesday and continued to strengthen Wednesday, with sustained winds of 150 mph, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said.

That is equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane. A typhoon is the same type of storm as a hurricane but is called a typhoon in the western Pacific Ocean.

The storm was about 800 miles east of the Philippines and could be near the island nation by Saturday.

The Philippine government on Wednesday sent food and medical supplies to central provinces in the path of Hagupit, GMA News reported. Residents of coastal villages and landslide-prone communities were told to move to government-designated evacuation areas.

Hagupit — known by the name Ruby in the Philippines — is forecast to either move directly into the Philippines or turn right and only graze the country. The computer models that meteorologists use to predict a storm's track don't agree on the storm's track.

"If the storm takes the track into the Philippines, the impacts will be potentially very severe with widespread flooding, damaging winds, mudslides, storm surge and pounding surf," AccuWeather meteorologist Anthony Sagliani said.

A continued west-northwest track would place the central Philippines in the threat zone, including areas still recovering from deadly Super Typhoon Haiyan 13 months ago, the most intense tropical cyclone at landfall in history, the Weather Channel said.

Haiyan killed more than 6,000 people.

-----
Super Typhoon Hagupit takes aim on the Philippines

-----

_*And oh, to the Chinese members here, you are welcome to insult us once the typhoon hits.*_


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## pr1v4t33r

Bad news for our philippines friends. Better start preparing for the worst. With less than a week to evacuate, people should take first priority to save their live, than their wealth. Still, we hope the best outcome for the philippines.

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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> Bad news for our philippines friends. Better start preparing for the worst. With less than a week to evacuate, people should take first priority to save their live, than their wealth. Still, we hope the best outcome for the philippines.



Well its up to the local people but saidly some of our people are stuburn to follow evac orders


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## Reashot Xigwin

*PH eyes final bidding for 2 new warships*
The warships will be the Philippine military's biggest and most capable






* Carmela Fonbuena *
Published 7:18 PM, Dec 03, 2014
Updated 7:18 PM, Dec 03, 2014




MOST CAPABLE: Philippine Navy's BRP Ramon Alcaraz. Photo by Carmela Fonbuena/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine defense department is confident it can award the contract for the already delayed 2 brand new frigates worth P18.9 billion early next year.

"We may not be able to open it (final bidding) this year but early next year we will be able to award the contract," said Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo in a recent interview.

Manalo said he is confident that the bidding will be successful and the project will not be further delayed. "We have more than enough (bidders) to give us the confidence that it is really a competitive bidding," he said.

Six firms have qualified for the contract: Spanish firm Navantia Sepi (RTR Ventures) and South Korean firms STX Offshore & Shipbuilding; Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co Ltd, and Hyundai Heavy Industries Inc; India's Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd of India And Europe's STX France SA.

Manalo said they have completed the pre-bid conference for the second and final stage of bidding for the biggest project under the Armed Forces of the Philippines Revised Modernization Program. (READ: State of PH Navy Modernization: 'Golden days will return')

The frigates project was delayed by the department's failure to immediately finalize the Terms of Reference (TOR), which contains the technical specifications of the project, including the ship design and weapons system.

The two frigates are going to be the country's biggest and most capable warships. The package includes capabilities such as primary and secondary guns, missile system, anti-submarine warfare weapon system, and electronic warfare system.

The frigates should also be able to accommodate a helicopter and rigid hull inflatable boats.

It's a much needed upgrade from the refurbished cutters from US, _BRP Ramon Alcaraz_ and _BRP Gregorio Del Pilar._

In the recent pre-bid conference, the bidders were able to comment and recommend changes to the TOR.

"We are just waiting for the submission of the Technical Working Group on the final comments and recommendations," Manalo said.

The Philippine Navy earlier said it needs at least 6 warships to patrol the country's waters.

The other big ticket project is the squadron of fighter jets worth P18 billion. It was awarded to South Korea's Aerospace Industry. *– Rappler.com*

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## pr1v4t33r

It's coming... take cover everyone...

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## Cossack25A1

Philippines starts clean-up after Hagupit - Asia-Pacific - Al Jazeera English
---------
* Philippines starts clean-up after Hagupit *
Last updated: 09 Dec 2014 08:09 

_*At least 42 people have been killed and thousands of homes destroyed, as storm appears set to leave the Philippines.*_

Typhoon Hagupit has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it swept out of the Philippines where it killed at least 42 people and wreaked havoc in several parts of the archipelago.

Nearly 1.7 million people evacuated from their homes were preparing to return on Tuesday after the storm passed over the far western islands of the Southeast Asian country and approached the South China Sea.

Despite the destruction it was a far cry from the lethal impact of super typhoon Haiyan last year when thousands were killed or went missing, and over a million homes were wrecked.

Most of the people killed by the recent storm were on the far eastern island of Samar, where Hagupit, the Filipino word for 'lash', initially made landfall as a typhoon on the weekend.

Hagupit struck with winds of 210km an hour, marking it as the most powerful storm to hit the Philippines this year, causing widespread destruction.

It gradually weakened as it travelled west across the central Philippines, passing close to the capital of Manila on Monday night with only a fraction of the forecast torrential rain.

Having seen the disasters caused by Typhoon Haiyan, people moved to evacuation shelters willingly. 

In some areas of eastern Samar, aid agencies told Al Jazeera that 80 percent of sturdily-built homes were destroyed.

Despite evacuations, not everyone got out in time. Blocked roads and heavy rains prevented rescue teams to get in by air.

Al Jazeera's Andrew Thomas, reporting from the city of Batangas, some 80km south of Manila, said residents wait for the storm to pass. Winds had slowed down as the storm reached the western Philippines.

Thomas also reported the rain has been heavy for 24 hours and there's still more forecast to come. For most Filipinos, Hagupit was not as ferocious a storm as had been feared.

The Philippines endures about 20 major storms a year, with scientists blaming climate change for the growing number of violent and unpredictable storms.


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## Ayan81

42 - 22 - 8 casualties?


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> 42 - 22 - 8 casualties?



Well, the counting of the casualties is still a bit iffy.


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## Reashot Xigwin

* Aquino checks fighter jets to be acquired from S. Korea *
Posted by Maki Catama on 9:40 AM 




_ Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit, President Benigno S. Aquino III inspected FA-50 aircraft at the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Ltd. in Busan, South Korea._

BUSAN, -- PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III inspected Friday model of FA-50 fighter aircraft that the Philippines has been purchasing from South Korean firm to boost the Armed Forces of the Philippines' defense capability.

Before heading for Manila, Aquino met with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) President and Chief Executive Officer Sung Yong-ha and Republic of Korea (ROK) Air Force officials at the Gimhae Airbase for the inspection of the fighter jets, worth P18.9 billion.

Manila has acquired 12 FA-50 fighter jets from the state-owned Korean aerospace firm.

The Philippines' defense deal with South Korea aims to bolster the Philippine military’s defense capability amid increasing tensions in disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, who accompanied the President in Busan, South Korea, said that during the bilateral meeting between Aquino and South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Thursday, Aquino conveyed the Philippines’ intention to pursue a comprehensive strategic partnership with the Republic of Korea.

"He noted that the two countries are ‘sister democracies’ that ‘face the same threats and challenges of an evolving region’, while sharing the ‘values of freedom, respect for human rights, and adherence to the rule of law’," Coloma added.

He also said regional security concerns were discussed during the bilateral meeting as the two leaders reviewed the situation in the Korean Peninsula and in the West Philippine Sea.

“President Aquino reiterated the Philippines’ support for efforts on the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and the early resumption of the six-party talks,” he said.

Aquino is set to arrive in Manila Friday night after his two-day trip to Busan where he attended the 25th anniversary of Association of Southeast Asian Nations-ROK Commemorative Summit.

Aquino checks fighter jets to be acquired from S. Korea ~ ASEAN Military Defense Review

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## Cossack25A1

Reashot Xigwin said:


> * Aquino checks fighter jets to be acquired from S. Korea *
> Posted by Maki Catama on 9:40 AM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _ Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit, President Benigno S. Aquino III inspected FA-50 aircraft at the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Ltd. in Busan, South Korea._
> 
> BUSAN, -- PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III inspected Friday model of FA-50 fighter aircraft that the Philippines has been purchasing from South Korean firm to boost the Armed Forces of the Philippines' defense capability.
> 
> Before heading for Manila, Aquino met with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) President and Chief Executive Officer Sung Yong-ha and Republic of Korea (ROK) Air Force officials at the Gimhae Airbase for the inspection of the fighter jets, worth P18.9 billion.
> 
> Manila has acquired 12 FA-50 fighter jets from the state-owned Korean aerospace firm.
> 
> The Philippines' defense deal with South Korea aims to bolster the Philippine military’s defense capability amid increasing tensions in disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
> 
> Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, who accompanied the President in Busan, South Korea, said that during the bilateral meeting between Aquino and South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Thursday, Aquino conveyed the Philippines’ intention to pursue a comprehensive strategic partnership with the Republic of Korea.
> 
> "He noted that the two countries are ‘sister democracies’ that ‘face the same threats and challenges of an evolving region’, while sharing the ‘values of freedom, respect for human rights, and adherence to the rule of law’," Coloma added.
> 
> He also said regional security concerns were discussed during the bilateral meeting as the two leaders reviewed the situation in the Korean Peninsula and in the West Philippine Sea.
> 
> “President Aquino reiterated the Philippines’ support for efforts on the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and the early resumption of the six-party talks,” he said.
> 
> Aquino is set to arrive in Manila Friday night after his two-day trip to Busan where he attended the 25th anniversary of Association of Southeast Asian Nations-ROK Commemorative Summit.
> 
> Aquino checks fighter jets to be acquired from S. Korea ~ ASEAN Military Defense Review



Next, we should look at other jets like JAS 39 or F/A-18


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## NarThoD

Cossack25A1 said:


> Next, we should look at other jets like JAS 39 or F/A-18


How about submarines? Well I think its time for PN to acquire subs


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## Cossack25A1

NarThoD said:


> How about submarines? Well I think its time for PN to acquire subs



It was also considered but for now the PH Air Force needs to be re-armed as at present, we do not have any jet fighters - the S.211s we have are just light attack aircrafts

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## Zero_wing

NarThoD said:


> How about submarines? Well I think its time for PN to acquire subs



That would be again phase three for the Philippine navy they buying Frigates and Corvettes first and new support ships

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## Bienvenido

*Despite Moody's rating lift, Finance chief says Philippines still 'underrated'*
By: *InterAksyon.com*
December 15, 2014 

MANILA – Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima said the Philippines deserves another credit rating upgrade given inroads in trimming its debt and improving its revenue.

The Department of Finance (DOF) chief issued that statement days after Moody’s Investors Service elevated the country further to investment grade territory.

"We welcome news of yet another credit ratings upgrade as a recognition of the robust foundations we built through good governance reforms and prudent fiscal management. Four years down this road, we are growing ever firmer in our conviction that good governance is indeed good economics,” Purisima said, adding that Moody’s latest move is the 21st positive credit rating action bestowed on the Philippines since the start of President Aquino’s term.

"We believe the Philippines is still a notch underrated,” Purisima however said.

Under Moody’s scale, the Philippines is now rated “Baa2,” or two notches above “junk” status, after the debt watcher last year delivered the country its first upgrade to “investment” status. Moody’s latest move puts it ahead of the curve vis-à-vis Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s, both of which had ranked the Philippines as investment grade months earlier in 2013.

Purisima said reforms the Aquino administration put in place has enabled it to improve its revenue performance, with its tax-to-GDP ratio rising to 14.08 percent at end-September. The government is aiming for a 16.6 percent ratio by the end President Aquino’s term.

GDP refers to gross domestic product, which is the amount of final goods and services produced in the country and as such measures economic performance.

Besides the improvement in the tax effort, Purisima also cited the country’s easing debt burden, which has fallen to 37.3 percent of GDP at end-June from 44.3 percent in 2010. The debt-to-GDP ratio peaked at 68.1 percent in 2003.

“These efforts have built strong economic fundamentals with which we will continue to fuel our positive growth trajectory. Improving revenue collection and lowering debt service have increased fiscal space to fund critical investments for our people. In just four years, good governance has freed up fiscal space to allow us to almost double our education and public works budgets, to triple our health budget, and quintuple our social welfare budget," Purisima said.

Despite its recent fiscal gains, the DOF chief said much work remains to be done, citing pending legislation.

“We look to comprehensive and equitable tax reform to align with our peers in ASEAN, enhancements in tax administration, the expansion of the Treasury Single Account, as well as the passage of our priority initiatives pending in Congress such as customs modernization, as well as the rationalization and transparency of fiscal incentives,” he said.

"We are fully convinced that continuing our economic turnaround story rests on our commitment to good governance. We take this upgrade as a reminder to government and civil society that sustaining good governance reforms is the only way to maintain and capitalize on our ever improving trajectory," he added.

Despite Moody's rating lift, Finance chief says Philippines still 'underrated'


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## Cossack25A1

_Because someone here loves to follow the jarhead-tranny news, I will put an update on it for his own enjoyment._
----------------
*Murder raps filed vs. Pemberton in Jennifer Laude slay*
By MARK MERUEÑAS, GMA News December 15, 2014 2:36pm (6:36am GMT)

The Olongapo City Prosecutor's Office on Monday has found probable cause to file a murder case against US Marine Private First Class Scott Joseph Pemberton for the killing of Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude.

City Prosecutor Emilie delos Santos confirmed to reporters in Olongapo City that a 23-page resolution of the preliminary investigation recommended murder raps against the serviceman.

Delos Santos said it was still "premature" to say if Pemberton's custody should be transferred with the filing of a criminal case in court.

The city prosecutor said there were "aggravating qualifying circumstances" that convinced the panel there was probable cause to charge Pemberton.

Pemberton, who is accused of killing the 26-year-old transgender woman, was earlier transferred from the US Navy ship _USS Peleliu_ docked in Subic to a US facility in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

The US Embassy in Manila maintained Pemberton is still under US custody despite being detained in a Philippine facility.

Laude was found dead inside a lodge in Olongapo City in October this year. She was last seen with Pemberton whom she reportedly met at a bar.

-----
*
Now, who should have custody?*

The Laudes expectedly welcomed the filing of the murder case.

"Napakalaking tagumpay po ito dahil ang kaso ay murder. Ibig sabihin, napatunayan ng private complainants na pinatay siya [Laude] sa karumaldumal na paraan," said Atty. Harry Roque Jr., the Laude family's legal counsel.
_(This is a big victory because this is now a murder case. This means that the private complainants have proven that the victim [Laude] was killed in a brutal manner.)_

"Pero ito ay panimula pa lamang sa isang napakahabang proseso para makamit ang katarungan," he added.
_(But this is just the beginning of the long journey in achieving justice.)_

Roque said the next issue that should be resolved is who should have custody over the US serviceman.

"Ngayong may ganito nang kasong naisampa, ang tanong saan ngayon ikukulong si Pemberton," said Roque.
_(Now that we have filed such case, the question is where will Pemberton be detained.)_

The victim's sister, Marilou, thanked the prosecutors who handled the case.

"Umaasa po kami na sa korte ay magiging mahigpit ang pagtutulungan at kooperasiyon ng mga prosecutor," Marilou said.
_(We are hoping that the court prosecutors will have strong coordination and cooperation.)_
*
—NB/KG, GMA News*

-----
Murder raps filed vs. Pemberton in Jennifer Laude slay | News | GMA News Online


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## William Hung

Cossack25A1 said:


> Next, we should look at other jets like JAS 39 or F/A-18



Getting the Super Hornet is such a no brainer. Not so expensive, twin engines, long legged, can carry harpoons or other AshM for naval strikes. It can later be upgraded to the Advanced Super hornet standard so it's semi-future proof.

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## Reashot Xigwin

* Missile-Armed MPACs in the Pipeline for the PN *




_ Combat boat with missile (image : Militaryphotos)_

MANILA (PNA) -- In a bid to improve its territorial sea interdiction capabilities, the Philippine Navy (PN) announced that it will be acquiring missile-armed MPACs (multi-purpose assault craft) to beef up its patrol force.
This was announced by PN vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar C. Taccad during Tuesday's briefing on modernization.

"It will be armed with stabilized weapon system with fire control complemented with a short to medium range missile system," he added.

The MPACs will be designed for territorial sea interdiction operations with maritime situational awareness and limited credible deterrence in the protection of the country's interest at the West Philippine Sea, Taccad stated
"And it may also be used for internal security operations and humanitarian assistance disaster response operations," he stressed.

The Department of National Defense (DND) earlier announced that it is allocating Php270 million to acquire three missile-armed MPACs.

The money will be sourced from the AFP Modernization Act Trust Fund of 2000.
The contract includes mission essential equipment.




Mission essential equipment includes day/night electronic navigation systems, communication suites, safety-of-life-at-sea, propulsion system and seamanship and ship-handling gears.
The PN currently operates a force of six MPACs.

Three of the PN's MPACs are sourced from Taiwan while the remaining three were ordered from Filipino shipbuilder Propmech Corporation, which is based in Subic Bay, Zambales.

These ships are 16.5 meters long, 4.76 meters wide and has a draft of one meter and a top speed of 45 knots.
Each one costs around Php90 million. It has a range 300 nautical miles. The hull is made of high-quality aluminum and is crewed by one officer and four enlisted personnel. It is capable of carrying 16 fully-equipped troopers or two tons of cargo.

The MPAC is capable of operating in territorial waters up to "Sea State 3" (slight waves) without any system degradation. It is armed with one .50 caliber and two 7.62mm machine guns.

(PNA)

Beware the back blast from those things...






* PN Needs Diesel Electric Submarines for Maritime Deterrence *




_ Philippines needs between three to six diesel electric submarine (photo : HDW)_

MANILA (PNA) -- The country needs modern and up-to-date diesel electric submarines for maritime deterrence.

"We need submarines for deterrence," Rear Admiral Caesar C. Taccad, Navy vice commander, said Wednesday at the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization briefing.
However, Taccad clarified that developing a submarine capability requires a long gestation period in order to develop support facilities and the people and technology of operating such a force.

"A rule of thumb is that 10 years is needed to develop such a force," Taccad stressed.
He added that the PN has already started its submarine development studies some three or two years ago.

"Actually, we forced a submarine office in the Philippine Fleet," the PN vice commander said.
Taccad also said that the PN can afford to acquire and operate its own diesel electric submarines.

* "If we can afford two frigates that is worth around Php18 billion, we can procure a submarine," he disclosed.*

* Military studies revealed that the Philippines needs between three to six diesel electric submarines to fully secure its maritime domain. *

(PNA)

* PAF fighter pilots to undergo training in S. Korea*
Posted by Maki Catama on 11:12 PM 




_ KAI FA-50 Fighting Eagle Light Attack Aircraft._

MANILA, - Expecting initial delivery of FA-50 lead-in fighter jets late next year, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) is sending its fighter pilots to South Korea for a six-month training in handling the brand-new supersonic aircraft.

PAF’s Air Defense Wing chief Col. Ernesto Okol said that aside from three fighter pilots, they are also sending 32 support personnel to South Korea in March for the much-needed flight and maintenance transition training.

“PAF is sending three of our most skilled instructor-pilots with the highest flying time with relative years (in military service) under their belt, to South Korea to undergo a six to seven months’ training,” Okol said.

He said the three pilots have been flying S-211 jets.

Following his trip to South Korea last week where he personally inspected an FA-50 model at the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), President Aquino announced the country would be receiving first delivery of the brand new supersonic fighter jets starting next year.

Under the military’s modernization program, the government purchased a squadron of these brand new lead-in fighter jets through a P18.9-billion defense contract with KAI.

“Our pilots will first undergo basic flying training with their South Korean Air Force counterparts for about two to three months, then they will transition to the jets,” Okol said.

The purchase of the FA-50 fighter jets is seen as a major defense procurement of the government to bring the Air Force back to the sky, which for now is basically lacking in air defense capabilities with the retirement of the last seven F5 fighter jets in 2005.

At present, PAF has only three S-211s trainer jets refitted into fighter planes in its inventory.

During their transition training, the Filipino pilots will be flying the FA-50 jets, which rake the sky with speeds of up to 1.5 Mach, compared to the S-211s that only fly at a maximum 667 kilometers per hour.

“Suffice it to say, we’ll be back to supersonic again,” said Okol, himself an F5 fighter pilot.

He added another package worth about P5 billion for the procurement and installation of avionics and armaments will fully categorize the F50-A lead-in fighter jets into a full combat-capable aircraft.

Aside from the three pilots, a team of two officers and 32 crew will also be sent to South Korea to train in order to handle the maintenance aspect of the fighter jets when in full operation in the country.

On top of this, Okol said PAF is also expecting delivery of a squadron of OV-10 Bronco bombers also next year to augment PAF’s current OV-10 Broncos in its inventory as well as brand-new combat AugustaWestland attack helicopters the government purchased from Italy.

PAF fighter pilots to undergo training in S. Korea ~ ASEAN Military Defense Review

* Philippine Navy's goal: At least 3 submarines *
Posted by Maki Catama on 5:46 AM 




_ The Chang Bogo Class Type 209 diesel-electric attack submarine intended for service with the South Korean Navy and Indonesian Navy. Reports as of May 2011 indicate that the Philippine Navy is eyeing the purchase of its first submarine not later than 2020, although no further details were provided The “Philippine Fleet Desired Force Mix” strategy concept publicly released on May 2012 indicates the requirement of at least 3 submarines for deterrence and undersea warfare to be available by 2020. _

MANILA, – The Philippine Navy has formed a submarine office to start the decade-long process of developing people and facilities to prepare them for the possible purchase of submarines, Navy vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad said in a modernization briefing on Wednesday, December 17.

"Submarines take a lot of gestation period. The rule of thumb in the development of support facilities, the people and technology of operating such a force is 10 years. Now when should we start? We can start now so we can [acquire] 10 years from now," Taccad said.

The first step is the creation in 2013 of a submarine office in the Philippine Fleet "to start developing the necessary skills and infrastructure." It is part of the discussions on what to acquire next after the ongoing P90-billion fresh modernization program is completed.

The second step, Taccad explained, is to have at least 3 submarines. "But if you cannot afford three, get two just like we're getting two frigates and two strategic sealift vessels so they can replace each other during maintenance. If you only procure one and continuously use it, it will only last for 5 years," Taccad said.

One of the weakest in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is modernizing its navy to achieve minimum credible defense in the wake of escalating tension in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Money is an issue. While China and other neighbors are acquiring submarines, the Philippines is pouring its money into the acquisition of patrol frigates for maritime domain awareness or the ability to monitor what is happening in its waters.

"Maganda sana kung mayroong (It would be great if we could have) submarines, frigates and the multirole fighters. But we need to prioritize so we prioritized the multirole fighters and the frigate," said Taccad.

The Philippine government allotted P90 billion to the military's modernization. The P18.9-billion frigates for the Navy and P18-billion fighter jets for the Air Force are the two big-ticket items that it funded.

"The system of defending the country involves several types of capabilities. The first capability will be what we can afford and yet cover a large space and this will be the patrol vessels. These are low-tech equipment, and low-cost. You can have more and cover a large space," said Taccad

The next stage of modernization is where the submarines can play a role. If the patrol vessels are harassed, for example, the more sophisticated assets like submarines can serve as deterrence to "scare off" intruders.

"If there's a confrontation, we need a capability to protect our patrol vessels so they will not be harassed. These are the high-tech weapon system, which is more sophisticated and therefore costly. We may use frigates with missile capability just to scare off...or it could be the submarines as deterent," said Taccad.

Philippine Navy's goal: At least 3 submarines ~ ASEAN Military Defense Review

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## Cossack25A1

Attaching some pictures of PH military vehicles I took using iPod.

















I took this last Dec. 16 at Camp Aguinaldo (I took an exam for the DND at that time), they were practicing for the parade for the anniversary of the AFP last Dec. 18.

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Attaching some pictures of PH military vehicles I took using iPod.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I took this last Dec. 16 at Camp Aguinaldo (I took an exam for the DND at that time), they were practicing for the parade for the anniversary of the AFP last Dec. 18.




Looking good, Philippines !

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## pr1v4t33r

Mabuhay! Merdeka!

Photo exhibition marks anniversary of RI-Philippines diplomatic ties 






The Philippine Embassy in Jakarta, in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and Museum Perumusan Naskah Proklamasi (Museum of the Drafting of the Proclamation), will hold a photo exhibition to commemorate 65 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The exhibition entitled “Mabuhay! Merdeka!: *Snapshots of 65 Years of Philippines-Indonesia Friendship*” will feature photographs of important events in the history of diplomatic relations between the two countries, including exchanges of visits by Indonesian and Philippines leaders, cultural exchanges and humanitarian missions.

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## Aepsilons

pr1v4t33r said:


> Mabuhay! Merdeka!
> 
> Photo exhibition marks anniversary of RI-Philippines diplomatic ties
> 
> View attachment 177884
> 
> 
> The Philippine Embassy in Jakarta, in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and Museum Perumusan Naskah Proklamasi (Museum of the Drafting of the Proclamation), will hold a photo exhibition to commemorate 65 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
> 
> The exhibition entitled “Mabuhay! Merdeka!: *Snapshots of 65 Years of Philippines-Indonesia Friendship*” will feature photographs of important events in the history of diplomatic relations between the two countries, including exchanges of visits by Indonesian and Philippines leaders, cultural exchanges and humanitarian missions.




Long may the brotherhood between Indonesia and Philippines reign ! Mabuhay! Merdeka!

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## Cossack25A1

*Russian economic crisis won't hit PH - BSP exec*
*ABS-CBNnews.com

Posted at 12/22/2014 9:40 AM | Updated as of 12/22/2014 11:34 AM*

MANILA, Philippines - A Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas official said the economic woes besetting Russia won't affect the Philippine economy.

Rosabel Guerrero, director for BSP's Department of Economic Statistics, said the impact would be quite minimal, citing Russia's one percent contribution in the country's trade in goods.

"If you look at the different possible transmission channels (such as) direct investments and portfolio investments from Russia or going to Russia… It's less than one percent. Even with respect to trade in goods, it's very relatively small compared with other countries," she said.

She added tourist spending and arrivals coming from Russia are also "relatively small."

The Russian central bank last week surprised markets with a hike in key interest rates, as the ruble continued to weaken.

The move triggered a volatility in global financial markets, which currencies in other regions may have been affected by the sudden increase. *- ANC*

-----

*Russian economic crisis won't hit PH - BSP exec | ABS-CBN News*

-----
*This is the perfect time to axe the 60/40 Economic Restriction that is enforced by the 1987 PH Constitution courtesy of the local oligarchy.*
-----

* German business group seeks activities to promote Phl-Germany trade relations *
 _By Louella D. Desiderio__* (The Philippine Star) | Updated December 22, 2014 - 12:00am*_

MANILA, Philippines - The German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) is undertaking activities next year aimed at further strengthening the trade and investment relations of the two countries.

In a statement, GPCCI president Bodo Goerlich said following activities conducted this year, the group intends to continue activities to promote trade and investments between Germany and the Philippines.

“We are very happy to conclude 2014 on a positive note after achieving some milestones foremost of which is the successful facilitation of the state visit of President Benigno Aquino III to Germany last September, the first in 20 years after the visit of former President Fidel Ramos,” he said.

“The state visit was a very good sign of improvement of the diplomatic ties between Germany and the Philippines. We at the Chamber are very happy to have played a key role in this significant event,” he added.

The prior visit of Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo to Germany, which involved meetings with German businesses, was also seen to have helped in promoting the countries’ trade and investment relations.

For next year, Goerlich said the Chamber’s activities to further enhance the two countries’ trade and investment links will begin with the hosting in January of the meeting of the executive directors of the German Chamber Network in Asia.

The meeting will focus on the enhanced cooperation between and among the German chambers abroad and their plan to further increase trade in the region in time for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) economic integration by the end of 2015.

The Asean economic integration aims to create a region with free flow of goods, services, skilled labor, investments and capital.

Goerlich said the Chamber will also have strong participation in the Philippines’ hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit next year by encouraging leaders to explore trade opportunities within the 21-member economies.

He said GPCCI will likewise play a significant role in the implementation of the dual technical vocational training in the Philippine education system next year.

GPCCI’s own dual training program, which is patterned after Germany’s model, establishes cooperation between German companies and Philippine schools and training institutions to provide skills training and expertise to Filipino students that are critical to the needs of German and Philippine companies.

GPCCI which has served as an important partner of German companies with operations here, Goerlich added, will continue to promote the Philippines an investment destination particularly for manufacturing, given the availability of suitable business locations, low labor cost and the highly educated and competitive Filipino workforce who speak good English.

“The GPCCI is happy to be part of the growth of German investments in the Philippines and we hope to continue to promote the Philippines in Germany not as a country with frequent harsh typhoons and calamities but an excellent trade and investments destination,” he said.

-----

*German business group seeks activities to promote Phl-Germany trade relations | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com*

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Looking good, Philippines !


Though we still need a fire support vehicle aside from the incoming M113A2s with 76mm gun. The Swedish Stridsvagn 103 "S-tank" is good as it can be an direct fire-support gun, or simply "assault gun."







Also, if we have enough funds to develop this variant of M113, then we would not be only stuck with the 76mm gun-armed M113














It can be a self-propelled howitzer and at the same time, as direct fire-support vehicle.

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## Pinoy

*Navy to acquire 6 155mm gun tubes for Marine units*
*December 22, 2014*

The Philippine Navy (PN) is acquiring six 155-millimeter howitzers to improve the fire support and attack capability of its Marine units.

“The project will be an additional capability for the Marines especially in the conduct of fire support for its operating forces,” Navy vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad said.

Aside from the gun tubes, sufficient stocks of 155mm ammunition will be also acquired, he added.

Six 155mm gun tubes are equivalent to one heavy artillery battery.

The weapon has a maximum range of 14,600 meters. The 155mm battery will supplement the existing 105mm guns of the Marines which only has an effective range of 11,270 meters.

“The artillery system (will be) equipped with fire control computers, muzzle velocity radars, inertial navigation and target acquisition systems. It (will) provide the most responsive and accurate fire support to maneuver infantry battalions with maximum lethal effect and larger target range. As of now, the project is for re-bidding,” Taccad said. (PNA)

Navy to acquire 6 155mm gun tubes for Marine units | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines



*Coming soon: More jets, choppers for PH military*
By Chiara Zambrano, ABS-CBN News
12/18/2014

MANILA - Troops from all branches of service as well as the Special Forces of the Philippine military stood at attention before their commander-in-chief as the Armed Forces of the Philippines celebrated their 79th anniversary today.

Units also paraded the assets they use for the AFP's various defensive and humanitarian assistance activities, displaying their tanks, vessels, weaponry, and other specialized vehicles.

The Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Marine Corps, and the Philippine Air Force joined the Naval Special Operations Group, the Army Special Forces, the Scout Rangers, the United Nations Peacekeepers, and other elite and special units in a pass-in-review before the AFP leadership and President Benigno S. Aquino III.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. highlighted the presence of the military at every crucial juncture of Philippine history including battles against foreign occupation, dictatorship, terrorism and the like.

Catapang also honored the troops for their bravery, mentioning the United Nations Filipino peacekeepers who served in the Golan Heights, Liberia, and Haiti.

He thanked the soldiers for their service in disaster response, and those who defended internal peace and security in volatile regions.

Catapang also announced the headway the AFP was making in its modernization program, particularly in the acquisition of assets necessary to establish a minimum credible defense posture, and to aid in the ongoing pursuit of internal security.

*In 2015, the following will be delivered to the AFP:*


28 ARMORED VEHICLES
3 MEDIUM LIFT AIRCRAFT
2 LIGHT LIFT AIRCRAFT
8 COMBAT UTILITY HELICOPTERS
8 ATTACK HELICOPTERS
2 NAVAL HELICOPTERS
10 AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLES
2 FIGHTER PLANES
Twenty-eight officers, enlisted personnel, civilian employees and cadet reservists were also given awards for their excellence in service, ranging from successful operations against the Abu Sayyaf and New People's Army, to UN peacekeeping, to humanitarian assistance work and even successfully trimming down the AFP's tax liabilities.

The anniversary celebration was held in Camp Aguinaldo instead of at the Quirino Grandstand, which was being renovated for the papal visit.

The celebration ended with the much-applauded landing of the AFP's skydiving teams in front of the grandstand.


Coming soon: More jets, choppers for PH military | ABS-CBN News


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## Ayan81

*EU grants Philippines zero tariffs on strategic exports*

*



*

MANILA, Philippines - The European Parliament on Thursday night (Manila time) completed the last stage in the process to grant the Philippines GSP+ that will provide duty free entry to the EU for some of the most important Philippine exports.

The GSP+ preferences cover over 6,200 tariff lines including fruit and foodstuffs, coconut oil, footwear, fish and textiles.

EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux called the development "a very good news for the Philippines."

"It will bring tariffs to zero percent for two thirds of tariff lines including strategic products that the Philippines is already exporting to the EU," Ledoux said. "This will immediately translate into savings of tens of millions of euros per year in foregone customs duties."

"Apart from giving a dramatic and immediate advantage to Philippine exports, the EU concession significantly improves the attractiveness of the Philippines as a destination for new agricultural and manufacturing facilities for products that will now enjoy duty free access to the EU," the ambassador added.

He said the grant gives the Philippines a comparative advantage and represents very tangible EU support to the Philippine strategy to increase exports and investments, and diversify its industry.

_"The bottom line is more jobs for Filipinos in the Philippines," Ledoux said._

The Philippines is already a beneficiary to EU's Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP). Total exports to the EU that were eligible under GSP in 2013 amounted to €1.69 billion or 33 percent of total exports to the EU.

Actual utilization has been around 64 percent or €1.08 billion but this figure is set to rise as a result of GSP+.

The greatest benefit that is likely to be gained from GSP+ is the attraction of new industrial investments in sectors where relatively high tariffs are being slashed to zero under GSP+.

These include established Filipino exports that are labour intensive such as pineapple juice (currently 28.5 percent), garments (currently 5-9 percent), preserved fruits (currently 6-9 percent), tuna (currently 20.5 percent), fruit jams and jellies (currently 20.5 percent) and footwear (currently 11.9 percent).

The European Union provides GSP+ preferences to create economic benefits that will help the Philippines to assume its responsibilities under core international conventions on human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance

The EU, a party to the conventions, said it will keep under review their effective implementation by the Philippines, as well as its cooperation with their monitoring bodies.

EU grants Philippines zero tariffs on strategic exports | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

_____________________________________________________________________________

*DND seals deal on 28 Israel-made armored infantry fighting vehicles*

*



*

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense has signed a P882-million contract with an Israel-based firm for the purchase of 28 armored infantry fighting vehicles.

DND Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez said in an interview on Thursday that the deal was signed last week with Elbit Systems Land and C4L for the "very capable" vehicles.

Velez declined to divulged the vehicles' specifications citing security reasons.

He said that four of the 28 armored vehicles are recovery models to be used to tow damaged units and those incapacitated in the battlefield.

Fourteen of the new acquisitions, meanwhile, will be used as fire support vehicles equipped with 76mm cannons taken from decommissioned vehicles.

The delivery of the vehicles are expected to be completed by January 2015.

The Philippine Army is so far equipped with 343 armored fighting vehicles for its 10 infantry divisions.

The 28 armored infantry fighting vehicles are among the the department's planned acquisitions this year for the Army. The list includes a _shore-launched anti-ship missile system_, various grenade launchers, 155mm Towed Howitzers and a few other trucks.

DND seals deal on 28 Israel-made armored infantry fighting vehicles | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

_________________________________________________________________________________

*Harris Corp. awarded $18M radio order from Philippines*

*



*

Harris Corp. announced a second big contract award on Friday, this time an $18 million Falcon III radio order from the Philippines.

With the latest order, Harris Corp. will modernize the Light Armored Division of the Philippine Army with the latest Falcon RF-7800V Combat Net Radio, which provides in-vehicle voice and data communications and secure tactical network connectivity.

"This order will accelerate tactical radio modernization for the Philippine Army by providing soldiers with enhanced command and control and situational awareness for real-time decision-making," said Brendan O'Connell, president of international business for Harris RF Communications.

Harris Corp. earlier today announced that it had been awarded a $50 million order from an unnamed Middle East country.

Melbourne-based Harris Corp. (NYSE: HRS) is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 125 countries. The company has $5 billion of annual revenue and about 14,000 employees.

Harris Corp. awarded $18M radio order from Philippines - Orlando Business Journal

___________________________________________________________________________________

*PH Navy seeks military aid from Japan*

*



*

MANILA - The Philippine Navy is seeking Japan’s assistance to boost security over its maritime territory.

Navy vice commander and Navy Modernization Board chairman Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad said a list of equipment that will be requested from Japan is currently being prepared.

This comes on the heels of Japan’s decision early this year to reinterpret its Constitution and allow the military to exercise a right to 
“collective self-defense.”

This move gained criticisms, especially from China, which has been in a tug-of-war with Japan over the East China Sea.

"We need enough vessels to patrol those maritime areas. So the list would probably include patrol vessels and (other) vessels that we can use for HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief) for government-support activity,” Taccad said.

Both the Philippines and China have insisted on jurisdiction over areas in the resource-rich South China Sea or West Philippine Sea. The other claimants are Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Navy spokesman Col. Edgardo Arevalo said: "We in the Philippine Navy are the ones preparing the list and seeks Japan's benevolence."

_"The list is comprised mostly of HADR equipment like logistics, transport ships, and sea planes, among other capacity-building equipment," he added._

PH Navy seeks military aid from Japan | ABS-CBN News





Black Flag said:


> Getting the Super Hornet is such a no brainer. Not so expensive, twin engines, long legged, can carry harpoons or other AshM for naval strikes. It can later be upgraded to the Advanced Super hornet standard so it's semi-future proof.



Totally agree with you, f-16's has reach it's prime and can no longer be upgraded. Gripen and the Hornet are only the two logical choice for the country's next MRF Fighter. Gripen is cheap to maintain but falls short on capabilities the hornets can offer.

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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> Navy spokesman Col. Edgardo Arevalo said: "We in the Philippine Navy are the ones preparing the list and seeks Japan's benevolence."





Best of Luck in this process !



Cossack25A1 said:


> Though we still need a fire support vehicle aside from the incoming M113A2s with 76mm gun. The Swedish Stridsvagn 103 "S-tank" is good as it can be an direct fire-support gun, or simply "assault gun."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, if we have enough funds to develop this variant of M113, then we would not be only stuck with the 76mm gun-armed M113
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It can be a self-propelled howitzer and at the same time, as direct fire-support vehicle.




These would be high quality additions to the Philippine Army's inventory, no doubt. I would also convey that the Philippines , as an archipelago, and with potent high ground, is not suitable for tank warfare. In fact, any offensive drive by an enemy with use of tanks can be easily inhibited with rapid hit and run strategy. I would encourage practicality , given the Philippines' military defensive strategem. 

I would suggest the acquisition of anti-tank guns, perhaps even acquiring a modified M40 platform, just like this Australian Army Land Rover Series 2 with M40:

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## Reashot Xigwin

* First SSV to be in service by Q2 of 2016 - Philippine Navy *
Posted by Maki Catama on 5:33 PM 





_ Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) designed for the Philippine Navy._

MANILA, -- The Philippine Navy (PN) has announced that one of its two strategic sealift vessels (SSVs) will be in service by the second quarter of 2016.

This was confirmed by Navy vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad in a press briefing, saying the contract price for the two SSVs is PhP4 billion.

"The first unit is expected to be delivered on the second quarter of 2016 and the second unit is scheduled for the second quarter of 2017," Taccad said.

"These ships can be used for military and non-military operations such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, sealift, logistics, rescue operations or as a floating government center platform," the PN vice commander stressed.

He added that the SSVs carries a crew of 126 officers and enlisted personnel. It can also transport a battalion of troops (500 soldiers) and their equipment.

Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL confirmed Friday that it has signed the contract to supply two strategic sealift vessels to the Philippine Navy.

The Department of National Defense (DND) and the Indonesian shipbuilder PT Pal signed the contract for the SSVs last July.

"The SSV is an integral part of the PN's Service Force (logistic) and is needed to accomplish the Navy's missions in different areas," the Navy earlier said.

The ships are estimated to weigh around 7,300 gross register tons.
The SSVs will also be used to improve the PN's transport and lift capabilities.

These missions are needed especially in times of natural disaster of which the Navy is one of the responders.

The ships are capable of acting as mini-helicopter carriers as it is capable of carrying two helicopters at its flight deck and another at its enclosed hangar area.

"SSVs must have helideck capacity for two 10-ton helicopters (based on Sikorsky Black Hawk) and an enclosed hangar for another 10-ton helicopter (also based on the Black Hawk)," a DND supplemental bulletin on the SSVs stated.

With the capability to carry three helicopters, the SSV has the capacity to conduct long range patrol and conduct rescue work.

The DND supplemental bid bulletin also said that the two ships must have a beam of 21 meters and a propulsion system consisting of two diesel engines coupled to two controllable pitch propellers giving it a minimum speed of 13 knots and a maximum of 16 knots.

It should also have a cruising range of 7,500 nautical miles and a crew of 100 to 130 officers and men.

The SSVs must be also capable of carrying two landing craft mechanized/utility at floodable well decks, two RHIB or LCVP on boat davits.

The SSVs must be also equipped with navigation, surface and air search radars, electronic warfare suite, electro-optical fire control system and combat management systems.

It must be armed with one main gun between 40mm to 127mm in caliber and two 30 mm automated cannons and from four to six light machine guns.

Money for the SSVs is sourced from the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Modernization Act Trust Fund.

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Best of Luck in this process !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These would be high quality additions to the Philippine Army's inventory, no doubt. I would also convey that the Philippines , as an archipelago, and with potent high ground, is not suitable for tank warfare. In fact, any offensive drive by an enemy with use of tanks can be easily inhibited with rapid hit and run strategy. I would encourage practicality , given the Philippines' military defensive strategem.
> 
> I would suggest the acquisition of anti-tank guns, perhaps even acquiring a modified M40 platform, just like this Australian Army Land Rover Series 2 with M40:
> 
> View attachment 178144



I did mention before that we should consider other weapons, particularly the Panzerfaust 3 to replace the Armbrust, the Mk. 153 rocket launcher or Carl Gustav recoilless gun to complement the RPG-7 and at a few ATGM missiles, either Type 01 LMAT or Spike ATGM because I am pretty sure the Javelin is expensive.


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## Zero_wing

Well the idea first is to repleace all of the recoilless rifles first then anti tank weapos i think the army would go for vechicle mounted anti tank missiles like the spikes or tow missiles


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## Reashot Xigwin

* PMC to Acquire SMAW Rocket Launcher *




PMC will use SMAW to destroy bunkers and lightly armored vehicles (photo : combatindex)

*PN to set up maritime domain awareness centers; to acquire new weaponry*
MANILA - The Philippine Navy (PN) announced on Friday that it will establish coast watch centers and related facilities in the northern part of the country.

The move is in line with the objective of boosting its maritime situational awareness capability.

Furthermore, in a related development, The Navy also announced that it is acquiring "shoulder-launched multi-purpose assault weapons" (SMAW) to give its Marine units the capability to neutralize bunkers and lightly armored vehicles. 
Maritime domain awareness capability refers to the ability of a nation's armed forces to detect, monitor, and, if needed, drive away intruders from its territorial waters.

These were announced by PN vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad without divulging exact figures and locations for security reasons.

Taccad said the strategic goal of maritime situational awareness, "as stipulated in our Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy, is to ensure effective maritime information support in order to facilitate effective decision-making for credible deterrence and support to national and regional cooperation for maritime security and development and governance."
This project, he disclosed, is now undergoing pre-bidding, the PN vice commander added.

The SMAW, on the other hand, "is to fill the gaps in the direct fire support weapons capabilities of the Marines against different bunkers, concrete walls, light armor and other hard and 'soft' targets," PN vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad said.

It is defined as a "rocket weapon with a maximum range of 1,500 meters. It will be issued to special Marine units who accompany fellow Marines in possible encounters with heavily-armed or fortified adversaries.
The weapon can be used for internal security and territorial defense operations.

Taccad added that SMAW is now undergoing evaluation and study by the Defense Acquisition System ad hoc committee.

(InterAksyon)

* National Defense has 3rd Largest Pie in 2015 Budget *

26 Desember 2014




P144.5 billion allocated for 2015 defence budget (photo : PN2020)

President Benigno S. Aquino III enacted the P2.606-trillion 2015 General Appropriations Act.

“We are at the doorstep of the Administration’s penultimate year, and the GAA duly reflects President Aquino’s development priorities for 2015. We’re pouring even more investments into the Administration’s anti-poverty and economic growth programs, as well as strengthening governance reforms we’ve helmed so far,” Budget and Management Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said.

Social services gets the largest pie in the said 2015 budget which according to DBM chief, shows the current “administration’s continuing pursuit of its antipoverty goals.” These include provisions for basic education and universal health care.

Economic services also have a major share with PhP700.2 billion allocated fund towards this sector aiming for the President’s inclusive growth campaign.

Top 3 departments with big share in next year’s budget are the Department of Education (DepEd) with P367.1 billion, P303.2 billion for Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and P144.5 billion goes to Department of Nation Defense (DND).

(AngMalaya)

*Military eyes 2 more naval bases in Palawan*


Philippine Star – Fri, Dec 26, 2014






Aside from the Ulungan Bay naval base in Palawan, defense and military officials are eyeing construction of two more naval bases that could accommodate various types of vessels to help secure the West Philippine Sea.

The planned naval base is expected to be the home of new warships that would arrive starting next year from defense contractors abroad.

Aside from the guided missile boat Pohang Class corvette that South Korea is giving to the Philippine Navy (PN) for free, the government is also expecting delivery of two brand new frigates from the South Korean government and two strategic sealift vessels (SSV) and other vessels it procured from Indonesia.

“To avoid port congestion in the future, we are building more naval bases in Palawan,” an informed source bared, adding the military leadership is now looking to Japan to supply the Navy with patrol vessels after the country relaxed its export ban on military equipment.

At present the Navy is developing the Ulugan Bay Naval Base that would be home to its Naval Forces West (Navforwest) and transform the nearby Oyster Bay into a modern naval facility.

Ulungan Bay is directly facing the West Philippine Sea where tension has been mounting due to the massive maritime claim by China in line with its “creeping invasion” of almost the entire South China Sea.

The Philippines, with a weaker military, could only oppose China’s action through legal measures before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) that Beijing has rejected.

For security reasons, the source declined to give the location in Palawan of the planned additional Navy facilities that would soon rise.

The source said once the naval facilities become operational it would be much easier for the Navy to respond to any kind of maritime disaster and security emergencies in the region.

The Ulugan Bay naval station is near Oyster Bay, an area facing the West Philippine Sea and one of the sites that the military wants to develop.

The AFP wants to offer Oyster Bay as a possible site for the US facilities to be built under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Military officials are hopeful that the EDCA, which provides US troops greater access to Philippine bases, will facilitate the development of the site.

The government has allotted P500 million to develop the Ulugan Bay base, including P313 million to improve the pier, harbor and support facilities at Oyster Bay.

Military eyes 2 more naval bases in Palawan - Yahoo News Philippines

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## Cossack25A1

Reashot Xigwin said:


> * PMC to Acquire SMAW Rocket Launcher *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PMC will use SMAW to destroy bunkers and lightly armored vehicles (photo : combatindex)
> 
> *PN to set up maritime domain awareness centers; to acquire new weaponry*
> MANILA - The Philippine Navy (PN) announced on Friday that it will establish coast watch centers and related facilities in the northern part of the country.
> 
> The move is in line with the objective of boosting its maritime situational awareness capability.
> 
> Furthermore, in a related development, The Navy also announced that it is acquiring "shoulder-launched multi-purpose assault weapons" (SMAW) to give its Marine units the capability to neutralize bunkers and lightly armored vehicles.
> Maritime domain awareness capability refers to the ability of a nation's armed forces to detect, monitor, and, if needed, drive away intruders from its territorial waters.
> 
> These were announced by PN vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad without divulging exact figures and locations for security reasons.
> 
> Taccad said the strategic goal of maritime situational awareness, "as stipulated in our Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy, is to ensure effective maritime information support in order to facilitate effective decision-making for credible deterrence and support to national and regional cooperation for maritime security and development and governance."
> This project, he disclosed, is now undergoing pre-bidding, the PN vice commander added.
> 
> The SMAW, on the other hand, "is to fill the gaps in the direct fire support weapons capabilities of the Marines against different bunkers, concrete walls, light armor and other hard and 'soft' targets," PN vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad said.
> 
> It is defined as a "rocket weapon with a maximum range of 1,500 meters. It will be issued to special Marine units who accompany fellow Marines in possible encounters with heavily-armed or fortified adversaries.
> The weapon can be used for internal security and territorial defense operations.
> 
> Taccad added that SMAW is now undergoing evaluation and study by the Defense Acquisition System ad hoc committee.
> 
> (InterAksyon)



I was right about the Mk. 153 SMAW being needed to complement the RPG-7 although the latter is for the PH Army only...


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## quang minh

that during the PAF&#8217;s 65th anniversary in July last year,mDefense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin assured the PAF of the delivery of brand new and reliable air assets within the next two years. this, as he said, the job of the air force cannot be done by determination

The government has allotted P500 million to develop the Ulugan Bay base, including P313 million to improve the pier, harbor and support facilities at Oyster Bay.


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## Aepsilons

Good to see more development of Pilipinas!

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## Pinoy

*PH becoming a mobile tech leader, innovation hotbed in SE Asia — GSMA*

Friday, December 26, 2014







MANILA — The Philippines is now becoming a regional leader in mobile and digital technologies as well as an “innovation hotbed” due to a confluence of favorable circumstances according to a report by research firm GSMA Intelligence.

*“The combination of a youthful and literate population that is ‘hyper engaged’ with mobile, a large proportion of English speakers, an improving economy and increasing interest from VC investors, and the presence of operators in the innovation space is creating a perfect environment for the development of innovative mobile services,”* GSMA said in a country report on the Philippines released this month.

The report noted how mobile operators and being spurred to further innovate due to the “tough and continuously evolving competitive landscape.” Venture capitalists and other investors are now also taking notice of the country following the growth of innovation hubs for startups. GSMA also observed how mobile services are increasingly helping provide underdeveloped, underserved and poverty stricken regions “with the opportunity to overcome socio-economic challenges.” Key services that cater to marginalized sectors include access to financial services and the ability to pre-empt, respond, and assist with recovery from natural disasters.

*“In sum, the Philippines is being transformed into a leader in mobile and digital technologies and an innovation hotbed in Southeast Asia — in many ways presenting a model that other countries can glean insights from in catalyzing their own innovation ecosystems,”* the report said.

*Consumer engagement*

Due to the country’s strong economic showing as of late and the growth in mobile subscribers, GSMA also noted that the Philippines “has become one of the fastest growing economies and mobile markets in Asia.”

But more than the growing prosperity of the country, GSMA said that “it is the level of consumer engagement with mobile and technology that has come to differentiate it from other fast growing peers in Asia.” Proof of these is the monikers of the Philippines as “texting capital of the world” and the “social media capital of the world” over the last few years.

*Digital inclusion*

Amid the country’s promise, the report noted the issue of digital inclusion as a key challenge.

“(E)fforts need to be made to ensure further investment is put to the best use, and a key area is digital inclusion. The social and economic incentive to expand mobile and innovative mobile solutions into underserved provinces is now a key focus, building on the success that has already been demonstrated in high density cities,” the report said. “Narrowing the digital divide between advanced urban cities and outlying rural regions is of key importance.”

GSMA said the challenge can be addressed through multi-stakeholder collaboration that will focus on three key areas, namely improving mobile coverage in rural areas, establishing innovation centers in the provinces, and a more user-centric model of mobile services.

PH becoming a mobile tech leader, innovation hotbed in SE Asia — GSMA | Infotek News: InterAksyon.com

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## Pinoy

*‘We are ready’ – DTI ‘Non-tariff barriers are a challenge’ – PCCI*
December 28, 2014





*“We are ready for the ASEAN Economic Community. We are very competitive,” *declared Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo as the ASEAN economic integration moves closer to reality a few days from now.

Outside Singapore, Domingo said, the Philippines is the most competitive.

*“We are ready because we were the first to liberalize in the region and so we already know how to compete. Trade liberalization is good for us,”* he added noting that other ASEAN countries have more restrictions than us.

Naturally, investments would flow into a country where there are lesser business restrictions.

Domingo even stressed that the country’s liberalized economy has prepared businesses to compete in the global arena long before the AEC comes into force.

But business leader Alfredo M. Yao has cautioned that while Filipino businesses can easily look for foreign partners because doing business in the country has become very cheap, non-tariff barriers (NTBs) have also become more prevalent, not just in ASEAN but non-ASEAN countries, as well.

“It is very cheap to do business here so we can look for partners, but we are talking here of zero tariff, which means we have to look at the non-tariff side,” Yao pointed out.

He cited the case of the banking sector, which has been fully liberalized, but which the other ASEAN countries still heavily protect.

“We should look at non-tariff barriers,” stressed Yao.

While it is the private sector’s lookout, Yao has urged government to ensure that domestic industries are not being disadvantaged by the NTBs being implemented by other ASEAN countries.

“The government should assign one czar/trade attaché per country to just monitor the NTBs of other trading parties,” he said.

‘We are ready’ – DTI ‘Non-tariff barriers are a challenge’ – PCCI | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines



*Asean-EU experts cite Philippines' economic performance*
December 26, 2014






*MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines’ economic performance was cited as “the most encouraging news in Southeast Asia to date” by academic and business sector representatives at an expert roundtable discussion on “Prospects for ASEAN-European Union relations” held recently in Brussels. *

Commenting on the current situation in ASEAN as a region, as well as in the individual member states,* experts agreed that the Philippines is “a very attractive economy” and is also “in an enviable position” in terms of political stability and good governance.*

Philippine embassy deputy chief of Mission and consul general Robespierre Bolivar cited the Philippines’ performance in achieving targets related to the ASEAN Economic Community. He highlighted Philippine initiatives championed by President Aquino at the recently concluded 25th ASEAN Summit, including stronger foundations for regional integration, inclusive growth, and the rule of law.

Organized by the EU-Asia Center, one of the leading Brussels-based think tanks dealing with Asian issues, the roundtable was convened to discuss possible directions the ASEAN-EU relationship could take in light of the change in the EU leadership and the impending completion of the ASEAN Economic Community by the end of 2015.

Asean-EU experts cite Phl econ performance | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com



*Philippines allows Christmas remittance peso boost*
December 27, 2014






The Philippine central bank is allowing record Christmas remittances from overseas workers to give the peso shelter during a global selloff.

*The currency gained 0.9 per cent against the dollar this quarter in Asia’s best performance, after an unprecedented US$19.9 billion of remittances in the first 10 months.*

Philippine government bonds returned 0.2 per cent in the past month after Moody’s Investors Service raised the credit rating one level to Baa2, the second-lowest investment grade and surpassing Indonesia, whose debt lost 0.6 per cent, Bloomberg indexes show.

The central bank appears more inclined to let the peso appreciate, after the currency fell in December in the last three years, to keep inflation in check, according to HSBC Holdings Plc.

Moody’s attributed its decision to the Philippines favorable economic growth prospects and President Benigno Aquino’s success in reducing debt levels since taking office in 2010.

The ratings company noted that most of the nation’s current-account receipts come from manufacturing, services and cash sent home from overseas.

“Remittances are highly supportive for the Philippines and the current account,” Mark Capstick, a London-based asset manager at BNP Paribas Investment Partners, which oversees 497 billion euros (US$608 billion), said in a December 18 e-mail.

*“Clearly, the investment rating upgrade from Moody’s will have further improved the country’s outlook for investors.”*

Capstick said he’s positive on the peso due to the “stability the currency exhibits” in periods of risk and is holding Philippine bonds and non-deliverable forwards.


*Oil, inflation*

Remittances, which account for 10 per cent of gross domestic product, peak toward the last quarter as some 10.5 million Filipinos repatriate cash for Christmas and New Year.

While Philippine bonds offer the region’s lowest yields after accounting for consumer-price gains the central bank appears to be biased toward curbing peso weakness to meet its lower 2015 inflation target, according to HSBC.

Remittances are helping support the peso, Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco said in a mobile-phone message.

The plunge in oil should cut inflation, according to Moody’s December 11 credit statement.

Price increases eased to an annualized 3.7 per cent in November, the least in a year and below 2014’s average of 4.3 per cent, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Inflation will average 4.2 per cent this year and three per cent in 2015, according to central bank forecasts.

The current-account surplus will total US$6.6 billion in 2014 and US$6.8 billion next year, Tetangco said in a November 21 briefing in Manila.

*Real yields*

Philippine 10-year notes offer a real yield of 0.7 per cent after accounting for consumer-price increases, compared with 1.7 per cent in Indonesia and 1.6 per cent for Thailand, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The central bank raised its benchmark rate twice this year to four per cent.

“The recent ratings upgrade by Moody’s highlights the positive structural growth story that we are seeing,” Dominic Bunning, a Hong-Kong based currency strategist at HSBC, the most-accurate forecaster for the peso in Bloomberg surveys in the four quarters ended September, said in a December 18 e-mail. “This means it is unlikely we will see significant outflows even if negative real rates will make it harder to attract inflows.”

The Philippine currency is still vulnerable to dollar strength as the Federal Reserve readies to raise interest rates, according to BDO Unibank Inc.


*‘Still vulnerable’*

Strategists forecast the peso will weaken 2.1 per cent to 45.50 a dollar next year, from 44.56 as of 10am in Manila, the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey shows.

“The Philippines, despite all of our good fundamentals, is still vulnerable to external factors and one of them is a rising dollar,” Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist at Manila-based BDO Unibank, said by phone December 19. “We still have a strong balance of payments and current-account surplus, which are good barometers of a strong currency.”

Aberdeen Asset Management Plc sees the peso as insulated from the global selloff by low overseas market participation. International investors hold 7.2 per cent of the sovereign securities, compared with 39.4 per cent in Indonesia and 28.6 per cent for Malaysia, according to a December 22 report by BNP Paribas SA.

The cost of insuring Philippine government bonds for five years using credit-default swaps fell eight basis points, or 0.08 percentage point, this quarter to 90, according to CMA prices. Similar contracts on Indonesian debt were at 160.

It’s a “rock star!” Edwin Gutierrez, who helps manage US$13.5 billion in emerging-market debt at Aberdeen in London and whose holding peso forwards, said in a December 17 e-mail, referring to the currency.

“It’s been a pleasant surprise. We have a core long on the Philippine peso and so have been enjoying its safe-haven status.” — Bloomberg



*Inflation seen slowing down anew this month*
December 26, 2014





MANILA, Philippines - Inflation is seen slowing down anew this month following the drop in prices of rice, oil, and jeepney fares, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said.

*“The BSP’s latest assessment indicates further easing of price pressures, with December inflation projected to be within the range of 2.4 to 3.2 percent,” *BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said in a text message to reporters.

*“The lower rice prices, jeepney fares, power rates, and continued rollback of oil prices suggest a relatively manageable inflation picture,”* Tetangco said.

Latest government data showed the nationwide inflation rate settling at 3.7 percent in November, slower than the 4.3 percent recorded in October and the 4.4 percent in September.

In the first 11 months of the year, the rate averaged 4.3 percent, well-within the central bank’s three to five percent target for the year.

“Going forward, the BSP will continue to monitor evolving price trends and adopt policies as may be needed to ensure price stability conducive to a balanced and sustainable economic growth,” Tetangco said.

Monetary authorities has kept key policy rates steady earlier this month as inflation expectations remain anchored. Earlier, the BSP hiked the overnight borrowing and overnight lending rates to ensure inflation will fall within the target ranges for this year until 2016.

Inflation seen slowing down anew this month | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com



*Market seen ending 2014 on positive note*
December 29, 2014 





*MANILA, Philippines - Philippine stocks are expected to end on a positive note after a whirlwind 2014 ride as it concludes the year on a one-day trading week.*

Analysts said investors are seen to do their last stock shopping for the year on Monday.

*Raul P. Ruiz, RCBC Securities head of research, said the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) is seen to close at 7,200 to 7,300 level for the year.*

Monday’s trading will be the remaining stock market trading day for the year.

Next year, trading at the PSE will resume on Jan. 5.

The PSEi ended on a four day winning streak on its last time in action in Dec. 23.

The benchmark index gained 0.66 percent or 47.05 points to finish at 7,186.32 while the broader all shares index climbed 0.55 percent or 23.19 points at 4,235.52.

“We expect to end the year on a positive note,” said PSE president Hans B. Sicat.

Market seen ending 2014 on positive note | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com



*Armed Forces in transition to territorial defense*
December 28, 2014 by Ishi Gonzales.






*Philippine Navy is acquiring more weapons for the Marines that will boost both capabilities of the Armed Force of the Philippines to address internal and territorial security threats.*

Navy Vice Commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad said a committee is now evaluating shoulder-launched multi-purpose assault weapons (SMAW). Having these will “fill the gaps in the direct fire support weapons capabilities of the Marines against different bunkers, concrete walls, light armor and other hard and ‘soft’ targets.”

Rear Admiral Taccad also said that a study is also being conducted for the acquisition of 60mm and 80mm mortars. “These are portable and high angle indirect fire weapons which can also be reliable in any type of terrain,” the navy vice commander said in a military modernization briefing as reported by government-run news agency.

The entire armed forces is now shifting its focus from internal security threats to territorial defense as evidenced by its recent acquisition projects.

*“We are expecting the delivery of several equipment. The main reason they were acquired is territorial defense,” *Armed Forces spokesman Colonel Restituto Padilla. *“We will use them as we gradually transition so we can include them in our doctrine. That will be our focus next year.”*

Armed Forces in transition to territorial defense

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## NarThoD

Cossack25A1 said:


> I was right about the Mk. 153 SMAW being needed to complement the RPG-7 although the latter is for the PH Army only...


BGM-71 TOW should do the job. Those ATGM's are cheap and still deadly. let's say 500 launcher and 2000 missiles are good enough


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## Cossack25A1

NarThoD said:


> BGM-71 TOW should do the job. Those ATGM's are cheap and still deadly. let's say 500 launcher and 2000 missiles are good enough



Possible we could consider that weapon, particularly mounting it in our Simba AFVs that are only armed with .50 caliber machine guns.


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## Pinoy

*Joma backs Duterte for president under a coalition*
By Chiara Zambrano, ABS-CBN News
12/29/2014





*MANILA – Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Joma Sison responded positively to pronouncements made by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte that he was willing to form a coalition with the CPP should he decide to run for president.*

In an article in the local publication Davao Today, Duterte reportedly said,* "I will form a coalition government with them. I will accept their top officials if I'll become the President. We just need to agree on some issues. I will take control of the AFP-PNP to avoid chaos as we are working on how to address the problem and find the appropriate solution."*

Sison responded on Facebook, saying, *"Mayor Duterte should become president if he is willing to have a democratic coalition government with the revolutionary forces and other patriotic and progressive forces of our people.”*

He said the Reds and Duterte can have a common program on “real national independence and territorial integrity, democratic empowerment of the working people, economic development through national industrialization and genuine land reform, social justice, a patriotic and progressive culture and international solidarity with other peoples for peace and development. What the revolutionary forces want is what the people demand."

Joma backs Duterte for president under a coalition | ABS-CBN News



*Philippines ready to help search for AirAsia plane*
December 29, 2014

*MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is ready to deploy air and naval assets to help in the search for the AirAsia plane that went missing over the Java Sea last Sunday.*

AFP spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla said military troops in Mindanao have been alerted in case Indonesian authorities make a request for additional assets.

*“The secretary of national defense and the chief of staff directed the armed forces to alert all its units down south especially in areas close to the borders where the missing aircraft may be possibly found,”* Padilla told reporters in an interview on Monday.

*“The intent is to provide appropriate feedback to Indonesian authorities,”* he added.

Padilla said military units have been instructed to be on the lookout for “possible unusual sightings.”

Philippine Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya said their C-130 cargo planes may be suitable for a large area search due to their long endurance.

Padilla and Canaya, however, clarified that they have yet to receive a request for additional assets.

AirAsia Flight QZ8501 from Indonesia and bound for Singapore lost contact with air traffic control Sunday afternoon over the Java Sea.

A total of 162 passengers, including 16 children and an infant, were in the plane, which disappeared midway into the flight without sounding a distress call. There was no Filipino passenger in the said flight.

The Airbus A320-200 departed Juanda international airport in Surabaya, Indonesia at 5:20 a.m. and was expected to arrive in Singapore at 8:30 a.m.

Indonesian authorities said the plane may have crashed into the sea.

Philippines ready to help search for AirAsia plane | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com



*SE Asia Stocks -Most higher; Philippine shares end 2014 with strong gains*
Mon Dec 29, 2014

BANGKOK, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets edged higher on Monday as domestic institutions bought large caps ahead of year-end but shares in Malaysia's AirAsia plunged after one of the company's aircraft went
missing on Sunday.

Singapore's key Straits Times Index rose 0.3 percent to 3,364.64, extending gains made over the past seven sessions, while the Indonesian key index added 0.2 percent, on track for a third straight rise.

The Thai SET index slightly drifted into negative territory at 1,509.25, after posting modest gains in the morning
session.

Broker Maybank Kim Eng Securities projected a trading range of 1,495-1,520 for SET for the day.

"A light trading volume will make the SET Index more volatile. However, window dressing and LTF money will help
supporting today's SET Index," it said in a report.

Long-term equity funds (LTF) are more popular towards the end of the year as they receive favourable tax treatment.

About 3.6 billion shares had changed hands on the Thai stock market by midday, compared with a full day volume of 15 billion shares on Friday, stock exchange data showed.

In Kuala Lumpur, AirAsia shares fell 7.8 percent, their biggest one-day drop in more than three years, after Sunday's
incident involving the airline's Indonesia unit. 

The Bangkok-listed shares of Asia Aviation, the holding company of Thai AirAsia, in which the AirAsia group holds a 45 percent stake, were down 3.6 percent on Monday. Broker Asia Plus Securities rated Thai Asia Aviation shares 'buy' as it expected no financial impact due to Indonesia's AirAsia incident.

"The share weakness was due to an indirect impact in terms of weak sentiment on Indonesia's AirAsia. We keep our earnings forecast for Thai Asia Aviation," it said.

* The Philippine stock index rose 0.62 percent on its last trading day for the year. It ended the year at a two-week high of 7,230.57, rising 22.8 percent in 2014, among the region's outperformers. That compares with a modest 1.3 percent rise in 2013. The Philippine stock market will be closed from Dec. 30-Jan.2, reopening on Jan. 5.*

Among the actively-traded stocks in the region, shares of Singapore DBS Group Holdings climbed 1.1 percent,
Thailand's Kasikornbank was up 0.4 percent and Indonesia's Astra International gained 0.7 percent.

For Asian Companies For South East Asia Hot Stock reports, click;


SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
Change at GMT
Market Current Prev Close Pct Move
Singapore 3364.64 3353.68 +0.33
Kuala Lumpur 1765.76 1764.44 +0.07
Bangkok 1509.25 1510.41 -0.08
Jakarta 5174.78 5166.98 +0.15
* Manila 7230.57 7186.32 +0.62*
Ho Chi Minh 531.02 533.37 -0.44

SE Asia Stocks -Most higher; Philippine shares end 2014 with strong gains| Reuters

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## Ayan81

Pinoy said:


> *Joma backs Duterte for president under a coalition*
> By Chiara Zambrano, ABS-CBN News
> 12/29/2014
> 
> View attachment 179575
> 
> *MANILA – Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Joma Sison responded positively to pronouncements made by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte that he was willing to form a coalition with the CPP should he decide to run for president.*
> 
> In an article in the local publication Davao Today, Duterte reportedly said,* "I will form a coalition government with them. I will accept their top officials if I'll become the President. We just need to agree on some issues. I will take control of the AFP-PNP to avoid chaos as we are working on how to address the problem and find the appropriate solution."*
> 
> Sison responded on Facebook, saying, *"Mayor Duterte should become president if he is willing to have a democratic coalition government with the revolutionary forces and other patriotic and progressive forces of our people.”*
> 
> He said the Reds and Duterte can have a common program on “real national independence and territorial integrity, democratic empowerment of the working people, economic development through national industrialization and genuine land reform, social justice, a patriotic and progressive culture and international solidarity with other peoples for peace and development. What the revolutionary forces want is what the people demand."
> 
> Joma backs Duterte for president under a coalition | ABS-CBN News



Lumabas din ang tunay na kulay ni Duterte. All these talks about Duterte being the savior is complete BS. If you want to know what it feels like to be under a communist regime , go live in Davao.

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## JayMandan

Ayan81 said:


> Lumabas din ang tunay na kulay ni Duterte. All these talks about Duterte being the savior is complete BS. If you want to know what it feels like to be under a communist regime , go live in Davao.



I think he's worth a try kabayan. What's wrong with living in Davao? It's been the safest city for many years. it's been long due na rin that we really need 180 degree change in politics. We've been electing same trapos every election. aren't you intrigued of what his platform is going to be? I know he's extreme but we need someone who doesn't bow to anyone. I am excited.

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## Cossack25A1

JayMandan said:


> I think he's worth a try kabayan. What's wrong with living in Davao? It's been the safest city for many years. it's been long due na rin that we really need 180 degree change in politics. We've been electing same trapos every election. aren't you intrigued of what his platform is going to be? I know he's extreme but we need someone who doesn't bow to anyone. I am excited.


The problem is Joma, a well-known commie and affiliated with CPP-NPA.


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## Zero_wing

Let speak but do not mind him his maoist and maoist are evil


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## Aepsilons

Duterte will be an excellent choice, have you seen the investments in Davao? It even challenges Cebu City.



JayMandan said:


> I think he's worth a try kabayan. What's wrong with living in Davao? It's been the safest city for many years. it's been long due na rin that we really need 180 degree change in politics. We've been electing same trapos every election. aren't you intrigued of what his platform is going to be? I know he's extreme but we need someone who doesn't bow to anyone. I am excited.



It is time for a change of these political dynasties in Manila. Duterte will be a much needed force in Manila politics, hopefully he will open Philippines to greater foreign investment.

Btw, Duterte is a friend of Japan's Keidren Kaikan. I expect to see a much greater integration of Japan and Philippines.

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## Bob Ong

Pinoy said:


> *Joma backs Duterte for president under a coalition*
> By Chiara Zambrano, ABS-CBN News
> 12/29/2014
> 
> View attachment 179575
> 
> *MANILA – Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Joma Sison responded positively to pronouncements made by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte that he was willing to form a coalition with the CPP should he decide to run for president.*
> 
> In an article in the local publication Davao Today, Duterte reportedly said,* "I will form a coalition government with them. I will accept their top officials if I'll become the President. We just need to agree on some issues. I will take control of the AFP-PNP to avoid chaos as we are working on how to address the problem and find the appropriate solution."*
> 
> Sison responded on Facebook, saying, *"Mayor Duterte should become president if he is willing to have a democratic coalition government with the revolutionary forces and other patriotic and progressive forces of our people.”*
> 
> He said the Reds and Duterte can have a common program on “real national independence and territorial integrity, democratic empowerment of the working people, economic development through national industrialization and genuine land reform, social justice, a patriotic and progressive culture and international solidarity with other peoples for peace and development. What the revolutionary forces want is what the people demand."
> 
> Joma backs Duterte for president under a coalition | ABS-CBN News


Only handful of people have that gut and only Duterte is probably winnable candidate. We need to bite the bullet to have change. With his vision to change the system and the will to do it, I will definitely vote for him if he run for President.



Cossack25A1 said:


> The problem is Joma, a well-known commie and affiliated with CPP-NPA.


well you should give these leftists a chance to prove their worth. Maybe they have something to share in economic progress in the country, instead of being a mere critic.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Duterte will be an excellent choice, have you seen the investments in Davao? It even challenges Cebu City.
> 
> It is time for a change of these political dynasties in Manila. Duterte will be a much needed force in Manila politics, hopefully he will open Philippines to greater foreign investment.
> 
> Btw, Duterte is a friend of Japan's Keidren Kaikan. I expect to see a much greater integration of Japan and Philippines.


Exactly! He's definitely far more capable than any of the current 'presidentiables'.

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## Aepsilons

Bob Ong said:


> Only handful of people have that gut and only Duterte is probably winnable candidate. We need to bite the bullet to have change. With his vision to change the system and the will to do it, I will definitely vote for him if he run for President.
> 
> 
> well you should give these leftists a chance to prove their worth. Maybe they have something to share in economic progress in the country, instead of being a mere critic.
> 
> 
> Exactly! He's definitely far more capable than any of the current 'presidentiables'.




I hope that Binay won't have any presidential plans. It's time to clean up Pilipinas, and time to develop the other regions besides Manila. 

For example; Cagayan De Oro, Bacolod, Butuan, Dipolog, Tagbilaran, Iloilo should be developed further. 

As for Davao City; I've been there before, it has the potential to rival Cebu and Manila.


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## Ayan81

JayMandan said:


> I think he's worth a try kabayan. What's wrong with living in Davao? It's been the safest city for many years. it's been long due na rin that we really need 180 degree change in politics. We've been electing same trapos every election. aren't you intrigued of what his platform is going to be? I know he's extreme but we need someone who doesn't bow to anyone. I am excited.





Bob Ong said:


> Only handful of people have that gut and only Duterte is probably winnable candidate. We need to bite the bullet to have change. With his vision to change the system and the will to do it, I will definitely vote for him if he run for President.
> 
> 
> well you should give these leftists a chance to prove their worth. Maybe they have something to share in economic progress in the country, instead of being a mere critic.
> 
> 
> Exactly! He's definitely far more capable than any of the current 'presidentiables'.




He will change the politics in this country true, but to what? a coalition government with the Reds and MNLF? The NPA's are not fighting for land reform and social injustice but to take control of the country, and we just give Joma a ticket home and not answer for his crimes and worst we just give him a post in the government. That is the worst insult to those who have fallen defending this country (military/civilians). Event till now the people affected in the Zambo siege still suffering. He even encourages us to pay the revolutionary taxes to the NPA's.

In fairness to the good mayor he has done a wonderful job governing Davao, but running a city is different from a running a country. He has no flaws of the former/present Presidents but he doesn't have their strengths either.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Duterte will be an excellent choice, have you seen the investments in Davao? It even challenges Cebu City.
> 
> 
> 
> It is time for a change of these political dynasties in Manila. Duterte will be a much needed force in Manila politics, hopefully he will open Philippines to greater foreign investment.
> 
> Btw, Duterte is a friend of Japan's Keidren Kaikan. I expect to see a much greater integration of Japan and Philippines.




Digong said it himself he will not run for president._ "I can only aspire for what I can be, I will never dream of what I cannot be" - Duterte

Nag engon pa gali sya nga kung ako inyong presidente magmahay gyud mong tanan _

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## Cossack25A1

_We will acquire three, no matter what!_
-----
*The Philippine Navy’s Submarine Quest*
_*How realistic are plans for the Philippines to acquire submarines?*

*By Koh Swee Lean Collin
December 31, 2014*_

During a modernization briefing on December 17, Philippine Navy (PN) vice-chief Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad revealed future plans to acquire at least three submarines, as part of a follow-up to the ongoing 15-year P90-billion Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program.

The South China Sea disputes are no doubt a key motivation, when the rear-admiral remarked that “the events in the West Philippine Sea actually gave some urgency on the acquisition,” referring to the overall PN plan to purchase new assets, including a ten-year timeline for submarine purchase.

The PN’s 15-year Strategic Development Plan, revolving around the “Philippine Fleet Desired Force Mix” envisages a surface, sub-surface and aerial assets including major “big-ticket items” such as six anti-air warfare-oriented frigates, 12 corvettes optimized for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), 18 offshore patrol vessels, three submarines, three mine countermeasures vessels, up to four Strategic Support Vessels (SSVs), up to eight Amphibious Maritime Patrol Aircraft, and 18 naval helicopters equipped for ASW. Not counting a significant number of coastal patrol assets, fleet auxiliaries and other aerial support platforms.

If all purchase options are to be exercised, a sustained long-term funding commitment is required. In May 2012, the PN authorities remarked that the upgrade will cost P500 billion ($11.1 billion). It is not certain whether the plan can survive the incumbent Aquino administration, which has thus far demonstrated zeal in propelling modest but nonetheless significant acquisitions (within available fiscal means), including two new-build SSVs and two former U.S. Coast Guard cutters.

_*
Prioritizing the South China Sea*_

Among the assets desired, submarines would be ideal sea denial assets to deter China’s moves against Manila’s South China Sea interests. But assuming China is the foremost adversary in mind, the submarine acquisition will not necessarily be a game changer. Still, while three submarines cannot plausibly alter the naval balance of power in the contested waters, they may potentially complicate Chinese naval planning. Also facing significant force asymmetry with China, Vietnam’s submarine purchase in 2009 was undertaken with a similar approach.

The only question is whether sea denial alone is sufficient. Manila needs to do more than just ensure continuous access to its garrisoned Spratlys features for resupply and reinforcements. In the event of hostilities, the Philippines would need to have the capability to recapture features seized by adversarial forces. The Philippine maritime services, which collectively include the Navy, Coast Guard, National Police, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, face a more immediate challenge of unfriendly coast guard-type actions backed by naval surface forces in Philippine-claimed waters. What these services need are more surface assets possessing high endurance and good seakeeping qualities to allow the projection and sustainment of Philippine maritime presence in where it matters most.

In an operating scenario where contending parties endeavor to maintain a visible naval presence to assert sovereignty in disputed waters, submarines have less utility. Remaining surfaced simply contradicts the submarine’s basic design ethos, which is to stay invisible and hidden until the opportune moment comes to surprise the enemy, fire the sub’s weapons, and scoot away unscathed.

In peacetime, submarines do have a role in intelligence gathering. A submarine is useful for closely monitoring hostile activities in disputed areas where surface forces are unable to do so, as seen in the case of Vietnamese vessels being blocked by the China Coast Guard from getting too near the HYSY981 oil rig off the Paracel Islands in May 2014.

That said, submarines serve mainly a wartime sea denial role, yet their peacetime utility besides deterrence would be limited. Funding constraints would circumscribe the present purchases to priority platforms such as surface assets. The PN authorities are well aware of this. Taccad made this point clearly. Not only did he recognize that submarines “take a lot of gestation period” but he also remarked that the first capability to be acquired will be “what we can afford and yet cover a large space and this will be the patrol vessels. These are low-tech equipment, and low-cost. You can have more and cover a large space.”

_*
Insurmountable Cost Issues?
*_
Indeed, unlike surface assets, submarines are more expensive to acquire when one has to consider not just boats but the entire package of training, infrastructure, spares, maintenance, repair and overhaul – all necessitating long-term investments underpinned by political will and fiscal commitments. But it is important to note that these problems are not insurmountable.

In May 2012, a report published by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) wrote that the Philippines requires, amongst various modern air and naval assets, “an affordable force of four to six mini-submarines” for credible defense against growing Chinese belligerence in the South China Sea. There are indeed cheaper options on the market if full-sized diesel-electric submarines displacing over 1,000-3,000 tons submerged are beyond reach. Coastal submarines displacing 1,000 tons or less submerged, for instance the SMX-23 built by French DCNS, are available for cost-constrained navies. After all, due to initial budget constraints Vietnam first operated North Korean-built mini-submarines in the 1990s before finally acquiring the larger, vastly superior Kilo class.

Second-hand boats could be another possible, cost-effective pathway for the PN to acquire and accumulate sufficient know-how before purchasing newer boats. Singapore first acquired the 1960s-era ex-Swedish Sjöormen-class boats for training before acquiring the newer Västergotland-class and lately, Type-218SG boats to be designed and constructed in Germany. This is an example of an incremental strategy taking into account prevailing fiscal, human capital, and other resource constraints.

Finally, Manila may offset some of the expenses by seeking external ancillary assistance, for example agreements analogous to the Indonesia-Singapore and Singapore-Vietnam submarine rescue pacts. On the whole, though, even with external help, submarine acquisition remains a costly, operationally, and technically challenging enterprise that warrants prudent, long-term measures.

_*
A Phased Submarine Plan?
*_
In fact, back in December 1999, then PN Vice Admiral Luisito Fernandez revealed that the navy created a “core group” to evaluate submarine acquisition by 2010. This announcement came about a year after the Second Mischief Reef Incident with China. But the AFP was then preoccupied with counter-insurgency operations in the Mindanao region. As a result, the land forces received the lion’s share of limited defense funding. Not only was submarine acquisition by 2010 impossible, the bulk of the antiquated Philippine Fleet continued its downward slide into disrepair without major revitalization efforts.

But the context today and in the foreseeable future is different. Manila at present has a long PN upgrade wish list but recognizes funding constraints. In recent years, Philippine defense and naval planners had revealed policy thinking that indicated firm commitment to the submarine quest.

In August 2011, Aquino noted that the PN was exploring the possibility of submarine procurement. At the time, then PN chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama expressed caution, calling the plan “a complicated matter” and pointed out that “we don’t want to commit a mistake by jumping into something. As I said, we don’t want to buy something which eventually we cannot chew and swallow.” He said the PN would look into the practicality of purchasing submarines.

Even though a lump-sum P500 billion for the PN upgrade is unavailable, it is misleading to call current ongoing acquisitions an ad-hoc effort. The initial phase comprises a combination of new-build and second-hand purchases, such as the AW109 helicopters and cutters which enter service in 2013-15. Successive tranches of funding would sustain follow-on phases, such as a P75 billion AFP modernization program in May 2013 that prioritizes a navy upgrade envisaging two brand-new frigates, two ASW-capable helicopters, and three coastal patrol vessels by 2017.

In October 2013, then commander of the Northern Luzon Command Major General Gregorio Pio Catapang reiterated the desire for three submarines as part of the “Philippine Fleet Desired Force Mix.” Catapang stressed the need for military procurements to adhere to national strategic or operational requirements, as opposed to an expedient approach driven by external military aid. In his current capacity as AFP chief of staff, Catapang recently noted the need for the armed forces to become reoriented to external defense. The comment adds impetus to the submarine commitment.

Manila’s submarine acquisition is not meant to be mere symbolism. Operational thought has been devoted to conceiving a force size capable of sustainable deployment. If it is impossible to purchase three submarines, Taccad mentioned, the PN would settle for two, so that one boat is deployable while the other is undergoing routine maintenance. The alternative to acquiring submarines, he also noted, would be missile-armed frigates, referring to the new frigates as well as the potential retrofit of missiles on board the existing pair of cutters to serve as a deterrent and backup for patrols against foreign harassment.
_*

ASW First, Submarines Next?
*_
Judging from what has transpired, a phased submarine plan appears to be in the works. The December 17 revelation of having established a submarine office in 2013, plausibly a follow-up to the “core group” created in 1999, represents the first modest step forward.

It is clear that the PN has been paying attention to the submarine and ASW sector, which is logical in view of the regional submarine proliferation. The PN is keen to first acquire an ASW capability in the interim before finally acquiring submarines. This step, together with possible future ASW joint training with close allies who have submarines, would in the near-term give the Filipinos more insights on undersea warfare.

In fact, the push for ASW capabilities runs alongside the longer-term project for submarines, as part of the PN’s “Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy.” On several occasions since 2013, the PN has expressed its intent to develop an ASW capability in the long term, in particular shipboard and helicopter ASW. Unprecedented (albeit still modest) efforts were made to realize this. In the first half of 2014, the PN announced its aim of acquiring two ASW helicopters, having allocated P5.4 billion to fund the purchase. This was followed up by an invite to bid for the program, which is part of the Medium-Term Development Capability Plan (MTDCP) 2013-2017. It was further augmented in late September 2014 when Manila issued another “invitation to bid” document to purchase a pair of ASW helicopters.

Where surface ASW is concerned, the PN is slated to receive a decommissioned, ex-ROK Navy Pohang-class corvette by end of 2014, with Philippine defense authorities saying that there is a good chance that the ship would be delivered with all combat systems intact, including ASW capabilities such as hull-mounted submarine-hunting sonar, torpedo tubes, and depth charge racks. Local efforts are also underway to develop ASW capabilities for the PN, for example Project Ilalim (Filipino for “under”) conducted by the Naval Research and Development Center to study and develop indigenous sonar systems for the PN.

These efforts to acquire an ASW capability, which is financially and technically more feasible to accomplish in the shorter term, would presage the PN’s eventual acquisition of an undersea capability. For the funding-constrained PN, this represents a logical approach, albeit an incremental one, towards eventually attaining a submarine capability. After all, acquiring ASW knowhow is a crucial first step towards gaining an undersea capability.

_*
Learning from Other Regional Submarine Aspirants?
*_
While skeptics may be tempted to dismiss this recent Philippine move to acquire submarines, Manila’s plan is no mere pipe dream. The PN is actually taking a deliberate approach in incremental phases to systematically induct submarines as part of the overall modernization effort. This pathway is no different from some other regional navies which had sought to build submarine capabilities from scratch.

The Indo-Pacific maritime region is in fact resplendent with national examples, besides Singapore and Vietnam, on how to start from low-base and implement long-term, phased submarine capacity-building efforts. For instance, despite having missed the chance to purchase second-hand German Type-206 submarines, Thailand created a shore-based submarine training center, equipped with a full-size replica of submarine command and control room, to kick-start training and accumulation of basic undersea warfare expertise. Bangladesh, having sent officers abroad for submarine training before it recently decided to purchase submarines, is another instructive example.

These examples would not have gone unnoticed by Philippine defense and naval planners. Indeed, ongoing Philippine efforts may well have already taken lessons from these examples. As such, while Manila’s submarine acquisition plan will take time to materialize, it is important not to underestimate its resolve.

If anything, the recent disclosure of having taking steps to establish a submarine capability ought to provide a major morale boost to the AFP and send a strong message to potential adversaries. Given sufficient political will and a well-conceived long-term strategy, Manila has the ability to overcome the hurdles it will face in the submarine acquisition process.

_Koh Swee Lean Collin is associate research fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, a constituent unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies based in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore._

-----
The Philippine Navy’s Submarine Quest | The Diplomat

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## Aepsilons

Excellent news! Ma lipay gayud ako sa ini nga basahan ! @Ayan81 !

Mabuhay Ang Pilipinas!


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## NarThoD

Old Picture

President Marcos says thanks to Indonesian Air Force for loaning Cassa 212 + crew to help Philippine conduct anti-insurgent against New People's Army communist.

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## Aepsilons

NarThoD said:


> Old Picture
> 
> President Marcos says thanks to Indonesian Air Force for loaning Cassa 212 + crew to help Philippine conduct anti-insurgent against New People's Army communist.
> 
> View attachment 180307



Mabuhay Ang Pilipinas ! Merdeka Indonesia Raya !



Cossack25A1 said:


> _We will acquire three, no matter what!_
> -----
> *The Philippine Navy’s Submarine Quest*
> _*How realistic are plans for the Philippines to acquire submarines?*
> 
> *By Koh Swee Lean Collin
> December 31, 2014*_
> 
> During a modernization briefing on December 17, Philippine Navy (PN) vice-chief Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad revealed future plans to acquire at least three submarines, as part of a follow-up to the ongoing 15-year P90-billion Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program.
> 
> The South China Sea disputes are no doubt a key motivation, when the rear-admiral remarked that “the events in the West Philippine Sea actually gave some urgency on the acquisition,” referring to the overall PN plan to purchase new assets, including a ten-year timeline for submarine purchase.
> 
> The PN’s 15-year Strategic Development Plan, revolving around the “Philippine Fleet Desired Force Mix” envisages a surface, sub-surface and aerial assets including major “big-ticket items” such as six anti-air warfare-oriented frigates, 12 corvettes optimized for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), 18 offshore patrol vessels, three submarines, three mine countermeasures vessels, up to four Strategic Support Vessels (SSVs), up to eight Amphibious Maritime Patrol Aircraft, and 18 naval helicopters equipped for ASW. Not counting a significant number of coastal patrol assets, fleet auxiliaries and other aerial support platforms.
> 
> If all purchase options are to be exercised, a sustained long-term funding commitment is required. In May 2012, the PN authorities remarked that the upgrade will cost P500 billion ($11.1 billion). It is not certain whether the plan can survive the incumbent Aquino administration, which has thus far demonstrated zeal in propelling modest but nonetheless significant acquisitions (within available fiscal means), including two new-build SSVs and two former U.S. Coast Guard cutters.
> 
> _*
> Prioritizing the South China Sea*_
> 
> Among the assets desired, submarines would be ideal sea denial assets to deter China’s moves against Manila’s South China Sea interests. But assuming China is the foremost adversary in mind, the submarine acquisition will not necessarily be a game changer. Still, while three submarines cannot plausibly alter the naval balance of power in the contested waters, they may potentially complicate Chinese naval planning. Also facing significant force asymmetry with China, Vietnam’s submarine purchase in 2009 was undertaken with a similar approach.
> 
> The only question is whether sea denial alone is sufficient. Manila needs to do more than just ensure continuous access to its garrisoned Spratlys features for resupply and reinforcements. In the event of hostilities, the Philippines would need to have the capability to recapture features seized by adversarial forces. The Philippine maritime services, which collectively include the Navy, Coast Guard, National Police, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, face a more immediate challenge of unfriendly coast guard-type actions backed by naval surface forces in Philippine-claimed waters. What these services need are more surface assets possessing high endurance and good seakeeping qualities to allow the projection and sustainment of Philippine maritime presence in where it matters most.
> 
> In an operating scenario where contending parties endeavor to maintain a visible naval presence to assert sovereignty in disputed waters, submarines have less utility. Remaining surfaced simply contradicts the submarine’s basic design ethos, which is to stay invisible and hidden until the opportune moment comes to surprise the enemy, fire the sub’s weapons, and scoot away unscathed.
> 
> In peacetime, submarines do have a role in intelligence gathering. A submarine is useful for closely monitoring hostile activities in disputed areas where surface forces are unable to do so, as seen in the case of Vietnamese vessels being blocked by the China Coast Guard from getting too near the HYSY981 oil rig off the Paracel Islands in May 2014.
> 
> That said, submarines serve mainly a wartime sea denial role, yet their peacetime utility besides deterrence would be limited. Funding constraints would circumscribe the present purchases to priority platforms such as surface assets. The PN authorities are well aware of this. Taccad made this point clearly. Not only did he recognize that submarines “take a lot of gestation period” but he also remarked that the first capability to be acquired will be “what we can afford and yet cover a large space and this will be the patrol vessels. These are low-tech equipment, and low-cost. You can have more and cover a large space.”
> 
> _*
> Insurmountable Cost Issues?
> *_
> Indeed, unlike surface assets, submarines are more expensive to acquire when one has to consider not just boats but the entire package of training, infrastructure, spares, maintenance, repair and overhaul – all necessitating long-term investments underpinned by political will and fiscal commitments. But it is important to note that these problems are not insurmountable.
> 
> In May 2012, a report published by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) wrote that the Philippines requires, amongst various modern air and naval assets, “an affordable force of four to six mini-submarines” for credible defense against growing Chinese belligerence in the South China Sea. There are indeed cheaper options on the market if full-sized diesel-electric submarines displacing over 1,000-3,000 tons submerged are beyond reach. Coastal submarines displacing 1,000 tons or less submerged, for instance the SMX-23 built by French DCNS, are available for cost-constrained navies. After all, due to initial budget constraints Vietnam first operated North Korean-built mini-submarines in the 1990s before finally acquiring the larger, vastly superior Kilo class.
> 
> Second-hand boats could be another possible, cost-effective pathway for the PN to acquire and accumulate sufficient know-how before purchasing newer boats. Singapore first acquired the 1960s-era ex-Swedish Sjöormen-class boats for training before acquiring the newer Västergotland-class and lately, Type-218SG boats to be designed and constructed in Germany. This is an example of an incremental strategy taking into account prevailing fiscal, human capital, and other resource constraints.
> 
> Finally, Manila may offset some of the expenses by seeking external ancillary assistance, for example agreements analogous to the Indonesia-Singapore and Singapore-Vietnam submarine rescue pacts. On the whole, though, even with external help, submarine acquisition remains a costly, operationally, and technically challenging enterprise that warrants prudent, long-term measures.
> 
> _*
> A Phased Submarine Plan?
> *_
> In fact, back in December 1999, then PN Vice Admiral Luisito Fernandez revealed that the navy created a “core group” to evaluate submarine acquisition by 2010. This announcement came about a year after the Second Mischief Reef Incident with China. But the AFP was then preoccupied with counter-insurgency operations in the Mindanao region. As a result, the land forces received the lion’s share of limited defense funding. Not only was submarine acquisition by 2010 impossible, the bulk of the antiquated Philippine Fleet continued its downward slide into disrepair without major revitalization efforts.
> 
> But the context today and in the foreseeable future is different. Manila at present has a long PN upgrade wish list but recognizes funding constraints. In recent years, Philippine defense and naval planners had revealed policy thinking that indicated firm commitment to the submarine quest.
> 
> In August 2011, Aquino noted that the PN was exploring the possibility of submarine procurement. At the time, then PN chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama expressed caution, calling the plan “a complicated matter” and pointed out that “we don’t want to commit a mistake by jumping into something. As I said, we don’t want to buy something which eventually we cannot chew and swallow.” He said the PN would look into the practicality of purchasing submarines.
> 
> Even though a lump-sum P500 billion for the PN upgrade is unavailable, it is misleading to call current ongoing acquisitions an ad-hoc effort. The initial phase comprises a combination of new-build and second-hand purchases, such as the AW109 helicopters and cutters which enter service in 2013-15. Successive tranches of funding would sustain follow-on phases, such as a P75 billion AFP modernization program in May 2013 that prioritizes a navy upgrade envisaging two brand-new frigates, two ASW-capable helicopters, and three coastal patrol vessels by 2017.
> 
> In October 2013, then commander of the Northern Luzon Command Major General Gregorio Pio Catapang reiterated the desire for three submarines as part of the “Philippine Fleet Desired Force Mix.” Catapang stressed the need for military procurements to adhere to national strategic or operational requirements, as opposed to an expedient approach driven by external military aid. In his current capacity as AFP chief of staff, Catapang recently noted the need for the armed forces to become reoriented to external defense. The comment adds impetus to the submarine commitment.
> 
> Manila’s submarine acquisition is not meant to be mere symbolism. Operational thought has been devoted to conceiving a force size capable of sustainable deployment. If it is impossible to purchase three submarines, Taccad mentioned, the PN would settle for two, so that one boat is deployable while the other is undergoing routine maintenance. The alternative to acquiring submarines, he also noted, would be missile-armed frigates, referring to the new frigates as well as the potential retrofit of missiles on board the existing pair of cutters to serve as a deterrent and backup for patrols against foreign harassment.
> _*
> 
> ASW First, Submarines Next?
> *_
> Judging from what has transpired, a phased submarine plan appears to be in the works. The December 17 revelation of having established a submarine office in 2013, plausibly a follow-up to the “core group” created in 1999, represents the first modest step forward.
> 
> It is clear that the PN has been paying attention to the submarine and ASW sector, which is logical in view of the regional submarine proliferation. The PN is keen to first acquire an ASW capability in the interim before finally acquiring submarines. This step, together with possible future ASW joint training with close allies who have submarines, would in the near-term give the Filipinos more insights on undersea warfare.
> 
> In fact, the push for ASW capabilities runs alongside the longer-term project for submarines, as part of the PN’s “Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy.” On several occasions since 2013, the PN has expressed its intent to develop an ASW capability in the long term, in particular shipboard and helicopter ASW. Unprecedented (albeit still modest) efforts were made to realize this. In the first half of 2014, the PN announced its aim of acquiring two ASW helicopters, having allocated P5.4 billion to fund the purchase. This was followed up by an invite to bid for the program, which is part of the Medium-Term Development Capability Plan (MTDCP) 2013-2017. It was further augmented in late September 2014 when Manila issued another “invitation to bid” document to purchase a pair of ASW helicopters.
> 
> Where surface ASW is concerned, the PN is slated to receive a decommissioned, ex-ROK Navy Pohang-class corvette by end of 2014, with Philippine defense authorities saying that there is a good chance that the ship would be delivered with all combat systems intact, including ASW capabilities such as hull-mounted submarine-hunting sonar, torpedo tubes, and depth charge racks. Local efforts are also underway to develop ASW capabilities for the PN, for example Project Ilalim (Filipino for “under”) conducted by the Naval Research and Development Center to study and develop indigenous sonar systems for the PN.
> 
> These efforts to acquire an ASW capability, which is financially and technically more feasible to accomplish in the shorter term, would presage the PN’s eventual acquisition of an undersea capability. For the funding-constrained PN, this represents a logical approach, albeit an incremental one, towards eventually attaining a submarine capability. After all, acquiring ASW knowhow is a crucial first step towards gaining an undersea capability.
> 
> _*
> Learning from Other Regional Submarine Aspirants?
> *_
> While skeptics may be tempted to dismiss this recent Philippine move to acquire submarines, Manila’s plan is no mere pipe dream. The PN is actually taking a deliberate approach in incremental phases to systematically induct submarines as part of the overall modernization effort. This pathway is no different from some other regional navies which had sought to build submarine capabilities from scratch.
> 
> The Indo-Pacific maritime region is in fact resplendent with national examples, besides Singapore and Vietnam, on how to start from low-base and implement long-term, phased submarine capacity-building efforts. For instance, despite having missed the chance to purchase second-hand German Type-206 submarines, Thailand created a shore-based submarine training center, equipped with a full-size replica of submarine command and control room, to kick-start training and accumulation of basic undersea warfare expertise. Bangladesh, having sent officers abroad for submarine training before it recently decided to purchase submarines, is another instructive example.
> 
> These examples would not have gone unnoticed by Philippine defense and naval planners. Indeed, ongoing Philippine efforts may well have already taken lessons from these examples. As such, while Manila’s submarine acquisition plan will take time to materialize, it is important not to underestimate its resolve.
> 
> If anything, the recent disclosure of having taking steps to establish a submarine capability ought to provide a major morale boost to the AFP and send a strong message to potential adversaries. Given sufficient political will and a well-conceived long-term strategy, Manila has the ability to overcome the hurdles it will face in the submarine acquisition process.
> 
> _Koh Swee Lean Collin is associate research fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, a constituent unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies based in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore._
> 
> -----
> The Philippine Navy’s Submarine Quest | The Diplomat




Japan should consider gifting some Oyashio Class Subs to the Philippine Navy. These would be , in my opinion, a better choice than Germany's Type 206.



Ayan81 said:


> _ Nag engon pa gali sya nga kung ako inyong presidente magmahay gyud mong tanan _



Tino-ud ba bhai @Ayan81 ? Sa unang na panahon nga nag bisitar gayod ako sa Davao sa 2012, na kuyawhan gayud ko kai naka kita ko sa polis. Embes pistol ra , nag kubet sila og Armalite. Engon gud ahong tour guide nako, "The police here do not joke around, shoot to kill" daw. Maayo ra pod kai naa bitaw threats diha sa Davao, mao na dako pod ang responsibilidad ni Duterte , espesyalamente para safety pod sa Foreign Investors diha sa Davao. 



*2 Japanese medical firms expand in PH*


*--------------*

*



*
MANILA, Philippines – The new year 2015 opens with investment news, as two of Japan’s major medical product manufacturers selected Lopez-led First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) in Santo Tomas, Batangas as the location for their Philippine expansion projects.


Through their respective subsidiaries, Tokai Medical Products (TMP) and JMS Company Ltd. (JMS) signed contracts with FPIP for the lease of areas within the 442-hectare economic zone in Batangas.

 
Tokai’s plant within FPIP will be its first outside Japan. The company’s new plant in FPIP will manufacture medical catheters for export to Japan and the US. The medical catheters, such as aortic catheters and intra-aortic occlusion catheters, are products for heart disease patients.

 
Tokai’s local unit will start constructing its factory in January, and move to commercial operations in October 2015.

 
Tokai is a medical engineering company based in Nagoya, Japan. It is internationally known in the field, especially for cardiac-related diseases.

 
The JMS plant within FPIP will be its first in the Philippines. JMS Healthcare Phl Inc. will manufacture and assemble medical devices and disposables, such as infusion sets, from FPIP for export to Japan, Europe, and Latin America. JMS also operates facilities in China, Singapore, and Indonesia.
*
*
JMS, which started building its factory within FPIP, expects to go on commercial operations in the first quarter of 2016.

 
Headquartered in Hiroshima, Japan, JMS develops devices for health care sectors including home health care systems, hospital equipment systems, and medical information systems.

 
Both companies recently conducted their respective ground-breaking ceremonies within FPIP with Lilia de Lima, director-general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), as guest of honor.

 
Tokai and JMS join a growing list of FPIP big-named locators, industry movers like B/E Aerospace, Brother, Canon, Honda, Ibiden, Murata, Nestlé, Philip Morris, Shimano, and Sunpower.

 
FPIP, meanwhile, is a 70-30 joint venture between First Philippine Holdings Corporation, the holding company of the Lopez Group, and Sumitomo Corporation, one of Japan’s biggest conglomerates.
*
2 Japanese medical firms expand in PH
*

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## Pinoy

*What Duterte's plans should he run for President and win




*

During the flag-raising ceremony at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City last November 10, where he was a guest of honor, the local chief executive told reporters that he plans to retire and would let his daughter Sara to run for the mayoral post, PhilStar.com reported.

However, just in case he would reconsider his decision and seek for election for the country's top post, here are some of his "visions" for the Philippines, in bullet form, based on a SunStar report:

*If Duterte becomes president and still cannot get the reforms he wants, he will declare a revolutionary government.*

*He will close Congress.*

*If there's no improvement in services, he will shutdown several government corporations and privatize the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).*

*If they will continue with their corrupt ways, Duterte said he will likewise privatize the Bureau of Customs (BoC).*

*The moment he sits in power, all generals will be considered retired, retaining only about 40 of the best and brightest in the military.*

*If leaders of leftist groups want a coalition government, Duterte said he will put National Democratic Front (NDF) chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and Communist Party of the Philippines' (CPP's) Jose Maria Sison will head the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).*
Duterte reportedly said those from Manila might refer to him as an extremist.

*"I am an extremist, but if you want to see how extremism can bring in jobs, then look at Davao,"* he said. *"I will not allow oppression and abuse in my government."*

Now here's a video taken during the 29th anniversary celebration thanksgiving and worship presentation of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy's Kingdom of Jesus Christ held at Jesus Christ Open Field in Davao.

Duterte revealed his plans for members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), whom he said are "the ones facing danger everyday."

The city mayor said police officers with lower ranks will be given a basic pay of P50,000 and P30,000 allowance for a total monthly income of P80,000 while high-ranking PNP officials (generals) will receive P300,000 basic salary and 200,000 allowance for a total of P500,000.

Their children's education is free from kindergarten to high school, he added.



*Davao Mayor Duterte: 'If I am elected president...'*
By: *Jove Francisco, News5*
December 27, 2014






MANILA - Has Davao City's controversial but much-admired mayor changed his mind about not seeking the presidency in 2016?

The question was raised on Friday as Mayor Rodrigo Duterte - who in the past repeatedly insisted he does not wish to be president despite the well-publicized campaign of supporters to draft him - gave cryptic remarks about his "plans" should he be elected president.

Speaking in the dialect, he said that, *"If I'm elected president, and within six months to one year the reforms are not forthcoming, either from the Constitution, Congress, court TRO or injunction, I will declare a revolutionary government. I will close Congress. I will close everything."*

Duterte enjoys a reputation as a hardworking, tough-talking, no-nonsense mayor who avows a commitment to good government and disdains corruption, but has in the past gotten into trouble for remarks that indicated a penchant for taking legal shortcuts to push reform or fight crime.

WATCH | Davao Mayor Duterte: 'If I am elected president...'

*

YEARENDER: Philippine economy shows strong resilience, sustains momentum*
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña (The Philippine Star) | January 1, 2015

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the overwhelming task of rebuilding following a powerful typhoon that ripped through the Visayas region, the Philippines showed great resilience and managed to sustain its growth momentum in 2014, albeit at a slower pace, as the government continued to step on the brakes on public spending.

Once known as the “sick man of Asia,” the Philippines has pulled through admirably to remain one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, owing to improvements in fiscal management and the Aquino administration’s good governance initiatives.

Since President Aquino came into office in 2010, the Philippines has witnessed an unprecedented period of macro-economic buoyancy which allowed it to attract greater foreign investments and win investment-grade ratings.

In 2013, the country expanded 7.2 percent to make it the second best-performing economy in Asia after China, driven by the robust services and industry sector as well as strong household consumption.

Thanks to the steady influx of remittances from millions of Filipinos working abroad as well as investments from business process outsourcing companies, the Philippines defied a regional slowdown which saw China’s economy slumping to its slowest pace of growth since the global financial crisis.

Effects from a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy have trickled through to South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia.

Stable remittances from Filipino overseas workers have provided a strong foundation for a healthy buildup of international reserves, which stood at $79 billion as of the end of November. The amount is equivalent to 8.3 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity.

The Philippine economy, however, slowed sharply in the third quarter — its weakest pace of growth since 2011 — due to anemic public spending, poor agricultural performance and port congestion.

State underspending remains an acute problem that could jeopardize President Aquino’s goal of boosting annual expansion to as much as 8.5 percent by the end of his term in 2016.

While the government spent six percent more in the nine months through September than the same period a year earlier, the amount was still 16 percent less than programmed.

Underspending by the government has been estimated at P274 billion in first nine months of 2014 alone.

Government expenditure has further weakened after the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional certain portions of the government’s Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), a fund allocation scheme intended to pump-prime the economy and address government underspending.

Last July 1, the high court unanimously voted to partially void DAP, saying it was unlawful to take unspent funds from projects that took time to be implemented and transfer these from one government branch to another.

According to the Supreme Court, the DAP encroached on congress’ exclusive power to appropriate funds.

The pullback in spending reflects the cautious stance by government agencies amid concerns over the misuse of public funds.

Major government agencies have become even more reluctant to spend to allow careful screening of projects and streamlining of procedures.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said besides the DAP ruling, court restraining orders on deals under the government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative had also affected spending and the implementation of other projects.

Purisima cited the temporary restraining order (TRO) on the largest PPP program, the extension of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 from Baclaran to Cavite, and the writ of kalikasan on the Redondo power plant in Subic, Zambales, issued three years ago that remains in effect.

Analysts said the lack of taxation reforms has also been blamed for the slowdown in state spending.

Public expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) remains low at 16.3 percent compared to the regional average of 24 percent.

Purisima said the government has a lot of room to ramp up spending given higher collections from its two biggest revenue earners — the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs.

State revenues grew 12.6 percent from January to October with both BIR and BOC posting double-digit growth in collections. Together, the BIR and BOC make up more than 80 percent of total government revenues.

Purisima said the reforms implemented by the BIR and BOC have brought the Philippines closer to its goal of hitting a 16.6-percent tax-to-GDP ratio from the 14.08 percent recorded in the first three quarters of 2014.

The government saw its tax effort rise to 14.1 percent from 13.7 percent while revenue effort improved to 15.8 percent from 15.3 percent.

“These latest tax and revenue effort figures, along with manageable national and general government debt levels, clearly manifest that the Philippines continues to stand on firm fiscal footing, which remains to be at the core of our country’s growth story,” Purisima said.

Finance Undersecretary and chief economist Gil Beltran said the DOF is sticking to its economic growth average forecast of six percent until the end of President Aquino’s term.

Beltran cited weakening inflation, low interest rates and a stable foreign exchange rate as reasons for the DOF’s bullish outlook on the economy.

“Inflation slowed to 3.7 percent in November. Interest rates net of inflation remain one of the lowest in Asia despite QE tapering in the United States,” he said.

Beltran also cited the four credit upgrades received by the Philippines, most recently by Moody’s on Dec. 11 and S&P on May 8 to a notch above investment grade, the highest rating ever given by both ratings agencies to the country.

The Philippines also received upgrades from Japanese R&I and NICE Investors Service of Korea.

Apart from this, the World Economic Forum has also recognized the Philippines as the most improved country since 2010 with a seven-slot gain in its 2014 international competitiveness rankings.

The Philippines also received Finance Asia’s Region’s Best Borrower Award for its innovative execution of an accelerated one-day switch tender offer last January 2014, its first transaction as an investment grade sovereign.

The country was likewise cited by the Economist Intelligence Unit for a financial inclusion policy framework that is among the best three in the world, the best in Asia, and as an acknowledged leader in microinsurance regulation.

The GIZ also cited the Philippines as the Asian emerging country with the highest microinsurance outreach as the country recorded 27 million persons covered. The Philippine model is now being used by GIZ in its technical assistance program for neighboring Asian countries.

“With these improvements and citations, the challenge is there for us to outperform ourselves. In 2015, we will work harder to push the revenue effort further up by at least 1/2 percentage point of GDP, reduce the NG debt ratio by at least a percentage point and further expand fiscal space for infrastructure and social services,” Beltran said.

The Philippines will host the APEC finance ministers’ meeting to showcase its development experience in the hope of boosting foreign investments.

“Seeing the fruits of our labor appear in a virtuous cycle only makes one thing clear: We will roll our sleeves up and hunker down to institutionalize reforms in the tail-end of this administration,” Beltran said.

For 2015, the Aquino administration aims to pass a comprehensive and equitable tax reform package that improves tax administration and revises the tax structure to boost growth and equity for all Filipinos.

Both chambers of Congress earlier approved their versions of a bill increasing the ceiling for tax exemption on bonuses for workers in the public and private sector.

The tax exemption covers all bonuses, including 13th month pay and Christmas bonus.

Aside from this, there are proposals from various parties to cut personal income tax rates from 32 percent to 25 percent to make them comparable to the standard taxation regime in the Asean region.

The Senate believes now is the right time to adjust individual income tax rates and brackets as the existing rates remain unchanged since 1996.

To recover the losses from higher tax exemptions, the DOF is looking at other tax-revenue raising measures, which include the imposition of additional tax on softdrinks and other sugary drinks.

“As we approach the finish line, we will power through with our priorities to modernize the Bureau of Customs, and rationalize fiscal incentives,” Beltran said.

Among the other measures being pushed pushed by the DOF are the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act, the Rationalization of the Mining Fiscal Regime, and the Amended Build-Operate-Transfer Law.

“Ingredients for sustained growth remain abundant as the fundamentals of our economy remain sound. Our reform agenda has been and will always be a force for inclusive and sustainable growth for an increasingly competitive Philippines,” Purisima said.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales said the Philippines’ low budget deficit and slowing inflation will push the economy to grow over 6.4 percent in 2015, making it the fastest growing in Southeast Asia.

However, the group warned that the country’s accelerating growth must be supported by the construction of quality infrastructures.

The Philippines continues to lag behind its counterparts in the Southeast Asian region when it comes to public infrastructure.

The inadequate supply of reliable infrastructure remains as one of the impediments to the country’s global competitiveness.

Despite its strong economic performance in recent years, the Philippines still posted low scores in other key indicators such as fixed phone lines, households with power, and paved roads.

Sluggish infrastructure development has been partly attributed to corruption and inefficient investment.

To catch up with its neighbors and sustain inclusive growth, the Philippines needs to raise public infrastructure spending to about five percent of GDP from the current 2.5 percent annually, which is one of the lowest rates in the region.

Foreign investors pointed to bureaucratic inefficiencies, particularly delays in the bidding and review process, as well as disputes within the private sector as barrier to investment and growth.

The Philippines ranks 91 among 144 countries in the World Economic Forum’s infrastructure rankings.

In the World Bank’s latest ranking of ease of doing business, the Philippines slid nine places to 95 out of 189 countries. The country fares poorly in the categories ability to start a business, access to credit, enforcement of contracts, and protection of minority investors.

The Philippines also continues to be in the bottom half in the Corruption Perceptions Index, the most widely used international measurement of corruption.

The Corruption Perception Index ranks countries based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be based on a scale of zero to 100, where zero means that a country is perceived as highly corrupt and 100 means it is perceived as very clean.

Despite these, the Philippines is still seen to post the most favorable growth rate in Southeast Asia in the next five years on expectations that post-typhoon reconstruction accelerates and exports rise, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said.

“Whoever will take office in June 2016 will inherit an economy that has less debt, more able workers, fewer dependents, low borrowing costs, and excess savings,” Trinh Nguyen, a Hong Kong-based analyst at HSBC said in the report.

“We believe the Philippines, as an economy in 2016 will be in the best shape in decades,” Nguyen said.

YEARENDERhl economy shows strong resilience, sustains momentum | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com


*FAQs: Pope Francis' trip to the Philippines*
Got questions on the Pope's first Philippine visit? Check out the frequently asked questions here.

Jan 02, 2015





MANILA, Philippines – Only a few more days until Pope Francis makes his first trip to the Philippines, and the largely Catholic nation is preparing for it in full force.

Officials are are ramping up security as the charismatic Argentine pontiff is expected to draw an estimated 6 million people to events during his 5-day visit, possibly rivaling the 5-million-strong crowd of Pope John Paul II's visit in 1995.

Francis' itinerary from January 15 to 19 will include a courtesy call in Malacañang and meetings with priests, the youth, families, and consecrated persons during his 4 days in the capital, Manila.

He will also spend one day in the province of Leyte to meet with survivors of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and the 2013 earthquake in the Visayas.

While some of the gatherings are limited to pre-selected attendees, there are several events that will give the public a glimpse of the Roman Catholic leader.

Rappler has compiled this list of frequently asked questions and answers from the weekly press briefings of the official papal visit committee.

*Which events are open to the public?*

Some of these events are limited to pre-selected attendees, but the public may still go to the venues and watch via screens that will be set up outside.

_January 16 (Friday)_

11:15 am – Holy Mass at the Manila Cathedral with 2,000 bishops, priests, and consecrated persons. Only those with IDs will be allowed to enter the cathedral, but the public can watch the event through screens outside. Tents with seats will be set up outside the cathedral.

_January 17 (Saturday)_

10 am – Mass at the Tacloban Airport grounds. Up to 160,000 people may be accommodated; big screens will also be set up for the public.

_January 18 (Sunday)_

10:30 am – Meeting with the youth at the University of Santo Tomas. This is open to the public, but the UST football field and grandstand will be designated to around 24,000 youth delegates only.

3:30 pm – Mass at the Rizal Park. Open to the public.

*Do we need tickets to attend the events?*

No tickets are issued, sold, or given away. The papal visit committee warns the public against those claiming to sell tickets to the events.

To get a better chance of having a glimpse of the Pope, the public is advised to come early to the venues and get a good spot.

*How can we get passes for the meeting with the youth in UST? The meeting with families at Mall of Asia? The meeting with Yolanda survivors in Leyte?*

Only pre-selected representatives will be allowed to participate in these events. They will be chosen by their respective dioceses. In an FAQ video, the papal visit committee suggests contacting the local parish or diocese for more information.

For more details on the meeting with the youth at UST, call the UST Office of Public Affairs at (02) 731-3544.

*Will Pope Francis stop for photos along his motorcade?*

It's not impossible. During his visit, the Pope will be riding an open, non-bulletproof "popemobile" to represent the ideal image of a "vulnerable, open, and accessible" Church.

This will allow Francis to step off the vehicle if he chooses. In his other trips, the Pope was known to make unscheduled stops during his motorcades to chat and be with the crowds.

*Can I get close to Pope Francis?*

With tight security and screening from the Philippine National Police, the Presidential Security Group, and the Vatican's own Swiss Guards, it's unlikely.

*Will there be work during Pope Francis' visit?*

January 15, 16, and 19 have been declared special (non-working) days in the National Capital Region.

*Are merchandise bearing the papal visit logo legal?*

While the official logo is copyrighted, independent sellers are not prohibited from creating their own designs and integrating elements of the papal visit, such as the theme and image of the Pope, in items that can be sold to commemorate the event.

*Where can I monitor updates?*

Visit Rappler's #PopeFrancisPH microsite for the latest stories, images, conversations, and perspective pieces on the Pope's visit to the Philippines.

An official papal visit app (papalvisitph) is also available on iOS and Android. The app links to the Pope's Twitter account (@pontifex) and official websites. It also features news updates and the Pope's Philippine itinerary, a photo gallery, the National Prayer for the Papal Visit, and a "prayer wall" for petitions.

*I'm flying in to the Philippines in January. When will flight arrivals be suspended?*

Local and foreign air carriers have suspended the arrival of flights in the Philippines on these dates:


January 15: no flight arrivals from 2 pm to 7 pm
January 19: no flight arrivals from 6 am to 10:30 am
*What airport roads will be closed?*

The following roads will be closed:


January 15: Sales Avenue, Andrews Avenue, and Domestic Road (3 pm to 7 pm)
January 19: Sales Avenue, Andrews Avenue, and Domestic Road (7 am to 10 am)
On these dates, Ninoy Aquino International Airport can only be accessed through South Superhighway, Bicutan, Sucat, and Alabang roads.

*I'm going to Manila for the Pope's visit. Where can I stay?*

Check out this list of hotels near key areas such as the Manila Cathedral, Mall of Asia, University of Santo Tomas, and Rizal Park.

*Where can we send donations for the papal visit?*

Check donations should be made payable to RCAM-Papal Visit.

Cash donations are accepted through these accounts:

BPI: Current Account 0051-0556-75
Security Bank: Savings Account 0061-015085-001
Donors are advised to inform the papal visit finance committee at (02) 527-2995 or email finance.papalvisit@yahoo.com.

FAQs: Pope Francis' trip to the Philippines

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## Ayan81

Tino-ud ba bhai [USER=161130 said:


> @Ayan81[/USER] ? Sa unang na panahon nga nag bisitar gayod ako sa Davao sa 2012, na kuyawhan gayud ko kai naka kita ko sa polis. Embes pistol ra , nag kubet sila og Armalite. Engon gud ahong tour guide nako, "The police here do not joke around, shoot to kill" daw. Maayo ra pod kai naa bitaw threats diha sa Davao, mao na dako pod ang responsibilidad ni Duterte , espesyalamente para safety pod sa Foreign Investors diha sa Davao.



Gi hadlok ra ka sa imong tour guide, dile mana sila manghilabot kung wala kay sala . It must be the PNP SAF you see

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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> Gi hadlok ra ka sa imong tour guide, dile mana sila manghilabot kung wala kay sala . It must be the PNP SAF you see
> 
> View attachment 180802



Maohan segoroh to kadto gi kita nako. Na kuyawhan gayud ko da. Pero impresib gayod ang pulis sa Davao, kai arang ka hinlo-a ang siyudad. Mas limpyo gyud ang Davao kay sa Cebu, Tagbilaran, Bacolod og Manila.

Na belib gayod ako. Arang ka kuyaw'a !


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## Reashot Xigwin

* Missile Upgrades for Gregorio Del Pilar Frigates to Boost PN's Deterrence Capability *




PF-15 Gregorio del Pilar (photo : Timawa)

MANILA (PNA) -- Installing a missile system aboard the two Gregorio Del Pilar class frigates in service will greatly boost the Philippine Navy's (PN) deterrence capability aside from boosting the country's credible defense posture.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, PN spokesperson, said that having these long range and potent weapons installed aboard BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) will act as force multipliers for the two ships.

"It will act as force multiplier for us, it will extend our patrolling reach, (the two ships) will no longer have to go there (threatened area) to thwart an aggressor, our missile systems, once in place on our capital ships, (will make intruders think twice about violating Philippine maritime territory), will aid (our) deterrence (capability) and protecting our vast and porous borders," he added.

At present, the two naval vessels are armed with a 76mm Oto Melara main gun, 25mm "Bushmaster" auto cannon at the stern, and a variety of heavy and light machine guns.

Arevalo also said that having missile armament will also provide the PN with the capability to engage aggressors at longer range compared to the reach of naval artillery, which is definitely much shorter.

Earlier, PN vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad said that upgrades for the two Gregorio Del Pilar class frigates includes the installation of modern anti-ship and anti-air missiles.

"Missile armaments (for the Gregorio Del Pilar class frigates) are in the pipeline," he added.

However, Taccad did not elaborate on this plan but said that this is part of the improvements to make the two ships more capable.

The two BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) was acquired last May 2011 while its sister ship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), was bought from the Americans in May 2012.

These weapons will fully transform these vessels into more capable Navy units, Taccad added.

He declined to comment on when these upgrades will take place for security reasons.

"Both vessels are programmed for upgrades in terms of sensors and firepower to revive their original capabilities," the PN earlier said.

Both ships are members of the 11-ship Hamilton class cutters designed and built for the US Coast Guard for heavy weather patrolling during the 1960s.

These ships are the largest in the US Coast Guard service and armed with the 76mm Oto Melara automatic cannon and closed-in-weapon systems.

One sister ship, the USCGC Mellon was even fitted with a Harpoon anti-ship missile system during the 1990s.

(PNA)

* PMC Acquire New GPMG, Sniper Rifles and Close Combat Optics *




M-14 sniper rifle (photo : airsoft)

*Marines acquire 220 units of 7.62mm GPMGs*

MANILA (PNA) -- In line with efforts to boost the fire support capabilities of its ground troops, the Philippine Navy (PN) has acquired 220 units of 7.62mm GPMGs (general purpose machine guns) for its Marine units.

PN vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad said "these machine guns are intended to fulfill the role of either a light machine gun or medium machine gun, while being at the same time, man-portable."

The 7.62mm GPMGs are also air-cooled and capable of firing full-power rifle cartridges.

Taccad said these machine guns will primarily provide multi-role automatic fire support weapons to Marine infantry squads and fire teams, especially the Force Reconnaissance teams and Special Operations platoons.

"These GPMGs will be also utilized as vehicle-mounted automatic fire support (weapons) to maneuvering units, convoys and defensive positions," he said. (PNA)

*Marines to get 7.62mm sniper rifles*

MANILA (PNA) -- The Philippine Navy (PN) announced that it will be acquiring 7.62mm sniper rifles for its Marine units.
The weapons will be fitted with the advanced M-40 platform which includes sophisticated sights and scopes, enabling Marine marksmen to detect and engage enemy targets at long ranges.

The weapon will replaced existing M-14 sniper rifles currently being used by Marine units.

PN vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad said the 7.62mm sniper rifles will also enhanced the capability of the Marine Scout snipers to acquire, observe, precisely engage and neutralize enemy targets from 800 meters and higher.
Taccad declined to comment on how many 7.62mm sniper rifles will be acquired for security reasons.

The PN vice commander also said that the weapon is now for "amendment of letter and offer acceptance". (PNA)

*Marines acquire close combat optics*

MANILA (PNA) -- The Philippine Navy (PN) announced that it has acquired 5,000 units of close combat optics which will further enhanced the targeting and aiming capabilities of its brand-new M-4 assault rifles.

The latter is a battery red dot type aiming device.

"We (have) acquired 5,000 units of this purposely to be fitted in the new assault rifles to enhance target acquisition speed of our ground troops," PN vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad said.

The M-4s replaced the antiquated four decades old M-16 automatic rifle in the Philippine Marine Corps inventory.

Taccad said these weapons will significantly contribute to the development and transformation of the Marines into a multi-mission-oriented force, capable of effectively addressing both internal and external threats.

Some 5,000 M-4 units were distributed to the Navy and Marine outfits last November. 

(PNA)

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## Ayan81

*Shoulder-fired and mobile missile batteries for AFP*

*



*

The government is on the works to acquire shoulder-fired anti-air missiles to ensure country’s preparedness to deal with air attacks.

Acquisition of mobile missile batteries with fire control radars and tracking devices is also underway.

“These weapons will be placed in strategic locations in major islands of the country, a ranking defense official, who requested anonymity, said,” as reported by government-run news agency.

The official added that the position of missile batteries will be changed “once in a while to prevent possible adversaries from gaining a fix on their locations.” 

Shoulder-fired and mobile missile batteries for AFP | Ang Malaya Net

______________________________________________________________________________

*Air Force needs more multi-role fighter aircraft*

*



*

The government is not setting aside plan for acquiring additional FA-50s from Korea Aerospace Industries. Department of National Defense Undersecretary Fernando said buying additional Fighting Eagle can’t be ruled out nor confirmed.

“What I know for sure is that we have an existing requirement for multi-role fighter aircraft,” Manalo said. “Acquisition of additional FA-50s depends on KAI and how much it will invest to upgrade and further develop the F/A-50s.”

He added that twelve FA-50s already bought from South Korean KAI are not enough given that the Philippine Air Force has huge capability gap.

It will also depend on what standard size of squadron the Air Force will adapt. “Squads of 12 to 24 or about 36? It is included in the Flight Plan of the Air Force. I would say the 12 is not enough – way below what is needed by the Air Force,” says the DND official responsible for finance, munition, modernization and material. 

Air Force needs more multi-role fighter aircraft | Ang Malaya Net

________________________________________________________________________________

*Armed AW-109: Two for Navy, Two for Air Force*

*



*

Department of National Defense confirms the delivery of four armed brand-new AgustaWestland AW-109E “Power” helicopters. Additional two for the Navy and first two out of eight for Philippine Air Force.

“They are now being assembled and according to a timeline I received, they will be flown to Clark Field, Pampanga for testing and acceptance,” DND Undersecretary Fernando Manalo. These helicopters were in the Philippines since late December 2014.

According to Philippine Navy commissioning of these helicopters is scheduled on January 16, 2015. These helis are armed with machine guns and 20mm cannons. 

Armed AW-109: Two for Navy, Two for Air Force | Ang Malaya Net

__________________________________________________________________________________

*Airbus chooses Philippines as next international training hub*

*



*

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATED) Airbus SAS, the manufacturer of the largest passenger aircraft, is setting up a training hub in the country, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) announced.

CAAP Director-General William Hotchkiss III said the aircraft builder is bringing in brand new Airbus A330/A340 full flight simulator and associated suite of devices, on top of two A320 simulators.

“The setting [up of the] training center is seen as a major initiative supporting CAAP’s current efforts to support the type rating training of the growing aviation industry,” Hotchkiss said in a statement Sunday, January 4.

The planned Airbus SAS training center was endorsed by CAAP to the Board of Investments (BOI) to entitle the French aircraft maker fiscal and non-fiscal incentives like income tax holidays, duty-free importation of capital equipment, among others.

This development could make the Philippines an international site for Airbus training as the aircraft maker continues to increase its fleet in the Asia Pacific region, Hotchkiss said.

To date, about 9,160 of the total global airplane orders are destined for the region, data from leading aviation information consultancy Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) showed.

Along with such huge order, there is a demand for 192,300 pilots and 215,300 technicians until 2030, CAPA added.

Both flag carrier Philippine Airlines and low-cost airline Cebu Pacific have pending orders for Airbus aircraft.

In 2014 alone, CAAP issued 24,253 airmen licenses.

Airbus SAS is the manufacturing unit of the Airbus Group, a multinational aerospace and defense firm based in Toulouse, France.

At present, the aircraft builder has training centers in Toulouse (southwestern France), Miami, Hamburg, Beijing, and Bangalore.

Its centers provide exclusive training for flight and cabin, including maintenance personnel of Airbus aircraft.

Airbus also built the A380 – the world's largest passenger airliner.

In October, Filipino captain Franklyn Desiderio – the first Filipino certified to fly A380 – safely landed the Emirates’ flagship aircraft at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 for a one-off, commercial flight. 

Airbus chooses Philippines as next international training hub

________________________________________________________________________________

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## Cossack25A1

No news about the new M113A2s


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## pr1v4t33r

*Old Case, Latest News*... South African ship captain guilty of arms smuggling
_globalnation.inquirer.net/116328/south-african-ship-captain-guilty-of-arms-smuggling/_






MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila de Lima hailed the recent decision of the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) to convict a South African ship captain accused of smuggling into the country more than P5 million worth of firearms from Indonesia.

The CTA Third Division last month sentenced Lawrence John Burne to from eight to 10 years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of P8,000 after he was found guilty of unlawful importation as defined under Section 3601 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.

“This is a warning to all those who want to harm the economy, those who want to deprive our country of rightful levies, including customs duties and taxes worth millions. Smugglers, regardless of influence or economic stature, have no place in our society but in jail,” De Lima said in a statement. She commended State Prosecutor Ramon Mendoza for the handling of the case even though Burne was still a fugitive after jumping bail.


Court records showed that the Panamanian-registered vessel M/V Ufuk skippered by Burne with 13 crew who were all Georgian nationals arrived in Mariveles, Bataan, from Jakarta in August 2009. 


A team from the Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police and Philippine Coast Guard found on board 20 wooden crates containing 100 rifles and 10 pistols—all made in Indonesia—worth about P5.6 million.


The ship captain was unable to produce the documents to support the cargo. He was charged with violation of the Tariff and Customs Code for the unlawful arms importation and assessed duties of about P1.3 million. After being charged and detained at the Bureau of Immigration, Burne was able to post P120,000 bail in 2011. He then left the country.

The CTA, however, continued the trial against him, adding: “Once an accused jumps bail, escapes from prison or confinement, or flees to a foreign country, he loses his standing in court and unless he surrenders or submits to the jurisdiction of the court, he is deemed to have waived any right to seek relief therefrom.


.

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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> No news about the new M113A2s



The ones coming this year are the armored vehicles from Israel (28), no mention on the A2's. Mas nauna pa ang Elbit kaysa kay uncle sam

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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> The ones coming this year are the armored vehicles from Israel (28), no mention on the A2's. Mas nauna pa ang Elbit kaysa kay uncle sam



I see. I guess while the Israelis are modifying the M113s, the Muricans are removing sensitive components in the M113s, giving us watered-down versions.


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> The ones coming this year are the armored vehicles from Israel (28), no mention on the A2's. Mas nauna pa ang Elbit kaysa kay uncle sam



Pas pas diay and maga Israelis kay sa maga 'Kano


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## Zero_wing

its mga sir well nice try keep studying


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## Ayan81

*Philippines to Purchase Two US C-130 Aircraft*

*




*

Manila , January 9, 2015— Yesterday, representatives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) led by Major General Victor Bayani, Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics, conducted a second inspection of two U.S. C-130 aircraft at the Joint Reserve Naval Air Station in Fort Worth Texas. Following this inspection, General Bayani officially signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance on behalf of the government of the Philippines to procure the aircraft, with an anticipated delivery date in the first quarter of 2016.

The sale of the two C-130s is part of the U.S. Government’s commitment to help the Philippines develop its territorial defense and maritime security capabilities, as well as enhance its ability to respond to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief emergencies, which routinely occur in the Philippines.

The C-130 is designed to provide significant airlift capabilities, even to remote under-developed airfields. This remarkable aircraft proved to be a critical lifesaving tool in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda, moving large numbers of people and humanitarian relief supplies in the affected areas. These additional aircraft from the United States will increase the number of mission-ready C-130s in the Philippine Air Force to five, significantly expanding the number and capacity of existing medium lift aircraft.

The total value of this procurement is projected to be about $55 million. As part of a joint investment program to build the capabilities of the Philippine Military, the U.S. is providing $20 million in U.S. Foreign Military Financing (FMF) towards this purchase.

In 2014 alone, the United States allocated a total of $50 million in FMF for the AFP. In addition to the C-130s, these funds will be used to help upgrade equipment onboard Philippine Navy ships, improve AFP Command and Control systems, provide advanced technical training, and strengthen institutions responsible for the maintenance and sustainment of the AFP’s growing inventory. This is another example of how the close partnership between U.S. and Philippine Forces is helping build further capacity that will benefit the entire nation.

http://manila.usembassy.gov/press-photo-releases-2015/philippines-purchase-two-us-c-130-aircraft.html

_______________________________________________________________________

*The Tiger MK2 in display in the PNP HQ 

























*
*Images from SpecTec Trading Ltd Facebook*
*_______________________________________________________

AFP equipped with top of the line products of Lior Textile from Israel
















Images from SpecTec Trading Ltd Facebook*

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## Ayan81

*Crates of AW-109 Helicopter during the unloading from the freighter*
*















*



Cossack25A1 said:


> I see. I guess while the Israelis are modifying the M113s, the Muricans are removing sensitive components in the M113s, giving us watered-down versions.



You get what you pay, we bought the ones coming from Israel while the A2's are free 



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Pas pas diay and maga Israelis kay sa maga 'Kano



Tinatamad siguro ang in-charge sa acquisition ng mga ito 

BTW guys are the pics from my last post visible?


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## Aepsilons

Zero_wing said:


> its mga sir well nice try keep studying



Salamat , amigo. Ako -- hinay hinay basta kanu-nay ... 



Ayan81 said:


> Tinatamad siguro ang in-charge sa acquisition ng mga ito
> 
> BTW guys are the pics from my last post visible?



He he he, segoro daghan red tape , amigo. 

Oo, visible kaayo ang pictures. Salamat !



Ayan81 said:


>




Excellent job on acquiring these, Philippines ! Mabuhay !



Ayan81 said:


>




Wow...now that's Filipina Beauty !


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> You get what you pay, we bought the ones coming from Israel while the A2's are free



I wonder if it is possible to mount the 1-meter turret on top of the M113, similar to the ones found in V-150s and Simba APCs.



Ayan81 said:


> *The Tiger MK2 in display in the PNP HQ
> 
> View attachment 182647
> 
> 
> View attachment 182649
> 
> 
> View attachment 182650
> 
> 
> View attachment 182652
> 
> 
> View attachment 182653
> 
> *




Is this foreign or local? If this is local, is this a development of the MX-8 or a new vehicle.


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> *
> 
> 
> 
> *



Convert 1 into a gun ship.


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Convert 1 into a gun ship.



Another alternative is to get all the Cessna planes in PH Army service and transfer them to Air Force and if possible, modify them that they can fire AT missile or rockets.


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Another alternative is to get all the Cessna planes in PH Army service and transfer them to Air Force and if possible, modify them that they can fire AT missile or rockets.



That would be a great update for the Philippine Air Force. Its time you guys wiped out those NPA and Abu Sayaff irritants once and for all.


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> That would be a great update for the Philippine Air Force. Its time you guys wiped out those NPA and Abu Sayaff irritants once and for all.



The Abu sayyaf can be annihilated if the government wants to. As for the NPA, they are the armed wing of the _Communist Party of the Philippines_, thus they (along with every single leftist groups) will likely draw the "Human Rights Violation" card if any action is taken against them despite that the NPA launch brutal guerrilla attacks. And oh, they are likely backed by China as CPP-NPA ideology includes Maoism.


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> The Abu sayyaf can be annihilated if the government wants to. As for the NPA, they are the armed wing of the _Communist Party of the Philippines_, thus they (along with every single leftist groups) will likely draw the "Human Rights Violation" card if any action is taken against them despite that the NPA launch brutal guerrilla attacks. And oh, they are likely backed by China as CPP-NPA ideology includes Maoism.



Are you trying to say that the Philippine Government is -- purposely allowing the Abu Sayyaf to remain active? What would the reasons for that be -- unless for a nefarious motive -- as in using them as a reason for more military arms purchase / defense spending ? I hope that is not the case. In regards to the NPA. The AFP should be unleashed to exterminate every single last one NPA member and rehabilitate communities that hold any semblance of NPA sympathy.


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Are you trying to say that the Philippine Government is -- purposely allowing the Abu Sayyaf to remain active? What would the reasons for that be -- unless for a nefarious motive -- as in using them as a reason for more military arms purchase / defense spending ? I hope that is not the case. In regards to the NPA. The AFP should be unleashed to exterminate every single last one NPA member and rehabilitate communities that hold any semblance of NPA sympathy.



Not exactly but whenever the government does something, human rights groups go full-steam to criticize the actions in an attempt to bait international groups to shame the government and military. Another issue is that the other extreme Muslim groups in the Philippines may join the Abu Sayyaf, seeing the actions as "against the Muslim community" in the Philippines.

As for the NPA, it cannot be easily defeated unless the Communist Party of the Philippines and the Philippines National Democratic Front are designated as illegitimate and illegal organizations. Sadly, there are some Filipinos here support letting the CPP-NDF on having power at national level and remember, the NPA is their armed front. Also, the human rights group would also be noisy.

If Duterte didn't consider having an alliance with the CPP-NDF and that Joma Sison shut the hell up...

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Not exactly but whenever the government does something, human rights groups go full-steam to criticize the actions in an attempt to bait international groups to shame the government and military. Another issue is that the other extreme Muslim groups in the Philippines may join the Abu Sayyaf, seeing the actions as "against the Muslim community" in the Philippines.
> 
> As for the NPA, it cannot be easily defeated unless the Communist Party of the Philippines and the Philippines National Democratic Front are designated as illegitimate and illegal organizations. Sadly, there are some Filipinos here support letting the CPP-NDF on having power at national level and remember, the NPA is their armed front. Also, the human rights group would also be noisy.
> 
> If Duterte didn't consider having an alliance with the CPP-NDF and that Joma Sison shut the hell up...




A Filipino friend of mine who works for the DILG said the same thing --- regarding the Abu Sayyaf. Its very precarious situation especially in Mindanao where there is a fragile and delicate peace process. I can understand that any excessive operations may be misinterpreted. However, these Abu Sayyaf group are terrorist organizations and are down right extremists. As for this Joma Sison -- is he some kind of leader of the NPA ?


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> A Filipino friend of mine who works for the DILG said the same thing --- regarding the Abu Sayyaf. Its very precarious situation especially in Mindanao where there is a fragile and delicate peace process. I can understand that any excessive operations may be misinterpreted. However, these Abu Sayyaf group are terrorist organizations and are down right extremists. As for this Joma Sison -- is he some kind of leader of the NPA ?



Well this is what I see as I had only worked at the Dept. of Tourism before but the human rights groups making the news is quite common when it involves the military. Also, there is a growing mistrust between Filipinos of different religion, making things very complicated. Former president Joseph Estrada was right in waging all-out war against the Abu Sayyaf but it didn't end well as MILF and MNLF groups joined the fight, then came 9/11.

Jose Maria "Joma" Sison is the one responsible re-organizing the _Communist Party of the Philippines_, adding Maoism as its ideological base. He went into exile in the Netherlands after he was released from prison by none other than Noynoy's mom, former president Corazon Aquino on the basis of simply "opposing Marcos."

He, along with Bernabe Buscayno (called _Kumander Dante_ who founded the NPA) joined forces, starting the communist insurgency that is still happening at present.


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Well this is what I see as I had only worked at the Dept. of Tourism before but the human rights groups making the news is quite common when it involves the military. Also, there is a growing mistrust between Filipinos of different religion, making things very complicated. Former president Joseph Estrada was right in waging all-out war against the Abu Sayyaf but it didn't end well as MILF and MNLF groups joined the fight, then came 9/11.
> 
> Jose Maria "Joma" Sison is the one responsible re-organizing the _Communist Party of the Philippines_, adding Maoism as its ideological base. He went into exile in the Netherlands after he was released from prison by none other than Noynoy's mom, former president Corazon Aquino on the basis of simply "opposing Marcos."
> 
> He, along with Bernabe Buscayno (called _Kumander Dante_ who founded the NPA) joined forces, starting the communist insurgency that is still happening at present.



Thank you for that excellent piece of information @Cossack25A1 ! It is only common sense that Bernabe Buscayno and this Jose Sison -- should both be arrested. Since there is no capital punishment in the Philippines, both of them should be placed behind bars , indefinitely as traitors. 

This is my personal opinion, of course.

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Thank you for that excellent piece of information @Cossack25A1 ! It is only common sense that Bernabe Buscayno and this Jose Sison -- should both be arrested. Since there is no capital punishment in the Philippines, both of them should be placed behind bars , indefinitely as traitors.
> 
> This is my personal opinion, of course.



As an additional note, after the Jabidah incident, a group of radicals Muslims led by Nur Misuari created the Moro National Liberation Front which aims an independent Moro state. Their armed uprising is said to be inspired by armed struggle the CPP-NPA is conducting during those times.

Unfortunately, Joma Sison is living in the Netherlands, seeking political asylum but it is unlikely as he have a case in the Nertherlands that is still ongoing ever since 2008 but if some pictures posted in social media is to be believed, it seems despite the detention, Joma Sison is living a decadent life there.


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> As an additional note, after the Jabidah incident, a group of radicals Muslims led by Nur Misuari created the Moro National Liberation Front which aims an independent Moro state. Their armed uprising is said to be inspired by armed struggle the CPP-NPA is conducting during those times.



It seems that even the leaders of 'rebellions' even tried being career politicians. If I'm not mistaken, Misuari was Governor of the Autonomous Muslim Mindanao Region, right? It behooves me why he abrogated that position when he involved himself with that foolhardy shooting incident with the Philippine Army two years ago. 

I mean no offense when I say this, amigo @Cossack25A1 , but I do believe you Filipinos are way, way too forgiving. In my country, these types of individuals would be tried and declared traitors to the nation and hanged by the neck until dead. Or, if they prefer to salvage their honor, it would be made known to them that if they wish-- they may commit hara kiri to at least -- save some sort of honor. 

You Filipinos are very forgiving, to a flaw....

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> It seems that even the leaders of 'rebellions' even tried being career politicians. If I'm not mistaken, Misuari was Governor of the Autonomous Muslim Mindanao Region, right? It behooves me why he abrogated that position when he involved himself with that foolhardy shooting incident with the Philippine Army two years ago.
> 
> I mean no offense when I say this, amigo @Cossack25A1 , but I do believe you Filipinos are way, way too forgiving. In my country, these types of individuals would be tried and declared traitors to the nation and hanged by the neck until dead. Or, if they prefer to salvage their honor, it would be made known to them that if they wish-- they may commit hara kiri to at least -- save some sort of honor.
> 
> You Filipinos are very forgiving, to a flaw....



Yup and he failed spectacularly.

I am aware of this flaw that my countrymen has and to be honest, I hate it; I hate that we extremely forgiving. This is basically the result of Catholic belief. Sadly, our politicians on the other hand are way too shameless to admit that they are wrong and worse, most of the Filipinos are either apathetic or have been swayed by the media excessively, making majority of the Filipinos blind to all the dirty politics our public servants are playing.

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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> I wonder if it is possible to mount the 1-meter turret on top of the M113, similar to the ones found in V-150s and Simba APCs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is this foreign or local? If this is local, is this a development of the MX-8 or a new vehicle.



I prefer AFP to go independent on this one. Its time we built our own RCWS Mapua has to step up and go with Trident III, the first/second one looks needs a lot of improvement, forget asking funds from the AFP, Mapua has to tap private investors in this project. A stabilized night capable RCWS can improve the efficiency of the V-150's and the incoming A2's.

No, SPECTEC Trading is from Israel, maybe they are here to push the sale of the Tiger to the PNP SAF. Marami na kasi casualties sa ambush ng NPA.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Convert 1 into a gun ship.



Better convert both of them to a palletized 'roll-on roll-off' maritime patrol aircraft while maintining its primary role for HADR missions.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Salamat , amigo. Ako -- hinay hinay basta kanu-nay ...



Sakto gyud ka bai, bahalag hinay basta kanunay

*________________________________________________________________________*

*POPE MOBILE JEEPNEY STYLE










*

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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> POPE MOBILE JEEPNEY STYLE




This is going to be so awesome ! You will have to update us on His Holiness' visit to the Philippines.


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## Cossack25A1

*New buzz words, targets: P600B for AFP modernization*
_*Defense officials want everyone to drop the buzz phrase 'minimum credible deterrence' and instead use 'credible deterrence' as the motivation for the AFP's modernization*_
-----
*Carmela Fonbuena*
Published 9:00 AM, Jan 10, 2015 
Updated 9:00 AM, Jan 10, 2015
-----

MANILA, Philippines – There are new buzz words and new targets that observers of the modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) need to know.

There's first horizon and second horizon – your first two buzz words – as defense officials are now discussing the “second horizon” of AFP modernization as the “first horizon” makes significant advances.

The first horizon refers to the P90.86 billion (US$ 2,024,360,800/ CNY 12,479,621,000) allocation provided by the Aquino administration under the Revised AFP Modernization law seeking to modernize the military in the wake of China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

*It is not much compared to the defense budgets of neighboring countries but it has been the most aggressive modernization by one of Asia’s weakest militaries.*

The first horizon, which is set to be completed by 2017, includes the 12 fighter jets – two of which are arriving at the end of the year – and the long-delayed two frigates that the Department of National Defense (DND) is hoping to bid out in the first quarter. These are the two big-ticket items in a list of 91 projects funded by the P90-billion (US$ 2,005,200,000/ CNY 12,361,500,000) modernization fund.

As most of these items await deliveries, defense officials want everyone to drop the buzz phrase “minimum credible deterrence” as the motivation for the modernization. The goal now is “credible deterrence” because how does one measure “minimum” anyway, asked one official.


*Note to Aquino successor*

Defense officials are now in the thick of meetings to identify priorities under the “second horizon” of modernization slated between 2018 and 2023.

DND Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions and Materiel Fernando Manalo said it’s premature to enumerate the items but it will focus on areas of concern.

*“The second horizon will probably be heavy on HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response) and the West Philippine Sea and not so much on the ISO (International Security Operations) because we are expecting that ISO will not be so intense in the next 5 years and what we have already acquired should be sufficient to address ISO,” said Manalo.*

This should mean additional frigates for the Philippine Navy to complete its minimum requirement of 6 frigates to effectively patrol the country’s waters and the possible acquisition of multi-role fighters, which is more sophisticated than the FA-50 lead-in fighter trainers that the PAF are getting.

*Based on Manalo’s estimates, the second horizon will need a budget that is “much higher than [the] P90 billion (US$ 2,005,200,000/ CNY 12,361,500,000)” allocated for the first horizon.* It is a commitment that the security sector will need to get from the successor of President Benigno Aquino III who is stepping down in 2016.

Manalo said the J5 (Office of the AFP deputy chief of staff for plans) and the Office of the assistant secretary for plans and programs are finalizing the list for the second horizon.

“I think within the year, the Department of National Defense will be able to submit the proposed modernization for the second horizon,” Manalo added.


*Third horizon to complete the P600-B requirement*

*There is a “third horizon” in the pipeline – covering the period 2024-2028 – in the hope that the second horizon will not meet the fate of the original AFP Modernization law – the precursor of the Revised AFP Modernization law – that promised P330 billion (US$ 7,352,400,000/ CNY 45,325,500,000) in modernization funds but went pfft.*

Manalo could not give estimates on the cost of the third horizon but all 3 horizons, he said, should “not less than twice” the original funding provided by the original law, meaning, P660 billion (US$ 14,704,800,000/ CNY 90,651,000,000). *– Rappler.com*

*-----
New buzz words, targets: P600B for AFP modernization

*

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> *New buzz words, targets: P600B for AFP modernization*
> _*Defense officials want everyone to drop the buzz phrase 'minimum credible deterrence' and instead use 'credible deterrence' as the motivation for the AFP's modernization*_
> -----
> *Carmela Fonbuena*
> Published 9:00 AM, Jan 10, 2015
> Updated 9:00 AM, Jan 10, 2015
> -----
> 
> MANILA, Philippines – There are new buzz words and new targets that observers of the modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) need to know.
> 
> There's first horizon and second horizon – your first two buzz words – as defense officials are now discussing the “second horizon” of AFP modernization as the “first horizon” makes significant advances.
> 
> The first horizon refers to the P90.86 billion (US$ 2,024,360,800/ CNY 12,479,621,000) allocation provided by the Aquino administration under the Revised AFP Modernization law seeking to modernize the military in the wake of China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
> 
> *It is not much compared to the defense budgets of neighboring countries but it has been the most aggressive modernization by one of Asia’s weakest militaries.*
> 
> The first horizon, which is set to be completed by 2017, includes the 12 fighter jets – two of which are arriving at the end of the year – and the long-delayed two frigates that the Department of National Defense (DND) is hoping to bid out in the first quarter. These are the two big-ticket items in a list of 91 projects funded by the P90-billion (US$ 2,005,200,000/ CNY 12,361,500,000) modernization fund.
> 
> As most of these items await deliveries, defense officials want everyone to drop the buzz phrase “minimum credible deterrence” as the motivation for the modernization. The goal now is “credible deterrence” because how does one measure “minimum” anyway, asked one official.
> 
> 
> *Note to Aquino successor*
> 
> Defense officials are now in the thick of meetings to identify priorities under the “second horizon” of modernization slated between 2018 and 2023.
> 
> DND Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions and Materiel Fernando Manalo said it’s premature to enumerate the items but it will focus on areas of concern.
> 
> *“The second horizon will probably be heavy on HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response) and the West Philippine Sea and not so much on the ISO (International Security Operations) because we are expecting that ISO will not be so intense in the next 5 years and what we have already acquired should be sufficient to address ISO,” said Manalo.*
> 
> This should mean additional frigates for the Philippine Navy to complete its minimum requirement of 6 frigates to effectively patrol the country’s waters and the possible acquisition of multi-role fighters, which is more sophisticated than the FA-50 lead-in fighter trainers that the PAF are getting.
> 
> *Based on Manalo’s estimates, the second horizon will need a budget that is “much higher than [the] P90 billion (US$ 2,005,200,000/ CNY 12,361,500,000)” allocated for the first horizon.* It is a commitment that the security sector will need to get from the successor of President Benigno Aquino III who is stepping down in 2016.
> 
> Manalo said the J5 (Office of the AFP deputy chief of staff for plans) and the Office of the assistant secretary for plans and programs are finalizing the list for the second horizon.
> 
> “I think within the year, the Department of National Defense will be able to submit the proposed modernization for the second horizon,” Manalo added.
> 
> 
> *Third horizon to complete the P600-B requirement*
> 
> *There is a “third horizon” in the pipeline – covering the period 2024-2028 – in the hope that the second horizon will not meet the fate of the original AFP Modernization law – the precursor of the Revised AFP Modernization law – that promised P330 billion (US$ 7,352,400,000/ CNY 45,325,500,000) in modernization funds but went pfft.*
> 
> Manalo could not give estimates on the cost of the third horizon but all 3 horizons, he said, should “not less than twice” the original funding provided by the original law, meaning, P660 billion (US$ 14,704,800,000/ CNY 90,651,000,000). *– Rappler.com*
> 
> *-----
> New buzz words, targets: P600B for AFP modernization
> *




The Philippines has one of the highest GDPs in the entire ASEAN (in the same league with Malaysia-Thailand). Thus, it should also maintain a defense spending of at least 1-2% of the GDP. 

Her GDP is $290 Billion (same as Israel's, btw). And thus if she allocates at least 2% to defense spending --- it would be $5.8 Billion per annum. That's enough to maintain a robust defense force --- in proportion to the size of the Philippines.

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> The Philippines has one of the highest GDPs in the entire ASEAN (in the same league with Malaysia-Thailand). Thus, it should also maintain a defense spending of at least 1-2% of the GDP.
> 
> Her GDP is $290 Billion (same as Israel's, btw). And thus if she allocates at least 2% to defense spending --- it would be $5.8 Billion per annum. That's enough to maintain a robust defense force --- in proportion to the size of the Philippines.



This would be possible if corruption is not rampant because most politicians would rather care more about their political standing and piggy banks.


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## Ayan81

Cossack25A1 said:


> *“The second horizon will probably be heavy on HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response) and the West Philippine Sea and not so much on the ISO (International Security Operations) because we are expecting that ISO will not be so intense in the next 5 years and what we have already acquired should be sufficient to address ISO,” said Manalo.*



External security not important in the next 5 years? WTH, they already expecting a win on the tribunal. It should be the other way around focusing HADR on the first phase then concentrate on the ISO on the second/third phase.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> The Philippines has one of the highest GDPs in the entire ASEAN (in the same league with Malaysia-Thailand). Thus, it should also maintain a defense spending of at least 1-2% of the GDP.
> 
> Her GDP is $290 Billion (same as Israel's, btw). And thus if she allocates at least 2% to defense spending --- it would be $5.8 Billion per annum. That's enough to maintain a robust defense force --- in proportion to the size of the Philippines.



True, 5 billion would be enough for the AFP till 2020. 1 billion per year to buy wares to catch for decades of neglect while the rest of 4 billion is enough for the yearly expenses, maintenance, etc.

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## DarkElf

This article is interesting, if it's true. Apparently Philliphine is not laggard at all in defense spending. You guys spend as much as Vietnam, percentage wise even higher than Malay and Indo, without much result to speak. No wonder you guys always complain about corruption......
Indo-Pacific Review Fear Us: Military Expenditures in Southeast Asia - Indo-Pacific Review


> *Vietnam*
> 
> What is fascinating and surprising about Vietnam is that although their defense expenditure is very close to the Philippines, Hanoi has been able to do so much more with it than Manila. There is not a country in Southeast Asia that has brought more military capabilities on line in as short a time as Vietnam.
> 
> Vietnamese military spending increased by 270 percent between 2004-2013. Within that decade, military expenditures averaged 2.25 percent of GDP. This has allowed Vietnam to add several new squadrons of advanced Russian jet fighters, purchase a fleet of six Kilo-class submarines, and add several new Gephard Class frigates and two Dutch-built corvettes to its fleet. Vietnam has also stepped up indigenous production of naval vessels and ballistic missiles.


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## Cossack25A1

I wonder if the ERC 90 Sagaie/Lynx is a good platform to complement or replace the PH Marine Corps' LAV-300s (as well as replacing the resurrected LVTH-6 Amtracks) that are in service as the vehicle is all-terrain and amphibious and there are no signs of support for BMP-3 acquisition.

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## Ayan81

Photos of the two recently delivered AW-109 helicopters for the Philippine Navy, with assembly still incomplete. As they required to go for localized testing and checking before acceptance.






Photo from Maxdefense Facebook
MaxDefense - Philippine and Asian Defense Issues | Facebook



Cossack25A1 said:


> I wonder if the ERC 90 Sagaie/Lynx is a good platform to complement or replace the PH Marine Corps' LAV-300s (as well as replacing the resurrected LVTH-6 Amtracks) that are in service as the vehicle is all-terrain and amphibious and there are no signs of support for BMP-3 acquisition.



Satisfied pa cguro sila sa performance ng V-150 at LAV, kung sa tutuusin hindi naman kailangan palitan agad, upgrade cguro uu.

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## Zero_wing

Why hindi dapat striker or BMP pwede pa


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> Satisfied pa cguro sila sa performance ng V-150 at LAV, kung sa tutuusin hindi naman kailangan palitan agad, upgrade cguro uu.



Well the LVTH-6 needs to be replaced as we will be receiving the AAVP in the future and I am not sure if we can afford to maintain the LVTH-6; also its size makes it less mobile.

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Well the LVTH-6 needs to be replaced as we will be receiving the AAVP in the future and I am not sure if we can afford to maintain the LVTH-6; also its size makes it less mobile.



So its basicly the AAVPs and the BMPs if we can buy Russian that is


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> So its basicly the AAVPs and the BMPs if we can buy Russian that is








The Stridsvagn 103 (or S-Tank) is said to be amphibious and best of all, it is no longer used by the Swedish military. Mayber we can buy this from them if the plans for BMP-3 is not pursued.


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## Ayan81

*Remington R-4A3 carbines with EOTech optical sights for the PMC's MBLT5*


_




_

_



_












_LCDR ML MARTIR (PN)_
Government Arsenal, DND (Philippines) | Facebook


______________________________________________________________________________

*PNP SAF operators secure Taft Avenue for Pope Visit*

*



*

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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> *Remington R-4A3 carbines with EOTech optical sights for the PMC's MBLT5*
> 
> 
> _
> View attachment 183997
> _
> 
> _
> View attachment 183998
> _
> 
> _LCDR ML MARTIR (PN)_
> _Philippines Defense Forces Forum | Facebook_



Reminds me of the rifles during the 75th anniversary of DND which has the EOTech sights.

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## Cossack25A1

*While the Philippines is busy with the Pope being here, there are still some news updates about the PH military*

*-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

*The US Just Gave the Philippine Military Another Boost *
*Aircraft will be a much-needed and long overdue shot in the arm for Manila.*

By Prashanth Parameswaran
January 14, 2015
-----
On January 9, the United States disclosed that it would give the Philippines a pair of surplus Lockheed Martin C-130T Hercules transport aircraft in early 2016.

This is old news to those who follow Asian defense closely. The Philippines has been looking to boost its C-130 fleet for years, and the Obama administration has been mulling granting such aircraft to the Philippine government for a while now, with outstanding questions on issues such as the number and timing. News of the impending donation itself first broke publicly in July 2014, with the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. disclosing that the planes would be delivered in 2015 and all that was left was the finalization of documents. The official announcement now confirms that it will happen in 2016, not 2015.

There is little doubt that this is a much-needed boost for the Philippine military. The C-130s play a critical role in “strategic airlifting,” which is in high demand — especially when the country is ravaged by natural disasters and needs to transport victims, rescue personnel, and supplies, as was the case with Typhoon Hagupit in 2014. But C-130s also have broader applications, including moving and resupplying troops to tackle ongoing insurgencies at home and assisting in humanitarian disaster relief and peacekeeping operations abroad. The Philippine military used to have many more C-130s lying around a few decades ago, but they were mothballed following years of neglect that many now bemoan. As a result, the country’s capacity has long been vastly overstretched and it badly needs more of these planes.


*The deal is also cost-effective, which is hardly an unimportant consideration for the two allies who just inked a new defense agreement last year with a wary eye towards China’s continued assertiveness in the South China Sea. The cash-strapped Philippines often cannot afford new equipment, and this pact offers it refurbished items that Washington is also helping pay for. Meanwhile, the United States gets to boost its ally’s capabilities with equipment it no longer needs amid lingering worries about sequestration.*

While this is a boost for the Philippine military, it is also a small one. Former AFP chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista has said publicly that the Philippine Air Force should have at least nine C-130s, so this addition alone still leaves much to be desired. Other creative moves could get it to that magic number, though. For instance, while most of the old Philippine C-130s referenced earlier are beyond repair, insiders say at least a few of them can still be brought back after significant work and some time. That would be a welcome step as the country looks to finally truly modernize its military over the next few years.
-----
*The US Just Gave the Philippine Military Another Boost | The Diplomat*

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## Cossack25A1

*6 Events That Will Shape Philippine Politics in 2015*
_*The last year before the 2016 presidential elections promises to be an interesting one.*_
*
By Mong Palatino
January 18, 2015*

If 2014 was the year when the Philippines struggled to recover from the devastating impact of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), what might await Philippine politics in 2015?

*1. The state visit and apostolic journey of Pope Francis was a much needed spiritual boost for many people in the Philippines, the largest Catholic-dominated nation in Asia*. He visited Typhoon Haiyan victims, interacted with the youth and street children, and spoke about “scandalous” poverty and corruption in front of the country’s top leaders. Will politicians heed the pope’s reminder to “reject every form of corruption that diverts resources from the poor”? The pope spent only five days in the Philippines but he has already made a huge impact on local politics.


2. Once Pope Francis leaves the Philippines, it will signal the unofficial start of campaigning for the 2016 presidential election. There will be intense bickering among politicians in the next few months. The ruling coalition is expected to consolidate its ranks and election machinery while aggressively marginalizing the political opposition. But while President Benigno Aquino III continues to be popular, he is constitutionally barred from running again and his allies are trailing behind opposition leader and Vice President Jejomar Binay in pre-election surveys.


*3. The dispute with China over the conflicting territorial and maritime claims in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) is still the main agenda that the Philippines will continue to raise in the Asia-Pacific region. *The Philippines has filed a case in the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal against the ownership claims of China. This will further inspire Filipinos to mobilize against what they see as China’s bully behavior in the region.


4. The next six months is crucial to implement the roadmap for peace which the government has drafted in cooperation with the leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The initial challenge is to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law in Congress without it being diluted; and to convince legal scholars and critics that it does not violate the 1987 Constitution. If Aquino succeeds in establishing the Bangsamoro transition authority before the end of his term next year, it will be a major legacy of his administration.

Another initiative that Aquino can pursue is the resumption of the stalled peace talks with communist rebels.


*5. The economic experience of the Philippines will be under global scrutiny as it prepares to host the annual summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Aquino earlier announced that the theme of this year’s APEC gathering is “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World”.*

“As the clamor for progress that leaves no one behind resounds the world over, the Philippines has the opportunity to set a global example of inclusivity this year,” Aquino said. But while he is proud of the country’s strong economic fundamentals, critics will probably remind APEC participants about the failure of the economy under Aquino to solve poverty and deep inequality in society.

*The last time Manila hosted the APEC summit was in 1996.*

The planned economic integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN 2015) will be another major event, but whether or not it will figure prominently in the country’s politics remains to be seen.


*6. Disaster recovery will be a priority for both the national and local governments. Aquino cannot allow the slow pace of rehabilitation in the Haiyan-affected towns to continue if he wants to get a better assessment of his administration. His leadership will be defined by the success or failure of his disaster recovery program in Samar and Leyte*. As for local politicians in other disaster-hit towns, they risk losing public support if they appear ineffective in distributing relief and making aid money useful in reviving the local economy.

These 12 months are a period of preparation for the Philippines’ big year in 2016, when the country is due to vote in a new president. It is a year in which the current government will seek to take bold steps to leave a positive and lasting legacy while the opposition tries to present itself as a credible alternative. Because of this, 2015 promises to be an exciting year for Philippine politics.

-----

6 Events That Will Shape Philippine Politics in 2015 | The Diplomat


----------



## Pinoy

*Pope Francis in Manila: Pope departs Philippines after record-breaking Mass*
19 January 2015





Pope Francis has departed for Rome after drawing huge crowds during his five-day visit to the Philippines.

Tens of thousands of people lined the route of the Pope's motorcade to catch a last glimpse of the pontiff on his way to Villamor Air Base.

*A crowd estimated at a record six million braved stormy weather to attend an outdoor Mass in Manila on Sunday.*

The Pope has spent a week in Asia, also visiting Sri Lanka, marking it as a growth region for the Catholic Church.

*More than 80 million people are Catholic in the Philippines and the Pope was surrounded by adoring crowds everywhere he went.*

*



*
*The Pope has dedicated his trip to the Philippines to the poor and marginal





School children performed as the Pope departed for Rome
*
On Monday, the streets were packed again as the leader of the Catholic Church made his way to the airport.

President Benigno Aquino led a departure ceremony on the tarmac as children sang and danced, chanting "Pope Francis we love you".

The Pope gave a final wave before boarding the Philippines Airlines plane.







*Catholics in Asia*

*Philippines - 75,940,000 - Third highest population of Catholics in the world behind Brazil and Mexico*

India - 10,570,000

China - 9,000,000

Indonesia - 7,230,000

Australia - 6,500,000

South Korea - 5,270,000
Source: Pew Research (2010 estimates)






*On Sunday, the Pope's Asia tour culminated with what organisers say was a world record for a papal gathering as he celebrated an outdoor Mass in Manila's Rizal Park.*

The previous record of five million people was estimated to have been set during a Mass by John Paul II at the same venue in 1995.

During his visit, Pope Francis has spoken out repeatedly on the need to reduce poverty and inequality. He dedicated the final homily of his trip to children.





*An outdoor mass in Rizal Park broke the world record for a papal gathering*

"We need to see each child as a gift to be welcomed, cherished and protected," he said. "And we need to care for our young people, not allowing them to be robbed of hope and condemned to a life on the streets."

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Manila said as much as he could Pope Francis tried to identify with the poor in the Philippines; wearing a cheap plastic raincoat, riding in a pope-mobile modelled on the mass transport Filipino Jeepney and hugging street children.

He also pushed those in a position of power to help the poor and destitute.

*The Pope also said the main reason he chose to visit the Philippines was to meet survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 7,000 people in November 2013.*

On Saturday he visited Tacloban, the city in the central Philippines worst affected by the powerful storm.






BBC News - Pope Francis in Manila: Pope departs Philippines after record-breaking Mass

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## Aepsilons

Pinoy said:


> *Pope Francis in Manila: Pope departs Philippines after record-breaking Mass*
> 19 January 2015
> 
> View attachment 184887
> 
> Pope Francis has departed for Rome after drawing huge crowds during his five-day visit to the Philippines.
> 
> Tens of thousands of people lined the route of the Pope's motorcade to catch a last glimpse of the pontiff on his way to Villamor Air Base.
> 
> *A crowd estimated at a record six million braved stormy weather to attend an outdoor Mass in Manila on Sunday.*
> 
> The Pope has spent a week in Asia, also visiting Sri Lanka, marking it as a growth region for the Catholic Church.
> 
> *More than 80 million people are Catholic in the Philippines and the Pope was surrounded by adoring crowds everywhere he went.*
> 
> *
> View attachment 184888
> *
> *The Pope has dedicated his trip to the Philippines to the poor and marginal
> 
> View attachment 184890
> 
> School children performed as the Pope departed for Rome
> *
> On Monday, the streets were packed again as the leader of the Catholic Church made his way to the airport.
> 
> President Benigno Aquino led a departure ceremony on the tarmac as children sang and danced, chanting "Pope Francis we love you".
> 
> The Pope gave a final wave before boarding the Philippines Airlines plane.
> 
> 
> View attachment 184893
> 
> 
> *Catholics in Asia*
> 
> *Philippines - 75,940,000 - Third highest population of Catholics in the world behind Brazil and Mexico*
> 
> India - 10,570,000
> 
> China - 9,000,000
> 
> Indonesia - 7,230,000
> 
> Australia - 6,500,000
> 
> South Korea - 5,270,000
> Source: Pew Research (2010 estimates)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *On Sunday, the Pope's Asia tour culminated with what organisers say was a world record for a papal gathering as he celebrated an outdoor Mass in Manila's Rizal Park.*
> 
> The previous record of five million people was estimated to have been set during a Mass by John Paul II at the same venue in 1995.
> 
> During his visit, Pope Francis has spoken out repeatedly on the need to reduce poverty and inequality. He dedicated the final homily of his trip to children.
> 
> View attachment 184894
> 
> *An outdoor mass in Rizal Park broke the world record for a papal gathering*
> 
> "We need to see each child as a gift to be welcomed, cherished and protected," he said. "And we need to care for our young people, not allowing them to be robbed of hope and condemned to a life on the streets."
> 
> The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Manila said as much as he could Pope Francis tried to identify with the poor in the Philippines; wearing a cheap plastic raincoat, riding in a pope-mobile modelled on the mass transport Filipino Jeepney and hugging street children.
> 
> He also pushed those in a position of power to help the poor and destitute.
> 
> *The Pope also said the main reason he chose to visit the Philippines was to meet survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 7,000 people in November 2013.*
> 
> On Saturday he visited Tacloban, the city in the central Philippines worst affected by the powerful storm.
> 
> View attachment 184896
> 
> 
> BBC News - Pope Francis in Manila: Pope departs Philippines after record-breaking Mass




Sanctus Papam,

Pax Vobiscum In Nominum Deum Iesus Christus. Amen.

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## Ayan81

*PAF to acquire 3 modern flight simulators for P246 M*

*



*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is acquiring three modern flight simulators for P246.4 million to help pilots operate efficiently the soon-to-be-delivered T-50 fighter jets from South Korea.

The Department of National Defense (DND) said it is bidding out the project designed to enhance the operational capability of the PAF.

“This will allow pilots an almost full sensory experience that can aid improving flight instruction, enhancing proficiency, minimizing risks associated with emergency procedures training, reducing accidents, filling up downtimes, and saving on aircraft operational and maintenance costs,” Defense Undersecretary Efren Fernandez, chair of the Bids and Award Committee for the project, said.

“The DND and the Armed Forces of the Philippines now invite bids from eligible bidders for the Full Motion Flight Simulator Acquisition Project. Delivery of the goods is required within a period of 600 calendar days from the opening of the Letter of Credit (LC),” Fernandez said.

Sources said the government is set to acquire more fighter jets from other countries.

Prior to the opening of the bid for the simulator project on Feb. 10, a pre-bid conference will be held on Jan. 27 at the DND BAC Conference Room at Camp Aguinaldo.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 
“The DND and the AFP reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to the contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders,” Fernandez said. 

The defense department is also bidding out a P149-million contract for the construction of Air Force facilities in Tawi-Tawi and Palawan as part of the military’s upgrade of its maritime defense and rescue capabilities in the West Philippine Sea and Sulu Sea.

The DND has also signed an P888-million contract with Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems Land and C41 for the acquisition of 28 armored infantry vehicles to boost the fighting capability of the 80,000-strong Philippine Army (PA).

Part of the project is retrofitting 24 of the army’s M113 armored personnel carriers with turrets from decommissioned Scorpion light reconnaissance tanks, transforming the M113s into fire support vehicles from merely “battle taxis.” Mounted on Scorpion’s turrets are 76mm cannon and 7.62mm machinegun.

The upgraded M113 fire support vehicle will also be equipped with a new fire control system and thermal imaging system.

Four of the M113s will have the capability of Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) armed with 25mm automatic cannons. Six will be equipped with additional .50 caliber heavy machineguns.

The M113s will also get upgrades on their armor protection and amphibious capability.

The Israeli firm will throw in, for free, four M113 armored recovery and repair vehicles.

The Army expects to roll out the 28 combat vehicles by January 2015, said Defense Undersecretary Patrick Velez. At present, the Army is heavily dependent on 105mm and 155mm howitzers in providing fire support for troops battling Abu Sayyaf terrorists or communist rebels. 

PAF to acquire 3 modern flight simulators for P246 M | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

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## Pinoy

*17,000 troops, 150,000 policemen, 100 snipers, 26 aircraft, armored vehicles, naval vessels return to mother units*
January 20th, 2015






The Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police have lifted red and full alert status respectively. PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Wilben M. Mayor said “at 6 o’clock in the morning today, we’re back from full alert to normal alert.” While the AFP lifted red alert status two hours after Pope Francis took off on a Philippine Air Lines Airbus 340 yesterday.

17,000 AFP troops 5,000 of which are reservists, 26 aircraft, 100 snipers, dozens of K-9 units and squads of lightly armored vehicles and naval vessels, 150,000 policemen goes back to their home units.

“I know that you all made your own sacrifices in performing your professional duty as police officers to accomplish this mission. This historic visit serves to add greater spiritual and professional experience for the PNP in handling similar major events,” PNP Officer-in-Charge Deputy Director General Leonardo A. Espin told 150,000 policemen.

17,000 troops, 150,000 policemen, 100 snipers, 26 aircraft, armored vehicles, naval vessels return to mother units 

*

A business decision to amend the Constitution*
 January 20, 2015 

*




FURTHER OPENING the economy to foreign businesses, investments and products in the last 20 years has had its rewards. Telecommunications, banking and insurance, retail, energy et al. have all been “liberalized” in one form or another, and this has resulted in business expansion. Both production and consumption have gone up, leading to economic development and growth.*

But, such move has also been at the expense of some local industries rendered uncompetitive. Trade liberalization has also resulted in what appears to be rampant smuggling or dumping. The lowering of trade barriers has prompted importations, and despite a drastic cut in tariffs, smuggling continues to be a problem.

At the retail level, the Philippines has become a shopping Mecca. The proliferation of foreign brands and products -- many manufactured in China or Vietnam or India -- has offered a sort of disincentive for Filipinos to shop abroad. Most everything can be bought here now, at competitive prices and in pesos.

Come now businessmen, local and foreign, reiterating their long-standing call for amendments to the economic provisions of the Constitution. They claim these amendments are “critical for sustaining [economic] growth beyond 2016,” when the Second Aquino Administration ends its six-year term.

One news report quoted an official of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines as saying, “additional reforms... remain very important in the ‘last two minutes’ to sustain economic growth,” citing the urgency of “replacing equity restrictions [in the Constitution] with laws.”

Another businessman was quoted as saying that “the growth in the economy Malacañang is so proud of does not include the poor. We need a more open economy to do that. Opening the economy fully to FDI [Foreign Direct Investments] sends a strong signal to the world [that] this is a country with a truly level field open to all.”

To date, the administration’s legislative priorities reportedly include amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) and Road Right of Way (RRoW) laws; the Cabotage law; the rationalization of fiscal incentives; the rationalization of the mining fiscal regime; the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act; the Antitrust Act; the National Land Use Act; the Strategic Trade Management Act; and the Customs Modernization Act.

Not on the priority list, despite seemingly strong lobbying by influential businessmen, is a resolution filed by Speaker Sonny Belmonte in July 2013 that later became Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) Number 1. The House of Representatives requires at least a two-thirds vote from its members to pass that proposal, which will relax the 60-40 rule that limits foreign ownership in certain industries.

The Belmonte resolution proposes to add the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” to the foreign ownership sections of the Constitution, particularly for land, public utilities, natural resources, and media and advertising. And this is precisely to allow future legislation -- rather than the Constitution -- to set foreign equity restrictions, if necessary.

As noted by Senate President Franklin Drilon to the media previously, “with the insertion of the phrase... in the pertinent provisions of the Constitution, we will be more flexible in crafting laws in light of the changing economic landscape. We support this approach in amending our economic policy.”

I support the proposed amendment, since we are practically moving toward it anyway. As things are, one need not look far to realize the extent that foreign businesses, investments and products have influenced the Philippine economy’s path and growth. And I truly believe there is not enough capital broadly owned locally to help grow the economy by leaps and bounds.

As the Foundation for Economic Freedom has noted in a previous statement, “It is a well-known fact that foreign companies already own and control media companies, telecoms and power distribution companies, despite the constitutional limitation on foreign ownership. Overall, the liberalization of foreign ownership restrictions will reduce the corruption of our institutions...”

*One report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) noted that the Philippines has the most restrictive environment for foreign investments in Southeast Asia. OECD’s FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index indicates the Philippines as the most restrictive among 64 developed and developing countries across 22 sectors that include agriculture, mining, electricity, manufacturing, as well as “main services” like transport, construction, distribution, communications, real estate, financial and professional services.*

The report deemed Singapore the most open to FDI in the region, while Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia come next. The Philippines and Vietnam have “less appeal to OECD investors,” while Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are likely to be export-oriented in the medium term given their vast wealth of mineral and water resources and a pool of relatively cheap labor.

The concern with the Belmonte proposal, however, is that it will place solely on Congress the burden of legislating new equity limits for foreign investments, and according to Guillermo M. Luz, National Competitiveness Council private sector co-chairman, “with all the bills they have to pass -- which are equally important -- then the amendments might take a long time to get passed.”

In a statement previously, the Foundation for Economic Freedom noted that the Belmonte proposal would help “promote inclusive growth and strengthen national security” and that it would ”provide the key to opening up areas of the economy to more foreign investments, thereby providing more competition, facilitating technology transfer, generating jobs, and improving consumer choice.

This was after noting that current economic growth “has not led to more jobs and reduced poverty,” since growth “has been primarily consumption-driven, not investment-driven.” The foundation also noted that “by increasing FDIs, the country will increase the economic interest of our friends and allies in the international community to maintain our territorial integrity and to uphold freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea.”

It added that “well-capitalized foreign companies can help modernize and provide competition in strategic sectors of the economy like seaports, airports, telecommunications, shipping, and air transport,” and that “the quality and quantity of bidders for PPP (Public-Private Partnerships) will dramatically improve.

As for concerns over further liberalization and lifting foreign ownership restrictions, the foundation noted that these could “be fully debated and addressed when the corresponding legislation is introduced in Congress” after the Belmonte proposal is passed.

Lifting foreign ownership restrictions can be complemented by a tax similar to that proposed in South Korea, where companies can be imposed a 10% levy on excessive cash piles. This is to prompt successful companies to spend more money on higher wages and new investments to aid the economy, rather than company owners keeping the cash for themselves.

*Marvin Tort is a former Managing Editor of *_*BusinessWorld*_*, and former chariman of the Philippine Press Council.*

*BusinessWorld | A business decision to amend the Constitution*

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## Cossack25A1

Pinoy said:


> *A business decision to amend the Constitution*
> January 20, 2015
> 
> *
> View attachment 185318
> 
> FURTHER OPENING the economy to foreign businesses, investments and products in the last 20 years has had its rewards. Telecommunications, banking and insurance, retail, energy et al. have all been “liberalized” in one form or another, and this has resulted in business expansion. Both production and consumption have gone up, leading to economic development and growth.*
> 
> But, such move has also been at the expense of some local industries rendered uncompetitive. Trade liberalization has also resulted in what appears to be rampant smuggling or dumping. The lowering of trade barriers has prompted importations, and despite a drastic cut in tariffs, smuggling continues to be a problem.
> 
> At the retail level, the Philippines has become a shopping Mecca. The proliferation of foreign brands and products -- many manufactured in China or Vietnam or India -- has offered a sort of disincentive for Filipinos to shop abroad. Most everything can be bought here now, at competitive prices and in pesos.
> 
> Come now businessmen, local and foreign, reiterating their long-standing call for amendments to the economic provisions of the Constitution. They claim these amendments are “critical for sustaining [economic] growth beyond 2016,” when the Second Aquino Administration ends its six-year term.
> 
> One news report quoted an official of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines as saying, “additional reforms... remain very important in the ‘last two minutes’ to sustain economic growth,” citing the urgency of “replacing equity restrictions [in the Constitution] with laws.”
> 
> Another businessman was quoted as saying that “the growth in the economy Malacañang is so proud of does not include the poor. We need a more open economy to do that. Opening the economy fully to FDI [Foreign Direct Investments] sends a strong signal to the world [that] this is a country with a truly level field open to all.”
> 
> To date, the administration’s legislative priorities reportedly include amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) and Road Right of Way (RRoW) laws; the Cabotage law; the rationalization of fiscal incentives; the rationalization of the mining fiscal regime; the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act; the Antitrust Act; the National Land Use Act; the Strategic Trade Management Act; and the Customs Modernization Act.
> 
> Not on the priority list, despite seemingly strong lobbying by influential businessmen, is a resolution filed by Speaker Sonny Belmonte in July 2013 that later became Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) Number 1. The House of Representatives requires at least a two-thirds vote from its members to pass that proposal, which will relax the 60-40 rule that limits foreign ownership in certain industries.
> 
> The Belmonte resolution proposes to add the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” to the foreign ownership sections of the Constitution, particularly for land, public utilities, natural resources, and media and advertising. And this is precisely to allow future legislation -- rather than the Constitution -- to set foreign equity restrictions, if necessary.
> 
> As noted by Senate President Franklin Drilon to the media previously, “with the insertion of the phrase... in the pertinent provisions of the Constitution, we will be more flexible in crafting laws in light of the changing economic landscape. We support this approach in amending our economic policy.”
> 
> I support the proposed amendment, since we are practically moving toward it anyway. As things are, one need not look far to realize the extent that foreign businesses, investments and products have influenced the Philippine economy’s path and growth. And I truly believe there is not enough capital broadly owned locally to help grow the economy by leaps and bounds.
> 
> As the Foundation for Economic Freedom has noted in a previous statement, “It is a well-known fact that foreign companies already own and control media companies, telecoms and power distribution companies, despite the constitutional limitation on foreign ownership. Overall, the liberalization of foreign ownership restrictions will reduce the corruption of our institutions...”
> 
> *One report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) noted that the Philippines has the most restrictive environment for foreign investments in Southeast Asia. OECD’s FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index indicates the Philippines as the most restrictive among 64 developed and developing countries across 22 sectors that include agriculture, mining, electricity, manufacturing, as well as “main services” like transport, construction, distribution, communications, real estate, financial and professional services.*
> 
> The report deemed Singapore the most open to FDI in the region, while Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia come next. The Philippines and Vietnam have “less appeal to OECD investors,” while Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are likely to be export-oriented in the medium term given their vast wealth of mineral and water resources and a pool of relatively cheap labor.
> 
> The concern with the Belmonte proposal, however, is that it will place solely on Congress the burden of legislating new equity limits for foreign investments, and according to Guillermo M. Luz, National Competitiveness Council private sector co-chairman, “with all the bills they have to pass -- which are equally important -- then the amendments might take a long time to get passed.”
> 
> In a statement previously, the Foundation for Economic Freedom noted that the Belmonte proposal would help “promote inclusive growth and strengthen national security” and that it would ”provide the key to opening up areas of the economy to more foreign investments, thereby providing more competition, facilitating technology transfer, generating jobs, and improving consumer choice.
> 
> This was after noting that current economic growth “has not led to more jobs and reduced poverty,” since growth “has been primarily consumption-driven, not investment-driven.” The foundation also noted that “by increasing FDIs, the country will increase the economic interest of our friends and allies in the international community to maintain our territorial integrity and to uphold freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea.”
> 
> It added that “well-capitalized foreign companies can help modernize and provide competition in strategic sectors of the economy like seaports, airports, telecommunications, shipping, and air transport,” and that “the quality and quantity of bidders for PPP (Public-Private Partnerships) will dramatically improve.
> 
> As for concerns over further liberalization and lifting foreign ownership restrictions, the foundation noted that these could “be fully debated and addressed when the corresponding legislation is introduced in Congress” after the Belmonte proposal is passed.
> 
> Lifting foreign ownership restrictions can be complemented by a tax similar to that proposed in South Korea, where companies can be imposed a 10% levy on excessive cash piles. This is to prompt successful companies to spend more money on higher wages and new investments to aid the economy, rather than company owners keeping the cash for themselves.
> 
> *Marvin Tort is a former Managing Editor of *_*BusinessWorld*_*, and former chariman of the Philippine Press Council.*
> 
> *BusinessWorld | A business decision to amend the Constitution*



This is bad news for Bob Ong and Fsjal, specially the former as he definitely hates the idea of removing the 60/40 Economic Restriction and would rather prefer that his oligarchy friends to continue dominating the Philippine economy and give low-quality services and keep decent jobs out of the common Filipino's reach and instead go out of the country to find them!

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## Fsjal

Cossack25A1 said:


> This is bad news for Bob Ong and Fsjal, specially the former as he definitely hates the idea of removing the 60/40 Economic Restriction and would rather prefer that his oligarchy friends to continue dominating the Philippine economy and give low-quality services and keep decent jobs out of the common Filipino's reach and instead go out of the country to find them!


Why should I care for the removal of the Economic Restriction? It's not like I'm living in the Philippines right now. Plus, economic liberalization is a good thing.

Explain why I would hate the removal?

Protip: You can't.


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## Cossack25A1

Fsjal said:


> Why should I care for the removal of the Economic Restriction? It's not like I'm living in the Philippines right now. Plus, economic liberalization is a good thing.
> 
> Explain why I would hate the removal?
> 
> Protip: You can't.



Considering that you mentioned before that your family still have business here and you also mentioned before that you belong to the Tsinoy class, I am pretty sure that your company don't like competition from foreign firms.


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## Bob Ong

Cossack25A1 said:


> This is bad news for Bob Ong and Fsjal, specially the former as he definitely hates the idea of removing the 60/40 Economic Restriction and would rather prefer that his oligarchy friends to continue dominating the Philippine economy and give low-quality services and keep decent jobs out of the common Filipino's reach and instead go out of the country to find them!


LOL you really spilled your ignorant, uneducated mind here. Obviously you hate tsinoys because we have work habits and innovativeness.

Well what I'm just trying to point out regarding 60/40 restrictions are the uncertainties that will be created by opening up our country to foreign investors...it should be first studied and create a check and balance regulations that will ensure its good objectives are met. Certain scenarios that will hurt the local industry from the entry of foreign investors should be determined first so that mechanisms are prepared before allowing the entry of foreign investors. I also believe that determining which industry should foreign investors be allowed is a starting point for the analysis before creating a law that generally encompass all industries. Foreign investors entry should be allowed at a proper time and place they are needed most for the benefit of the local labor and industry.

Besides the problem isn't really the 60/40 restrictions but bureaucratic red tape and extreme graft and corruption in the government. Anyway most Filipinos belong to the agricultural sector. The government should focus on this sector if it wants to curb the problem of high unemployment.



Cossack25A1 said:


> Considering that you mentioned before that your family still have business here and you also mentioned before that you belong to the Tsinoy class, I am pretty sure that your company don't like competition from foreign firms.


Competition is good besides who has more money to invest in the country? it's us!

Fact! No conclusive study saying that removing economic protectionism leads to more investments. Some Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam restrict foreign ownership too in some of their industries yet they receive higher FDIs than us.


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## Cossack25A1

Bob Ong said:


> LOL you really spilled your ignorant, uneducated mind here. Obviously you hate tsinoys because we have work habits and innovativeness.
> 
> Well what I'm just trying to point out regarding 60/40 restrictions are the uncertainties that will be created by opening up our country to foreign investors...it should be first studied and create a check and balance regulations that will ensure its good objectives are met. Certain scenarios that will hurt the local industry from the entry of foreign investors should be determined first so that mechanisms are prepared before allowing the entry of foreign investors. I also believe that determining which industry should foreign investors be allowed is a starting point for the analysis before creating a law that generally encompass all industries. Foreign investors entry should be allowed at a proper time and place they are needed most for the benefit of the local labor and industry.
> 
> Besides the problem isn't really the 60/40 restrictions but bureaucratic red tape and extreme graft and corruption in the government. Anyway most Filipinos belong to the agricultural sector. The government should focus on this sector if it wants to curb the problem of high unemployment.



Oh no, I am not ignorant and uneducated unlike you who have been blinded. So I guess it is okay for local Tsinoy companies to hire people for the first 5-months then terminate them?

Your quote here completely reveals that you are in favor of economic restrictions. Even if those graft and corruption, red tapes and kickbacks are eliminated, if there are still restriction in this country, most foreign investor would never even invest here because of its restrictive rules. From the 60s when the "Filipino First Policy" was enforced up to now, did it do anything good to the country? Did it retained the country's status as second richest country in Asia which at those time is tied with the Americans? No and instead that policy became inward and took advantage by the local Tsinoy oligarchy,

It is because of this so-called Filipino First Policy became part of the reason why there are few to almost no foreign direct investments in this country; the Tsinoy oligarchy and the media they control always spews information that FDI are evil and relaxing and removal of the restriction is also evil.

I guess you really never get the idea why the 60/40 Economic Restriction should be axed. I guess you would prefer Filipinos to get out of the Philippine Islands and seek work outside the country while leaving their family behind, destroying the basic family foundation of the common Filipino while the Tsinoy are living happily ever after.

If you think the OFW system is better then you are a FOOL because this is how I see your reply.



Bob Ong said:


> Competition is good besides who has more money to invest in the country? it's us!
> 
> Fact! No conclusive study saying that removing economic protectionism leads to more investments. Some Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam restrict foreign ownership too in some of their industries yet they receive higher FDIs than us.



Yeah, and once the jobs and better services created by FDI appear here in the Philippines, how long can the Tsinoy-dominated oligarchy can hold maintain their wealth once the common Filipino take jobs these FDI bring and give better services. It is no wonder why Philippines has the slowest Internet service in this region - the service and infrastructure are limited because these are no competition from foreign companies, only local companies owned by the oligarchs that is composed of Tsinoys who only care about profits.


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## Fsjal

Cossack25A1 said:


> Considering that you mentioned before that your family still have business here and you also mentioned before that you belong to the Tsinoy class, I am pretty sure that your company don't like competition from foreign firms.


Well, my grandfather's company is an insurance company, and I don't think foreign insurance companies do business in other nations. So, I doubt if my grandfather's company will have competition, and plus, he's close to retiring.

Also, if you want to remove the Tsinoy oligarch system, you just simply stand up against it, rather than simply sitting down and typing on the keyboard. Marcos himself was Tsinoy and people overthrew him because of corruption, embezzlement, etc. That was back then, and now, many non-Tsinoy Filipinos are just simply complaining. Surprisingly, many Filipino businessmen are Tsinoy, and I don't remember hearing a successfull Filipino businessman who isn't Tsinoy.

It's either that Tsinoys are the only Filipinos who are interested in business, or that Filipinos who are not Tsinoy can't get success due to the oligarchs, but still, it's better to fight than to back down.

Also:

_"While anti-Chinese sentiments were toned down, crimes against the Chinese Filipinos, particularly kidnapping, further blossomed throughout the presidencies of Fidel Ramos (1992–1998), and Joseph Estrada (1998–2000). The police remained unsympathetic to the Chinese Filipinos, while many government officials were found to be accomplices. The combination of these factors led many Chinese Filipinos to emigrate back to China, or to either Canada or the United States."
_
Many Tsinoys can just simply move to the West.


----------



## Cossack25A1

Fsjal said:


> Well, my grandfather's company is an insurance company, and I don't think foreign insurance companies do business in other nations. So, I doubt if my grandfather's company will have competition, and plus, he's close to retiring.
> 
> Also, if you want to remove the Tsinoy oligarch system, you just simply stand up against it, rather than simply sitting down and typing on the keyboard. Marcos himself was Tsinoy and people overthrew him because of corruption, embezzlement, etc. That was back then, and now, many non-Tsinoy Filipinos are just simply complaining. Surprisingly, many Filipino businessmen are Tsinoy, and I don't remember hearing a successfull Filipino businessman who isn't Tsinoy.
> 
> It's either that Tsinoys are the only Filipinos who are interested in business, or that Filipinos who are not Tsinoy can't get success due to the oligarchs, but still, it's better to fight than to back down.
> 
> Also:
> 
> _"While anti-Chinese sentiments were toned down, crimes against the Chinese Filipinos, particularly kidnapping, further blossomed throughout the presidencies of Fidel Ramos (1992–1998), and Joseph Estrada (1998–2000). The police remained unsympathetic to the Chinese Filipinos, while many government officials were found to be accomplices. The combination of these factors led many Chinese Filipinos to emigrate back to China, or to either Canada or the United States."
> _
> Many Tsinoys can just simply move to the West.



We are not barbaric savages as you want us to be; the way you said to simply stand up against it implies that you want us to open revolt. Conflicts today are now done through information here and the best way is through the Internet were the government and the oligarchy cannot control us. And even if we go out to stand up, thanks to your Tsinoy-controlled media, no one dares because they have been brainwashed!

And your line_* "Surprisingly, many Filipino businessmen are Tsinoy, and I don't remember hearing a successfull Filipino businessman who isn't Tsinoy" *_*reeks of arrogance* because YOUR LOT NEVER GAVE THE COMMON FILIPINO THE CHANCE! Your lot put the restriction in the economy so that only the Tsinoys would benefit. Did that restriction even did good to the country? Hell even if you remove the corruption and red tapes, it is still a crappy world because no new jobs are created and instead your lot wants common Filipinos to move out and be slaves to other country because the FDI that are supposed to come here are restricted and no jobs are created, leading many to drop out of school because they can no longer pay the tuition fees and preventing everyone to be knowledgeable and be business minded, family structure is broken and everyone becomes an a-hole while the Tsinoys are living happily ever after here and abroad.

But since you are a Tsinoy living in Australia, I really doubt you know anything about the Philippines.

It's no wonder why Rizal said the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow, because ironically one of the slaves did become the tyrants - the Tsinoy became the upper class, oligarchs and even ruling class of this country when the Philippines became independent.


----------



## Nike

First Steel Cutting Ceremony of Ph. Navy SSV in PT PAL facility

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## katarabhumi

*PT PAL kicks off production of warships for the Philippines *
_The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | National | Thu, January 22 2015_

State-owned shipyard PT PAL Indonesia began on Thursday the production of two strategic sealift vessels (SSVs) for the Philippine Navy, the company's first ever foreign order.

PT PAL president director M Firmansyah said the order was an achievement and a challenge in itself, as the US$90 million order was the first from a foreign customer.

"The production follows a long and tight international bidding and selection process," he said in Surabaya as reported by Antara news agency.

Speaking at the first steel cutting ceremony at PT PAL's manufacturing facility, Firmansyah said the warships had a length of 123 meters and a width of 21.8 meters.

The SSVs will have a complement of 121 crewmembers and be able to carry 500 troops as well as four tanks, four trucks, one mobile hospital, two jeeps and two helicopters.

The transport vessel has a tonnage of 10,300 tons with a 6 m draft, and can sail for 30 days with a distance of 9,630 nautical miles. Its maximum speed is 16 knots with a 2x2,920 kw powerplant.

PT PAL's SSV is a modification of the four South Korean-designed, Makassar-class landing platform docks (LPDs). Two LPDs were manufactured in South Korea (KRI Makassar 590 and KRI Surabaya 591), and another two were built in Surabaya (KRI Banjarmasin 592 and KRI Banda Aceh 593).

All four LPDs have been commissioned into the Indonesian Navy's service.

KRI Banjarmasin was sent on a mission to the Philippines for evaluation purposes before PT PAL was awarded the contract.

Meanwhile, Philippine Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Jesus C Millan said he expected that the project would increase his government’s defense capabalities.

He added that he believed that PT PAL could fulfill the order, based on its experience in previous ship-building projects.

PT PAL kicks off production of warships for the Philippines | The Jakarta Post

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## Aepsilons

katarabhumi said:


> The transport vessel has a tonnage of 10,300 tons with a 6 m draft, and can sail for 30 days with a distance of 9,630 nautical miles. Its maximum speed is 16 knots with a 2x2,920 kw powerplant.



Impressive ! Do you know what kinds of armament will be linked to this platform ?


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## katarabhumi

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Impressive ! Do you know what kinds of armament will be linked to this platform ?



So far, no details yet on what armament will be for the Phillipine's SSVs.

Makassar-class landing platform dock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Aepsilons

katarabhumi said:


> So far, no details yet on what armament will be for the Phillipine's SSVs.
> 
> Makassar-class landing platform dock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



The Filipinos should install 2 CIWS platforms on her, and install Harpoon ASMs as well , maybe even ASROC platform as well. 

This ship , when launched into the Philippine Navy, should be used as their Command Ship of the Philippine Fleet. Should be guarded and bristling with necessary defense mechanisms.


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## Nike

Nihonjin1051 said:


> The Filipinos should install 2 CIWS platforms on her, and install Harpoon ASMs as well , maybe even ASROC platform as well.
> 
> This ship , when launched into the Philippine Navy, should be used as their Command Ship of the Philippine Fleet. Should be guarded and bristling with necessary defense mechanisms.



they don't have that kind of luxury

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## Nike



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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> The Filipinos should install 2 CIWS platforms on her, and install Harpoon ASMs as well , maybe even ASROC platform as well.
> 
> This ship , when launched into the Philippine Navy, should be used as their Command Ship of the Philippine Fleet. Should be guarded and bristling with necessary defense mechanisms.



I think it would be better if the command ship is airborne.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Impressive ! Do you know what kinds of armament will be linked to this platform ?



Most likely we will mount .50 caliber guns, unless we have spare 40mm Bofors guns or 25mm chain guns.


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## Reashot Xigwin

* First Steel Cutting Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV-1) Philippines *
Posted by Maki Catama on 3:44 AM 




_ Export Warship First Coordinating Minister for maritime, Indroyono Susilo (middle), lifting steel plate joint Managing Director of PT PAL Indonesia, M Firmansyah Arifin (second right), Philippine Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Jesus C. Millan (second left) and Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral TNI Associate Ade Supandi (left), while the First Steel Cutting Ceremony Strategic Sealift Vessel-1 (SSV-1)._

SURABAYA, -- PT PAL Indonesia (Persero) started to initiate the process of production of warships to be exported to the Philippines to meet the country's Ministry of Defense orders two units Strategic Sealift Vessel-1 (SSV). Director of PT PAL Indonesia (Persero), M Firman, said the effort is an achievement and a challenge for the company's shipyard in producing SSV order of the country.

Factors, the fleet is one of the orders of defense equipment industry products Matra first Sea. "The investment value for the two warships reached worth 90 million US dollars," he said, met at Cutting Plates First (First Steel Cutting) SSV, in Surabaya on Thursday.

The production was, he explained, is done after the selection beyond strict international auction and length. The warship has a size of 123 meters and a width of 21.8 meters. "The plan there are as many as 121 crew to carry 500 troops," he said. He added that the ship has a maximum speed reached 16 knots with engine capacity of 2 x 2,920 kW.

"Ships with the carrier type with a capacity of 10,300 tons with a draft of six feet, "he said. He said the ship was also able to carry as many as four tanks, four trucks, a mobile hospital, two jeeps, and two helicopters. In general, with a wide range of experience possessed in building various kinds and types of warships that have been operating well used the Navy, Customs and Police, the ship will be equipped with more sophisticated equipment and weaponry.

"It can even accommodate the interests of the customer both the ocean as well as international waters including coordination both in military and non-military operations, "he said. Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for maritime, Indroyono Susilo, said, SSV was a development on the design and technology of ship types Landing Platform Dock (LPD) that have been submitted by PAL to the Navy in 2011.

"A total of two units which have been operating LPD is KRI Banda Aceh (593) and is now actively evaluating QZ8501 AirAsia plane victims. There is also KRI Banjarmasin (592) demonstrated to the Navy Philippines and help the mission of liberation piracy pirates in Somalia and cultural missions to various countries, "he said. At the same occasion, Chief of Staff of the Philippine Navy, VADM Jesus C. Millan, expect, project conducted in cooperation with PT PAL Indonesia (Persero) it is a contract to equip warships which has existed.

This will assist the Government of the Philippines in enhancing security defense. "We believe PT PAL Indonesia (Persero) can fulfill this order well considering various experiences in producing the previous ship," he said.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Impressive ! Do you know what kinds of armament will be linked to this platform ?



No armaments will be placed on the ship. The Philippines only order the ship so they can add it later on,


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## Fsjal

Cossack25A1 said:


> We are not barbaric savages as you want us to be; the way you said to simply stand up against it implies that you want us to open revolt. Conflicts today are now done through information here and the best way is through the Internet were the government and the oligarchy cannot control us. And even if we go out to stand up, thanks to your Tsinoy-controlled media, no one dares because they have been brainwashed!
> 
> And your line_* "Surprisingly, many Filipino businessmen are Tsinoy, and I don't remember hearing a successfull Filipino businessman who isn't Tsinoy" *_*reeks of arrogance* because YOUR LOT NEVER GAVE THE COMMON FILIPINO THE CHANCE! Your lot put the restriction in the economy so that only the Tsinoys would benefit. Did that restriction even did good to the country? Hell even if you remove the corruption and red tapes, it is still a crappy world because no new jobs are created and instead your lot wants common Filipinos to move out and be slaves to other country because the FDI that are supposed to come here are restricted and no jobs are created, leading many to drop out of school because they can no longer pay the tuition fees and preventing everyone to be knowledgeable and be business minded, family structure is broken and everyone becomes an a-hole while the Tsinoys are living happily ever after here and abroad.
> 
> But since you are a Tsinoy living in Australia, I really doubt you know anything about the Philippines.
> 
> It's no wonder why Rizal said the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow, because ironically one of the slaves did become the tyrants - the Tsinoy became the upper class, oligarchs and even ruling class of this country when the Philippines became independent.







tl;dr try harder m8

Calm down. All you do is whine like a keyboard warrior. You must be butthurt for not doing anything but sitting down and complain because you lack the ability to make a change.

_Protip: To overthrow Tsinoy oligarchs, you must complain on the Internet_


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## Cossack25A1

Fsjal said:


> View attachment 185980
> 
> tl;dr try harder m8
> 
> Calm down. All you do is whine like a keyboard warrior. You must be butthurt for not doing anything but sitting down and complain because you lack the ability to make a change.
> 
> _Protip: To overthrow Tsinoy oligarchs, you must complain on the Internet_



And this coming from a Tsinoy who is outside the Philippines and doesn't know anything outside his sheltered life. Mayber you posted that picture is because YOU are the one that is affected, not me. 

And no, I am not butt-hurt, I am simply telling the side of the Philippines you tend to ignore, just like the rest of the Tsinoys. And lastly, you are really implying that we should go for an open revolt for a change. Last time that happened, SHTF thanks to a Tsinoy. But you are not going to listen because for you, I am just a dumbass Filipino and you are the Tsinoy ubermensch. 

Try harder making counter-insults.

On the other note...
You should be happy, at least I am not saying you are a fake Filipino, compared to the other Filipino users here.

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## Cossack25A1

*US has lifted restrictions on military aid funds, says Philippines *
*By AFP | 22 Jan, 2015, 06.09PM IST*


MANILA: The United States has lifted restrictions on a small portion of its military assistance to the Philippines that was withheld over human rights concerns, the foreign minister said Thursday.

The gesture affects about $15 million dollars that have been withheld over the last five years, a fraction of Washington's total military assistance to the South East Asian island.

Albert del Rosario told reporters that the aid restriction had been lifted "sometime last year", but did not explain why it had been lifted.

A day earlier, US assistant defence secretary David Shear said that the Washington had provided $300 million in military-related assistance since 2001 and would provide another $40 million in 2015 as part of America's support to modernise the poorly-equipped Philippine military, which is one of the weakest in the region.

Philippine-US defence relations have been complicated by leftist and nationalist groups who oppose the longstanding alliance and who have protested against any US military presence or assistance to the Southeast Asian nation.

Previously, human rights groups have successfully lobbied US legislators to cut military aid over the Philippine military's alleged failure to improve its human rights record.

Human rights groups have accused Philippine security agencies of committing abuses in is counter-insurgency programme against both communist and Muslim extremist insurgencies.

The Philippines and the United States signed an agreement in April to allow a bigger US military presence on Filipino territory, a deal which would see more US troops rotate through the Philippines for joint military training exercises.

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US has lifted restrictions on military aid funds, says Philippines - The Economic Times

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_*Strange that no one has quoted this relevant news a month ago.*_
------
*‘60-40 rule to limit PHL’s development under AEC’*
*by Cai Ordinario - December 21, 2014*

Limitations on foreign ownership of land and mass media are among the reasons the Philippines continues to lag in the region in terms of foreign direct investments (FDI).

In the latest Economic Issue of the Day release of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), author Claudette S. Malana said lifting restrictions on foreign ownership will be necessary in order for the country to fully participate in the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

*Malana said limits to foreign equity in the exploration, development and utilization of natural resources; public utilities; build-operate-transfer projects, operation of deep-sea commercial vessels, land ownership, mass media, and the practice of professions have kept the country’s FDI low.*

*“To sustain the growth of the Philippine economy, these restrictions need to be examined and amended, as they have constrained FDI,” Malana said.*

“Under the AEC, Asean companies, Filipino firms included, can own 100 percent of companies in other Asean countries and should be able to own at least 70 percent of services companies,” she added.

Malana’s data showed that the Philippines’s FDI only increased to $2.8 billion in 2012, while Singapore, was at $56.65 billion and Indonesia $19.62 billion.

*It can be noted that Indonesia’s FDI level in 2001 was in the red at -$2.98 billion. The country was only able to recover in FDI in 2004, which started eight consecutive years of positive FDI inflows, allowing it to exceed the Philippines’s FDI performance starting in that year.*

The country’s highest FDI level was recorded in 2006, when FDI reached $2.921 billion and, in 2007 at $2.916 billion. The lowest FDI level was recorded in 2001 at $195 million and in 2003, $491 million.

*“They [East Asian nations] did impose specific restrictions on foreign capital as they saw it fit for their national interests; but they had the essential flexibility to make adjustments in these provisions,” Malana said.*

“For the country to catch up and compete with its neighbors in the high-growth regions of East Asia and Southeast Asia, it is crucial to amend the economic provisions that have caused binding constraints to the growth and productivity of the economy,” she added.

The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the total approved foreign investments in the nine months of 2014 declined 35.4 percent.

Total approved foreign investments amounted to P91.8 billion in the January-to-September period of 2014, from P142.1 billion in the same period in 2013.

The total approved foreign investments contracted 44.4 percent in the third quarter to P18.3 billion in 2014, from P32.9 billion in 2013.

These investments include those that are coursed through the Board of Investments, Clark Development Corp., Philippine Economic Zone Authority and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, as well as the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, Board of Investment-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Cagayan Economic Zone Authority.

In terms of total approved investments of foreign and Filipino nationals, the PSA said it also contracted 15.7 percent in the third quarter of 2014.

Total approved investments of foreign and Filipino nationals only reached P159.6 billion during the period, lower than the P189.3 billion recorded in the same quarter in 2013.

The PSA explained that foreign investments, approved and registered by the investment promotion agencies, are termed “approved foreign investments,” replacing the term “approved foreign direct investments” used in the previous reports.

This is to distinguish the approved foreign investments, which are only commitments and pledges, from the actual FDI, which are actual investments being released in the Balance of Payments by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

------

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/60-40-rule-to-limit-phls-development-under-aec/

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## baukiki88

Besides 2 SSV, I think Philippine Navy need at least 10 of this KCR40 (Fast missile vessels). It is fast for maritime petrol and It can carries 2 deadly SSM / antiship missiles like (ie exocet or C705) and six-barrelled Ak 630 30mm CIWS. 

It is also equipped with_ Sensor weapon control , _TR-47C tracking radar and SR-47AG searching radar.


illegal fishing boats, Pirates and even chinese coast guards in spratlys area will think twice. It is cheap. Only cost +/- $10 million per ship.

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## Cossack25A1

* Shimano opens facility in Batangas *
_January 25, 2015_

Bicycle and parts manufacturer Shimano Inc. has opened a Philippine manufacturing facility within Lopez-led First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) in Santo Tomas, Batangas.

*The establishment of Shimano’s production operation in the Philippines came just weeks after the European Parliament voted in favor of the European Commission’s proposal to include the Philippines in the EU’s Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) program. Developing countries that enjoy a GSP status enjoy lower export duties.*

Shimano, through Shimano Philippines Inc., allocated ¥3.5 billion (about P1.32 billion) to build its facility within a 13.03-hectare area in FPIP’s 442-hectare economic zone. The Shimano Philippines facility, the Japanese firm’s first in the country, will manufacture various bicycle components mainly for the export market. Once in full operation, the facility will employ 1,000 workers.

Shimano Philippines formally inaugurated its factory on Jan. 9, 2015 – just weeks after the GSP+ status of the Philippines took effect Dec. 25, 2014 following the European Parliament’s favorable vote. “The GSP+ status will present the “Made in the Philippines” products a competitive edge,” _Bike Europe_ said.

Bike Europe explained that the Philippines already benefits from the standard GSP scheme. In the standard GSP scheme, exports from the Philippines to the EU are taxed at 10.5 percent, versus 14 percent for those from countries not included in the regime.

*“In recent years bicycle export from the Philippines to the EU markets was already growing rapidly. In the first six months of 2014 it expanded by 28 percent from 338,000 units in the same period in 2013 to 433,000 this year [2014]. GPS+ will also have a very positive effect on the bicycle producers in the Philippines,” Bike Europe pointed out.*

Aside from the EU, Shimano is also eyeing a bigger share of the market in the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China). “The Japanese bicycle component market leader says it eyes the growth in demand from the BRICS countries, where the rising living standards results in greater disposable income. According to Shimano these markets are ripe for entry-level components for sports bicycles,” the website added.

Established in 1921 in Sakai City, Osaka, Japan, Shimano now operates over 40 factories and sales offices with close to 13,000 employees in more than 20 countries. As of Sept. 30, 2014, its net sales amounted to ¥241 billion (about P91 billion), while net income reached ¥34.67 billion (Ph3 billion).

Shimano is part of a growing list of FPIP locators, including B/E Aerospace, Brother, Canon, Honda, Ibiden, Murata, Nestlé, Philip Morris, and Sunpower.

FPIP is a 70-30 joint venture between First Philippine Holdings Corporation, a holding company of the Lopez Group; and Sumitomo Corporation, one of Japan’s biggest conglomerates. Early this year, FPIP received government approval for a 92-hectare expansion to be called FPIP Special Economic Zone II.

-----
Shimano opens facility in Batangas | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
-----

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* PH, Japan cite progress on auto incentives and VAT refund issues *
_by Bernie Magkilat_
_January 24, 2015 _

Philippines and Japan have cited encouraging progress on issues on several issues to improve business environment including auto industry incentives, refund procedures to value added taxes, import clearance certificate, power supply situation and port congestion.

In a joint statement at the conclusion of the 9th Meeting of the Sub-Committee on Improvement of Business Environment convened under the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA), both sides of the panel noted encouraging progress in some agenda topics.

*Japanese firms have been pressing for the refunds of their value added tax. Also, Japanese automotive firms have urged government on the planned automotive industry incentives.*

*The sub-committee also discussed items during the previous meeting such as the harmonization of national tax incentives and local taxes, application procedures of reduced tax rates under the bilateral tax treaty, taxes on foreign maritime transport services, additional surcharges introduced by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), promotion measures for utilization of the Batangas and Subic ports and deregulation to establish the Philippines a Human Resource Development (HRD) hub.*

The 9th meeting of the Sub-Committee on the Improvement of Business Environment (IBE) under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) was held Friday, 23 January 2015 in Manila. It was co-chaired by Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Kazuhide Ishikawa and Undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Hon. Adrian S. Cristobal Jr.

The meeting also noted that the exceptional Philippine human resource pool has helped the overseas expansion of Japanese companies. It is expected that these positive developments will be further promoted by frequent bilateral summit meetings, Japan’s on-going cooperation in Typhoon Yolanda relief and rehabilitation, support for peace and development in Mindanao as well as other Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects.

*Both sides agreed to continue efforts in reducing outstanding issues before the next meeting through continuous dialogues with business communities. These dialogues are important in attracting more Japanese investments into the Philippines.*

JPEPA, which entered into force in December 2008, is an important framework for enhancing economic ties between the two countries. Both sides noted that recent trade and investment figures are very encouraging and that JPEPA has sustained increased Japanese investments to the Philippines.

Results of the meeting will be reported to DTI Secretary Gregory L. Domingo in an appropriate timing by both sides. The next meeting of the Sub-Committee would be held later in this year.

The Sub-Committee on Improvement of Business Environment, a regular semi-annual dialogue, is an important forum for public and private sectors of both countries to discuss specific issues to ensure a transparent, predictable and consistent Philippine business environment.

Representatives from various Philippine government agencies, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) were likewise present during the meeting. The private sector was represented by Yoshio Amano, President, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc. for the Japanese side and Jake Ogana, Program Officer of the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) for the Philippine side.

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PH, Japan cite progress on auto incentives and VAT refund issues | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*House: Inclusion of Sabah will delay BBL run *
_by Charissa Luci_
_January 25, 2015_

House leaders thumbed down yesterday the proposed inclusion of the controversial Sabah issue in the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), fearing this would only “complicate” and “delay” the approval of the peace measure.

Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr. and Basilan Rep. Jim Hataman, vice chairman of the 75-man House adhoc panel, said the BBL and the country’s unresolved territorial claim over Sabah are two different issues that should be dealt with separately.

*“The inclusion of Sabah issue in the BBL would complicate the measure and would delay its passage,” Belmonte said in an interview after Amina Rasul Bernardo, lead convenor of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (PCID), appealed to lawmakers to ensure that the resources-rich Sabah “would not be lost just because we failed to mention it in the BBL.”*

The House Chief expressed the Lower Chamber’s full support to the government’s longstanding quest to resolve the territorial issue, noting that it was the late President Diosdado Macapagal who initiated the Philippine claim in 1961.

*In 1950, Belmonte added that Congress adopted a “resolution expressing the sense of the Philippines that North Borneo belongs to the heirs of the sultan of Sulu and the ultimate sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines and authorizing the President to conduct negotiations for the restoration of such ownership and sovereign jurisdiction over said territory.”*


*INTERNATIONAL ISSUE *

Deputy Majority Leader Sherwin Tugna of the Citizens Battle against Corruption (CIBAC) partylist agreed with his colleagues that Sabah issue “should not be included” in the BBL given Congress’ timetable to pass the measure within the first quarter of 2015.

“This is an international territorial issue that an internal and municipal law (BBL) has no bearing. This territorial issue should be raised in the international courts,” he said.

In 2009, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, now a Pampanga representative, signed a law on the country’s archipelagic baselines, which was upheld in 2011 by the Supreme Court, affirming the Philippine claim to Sabah.

*The Philippine claim is based on the argument that the 1878 deed entered into by the Sultan with an Austrian named Gustavus Baron de Overbeck and an Englishman named Alfred Dent was a lease agreement. Malaysia, however, is of the belief that it was a treaty of cession.*


*JOIN THE PARTYLIST *

During the hearing, Rasul-Bernardo maintained that despite conflicting claims, Sabah is a “historical part of Sulu” and the new leadership of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (SSNB) assured it would pursue its claim through peaceful means.

The new rajah muda (crown prince), Datu Maharajah Adinda Pugdal Kiram said Sabah was given as a gift by the Sultan of Borneo to the Sultan of Sulu sultan for helping quell a rebellion.

Rasul-Bernardo also pushed for a “bigger participation” of the sultanates in the new Bangsamoro entity that will be created through the BBL.

But instead of the proposed reserved seats in the Bangsamoro Parliament, government chief peace negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer encouraged Moro leaders representing the sultanates of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and Sulu,Moro leaders to join the party-list system where they have a bigger chance of representation.

-----
House: Inclusion of Sabah will delay BBL run | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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* Palace: Info still raw on plot to kill pope *
 _By Aurea Calica__ (The Philippine Star) 
Updated January 25, 2015 - 12:00am_

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday confirmed receiving raw information on a plot to assassinate Pope Francis during his recent five-day visit to the Philippines.

*“We were able to speak to those in the security establishments on that and I was told that they were aware of that particular piece of unverified information that was passed on,” *deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio dzRB.

“They were aware...although they did make it a point to establish that the information had no details and was unverified, but because of the situation, it was passed on anyway,” Valte said.

She said country’s security officials – on receiving the report – exercised prudence and acted accordingly to ensure the safety of Pope Francis for the duration of his state and pastoral visit from Jan. 15 to 19.

Asked whether the switching off of cellular phone signals was in response to the reported assassination plot, Valte said it was not the only reason, as the decision to require telecom firms to turn off signals was made even before the emergence of the “unverified” information.

But Valte emphasized that in preparing for an event as big as the papal visit, “you take all of the situations in consideration and you prepare accordingly.”

“We also adjust but...the plan is complete, that this is what we will do and that was precisely what was implemented by government,” she said.

“And thankfully, all of us cooperated...all those who went (to the pope’s activities) contributed to the success of the visit,” Valte said.

*A former military intelligence officer claimed there were two attempts to assassinate the pope during his visit in the Philippines – one in Manila and the other in Tacloban, Leyte.*

The unnamed former officer claimed that four plotters with links to Islamic militant group al-Qaeda were nearly cornered by Manila police hours before the papal mass at the Quirino Grandstand last Jan.18. The plotters, the former officer said, managed to slip away in the ensuing commotion.

A few months ago, the Iraqi government warned that terror group Islamic State wanted the pope killed, and that the threats against the leader of the more than one billion Catholics were credible.

On Thursday, Pope Francis told Italian police officers in charge of security around the Vatican that he saw “shadows and dangers” amid reports of threats to his life, but urged them not to give in to fear.

“On the horizon we see shadows and dangers which worry humanity,” the pope said in the wake of an increase in security around the Vatican amid fears Islamic State extremists may be plotting to attack the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

“As Christians we are called not to lose heart or be discouraged,” Francis said in a new year’s message to the Vatican police.


*Security was tightened in Saint Peter’s Square in September after intelligence services intercepted a possible plan to attack the Vatican.*

*Iraq’s ambassador to the Holy See, Habib Al Sadr, at the time warned that “what has been declared by the self-declared Islamic State is clear. They want to kill the pope. The threats against the pope are credible.”*

In the Philippines, a confidential memorandum was circulated to certain police stations, ordering an inventory of foreigners in their custody as part of security preparations for the pope’s visit. Citizens of an Asian country were singled out for possible terrorist links.

Thousands of police and military personnel were deployed throughout the pope’s visit, during which he declined to ride in bulletproof vehicles or wear a flak vest underneath his cassock. Cell phone signals, commonly used to set off explosives, were jammed wherever he went.


*Some worry Francis has made himself a target by speaking out against the Islamic State group and having the Holy See voice support for US air strikes in Iraq.*

Italy’s interior minister this month said police were on high alert in key locations across Rome and around the Vatican after the Paris attacks claimed by Yemen-based al-Qaeda. *– With Jaime Laude*

------
*Palace: Info still raw on plot to kill pope | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com*
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*Philippines, Pakistan hold 4th round of policy consultations *
_(The Philippine Star) _
_ Updated January 25, 2015 - 12:00am_

MANILA, Philippines - The fourth round of policy consultation talks between Pakistan and the Philippines was held last Thursday in Manila.

Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry led the Pakistan delegation, while Evan Garcia, undersecretary for Policy of the Department of Foreign Affairs, led the Philippine panel.

*The two sides reviewed the entire gamut of Pakistan-Philippine relations. Noting the traditional warmth and cordiality of bilateral ties, they expressed satisfaction at the continued growth of mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse fields including trade, commerce, security and defense.*

Both sides reiterated their commitment to further intensify cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism, trade, education, science and technology, civilian nuclear energy and promotion of people-to-people contacts.

Both sides also agreed on the need for greater interaction between the private sectors of the two countries.

They also discussed regional issues and matters pertaining to cooperation at multilateral forums, including inter-faith dialogue.

*Pakistan reaffirmed its desire for an enhanced partnership with ASEAN.*

The Philippine side gave an overview of regional issues in Southeast Asia, while the Pakistan side discussed the situation in South Asia, the monumental efforts made in countering terrorism as well as Pakistan’s efforts aimed at ensuring peace in the region.

The Pakistan delegation expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to them during their stay in the Philippines.

Foreign Secretary Chaudhry later called on Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario.

------
Philippines, Pakistan hold 4th round of policy consultations | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Ayan81

*New build EADS CASA C-295 Medium Lift Transport Aircraft for the Philippine Air Force undergoing test flight in Spain*





*













*
*______________________________________________________*

* Army to get 23 Humvee ambulances 






*
The Philippine Army will formally receive tomorrow Humvee ambulances to enhance its medical emergency responsiveness and efficiency, leading to a higher survivability rate among combat casualties.

A blessing and turn-over ceremony for the 23 units M1152 high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) / (Humvee) will be held at Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo tomorrow at 7:30 a.m., with Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin as the guest of honor and speaker.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Noel J. Detoyato said that the military ambulances they will receive next week are part of the 30 units M1152 HMMWV procured under the Philippine Defense Reform Program to enhance the Forward Health Service Support System of the Philippine Army. The remaining seven units are expected to be delivered in February.

Detoyato said each ambulance is equipped with a life support system including oxygen tank, suction system, upper litter rack, sliding/stowing attendant seat, first aid kit, tools and manuals, among others which can provide immediate medical response to wounded troops prior to their transfer to medical facilities.

“The procurement of these new ambulances will improve the medical care capability in the Army, particularly in the frontline units, leading to a higher survivability rate among combat casualties,” Detoyato said.

The blessing and turn-over ceremony will be witnessed by AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio P. Catapang, Jr.; Army Commanding General Lt Gen Hernando Iriberri; and personnel from the Department of National Defense (DND), General Headquarters, and the Philippine Army.

Army to get 23 Humvee ambulances | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines

__________________________________________________________________________________

*BRP Ramon Alcaraz now fitted with Bushmaster*

*



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Photos taken from Maxdefense.

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## pr1v4t33r

SSV Philippines final design from PT. Pal Indonesia. 







.

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## Cossack25A1

*30 elite cops killed in clash with MILF*
_*Lawmen out to arrest 2 Malaysian terrorists*_
_
Edwin O. Fernandez
*Inquirer Mindanao 12:10 AM | Monday, January 26th, 2015*_


COTABATO CITY—At least 30 police commandos were killed in a clash with Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters in Maguindanao province early Sunday, in the first violence since the government and the MILF signed a peace agreement last year.


Mohagher Iqbal, the lead MILF negotiator in peace talks with the government, confirmed the incident, but neither the MILF nor the military would say how many fighters were wounded or killed, or to whom they belonged.

“This is the first encounter between the MILF and [government forces] this year. Hopefully, this will be the last,” Iqbal said.

“The clash was triggered by a no-coordination police operation,” he said.

He said the police commandos first attacked an area where there were no terrorists.

“They also attacked our position, that’s how our troops were dragged into the encounter,” he said.

Early reports of the clash were unclear. At first, military and police officials said commandos belonging to the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) clashed with suspected Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao.

Later, however, an MILF official said the SAF commandos intruded into territory held by the MILF’s 105th Base Command and fighting ensued.

In the early reports, Capt. Joanne Petinglay, chief of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division public affairs unit, said the military was conducting clearing operations in Mamasapano, where the policemen were killed in a clash with BIFF fighters and other outlaws.

Petinglay could not say exactly how many policemen were killed. She said Army troops backed by armored personnel carriers were in the area to assist Maguindanao policemen.

“As of now I cannot give an exact number of fatalities, it was a police operation, there was no coordination with our troops on the ground,” Petinglay told the Inquirer.

Later, it appeared that fighters from the BIFF, a splinter of the MILF opposed to the peace deal, were involved in the clash.

Quoting reports from MILF field commanders, Von Al Haq, MILF chief for military affairs, said at least 30 policemen were killed in a clash with suspected BIFF fighters in Tukanalipao village in Mamasapano at about 3 a.m. Sunday.

Al Haq said eight SAF and members of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group were seized by the BIFF.

He said the MILF troops were helping the Army through the joint government and MILF coordinating committee on the cessation of hostilities.

But a police source in Maguindanao, who asked not to be named, said at least 36 police officers belonging to the SAF unit in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were killed, disarmed and mutilated.

“We are still verifying the casualty figure, what we are doing is we assist the police in extracting the fatalities,” Petinglay said.

She said the SAF unit came to Mamasapano for a “law enforcement operation against a most wanted man, a high-value target, a Jemaah Islamiyah member.”

Al Haq told the Inquirer that the SAF was to serve a warrant of arrest on Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, when the group encountered and clashed with BIFF fighters under Commander Guiawan in Tukanalipao.

“They were also after Basit Usman,” Al Haq said. Usman and Marwan are bombmaking experts from the Indonesia-based terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah.

“They were trapped and may have run out of bullets during the fierce firefight,” a police source said. He added that Marwan was also killed along with several BIFF members.

Roads leading to Mamasapano from Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao were closed and reporters were barred from entering the encounter site, which is about 15 kilometers from the national highway linking Isulan in Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City passing by Maguindanao.

Petinglay said troops from the 2nd Mechanized Brigade were still in the area.

Abu Misri Mama, speaking for the BIFF, claimed that the firefight started after the SAF tried to search the area for Marwan and clashed with the MILF’s 105th Base Command.

Marwan has a $5-million bounty for terror attacks that also earned him a spot on the most wanted terror list of the FBI.

Mama said the BIFF’s 1st Brigade intercepted the reinforcement from the military at around 9 a.m.

The BIFF recovered at least 10 rifles, Mama claimed.

“We were shocked when the SAF attacked the 105th Base Command of the MILF because there is an ongoing peace talks with the government,” Mama said.

“The firefight has already died down but the SAF and the military are already surrounded by the MILF and the BIFF,” he said.

Petinglay denied the claims of Mama, saying there were no reports of firefights involving the military.

“Possibly the group that the BIFF clashed with is the SAF,” she said.

Later in the day, Al Haq confirmed the clash between the police commandos and MILF fighters, saying there was no coordination done with the MILF for the law enforcement operation.

“Because of this, the SAF has intruded and clashed with the 105th Base Command resulting in at least 30 casualties,” Al Haq said.

The MILF suffered five casualties, he added.

“The Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities facilitated the request of the PNP to retrieve their casualties but unfortunately many were not able to survive because they were not evacuated immediately. Hopefully, all bodies will be retrieved,” Al Haq said.

He said the SAF group that participated in the operation was not originally assigned to the area, as it was from General Santos City.

“They were all new to the area and know little about it,” Al Haq said.

He said it was possible that the $5-million price on Marwan’s head was the reason for the PNP’s bypassing coordination with the AFP and the MILF.

“This should be a lesson to everybody not to ignore the ceasefire mechanism and to understand more the ongoing peace process,” Al Haq said.–*With reports from Karlos Manlupig and AFP*

_Originally posted at 6:51 PM|Sunday, January 25, 2015_


Read more: 30 elite cops killed in clash with MILF | Inquirer News

------

_*There are rumors here in the Philippines that MILF is backed by the Malaysian government and the Bangsamoro deal is more like Malaysia balkanizing Mindanao.*_


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## Aung Zaya

madokafc said:


> they don't have that kind of luxury



 Luxury things..? how can..? such giant economy of ASEAN..they dont have any ships with defensive and offensive capabilities..?


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## Nike

Aung Zaya said:


> Luxury things..? how can..? such giant economy of ASEAN..they dont have any ships with defensive and offensive capabilities..?



Their budget is already stretched with land war against so many rebellions at home, made it worse is the rampant and chronic Corruption within armed forces and Government security agency. Even if they put budget for around 8 billion-10 billion US dollar like us, that money will not giving much improvement as it will always goes to pocket of corrupt officer and bureaucrat .

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## Aung Zaya

madokafc said:


> Their budget is already stretched with land war against so many rebellions at home, made it worse is the rampant and chronic Corruption within armed forces and Government security agency. Even if they put budget for around 8 billion-10 billion US dollar like us, that money will not giving much improvement as it will always goes to pocket of corrupt officer and bureaucrat .



So how much do they spend for their army annually..? 

OMG..!! PN haven't any Guided Missiles Frigates so far.. Even the time of facing with Giant China... !! 
I've read just right now..


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## Nike

Aung Zaya said:


> So how much do they spend for their army annually..?
> 
> OMG..!! PN haven't any Guided Missiles Frigates so far.. Even the time of facing with Giant China... !!
> I've read just right now..



about 3 to 4 billion US dollar, doesn't know about exact number

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## Zero_wing

Aung Zaya said:


> So how much do they spend for their army annually..?
> 
> OMG..!! PN haven't any Guided Missiles Frigates so far.. Even the time of facing with Giant China... !!
> I've read just right now..



We have them soon its already in the works



Nihonjin1051 said:


> The Filipinos should install 2 CIWS platforms on her, and install Harpoon ASMs as well , maybe even ASROC platform as well.
> 
> This ship , when launched into the Philippine Navy, should be used as their Command Ship of the Philippine Fleet. Should be guarded and bristling with necessary defense mechanisms.



Weapons systems according to the PN is a separate bid but i think the equipment would be the same weapons and equipment that would be in our future frigate if they get the bid but for now its still being bid but the ships will be here in 3 years so maybe the bids for the equipment and weapons would be done by then.


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## Aung Zaya

Zero_wing said:


> We have them soon its already in the works



So what's the procurement of PN currently..? bro.. how many frigates did u get till now..?


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## Cossack25A1

*PH Navy OKd P340M supply deals w/o public bidding - COA*
*Aside from entering into procurement contracts without public bidding, state auditors found the Philippine Navy paid for the transactions through cash advances - a practice prohibited under current rules*

Published 8:56 PM, Jan 25, 2015
Updated 8:56 PM, Jan 25, 2015

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Navy approved supply contracts worth a total of P340.407 million in 2013 without any public bidding, the Commission on Audit found.

In a report released on Wednesday, January 21, state auditors said the Philippine Navy made the purchases using cash advances through "special disbursing officers." This practice is prohibited under the Commission on Audit Circular No. 97-002, which requires check payments for all government transactions.

Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act requires government transactions to undergo public bidding.

Although RA 9184 allows exemptions for emergency supplies, COA said the contracts involved were mostly on "common and regularly used items needed in the day to day operation of the agency."

Due to the nature of the purchases, COA said the items in questions should have been included in the Philippine Navy's annual budget.

*Among the contacts questioned by COA include:*

P113.85 million for "other supplies and expenses"
P88.71 million for "other maintenance and operating expenses"
P30.07 million for office supplies
P26.9 million for representation expenses
P15.79 million for training expenses
P14.8 million for repairs and maintenance - other structures
P5.35 million for military and police supplies
P4.92 million for general services
P4.91 million for repairs and maintenance - land improvement
P4.49 million for medical, dental and laboratory supplies


*By department, the questionable contracts were distributed as follows:*

Philippine Fleet- P92.63 million.
Philippine Marine Corps - P62.52 million;
Bonifacio Naval Station - P40 million;
Naval Combat Engineeering Brigade - P34.76 million;
Naval Intelligence and Security Force - P33.73 million;
Headquarters-PN/Support Group - P29.89 million;
Naval Sea Systems Command - P18.84 million;
Fleet Marine Ready Force - P10.92 million;
Naval Logistics Center - P7.4 million;
Manila Naval Hospital - P7.3 million; and
Cavite Naval Hospital - P2.42 million
– *Rappler.com*
*
Link -> PH Navy OKd P340M supply deals w/o public bidding - COA*


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## Zero_wing

Aung Zaya said:


> So what's the procurement of PN currently..? bro.. how many frigates did u get till now..?



Two the Del pilar class are frigates under Philippine navy classification and now being upgraded with two advance Mk38 mod2 25mm and soon we have missiles systems bids starts now and then other 2 new frigates so again your not following the news

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## Aung Zaya

Zero_wing said:


> Two the Del pilar class are frigates under Philippine navy classification and now being upgraded with two advance Mk38 mod2 25mm and soon we have missiles systems bids starts now and then other 2 new frigates so again your not following the news



I know PN operated 2 frigates long ago.. but later i heard Japan and S.Korea donated 1 or 2 ships per each.. PN also got another frigate from US.. and PN ordered another 2 news form S.Korea... then i lag behind that news.. So just want to know PN's current Fleet..


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## Dante

@Zero_wing and @Cossack25A1 what is the status of the 2 firgates project....its been more than a year after the shortlist being handed to the consultant.....is there any news about it?


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## Cossack25A1

Dante said:


> @Zero_wing and @Cossack25A1 what is the status of the 2 firgates project....its been more than a year after the shortlist being handed to the consultant.....is there any news about it?



The only news about the frigates is that the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (the second Hamilton cutter obtained) has the new 25mm autocannon mounted onto the ship.

There are no news about the two new frigates save for biddings nor any news about the supposed transfer of Pohang-class corvette to the PH Navy by South Korea.

-----


The current situation in Southern Philippines shows that the following vehicles should be considered by the PH Army

-> BMP-T





-> BTR-T





I just feel that the M113 and AIFV are not enough or at least doesn't have sufficient armor protection even though the M113 and AIFV can be armed up into the same standards as in the pictures.

If it would not be possible to procure Russian vehicles, I guess we obtain a turretless M60 Patton and mount it with remote weapon system that can be armed with missile launcher like four Spike anti-tank missiles and a 30mm autocannon, thus being armed in the same manner as the BMP-T.

And armed drones.


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## Cossack25A1

Aung Zaya said:


> I know PN operated 2 frigates long ago.. but later i heard Japan and S.Korea donated 1 or 2 ships per each.. PN also got another frigate from US.. and PN ordered another 2 news form S.Korea... then i lag behind that news.. So just want to know PN's current Fleet..



In terms of summary, we have a mostly "Brown-water navy" with limited "Green-water navy."

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## Ayan81

*Australia's gift to PH Navy: 2 supply ships*

Former Royal Australian Navy vessels HMAS Tarakan and Brunei will help improve the Philippines' humanitarian assistance and relief operations in the aftermath of natural disasters





_HMAS Tarakan L129_

_



_
_HMAS Brunie L127_

MANILA, Philippines – Australia has donated to the Philippine Navy two recently decommissioned Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) or supply ships, Australian Defense Minister Kevin Andrews announced on Thursday, January 29.

Former Royal Australian Navy vessels HMAS Tarakan and Brunei will be given to the Philippines already refurbished, equipped with new safety and navigation equipment, including spare parts.

“I expect the vessels will be refitted and ready for hand over in May 2015,” Andrews said in a statement. They were decommissioned in November 2014.

The supply ships are 44.5 meters long and have a speed of 10-13 Knots. They are capable of carrying up to 180 tons of cargo.

The Australian embassy described the LCH as "an extremely versatile vessel, capable of moving large amounts of cargo, personnel and equipment from larger ships to shore."

"A very shallow draft (two meters) allows these ships to deliver personnel and equipment to areas otherwise unreachable especially during Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations," the embassy noted in a statement.

Australia noted how the Philippine Navy's lack of sealift capability had hampered humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

“The Landing Craft will greatly improve the Philippines’ ability to respond to natural disasters by enabling heavy equipment and large amounts of aid to be moved to affected areas,” Andrews added.

Australia also revealed the Philippine government's plan to purchase 3 more LCH that were decommissioned in 2012 – the former HMAS Wewak, Betano, and Balikpapan

Australia's gift to PH Navy: 2 supply ships

____________________________________________________________________________________

*Army to get 23 Humvee ambulances*

The Philippine Army will formally receive tomorrow Humvee ambulances to enhance its medical emergency responsiveness and efficiency, leading to a higher survivability rate among combat casualties.

A blessing and turn-over ceremony for the 23 units M1152 high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) / (Humvee) will be held at Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo tomorrow at 7:30 a.m., with Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin as the guest of honor and speaker.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Noel J. Detoyato said that the military ambulances they will receive next week are part of the 30 units M1152 HMMWV procured under the Philippine Defense Reform Program to enhance the Forward Health Service Support System of the Philippine Army. The remaining seven units are expected to be delivered in February.

Detoyato said each ambulance is equipped with a life support system including oxygen tank, suction system, upper litter rack, sliding/stowing attendant seat, first aid kit, tools and manuals, among others which can provide immediate medical response to wounded troops prior to their transfer to medical facilities.

“The procurement of these new ambulances will improve the medical care capability in the Army, particularly in the frontline units, leading to a higher survivability rate among combat casualties,” Detoyato said.

The blessing and turn-over ceremony will be witnessed by AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio P. Catapang, Jr.; Army Commanding General Lt Gen Hernando Iriberri; and personnel from the Department of National Defense (DND), General Headquarters, and the Philippine Army.


_23 New Humvee Ambulances Lined Up Inside Camp Aguinaldo for the Blessing ceremony ..._















Photographs below careof Jepot@Timawa

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## Cossack25A1

I think it is time for the Philippines to approach Israel for the Achzarit vehicles - we may not have chances with the BTR-T but the Achzarit is similar to the BTR-T and WILL provide better performance and protection for PH Army mechanized infantry units.







And since while would prefer M113s for FSV, we should consider the ACV-15 with bigger guns since we operate such vehicles but is only armed with M2 machine gun.






As for rocket launcher weapons, aside from RPG-7 and SMAW-type weapon, we should consider more of these 






So-called "High-Impulse Weapon System"





White Phosphorous


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## Cossack25A1

*Textron AirLand Scorpion*


*Crew:* 2
*Length:* 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m)
*Wingspan:* 47 ft 4 in (14.43 m)
*Height:* 14 ft (4.3 m)
*Empty weight:* 11,800 lb (5,352 kg)
*Max takeoff weight:* 21,250 lb (9,639 kg)
*Fuel capacity:* 6,000 lb (2,722 kg)
*Powerplant:* 2 × Honeywell TFE731 Turbofan, 4,000 lbf (18 kN) thrust each
*Performance*


*Maximum speed:* 450 kn (518 mph; 833 km/h)
*Stall speed:* 95 kn (109 mph; 176 km/h) (max)[41]
*Ferry range:* 2,400 nmi (2,800 mi; 4,400 km)
*Service ceiling:* 45,000 ft (14,000 m)
*Armament*


*Hardpoints:* 6 with a capacity of 6,200 lb (2,800 kg), and an internal bay with a 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) of armaments and other stores,
*Bombs:* precision and non-precision munitions
Is this a good choice to complement the FA-50 for ground attack just in case the EMB 314 doesn't materialize?


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## Cossack25A1

* ‘SAF clash should be last setback to peace’*
By Jose Rodel Clapano* (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - With the peace process possibly in peril amid calls for retribution against the killers of 44 elite police commandos in Maguindanao, the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels appealed yesterday to the nation to give peace a chance, warning that the alternative is “simply unthinkable.”

Both sides told a press briefing in Kuala Lumpur that two days of talks in Malaysia on disarming the rebels had made progress, and they vowed not to waver in implementing an accord on the voluntary surrender of weapons.

*It was announced in the meeting the decommissioning of weapons and forces would begin this month.*

*The MILF has waged a decades-long insurgency in Mindanao, but an accord signed last year has raised hopes of a lasting peace.*

“We want the Mamasapano encounter to be the last ugly turn in the road to peace,” chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said in her opening statement at the press conference jointly held with the MILF peace panel.

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal also expressed his group’s full commitment to the peace process.

Mamasapano is a remote village in Maguindanao where Special Action Force (SAF) policemen clashed with hundreds of MILF fighters for hours last Sunday. Aiding the MILF guerrillas were fighters of the radical Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

*President Aquino, who must convince Congress to approve the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), is under mounting pressure to strike back at the rebels.*

*“In the next few days we know there will be challenges before us,” Ferrer said.*

She said the government would engage with lawmakers to keep the peace process on track.

Ferrer warned of dire consequences if the process is allowed to crumble. “The other alternative is simply unthinkable,” she said.

“It will bring chaos and bring about the rise of other groups (and) even more extremists with very radical ideologies,” Ferrer added.

“That is our message. Please stay the course with us. The road to peace is paved with good intentions but that road too is full of twists and turns. On Jan 25, we all witnessed an ugly turn of events,” she said.

“As in any war situation, civilians were also killed and for them we equally grieve. For them, these nameless, faceless villagers, we also grieve,” she said.

“We know that more than anything they wanted to be remembered in this way – as heroes, as heroes first and foremost,” she said, referring to the fallen SAF commandos.

“This is not the first ugly turn we have endured in this difficult journey to peace in Mindanao, to peace in our country. But we want it to be the last,” Ferrer said.

She stressed the peace panels are doing everything to keep the peace process on track.

*The talks in Malaysia marked the first formal sit-down between the two sides since the killing of the 44 SAF men in Mamasapano last Sunday.*

At Malacañang, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Jan. 25 incident should not derail the peace process, particularly the passage of the BBL.

“We must remember the important lessons that we learned from the past and ask ourselves as to the best road to take for a brighter future,” he said.

While the Mamasapano carnage has triggered calls for the cancellation of the peace process, Coloma maintained that top government officials like Senate President Franklin Drilon, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno have remained supportive of it.

The MILF signed a protocol agreement on Thursday for disarmament, and both parties said they would go ahead with the symbolic handover this month of 75 high-powered guerrilla firearms.

They also vowed to strengthen existing ceasefire mechanisms to avoid future clashes.

The peace agreement signed last year would create an autonomous region to replace the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for the Philippines’ Muslim minority with locally elected leaders by mid-2016.

The conflict has condemned millions of people across Mindanao to poverty and created fertile conditions for Islamic extremism, with the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group and other hardline militants making remote areas their strongholds.


*No terrorist coddler*

In an ABS-CBN report, Iqbal denied his group coddled terror suspects Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Basit Usman, who were the targets of the SAF operation in Mamasapano.

Iqbal said it was the BIFF and not the MILF that was keeping the terrorists.

“The truth will show that we have not been coddling Marwan. Marwan was in the company of the BIFF, not the MILF,” he said in a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

“You cannot turn over something which is not in your possession,” he added.

The SAF men had just killed Marwan, who was carrying a $5-million bounty on his head, when they ran into an MILF and BIFF blocking force. The MILF said the “misencounter” would not have happened had the policemen “coordinated” their operation with the rebel group.

He said they also suffered casualties in the encounter, counting 18 dead on their side and 14 others injured, the ABS-CBN report said.

Iqbal released the names of the dead MILF men and expressed his condolences to the families of all those killed in Mamasapano.

“Rest assured that no amount of obstacles along the way can stop us from pursuing the path of peace in Mindanao,” he said.

He also appealed to the media not to fan the emotions of hatred.

“Bangsamoro have also suffered a lot as a result of several massacres. The encounter in Mamasapano wasn’t intended by either side – from side of government and MILF. It was a pure and simple misencounter,” he said.

ABS-CBN News also quoted Ferrer as saying that the investigations into the Mamasapano incident would continue, with members of the International Monitoring Team on a field verification mission in the areas concerned.

“We managed to come up with concrete solutions soberly. The results will not become immediately evident. We will remain under scrutiny. We will have to regain the people’s trust. Let our actions then speak louder than our words in due time,” she said.


*Accountability*

In the ABS-CBN report, government peace panel member Senen Bacani has urged those behind the botched Mamasapano operation to come out in the open and take responsibility.

“The ongoing investigation should bear out facts in terms of accountabilities on both parties. Whoever are accountable should be held responsible for their actions. In their heart of hearts, they know who they are. It doesn’t have to wait for results of investigations,” Bacani told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

“I think people know what to do when you’re accountable for something... You don’t need to wait for facts. Whoever is accountable should take necessary steps,” he added.

“Whoever he or she is, he or she must know what truth is. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t wait for the results of investigation,” he said.

Ferrer, for her part, maintained that the issue of amnesty and pardon would have specific parameters.

“Such will depend on the case. Even though you grant amnesty, we know under international humanitarian law, there are exceptions. Amnesty and pardon has always been part of reconciliation. We’re still discussing parameters,” she said.

Meanwhile, the United Nations and Switzerland issued separate statements expressing sadness for the Mamasapano tragedy and extending condolences to bereaved families.

“The United Nations team in the Philippines joins in mourning those who lost their lives in the tragic incident of 25 January in Mamasapano in Mindanao, and expresses its condolences to the affected families.”

Switzerland it was “concerned and saddened” by last week’s violence in Maguindanao that left scores dead and the peace process in peril.

“It is Switzerland’s hope that this tragic event will not destabilize the ongoing peace process. More than ever, peace is needed now and under no circumstances should it be the ultimate victim of Sunday’s event,” the Swiss embassy said. *With Pia Lee Brago*

-----
‘SAF clash should be last setback to peace’ | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

-------------------------

* 2 PAF pilots die as SF-260 plunges into sea *
 By Jaime Laude* (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 1, 2015 - 12:00am*
MANILA, Philippines - Two pilots of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) died when their training plane crashed in the waters off Nasugbu, Batangas yesterday morning.

Reports reaching the PAF headquarters at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City identified the fatalities as Capt. John Bayao and 1st Lt. Nazer Jana.

*The pilots were conducting air exhibition for the scheduled celebration of Nasugbu’s Liberation Day when their SF-260 plane crashed 150 meters from the shoreline of Barangay Bucana at 9:45 a.m.*

Nasugbu police head Chief Inspector Pablo Aguda said the bodies of Bayao and Jana were retrieved about 20 meters deep and brought to Manila.

PAF spokesman Col. Rico Canaya said they have yet to determine the cause of the plane crash.

The PAF leadership, under Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado, dispatched a team of air force probers to Nasugbu to conduct an investigation.* – With Arnell Ozaeta*

-----
2 PAF pilots die as SF-260 plunges into sea | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

-------------------------

* Palace against ‘Truth’? *
_*Coloma: Proposed Truth Commission to probe Mamasapano carnage needs thorough study
*_
*by Madel Sabater - Namit
February 1, 2015 *

Malacañang yesterday called on the Senate to reconsider its proposal of creating a Truth Commission to investigate the massacre of 44 police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, saying there is already a Philippine National Police (PNP) Board of Inquiry that is tasked to investigate the incident.

*Last Friday, administration ally Sen. Teofisto Guingona III called for the creation of a Truth Commission to “conduct a thorough and impartial probe” on the killing of 44 members of the PNP-Special Action Force (SAF) in Mamasapano.*

Guingona nominated former Chief Justices Reynato Puno and Hilario Davide Sr., and former Sen. Wigberto Tañada to his proposed Truth Commission.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that while the Executive branch respects the Senate as a separate and co-equal branch of government, the creation of the Truth Commission should be reviewed.

“I think a thorough study is in order since there is already a Board of Inquiry and an Executive Commission for the MILF side. Even members of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) and the CCCH (Coordinating Committee on Cessation of Hostilities) have knowledge on the incident and they offered their assistance and inputs,” Coloma said.

He said there should be a dialogue between the executive and legislative branches to build a common ground.

“We should review thoroughly the proposal so there would be a unified view of the situation in our goal to seek the truth on the incident,” Coloma said.


*HOUSE DIVIDED*

While Malacañang is cool on the idea of creating Truth Commission, some lawmakers from both houses of Congress will join forces at the Senate Monday to drum up calls for its creation.

The united appeal will be made in a press conference at 10 a.m. in the Senate’s Sumulong Room, to be attended by Senators Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.

Joining the three senators in the discussion are Reps. Sitti Turabin Hataman (AMIN party-list), Leni Robredo (3rd District, Camarines Sur), Teddy Baguilat (Ifugao), Jorge Banal (3rd District, Quezon City) Kaka Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands), and Mars Teodoro (1st District, Marikina).

All six lawmakers are part of the Liberal Party (LP)-led administration coalition that dominates the 16th Congress.

Also supporting the proposed Truth Commission are ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Samuel Pagdilao, Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas, and Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo.

But Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and several House leaders said they have faith in the Board of Inquiry formed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II to ferret out the truth behind the Mamasapano carnage.

I go with that proposal. The Truth Commission must be peopled with men of probity, impartiality, and integrity. And be given the mandate to either dig into the deepest bowels of the earth or go up even to the highest echelons to determine gaps, responsibility, and accountability and be able to provide answers and remedial measures,” Pagdilao, a former police general, said in an interview.

Treñas and Quimbo also rallied behind Guingona’s call “so that those responsible for the debacle will be called upon to account for the same.”

But Belmonte and other House leaders do not find it necessary to form such commission to investigate the death of the “Fallen 44,” explaining it would only replicate the PNP Board of Inquiry, formed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). ”The President has already ordered a thorough investigation of it, I’d await the results of it,” the House Chief said in a separate interview.

Akabayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello and AKO Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe agreed with Belmonte, saying that the Board of Inquiry should be given leeway to do its job.

“That’s a good idea but my question is how the Commission will dovetail with the proposal for a Board of Inquiry. There might be duplication of work,” Bello said.

“Let the Board of Inquiry finish its job first before we conduct all kinds of investigation to save time and resources of the government,” Batocabe pointed out.

For his part, Deputy Majority Leader and Citizens Battle against Corruption partylist Rep. Sherwin Tugna welcomed Guingona’s proposal, but he said, “The prudent thing to do is to wait for the results of the investigation of the Board of Inquiry.”

Albay Rep. Francis Bichara, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, rejected the creation of a Truth Commission, explaining that the “Senate and House can do separate investigations.”


*SURPRISE SUPPORTER*

*Rallying behind Guingona’s proposal, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares suggested that it should be headed by “independent and credible persons” like former Chief Justice Renato Puno “to assuage fears that the investigation will not be whitewashed to favor President Aquino and suspended PNP General Alan Purisima while putting the blame on the SAF forces themselves.”*

“The Commission must have the independence and the courage to summon members of the US forces in the Philippines and investigate their involvement,” he said.

Colmenares gave in to Guingona’s call, believing that the PNP Board of Inquiry, composed of PNP Generals, “is not expected to objectively investigate the killing of the 44 SAF personnel, considering that they will investigate not just the involvement of US forces but also President Aquino and suspected PNP Chief Alan Purisima who are their superiors.” (With reports from Ellson A. Quismorio and Charissa M. Luci)

-----
Palace against ‘Truth’? | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
-----

-------------------------

*Lawmaker fears whitewash in Mamasapano clash probe*
*Aries Joseph Hegina | INQUIRER.net 1:26 PM | Sunday, February 1st, 2015*

MANILA, Philippines—A militant solon has expressed doubts about the government-led investigation into the bloody clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, that resulted in the death of 44 members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Forces (PNP-SAF).

In a statement, Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares said the probe by a PNP board of inquiry would not be objective.

“The PNP Board of Inquiry, composed of PNP Generals, is not expected to objectively investigate the killing of the 44 SAF personnel considering that they will investigate not just the involvement of US forces but also Pres. Benigno Aquino III and PNP Chief Alan Purisima who are their superiors,” Colmeranes said.

*He added, “President Aquino has practically pre-empted the Board of Inquiry during his televised speech by washing his hands of any responsibility and blaming the SAF forces for failing to coordinate with other units until it was too late. There is no way that the Board will find President Aquino accountable for the botched operation after that speech.”*

The lawmaker added that he favored the formation of an independent commission composed of “credible” persons such as former Chief Justice Renato Puno to lead the probe.

An independent probe, the lawmaker said, could “assuage fears that the investigation will be whitewashed to favor President Aquino and General Purisima, while putting the blame on the SAF forces themselves.”

Also, “the Commission must have the independence and the courage to summon members of the US forces in the Philippines and investigate their involvement,” the House Deputy Minority Leader added.

He urged other PNP officials to come out and reveal what they know about the operation dubbed as “Operation Wolverine.”

“Members of the PNP and other security forces who know what really happened in Mamasapano and in the preparations leading to the operation should come forward and tell the truth about those accountable for the botched operations. Otherwise, the case could be whitewashed with the blame mainly pinned on the hapless SAF,” Colmenares added.

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Lawmaker fears whitewash in Mamasapano clash probe | Inquirer News
-----

-------------------------

*Toyota to double PH production by 2020*
*Amy R Remo | 1:50 AM | Saturday, January 31st, 2015*

TOYOTA Motor Philippines (TMP) is gearing up to sustain its strong performance over the next five years, as it targets to almost double its vehicle sales to about 200,000 units by 2020 and retain its market leadership in the local automotive sector.

For 2015, however, TMP has opted to be more conservative in its performance, forecasting only a 4 percent growth in vehicle sales to 110,000 units from the 106,110 units sold in 2014.

TMP president Michinobu Sugata said the automotive firm wanted to focus more on its after sales service, given the growing number of Toyota vehicle owners in the country.

“We will try to focus on after sales service this year because last year, we received 737,000 units for after sales. So in order not to sacrifice our customer satisfaction, we decided to put more focus on after sales enhancement this year rather than sales,” Sugata explained. “There are nearly one million Toyota vehicles on the road due to [rising] car sales, expansion of dealer network, and attractive products and services.”

“This is a transition year for Toyota. Looking at growth, at our midterm goal for sales by 2020, we’re going to aim for 200,000 units, and that’s more or less 40 percent of the market. In order to reach that number, we have to strengthen our fundamentals. Of course, after sales service capacity expansion first. We’re going to expand the dealer network with 10 new dealerships. Last year we had 45, and this year we are aiming for 55 dealers nationwide. Most of the expansion will be done on the provincial side,” Sugata further noted.

The TMP chief admitted that by having this focus, vehicle sales will be affected this year, and most likely the company’s market share, which may see a slight decline this year.

There will also be a lesser number of launches for model changes, the first of which was held Thursday night, for the all new Alphard. Sales for the third generation Alphard, which retails for over P3.2 million, is expected to average about 20-35 units a month, up from 17 units for the previous generation. Initial orders are seen reaching 40-50 units, Sugata added.

Profitability, however, will not necessarily be affected because sales of parts are likely to increase and will make up for the lower volume of cars sold.

Sales of automotive parts are projected to increase by 15 percent this year. Last year, auto parts sales comprised about 20 percent of the company’s P100 billion in revenues.

Sugata further noted that a bigger focus on after sales service was meant to ensure that the company will be equipped with the expected growth in the Philippine automotive sector, where sales are expected to reach 500,000 units by 2020.

To cater to an expected surge in sales, TMP plans to roll out a P2.5-billion capital outlay program this year to prepare for a model change of the Innova. This expenditure will be similar to the over P2 billion spent for the model change of the Vios, Sugata said.

The planned capital budget, which has yet to be approved by TMP’s parent firm in Japan, will be used to speed up the assembly line. Last year, TMP was able to produce a record 41,644 units, and expects further increase in production to 43,000 units. However, the actual capacity of the plant was only 35,000 units, which meant that workers worked overtime or on double shifts.

“Our production capacity was not enough at 35,000 units. But we produced 41,644 units last year by rendering two [additonal] hours each day. So as we expect a moderate increase this year, we have to expand production capacity a bit to accommodate [the increase]. Otherwise, our workers will have to work three or four hours overtime or two shifts. We may hire more workers. At the moment, we have 1,500 people at the factory,” he added.

On another development, Sugata said they are still awaiting the issuance of the Philippine automotive industry roadmap, which he stressed was “indispensable” for setting the company’s mid-term manufacturing goals.

“We are optimistic that the Department of Trade and Industry’s comprehensive program for auto manufacturing industry will jumpstart broad based industry growth, especially in the parts manufacturing sector and auto supporting industries,” he said.

“The passage of the Philippine Auto Roadmap comes at an opportune time when regional competition is expected to be more intense as the Asean Economic Community integration commences this year. Under a highly competitive economic region, the auto roadmap will be vital in stimulating higher growth and expanding the domestic market,” Sugata added.

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Toyota to double PH production by 2020 | Inquirer Business
-----

-------------------------

* United Airlines seeks to grow PH business *
*by Emmie Abadilla*
*February 1, 2015 *

Almost half a decade after the United Airlines merger with Continental Airlines, which created the world’s largest airline, United is re-introducing itself to the Philippines.

United has been operating in the country for over 30 years, with a 4 percent share of the Manila to the USA. flights.

But is quandary is being a high-fare carrier in a low-yield market. United’s market growth depends on the availability of seats in the country, where the bulk of passengers fly economy class.

Hence, for 2015, United is expecting its capacity growth here to be flat, confirmed Jake Cefolia, Vice President for Atlantic and Pacific Sales.

“We need higher fares and more seats. We allocate inventory on the basis of fares. Our growth is demand-based, not price-based.”

Still, “The Philippines is very important to us, it’s a great feeder,” noted Maria Perdon, Country Sales Manager.

While the Manila to the US route is a high volume market, high price seats constitute only a small portion of the demand. “In order to be profitable, we need a good mix between business class and economy class seats,” she explained.

But inasmuch as the first and the business class seats will not sell as fast as the economy seats, “The way to sell higher fares is to prove we have more value for that price,” Cefolia stressed.

This year, United is making Wi-Fi available on more than 370 of its aircraft, with more planes being outfitted at the rate of one per day.

It has also invested millions of dollars in domestic premium-cabin food and beverage service as well as personal device entertainment which will enable passengers to stream content from a library of music, TV and movies into their own gadgets.

So far, United is the only American airline to offer premium-cabin flat-bed seats on every long-haul international flight to and from the continental USA.

This year, the airline is investing more in service, technology and reliability.

Overall, United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,055 flights daily to 373 airports in 60 countries across six continents. Last year, they operated nearly 2 million flights carrying 138 million customers.

In 2014, United netted $1.97-billion earnings, posting 89 percent increase year on year.

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United Airlines seeks to grow PH business | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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-------------------------

* Philippine growth seen topping 6.1% this year *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine economic growth would likely accelerate this year from the strong 6.1 percent expansion in 2014, fueled by poll-related spending in the run-up to the 2016 national elections, the research arm of Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. said.

“Research sees 2015 to be a better year especially with spending for the 2016 elections expected to be kick-started in the second half of 2015,” Metrobank Research said in its latest The Economic Weather Report.

“The increase in government spending is seen to cause a rebound in investment spending and will also further boost consumption spending. The industry sector will still be a top performer this year amid the solid expansions in the manufacturing and construction sectors,” the bank added.

Metrobank Research has forecast gross domestic product, a measure of economic output, to grow 6.4 percent this year, below the government’s seven to eight percent target.

* “Risks to the domestic economy however remain amid the persistent port congestion issues, looming power supply crisis, uneven global economy, and impact of financial market volatilities,” Metrobank Research said.*

GDP growth surged to 6.9 percent in the last quarter of 2014 after a dismal 5.3-percent pace in the third quarter. This brought full-year economic growth at 6.1 percent, still short of the government’s 6.5 - 7.5 percent goal.

*However, Philippine economic growth last year remained the second fastest in Asia, after China’s 7.4 percent expansion. This also marked the third consecutive year the country achieved an above six percent growth.*

“2014 growth can be attributed to the rebound in external trade, robust industry sector, and still solid consumption,” Metrobank Research noted.

The foreseen strong economic growth this year will be matched by a manageable inflation, which Metrobank Research expects to average 2.8 percent.

* “Expect low inflationary pressure this 2015, as stable food prices and soft oil prices remain. The high 2014 base will also dampen pressures to the index,” the bank said.*


* “Possible upside risks may come from power costs given shortages in the Luzon grid this summer and a sudden reversal in oil price movements,” Metrobank Research warned.*

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Philippine growth seen topping 6.1% this year | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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-------------------------

* US group exploring opportunities in Philippines *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The US Philippine Society (USPS) will continue to promote opportunities in the Philippines to the American business community as it expects the country’s economic gains to be sustained.

In a press conference Friday, USPS co-chairman and former US Ambassador to the Philippines John Negroponte said amid expectations of sustained positive economic conditions, the group intends to encourage US firms to consider business opportunities in the country.


Officials of USPS, a non-profit organization which seeks to raise the Philippines’ profile in the US, were in the country for a series of meetings with government leaders and the business community to know about the business environment and opportunities available here.


“The most important takeaway of this series of meetings is that the progress of the Philippines particularly growing economy and reforms is positive. We expect the positive trend to continue and the important thing we will do when we go back to the US is spread that message and the opportunities it represents for the US business community,” Negroponte said.


USPS president John Maisto said the Philippines has made improvements not just in terms of economic growth but also in governance and security, making it a desirable investment partner.


He added that the Philippines’ available young talent pool, which can speak the English language well, also makes the country an attractive location for business.



While there is already interest from the US in opportunities in infrastructure, energy and modern technology, he said USPS is committed to further promote opportunities here.


As the investment environment is becoming even more competitive, he said the Philippine government and private sector, however, will also have to do its part in drumming up investor interest in the country.


“What we have seen is interest of the government to do smart policies. We know Philippines businesses are interested in partnering and we know the growth record and ability of Filipinos to carry work. You have to take advantage of these opportunities,” he said.


“Investments should be seduced and attracted. This is the challenge of the Philippines in Southeast Asia,” he added.


For his part, Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. said the government is aware of the challenges that remain such as making the country’s economic growth more inclusive and reducing the poverty level which remains high and such are already being addressed.


USPS is a private sector initiative organized in 2012 to broaden and expand interaction and understanding of the US and the Philippines in the areas of security, trade, investments, tourism, the environment, history, education and culture.


It is collaborating with the Philippine Embassy to achieve its objective of increasing awareness on the Philippines in the US.

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US group exploring opportunities in Philippines | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Ayan81

*STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP | PH, Japan agree to elevate defense ties*

*



*

MANILA - Japan takes a step forward in playing a more active role in the defense modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as both countries agreed to elevate their defense ties to a "strategic partnership."

The heightened defense cooperation between the two Asian neighbors comes a few days before the Philippines marks the 70th anniversary of the Battle for Manila, a month-long campaign for liberation by US forces driving out Japanese Army forces from the capital city in the final leg of the over three-year Japanese occupation during World War II.

Over 100,000 Filipino civilians died from the combination of bombardment of the entire city by American air assets; and, on the ground, by the torching of entire communities by retreating Japanese forces, who killed and raped Filipinos as they exited.

In recent years, Washington and Tokyo representatives have stood alongside Philippine officials in commemorations of the 1942 Fall of Bataan and Corregidor to Japanese invaders, in a sign of increasing cooperation among three countries that were once bitter enemies in World War II.

Japan and the Philippines have in recent years both engaged China in two maritime territory disputes: Japan in the East China Sea and the Philippines, in the South China Sea.

Department of National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani have signed a defense cooperation and exchange agreement that now covers equipment and defense technology.

In a joint statement, the two defense ministers said they "shared views to elevate bilateral defense cooperation and exchanges to a new phase based on the Strategic Partnership between Japan and the Philippines."

The Strategic Partnership covers capacity building, Human Assistance and Disaster Response Relief training, maritime security and "exploring a new possibility of cooperation in defense equipment and technology."

_Two key features of the Strategic Partnership agreement are:_


_Japan's Defense Ministry and Japan Self Defense Forces (JSDF) will carry out a "capacity building project" for the Philippine military, primarily on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response. Expected to benefit from this is the Philippine Air Force, as Japan will carry out "capacity building assistance in the area of air transportation."_
_The Philippines and Japan will start working level discussions on possible cooperation on defense equipment and technology._
The Philippine–Japan Strategic Partnership is considered significant as both countries are currently embroiled in maritime territory disputes with China: China has encroached and occupied several islands and shoals in the Philippine zone of the disputed Spratly Islands in the West Philippines Sea. Japan is engaged in a tense dispute with China over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea – where Japanese and Chinese warplanes have already engaged in stand offs.

The territorial disputes figured prominently in the Friday meeting between Gazmin and Nakatani in Tokyo, "both ministers shared the view that any dispute should be settled peacefully, without the use of force or coercion, and in accordance with international law."

"They also reaffirmed the importance of the freedom of navigation and overflight in high seas," the joint statement said.

The Philippines gave tacit support for Tokyo's intention to allow its military to play a more active role in the international arena. "Secretary Gazmin welcomed Japan's efforts to actively contribute to the peace and stability of the world together with the international community," the statement said.

Japan's constitution limits its military to a self defense role and is banned from sending its forces abroad.

Under the Philippine–Japan Strategic Partnership, Manila and Tokyo will hold more regular military meetings, including visits by senior military officials and cross-training opportunities among the various services. Most notable of these are the increased exchanges concerning air defense, maritime security and amphibious operations.

A joint staff from the Philippine Armed Forces' General Headquarters and the Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) will be created to oversee the exchange programs.

The joint programs eyed include:


Multi-layered exchange between the Philippine Army and Marine Corps and the JSDF
The Philippine and Japanese navies will hold more bilateral naval training, known as Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES)
The Philippine Air Force will take part in Japan-US-Australia joint air force exercises, codenamed Cope North Guam.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP | PH, Japan agree to elevate defense ties

@Nihonjin1051 
_"capacity building assistance in the area of air transportation." What do you think Japan can offer in this area? any assets in the air force that's due to decommissioning? _

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## Ayan81

Sundays of January are bad days for the AFP
*
2 dead as plane crashes in Nasugbu, Batangas*

*



*

*



*

*



*
MANILA, Philippines—Two people were killed after a plane crashed Saturday morning off Nasugbu town in Batangas, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said.

CAAP said an SF260, an Italian aircraft of the Philippine Airforce (PAF), which was on a training flight, crashed in Batangas past 9 a.m.

The PAF, meanwhile, confirmed that one of its instructor pilots and a student died after its aircraft crashed 300 meters off the shore of Nasugbu.

The PAF said recovered bodies of the pilots would be brought to the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

PAF added that it would not disclose the names of the fatalities until their next of kin have been informed.

2 dead as plane crashes in Nasugbu, Batangas | Inquirer News


Photos from ANC 24/7 Facebook
Video from Brayl Malanan Youtube Channel


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> @Nihonjin1051
> _"capacity building assistance in the area of air transportation." What do you think Japan can offer in this area? any assets in the air force that's due to decommissioning? _



Absolutely. We're ordering and inducting 20 new Kawasaki C-2s into the JASDF, and these will replace the Kawasaki C-1s. We have 25 or so Kawasaki C-1s that will eventually be retired from our Air Fleet, I have read that Japan may forward some to the Philippines.

Anyways, here are some pictures of the Kawasaki C-1s:


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> Multi-layered exchange between the Philippine Army and Marine Corps and the JSDF



I like this, indeed.

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> I like this, indeed.



Why only the PH Army and PH Marine Corps? Shouldn't it be the whole AFP having multi-layered exchange with JSDF

And this, hmm can it be modified to be tracked in a way similar to a prototype tracked Stryker?


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## Ayan81

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Absolutely. We're ordering and inducting 20 new Kawasaki C-2s into the JASDF, and these will replace the Kawasaki C-1s. We have 25 or so Kawasaki C-1s that will eventually be retired from our Air Fleet, I have read that Japan may forward some to the Philippines.
> 
> Anyways, here are some pictures of the Kawasaki C-1s:
> 
> View attachment 189409
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 189411
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 189416



Hinde kaya masyadong malaki ang C-1 para sa PAF? Since it will be the first time PAF will maintain a turbofan cargo instead of a propeller one I was thinking of your C 130H and Hueys. Pero kung bibigay ng Japan with spare parts, sino ba kami para tumangi 

Related news Japan receives PHL military equipment wishlist | Ang Malaya Net
although AngMalaya is not really a credible source of info. it correlates with the first article 




Cossack25A1 said:


> And this, hmm can it be modified to be tracked in a way similar to a prototype tracked Stryker?



assistance in the area of air transpo capability, but who knows maybe the AFP has included on the list some land units to be acquired.

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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> Hinde kaya masyadong malaki ang C-1 para sa PAF? Since it will be the first time PAF will maintain a turbofan cargo instead of a propeller one I was thinking of your C 130H and Hueys. Pero kung bibigay ng Japan with spare parts, sino ba kami para tumangi
> 
> Related news Japan receives PHL military equipment wishlist | Ang Malaya Net
> although AngMalaya is not really a credible source of info. it correlates with the first article
> 
> 
> 
> 
> assistance in the area of air transpo capability, but who knows maybe the AFP has included on the list some land units to be acquired.



The "Maneuver Combat Vehicle" is suitable for the PH Army considering that the PH Marine Corps uses LAV-300 and is likely comparable to the Stryker MGS. Unless we will receive other vehicles which could be a surplus (like a Type 74 MBT but is armed in the same manner as a BMP-T) or joint-developed if the latter is possible.

As for utility helicopter, it makes me wonder why we only focused on the armed version of the AW109 or at least considered a few Sikorsky S-70s.


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> Hinde kaya masyadong malaki ang C-1 para sa PAF? Since it will be the first time PAF will maintain a turbofan cargo instead of a propeller one I was thinking of your C 130H and Hueys. Pero kung bibigay ng Japan with spare parts, sino ba kami para tumangi
> 
> Related news Japan receives PHL military equipment wishlist | Ang Malaya Net
> although AngMalaya is not really a credible source of info. it correlates with the first article
> 
> 
> 
> 
> assistance in the area of air transpo capability, but who knows maybe the AFP has included on the list some land units to be acquired.




Hehehe , I see a solid future between between our two nations.

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## Ayan81

@Cossack25A1 @Nihonjin1051 
_ISR, HADR and lift capability daw, kayo na bahala mag imagine _

*PHL defense wish list now in Japan*

MANILA, Feb. 2 (PNA) -- With the Philippines and Japan agreeing to stronger bilateral defense ties, the country has submitted a list of defense equipment that it plans to acquire from the Japanese.

This was confirmed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin Monday during his return to the Philippines after his trip to Japan where he met with his counterpart Defense Minister Gen Nakatani.

"Lahat ng magagamit to address our maritime security," Gazmin said in a text message, when asked what items were on the list.

Last Jan. 31, the Department of National Defense (DND) and Japan's Ministry of Defense issued a statement concurring on, among others, "to explore a possibility of cooperation in the area of defense equipment and technology."

The two countries "will start working-level discussions" on the matter.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=731574

*PHL planning to acquire ISR, HADR, lift equipment from Japan*

MANILA, Feb. 3 (PNA) -- The Philippines is also planning to acquire equipment from Japan that will beef up its ISR, HADR and lift capability.

ISR refers to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance while HADR stands for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Defense spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez in a message to the PNA said this is in the wake that the Philippines and Japan is planning to boost their bilateral defense ties.

He added that this was contained in the memorandum signed by both countries last January.

Last Jan. 31, the Department of National Defense and Japan's Ministry of Defense issued a statement that Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Minister Nakatani "concurred" on, among others, "to explore a possibility of cooperation in the area of defense equipment and technology."

The two countries "will start working-level discussions" on the matter.

Navy spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo said Monday that the force submitted to DND Assistant Secretary for Plans and Programs Danilo Augusto Francia on December 26 a list of assets it plans to acquire from Japan.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=731762

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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> Navy spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo said Monday that the force submitted to DND Assistant Secretary for Plans and Programs Danilo Augusto Francia on December 26 a list of assets it plans to acquire from Japan.




Whatever the case, expect us to be there to help our Pinoy friends -- as we were there during Typhoon Haiyan , we will be there to help , assist our friends.


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> @Cossack25A1 @Nihonjin1051
> _ISR, HADR and lift capability daw, kayo na bahala mag imagine _
> 
> *PHL defense wish list now in Japan*
> 
> MANILA, Feb. 2 (PNA) -- With the Philippines and Japan agreeing to stronger bilateral defense ties, the country has submitted a list of defense equipment that it plans to acquire from the Japanese.
> 
> This was confirmed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin Monday during his return to the Philippines after his trip to Japan where he met with his counterpart Defense Minister Gen Nakatani.
> 
> "Lahat ng magagamit to address our maritime security," Gazmin said in a text message, when asked what items were on the list.
> 
> Last Jan. 31, the Department of National Defense (DND) and Japan's Ministry of Defense issued a statement concurring on, among others, "to explore a possibility of cooperation in the area of defense equipment and technology."
> 
> The two countries "will start working-level discussions" on the matter.
> 
> http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=731574
> 
> *PHL planning to acquire ISR, HADR, lift equipment from Japan*
> 
> MANILA, Feb. 3 (PNA) -- The Philippines is also planning to acquire equipment from Japan that will beef up its ISR, HADR and lift capability.
> 
> ISR refers to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance while HADR stands for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
> 
> Defense spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez in a message to the PNA said this is in the wake that the Philippines and Japan is planning to boost their bilateral defense ties.
> 
> He added that this was contained in the memorandum signed by both countries last January.
> 
> Last Jan. 31, the Department of National Defense and Japan's Ministry of Defense issued a statement that Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Minister Nakatani "concurred" on, among others, "to explore a possibility of cooperation in the area of defense equipment and technology."
> 
> The two countries "will start working-level discussions" on the matter.
> 
> Navy spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo said Monday that the force submitted to DND Assistant Secretary for Plans and Programs Danilo Augusto Francia on December 26 a list of assets it plans to acquire from Japan.
> 
> http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=731762



Most likely airlift systems and assets that can be used during disaster events.


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## Cossack25A1

*Minister for Defence – Defence Minister announces the gifting of two Landing Craft to the Philippines*
*29 January 2015*

The Australian Government will gift two recently-decommissioned Landing Craft Heavy vessels, including a package of spare parts, to the Philippines Government, the Minister for Defence Kevin Andrews announced today.

Mr Andrews said the former Royal Australian Navy vessels HMAS _Tarakan_ and _Brunei_ would be gifted to the Philippine Navy after being refurbished with new safety and navigation equipment.

“I expect the vessels will be refitted and ready for hand over in May 2015,” Mr Andrews said.

The Landing Craft will be commissioned in the Philippines Navy and will provide additional intra-theatre sealift capability.

A lack of sealift capability hampered efforts to assist Philippines’ coastal areas devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

“The Landing Craft will greatly improve the Philippines’ ability to respond to natural disasters by enabling heavy equipment and large amounts of aid to be moved to affected areas,” Mr Andrews said.

The Landing Craft Heavy fleet was decommissioned from Australian service at a ceremony in Cairns on 19 November 2014.

The Philippines Government is also considering whether to purchase the remaining three Landing Craft Heavy. The former HMAS _Wewak_, _Betano_ and _Balikpapan_ were decommissioned from the Royal Australian Navy in 2012.


*Media contacts:*
Cristy Elliott (Minister Andrews Office)
Defence Media Operations



-----
Defence Ministers » Minister for Defence – Defence Minister announces the gifting of two Landing Craft to the Philippines
-----

_What if we could put howitzers on it and turning these ships into off-shore bombardment platforms instead?_

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> *Minister for Defence – Defence Minister announces the gifting of two Landing Craft to the Philippines*
> *29 January 2015*
> 
> The Australian Government will gift two recently-decommissioned Landing Craft Heavy vessels, including a package of spare parts, to the Philippines Government, the Minister for Defence Kevin Andrews announced today.
> 
> Mr Andrews said the former Royal Australian Navy vessels HMAS _Tarakan_ and _Brunei_ would be gifted to the Philippine Navy after being refurbished with new safety and navigation equipment.
> 
> “I expect the vessels will be refitted and ready for hand over in May 2015,” Mr Andrews said.
> 
> The Landing Craft will be commissioned in the Philippines Navy and will provide additional intra-theatre sealift capability.
> 
> A lack of sealift capability hampered efforts to assist Philippines’ coastal areas devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.
> 
> “The Landing Craft will greatly improve the Philippines’ ability to respond to natural disasters by enabling heavy equipment and large amounts of aid to be moved to affected areas,” Mr Andrews said.
> 
> The Landing Craft Heavy fleet was decommissioned from Australian service at a ceremony in Cairns on 19 November 2014.
> 
> The Philippines Government is also considering whether to purchase the remaining three Landing Craft Heavy. The former HMAS _Wewak_, _Betano_ and _Balikpapan_ were decommissioned from the Royal Australian Navy in 2012.
> 
> 
> *Media contacts:*
> Cristy Elliott (Minister Andrews Office)
> Defence Media Operations
> 
> 
> 
> -----
> Defence Ministers » Minister for Defence – Defence Minister announces the gifting of two Landing Craft to the Philippines
> -----
> 
> _What if we could put howitzers on it and turning these ships into off-shore bombardment platforms instead?_




Good to see this !


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## Cossack25A1

*Original thread was deleted for "obvious" reasons.*

*-----*

*Philippines Accuses China of Ramming Fishing Boats*
_*Latest Complaint Comes Amid Renewed Maritime Tensions Over the South China Sea*_

_* By Trefor Moss 
Updated Feb. 5, 2015 12:03 p.m. ET*_

MANILA—The Philippines has accused the Chinese Coast Guard of endangering the lives of Filipino fishermen by intentionally ramming three fishing boats last week near Scarborough Shoal, a disputed region of the South China Sea.

With Sino-Philippine relations already strained, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a complaint to the Chinese embassy in Manila on Wednesday, in which it also alleged that a flotilla of Chinese boats was flouting international conventions by harvesting endangered sea creatures from the disputed shoal.

Manila’s latest protest against China comes after Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario last week urged Southeast Asian countries to work together to oppose Chinese efforts “to establish full control…over the South China Sea,” in what he termed a “watershed” moment for the “credibility” of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean.

At a daily news briefing Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei reiterated that China considers the area its sovereign territory, and said it would contact its own officials to find out what happened. Mr. Hong also cited a Jan. 29 incident in which he said Philippine boats congregated in the area and bumped each other when the Chinese sent a dinghy to investigate.

“The Chinese side urges the Philippine side to enhance supervision and allocation of its own fishermen to prevent such an incident from happening again,” Mr. Hong said.

China took control of Scarborough Shoal, located roughly 200 kilometers west of the Philippines, in late 2012 after a lengthy standoff between Chinese and Philippine vessels. Since then, Chinese law-enforcement ships have blocked Philippine fishing boats from accessing the area.
Tensions between the Philippines and China have begun to rise again this year after a brief respite following November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing, at which China made a diplomatic push to reassure its Southeast Asian neighbors. In particular, it set out ambitious plans for a “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” involving billions of dollars of investment in regional ports and other commercial facilities.

The Philippines, however, has grown increasingly distressed by Chinese land reclamation projects in the South China Sea, including the construction of a new island at Fiery Cross Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands, where Manila has said China appears to be building a new air base.

-----
Philippines Accuses China of Ramming Fishing Boats - WSJ
-----


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Good to see this !


I would rather have these extensively modified, up-armored and be armed with two howitzers (we should order more ATHOS from Israel; this is also were the local drones come in) and other fifties or chain-guns, converting these Landing ships into off-shore bombardment platforms as these ships can't fit inside the Makassar-class LPDs.


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## Cossack25A1

The Simba APC







I also wonder if the Simba could be converted into an AFV by removing the turret and replace it with a remote weapons station, particularly the Elbit System's DRWS.





DRWS dual remote weapon station Elbit Systems technical data sheet information specification UKÂ -Â Army RecognitionÂ -Â Army Recognition

or the Elbit System's ORCWS UT 30






Army Guide - UT 30 / ORCWS 30, Remote controlled weapon station

I did see a glimpse of what is inside the Simba APC when I went into Camp Aguinaldo last December and I can safely say that the DRWS or UT30 can fit on the Simba but in exchange that it would lose its troop-carrying capability, thus I have put "AFV"
above.

As for the V-150, I feel these vehicles are suitable replacements

Panhard VCR





M1117 ICV variant


----------



## Cossack25A1

*Business News*

-----

*PCCI invites more Japanese firms to access Asean market via investments in Philippines *
*February 7, 2015 *

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Dr. Alfredo Yao told a 100-man delegation from the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) that the Philippines is primed for Japanese companies planning expansion in the ASEAN region in the emerging ASEAN Economic Community due to the country’s improving standing in global competitiveness and fast rate of economic growth.

He made the statement as Yao welcomed the high–level delegation during the Philippines-Japan economic dialogue last Thursday between the Japan CCI, PCCI and the Philippine – Japan Economic Cooperation Council.

As head of the country’s largest business organization, Yao said that the partnership of PCCI with the JCCI has been evolving from manufacturing to technology transfer to services and emerging industries.

This evolving partnership covers tourism, the retirement industry, information – technology related services, the capital market, agriculture and agri-business, land development, and energy exploration.

The PCCI president said that Japanese companies would access the Asean integrated market by developing or strengthening their presence in the Philippines.

He pointed out that many Japanese companies have already positioned themselves in the Asean by including the Philippines as part of their global supply chains.

More partnerships could evolved from opportunities in manufacturing, technology transfer, services, and emerging industries such as tourism, retirement industry, IT-related services, capital markets, agriculture and agri-business, land development, and energy exploration.

The PCCI head urged the Japanese and Filipino businessmen to exchange best practices, business missions, and the conduct of trainings and other types of business networking activities as these lead to potential tie-ups beneficial to

Yao acknowledged the leadership of Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa and Dr. Akio Mimura, JCCI chairman and a former chairman and current advisor of Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal Corporation, for maintaining and further encouraging the interest of more Japanese companies to come to the Philippines and pursue potential collaborations with Philippine companies.

-----
PCCI invites more Japanese firms to access Asean market via investments in Philippines | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
-----


*Inflation rate softens to 2.4%*
*By Jennifer Ambanta | Feb. 05, 2015 at 11:30pm *

Consumer prices rose at the slowest pace in 17 months, on lower fuel, energy and transport costs amid the decline in crude prices in the world market, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show.

The PSA said in its consumer price index report inflation rate softened to 2.4 percent in January from 2.7 percent in December and 4.2 percent in January 2014. It was also the slowest rate recorded since August 2013, when the inflation rate settled at 2.1 percent.

The announcement bolstered expectations Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas would refrain from hiking interest rates to support economic expansion and bank lending. Interest rates largely depend on inflation rate.

“The continuous decline in the annual movement of the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels and transport further pushed down the country’s headline inflation to 2.4 percent during the beginning of the year 2015,” the PSA said.

“The continuing decline in international oil prices is a positive development for the country considering our import dependence on oil,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

“There were no new major economic and weather shocks that could considerably affect food supply. The supply chain of other food products has normalized because of the lifting of the expanded truck ban in September 2014. So these may have also contributed to the continued easing of inflation,” Balisacan said.

Balisacan said the lower inflation in the first month of the year boded well for consumption growth. “It is aligned with market expectations given the consensus forecast of 2.4 percent for the same period. It is also within the medium-term inflation target set at 2 to 4 percent for the year by the Development Budget Coordination Committee,” he said.

Rice prices, which accounted for 38 percent of total food inflation, continued to ease their year-on-year growth in January.

“Although the prices of rice are still elevated, the rate of price increase was slower because of more favorable supply conditions. Total rice stock inventory continues to register a double-digit year-on-year growth as of December 2014. This is in contrast to the decline in inventory recorded prior to November 2014,” he said.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said inflation rate this year was expected to settle within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent.

“January inflation at 2.4 percent is largely due to slowdown in annual movements of utilities, gas and transport. It falls within our forecast range and bolsters our view of within-target inflation over our policy horizon,” Tetangco said in a text message.

“We will continue to monitor developments particularly in international oil prices and their impact on financial market volatilities and inflation expectations to see if there is need to make adjustments to our policy levers,” Tetangco said.

Tetangco earlier predicted January inflation would settle within the range of 1.8 percent to 2.7 percent. The inter-agency DBCC set an inflation rate target of 2 percent to 4 percent from 2015 to 2018.

Tetangco said the multi-year target presented a long-term view on inflation and fostered greater predictability which helps economic decision-making by businesses, households, and other economic agents. _With Julito G. Rada_

-----
Inflation rate softens to 2.4% - Manila Standard Today
-----


*Japan firm completes e-Trike plant in Cavite* 
_*By Alena Mae S. Flores* | Feb. 01, 2015 at 11:35pm _

A Japanese company said it has completed an assembly plant in Carmona, Cavite and prepares to start mass production of three-wheeled electric vehicles that will replace traditional tricycles.

Bemac Electric Trans-portation Philippines Inc., formerly known as BEET Philippines, said the assembly line for electric vehicles was now in place and was ready for mass production.

“We want only to give the Filipinos a reliable and safe EV product which they can proudly claim as made in the Philippines, backed by Japanese technology,” Bemac president Masato Oda said in a statement.

“We are the only EV manufacturer in the country who does a thorough testing of our product before actually rolling it on the streets,” Oda said.

He said product safety testing included vibration test that would guarantee at least 10 years for its chassis or 100,000 kilometers, slalom test, uphill and downhill run, water proofing and breaking capability often employed only by car manufacturers.

Bemac Philippines’ plant in Carmona is currently on pre-production fine tuning to make sure it can deliver 500 units a month of three-wheeled EVs as projected by the company.

Japanese engineers are currently in the country to train local counterparts in assembling the EVs and to guarantee that the strict controls would be followed by Filipino technicians and local parts manufacturing partners.

Bemac said it was optimistic on the potential of replacing the aging, noisy and pollution- inducing traditional tricycles with their EV-Trikes.

_-----_
Japan firm completes e-Trike plant in Cavite - Manila Standard Today
_-----_


*Government, private sector to fasttrack Clark projects for APEC hosting *
_By Louella D. Desiderio (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 8, 2015 - 12:00am_

MANILA, Philippines - The government and the private sector have decided to fasttrack projects in Clark, Pampanga with the area serving as one of the venues for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) events this year.

In a statement, Clark Development Corp. (CDC) president and chief executive officer Arthur Tugade said the country’s APEC hosting has encouraged both government and the private sector to advance the implementation of their respective projects.

The Philippines is hosting the APEC meetings this year.

The APEC senior officers meeting started in Clark on January 26.

Tugade said projects such as the Clark Rotunda, Clark Museum, Clark 4D

Theatre and Clark Integrated Command Center are to be implemented this year.

The renovation of the Clark Parade Ground, which is in its final stages, is expected to have a rubberized overlay for the jogging path, renovated park bencher, as well as shower room for sports participants upon completion.

Tugade said some locator firms in Clark have also advanced the dates of their development plans.

Among these locators is Fontana Leisure Parks which is expanding the seating capacity of its convention center to more than 1,800 seats from 500, at present, putting up new villas and rooms and adding 1,000 workers.

Oxford Hotel meanwhile, has committed to invest P1 billion in the next five years to put up a new hotel, casino and restaurant with one-stop commercial complex as well as employ 615 individuals.

Widus Hotel and Casino is spending P2 billion for the construction of Tower 3 which has 300 bedrooms, as well as putting up a water theme park and employing 500 additional workers.

Tugade said that while the infrastructure and developments in Clark are being fast-tracked, such are not intended solely for the APEC events.

“The projects are for the CDC and economic zone,” he said.

He also said the hosting of the APEC is expected to be beneficial to the country.

Earlier, trade officials said the hosting of the APEC meetings this year will allow the country to showcase what it can offer and attract foreign investments.

The APEC which groups 21 members, seeks to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

The last time the Philippines served as host for the APEC meetings was in 1996.

-----
Government, private sector to fasttrack Clark projects for APEC hosting | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

 

*Exports growth eases in December *
 _By Kathleen A. Martin__* (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 8, 2015 - 12:00am*_

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s exports growth could have eased in December amid a moderation in US manufacturing activity during the period, UK-based investment bank Barclays said.

“Export growth is likely to have moderated following the sharp pickup in November, consistent with the cooling in the US ISM (Institute for Supply Management),” Barclays said in a report.

The bank has forecast that outbound shipments could have increased 4.1 percent year-on-year in December, slower than the 19.7-percent rise in November. 

ISM data showed the purchasing manager’s index (PMI), fell to a revised 56.5 in December from 58.7 in November. Latest data showed this picked up slightly to 56.7 in January.

The PMI reflects the strength of the manufacturing sector, and also the economy as a whole. A print of 50 and above shows an expanding industry, while the reverse may reflect moderation in activity.

Official December exports data will be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on Tuesday.

Merchandise exports in November jumped by almost a fifth to $5.178 billion from $4.325 billion in the same month in 2013.

The uptick was driven by increases in the shipments of coconut oil, cathodes and sections of cathodes, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, woodcraft and furniture, ignition wiring set and other wiring sets, electronic products, articles of apparel and clothing accessories, and metal components.

Electronic products, the country’s top export, accounted for 49.2 percent of total shipments and climbed 27 percent to $2.546 billion in November.

Japan continued to be the main destination for Philippine exports in November, followed by the United States, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

-----
Exports growth eases in December | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


*For ILP, gov’t secures 738 MW from volunteers*
 _*Riza T. Olchondra| Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:43 AM | Saturday, February 7th, 2015 *_
The Department of Energy (DOE) has secured the commitment of more volunteers to the Interruptible Load Program (ILP), effectively raising the capacity to 738 megawatts (MW).

With the ILP, the government hopes to ease the tight power supply situation expected this summer. Under the program, big power consumers with generator sets may volunteer to use their equipment to ease the demand on the Luzon grid during peak hours, in return for fuel cost reimbursement and some compensation.

Of the total capacity that had been committed by far, 261 MW came from customers of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), 469 MW from customers of the Retail Electricity Suppliers Association (Resa), and almost 8 MW from locators at the Cavite Economic Zone.

Of the 196 companies that have so far signed up as ILP volunteers, 119 are customers of Resa, 74 are customers of Meralco, and 3 are locators of the Cavite Economic Zone, the DOE said.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla earlier announced the addition of two entities to the roster of participants under the ILP. The House of Representatives formally signed up on Jan. 27 as an ILP participant, pledging 1.7 megawatts (MW) of deloading capacity. MPOWER, the RES arm of Meralco, also signed up with 92 contestable customers on Jan. 30.

Petilla said energy authorities are aiming for 1,000 MW or more in power capacity under the ILP.

The ILP is one of the main coping mechanisms the DOE is counting on to ease the power supply gap from March to June 2015.

The DOE and other stakeholders like Meralco have been meeting to update how much electricity demand is expected and how much may be filled by short-term measures such as the ILP.

Noting that managing energy demand is just as important as generating supply, Petilla called on consumers to use electricity efficiently.

-----
For ILP, gov’t secures 738 MW from volunteers | Inquirer Business
-----


----------



## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News*

-----

*  Philippines, NZ, South Korea participating in Cope North *
_*
06 Feb 2015
By Alexie Villegas Zotomayor - avz@mvariety.com - Variety News Staff *_

THREE allied nations will be joining the U.S., Australia and Japan in the annual Cope North exercise.

In a release from the U.S. Air Force yesterday, the 86th iteration of the annual exercise is taking place at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam on Feb. 15-27.

According to Tinian Mayor’s Office military policy advisor Eric C. San Nicolas, based on information they gathered from the U.S. Air Force, for this exercise, the Pacific Air Forces planning team has determined that Rota International is best suited to be the “hub” location and Tinian West and/or Tinian North best suited to be “spoke” airfields to accommodate the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief objectives.

It isn’t the first time that Cope North has come to Tinian.

Back on Feb. 5-7, 2013, the HA/DR portion of the Cope North exercise was held on Tinian simultaneously with Guam. Military personnel from the U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and Japan Air Self Defense Force were seen landing C-130s on Tinian in a simulated humanitarian assistance and disaster relief scenario.

The exercise aimed to demonstrate the capability to rapidly execute establishing an operating airfield at a location in the event of a real-world HA/DR operation.

The Cope North Exercise in 2013 involved about 2,000 personnel: 1,000, U.S.; 450, Japan Self Defense Force; and 300, from the Royal Australian Air Force.

San Nicolas said “Exercise COPE NORTH is an annual multilateral field training exercise that is PACAF funded and conducted at Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB), Guam.”

He said the multilateral field training exercise maintains a Combat Air Force focus emphasizing the exchange/execution of tactics, techniques and procedures, while enhancing the interoperability among a variety of missions/airframes to include U.S. components, the Japan Air Self Defense Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force.

He mentioned the participation of the New Zealand Air Force, the Philippine Air Force and the Republic of Korea Air Force.

A key component of the scenario is to develop “hub-and-spoke” operations, with the “spoke” airfields being geographically separated from the “hub” airfield.

San Nicolas said Tinian West Field and Tinian North Field will be used as the “spoke” for the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief portion of the Cope North Exercise.

“Spoke”, Variety learned, is a term used to refer to an alternate airbase utilized for the transport of supplies/cargo.

Cope North Public Affairs Officer Captain Jessica Tait told Variety that there will be about 1,300 participants from the U.S. Air Force and U. S. Navy; approximately 430 from Japan; the Royal Australian Air Force will have approximately 240 participants; the Republic of Korea Air Force will have 20 participants; and the Royal New Zealand Air Force will send approximately eight.

“Approximately 100 USAF, USN, JASDF, and RAAF aircraft from 23 flying units will participate in the exercise,” Captain Tait earlier said.

As of yesterday, there was no word from PACAF whether the Philippine Air Force had confirmed participation; however, a Philippine Star Feb. 1 article indicated that the Philippines is participating in the Cope North Guam exercise.

Cope North 2015 will, for the first time, involve the participation of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

For the Republic of Korea, this will be its second experience with the Cope North exercise.

Captain Tait said this will be the first time during a Cope North exercise “that the USAF, ROKAF and RNZAF will conduct multilateral personnel recovery and search and rescue operations.”


_*Cope North coming to Saipan not yet confirmed*_

Last night, 36th Wing Public Affairs Chief Captain Joel Banjo-Johnson clarified for Variety an earlier release indicated the Cope North Exercise would be coming to Saipan.

“Cope North is still occurring on Guam Feb 15-27; however, plans to have Saipan as one of the locations for a one-day training event in support of this international exercise is not yet confirmed. Once we have information confirmed, we will send out a follow-up release,” Captain Banjo-Johnson said.

An earlier release stated that there would be increased fighter and tanker activity on Saipan Monday, Feb. 9 in preparation for the multilateral Cope North exercise.

The release pointed out that CN15, or Cope North 2015, is designed to enhance each country’s air operations.

Since the first COPE NORTH exercise in 1978 at Misawa Air Base, Japan, thousands of U.S. and Japanese Airmen have honed skills vital to maintaining a high level of readiness, vital to the stability of the region, the release said.

CN15 is the fourth iteration of COPE NORTH as a a trilateral exercise with the U.S., Australia and Japan.

-----
Marianas Variety - Philippines, NZ, South Korea participating in Cope North
-----

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> *Military and Defense News*
> 
> -----
> 
> *  Philippines, NZ, South Korea participating in Cope North *
> _*
> 06 Feb 2015
> By Alexie Villegas Zotomayor - avz@mvariety.com - Variety News Staff *_
> 
> THREE allied nations will be joining the U.S., Australia and Japan in the annual Cope North exercise.
> 
> In a release from the U.S. Air Force yesterday, the 86th iteration of the annual exercise is taking place at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam on Feb. 15-27.
> 
> According to Tinian Mayor’s Office military policy advisor Eric C. San Nicolas, based on information they gathered from the U.S. Air Force, for this exercise, the Pacific Air Forces planning team has determined that Rota International is best suited to be the “hub” location and Tinian West and/or Tinian North best suited to be “spoke” airfields to accommodate the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief objectives.
> 
> It isn’t the first time that Cope North has come to Tinian.
> 
> Back on Feb. 5-7, 2013, the HA/DR portion of the Cope North exercise was held on Tinian simultaneously with Guam. Military personnel from the U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and Japan Air Self Defense Force were seen landing C-130s on Tinian in a simulated humanitarian assistance and disaster relief scenario.
> 
> The exercise aimed to demonstrate the capability to rapidly execute establishing an operating airfield at a location in the event of a real-world HA/DR operation.
> 
> The Cope North Exercise in 2013 involved about 2,000 personnel: 1,000, U.S.; 450, Japan Self Defense Force; and 300, from the Royal Australian Air Force.
> 
> San Nicolas said “Exercise COPE NORTH is an annual multilateral field training exercise that is PACAF funded and conducted at Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB), Guam.”
> 
> He said the multilateral field training exercise maintains a Combat Air Force focus emphasizing the exchange/execution of tactics, techniques and procedures, while enhancing the interoperability among a variety of missions/airframes to include U.S. components, the Japan Air Self Defense Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force.
> 
> He mentioned the participation of the New Zealand Air Force, the Philippine Air Force and the Republic of Korea Air Force.
> 
> A key component of the scenario is to develop “hub-and-spoke” operations, with the “spoke” airfields being geographically separated from the “hub” airfield.
> 
> San Nicolas said Tinian West Field and Tinian North Field will be used as the “spoke” for the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief portion of the Cope North Exercise.
> 
> “Spoke”, Variety learned, is a term used to refer to an alternate airbase utilized for the transport of supplies/cargo.
> 
> Cope North Public Affairs Officer Captain Jessica Tait told Variety that there will be about 1,300 participants from the U.S. Air Force and U. S. Navy; approximately 430 from Japan; the Royal Australian Air Force will have approximately 240 participants; the Republic of Korea Air Force will have 20 participants; and the Royal New Zealand Air Force will send approximately eight.
> 
> “Approximately 100 USAF, USN, JASDF, and RAAF aircraft from 23 flying units will participate in the exercise,” Captain Tait earlier said.
> 
> As of yesterday, there was no word from PACAF whether the Philippine Air Force had confirmed participation; however, a Philippine Star Feb. 1 article indicated that the Philippines is participating in the Cope North Guam exercise.
> 
> Cope North 2015 will, for the first time, involve the participation of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
> 
> For the Republic of Korea, this will be its second experience with the Cope North exercise.
> 
> Captain Tait said this will be the first time during a Cope North exercise “that the USAF, ROKAF and RNZAF will conduct multilateral personnel recovery and search and rescue operations.”
> 
> 
> _*Cope North coming to Saipan not yet confirmed*_
> 
> Last night, 36th Wing Public Affairs Chief Captain Joel Banjo-Johnson clarified for Variety an earlier release indicated the Cope North Exercise would be coming to Saipan.
> 
> “Cope North is still occurring on Guam Feb 15-27; however, plans to have Saipan as one of the locations for a one-day training event in support of this international exercise is not yet confirmed. Once we have information confirmed, we will send out a follow-up release,” Captain Banjo-Johnson said.
> 
> An earlier release stated that there would be increased fighter and tanker activity on Saipan Monday, Feb. 9 in preparation for the multilateral Cope North exercise.
> 
> The release pointed out that CN15, or Cope North 2015, is designed to enhance each country’s air operations.
> 
> Since the first COPE NORTH exercise in 1978 at Misawa Air Base, Japan, thousands of U.S. and Japanese Airmen have honed skills vital to maintaining a high level of readiness, vital to the stability of the region, the release said.
> 
> CN15 is the fourth iteration of COPE NORTH as a a trilateral exercise with the U.S., Australia and Japan.
> 
> -----
> Marianas Variety - Philippines, NZ, South Korea participating in Cope North
> -----




Excited to see Japanese train and compete with the Koreans, Philippines, New Zealanders in this year's CN exercises.

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## Reashot Xigwin

* Philippines, Indonesia discuss possible defense equipment partnership *
Posted by Maki Catama on 9:13 PM 




_On 20 June 2012, it was reported that the IPTN NC-212 Aviocar light lift transport aircraft from Indonesia was chosen and a total of 2 units will be acquired for PhP 814 million (USD 18.9 million). 


On September 26, 2013 the The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) declared PT Dirgantara Indonesia/Indonesian Aerospace (PT DI/IAe) as the only qualified bidder. 


They are offering the Series 200, Series 300 and the Series 400 versions of the IPTN NC-212 Aviocar. 


The version to be delivered is the NC212i, the new generation of aircraft types NC212-200 or NC212-400._


MANILA, -- The Philippines and Indonesia are open to possible defense equipment trade.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., in a statement Tuesday, said this topic is among those discussed by President Benigno Aquino III and Indonesian President Joko Widodo during their meeting in Malacanang Monday.

He said “the Philippines and Indonesia share common concerns in the areas of political, legal and security issues.”

”Further discussions will be pursued by both countries to identify and flesh out possible areas of cooperation regarding this matter,” he said.

Widodo arrived in Manila last Sunday for his two-day first state visit in the Philippines after being declared as Indonesia’s President in July 2014.

He was given a state dinner Monday before he left the country late last night.

During his visit, the Philippines and Indonesia signed three memorandum of understanding (MOU) focused on wider cooperation on education, enhanced support on vocational training and strengthened fight against drug trafficking.

The two countries also signed a joint declaration on the protection of migrants and migrant workers.

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Aepsilons

Reashot Xigwin said:


> * Philippines, Indonesia discuss possible defense equipment partnership *
> Posted by Maki Catama on 9:13 PM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _On 20 June 2012, it was reported that the IPTN NC-212 Aviocar light lift transport aircraft from Indonesia was chosen and a total of 2 units will be acquired for PhP 814 million (USD 18.9 million).
> 
> 
> On September 26, 2013 the The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) declared PT Dirgantara Indonesia/Indonesian Aerospace (PT DI/IAe) as the only qualified bidder.
> 
> 
> They are offering the Series 200, Series 300 and the Series 400 versions of the IPTN NC-212 Aviocar.
> 
> 
> The version to be delivered is the NC212i, the new generation of aircraft types NC212-200 or NC212-400._
> 
> 
> MANILA, -- The Philippines and Indonesia are open to possible defense equipment trade.
> 
> Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., in a statement Tuesday, said this topic is among those discussed by President Benigno Aquino III and Indonesian President Joko Widodo during their meeting in Malacanang Monday.
> 
> He said “the Philippines and Indonesia share common concerns in the areas of political, legal and security issues.”
> 
> ”Further discussions will be pursued by both countries to identify and flesh out possible areas of cooperation regarding this matter,” he said.
> 
> Widodo arrived in Manila last Sunday for his two-day first state visit in the Philippines after being declared as Indonesia’s President in July 2014.
> 
> He was given a state dinner Monday before he left the country late last night.
> 
> During his visit, the Philippines and Indonesia signed three memorandum of understanding (MOU) focused on wider cooperation on education, enhanced support on vocational training and strengthened fight against drug trafficking.
> 
> The two countries also signed a joint declaration on the protection of migrants and migrant workers.




Excellent development between Jakarta and Manila. I see a future alliance between these two in the future.

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Reashot Xigwin

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Excellent development between Jakarta and Manila. I see a future alliance between these two in the future.



Probs. Philippines are Indonesia true friend in the region. While the others are just.... Eh, Associates...

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Aepsilons

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Probs. Philippines are Indonesia true friend in the region. While the others are just.... Eh, Associates...



Both also are quite fairly 'homogenous' (Filipino population is primarily of ethnic Malay, with some mixes, but overall majority are Christian Malay, Muslim Malay) tho there are some minorities such as Igorot, Aeta, and foreign mixes. Indonesia is primarily populated with Javanese and Sundanese (overwhelming majority of population) with variuos minorities). Both are representative, participatory democracies , both have a history of dealing with communist threats and separatist forces and dealing with extremists. Both are also the most populous countries in ASEAN. Both are vast Arcihpelagic states; Philippines haso ver 7,000 islands and Indonesia has over 13,000 islands. Indonesia is already 256 million, while Philippines is soon to hit 101 Million !!! Combined Philippines + Indonesia = *356 MILLION !!*


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## Cossack25A1

*Nation Development News:*

*EDC set to complete 4.1-MW solar power plant in Ilocos Norte*
_*By Alena Mae S. Flores* | Feb. 12, 2015 at 11:25pm_

BURGOS, Ilocos Norte--Energy Development Corp., a subsidiary of First Gen Corp., is expanding its renewable energy footprint with the expected completion of a 4.1-megawatt solar power plant next month and the start of operation of the largest wind project in this town.

First Gen vice president Aloysius Santos told reporters the solar plant, once completed in March, would add power capacity to the Luzon grid in addition to EDC’s 150-MW wind power project here.

“Whatever wind it can pick up, it can go to the grid. It will add to and augment the capacity that’s needed,” Santos said, referring to the wind project, the country’s largest to date.

The Luzon grid is anticipated to have a tight power supply starting March due to lack of reserves.

The 150-MW Burgos wind project is expected to power around 150,000 homes with a monthly consumption of about 200 kilowatt-hours per month.

“The important thing is it’s all clean energy,” Santos said.

EDC installed 50 units of the Vestas V90 wind turbines with a capacity of 3 MW each.

Santos said EDC was looking at other wind project sites in Luzon. The company has an approved wind service contract in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

Santos said power from the wind and solar projects would be under the feed-in tariff and would be sold to the spot market.

EDC’s Burgos wind project was named the Asia-Pacific Renewables Deal of the Year by Project Finance International, the only project in the Philippines that made it to the 2014 PFI list.

PFI cited the Burgos wind project as a ground breaking project for being the first wind farm project financing in the Philippines to reach financial close.

EDC invested $450 million in the Burgos wind project.

-----
EDC set to complete 4.1-MW solar power plant in Ilocos Norte - Manila Standard Today
-----



*The Philippines expands renewables with 303 MW wind farm*
_By editor 
February 12, 2015_

Two new wind farms have become operational in the Philippines, supplying 303 megawatts of clean energy to the country’s energy portfolio.

The wind farms are located in Ilocos Norte and Panay region of the Philippines.

Last year, a $220-million, 81-megawatt wind farm was opened in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte as a solution to the power crisis challenge faced by the country.

In another development, the Philippines power-producer Energy Development Corporation (EDC) has grid-connected the nation’s largest 150MW Burgos wind farm worth $450m.

Burgos uses 50 V90 3MW wind turbines from Vestas at Ilocos Norte province.

According to the Wind Energy Development Association of the Philippines, the highest wind energy output occurs during March of each year.

WWF’s Seize the Wind campaign aims to increase the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) allocation for wind energy from 200 MW to 500 MW.

Wind farms need only a year to go online, compared with fossil-fuel power plants which take up four years to complete construction.

In Philippines, around 70 percent of the electricity is generated from fossil fuels.

As the country does not have any considerable amount of fossil-fuel deposits, major portion of the fuel needed for the country is imported from other nations.

On the other hand, President Aquino has urged the country to invest in renewable energy to ensure adequate power supply that would not be harmful to the environment.

The country’s National Renewable Energy Program aims at adding 9,931 megawatts of renewable energy-based capacity by 2030.

The Philippines’ prime renewable sources of energy include geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar.
_
Sabeena Wahid
editor@greentechlead.com_

-----
The Philippines expands renewables with 303 MW wind farm
-----


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## Pinoy

*Tetangco Says Philippines Can Hold Rate for Much of 2015*
February 13, 2015

(Bloomberg) -- The Philippine central bank can hold its benchmark interest rate for most of 2015 even as a lower inflation forecast gives policy makers more room to maneuver, Governor Amando Tetangco said.

“If things remain as they are, that is inflation expectations are well anchored, domestic demand continues to be resilient, oil prices remain low but not too volatile and Fed normalization is orderly, I think we can keep rates steady for the most part of 2015,” Tetangco said in an interview with Rishaad Salamat on Bloomberg Television from Manila on Friday.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas held its benchmark at 4 percent yesterday and cut inflation forecasts for this year and next. The central bank will watch for the possible effects of sustained low crude prices on global growth and any risk of a delayed increase in U.S. interest rates because of cheap oil, Tetangco said.


“He’s very comfortable with the inflation outlook,” said Euben Paracuelles, a Singapore-based senior economist at Nomura Holdings Inc. “As long as it stays within target there’s no need to move either way. They could think about easing only if inflation falls below 2 percent for a sustained period,” he said, referring to the lower end of the central bank’s 2 percent to 4 percent goal for this year and next.

The peso gained 0.2 percent to 44.26 per dollar as of the noon break in Manila, according to Tullett Prebon Plc. Philippine stocks climbed the most in more than a week, holding near a record. The yield on bonds due August 2024 fell for a second day, according to midday fixing prices at Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp.

*More Room*

While the inflation outlook gives policy makers more room, firm demand, uncertainty over oil prices, and minimal deflationary risk are being considered, Tetangco said, when asked if there’s more scope to ease monetary policy.

“Real lending rates in the Philippines are the third lowest in the region,” he said. “We kept rates steady because we believe that this is consistent with a symmetric inflation targeting approach. We felt that we had room to wait for additional data to see if the lower end of our target range, for instance, will be breached for a persistent period.”

The Philippine economy expanded 6.9 percent in the three months through December from a year earlier, the fastest in five quarters. Consumer prices rose 2.4 percent in January from a year earlier, the slowest pace since August 2013.

“Consumption will benefit from a steady low-rate environment and will help boost company profits,” said Marc Bautista, head of research at Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. in Manila. “There’s low cost of funds for businesses, while interest rates on government bonds could remain steady or even go down.”


Tetangco Says Philippines Can Hold Rate for Much of 2015 - Bloomberg Business

*Shop til you drop? Why Philippine shares can climb*
February 13,2015

Philippine shares have charged higher over the past year, and some analysts expect the country's consumers can keep the good times rolling.

"The Philippines stands out in the current environment of collapsing commodity prices, a strong U.S. dollar and increasing capital outflows," Jibo Ma, an analyst at Daiwa, said in a note this week. "Unlike other developing countries, consumer spending in the Philippines accounts for a full 84 percent of GDP (gross domestic product)," he said.

"The economy's growth momentum ought to be especially enduring when one factors in remittances from overseas and considers that a third of the population is aged below 15," he added. Daiwa has increased its recommended portfolio weighting for the market.

But the market has already run higher, rising more than 30 percent since the end of 2013. It is up around 6.4 percent so far this year.

Foreign investors have poured around $704 million into mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) since the beginning of the year, according to data from Jefferies. But that's left the market valuations looking a bit toppish, according to some analysts. The Philippine Stock Exchange Composite Index is trading at 22 times earnings, according to Reuters data.

"The fundamentals are solid. But they aren't supporting those valuations," said Stephen Sheung, head of investment strategy at SHK Private. He's cautious on the Southeast Asian markets, noting valuations in north Asia are more reasonable.

Even though the Philippines has positive long-term trends, such as demographics, "these are valuation levels where you have to have a lot of positives to keep it going. These markets are prone to disappointment," Sheung said.

But the positives may yet win out over the potential for disappointments.

Read More Asia outperforms world markets in January

"It is enjoying low inflation, accommodative interest rates, lower fuel prices, rising foreign reserves and healthy economic growth," Kelvin Goh, an analyst at CIMB, said in a note this week. In addition, he expects the government's infrastructure spending to pick up ahead of the election.

"The Philippine consumer sector will benefit from lower oil prices and strong remittances. Given the solid fundamentals, we see little downside risk to consensus EPS (earnings per share) numbers," he said.

Morgan Stanley is also positive on the market, citing in part expectations that foreign investors could push still more money into stocks there.

Despite headline data suggesting emerging market and Asia ex-Japan investors are overweight on the Philippines, that appears to be driven by just a few funds with large positions, Morgan Stanley said in a note this week.

"One third and one quarter of the emerging market and Asia ex-Japan funds have zero investment in the Philippines," the bank said, noting that the country has a small weighing in benchmark indexes such as the MSCI Emerging Markets index. "The Philippines has the potential to become a significant part of investors' portfolios."

Foreign investors also haven't ventured very deeply in the Philippine market, Morgan Stanley noted, with most overweight on only six stocks out of the 20 in the MSCI Philippines index.

Indeed, even SHK Private's Sheung noted that the market could continue to rise despite high valuations as liquidity remains abundant. "It's pretty common in emerging markets, especially smaller markets like the Philippines, Thailand or Indonesia. The momentum could be driving it for a little while," he said.

_—By CNBC.Com's Leslie Shaffer_

Shop til you drop? Why Philippine shares can climb

*P1.08-trillion infrastructure push to drive growth*

The government is banking on the P1.08 trillion worth of infrastructure projects that were approved by the Aquino administration to boost growth this year.

In a presentation on Wednesday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said this covers 93 infrastructure projects, 58 of them already ongoing.

“There are good prospects this year for infrastructure development. A total of 93 projects, amounting to P1.08 trillion, or $24.31 billion, have been approved by the Neda [National Economic and Development Authority] Board under the Aquino administration—seven of which are completed projects, 58 are ongoing or under implementation, and 28 are for implementation,” Balisacan said.

The Neda chief said that the majority of the 93 projects, or around 53 projects, will be financed through official development assistance (ODA).

The majority, or 37, of these ODA-funded projects are already ongoing. The total cost of these projects amounts to P318 billion.

Seven ODA projects, worth P17.6 billion, have been completed; and nine projects, worth P47 billion, are for implementation.

Meanwhile, around 24 of the 93 infrastructure projects, worth P628 billion, will be financed through the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.

Nine of these projects, worth P193.3 billion, are already ongoing, while the remaining 14, worth P435 billion, are for implementation.

*Around 17 projects will be funded through local financing. Twelve projects, worth P44.1 billion, are already ongoing; and five are for implementation, worth P23.9 billion.*

“Notably, many PPP projects are already in their rollout stage. The government has already awarded contracts for nine Neda Board-approved PPP projects. We can say that we can expect the other 14 projects to eventually reach this stage, barring any major problem in the process,” Balisacan added.

Apart from these infrastructure projects, Balisacan said other sources of economic growth this year include the recovery of the US economy; the country’s hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in 2015; and the implementation of the Asean economic integration by year-end.

He added that other factors, such as the decline in global oil prices, the recent credit-rating upgrades received by the country, and, barring any delays, the passage of the Bangsamoro basic law, will boost economic growth this year.

These upside factors, Balisacan said, may be able to avert the negative effects of external risks, such as the normalization of the US monetary policy; the slowdown in large emerging economies, like China; the weakness in the euro area; and the recession in Japan.

Balisacan said the government is also bracing for the domestic downside risks this year, such as possible disasters, like typhoons and a prolonged El Niño; disruptions in the peace process; infrastructure delays; logistics bottlenecks; and thin power reserves.

*“Our goal up to 2016 is to sustain, if not surpass, our growth performance in the past four years and achieve inclusive growth. We are positive that we can take advantage of [these] opportunities,”* Balisacan said.

Balisacan also said the government aims to grow the economy by 7 percent to 8 percent this year and in 2016. This growth target will be sufficient in reducing unemployment to 6.6 percent by next year, from 7.1 percent in 2013, and underemployment to 17 percent next year, from 19.3 percent in 2013.

However, consistent with his earlier pronouncements, Balisacan said the country will not be able to meet its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of halving poverty to 16.6 percent this year.

The MDG target is based on the estimate that poverty incidence in the country was pegged at 33 percent in 1991.

The government said it will only be able to reduce income poverty by 19 percent in 2016. In 2012 the government estimated that the poverty incidence slightly declined to 25.2 percent, from 26.3 percent in 2009.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/p1-08-trillion-infrastructure-push-to-drive-growth/


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## Cossack25A1

*Historical Commemoration News**:*
-----
*70 years later, pain from Battle of Manila lingers*
*The Inbox – Fri, Feb 13, 2015*

*By Norman Sison, VERA Files*
-----

“Go to Manila, go around the Nips, bounce off the Nips — but go to Manila.”

It was January 1945. General Douglas MacArthur had landed his forces at Lingayen Gulf early that month to begin his campaign to liberate the main Philippine island of Luzon. With his eye fixed on Manila, MacArthur ordered Major General Verne Mudge, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, to proceed to the capital with utmost speed.

Two other US army divisions competed for the honor of reaching Manila first. It was a virtual tank race.

On February 3, the 1st Cavalry’s Sherman tanks smashed through the gate of the University of Santo Tomas and freed 4,000 mostly American civilians interned there by the Japanese army since 1942. Jubilant Filipinos, who waited for MacArthur to fulfil his famous “I shall return” pledge, spilled into the streets to welcome the American troops.

It was a time for celebration. MacArthur announced on February 6: “Manila has fallen.” But the Battle of Manila was just beginning. When it ended on March 3, what was once the “Pearl of the Orient” became the second most devastated city in World War II after Warsaw — with 100,000 civilians dead.

A number of commemorations are in line this month to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Manila. However, thoughts about the death and destruction weighed so heavily that participants at a recent Ayala Museum forum seemed to have forgotten that the battle also ended three years of Japanese military occupation.

In many ways, Manila never really recovered from its 1945 martyrdom. Much of the Philippines’ historical and cultural treasures were reduced to ash and rubble. Their loss is mourned by today’s generation of Filipino historians and cultural aficionados.

At Ayala Museum, a police officer’s helmet is on display at a newly opened exhibit commemorating the Battle of Manila. Outlandish by today’s fashion standards, the helmet reminds visitors of the old-world charm that Manila was once known for.

Inexplicably, the destruction of the city is one issue that has hounded MacArthur to this day because of his decision to allow US forces to blast the Japanese defenders with artillery.

James Zobel, an archivist at the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, Virginia, says people today need to understand the conditions on the battlefield. MacArthur had turned down requests from his field commander, General Walter Krueger, to use aircraft because bombs were too indiscriminate. For the same reason, he initially banned artillery.

However, the Japanese were so well dug in that buildings had to be taken street by street, block by block, building by building, floor by floor and room by room. Ricardo Jose, history professor at the University of the Philippines, says the Japanese dug tunnels connecting several main fortified buildings to enable them to reinforce areas under attack — and the Japanese had stockpiled supplies to last them three to six months.

“The Japanese managed to keep the strongest defenses, including the tunnel system, secret. And thus the Americans would only find out how heavily fortified the buildings were after trying to attack them,” says Jose.

The Japanese strategy was to delay the American advance and inflict as many casualties as possible to give the homeland enough time to prepare for an eventual US invasion. The objective: make the fighting so bloody that the Americans would think twice about invading Japan.

When the US body count began to rise and his commanders pressed for the use of artillery, MacArthur reluctantly lifted the ban.

But even with artillery, rooting out the Japanese was exasperating. On Isla de Provisor, an island in the Pasig River, near Ayala Bridge, US troops pumped in over a thousand shells into a heavily fortified building.

“You’d think that would take out anything that’s inside,” says Zobel. “But when Company E of the 129th Regiment went in, they got hammered by the Japanese because the artillery had no effect on them. They were in basements and sandbagged bunkers inside the building.”

Also, US troops had no choice but to move fast because the Japanese were massacring thousands of civilians as they vented their fury on the population. “I don’t see how it could’ve gone differently. If you had let the Japanese stay here, they were going to kill everyone in the city. They were gunning everyone down in the streets,” says Zobel.

Military historians today look at the Battle of Manila as a case study in urban warfare, says Jose, who has, however, found the scholarly scrutiny too cold at times.

“The way some of the military analyses are written, it seems the battle was simply fought by combatants — as if there were no civilians. I find it sad, maybe even criminal, not to mention those who died in the midst of the fighting,” rues Jose.

Today, a black marble memorial resembling a tomb at the Plaza de Santa Isabel in Intramuros — the epicenter of the holocaust — stands as a silent reminder.

"This memorial is dedicated to all those innocent victims of war, many of whom went nameless and unknown to a common grave, or even never knew a grave at all, their bodies having been consumed by fire or crushed to dust beneath the rubble of ruins,” read the inscription.

"We have not forgotten them, nor shall we ever forget. May they rest in peace as part now of the sacred ground of this city: the Manila of our affections."
-----
_(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for “true.”)_

-----
70 years later, pain from Battle of Manila lingers | The Inbox - Yahoo News Philippines
-----

_*...and oh, I already expect the Chinese making private comments about this new because of the "irony" from their own perspective, they still haven't moved on because of their so-called "Century of Humiliation" and they believe now is the time to get their own revenge and kill everyone.*_

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> *Historical Commemoration News**:*
> -----
> *70 years later, pain from Battle of Manila lingers*
> *The Inbox – Fri, Feb 13, 2015*
> 
> *By Norman Sison, VERA Files*
> -----
> 
> “Go to Manila, go around the Nips, bounce off the Nips — but go to Manila.”
> 
> It was January 1945. General Douglas MacArthur had landed his forces at Lingayen Gulf early that month to begin his campaign to liberate the main Philippine island of Luzon. With his eye fixed on Manila, MacArthur ordered Major General Verne Mudge, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, to proceed to the capital with utmost speed.
> 
> Two other US army divisions competed for the honor of reaching Manila first. It was a virtual tank race.
> 
> On February 3, the 1st Cavalry’s Sherman tanks smashed through the gate of the University of Santo Tomas and freed 4,000 mostly American civilians interned there by the Japanese army since 1942. Jubilant Filipinos, who waited for MacArthur to fulfil his famous “I shall return” pledge, spilled into the streets to welcome the American troops.
> 
> It was a time for celebration. MacArthur announced on February 6: “Manila has fallen.” But the Battle of Manila was just beginning. When it ended on March 3, what was once the “Pearl of the Orient” became the second most devastated city in World War II after Warsaw — with 100,000 civilians dead.
> 
> A number of commemorations are in line this month to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Manila. However, thoughts about the death and destruction weighed so heavily that participants at a recent Ayala Museum forum seemed to have forgotten that the battle also ended three years of Japanese military occupation.
> 
> In many ways, Manila never really recovered from its 1945 martyrdom. Much of the Philippines’ historical and cultural treasures were reduced to ash and rubble. Their loss is mourned by today’s generation of Filipino historians and cultural aficionados.
> 
> At Ayala Museum, a police officer’s helmet is on display at a newly opened exhibit commemorating the Battle of Manila. Outlandish by today’s fashion standards, the helmet reminds visitors of the old-world charm that Manila was once known for.
> 
> Inexplicably, the destruction of the city is one issue that has hounded MacArthur to this day because of his decision to allow US forces to blast the Japanese defenders with artillery.
> 
> James Zobel, an archivist at the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, Virginia, says people today need to understand the conditions on the battlefield. MacArthur had turned down requests from his field commander, General Walter Krueger, to use aircraft because bombs were too indiscriminate. For the same reason, he initially banned artillery.
> 
> However, the Japanese were so well dug in that buildings had to be taken street by street, block by block, building by building, floor by floor and room by room. Ricardo Jose, history professor at the University of the Philippines, says the Japanese dug tunnels connecting several main fortified buildings to enable them to reinforce areas under attack — and the Japanese had stockpiled supplies to last them three to six months.
> 
> “The Japanese managed to keep the strongest defenses, including the tunnel system, secret. And thus the Americans would only find out how heavily fortified the buildings were after trying to attack them,” says Jose.
> 
> The Japanese strategy was to delay the American advance and inflict as many casualties as possible to give the homeland enough time to prepare for an eventual US invasion. The objective: make the fighting so bloody that the Americans would think twice about invading Japan.
> 
> When the US body count began to rise and his commanders pressed for the use of artillery, MacArthur reluctantly lifted the ban.
> 
> But even with artillery, rooting out the Japanese was exasperating. On Isla de Provisor, an island in the Pasig River, near Ayala Bridge, US troops pumped in over a thousand shells into a heavily fortified building.
> 
> “You’d think that would take out anything that’s inside,” says Zobel. “But when Company E of the 129th Regiment went in, they got hammered by the Japanese because the artillery had no effect on them. They were in basements and sandbagged bunkers inside the building.”
> 
> Also, US troops had no choice but to move fast because the Japanese were massacring thousands of civilians as they vented their fury on the population. “I don’t see how it could’ve gone differently. If you had let the Japanese stay here, they were going to kill everyone in the city. They were gunning everyone down in the streets,” says Zobel.
> 
> Military historians today look at the Battle of Manila as a case study in urban warfare, says Jose, who has, however, found the scholarly scrutiny too cold at times.
> 
> “The way some of the military analyses are written, it seems the battle was simply fought by combatants — as if there were no civilians. I find it sad, maybe even criminal, not to mention those who died in the midst of the fighting,” rues Jose.
> 
> Today, a black marble memorial resembling a tomb at the Plaza de Santa Isabel in Intramuros — the epicenter of the holocaust — stands as a silent reminder.
> 
> "This memorial is dedicated to all those innocent victims of war, many of whom went nameless and unknown to a common grave, or even never knew a grave at all, their bodies having been consumed by fire or crushed to dust beneath the rubble of ruins,” read the inscription.
> 
> "We have not forgotten them, nor shall we ever forget. May they rest in peace as part now of the sacred ground of this city: the Manila of our affections."
> -----
> _(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for “true.”)_
> 
> -----
> 70 years later, pain from Battle of Manila lingers | The Inbox - Yahoo News Philippines
> -----
> 
> _*...and oh, I already expect the Chinese making private comments about this new because of the "irony" from their own perspective, they still haven't moved on because of their so-called "Century of Humiliation" and they believe now is the time to get their own revenge and kill everyone.*_




Indeed. May relations between Manila and Tokyo ever flourish , and the lessons learned some 70 years ago is testament to the power of transformational leadership and change. Salamat and Mabuhay ang Pilipinas at Japan !

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News**:*

-----

* Hot money swings to net inflow in Jan *
_* By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 15, 2015 - 12:00am*_

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign portfolio investments swung to a net inflow in January from an outflow in the same month last year as more investors poured money in the local bourse, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported yesterday.

A net hot money inflow of $591.62 million was recorded in January, a turnaround from the net outflow of $1.844 billion in the same month in 2014.

“(This is) due to higher investments in PSE (Philippine Stock Exchange)-listed shares arising from a top-up offering of a holding corporation’s shares (and) sale of a universal bank’s and holding firm’s shares,” the central bank said.

Gokongwei-led JG Summit Holdings last month sold 145.65 million common shares and raised P8.8 billion through a top-up placement to fund its investments. Aboitiz Equity Ventures, meanwhile, sold 5.086 million treasury shares worth P276.65 million in January for its working capital and cash reserves needs.

At the same time, the BSP said the inflows were due to the “upgraded growth outlook for the country by the International Monetary Fund.”

Gross inflows of hot money rose 72 percent to $2.195 billion in January from $1.277 billion last year, while gross outflows fell 49 percent to $1.604 billion from $3.121 billion.

The net outflow recorded in January last year was due to the investors pulling out of emerging markets as the US Federal Reserve started decreasing its massive asset-buying program.

The BSP said bulk or 82 percent of the portfolio investments in January were put into PSE-listed securities. These mainly benefitted property companies, banks, holding firms, utility firms, and food, beverage and tobacco companies.

Another 17.4 percent went into peso-denominated government securities, while the remaining 0.7 percent was put in peso time deposits.

The top investor countries during the month were the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. The United States remained the main destination of outflows, the BSP noted.

Last year, hot money ended in a net outflow of $310.21 million, a reversal of the $4.22-billion net inflow in 2013. This was blamed to heightened volatility in financial markets as the US central bank decreased its monthly purchases of Treasuries and mortgage bonds, which eventually ended in October.

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Hot money swings to net inflow in Jan | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Barclays sees drop in Dec remittances *
 _By Kathleen A. Martin_* (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 15, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Cash remittances into the Philippines likely eased further in December last year due to a high base in the same period in 2013, UK-based investment bank Barclays said in a report.

The bank, in its latest Emerging Markets Weekly report, estimated remittances to have inched up 1.9 percent in December from the same month in 2013, even slower than the two percent rate in November which was already the slowest in nearly six years.

“We expect remittances to recover sequentially from weakness in November, but a high base following 2013’s typhoon-related surge in remittances will likely weigh on year-on-year growth,” Barclays said.

Cash remittances in December 2013 climbed 10 percent to $2.173 billion, owed to the seasonal surge in inflows from Filipinos abroad and to families sending to their loved ones hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Official December 2014 remittances data will be released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Monday.

Latest available data showed money sent home by Filipinos living and working abroad amounted to $2.122 billion in November, bringing the 11-month tally to $21.911 billion.

Bulk of these remittances were sent from the United States, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and Canada.

The central bank has said the continuous deployment of skilled Filipino workers abroad sustained the increase in remittance flows during the period.

The BSP forecast cash remittances to have grown 5.5 percent in 2014 from the $22.968 billion recorded in 2013.

Remittances support domestic consumption, the largest driver of the Philippine economy. In 2013, remittances made up more than eight percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

-----
Barclays sees drop in Dec remittances | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


*2014 exports climbed 9% to $62b*
_*By Jennifer Ambanta | Feb. 10, 2015 at 11:40pm *_

Exports climbed 9 percent in 2014 to a record $61.8 billion from $56.7 billion in 2013, despite the 3.2-percent contraction recorded in December, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show.

“Compared to other economies in the region, the Philippines’ full-year exports growth performance was relatively strong despite the challenging external environment. This is a good indication of the growing resiliency of our sectors given that economies in the Euro area, Japan and China remain sluggish, causing regional trade flows to soften,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

The PSA said merchandise exports dropped 3.2 percent in December to $4.8 billion from $5 billion a year ago. This followed a 21.7-percent growth in exports registered in November.

Overseas sales of electronics were the highest since 2010 and more garments were shipped than any year since 2011. Sales of electronics, which accounted for 42 percent of total exports last year, climbed 8.1 percent in 2014 to $25.9 billion from $23.9 billion in 2013.

“Philippine exports have massively outperformed the rest of Asia,” said Michael Wan, a Singapore-based economist at Credit Suisse Group AG. “We’re seeing benefits of increased foreign direct investment. Products are also quite diversified, from electronics to agriculture,” he said.

While Philippine exports totaled about $62 billion last year compared with Singapore’s $522 billion and Thailand’s $225 billion, the country is improving its skills and climbing up the value chain, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo said.

Meanwhile, export earnings of manufactured goods in December fell to $4.18 billion from $4.23 billion in December 2013.

“This can be traced mainly to year-on-year declines in other manufactured products, wood manufactures and electronic equipment and parts. Nonetheless, outbound sales of electronic products, machinery and transport equipment, garments, miscellaneous manufactured articles and chemicals remained buoyant,” Balisacan said.

The sluggish outturns in coconut products and sugar pulled down revenues from total agro-based products by 24.9 percent to $291.8 million in December 2014 from $388.7 million a year ago.

“While outward sales of other agro-based products reached $81.7 million, higher by 10.2 percent compared to $74.2 million in December 2013, decline in coconut oil exports drove outward shipments from coconut products to drop from $145.1 million in December 2013 to $79.5 million in the same month of 2014,” said Balisacan.

Balisacan warned of a possible slight tempering of exports in 2015, given the weakness in China and Euro deflation.

“What could provide an upside support to exports is the continuing US recovery and possibly some respite from Japan, which may realize economic expansion towards end-2015,” he said.

Japan was the top destination of Philippine-made goods in December, accounting for 21.2 percent of the total. The United States was the second largest market with 14.1-percent share and China, third with 11.4 percent. *With Bloomberg*

-----
2014 exports climbed 9% to $62b - Manila Standard Today
-----


*Ayala spending P185b in 2015*
*By Jenniffer B. Austria | Feb. 12, 2015 at 11:40pm*

Ayala Corp., one of the country’s largest conglomerates, said Thursday it will deploy P185 billion worth of funds this year to expand property and telecommunication businesses and hike investments in power generation and infrastructure.

The conglomerate’s capital expenditures this year, however, were slightly lower than P190 billion programmed in 2014.

Ayala said in a disclosure to the stock exchange more than half of the group’s capital spending was allotted for property unit Ayala Land Inc., which would invest P100 billion in 2015.

Ayala Land said it would launch more residential, office, hotel and commercial center projects and acquire land for future development to achieve the target of P40-billion net income by 2020.

The group’s telecom business through Globe Telecom Inc. allocated P37 billion for capital expenditures in 2015, including the P8 billion unspent budget in the second half of 2014.

Ayala Corp. said Globe’s capital spending for the year would be used for data-related initiatives and LTE network infrastructure upgrades.

Ayala Corp., the parent company, will deploy P21 billion primarily to support investment programs in power generation and transport infrastructure.

The rest of the amount will be mobilized to fund the growth initiatives of other business units, including Manila Water Company Inc., Bank of the Philippine Islands and Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc.

“We started an aggressive growth strategy a few years back and we continue to undertake value enhancing opportunities amidst this sustained momentum in our economy. Each of our business units are seizing investment opportunities within their individual spaces under this positive environment,” Ayala Corp. chairman and chief executive Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said.

“In particular, we continue to strengthen our positions in power and transport infrastructure --- two sectors that are presenting opportunities for investments with potential to become new growth platforms for Ayala,” Zobel de Ayala said.

Ayala Corp. booked a net income of P14.1 billion in the first nine months of 2014, up by 35 percent from a year ago, driven by the robust performance of real estate, telecom and water units.

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Ayala spending P185b in 2015 - Manila Standard Today
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*$1-b Shell gas project on track*
_By Alena Mae S. Flores | Feb. 09, 2015 at 11:30pm _

Shell Philippines Exploration B. V., the operator of the Malampaya natural gas field in northwest Palawan, said it is on track on completing the $1-billion Malampaya expansion project that will install a second platform by the middle of 2015.

“We are just completing the Malampaya phase three project. We are on track,” Spex managing director Sebastian Quinones said.

The consortium led by Spex (with 45 percent) is undertaking phase 3 of the Malampaya project, after completing phase 2, to sustain the level of gas production under existing contracts. Other members of the consortium are Chevron Malampaya LLC (with 45 percent) and PNOC Exploration Corp. (10 percent).

Two production wells were successfully installed in 2013, marking the completion of phase 2. Phase 3 involves the design, fabrication and installation of a new depletion compression platform, which is expected to be completed by the middle of the year.

“The depletion compression platform will be towed out to Palawan soon, so in that manner we are along with the plan and we do have our turn around,” Quinones said.

Malampaya’s first glas platform would be shut down on March 15 to April 13 for a scheduled maintenance repair.

The Malampaya deep-water gas-to-power project, completed in 2001 at cost of $4.5 billion, supplies natural gas to power three power plants in Batangas with a combined capacity of 2,700 MW, representing 30 percent of the country’s energy requirements.

Quinones said Spex, one of the country’s most active oil and gas players, was bullish about Malampaya’s operations this year.

“We will complete this year this project. In fact the Malampaya phase three is a $750 million [project], so we really make sure that this will happen,” he said.

“You have to invest in the future, otherwise you will not recover your expenses,” Quinones said.

Shell’s license over service contract 38, covering Malampaya, will expire in February 2024, the same period that the gas reserves are expected to be depleted. Around half of the reserves at the Malampaya gas field have been consumed.

“We have applied for the license extension [with the Energy Department. We are in discussions for the extension,” Quinones said earlier.

Quinones said there were currently seven production wells in the Camago-Malampaya reservoir.

“There are fields nearby, smaller ones. But to be able to extract that, obviously we need to put in more money. There’s also license extension and all those other things that will be required,” he said.

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$1-b Shell gas project on track - Manila Standard Today
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*PH can keep rate for much of 2015*
*By Bloomberg | Feb. 13, 2015 at 11:45pm *

The Philippine central bank can hold its benchmark interest rate for most of 2015 even as a lower inflation forecast gives policy makers more room to maneuver, Governor Amando Tetangco said.

“If things remain as they are, that is inflation expectations are well anchored, domestic demand continues to be resilient, oil prices remain low but not too volatile and Fed normalization is orderly, I think we can keep rates steady for the most part of 2015,” Tetangco said in an interview with Rishaad Salamat on Bloomberg Television from Manila on Friday.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas held its benchmark at 4 percent Thursday and cut inflation forecasts for this year and next. The central bank will watch for the possible effects of sustained low crude prices on global growth and any risk of a delayed increase in US interest rates because of cheap oil, Tetangco said.

“He’s very comfortable with the inflation outlook,” said Euben Paracuelles, a Singapore-based senior economist at Nomura Holdings Inc. “As long as it stays within target there’s no need to move either way. They could think about easing only if inflation falls below 2 percent for a sustained period,” he said, referring to the lower end of the central bank’s 2 percent to 4 percent goal for this year and next.

The peso rose to 44.285 per dollar at the close of trading. Philippine stocks climbed the most in more than a week, holding near a record. The yield on bonds due August 2024 fell for a second day, according to midday fixing prices at Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp.

While the inflation outlook gives policy makers more room, firm demand, uncertainty over oil prices, and minimal deflationary risk are being considered, Tetangco said, when asked if there’s more scope to ease monetary policy.

“Real lending rates in the Philippines are the third lowest in the region,” he said. “We kept rates steady because we believe that this is consistent with a symmetric inflation targeting approach. We felt that we had room to wait for additional data to see if the lower end of our target range, for instance, will be breached for a persistent period.”

The Philippine economy expanded 6.9 percent in the three months through December from a year earlier, the fastest in five quarters. Consumer prices rose 2.4 percent in January from a year earlier, the slowest pace since August 2013.

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PH can keep rate for much of 2015 - Manila Standard Today
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*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*
*Politics and National Security News**:*

*Philippine Military ‘Behind’ President After Coup Plot is Revealed*
_*Military Investigation Purports to Find no Groups of Soldiers Involved in Coup Plot *_

_*ByTrefor Moss *_
_* Feb. 13, 2015 12:19 a.m. ET *_

MANILA—The Philippine military said Friday it was “solidly behind the president,” after reports surfaced of a plot to overthrow President  Benigno Aquino III  through a coup d’état.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said a military investigation “had not found any unit or group of soldiers who engaged in this coup plot,” which came to light during Senate testimony on Thursday. “All commanders assure us that all their people are accounted for,” he said.

The apparent plot followed the deaths of 44 police commandos in a bungled counterterrorism raid in Mindanao in late January. The disastrous mission to kill or capture a most-wanted terrorist has stoked fierce criticism of Mr. Aquino in the Southeast Asian country, with many feeling that responsibility for the policemen’s deaths lies ultimately with the president as commander-in-chief.

Mr. Aquino has confirmed that he was briefed about the planned raid before it took place, but it remains unclear how much he knew about the tactical details of the operation.

Rumors of coup plots are relatively common in the Philippines, despite the country’s increasingly stable politics. The last serious coup attempt, which ultimately failed to unseat then-president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, was in 2006. Mr. Aquino’s mother, Corazon Aquino, faced down repeated coup attempts during her time as president from 1986 to 1992.

The botched raid also publicly humiliated the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, whose failure to coordinate on the day of the Jan. 25 operation has become one of the focal points of official inquiries into the causes of the disaster.

At the latest in a series of public Senate hearings into the police deaths, Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin disclosed Thursday that he had received reports of an ongoing coup plot. He said he was investigating, and assured the Senate that any attempt to oust Mr. Aquino by force would “entail no military support.”

Mr. Gazmin was responding to questions from Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, who said she had received intelligence that “leaders of certain…groups” were forming a plan to depose Mr. Aquino, and that the coup plot was being financed by a “very rich man…known to have funded a similar coup d’état in the past.”

Lt. Col. Cabunoc said the military was aware of text messages sent by unknown individuals, which appeared to refer to meetings between soldiers and the would-be coup-makers, and he said the military was trying to ascertain the origin of these messages.

“We are all solidly behind the president,” he said.

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Philippine Military ‘Behind’ President After Coup Plot is Revealed - WSJ
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*Crossfire between Philippine military, rebels wounds bird-watching guide, scares 7 foreigners*

_*Published February 13, 2015*_
_Associated Press_

MANILA, Philippines – Crossfire between the military and communist rebels has wounded a bird-watching guide and scared seven foreigners in a protected mountain area in the southern Philippines.

Col. Jesse Alvarez, an army commander in the area, said the military was not aware the bird-watchers were there when the 10-minute firefight ensued Friday.

Daniel Somera, supervisor of the Mount Kitanglad protected area in Bukidnon province, said one of four Filipino guides was wounded and brought to a hospital but the rest of the bird-watching group escaped unhurt. Three Britons, three Danes and one Australian were in the mountain area near where the firefight occurred.

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Crossfire between Philippine military, rebels wounds bird-watching guide, scares 7 foreigners | Fox News
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News*


*The Philippine Military Wants US Drones *
_*The country mulls acquiring drones following the easing of US restrictions. *_

_By Prashanth Parameswaran_
_February 20, 2015_


The Philippines is eying U.S. drones following the recent policy shift by the Obama administration to ease restrictions on their export and sale, local media reported February 18.

According to _ABS-CBN News_, military spokesman Colonel Restituto Padilla said that the while Philippines did not want armed drones, it would be interested in drones that could be used for intelligence and surveillance operations.

Meanwhile, _BusinessWorld_, a leading Philippine business newspaper, reported that Harold M. Cabunoc, a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said that while the drones would indeed give the military “an edge in information gathering and in armed confrontations,” the country’s interest is primarily in their potential for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

National Defense Public Affairs Service Chief Arsenio R. Andalong also confirmed to _BusinessWorld_ that the military’s primary interest in acquiring drones would be for HADR operations.

“In general, drones will certainly enhance any country’s defense posture. In our case, however, their potential contribution to HADR is probably more important,” Andolong said.

“Our planners would first have to assess the technology’s efficiency and the effectiveness vis-à-vis our capabilities,” he added.

Last week, _The Diplomat_ reported that the Obama administration had established a policy for the export of commercial and military drones – including armed ones – following a lengthy review. The move opens up the possibility of Washington equipping its allies such as the Philippines, even though this would still be done under strict conditions and recipient nations need to agree to certain “end-use assurances.”

The use of U.S. drones in the Philippines is not without controversy. While the two allies inked an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement last year to boost military ties, some voices continue to oppose strengthening links in this dimension. Some Philippine legislators have expressed alarm at the discovery and alleged use of U.S. drones in Philippine operations over the past few years, which they say undermine Philippine sovereignty.

There have also been some media reports suggesting that U.S. drones were involved in the lead-up to a controversial January 25 Philippine police operation to get Malaysian terrorist and bomb expert Zulkifli bin Hir – more popularly known as Marwan – who was on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) most wanted list. As _The Diplomat_ reported previously, though evidence suggests the operation ended up killing Marwan, it resulted in one of the largest single day losses for the Philippine police in the nation’s history and has threatened to undermine a historic peace deal between the government and Muslim rebels.

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*The Philippine Military Wants US Drones | The Diplomat*
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## Nike

It will be more effective to enhance the cooperation between US-Philippine and let US operating their armed drones under Philippine Armed Forces supervision. I don't think Philippine Army using and operating sophisticated drones like Reaper and Predator themselves will be the most cost effective and the best solution out there.

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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> It will be more effective to enhance the cooperation between US-Philippine and let US operating their armed drones under Philippine Armed Forces supervision. I don't think Philippine Army using and operating sophisticated drones like Reaper and Predator themselves will be the most cost effective and the best solution out there.



Well the only drones we operated were local made and were designed for surveillance; there are no facilities in the PH that can operate such more sophisticated drones. Besides that we still need manned planes to replace the OV-10s we have as there are no news on the intended replacement for it.

Sadly, the Mamasapano Massacre and the alleged US involvement may put the PH-US militar cooperation in jeopardy again.


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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Security News**:*

* Calls for resignation mount *
*SEARCH FOR TRUTH 
By Ernesto M. Maceda (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 21, 2015 - 12:00am*

A group of teachers and students, led by National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera and University of the Philippines Professor Rolando Simbulan, has joined the call for the resignation of President Aquino due to his deliberate choice to break the chain of command, unilaterally violate the ceasefire agreement with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) and betray public trust by secretly conniving with the United States (U.S.) that led to the Mamasapano incident, which claimed 44 PNP-SAF men, 18 MILF fighters and 7 innocent civilians. 

Furthermore, this is not the first incident. Many tragedies have happened in the past four years, there were many botched operations.

“Aquino should resign from his position due to his participation in the attempt to cover up US involvement in the Mamasapano operation,” Lumbera said at the launch of the Save Our Nation: Aquino Resign (SONAR) Movement in Quezon City.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama on Thursday urged President Aquino to resign and hit the League of Cities – which is constituted of 104 cities headed by an administration ally (Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista) – for including Cebu City in its manifesto support for the beleaguered Chief Executive without his approval. The manifesto was aimed at countering calls for the President to step down. He said it is better for Aquino to resign instead of being ousted in a coup.

Rama also revealed his resentment that the national government has been ignoring Cebu City. He said, he had asked for assistance to construct the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) but none was given.

Bayan spokesman Teddy Casiño said many cause-oriented groups, civil society organizations, political and religious leaders, lawyers, members of the academe, and professionals have been meeting to launch another peaceful People Power Revolution, not a coup d’etat or an armed revolt. He said most people are demanding for truth and accountability on the Mamasapano incident. Many are also calling on President Aquino to step down.

Cariño said civil society groups and Church-backed organizations are planning to hold a protest on Feb. 25.

Mamasapano was a fatal result of US intervention mixed with Aquino’s incompetence and lack of leadership, he added.

“Clearly, the buck stops with the President,” Casiño said.


* Duterte throws cap in*
Speaking before 2,000 participants, mostly youth and students, of the First Federalism Forum in Northern Luzon, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he may run for President “if only to save the Republic” as it is confronted with problems on corruption, criminality and the possible collapse of the peace talks in the Southern Philippines.

“I could make this sacrifice if only to save the country from being fractured,” Duterte said.

He batted for a Federal Parliamentary form of government, from Unitary Presidential, which will address the neglect of the countryside and the Bangsamoro problem if the peace talks with the MILF break down.

Duterte joins a long list of presidentiables which include Vice-President Jejomar Binay, Senator Mar Roxas, Senator Grace Poe, Mayor Joseph Estrada, Senator Chiz Escudero, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and former Senator Ping Lacson.

The filing of certificate of candidacy is on Oct. 15, 2015. Parties will finalize their team ups by July, only four months from now.

So far, surveys have shown Vice President Binay and Grace Poe as front runners.


* Only 16 returned*
The MILF has returned only 16 firearms that were taken from the 44 SAF fallen commandos who died in the Mamasapano incident.

With the BIFF claiming to have captured ten firearms, that leaves 18 more to be accounted for. Also night vision goggles, radios, cellphones, wallets, bullet proof vests, uniforms, and boots still need to be returned. 

While the military saw the MILF’s gesture positively, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was still hoping for the rest of the belongings of the slain SAF members be returned, according to AFP Chief of Staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas should demand the return of the above 18 firearms and other equipment of the dead commandos.

A day after the MILF formally surrendered the guns, PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director-General Leonardo Espina called on the MILF to also surrender its members who violated the international humanitarian law and were responsible for the deaths of his people as well as Basit Usman. It is unlikely the MILF will comply with this demand.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the return of the firearms and surrender of Usman would prove the MILF’s sincerity.


* Tidbits*
Masbate Governor Rizalina Seachon-Lañete, who was charged for plunder and graft over the pork barrel scam, has surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

The Supreme Court (SC) ordered the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) not to impose income tax on casino income as they are subject only to 5 percent franchise tax.

The New People Army (NPA) raid at the Mati Police Station is very serious because it is the provincial capital of Davao Oriental.

Congresswomen Rosemary Arenas, Lani Mercado, and Mitos Magsaysay were seen at the birthday party of Congresswoman Gina de Venecia.

Raechel June Sumbilla, widow of SAF PO3 John Lloyd Sumbilla, told reporters that President Aquino and General Alan Purisima should admit their involvement in the botched Mamasapano operation and be meted out punishment.

Janet Carap, widow of PO2 Peterson Carap complained that President Aquino did not answer her questions as to “what did he do after learning about the incident, what did he do to save his people?”

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Calls for resignation mount | Opinion, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* No PNoy exit plan *
_*Marcos to Aquino: Don’t step down; step up *_
*
by Madel Sabater Namit & Hannah L. Torregoza
February 21, 2015 (updated) *

Malacañang flatly denied yesterday making any preparation for an exit plan for President Aquino should calls for his resignation build up amid public discontent over the handling of the covert police operation that led to the deaths of 44 police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Meanwhile, if there is someone who wants Aquino to remain steadfast at this point, it is Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. who thumbed down to calls for the President to resign.

“Don’t step down. Step up. Step up to your responsibility. Step up to the country and tell them what is happening and what your role was in the Mamasapano massacre,” Marcos said in a Radyo 5 interview.

The son of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos said the President’s statement regarding the so-called “Oplan Exodus” aimed at capturing high-profile Malaysian terrorist bombmaker Zulkifli Abdhir, alias “Marwan,” and Filipino terror suspect Basit Usman is essential in the Senate inquiry.

A total of 44 commandos of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) lost their lives in the operation that led to a clash with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) last January 25.

“I think the President only needs to answer these simple questions: What exactly is your role in Oplan Exodus? Were you the one in charge, or did you merely intercede? When did you know that we were already suffering from heavy casualties and what were your instructions after learning this?” Marcos said.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Local Governments, said the President’s explanation is helpful also to the Senate in crafting a better Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

“It is precisely meant to prevent incidents similar to the Mamasapano massacre from happening again in the future,” Marcos said.

“I hope the President takes it upon himself to tell us all about this. If his explanation is credible, we can conclude our investigation. We already knew what happened and that will enable us to make the necessary corrections in the BBL,” Marcos said.

In Malacañang, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte rejected reports the Palace is preparing an exit plan amid growing calls for Aquino to step down following the Mamasapano incident.

“The President will step down on June 30, 2016. I can tell you that. Any reports or stories of any other exit plan apart from that are fictitious,” Valte said, referring to the end of the President’s election term.

Valte said calls for a President to step down have never been successful. However, she said the Palace respects the right of the public to conduct protest actions.

“It’s part of the democratic space that we enjoy so they are free to make statements to issue calls for whatever action. Obviously, we disagree to their calls to action,” Valte said.

“The President is no stranger to calls for resignation and the course for more or less five years that he’s been in office, we’ve seen these sporadic calls from different groups and they always have not resulted in a situation that would please them, at least it has not resulted favorably for them,” she said.

Valte also said there is no need to conduct a loyalty check in the Armed Forces and the PNP amid reports that some active and retired generals are supporting the calls for the President to resign.

Respond, Mr. President

At the Senate, there are expectations for the President to face the public once again and address the questions being raised against him regarding his involvement in the covert operations that killed “Marwan” and, in the process, 44 SAF commandos, 18 Moro rebels and at least four civilians.

“He should make a statement addressed before the country. We are in crisis and the President must demonstrate leadership,” said Marcos in a text message.

If the President does so, it will be his third nationwide public address on the matter after revealing on January 28 that he knew of the ongoing operation to capture Marwan and that there had been “minimal coordination” with the MILF in executing it; and vowing justice for the SAF 44 while announcing the resignation of suspended PNP Chief Alan L.M. Purisima last February 7.

But since then, he has made himself scarce from public view. “Disappearing from public view is the opposite of leadership,” Marcos said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Order, said the President may put into writing his explanation on his involvement on the Mamasapano operation.

Poe said this may help the Senate panel, which is leading the investigation into the deadly clash, “put the pieces together.”_ (With a report from Genalyn D. Kabiling)
_
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No PNoy exit plan | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and International Diplomacy News**:*

*Aquino, Hollande to discuss terrorism*
_*The French leader's trip to the Philippines from February 26 to 27, however, will focus on climate change*_

*Agence France-Presse*
*Published 3:52 PM, Feb 22, 2015 *
* Updated 6:47 PM, Feb 22, 2015 *

MANILA, Philippines – French President Francois Hollande will discuss international terrorism when he meets Philippine President Benigno Aquino III in the Philippines this week, a spokesman said Sunday, February 22.

The French leader's state visit from Thursday to Friday, February 26 to 27, will focus on climate change, but the recent attacks in Paris have also brought security to the forefront, said Aquino spokesman Herminio Coloma.

"The two leaders will also exchange views on global and regional issues like terrorism such as what happened involving Charlie Hebdo in Paris that claimed the lives of 20 people," he said in an interview.

A series of attacks by 3 Islamist gunmen between January 7 and 9, in and near Paris, began with shootings at the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper.

Coloma did not elaborate on how the two nations would take up the issue.

The largely Roman Catholic Philippines has been the longtime target of local Muslim extremist attacks, especially in the south where the Muslim minority is based.

The Abu Sayyaf, a loose band of a few hundred militants in the south founded with seed money from Al-Qaeda, has been blamed for some of the worst terror attacks in Philippine history.

Coloma said Hollande would use his visit to drum up support for action to curb global warming before the 21st UN Conference of the Parties on Climate Change in Paris in December.

The French leader will bring two Oscar-winning actors, Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons, to the Philippines as part of the campaign. *– Rappler.com*

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Aquino, Hollande to discuss terrorism
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*Politics and National Security News**:*

*DFA: SAF plan and execution ‘100% Filipino’*
_*Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Evan Garcia stresses, however, that ‘intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance’ are within the ambit of the US-Philippines cooperation.*_
* 
Carmela Fonbuena *
 
* Published 1:56 PM, Feb 23, 2015 *

* Updated 1:56 PM, Feb 23, 2015 *

MANILA, Philippines – The United States was not involved in the “plan and execution” of the January 25 anti-terrorist operation in Maguindanao that turned bloody, a representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) told senators on Monday, February 23,

“In our own discussion with the United Sates authorities, we have ascertained from our own discussions that the plan and the execution of the operation were 100% Filipino,” said DFA Undersecretary for Policy Evan Garcia.

Garcia also categorically denied any involvement of US troops in combat operations in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao. “The only constitutionally restricted activity in our cooperation with the US under our existing agreements is that they may not – and have not in the case of Mamasapano either – engage in combat operations,” Garcia said.

A local group claimed that an American was among those who died in the combat area.

It remains unclear, however, if the US provided assistance on intelligence that helped the police Special Action Force (SAF) in finding top Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir or "Marwan," one of the terrorists most wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

It also remains unclear if the US deployed drones to monitor the operations on the ground. Residents of Mamasapano reported hearing drones flying the night before the operation. Mamasapano Mayor Datu Benzar Ampatuan also told senators about a white plane circling the area.

Garcia said “intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance” are within the ambit of the cooperation between the US and the Philippines.

Garcia detailed in the Senate hearing the level of cooperation between the US and the Philippines. This cooperation, he said, “significantly reduced” the size of the Abu Sayyaf Group in the Philippines.

PNP in particular has “benefitted,” he said, from “activities on training and intelligence exchange.”

On the operational details of the SAF operation in Mamasapano, Garcia however deferred to the security agencies.

“On the alleged American participation in Mamasapano, we respectfully defer to our colleagues for operational details,” Garcia said. – _*Rappler.com*_

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DFA: SAF plan and execution ‘100% Filipino’
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*Business News**:

JFC pushes for swift BOT Law amendments
Among the amendments the Joint Foreign Chambers is pushing for is the extension of the Swiss challenge

 Rappler.com 
 
Published 5:26 PM, Feb 21, 2015 

Updated 10:49 AM, Feb 23, 2015 
*
MANILA, Philippines – The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) pushed for the swift enactment of amendments to the build-operate-transfer (BOT) law to sustain investor confidence in the government's infrastructure program. 
In a letter to Representative Ronald Cosalan, chairperson of the House Committee on Public Works and Highways, JFC said the amendments to the law would institutionalize the processes that have improved the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program over the past 4 years.


This will further strengthen the country's PPP framework and prevent hindrances to the implementation of critical public projects, JFC added.


One of the amendments being pushed is a call to extend the maximum period of the Swiss challenge in an unsolicited bid to 6 months from the present two months.


"While the PPP Program encountered some difficulties in its initial stages, it has since begun to catch up, with high-impact projects being steadily rolled out, catching the attention of domestic and international investors," JFC said.


President Benigno Aquino III highlighted these initial difficulties in his 2013 State of The Nation Address (SONA), saying, “The studies on which the projects were based were outdated; and the bureaucracy lacked the sufficient knowledge to implement them." 


The program has been recently picking up steam with the government announcing 18 major infrastructure projects worth P602.2 billion ($13.6 billion). These were set to roll out before June of this year.


It was also highlighted during the first ASEAN-PPP Networking Forum held in December of 2014, where it was regarded as one of the most mature PPP programs in the region with established policy and process improvements and a developed pipeline of projects.


8 PPP projects have been awarded by the government so far amounting to P127 billion ($2.8 billion). *– *_*Rappler.com*_

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JFC pushes for swift BOT Law amendments
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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Security News**:*

-----

* Military strikes kill over a dozen BIFF members *
 _By John Unson__ (philstar.com) _
_Updated February 24, 2015 - 9:28am_

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines — More than a dozen bandits from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters were reportedly killed in the military's bombardment over the weekend of peasants enclaves in Pikit the group took over last week, forcing thousands to evacuate to safer areas.

The police and military are preparing for possible retaliations by the BIFF for losses in week-long skirmishes with soldiers and militiamen in Pikit town in southeast of the province.

Seven of the BIFF fatalities were identified by evacuees as Mariga, Aliman, Samsudin, Muktar, Pendih, Sukarno and Musib, all adolescents, who were killed when 105 Howitzer projectiles landed and went off near them as soldiers tried to push them back into the Liguasan Delta, from where they launched their simultaneous intrusions in barangays at the boundary of Pikit and Pagalungan town in Maguindanao.

The BIFF's spokesman, Abu Misry Mama, was quick to deny their reported losses, even warning of more attacks in the province apparently to scare local folks into sheling out money, grain cereals and livestock in exchange for their protection.

The bandits had burned down no fewer than 20 houses in the barangays they occupied in what local officials said was part of a ploy to intimidate villagers into paying the group "protection money" on a regular basis.

Senior Supt. Danny Peralta, police director of North Cotabato, said they have intensified their security preparations against the BIFF after receiving feedback from community leaders that the outlaws are trying to regroup for more incursions on hapless farming communities within its reach.

Lt. Col. Audie Edralin, commanding officer of the Army's 7th Infantry Battalion based in the town proper of Pikit, said Muslim elders and clerics have urged him to continue with their community patrols in the villages cleared last Sunday from bandits to prevent them from coming back.

Edralin said the confidential informants, some of them barangay officials, have warned of plans by the extremist group to avenge the deaths of bandits killed in skirmishes with 7th IB combatants last weekend.

"And we're not taking chances. Our soldiers and the police are helping each other address these security issues. The local government of Pikit and the office of the provincial governor of North Cotabato remain on top of the situation," Edralin said.

The BIFF has been blamed for recent deadly bombings in North Cotabato, including the detonation of an improvised explosive device at the public market of Mlang town last December 31, which killed two and wounded more than 20 others.

The BIFF is known for enforcing a ruthless Taliban-style justice system in areas where it operates, in total disregard of the legitimate community pacification programs of barangay governments as provided for by the Local Government Code.

North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza on Monday said she has directed her constituent-mayors to impose tight security measures to stave off new BIFF attacks.

Mendoza's office and the local government unit of Pikit have started allowing the return of evacuees from barangays affected by last week's hostilities in the municipality.

Peralta said police intelligence agents have so far been validating the possibility that the BIFF could be behind the local criminal gangs engaged in motorcycle theft, highway robberies and drug trafficking that emerged in the province in recent months.

Peralta said about 60 percent of the 5, 698 total crime volume in the province in 2014 were index crimes, including motorcycle and cattle theft.

Most recorded cases of armed robbery and cattle theft in the province in 2014 occurred in areas where the BIFF operates.

Local officials in Maguindanao said the BIFF has more than 50 members the slain Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, and his ethnic Maguindanaon accomplice, Abdul Basit Usman, together trained in the handling of explosives and fabrication of improvised bombs in the past three years in Mamasapano town.

"They are good at fabricating explosives made only of materials that can be found in the hands of bandits and Moro rebels such as mortar rounds, anti-tank rockets and Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer which can become combustible powder if mixed with gasoline and sulfur," an official said.

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Military strikes kill over a dozen BIFF members | Nation, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*We would have wiped them out had we have weapons that are not obtained from 'Murica as she only gives us obsolete weapons.*

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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and International Diplomacy News**:*

*Philippines Expels China Experts Amid South China Sea Concerns*
_*Manila ends Chinese involvement in running its power grid citing security fears. *_

*By Prashanth Parameswaran
February 26, 2015*

The Philippine government said earlier this week it would end Chinese technical involvement in the country’s power grid partly due to lingering security concerns.

On the night of February 23, Philippine media outlets had first reported that Philippine Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla had said that the government would not renew the work visas of 16 Chinese experts employed by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) when they expire in July 2015.

The Chinese state-owned firm State Grid Corporation of China has had a 40% stake in the NGCP, which runs the national power grid of the Philippines. But Petilla said the government now wanted only Filipinos working there.

Petilla openly acknowledged that concerns over the presence of the Chinese experts stemmed partly from the ongoing South China Sea disputes between the Philippines and China. Relations between the two countries have soured over the last few years largely due to conflicting claims there, and Manila has filed a case against Beijing with the arbitral tribunal at The Hague.

“Of course, this is an offshoot of the West Philippine Sea dispute,” Petilla said according to _ABS-CBN News_, using the Philippines’ preferred term for the South China Sea.

He also admitted that some officials in Philippine government agencies and bodies like the National Security Council were uncomfortable with NGCP having Chinese experts involved.

“NSA is wary that it [NGCP] is being run by Chinese nationals. So _ang solusyon_ [the solution] is with finality, turn over everything to Filipinos,” he said in a mixture of Tagalog and English.

Interestingly, Petilla also reportedly wondered aloud why others did not have similar fears because the Chinese firm also has similar partial ownership in other countries like Australia.

“If we are paranoid about it, I am not sure why Australia and the others are not,” he said.

However, Petilla emphasized that while there would be no more Chinese nationals running NGCP, there would be two of them remaining in their capacity as board of directors. The Chinese stake in the NGCP would still remain because of the distinction made between the management and technical side and ownership.

He also said he did not anticipate any opposition to the decision because key officials of several government agencies and the NGCP had already taken part in a high-level meeting last year and had agreed on the outcome.

The announcement came a day after Philippine senator Miriam Santiago had warned about foreign involvement in NGCP – albeit without referring specifically to China.

“The Philippine Constitution is replete with requirements of nationalism but such a vital and strategic industry such as the electric power industry is infected by a national security virus,” Santiago said in a statement on February 22.

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http://thediplomat.com/2015/02/philippines-expels-china-experts-amid-south-china-sea-concerns/
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*===========================================================================================================*


*The Philippines and Vietnam: Strategic Partners? *
_*Hanoi and Manila are looking to elevate their relationship further in 2015. *_

Enjoying steady bilateral relations since diplomatic ties were established after the Vietnam War in 1976, the Philippines and Vietnam are now engaging in high-level dialogues to try to establish a strategic partnership.

In May of 2014, President Benigno S. Aquino III and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan expressed an aspiration toward establishing a strategic partnership between the two countries. In November, at the sidelines of the 2014 22nd APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Beijing, China, President Aquino and Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sang agreed to convene a Joint Working Committee to start discussions on the roadmap towards this partnership.

*
The China Factor?*

The idea of a strategic partnership became stronger during the oil rig row between Vietnam and China. In June 2014, China’s National Petroleum Corporation deployed a giant oil rig near the Paracel Islands, in the waters claimed by Vietnam as part of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This unilateral action by China led to a confrontation between Chinese and Vietnamese government vessels, as well as violent anti-China riots in Vietnam that forced thousands of Chinese to flee the country. Adding fuel to the clash was the arrest of six Vietnamese fishermen by Chinese naval ships in disputed waters. These standoffs led to a diplomatic rift between the two states.

The Philippines is the only claimant state in the SCS to have filed an arbitration case against China’s historic claims. In support of this move to promote a rules-based approach in solving maritime disputes, Vietnam submitted its position on this arbitration case to the international tribunal last December 2014. The changing geopolitical context has facilitated the convergence of interests of the Philippines and Vietnam, paving the way for establishing a strategic partnership.


*Vietnam’s Current Hard and Soft Power Policy Options*

In dealing with regional flashpoints, Vietnam has used both hard and soft power approaches. It has strengthened its military and non-military presence in the disputed waters. This is evident in the establishment of permanent military garrisons, installation of medical facilities and equipment in Cam Ranh Bay – which is the closest and largest port to the Spratlys to the South and is located within the range of the Paracels –and deployment of troops and civilians in land features it claims. Recently, it has purchased Kilo-class submarines from Russia to modernize its naval capabilities.

Vietnam recognizes that solely relying on military force is not enough to deter China. It has chosen to be diplomatically proactive, internationalizing the issue to gain the support of other countries. Elevating and strengthening bilateral relations to strategic partnerships is a move that Vietnam has also been exploring. In addition, it has actively participated in fora such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the United Nations (UN) to raise awareness on concerns in the South China Sea.


*Building the Philippines-Vietnam Strategic Partnership*

The term strategic partnership is oftentimes a misunderstood concept as it is equated to a security-oriented agreement between two states, directed at certain parties or states. It is, in fact, an elevation of bilateral exchanges that creates room for bilateral strategic dialogue mechanisms that are conducted in the ministerial-level. It is comprehensive and includes economic, functional and socio-cultural cooperation.

With the Philippines’ and Vietnam’s increasingly converging interests, initial discussions on the strategic partnership started a month after the foreign ministers announced the forging of a stronger relationship between the two countries. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto del Rosario co-chaired the Joint Commission on concluding a strategic partnership held last 29 to 30 January 2015. The two parties came up with a working draft on the joint statement for the strategic partnership on the basis of amity, equality, mutual respect and cooperation.

The beginning of 2015, thus, marks a promising future for the Philippines and Vietnam. The two countries’ bilateral relations will certainly grow in areas such as political, trade and investment, fisheries, marine and oceanic affairs, as well as defense and security, among others.


*What is the Philippines looking for in a strategic partner?*

When asked why the Philippines decided to make Vietnam a strategic partner, Secretary del Rosario stated that “just like the US and Japan, there is a special bond between the Philippines and Vietnam.” Before a strategic partnership is established, parties must have a mutual agreement based on and consistent with common values and goals. Vietnam is a potentially viable partner not only because of mutual economic benefits that can be gained, but also because Vietnam recognizes the importance of upholding ASEAN’s centrality and unity in an evolving regional architecture. The Philippines, however, is committed to values such as democracy, human rights, and good governance, all of which may not sit well with Vietnam.

On regional issues, Vietnam also promotes maritime cooperation, asserting a rules-based approach in preserving regional stability and security. The Philippines and Vietnam have a shared commitment to maintain peace in the region, ensuring that people across Southeast Asia will live in harmony and prosperity, through peaceful resolution of disputes. Most importantly, they are committed to continue both bilateral and multilateral cooperation towards the creation of an ASEAN Community. It is equally essential that strategic partners engage in collaborative activities – culturally, economically, and politically, as well as in sharing of information and expertise, turning weaknesses into strengths.


*What is in store for the future strategic partnership?*

Given the commonality of issues they face and commitments they share, both countries are strong advocates of security and stability in the region especially, when instruments or mechanisms relating to the promotion of maritime conflict-prevention are becoming ineffective in the face of China’s unilateral actions. Thus, there is an urgent need for ASEAN to finalize a legally-binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea with China.

There will be more collaboration between the Philippines and Vietnam as they elevate their relations to strategic partnership. These include strengthened cooperation in the areas of agriculture, search and rescue operations, marine environment protection, and oil spill preparedness. Addressing regional issues will be a strong component of the deepening ties and, as such, there will be closer cooperation in military and maritime matters. The focus on political, defense and security cooperation, however, will certainly not be their only and primary objective. The overarching goal of a strategic partnership is to improve the overall relations between the two states and the living conditions of their populace.

The elevation of bilateral relations also means greater responsibility for both the Philippines and Vietnam. Both states must collaborate on the planning and implementation of the strategic partnership agreement, because there is convergence of interests in many areas. There is, however, a very important challenge before the ties between the two states are further elevated.

The Philippines’ basis for strategic partners is not merely convergent positions on strategic issues but also on shared values and principles, which means a strategic partnership cannot be agreed upon on the basis of expediency. Vietnam and the Philippines need to further thresh this issue out or the proposed strategic partnership will be shallow and cannot be implemented when the diplomatic winds change.
-----

_Julio S. Amador III is the Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Service Institute. Jeremie P. Credo is a Foreign Affairs Research Specialist with the Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies of the Foreign Service Institute._ _This article was originally published as a CIRSS commentary by the Foreign Service Institute of the Philippines here. _

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http://thediplomat.com/2015/02/the-philippines-and-vietnam-strategic-partners/
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The latter news is good news for China and a few Muricans as for the former it would give them more reason to saber-rattle and test their "armed forced" against us and for the latter, it provides them a Hollywood-style entertainment the likes Michael Bay could only dream of.

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## Ayan81

Newly formed 780th Ground Base Air Defense Group of the Philippine Air Force







The air defense assets must be coming together with the delivery of the first 2 FA50 and the radar for IAI


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## Zero_wing

Wow tychus findlay sends some sige tanks and battlecrusers


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## Nike

Congrats to made the nice badge for timawan here

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## Cossack25A1

*Business News**:*

-----

*DTI sets expanded consumer protection law to include online shopping, e-commerce *
*by Bernie Magkilat*
*February 28, 2015 *

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has sought to further tighten consumer protection as it expands jurisdiction to include online shopping and e-commerce transactions as well as clothe itself with police powers to padlock violating enterprises, which will be meted with fines of up to P10 million maximum from only P300,000 under its proposed amendment to the Consumer Act.

DTI Undersecretary Victorio Mario Dimagiba told reporters that the DTI proposed amendments entitled “An Act granting broader protection for consumers adding new provisions and amending certain provisions for the Purpose of Republic Act No. 7394, otherwise known as the Consumer Act of the Philippines” will be submitted to both Houses of Congress on Monday.

Under the proposed bill, the Bill has inserted the eight basic rights of consumers: right to basic needs, choose, representation, redress, consumer education, safety, healthy environment, and information.

It has also amended the terms of reference to expand its jurisdiction to using mass media trades to include Internet, mobile phones, and similar electronic devices that are used as means or methods to convey advertising messages to the public.

The DTI has also moved to ensure safety and quality of products as well as to provide redress against unsafe, injurious or dangerous consumer products by requiring manufacturers to issue product recall or notice to every person to whom such consumer product was delivered or sold without delay.

It has also sought to amend practices on weight and measures. Dimagiba said the DTI has already distributed 19 “Timbangan ng Bayan” to Marikina out of the 200 weighing scales for distribution. Packing and packaging must not only be in English but also in the Tagalog language.

Penalties to erring traders have been substantially raised to the current minimum of P500 to maximum of P300,000 to a minimum of P50,000 and maximum of P10 million based on 5 percent of gross sales of consumer product or services.

“We have to adjust the fines to factor in the cost of inflation and for our enforcement activities,” Dimagiba said noting that the old fines had been set when the law was crafted in 1992.

The DTI also sought to be clothed with police powers to padlock erring enterprises, “Any establishment caught in the act of selling, distributing, manufacturing, producing, display or importation of substandard and hazardous products shall authorize the implementing agencies to close and shut down the business premises.”

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DTI sets expanded consumer protection law to include online shopping, e-commerce | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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*=====================================================================================================================================================
*

* Local Daikin sales soared 170% in 2014, bets on residential market *
*by Bernie Magkilat
February 28, 2015 *

Daikin, Japanese cooling systems provider, aims P2 billion sales turnover for fiscal year 2015 after a robust 170 percent increase in gross sales in 2014 as the company launches small capacity split-type air-conditioning unit targeting a bigger share of the 460,000 units in annual demand for window type air-conditioning units that dominate the residential market.

Ryuta Hayashibara, sales division manager of Daikin Air-conditioning Philippines Inc., told reporters during the launch of VRV IV-S, that the company is on track to hit P1.5 billion in gross sales this year, which fiscal year ends in March, for a huge 170 percent increase over 2013 fiscal year.

Of its P2 billion sales target, 30 percent would be coming from the residential business segment.

Hayashibara said the company will make available starting April this year D SMART, a small capacity split type room air-conditioner model of 0.5 HP and 0.8 HP equipped with Daikin’s Inverter technology and its new refrigerant R32. The 0.5 HP unit will cost P26,000 while the 0.8 HP at P28,000.

With these new units, Hayashibara said one can have the benefits of and advantages of a split type unit but with a lower initial cost. It has a cooling capacity for at least 10 square meter room.

“These new units may be small in capacity but still big in features and big in energy savings,” Hayashibara said noting that Daikin’s Inverter technology would translate to at least 30 percent in energy savings.

Based on experience, customers are able to recover the higher upfront cash within a year through energy savings.

Hayashibara is confident this new model is going to modernize room air-conditioning systems and provide more aesthetics to newly built condominiums in the country.

“We would like to get a bigger share of the huge demand for window type air-con,” he said.

He noted that Japan had long phased out the window type in the 60′s because it is not energy efficient, not environment friendly and noisy.

For its new VRV IV-S, the company seeks to provide high indoor capacity units, more connectable indoor and lightweight outdoor units. The new system is now available in 4,5,6,8 and 9 HP outdoor units and can connect up to 14 indoor units.

This new design of VRV IV-S system has been optimized, with the height for 4 HP and 5 HP reduced to only 990 mm. From the wall mounted up to the flour mounted type, the VRV system has 15 types and 81 models of indoor units.

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Local Daikin sales soared 170% in 2014, bets on residential market | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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*=====================================================================================================================================================*

* Exporters group thumbs down wage hike plea *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated March 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Exporters are opposing calls to implement wage hikes, arguing such would hinder job creation and economic growth.

The Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport), citing the letter of its president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. to Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board chairman Alex Avila, said that another round of wage increase would undermine the viability particularly of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Ortiz-Luis said SMEs play a vital role in job generation and livelihood opportunities.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines has sought a P136 increase in the daily minimum wage of workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the P734 minimum wage hike proposed by the Association of Minimum Wage Earners and Advocates to be implemented in equal tranches of P146.80 over a period of five years.

The wage hike petitions were filed citing inflationary factors, the recent increases in the fares of the Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit, and impending water and electricity rate increases.

“We at Philexport remain consistent in our position against barriers to trade competitiveness, especially against our SMEs which will be directly and adversely affected by such increases. We find these petitions ill-timed and irrelevant,” Ortiz-Luis said.

He cited a Philippine Institute for Development Studies report which showed that minimum wages are the biggest binding constraints to job creation and economic growth.

“Thus, this will again provide a blow on our twin problems of unemployment and poverty,” he said.

A wage increase, he added, would also jack up inflation, as manufacturers and service providers would pass on extra costs that could no longer be absorbed by consumers or the workers and other suppliers.

At present, the labor wage in NCR is one of the highest in Southeast Asia.

“This clearly makes NCR one of the most expensive regions to do business with,” Ortiz-Luis said.

Further, the Philexport concurred with the position of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines that the P734 increase payable in equal tranches over a period of five years “has absolutely no basis in law and does not conform to the prescribed standards and criteria for wage fixing.”

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Exporters group thumbs down wage hike plea | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*=====================================================================================================================================================*

*Acer exec visits Manila for first time, leaves impressed by locals*
*Amy R. Remo*
*Philippine Daily Inquirer*
*1:20 AM | Sunday, March 1st, 2015*

A company official worth his salt visits the markets where his firm maintains a presence in order to help local teams strategize and expand the business.

Often, officials go on these trips to look into the problems of local teams and identify new game plans and policies to further raise revenues and market shares.

But for Oliver Ahrens, senior vice president of multinational hardware and electronics firm Acer Inc., his first trip to the Philippines last week marked a departure from his normal experience.

“Usually, I only come to a country when there is a need to. The Philippines is an exemption. The Philippines is, really, for us something like a poster boy for business,” Ahrens says during a briefing last week.

“If you ask me, the Philippines has, in Asia Pacific, the best go-to-market strategy, and the best new production introduction (NPI) process. Positioning products, and communicating these to the distribution channels—nobody is doing it as good as the Philippines. And this one of the reasons for our high market share here. For me, it is also a learning trip to understand a little bit more how [things are] done here,” he explains.

True enough, Acer Philippines Inc. expects to sustain its strong momentum this year, with revenues projected to grow by a double-digit pace anew, while its market share in key product segments could further rise to cement its foothold in the local market.

“The Philippines for us is a center of excellence where other markets can learn,” Ahrens says, adding that the country is considered to be one of the fastest growing, even if it is not the biggest, markets in the Asia Pacific.

According to Ahrens, the company is also now looking at the business models being employed in the Philippines, particularly for new product introductions, which can be replicated in some countries in the region where Acer’s market share appears to be lower.

For the whole Asia Pacific region, Acer’s market share ranged only from 8 to 11 percent.

“We want to bring up the market share in the Asia Pacific. If we achieve at least half of the market share in the Philippines, then we would be happy with that,” Ahrens says.

In the Philippines, Acer managed to grow revenues by 15 percent last year, driven largely by the personal computer (PC) segment, which accounted for about 20 percent of the total market share in the country, says Manuel Wong, Acer Philippines managing director.

In the notebook computer segment alone, Acer grabbed a 40-percent market share, reaffirming the company’s position as the No. 1 overall branded PC vendor in the country.

Acer’s presence in the smartphone and tablet category, however, remained marginal at 2 percent and 4 percent, respectively. But company officials are bullish of their prospects of being able to raise these market shares to about 4 percent for smart phones, and more than 5 percent for tablets.

To help raise sales and market shares, Acer will be launching new products in the country this year. While declining to disclose specific models, Ahrens says that Acer will bring in new 7-inch and 10-inch tablets in the country, as well as gaming tablets to cater to a growing market segment.

This year, the company’s traditional business segments are still expected to contribute 90 percent of the company’s revenues, according to Ahrens. But Acer will be bringing in two-in-one and new gaming products, and will further expand the offerings for the upper middle classes given the growing demand from this segment.

Asked if Acer still has plans to resume assembly operations in the Philippines, Ahrens says that the company is “open” to the idea, but that such a move “must make commercial sense” before the electronics firm commits to it.

Although the volumes are enough to justify a manufacturing facility here, the demand from the local market however, can be more efficiently supplied by its other facilities located elsewhere in the region.

Acer has production facilities in China, India, and Indonesia.

Acer first entered the Philippine market in 2003, managing the marketing, sales, and support services for a full range of personal computer systems from notebooks to peripherals.

Key products included Aspire and TravelMate mobile PCs, Aspire and Veriton desktop PC series; DLP projectors; LCD monitors; servers and storages; Acer smartphones; and the Iconia series of tablets and touch books.

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Acer exec visits Manila for first time, leaves impressed by locals | Inquirer Business
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*=====================================================================================================================================================
=====================================================================================================================================================*


*Nation Development News:*

------

* Phl now biggest grower of GM crops *
 By Rudy Fernandez* (The Philippine Star) |
Updated March 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is now the twelfth biggest grower of genetically modified (GM) crops.

This was achieved in 2014 when 415,000 farmers planted Bt (Basillus thuringionsis) corn in 831,000 hectares, enabling the country to maintain its rank as among the world’s “biotech mega-countries” or nations that produce GM crops in 50,000 hectares or more, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Application (ISAAA).

ISAAA presented its latest annual report on the global status of commercialized biotech crops at the Philippine edition of its yearly media conference held on Feb. 27 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati City.

The forum was sponsored by ISAAA and the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), which is based in Los Baños, Laguna.

Speakers and resource persons were SEARCA Director Gil Saguiguit Jr., Agriculture Assistant Secretary Paz Benavidez II, ISAAA board of trustees chair Dr. Paul Tang, National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) academician Dr. Eufemio Rasco Jr., ISAAA senior program officer Dr. Rhodora Aldemita, and Impasug-ong (Bukidnon) eggplant farmer Edgar Talasan.

In his report titled “The Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops 2014” presented by Aldemita, ISAAA founder Dr. Clivo James said that more than 181 million hectares of biotech crops were planted by 18 million farmers in 28 countries, 20 of them developing ones, including China, India, Brazil, and Argentina.

The lead biotech crops planted globally are soybean, corn, cotton, canola, sugar beat, papaya and alfalfa.

In the Philippines, Bt corn has steadily increased in its land area since it was commercially produced in 2003. And since 2011, Bt corn has helped enable the Philippines to become self-sufficient in this crop. The country has also exported corn silage to South Korea since 2013 owing to its good quality.

The United States, which devotes 73.1 million hectares to biotech crops in 2014, continued to lead the biotech mega-countries. US has been producing GM crops such as maize, soybean, cotton, canola, sugar beat, papaya, squash, tomato, sweet pepper, poplar, alfalfa and - only last year - eggplant.

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Phl now biggest grower of GM crops | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*=====================================================================================================================================================
=====================================================================================================================================================*


*Politics and National Security News**:*

-----

* Abu’s Sahiron wounded in Sulu fighting? *
 By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star) 
Updated March 1, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Abu Sayyaf leader Radulan Sahiron could have been among the bandits wounded in a clash in Barangay Buhanginan, Sulu last Friday.

“We are still verifying this. What is confirmed is that 25 of them were killed while 27 others were wounded,” a military source in Sulu said.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has offered $5 million for information leading to the capture of Sahiron and another Abu Sayyaf leader, Isnilon Hapilon, for their crimes against Americans.

At least 25 Abu Sayyaf gunmen were killed and 27 others were wounded after five days of fighting with government troops in Sulu.

The military said two soldiers from Joint Task Group Sulu (JTGS) led by Col. Allan Arrojado were also killed and 26 others wounded in the gunbattles.

Capt. Maria Rowena Muyuela, spokesperson for the Western Mindanao Command, said troops from the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion under Lt. Col. Eugenio Boquio attacked the fleeing group of Sahiron in Sitio Baunoh Butong, Barangay Buhanginan in Patikul.

Muyuela said ground troops have launched mortar attacks while air support was provided by the Air Force.

She said the 40-millimeter mortar rounds fired by the Abu Sayyaf bandits hit the wounded soldiers.

She said the victims were airlifted to a military hospital in Barangay Busbus in Jolo.

Muyuela said pursuing troops reported that Abu Sayyaf bandits retreated toward Barangay Taglibi.

The military is also verifying reports that more bandits led by Furuji Indama arrived in Sulu yesterday to reinforce the group of Sahiron.

Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said the bandits are now low in ammunition.

“Reports from our sources in the villages in Patikul indicate that Abu Sayyaf is on the run... The elite Scout Rangers are relentlessly tracking them down,” Cabunoc said. –*With Roel Pareño*

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Abu’s Sahiron wounded in Sulu fighting? | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

*=====================================================================================================================================================*

* PDAF may spell disaster for congressional bets in 2016*
*by Ben Rosario*
*March 1, 2015 (updated) *

_*Part I*_

A quarter century after being part of the staple to get politicians elected to legislative offices, the Priority Development Assistance Fund, also known as the “pork barrel,” could spell catastrophe for the 2016 election bid of about 90 former and incumbent congressmen and senators in the country.

Similarly, the Disbursement Acceleration Program funded out of P144-billion largesse from the Aquino government may no longer bring the political dividends that those who benefitted from it enjoyed in the 2013 mid-term polls.

Three party-list congressmen who have been closely monitoring the PDAF-DAP controversies made these predictions. They stressed it will worsen for politicians concerned about their pork barrel if anti-corruption groups further stoke public anger over the unprecedented wastage of public funds.

The representatives are Lito Atienza (Buhay Partylist), Jonathan de la Cruz (Abakada Partylist), and Terry Ridon (Kabataan Partylist). They agreed that final rulings of the Supreme Court that declared PDAF and parts of the DAP unconstitutional have made the fate of involved legislators and 2016 administration bets worse.

However, the High Court ruling is not the final nail in the coffin. The coup de grace would be in the form of a Sandiganbayan conviction of incumbent and former solons prior to the May 2016 elections.

While waiting for anti-graft court rulings, investigation should continue on the pork barrel scam, mainly committed through the funding of non-existent or overpriced projects by bogus or temporary non-government organizations, particularly those allegedly formed by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.

Atienza, Dela Cruz, and Ridon find it odd that 18 months after the Commission on Audit released its special audit findings on PDAF anomalies involving bogus non-government organizations (NGO), only three senators and five former congressmen have been charged, with the ex-House members haled to court only two weeks ago.


*NO ADMINISTRATION ALLIES *

Sharing a common PDAF-DAP experience in getting their separate proposals for congressional probes on the twin issues flatly rejected by the House leadership, the three lawmakers entertain strong feelings that the filing of charges has been selective. They feel that government investigators are going easy on Aquino administration allies.

“Let’s call spade a spade. Eight or nine have been charged but none of them are present allies of the Aquino administration,” noted Ridon. “It seems allies of the President are being spared.”

So far, non-bailable plunder charges linked to the Napoles scam have already been filed in court against Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., all opposition stalwarts.

Also charged, although only a few days ago, were former House members Rizalina Seachon Lanete, now Masbate governor; Samuel Dangwa of Benguet; Constantino Jaraula of Cagayan de Oro City; Edgar Valdez of APEC partylist; and Agusan del Sur’s Rodolfo Plaza, a staunch critic of the Aquino government.


*100 LEGISLATORS*

Of the 356 congressmen and senators who took slices of the P79.878-billion PDAF distributed from 2007 to 2009, only 100 of them had names mentioned in various adverse findings of the special audit conducted by a team led by COA Director Susan P. Garcia in 2013.

Many of the 100 legislators mentioned are incumbent elected and appointed officials allied with the Aquino government.

“Obviously, partisan lines are being followed here. We would like to see pillars of the (Aquino) administration also asked the same questions thrown at those who are now facing charges. A thorough investigation is needed before Malacañang allies could claim being cleared from this mess,” Atienza said.


*NO ONE CLEARED YET*

Dela Cruz said the public should not be hoodwinked into believing that legislators named in the COA report have been cleared because charges have not been filed against them before the Sandiganbayan.

Congressmen and senators continued to receive their annual PDAF share of P70 million and P200 million, respectively, until 2013 when the SC declared the allocation unconstitutional.


*NO MORE PDAF?*

With the High Court ruling and the strong public clamor, has Congress eliminated PDAF?

By name, it has, Atienza said.

In reality, legislators still have access to government funds that are supposed to be exclusively spent by the executive department.

In the case of House members, each still enjoy the privilege of “advising” at least five government departments how to spend their budget within a P70-million expenditure limit.


*P 144-B DAP FUNDS *

The recent final court ruling against the DAP system, reportedly a brainchild of Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, has also triggered strong calls for a special audit of the fund.

With government spending P144 billion in DAP funds in just three years starting 2011, House oppositionists believe that a special audit would open a can of worms for the Sandiganbayan to address.

“A COA special audit is long overdue. I filed a resolution to that effect last year and had hoped that COA would do it,” De la Cruz said.

Former COA Chairperson Grace Pulido Tan stepped down on Feb. 2 following mandatory retirement, without acting on the solon’s request.


*DAP AS ‘SWEETENER’*

Atienza lamented that the High Court struck down DAP as illegal three years after the fund was used as a sweetener for senators to issue a bitter ruling that ousted former SC Chief Justice Renato Corona in controversial impeachment proceedings.

The former Manila mayor claims that billions of pesos in DAP money were also used as baits in swaying congressional approval of the Reproductive Health law despite being slammed by the Catholic church as immoral.


*AUDIT RESULTS BEFORE ELECTIONS*

“The PDAF and DAP, both declared by the court as illegal appropriations, should become part of the election debates in 2016. The public should be made aware of the wastage of government funds to be able to decide clearly how they should vote in this very important national election,” Atienza said.

Ridon asked acting COA chief Heidi Mendoza to launch the DAP special audit before Malacañang names a permanent replacement for Pulido-Tan.

The solon said results of the audit should be released to the public in time for the 2016 elections.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a three-part report on the pace of the investigation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or the “pork barrel” of the Senate and House of Representatives – 18 months after the Commission on Audit (COA) released the results of its audit. It’s been almost two years since the whistleblower submitted his affidavit on the P10-billion scam, and eight months since the cases were filed against three senators.

_The Manila Bulletin is running this series to keep the public updated on the PDAF issues which have been overtaken by the Senate hearings on the alleged ill-gotten wealth of Vice President Jejomar C. Binay and the January 25 Mamasapano carnage.)_

-----
PDAF may spell disaster for congressional bets in 2016 | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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## Cossack25A1

_Well this may be old news but it is just two weeks ago and wasn't posted by other PH members including me..._

_-----_

*Military and Defense News*

*The Philippine Army Just Bought Falcon III Radios*
_February 15, 2015_

Keeping true to its modernization plans, the Philippine Army has acquired new radios for its Light Armored Division.

This was announced by Harris Corporation as early as December 19 last year. The official press release opens with:

____________________________________________________________________________
*Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), has been awarded a $18 million initial order to provide the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with Harris Falcon III® tactical vehicular radios and intercom systems. The Philippine Army will acquire the radios for its tactical communications modernization program. The order was received during the first quarter of fiscal 2015.*
____________________________________________________________________________

The $18 million order is being fulfilled by Harris RF, a subsidiary that sells to customers among national armed forces.

The Harris Corporation press release quoted Harris RF President of International Business Brendan O’Connell mentioning two interesting details about the Falcon III RF-7800V deal. It uses embedded encryption and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) already have 13,000 Harris radios.

The AFP has been upgrading its Harris RF gear since 2008, when it paid an even bigger amount–$80 million–for a large batch of Falcon II radios. At the time, a Harris sales executive revealed the AFP remained loyal to Harris for the last 20 years.

But the new Falcon III RF-7800V marks a considerable boost for the Philippine Army’s mobile assets. According to product information from Harris RF, the RF-7800V has 21 features that make it ideal for vehicular use, including GPS, a chat application, and USB connectivity.

This makes the RF-7800V well-suited to the Light Armored Division. Despite its name, the Philippine Army doesn’t possess main battle tanks. Instead, its Light Armored Division is a mechanized unit equipped with armored cars and APCs. These include the V-150 Commando, the 4×4 SIMBA, M113 AIFV, and the Scorpion light tank.

Harris Corporation is a publicly listed telecommunications and IT provider. Its financials can be reviewed on Thomson Reuters.

-----
The Philippine Army Just Bought Falcon III Radios | 21st Century Asian Arms Race
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## NarThoD

*Philippines to get first two FA-50s early*
*Michael Cohen, Manila and James Hardy, London* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
03 March 2015






KAI will deliver two FA-50s to the PAF ahead of schedule, a Philippine official said on 3 March. Source: KAI
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will deliver two FA-50 light-attack aircraft to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) ahead of schedule in December, Philippine Undersecretary of Defense Fernando Manalo said on 3 March.

"We are looking at the early delivery of two FA-50s," said Manalo, head of the Philippine Department of National Defense's (DND) modernisation and procurement division. "They will be combat and mission ready upon their arrival this December."

Manila signed a PHP18.9 billion contract to buy 12 FA-50s on 28 March 2014, under which KAI was to deliver all the aircraft by mid-2017.

Philippine President Aquino inspected an FA-50 at Gimhae Air Base in South Korea in December 2014, and at the time told reporters he expected the 12 aircraft to just be the start of increased defence co-operation between the two countries.

"We have been assured by KAI that by 2017 our procurement will be complete. Down the road, likely more will be needed, but I will leave that up to my successors," he said. Aquino's term ends on 30 June 2016.
------

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## Cossack25A1

NarThoD said:


> *Philippines to get first two FA-50s early*
> *Michael Cohen, Manila and James Hardy, London* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
> 03 March 2015
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> KAI will deliver two FA-50s to the PAF ahead of schedule, a Philippine official said on 3 March. Source: KAI
> Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will deliver two FA-50 light-attack aircraft to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) ahead of schedule in December, Philippine Undersecretary of Defense Fernando Manalo said on 3 March.
> 
> "We are looking at the early delivery of two FA-50s," said Manalo, head of the Philippine Department of National Defense's (DND) modernisation and procurement division. "They will be combat and mission ready upon their arrival this December."
> 
> Manila signed a PHP18.9 billion contract to buy 12 FA-50s on 28 March 2014, under which KAI was to deliver all the aircraft by mid-2017.
> 
> Philippine President Aquino inspected an FA-50 at Gimhae Air Base in South Korea in December 2014, and at the time told reporters he expected the 12 aircraft to just be the start of increased defence co-operation between the two countries.
> 
> "We have been assured by KAI that by 2017 our procurement will be complete. Down the road, likely more will be needed, but I will leave that up to my successors," he said. Aquino's term ends on 30 June 2016.
> ------



Maybe South Korea could help us developed our own 4.5th generation aircraft (like F-15E, F/A-18E, JAS 39) as the KAI KF-X is beyond our capability.

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## NarThoD

Cossack25A1 said:


> Maybe South Korea could help us developed our own 4.5th generation aircraft (like F-15E, F/A-18E, JAS 39) as the KAI KF-X is beyond our capability.


FA-50 would fullfill your Air Force requirements for a while. Philippines should proiritize more on her Navy after this

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## BoQ77

Cossack25A1 said:


> Maybe South Korea could help us developed our own 4.5th generation aircraft (like F-15E, F/A-18E, JAS 39) as the KAI KF-X is beyond our capability.



We are happy to see a stronger alliance with PH.

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## Zero_wing

NarThoD said:


> FA-50 would fullfill your Air Force requirements for a while. Philippines should proiritize more on her Navy after this



Well this just a start more is to come

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## Nike

Your start taking decades to be realized

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## Cossack25A1

Well the modernization is for "Minimum Credible Defense." If the economy continues to grow and becomes less restricted and the politics of this country is more stable and less corrupt (the latter is unlikely), a more comprehensive military modernization than the one we have today will be possible.


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## Cossack25A1

*Miscellaneous News:*

-----

*Meatless Mondays in Quezon City*
*March 1, 2015 10:24 pm 
by JING VILLAMENTE*

Cut your meat intake and add years to your life.

This is the message that Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista wants to impart to three million residents as he threw his support behind a city council resolution urging restaurant owners to adopt “Meatless Mondays” and help promote the consumption of vegetables and other healthy food at least once a week.

*The council resolution calls for a “Luntiang Lunes (Green Monday),” QC’s version of a Meatless Monday, patterned after a similar advocacy in the United States, in a bid to improve the nutritional intake of city residents.*

Meatless Monday is an idea pioneered by the US Food Administration during World War I.

Reintroduced as a public health awareness campaign in the US in 2003, Meatless Monday addresses the prevalence of preventable illnesses associated with excessive meat consumption.

Councilor Jessica Castelo Daza, author of the resolution, noted that there is a need to strengthen food security and minimize environmental problems attributed to livestock production.

If every QC resident would leave out meat for one day every week for one whole year, this would translate to a significant reduction in one’s carbon footprint and would help save precious resources like trees, water and fossil fuel, according to Daza.

“It is like taking 12,800 cars off the road or having 107 million trees planted and grown for 10 years,” she said.

The QC government started its Meatless Monday advocacy with the approval of Resolution SP-5596 in 2012, which enjoins all City Hall employees, public schools and all barangay (villages) to consume vegetables and other non-meat food every Monday.

Daza, a medical doctor by profession, said studies have shown that Filipinos are one of the world’s lowest per capita consumers of vegetables, with only 39 kilos per year.

*Based on a report by the American Dietetic Association, reduced meat consumption decreases the risk of various health problems.*

Thus, going meatless even for just one day per week may reduce one’s risk of chronic degenerative diseases and conditions, including obesity, hypertension, diabetes and some types of cancer.

-----
Meatless Mondays in Quezon City | The Manila Times Online
-----


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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News**:*

-----

*Philippines to get first C295 early*
_*Michael Cohen, Manila and James Hardy, London
IHS Jane's Defence Weekly *_

*04 March 2015*


The first of three Airbus C295 medium-lift transports for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will arrive by mid-March, five months ahead of schedule.

The early delivery was confirmed by Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) undersecretary Fernando Manalo.

The C295 was selected for the DND's medium-lift aircraft requirement for three aircraft in 2014. Airbus' winning bid of PHP5.29 billion (USD120 million) was below the PHP5.3 billion stipulated in the contract to replace the PAF's three Fokker F27 Friendship aircraft, which have been in service for more than 30 years.

Flight testing and acceptance trials in Spain of a C295 in PAF markings were posted online in January.

-----
Philippines to get first C295 early - IHS Jane's 360
-----


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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Security News**:*

----

*A cock and bull story*
March 8, 2015 11:20 pm
by FRANCISCO S. TATAD 

A highly informed source at the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force has denounced as a pure “cock and bull story” the alleged three hour-plus “bull session” between President B. S. Aquino 3rd and the SAF commandos before last Wednesday’s assumption of command by Chief Superintendent Moro Virgilio Lazo as the new SAF commander. The bull session was supposed to have taken place behind closed doors at the SAF Headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City (Metro Manila) while, at the open-air quadrangle fronting the headquarters, the top PNP officials reportedly waited for Aquino to finish.

“I was there the whole time,” said the source, “and I saw no such ‘three-hour bull session.’ The President stayed for not more than a few minutes after talking to PO2 Christopher Lalan, (the lone survivor of the Jan. 25 massacre in which 44 SAF commandos were killed by the combined forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters). The President walked out in a huff after Lalan told him, ‘The SAF are very much disappointed in you, Sir, and expect you to resign’,” the source said.

The various Manila dailies had carried the same story about the supposed three-hour bull session without any mention of Lalan. They did not quote any official source for their story, but made it appear that the press reporters were outside the hall when the alleged bull session was going on, and were later fed by “sources” on what had transpired inside. The bylined stories reported the SAF men talking to Aquino about the system of promotion, hazard pay, equipment, benefits, training, the use of “ antiquated bullets,” and other “concerns.”

-----
*SAF’s only known demand— resign, Mr. President*

Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas 2nd, whom Aquino had shut out of the PNP chain of command during the Mamasapano operation, was later quoted as saying the President had directed that the SAF demands be complied with in 30 days. What demands are these? Our source said the only demand he had heard was from Lalan—that Aquino resign. “Does Roxas mean we should now expect Aquino to quit in 30 days?” the source asked.

If what our source is saying is all correct, and I do not doubt it, then the attempt to lie to the nation has become total. The public can no longer trust even apparently harmless and supposedly non-controversial news stories about the simplest official activity of government. The beleaguered Aquino regime lies about everything, and has made not only the Congress and the Cabinet its principal partners and instruments in it, but also the uncritical press.

I myself was led to routinely repeat the cock and bull story in my Friday column (Crisis of survival deepens, March 6) without the slightest suspicion it was a complete fraud. In my 50 years in journalism, I have not had to go through anything like it. I humbly apologize to my readers.

What is of immense value, however, is that the SAF has taken a stand, although it has not been widely reported so far. Even Aquino’s former defenders and allies on the Left are also making the same call. Many other groups have since come out reiterating the call of the National Transformation Council for Aquino and his entire regime to “step down” and allow a multi-sectoral caretaker council to take over and fix the broken constitutional order before we hold our next national elections.

-----
*44-km march for justice*

At this writing, a 44-km March for Justice, organized by the PNP Academy Alumni Association for the Fallen 44, is on the road from Salitran, Dasmarinas, Cavite to the PNP Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. Led by PNPAAA board chair Tomas Rentoy, and Rev. Fr. Robert Reyes, known to many as the “running priest,” and several others, the march is supposed to end the official 40-day mourning period for the Fallen 44. It will end in an ecumenical service at Claret School in Teacher’s Village, Quezon City. PNPAAA Chapter President Senior Superintendent Jerome Baxinela has called on the PNPAAA members not to join the march, but even non-PNP related groups had been calling on citizens en route to offer the marchers water and food when they pass, and if possible to also join the march.

If successful, this march could push the calls for Aquino’s departure to the next level. Until now, he and his propagandists have argued that nothing in the Constitution requires him to step down before the end of June 2016. Aquino should know that he is beaten. He had long become thoroughly impeachable for all his crimes, but has avoided impeachment and removal only because the members of Congress, who have the exclusive power to impeach, were his accomplices in the commission of those crimes.

-----
*A case of treason*

To those crimes has now been added the charge of treason as a result of the Mamasapano massacre. Some of the bereaved families of the Fallen 44 have raised this charge unofficially against him, for denying reinforcement to the 44. To them, this act was equivalent to taking the side of the enemy during the massacre. *He has tried to ignore the accusation; but he is not the first Aquino to be accused of treason.*

_*Marcos once denounced his father, the late former Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., of “treason,” for exposing without any justifiable motive a top-secret government plan to send political assets to Sabah in order to bolster the Filipino presence in the territory, which is the subject of a Philippine legal claim. During the war, Ninoy’s own father (PNoy’s grandfather) was accused of collaborating with the Japanese while the Filipinos were fighting side by side with the Americans. He was arrested in Tokyo, brought back to be tried in Manila, but died while watching a boxing match at the Rizal Memorial Stadium before he could be tried.*_

The charge of treason has since been made official by lawyer Homobono Adaza and newspaperman columnist Herman Tiu Laurel who filed a complaint against Aquino and several other officials before the Ombudsman last week, although on different grounds. _*They denounced as “treasonous”Aquino’s official acts related to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which seeks to carve out a separate territory for the Islamic rebel organization through the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (Babala), now pending in Congress. Aquino remains undeterred in his push for the Babala, despite the public outcry against it and the MILF.*_

-----
*A matter of honor*

*Even if the Constitution does not require him to quit, and nobody had called for his resignation or stepping down for all his previous sins against the people, after Mamasapano, he did not need a single protester or lone survivor to tell him to step down.* He should have done so on his own immediately thereafter. In any civilized country, that’s what the head of government would have done. He would have apologized to the nation, resigned, and accepted all the consequences, particularly if he had been in charge of the wretched operation. A Japanese defense minister once resigned after a military aircraft accidentally grazed the wing of a civilian aircraft while parking. It is a question of self-respect and honor.

-----
*The free fall*

“Like a helicopter that has run out of fuel, Aquino is now on a free fall,” said one Palace source. “His advisers sit in stony silence, as if shell-shocked, looking at the ceiling without saying anything to each other, as though someone in their family had died, while Aquino smokes and drinks and plays video games. Of course, his last video game was at Mamasapano and it cost us 44 of our best trained policemen. If he had not been functioning at all as president from the very beginning, he has for all intents and purposes vacated his job now. He has not even been sleeping at the Palace, but rather at the private residence of one of his sisters. He could develop serious depression and eventually break down,” the source said.

This leaves us this question: who is minding the store? No one.

-----
*Time to pray?*

Today, several paper organizations would be hosting a peace assembly in Malacañang in an effort to shore up Aquino’s rapidly sinking morale. The assembly is reportedly organized by “Teach peace, build peace movement,” “Young Moro Professionals Network,” and “All out Peace Network,” all of doubtful existence. Invited are members of the Armed Forces, the PNP, MILF, religious leaders, academe, civil society, “civilians,” youth, Muslims and “peace advocates.”

The presence of “religious leaders” suggests that the assembly would be offering prayers. This is probably to allay any suspicion that Aquino had turned atheist or pagan, although he might be just a little confused about whether or not someone in his godhood should still worry about praying. But the Catholic bishops, religious and clergy appear to have been excluded. Why? Just because many of them are in the National Transformation Council? They constitute the overwhelming majority, and they regularly pray for Aquino, every day. I can attest to it, for although I want him out on moral and constitutional grounds, I always include him in my prayers.

The only possible explanation, it seems, is that the proposed assembly is a purely partisan political activity, meant to assure Aquino that he could ignore the rising clamor for him to step down and just dig in. This doesn’t make sense anymore. His best move is not to await his fate inside his bunker but to negotiate his way out and try to help in facilitating the transition that would restore the devastated constitutional order. And the time for it is now.

Obviously he is afraid of going to jail. He need not be. For although he has jailed his predecessor and three members of the Senate opposition, while protecting all his sycophants and cronies from far more serious accountabilities, it need not follow that the next government would do to him what he did to his victims. Under our laws, he could still avoid any culpability for anything and everything he has done– from his corruption of Congress in order to railroad the Reproductive Health Law and to impeach and remove Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona; to the gross manipulation and misuse of the budget through the unconstitutional Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP); to the denial of reinforcement to the SAF 44—if his defense lawyers could but prove the psychological equivalent of what our Lord said of his executioners on the Cross at Mount Calvary: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”

-----
A cock and bull story | The Manila Times Online
-----


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## BoQ77

so what's the PH Navy force in future ?


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## Cossack25A1

BoQ77 said:


> so what's the PH Navy force in future ?



The most likely long-term plan for the PH Navy is becoming a green-water navy.


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## BoQ77

Cossack25A1 said:


> The most likely long-term plan for the PH Navy is becoming a green-water navy.



really?


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## Ayan81

BoQ77 said:


> so what's the PH Navy force in future ?









More like a guideline if you ask me.

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## BoQ77

Ayan81 said:


> View attachment 201241
> 
> 
> More like a guideline if you ask me.



Sound potential !!! Good move, my friends !!!


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## baukiki88

4 PHILIPPINOS were abducted by ISIS in Libya. Looks like they gonna cut their throats . 

ISIS militants believed to be holding 9 foreign oil workers in Libya - CNN.com


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## Cossack25A1

Ayan81 said:


> View attachment 201241
> 
> 
> More like a guideline if you ask me.



This fits the idea of a green-water navy



baukiki88 said:


> 4 PHILIPPINOS were abducted by ISIS in Libya. Looks like they gonna cut their throats .
> 
> ISIS militants believed to be holding 9 foreign oil workers in Libya - CNN.com



Bad news, although many Filipinos would rather go and work in places like Libya than stay here in the Philippines, which is the sad truth.

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## Nike

Ayan81 said:


> View attachment 201241
> 
> 
> More like a guideline if you ask me.



Today we are living in 2015 and those poster set the target for 2020 programme, tell me how far the achievement of PAF procurement department?

And how much budget had been allocated and secured for defense related procurement programme?

So far you only getting two SSV (bought from Indonesia), two LCU (Balikpapan Class), 6 utility Helo (AW-109), and two Cutter class as OPV


still no more gunboats, no corvettes (as Pohang Class still remain a mystery), no AAW frigate, no ASW helicopter and the rest you should know it better.


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> Today we are living in 2015 and those poster set the target for 2020 programme, tell me how far the achievement of PAF procurement department?
> 
> And how much budget had been allocated and secured for defense related procurement programme?
> 
> So far you only getting two SSV (bought from Indonesia), two LCU (Balikpapan Class), 6 utility Helo (AW-109), and two Cutter class as OPV
> 
> 
> still no more gunboats, no corvettes (as Pohang Class still remain a mystery), no AAW frigate, no ASW helicopter and the rest you should know it better.



Unfortunately, it is too slow; too much politics is at play.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> The most likely long-term plan for the PH Navy is becoming a green-water navy.



Well that kinda the objective of the Navy


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## Ayan81

madokafc said:


> Today we are living in 2015 and those poster set the target for 2020 programme, tell me how far the achievement of PAF procurement department?
> 
> And how much budget had been allocated and secured for defense related procurement programme?
> 
> So far you only getting two SSV (bought from Indonesia), two LCU (Balikpapan Class), 6 utility Helo (AW-109), and two Cutter class as OPV
> 
> 
> still no more gunboats, no corvettes (as Pohang Class still remain a mystery), no AAW frigate, no ASW helicopter and the rest you should know it better.



The one that can answer that question is the PN themselves, the only way they can meet those numbers is having a two pronged approach, tap excess/decommissioned assets from allies and buy new ones. Not talking about frigates but ships that can be converted to an OPV/ Armed Escort ships.

The faster they get the assets for HADR the better so they can concentrate on territorial defense.

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## Nike

Ayan81 said:


> The one that can answer that question is the PN themselves, the only way they can meet those numbers is having a two pronged approach, tap excess/decommissioned assets from allies and buy new ones. Not talking about frigates but ships that can be converted to an OPV/ Armed Escort ships.
> 
> The faster they get the assets for HADR the better so they can concentrate on territorial defense.



Even they considering alot about getting excess equipment and seem worries too much on how to budgeting the operational cost from the newly acquired platform, Pohang class transfer arrangement, delay in MPA Aircraft bids and rebidding of Two frigate is real cases on how your government doesn't put much of their effort to boost their Naval capability. To me your government seem doesn't take on defense issue seriously and will so for foreseeable future.

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## Ayan81

madokafc said:


> Even they considering alot about getting excess equipment and seem worries too much on how to budgeting the operational cost from the newly acquired platform, Pohang class transfer arrangement, delay in MPA Aircraft bids and rebidding of Two frigate is real cases on how your government doesn't put much of their effort to boost their Naval capability. To me your government seem doesn't take on defense issue seriously and will so for foreseeable future.




Obviously the government is not putting emphasis in investing on defense that's why the AFP is on a bad state until now. MDT with the US can be blame for that kind of mentality. Second is politics like cossack said, PN said in January that the winner of the bid in the frigate acquisition will be announce yet until now no news because of the source of funding, the DAP, you can thank the opposition for that. And I'll put corruption on third.

If they can even acquire half of those in number, It is a win for me.


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## NarThoD

Ayan81 said:


> Obviously the government is not putting emphasis in investing on defense that's why the AFP is on a bad state until now. MDT with the US can be blame for that kind of mentality. Second is politics like cossack said, PN said in January that the winner of the bid in the frigate acquisition will be announce yet until now no news because of the source of funding, the DAP, you can thank the opposition for that. And I'll put corruption on third.
> 
> If they can even acquire half of those in number, It is a win for me.


Why blame the US? From my view, honestly, the US did willing to help AFP modernization, just like they did offer few F-16's after they also gifting us.

Sorry for this harsh words, But the problem for Philippines, you're really need to exit from safe zone. It's been too long Philippines lies secure under US. US been challenged by China now, Philippines is the one who shocked most.


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## Cossack25A1

NarThoD said:


> Why blame the US? From my view, honestly, the US did willing to help AFP modernization, just like they did offer few F-16's after they also gifting us.
> 
> Sorry for this harsh words, But the problem for Philippines, you're really need to exit from safe zone. It's been too long Philippines lies secure under US. US been challenged by China now, Philippines is the one who shocked most.



The possible, part of the reason is due to the years when the US military was still here that nearly all of our equipments were hands-me-down the point that we depended heavily to the US for second-hand weapons. In fact, 80% of our weapons back then are US made which are hands-me-down.


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## Ayan81

NarThoD said:


> Why blame the US? From my view, honestly, the US did willing to help AFP modernization, just like they did offer few F-16's after they also gifting us.
> 
> Sorry for this harsh words, But the problem for Philippines, you're really need to exit from safe zone. It's been too long Philippines lies secure under US. US been challenged by China now, Philippines is the one who shocked most.




The f-16s offered were not possibly feasible to maintain that's why. You're putting words in my mouth, I did not say US is to blame but the Treaty with them which makes our politicians relies to much of its old ally with it comes to external threats. and if you ask me the PAF should have taken that F-16 offer.


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## Nike

Hand me down or not is not an issue as long as they still can be maintained and upgraded with viable and reasonabel costs, when you are looking at Chilean Armed Forces, 90 percent of their inventory in all branch is hand me down equipment, but they still be regarded as the most advanced and the most cost efficient Armed Forces in Latin American.


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## Zero_wing

madokafc said:


> Hand me down or not is not an issue as long as they still can be maintained and upgraded with viable and reasonabel costs, when you are looking at Chilean Armed Forces, 90 percent of their inventory in all branch is hand me down equipment, but they still be regarded as the most advanced and the most cost efficient Armed Forces in Latin American.



Well the problem here is our budget we should make more effort but more money on military, police, education, healthcare and infrastructure.


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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Security News**:*

-----

*Military offensive turns Maguindanao into war zone *
*By Edith Regalado (The Philippine Star) 
Updated March 14, 2015 - 12:00am*

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The ongoing military operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have practically turned communities in Central Mindanao into a war zone, the People’s Council for National Unity, Reforms and Peace (PCNURP) said yesterday.

The PCNURP pointed out the communities are taking the brunt of the military offensive against the BIFF rebels blamed in the killing of 44 policemen in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

PCNURP insisted that all-out war is never the solution to the conflict in Mindanao, as it would displace more people, especially in areas where the armed clashes take place.

PCNURP called for an immediate end to the government offensive that they said has displaced at least 73,000 people since it started on Feb. 25.

The PCNURP is seeking the truth behind the Mamasapano incident, demanding accountability and justice.

The PCNURP noted the allegations of the groups Suara Bangsamoro and KAWAGIB Moro Human Rights Alliance of indiscriminate firing and bombing by government troops.

They pointed out the all-out offensive is supposed to be launched for 10 days but the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had requested a three-day extension, resulting in more evacuees.

*The declaration of an all-out offensive against the BIFF came only a month after villagers in Mamasapano had to evacuate on fears of another firefight with government forces in the area following the Jan. 25 incident.*

The group noted the military launched ground and aerial attacks on the towns of Salbo, Pagatin, Mamasapano and Shariff Aguak, on information where the BIFF are hiding.

The PCNURP explained the use of heavy artillery and air support has forced civilians to abandon their homes and evacuate to safer ground.

PCNURP is also calling on government to conduct more humanitarian assistance for those affected by the renewed clashes.

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) also said the military offensive has displaced thousands of civilians.

“The all-out offensive is now resulting in the evacuation of thousands of the people in the affected areas,” MNLF spokesman Emmanuel Fontanilla said.

The military, on the other hand, has already cleared a portion of Maguindanao of any threats from the BIFF.

This came after government troops succeeded in capturing several camps of the BIFF in the town and outlying areas.

Occupants of the BIFF encampment in Barangay Tina in Shariff Saidona reportedly scampered to different directions as units of the Marines approached. – With John Unson, Perseus Echeminada

-----
‘Military offensive turns Maguindanao into war zone’ | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

-------------------------

*Philippine govt confident war against BIFF would not derail Mindanao peace process *

Xinhua 
March 13, 2015

MANILA: The all-out war launched by the Philippine military against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) would not affect the Mindanao peace process, according to a top Philippine government official.

The massive military offensive that started Feb. 11 against the renegade Muslim rebels in the province of Maguindanao in Mindanao, some 1,800 km south of Manila, has already resulted in the death of 73 BIFF fighters and four government troopers.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles said the government is confident that the military action against the BIFF would not derail the peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the mainstream rebel group that has signed a peace accord with the government last year.

*The BIFF is led by former MILF commander Umbra Kato who decided to split from the MILF after the latter signed a peace pact with the government. The BIFF wants to establish an Islamic state in Mindanao while the MILF opted to have a sub-state called Bangsamoro with semi-sovereign powers but still within the ambit of the Philippine government.*

According to Deles, the military has assured them that the offensive against the BIFF is “very targeted” and would not include MILF-controlled areas.

The military operation against the BIFF is centered on the Liguasan Marsh in Maguindanao where Basit Usman, the Filipino deputy of Malaysian-born terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as “Marwan,” is believed to be hiding.

*Marwan, an expert on bomb making, was killed in the bloody encounter on Jan. 25 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, but Usman was able to escape.*

*The encounter also resulted in the death of 44 members of the elite Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP), 18 rebels and five civilians.*

On Sunday, the Philippine military said that among the killed BIFF guerrillas was a foreign-looking combatant whose identity has not been established.

Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said they have information that four foreign terrorists were being coddled by Mohammad Ali Tambako, a former leader of the BIFF who formed his own splinter group called Islamic Justice Movement (IJM).

Other reports said four Indonesians and one Pakistani terrorist are still being coddled by the BIFF.

The government-led Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities has reported a series of incidents attributed to the BIFF aimed at sabotaging the peace process.

*In July last year, a total of 10 violent incidents attributed to the BIFF took place in Maguindanao and North Cotabato. In August, violent incidents reportedly instigated by the BIFF rose to 17 and took place in Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and the boundaries of both areas.*

By September last year, violent incidents also perpetrated by the MILF-splinter group surged to 22 and covered not just the three previously-mentioned areas but also the province of Basilan.

The operation against the BIFF has forced about 45,000 civilians to flee their homes, according to local officials.

Meanwhile, a Malaysian policeman was reportedly released by Abu Sayyaf terrorists based in Sulu after almost eight months in captivity.

Harold Cabunoc, AFP spokesman, said Malaysian police officer Zakia Aliep was transported to Sabah where he was freed on March 7.

It was not officially confirmed if ransom was paid for the release of Aliep. But one newspaper reported that ransom money of 20 million US dollars was paid to the Abu Sayyaf in exchange for the release of the Malaysian.

Aliep was seized in July last year in Simporma, Malaysia following an ambush staged by the Abu Sayyaf. Another Malaysian policeman was killed.

According to Cabunoc, with Aliep’s release, the Abu Sayyaf has held seven foreign and local hostages captive in their strongholds in the predominantly Muslim island-provinces of Sulu and Basilan in the southernmost tip of the Philippines.

One report said that in July last year Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon swore an oath of loyalty to the leader of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq.

-----
Philippine govt confident war against BIFF would not derail Mindanao peace process
-----

-------------------------

*China's latest expansion to deny Philippines' access to Ayungin *
By Tessa Jamandre (Vera Files) 
Updated March 12, 2015 - 10:20am

MANILA, Philippines — China has created new artificial islets in two more reefs in the disputed South China Sea, which the Philippine military fears is meant to choke off its access to Ayungin shoal, where a crumbling Philippine Navy ship is beached.

In an interview, former Air Force officer Rep. Francisco Acedillo, now partylist representative of the Magdalo party, showed the latest maritime surveillance photos revealed how China's land reclamation is expanding to cover all the seven reefs it occupies.

*The latest reclamation work is being done on Mischief and Subi reefs, known to the Philippines as Panganiban and Zamora, which are fast catching up with the five other reefs where China had done reclamation work early last year.*

Acedillo branded this move as "graver danger to the country's national security."

The photos, taken at an altitude of 5,000 feet,show multi-storey buildings, deep harbors, and airstrips being constructed.Also sighted were cargo and supply vessels steadily hauling construction materials in reclaimed lands.

"I warn my colleagues in Congress and the Filipino people of an impending danger to our national security and it's right at our doorstep, less than 50-kilometers away from our AyunginShoal and roughly 400-km away from Palawan," Acedillo said.

Dredging on Mischief Reef began on January 14 this year and has already formed an artificial islet which now measures around 32,062 square meters from 1,909 square meters as of Feb. 2013. At Subi reef, the PH military has monitored six cutter suction dredger vessels continuously enlarging two artificial islets at the reef.

*While reclamation is ongoing in Mischief and Subi (Zamora) Reefs, Chinese naval ships were sighted patrolling the area. In January, a Jianghu class ship was sighted at Mischief Reef, while a Yuting II class landing ship was in Subi Reef.*

Mischief Reef, lies 130NM from the coast of the Philippine island of Palawan, was occupied by China in 1995. Subi Reef is 230 nautical miles (NM) from mainland Palawan but it is close to Pag-asa, the largest island occupied by the Philippines.

The Philippine military believes that the reclamation of these two reefs for an expanded military presence is intended to choke off access to Ayungin shoal, where the Philippines maintains a military outpost in a rusty WWII warship beached there, the BRP Sierra Madre.

Latest surveillance photos of the five other reefs where reclamation work was discovered early last year now show an advanced stage of construction that clearly show a military facility being built there based on the configuration and the fixed structural design of the buildings.

*The Philippine military believes that no matter what pronouncement and declaration of China on the intended purpose of the reclamation, clearly it will support naval and air asset operations in the area.*

The reclamation will provide a fixed aircraft carrier platform in the South China Sea which was China's practical and immediate recourse because it would take at least 10 years for them to fully operate their newly acquired aircraft carrier.

A military source also believes that the indigenous fighter jets that China has unveiled recently will be tested there, which is likely to be followed soon after by the imposition of an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

*Military sources say at the rate is it going, China's reclamation will be completed within the year.* And the rush is supposed to be due to the timeline of a possible decision of the arbitration case filed by the Philippines that will determine the maritime entitlements of the reefs occupied by China in the disputed areas of the South China.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) expects a resolution from the arbitral tribunal next year.

*Military sources point to an implementation of ADIZ in the area as the end goal of China to exercise effective control and jurisdiction in the disputed area.*

*"By then, whatever the decision of the arbitration, China shall already have demonstrated effective occupation with their permanent military presence there. What to do then with the decision declaring those features as rocks having only 12 nautical miles of territorial sea when what you have standing on them are fortified air and naval bases?" one source said.*

In the arbitration case pending before the international tribunal, the Philippines asked the court to declare that certain features such as rocks do not generate maritime entitlements beyond 12 NM. This would cover Johnson (Mabini) Reef which the Philippines described as a rocky protrusion at high tide, Cuarteron (Calderon) which is composed of coral rocks reaching higher than 1.5M at high tide, Fiery Cross Reef (Kagitingan) which is a submerged bank protruding rock not higher than one meter at high tide.

But the latest surveillance military photos will show the expanse at which those supposed rocks have grown, since the massive reclamation was discovered last year. Johnson or Mabini Reef has now a total land area of 7.94 hectares or 79,464 sqm. The rocky protrusion at high tide has six-storey building. The 1.5-meter high coral rock Cuarteron is now 11.97 hectares or 119,712 sqm.

And Fiery Cross which was originally a submerged bank and no more than one meter tall at high tide, now has a three kilometer airstrip with a naval harbor for patrol ships.

Gaven Reef as of February 2013 only covers an occupied area of 1,032 sqm, as of January 30 this year it has a reclaimed land area of 78,867 sqm. And being constructed thereat is a six storey-building complex what seemed to the military as an administrative office with a floor area of 4,128 sqm and other naval facilities.

The Philippine is among six claimants to the oil-rich Spratlys chain of islands in the South China Sea. It occupies nine islands called the Kalayaan Island Group. China, Taiwan and Vietnam claim the whole of the South China Sea, other claimants are Malaysia and Brunei.

In 2013, the Philippines submitted for compulsory arbitration a case to declare among others the nullity of China's nine-dash line claim over the whole of South China Sea. It is seeking relief from the arbitral tribunal to declare that the submerged features within and beyond 200 NM of Philippines are not part of China's continental shelf; China's occupation of those features therefore violates United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea.

Admittedly, the DFA said the decision of the arbitral tribunal is toothless, a moral suasion and international pressure at best, even if the Philippines wins the case against China. Even a regional code of conduct being forged by ASEAN and China will then also have to contend with the realities on the ground, how to deal with China's immovable presence there.

*After China shall have garrisoned the disputed areas in the South China Sea, Acedillo said the arbitration decision and whatever its worth legally, will be irrelevant.* The arbitration case will at the end of the day prove to be a policy of no strategy. "How poorly we have prepared for an eventuality of a challenge to the occupation of our islands," Acedillo said.
 
_VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for "true."_

-----
China's latest expansion to deny Philippines' access to Ayungin | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

========================================================================================================================================================

*Business News**:*
----

*Exports seen slowing down this year*
*By Louella D. Desiderio (The Philippine Star)
Updated March 14, 2015 - 12:00am*
MANILA, Philippines - The country’s exports growth may be lower than the projected 10 percent for this year due to the weakening of the currencies of the major export markets of Europe and Japan, a trade official said.

“Exports may grow slower than initially expected because of the severe depreciation of European and Japanese currencies,” Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo told reporters yesterday.

The Department of Trade and Industry had earlier projected exports would grow by 10 percent this year.

Last year, the country’s merchandise exports were valued at $61.810 billion, up nine percent from the $56.698 billion posted in 2013.

Over the last 12 months, the Japanese yen has depreciated by 20 percent against the US dollar, while the euro has weakened by 35 percent versus the greenback with the world’s top economy showing signs of recovery.

Domingo said the depreciation of the euro and yen could cut exporters’ profit margins and dampen the growth of the country’s exports as Europe and Japan are among the biggest markets for outbound shipments of Philippine goods.

“That is a concern because it looks like the dollar will continue to appreciate,” Domingo added.

But while exports could post lower growth than initially expected for the year, he said the country’s economy is still expected to remain strong this year and even in the coming years.

This, as the country continues to benefit from the lower oil prices which leads to lower production costs and more money in consumer pockets.

“Because of the big reduction of oil prices, we are going to be one of the biggest beneficiaries in the world economically,” Domingo said.

Domingo had said the economy could grow faster than eight percent this year, if oil prices remain below $60/barrel.

The country’s higher gross domestic product per capita which is leading to more consumer spending, as well as stable wage rates, skilled work force and

growth in both the information technology-business process management and manufacturing sectors, are also seen to continue to drive economic growth.

The economy grew 6.1 percent last year after expanding 7.2 percent in 2013.

-----
Exports seen slowing down this year | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

-------------------------

*Economy remains strong in Q1 – BSP *
*By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star) 
Updated March 14, 2015 - 12:00am*
MANILA, Philippines - The economy remains strong in the first quarter due to strong household consumption, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said.

“Prospects for the domestic economy remain favorable as private domestic demand is expected to continue to deliver positive impulses to the economy, aided by sustained remittance inflows and low inflation,” the BSP said in a report.

Economic growth accelerated to 6.9 percent in the fourth quarter from a dismal 5.3-percent growth in the third quarter last year.

This brought the full-year expansion to 6.1 percent, short of the government’s 6.5- to 7.5-percent target but still the second fastest in Asia in 2014.

“Sustained and broad-based expansion in bank lending is expected to continue to underpin domestic economic activity. Improved government spending is also seen to further support domestic demand,” the BSP said.

“Capital formation should contribute to economic growth with construction and investments in durable equipment expected to remain strong,” the central bank said.

The government hopes to grow the economy by seven to eight percent this year, which is among the highest estimates in the region.

Analysts have stressed the acceleration of public spending is key to achieving this growth amid sustained expansion in the services and manufacturing sectors.

“These positive growth dynamics are reflected in the results of the most recent BSP Consumer Expectations Survey which showed improved consumer sentiment for Q1 2015 as the confidence index (CI) returned to positive territory at 0.7 percent,” the central bank said.

Respondents of the survey have said family financial conditions are expected to be “more favorable” in the first quarter and to remain stable for the year.

-----
Economy remains strong in Q1 – BSP | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> Obviously the government is not putting emphasis in investing on defense that's why the AFP is on a bad state until now. MDT with the US can be blame for that kind of mentality. Second is politics like cossack said, PN said in January that the winner of the bid in the frigate acquisition will be announce yet until now no news because of the source of funding, the DAP, you can thank the opposition for that. And I'll put corruption on third.
> 
> If they can even acquire half of those in number, It is a win for me.



Pare,

unsa man balita sa plano kono mag gama kono ang Phil Army og base du-ol kono sa Puerto Princessa. tinu-od ba na ?

daghan salamat.


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## Cossack25A1

*Miscellaneous News**:*

-----

*Fort Drum, the unsinkable concrete ‘battleship’ of Manila Bay*
*Mar 3, 2015*
*By Pio Andrade Jr.*

AS one enters and exits Manila Bay, there is no more arresting sight than a ruined concrete fort jutting out of the sea with four big guns pointing seaward. Passengers of ships passing near the island usually gawk at the ruined fort, wondering what it is. In all my trips to Mindanao for the past three years, I have heard no one identifying the fort correctly.

The ruined concrete fortification is Fort Drum, formerly El Fraile Island, a concrete battleship, the only unsinkable battleship in the world, and one of the greatest military fortifications of all time. Fort Drum is a historic island and military fortification. It deserves to be promoted as a tourist spot, and its story is worth retelling.

Philippine defense became the United States’ responsibility when it annexed the country in 1898. As part of its defense plan for its new colony against future invaders, the United States fortified four islands at the mouth of Manila Bay beginning 1909 up to 1913. The four islands were Corregidor, Caballo, Carabao and El Fraile, which became Fort MIlls, Fort Hughes, Fort Frank, and Fort Drum, respectively.

-----
*War Plan Orange*

According to War Plan Orange, the forts were to deny enemy warships from entering Manila Bay and to provide assistance in Bataan where Filipino and American soldiers were to fight a delaying action for six months.

Of the forts, Corregidor was the biggest and most important; however, El Fraile or Fort Drum, the smallest, was the most unique. It was shaped like a battleship complete with a forecastle. No wonder Fort Drum was also called USS Drum– because passengers of passing ocean liners often mistook it for a ship, albeit a strange one.

To build Fort Drum, the US Army Corps of Engineers cut El Fraile, a small rocky island to the mean water line, and, using the rock as foundation, erected a concrete fortification shaped like a battleship. The ”battleship” was 240 feet long, 160 feet wide, and 40 feet above the water line. The walls were 30-40 feet thick and the deck 20 feet deep. Inside, there were four levels connected by an axial tunnel running through the island.

Fort Drum bristled with 11 guns: Battery Wilson, a rotating turret with two 14-inch guns that can sink any known warship within 22,500 yards; Battery Marshall, the rotating turret at the front, also with two 14-inchers; Battery Roberts, a casemated battery with four 6-inch guns for minefield defense; and a battery of three 3-inch guns two of which were anti-aircraft guns.

In addition, Fort Drum had two 8-foot searchlights for night fighting. A garrison of 200 men were stationed at the fort. It took 11 years to construct Fort Drum, from 1909 to 1919. When it was completed, it was considered impregnable to all known armaments then, and impregnable it turned out to be.

-----
*Pearl Harbor*

War came to the Philippines with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Fort Drum received its baptism of fire when Homma’s air force bombed Corregidor and its sister islands on Dec. 29, 1941, and again on Jan. 2-6, 1942.

Fort Drum was hardly nicked. Corregidor was heavily damaged, but not its guns, the anti-aircraft taking an appreciable toll on Japanese planes. The raids were costly and did not impair the fighting capabilities of the fortified islands. Thus, the Japanese stopped the bombing until later.

Beginning Jan. 25, when the Usaffe was ensconced in Bataan, the Japanese began emplacing artillery pieces in Ternate, Cavite, to shell the island forts. The battery, commanded by Maj. Toshinori Kondo, commenced shelling on Feb. 5 with four 105-mm guns and two 150-mm howitzers. The prime target on the first day was Fort Drum, which was hit 100 times without effect.

From then on, Kondo’s fire on the four islands became regular. It intensified in mid-February with the addition of two more 150-mm howitzers. The defenders responded with their big guns, but they were handicapped by lack of forward observers to give them the exact locations of Kondo’s guns. Only after Maj. Jess Villamor successfully took aerial photos of the Japanese batterries did they score direct hits.

By late February, the fire from Kondo’s guns had diminished.

But while Kondo’s fire was slackening, the Japanese were emplacing 10 240-mm howitzers in the Pico de Loro hills in Calumpang, Cavite, close to Fort Frank. This new artillery detachment under Maj. Masayoshi Hayakawa started unleashing deadly shells against the four islands on March 15.

Hayakawa’s shells, the deadliest in the Japanese arsenal, damaged most of Fort Frank’s guns. Fort Drum’s two searchlights and two anti-aircraft guns were destroyed, but not its 14-inch batterries even though many shells landed on the top, sides and face of the turrets. Fortunately, Hayakawa’s monsters were pulled out to Bataan on March 22 to join in the final assault of the peninsula. By then, Fort Drum was pock-marked with hits from Japanese shells which chipped at least four inches of concrete.

-----
*Corregidor*

After Bataan surrendered on April 9, 1942, the Japanese began preparations for taking Corregidor and its sister islands. Starting April 11, the Japanese started shelling Corregidor, Fort Hughes, Fort Frank, and Fort Drum with 110 guns ranging from 75 mm to 240 mm. The guns of Corregidor, Fort Hughes, and Fort Frank countered as best they could, but it was an unequal artillery duel.

The Japanese not only had more guns but also had observers on the ground and in the air with sensitive instrument for range-finding the islands’ batteries. Moreover, an average of 50 Japanese bombers had been bombing the islands since March 24. The defenders could lob only a few salvoes before being plastered with Japanese shells. But the guns of Fort Drum were never silenced, affording the defenders much needed protection.

Japanese shellings and bombings intensified on April 29, Emperor Hirohito’s birthday. To get rid of the pesky guns of Fort Drum, the Japanese subjected the fort to a glide-bombing attack which effected only a minor misalignment of Battery Marshall. The intense bombing-shelling continued for the next four days.
By May 5, Corregidor’s guns had been silenced, except for one 12-inch 1898 mortar of Battery Way and a few roving 155- and 75-mm guns which had not disclosed their positions. On the night of May 5, the Japanese launched their 2-battallion Corregidor invasion force. The gallant defenders destroyed two-thirds of the invaders, but the remainder made a successful beachhead with armor and three tanks.

The defenders were outflanked, and reinforcements were immediately shelled by Japanese guns to keep them from containing the invaders. General Wainwright had no choice but to surrender Corregidor on May 6.
Through all these, Fort Drum’s guns continued to blaze until minutes before the surrender.

-----
*Liberation*

The Americans returned on Oct. 20, 1944, and started the liberation of the Philippines. By Feb. 3, 1945, a flying column had reached Manila and a month-long battle liberating Manila from the Japanese ensued. While the battle of Manila was raging, the Americans started clearing the fortified islands of Japanese to open Manila Bay for shipping. Fort Drum was the last to be liberated.

To liberate Fort Drum, which was impregnable to gunfire, the Americans devised special tactics. On Friday, April 13, a Landing Ship Medium (LSM) pulled up alongside Fort Drum and discharged two platoons of soldiers by means of a specially built ramp on top of the LSM. One platoon consisted of crack snipers to cover every opening where Japanese soldiers may appear. The other platoon comprised engineers assigned to plant demolition charges.

When the charges were in place, a Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM) that had also sidled alongside the fort poured 3,000 gallons of oil into one of the vents while explosives were dumped into another vent. The fuses were lit, and the LCM and LSM moved to a safe distance. The charges were detonated, resulting in a series of explosions that hurled Fort Drum’s one-ton, one-meter diameter manhole cover 50 meters straight up into the air.

It was not until April 18 that the Americans could enter the fort. They discovered 65 charred bodies. Today, Fort Drum stands a ruined hulk in the mouth of Manila Bay, no longer defiant but still unsinkable. But sadly, Fort Drum and nearby Fort Frank are neglected as tourist spots. - _By Pio Andrade Jr_

-----
Fort Drum, the unsinkable concrete 'battleship' of Manila Bay - WAR HISTORY ONLINE
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## baukiki88

*DND Starts Procuring Three Assault Crafts as Platform for ‘Missile Launch System’*

14 Maret 2015




Three MPAC will be acquired and fit to missile launch system (image : ADSD)
The Department of National Defense launched an acquisition project that will increase the number of Philippine Navy’s Multi-purpose Assault Craft or MPACs. The DND-AFP is applying the amount of PhP270 million through the General Appropriations Act for the acquisition of 3 brand-new MPACS. With the said amount, three MPACs must be delivered with Mission Essential Equipment and initial Integrated Logistics Support packages. MPACs should be capable of operating at sea state five with 2.5 to 4 metres of waves or rough sea condition without systems degradation.
Procurement will be through single-stage open competitive bidding. Bid opening will be on April 6.
The DND also wants these three MPACs to be fitted with provisions for installation of advanced weapon system (remote weapon system as well as missile launch system). The government is procuring these three sea crafts as platforms. Missile launch system will be procured in a separate acquisition project.
Philippine Navy Vice-commander Rear Admiral Caesar C. Taccad said in December 2014 that there will be three missile-armed multi-purpose assault craft (MPACS). “It will be armed with stabilized weapon system with fire control complemented with a short to medium range missile system.”
These missile armed MPACS will be used for territorial sea interdiction operations with maritime situational awareness and limited credible deterrence for the protection of the country’s interest at the West Philippine Sea.
Philippine Navy is now operating six MPACs. Three from Taiwan while the other three were from Filipino shipbuilder Propmech Corporation in Subic Bay, Zambales.
(Ang Malaya)


*Hope you guys buy from us. Our KCR 40 is cheap and can carry missiles. Currently it carries the Chinese C705 Missile. But I believe it can be configured to carry Exocet missile.







KCR 40 were fitted with a six-barrelled AK-630 30mm CIWS and two of the new C-705 SSM, although Jane's states that they can each carry four such missiles. It is fitted with Tracking Radar TR-47C and Searching Radar SR-47AG.

AK-630





CIWS





Missiles launcher





Tracking Radar TR 47c





Searching Radar SR47AG



*

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## pr1v4t33r

SIPRI update














.

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## Ayan81

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Pare,
> 
> unsa man balita sa plano kono mag gama kono ang Phil Army og base du-ol kono sa Puerto Princessa. tinu-od ba na ?
> 
> daghan salamat.



oyster bay? dugay naman dha ang base sa navy pero kulang sa mga gamit, hangar, tower, pier, etc. gihimo karon ang kalsada padulong didto tsismis gali na ang kwarta gi gasto gikan sa mga amerikano. 

If EDCA have not received any roadblock, there would already be US ships anchor there by now.


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## Aepsilons

Ayan81 said:


> oyster bay? dugay naman dha ang base sa navy pero kulang sa mga gamit, hangar, tower, pier, etc. gihimo karon ang kalsada padulong didto tsismis gali na ang kwarta gi gasto gikan sa mga amerikano.
> 
> If EDCA have not received any roadblock, there would already be US ships anchor there by now.



Daghang salamat, amigo. 

Kini ato-a - ato-a ra ni ha; mao-ay gyud ang problema sa Pilipinas kay widespread gyud kaayo ang korupsiyon. Imbis e-gamiton ang kwarta para sa improbment sa base og infrastruktyur diha sa Oyster bay, gi gamit man para sa additional uses. Mag ampo lang gyud ta nga ma wad-an na kining kultura og korupsiyon sa Pilipinas, bai. Kai daghan gyud ang potensiyal ang Pilipinas...


Salamat ,



Ayan81 said:


> If EDCA have not received any roadblock, there would already be US ships anchor there by now.



Ma-o lageh, unsaon man....


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## JayMandan

Bisag Asa ka mutan-aw, kurapsyon an imo makit-an pero an mga tawo sanay na kaayo and ang Iban takot mag voice out. Ugsa after pnoy, we need someone who is tough like Duterte kay WA na kaayo pasingdan an ato nasod.

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## Aepsilons

JayMandan said:


> Bisag Asa ka mutan-aw, kurapsyon an imo makit-an pero an mga tawo sanay na kaayo and ang Iban takot mag voice out. Ugsa after pnoy, we need someone who is tough like Duterte kay WA na kaayo pasingdan an ato nasod.



Mao gayod, pre, STRONG MAN gayud necessary diha sa Pilipinas. Moangay gyud ko ni Duterte, pro business pa !


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## Zero_wing

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Daghang salamat, amigo.
> 
> Kini ato-a - ato-a ra ni ha; mao-ay gyud ang problema sa Pilipinas kay widespread gyud kaayo ang korupsiyon. Imbis e-gamiton ang kwarta para sa improbment sa base og infrastruktyur diha sa Oyster bay, gi gamit man para sa additional uses. Mag ampo lang gyud ta nga ma wad-an na kining kultura og korupsiyon sa Pilipinas, bai. Kai daghan gyud ang potensiyal ang Pilipinas...
> 
> 
> Salamat ,
> 
> 
> 
> Ma-o lageh, unsaon man....



Filipino needs a lot of work but good job man thank you for making an effort isa ka tunay na kaibigan ng pilipinas sa forum isa ka na kabayan para sa akin salamat kaibigan

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## baukiki88

pr1v4t33r said:


> SIPRI update
> 
> View attachment 203321
> 
> View attachment 203323
> 
> View attachment 203325
> 
> .


where is the POHANG class?

BTW, 

* Phl to buy 24 more combat aircraft from South Korea *
 By Jose Katigbak, STAR Washington bureau (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 20, 2015 - 12:00am
2 1950 googleplus1 0
WASHINGTON – The Philippines is planning to purchase 24 more combat aircraft, adding to the 12 FA-50 fighter jets it had ordered from South Korea in 2014, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said.

It did not specify when or from whom the aircraft would be ordered.

The FA-50s were the first order by the Philippines for advanced combat aircraft in decades amid the increasing tensions with China over disputed territories in the South China Sea.

The SIPRI report from Stockholm on Monday said the five biggest weapons exporters in 2010-14 were the United States, Russia, China, Germany and France, and the five biggest importers were India, Saudi Arabia, China, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.

The top five exporters were responsible for almost 74 percent of all arms exports.

The report said many states in Southeast Asia significantly modernized and expanded their fleets of combat aircraft in 2010-2014.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Singapore received 32 F-15E jets from the United States in 2010-14 and in 2014 ordered six A330 tanker aircraft from Spain.

Vietnam received 24 Su-30 fighter jets from Russia and eight more are on order.

Indonesia received three Su-27 and six Su-30 aircraft from Russia, the first five of 24 F-16C aircraft from the US and 16 T-50 light combat aircraft from South Korea. It has placed an order for 50 KFX combat aircraft from South Korea and has plans to procure a large number of new combat and tanker aircraft.

Thailand received 12 Gripen-C combat aircraft from Sweden.

Malaysia is looking at several potential suppliers for a planned order of 18 new combat aircraft and has four A400M tanker/transport aircraft on order from Spain.


----------



## Zero_wing

baukiki88 said:


> where is the POHANG class?
> 
> BTW,
> 
> * Phl to buy 24 more combat aircraft from South Korea *
> By Jose Katigbak, STAR Washington bureau (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 20, 2015 - 12:00am
> 2 1950 googleplus1 0
> WASHINGTON – The Philippines is planning to purchase 24 more combat aircraft, adding to the 12 FA-50 fighter jets it had ordered from South Korea in 2014, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said.
> 
> It did not specify when or from whom the aircraft would be ordered.
> 
> The FA-50s were the first order by the Philippines for advanced combat aircraft in decades amid the increasing tensions with China over disputed territories in the South China Sea.
> 
> The SIPRI report from Stockholm on Monday said the five biggest weapons exporters in 2010-14 were the United States, Russia, China, Germany and France, and the five biggest importers were India, Saudi Arabia, China, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.
> 
> The top five exporters were responsible for almost 74 percent of all arms exports.
> 
> The report said many states in Southeast Asia significantly modernized and expanded their fleets of combat aircraft in 2010-2014.
> 
> Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
> Singapore received 32 F-15E jets from the United States in 2010-14 and in 2014 ordered six A330 tanker aircraft from Spain.
> 
> Vietnam received 24 Su-30 fighter jets from Russia and eight more are on order.
> 
> Indonesia received three Su-27 and six Su-30 aircraft from Russia, the first five of 24 F-16C aircraft from the US and 16 T-50 light combat aircraft from South Korea. It has placed an order for 50 KFX combat aircraft from South Korea and has plans to procure a large number of new combat and tanker aircraft.
> 
> Thailand received 12 Gripen-C combat aircraft from Sweden.
> 
> Malaysia is looking at several potential suppliers for a planned order of 18 new combat aircraft and has four A400M tanker/transport aircraft on order from Spain.



There is no guarantee on that in the Air force a lot is hoping for the Gripen so if the 12 FA50 performs well maybe.


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## Aepsilons

*Japanese companies investing P5billion — RCBC*



A number of Japanese companies are set to invest approximately P5 billion in the Philippines this year because of a better economic environment and attractive tax incentives being offered by the government.

Yasuhiro Matsumoto, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.’s Japan Business Relationship Office head and first senior vice president, said in a press briefing in Makati Friday these Japanese firms—mostly engaged in electronics manufacturing—were also looking for lower labor cost.

“Approximately P5 billion new investments from Japanese SMEs [small and medium enterprises] are coming [in the Philippines] this year,” Matsumoto said. He declined to name the potential Japanese investors.

The RCBC Japan desk was previously set up in the bank’s Makati headquarters to provide business consultations for Japanese clients.

RCBC, one of the country’s largest private universal bank in terms of capital, entered into a business cooperation agreement with Resona Bank Ltd. of Japan.

A member of the Resona Group, Resona Bank is the fourth largest banking group in Japan. The agreement aims to give customers of Resona Bank access to banking services (including loans to their subsidiaries) in the Philippines through RCBC.

RCBC said last year it was in talks with several Japanese manufacturing firms planning to relocate to the Philippines over assistance of banking services.

Matsumoto said latest data showed that RCBC’s Japan desk had so far “attracted” 700 Japanese clients, mostly located in economic zones around the country.

“We see that number [700] increasing this year,” Matsumoto said. There are currently 20 branches of RCBC’s Japan desk in ecozone areas.

He said of the 700 companies, 400 were acquired before and during the Ramos administration, approximately 100 during the Arroyo presidency, and 200 during the current government.

“Last year, a number of business missions came from Japan looking at investment opportunities in the Philippines… We see a lot coming here, possibly relocating in Southern Luzon,” Matsumoto said.

Matsumoto said other countries in Asia--particularly Thailand---do not offer the kinds of incentives enjoyed by Japanese companies in the Philippines.


Japanese companies investing P5b — RCBC - Manila Standard Today


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## Reashot Xigwin

Bad news for Philippines. 

*Overspending, overpricing scams stinking up DND*
March 22, 2015 9:31 pm




by ERWIN TULFO

A full no-nonsense congressional investigation into the anomalous procurement contracts of the Department of Defense (DND) should expose the plunderers of public funds supposedly intended to upgrade the Armed Forces’ capability.

This is a compelling issue that the Senate’s blue ribbon committee or its committee on finance or defense or all three must seriously look into, as this involves massive graft and corruption scams at Camp Aguinaldo.

This is also another indication how ineffective and inutile Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin has been at his post.

Gazmin’s department embarked on the “modernization” of the military in view of increasing internal and external threats to our national security.

*It turned out that such efforts to upgrade the military are also used by some officials as their means to upgrade their wealth by fleecing the DND.*

We tackled last week one anomalous P1.2 billion project wherein the DND awarded to foreign partners the contract to supply the Philippine Air Force with 21 UH-1H Huey helicopters.

*Instead the obsolete and defective UH-1D type, and only nine of the 21 units ordered, have been delivered.*

Today, we take on this other questionable DND decision to purchase 28 M113 armored personnel carriers (APCs) for P880 million instead of shipping in 114 units of M113 donated by the United States.

*It turnsout that the 21 M113s bought from Israel, each of which costs at least P31.4 million, are third-hand APCs previously used in Belgium, US and Israel.*

In my tele-radyo 5 interview with Defense undersecretary Ferdinand Manalo, he could not justify the DND’s decision to purchase 28 M113 APCs from Israel instead of spending less on transporting the 114 APCs from the US.

Manalo could only mention that the Vietnam vintage 28 APCs or tanks bought are refurbished and upgraded.

Just the same, those US donated APCs might actually be in better shape and could have been equipped with .50 caliber M2 machine guns.

Like Manalo, Philippine Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato could also not explain the logic of the DND’s purchase decision except that it stinks.

It is imperative that Manalo and his boss Gazmin must explain and justify this DND move, overspending on 28 40-year old M113 APCs instead of just shipping in fouor times more units given free by the US. It’s a no brainer–28 costing P880 million versus 118 units for free!

Gazmin must also respond to reports that “a relative” of his actually brokered this unnecessary P880 million procurement project.

Apparently, the Noynoy administration’s military modernization program has only benefited his cronies at Camp Aquinaldo.

So much with “matuwid na daan.”

Senator JV Ejercito has called for a Senate probe into these DND irregularities.

The question is: Will Sen. Franklin Drilon’s shameless and vindictive leadership allow an inquiry into these overspending and overpricing scams at DND?

Why, Drilon himself still has a lot of explaining to do about some overpricing in the Iloilo Convention Center.

Gazmin must face the music if he is proven to have abused his power or exercised grave indiscretion in approving DND’s shady deals.

Meanwhile, China has continued to expand its claim on South China Sea (which we now call West Philippine Sea.)

And the killing fields of Maguindanao are now controlled by local and foreign terrorists who vow loyalty to other countries. They have built more training camps.

Resurgent communist insurgents have increasingly caused casualties on Armed Forces troops.

Abu Sayyaf groups continue their kidnapping activity with sheer impunity in the Muslim South.

Clearly, the AFP’s modernization program has barely improved the sad state of the military’s capabilities to defend the country.

But, DND’s spending spree has obviously enriched some crooks at Camp Aguinaldo.

Clearly, Aqiuno’s anti-corruption drive is only applicable to its enemies.

Sonoffa€£¥#%!!!

_etulfo2011@yahoo.com_

_Overspending, overpricing scams stinking up DND | The Manila Times Online_


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## Zero_wing

Still under investigation and besides sometimes the media can be stuck up sometimes because some gave them a led so lets wait untill the DND investage the issue


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## Aepsilons

* Platoon leader in Mamasapano clash given military honors *






*2Lt. Jeymark Mateo, platoon leader of the 61st Division Reconnaissance Company, received the Gold Cross Medal during the celebration of the Army’s 118th anniversary in Fort Bonifacio.*



MANILA, Philippines - The leader of the military platoon that extricated the fallen and wounded police commandos in Mamasapano was awarded the third highest military honor on Monday amid allegations that the Army’s assistance came in too late.

2Lt. Jeymark Mateo, platoon leader of the 61st Division Reconnaissance Company, received the Gold Cross Medal during the celebration of the Army’s 118th anniversary in Fort Bonifacio.

Mateo, a member of Philippine Military Academy class 2013, was cited for reinforcing the 84th Special Action Company (SAC) that was heavily under fire by Muslim rebels last Jan. 25.

Mateo’s platoon was credited for the successful retrieval of eight dead, 11 wounded and 18 unharmed members of the Special Action Force (SAF).

The conferment of award came amid persistent notions that the military had failed to provide timely assistance to the SAF troopers who were pinned down by the combined forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and private armed groups.

Mateo, however, parried the criticisms, saying he and his men are glad that they were able to save lives.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
“They (critics) have their opinions. What is important is we were able to perform our duty. We are happy that we were able to help those in need,” the young lieutenant said.

When the members of the 84th SAC thanked us, we were very happy. They said they won’t be able to be with their families anymore if not for us,” he added.

Despite the finger-pointing on who should be blamed for the bloody Mamasapano clash, military leaders maintained that Mateo is deserving of the award.

“If they (SAF troopers) were not extricated, we won’t be talking about SAF 44. We’d be talking about SAF 72. If they were not extricated, they would have been walloped. We were able to save 28 lives because of that operation,” Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. said in a chance interview.

“I hope the public will understand what really happened,” he added.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Hernando Iriberri said Mateo’s award should not be linked with the intrigues surrounding the clash.

“An award is given to recognize an act, and action, and dedication to duty, regardless of whatever situation he did that so let us not put anything malice to that,” Iriberri said.

When asked whether he thinks that a timely military response would have saved the lives of all SAF troopers, Iriberri said: “As I said, it’s already part of the investigation. The results have been released. Let us just stick to that.”

Missing SAF firearms

Meanwhile, Mateo disputed allegations that some of the firearms of the slain SAF members that were entrusted to the Army got into the hands of the MILF.

“My troops cannot do that. In fact, before they (SAF) left the area, they left one of the guns under the tree. My troops picked it up and returned it to them,” he said.

The Board of Inquiry (BOI) that probed the clash has released a report containing the statement of 84th Special Action Company member PO2 Rommel Magno, who claimed to have turned over his rifle to the Army’s Division Reconnaissance Company (DRC).

Magno, who was seriously injured, allegedly handed his rifle as well as those of his dead comrades to a member of the DRC.

“When Magno's rifle was returned, its GL M203 grenade launcher was missing,” the report read.

Magno’s rifle, the BOI report said, was among the firearms turned over by the MILF ceasefire panel to its government counterpart.

“This meant that the firearms got into the hands of Moro rebels when it should have been under the protection of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) troops,” the report read.

The BOI findings were released amid reports that the 16 Special Action Force (SAF) firearms returned by the MILF last month have been cannibalized.

A total of 64 SAF firearms were lost during the Mamasapano clash.

Platoon leader in Mamasapano clash given military honors | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

----------------------------------------

A job well done Lt. Mateo.

*The Philippine military, engaged in modernizing its capabilities, is set to receive a new C-295 airlifter from Airbus Military.*











MANILA, March 16 (UPI) -- The first of three C-295 transports ordered from Airbus Military for the Philippine Air Force is scheduled for delivery later this month.
"It will serve as additional transport support for the Armed Forces' requirements (and complement) the three existing C-130s" now in use, the Philippine Star newspaper quoted Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya. "They will be especially helpful in HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster response) operations."

The $191 million contract for the C-295s was awarded to Airbus Military early last year.

The C-295 is a twin-turboprop with a payload of more than 20,000 pounds and a full-payload range of 805 miles. It is operated by more than a dozen countries.

The Philippines, embroiled in a territorial dispute with China and ongoing conflicts with indigenous communist and Muslim insurrectionists, is in a process of updating its air, land, and sea military capabilities.

Close air support aircraft, combat utility and attack helicopters and other aircraft from a variety of manufacturers are scheduled for delivery to the Philippines this year.

In other developments, the Philippine military is opening a bidding process in April for the building locally of three multi-purpose assault craft for the Philippine Navy.

"It will be armed with stabilized weapon system with fire control, complemented with a short to medium range missile system," Navy Vice-commander Rear Adm. Caesar C. Taccad said.

The winning bidder must be able to deliver boats within one-year. Procurement of the missile launch systems will be set in a separate acquisition project.

The Philippine Navy currently operates six such vessels, three built in Taiwan and three built locally.


Read more: Philippines receives Airbus military cargo plane - UPI.com


----------



## Ayan81

*Philippines to resume work in disputed waters*

*



*

(Reuters) - The Philippines said on Thursday it would resume repair and reconstruction works in the disputed South China Sea after halting activities last year over concerns about the effect on an arbitration complaint filed against China.

Manila had called on all countries last October to stop construction work on small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, virtually all of which is claimed by China.

China itself is undertaking massive reclamation works in the area, while Taiwan, Malaysia and Vietnam have also been making improvements to their facilities.

"We are taking the position that we can proceed with the repair and maintenance," Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario told diplomats, military officers and foreign correspondents on Thursday. 

He said the works, including repairs to an airstrip, did not violate an informal code of conduct in the South China Sea because they would not alter the status quo in the disputed area. The 2002 code was signed by China and 10 Southeast Asian states in Phnom Penh.

In 2013, Manila filed an arbitration case at the The Hague questioning Beijing's "nine-dash-line" claims. Del Rosario said Manila expects a decision in February next year. China has elected not to participate in the case. 

China claims almost the entire sea, believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also claim the area, where about $5 trillion of seaborne trade pass every year.

Philippines says to resume works in disputed South China Sea| Reuters

*____________________________________________________________________________

PH to upgrade old air station with air defense radar





*
_SINCE 1961. The 54-year-old Gozar Air Station will get a much-needed upgrade. Photo released by DND_

MANILA, Philippines – A 54-year-old Philippine Air Force (PAF) facility will be upgraded to host an air defense surveillance radar as part of government efforts to to strengthen the country's territorial defense, according to the Department of National Defense.

"We give primacy to the enhancement of our capability to monitor and secure our territory. Gozar Air Station will play a major role as we shift our focus from internal security operations to territorial defense," Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said in a statement on Tuesday, March 24.

Gazmin inspected the facility on March 21.

Air defense radars will detect intrusions in the country's air space. It will work in tandem with the squadron of fighter jets acquired from South Korea, two due to arrive in the last quarter of 2015.

The Philippines has one remaining radar system at the Wallace air station in San Fernando, La Union, leaving its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) practically unprotected. That adar system also has limited range and is no longer fully operational.

Lubang Island is in Mindoro Occidental. It is located off Batangas province and is near Metro Manila.

The Philippine Star reported that the defense department signed the P2.6-billion ($58.18 million) deal with Israel’s Elta Systems in February. DND Public Affairs Office chief Arsenio Andolong said he is still verifying it.

The project is part of the capability upgrade of the Air Force, which is also acquiring a squadron of fighter jets from South Korea, long range patrol aircrafts, and anti-submarine helicopters, among other brand new air assets.

PH to upgrade old air station with air defense radar

*________________________________________________________________________________*

*Philippine Army to get 4,464 'night fighting' equipment 






*
MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) is acquiring 4,464 units of night fighting equipment for the Philippine Army (PA).

The equipment is an optoelectronic device that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness.

The image may be a conversion to visible light of both visible light and near-infrared, while by convention detection of thermal infrared is denoted thermal imaging.

The program has an alotted budget of Php1,116,000,000 which will be sourced from the Capability Upgrade Program 2013 to 2017.

It was formally known as the PA's "Night Fighting System Acquisition Project."

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 
Interested bidders must have completed a similar project within the last five years.

Pre-bid conference is scheduled at 10 a.m. March 31 at the DND bidding and awards committee conference room, right wing, basement, DND Building, Quezon City, and bid opening is scheduled on April 14. Philippine News Agency

*Philippine Army to get 4,464 'night fighting' equipment | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com * 

*________________________________________________________________________________*

*PH Air Force C-295 arrives in Clark*

*



*

*



*

*



*

*



*

Photos from: Pinoy Aviators Facebook

*_____________________________________________________________*

*EASTMINOM's participation during the 78th Araw ng Davao







*

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Ayan81




----------



## Nike

*Philippines "partially terminates" contract to procure UH-1 helicopters*
*Jon Grevatt, Bangkok* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
26 March 2015


The Philippines Department of National Defense (DND) has issued a notice to "partially terminate" a contract with a US supplier over the provision of 21 refurbished UH-1 Huey utility helicopters to the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The notice - published on 26 March - was addressed to a joint venture between Rice Aircraft Services and Eagle Copters, which was awarded a PHP1.263 billion (USD28 million) contract to supply the refurbished helicopters in December 2013.

In the notice the Philippines Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin claimed that the supplier failed to comply with the agreed delivery schedule. "The contract agreement between the DND and the joint venture of Rice Aircraft Service and Eagle Copters… shall be partially terminated for exceeding the 10% maximum liquated damages," said the notice.

Philippines "partially terminates" contract to procure UH-1 helicopters - IHS Jane's 360

your government seem can't uphold with their decision

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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

*DTI warns retailers on price caps on products for Holy Week break *
*By Louella D. Desiderio (The Philippine Star) 
Updated March 29, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - As many Filipinos are expected to go on trips during the Holy Week break, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) intends to monitor products used by travelers to ensure such are sold within their price caps.

“We will ensure that the prices of canned goods and candles in public places of assemblies for trips such as bus stations are sold within their suggested retail prices (SRPs),” Trade undersecretary Victorio Mario Dimagiba said.

While the DTI is aware that retailers in bus stations have to earn from selling bottled water at higher prices, he said it is important for prices to still be reasonable.

“Moreover, although packs and cans of biscuits and cup noodles are not in the basic and prime goods’ list, we will also check on the affordability and reasonableness of their prices,” he said.

Apart from bus stations, the DTI would also monitor grocery stores and supermarkets to check on prices of basic necessities and prime commodities.

The DTI urges owners and operators of said establishments to consistently comply with the specified SRPs for basic and prime goods and assist the consumers in their purchases.

The January list of SRPs (for) these products still stands and, as of the moment, there are no requests for price adjustments from the industries, to which the retailers are expected to observe these prices,” Dimagiba said.

The DTI, through its Fair Trade and Enforcement Bureau, regularly monitors the price and supply of basic necessities and prime commodities under its jurisdiction.

These products include canned fish and other marine products, processed milk, coffee, laundry soap, detergent, candles, bread, salt, processed and canned pork, processed and canned beef and poultry meat, vinegar, patis, soy sauce, toilet soap, paper, school supplies, cement, clinker, galvanized iron (GI) sheets, hollow blocks, construction supplies, batteries, electrical supplies, light bulbs, and steel wires.

A retailer in violation of Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act through illegal acts of price manipulation such as profiteering, faces an administrative fine of up to P1 million subject to the circumstances provided after due notice and hearing.

The retailer also faces imprisonment of up to 15 years and a maximum fine of P2 million.

To ensure fair competition, SRPs which take into account costs of production, distribution and profit margins of retailers and distributors are issued by manufacturers.

For a list of SRPs for basic necessities and prime commodities, consumers could visit the DTI website at www.dti.gov.ph.

To report complaints on prices, consumers may call the DTI at 751-3330 or 0917-8343330.

-----
DTI warns retailers on price caps on products for Holy Week break | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

-------------------------


*DOE forms committee to settle disputes in contract issuances *
By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated March 29, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Energy (DOE) has created an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee to mediate, settle and resolve in an amicable, conciliatory and expeditious manner disputes and conflicts among parties over the issues of contracts by the department for various projects.

In Department Order 2015-03-0002 signed by Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla, the DOE mandated the creation of the committee which would develop and recommend measures aimed at settling disputes among parties that may arise over DOE-approved contracts.

The primary responsibility of the committee is to: “Mediate, settle, and resolve in an amicable, conciliatory and expeditious manner disputes and conflicts between or among the parties or applicants over the issuance by DOE of contracts, permits or any other licenses and approvals.”

Furthermore, the order tasked the committee to review periodically the ADR processes in their respective area of jurisdiction and develop specific procedures to reduce delay in the resolution and settlement of disputes, conflicts or cases arising from the implementation of the DOE’s functions and mandate.

The committee will also prepare their respective reports and data for consolidation by the Legal Services and submission to Office for Alternative Dispute Resolution of the Department of Justice.

In the order, Petilla said the committee shall be chaired by an Assistant Secretary with jurisdiction over the nature of the matter in dispute, and would have three members. These are the assistant director of the concerned bureau, the director of legal services and one technical expert to be nominated by the director of the concerned bureau or services.

“The committee shall have the right to request directly the assistance of other offices, bureaus and units of the DOE whenever it is necessary in the expeditious and effective performance of its duties and responsibilities,” the order also said.

Furthermore, the proceedings of the committee and all the information and communication arising from the proceeds shall be considered confidential and privileged and shall not be disclose do third parties without prior written consent of the parties to the dispute.

-----
DOE forms committee to settle disputes in contract issuances | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

====================================================================================================================================

*Politics and National Security News:*

-----

*House leaders agree: P-Noy won’t be invited *
*By Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star) 
Updated March 29, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - It’s final: the House of Representatives will not invite President Aquino to its hearings on the Mamasapano incident on April 7 and 8.

And if anyone would present a motion during the inquiry to invite the President, members from the majority will vote it down.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has informed Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora that the House majority coalition will not allow an invitation to be issued for Aquino, Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said yesterday.

“We met last Tuesday and we made it clear that the President will not be invited, that he has already made a sufficient explanation of his role in Mamasapano. The minority did not insist on having an invitation extended to the President,” he said.

Aside from Belmonte, Gonzales and Zamora, others who attended the meeting were Carol Jane Lopez of party-list group You Against Corruption and Poverty, Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga City, Rodolfo Biazon of Muntinlupa, Jeffrey Ferrer of Negros Occidental and Jim Hataman-Salliman of Basilan.

Ferrer and Salliman, as chairmen of the committees on public order and on peace and reconciliation, respectively, will jointly preside over the April hearings.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Gonzales said he expects that some militant party-list representatives would still insist on having the two committees invite Aquino.

“But any motion to that effect would be voted down,” he said.

Last weekend, Belmonte sent a text message to reporters: “Remember, we have had two exhaustive inquiries already. This is just to wrap up. Certainly, we have no intention of inviting him (Aquino) to the inquiry, but would welcome any information he would give.”

The Speaker was reacting to the proposal of Lopez, who belongs to Zamora’s minority group, for the hearing committees to invite Aquino.

Gonzales said it was also agreed during last Tuesday’s meeting that the April hearings would not touch on what the Senate and the PNP Board of Inquiry (BOI) have already investigated.

“It was the consensus that we should not waste time on things that the Senate and the BOI have tackled. The committees should take off from the Senate and BOI reports,” he said.

He said Ferrer and Salliman had promised that they would conduct orderly proceedings.

Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Dasmariñas City in Cavite said he supports the decision of House leaders to block any invitation for Aquino to appear in the Mamasapano inquiry.

“We should respect the President’s wish. He declared in his Philippine National Police Academy speech on Thursday that that would be the last time he would speak on the issue. We should respect that,” he said.

He said he also supports the agreement for the hearing committees to focus on what the Senate and BOI inquiries have not covered.

Since the Senate and the BOI have tackled most issues, committee members should zero in on gaps in their reports, he added.

Ulterior motive

Barzaga also accused those asking President Aquino to apologize for the Mamasapano incident of having ulterior motives.

“Clearly, there’s malice behind his call. Their ulterior motive is to destroy the administration using the death of 44 policemen in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25,” he said.

“Their call for an apology is not only malicious but misplaced, because the issue being raised against the President is not even graft-related,” he said.

He said some of those suggesting that Aquino say sorry “have been affected by the administration’s campaign against corruption.”

“They have been exposed as having stolen money from public coffers, as having pocketed public funds,” he added without naming names.

Aquino’s critics renewed their call for an apology after the President’s Thursday speech at the Philippine National Police Academy in Cavite.

In his speech, the President reiterated that he was taking responsibility for the Mamasapano incident but stopped short of saying sorry.

Barzaga said Aquino was “very sincere and direct to the point” in his speech

“Once more, the President took responsibility. He declared he would bring this tragedy with him until his final day. He spoke the truth – the sadness brought about by the deaths of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers could never be remedied by any speech or report,” he said.

The speech also showed Aquino’s human side when he asked for the public’s understanding for what happened in Mamasapano, he said.

He pointed out that the President’s acceptance of responsibility did not mean that he was admitting liability.

“The President is responsible, as Chief Executive, for the workings of government but he cannot be held liable for every error committed in the bureaucracy – from a simple typo error in a memo to the mistakes of those directly serving under him,” he stressed.

He added that the SAF mission to carry out a presidential directive for the capture of three suspected terrorists “was a success in the sense that the police killed their principal target.”

SAF commandos killed suspected Malaysian terrorist-bomb maker Zulkifli bir Hir, alias Marwan, but lost 44 men in ensuing firefights with guerillas belonging to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and its breakaway faction, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

Barzaga joined fellow administration allies in calling for a closure to the Mamasapano incident.

He said Aquino’s critics would be beating a dead horse if they continue to harp on the issue.

Earlier, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said he could not understand why some people still want the President to say sorry despite his taking responsibility for what happened in Mamasapano.

“He reiterated on Thursday that as the nation’s leader, he was the one ultimately responsible for the SAF mission and its results. He asked for understanding for whatever lapses he made, as he is only human like the rest of us. He also reiterated that the incident would forever be on his conscience,” he said.

“What more do we want from him? Do we want him to say sorry and beg for forgiveness? I think his critics just want to humiliate him,” he said.

-----
House leaders agree: P-Noy won’t be invited | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Security News:*

*KL girds for war in Mindanao*
*By Sandy Araneta, Francisco Tuyay
Mar. 30, 2015 at 12:01am *

MALAYSIA warned Saturday that war could erupt in Mindanao if the peace deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fails to push through by June, and has begun preparing offshore military bases in the Sulu Sea to handle an influx of refugees if the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) fails to pass.

“If the peace process can’t go through in June then it means war. Twelve years of talks and because of one incident, they will have war,” Malaysia’s Defense Mininster Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein told the Star Online, referring to the Mamasapano incident in which 44 police commandos were killed on Jan. 25.

Hussein said the offshore bases are expected to be fully operational in Sabah waters fronting Sulu province by April, and would be ready to handle hundreds of thousands of refugees trying to escape war.

“If we have a wall of offshore bases, we may have a chance to stop the exodus of people, a major concern for the ministry, Hussein said.

Malaysia had previously set up offshore bases near Sabah to repel fighters loyal to the Sultanate of Sulu, which sought to reassert its claim over Sabah in 2013.

A ranking Army officer in Mindanao said the government is facing several security challenges if the peace talks fail.

For one, he said, the MILF Central Committee only has loose control over its subordinate units.

“There is no contingency plan if peace talks fail and there is a pullout of troops in Central Mindanao, which may cause a security vacuum in some areas,” said Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

The military recently launched an all-out offensive against the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Front (BIFF), a splinter group of the MILF, driving some 120,000 people to flee their homes.

In remarks over state-run radio, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the government is still pushing for peace, despite Malaysia’s preparations for war.

“Well, we cannot speak for Malaysia. What we are earnestly pursuing right now is what the President announced very recently on the National Peace Summit, that we can discuss in a non-impassioned manner the peace process and, specifically, the BBL,” Lacierda said.

“We are confident that as more stakeholders are involved, and as more people are informed about the peace process in general and the Bangsamoro Basic Law specifically, we will be able to continue to muster the general sentiment. And we believe that the sentiment of the people is towards peace. It’s just that we need to look at the peace process from the prism of all the stakeholders involved, not necessarily in just one incident, the Mamasapano,” Lacierda said.

Lacierda admitted that the Mamasapano incident has hurt peace negotiations with the MILF.

“But we need to look at the peace process in and of itself. What is at stake? Who are the stakeholders? What do we look forward to? And all these things have been enunciated by the President. So we continue to believe that... the general population believes in the peace process,” he said.

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KL girds for war in Mindanao - Manila Standard Today
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News**:*

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*AFP chief: Defense spending should be 1% of Phl budget*
*By Alexis Romero (philstar.com)
Updated March 30, 2015 - 6:30pm*

MANILA, Philippines - Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. is pushing for greater military spending, saying this would enable the country to defend its territory.

Catapang said military expenditures should be increased to 1 percent of the national budget to enable the government to buy more equipment for territorial defense.

“What is important now is for our country to become prosperous because our argument is maybe at least we increase our expenditure for our defense and military,” Catapang said in a press briefing on Monday.

“What I’m proposing is that at least 1 percent of the approved national budget will go to the improvement of the capabilities of our defense and military units, to include the Office of Civil Defense,” he added. 

Catapang made the statement when asked what Filipinos can do to counter China’s aggressive expansion in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

The Asian superpower has been occupying disputed areas to assert its expansive territorial claim, including some areas that are well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The 2015 national budget stands at P2.6 trillion. In 2012, President Aquino signed a law that allotted P75 billion for the military’s modernization program from 2013 to 2017.

*The modernization program will be given P15-billion each year from the national budget. The annual outlay of P15 billion is equivalent only to about 0.57 percent of the 2015 budget.*

*Because of its poorly equipped military, the Philippines cannot stop China’s construction activities in its West Philippine Sea territories namely Mabini (Johnson South) Reef, Calderon (Cuarteron) Reef, Burgos (Gaven) Reef, Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef, Kennan (Hughes) Reef, Zamora (Subi) Reef and Panganiban (Mischief) Reef.*

When reminded that China would have been finished with its construction projects by the time the Philippines becomes a prosperous country, Catapang merely stressed the need to boost territorial defense capabilities.

“Reclaiming the areas is one side of the story but putting up a strong credible deterrence for our country, ensuring that our territory will be defended from any foreign country that intends to harm us, will be a very big boost to our territorial defense,” the military chief said.

*“I don’t know the intention of China for doing this, but what is important is we are prepared to defend the country,”* he added.

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AFP chief: Defense spending should be 1% of Phl budget | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Security News:*

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* Noy agreed to amend Constitution for MILF *
*POSTSCRIPT By Federico D. Pascual Jr. (The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 2, 2015 *

*AMEND IF NEEDED:* On record, President Noynoy Aquino knows that the federal-type Bangsamoro that he had promised the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to supplant the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is, or could be, unconstitutional.

When Mr. Aquino authorized his varsity team to sign the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) on Oct. 7, 2012, he – through them, his agents – committed in writing to amend the Constitution when it gets in the way.

In Article VII of that FAB, the parties agreed to form a Transition Commission one of whose functions is “To work on proposals to AMEND THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION for the purpose of accommodating and entrenching in the Constitution the agreements of the Parties whenever necessary without derogating from any prior peace agreements.”

* * *

*MILF MAJORITY:* On his inauguration on June 30, 2010, President Aquino took a solemn oath to “preserve and defend the Constitution.”

Turning his back on that vow two years later, he committed under the FAB to amend the Constitution when it conflicts with the framework for establishing the Bangsamoro.

Opinion ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Instead of tailoring his contract with the MILF to the provisions of the Constitution, the President agreed to tweak, to amend, the Charter to suit the wishes of the secessionist MILF!

Per agreement, btw, the Transition Commission shall be composed of 15 members all of whom must be Bangsamoro. Seven of them shall be selected by Malacañang, but the majority of eight members, including the Chairman, shall be picked by the MILF.

* * *

*UPGRADE ARMM INSTEAD*: It has become a source of wonder why Mr. Aquino has gone to great lengths trying to appease the MILF when that rebel band by itself does not hold the key to the peace in Mindanao.

The 7,000-strong MILF, a break-away faction of the older Moro National Liberation Front, has never proved itself to be the sole and legitimate voice of the Muslim population of some 8 million.

If there is any set of leaders democratically selected by the people of Muslim Mindanao, it is the duly elected officials of the ARMM, the area eyed as the demographic core of the projected Bangsamoro.

Why is Mr. Aquino pushing the country to the brink of war by forcing the carving out of a constitutionally challenged Bangsamoro – instead of working within the parameters of the ARMM and nursing it to acceptable levels of economic health?

* * *

*WHIM vs LAW:* How can presidential whim be superior to a constitutional mandate?

Mr. Aquino has conveniently and arbitrarily pronounced the ARMM as a “failed experiment.” But , Sir, the ARMM was not an experiment. It was a regular creation by the joint act of the Congress and the Executive in obedience to the Constitution.

At the very least, Mr. Aquino should have told the nation the parameters of that “experiment” and presented the data showing how that experiment failed.

The gun freak in the Palace, meanwhile, has reduced the Bangsamoro debate into a simplistic proposition of War vs Peace, deviously implying that those who oppose the BBL want war. Give Muslims self-rule or count body bags, he warns.

The same dire warnings have been aired by his Best Friends Forever in Malaysia. Coincidence?

* * *

*ELEMENTS OF STATE*: If scare tactics and warmongering are the order of the day, let us add fuel to the fire by warning that the creation of an Islamic state using the breakaway disposition of the MILF could produce a separatist state leaning toward the Malaysian federation.

Under the blueprint made in Kuala Lumpur with the connivance of the Malacañang panel (not the Philippine government) the upcoming Bangsamoro will be given all the essential elements of a state to enable it to break away from the Philippine Republic.

Through the BBL, Mr. Aquino would make good his promise to give the MILF a defined TERRITORY, a functioning GOVERNMENT and a resident POPULATION, plus other value-added features.

These basic elements, plus RECOGNITION by the community of nations could launch eventually the Bangsamoro as an independent state.

* * *

*FOREIGN MEDDLING:* Recognition is a cinch, because a long line of administrations, by design or out of ignorance, has internationalized what is actually a domestic conflict.

We have allowed, even invited, foreign governments and leverage institutions to meddle and tell us what to do. Now, with a weak presidency, it seems we can no longer move freely.

The notion of self-determination of peoples is alluring. It is popular in the United Nations swarming with newly emerged states.

An independent Bangsamoro is made more saleable amid claims that Muslims in this dominantly Christian country have been victims of decades-long neglect and discrimination.

What is not being said is that the billions poured by the government to Muslim areas have mostly been pocketed by corrupt leaders to the neglect of their followers.

* * *

*TELL THE PEOPLE:* As a result of propaganda and power politics, even before they could examine more closely the Bangsamoro framework and its implications, many countries have already fallen for the notion of a peaceful and progressive Moro nation that is self-governing.

Some well-intentioned partners for progress even assisted as midwives in the birth of the Bangsamoro, stood as _padrinos_ at its baptism and are waiting to assist and nurture it to full development.

Among these countries are the United States, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia, Japan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Libya, Norway, Indonesia, and some members of the European Union. That number is enough for recognition and eventual statehood.

Also helping along are international non-government organizations such as Conciliation Resources, the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, the Asia Foundation, Muhamadiyah, the World Bank and other entities in the US sphere of influence.

Under this formidable foreign pressure, what can Malacañang’s student council and varsity team do?

If only Mr. Aquino had the humility and honesty to admit his limitations to the Filipino people and seek their counsel....

* * *

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Noy agreed to amend Constitution for MILF | Opinion, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*So Aquino III is willing to amend the Constitution for the MILF just to make the Bangsamoro sub-state legal yet when it comes in relaxing the 60/40 Economic Restriction, he is vehemently against it ? What kind of a president is he?*


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## Nike

MILF "Burit" home made .50 BMG anti materiel sniper rifles


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## Cossack25A1

^One reason why the military is having a hard time defeating them, they have their own arms factory. Makes me wonder where they get the other half of funds to make and maintain such factories.


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## Dakila

Nobody will ever convince me that the MILF will disarm. No way will this ever happen. It successfully tricks the government into believing that it is serious to peacefully end the conflict while on the other hand rebuilds and strengthens its forces to pursue a separate Islamic Government. If they really want peace, they should start with their own tribe first.


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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and International Security News**:*

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* US ready to respond to threats in Asia-Pacific region *
 By Jose Katigbak, STAR Washington bureau* 
(The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 5, 2015 - 12:00am*

WASHINGTON – The US Pacific Fleet is prepared to respond to threats against the security and stability of the Asia-Pacific region in the face of China’s undisputed land reclamation in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea, its commander said.

“My intent is not to plan for war against any particular nation, but rather to lessen the chances of conflict by increasing security and stability more broadly throughout the region. But the Pacific Fleet is prepared, unequivocally, to respond to threats to our nation, our interests and our allies from a position of strength,” Admiral Harry Harris told a security conference in Canberra on Tuesday.

China claims most of the sea and its coral reefs, rocks and sandbars but competing claims by the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries stoke tensions and increase the potential for miscalculations, he said.

But what’s really drawing a lot of concern is the unprecedented land reclamation currently being conducted by China, he said.

“China is building artificial land by pumping sand on to live coral reefs – some of them submerged – and paving over them with concrete. China has now created over four square kilometers of artificial landmass,” he said.

Submerged reefs in the Spratlys have been turned into artificial islands with buildings, wharves and runways.

“When one looks at China’s pattern of provocative actions towards smaller claimant states – the lack of clarity on its sweeping nine-dash line claim that is inconsistent with international law and the deep asymmetry between China’s capabilities and those of its smaller neighbors – well, it’s no surprise that the scope and pace of building man-made islands raise serious questions about Chinese intentions,” he said.

The US has urged all claimants to conform to the 2002 China-ASEAN Declaration of Conduct in which all parties have committed to “exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability.”

“How China proceeds will be a key indicator of whether the region is heading towards confrontation or cooperation,” he added.

China insists its territorial claims have a historical basis and the US should not meddle in these disputes.

Harris said the US was on pace to have 60 percent of its Navy based in the Pacific Fleet by 2020.

“By maintaining a capable and credible forward presence in the region, we’re able to improve our ability to maintain stability and security. And if any crisis does break out, we’re better positioned to quickly respond,” he said.

The rebalance initiatives by the US Navy and Marine Corps team include the ongoing first deployment of the new Littoral Combat Ship to Southeast Asia, the deployment of Marines to Australia, the arrival of Virginia-class submarines and San Antonio-class amphibious landing dock ships and the future deployment of the P-8 Poseidon, the MV-22 Osprey and the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

A bipartisan group of US senators recently described the Chinese sea reclamations as a direct challenge not only to the interests of the US and the region but to the international community because it gave China the potential to expand its military reach.

“While other states have built on existing land masses, China is changing the size, structure and physical attributes of land features themselves,” they said in a letter.

“This is a qualitative change that appears designed to alter the status quo in the South China Sea.” * – With Janvic Mateo*

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US ready to respond to threats in Asia-Pacific region | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*==============================================================================================================================================
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*Business News:*

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* P-Noy signs Sugarcane Industry Development Act *
 By Czeriza Valencia* 
(The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 5, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has signed the Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015, a law that lays down the conditions for the maximization of the country’s sugarcane resources.

The certified copy of the signed law was transmitted to the Sugar Regulatory Administration on March 30 and was received the following day.

Rosemarie Gumera, manager of the policy and planning department of SRA, said the SRA would form a technical working group to refine the prepared draft for the Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) that would be submitted to consultations to be held nationwide.

The law is expected to take effect April 15.

The Sugarcane Industry Development Act also provides for increasing the competitiveness of the sugarcane industry, improving the incomes of farmers and farm workers through improved productivity; product diversification; job generation and increased efficiency of sugar mills.

Among its provisions on increasing productivity, is the institutionalization of the block farming program initiated by the SRA. As such, small farm lots, including farm lots held by agrarian reform beneficiaries would be consolidated into large production sites not smaller than 30 hectares. The ownership of the lands, however, would remain with the landowners.

This is intended to achieve economies of scale in the production of sugarcane and attain greater efficiency in production through the effective use of farm machineries and equipment as well as farmhands.

The SRA, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) would provide common service facilities, as well as start up funding and technical assistance for production.

The SRA would develop the guidelines for sugarcane block farms participating in the program.

The SRA would also recommend, after six years, the dismantling of sugarcane block farms that have failed to improve productivity and raise efficiency.

The sugarcane block farms would be certified by the SRA. The certifications would be used as the basis for the provision of grants, access to low interest financing and support from Official Development Assistance (ODA).

As such, sugar mills, bioethanol distilleries and other markets for sugarcane are enjoined to provide market access priority to SRA-certified block farms.

Sugarcane production areas that do not qualify for the block farming program would be entitled to a support program that includes socialized credit through the Land Bank of the Philippines, as well as technical assistance subject to various lending conditions.

Under the research and development component of the law, the SRA would intensify research and development activities on high-yielding sugarcane and flood-resistant varieties.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) would also conduct research on advanced sugar production, power generation technologies using biomass, and pest control.

To strengthen the extension services provided by the DA and the SRA to sugarcane farms, the law authorizes the Mill District Development Councils (MDCCs) to develop linkages with non-government organizations and local government organizations for the purpose of securing funding and aid in providing technical assistance.

The law provides for sustaining the availability of capable workers in the sugar industry by developing a Human Resources Development Master Plan for the industry with TESDA and related educational and labor agencies in the country.

Capacity building activities provided for by the law include the conduct of trainings and provision of scholarships among others.

The law, likewise, provides for infrastructure support such as farm-to-mill roads and irrigation infrastructure.

The domestic sugar industry is already one of the most organized agriculture subsectors in the country.

The industry, however, believes measures toward further development of the industry is needed to enable players to compete in the integrated Southeast Asian economy when the import duty on sugar is lowered to five percent this year.

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P-Noy signs Sugarcane Industry Development Act | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* DBP backs transfer of Al Amanah Bank to Bangsamoro *
 By Ted P. Torres* 
(The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 5, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) is in favor of transferring management of the Al Amanah Bank (Islamic bank) to the proposed Bangsamoro government as provided in the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) which is pending in Congress.

The Al Amanah Bank is the only Islamic bank in the Philippines,

DBP Institute head and DBP senior vice president Isidro Roy Sobrecarey made this statement during a forum on gender and peace last March 25 at the DBP headquarters in Makati.

Sobrecarey said the transfer is in line with the bank’s declaration of full support for the government’s peace initiative, particularly the passage of the BBL into law.

Sobrecaray said this was contained in a DBP position paper that was sent to Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the House Ad Hoc Committee on the BBL.

“DBP agrees with the financial proposals in the BBL, especially the transfer of management of the Al Amanah Bank to the Bangsamoro government,” he said.

DBP owns and operates the country’s only Islamic bank. In 1990, Republic Act (RA) 6848 formed the country’s first and only Shariah-oriented bank.

The DBP acquired the then Al Amanah Islamic Investment Bank in 2008, when it was deep in debt. Since then, it has been on the auction block.

Sobrecaray noted that DBP plays a big role in the government’s peace and development efforts in Mindanao since it is mandated to provide funding and loans for development projects throughout the country.

One such project is a financial capacity building seminar between the DBP and Bangsamoro youth co-organized with the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID).

Sobrecarey said “peace is not true and whole if development is not achieved, and so DBP remains committed to forging projects and partnerships that can benefit and help the region catch up in Mindanao.”

Peace panel member Senen Bacani said the BBL strives to translate to development for the Bangsamoro region.

“Unfortunately, the public is affected by misinformation spread by opponents of the proposed Bangsamoro,” Bacani noted.

He emphasized that the BBL is ultimately for achieving peace and development in the Bansgamoro region through genuine political autonomy, and not as a separate state having its own military and police force.

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DBP backs transfer of Al Amanah Bank to Bangsamoro | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* PPP center sets pre-bid conference for P158 B projects *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* 
(The Philippine Star)
Updated April 5, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration has scheduled pre-bid conferences this week to drum up investor interest in major Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects worth P158 billion.

The PPP Center is set to hold the pre-bid conference for the five regional airport projects worth P108.2 billion of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on April 7, and the P50.2 billion Regional Prisons facilities project of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on April 8.

The DOTC has divided the five regional airports into two bundles to attract more investors in the dual-stage bidding process.

The first bundle consists of the P20.26 billion Bacolod – Silay airport and the P14.62 billion Laguindingan airport, while the second bundle cover the P40.57 billion Davao airport, the P30.4 billion Iloilo airport, and the P2.34 billion New Bohol (Panglao) airport.

The DOTC is giving interested companies until May 19 to submit their qualification documents for the PPP airport projects.

On the other hand, the Justice department is pursuing the construction of a state-of-the-art regional prison facility worth P50.2 billion in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

The DOJ is inviting interested parties to submit applications to pre-qualify and bid for the design, financing, construction, and maintenance of a modern prison facility.

The agency has set the deadline for submission of qualification documents for the PPP project on May 6.

Both projects are part of the 12 PPP projects worth P383.8 billion so far rolled out by the Aquino administration.

Other projects include the P123 billion Laguna Lakeshore expressway dike project, the rebidding of the P55.51 billion Cavite – Laguna expressway, the P24.4 billion Bulacan Bulk Water Supply project, the P18.72 billion New Centennial Water Source – Kaliwa dam project, and the P4 billion integrated transport system – South Terminal.

The Aquino administration has already awarded nine PPP projects since 2010 with a total indicative cost of P136.37 billion.

These include the government has awarded the Daang Hari – South Luzon expressway link road (P2 billion), PPP for School Infrastructure Project phase 1 (P8.86 billion), the PSIP-2 (P16.28 billion), the modernization project for the Philippine Orthopedic Center (P5.98 billion), the Ninoy Aquino International Airport expressway (P15.52 billion), the automated fare collection system project (P1.72 billion), the Mactan – Cebu international airport expansion project (P17.5 billion), the Light Rail Transit line 1 Cavite extension project (P65 billion), and the Integrated Transport System ITS – Southwest Terminal (P3.15 billion).

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PPP center sets pre-bid conference for P158 B projects | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*==============================================================================================================================================
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*Miscellaneous News: *

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* Will these 10 traditional Holy Week practices survive? *
 By Alixandra Caole Vila* 
(Philstar.com) 
Updated April 3, 2015 - 2:22pm*

MANILA, Philippines - During Holy Week, many Catholic households follow several traditions to honor Jesus Christ's sacrifice.

It has become a tradition that during these times, Filipino Catholics should remember Christ's passion, suffering and death by staying at home to pray and reflect on Christ's death. At present, however, some people opt to use the Holy Week to go to the beaches rather than sticking with the traditions.

Catholics have their own ways of observing the Holy Week. With a growing number of people choosing relaxation over reflection, will these Filipino traditions survive?

* 1. Fasting*
Fasting is a simple reminder of what it means to suffer and to understand the sacrifice Jesus did for humanity. As a form of penitence, many people fast or voluntarily give up certain types of luxuries during the Lent season. The most common form of fasting during Lent is fasting from food.

* 2. Participating in Pabasa*
For those who grew up in provinces, _Pabasa_ might be familiar. This is a ritual where your _lolos_ and _lolas _chant the texts in the book of the passion of Christ in many different ways. For the young ones who have participated in the pabasa this year, and have endured the whole session, you should give credit to yourself.

* 3. Visita Iglesia*
One of the most important traditions during Holy Week is the Visita Iglesia, a practice in which the faithful visit seven churches on Maundy Thursday leading to the Good Friday to commemorate Christ's passion and to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

*4. Procession*
Processions are usually held on Good Friday, including The Way of the Cross. People led by the priest walk from station to station contemplating the Passion of Christ. There are a total of 14 stations.

*5. Senakulo*
"Senakulo" is some sort of a play about the last days of Christ. They are often organized by and participated in by locals.

* 6. Moriones Festival*
Moriones refers to the masked and costumed penitents who march around the towns in Marinduque for seven days searching for Longinus. They roam around the streets from Holy Monday to Easter Sunday as a tradition.

* 7. Cutud Crucifixions*
Yearly activities in San Pedro, Pampanga during Holy Week include crucifixions. Participants in the local crucifixions usually play Biblical characters in full costume. They would reenact events during the Siete Palabras. This is done during Good Friday.

* 8. Flagellants*
Flagellants in Pampanga during Holy Week are called "Magdarame." These practitioners do an extreme form of mortification of their own flesh by whipping it with various instruments. Flagellants roam the streets on Good Friday while either carrying wooden crosses or whipping their backs with bamboo lashes called “burilyos."

* 9. Night Vigil*
Black Saturday is when Christ is entombed. Filipinos spend the day preparing for the night vigil leading up to Easter Sunday.

*10. Salubong*
Easter Sunday is the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. At four o'clock in the morning, Filipinos do a _salubong _ceremony commemorating how the Virgin Mary met her risen son Jesus.

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Will these 10 traditional Holy Week practices survive? | News Feature, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Dakila

*The proposed $10B Sangley International Airport by San Miguel Corporation. *







*Philippines has most resilient economy – study
April 6, 2015




*
(File photo) The Philippine economy's resiliency has been attributed to improved debt and inflation management.

(CNN Philippines) — Should an economic crisis akin to last decade's Great Recession happen again, Philippines would be the most "resilient" country and be able withstand it, despite the country's status as an emerging-market economy.

That's the assessment of Center for Global Development (CGD), a think tank based in Washington, D.C.

It's not that hard to imagine another financial crisis happening: Growth in China — the world's second largest economy — has slowed, the United States' bull market hasn't had a correction since 2011, and in the Eurozone, debt-ridden Greece has yet to strike a deal with its creditors.

Economist Liliana Rojas-Suarez of the CGD recently created a "resilience indicator" that measures the vulnerability of an economy to future financial shocks.

Her metric looks into several economic indicators that fall under two categories:

a country's ability to withstand external shocks
government's ability to "rapidly" implement policies that counteract the effects of such shocks
"I compare the values of the identified variables in 2007 (the preglobal financial crisis year) with the respective values at the end of 2014," she said.

Rojas-Suarez explained: "A country is said to be highly resilient to adverse external shocks if the event does not result in a sharp contractions of economic growth, a severe decline in the rate of growth of real credit and/or the emergence of deep instabilities in the financial sector."

Related: Income increases but so does poverty

Of the 21 countries she studied, Rojas-Suarez ranked the Philippines as the most resilient economy, ahead of South Korea and China, which fall at second and third, respectively.

Rojas-Suarez found that the Philippines posted a strong improvement in its indebtedness. The debt indicators had substantial influence over the country's ranking.

For example, she points out that the country cut in half its external debt to GDP ratio "from around 40 percent in 2007 to around 20 percent in 2014." This figure stands in stark contrast with most whose ratios are "without significant changes" within that same time period.

She also cites the country's lower government debt to GDP ratio which stood above 40% in 2007, and subsequently shrank to below that figure in 2014.

Likewise, the country also stood out because of its improved inflation performance in 2014 relative to 2007. Rojas-Suarez pointed out that inflation rates have been within the government's targets.

Latin American countries did not do well in the study: "Four of the six Latin American countries in the sample have deteriorated their positions in the ranking. This includes Argentina, which now holds the last position. "

Apart from "bad luck in terms of unfavorable trade," Rojas-Suarez explained that such countries ranked lower because of "the squandering of opportunity to implement needed reforms in the good post-crisis years."

Her study ultimately affirms a long-running cliché: An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

"Policy decisions taken in the precrisis period played a major role in explaining a country's macroeconomic performance during the global economic crisis (of last decade)," explained Rojas-Suarez.

"_Initial conditions at the onset of a severe adverse external shock matter a lot. The good news is that, besides the commodity price shock, the most feared external shock: a sudden rise in interest rates in the US has not (yet) materialized. Time is still on the side of emerging markets’ authorities."_



*The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) closed above the 8,000 mark for the first time.*
Manila Bullettin 
April 6, 2015 






In a statement, PSE said it ended Monday’s session at 8,053.74, up by 60.65 points or 0.8 percent.

The previous record close was 7,993.09 on April 1, 2015.

“Closing above the 8,000 level is significant as it reinforces the favorable view that investors have on our market. We are optimistic that the positive local developments and upbeat outlook on listed firms will provide more upside potential for the index,” said PSE President and CEO Hans B. Sicat.

The PSEi also reached a new all-time intraday high of 8,062.79, from the previous intraday high of 8,007.98 registered on March 30, 2015.

Year-to-date, the PSEi has established 25 record finishes and has posted a gain of 11.4 percent.



*9 EU nations borrow $439.5M from PH’s IMF fund*
April 6,2015
Yahoo News Philippines

The central bank reported that nine countries in Europe had withdrawn $439.50 million from its credit facilities with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

As a creditor-member nation of the IMF, these drawdowns are part of the Philippines’ assistance to establish global financial stability, said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

“The strong external and reserve position of the BSP enabled the institution to increase its contributions in various fund pooling arrangements to support the stability of the international and regional financial systems,” the BSP said in a March, 2014 report.

One of these global arrangements is the IMF’s Financial Transaction Plan (FTP) of which the BSP has a floor participation amount of $462 million.

As of end-December, 2014, the BSP noted nine countries had drawn from funds exchanged by the BSP through the IMF’s FTP amounting to $355.60 million. Portugal, Ireland, and Greece were the biggest recipients. The BSP said this was to “address the financial crisis impacting the European economic zone.”

The IMF also accessed $83.91 million from the BSP’s credit line under the New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB) to finance the IMF requirements for Greece, Portugal, Tunisia, Cyprus, and Ukraine.

The Philippines’ NAB has slightly higher deposit reserves of $521 million compared to FTP.

The two IMF participation is separate from the country’s $1 billion other commitment to the multilateral group.

“With regard to the BSP’s loan commitment of $1 billion to the IMF in support of efforts to strengthen its capability to secure global economic and financial stability, no drawdown has been made since the agreement on 13 September 2013,” the BSP reported.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo said the country’s IMF commitments are part of the BSP’s investments since they earn interests from these credit lines.

Guinigundo said in a previous interview that despite incurring a balance of payments (BOP) deficit in 2014, the BSP is keeping its IMF commitments both in the FTP and the NAB.

Last year for the first time in eight straight years, the BSP reported a BOP deficit of $2.87 billion due to a weakened external sector. The foreign exchange and foreign assets’ reserves also fell to $79.54 billion from $83.18 billion in 2013.

Cost-wise both the FTP and NAB are not considered government expenses because the commitment is to release reserves only when a credit arrangement is required.


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## Dakila

*The Philippine economy is currently at $330 Billion.*



*



*

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## Dakila

*US, Philippines double troops for annual war games*
Press TV
Mon Apr 6, 2015






The United States military is doubling the number of troops it is sending to the Philippines to participate in the annual war games this month.

The US and the Philippines will deploy 6,656 and 5,023 soldiers respectively to take part in the 10-day war games to be held April 20 to 30.

This is more than twice the size of force, 2,500 Americans and 3,000 Filipinos, that participated in last year’s Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises.

The exercises, organized by the chief of the military command in charge of the West Philippine Sea, will be held as the Philippines is increasingly worried that China is seeking to take control of the strategically vital South China Sea.

Some military exercises will be staged close to a South China Sea flashpoint, the Filipino military said Monday.

Filipino military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc said the war games will be staged at several locations in the Philippines, including a naval station directly facing the disputed waters.

He said the decision to expand the scope of the exercises this year was not directed at China, which claims nearly all of the South China Sea.

"The higher strength of Balikatan 2015 for this year only reflects the Philippines and the United States' growing commitment to enhance our capability to conduct joint military and non-military activities," Cabunoc told AFP.

The Balikatan exercises also come as the new military agreement between the two allies, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), is pending with the Philippine Supreme Court over constitutionality issues.

EDCA allows the US to increase the so-called rotational presence of its troops and build military bases in areas of the Philippine armed forces.

In 2013, the Pentagon asked the Philippines for more access to the country’s military bases for another twenty years as the two sides discussed a wider American military footprint in Asia.

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## Dakila

*Aussies to join PH-US ‘war games’*
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Tuesday, April 7th, 2015




Shoulder to shoulder, Filipino and American troops will come together this month for their regular Balikatan joint military training exercises. And they will be joined by a few Australians.

This year’s Balikatan (BK15) will be held on April 20-30 and is the 31st in the series of bilateral exercises provided for by the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States.

The exercise aims to enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States Armed Forces. Aside from traditional military training, the exercise promotes civil military projects in local Filipino communities.

The AFP will deploy 5,023 personnel and the US 6,656. The Australian Defense Forces (ADF) will take part in some exercises and send 61 personnel.

The AFP will deploy 15 aircraft, the US 76 and the ADF one. The AFP will sail one of its ships while the US will send three.

*Three-pronged*

“Our and the US’s armed forces are coming together for this mutual defense and disaster response exercise toward a more responsive partnership focusing on development and community service,” AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said.

BK15 will be three-pronged.

The Humanitarian Civic Assistance exercise will focus on joint civil-military operations by the AFP, USAF and ADF in the Western Command (Wescom) area of responsibility in Puerto Princesa City and the Central Command (Centcom) area in Panay.

The Command Post Exercise will focus on marine security with live arms fire to demonstrate the capabilities of the AFP National Maneuver Force. US and ADF personnel will form a joint liaison group in support of capability development.

The Field Training Exercises involving units of both the Philippine and US Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Special Operations Force will be held at the Crow Valley Gunnery Range in Tarlac; Basa Air Base in Floridablanca and Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija; Gregorio Lim Marine Base, Ternate, Cavite; Heracleo Alano Naval Base, Sangley Point, Cavite, and Leovigildo Gantiouqui Naval Station, San Antonio, Zambales.

The training will enhance capabilities and tactics, techniques and procedures, reinforce relations and improve the interoperability of the AFP, USAF and ADF.

The Balikatan (which means shoulder) opening ceremony on April 20 will be held at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. The closing ceremony will be at Clark on April 30.

Philippine Navy Vice Adm. Alexander Lopez is Balikatan exercise director this year, while Brig. Gen. Rodolfo Santiago, AFP Command and General Staff College commandant, is vice director.


*Aquino to Fil-Chinese bizmen: Pay right taxes, share blessings*
President Benigno Aquino III urges Filipino-Chinese businessmen to make an effort to give their employees 'a little more'






MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno S. Aquino III urged the Filipino-Chinese business community to paying the correct taxes and to share their blessings with their employees to enhance their productivity.

Aquino made the call at the opening ceremony of the 30th Biennial Convention of the Federation of the Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Incorporated (FFCCCII) , while discussing how his administration has been investing in programs and projects to promote inclusive growth.

"Might I note that we did this without raising taxes, apart from the sin tax," he said, referring to the administration programs. He added, "But of course, the appeal continues: Please pay the correct taxes."

Aquino underscored the role of the private sector in improving national productivity.

He said that in the past, maximizing profits was all about cutting down costs, which eventually meant keeping wages as low as possible – but since workers are consumers, their low wages weakened their purchasing power and did not help grow the economy.

"The true path to sustained profit and growth lies in empowering our workers. Increasing their disposable income increases demand, and therefore increases competition....This is the approach that allows for a situation where, truly, everybody wins," Aquino said, adding that his ultimately leads to economic growth.

As such, Aquino called on the Filipino-Chinese business community – the “captains and lieutenants” of their respective industries to empower Filipino workers.

*‘Give a little more’*

Aquino again went on to discuss the accomplishments of his administration, particularly those primarily aimed at providing opportunities for Filipinos to improve their lot in life.

Aquino said his administration nearly doubled the budget of the Department of Education, increased the budget of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) by 84%, significantly increased the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and tripled the infrastructure budget.

"But there is an added bonus: an increase in empowered consumers, which bodes well for businesses like yours and the economy at large," the President said.

Aquino also acknowledged the FFCCCII’s efforts to help their communities, whether through scholarship funds or medical missions.

"Today, however, I am inviting you to do even more to help us empower the Filipino people," Aquino stressed.

The President also recalled that when he was a lawmaker, he proposed a measure that called for businesses to share part of their net new profits with their employees.

"My intent was to make the antagonistic 'you' versus 'I' into a 'we,' and the methodology was a system that rewards productivity, that allows all stakeholders to benefit from increased profits,” Aquino said.

He added that he does not expect such a bill to be passed anytime soon, but called the Filipino-Chinese businessmen to perhaps take the initiative – for their companies to make an effort to give their employees a little more.

“It will serve to drive them to be even more productive, while at the same time spurring a virtuous cycle of trust, confidence, and sustained growth in terms of our economy," Aquino said.

Since he assumed office in 2010, Aquino said the federation had helped transform the Philippine economic landscape, and urged the group to step up its participation in nation-building.

"The question I wish to leave with you today is this: When the time comes for us to leave this earth, will the succeeding generations look to us and say, 'Thank you for bequeathing to us a better world?' Or will they ask why we left them exactly the same set of problems if not more? I am certain that, like me, you want to be remembered as part of the solution and not the problem," Aquino said.


*Electronics industry sees $6-B to $7-B export revenue in Q1*
Philippines News Agency
April 4, 2015

THE country’s electronics industry projects exports revenue for the first quarter of 2015 at $6 billion to $7 billion, Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. (Seipi) President Dan Lachica said.

This, after electronics exports in January 2015 increased by 15 percent to $2.0 billion from January 2014’s figure of $1.78 billion.

The projected figure for first quarter 2015 is also in line with the industry’s target growth of 5.0 percent to 7.0 percent for the full-year 2015 or reaching some $27.61 billion in export revenues from last year’s receipt of $25.8 billion, according to Lachica.

The Seipi president said the industry will stick to its conservative 5.0- percent to 7.0-percent growth target even if the sector surpassed the growth projection last year.

“We want to be realistic with our projections,” he said.

He added that the falling oil prices also benefits the industry as it should translate to lower logistics cost, power and raw materials.

Moreover, the country’s electronics exports revenue target for this year has yet to match the revenue level during its pre-slowdown performance, a World Bank study released in January said.

“Prior to the slowdown, electronics exports reached a peak of $32 billion…. However, five years after the slowdown, electronics exports have yet to match its pre-slowdown performance. In 2008 and 2009, electronics exports fell by 7.0 percent and 21 percent, respectively. Nascent recovery of the global economy led to a jump in electronics exports by 38 percent in 2010. However, this rate of growth was not sustained in succeeding years as exports contracted yet again by 23 percent and 0.3 percent in 2011 and 2012, respectively,” the World Bank stated.

It added that compared to the electronics exports of neighboring countries like South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam which already surpassed the pre-slowdown export performance, and Malaysia which is close to recovering its losses, the Philippines electronics exports have not fully recovered since the 2009 global slowdown which led to a decline in electronics export.

Lachica, on the other hand, noted that the aforementioned Asian neighbors had aggressive public and private investments compared to the country, thus recovering from the decline.

He added that although the global demand has recovered, there are factors locally that temper the growth of the industry.

“Investments develop revenue,” said Lachica citing public investments, particularly in infrastructure, are needed by the industry aside from firms’ investments.

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## Cossack25A1

Dakila said:


> *Aquino to Fil-Chinese bizmen: Pay right taxes, share blessings*
> President Benigno Aquino III urges Filipino-Chinese businessmen to make an effort to give their employees 'a little more'
> 
> View attachment 212585
> 
> 
> MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno S. Aquino III urged the Filipino-Chinese business community to paying the correct taxes and to share their blessings with their employees to enhance their productivity.
> 
> Aquino made the call at the opening ceremony of the 30th Biennial Convention of the Federation of the Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Incorporated (FFCCCII) , while discussing how his administration has been investing in programs and projects to promote inclusive growth.
> 
> "Might I note that we did this without raising taxes, apart from the sin tax," he said, referring to the administration programs. He added, "But of course, the appeal continues: Please pay the correct taxes."
> 
> Aquino underscored the role of the private sector in improving national productivity.
> 
> He said that in the past, maximizing profits was all about cutting down costs, which eventually meant keeping wages as low as possible – but since workers are consumers, their low wages weakened their purchasing power and did not help grow the economy.
> 
> "The true path to sustained profit and growth lies in empowering our workers. Increasing their disposable income increases demand, and therefore increases competition....This is the approach that allows for a situation where, truly, everybody wins," Aquino said, adding that his ultimately leads to economic growth.
> 
> As such, Aquino called on the Filipino-Chinese business community – the “captains and lieutenants” of their respective industries to empower Filipino workers.
> 
> *‘Give a little more’*
> 
> Aquino again went on to discuss the accomplishments of his administration, particularly those primarily aimed at providing opportunities for Filipinos to improve their lot in life.
> 
> Aquino said his administration nearly doubled the budget of the Department of Education, increased the budget of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) by 84%, significantly increased the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and tripled the infrastructure budget.
> 
> "But there is an added bonus: an increase in empowered consumers, which bodes well for businesses like yours and the economy at large," the President said.
> 
> Aquino also acknowledged the FFCCCII’s efforts to help their communities, whether through scholarship funds or medical missions.
> 
> "Today, however, I am inviting you to do even more to help us empower the Filipino people," Aquino stressed.
> 
> The President also recalled that when he was a lawmaker, he proposed a measure that called for businesses to share part of their net new profits with their employees.
> 
> "My intent was to make the antagonistic 'you' versus 'I' into a 'we,' and the methodology was a system that rewards productivity, that allows all stakeholders to benefit from increased profits,” Aquino said.
> 
> He added that he does not expect such a bill to be passed anytime soon, but called the Filipino-Chinese businessmen to perhaps take the initiative – for their companies to make an effort to give their employees a little more.
> 
> “It will serve to drive them to be even more productive, while at the same time spurring a virtuous cycle of trust, confidence, and sustained growth in terms of our economy," Aquino said.
> 
> Since he assumed office in 2010, Aquino said the federation had helped transform the Philippine economic landscape, and urged the group to step up its participation in nation-building.
> 
> "The question I wish to leave with you today is this: When the time comes for us to leave this earth, will the succeeding generations look to us and say, 'Thank you for bequeathing to us a better world?' Or will they ask why we left them exactly the same set of problems if not more? I am certain that, like me, you want to be remembered as part of the solution and not the problem," Aquino said.



I rather put trust in the idea of axing the _60/40 Economic Restrictions_ which the Fil-Chinese community supports as they don't like foreign company competition.

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## Dakila

Cossack25A1 said:


> I rather put trust in the idea of axing the _60/40 Economic Restrictions_ which the Fil-Chinese community supports as they don't like foreign company competition.


True! our politicans should really have their head examined. The 60/40 ratio of ownership was made to order for these same oligarchs and weathy influential Filipino-Chinese businessmen. They are actually the ones that have interests in our country that they want to protect.




*PSEi breaks 8,100 intraday*
Manila Bulletin
April 7, 2015 (updated)






The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) broke past the 8,100 level and registered a new all-time high on Tuesday as inflation eased to 2.4 percent in March.

“Interest rates are expected to remain low with the benign inflation data released today which augurs well for the equities market. We hope to more see favorable developments in the coming months to help sustain the gains and attract more participation from investors,” PSE President and CEO Hans B. Sicat noted.

The PSEi climbed to an all-time intraday high of 8,136.97 before ending the session at 8,098.68, up by 44.94 points or 0.6 percent.

Both levels surpassed the previous intraday high and record close posted yesterday at 8,062.79 and 8,053.74 respectively.

The PSEi has now had 26 record finishes since the start of the year. Year-to-date, the index has gained 12.0 percent.

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## Cossack25A1

Dakila said:


> View attachment 212677



I just hope many adhere to this quote by Lee Kuan Yew because believing in the "_Democracy = Prosperity_" is fatal.

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## Aepsilons

Dakila said:


> True! our politicans should really have their head examined. The 60/40 ratio of ownership was made to order for these same oligarchs and weathy influential Filipino-Chinese businessmen. They are actually the ones that have interests in our country that they want to protect.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *PSEi breaks 8,100 intraday*
> Manila Bulletin
> April 7, 2015 (updated)
> 
> View attachment 212676
> 
> 
> The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) broke past the 8,100 level and registered a new all-time high on Tuesday as inflation eased to 2.4 percent in March.
> 
> “Interest rates are expected to remain low with the benign inflation data released today which augurs well for the equities market. We hope to more see favorable developments in the coming months to help sustain the gains and attract more participation from investors,” PSE President and CEO Hans B. Sicat noted.
> 
> The PSEi climbed to an all-time intraday high of 8,136.97 before ending the session at 8,098.68, up by 44.94 points or 0.6 percent.
> 
> Both levels surpassed the previous intraday high and record close posted yesterday at 8,062.79 and 8,053.74 respectively.
> 
> The PSEi has now had 26 record finishes since the start of the year. Year-to-date, the index has gained 12.0 percent.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 212677





Excellent performance, Philippines! 

Truly a rising Asian Economic Tiger!


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## Dakila

Cossack25A1 said:


> I just hope many adhere to this quote by Lee Kuan Yew because believing in the "_Democracy = Prosperity_" is fatal.


[DISCIPLINE]

We need a huge stick to imprint this on the minds of most of our people.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Excellent performance, Philippines!
> 
> Truly a rising Asian Economic Tiger!


Arigato.

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## Aepsilons

Dakila said:


> [DISCIPLINE]
> 
> We need a huge stick to imprint this on the minds of most of our people.



Think about it this way ; look at the performance of your country now. Imagine if corruption is removed , the level of growth and development would be higher.

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Think about it this way ; look at the performance of your country now. Imagine if corruption is removed , the level of growth and development would be higher.



Even if corruption is removed, if people cannot follow simple rules such as "No Jaywalking", well what's the point of economic success if the people are undisciplined.


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Even if corruption is removed, if people cannot follow simple rules such as "No Jaywalking", well what's the point of economic success if the people are undisciplined.



What you say carries weight. There should be a combined grass roots level call for national restructuring. And I am optimistic for the Philippines and the Filipino people.

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## Dakila

Nihonjin1051 said:


> What you say carries weight. There should be a combined grass roots level call for national restructuring. And I am optimistic for the Philippines and the Filipino people.


Thank you for believing and being optimistic on us Nihonjin. I also believe our country will eventually recover back to her glory days again, There always a light at the end of the dark tunnel and there bound to have rainbows (blessings from God) after a heavy rain fall,and when we at at the lowest time of our lives, at rock bottom and there's none further more to go down except to climb up,we will rise again. Maraming salamat! 



Cossack25A1 said:


> Even if corruption is removed, if people cannot follow simple rules such as "No Jaywalking", well what's the point of economic success if the people are undisciplined.


I remember Marcos had the perfect nationalism rallying slogan in "Sa Ikauunlad ng Bayan, Disiplina ang Kailangan" (For the nation to progress, there must be discipline.). It was in my younger years and how right it is to make as the cornerstone of nation-building. For a while of many months or over a year, there were progress indeed and I remember the cleanliness drive that went well. The Aquino government should replicate this propaganda so that the people will be aware that progress and economic development is a shared responsibility with their government.




*Philippines' ‘biggest’ reclamation project in Cordova closer to fruition with PB approval*
Sunstar
April 08, 2015

*




*

THE Provincial Board (PB) approved a resolution authorizing Cordova to undertake a P138-billion reclamation project through a public-private partnership arrangement.

The resolution was authored by former Cordova mayor Arleigh Sitoy and seconded by PB Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III.

Arleigh said the project will be the biggest in the country, or five times bigger than the South Road Properties in Cebu City. It will connect Shell Island in the western part of the town to the lighthouse all the way to Lava Island in the southern part of the town.

Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy, Arleigh’s father, told legislators during the session that SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPHI) will be the private proponent that will finance the project. The firm reportedly came up with an unsolicited proposal.

In phases

He said the P138 billion will be released in phases in the next eight years.

He said SM will get 49 percent of the total reclaimed area of 1,500 hectares, or 735 hectares.

The rest will be shared by the Provincial Government, the Philippine Reclamation Authority and Cordova.

The size of each parcel share is not yet known, but the Province will get 150 hectares, Adelino said.

“We are after the (realization of the) project not the sharing,” the mayor told the legislators.

Requirements

According to the resolution, Cordova, through the mayor, issued a certificate of acceptance last March 3 to SMPHI’s proposal.

Cordova’s public-private partnership selection committee found the proposal complete and beneficial to the Municipality, among others.

The mayor said the project proponent also agreed to comply with all the fisherfolk groups’ demands.

Aside from making the 2,000 fisherfolk a priority in employment for the project, SMPHI will also come up with education, health and housing programs for them and their families, as well as offer them job opportunities at SM.

The resolution also requires Cordova and SM “to submit to the governor, vice governor and the PB their livelihood project plan in the event that there will be displacements as a result of the implementation of the project.” This must be done before the project is implemented and after the joint-venture contract is signed.

Adelino said the Municipality’s fishing grounds measure 3,500 hectares. Some 2,000 hectares will be left when the reclamation is completed.




*Gov’t keeps economic goals intact*
Business World
April 07, 2015

THE GOVERNMENT has kept its economic growth targets for this year and next, but expects revenues to fall amid cheaper oil prices, officials of the interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) yesterday said.

*



*
“We maintained our growth targets for this year and 2016,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan yesterday said in a press briefing at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) office in Manila.

*The government had set a 7-8% growth goal for 2015 and 2016*.

Last year, gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 6.1%, a few points shy of the government’s 6.5-7.5% target. Crawling farm sector output and lower-than-programmed -- and at times even contracting -- state spending had weighed on growth for much of last year.

*“I think 7-8% is within reach,”* Mr. Balisacan said.

“Hopefully, we don’t have any major shocks -- domestic or external.”

The official, who heads the National Economic and Development Authority as director-general, added that first-quarter GDP growth should be better than a year ago.

“It could be a good one considering that we didn’t have any major shock in the last quarter of 2014, which slowed down because of Yolanda,” Mr. Balisacan explained.

Super-typhoon Yolanda, known internationally as Haiyan, devastated parts of central Philippines on Nov. 8, 2013, killing more than 6,000 and causing billions of pesos worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure.

Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad, who heads the DBCC, said in the same briefing that the economy likely received an additional boost from higher capital outlays, mostly from the Department of Transportation and Communications and Department of Public Works and Highways.

Officials likewise cited the positive effect of lower oil prices on consumer spending, which then can stimulate economic growth. The DBCC now expects oil prices within a $50-70 per barrel (/bbl) band this year from a previous $90-110/bbl assumption during its January meeting.

Plunging fuel costs, however, have prompted the interagency body to cut the government’s revenue targets for this year.

Finance Undersecretary Jeremiah N. Paul, Jr. said the government has now cut its revenue target to P2.275 trillion this year from P2.337 trillion previously. Collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue are projected at P1.673 trillion from P1.72 trillion initially, while those by the Bureau of Customs were cut to P436.5 billion from P465 billion.

Despite the lower revenue target, the government is keeping its deficit cap at 2% of GDP. In absolute terms, however, the deficit cap has been cut to P283.7 billion from P285.3 billion previously.

Officials also noted the negative effect of lower oil prices on imports, which are now expected to grow just 1% this year from 7% previously. Export growth, however, will be “more robust” this year at 5% from 4% previously.

*Big firms attracted to regional airport dev’t*
Business World
April 07, 2015 

SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S conglomerates and foreign partners that had bid for the first airport deal under the public-private partnership (PPP) program could go head to head once more for the development, operation and maintenance (O&M) of five regional installations cumulatively worth some P108.19 billion.






The group of Megawide Construction Corp. and Bangalore-based GMR Infrastructure Ltd., which last year bagged the P34.44-billion contract to expand and operate the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal, hopes to slug it out again this time for five regional airport deals now up for grabs under the public-private partnership program. -- _ppp.gov.ph_

PPP Center Executive Director Cosette V. Canilao told reporters on the sidelines of a pre-qualification conference in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday that “as of Apr. 7, five groups have bought bid documents for the development and O&M of five regional airports PPP.”

Ms. Canilao identified the parties as the consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and JG Summit Holdings, Inc.; San Miguel Corp.; Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc.; the group of Megawide Construction Corp. and Bangalore-based GMR Infrastructure Ltd.; and air cargo warehousing firm Philippine Skylanders, Inc.

Should the groups qualify, they can bid for one or both bundles of the five regional airports, depending on their appetite, Ms. Canilao explained.

The five regional airports for auction are now grouped into two bundles, the first being Bacolod-Silay Airport (P20.26 billion) and Iloilo Airport (P30.40 billion) and the second package composed of the New Bohol (Panglao) Airport (P2.34 billion), Laguindingan Airport (P14.62 billion) and Davao Airport (P40.57 billion).

Most of the groups that bought bid documents for these regional airport deals -- except Philippine Skylanders -- also participated in the auction of the P34.44-billion deal to expand and operate the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal that was awarded in April last year to the group of Megawide and GMR Infrastructure.

“Investors interested in these regional airports can still buy bid documents until May 17, as the deadline of submission of pre-qualification documents is on May 18,” Ms. Canilao announced during the conference.

“The shortlist of qualified bidders will also be released in May; while we target a June bid submission and award the airport projects in March 2016.”

Sought for comment, Megawide Corporate Information Officer Manuel Louie B. Ferrer said on the sidelines of the conference: “We’re interested in both bundles,”

“I think all five regional airports are strategic to us because of their combined annual passenger volume. In return, we can develop those airports and improve traffic control and management.”

MPIC President Jose Ma. K. Lim was circumspect, saying in a text message on Tuesday: “We can’t comment other than to say we have not written off any package and we would also consider if all five were bundled into one.”

Officials of San Miguel, Aboitiz and Philippine Skylanders could not be reached for comment as of press time.

The government has set a two-stage bidding process for the regional airport auction, which means qualification documents are submitted separately from the financial and technical proposals, according to an invitation to pre-qualify and bid published in newspapers last December. In that invitation, the government asked interested parties to submit offers to finance, design, build, operate and maintain the facilities for 30 years.

“Winning the bundled airports won’t disqualify the concessionaires from future airport bids,” Transportation Undersecretary for Planning Rene K. Limcaoco said during the conference.

Other airport deals in the government’s PPP pipeline are the P5.81-billion Puerto Princesa Airport O&M and Development Project; San Fernando Airport; Clark International Airport Project; and NAIA Development Project.

The Puerto Princesa airport project, which initially formed part of the regional airport auction, will “possibly be bundled... into a comprehensive tourism airport-centric strategy for Palawan airports, such as San Vicente and also Busuanga,” Transportation Spokesperson Michael Arthur C. Sagcal said last month.

Nine PPP deals cumulatively worth some P136.5 billion -- four of which worth a total of P84.48 billion are under the Department of Transportation and Communications -- have been awarded since the flagship infrastructure program was launched in 2010.

MPIC is one of the three main Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Philex Mining Corp. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in _BusinessWorld_.

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## Dakila



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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> What you say carries weight. There should be a combined grass roots level call for national restructuring. And I am optimistic for the Philippines and the Filipino people.



The breaking of small laws led to ridiculous warning signs....

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## Dakila




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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News**:*

---------------

*Questions Answered on Erroneous Reports on the Acquisition of M113 APC from the US and Israel for the Philippine Army*
*Monday, April 6, 2015*
*Max Defense*

A few weeks ago, News5 released a report by Erwin Tulfo regarding the alleged misuse of funds for the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) Modernization program, wherein budget allocated for the transportation of donated M113 armored personnel carriers from the United States was said to be diverted to acquire second-hand M113 APCs from Israel. This issue was immediately picked-up by Senators JV Ejercito and Chiz Escudero, who themselves are asking for an investigation of the matter.




_An M113 fitted with Elbit's 25mm RWS. A similar configuration is being acquired by the Philippine Army with Elbit Systems Land & C4I. _

MaxDefense has kept quiet on this issue for some time, even if it was apparent that there are errors and inconsistencies in the report made by Mr. Tulfo. MaxDefense was clear on its stand that the project to acquire 28 refurbished upgraded M113s from Israel and 114 surplus M113A2 from the US are 2 distinct and different projects, with 2 separate project schedules, and 2 separate funding.

-----

*The Issue - Mr. Tulfo's Report:*
According to the reports made by Mr. Tulfo, the Department of National Defense (DND) diverted funds donated by the United States government to ship 100+ units of surplus M113 APCs from the US mainland to the Philippines. The funds, said to be worth Php 800+ million, was instead used to acquire used M113s from Israel, which were sourced from Belgium, and refurbished and installed with remote weapons systems by Elbit Systems Land & C4I. The M113s are said to be 3rd hand, wherein Belgium bought the vehicles from the US, then was sold to Israel, and are now sold to the Philippines.

The point of concern is why did the DND forego the delivery of 100+ free M113s from the US to buy "28 3rd-hand, vintage, World War II era refurbished M113s" from Israel that are older than those coming from the US, when it was apparent that free is better than paid, and 100+ is better than 28. 

MaxDefense sees many discrepancies on this report, at almost the same level as the report made by Manila Times recently regarding the Dornier UH-1D helicopters.

-----

*MaxDefense Replies:*

MaxDefense separates the issues between the 2 distinct M113 projects for easy comprehension. 


*A. US Government Excess Defense Article Grant of 114 M113A2 to the Philippines:*

In 2012, the US government awarded a grant to the Philippine DND involving the transfer of 114 surplus M113A2 vehicles for the Philippine Army. Being a grant, the Philippine government is not expected to pay anything for the vehicles themselves. In laymen's term: donation.

*1. Is it true that the US government donated money to ship the donated M113 to the Philippines?*
*No*. The US government only provided the M113A2 units to the Philippine government as part of the US Excess Defense Articles (EDA) grant, and it is up to the Philippine government to shoulder the shipping costs of bringing them from the stockyard in the US mainland to the Philippine Army facilities in the Philippines. 
The US government normally do not provide donated money, but are actually in the form of US Military Assistance which the Philippine government annually receives. 

To reinforce this answer, Mr. Tulfo reclarified in his later reports that the fund for the shipping was actually from the Philippine government, coming from the AFP Modernization Program. *To be exact, the fund actually came from Republic Act 7898, which is the AFP Modernization Act of 1995. *


*2. Is the true that there is a Php 800+ million pesos budget intended for shipping of surplus M113 from the US mainland?*
*No*. As early as 2010, the Philippine Army already requested for a budget to acquire tracked armored personnel carriers. A budget of Php882 million was allocated to acquire 14 brand new basic tracked armored personnel carriers, funded under the budget allocated covered by RA 7898 or the AFP Modernization Act.
But the plan was eventually scrapped as the Philippine Army believed that 14 new tracked APCs would not be enough to fill-up the planned Table of Organization and Equipment (TOE) of the Philippine Army's Mechanized Infantry Division (MID). The planned TOE involves several hundreds of additional tracked armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles to be placed under the command of the PA's MID.

From 2012 to 2013, the Philippine government tried to seal a deal with the Italian Ministry of Defense, wherein the DND decided to use the budget from the cancelled acquisition of 14 new APCs in favor shipping and refurbishing 100+ units of used VCC-1 armored vehicles (reported as M113) and 25 units of used FH-70 155mm towed howitzers, all formerly from the Italian Army. This was known in the DND and AFP as the "Italian Package", which includes the_Maestrale_-class frigates, naval helicopters, light combat aircraft, and other retired Italian military equipment. 
With talks between the Italian and Philippine defense officials failed and the acquisition of the "Italian Package" cancelled in 2013, the DND and Army decided to use the Php 882 million budget to acquire refurbished but heavily upgraded M113s in a government-to-government deal under the supervision of the US Department of Defense.




_The Philippine Army almost got hold of 100 VCC-1 Camilino tracked APCs, which are actually Italian version, Italian license copy of the American M113 APC.
Photo taken from Armyrecognition.com. _


*3. What are the physical condition of the M113A2 APCs from the US?*
The M113A2 are formerly US Army armored personnel carriers. They are newer derivatives of the M113A1 being used by the Philippine Army, and were built starting 1979 up to 1986. The US Army heavily used these armored vehicles in deployment around the world, and were eventually replaced by the newer and more capable M2 Bradley AIFV starting in the late 1980s. Retired M113A2 vehicles are currently stored in desert open storage facilities in the US mainland, and are being sold or granted to friendly countries by the US government.

114 units were allocated by the US government to the Philippines, divided into 2 batches (100 and 14). According to MaxDefense sources, officials from the Philippine Army and DND were given a chance to choose the vehicles a few years ago in a total sample of more than 700 vehicles. *Only 96 vehicles are still in working condition, but will require servicing, repair, and refurbishing in one way or another, and are not ready to use vehicles. The 18 other vehicles will need major spare parts and servicing before the PA can commission them, or they may just make them spare parts hulk for the rest of the fleet. 
*
All 114 M113A2 do not include the machine guns and armored cupolas, which the Philippine Army will need to acquire separately.

It will definitely cost the Philippine Army a significant amount of money and time to prepare these vehicles, although the DND received Php141 million from the US government as part of US Military Assistance to the Philippines, specifically allocated for the refurbishing of the said vehicles. But even so, it appears that the amount is not enough to repair and arm all 114 vehicles, and the Philippine Army must shoulder the balance should it decide to commission all vehicles. Estimates made by MaxDefense's source said the amount is only good to fully upgrade and equip around 25 units.


*4. If the money for the shipping of M113A2 from the US is different from the money to pay for the upgraded M113s, where is the shipping money?*
This is the tricky part. Originally the DND opened a bidding for the shipping of 114 M113 armored vehicles from Sierra Army Depot in Herlong, California to the Philippines. Budget allocated for this is from the cancelled project to re-engine and upgrade 18 FV101 Scorpion vehicles of the Philippine Army worth around Php 200 million. The bidding failed, and no shipping company was awarded a contract. Further delays required the DND to return the money to the Department of Budget Management (DBM). But when the DND again requested for the DBM to release the budget, it did not materialize due to technical concerns on the release of Special Allotment Release Orders (SARO), and was later on affected by the government's decision to scrap the SARO system in 2013.

Instead, the DND and Philippine Army decided to use part of the US Military Financing Assistance fund worth Php 141 million initially allocated for the repair, refurbishing and rearming of the 114 M113A2, with the approval of the US government. This Php 141,008,183.06 budget was actually among those included in the Revised AFP Modernization Program under RA 10349. But as Typhoon Yolanda / Haiyan struck in late 2013, the DND again requested the US government to allow them to use the budget for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, which was approved. 

Since the budget was already used-up, the DND then requested for a new budget allocation for the shipping from the national government, and is still being processed by the Department of Budget Management. So far, the requested amount has not yet been released. 

But the budget release is currently the worry of the Philippine Army and DND, because another MaxDefense source confirmed that the US government already sent a communication early this year asking for a commitment from the Philippine government to ship out the armored vehicles from the Sierra Army Depot in California. If the Philippines failed to take the vehicles out as per the agreed commitment, the US government will offer these vehicles to other interested foreign governments. It was also confirmed by MaxDefense sources that there are already other military inspectors from foreign countries interested on the specific vehicles previously selected by the Philippine Army inspection teams.

-----

*B. Acquisition of 28 refurbished & upgraded M113 from Elbit Systems Land & C4I:*

*5. Who are involved in the deal to acquire the refurbished & upgraded M113A2+ from Elbit Systems Land & C4I?*
All acquisitions involving US-made or US license-built military equipment will require the involvement of the US Department of Defense (DoD). The M113, in all its form and licensed copies, is among those that need the US DoD's approval before any sale or transfer happens. This is true not only for the Philippines, but for any government or entity that acquires US military equipment.

When the DND and PA decided to acquire refurbished and upgraded M113 vehicles, it was initially coordinated with the US DoD which gave approval of the planned acquisition. It was actually the US Army's Infrastructure Modernization (IMOD) office that recommended to award such contract to Elbit Systems Land & C4I, with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Defense and its Defense Export & Defense Cooperation (SIBAT) office. 


*6. Are the M113s sold by Israel are 3rd hand, World War II vintage vehicles?*
*A strong No. *Elbit Systems Land & C4I of Israel is supplying the armored vehicles for the Philippine Army in a government-to-government contract entered by the DND last year.* The M113s to be used are former Belgian Land Component (Belgian Army) M113A1-B vehicles.*

The M113A1-B is the Belgian version of the M113 armored vehicles, with the "B" denoting "Belgium". They were made in Belgium by the Belgian Mechanical Fabrication (BMF) Company. Although designated as an "A1", they are actually very much more similar to the US M113A2 version than the older M113A1. Modifications made by the Belgians include using the same suspension as the US M113A2, and nuclear-biological chemical (NBC) protection, among others. They were built from 1982 to 1988, which means that these vehicles are actually newer than the US-made M113A2. And since World War II ended in 1945, or 37 years after the first M113A1-B rolled out of BMF's factory, these are incorrectly and outrageously termed as vintage World War II era vehicles!

The FMC M113 first appeared in 1960, or 15 years after World War II. The Philippines was among the first users of the type, receiving them in the late 1960s. But the versions being acquired by the Philippines now are newer versions produced between 1979-1986. 


*7. So if they are not vintage, is it true that the vehicles are dilapidated and "bulok"?*
*No. *After the Belgian Land Component reduced its TOE size and replaced older vehicles, the M113A1-B were among those retired from service. The specific M113A1-B units to be sold to the Philippines passed through the Belgian defense company Sabiex International S.A., a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Land & C4I. 

Elbit Systems through Sabiex now has the retired Belgian M113A1-B for the PA and are now doing the refurbishing works in Belgium. But it does not mean the M113A1-B were bought by the State of Israel, as they were acquired by a Belgian company (Sabiex) to be sold to other interested governments or entities. No other military used these vehicles after the Belgians.* If 28 of these vehicles are transferred to the Philippine Army, it may seem that they are already the 3rd hand owner, with the Belgian Land Component as the 1st owner, Sabiex S.A./Elbit Systems as the 2nd owner, and the Philippine Army as the 3rd. But since Sabiex/Elbit does not use the vehicles for military operations, Sabiex and Elbit are similar to sales agents, retailers or consignees in commercial terminologies. So officially, the Philippine Army is the 2nd owner.*

Aside from being newer than the US-sourced M113A2, the Belgian M113A1-B are actually far better in terms of condition and usage. A MaxDefense source confirmed that the M113A1-B units chosen by the Joint Visual Inspection team from the DND and Philippine Army are actually very much new, with only more than 1,000 kilometers mileage! 
How is that possible? It appears that the vehicles chosen by the DND and PA were used by the Belgians only for military and royal parades, displays, and training exercises within Belgium, and were not used in NATO deployments across Europe. They were also among the last units retired by the Belgians before being replaced with the MOWAG Piranha IIIC 8x8 armored vehicle. The Belgians never used the chosen units in any minor or major armed conflict, military operation, or peacekeeping mission. Add to that the fact that the refurbishing includes zero-timing the vehicles. So in effect, these vehicles are practically new!




_A Belgium Land Component M113A1-B. _

Aside from that, as part of the deal between the DND and Elbit Systems, Sabiex will refurbish these M113A1-B vehicles to M113A2+ standards, undergoing a complete refurbishing and overhaul of the body and engine, new Allison TX1001A transmission system, a new fuel system, hydraulic steering system, and an improved suspension.

After refurbishing to M113A2+ standards, the vehicles will be fitted with the advanced remote weapons systems (RWS) made by Elbit Systems, and 76mm gun turrets from decommissioned Philippine Army FV101 Scorpion combat recon vehicles, converting these APCs into armored fighting vehicles. They won't be just bringing in soldiers to the combat zone like what standard M113s do, but because of the advanced weapons systems, they will be with the soldiers in combat in a similar way that other modern IFVs are used by foreign armies.

Once in service, the 28 upgraded M113s are actually the most modern armored vehicles in the Philippine military, being the only one equipped with these advanced features.


*8. The Philippine Army will provide 76mm turrets from decommissioned FV101 Scorpions?*
_*Yes*._ That is part of the deal. *The Philippine Army has several British-made FV101 Scorpion "light tanks" that are out of action for some time due to lack of spare parts. *After several failed attempts to repair and re-engine these Scorpions, the Army decided to retire them for good. Instead of leaving them in the army's storeyards, it was decided that the L23A1 turrets, with its 76mm low pressure gun, are still worth using. As part of the plan, 14 of these turrets will be removed from the Scorpion vehicles.





*Unfortunately, the Philippine Army's fleet of Scorpion CRVTs are declining fast. And with the turrets still working, the Army decided to transplant them to the M113A2+. *


*9. The M113A2+ are in Belgium. The RWS, FCS, and other components are in Israel. The 76mm Turrets are in the Philippines. So how will they be put together?*
The 76mm gun turrets from the Scorpions will be repaired and refurbished locally by the Philippine Army with assistance from Sabiex personnel, using components provided by Elbit Systems. Once upgraded, Elbit Systems will check and accept these turrets and then integrate them with their new Fire Control System, as the RWS and FCS from Israel will be shipped to the Philippines separately from the M113A2+ from Belgium. 

*Once the vehicles, weapons systems, and other components are here, they will be integrated by Elbit Systems in the Philippines, under supervision by the Philippine Army. Elbit Systems being the contractor of the project will make sure that the entire system will be in accordance to the standards required by the client (DND/Army), and will be in charge of warranties, integrated logistics support, and product support.*

There might be questions on why the Philippine Army will do the repair and refurbishing of the L23A1 turrets when Elbit Systems is already part of the project, but it appears that this decision to have the Army do the work with only assistance from Sabiex/Elbit was made even before the contract was signed. Aside from these, the contract between the DND and Elbit Systems includes the provision of 4 free armored recovery vehicles by Elbit Systems. 


*10. What, free Armored Recovery Vehicles?*
_*Yes*. _The contract between the DND and Elbit Systems actually cover only 24 vehicles. *These are the 4 units to be installed with 25mm RWS gun system, 6 with 12.7mm RWS gun systems, and 14 with the refurbished 76mm gun turrets from the Scorpions.* As part of the deal, Elbit will give 4 refurbished M113A2+ in armored recovery vehicle configuration. This was even reported previously by the media.




_Photo taken from Sabiex's website. _


*11. So is 100+ free M113A2 better than 28 refurbished M113s from Belgium-Israel?*
*Neither. *The Philippine Army both needs quantity and quality. Its TOE requires hundreds of tracked armored vehicles in its inventory, and even if the 114 M113A2 from the US and 28 M113A2+ from Israel comes, the PA will still need more. While 114 M113A2 seems better than 28 M113A2+, many fail to consider that the 28 M113A2+ to be delivered by Elbit Systems are fully refurbished, almost new, technologically superior, and heavily armed variants as compared to those from the US grant. If you put the 28 M113A2+ to combat against the 114 M113A2, MaxDefense believes the upgraded units will definitely hold its own even if they are less in numbers.

In the end, the Philippine Army needs both projects to be implemented and delivered. *And the PA will need to request more funding to acquire more armored vehicles, which include the future plan to have Main Battle Tanks in its arsenal.*

*12. Is there anything wrong with buying second hand, refurbished military equipment?*
_*No*._ Our lawmakers, decision makers, and the public must understand that the military's modernization program requires tens of billions of dollars to fully implement and transform it to first class, modern armed forces. Tens of billions of dollars that the government does not provide, and instead only a few million dollars are made available every year. If we insist on buying new equipment everytime, until when can the AFP realize its required number of equipment then? 
*In its current plans, the Philippine Army may require up to 700 tracked armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles to fill its TOE. Currently it only has less than 150. Add the 114 surplus M113A2 from the US and 28 M113A2+ from Belgium/Israel and we now have less than 300 units. So the Army is still lacking 400 units! Another example: the Philippine Air Force requires around 100 serviceable combat utility helicopters at any given time. So it means they need at least 135 helicopters, considering maintenance and servicing for other units. Currently they have 40 units combined for working and non-working aircraft.* They are buying 8 new Bell 412EP, so that brings 48 units. If the PAF bought more new Bell 412EP instead of refurbished Dornier-Bell UH-1D, the budget allocated by the government cannot even buy 3 new helicopters! So when the can the PAF get their 135 helicopters?

Refurbishing of old military equipment is a normal trend around the world that has becoming more prevalent with the defense cuts faced by even the richest countries. Service Life Extension Programs (SLEP) is a refurbishing and upgrading program that involves overhauling the entire equipment, replacing damaged or old parts with new ones, restoring the body and other non-moving parts, and installing upgrades to improve the vehicle's performance. This is what was done to the 28 M113A1-B from Belgium to become the M113A2+ the Philippine Army specified. 




_Singapore refurbished their M113 fleet by installing new technology and replaced old parts. It also included the installation of a RWS system as shown above.
Photo taken from tanknutdave's website. _

Aside from the Philippines, the latest country to have bought refurbished M113A1-B from Belgium and supplied by Sabiex is the Indonesian Army. Some of the M113s were even delivered in time for the 69th Anniversary of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) last year.

Indonesia's Belgian-made M113A1-B supplied by Sabiex S.A. The first batch shown above were delivered on time to be included in the 69th Anniversary of the Indonesian Armed Forces. On the left is the ARV variant, which the PA will receive 4. The vehicle on the right is the standard APC variant.
Photo taken from fallenpx's Flicr account.

Even the richest countries with defense budgets several times higher than the Philippine military gets acquire second hand and refurbished equipment depending on the urgency, schedule, and budget flow they are facing. Several examples: Singapore bought 100+ used Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany, and with refurbishing, they are now the most modern and most capable main battle tanks in Southeast Asia. Indonesia with a military modernization budget of US$15 billion in 5 years (the PH is less than US$2 billion in the same timeline), also recently acquired 100+ refurbished Leopard 2A4 tanks and 50 refurbished Marder IFVs from Germany, and upgraded most of them to become as capable as Singapore's Leopard 2SG. They also recently acquired 24 mothballed F-16C/D from the and upgraded them to become one of their top fighters in their Air Force. Japan bought used refurbished C-130H Hercules transport aircraft from the US recently, which they used in the recently concluded Cope North Exercises. Australia bought second hand refurbished M1A1 Abrams tanks from the US. Thailand's entire tank fleet, with exception to their new tanks from Ukraine, are actually used surplus US Army stocks. Taiwan is a regular buyer of refurbished naval ships from the US, with recent procurements include the _Kidd_-class destroyers and _Oliver Hazard Perry_-class frigates. Chile is the best example of a capable military using refurbished equipment, with used missile frigates from UK and the Netherlands, used fighters (F-16AM/BM) from the Netherlands, and used tanks and armored vehicles from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the US (Leopard 2, Leopard 1, Marder, YPR-765, M113), they are now one of the most capable armed forces in South America! Even America, with all its power and money, recently bought used AV-8B Harrier jets retired by the British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy! So what the Philippines did is nothing wrong, but just being practical and realistic.








_The most modern main battle tanks in Southeast Asia, the Singaporean Leopard 2SG (above) and the Indonesian Leopard 2 Revolution (below), are nothing more but decades old, second hand, refurbished Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany. And yet they are more capable than the most modern and newest main battle tanks from China. _


*13. Finally, what do our lawmakers and government need to do to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines?*
If our lawmakers really desire that our soldiers get the best equipment available, all they need to do is increase the annual defense procurement budget. Recently, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Pio Catapang stressed the need to increase the annual military modernization budget to at least 1% of the annual national government budget. That request is a very modest one, but still the government is having problems granting that practical request. If the government is really serious to improve the country's armed forces, then provide what they need.
Another important matter is that the procurement process for defense equipment must be changed immediately. Not only does tendering enable certain entities of learning a lot of details on the military's requirements, but it also stops the military from getting the best product they require due to the process of having the cheapest product win. It also delays important projects, which is a very crucial factor especially that the country is facing a lot of internal and external threats, as well as environmental ones.

*There might be a possibility of corruption and illegal activities brought up by Mr. Erwin Tulfo with regards to his report on the acquisition of M113s. *But the way the report was made showed lack of understanding on the product being demonized. It appears now to be no different from the false accusations made by another reporter regarding the capabilities and history of the Dornier-Bell UH-1D.

Like what MaxDefense pointed out in its previous blog on the Dornier-Bell UH-1D, reporters should not make baseless statements and reports against the equipment involved just to create a foundation for their accusations. There's no need to do that! And the worst part is, they are feeding the general public wrong information when it is the media's responsibility to look for the truth! If the truth is what they are searching for, then they must start from a strong foundation of truth as well.

There is nothing wrong with the calls for investigations because it is for the benefit of the Filipino people to know the truth. But if certain individuals, media, or organizations accuse DND and AFP officials of corruption, all they have to do is go directly to the issue, show evidence that there are indeed irregularities on the deals. No need to blow out the issue by making made-up stories and erroneously tainting the product's image with untrue or incorrect information, which can be debunked by people who knows their military equipment very well or even by simple research.

MaxDefense will be closely monitoring this projects and will be posting updates later on should more information arrive.

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MaxDefense: Questions Answered on Erroneous Reports on the Acquisition of M113 APC from the US and Israel for the Philippine Army
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## Dakila

*US, Japan reaffirm ties with Philippines, vow support for Mindanao peace*
The Philippine Star
April 9, 2015
*



*
MANILA, Philippines - They may be enemies during World War II but both are now allies of the Philippines for peace and security.

During the commemoration of the Day of Valor in Bataan on Thursday, the United States' and Japan's ambassadors to the Philippines expressed support for the country amid the growing tensions in the disputed South China Sea.

American Ambassador Philip Goldberg reiterated US President Barack Obama's statement last year that their defense commitment to the Philippines is "ironclad."

"In good times and bad, we stand together, shoulder-to-shoulder. In 2015, as in 1942, we face challenges and threats together as partners, friends, and in many cases now, family," Goldberg said in his speech.

"And when the Philippines is threatened, it is not alone," he added.

Goldberg said the US is working with its former enemy, Japan, in defending the Asia-Pacific region.

"And when we talk about the defense of our common interests and values, let us not forget that 70 years after the end of World War II, we are joined in our efforts to protect the security and defense of this region by Japan. Yesterday’s enemies are today’s allies and strategic partners," he said.

*Defense alliance with Japan*

Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa apologized for Japan's atrocities during World War II, but he assured that his country has become a "peace-loving" nation that upholds human rights and respects the rule of law.

He said Japan is determined to make greater contributions toward peace, stability and prosperity for the Asia-Pacific region and the entire international community.

*"We are very pleased to work together with the Philippines, the United States, and all of our partners to this end. Seventy years ago, we were enemies. Now, we are friends, close friends. May this friendship be forever,"* he said.

Ishikawa said the alliance between the Philippines and Japan has been expanding through security and defense cooperation.

The Japanese official said the two nations signed a memorandum of defense cooperation and exchange in last January in Tokyo.

"Our cooperation in maritime security issues based upon the rule of law is a good example," he said.

*Peace in Mindanao*

Ishikawa said Japan is not only a partner of the Philippines in trade, infrastructure and socioeconomic development and during times of disasters.

"Peace building in Mindanao has also become one of the top priorities for assistance from Japan," he said.

Goldberg, meanwhile, remembered the police commandos who died in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January during an operation against high-valued terrorists.

"We honor all those who have fallen in the name of freedom, and we also honor the memory and heroism of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) members who laid down their lives to protect us all against a modern scourge: international terrorism," he said.

The Philippines is commemorating the Day of Valor amid the political crisis over the Mamasapano incident.

The peace process in Mindanao now hangs in the balance after the SAF troopers were killed in the hands of Moro rebels.

The Mamasapano tragedy has also ignited calls for the resignation of President Benigno Aquino III, who has been under heavy fire for his perceived ineptitude in handling the Mamasapano mission.
*

Japan e-tricycle maker targets 6,000 units; makes the Philippines its hub*
Business Mirror
April 8, 2015

BEMAC Uzushio Electric Co. Ltd, a Japan-based electrical equipment supplier, is making the Philippines its manufacturing hub in the Asean region for its locally manufactured electric tricycle.

The company, through its local unit Bemac Electric Transportation Philippines, said it already invested in an assembly facility in Carmona, Cavite in 2013, making it the first electric vehicle maker in the country with a full assembly line.

The Japanese firm launched the Bemac 68VM Electric Vehicle, an e-tricycle, on Tuesday. It has partnered with local bus and truck manufacturer Almazora Motors Philippines for the assembly of the vehicle and has invested an accumulated P500 million since it began local operations in 2013.

The 68VM is priced at P450,000 inclusive of value-added tax and is over 60 percent locally sourced.

“Our sales target for the year is 3,000 [units] to 6,000 units and the year after that 10,000 units. This is in line with our plan to make the Philippines our home base or the hub in the Asean region. Preparations are in place to achieve this,” Yvonne Palomar Castro, assistant vice president for Bemac Philippines, said.

Initial preparations, according to Castro, entail scouring other markets in the Asean to export the electric vehicle from the Philippines.

Castro said they hope to deliver the first order by 2016 after the marketing studies in the Asean are done. She also said Malaysia, Thailand and possibly India are likely candidates as export markets.

Masato Oda, president of Bemac, said the long-haul view is to make the Philippines their regional hub. But for now, the domestic market and not the larger regional market is the focus of the company.

“The focus of the company is really to cater to the domestic market now. If in the future other countries become interested and we go over the capacity, that’s the time that we put in more investments in the Philippines or in other countries,” Oda said.

The Bemac Cavite plant has a maximum annual production capacity of 12,000 units, according to Oda.

The company looks to the domestic mass public transport sector to fuel its growth and has started engaging mass-transport operators, as well as local government units as possible clients. It is also aims to pursue programs with future clients to train personnel on managing and maintaining the electric vehicles.

The company’s future plans include introducing an e-jeepney as early as 2016. Bemac Uzushio Electric Co. Ltd is a top supplier of electrical products for shipping lines and factories, with presence in China, Vietnam, Singapore employing 1,500 workers.



*Philippine burger chain sets sights on Europe, Japan*
Nikkei staff writer






MANILA -- Philippine fast-food giant Jollibee Foods is considering Japan or Europe for the next leg of its global expansion.

Chief Financial Officer Ysmael Baysa said on March 24 the company might open stores in these areas in the next two to three years.

Baysa said he is still searching for the right locations, preferably ones with large Filipino communities. Government statistics show there are about 240,000 Filipino expats in Japan and some 770,000 in Europe as of 2012.

Jollibee Foods has also been successful in expanding in countries like Vietnam and China, where there are relatively few Filipinos. In these areas, Jollibee offers meals that are already popular with local customers, such as _pho_ in Vietnam and noodles in China.

However, Jollibee is unsure whether this strategy will work in Europe, which is already dominated by McDonald's, and in Japan, which has established homegrown fast-food chains.

"It depends on the competitive situation, and the consumer behavior and profile," Baysa told reporters when asked how the company decides its expansion strategy. "In the case of Vietnam, it is not yet a very well-developed market. In many towns, we are the first fast-food chain, so we develop the market."

This year, the company hopes to open its first Jollibee store in Toronto, and expand its existing network in the Middle East, where the largest group of expat Filipinos live. Its joint venture with Asian investment company RRJ Capital Master Fund II will also begin rolling out Dunkin' Donuts stores in parts of China this year.

The company, which operates a dozen restaurant brands, has set aside larger capital expenditure this year -- 9.1 billion pesos ($203 million) from 5.4 billion pesos in 2014 -- to open 330 restaurants, 220 in the Philippines and 110 overseas.

Jollibee Foods, which dwarfs McDonald's store count in the Philippines, was founded by Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong as an ice cream shop in Manila in the 1970s. Three decades later, it is one of the biggest fast-food companies in Asia by market capitalization.

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## Aepsilons

Dakila said:


> *US, Japan reaffirm ties with Philippines, vow support for Mindanao peace*
> The Philippine Star
> April 9, 2015
> *
> View attachment 213450
> *
> MANILA, Philippines - They may be enemies during World War II but both are now allies of the Philippines for peace and security.
> 
> During the commemoration of the Day of Valor in Bataan on Thursday, the United States' and Japan's ambassadors to the Philippines expressed support for the country amid the growing tensions in the disputed South China Sea.
> 
> American Ambassador Philip Goldberg reiterated US President Barack Obama's statement last year that their defense commitment to the Philippines is "ironclad."
> 
> "In good times and bad, we stand together, shoulder-to-shoulder. In 2015, as in 1942, we face challenges and threats together as partners, friends, and in many cases now, family," Goldberg said in his speech.
> 
> "And when the Philippines is threatened, it is not alone," he added.
> 
> Goldberg said the US is working with its former enemy, Japan, in defending the Asia-Pacific region.
> 
> "And when we talk about the defense of our common interests and values, let us not forget that 70 years after the end of World War II, we are joined in our efforts to protect the security and defense of this region by Japan. Yesterday’s enemies are today’s allies and strategic partners," he said.
> 
> *Defense alliance with Japan*
> 
> Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa apologized for Japan's atrocities during World War II, but he assured that his country has become a "peace-loving" nation that upholds human rights and respects the rule of law.
> 
> He said Japan is determined to make greater contributions toward peace, stability and prosperity for the Asia-Pacific region and the entire international community.
> 
> *"We are very pleased to work together with the Philippines, the United States, and all of our partners to this end. Seventy years ago, we were enemies. Now, we are friends, close friends. May this friendship be forever,"* he said.
> 
> Ishikawa said the alliance between the Philippines and Japan has been expanding through security and defense cooperation.
> 
> The Japanese official said the two nations signed a memorandum of defense cooperation and exchange in last January in Tokyo.
> 
> "Our cooperation in maritime security issues based upon the rule of law is a good example," he said.
> 
> *Peace in Mindanao*
> 
> Ishikawa said Japan is not only a partner of the Philippines in trade, infrastructure and socioeconomic development and during times of disasters.
> 
> "Peace building in Mindanao has also become one of the top priorities for assistance from Japan," he said.
> 
> Goldberg, meanwhile, remembered the police commandos who died in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January during an operation against high-valued terrorists.
> 
> "We honor all those who have fallen in the name of freedom, and we also honor the memory and heroism of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) members who laid down their lives to protect us all against a modern scourge: international terrorism," he said.
> 
> The Philippines is commemorating the Day of Valor amid the political crisis over the Mamasapano incident.
> 
> The peace process in Mindanao now hangs in the balance after the SAF troopers were killed in the hands of Moro rebels.
> 
> The Mamasapano tragedy has also ignited calls for the resignation of President Benigno Aquino III, who has been under heavy fire for his perceived ineptitude in handling the Mamasapano mission.
> *
> 
> Japan e-tricycle maker targets 6,000 units; makes the Philippines its hub*
> Business Mirror
> April 8, 2015
> 
> BEMAC Uzushio Electric Co. Ltd, a Japan-based electrical equipment supplier, is making the Philippines its manufacturing hub in the Asean region for its locally manufactured electric tricycle.
> 
> The company, through its local unit Bemac Electric Transportation Philippines, said it already invested in an assembly facility in Carmona, Cavite in 2013, making it the first electric vehicle maker in the country with a full assembly line.
> 
> The Japanese firm launched the Bemac 68VM Electric Vehicle, an e-tricycle, on Tuesday. It has partnered with local bus and truck manufacturer Almazora Motors Philippines for the assembly of the vehicle and has invested an accumulated P500 million since it began local operations in 2013.
> 
> The 68VM is priced at P450,000 inclusive of value-added tax and is over 60 percent locally sourced.
> 
> “Our sales target for the year is 3,000 [units] to 6,000 units and the year after that 10,000 units. This is in line with our plan to make the Philippines our home base or the hub in the Asean region. Preparations are in place to achieve this,” Yvonne Palomar Castro, assistant vice president for Bemac Philippines, said.
> 
> Initial preparations, according to Castro, entail scouring other markets in the Asean to export the electric vehicle from the Philippines.
> 
> Castro said they hope to deliver the first order by 2016 after the marketing studies in the Asean are done. She also said Malaysia, Thailand and possibly India are likely candidates as export markets.
> 
> Masato Oda, president of Bemac, said the long-haul view is to make the Philippines their regional hub. But for now, the domestic market and not the larger regional market is the focus of the company.
> 
> “The focus of the company is really to cater to the domestic market now. If in the future other countries become interested and we go over the capacity, that’s the time that we put in more investments in the Philippines or in other countries,” Oda said.
> 
> The Bemac Cavite plant has a maximum annual production capacity of 12,000 units, according to Oda.
> 
> The company looks to the domestic mass public transport sector to fuel its growth and has started engaging mass-transport operators, as well as local government units as possible clients. It is also aims to pursue programs with future clients to train personnel on managing and maintaining the electric vehicles.
> 
> The company’s future plans include introducing an e-jeepney as early as 2016. Bemac Uzushio Electric Co. Ltd is a top supplier of electrical products for shipping lines and factories, with presence in China, Vietnam, Singapore employing 1,500 workers.
> 
> 
> 
> *Philippine burger chain sets sights on Europe, Japan*
> Nikkei staff writer
> 
> View attachment 213451
> 
> 
> MANILA -- Philippine fast-food giant Jollibee Foods is considering Japan or Europe for the next leg of its global expansion.
> 
> Chief Financial Officer Ysmael Baysa said on March 24 the company might open stores in these areas in the next two to three years.
> 
> Baysa said he is still searching for the right locations, preferably ones with large Filipino communities. Government statistics show there are about 240,000 Filipino expats in Japan and some 770,000 in Europe as of 2012.
> 
> Jollibee Foods has also been successful in expanding in countries like Vietnam and China, where there are relatively few Filipinos. In these areas, Jollibee offers meals that are already popular with local customers, such as _pho_ in Vietnam and noodles in China.
> 
> However, Jollibee is unsure whether this strategy will work in Europe, which is already dominated by McDonald's, and in Japan, which has established homegrown fast-food chains.
> 
> "It depends on the competitive situation, and the consumer behavior and profile," Baysa told reporters when asked how the company decides its expansion strategy. "In the case of Vietnam, it is not yet a very well-developed market. In many towns, we are the first fast-food chain, so we develop the market."
> 
> This year, the company hopes to open its first Jollibee store in Toronto, and expand its existing network in the Middle East, where the largest group of expat Filipinos live. Its joint venture with Asian investment company RRJ Capital Master Fund II will also begin rolling out Dunkin' Donuts stores in parts of China this year.
> 
> The company, which operates a dozen restaurant brands, has set aside larger capital expenditure this year -- 9.1 billion pesos ($203 million) from 5.4 billion pesos in 2014 -- to open 330 restaurants, 220 in the Philippines and 110 overseas.
> 
> Jollibee Foods, which dwarfs McDonald's store count in the Philippines, was founded by Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong as an ice cream shop in Manila in the 1970s. Three decades later, it is one of the biggest fast-food companies in Asia by market capitalization.





May the partnership between Japan and the Philippines be forever. We Japanese will support you guys through whatever end. We will never leave Philippines alone, ever.

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## Cossack25A1

Dakila said:


> *Philippine burger chain sets sights on Europe, Japan*
> Nikkei staff writer
> 
> View attachment 213451
> 
> 
> MANILA -- Philippine fast-food giant Jollibee Foods is considering Japan or Europe for the next leg of its global expansion.
> 
> Chief Financial Officer Ysmael Baysa said on March 24 the company might open stores in these areas in the next two to three years.
> 
> Baysa said he is still searching for the right locations, preferably ones with large Filipino communities. Government statistics show there are about 240,000 Filipino expats in Japan and some 770,000 in Europe as of 2012.
> 
> Jollibee Foods has also been successful in expanding in countries like Vietnam and China, where there are relatively few Filipinos. In these areas, Jollibee offers meals that are already popular with local customers, such as _pho_ in Vietnam and noodles in China.
> 
> However, Jollibee is unsure whether this strategy will work in Europe, which is already dominated by McDonald's, and in Japan, which has established homegrown fast-food chains.
> 
> "It depends on the competitive situation, and the consumer behavior and profile," Baysa told reporters when asked how the company decides its expansion strategy. "In the case of Vietnam, it is not yet a very well-developed market. In many towns, we are the first fast-food chain, so we develop the market."
> 
> This year, the company hopes to open its first Jollibee store in Toronto, and expand its existing network in the Middle East, where the largest group of expat Filipinos live. Its joint venture with Asian investment company RRJ Capital Master Fund II will also begin rolling out Dunkin' Donuts stores in parts of China this year.
> 
> The company, which operates a dozen restaurant brands, has set aside larger capital expenditure this year -- 9.1 billion pesos ($203 million) from 5.4 billion pesos in 2014 -- to open 330 restaurants, 220 in the Philippines and 110 overseas.
> 
> Jollibee Foods, which dwarfs McDonald's store count in the Philippines, was founded by Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong as an ice cream shop in Manila in the 1970s. Three decades later, it is one of the biggest fast-food companies in Asia by market capitalization.



Jollibee sa Japan at Europe...

Mukhan malayo mararating nito. XD


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Jollibee sa Japan at Europe...
> 
> Mukhan malayo mararating nito. XD



Pwede na pwede ! Meron Jollibee sa USA , Pwede na Pwede ! 

Question land Ito sayo, 'amigo, Pwede ba teriyaki pancit combo ? Ha ha ha.

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Pwede na pwede ! Meron Jollibee sa USA , Pwede na Pwede !
> 
> Question land Ito sayo, 'amigo, Pwede ba teriyaki pancit combo ? Ha ha ha.



Sigurado pwede XD

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Sigurado pwede XD



Ha ha ha! Gusto ko yan!

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## Dakila

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Ha ha ha! Gusto ko yan!


Filipino ka rin ba Nihonjin or half? Nakakaintindi ka Tagalog? galing!


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## Aepsilons

Dakila said:


> Filipino ka rin ba Nihonjin or half? Nakakaintindi ka Tagalog? galing!



Hindi ako Pinoy, pero intindihan ako Tagalog, intindi ako sa Visaya dahil na bisitar ako sa Pinas. I've been to the Philippines plenty of times and have had close associates in Cebu, Makati , Manila. 

Ikaw, intindi ka sa Hapones?




-----------------
*Japanese firm assembling electric tricycles in Philippines*


MANILA – A Japanese electric vehicle manufacturer has begun mass producing electric tricycles in the Philippines.

BEMAC Electric Transportation Philippines Inc., a subsidiary of Japan-based Uzushio Electric Co., is capable of producing at least 500 e-trikes a month.

“The Philippines is the biggest market for this kind of vehicle,” company executive Takahiro Innami said on the sidelines of the launch ceremony Tuesday at a hotel in Manila.

“Tonight, we, BEMAC group, are making a pledge . . . of bringing back the beautiful Philippines,” Masato Oda, president of Uzushio Electric, said in a speech at the ceremony.

BEMAC opened in the Philippines in 2013, tying up with a local manufacturer to set up an assembly line in Cavite province, south of Manila, for its 68VM electric tricycle.

The 450,000 pesos ($10,100) model is powered by an AC motor and lithium-ion rechargeable battery. It carries a driver and six passengers and can travel at speeds of up to 50 kph.

A few years ago, the Asian Development Bank launched a $300 million loan assistance program to the Philippine government for the delivery of 100,000 electric tricycles.

Heherson Alvarez, adviser to President Benigno Aquino III on global warming and climate change, said the 68VM could contribute to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in the Philippines.

The BEMAC project is also seen as helping to generate jobs locally. Currently, it employs up to 40 staff.

Innami said the company is already talking to potential buyers, including those in popular sightseeing areas “which care about the environment” as well as tricycle operators in Manila. “If we have more orders, then we’ll increase our production volume here,” he said.

Innami said the company has plans to expand into Vietnam and Thailand in the future.


Japanese firm assembling electric tricycles in Philippines | The Japan Times


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## Dakila

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Hindi ako Pinoy, pero intindihan ako Tagalog, intindi ako sa Visaya dahil na bisitar ako sa Pinas. I've been to the Philippines plenty of times and have had close associates in Cebu, Makati , Manila.
> 
> Ikaw, intindi ka sa Hapones?


Mukha ka kasing pinoy hehe. Dinaig mo ako, hindi kasi ako marunong mag bisaya, tagalog lang pero seryoso sana hindi ka mag sawang bumisita sa pinas.

No, I don't speak Japanese but I admire the values & culture of your people. Your discipline is indeed remarkable that we need to follow.

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## Dakila

*US, Japan reiterate commitment as Philippines’ strategic partners*
April 10th, 2015

Known to be World War II opposing forces, United States and Japan express commitment to stand with Philippines in preserving peace and stability in the region as strategic partners. US Ambassador Philip Goldberg and Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa – during the commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan, April 9 at Mt. Samat shrine in Bataan – both reminisced how former enemies turned into strategic partners.


*“We all remember and never forget what happened here. Defeated in World War II, Japan has built up a free and democratic nation that upholds human rights and respects the rule of law,” *the Japanese Ambassador said. *“Seventy years ago, we were enemies. Now, we are friends, close friends. May this friendship be forever.”*

“Our cooperation in maritime security issues based upon the rule of law is a good example. Just this January, two defense ministers signed a memorandum of defense cooperation and exchange in Tokyo,” Ambassador Ishikawa said.

While Ambassador Goldberg said “make no mistake, as President Obama said last year during his visit to Manila, ‘our commitment to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty is ironclad.’ In good times and bad, we stand together, shoulder to shoulder.”

*“Yesterday’s enemies are today’s allies and strategic partners—yet another legacy of the sacrifice and heroism of US and Filipino soldiers so long ago,” *the American top diplomat noted.



*Stocks resume record-setting pace*
April 11, 2015 

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rallied yesterday, closing above the 8,100 mark for the first time.

The PSEi surged toward its 27th record finish of the year as it climbed 0.9 percent or 74.79 points to end at a new all-time high of* 8,127.48*.

*“This is the measure’s eighth re-setting of the all-time high in the last nine sessions. For the year-to-date’s first 64 sessions, the index has closed at record levels practically (on average) every two to three days,”* said Justino Calaycay Jr., analyst at Accord Capital Equities Corp.

Analysts attributed yesterday’s ascent to foreign factors.

“Equities investors cheered the steep decline in crude futures trade. Consumer spending-sensitive, energy and logistics stocks benefited, as the supply situation prolongs expectation for low oil prices,” said Rens V. Cruz, investment analyst at F Yap Securities Inc.

Most Asian stocks were higher even despite Japan’s Nikkei falling 0.2 percent.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Main indexes in Wall Street posted gains overnight with the Nasdaq and the Dow picking up 0.48 and 0.31 percent, respectively.

All local counters which ended in the green increased by one percent or more. Financial companies led the gainers with a 1.70 percent gain.

Mining and oil firms, meanwhile, lost 1.43 percent while industrial companies fell 0.64 percent.

Market breadth turned positive after days in the negative as advancers beat decliners, 98 to 88, while 51 shares were unchanged.

Reactions: Positive Rating Positive Rating:
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## Aepsilons

Dakila said:


> *US, Japan reiterate commitment as Philippines’ strategic partners*
> April 10th, 2015
> 
> Known to be World War II opposing forces, United States and Japan express commitment to stand with Philippines in preserving peace and stability in the region as strategic partners. US Ambassador Philip Goldberg and Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa – during the commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan, April 9 at Mt. Samat shrine in Bataan – both reminisced how former enemies turned into strategic partners.
> 
> 
> *“We all remember and never forget what happened here. Defeated in World War II, Japan has built up a free and democratic nation that upholds human rights and respects the rule of law,” *the Japanese Ambassador said. *“Seventy years ago, we were enemies. Now, we are friends, close friends. May this friendship be forever.”*
> 
> “Our cooperation in maritime security issues based upon the rule of law is a good example. Just this January, two defense ministers signed a memorandum of defense cooperation and exchange in Tokyo,” Ambassador Ishikawa said.
> 
> While Ambassador Goldberg said “make no mistake, as President Obama said last year during his visit to Manila, ‘our commitment to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty is ironclad.’ In good times and bad, we stand together, shoulder to shoulder.”
> 
> *“Yesterday’s enemies are today’s allies and strategic partners—yet another legacy of the sacrifice and heroism of US and Filipino soldiers so long ago,” *the American top diplomat noted.




The Philippines and Japan have an extraordinary bond, a brotherhood that is not only historical as it is cultural. The first Japanese and Filipino traders were established centuries prior to the arrival of the Spanish. In fact, Japanese vases are even found in some of the old wreckage sites in Butuan City , which is deep in the south of the Philippines, which illustrates the capacity of the Japanese-Filipino trade links. 

WWII was a painful chapter in our historical relationship, tho I am, as many other Japanese, proud to see how both our peoples and nations have risen since the end of the War. 

I wish for both Japan and the Philippines to deepen in regards to partnership. May the Japanese and Filipino cooperation ever remain strong, and our friendship last forever.


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* BOI-registered investments up 17% in Q1 *
 By Louella D. Desiderio (The Philippine Star)
Updated April 11, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Investment pledges approved by the Board of Investments (BOI) posted double-digit growth in the first quarter from a year ago, supported by registrations for big-ticket projects in the energy sector.

BOI managing head Adrian Cristobal Jr. said in a briefing yesterday that investments registered with the agency went up 17 percent to P54.62 billion in the first quarter this year from P46.77 billion last year.

The investment pledges were made for a total of 59 projects and are expected to generate 18,174 jobs, 65 percent higher than last year’s 11,636 jobs.

Cristobal attributed the increase in investment pledges to big-ticket projects in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply sector which generated P13.76 billion worth of investments, 30 percent higher than the previous year’s P10.54 billion.

The manufacturing sector also contributed to the increase as it posted more than 500 percent year-on-year uptick in investments to P12.90 billion.

Cristobal said the government’s manufacturing resurgence program has helped attract more investments in the sector.

Other sectors which contributed to the higher investment pledges for the first quarter were transportation and storage with P10.48 billion and real estate activities with P9.09 billion.

Of the total investments approved, the bulk or 96 percent amounting to P52.25 billion came from local investors, while the balance of four percent worth P2.38 billion was accounted for by foreign sources.

“BOI in the past decade has catered more to domestic projects… It shows there is strong domestic confidence among Filipino or firms that are already here. A bulk of foreign investments coming in go to export processing zones. They are usually for exports,” Cristobal said.

Out of the total foreign investment pledges in the first quarter, Singapore accounted for 59 percent or P1.41 billion.

Other countries with significant investment contributions for the period are British Virgin Islands (P877.75 million), People’s Republic of China (P31.19 million), Cooks Island (P8.87 million), Denmark (P8.87 million), Norway (P8.83 million), Bermuda (P 8.82 million), Japan (P 8.77 million), Germany (P7.77million), United Kingdom (P4 million) and India (P3.37 million).

In terms of location of projects, Region 4 received the biggest share of investments at P13.47 billion.

The National Capital Region came in second with P8.62 billion worth of investment projects followed by Region 6 with P7.49 billion, Region 7 with P6.86 billion, and Region 10 with P5.22 billion.

For the rest of the year, the BOI expects continued growth in investments.

“We don’t have a target for this year. What we are looking for are quality of investments and quality of jobs but of course, we want to see increase in investments,” Cristobal said.

Last year, investment pledges with the BOI dropped 24 percent to P354.76 billion from P466.03 billion in 2013.

-----
BOI-registered investments up 17% in Q1 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* FDIs drop 71% to $263 M in Jan *
 By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star)
Updated April 11, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign direct investments dropped 71 percent to $263 million in January from $905 million in the same period last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported yesterday.

Equity capital or fresh investments made by foreign companies in their Philippine subsidiaries and affiliates went down 88 percent to $25 million from $201 million.

The BSP said these funds came mainly from the United States, Germany, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Japan.

The investments were put into wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, real estate, financial and insurance, and professional, scientific and technical activities, the central bank said.

Reinvestment of earnings, meanwhile, slid 42 percent to $70 million from $120 million, the BSP said. Placements in debt instruments or borrowings made by local units from their parent firms abroad also fell 71 percent to $167 million in January from $584 million in the same month last year.

In 2014, FDIs climbed to a record high of $6.201 billion, up 66 percent from $3.737 billion in 2013.

The central bank attributed the growth to strong investor confidence in the economy’s prospects.

-----
FDIs drop 71% to $263 M in Jan | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* DOTC bids out P17-B Davao port project *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 11, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has finally rolled out the P17-billion modernization project as well as operation and maintenance (O&M) of the Davao Sasa port.

In an invitation to pre-qualify and bid, the DOTC through the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) invited interested companies to join the international competitive bidding of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project.

“The DOTC and the PPA are inviting local and international companies to pre-qualify and bid to finance, design, redevelop, operate, and maintain the Davao Sasa port modernization project,” the invitation indicated.

The government has tapped the International Finance Corp. (IFC) of the World Bank (WB) as well as the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to act as the transaction advisors for the bidding to be conducted in accordance with the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law.

“The two-stage system for the open solicitation bids under the BOT Law will be applied, in this process. Bidders are first pre-qualified based on minimum legal, technical and financial requirements set by the DOTC and PPA,” the government said.

Furthermore, only pre-qualified bidders would be allowed to submit their technical and financial proposals for the bidding of the country’s first seaport PPP project.

The PPP project covers the modernization of the exiting port and the establishment of a dedicated container handling facilities with an initial design capacity of 1,900 container ground slots to a minimum of 2,700 container ground slots.

It also involves the construction of a new apron, development of a linear quay, expansion of back-up area, provision of container yards and warehouses as well as the installation of appropriate container handling equipment.

The winning bidder would operate and maintain the Davao Sasa port for a period of 30 years.

Davao City serves as the main trade, commerce, and industry center of Mindanao and is known to be one of the fastest growing cities in the Philippines.

The existing Davao Sasa port is situated in an 18.1-hectare property with a container yard size of 4.15 hectares that could accommodate 864 containers. The port has an annual capacity of 550,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

The government currently has 13 PPP projects worth P400.8 billion currently under procurement.

-----
DOTC bids out P17-B Davao port project | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

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## Dakila

Nihonjin1051 said:


> The Philippines and Japan have an extraordinary bond, a brotherhood that is not only historical as it is cultural. The first Japanese and Filipino traders were established centuries prior to the arrival of the Spanish. In fact, Japanese vases are even found in some of the old wreckage sites in Butuan City , which is deep in the south of the Philippines, which illustrates the capacity of the Japanese-Filipino trade links.
> 
> WWII was a painful chapter in our historical relationship, tho I am, as many other Japanese, proud to see how both our peoples and nations have risen since the end of the War.
> 
> I wish for both Japan and the Philippines to deepen in regards to partnership. May the Japanese and Filipino cooperation ever remain strong, and our friendship last forever.


I couldn't say it any better Nihonjin.
God bless the Philippines  Japan.

*Philippines eyed for advanced US air, navy weaponry*
By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) | April 16, 2015 

*Philippines seeks substantive US support on sea row *

MANILA, Philippines - The United States wants to deploy advanced air and naval equipment to the Philippines, which is seeking “substantive support” from its long-time ally amid China’s massive reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea.

This was according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, who cited US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter’s recent pronouncements. The type or kind of military equipment and materiel was not specified.

*“According to the new Department of Defense secretary in the United States, Secretary Carter, they are already looking at deploying to the Philippines various advanced equipment, air force equipment, naval equipment, maritime domain equipment. These were outlined by Secretary Carter recently and we welcome this,”* Del Rosario said in an interview on ANC.

Carter’s announcement came after US President Barack Obama expressed concern over China’s using its “sheer size and muscle” to push around smaller nations in the region, particularly the Philippines.

“The first time that it was announced was a few days ago... this is the first time we are hearing about it. We have not engaged in discussion so we will find out more about what these plans involve,” Del Rosario said.

He said the equipment – possibly to include a weapons system – would be manned by US personnel.

*“It will require US presence. We have not talked about what extent this will happen but with those equipment you can surmise that there will be a US presence,”* he added.

*“We are, at this point, seeking additional support from the United States in terms of being able to take a stronger position in defending our position, which is to uphold the rule of law,”* Del Rosario told journalists later yesterday.

Del Rosario is set to visit the US in two weeks to meet with members of the US Congress, with whom he is likely to discuss the developments in the West Philippine Sea, particularly China’s massive reclamation activities.

A meeting with Carter and US Secretary of State John Kerry is also expected to take place during Del Rosario’s visit.

He noted that the US government is looking at the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea problem in terms of three elements – China’s massive reclamation activities, construction of facilities such as airstrips and harbors, and the militarization of these facilities.

*“The Philippines is saying that we should get together and study how we can uphold the rule of law together not only with the United States but with the entire international community,”* he said.

Del Rosario reiterated that the reclamation projects were proof of China’s aggression in the region.

“And not only are they using it to define the nine-dash line but they feel that it will serve to undermine our case with the arbitral tribunal because what they are trying to do is they are taking features and changing the character and nature and the maritime entitlements of those features,” Del Rosario said.

“They are not allowed to do that but UNCLOS says that even if they do that, the UNCLOS will look not at what there is now but what it was before they built these features,” he said, referring to the reclaimed lands in the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippines protested China’s seven massive reclamation activities, saying they were a violation not only of international law but also of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

The DOC calls for self-restraint in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea, including altering of features in contested waters.

“We are looking at our options now,” Del Rosario said without elaborating.

Next week, 11,500 Filipino and American soldiers are taking part in the largest-ever 10-day war games in the Philippines, called Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder), setting into motion the US rebalance to Asia policy.

China claims most of the potentially energy rich South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims.

China yesterday bristled at recent comments by President Aquino in an interview with AFP.

Aquino said China is engendering fear around the world with its posture in the South China Sea’s disputed waters, and that it’s possible conflict over territorial disputes could break out.

“The accusation is groundless,” said Hong Lei, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, in a regular briefing. “We urge the Philippines to respect China’s territorial sovereignty.”

The Philippines has called “unacceptable” China’s assurance that its massive reclamation in the West Philippine Sea was not causing environmental damage. Manila earlier said coastal communities are facing $100-million losses annually from China’s reclamation activities, citing a United Nations Environment Program study.

China is tolerating environmentally harmful fishing practices by its nationals at Bajo de Masinloc, also called Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal off Zambales, according to Philippine authorities.

The Philippines has also expressed concern over China’s announcement that the reclaimed islands and reefs would provide comprehensive services to meet various fisheries and maritime demands.

The DFA said such statements by China only “serve to raise the specter of increasing militarization and threaten peace and stability in the region.”

Analyst say China’s vigorous reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea were being done in anticipation of an adverse ruling on its position by the international arbitral court based in The Hague.

In 2014, the Philippines submitted a voluminous memorial or written argument of its position on the West Philippine Sea issue to the arbitral court. The court, however, has no powers to enforce its ruling.

*Supply problem*

Meanwhile, China has reportedly turned to its citizens with businesses in Southeast Asian countries for help in providing supplies for its personnel and troops currently engaged in massive reclamation operations in the West Philippine Sea, a source in the intelligence community said.

“Facing difficulties in sustaining the presence of their personnel in the region China has turned to its citizens based in Southeast Asia to solve this problem as Hainan is very far,” the source said.

He said several fishing boats seen unloading supplies for the Chinese were found to be Chinese-owned but had come from nearby countries, particularly Malaysia.

China’s occupied area in the Spratlys is 580 miles away from its nearest territory in Hainan’s Yulin naval base, thus making it very costly to deliver food and other provisions needed by thousands of its construction personnel, sailors and marines currently staying in the disputed region.

“We even suspect that the Chinese are also getting food and drinking water, one way or the other, from enterprising Filipinos employed on these foreign-registered fishing boats as we monitored an increasing demand of this basic need to sustain human survival,” the source said.

Kalayaan Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon Jr. expressed doubt on the veracity of the report, saying he had not been notified of the development.

Kalayaan town is a fifth class municipality in Palawan located on Pag-Asa Island, the second biggest island in the Spratlys archipelago.

“It’s highly unlikely that these things are now happening out there,” Bito-onon said. – *Jaime Laude*

*A New Twist in the South China Sea Showdown*
*Nationalinterest*
Malcolm Cook
April 15, 2015

Elections are rarely decided by foreign policy issues, but election results can decide foreign policy issues.

*The 2016 Philippines presidential election looks like it could lead to a sharp change in Manila's approach to its maritime boundary disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea. *The US, Indonesia and Vietnam are taking firmer and more active positions on the South China Sea disputes involving China in the face of Beijing's aggressive reclamation activities targeting Philippine claims. President Aquino has won international support for the Philippines' firm stance.

*But his most likely successor could significantly soften Philippine policy towards China on this issue.*

*Vice-President Jejomar Binay*, despite being the focus of a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigating alleged corruption, is the clear front-runner for the 2016 elections. In the latest Pulse Asia poll on 2016 presidential candidates, *Binay garnered 29% support*, a clear 15% ahead of Senator Grace Poe in second at 14% and a full 25% ahead of Manuel 'Mar' Roxas (Aquino's presumed favoured candidate), at 4%.

(Recommended: China Dominates the Scramble for the South China Sea)

Binay has no foreign policy experience, having risen to national prominence as long-time Mayor of Makati, the wealthiest city in Metro Manila and the country. In one of his first extended interviews addressing foreign policy issues, Binay focused on the prospects for joint Philippines-Chinese development of natural resources in the West Philippine Sea, and downplayed the case filed by the Aquino Administration to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea regarding the Philippines' maritime boundary disputes with China. The ruling on this landmark case is expected to be delivered in mid-2016, potentially at the same time Binay takes over as president.



*Binay: 'China has money, we need capital'*
*Apr 14, 2015*
Vice President Jejomar Binay calls for a 'joint venture' with China in developing the resources in the disputed South China Sea

MANILA, Philippines – In a preview of his approach toward China if elected president, Vice President Jejomar Binay stressed China's economic might as he pushed for bilateral talks between Manila and Beijing over the disputed South China Sea.

*"May pera po ang China, kailangan po natin ng kapital (China has money, we need capital),"* Binay said in an interview on Saturday, April 12, over the radio station DZYM in Catarman, Northern Samar.

His office sent to reporters the transcript of the interview on Tuesday, April 14.

*In particular, he called for a "joint venture" between the Philippines and China in developing the natural resources in the South China Sea, parts of which the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea.*

The Vice President – who wants to become Philippine president in 2016 – said he hopes the Philippines can improve its trade relations with China despite the maritime dispute.

Binay made these comments days before President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday said China's actions in the South China Sea should spark fear around the world.

Earlier, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) slammed China for building artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea.

On Monday, April 13, the DFA said China's reclamation activities in the disputed waters have destroyed 300 acres of coral reefs and resulted in around $100 million in economic losses among coastal states.

In contrast to Binay's personal stance, the Philippines under Aquino has issued more provocative statements against the Asian giant.

*Sea row 'until after death'*

The Philippines' boldest move against China came in January 2013. It filed an arbitration case against China before an arbitral tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague, The Netherlands, to demolish China's expansive claims over the South China Sea.

Pursuing this case, the Philippines filed a 4,000-page memorial or pleading against China in March 2014, and submitted a 3,000-page supplemental memorial in March 2015.

Manila expects a ruling against China by 2016.

Binay pointed out, however, that China will refuse to heed the arbitral tribunal's ruling. 

For him, this means the Philippines should continue its dialogue with China over the two countries' competing claims over the South China Sea, which the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea.

*"'Yung problema natin sa Tsina, nakakalungkot, pero tanggapin po natin na hindi naman po matatapos 'yan kaagad. Siguro, ilang taon na tayong namamatay eh hindi pa rin nareresolba 'yan," *he said in the radio interview.

*(The problem with China, sadly, will not be resolved immediately. Perhaps we would have died by many years, and we wouldn't have resolved the problem.)*

In a position close to Binay's, Filipino-Chinese businessmen earlier said the Philippines should set aside its differences with China to avoid missed opportunities for the Southeast Asian country.

Dr Alfonso Siy, president of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Incorporated, said in February: "The Chinese are getting rich and starting to travel. Chinese tourists are very rich and love to spend money so it’s a good opportunity to get more businesses, income, and create jobs."

Latest government data show China is the Philippines' third biggest trading partner, following Japan and the United States. 


-----------------

So the very thing that Aquino is fighting for since day 1 will be put to waste once this man ever be elected as President. Do you think he's trying to be practical in a way that our country will gain more?

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## Cossack25A1

Dakila said:


> So the very thing that Aquino is fighting for since day 1 will be put to waste once this man ever be elected as President. Do you think he's trying to be practical in a way that our country will gain more?



I do not support Aquino but I will not even support Binay. He and Trillanes are traitors.


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> I do not support Aquino but I will not even support Binay. He and Trillanes are traitors.



Binay is a crook, the way he handled and claimed goods that were sent for Haiyan refugees was reported in Japan. The man and his son , who now runs Makati, is corrupt to the bone.

Bongbong Marcos or Davao City's own Duterte are better candidates. Marcos stands a chance as he'll get support from the 'Solid North' and he has strong support base from the Visayas thanks to his Romualdez pedigree by way of his mother , Madam Imelda Marcos. In fact a Marcos Duterte Team would revitalize the Philippines.

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Binay is a crook, the way he handled and claimed goods that were sent for Haiyan refugees was reported in Japan. The man and his son , who now runs Makati, is corrupt to the bone.
> 
> Bongbong Marcos or Davao City's own Duterte are better candidates. Marcos stands a chance as he'll get support from the 'Solid North' and he has strong support base from the Visayas thanks to his Romualdez pedigree by way of his mother , Madam Imelda Marcos. In fact a Marcos Duterte Team would revitalize the Philippines.



I would only support Duterte if he would reduce his voice of support on some leftist groups. I admit many of his ideas are _really_ needed now.


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> I would only support Duterte if he would reduce his voice of support on some leftist groups. I admit many of his ideas are _really_ needed now.



Duterte's heavy and active hand in quashing rebellions and anti-corruption, anti-drug campaigns reminds me of the kind of drive and zeal of the young Ferdinand E. Marcos in the 1960s. Both

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Duterte's heavy and active hand in quashing rebellions and anti-corruption, anti-drug campaigns reminds me of the kind of drive and zeal of the young Ferdinand E. Marcos in the 1960s. Both



This is something our current president cannot do and when disaster strike or a fiasco occurs, Aquino resorts to blaming other. If you would listening to many of his speeches, there is a chance that you will hear him directly or indirectly blame other people including the former president.


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> This is something our current president cannot do and when disaster strike or a fiasco occurs, Aquino resorts to blaming other. If you would listening to many of his speeches, there is a chance that you will hear him directly or indirectly blame other people including the former president.



He did his job during the transition and at least Aquino, despite his failings, at least stood up against territorial ambitions of China , something that his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, failed to realize and resist. Aquino heralded a much needed defense modernization program that Arroyo was unable to leverage. Let us hope that the next president builds on some of the defense plans heralded by Aquino, with other improvements. 

@Cossack25A1 , sino ba ang contenders sa presidency djan sa Pilipinas? Alam ko interesado si Bongbong Marcos, si Duterte, si Roxas at chaka si Binay. Sino pa ba? Sayang hindi interesado si Miriam Defensor Santiago, ganda shya sa orasyon at magandang sarili.

*I hope you understood my beginner's Tagalog. *

**


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> He did his job during the transition and at least Aquino, despite his failings, at least stood up against territorial ambitions of China , something that his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, failed to realize and resist. Aquino heralded a much needed defense modernization program that Arroyo was unable to leverage. Let us hope that the next president builds on some of the defense plans heralded by Aquino, with other improvements.
> 
> @Cossack25A1 , sino ba ang contenders sa presidency djan sa Pilipinas? Alam ko interesado si Bongbong Marcos, si Duterte, si Roxas at chaka si Binay. Sino pa ba? Sayang hindi interesado si Miriam Defensor Santiago, ganda shya sa orasyon at magandang sarili.
> 
> *I hope you understood my beginner's Tagalog. *
> 
> **



Well that was the mistake of Arroyo, the joint-oil exploration paved way for China to aggressively expand into that sea area. The fact that China is building islands in that sea area and placing their coast guard assets there means that the old exploration in the late 2000s means that there is oil and China wants it.

While their excuse that the islands can be used for search-and-rescue missions may be true, but it is about oil.

Also, why do you need to enforce security over the large area of sea if the other contenders in claiming islands there are not a threat? What if their objective is to reduce the EEZ of other countries while at the same time expand theirs?

Lastly, I see that what China wants is for us to depend on that country heavily... or more like a dump site for the sub-quality products they made but can no longer be sold in the mainland.

Anyways, ang alam ko sila lang yung mga contenders.


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Ang alam ko sila lang yung mga contenders.



Alam ko gusto rin si Binay pero hindi shya mashyado , aligned shya talaga sa maraming special interests groups dyan sa Pilipinas. Delikado yan....


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Alam ko gusto rin si Binay pero hindi shya mashyado , aligned shya talaga sa maraming special interests groups dyan sa Pilipinas. Delikado yan....



Saka may kaso siya at ang anak niya na sigurado makaka-apekto sa eleksyon, maliban na lang kung gagamit ng "vote-buying" para makahatak ng botante.

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Saka may kaso siya at ang anak niya na sigurado makaka-apekto sa eleksyon, maliban na lang kung gagamit ng "vote-buying" para makahatak ng botante.



'tang ina talaga yung vote buying djan sa Pinas. Saan talaga ang prinsipyo sa politoko ? Saan talaga ang prinsipyo sa mga voters ? 

Sayang talaga....


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> 'tang ina talaga yung vote buying djan sa Pinas. Saan talaga ang prinsipyo sa politoko ? Saan talaga ang prinsipyo sa mga voters ?
> 
> Sayang talaga....



May haka-haka ang iba dito sa Pilipinas na kaya ayaw ayusin ang ng mga pulitiko anf education system at economic system dahil kapag nagkaroon ng kaalaman ang tao at kakaunti na lang yung naghihirap (at yung mga natitirang mahirap ay may disenteng pamumuhay at hindi palaging gutom), posibleng wala boboto sa mga tradisyonal na pulitiko.

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## Cossack25A1

*Business News: *

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* 12 groups vie for Mindanao coal power plant contract *
 By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star)
Updated April 19, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Twelve power companies have expressed interest in administering the output of the 200-megawatt coal-fired thermal power plant in Mindanao, the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) said yesterday.

The 12 companies are Conal Holdings Corp., FDC Davao Del Norte Power Corp., FirstGen Northern Power Corp., GDF Suez Energy Philippines Inc., Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd., Meralco Powergen Corp., Nexif Pte Ltd., SMC Global Power Holdings Corp., SPC Power Corp., Team (Philippines) Energy Corp., Therma Southern Mindanao, Inc. (TSMI) and Vivant Energy Corp.

The 12 interested investors have complied with the initial requirements set by PSALM, specifically the payment for the non-refundable participation fee and execution of a confidentiality agreement and undertaking. The deadline to comply with these requirements lapsed on April 13, according to PSALM, the government corporation tasked to privatize state-owned assets.

PSALM president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. is pleased with the number of companies that expressed interest in bidding for the independent power producer administrator (IPPA) of the 200-MW plant’s output.

“We are delighted with the number of prospective bidders, which is more than our first IPPA bidding for the Mindanao region – that of the Mindanao I and II (Mt. Apo 1 and 2) Geothermal Power Plants. We hope that this one will likewise be a successful undertaking,” he said.

PSALM will conduct the pre-bid conference for the prospective bidders on May 6, 2015, in preparation for the bidding scheduled on Sept. 23, 2015.

Mindanao Coal is a plant in Misamis Oriental which is operated by Steag State Power Inc. of Germany. It is under a 25-year build-operate-transfer (BOT)-power purchase agreement scheme which ends in 2031.

PSALM, created by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA), the landmark power reform law, has been privatizing existing power plants, decommissioned plants as well as IPPAs, which all comprise state-owned power assets.

As of October 2014, PSALM has so far generated $19.9 billion from the privatization of these assets, according to the 25th status report on the implementation of EPIRA.

Of the $19.9 billion in proceeds, actual collection amounted to $9.3 billion.

Furthermore, according to the report, of the $9.1 billion privatization proceeds utilized, $7.8 billion was used for the liquidation of financial obligations.

One of the big-ticket power assets privatized last year is the Angat Hydroelectric Power Plant (HEPP) in Bulacan, which PSALM sold to Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-Water).

Moving forward, PSALM still needs to sell several power plants with a total capacity of 1,600 to 1,700 megawatts and it expects to raise $3.2 billion to $3.4 billion from the sale of the remaining assets which are lined up for privatization up to 2017.

The National Power Corp. (Napocor), the state-owned generation company that suffered from mismanagement and corruption, owns the power assets privatized by PSALM as well as those in the pipeline.

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12 groups vie for Mindanao coal power plant contract | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* SEC renews warning vs One Lightning *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio (The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 19, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) continues its fight against One Lightning Corp., a company allegedly involved in pyramiding operations.

In a recent advisory, the country’s corporate regulator reminded the public that a cease-and-desist order it issued against One Lightning is still in effect.

“The public is hereby informed that the cease-and-desist order issued by this commission against One Lighting Corporation, its officers, directors, agents, representatives, conduits, assigns and any and all persons claiming and acting for and in behalf and under their authority remains in force and in effect,” the SEC said.

The SEC earlier issued the order against One Lightning after the latter was found to be pursuing investment taking activities under the guise of the sale of its packages including recruiting, referring, or sponsoring prospective members.

Likewise, the SEC said One Lighting has also been offering, soliciting, and selling unregistered securities in the form of investment contracts, pooling of funds, and investment trusts.

“One Lightning has not been issued by this commission a secondary license to publicly offer or sell securities and to solicit investments from the public,” the corporate regulator said.

The SEC is asking the public to report any violation of the issued cease-and-desist order by One Lightning to the commission.

One Lightning is a registered company engaged in the selling and distribution of various cosmetics and healthcare products.

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SEC renews warning vs One Lightning | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Saudi budget carrier eyes partnership with CebuPac *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 19, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier flynas is looking at a partnership with budget airline Cebu Air Inc. (Cebu Pacific) of taipan John Gokongwei, a recent analysis of think tank Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) revealed.

In an analysis entitled “flynas benefits from relaxed Saudi fare cap; could become the second Gulf partner for Cebu Pacific,” CAPA said flynas chief executive officer Paul Byrne confirmed that the Saudi Arabian budget carrier could partner with the low-cost carrier from the Philippines.

Even through it ended its Manila to Dammam service late last month, Byrne pointed out Cebu Pacific still operates three weekly flights to Riyadh.

“As Cebu Pacific reported Saudi destinations were some of the most popular connecting markets on Air Arabia, partnering with a Saudi carrier like flynas offers more opportunities,” Byrne added.

Cebu Pacific has embarked on long-haul flights primarily to the Middle East in order to cater almost exclusively to Filipinos living and working in the region. Its footprint in the Middle East is light in terms of destinations and frequency and a partnership with low-cost carrier Air Arabia was necessary for a larger virtual presence.

Cebu Pacific moved its Manila-Dubai flight to Sharjah when the runway at the Dubai International Airport was repaired. It moved back to Dubai international Airport after the runway works, but has mooted launching Manila-Sharjah service in order to tap into Air Arabia’s network.

As Air Arabia only operates Airbus A320 aircraft and does not reach the Philippines, the partnership is complementary. The tie up would cater to Filipino workers with connections to destinations throughout the Middle East, as well as parts of Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa.

Air Arabia’s Sharjah hub currently consists of almost 1,000 weekly flights to about 60 destinations.

However, Cebu Pacific could benefit from another partnership as Air Arabia serves Hail three times weekly, while flynas offers a daily flight.

Likewise, Air Arabia offers up to two daily flights to Jeddah from Sharjah while flynas has 11 from Riyadh.

“There will be some logistical issues to work through as Cebu’s Riyadh flight arrives late in the evening, missing many same-day connections,” Byrne said.

Flynas is the third largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East with a fleet of 24 Airbus A320 aircraft following flydubai’s 46 aircraft and Air Arabia’s 36. It is looking at carrying six million passengers this year.

Cebu Pacific is in the middle of a $4 billion refleeting program. It has a fleet of 55 Airbus aircraft and is scheduled to take the delivery of 37 brand new aircraft between this year and 2021.

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Saudi budget carrier eyes partnership with CebuPac | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*


*Military and Defense News**:*

-----


*Govt stops P1.2B Huey deal*
*By Sandy Araneta*
Apr. 18, 2015 at 12:01am 

THE Philippines has terminated the contract to purchase 21 helicopters worth about P1.2 billion, a Palace official said Friday.

“[Defense Secretary Voltaire] Gazmin terminated the contract and issued a blacklisting order against the supplier,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. in a text message to the Malacanang Press Corps yesterday.

“We only have accepted 7 UH-1 helicopters,” Coloma also said in the text message. “We continue to commit to the observance of our procurement laws and defend what is advantageous to the government.”

The Department of National Defense (DND) earlier said they were planning to scrap the contract for the supply of 21 UH-1 helicopters worth P1.2 billion, citing the supplier’s failure to deliver the air assets on time.

In a notice to terminate forwarded last March to the joint venture of Rice Aircraft Services Inc. and Eagle Copters Ltd., Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin informed the supplier of its failure to comply with the delivery schedule.

“You are hereby ordered to submit a verified position paper stating why the contract should not be terminated within seven days upon receipt thereof,” Gazmin said in the notice addressed to Robert Rice, the official representative of the joint venture.

Gazmin, who cited the procurement law, said the contract for the purchase of UH-1 helicopters will be partially terminated for exceeding the 10 percent maximum liquidated damages.

Gazmin said the liquidated damage is equivalent to one tenth of the one percent of the unperformed portion per day of delay. The supplier pays liquidated damage if it fails to meet delivery timetables.

The government has the option to terminate a contract if the supplier exceeds the 10 percent maximum liquidated damages as provided by law.

Gazmin said the joint venture of Rice and Eagle Copters exceeded the 10 percent maximum liquidated damages on January 31, 2015.

“You failed to comply with the agreed schedule of requirement of the contract agreement which provides that the delivery should be within 180 calendar days upon the opening of the letter of credit,” Gazmin told the supplier.

A letter of credit is a document that assures the supplier that the government will honor its financial obligations.

Gazmin said the letter of credit was opened on March 27, 2014 and deadline for the delivery of contract was on September 23, 2014.

-----
Govt stops P1.2B Huey deal - Manila Standard Today
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*P96M wins it for submachine guns*
*Julie M. Aurelio*
*Philippine Daily Inquirer*

* 6:52 AM | Sunday, April 19th, 2015*

A firearms company has won a multimillion-peso contract to provide more than 700 submachine guns to the Philippine National Police.

R. Espineli Trading offered the lowest bid at P96,441,400 to deliver 743 9-mm submachine guns to the PNP, besting two other bidders.

Director Juanito Vano of the PNP Directorate for Logistics and chair of the bids and awards committee said, “The submachine guns will be used by our maneuver forces such as the Special Action Force and the public safety battalions.”

R. Espineli’s bid was much lower than the official contract price of P133,740,000.

Two other bidders, P.T. Pindad and Joavi Philippines-Stone of David Tactical Equipment Co., offered bids of P126,718,450 and P101,791,000, respectively.

Another bidder, B and T represented by Wirox International, was disqualified for noncompliance. It may appeal the decision within three days.

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P96M wins it for submachine guns | Inquirer News
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*===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*



*Politics and National Security News**:*

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* Lawmakers urged: Focus on BBL, not Iqbal’s name *
 By Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 19, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - A pro-administration congressman urged his colleagues in Congress yesterday to focus on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and not on the name of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.

Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Dasmariñas City in Cavite accused critics of the BBL of “trying to throw a monkey wrench into the Aquino administration’s only shot at bringing peace and prosperity in Mindanao by making a big issue out of Mr. Iqbal’s name.”

“Detractors are making a mountain out of a molehill just because a leader of a revolutionary organization like the MILF is using a nom de guerre. The question is, is this enough to throw away our best chance at achieving peace?” he asked.

The BBL is the product of years of peace negotiations between the government and the MILF, whose chief negotiator has admitted that Mohagher Iqbal is just one of the aliases he is using.

Several senators and congressmen have tried to force him to reveal his real name for the sake of transparency and confidence building, but he has consistently refused to do so, citing reasons of security for his family.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano has revealed that Iqbal’s true name is Datucan Abbas.

Other MILF leaders are also using aliases.

Barzaga lamented that Iqbal’s use of an alias “has been the focus of public discussions instead of the more important issues like empowering the Moro people to choose their own leaders as the BBL provides.”

“The BBL is about creating conditions for our Moro countrymen to choose their leaders through democratic means, it is about creating conditions for peace and development,” he said.

He said giving so much emphasis “on a trivial thing such as Iqbal’s real name diverts the people’s attention from the administration’s aim of giving the Moro people the opportunity to chart a future of true peace and stability.”

“The BBL is not just for the MILF but for all of Mindanao. Those who are against the BBL want us to fixate on the MILF. This is myopic. The BBL has much larger coverage in terms of peace and development,” he said.

He stressed that the proposed Bangsamoro legislation “is first and foremost a human development law.”

“If we allow ourselves to get drowned in the political noise, our countrymen in Muslim Mindanao will continue to suffer. We cannot allow that to happen,” he added.

Barzaga also expressed support for the allocation of P70 billion a year for the envisioned new Bangsamoro autonomous region.

He said Mindanao “has long been on the losing end and the government is now trying to level the playing field.”

“This is why the Palace made sure that strong mechanisms for checks and accountability are in place,” he said.

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Lawmakers urged: Focus on BBL, not Iqbal’s name | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*SCS/West PH Sea News*:

-----

*Chinese shoo away Filipino fishermen’s boats*
*Allan Macatuno*
*Inquirer Central Luzon*
*11:58 PM | Sunday, April 19th, 2015*

_*Ship fires water cannon at fishermen*_

SUBIC, Zambales—Filipino fishermen say a Chinese coast guard vessel drove them away from their traditional fishing ground off Zambales province, where satellite photographs show China is building military facilities.

Deogenes Corseles, 36, said the latest incident of Chinese aggression toward Filipino fishermen happened about 2 p.m. on April 9, when the Chinese vessel used a water cannon to drive away at least 80 fishermen from Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal).

Some of the fishermen, who were mostly from the provinces of Bataan, Zambales and Pangasinan, arrived in this town on Friday to sell their catch at a local fish port after spending a week near the shoal, which China claims is part of its territory in the South China Sea.

Corseles told the Inquirer on Saturday that one of his companions fell off his boat and was hurt.

The shoal, also called Bajo de Masinloc, is located 230 kilometers from Masinloc town in Zambales. It used to be a free zone for local fishermen until the Chinese seized it in 2012.

Corseles said personnel from the Chinese ship used a megaphone to warn the fishermen and played a recorded message in English asking them to leave.

“The Chinese vessel was about 150 meters from our boats when its personnel fired a water cannon. One of us fell off the boat and sustained injuries,” he said.

Corseles said most of the Filipino fishermen, who were in eight boats, were hit by water sprayed by the Chinese vessel. He said they immediately left the shoal, but returned the following day.

Jun Rey Barrios, 33, said Chinese coast guard personnel chased them using rubber boats on April 11.

“Two of the Chinese coast guard personnel held guns that were pointed at our direction. They also took some of our fresh catch and cut off our nylon anchor lines,” Barrios said.

This happened more than a year after a group of fishermen from Pangasinan and Zambales reported that Chinese vessels fired water cannon at their boats while these were anchored at Panatag Shoal.

In January, a Chinese patrol ship rammed three boats carrying 29 Filipino fishermen at the shoal. No one was hurt in that incident.

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Chinese shoo away Filipino fishermen’s boats | Inquirer Global Nation
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## Cossack25A1

*SCS/West PH Sea News:*

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* P-Noy seeking united Asean stand on China Beijing: It’s not an Asean issue *
 By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 21, 2015 - 1:00am

MANILA, Philippines - With China’s actions threatening to “considerably alter the way of doing business globally,” President Aquino will ask the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take a united stand against Beijing’s massive reclamation activities and other provocative acts in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea.

Aquino will raise the appeal to his ASEAN counterparts when they meet on April 27-28 in Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi in Malaysia.

Beijing reacted immediately to the plan, saying the maritime dispute is not an issue between China and ASEAN.

“The President has said this is already a global issue, not just a bilateral issue or even a (regional) issue. So what we are pursuing is this track of making people from other parts of the world aware of the seriousness of what is happening on the ground and on the seas,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Luis Cruz said yesterday in a press briefing.

Cruz said the Philippines would aim for “a collective statement” from ASEAN leaders on China’s reclamation activities. But he stressed the summit is “not a negotiation among the leaders” and that “they will be there to express their views, not only on the South China Sea, but what they think are the security issues in the region and internationally.”

While the President is expected to raise more issues in the coming summit than in the previous one in Myanmar, the reclamation issue would “definitely be the main topic,” Cruz said.

In a separate briefing, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said ASEAN leaders are likely to discuss “real time and current concerns,” especially the situation in the West Philippine Sea.

“We know that the reclamation activities represent a significant development in the evolution of developments in the West Philippine Sea or in the South China Sea and the Philippines is not the only one concerned about this. Other countries have made a lot of pronouncements already,” Coloma said.

“So it is reasonable and logical that when this is discussed by the leaders of different countries comprising ASEAN, they will discuss the situation and how it can be compared from the past,” Coloma said.


* As strong as G-7 stand*

Cruz said they hope an ASEAN stand on the issue would be as strong or stronger than the one issued by the Group of Seven industrialized nations.

But he said they would leave it up to Malaysia – as summit chairman – to report on what transpired or was agreed upon during the two-day summit.

The G-7 issued a communiqué on Wednesday last week seeking a stop to provocative actions in disputed waters, particularly land reclamation. The G-7 did not mention China by name, but its communiqué came on the heels of Beijing’s defense of its reclamation projects.

“The President has already said that this is not a bilateral issue, this is not a regional issue, but the world should really be concerned on this issue because of several things, not only the freedom or the safety of navigation, but also the damage that is being done to the marine environment in the area,” Cruz said.

Cruz said the Philippines would continue to push for a code of conduct from the current Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea because a “legal instrument” is needed to guide the behavior of countries involved in the maritime row.

“At this point in time, I think the level of discussion of that joint working group (for the code of conduct) is to identify the elements that can easily be achieved or agreed upon, or what they call the ‘low-hanging fruits,’” Cruz pointed out.

“The President has already said that at least 40 percent of global trade pass through these waters, and if you look at the specific countries in the region, the percentage should even be higher – higher than 40 percent, especially countries in Northeast Asia,” Cruz pointed out.

“Aside from the Pacific, the only passage to the Middle East, to Europe, to Africa, to parts of Asia would be through the South China Sea,” he said.

Asked how Manila would make Beijing realize that the latter is engaged in double-talk and not really serious about a peaceful resolution of the dispute, Cruz gave assurance there are “various ways of doing it,” including discussions behind closed doors. He stressed he was “not at liberty” to discuss the other ways.

“But let me say that we are pursuing other tracks with China. Of course, what is official is that we have submitted this issue before the International Tribunal because we wanted a decision on our entitlements in the regime of waters under UNCLOS,” Cruz said, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Cruz expressed confidence that host Malaysia would support a strong ASEAN position on the issue.

“For one thing, they are also claimants. I’m sure they are very much concerned with this issue. Secondly, as chair, of course they would want to project leadership, and leadership does not only come with how you’re able to organize the series of meetings for the rest of the year, but also how you manage the issues as they pertain to ASEAN activities,” Cruz said.


* Vietnam eyes Noy meet*

The DFA official also said Vietnam is seeking a meeting with President Aquino on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, with the maritime dispute with China high on the agenda “because both countries are affected by the developments in the South China Sea.”

Cruz said that while a meeting between Aquino and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is not yet in the schedule, “I will not preclude the possibility of them having this one-on-one meeting” because “normally the chair meets individually with his counterparts.”

Vietnam and Malaysia also have claims in the South China Sea, along with Brunei and Taiwan.

Malaysia is also the facilitator in the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Coloma said details of a possible strategic partnership are still being worked out.

The President will leave for Kuala Lumpur on April 26 for a gala and barbecue dinner to be hosted by the Malaysian prime minister and his spouse and stay there until Monday for the summit plenary session and meetings with representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, ASEAN Business Advisory Council, ASEAN Youth and Civil Society Organizations.

According to Cruz, the ASEAN integration targeted for this year would also be discussed, along with people-to-people centered programs and projects and a Malaysian initiative regarding a global movement of moderates against extremism.

“That initiative has been on the table for several years already. So global movement of moderates would pertain to like-minded states on how to combat the issue of extremism and prevent terrorism from flourishing in the region,” Cruz said.

Regarding the ASEAN integration due by December this year, Cruz clarified that “it is not the end-all and be-all of ASEAN community-building exercise.”


* Situation worsening*

For Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr., recent developments in the West Philippine Sea have put the country in a “very difficult situation.”

“We are really amazed by the pace of China’s reclamation. It’s fast but I hope it’s not furious,” Catapang said in a press conference yesterday.

“We are in a very difficult situation because now, they are reclaiming the Mischief Reef. If they reclaim Mischief Reef, we will be cut off,” he added. The Philippines calls Mischief Reef Panganiban Reef.

He said if Panganiban Reef falls into China’s hands, it would become difficult or even impossible for Filipinos to gain access to Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) and Pag-Asa Island. Panganiban is only 135 miles west of Palawan.

Ayungin Shoal is being secured by a handful of Marines stationed on BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded World War II era Navy ship that serves as a Philippine military outpost.

Chinese ships have set up a blockade to prevent the Navy from sending supplies to the decrepit vessel, which has come to symbolize the Philippines’ fragile ownership of the shoal.

Pag-Asa Island, meanwhile, is the biggest island held by the Philippines in the disputed Spratlys archipelago, which is also being claimed in whole or in part by China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.

The island group comprises Kalayaan, a fifth class town under Palawan inhabited by around 200 people. The Philippines has constructed a town hall, a 1.3-kilometer airstrip, a health center, a school and a naval station to assert its sovereignty over the area.

While the Philippines only has modest facilities in Kalayaan, China has installed advanced equipment in its controlled areas, including Panganiban Reef.

The Chinese government has built a garrison, a windmill, solar panels, a concrete platform designed as helipad and a basketball court on the reef, which is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

“We have an arc of defense and if the Mischief Reef is reclaimed, we will have a problem. If they (China) reclaim it, they will threaten all our islands,” Catapang said.

The military also expressed concerns over China’s construction of artificial islets in Kennan (Chigua) and Mabini (Johnson South) Reefs. China is also making progress in its island building projects in Burgos (Gaven), Calderon (Cuarteron), Zamora (Subi) and Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reefs.

“As soon as the Mischief Reef is reclaimed and all the reclamation is finished, then the next move of the Chinese might be a difficult or a different one. They might propagate the area with lots of ships,” Catapang said.

“That will really militarize the area and create tensions,” he added.

China has also maintained its presence in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, an area located just 124 nautical miles off Zambales

Local fishermen can no longer enter what used to be their traditional fishing area. The Chinese have been preventing the Filipinos from fishing in the areas since 2012 after a brief standoff between Chinese surveillance vessels and a Philippine Navy ship. The Chinese vessels prevented the Philippine Navy from arresting Chinese poachers, allowing the latter to leave with their illegal harvest of endangered marine species from the shoal.

“In the future, we have to help our fishermen go back to their former fishing grounds,” Catapang said.

“I think the Coast Guard will have to escort them because if we use the gray ship it will unnecessarily provoke the other side,” he added, referring to naval ships.

“We call on China to stop the reclamation activities and to be mindful of its responsibilities as a claimant state and an important member of the international community,” Catapang said.

“We have compelling reasons to raise our voice to tell the whole world the adverse effects of China’s aggressiveness that has created tensions not only among the countries who have overlapping claims in the area, but also among the countries around the world who are using the international sea lanes in the West Philippine Sea for trade and commerce,” he added.


* Convene NSC*

China’s relentless acts of aggression should be enough reason for the Palace to convene the National Security Council, Sen. Francis Escudero said yesterday.

“I think it might indeed be best to convene the NSC in order to bring everybody in the loop, given that this is an issue facing our country and people regardless of political affiliation,” Escudero said.

“Except to ratify treaties and confirm the appointment of ambassadors and other officials in the foreign service, the Senate, much less Congress, has a limited role in foreign policy determination and foreign relations,” he said.

He said he remains confident of support from allies, especially the US, in ensuring that China would not take more serious actions to assert its claims in the region.

“The United States, together with our regional partners in the ASEAN as well as the international community, will definitely play an important role in keeping China at bay, tempering its bullying tactics and resolving this matter peacefully,” Escudero said.

Anak Pawis party-list Rep. Fernando Hicap, for his part, urged President Aquino to immediately order a shutdown of Chinese mining operations as well as revocation of power generation concessions granted to Chinese firms to demonstrate the Philippines’ seriousness in protecting its sovereignty.

“The mineral resources that China is extracting from our country serve as raw materials for ships, weapons, aircraft and others, which would be eventually used against us, hence, we are being fried in our own fat,” Hicap said in a statement.

He said 26 Chinese mining corporations have been allowed to extract gold, iron ore, nickel, copper, manganese, lead, zinc, chromate and cobalt in the country.

Major Chinese mining operations are located in Zambales such as the Wei-Wei Group’s $100-million nickel processing plant in Masinloc town, and Jiangxi Rare Earth and Rare Metals Tungsten Group Co. Ltd. with a $150-million nickel exploration and cobalt processing plant.

The state-owned Jiangxi is mining for nickel, he said.

The Philippines is China’s No. 1 source of nickel ore, with Indonesia a close second. It has been reported that nickel super-alloys are a critical component in advanced jet engines and are used in the engines of fifth generation jet fighters, he said.

“Thus, we challenge Aquino to order the termination of mining operations of China as they plunder our natural resources and trample on our national sovereignty,” Hicap said.

The lawmaker also lambasted the Aquino government’s allowing the State Grid of China to own 40 percent of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.*With Alexis Romero, Christina Mendez, Paolo Romero*

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P-Noy seeking united Asean stand on China Beijing: It’s not an Asean issue | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Former UN Rep: Phl should maintain talks with China *
 By Patricia Lourdes Viray (philstar.com) 
Updated April 21, 2015 - 12:42pm

MANILA, Philippines - Former Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Lauro Baja Jr. suggested on Tuesday that the Philippine government should explore other options such as backchanneling in resolving the territorial disputes with China.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, Baja said that the Philippines should maintain communication China despite its aggressive actions in the South China Sea.

"Of course China's aggressive measures prevent any thought of going into bilateral dialogue. The greatest equalizer is facing each other in a negotiating table," Baja said.

The former ambassador noted that even if the Philippines win the arbitration case against China, the two nations would still have to talk.

"Our challenge now is to have a plan in case we lose in the panel... because even if we win in the panel, we have to talk to China. If we lose, the more we have to talk to China," Baja added.

Meanwhile, President Benigno III is set to ask the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take a stand against China's reclamation activities over the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea.

Baja agrees with the president's intent to bring up the issue to the ASEAN and suggested that Aquino should ask for a statement condemning the aggressive acts of China if possible.

"But of course ASEAN members are either unwilling, unable or afraid to this thing because of their relations," Baja noted.

The former UN envoy also suggested that the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) may be a good measure to oppose China's aggressive acts.

"We may not like EDCA but if our objective is to have something to counter Chinese moves against us then let's not be too reticent about it," Baja said.

Baja stressed the importance of dialogue between the Philippines and China in addressing the said issue.

"Diplomacy should never end... You cannot solve a problem without talking to the other side," the former UN Ambassador said.

China has earlier shrugged off concerns raised by some groups regarding their reclamation activities in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea, which puts the Philippines in danger of losing some of its territories.

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Former UN Rep: Philippines should maintain talks with China | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* IN PHOTOS: Philippine military's aerial shots of China's man-made islands *
(philstar.com)
Updated April 21, 2015 - 9:55am

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Monday released the latest aerial photos of the reclamation and construction activities of China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Military chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. expressed alarm over the rapid developments in the disputed maritime features.

"We are really amazed by the phase of China's reclamation. It's fast but I hope it's not furious," Catapang said in a press conference Monday.

For the first time, China revealed earlier this month its reasons for island-building in the South China Sea as Beijing officials usually give terse responses to issues raised in press conferences.

China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the activities are "maintenance and construction work" to optimize the buildings' functions and improve living and working conditions of personnel.

Hua further enumerated China's many intentions for the activities:

[For] better safeguarding territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, as well as better performing China's international responsibility and obligation in maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention and mitigation, marine science and research, meteorological observation, environmental protection, navigation safety, fishery production service and other areas.

The Philippines and the international community have condemned China's attempt to change the status quo, with the United States reiterating its appeal to keep the strategic waterway free for navigation and overflight.

*PICTURES ARE IN THE LINK*

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IN PHOTOS: Philippine military's aerial shots of China's man-made islands | News Feature, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Business News:*

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* Uninspired trades extend market freefall *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio (The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 21, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The wipeout of gains recorded in recent weeks continued in the local equities market yesterday as the benchmark stock index crashed to its fourth worst session of the year.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) fell 1.03 percent or 81.62 points to finish at 7,865.27, while the broader All Shares index also plunged 0.94 percent or 42.69 points.

Analysts said the lack of major economic news again prompted investors to take profits.

“Share prices tumbled again as a fresh week of trades began with investors still grasping for clues as the earnings cycle unwinds,” said Justino Calaycay Jr. of Accord Capital Equities Corp.

“There was little investors could go by on Monday with DJIA’s 279-point slide Friday and the troubling situation of Greece,” he added.

The PSEi sank to as low as 7,776.71 before pulling off a late rally to end above the 7,850 level.

Calaycay said yesterday’s trades ranked as one of the biggest single-day loss for the market this year points-wise and percentage-wise.

The PSEi’s only triple-digit loss this year so far happened last week, April 15, when it plummeted 150.03 points or 1.86 percent.

Wall Street indexes ended lower on Friday while most Asian markets were in the red yesterday, with Japan’s Nikkei slipping 0.1 percent.

Calaycay said foreign funds have reversed their flows in the last seven sessions with net proceeds at P6.308 billion, reducing their exposure to P42.872 billion on the year.

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Uninspired trades extend market freefall | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*SCS/West PH Sea News:*

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*AFP denies China warship fired at PAF plane over Pag-asa Island*
*INQUIRER.net*

* 4:56 PM | Thursday, April 23rd, 2015*
*Frances Mangosing*

A CHINESE frigate supposedly fired shots at a Philippine military aircraft early this week in Pag-asa Island (Thitu) West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

“There was a near disastrous incident between a Chinese frigate and PAF patrol aircraft early Monday. The frigate fired an illumination round on the PAF aircraft which necessitated grounding all military flights into the West Philippine Sea,” former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan III posted on Facebook Wednesday night, quoting his source from Pag-asa Island.

But military officials denied such incident happened.

“We strongly deny that any of our military planes was fired upon by the Chinese…,” Armed Forces Public Affairs Office chief Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo on Thursday.

“Firing incident in the West Philippine Sea is a serious matter that must not be a subject to malicious rumors,” he added.

An illumination round, as described by a military officer, is a type of ordnance that doesn’t explode but launches a flare on a parachute intended to provide illumination in a given target.

“It literally can convert night into day so combatants can see their targets,” the officer said.

A separate source said no illumination round was ever fired but “the Chinese ships did open their powerful lights while our aircraft were flying in the area.”

The incident supposedly delayed the evacuation of a sick radio enthusiast from the island because of the alleged grounded military planes.

But Cabunoc explained that the Nomad plane that was supposed to be used for the evacuation had technical difficulties.

“We confirm that the Western Command was requested to pick up a patient named Chito Pastor using a Nomad plane from Pag-asa Island today. However, Wescom was not able to provide the aircraft because of technical problems. Instead, Wescom allowed the relatives of the patient to use a civilian plane to evacuate patient,” Cabunoc said.

Pastor was evacuated to Puerto Princesa in Palawan at about 1 p.m.

Pag-asa is the biggest island claimed by the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea. There are about 200 residents in the island to assert the Philippine sovereignty.

On Monday, AFP chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr. asked China to stop its reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea, including in areas claimed the Philippines such as Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef) where rapid developments have been made.

Also recently, the Chinese Coast Guard has driven away Filipino fishermen using water cannon in Panatag Shoal (Scarborough) off Zambales, that is also part of the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippines has filed a case in the international court to protest China’s territorial claims and aggression in the disputed sea. While waiting for the ruling, the military has repeatedly vowed to continue patrolling the disputed sea. *AC*

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AFP denies China warship fired at PAF plane over Pag-asa Island | Inquirer Global Nation
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* PSEi plunges on weak US growth *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - A slowdown in the first quarter US economic growth has sent shockwaves to the local market, dragging the benchmark stock index to its third consecutive losing streak.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) plunged 1.41 percent or 110.65 points to close at 7,714.82 while the broader All Shares index slipped 0.96 percent or 43.22 points at 4,453.

Analysts again pointed to overseas factors as the primary reason for yesterday’s PSEi breakdown, with the US economy’s disappointing 0.2 percent first quarter growth leading the headlines.

“Sentiment took its cue overseas. Thus far, supply pressure remains high, given the recent net foreign selling and negative market breadth,” said Rens Cruz, investment analyst at F Yap Securities.

Abroad, Wall Street indexes slumped overnight. Most Asian markets took its cue from the decline, with Japan’s Nikkei leading the disappointment with a 2.6-percent drop.

Locally, all counters were in red for the second consecutive session led by the services firms which shed 2.03 percent. Three of the six counters lost more than one percent each.

Decliners continued to reign over advancers, 118 to 73, while 40 stocks were unchanged.Value turnover rose to P13.98 billion from P9.7 billion the previous day.

Trading in the PSE today is suspended in observance of Labor Day. Trading will resume on Monday, the PSE said.

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PSEi plunges on weak US growth | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Phl 2nd biggest ADB borrower in SE Asia *
 By Ted P. Torres (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 1, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines ranked as the second largest borrower in Southeast Asia from the Asian Development Bank’s sovereign loan portfolio in 2014.

The loans amounted to $2.6 billion or 16.6 percent of the region’s total $15.8 billion borrowings, the ADB said.

The largest borrower in the group was Vietnam with $9.1 billion or 57.5 percent of total loans.

The ADB’s sovereign lending portfolio last year totaled $68.2 billion.

The Philippines, along with Indonesia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, also recorded poor disbursement ratio due to implementation issues, while Afghanistan was held down by security issues.

India and China were the top borrowers with $11.6 billion and $10.6 billion, respectively.

Other big borrowers in Southeast Asia were Indonesia with $1.75 billion and Cambodia with a little over $1 billion. The rest consists of Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

The countries with the largest year-on-year increases in value were Pakistan ($1.1 billion), Vietnam ($0.9 billion), India ($0.8 billion), the Philippines ($0.6 billion), Sri Lanka ($0.4 billion), and the PRC ($0.4 billion).

The biggest declines were in Indonesia ($1.1 billion) and Kazakhstan ($0.4 billion).

The leading sectors, meanwhile, were transport (38.8 percent), energy (23.4 percent), water (12 percent), education (4.9 percent) and finance (3.3 percent).

The energy sector disbursement ratio fell from 18.7 percent to 12.6 percent. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and the Philippines were the major countries with poor disbursement ratio in this sector.

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Phl 2nd biggest ADB borrower in SE Asia | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Military and Defense News:*

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* US-Phl Balikatan exercise ends *
 By Alexis Romero* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

CLARK, Pampanga, Philippines – The Balikatan 2015 bilateral exercise between the Philippines and the United States ended yesterday with officials hailing it as another milestone in the two countries’ relationship.

“In an overall picture, we have attained an enhanced capacity, capability and interoperability in a joint and combined environment,” Philippine exercise director Vice Adm. Alexander Lopez said.

Joni Scandola, acting deputy head of mission of the US, said Balikatan is a manifestation of their commitment to their Philippine allies.

“We are standing with you side by side not just for an annual exercise but for whenever our partnership is truly needed,” Scandola said.

Col. David Womack, commander of US Army forces that participated in Balikatan, said the American troops learned more from their Filipino counterparts during the exercise.

He said US troops were particularly keen in learning jungle survival from Filipino soldiers.

Womack’s counterpart, Col. Laurence Mina, said the American troops have learned things that were not taught in other trainings.

He said the Filipino soldiers showed them first-hand survival techniques in the field during one portion of the exercises.

Mina and Womack said the Balikatan exercises boosted the morale of participating troops and friendship between the two countries.

“Balikatan is not only about the military exercises, it is also about our friendship,” Mina said.

Womack said working with the Filipino troops, even outside the Balikatan, helped each American soldier to develop into more effective disaster responders during past deployments in the Philippines.

Capt. Mark Anthony Ruelos, 7th Infantry Division’s public affairs officer, said part of the Balikatan exercises was the two-day community outreach in Barangay Calaanan in Bongabon town, Nueva Ecija.

He said Filipino and US troops performed medical and dental operations, haircuts, feeding program, circumcision and distribution of Bibles and reading glasses to the elderly.

In Kalikid Elementary School in Cabanatuan City, the participating troops installed improved piping for the water supply system in five classrooms.

Ruelos said the plan originally involved only three classrooms but the good coordination with the school board and principal enabled the soldiers to include two more classrooms.

The troops went on to rewire the entire electricity supply system of the school, he said.

A clean-up drive was also conducted in Camp Pangatian Memorial Shrine, locally known as the Cabanatuan Shrine.

To increase awareness of the importance of the landmark in Philippine history, a lecture was conducted for the participants during the clean-up drive, Ruelos said. 

The shrine marks the rescue of 516 prisoners of war by American soldiers and Filipino guerillas from the Pangatian Concentration Camp in Cabanatuan City on Jan. 30, 1945. This has been described as one of the most daring and successful rescue missions of its type in military history._ *– With Ric Sapnu*
_
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US-Phl Balikatan exercise ends | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Security News:*

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* AFP congratulates MILF for Usman kill, bares photo *
*(philstar.com) 
Updated May 4, 2015 - 12:23pm*

MANILA, Philippines *(UPDATED 2:22 p.m.) *— Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. congratulated the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and government troops as he confirmed the death of terrorist-bomber Abdul Basit Usman on Monday.

"I want to convey my warm congratulations to the MILF and the government forces—both the AFP and the [Philippine National Police] who worked together in neutralizing this notorious terrorist," Catapang said in a press conference.

Catapang also said that the development shows the MILF's sincerity in the peace process with government.

An MILF band under a Commander Marlboro killed Usman at 11:30 a.m. at the adjoining towns of Guindulungan and Datu Saudi in Maguindanao, said senior officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Usman, who was linked to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah, was responsible for the countless deaths of civilians in a series of bombings in Mindanao the past years.

Catapang said the AFP and the PNP had been a small group led by Usman for two months since the all-out campaign against the BIFF in Maguindanao.

Usman's group would approach MILF communities to divert their pursuers.

"The encounter site is near the vicinity of Camp Afghan, a temporary relocation site for MILF members who voluntarily vacated their homes during the conduct of law enforcement operations against the BIFF in the last week of February 2015," Catapang said.

Washington has offered a $1 million award for Usman's capture and prosecution.


* Infighting*

Catapang said that infighting among Usman's bodyguards led to a firefight Sunday in southern Maguindanao province, near a designated safe area for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group that signed a peace deal with the government last year.

He said Usman and five others were killed in a shootout allegedly with fellow members of his group.

But circumstances of Usman's death were still unclear, and Catapang said the military was investigating if he was already dead when Muslim rebels arrived to check the firefight. "What we are confirming is Basit Usman is dead," he told reporters, saying the military has physical evidence, including people who saw Usman's body being buried.

A tussle for the bounty may have fueled the infighting, Catapang said, adding that Usman has become distrustful of his men after a series of clashes with the military.

The military, meanwhile, released a photo of the dead body of Usman, who is seen lying down on the ground with mouth agape.

Catapang said the military will release a report on the incident.

Members of the MILF, BIFF and other armed groups killed 44 Special Action Force commandos on January 25 who were earlier in a raid to neutralize Usman and his Malaysian cohort, Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan, who was killed in the operation._ *- Camille Diola and Alexis Romero with the Associated Press*_

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AFP congratulates MILF for Usman kill, bares photo | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* AFP: Foreign terrorist leaders next in line after Usman death *
 By Alexis Romero* (philstar.com) 
Updated May 4, 2015 - 5:55pm*

MANILA, Philippines - After the death of Filipino bomb expert Basit Usman, the military is now setting its sights on two foreign terrorists believed to be hiding in the bailiwicks of local bandits in the south.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. assured the public on Monday that security forces would eventually pin down Malaysian bomber Amin Baco and Singaporean militant Muawiyah.

Both were cohorts of Usman and are believed to have ties with other Asian extremists.

“They are next in line, but we cannot tell you the pecking order,” Catapang said, referring to the order by which the terrorists would be tracked down.

Catapang said while it is important for soldiers to capture Baco and Muawiyah, they would not mind if the two fall in the hands of other groups.

“The bottom line is they will all be neutralized,” the military chief said.

Also known by the alias “Jihad,” Baco is a bomb expert and a member of terror network Jemaah Islamiyah. He has been tagged various bombings and kidnapping incidents.

Baco is one of the targets of Oplan Exodus, a covert anti-terror operation mounted by the Special Action Force in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25.

The other targets were Usman and Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan, who was killed during the operation. Usman and Baco were able to evade the government forces who staged the raid.

Oplan Exodus went awry as it sparked a fierce encounter that resulted in the death of 44 police commandos and 18 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Usman, however, did not live long after that government offensive as he was killed in a clash with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Guindolungan, Maguindanao last Sunday.

Muawiyah, whose real name Abdullah Ali, is a Singaporean terrorist affiliated with the Jemaah Islamiyah. In 2012, the military reported that Muawiyah was among the terrorists killed in an air raid in Sulu but the information proved to be false.

Captured Abu Sayyaf leader Khair Mundos have described Muawiyah as a “computer expert,” according to earlier reports.

Catapang said the military would also continue its operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a group of Muslim rebels believed to be coddling extremists, and local terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.

“We will continue (exerting) pressure on the remnants of the BIFF and the Abu Sayyaf,” Catapang said.

“We are not yet finished with the BIFF. We want to neutralize the remaining BIFF remnants,” he added.

-----
AFP: Foreign terrorist leaders next in line after Usman death | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*



*Business News:*

-----

* Inflation seen steady in April *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 4, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Inflation has been forecast to have remained steady in April from the previous month, two banks said in separate research notes published recently.

UK-based Barclays and the research arm of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. both estimated the rate to have settled at 2.4 percent last month, matching the same level recorded in March.

“Inflation should hold steady as continued falls in rice prices offset ongoing firmness in core inflation,” Barclays said.

The banks’ projection falls within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ 1.9 percent to 2.8 percent forecast range for April inflation.

Official April inflation data will be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on Tuesday, May 5.

“Domestic prices in April were flat month-on-month, with mixed food prices and slow oil inflation keeping the index within the low end of the BSP’s inflation target,” Mabellene Reynaldo, research analyst at Metrobank said in a report.

“Rice and meat slowed down while fruits and vegetables trended higher. Overall food movement is still generally slow and stable compared to the past two quarters, dragging down the overall index,” she added.

Reynaldo further said that while oil prices were slightly climbing, they remain low versus year-ago levels. She noted there remains supply concerns on the conflict in Yemen, the small increase in the US inventory, and the higher demand forecast by the International Energy Agency.

Inflation eased to 2.4 percent in March from 2.5 percent in February on the back of lower price increases of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels.

This brought the first quarter average to 2.4 percent, near the lower end of the BSP’s two percent to four percent target for the year.

In March, the central bank held key policy rates steady on expectations inflation would continue to fall within the target ranges until 2016.

The BSP also said risks to inflation remain broadly-balanced with upside price pressures coming from pending petitions for water and power rate hikes, and the possible power shortage this year.

Last year, the overnight borrowing and overnight lending rates were increased by a total of 50 basis points to anchor inflation expectations.

The central bank will revisit policy settings next on May 14.

-----
Inflation seen steady in April | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* SEIPI outlook still positive but concerns remain over high costs *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 4, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - While a positive outlook is seen for the country’s electronic exports this year, the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI) remains concerned with the high trucking and shipping charges being imposed.

SEIPI president Dan Lachica told reporters the group is still keeping its guidance of five to seven percent growth for outbound shipments of electronic products this year amid strong demand for certain sectors, particularly those for the automotive sector.

“So far, our guidance is still five to seven percent…While certain sectors are growing, there are those that are flat,” he said.

Last year, the country’s total exports of electronic products reached $25.876 billion, 8.1 percent higher than the $23.931 billion in 2013.

Despite the growth expected for this year, the group has concerns on trucking and shipping charges which remain high.

“One key issue is really our competitiveness as a country…We really need to rationalize trucking costs and fees being charged by international shippers,” Lachica said noting the situation and utilization at the ports have improved.

It will be recalled that trucking and shipping charges were raised due to the congestion at the ports last year.

At the height of the congestion at Manila’s ports, trucking fees jumped to P30,000 from just around P8,000, previously.

Shipping lines have imposed additional charges such as the Port Congestion Surcharge (PCS) and Emergency Cost Recovery Surcharge (ECRS).

Twelve major shipping lines have lifted the PCS, but ECRS continues to be collected by some of the shippers.

“Some charges are being kept on the probability there will be port congestion again but there is no port congestion…Utilization of the ports is now at 60 to 70 percent so I think we’re okay,” Lachica said.

With the improved situation at the ports, he said there is a need to look at the breakdown of charges and see whether the fees are reasonable.

“We just want to make sure the charges are reasonable since prices of gasoline also went down,” he added.

Last week, Trade Undersecretary Victorio Mario Dimagiba said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will be reviewing the components of the charges amid concerns raised by the private sector.

For the shipping charges, a proposal to study the legal basis for regulating shipping charges of international shipping lines will be submitted by the DTI as a member of the Maritime Industry Authority.

As the country’s competition authority under Executive Order 45, the Department of Justice will also look into whether the charges of truckers and shipping lines are still reasonable.

In March, Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras said the port congestion problem has been resolved owing to measures implemented by the government and the private sector.

A truck ban imposed by the City Government of Manila in February last year resulted in the accumulation of containers at the ports.

Even with the lifting of the truck ban in September, the congestion at the ports only started to ease earlier this year.

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SEIPI outlook still positive but concerns remain over high costs | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*



*Satire (But Sadly True) News:*

-----

*Report: Philippines Citizens Currently Watching Their Congressman Fight A Guy On TV *
*SPORTS NEWS 
May 2, 2015  Vol 51 Issue 17  *

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—As boxing fans around the world turn their attention to one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts in years, reports confirmed Saturday evening that citizens of the Philippines are currently watching one of their congressmen fight a man on television.

According to sources throughout the Southeast Asian island nation, roughly the entire Filipino populace has gathered around their television sets in order to witness a member of the Philippine House of Representatives engage in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Reports indicated that the legislator, who has dutifully served the people of the Sarangani province for the past five years, is presently being cheered on by his constituents as he attempts to knock out another man during a live pay-per-view broadcast.

“At the moment, the people of the Philippines are on the edge of their seats as one of our most influential lawmakers carefully circles his opponent in an effort to land some powerful body blows,” said Manila resident Jonathan Ocampo, noting that his congressman is currently drenched in sweat, half-naked, and wearing athletic trunks branded with the logos of Nike and a Malaysian airline. “He’s deflecting hooks and crosses as he advances on his opponent in hopes of punching him in the face. Tens of millions of Filipinos are sitting at home watching a man who took an oath of office vowing to uphold the Constitution do this.”

“This is one of our most dedicated civil servants,” he added, referring to an individual being pinned against the ropes in front of 17,000 screaming spectators at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.

According to reports, the elected official is sworn to protect the interests of the Filipino people and also recently emerged from a tunnel wearing a satin robe, flanked by a large entourage to the strains of a pop song he himself sang and recorded, in order to face an opponent against whom he has been scheduled to fight one-on-one. The politician, who routinely votes on measures affecting the well-being of roughly 100 million Filipino men, women, and children, then slowly made his way through a crowd containing numerous American celebrities, put in his mouthguard, and was introduced by an announcer as “The Fighting Pride of the Philippines.”

Sources also confirmed that the man, who earlier this week exchanged threatening stares with his opponent while the two were weighed and then photographed flexing their muscles, successfully campaigned for public office in 2010 on a platform of free education and health care, as well as increased funding for vocational training programs.

The 36-year-old second-term congressman also reportedly appeared in a recent promotional video in which he and the person he is currently fighting were depicted slowly walking toward one another in a computer-animated desert.

“All Filipinos are hoping that our government representative inflicts a significant amount of damage on this other human being,” Quezon City resident Pia Bautista said of the man alternately referred to as either “The Honorable” or “Pac-Man,” and who is participating in an event featuring scantily clad women displaying large placards indicating the next three-minute round of a fight. “Certainly, everyone in the country is hoping for a better outcome than a few years ago, when we had to watch this prominent member of the United Nationalist Alliance electoral coalition lie unresponsive on the mat after being knocked unconscious by Juan Manuel ‘Dinamita’ Marquez.”

“Go Manny!” Bautista added in a cheer that is just as likely to be heard during one of the man’s televised fights as it is during his 2016 reelection campaign.

At press time, the man who by many accounts could someday serve as president of the Philippines was having Vaseline applied to his forehead and cheekbones in preparation for the fight’s next round.

-----
Report: Philippines Citizens Currently Watching Their Congressman Fight A Guy On TV - The Onion - America's Finest News Source
-----

*I posted the Onion news because I am getting sick and tired of news about the recent match and that Filipinos CANNOT GET OVER THE FACT that Pacquiao lost that I need a satire news to "calm" me down.*


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## Cossack25A1

*SCS/West PH Sea News:*

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*Senate starts probe of Chinese activities in West Philippine Sea *
 By Marvin Sy* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 7, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate starts today its inquiry into the alleged reclamation and dredging activities of China in disputed territories of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense and security, would lead the inquiry into the issue based on the resolution that he filed last month.

A separate resolution was filed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago calling for an inquiry into the activities of China, which she said might have changed the present situation in the disputed territorial waters.

Santiago cited reports indicating that China’s land reclamation in four of the Philippine-claimed islands and reefs in the West Philippine Sea has reached an estimated 60 hectares.

Aerial photos of Panganiban (Mischief) Reef taken earlier this year showed that dredging activities have also begun in the area.

She quoted Magdalo party list Rep. Ashley Acedillo as saying that upon the completion of China’s reclamation activities, the reefs and shoals would be physically altered to habitable islands and would be able to host structures for military and other personnel as well as support naval and aircraft operations.

Acedillo, a former military pilot, said the Philippines could lose Ayungin Shoal if China steps up air and navy patrols based in Panganiban Reef.

*He added these Chinese-built territories function as forward operating bases that could sustain 24/7 naval and air patrols, virtually allowing China to stake its claim to the detriment of other claimants.*

“An investigation must be conducted to examine the extent of the construction in the disputed territories,” Santiago said.

“The state should also study whether a more aggressive action should be taken in order to protect the Philippines’ territories,” she added.

Trillanes, for his part, stressed the need for Congress to “look into and review the relevant national policies and international agreements that are pertinent to the Philippines’ claim over the Spratly Islands,” saying the activities of China there may have significantly changed the physical features of the disputed areas.

Trillanes said this could “bring larger geopolitical consequences such as providing a stronger basis for China’s territorial claim, thereby diminishing the Philippines’ assertion of sovereignty.”

*China, on the other hand, has accused the Philippines of illegally occupying some of the islands in the Spratlys that Beijing called its own.*

China accused the Philippines of conducting large scale construction of military and civil facilities including airports, ports and barracks on those islands for many years.

Beijing also maintained it has never taken action that may complicate and deteriorate the disputes or affect regional peace and stability and called on the Philippines to stop construction work and evacuate its people.

Department of National Defense (DND) spokesman Peter Paul Galvez said China now appeared to be confused while justifying its own provocative acts as it aggressively asserts maritime claim to virtually all of the West Philippine Sea.

“They have been saying too many things that they are now confused. What they should do is to stop all their reclamation activities, dismantle structures and apologize to the international community for the massive environmental degradation they committed in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it would not pull out troops in the Kalayaan Island Group of the Spratlys.

AFP Public Affairs Office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said there is no reason to evacuate the troops as their primary mission is to protect and safeguard the country’s sovereign rights in the region. – _*With Jaime Laude, Evelyn Macairan*_

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Senate starts probe of Chinese activities in West Philippine Sea | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* BSP seen keeping rates steady *
 By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 11, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to keep key policy rates steady when it meets this week as the economy remains strong and inflation continues to be manageable, four banks said.

Singapore-based DBS, US-based JP Morgan, Anglo-Dutch banking giant ING, and UK-based Barclays said in separate reports that policy settings would likely be left unchanged when the Monetary Board meets on Thursday.

Gundy Cahyadi, economist at DBS, said in an e-mail last week the bank sees “no change” in key rates this week or for the rest of the year.

“The economy remains on a sweet spot, with GDP (gross domestic product) growth momentum steady, while CPI inflation is well within target, given low oil price,” Cahyadi said.

“As it is, we continue to think that the next move by the BSP will probably be a tightening more than a loosening of its monetary policy. Given lingering uncertainties about Fed (US Federal Reserve) rate hike and the fact that other regional banks have been loosening and not tightening, the BSP may only raise its interest rate in early-2016,” he said.

The BSP has maintained the overnight borrowing and overnight lending rates at four percent and six percent, respectively, last March 26, marking the fourth consecutive meeting that it kept key rates steady as inflation expectations fell within the two-to four-percent target for the year.

The central bank will revisit policy settings on May 14.

Meanwhile, central banks in Australia and in Thailand recently cut their rates, while their counterparts in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, and India kept rates steady.

“Look for stable rates throughout the year. Adjusting the SDA (Special Deposit Account) rate still looks likely at some point this year, given that liquidity remains relatively abundant,” Cahyadi said.

US-based JP Morgan also shared the view that the BSP will leave the key rates at their current levels this week but said adjustments are expected in the second half of the year.

“Despite some upside risk to inflation from tariff adjustments, JP Morgan has penciled in a 25 basis point cut in the RRP (reverse repurchase rate) in the second half of the year which respectively reflects both easing in inflation and moderating risks of capital outflows as real onshore rates rise,” the bank said in a research note last week.

“While firmer growth could ostensibly stay their hand, the revealed reaction function of the BSP appears more driven by inflation, as was the case in 2012/2013 when the BSP cut rates even as sequential annualized growth rates rose at a pace of 7.5 percent,” JP Morgan said.

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BSP seen keeping rates steady | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Philippines expected to improve ranking in WEF’s travel, tourism competitiveness *
 By Danessa O. Rivera (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 11, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The improvements in tourism infrastructure through the Aquino adminstration’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program could propel the Philippines in the upper half of the travel and tourism competitiveness index of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

“I expect the Philippines to be in the upper half of the index by next report as tourism infrastructure will get better,” National Competitiveness Council co-chairman Guillermo Luz said.

The Philippines placed 74th out of 141 countries from 82nd in 2011, still at the lower half of the pack, in the biannual WEF Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015.

The country’s eight-notch leap was attributed to the improving price competitiveness and growing middle class.

Meanwhile, it scored a measly 3.19 out of seven in tourism infrastructure.

Luz said this could be because the assessment happened when the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminals 1 and 3 were still undergoing rehabilitation.

“People will see the improvements in the airports and (this) would reflect in the next report,” he said.

The rehabilitation of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, which started in January 2014, will be completed this month. Improvements in the terminal include new check-in counters, air-conditioning system, better lighting, new display boards, conveyor belts and lavatories.

Meanwhile, NAIA Terminal 3 started operating in full swing to serve foreign air carriers while Terminal 1 underwent rehabilitation.

Luz said that the five airport projects under the PPP program worth P108.2 billion would also help in advancing the country’s tourism infrastructure.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has divided the five regional airports into two bundles to attract more investors in the dual-stage bidding process.

The first bundle consists of the P20.26 billion Bacolod – Silay airport and the P14.62 billion Laguindingan airport, while the second bundle cover the P40.57 billion Davao airport, the P30.4 billion Iloilo airport, and the P2.34 billion New Bohol (Panglao) airport.

Five groups, namely the Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and JG Summit Holdings Inc. tandem, San Miguel Corp. (SMC), GMR-Megawide Group, Philippine Skylanders, and the Aboitiz Group are joining the bidding for the airport projects.

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Philippines expected to improve ranking in WEF’s travel, tourism competitiveness | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* IMF expects peso to remain stable *
 By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 11, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The International Monetary (IMF) the peso to remain stable despite the divergence in monetary policies abroad given the country’s strong external position.

“We don’t think the exchange rate will be under a lot of pressure for the Philippines compared to other countries because you have current account surplus and the reserves are high,” IMF resident representative Shanaka Jayanath Peiris said.

The peso has averaged 44.421:$1 in the four months to April, stronger than its 44.395:$1 average last year, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data showed. The central bank earlier said the local unit remains largely affected by the uncertainty in international oil prices and the US Federal Reserve’s expected rate hike this year.

Last year, the Philippines saw its current account surplus hit a record high of $12.6 billion from $11.4 billion in 2013. The current account, an important indicator of an economy’s health, is made up of the country’s imports, exports, receipts from tourism and the business process outsourcing industry, and even remittances from overseas Filipino workers, among others.

Gross international reserves, meanwhile, amounted to $80.799 billion in April, latest BSP data showed. The figure is enough to cover 10.6 months’ worth of the country’s imports of goods and payments of services and income. It is also equivalent to 4.8 times the short-term external debt based on original maturity and 3.7 times based on residual maturity.

The IMF, in its latest Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and the Pacific, said that the different monetary policies across advanced economies have contributed largely to exchange rate movements in the region.

The US Fed is widely expected to increase rates this year after ending its monthly asset purchases in 2014, while its counterparts in Japan and the euro area implemented their own monetary stimuli to boost their respective economies.

The IMF said this resulted in the appreciation of a number of Asia and Pacific currencies, reflecting the stability of these currencies againts the dollar, while Australia, Malaysia, and New Zealand saw their currencies depreciate.

“Large and rapid realignments of the major reserve currencies could create a dilemma for some Asian countries,” the IMF said, noting the build-up of dollar-denominated debt in Asia especially for Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, China, India, and South Korea.

At the same time, corporations have also increased their foreign currency debt, mostly denominated in dollar, and this has exposed them to exchange rate risk and higher hedging costs, the IMF said.

“For policymakers, this could create an uncomfortable near-term trade-off between competitiveness and financial stability,” the IMF said.

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IMF expects peso to remain stable | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*


*Miscellaneous News:*

-----

*CAEx? Where’s that? Oh, the NLEx*
*Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:33 AM *
*Monday, May 11th, 2015*

MANILA, Philippines–Soon one may be traversing the CAEx on the way to Baguio from Manila.

The CAEx?

The House committee on public works and highways chaired by Benguet Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan has approved a bill renaming the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) the President Corazon C. Aquino Expressway (CAEx).

The name change was initiated by Nueva Ecija Rep. Magnolia Rosa C. Antonino in House Bill 4820 to “perpetuate the memory of the late President Corazon Aquino, an icon of democracy.”

The 84-kilometer highway has undergone several name changes since it was built in the 1960s as Radial Road 8. It was also known as the Manila North Expressway and the Manila North Diversion Road.

The main highway linking Metro Manila to Central Luzon is currently maintained by the Manila North Tollways Corp.–*Gil Cabacungan*

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CAEx? Where’s that? Oh, the NLEx | Inquirer News
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*
Oh great, one of our highways is named after a HYPOCRITE SAINT-WANNABE!*

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## Aepsilons

1R0N M4N XL said:


> are you filipino or japanese?



Hapon ako, Amigo, pero intindihan ako konti konti sa Tagalog at Chaka Cebuano.


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## Transhumanist

1R0N M4N XL said:


> nice to meet you mr. norway-american ( Transhumanist)..  .. i'm a filipino-american..



Nice to meet you was well. Ms. Norwegian though - a rarity on this forum. I'm in the US working on a joint US-Norwegian defense project (REMUS, Naval/Joint strike missile, F-35, who can say?), but I don't live in the US or have any American linage. I should probably get my location flag changed since it'll be wrong in a few months.

If you ever need me for anything, or my more knowledgeable compatriot @SvenSvensonov you can find me here (most likely):

Nordic Defense News, pictures, videos and history | Page 18

or here

US military news, discussions and history | Page 23

Might I ask your area of interest? I try to keep up on the Asia Pacific, but apart from Japanese, Chinese and American defense and political movement I'm not too well informed, hence my lurking around threads like this.

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## Aepsilons

1R0N M4N XL said:


> ang galing mo pare  私は日本語を学習している
> 
> i notice that japanese ( a ka sa ta na ,a i u e o ) and tagalog ( a ba ka da, a e i o u ) have similar syllables
> this was our writing before we got colonize
> 
> hmmmmmmm
> i cant post pictures because i'm a new member..




yes, yes, didn't the Philippines have its own writing system before the Spanish? It was called baybayin, yes?

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## Aepsilons

1R0N M4N XL said:


> yes babayin was one them.. there are different writing in islands!! lucky you guys!! you kept your culture while philippines was colonize for 400 years..
> 
> i also seen the japanese jomon writing script before japanese yayoi came.. japanese jomon culture is very similar to ours..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> <--japanese jomon period houses looks like philippine huts we call it " bahay kubo''
> 
> 
> 
> 
> <-- japanese jomon period writing.. style wise its very similar to some filipino writings too..






Very interesting, and astutely beautiful --- the writing form of the Philippines! In the calligraphic style, it even looks similar to Hiragana  

So I am assuming that the Baybayin script is based on vowels? One character representing vowels? If so then it is similar to Katakana, Hiragana and Romanji. The only difference would be we also use Kanji (Hanzi), which is based on the Chinese Character System. 





1R0N M4N XL said:


> <-- japanese jomon period writing.. style wise its very similar to some filipino writings too..





Hehehe, yes! Im so surprised you know about Jomon culture!  Have you heard of the Ainu of Japan as well ?


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## Aepsilons

1R0N M4N XL said:


> thanks .. yes its vowels and syllables. the biggest noticeable difference is japanese uses = (chi, shi, tsu, ) tagalog = (ngu, nga)
> 
> yes ainu came from hokkaido and it explains why some japanese have caucasian features... there are even myths that they might be lost tribes of israel.. haahahhaa.
> 
> something that japanese and filipino have in common is " we're both quick learners ". China used to look down on japan for being uncultured but now mainland chinese have inferiority complex towards japan. American used to laugh at japanese but now they want to be become japanese and love their playstation... Philippines just need a some influence to evolve just like japan did .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> <--- japanese notices this too!! at 8:00





WOW!!! Dude, you're so awesome, you know even about Ainu! Glad to have you in this forum, buddy!

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## Cossack25A1

*Miscellaneous News:*

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*Everything is awesome at first official LEGO store in PH*
*Text and photos by Jonathan Cellona for ABS-CBNnews.com*

*Posted at 05/12/2015 8:21 PM*

The first LEGO certified store in the Philippines opened on Tuesday at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The store is located in the same building as the soon-to-open Kidzania. Customers are free to visit and buy the LEGO bricks individually and build their own creations, pick out their own exclusive customizable toys, or choose from the exclusive collectors sets.

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Everything is awesome at first official LEGO store in PH | ABS-CBN News
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* Century Properties embarks on P60-B spending program *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Upscale real estate firm Century Properties Group Inc. plans to pour in P60 billion worth of investments over the next six years to bolster its array of property offerings.

“Our capex plan is to have P10 billion spending per year or roughly P60 billion from now until 2020. That is as opposed to our historical average capex of P8.3 billion from 2012 to 2014,” Century Properties chief finance officer Jose Carlo R. Antonio said.

He said about P12 billion would be used to develop 20,000 homes under its horizontal housing segment, P10 billion for property investment and land banking, and P5 billion for vertical development and tourism.

The property company owned by the family of former ambassador Jose E.B. Antonio has embarked on a “Century 2020 plan” which aims to bring the company’s leasable space to 192,000 square meters and put up 20,000 economic housing units in five years’ time.

Part of the plan is also to develop the company’s tourism portfolio, Antonio said.

“For tourism, it will have both a leasing component as well as a for-sale component. We will launch new projects based on market demands that we project will give return on capital and internal rate of return targets. With regard to landbank on vertical developments, we will be selective but it has to be in the right location, price, and terms,” Antonio said.

Antonio added that Century Properties has sufficient landbank in Batangas and Palawan for developing its leisure and tourism portfolio.

The company is beefing up its resort portfolio as it works towards positioning itself to benefit from the growth potential in the country’s tourism and lifestyle sector.

“There is a significant opportunity in the Philippines but also a significant expansion of supply. We need to differentiate our product in light of increasing competition,” he said.

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Century Properties embarks on P60-B spending program | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* MPIC books 14% higher profit in Q1 *
 By Zinnia B Dela Peña* (The Philippine Star) 
May 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) reported a 14-percent increase in its first quarter core net income on the strength of its four main businesses.

In a briefing yesterday, MPIC said core net profit reached P2.6 billion during the first three months of the year, mainly driven by higher earnings at its tollways , water, power and hospital units. Reported net income, on the other hand, went up four percent to P2.4 billion.

Maynilad Water and Manila Electric Co. accounted for 37 percent of MPIC’s aggregate operating income followed by Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), which contributed 22 percent and the hospital group, which pitched in four percent of the total.

MPIC president and CEO Jose Ma. K. Lim said the company expects to sustain its upward trajectory albeit at a slower pace given regulatory setbacks besetting its water and tollroads businesses.

Maynilad took the government to another arbitration panel in Singapore, seeking P3.44 billion in financial claims which reflect the losses the water firm incurred from January 2013 to February 28, 2015.

MPTC, which operates the North Luzon Expressway, continues to await approval of toll rate adjustments on Cavitex and for NLEX.

These tariff adjustments of 25 percent for Cavitex R1 and 16 percent for R1 Extension and 15 percent for NLEX have accumulated since 2011, hobbling MPTC’s ability to fund road construction necessary for economic growth.

“It is anticipated that earnings growth will be lower than it should be given the capital continuing to be invested in our tollways, and despite the strong operational performance,” Lim said.

MPTC’s tollroad projects -- the NLEX Harbour Link, Citilink and the expansion of Cavitex - will entail a capital expenditure of about P31 billion over the next few years.

Overseas, MPTC is looking at several road projects in Vietnam, worth around $600 million.

MPTC reported a 15 percent growth in core profit to P628 million mainly due to strong traffic growth and increased shareholding in the NLEX.

For its hospitals division, core net income was reported at P293 million, up 16 percent year-on-year on growing patient revenues, gains from completed capital expenditure programs and effective cost-efficiency measures.

MPIC Hospital Group president Augusto Palisoc Jr. said they remain on the lookout for acquisitions to further bolster the 2,245-bed count of all its nine hospitals across the country.

Palisoc said the group is also looking to build more clinics in malls to add to its first one in Megamall called MegaClinic.

-----
MPIC books 14% higher profit in Q1 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Upbeat corporate earnings results buoy market *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star)*
*Updated May 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Upbeat corporate earnings results buoyed the stock market yesterday, pushing the main composite index higher for two straight trading days.

The benchmark stock index climbed 0.21 percent or 16.65 points to close at 7,794.55 while the broader All Shares index grew 0.15 percent or 6.62 points at 4,494.10.

“The main gauge of Philippine stocks opened where it closed the previous session and headed lower right off the bat. Heading into the final hour before the noon recess however, optimism had crept back, pushing the measure into positive territory as negative breadth narrowed,” said Justino Calaycay Jr., analyst at Accord Capital Equities Corp.

Calaycay said several earnings reports released yesterday helped cheer the local market’s mood amid Greece and China concerns dragging stock markets overseas lower Monday night.

Companies such as Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Puregold Price Club Inc., Bank of the Philippine Islands, and Philippine Seven Corp. all reported higher profits during the first quarter of the year.

Counters were evenly mixed with industrial companies leading those in the green with a 0.63 percent gain while financial firms took the deepest plunge of 0.65 percent.

Market breadth was negative as decliners beat advancers on a close bout, 93 to 92, while 57 stocks were unchanged. Value turnover rose to P7.23 billion.

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Upbeat corporate earnings results buoy market | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*BPI’s profit jumps 36% to P4.9B in Q1 
by James Loyola
May 12, 2015 *

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) said it registered a 36 percent jump in net income to P4.9 billion in the first quarter of 2015, citing sustained growth in lending and fee businesses.

This translates to an annualized return on equity and return on assets of 13.8 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, BPI said both its net interest income and non-interest income showed marked improvements against same period last year.

Net interest income for the period was P9.43 billion, up 15 percent year-on-year, on account of a 15 percent expansion in average asset base and a slight improvement in spreads.

Non-interest income was P5.13 billion, up 23 percent year-on-year, mainly due to notable increases in income attributable to the bank’s insurance business, fees and commissions, and securities trading.

“We are pleased with our first quarter results. We begin the year with strong momentum, and are focused on growing our core lending and fee businesses, while maintaining cost efficiency,” said BPI president Cezar P. Consing.

Increase in operating expenses was maintained at 8.8 percent, driven by manpower related and regulatory costs, among others. The Bank’s cost-to-income ratio improved to 50.3 percent from last year’s 54.4 percent

BPI’s core lending and deposit businesses sustained strong growth. Its total deposits reached P1.16 trillion, a 17 percent increase year-on-year.

Net Loans stood at P730 billion, up 14 percent year-on-year as lending to corporates increased by 13 percent and retail loans grew by 16 percent.

Despite the growth in average loan balances year-on-year, the Bank was able to maintain its asset quality. Gross 90-day NPL ratio was 1.7 percent, down from 1.89 percent in same period last year. Reserve cover further improved to 111.7 percent.

BPI ended the first quarter with P145.6 billion in capital, after settlement of dividends of P3.5 billion on March 17, 2015. Consolidated CET 1 Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) was 14.81 percent while total CAR was 15.67 percent.

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BPI’s profit jumps 36% to P4.9B in Q1 | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*
*
*
*SCS/West PH Sea News:*

-----

*PHL slams China for questioning its actions in the West Philippine Sea*
*By MICHAELA DEL CALLAR *
*May 13, 2015 2:31pm*

_*(Updated 3:04 p.m.)*_ The Philippines on Wednesday shot back at China for questioning its action to bring journalists to Manila-claimed Pag-asa Island off the South China Sea, insisting it has “full sovereignty” over the feature.

“We have all the right to do such actions and no one can question it because we own it,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said in the latest trade of diplomatic barbs with China.

Led by Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang, local journalists visited Pag-asa Island on Monday, sparking criticisms from Beijing, which claims nearly 90 percent of the resource-rich waters, including areas that fall within the country’s sovereignty.

Beijing called the Philippines a “rule-violator” and “troublemaker” for arranging the trip to the island also known by its international name, Thitu.

China's Foreign Ministry said the Philippines was endangering international law, a Reuters report said.

"China has made clear on many occasions that it opposes the Philippines' futile and illegal occupation," said ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying. "The reality of the situation has again proven the Philippines to be a rule-violator and a troublemaker."

Jose maintained that no violation was committed by the Philippines.

“It is not a violation because Pag-asa is within our sovereign territory,” he said.

Manila and Beijing have been locked in years-long conflict over South China Sea territories, where undersea gas and oil deposits have been discovered in several areas.

It also pointed out that it was China who violated international law for undertaking massive and rapid reclamation of seven features in the waters, including those that are within Philippine waters.

China’s reclamation in the South China Sea, Manila said, is not only illegal, but is intended to advance its so-called nine-dash line claim which covers almost the entire waters.

Other governments, such as Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan, also have overlapping claims with China in the South China Sea which analysts feared as Asia's next potential flashpoint for a major armed conflict. _*—KG, GMA News*_

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PHL slams China for questioning its actions in the West Philippine Sea | News | GMA News Online
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===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================


*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*Senate approves bill amending AFP Modernization Act*
*Monday, May 11, 2015 
By Ruth Abbey Gita*

THE Senate passed on third and final reading Monday a bill seeking to a relax a provision of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Act on the purchase of major equipment or weapon system.

"The highly, tedious, circuitous and complicated procurement process of the AFP thwarts the full implementation of the law," Trillanes, author and sponsor of Senate Bill 2269, said.

The bill provides that the acquisition of air force, navy and army equipment and material of such types and quantities shall be made in accordance with the need to develop AFP capabilities, pursuant to its modernization objectives.

He said Section 4(B) requires that no major equipment or weapon system shall be purchased if the same is not being used by the armed forces in the country of origin or if the same is not used by the armed forces of at least two countries.

Trillanes said the SB 2269 would amend the provision by allowing the purchase of major equipment or weapons system provided that the same is being used by the armed forces in the country of origin or used by the armed forces of at least one country.

"It is hoped that by relaxing the requirement, the acquisition process of the AFP can be unclogged, if not expedited, thereby hastening the implementation of the law," Trillanes said.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said the bill was part of the Senate's efforts "to improve the capabilities of the nation's armed forces by ensuring the speedy and efficient provision of military equipment and supplies so urgently needed by our fighting men and women."

Signed in 2012, Republic Act 10349 extends the comprehensive efforts to modernize the armed forces for another 15 years and to introduce needed reforms.

Since then, Trillanes said a total of 36 modernization projects worth P41.2 billion have been completed._ *(Sunnex)*_

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Senate approves bill amending AFP Modernization Act | Sun.Star
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## pr1v4t33r

Portugal's EID to supply communications systems for Philippine sealift ships

Portuguese military communications company EID has been contracted by shipbuilders Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) of South Korea and PT PAL of Indonesia to deliver a _*complete integrated communications system for two strategic sealift vessels (SSVs) on order for the Philippine Navy (PN)*_.

The EUR1.5 million (USD1.7 million) contract, signed on 8 May, oversees the delivery of the communications suites for the two landing platform dock (LPD)-style ships, with system delivery scheduled for October 2015 and May 2016, respectively, the company told _IHS Jane's_ .

The suites will consist of EID's ICCS5 communications control system, and Harris RF Communications VLF-HF and V/UHF radios.

_Portugal's EID to supply communications systems for Philippine sealift ships - IHS Jane's 360_

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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and Diplomacy News:*

-----

*Russia-Philippines ties set for an upgrade this year*
*13:05 May 12, 2015 
RBTH*

Russia and the Philippines will explore mechanisms to upgrade diplomatic and economic ties, during bilateral meetings later this year, sources close to the Philippine Foreign Ministry told RBTH.

Vladimir Putin will visit the country for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November and hold bilateral meetings with his counterpart Beningno Aquino, the sources said.

The Philippines has been a long-standing ally of the United States, but is looking to warm up to Russia, in the wake of its maritime dispute with China. “The Russians may be able to play a role to reign in a belligerent China, with us, as well as Vietnam,” a Philippine Foreign Ministry official said on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Russia, which hosted the APEC summit in Vladivostok n 2012, has long looked at using the forum to help develop its Far Eastern regions. 

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Russia-Philippines ties set for an upgrade this year | Russia Beyond The Headlines
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## JayMandan

That's pretty exciting news. We never really had any problems with her for a non ally nation. It would be nice if we could make some deals in the defense department. I just wonder what the US will think/do about it.

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## pr1v4t33r

Philippine's SSV under construction @ Pt.PAL facilities

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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> *Politics and Diplomacy News:*
> 
> -----
> 
> *Russia-Philippines ties set for an upgrade this year*
> *13:05 May 12, 2015
> RBTH*
> 
> Russia and the Philippines will explore mechanisms to upgrade diplomatic and economic ties, during bilateral meetings later this year, sources close to the Philippine Foreign Ministry told RBTH.
> 
> Vladimir Putin will visit the country for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November and hold bilateral meetings with his counterpart Beningno Aquino, the sources said.
> 
> The Philippines has been a long-standing ally of the United States, but is looking to warm up to Russia, in the wake of its maritime dispute with China. “The Russians may be able to play a role to reign in a belligerent China, with us, as well as Vietnam,” a Philippine Foreign Ministry official said on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to talk to the media.
> 
> Russia, which hosted the APEC summit in Vladivostok n 2012, has long looked at using the forum to help develop its Far Eastern regions.
> 
> -----
> Russia-Philippines ties set for an upgrade this year | Russia Beyond The Headlines
> -----



Are the Russians pushing for tech trasnfer like last time this is a good lukit they been pushing for this for long time


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Are the Russians pushing for tech trasnfer like last time this is a good lukit they been pushing for this for long time



Not sure about that as the article only talks diplomatic relations...


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Not sure about that as the article only talks diplomatic relations...



I was talking about before about 9 years ago i think if memory serves anyhow it would be good we can avail russian license products it could help our self relience program i wish the government would take it and cut down the red tip and the other bulls in self relience and defense heck on everything really it would make jobs and help our cause alot eventhough it would take decades its better than nothing.


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> I was talking about before about 9 years ago i think if memory serves anyhow it would be good we can avail russian license products it could help our self relience program i wish the government would take it and cut down the red tip and the other bulls in self relience and defense heck on everything really it would make jobs and help our cause alot eventhough it would take decades its better than nothing.


Nine years ago, during the Arroyo administration? Chances are, the current Aquino administration had likely put an axe on it considering that many Arroyo-era projects got axed by BSA3.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Nine years ago, during the Arroyo administration? Chances are, the current Aquino administration had likely put an axe on it considering that many Arroyo-era projects got axed by BSA3.



I dont think so maybe it was forgetten we dont know that for sure no news about being put aside or anything either so lets wait and see


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> I dont think so maybe it was forgetten we dont know that for sure no news about being put aside or anything either so lets wait and see



If we are, theoretically, have an access to buy Russian arms, one best weapon are the BMP-T and BTR-T, both can perform the purposes the incoming M113s will do but offers heavy armor protection compared to M113.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> If we are, theoretically, have an access to buy Russian arms, one best weapon are the BMP-T and BTR-T, both can perform the purposes the incoming M113s will do but offers heavy armor protection compared to M113.



Yes exactly


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## Reashot Xigwin

*Philippines, Indonesia start talks on fishing pact*
Sunday, May 17, 2015 







THE Philippines and Indonesia have initiated talks that could signal the revival of a bilateral fishing agreement that lapsed in 2006, the Department of Agriculture said Sunday.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala met with Susi Pudjiastuti, Indonesia's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), while he was in Jakarta recently to take part in the World Economic Forum and its adjunct event called Grow Asia Agricultural Forum.

Alcala said the Indonesian official agreed to his suggestion to have both parties convene a technical working group that will meet “at the soonest possible time” to flesh out the issues, including the concerns of Filipino-owned fishing companies in Indonesia regarding MMAF’s strict enforcement of its policies and regulations.

Earlier this year, Pudjiastuti announced she would not issue new licenses to foreign fishing companies in a bid to protect Indonesia’s territorial waters and fishing grounds from illegal fishing.

The fisheries ministry likewise wants to impose a 100-percent Indonesian manning on foreign-owned fishing vessels with licenses to fish in their waters.

These new policies from Indonesia’s six-month old administration have affected a number of Filipino-owned companies operating in the country, the DA said.

Some reports indicated that a number of Filipino-owned but Indonesian-flagged fishing vessels have temporarily suspended operations in Indonesia while waiting for clarification on the new government policies.

Alcala said that while the Indonesian minister made it clear that these policies are not likely to change anytime soon, she assured him Filipino personnel of confiscated and apprehended boats would be “well-taken care of.”

“It was a very constructive, sincere exchange of ideas about what should be done about a matter that concerns both our countries,” said Alcala, who was accompanied during the meeting by Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Maria Lumen Isleta and other DA officials.

He said Indonesia was particularly concerned about the economic and environmental impact of poaching.

On his part, Alcala informed Pudjiastuti that the Philippine government continues to carry out measures that will help deter and eliminate illegal fishing practices, including the recent enactment of Republic Act 10654 that revised the old national fisheries code.

Pudjiastuti lauded these efforts.

Under RA 10654, sanctions have been raised to as high as P45 million for commercial fishing violators, and $2.4 million for poachers.

The revised law also requires the installation of a Monitoring, Control and Surveillance system in “all Philippine flagged fishing vessels regardless of fishing area and final destination of catch,” which would make it easier to ensure compliance with fisheries regulations.

Through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the DA also continues to train new law enforcers to beef up its anti-IUUF campaign.

To date, 200 law enforcers have been trained out of the targeted 700 for this year.

On the issue of manpower, the Indonesian minister clarified that they allow two non-Indonesian masters in an Indonesian-flagged boat, provided that the contract for foreign crew will be for a maximum of three years, after which fishing companies are “mandated to transfer technology” to their Indonesian employees.

She said that the new regulation is designed to give Indonesians more income and livelihood opportunities. *(SDR/Sunnex)*

Philippines, Indonesia start talks on fishing pact | Sun.Star

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## Cossack25A1

*National Development(?) News:*

-----

* Stakeholders detail West Valley Fault quake plans *
*By Pia Hontiveros*
*CNN Philippines *

*Updated 17:29 PM PHT Thu, May 21, 2015*

Two studies, one funded by Japan in 2004 and another by Australia in 2011, reported the possible impact of a 7.2-magnitude West Valley Fault earthquake if and when it hits Metro Manila.

Geologists say that an earthquake of such magnitude could hit Metro Manila in our lifetime, which could result in a horrible scenario of 37,000 deaths, 600,000 injured, 500 fires, thousands of collapsed structures, and power and communications outage, among others.

*Related: New Phivolcs atlas shows detailed view of quake fault*

In this report, stakeholders from both the public and private sectors detail their disaster preparedness plans in case the "big one" strikes. This report aired over CNN Philippines' _Network News_ on May 20, 2015.

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Stakeholders detail West Valley Fault quake plans - CNN Philippines
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*57 subdivisions, villages traversed by West Valley Fault*
*Pia Ranada *
 
* Published 9:40 AM, May 21, 2015 *
* Updated 3:58 PM, May 21, 2015*
_
Residential buildings will suffer the most damage from a 7.2-magnitude quake, says Phivolcs. What do you do if your house is on an active fault?_

MANILA, Philippines – Maps recently released by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) allow people to see the location of the West Valley Fault and East Valley Fault in Greater Metro Manila.

The question now is: do you live on an active fault?

Rappler compiled a list of subdivisions or residential villages that appear to have active faults.

At the end of this article, there is also a compilation of screengrabs from the Phivolcs maps showing where the faults are in those subdivisions.

The list only includes places where houses appear to have been built on top of an active fault or where, based on the subdivision's structure, houses are likely to be built on top of the fault.

Affected subdivisions are diverse: from enclaves of the rich like Loyola Grand Villas in Quezon City, to the depressed Maharlika Village in Taguig.

Rappler found that 57 subdivisions or residential villages are transected by the West Valley Fault, a 100-kilometer active fault that can generate a 7.2-magnitude earthquake. (INFOGRAPHIC: How powerful is a magnitude 7.2 earthquake)

Only one subdivision, Gloria Vista Subdivision in Rizal province, is transected by the shorter East Valley Fault which can generate a 6.5-magnitude earthquake.

But we encourage you to take a look at the Valley Fault System Atlas yourself in case we missed something.

According to studies, residential buildings will suffer the most damage during a 7.2-magnitude earthquake because many of them do not follow building standards. Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum Jr said that at least 40% of all residential buildings in Metro Manila would either be heavily or partially damaged.

_Subdivisions or villages with the West Valley Fault:_

*Rizal (Rodriguez)*


Amity Ville
Christine Ville
*Marikina*


Loyola Garden Village
Loyola Subdivision
Monte Vista Village
Industrial Valley Subdivision
Cinco Hermanos Subdivision
Wood Crest Subdivision
*Quezon City*


Sunnyside Heights Subdivision
Doña Anna Village
Fil-Heights
Filinvest Homes II and Villa Amor Uno
Northview Subd
Loyola Grand Villas
White Plains Subdivision
Queensville Court
Greenmeadows
Blue Ridge B
*Pasig*


Valle Verde 6
Valle Verde 5
Valle Verde
Valle Verde 3
Valle Verde 1
Kawilihan Village
*Makati*


East Rembo
Pembo
Rizal
*Taguig*


Pinagsama
Pinagsama Phase II
Pan-Am Village
North Signal Village
Central Signal Village
South Signal Village
Maharlika Village
Camp Bagong Diwa
*Parañaque*


Posadas Village
*Muntinlupa*


Solid Mills Village
Embassy Village
Liberty Homes
Carmina Compounds
L&B Subdivision and Compound
UP Side Subdivision
Country Homes Alabang
Planas Ville
Camella Homes Alabang 3
Country Homes Subd and Jose Marey Subdivision
Camella Homes
Susana Heights Village 1
Susana Heights Subd Phase I
St Anne Homes
Real Ville Subdivision
*Laguna*


Adelina 1A Subdivision
GSIS Village
Elnor Homes
Sampaguita Village
United San Pedro Subdivision
*Cavite*


Wedgewoods Subdivision
*Next steps*

What do you do if your house looks like it's near a fault?

Don't panic.

According to Phivolcs, you'll only need to consider moving out if your home is right on top of the fault or within 5 meters of it.

This is because your house may be at risk when the ground shifts beneath it during an earthquake.

Even if your home is outside the 5-meter bufferzone, it will still be subject to intense shaking during a 7.2-magnitude earthquake. You need to make sure it was built properly. (_See groundshaking simulation map on this story_: What dangers await when the West Valley Fault moves?)

You can consult a structural engineer to check if the building strictly follows the National Building Code of the Philippines.

Your local government also has building officials responsible for checking if structures in your city or province follow safety standards. But in many cases, these inspectors are handling too much work to look into each building.

If your house is made from concrete hollow blocks, you can do the checking yourself using Phivolcs' checklist for earthquake-ready houses.

Looking to buy a house far from any active fault?

The Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) says they now require subdivision developers to get certification from Phivolcs to prove their project is far from a fault.

To be sure, you can ask the developers to show a copy of the certificate.

What do you do if your subdivision, city or province isn't in the list? Don't be complacent.

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake will be so strong it will likely be felt even in cities without the West Valley Fault.

The Manila Cathedral in Manila, for instance, has been damaged many times by earthquakes generated by the fault.

Have your homes checked for safe building standards, don't take earthquake drills for granted, and always be ready for any scenario.

_Subdivisions or villages with active faults:_

Solid red lines, including those with branches, indicate that Phivolcs is certain of the presence of the fault. Broken red lines indicating the location of the fault is an approximation.

_*Pictures are in the link.*_

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57 subdivisions, villages traversed by West Valley Fault
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## Zero_wing

Yes the place am living is not part of the fault line


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Yes the place am living is not part of the fault line



If earthquake is greater than 7.0 on the Richter scale and hits Manila, government can go down, economy crashes and their will be tons of casualties.

This is what we get when we put all the government and businesses in one city in a disturbing centralized manner. Worse, this is what we get when we let politicians who are more busy fattening their hundreds of piggy banks and creating mansions in USA.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> If earthquake is greater than 7.0 on the Richter scale and hits Manila, government can go down, economy crashes and their will be tons of casualties.
> 
> This is what we get when we put all the government and businesses in one city in a disturbing centralized manner. Worse, this is what we get when we let politicians who are more busy fattening their hundreds of piggy banks and creating mansions in USA.



Well that take some time for development luckily manila is not the only center soon we have more like in cebu etc.


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Well that take some time for development luckily manila is not the only center soon we have more like in cebu etc.



It would have been sooner if the political system of PH had been changed into a federal system earlier; thus, if Manila goes down, we still have other places left to continue doing business unlike today which is making others feel uneasy because of the highly-centralized system.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> It would have been sooner if the political system of PH had been changed into a federal system earlier; thus, if Manila goes down, we still have other places left to continue doing business unlike today which is making others feel uneasy because of the highly-centralized system.


 
Me too but the Philippines needs political maturity more and like the economy it takes decades to do


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* GDP growth seen at robust 6.6% in Q1 *
 By Kathleen Martin (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 24, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine economic growth in the first quarter this year is seen remaining robust despite slowing in the fourth quarter of last year, UK-based investment bank Barclays said.

The bank, in its latest Emerging Markets Weekly, has forecast Philippine growth to have settled at 6.6 percent in the first quarter, faster than the 5.6 percent posted in the same period last year, but slower than the 6.9 percent seen in the previous three months.

“Growth to slow from an exceptionally strong Q4, but underlying trend to remain robust, supported by government spending,” Barclays said.

Official first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data will be released on May 28.

Barclays said first quarter expansion in Asian emerging markets could have been slower given weak activity elsewhere pulling down growth.


The International Monetary Fund last month said the Philippines should continue to be Southeast Asia’s growth driver this year.

Philippine economic growth slowed to 6.1 percent last year from 7.2 percent in 2013, short of the government’s 6.5 to 7.5-percent target. However, the growth rate was among the fastest in Asia last year.

IMF resident representative Shanaka Jayanath Peiris said a slower first quarter growth is expected given the stellar fourth quarter level.

Risks to growth this year may come from the slowdown in economic activity in Japan and China, as they are the biggest trade partners of the Philippines.

The divergence in monetary policies in advanced economies also pose a risk as they could result in shifts in interest rates and tighter financial conditions.

Peiris, however, said lower oil prices could be a boost to the Philippine economy this year as the country is an importer of the commodity. 

“Indeed, headwinds such as slowing China growth, soft demand from Europe and a more gradual US recovery, continued to weigh on the region’s Q1 growth,” Barclays said.

-----
GDP growth seen at robust 6.6% in Q1 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Phl readiness in PPP most improved in AsPac – EIU *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star)
Updated May 24, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has tagged the Philippines as the most improved country in Asia-Pacific in terms of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) readiness.

In a report entitled “Evaluating the environment for Public-Private Partnerships in Asia-Pacific, The 2014 Infrascope,” the EIU said the Philippines joined the developed PPP market group with an overall score of 64.6, improving to 7th place from the previous rank of 8th under the emerging market category with an overall score of 47.1.

The Philippines joined Korea (3rd), Japan (4th), India (5th), and India – Gujarat State (6th) in the developed PPP market with a score ranging between 60 and 79.9.

Australia topped the list with a score of 91.8, followed by the United Kingdom with 88.1.

“By finishing in 7th position, it (Philippines) is among those which have improved the most. It recorded the most-improved regulatory and institutional frameworks and is one of the leading countries in the study for improved investment climate and financial facilities,” the EIU stated in the study.

The report pointed out that the Philippines has one of the oldest Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) policies in the Asia-Pacific region, but has introduced a new sub-national regulatory framework and has used its increased capacity and transactional experience in recent years to promote capacity-building in emerging PPP markets within the region.

In terms of regulatory framework, the Philippines improved its rank to 4th with a score of 68.8 from 7th place in 2011 with a score of 43.8. Australia was in 1st place with 100 followed by UK with 96.9 and Korea with 90.6.

“The Philippines is the most improved country in overall rankings and the regulatory framework category as a result of significant regulatory reform in recent years, new biddings and selection procedures, better dispute resolution mechanisms, and a wider role for the national PPP Unit. Institutional roles have been further streamlined under the new PPP regime,” the report said.

In terms of institutional framework, the Philippines likewise increased its ranking to 4th place with a score of 66.7 from 8th place with a score of 41.7 in 2011. The Philippine ranked 9th in terms of operational maturity, from 10th place in 2011 and jumped to 7th place in terms of investment climate from 13th place. It was ranked 8th in terms of financial facilities and 6th in terms of subnational adjustment.

“In the Philippines, in addition to training and capacity building, regulatory amendments have improved evaluation and bidding timelines, giving bidders a longer time to prepare, and streamlined the formalities for small and municipal contracts,” it added.

The EIU cited the PPP Center’s “wider role” in the implementation of the PPP program as a significant factor in the country’s improvement.

It added that the PPP Center has produced guidance on how to conduct multi-criteria analysis (MCA) in project selection, while the newly-created PPP Governing Board has prepared more detailed policies on matters such as risk allocation and private-sector compensation rights.

According to EIU, the feat was achieved despite the controversies surrounding some projects, including the award of the P17.5 billion Mactan Cebu international airport expansion project to the tandem of GMR Infrastructure of India and Filipino-owned Megawide Construction Corp.

“This and earlier controversies related to the bidding and award procedures for major transport infrastructure projects indicate certain weaknesses in public-sector decision making. At present, most PPP stakeholders see the dispute resolution mechanism as transparent and fair, though the whole process can be inefficient due to the length of time it takes to reach a final decision,” it said.

-----
Phl readiness in PPP most improved in AsPac – EIU | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Exports to start recovery in H2 *
 By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 24, 2015 - 12:00am


MANILA, Philippines - Exports should start increasing in the second half of the year on the expected recovery of trade partners, the research arm of Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. said, despite the contraction recorded in the first quarter of the year.

Merchandise exports fell 0.2 percent to $14.247 billion in the first quarter from $14.277 billion in the same period last year.

“The lackluster export performance may serve as a drag to first quarter GDP (gross domestic product) growth, which is expected to be slower compared to the same quarter in 2014,” Mabellene Reynaldo, research analyst at Metrobank, said in a report.

“Expect exports to be slightly higher in the second half of the year as the US economy continues to strengthen. The long term trade picture is seen to improve with the recovery of the Philippines’ major trading partners,” she continued.

In the month of March alone, outbound shipments climbed 2.1 percent to $5.377 billion from $5.268 billion in the same month last year. This reversed a 2.96-percent contraction in February and also a 0.02-percent decrease in January.

Electronic products, which made up 43 percent of the total exports, grew 4.5 percent to $2.332 billion in March from $2.232 billion a year ago.

The increase in March exports was also due to higher shipments and sales of coconut oil, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, metal components, other mineral products, and clothing and accessories.

Japan accounted for the biggest chunk of Philippine exports in March at 20.8 percent, followed by the United States (16.4 percent), and China (10.9 percent).

Last year, merchandise exports went up nine percent to $61.81 billion from the $56.698 billion seen in 2013. The largest export markets last year were Japan, the US, China, Hongkong, and Singapore.

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Exports to start recovery in H2 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Moody’s says PH economy grew 7.3% in 1st quarter*
*Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer*
*4:11 AM | Saturday, May 23rd, 2015*


The Philippine economy grew by 7.3 percent in the first quarter of the year, according to Moody’s Analytics.

Jumping the gun on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Moody’s Analytics confirmed the continued growth of the economy under the Aquino administration in a report posted on ABS-CBN’s online portal on Friday.

Moody’s Analytics, a think tank, is an affiliate of Moody’s Investors Service, one of the world’s three major credit rating agencies.

At press time, there was no immediate comment from Malacañang or the finance department, as the official report on the country’s first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) has yet to be released.

National Economic and Development Authority Director General Arsenio M. Balisacan and PSA National Statistician Lisa Grace S. Bersales will release the 2015 First Quarter Performance of the Philippine Economy on May 28.

Moody’s Analytics credited the strong performance of the economy in the first quarter of the year on government’s higher infrastructure investment and spending.

“Moody’s said strong electronics exports also gave the economy a lift due to improved global demand especially from the US. Likewise, the country is expected to benefit most from low oil prices with businesses and even consumers able to spend more due to savings from fuel costs,” said Moody’s Analytics, in a report posted on ABS-CBN’s online site.


*Apec’s 3rd fastest growth in 2014*

The report said a 7.3 percent growth would help the economy be on track to meet the Aquino administration’s full year target of 7 to 8 percent.

In 2014, the economy posted a full-year growth of 6.1 percent.

Also in 2014, the Philippines posted the third fastest GDP growth among the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) economies, next to Papua New Guinea and China.

In Apec’s latest economic trends analysis titled, “Economic Resilience Amidst Global Headwinds,” the Philippines is seen growing by 6.7 percent this year, and 6.3 percent in 2016, enabling the country to remain as the third fastest growing economy among Apec members.

On the whole, the Apec members is seen to grow at a faster pace of 3.2 percent within the next two years on the back of a strong domestic demand and lower oil prices.


*Silent*

Citing data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Apec said in its latest economic trends analysis that the economic growth in the near term would also hinge on the impact of the United States’ economic resurgence and normalization of the monetary policy.

Last year, Apec economies proved resilient amid challenging external conditions as the bloc posted an average growth of 2.9 percent, which was similar to the level in 2013, but lower compared to the 3.4 percent world GDP growth estimate by the IMF.

This was amid uncertainties surrounding the path of oil prices and the timing of monetary normalization in the US.


*Upside opportunities*

This year, upside opportunities for growth would come mainly from domestic factors, particularly robust household spending that is ably supported by steady government consumption and investment, according to economic trends analysis.

In turn, accommodative conditions marked by low interest rates and strong credit growth remain important determinants of private consumption expenditures.

Falling oil prices continue to generate positive impact for oil importers via the consumption channel by increasing households’ purchasing power, the report stated.

Downside risks meanwhile are largely external in nature.


*Uncertainties*

“Uncertainties surrounding the trajectory of oil prices and the timing of US monetary policy normalization combined with slower economic activity in China will impact on the near-term GDP growth of Apec economies. The steady and significant decline in oil prices is expected to directly affect oil exporters, weighing down output levels,” it said.

As economies rebalance towards domestic drivers of growth, Apec members will now need to strengthen private consumption through more inclusive and sustainable growth.

“This will require both increasing labor productivity and innovation to raise wages and living standards, as well as reducing income uncertainties through safety nets and social insurance to allow households to smooth consumption.


*Fiscal consolidation programs*

Economies could consider implementing fiscal consolidation programs, where appropriate, that will take into account spending rationalization, revenue generation and subsidy reforms, which will make public funds available for programs aimed at improving economic inclusiveness, sustainability and innovation,” the report stated.

Such programs, in turn, will need to cover skills development, investments in infrastructure (including regulatory and financial reforms), making labor markets more open for women and disadvantaged groups, and enhancing institutions and governance at all levels to strengthen transmission mechanisms between policy and inclusive growth.

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Moody’s says PH economy grew 7.3% in 1st quarter | Inquirer Business
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*PH backs support for small enterprises at APEC meet*
*Associated Press 11:48 PM*
*Saturday, May 23rd, 2015*

The Philippines’ top trade official on Saturday called for support for the integration of micro, small and medium enterprises in global trade, which he said would help reduce poverty and inequality in the Asia-Pacific region.

Trade has been a powerful growth engine in the 21 economies comprising the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, where MSMEs account for over 97 percent of all businesses, said Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo.

Manila is pushing for greater support for the integration into the global trade and value chain of MSMEs, which provide jobs to more than half the workers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Domingo opened an APEC trade ministers’ meeting Saturday on the central Philippine resort island of Boracay, one of many meetings hosted this year by Manila before the APEC summit in November, a government statement said.

Domingo said these small businesses “play an important role in poverty alleviation and long-term growth” in each of the APEC economies and the region as a whole.

Such enterprises represent 98 of all registered businesses in the Philippines, employ about 60 percent of the nation’s work force and account for about one-third of the country’s gross domestic product, according to the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry.

The Philippines is seeking the adoption the “Boracay Action Agenda” to globalize MSMEs, which Manila says will foster the participation of these enterprises in regional and global markets.

The move will prioritize the simplification of procedures and documentary requirements for such enterprises, allow them to take advantage of electronic commerce platforms, encourage trade through online publication of tariff procedures and requirements, provide possible innovative financing, and strengthen institutional support, the Trade Department said.

The trade ministers also will discuss support for the multilateral trading system and regional economic integration and start groundwork for the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, it said.

Domingo has said the APEC trade ministers are expected to come out with the terms of reference for the study of the free trade area within the year so the study can commence in 2016.

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PH backs support for small enterprises at APEC meet | Inquirer Business
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*Military and Defense News:*

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*Supplier of 'antiquated' military choppers was favored: witness*
*By Ryan Chua, ABS-CBN News*
*Posted at 05/20/2015 3:39 PM | Updated as of 05/20/2015 5:49 PM*

_*But officials say chopper purchase was aboveboard*_

MANILA - The P1.25-billion contract to supply the Philippine military with refurbished utility helicopters was ''tailor-fitted'' for a company favored by certain officials of the Department of National Defense (DND), according to a person who claimed to have personal knowledge of the deal.

Rhodora Alvarez, a government employee who had close ties with Thach Nguyen of aircraft supplier Rice Aircraft Services Inc. (RASI), told the Senate Blue Ribbon committee that the UH-1 chopper specifications were designed so that only RASI could meet them.

These included a mechanism for maintaining the helicopter's main body, which other companies do not have.

''This is to prove to you the allegation that the project was tailor-fitted,'' said Alvarez, who said she served as a link between RASI and Department of National Defense officials when the deal was being negotiated.

''Alam nila na si Rice ay mayroong available helicopters. Ang hindi nila alam, hindi naman pala ito world-class. Hindi naman pala ito fully refurbished, at hindi naman ito best in the world.''
_*(They knew Rice had available helicopters. What they didn’t know was that those were not world-class, not fully refurbished, and not the best in the world.)*_

Nguyen was RASI's former representative in the Philippines. He now faces a lawsuit in the United States for misrepresenting himself as a state department official.

Alvarez said Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo, chairman of the agency's special bid and awards committee, used to be an agent for RASI. Manalo denied this.

Alvarez also said the choppers delivered to the Philippine Air Force in 2014 were of low quality.

For instance, she said none of the helicopters was able to fly when the military recently launched an all-out offensive against Muslim rebels in Mindanao.

Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino said the DND is conducting an internal probe into the matter.


*NEGOTIATED PROCUREMENT*

The contract for supplying 21 helicopters went to the joint venture of RASI and Eagle Copter Ltd. through a negotiated procurement after several unsuccessful public biddings.

Only seven choppers were delivered to the Air Force, however. The contract was terminated after RASI and Eagle Copter failed to deliver the other units on time.

Senator JV Ejercito questioned the awarding of the contract to RASI -- albeit already with a partner -- which joined the public biddings but was disqualified and later found to have submitted fake documents.

Alvarez said DND Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez even blew his top when he found out RASI submitted fake documents such as financial statements. But the deal still pushed through, she said.

Velez told the committee that the agency did not know the documents were fake during the bidding and even when the negotiated procurement was made.

''What was already submitted by the joint venture were contracts by Eagle Copters and financial documents of Eagle Copters,'' he said.

''That's the reason we were not able to look into that.''


*EXTORTION?*

It was unclear why Alvarez, an employee of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, came out to speak on the issue. At the hearing, she said she was doing it for the country.

Senators, however, required her to submit a sworn statement supporting her claims.

Manalo said Alvarez only wanted to extort money from RASI.

''Noong madiskubre ng Rice ang malaking pera na ginastos niya na hindi niya ma-explain, suddenly, nag-demand siya na, 'Bigyan n'yo ako ng 15 percent. Otherwise ipapakansela ko ang kontrata'
_*(When Rice discovered huge amounts she spent but could not explain, she suddenly demanded 15 percent from the project, otherwise she would have the contract cancelled)*_,'' he told reporters after the hearing.

Manalo also said Alvarez was among those who defended the deal with RASI when DND officials met to terminate the supply contract after the deliveries were not made on time.

''Hindi 'yon ang picture ng taong magsasabi na masama ang helicopter
_*(That’s not someone who would say the choppers are bad)*_,'' he said.


*OLD, BUT IN GOOD CONDITION*

Defense officials, meanwhile, stood by their decision to purchase refurbished UH-1 helicopters that a senator described as antiquated, saying they followed the right processes in buying them and that the choppers are in good condition despite being old.

Velez said the choppers are in ''operational condition and can be upgraded to improve their capabilities.''

''The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) does not buy obsolete equipment,'' he said.

Velez also said there was no intention to defraud the government when the choppers were bought, and that the DND only wanted to address the capability gap in the poorly equipped AFP despite its limited budget.

''That is not a crime,'' he said. ''That is our collective responsibility.''


*ZOMBIES*

Wednesday's hearing was prompted by a resolution calling for a probe into the purchase of 50-year-old helicopters, which for some lawmakers defeated the purpose of the military's modernization program.

Senator JV Ejercito, who filed the resolution, pointed out in an earlier interview that the German-made helicopters are older than retiring military personnel.

They were put on sale after being decommissioned by Germany's military.

''It just doesn't seem right that we are on a modernization program and yet we are buying antiquated 50-year-old helicopters,'' he said at the hearing.

''These are zombies already. They were in a graveyard in Germany.''


*ABOVEBOARD*

Manalo said lack of time was one of the reasons the contract was awarded to RASI-Eagle Copter in a negotiated manner after several failed biddings.

He stressed that the process was aboveboard, and that RASI-Eagle Copter was not a favored supplier. He also vouched for the quality of the choppers

''I would like to reiterate that contrary to the allegations the UH-1 helicopters delivered to the Philippine Air Force were all in good condition, reliable, and compliant with the requirements of the Philippine Air Force,'' said Manalo.


*WHO'S RESPONSIBLE*

Still, Senator Francis Escudero noted the contract was still given to RASI-Eagle Copter despite its questionable record and failure to deliver the other choppers on time.

''Shouldn't someone be held responsible for this? This is already negligence on someone's part,'' he said.

Ejercito also said he has spoken with some Air Force pilots on what they thought about the refurbished choppers.

One of the helicopters reportedly needed to have a change of engine after only three months in operation.

''When we asked the ordinary pilots who will be using these on a day-to-day basis, they said they were not confident in flying these refurbished helicopters,'' Ejercito said.

Air Force officials maintained, however, that the helicopters are working well and even better than other units in their fleet.

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Supplier of 'antiquated' military choppers was favored: witness | ABS-CBN News
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*Politics and International Diplomacy News:*

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*Phl to join Bangkok meet on Rohingya crisis next week *
By Edu Punay (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 23, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will join a 15-nation meeting in Bangkok, Thailand next week to address the migration crisis involving thousands of Rohingyas who escaped persecution in Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima bared this yesterday after meeting with United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) representative to the Philippines Bernard Kerblat.

In an interview, De Lima said the Philippine government has been invited to the meeting. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will lead the delegation.

Representatives of the United States and Australia will also join the meeting on May 29, which will be attended by members of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), she added.

De Lima said the Philippines might present its position on issues concerning refugees and asylum as well as formally offer aid in whatever collective action by participating nations aimed at addressing the plight of the boat people.

She said the UNHCR had earlier asked the Philippines to send rescue boats to the seas in Indonesia and Malaysia where about 3,000 Rohingyas have been drifting for the past few days, but clarified that the government has not yet decided on it.

“That’s something that we can also endorse, but it’s not going to be my decision,” she said.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Asec. Javier Jimenez said they would likely tap disaster quick response funds in case of relief efforts for Rohingya refugees.

Kerblat, for his part, confirmed that the regional meeting was called by the royal government of Thailand and will also be attended by three UN organizations.

He pointed out that the issue “cannot and will not be solved by a single state. But it will be solved through a process of consultation, gathering all impacted states, plus friends of the issue in the region, including the Philippines.”

“Although the Philippines is not affected, we believe it has a lot to contribute to the debate, to the search for solutions, through goodwill and exchanges,” he added. *– With Janvic Mateo, Pia Lee-Brago, Rainier Allan Ronda*

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Phl to join Bangkok meet on Rohingya crisis next week | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*SCS / West PH Sea News:*

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* Chinese blast fishing off Pag-asa threatens island's livelihood *
*(philstar.com) *
*Updated May 24, 2015 - 11:05am*

MANILA, Philippines — Residents of Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea are not fazed by the growing Chinese' militaristic presence in the disputed waters, but the foreigners' economic practices leave Filipinos worried.

Mary Joy Batiancila, Pag-asa administrator, said fisherfolk are deeply concerned about the banned fishing activities of Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen who intrude in what the Philippines considers as its exclusive economic zone.

Philippine Coast Guard, Pag-asa barangay officials and fishermen would regularly chase or warn illegal fishers away but they kept on returning.

"They are engaged in blast or dynamite fishing. They also use cyanide," Batiancila said.

As a result, the natural ecosystem and the "bahura" or coral reefs around Pag-asa Island are destroyed and the source of livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk are adversely affected.

"[The foreign fishing activity] leads to a drop in the fish catch or incomes of our own fishermen," she said.

Kalayaan town mayor Eugenio Bitoon-on said these illegal fishing activities made local officials of Kalayaan and Palawan province alert worried over the condition of the sea, considered one of the richest fishing grounds in the country.

Batiancila, meanwhile, said the area around Pag-asa alone is abundant with turtles, dolphins, manta rays and various kinds of fish.

Pag-asa is surrounded by around 20 to 30 hectares of reefs that are home to aquarium and commercial fish.

It provides livelihood and food for the island's 200 dwellers. It is often visited by rare types of turtles like the endangered leatherback.

Just some three nautical miles away from Pag-asa is a sandbar islanders call the "Secret Island," Batiancila said.

The island is also home to teeming marine life which the Islanders are keeping watch over.

About 25.7 kilometers from Pag-asa is Subi Reef, also of the Spratlys or Kalayaan Island group.

On Subi Reef, China government are undertaking massive reclamation and building structures, in the process destroying sea life and hectares upon hectares of coral reefs.

Bitoon-on said the Chinese seem bent on transforming the reef into a man-made island.

Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen often visit Subi Reef and the Secret Island to gather giant clams from the area, leading to a significant decline of the resource, according to recent surveys by the Coast Guard and local officials.

"We cannot perform arrests against them even though we have the maritime police with us. We do not have facilities and transportation to stand against them," Batiancila said.

She said the least authorities could do is chase away the foreign fishers every chance they get.

"But we can never engage them," she said.

Despite not having the right facilities, the people of Pag-asa and the local officials of Kalayaan and Palawan expressed utmost support in protecting the natural treasures of West Philippine Sea.

Bitoon-on said he is thankful for the support the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Coast Guard extend to Pag-asa.

He said he is confident Pag-asa residents are secure and safe in their homes on the island.

For now, local government is keen on developing another means of livelihood for their consistuents—a tourism route through West Philippine Sea which will include Pag-asa Island.

Bitoon-on said the new industry would help generate more jobs and income for those residing in the Kalayaan islands.

AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang, in his May 11 visit in Pag-asa Island, called on people to continue backing the country's maritime and territorial claims despite stiff opposition, especially from China.

"This is ours!" Catapang declared, thereby setting a battle cry for the Philippine military in asserting sovereignty over the potentially gas-rich maritime features.

The military leader assured residents of security for tourism-related plans for the disputed areas, expressing optimism that the rich reefs around Pag-asa will attract domestic and international tourism. *- Priam Nepomuceno, Philippine News Agency*

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Chinese blast fishing off Pag-asa threatens island's livelihood | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
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*Miscellaneous News: *

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*Filipino turns ordinary car into autonomous vehicle*
*Gervie Kay S. Estella*
*Philippine Daily Inquirer*

*12:59 AM | Sunday, May 24th, 2015*

SINGAPORE—A Filipino professor in Singapore has converted an ordinary car and two buggies into driverless vehicles, and is now working on an autonomous car system that may soon be part of the city-state’s public transportation system.

Marcelo Ang Jr., 56, oversees a 12-member group of students and staff members called Autonomous Vehicles Group (AVG). They developed two driverless golf buggies and an autonomous compact car that are “environment-friendly” and “cheaper” than other versions of their kind.


Ang, an associate professor of National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Department of Mechanical Engineering, said the vehicles would enable the old, handicapped and intoxicated people to “drive” safely to their destinations.


“My motivation in starting this project is my wanting to become independent when it comes to driving,” said Ang, also the Director of NUS’ Advanced Robotics Center. “As I grow older, I feel it’s very important to be independent and mobile, to go to the library and shop without having to rely on my kids.”


The vehicles were developed in cooperation between NUS and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), through the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART).


Ang supervises the group, together with Emilio Frazzoli, his counterpart at MIT.


NUS-SMART’s version may be similar to Google’s Self-Driving Car that has $150,000 worth of equipment. But the former is “cheaper,” with the conversion costing only around $30,000. The Singaporean vehicle can also navigate indoors, underground, and even in areas with no Global Positioning System (GPS) signal, said James Fu Guo Ming, SMART project lead.


This program is “proof that you don’t have to be a $300-billion giant company like Google to work on an autonomous vehicle,” said Fu, who is also a former student of Ang. “The work here is being done mostly by students with the help of research staff.”


Ang’s team is not only focusing on converting vehicles, but is also developing the Mobility-on-Demand (MOD) system.


*Robotics*


Users will be able to use their smartphones to book autonomous vehicles, which will take them to the nearest train station where they can ride toward their final destinations.


Ang said MOD was created to “supplement Singapore’s public transportation system” and solve the so-called “first-mile” or “last-mile” problem, where passengers have difficulty traveling from their starting location to transportation networks, such as bus, train and ferry stations, and vice versa.


“In Singapore, this is much needed because trains are very efficient, while buses are not,” Ang said. “After I arrived to my destination, the car will go to the next person who needs it. If you have this system, would you want to still own a car for everyday commute?”


The project is funded by the Singapore National Research Foundation through SMART at the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE). It is part of the country’s Smart Nation initiative, launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2014.


Ang had several other programs on robotics since he started working at NUS in 1989, including the Ship Welding Robotic System. But he said the MOD system is one of his most important projects.


“If implemented, the system will be one of my greatest legacies,” Ang said. “The transportation system affects all sectors of society, including the rich and the poor, and it will have a great impact to everybody.”


The father of three boys has been into robotics since he was young. He remembered tinkering with broken things at home in Manila, including toasters, ovens, fans, door locks and even their car, and finding ways to fix them.


He studied Mechanical Engineering at De La Salle University, where he taught for a year before getting a job at Intel Philippines Manufacturing Inc. He later left for Hawaii and took up his master’s degree also in Mechanical Engineering at University of Hawaii at Manoa. He then earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Rochester in New York.


*City of the future*


Ang was teaching at University of Rochester when he was offered to be a professor at NUS. At that time, Ang said, Singapore was “not as developed as it is today.”


“Ambassador HE Professor Tommy Koh said Singapore aims to be the city of the future, and he asked me to join NUS so I can become part of it,” Ang said.


Ang immediately packed his bags for Singapore and, in three months, brought his family to settle in the country.


NUS and the Singaporean government made true their promise to support Ang’s projects. When the National Research Foundation offered a grant in 2010 for programs on future urban mobility, Ang pitched the concept of the “robot car” and of converting cars into autonomous vehicles to Damien Chong and Qin Baoxing, his students at the time who just recently earned their PhD and are now part of AVG.


The team was able to launch two driverless golf buggies—DJ (Driverless Jockey) and BX (Buggy Xtreme), named after Chong and Baoxing—which ferried passengers at a speed of 10 kilometers per hour around the Chinese and Japanese Gardens in October last year. The AVG also launched Singapore’s first locally developed driverless car called SCOT, which is designed for operations on public roads.


Unlike other driverless cars which are retrofitted with expensive 3D laser sensors, SCOT relies on low-cost off-the-shelf Lidar sensors, which enable the car to drive even in tunnels and places where GPS signals would be hindered, according to a statement from SMART.


*Human error*


Fu said the autonomous vehicles would provide a safer mode of transportation, more productivity, better use of road infrastructure, and transportation access even to those who cannot drive.


“Accidents are due to human error, as some people are texting, calling or even watching movies while they are driving. If the cars are driving by themselves in a very predictable manner, it would be safer,” Fu said. “At the same time, while you are inside the car, you can be doing other things like checking your e-mail and Facebook, and watching YouTube, all in safety as the car drives for you.”


Ang said the Singaporean government is supporting the prototyping stage for the MOD system, including the development of the autonomous vehicles. The group is also planning to take the car to the “One North” area, a place designated for field trials of autonomous vehicles and where many pedestrians and vehicles are present. The trial will probably start next month, he added.


But Ang wants one more thing—to see this technology in his own country, the Philippines.


“Definitely, I want to see these autonomous vehicles in the Philippines, where there is a lot of urban development and traffic, and the population is very huge,” Ang said. “It would be nice if we have autonomous vehicles and a shared-car system-mobility on demand. This may be a solution to our traffic problems and will definitely make people more productive.”

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Filipino turns ordinary car into autonomous vehicle | Inquirer Business
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

*What's With the Philippine Economy?*
_
A disappointing quarter has some worrying about Manila’s prospects_
*
By Prashanth Parameswaran
May 29, 2015*

Over the past few years, the Philippines has emerged as one of the most vibrant economies in the world, shedding its old image as “the sick man of Asia.” Manila closed out last year as Asia’s second-fastest rising economy, after China, with a 6.1% growth rate.

Yet the first quarter statistics for 2015 are a bit worrying. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, growth in the Philippine economy slowed in the first quarter of 2015 to 5.2%, its weakest level in three years and way below the 6.6% mark many had predicted.

The slowdown has been attributed to several factors. Exports dropped dramatically – growing just 1% on year compared with 12.8% in the fourth-quarter – amid declining external demand across some of Manila’s main trading partners such as Japan and China. Government spending was also quite low at 4.8%, nearly half what it was in the fourth quarter of last year.

The key question, though, is whether this is just a blip or the start of a slower growth trend for the rest of the year. Philippine officials are convinced that it is the former. The country’s economic planning chief, Arsenio Balisacan, says government spending and exports can be expected to pick up in the coming quarters. Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima also told CNBC that despite the focus on government spending, private sector figures were still quite encouraging in the first quarter. Investment also expanded significantly by around 10.1% on year, while household consumption also rose relative to the previous quarter.

More generally, the fundamentals of the Philippine economy are quite strong. For instance, in a report released last month, the World Bank noted that strong remittances, falling oil prices, and upbeat consumer and business sentiments indicated strong growth for 2015. It suggested that a 6.5% growth was not out of reach.

But the report also warned of general risks to near-term growth, some of which played into the country’s sluggish first quarter in 2015. These include delays in the planned execution of the 2015 budget, delays in investment (in particular those under private-public partnership projects) and a tepid global economy. The lower 5.2% growth rate, and the underlying trends, make the government’s 7-8% growth forecast for 2015 – and even the World Bank’s lower 6.5% figure – look quite optimistic for now.

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What’s With the Philippine Economy? | The Diplomat
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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*Mitsubishi bags Panglao airport*
*By Darwin G. Amojelar* 
May. 27, 2015 at 11:25pm 

A joint venture of Mitsubishi Corp. and Chiyoda Corp. of Japan has won a P7-billion contract from the government to build a world-class, eco-friendly airport in Panglao Island, Bohol.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the New Bohol (Panglao) Airport would replace Tagbilaran Airport as Bohol’s main gateway.

Six Japanese consortiua submitted bids last year for the Panglao airport, which will be financed by an official development assistance loan worth 10.8 billion yen (P4.5 billion) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Tagbilaran Airport, the 11th busiest airport in the country, served around 789,800 passengers in 2013 despite its small size of only 850 square meters.

Construction of the P7-billion New Bohol Airpot will begin in June and is expected to be completed within 30 months or by late 2017 to early 2018. The project involves the construction of a 2,000-meter runway and a modern passenger terminal building.

The first greenfield airport under the Aquino Administration will be 10 times bigger than the Tagbilaran Airport, with a floor area of around 8,800 square meters. This will also boost the annual passenger capacity to 1.7 million passengers.

The planned airport, in line with Bohol’s eco-tourism branding, will have environmentally friendly and energy-saving features such as the installation of LED lights. Only the pre-departure area will have air conditioning, operating with solar powered energy while the rest of the areas will be open.

“Tourists in Bohol continue to grow each year that passes. Unfortunately, the current airport may not be able to accommodate the increase over time. This gives us the need to cater to the increasing number of tourists and this means modernizing and expanding the airport with a design that is of international standards,” Abaya said.

The Transportation Department is also in the process of bidding out the operations and maintenance contract of the airport.

The winning bidder will take over O&M upon the completion of civil works.

Japan International Cooperation Agency chief representative Niwa Noriaki said aside from the construction of New Bohol Airport, the government of Japan assisted the Philippines in the development of the air transport sector through completed projects including Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2, Mactan Airport, New Iloilo Airport and Air Navigation Facilities Modernization Projects Phase 1 to III.

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Mitsubishi bags Panglao airport - Manila Standard Today
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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Security News:*

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* Noy to raise sea dispute issue with Abe *
 By Aurea Calica* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated May 30, 2015 - 12:00am*

_MANILA, Philippines_ - President Aquino is expected to raise the West Philippine Sea dispute during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan next week.

However, there is no word yet if the Philippines will specifically ask Tokyo to join calls for China to stop its massive reclamation activities in disputed waters.

Aquino will leave for Tokyo on June 2 for a state visit until June 5.

The President’s visit would boost relations between the two countries on all aspects including defense and security, according to Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Minda Cruz.

Malacañang has reiterated its position that China should stop reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea, Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office said.

On Thursday, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in a meeting in Hawaii that Washington’s pledge to defend the Philippines remained “ironclad” and called for an end to land reclamation in the South China Sea.

Asked about the message Aquino’s trip would send to China amid concerns over its reclamation activities, Cruz said the meeting between the President and Abe would focus on bilateral ties between the Philippines and Japan.

But it would include enhanced relations and cooperation on defense and security to maintain peace and stability in the region, Cruz said.

“It has always been that way… The Philippines and Japan had been cooperating on a lot of regional issues. Both countries put importance on freedom of navigation, observance of international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as the movement of free trade,” Cruz said.

Cruz said Japan had always been active in helping the Philippine Coast Guard build its capacity to patrol the country’s internal waters.

She noted that the Philippines and Japan had been allies in a lot of issues being part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum and East Asia Summit.

“The South China Sea issue is an issue that remains important to us, and I think to the rest of the region and the rest of the world. So we expect this issue to be discussed during the President’s state visit,” Cruz said.

Asked about direct military assistance from Japan, Cruz said, “we are not defense allies but our strategic relationship is anchored not only on security but also on political security, economic, cultural as well as social areas.”

“So for the defense cooperation… we have been very active in terms of capacity building for the Philippines and training between the two sides... I think that will continue to be enhanced by both sides,” she said.

Cruz expressed hope that the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries would be able to have regular meetings to boost defense cooperation.

On Thursday, Coloma said the Philippine position had long been for the observance of the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, which was contrary to what China was doing.

Coloma said the Philippines and other countries, including the US had expressed concern over China’s reclamation activities in the South China Sea.

He added there was no reason to doubt Washington’s promise of “ironclad” support for the Philippines given its close military and defense ties under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

Meanwhile, President Aquino will address the Japanese parliament during his state visit to Japan from June 2 to 5.

In November 1986, Aquino’s mother, Corazon, spoke before the parliament following the restoration of democracy in the Philippines.

Cruz said it would be an opportunity for the President to present the available opportunities in the Philippines in terms of business and people-to-people exchanges.

“I think it is of interest for Japan to see how the Philippines has been doing,” she said.

Cruz noted that Japan and the Philippines have developed strong ties over the years.

Aquino will be welcomed by Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo where a state banquet will be hosted in honor of the President.

The Chief Executive would also hold a meeting with Japanese investors.

He is scheduled to speak at the special session of Nikkei Future of Asia Conference 2015 and would interact with the Filipino community in Japan.

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Noy to raise sea dispute issue with Abe | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*SCS / West PH Sea News:*

-----

* Impasse over China's island-building shows no sign of easing *
 By Lolita C. Baldor* (Associated Press) 
Updated May 31, 2015 - 10:43am*

_SINGAPORE_ — China vigorously defended its South China Sea land reclamation projects in the face of persistent criticism from U.S. leaders at an international security summit Saturday as the standoff in the Asia-Pacific region shows few signs of abating.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and other officials sharply condemned the artificial island-building, but provided no details on what steps the U.S. may take to press China into diplomatic talks.

Carter said China's land reclamation was out of step with international rules, and that turning underwater land into airfields would not expand its sovereignty.

He and others said the U.S. opposes "any further militarization" of the disputed lands. That was a reference to two large motorized artillery vehicles that officials said China had placed on one of the artificial islands.

Chinese officials, in public statements and a private meeting, defended the construction and slammed the U.S. for interfering.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the U.S. was "making absurd remarks about China's long-established sovereignty and rights, stirring up trouble and slinging accusations regarding China's appropriate and rational construction activities on its islands. China resolutely opposes this."

David Shear, the assistant U.S. defense secretary for Asian issues, told reporters that a private meeting with Chinese Rear Adm. Guan Youfei, the chief of foreign affairs at the defense ministry, was "spirited and candid."

"There aren't any silver bullets to resolving this," said Shear. "It's going to take time, and it's going to take some determined diplomacy by us and with our partners."

At the conference, U.S. senators and officials from other Pacific nations questioned whether the U.S. would take action.

Carter and other officials, including Adm. Harry Harris, who just took over U.S. Pacific Command, declined to talk about what diplomatic or military steps the U.S. would be willing to take.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the U.S. should not invite China to a major military exercise in the Pacific in 2016. But Harris said China has already been invited, and that the two countries must engage if they are to build a better relationship and lessen the chances for misunderstandings.

But, he said, "we always have the option of changing our approach."

He also said he was concerned by the artillery weapons, which were discovered at least several weeks ago. Two U.S. officials who are familiar with intelligence about the vehicles say they have been removed. The officials weren't authorized to discuss the intelligence and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

The Pentagon would not release any photos to support its contention that the vehicles were there.

China's assertive behavior in the South China Sea has become an increasingly sore point in relations with the United States, even as President Barack Obama and China's President Xi Jinping have tried to deepen cooperation in other areas, such as climate change.

"Turning an underwater rock into an airfield simply does not afford the rights of sovereignty or permit restrictions on international air or maritime transit," Carter told the audience at the International Institute for Strategic Studies summit.

China's actions have been "reasonable and justified," said Senior Col. Zhao Xiaozhuo, deputy director of the Center on China-America Defense Relations at the People's Liberation Army's Academy of Military Science.

Zhao challenged Carter, asking whether America's criticism of China and its military reconnaissance activities in the South China Sea "help to resolve the disputes" and maintain peace and stability in the region.

Carter responded that China's expanding land reclamation projects are unprecedented in scale. He said the U.S. has been flying and operating ships in the region for decades and has no intention of stopping.

While Carter's criticism was aimed largely at China, he made it clear that other nations who are doing smaller land reclamation projects also must stop.

One of those countries is Vietnam, which Carter is scheduled to visit during this 11-day trip across Asia. Others are Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Carter said the U.S. will continue to sail, fly and operate in the region, and warned that the Pentagon will be sending its "best platforms and people" to the Asia-Pacific. Those would include, he said, new high-tech submarines, surveillance aircraft, the stealth destroyer and new aircraft carrier-based early-warning aircraft.

One senior U.S. defense official has said the U.S. was considering more military flights and patrols closer to the projects in the South China Sea, to emphasize reclaimed lands are not China's territorial waters.

Officials also are looking at ways to adjust the military exercises in the region to increase U.S. presence if needed. That official was not authorized to discuss the options publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

One possibility would be for U.S. ships to travel within 12 miles of the artificial islands, to further make the point that they are not sovereign Chinese land.

___


_Associated Press news assistant Liu Zheng in Beijing contributed to this report._

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Impasse over China's island-building shows no sign of easing | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* US opposes 'further militarization' of South China Sea *
 By Lolita C. Baldor and Matthew Pennington* (Associated Press) 
Updated May 30, 2015 - 10:15am*

_SINGAPORE_ — China's land reclamation in the South China Sea is out of step with international rules, and turning underwater land into airfields won't expand its sovereignty, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told an international security conference Saturday, stepping up America's condemnation of the communist giant as Beijing officials sat in the audience.

Carter told the room full of Asia-Pacific leaders and experts that the U.S. opposes "any further militarization" of the disputed lands.

His comments came as defense officials revealed that China had put two large artillery vehicles on one of the artificial islands it is creating in the South China Sea. The discovery, made at least several weeks ago, fuels fears in the U.S and across the Asia-Pacific that China will try to use the land reclamation projects for military purposes.

The weaponry was discovered at least several weeks ago, and two U.S. officials who are familiar with intelligence about the vehicles say they have been removed. The officials weren't authorized to discuss the intelligence and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

The Pentagon would not release any photos to support its contention that the vehicles were there.

China's assertive behavior in the South China Sea has become an increasingly sore point in relations with the United States, even as President Barack Obama and China's President Xi Jinping have sought to deepen cooperation in other areas, such as climate change.

Pentagon spokesman Brent Colburn said the U.S. was aware of the artillery, but he declined to provide other details. Defense officials described the weapons as self-propelled artillery vehicles and said they posed no threat to the U.S. or American territories.

While Carter did not refer directly to the weapons in his speech, he told the audience that now is the time for a diplomatic solution to the territorial disputes because "we all know there is no military solution."

"Turning an underwater rock into an airfield simply does not afford the rights of sovereignty or permit restrictions on international air or maritime transit," Carter told the audience at the International Institute for Strategic Studies summit.

And while his criticism was aimed largely at China, he made it clear that other nations who are doing smaller land reclamation projects also must stop.

One of those countries is Vietnam, which Carter is scheduled to visit during this 11-day trip across Asia. Others are Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Asked about images of weapons on the islands, China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she was "not aware of the situation you mention."

She also scolded Carter, saying the U.S. should be "rational and calm and stop making any provocative remarks, because such remarks not only do not help ease the controversies in the South China Sea, but they also will aggravate the regional peace and stability."

Carter appeared to strike back in his speech, saying that the U.S. is concerned about "the prospect of further militarization, as well as the potential for these activities to increase the risk of miscalculation or conflict." And he said the U.S. "has every right to be involved and be concerned."

But while Carter stood in China's backyard and added to the persistent drumbeat of U.S. opposition to Beijing's activities, he did little to give Asia-Pacific nations a glimpse into what America is willing to do to achieve a solution.

He said the U.S. will continue to sail, fly and operate in the region, and warned that the Pentagon will be sending its "best platforms and people" to the Asia-Pacific. Those would include, he said, new high-tech submarines, surveillance aircraft, the stealth destroyer and new aircraft carrier-based early-warning aircraft.

But he said little about how to solve the stand-off with China, other than calling for diplomatic talks and peaceful resolutions.

One senior defense official has said the U.S. is considering more military flights and patrols closer to the projects in the South China Sea, to emphasize reclaimed lands are not China's territorial waters. Officials also are looking at ways to adjust the military exercises in the region to increase U.S. presence if needed. That official was not authorized to discuss the options publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

One possibility would be for U.S. ships to travel within 12 miles of the artificial islands, to further make the point that they are not sovereign Chinese land.

The U.S. has been flying surveillance aircraft in the region, prompting China to file a formal protest.

U.S. and other regional officials have expressed concerns about the island building, including worries that it may be a prelude to navigation restrictions or the enforcement of a possible air defense identification zone over the South China Sea. China declared such a zone over disputed Japanese-held islands in the East China Sea in 2013.

Last June, the U.S. called for a freeze on construction work in disputed areas, but Beijing only increased its land reclamation. In recent months, commercial satellite imagery has put a spotlight on the rapid expansion of artificial islands.

China has said the islands are its territory and that the buildings and other infrastructure are for public service use and to support fishermen.

___

_Pennington reported from Washington. AP news assistant Liu Zheng in Beijing contributed to this report._

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US opposes 'further militarization' of South China Sea | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Philippines may get caught in crossfire between U.S., China *
*By JC Gotinga, CNN Philippines *
*Updated 17:35 PM PHT Fri, May 29, 2015*

*(CNN Philippines) *— Cannon fire welcomed U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter at Pearl Harbor — the site of the infamous Japanese attack that dragged the U.S. into the Second World War IN 1941.

During his visit there, Carter made it clear: The U.S. does not want a war in the South China Sea, part of which Filipinos call the West Philippine Sea.

But Carter was also clear in saying that the U.S. would stand with its allies against provocations from China.

"China's actions are bringing countries in the region together in new ways," he said. "And they're increasing demand for American engagement in the Asia-Pacific, and we're going to meet it. W e will remain the principal power in the asia-pacific for decades to come."

China's Foreign Ministry hit right back, saying the U.S. is "messing up" the Asia-Pacific region and that it's using double standards in addressing the issue.

For China, it's the U.S., along with other claimant countries like the Philippines, who are the intruders.

Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin was in talks recently with Carter, who affirmed that Washington's alliance with Manila is ironclad.

Chito Santa Romana, a former Beijing bureau chief of ABC News, said that alliance is a double-edged sword.

In an interview on Thursday (May 28) Santa Romana, who's president of the Philippine Association for China Studies, said: "The Philippines, being the treaty ally, you now face the risk of being involved in a great power rivalry. There is a strong possibility that the Philippines could be caught in the crossfire between the two powers."

Just a day before, on Wednesday, the Chinese military released a document stating its strategy in the South China Sea. It shows a shift from defense to the possibility of offense.

Santa Romana pointed out that neither the U.S. nor China would want to start a war.

But if both sides keep tailing each other's military planes and ships in the disputed waters, one false move could lead to catastrophe.

"The greater risk is that with the two sides now challenging each other, how much restraint can they exercise to minimize the risk of a miscalculation?" Santa Romana said.

The underlying issue, he added, is the power contest between the U.S. and China.

And although the geopolitical situation is increasingly volatile, the strong economic ties between the two nations ensure that they themselves will want to keep their tensions under control.

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Philippines may get caught in crossfire between U.S., China - CNN Philippines
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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> *Business News:*
> 
> -----
> 
> *Mitsubishi bags Panglao airport*
> *By Darwin G. Amojelar*
> May. 27, 2015 at 11:25pm
> 
> A joint venture of Mitsubishi Corp. and Chiyoda Corp. of Japan has won a P7-billion contract from the government to build a world-class, eco-friendly airport in Panglao Island, Bohol.
> 
> Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the New Bohol (Panglao) Airport would replace Tagbilaran Airport as Bohol’s main gateway.
> 
> Six Japanese consortiua submitted bids last year for the Panglao airport, which will be financed by an official development assistance loan worth 10.8 billion yen (P4.5 billion) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
> 
> Tagbilaran Airport, the 11th busiest airport in the country, served around 789,800 passengers in 2013 despite its small size of only 850 square meters.
> 
> Construction of the P7-billion New Bohol Airpot will begin in June and is expected to be completed within 30 months or by late 2017 to early 2018. The project involves the construction of a 2,000-meter runway and a modern passenger terminal building.
> 
> The first greenfield airport under the Aquino Administration will be 10 times bigger than the Tagbilaran Airport, with a floor area of around 8,800 square meters. This will also boost the annual passenger capacity to 1.7 million passengers.
> 
> The planned airport, in line with Bohol’s eco-tourism branding, will have environmentally friendly and energy-saving features such as the installation of LED lights. Only the pre-departure area will have air conditioning, operating with solar powered energy while the rest of the areas will be open.
> 
> “Tourists in Bohol continue to grow each year that passes. Unfortunately, the current airport may not be able to accommodate the increase over time. This gives us the need to cater to the increasing number of tourists and this means modernizing and expanding the airport with a design that is of international standards,” Abaya said.
> 
> The Transportation Department is also in the process of bidding out the operations and maintenance contract of the airport.
> 
> The winning bidder will take over O&M upon the completion of civil works.
> 
> Japan International Cooperation Agency chief representative Niwa Noriaki said aside from the construction of New Bohol Airport, the government of Japan assisted the Philippines in the development of the air transport sector through completed projects including Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2, Mactan Airport, New Iloilo Airport and Air Navigation Facilities Modernization Projects Phase 1 to III.
> 
> -----
> Mitsubishi bags Panglao airport - Manila Standard Today
> -----





This is in Bohol Province yes? This is going to be great !

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> This is in Bohol Province yes? This is going to be great !



Yup, it is on the island of Bohol.


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> Yup, it is on the island of Bohol.



So next time i want to visit chocolate hills i can fly direct.

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## VALKRYIE

Vietnamese software firm opens site in Cebu

Sunday, May 31, 2015
By
KATLENE O. CACHO




Vietnamese Connections. FPT Software Chairman Hoang Nam Tien (left) and Managing Director Tran Duy Vinh of FPT Software Philippines Corp. take questions during the opening of the software development company’s first development center in Cebu City. (Sun.Star Foto/Allan Defensor)


A VIETNAMESE software development firm has expanded its operations to Cebu.

FPT Software opened last Friday its first development center in the Philippines in Ebloc 3 of the Cebu IT Park with an initial head count of 62 software engineers.

“We are very delighted to have the Philippines in our globalization strategy...Placing an office in the Philippines is an important step of FPT Software’s Asean expansion strategy, and Cebu is the forerunner in this game. We aim to make FPT the leader of Asean in the global IT World Cup,” said Hoang Nam Tien, FPT Software chairman. (Asean stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.)

FPT is the largest Vietnamese IT company and ranked ninth in the Forbes Top 50 listed companies there. It operates in 19 countries and reported its latest revenue at US$1.65 billion.

The new center, according to the company, will help fulfill its global strategy and continuous growth, and is part of a drive to have 30,000 employees by 2020.
“With the right people, right place, right time setting up, our office in Cebu has been extremely fast and smooth. We already have a spacious office, a strong management team and have also transferred some important projects to Cebu,” Tien said.

Promising

FPT Software Philippines targets to add 200 software engineers to its resource pool by the end of this year. By 2020, the company hopes to employ 2,000 workers in the Philippines.

The Philippines is considered a promising destination for the software industry due to its number of IT and engineering graduates, as well as employees trained in the business process outsourcing-information technology-knowledge process outsourcing (BPO-IT-KPO) sector. Workers’ good command of English, high productivity, efficient support from the government and favorable conditions regarding IT infrastructure were also cited in its favor.

“Filipinos’ excellent English communication skills, right work attitude and impressive technical skills, specifically on software development, on top of your inherent warm hospitality, are some of the factors that made us choose to expand operations in the Philippines,” said Tien.

“Cebu is just the starting point. We will be closely looking at other key cities for future expansions.”

FPT Software Philippines leased a 600-square-meter area in EBloc 3 with an initial capacity of 120 seats to run the daytime operations. The firm is also looking at bringing their BPO services here.

Job prospects

Government and private officials welcomed FPT Software’s entry to Cebu, saying that their presence is a big boost to Cebu’s growing BPO-IT-KPO industry.

“FPT’s expansion here is an Asean integration in the making,” said Ezekiel Sarcauga, officer-in-charge of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) 7.

President Greg Gabison of the Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology (Cedf-IT) said FPT’s presence is a welcome development as it will help strengthen Cebu’s footing in the KPO industry.

“This high-value outsourcing industry opens opportunities for our computer science and IT graduates,” said Gabison, adding that Cedf-IT was instrumental in bringing FPT to Cebu.

Annually, Cebu produces around 3,500 IT graduates. Some 30-40 percent land in IT companies, while the rest take on call center or technical support jobs.

FPT Software is also introducing its new development center in Myanmar, which is expected to be opened in June 2015. These new grounds are expected to be “a backyard” of Vietnam to help FPT Software better meet the growing demands for software globally, the company said in its website.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on June 01, 2015.

Vietnamese software firm opens site in Cebu | Sun.Star

Vietnam & Philippines

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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Security News:*

-----

*The Geopolitical Stakes of the 2016 Philippine Elections*
_The outcome of next year’s presidential election will have significant implications for the country’s foreign policy._
*
By Jeffrey Ordaniel
May 28, 2015*

For almost four years now, the Philippines has been Southeast Asia’s fastest growing major economy. Once dubbed the “sick man” of Asia, the country’s image has enjoyed a turnaround under President Benigno Aquino III. The Philippines sovereign credit rating has been upgraded from junk to investment grade by all major credit rating agencies. Though still lagging its peers in ASEAN, foreign direct investment and tourism figures have all seen remarkable upticks. Investments in human and economic infrastructure through public-private partnerships, overseas development assistance, and other schemes have been unprecedented under the current administration, despite bureaucratic and other delays.

Most significantly, though, Aquino’s foreign policy has made headlines around the world. Specifically, Manila has drawn closer to Washington. In April 2014, the two treaty-allies signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which will soon see American troops with their air and naval assets rotate through Philippine military bases, including Subic Bay and Palawan, both facing the contested South China Sea. The Philippines also filed a case against China through a UN-backed court to invalidate the infamous nine-dashed line map in the South China Sea, while simultaneously internationalizing the disputes, connecting them to wider international concerns such as freedom of navigation and access to global commons. The legal move is the boldest yet among ASEAN-claimant countries. Both the EDCA, an external balancing act, and the arbitration case, an appeal to the rule of law and for favorable global public opinion, represent Manila’s resolve in defending its sovereign claims and maritime entitlements in the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, the Philippines has embarked on a modest military modernization program that, if realized, will give its armed forces submarines and other assets required for the military’s envisioned “minimum credible defense” capabilities by 2020. Overall, Manila’s South China Sea policy under Aquino has been to internationalize, to legalize, and to balance China.

However, come May 2016, the country’s economic, security, and foreign policies will all enter a state of flux, as the Philippines gears up to hold its fifth presidential election since returning to democracy in 1986. The ruling Liberal Party has yet to decide on its presidential ticket for next year’s election, but Aquino has already indicated that Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, the current secretary of Interior and Local Government and a losing vice-presidential candidate in 2010, is his top choice for a successor. In an interview with the local media, the president said of Roxas, “He has demonstrated quite a wide range of expertise in so many different assignments. He is a valuable member of the Cabinet. He has been a staunch leader of the party… And he has demonstrated the ability to sacrifice, previously, for instance, when he gave way to me. So all of these traits should point out that he is – to my mind, as far as our coalition is concerned – at the top of the list.”

In fact, Roxas was supposed to run for president in 2010, when he was at his prime in terms of name recognition and popularity, but gave way to Aquino whose own mass appeal and corruption-free image were catapulted by the sudden death of his mother, democracy icon and former President Cory Aquino in 2009.

However, Roxas has not been performing well in recent opinion polls. Currently leading the pack is Vice President Jejomar Binay of the opposition party, United Nationalist Alliance. Binay’s populist platform, which focuses on social welfare programs for the poor, seems to be resonating. However, the vice-president is hounded by allegations of massive corruption during his long stint as mayor of the country’s financial district, Makati. The country’s Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) was recently successful in urging the courts to freeze Binay’s bank accounts, and those of his immediate family members and alleged fronts. AMLC argued that the total of the bank accounts and transactions in question had reached 16 billion pesos (about $358 million) since 2008, amounts inconsistent with statutory declarations made. Since that revelation, Binay has seen his trust ratings plummet, although he still holds the lead in presidential polls.

Binay’s answer to these allegations is a blanket denial, dismissing them as politically motivated. Still, opinion polls in the coming months may move against him, especially as the case against the vice-president moves forward in court.

Because the Philippines has a weak, multi-party system, the ruling party is also reportedly eyeing neophyte Senator Grace Poe, an independent, as its alternative standard-bearer, if not as the vice-presidential partner of the less popular Roxas. Grace is the daughter of Fernando Poe, the losing opponent of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the 2004 election, an election Arroyo critics say was largely rigged. Should the ruling party play it safe, Poe will be its presidential candidate. Should she win, she will be the third woman to rule the Philippines.


*Diplomatic Implications*

These domestic political dynamics in the Philippines could prove to be very consequential in Manila’s diplomacy in the years ahead. Already, Binay has indicated that he would have a different China policy than the one pursued by Aquino. Local media quoted him recently as saying, “we have to accept the fact that China has all the capital and we have the property over there, so why don’t we try to develop that property as a joint venture?” China has long called for joint development in the South China Sea, but other claimant-states’ unease with Beijing’s premise of “indisputable sovereignty” has prevented any progress on the idea.

Apparently, Binay has also not been briefed on why a joint venture with China on equal terms would be a violation of the country’s constitution, the document he would have to vow to defend should he be elected president. But some in the Philippine Left – who have always been against an American presence in the country – have already expressed support for Binay, among them University of the Philippines Professor Harry Roque, who has asked the country’s Supreme Court to block the implementation of EDCA and declare the U.S.-Philippine deal unconstitutional.

Already, Binay’s stated China doctrine has drawn criticism from the West. Scholar Malcolm Cook wrote, “If Binay wins and follows through on these views, it would be a return to the policy preferred by Aquino’s predecessor, President Macapagal-Arroyo… The foreshadowing of a second reversal of Philippines policy on its maritime boundary dispute with China in two presidential terms shows how divided the Philippine political elite and their financial backers are on this issue and its place in Philippines-China relations. A second reversal in two presidential terms would rightfully reinforce views within ASEAN, and in Washington and Tokyo, about the unreliability of the flip-flopping Philippines, and would throw into doubt the wisdom of aligning their South China Sea approaches with the policy prevailing in Manila at any given moment.” It goes without saying that a Binay win would give China reason to celebrate.

If the Liberal Party’s candidate wins, either Roxas or Poe, a continuity of policy, for at least six more years, is likely. It would signal consistency in the Philippines’ relations with the U.S., which has recently stepped up its South China Sea engagements in a bid to delegitimize China’s land reclamation in disputed areas. It would also be good news for Japan, which has been calling for greater rule of law in East Asia, a call echoed by Aquino’s decision to pursue a court case against Beijing. As the standard-bearer of the ruling party, Roxas is expected to largely continue Aquino’s foreign policy direction.

It is also worth noting that Poe formerly held both Filipino and American citizenship. She renounced her dual-citizenship and reverted back to being a “natural-born Filipino” before serving the Aquino Government in 2010. Hence, an anti-American foreign policy would be least expected from a Poe presidency. Overall, a consensus in the ruling party is slowly forming and its members seem to be zeroing in on a Roxas-Poe or Poe-Roxas presidential ticket to take on the populist Binay.

In May 2016, both Washington and Beijing will have something at stake in an election that will very likely demonstrate the interplay of a country’s domestic politics and its foreign policy choices.

_Jeffrey Ordaniel is a PhD Candidate at the Security and International Studies Program of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo. _

-----
The Geopolitical Stakes of the 2016 Philippine Elections | The Diplomat
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*Phl, Japan to discuss military equipment transfer *
 By Delon Porcalla (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 3, 2015 - 12:00am

TOKYO – Japan and the Philippines will likely agree on the start of talks to sign an accord over the transfer of defense equipment, as both countries seek to strengthen cooperation amid the rise of an assertive China, Japanese government sources said Sunday.

The agreement may be finalized when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Aquino meet in Tokyo tomorrow as arrangements are also made for both leaders to express concern over China’s attempts to change the status quo at sea, the sources added.

Aquino yesterday began his four-day state visit to Japan, a trip being touted as an opportunity for the two countries to highlight their stronger defense and security ties to counter China’s rapid and massive land reclamation work in contested waters in the South China Sea.

At a time when territorial rows in that sea are taking center stage, Aquino and Abe are expected to boost their countries’ ties as “strategic partners” and reaffirm their cooperation in peacefully resolving the South China Sea disputes under the rule of law, Japanese officials said.

A Japanese official said Aquino’s state visit amid China’s muscle-flexing in the East China and South China seas demonstrates how important the Philippines is to Japan and how it is a “good opportunity” to show to the international community how Japan values its relations with the Philippines.

At least 10 patrol boats will be turned over to the Philippine Coast Guard when Aquino witnesses tomorrow the contract signing of the Philippine-Japan maritime safety agreement.

Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel Lopez said the boats will be given through an official development assistance (ODA) facility, under the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project between the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Japan Marine United Corp.

Tokyo and Manila apparently believe stronger defense cooperation will be necessary to keep Beijing’s assertive moves in check.

China’s recent reclamation work on disputed islands in the South China Sea has drawn opposition from Manila, while Japan is at odds with China over the sovereignty of a group of small islands in the East China Sea.

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Phl, Japan to discuss military equipment transfer | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Development News:*

-----

* Economic Cha-cha: It’s now or never *
 By Paolo Romero* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 4, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday the landmark resolution seeking to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution must be approved by the House of Representatives on or before June 11 or it will die in Congress.

Belmonte was referring to Resolution of Both Houses No. 1 (RBH 1), which needs to have the ‘yes’ vote of at least three-fourths or 217 of the 290-member chamber to be considered approved on third and final reading.

The House will adjourn sine die next week, signaling the close of the second year of the 16th Congress.

“It’s a big majority that’s needed. We’ll try our best to pass it now. If we can’t, I don’t see how we can pass it in the future,” Belmonte told reporters.

When asked if the resolution is considered dead if not passed by June 11, he replied, “I think so, we have to give it a try now.”

RBH 1, principally authored by Belmonte, seeks to ease the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution to generate more foreign investments. It was approved on second reading last week but would need lawmakers to individually cast their vote on third and final reading.

The measure seeks to include the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” in various sections of Articles 12, 14, and 16 of the Constitution, which pertain to national economy and patrimony. If not done, the restrictions on foreign ownership will remain until Congress enacts laws to remove it. Advocates said the amendments are not automatic as critics claim.

Sen. Ralph Recto has filed a counterpart resolution in the Senate and his colleagues have expressed support for it.

Once approved, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will conduct a nationwide plebiscite for its approval although House leaders are hoping this can be done simultaneously with the 2016 presidential elections to save on expenses.

Belmonte said the resolution has the full backing of local and business groups.

“This (economic Charter change) will generate foreign direct investments that generate jobs, not the kind of investments that are in the stock market that can leave the country in a second,” he said.

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Economic Cha-cha: It’s now or never | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*(This should really be pushed as the 60/40 Economic Restriction is not helping, despite that one "PH" member here says that removing the restriction will lead to catastrophic results)*


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*Politics and International Diplomacy News:*

-----

* Aquino, Abe sign declaration on stronger ties amid China row *
 By Louis Bacani* (philstar.com)
Updated June 4, 2015 - 7:06pm*

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday signed a declaration strengthening the relationship of their countries amid the territorial disputes with China.

During a joint press briefing after his meeting with Abe in Tokyo, Aquino said the Joint Declaration on the Strengthened Strategic Partnership highlights peace, security, growth and prosperity for the Philippines, Japan and the entire region.

"We have affirmed that the Strategic Partnership between our two countries has entered an enhanced and elevated stage," Aquino said.

Aquino said he and Abe reviewed the security challenges that confront both of their nations.

Aquino said they pledged to cooperate in advancing a shared advocacy for countries to act responsibly.

"We believe this can be done through finding just and peaceful solutions to our territorial disputes and maritime concerns by upholding the rule of law, towards creating a secure and stable environment that serves as the bedrock of our collective progress," he said.

Aquino is on a four-day state visit to Japan, which comes amid China's continued massive reclamation activities in contested islets and reefs in the South China Sea. In separate speeches on Wednesday, he criticized China's assertiveness in the disputed waters.

At a conference organized by the Nikkei business newspaper, Aquino criticized what he called China's "unlawful territorial claim" and hinted at similarities between Beijing's land-reclamation in the South China Sea and Nazi Germany's expansionist moves before World War II. He has drawn similar parallels in the past.


In his address to Japan's parliament, Aquino said that the maritime and coastal stability in the region is "at risk of being disrupted by attempts to redraw the geographic limits and entitlements outside those clearly bestowed by the law of nations."

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Aquino, Abe sign declaration on stronger ties amid China row | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## pr1v4t33r

Steel Cutting SSV #2 Philippines (5 june 2015)


























Progress:
- Keel laying for SSV #1 and first steel cutting for SSV #2 as of today (5 June)
- 25% completion on SSV #1, 80% of the needed imported equipment already aquired.
- Targeting to launch SSV #1 later this year, November, to meet May 2016 deadline.

_PAL sudah 25% garap kapal perang Filipina - ANTARA News_

Reactions: Like Like:
4


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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*Index ends lower on lack of buying catalysts *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 6, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Local share prices fell for a second consecutive session to end the week on a sour note as the absence of catalysts to trigger buying persisted.

The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dropped 0.36 percent or 26.95 points to close at 7,526.70 while the broader All Shares index slipped 0.32 percent or 14.13 points to 4,340.87.

“Friday made little impact on the overall picture, with the market spending the entire day in the red,” said Justino Calaycay Jr., analyst at Accord Capital Equities.

“Headlines at the local front were dominated by politics – how the 2016 presidential election is shaping up,” he added.

Local stocks were mostly in the red expect for mining/oil firms which managed to gain 0.46 percent or 66.39 points.

Turnover value improved to P7.27 billion from the previous day’s P6.94 billion.

Market breadth remained negative as decliners trumped advancers, 81 to 71, while 53 stocks were unchanged.

“Pessimism remained in local equities ahead of the crucial release of US employment data. Progress over discussions on Greece’s debt payment also weighed on sentiment, especially following Wall Street’s results,” said Jason Escartin, investment analyst at F. Yap Securities.

Most Asian shares likewise declined yesterday while US stocks finished lower Thursday on caution ahead of a US jobs data release.

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Index ends lower on lack of buying catalysts | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Inflation eases to 20-year low *
 By Kathleen A. Martin and Danessa O. Rivera* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated June 6, 2015 - 12:00am*


MANILA, Philippines - Inflation hit the tail end of the government’s target and eased to a 20-year low of 1.6 percent in May, mainly due to a decline in utility rates and slower rise in food prices, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said yesterday.

The central bank, however, said the impact of El Niño on food costs and the uncertain trend in oil prices remain a concern.

“Inflation expectations continue to be well-anchored, and growth is still solid,” BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said in a text message.

“We nevertheless remain watchful of developments, particularly in oil price movements, as these have knock-on effects on domestic pump prices, transport and other utilities, and consumption in general, as well as the impact of a possibly prolonged El Niño on the food supply chain,” he added.

The May figure was the low end of the BSP’s 1.6- to 2.4-percent forecast range for the month. Without food or oil prices, core inflation slid to 2.2 percent in May from 2.5 percent in April.

The drop in inflation was attributed to the ample supply of food items, particularly rice and fish, and the lower electricity and fuel prices during the month.
Inflation has so far averaged 2.2 percent in the five months to May, close to the central bank’s 2.3-percent forecast for the entire year.

Despite risks from the El Niño weather phenomenon, the inflation dip to a 20-year low and the country’s strong external position will continue to support household consumption, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.

“Inflation remained low and stable in the first five months of 2015 in line with expectations over the policy horizon. This bodes well for household consumption,” NEDA deputy director-general Rolando G. Tungpalan said in a statement.

“Using the current base year 2006, the May 2015 inflation rate is the lowest, covering the monthly inflation series from 1995 to May 2015. It was also below the market expectation of two percent,” he noted.

He said while El Niño may likely continue until early 2016, authorities should be keen in monitoring drought in agricultural areas and ready to assist farmers should there be a need to shift to crops that are less dependent on water and at the same time resilient to the high temperature climate.

He also assured that overall, policies remain supportive of a manageable rate of inflation.

“With the country’s strong external position, the peso is expected to remain relatively stable and this will contribute to stable domestic prices going forward,” he noted.

The BSP kept key policy rates steady last month as inflation expectations remain well within the 2 – 4 percent target for this year and next.

The next rate-setting meeting is scheduled on June 25.

UK-based investment bank Barclays said in a research note yesterday it still expects the BSP to hike key policy rates in the last quarter of the year.

“While near-term inflationary pressures have eased, there are already signs that drier-than-normal weather conditions are impacting agricultural output, as seen in the rise in vegetable prices,” the bank said.

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Inflation eases to 20-year low | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## JayMandan

Look: The Brandnew Philippine Coast Guard Vessel ordered from Japan






JP JUNE 6, 2015
MANILA – The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has awarded a project to enhance the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) ability to protect our seas, particularly the construction of ten (10) 40-meter multi-role response vessels or MRRVs and their staggered delivery from the third quarter of 2016 up to the third quarter of 2018.

“This project is part of government’s program to equip our forces with necessary assets to protect the national marine interest. These 10 new vessels will help the Coast Guard in its functions of maritime law enforcement, search-and-rescue operations, and upholding maritime security within Philippines seas,” said DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya.

The project, formally called the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project, was awarded by the transportation department to the Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) last week. It is being implemented as an Official Development Assistance (ODA) project, via a tied loan extended by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The loan facility covers P 7,373,700,000.00 out of the total project of P 8,807,700,000.00. The balance will be sourced from the Philippine counterpart of P 1,434,000,000.00.

Under the project terms, the MRRVs will be used by the PCG for the following purposes:

Primary rescue vessels within the PCG Districts’ areas of responsibility (AOR) when the extent of the disaster is beyond the capability of floating assets deployed within the area
Assistance in the control of oil pollution and protection of the marine environment
Enforcement of applicable maritime laws within the designated AOR, particularly relating to illegal fishing and sea patrol
Service as platform for rapid response during relief operations in the area
Transport of personnel and logistical support.
The MRRVs will be deployed to various PCG Districts across the country, including Manila, La Union, and Puerto Prinsesa.

JMU’s winning bid is in the amount of 12,790,000,000 Japanese Yen, and includes the supply of standard spare parts and tools, crew training, ocean transportation, and marine insurance. The vessels will have a standard cruising speed of 16 knots, and a range of 1,500 nautical miles.

@nijonjin1051 Pare naa kay picture of this boat that is currently in service?


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## Zero_wing

are they going to make this 80 meters ?


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## JayMandan

D ko pa alam bro, sa Facebook ko lang nakita itong news. Hope nihonjinsan can clear this up.


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## Zero_wing

Ya 100 meters na lng sana maka takbo ng 30 knots


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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and National Security News:*

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* Rule of law: Philippines climbs 9 spots in world index *
 By Camille Diola* (philstar.com) 
Updated June 7, 2015 - 11:11am*

MANILA, Philippines — Jumping from last year's rank of 60th out of 99 countries, the Philippines this year landed 51st in the World Justice Project's index measuring the public's experience on rule of law.

The Rule of Law Index is based on response of over 100,000 households and 2,400 expert surveys on how the rule of law is felt in "practical, everyday situations by ordinary people around the world."

"The rule of law is the foundation for communities of peace, opportunity, and equity—underpinning development, accountable government, and respect for fundamental rights," the study noted.

Countries' ranks are based on 44 indicators across eight categories, namely constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, civil justice and criminal justice.





The Philippines' scores across eight categories. Table taken from the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index website.

The Philippines earned a scare of 0.53 out of the perfect score of 1.

Among the categories, the Philippines' order and security score of 0.71 is highest, followed by constraints on government powers with 0.61.

Experience of criminal justice in the Philippines, however, is lowest among the categories, with 0.38. Next to the lowest is civil justice with a score of 0.46, while the perception of the absence of corruption is also lacking with 0.49.

In East Asia and the Pacific, the Philippines is ninth of 15 countries. New Zealand leads with 0.83, followed by Singapore with 0.81 and Australia with 0.80.

The Philippines ranks above Indonesia, with a score of 0.52, and Thailand, with its 0.52 score. Still, the Philippines falls behind Malaysia with 0.50.

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Rule of law: Philippines climbs 9 spots in world index | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Business News:*

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* Upbeat mood to lift economy in Q2 *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 7, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Positive sentiment among local businesses in the second quarter should help lift economic growth during the period, the research arm of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. said in a report.

Metrobank research analyst Pauline Revillas noted that the latest Business Expectations Survey of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed a confidence index of 49.2 percent during the quarter, up from 45.2 percent in the first three months of the year.

“Business confidence was also upbeat across sectors. These indexes suggest that businesses under the economic sectors still expect to cap the year on a positive note,” she said.

The central bank last week said businesses were more optimistic this quarter due to expected strong consumer demand amid the harvest and fishing seasons, school graduation and enrollment periods, and the summer season seen increasing both local and foreign tourists.

The respondents also cited increased activities in the construction sector especially in government infrastructure projects and rise in orders from new contracts leading to high volume of production.

The BSP also said local firms expect to expand their businesses with the launch of new product lines as they cited confidence in the current administration.

For the next quarter, the confidence index was at 47.3 percent, reflecting a less optimistic outlook. The central bank said this was due to the rainy season, the planting season, heightened competition, and lower consumer demand due to education expenses.

“Economic growth in the second half will likely be driven by sectors such as manufacturing, trade – which will be supported by robust domestic demand, construction to be underpinned by government infrastructure spending, and the service sector,” Revillas said.

Philippine economic growth slowed to 5.2 percent in the first quarter, below market and government expectations. The figure is slower than the 5.6 percent recorded in the same period last year and the revised 6.6 percent growth in the fourth quarter of 2014.

But Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the government still hopes to grow the economy by seven to eight percent this year from the 6.1 percent expansion in 2014.

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Upbeat mood to lift economy in Q2 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Torre Lorenzo unveils P4-B investment in Davao *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 7, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. (TLDC) is bullish on Davao’s property scene as it unveils a multi-billion peso investment plan for projects in the province.

Initially, the company said it is spending P4 billion for three high-end projects, its top officials said.

“Our goal is to conceptually start with the three projects, and eventually embark on more development ventures in the long run. We believe that the local audience will be excited for this kind of development in Davao, putting the region in the international tourists’ map and making it their destination of choice,” TLDC president Tomas P. Lorenzo said.

TLDC, in partnership with Thai hotel chain Dusit International, is currently developing Dusit Thani Residences, dusitD2 Hotel and Lubi Plantation Resort – three developments seen to provide luxury accommodations to residents and tourists in Davao.

“Having the renowned global hotel brand on board, Torre Lorenzo’s projects guarantee to raise the bar in terms of quality accommodations in Davao,” Lorenzo said.

Aside from familiar places such as Makati, Bonifacio Global City, Ortigas and Quezon City, Lorenzo said Davao City also presents big potential to become a major real estate market given the region’s continued strong economic growth and emerging tourism industry.

He said more investors are now warming up to business opportunities offered by Davao’s real estate market, with TLDC among them.

“With an array of benefits for different levels of investment, Davao offers the best value in terms of doing business. As the Davao economy picks up, its property sector will strengthen and we will continue to see an upward trajectory. Now is the best time to capitalize on its real estate market given such favorable conditions,” Lorenzo said.

TLDC said Dusit Thani Residences would consist of 168 full-service residence units standing in a complex that will offer owners and guests prime city and ocean views.

Adjoining Dusit Thani Residences will be the 120-key upscale dusitD2 Hotel with a full suite of accessible facilities and amenities.

Both accommodations are located within the 1.2-hectare Siam 8000, TLDC’s first city community project, located in Buhangin District, Davao City.

The Lubi Plantation Resort, meanwhile, is a 37-hectare development accessible by a 30-minute private speedboat transfer and will offer accommodations and amenities through a private membership club.

Aside from being one of the most progressive cities in the Philippines, Davao is also considered among the world’s safest cities, making it an even more attractive investment and tourist destination, Lorenzo said.

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Torre Lorenzo unveils P4-B investment in Davao | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Oishi to open 2nd plant in Indonesia *
 By Tony Katigbak* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 7, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Liwaysay Group of Companies, maker of the snack food brand Oishi, is further expanding in the Indonesian market with the construction of a new facility in Surabaya.

Carlos Chan, chairman emeritus of Liwayway, said the new facility is expected to be finished and operational by early 2017.

Chan revealed this during a visit to the existing Jakarta plant with select members of the Philippine media. He said the new plant will sit on a 36,000 square meter property in Surabaya.

Currently, Liwayway’s existing plant in Jakarta supplies and has a stronghold in Java Island, said Richard Yu, who heads Liwayway’s operations in Indonesia.

Yu said the new plant in Surabaya would cater to the east and northeastern part of the country. He said this would address the logistical constraints of having to transport the products from the Jakarta plant to these areas in Indonesia, including Sulawesi.

Yu said the new Surabaya plant would increase the capacity of Oishi to service its market better.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
The Jakarta plant is also in the process of completing its new warehouse for finished goods. It will sit on a 7,000 square meter lot and is expected to be finished in June 2015.

At present, Liwayway has about 1,100 employees in Indonesia. Oishi posted a 74.58-percent increase in its sales in 2014 from the figures in 2013. The snack food product Pillows posted the top performance in 2014 with its chocolate and ubi variants.

Liwayway has manufacturing plants in China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and India. 

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Oishi to open 2nd plant in Indonesia | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*National Development News:*

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* Alsons allots P43M for CSR *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 7, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Alsons Power the power generation arm of the Alcantara Group, has P43 million for 2015 to strengthen its community relations and CSR (corporate social responsibility) programs.

A Department of Energy directive orders generation facilities to allot one centavo per kilowatt-hour of electricity sales to development projects located in host and neighboring communities.

According to the company, about P23 million is allocated to benefit its host communities while another P20 million will support internal CSR and the company’s projects in partnership with the Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation Inc.

Specifically, the company’s CSR program focuses on quality education, protecting and nurturing the environment and a continuing commitment to community health, welfare and livelihood.

Regular projects include tree planting, scholarships for high school and college students, school facilities donations, providing educational supplies and books and medical missions.

Furthermore, the power business unit is also set to implement new programs focused on sustainability.

The group is spearheading the Samahang Big Brother, a 15-day literacy program, with Alsons scholars and volunteers helping pupils improve their reading and comprehension skills.

For environmental protection projects, initiatives include the establishment of tree nurseries for bamboo and mangroves; artificial reef fabrication and the river protection project.

“We set up nurseries in the communities, we let the people take care and manage these nurseries and then we buy the cuttings,” said Ruben Tungpalan, Alsons Power corporate affairs manager.

Alsons Powers’ CSR program benefits host and neighboring communities in Mindanao where the company subsidiaries are located. These include Southern Philippines Power Corp. (SPPC) in Alabel, Sarangani Western Mindanao Power Corp. (WMPC) and San Ramon Power Inc. (SRPI) in Zamboanga City; Sarangani Energy Corp. (SEC) in Maasim, Sarangani and Mapalad Power Corp. (MPC) in Iligan City.

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Alsons allots P43M for CSR | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* DOTC to rebid P193-M contract for rail grinding machine *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 7, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is rebidding a P193-million contract for the supply of a rail grinding machine for the ageing Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) along EDSA.

In an invitation to bid, the DOTC-MRT3 announced the procurement of supply and delivery of one rail-borne rail grinding machine through a competitive bidding using the non-discretionary pass/fail criteria under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

To qualify, the agency said bidders should have completed a similar single contract within the last 10 years with a value equivalent to at least 50 percent of the approved budget for the contract of the new project.

It added that the bidding is restricted to Filipinos or companies with at least 60 percent interest belonging to Filipino citizens.

Interested bidders have until July to submit their bids. The DOTC-MRT3 also invited companies to a pre-bid conference on June 17.

The DOTC expects the delivery of additional brand-new steel rails this month as the replacement of old rail tracks of the ageing mass transit system as early as February.

The DOTC is scheduled to receive 7,296 meters of brand-new steel rails in June to be used for further rail replacement works later this year.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya earlier said the replacement of old rails would minimize glitches that affected the country’s most utilized railway system along EDSA.

The agency has awarded a P61.5-million contract to the Jorgman-Daewoo-MBTech joint venture for the supply of 608 pieces of 12-meter steel rails for MRT-3 last Jan. 29. The joint venture is composed Jorgman Planning & Development Corp., Korea’s Daewoo Group, and MBTech Group of Germany.

Operations of MRT-3 have been disrupted several times due to broken rails, prompting the mass transit system to operate partially until the damaged rails were replaced. One of its trains overshot the Taft Ave. station in August last year, injuring close to 40 passengers.

The DOTC has identified 11 projects worth close to P10 billion to improve the operations and at the same time decongest MRT-3. The biggest is the P3.76 billion capacity expansion project being undertaken by CNR Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co. of China for the supply of 48 brand-new trains to increase the capacity of the mass transit system 66 percent to 800,000 per day from the design capacity of 350,000.

The 16.9-kilometer mass transit system along EDSA was constructed as part of an integrated strategy to alleviate traffic congestion along the main Metro Manila highway. The rail system had a fleet of 73 modern and air-conditioned rail cars built by CKD Doprovni System of Prague in the Czech Republic.

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DOTC to rebid P193-M contract for rail grinding machine | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Aseagas taps GE for maiden waste-to-energy proj *
*(The Philippine Star) *
*Updated June 7, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Aboitiz Power subsidiary Aseagas Corp., which focuses on renewable energy solutions, has inked an agreement with GE’s Distributed Power business to power its maiden waste-to-electricity project in Lian, Batangas.

The 8.8-megawatt (MW) facility, the first “greener” energy venture of Aboitiz, will be a biomass power plant run by GE’s Jenbacher gas engines. The Batangas plant will utilize organic waste from sugar cane and molasses from a nearby alcohol distillery. Aside from electricity, the plant will have by-products of fertilizer and CO2 that can be sold to farmers and beverage companies, respectively—achieving complete “no additional waste” production. The plant will be able to generate power for an estimated 22,000 homes.

“I think there’s a huge potential for biomass energy in the Philippines. Our population of about 100 million is bound to generate abundant biomass resources including agricultural crop residues, animal wastes and agro-industrial wastes,” said Aseagas chief operating officer Juan Alfonso. “The Philippines’ feed-in tariff allocation right now is 250 megawatts for biomass. Other countries like Germany, for example, have thousands of megawatts of biomass. So we’re just scratching the surface.”

Additionally, the Department of Energy has stated that the Philippines’ supply of biomass resources has the potential to generate a capacity of 4,450 MW, which is equivalent to 40 percent of the country’s energy needs, if developed. Abundant and with zero–carbon dioxide emissions, biomass is considered one of the sustainable solutions to the energy challenges of the future.

GE’s innovative gas engines technology will ensure the Aseagas power plant’s high levels of efficiency, modularity and reliability in supplying power to the Philippine grid.

“This collaboration is significant to GE because this is our first power generation deal with the Aboitiz group and is the largest procurement of Jenbacher engines in the Philippines to date,” said John Alcordo, ASEAN regional general manager for GE’s Distributed Power business.

Seven of GE’s Jenbacher gas engines—four J420 and three J320 units—will be delivered to Aseagas by October 2015 for the first of three phases of the project. The power plant is targeted to go online before year’s end. The second phase commences early in 2016.

DESCO Inc. — GE’s authorized distributor for Jenbacher gas engines in the Philippines — will be in charge of the installation and maintenance of the units.

The Aseagas venture signals rosy prospects in utilizing alternative sources of energy to broaden the country’s energy mix, which is seen as vital in powering sustainable progress. “Aside from contributing to the grid’s power generation mix, hopefully this project also increases awareness on how organic waste can be put to good use, such as for power generation,” Alcordo said.

The project is in line with GE’s “ecomagination” concept, which is a commitment to technology solutions that save money and reduce environmental impact for customers as well as GE’s own operations.

GE Power & Water’s Distributed Power business is a leading provider of power equipment, engines and services focused on power generation at or near the point of use. GE Distributed Power’s product portfolio includes highly efficient industrial reciprocating engines and aeroderivative gas turbines that generate 100 kw to 115 MW of power for numerous industries globally. In addition, GE Distributed Power offers life cycle services and support for more than 38,000 distributed power products worldwide.

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Aseagas taps GE for maiden waste-to-energy proj | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

*Firms leaving China seen skipping PH*
*Amy Remo*
* Philippine Daily Inquirer*

* 05:05 AM June 5th, 2015*

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) warned Thursday that the country risked losing potential investments to its neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) if the government would not adjust the current taxation system that has been a drag to the competitiveness of the local business environment.

“We have to bring the Philippines forward. The government now has limited time to approve economic legislation and institute reforms. If we do not address the issue now, companies will be going to Vietnam and not here,” ECCP president Michael Raeuber said.

“The ECCP has been encouraging European businesses to invest in the Philippines. We are also working closely with Philippine exporters not just to Europe but to other countries. There is a need to see some action,” he added.


According to Raeuber, the Philippines must be competitive enough by offering the right set of incentives and tax system if it wanted to tap the companies that were planning to leave China and convince them to relocate to the Philippines. Many of these companies, however, were considering Vietnam as their preferred destination.

Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo was earlier quoted as saying that it made good economic sense to completely overhaul the country’s corporate and individual income taxes in order to be competitive amid the impending establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Such a move might especially prove to be critical in attracting more foreign investments in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors to achieve inclusive growth. Otherwise, the country might lose out to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, he added.

According to Quimbo, the tax bracket rates have not been adjusted since 1997 with 86 percent of income taxes being shouldered by only 16 percent of the population.

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Firms leaving China seen skipping PH | Inquirer Business
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_*
Why we should really remove the 60/40 Economic Restriction, then adjust the tax system.*_


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## Reashot Xigwin

*Indonesia starts construction of second PH Navy warship*
 
*Frances Mangosing*




@FMangosingINQ

*INQUIRER.net*
* 6:12 PM | Monday, June 8th, 2015*

INDONESIA’S state-owned shipbuilder has started to build the second of two strategic sealift vessels for the Philippine Navy.

A report from Indonesia’s Antara News last June 5 said the keel-laying of the second ship by shipbuilder PT PAL was held recently at the Surabaya shipyard.

The keel-laying is a traditional ceremony designed to inaugurate the construction of shipbuilding.

“What we are doing now has reached 25%, and for the import of equipment that we need the existing 80%. Hopefully the process will be timely and on November 2015 we will launch,” he said in Surabaya, East Java,” Firmansyah Arifin, director of PT PAL Indonesia said in the report.

The keel-laying was attended by Navy Vice Commander Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad and Philippine Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Leopoldo Alano, said Navy public affairs office chief Cmdr. Lued Lincuna.

The delivery of the first vessel is scheduled on May 2016. The second is scheduled to arrive the following year.

The ships are worth P3.87 billion. The vessel is designed with a length of 123 meters, a width of 21.8 meters and is capable of transporting 500 troops and a weight of up to 10,300 tons, which can go for 30 days at a distance of 9,360 sea mill with a maximum speed of 16 knots.

The vessel is also capable of carrying two helicopters, and a transport vessel “landing craft utility” and tanks to military trucks. *AC*


Read more: Indonesia starts construction of second PH Navy warship | Inquirer Global Nation 
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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*200 Japanese firms in China want to move to PH*
* Chrisee Dela Paz 
Published 2:25 PM, Jun 05, 2015 
Updated 12:10 PM, Jun 08, 2015 *

_Labor strikes, wage increase, and historical issues are reasons many Japanese manufacturers want to exit China and enter the Philippines_

MANILA, Philippines – Around 200 Japanese companies in China want to relocate their bases here in the Philippines, as declining economic growth and rising wages there are making it difficult for them to continue doing business.

This coincided with President Benigno Aquino III’s state visit to Japan, which concluded Friday, June 5. The Philippine president, during his 4-day visit, repeatedly invited Japanese investors to put their money in the country, citing improved business climate.

"As of now, there are about 1,700 Japanese companies in the Philippines. But we continue to receive inquiries from about 200 manufacturers in China, saying they want to relocate here," Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Incorporated vice president Nobuo Fuji responded to Rappler via text message on Friday.

Japanese companies that have set up their bases here in the Philippines include:


Cemedine Philippines Corporation, which manufactures and sells adhesive, ceiling, and related products
Bandai, the toy maker of Power Rangers and Gundam fame
Fujifilm Corporation, which makes optical lenses for digital cameras, projectors, and surveillance cameras
Murata Manufacturing Company Limited, an electronics components maker
Tokyo-listed bicycle parts maker Shimano Incorporated, which previously based in China, started building its first factory in the Philippines early this year.
Fuji said Japanese wristwatch maker Citizen and Mitsubishi Power Industries are some of the companies in China that are heading for the exits and move their manufacturing plants in the Philippines.

"In China, there are so many companies invested, but they face wage increase, historical problems, labor strikes, and so on. They want to relocate to other countries in ASEAN (Association of the Southeast Asian Nations), and the Philippines is attractive for them," Fuji said.

According to a Nikkei report, minimum wages in China have almost doubled over the past 5 years. Labor-management disputes over factory closure have also become common in China, according to Nikkei.

Labor disputes and rising wages are not the only reasons China is losing its competitive edge as a business destination for Japanese firms.

On Thursday, June 4, the Philippines and Japan blasted China for its reclamation work in the South China Sea.

In a joint statement, President Aquino and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe criticized Beijing for building 2,000 acres (800 hectares) of artificial islands in the disputed area, which is a busy shipping lane.

"Because of English-speaking workforce and tax benefits given to investors, many Japan companies from China are considering relocation here in the Philippines," JCCI's Fuji said.

Many of the about 200 Japanese manufacturers, according to Fuji, are eyeing to set up factories in "PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) areas like Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon)."

"Another reason why they are interested in the Philippines is because of EU (European Union) duty-free entry," Fuji added.

Last December 25, the Philippines was included in the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) tariff reduction program. That GSP+ status, which meant 6,274 Philippine products such as fruit, coconut oil, footwear, fish and textiles, will be charged zero duty. – *with reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com*

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200 Japanese firms in China want to move to PH
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## Cossack25A1

*Miscellaneous News:*

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* At 'war'? Sprinters sport inverted Philippine flag at SEA Games *
 By Camille Diola* (philstar.com) 
Updated June 10, 2015 - 4:11pm*

MANILA, Philippines — Eric Shawn Cray and Kayla Richardson ran in red, white and blue, and won 100-meter golds for the Philippines at the Southeast Asian Games.

Cray won in a personal-best 10.25 seconds, two-tenths of a second clear of Boby Yaspi, who edged Indonesia teammate Iswandi for silver in a photo finish. Cray ran an Olympic qualifying time for the 400-meter hurdles last month and was using the sprint to work on his top-end speed.

The 17-year-old Richardson was slow out of the blocks in the subsequent women's race but came home strongly, dipping late to edge Wannakit Tassaporn in a photo-finish, and completing a sprint double for Filipino-Americans.

Besides having bagged gold medals, Cray and Richardson gained attention for wearing the Philippine flag upside-down on their vests, with the red stripe on top, signifying a nation at war.

The Philippines, unlike other countries, does not utilize a separate war flag, but instead switches the stripes with red flown upwards to indicate a state of war.

The mistake, however, has been committed a few times before at international events.

In 2013, American football player Doug Baldwin of the Seattle Seahawks carried the Philippine flag before the start of a match with the Minnesota Vikings in a bid to raise funds for victims of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

The Seahawks defended the gaffe saying, "We are fighting the devastation of Haiyan which has been worse than many war-torn regions of the world."

The White House also apologized in 2010 for flying an inverted Philippine flag behind President Benigno Aquino III as he met American President Barack Obama and other leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at the United Nations headquarters in New York. *- with the Associated Press*

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At 'war'? Sprinters sport inverted Philippine flag at SEA Games | News Feature, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* Market snaps 4-day losing streak on bargain hunting *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 11, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Local stocks rebounded from huge blows over the past four trading days as investors saw opportunities to hunt for bargains.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) advanced 0.83 percent or 60.83 points to snap a four-session losing streak and end at 7,384.27 while the broader All Shares index added 0.70 percent or 29.64 points to 4,254.21.

“The PSEi bounced back from steep decline the previous day on some bargain hunting as well as some investors opting to take on risks,” said AB Capital analyst Alexander Tiu.

“However, the recovery was weak given that it lost almost 200 points on Tuesday. People were expecting a higher bounce,” he added.

Most Asian shares were also on the uptrend yesterday while Wall Street indexes fell Tuesday on increasing expectations of a US Federal Reserve rate hike soon.

Local counters were dominated by greens for the first time this week, with only the mining/oil companies dropping 0.48 percent or 66.15 points.

Property and financial firms each gained more than one percent.

Market breadth turned positive as advancers edged out decliners, 94 to 61, while 54 stocks were unchanged. Turnover value thinned to P6.2 billion from the previous day’s P8.77 billion.

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Market snaps 4-day losing streak on bargain hunting | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Exports drop 4% in April *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 11, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Merchandise exports dipped by four percent in April from a year ago, reversing the gains posted in March.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said yesterday the country’s merchandise exports were valued at $4.376 billion in April this year, down from $4.563 billon in the same month last year.

The latest result follows the two percent year-on-year growth in merchandise exports posted in March.

The PSA attributed the year-on-year decline in exports value to the weak performance of eight out of 10 major commodities such as mineral products; other manufactures; woodcrafts and furniture; metal components; chemicals; ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships; articles of apparel and clothing accessories; and machinery and transport equipment.

“The decline is partly reflective of fragile global economic conditions, as most trade-oriented economies in East and Southeast Asia also registered negative export performance in April 2015, with only Vietnam in positive territory. Weaker demand conditions in some of our major trading partners, particularly China, were seen,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement.

For the January to April period, Philippine merchandise exports declined 1.2 percent to $18.623 billion this year from the $18.840 billion posted in the same period in 2014.

Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. president Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Jr. said in a telephone interview the group is disappointed with the latest result, but hopeful the figures would improve for the rest of the year as demand in export markets recover.

“10 percent is our fighting target for the year,” he said.

Balisacan said the country’s export sector remains vulnerable to declining demand from major trading partners.

In particular, Japan which is the biggest market for Philippine merchandise exports, is experiencing fragile economic growth.

China, which is also among the top markets for Philippine products, is seeing softening economic activity.

“To counter the weak demand from our major markets, the government should maximize existing trade agreements, especially with emerging economies benefitting from the low oil price environment. Also, this shows the importance of restoring traction in government spending,” Balisacan said.

For his part, Trade Undersecretary Ponciano Manalo Jr. told reporters at the sidelines of the Franchise Asia Philippines 2015 he expects total exports covering merchandise goods and services which consist of revenues from the information technology - business process management and tourism, to still post 10 percent growth this year.

“The services sector is very strong,” he said.

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Exports drop 4% in April | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Foreign investments shrink in Q1 *
 By Kathleen A. Martin and Danessa O. Rivera (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 11, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The inflow of foreign direct investments (FDIs) slowed in the first three months of the year, a trend that could be sustained over the next few months as investment commitments from abroad likewise dropped during the period.

In a report yesterday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said in the first quarter, FDIs were halved to $851 million from $1.715 billion in the same period a year ago.

Reinvested earnings were cut 28 percent to $185 million from $256 million, while placements in debt instruments were more than halved to $412 million from $907 million.

Equity capital during the three-month period, which dwindled 54 percent to $254 million from $553 million, mainly came from the United States, Japan, Singapore, Spain and Germany.

These were primarily invested in the manufacturing, real estate, financial and insurance, wholesale and retail trade, and electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply activities.

Last year, FDIs soared to a record high $6.201 billion from $3.737 billion in 2013 as investor confidence in the Philippine economy blossomed.

The central bank last month hiked its forecast for FDIs this year to $6 billion from an earlier estimate of $5.3 billion.

In March alone, FDIs fell 55 percent to $229 million, below the $506 million in March last year and the $359 million recorded last February.

Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority-National Statistical Coordination Board (PSA-NSCB), total approved foreign investments (FIs) in the country shrunk 41.7 percent to P21.8 billion from P37.4 billion in the same period last year.

The approvals were under seven investment promotion agencies (IPAs), namely: Board of Investments (BOI), Clark Development Corp. (CDC), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB), BOI-Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BOI-ARMM), and Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).

Foreign investments, as defined by the Balance of Payments Manual, are investments made to acquire a lasting interest by a resident entity in one economy in an enterprise resident in another economy.

Overall, approved foreign and local investments during the period declined 10.1 percent to P96.5 billion from P107.4 billion registered a year earlier.

Of the total, pledges from Filipino nationals accounted for 77.4 percent or P74.7 billion, which is 6.9 percent higher than the P69.9 billion committed investments in the same period last year.

The PSA said these approved ventures are expected to generate 45,197 jobs, 6.8 percent lower from previous year’s projected employment of 48,489. Out of these anticipated jobs, 53 percent or 23,932 jobs would come from projects with foreign interest.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. research head Ildemarc Bautista said investors, both foreign and local, maybe on a wait-and-see mode ahead of the change in administration after the May 2016 elections.

“Some of them will take a look at upcoming election, if there’s any potential change in the regime,” he said.

Bautista also highlighted that there is some risk aversion among investors in anticipation of the US Federal Reserve rate hike later this year and the volatility in the markets.

Among foreign investors, the PSA data showed that Japan was the top investing country with P7.2-billion FI commitments or 32.8 percent of total.

Korea was the second biggest source of FIs, pledging P5.4 billion or 24.6 percent, followed by the US with P1.7 billion or 7.7 percent.

The manufacturing sector received the highest investments with P9.1 billion accounting for a 41.8-percent share of total FIs.

Accommodation and food service activities came in second with investment commitments valued at P4.3 billion or 19.9 percent, followed by administrative and support service activities at P2.9 billion or 13.1 percent.

In terms of location, the PSA data showed 41.9 percent of the approved foreign investments amounting to P9.1 billion would be intended to finance projects in Region IV-A or Calabarzon.

Region III - Central Luzon recorded the second highest investments at P6 billion or 27.6 percent while the National Capital Region had P5.5 billion or 25.1 percent at the third spot.

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Foreign investments shrink in Q1 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* World Bank keeps 6.5% growth forecast for Phl this year *
 By Ted P. Torres* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The World Bank has retained its growth outlook for the Philippines at 6.5 percent this year and in 2016, an improvement from last year’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.1 percent.

“Growth in the Philippines is projected to remain strong, benefitting from a recovery in Japan and from low fuel prices,” the latest Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report of the World Bank said.

However, the report warned that budget execution bottlenecks in the Philippines could contribute anew to weaker economic activity, as first quarter GDP slipped to 5.2 percent due to poor public spending.

The GEP, meanwhile, tempered its growth forecast for global and developing countries.

Growth outlook for developing countries stood at 4.4 percent this year, from the 4.6-percent GDP growth rate in 2014.

Similarly, its growth outlook for East Asia and Pacific cooled to 6.5 percent from 6.7 percent.

In a press statement, World Bank Group president Jim Yong Kim described developing countries as the engine of global growth following the financial crisis.

“But now they face a more difficult economic environment,” Kim added.

With an expected lift-off in US interest rates, the report said borrowings would become more expensive for emerging and developing economies over the coming months. This process is expected to unfold relatively smoothly since the US economic recovery is continuing and interest rates remain low in other major global economies.

Just as the initial announcement of US policy normalization caused turmoil in financial markets in 2013 – now referred to as the “taper tantrum” – the US Federal Reserve’s first interest rate increase since the global financial crisis could ignite market volatility and reduce capital flows to emerging markets by up to 1.8 percentage points of GDP, the report said.

World Bank chief economist and senior vice president Kaushik Basu said the ground beneath the global economy is shifting. China has avoided the potholes skillfully for now and is easing to a growth rate of 7.1 percent.

India, with an expected growth of 7.5 percent this year, for the first time, is leading the World Bank’s growth chart of major economies.

For commodity-exporting emerging markets that are already struggling to adjust to persistently low commodity prices, or for countries experiencing policy uncertainty, a slowdown in capital flows would add to their policy challenges.

In contrast, high-income countries’ recovery is gaining momentum, as growth in the euro area and Japan picks up, and the United States continues to expand, despite a weak start to the year.

High-income countries are on course to grow by two percent this year, 2.4 percent in 2016 and 2.2 percent in 2017.

The global economy is likely to expand 2.8 percent this year, 3.3 percent in 2016 and 3.2 percent in 2017, the World Bank added.

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World Bank keeps 6.5% growth forecast for Phl this year | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Politics and International Diplomacy News:*

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* PNoy to Chinese envoy, other diplomats: Respect int'l law *
 By Louis Bacani* (philstar.com) 
Updated June 12, 2015 - 1:52pm*

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III on Friday marked the country's Independence Day with a call for mutual respect among nations.

In his message during the traditional Independence Day vin d'honneur, Aquino told foreign diplomats that countries must foster greater cooperation in confronting the world's problems.

"Excellencies, as we are determined to join your nations in the struggle to overcome the obstacles you face, so too do we ask you to join us. In this way, we can truly forge a global community in which each nation-state realizes that their growth and stability hinge on their ability to work with others," Aquino said in his toast at the Casa Real de Iloilo, Iloilo City.

"This is the clearest path towards a world where there is mutual respect, where we are all bound by international law and by a single definition of our entitlements and obligations; where we are all brothers, all of equal footing, working side-by-side," the president added.

Among the diplomats who were present during the Independence Day celebration in Iloilo was Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua.

Zhao made headlines earlier this week after not attending the Filipino-Chinese friendship day, which was marred by the continuing territorial dispute between the Philippines and China.

The country is celebrating its 117th Independence Day in the face of a big threat to its sovereignty - China's aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

Manila has filed an arbitration case before an international tribunal to question Beijing's execessive territorial claims. The Asian giant, however, has refused to participate and has increased its efforts of building artificial islands in the contested waters.

During his state visit to Japan last week, Aquino again criticized China's unlawful maritime actions, likening its large-scale reclamation to Nazi Germany's imperialism before World War II.

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PNoy to Chinese envoy, other diplomats: Respect int'l law | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Chinese envoy to attend Independence Day celebration in Iloilo *
 By Pia Lee Brago* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - After skipping last Monday’s advance Independence Day celebration in Manila by Filipino-Chinese businessmen, Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua has confirmed his attendance at today’s rites in Iloilo where President Aquino is guest speaker.

“He is attending the celebration in Iloilo,” embassy spokesperson Li Lingxiao told The STAR, referring to Zhao.

The ambassador’s begging off from Monday’s event came on the heels of President Aquino’s comparing China’s activities in the West Philippine Sea to pre-World War II Nazi Germany’s annexation of European territories.

Aquino made the comparison in a speech before Japanese business leaders in Tokyo on the sidelines of his state visit recently.

Li claimed Zhao was supposed to attend the event last Monday where the President was guest speaker but “changed his schedule for another appointment.”

The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. organized the event last Monday.

Li said Zhao was among the foreign dignitaries who flew on a chartered Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight to Iloilo for the event.

Aquino’s “Nazi” remarks drew condemnation from Beijing. He was more conciliatory in his speech in the FFCCCII event, where he reminded his audience of the long history of friendship between the Philippines and China.

Zhao later acknowledged Aquino’s “positive” remarks and expressed confidence the two countries can “properly handle” their differences.


*Documentary launched*

As part of the commemoration of the 117th anniversary celebration of Independence Day, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is launching today a three-part documentary on the West Philippine Sea called “KALAYAAN.”

Each episode focuses on a different angle of the issue: economic, historical and legal.

The production is in partnership with the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). The first episode is set to air today.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the documentary is part of a nationwide information campaign aimed at increasing the level of public awareness of the West Philippine Sea issue.

KALAYAAN is directed by RA Rivera Jr. and hosted by broadcast journalist and writer Lourd de Veyra and Jun Sabayton.

A preview of the first episode of the documentary was shown at the DFA yesterday. The first episode centers on the projected economic losses if China is left to impose its so-called nine-dash line.

The documentary also tackles the case filed by the Philippines against China before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea challenging Beijing’s nine-dash line claim.

“It’s said in the economic aspect (of the documentary) that if you leave unchallenged the nine-dash line we will be losing 90 percent of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and its natural resources,” Jose said in a press briefing.

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Chinese envoy to attend Independence Day celebration in Iloilo | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Zero_wing

Happy Independence day sa lahat ng mga pilipino

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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* ‘Still a lot of work to achieve inclusive growth’ *
 By Danessa O. Rivera* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - State think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said the country is still far from achieving inclusive growth even after sustaining strong economic growth in the past few years.

A PIDS panel, led by its president Gilberto Llanto, said the Philippines has made numerous attempts to foster job creation but these efforts have yielded few satisfactory results.

This is even after the World Bank said the Philippines has reached a level towards inclusiveness with a five- to seven-percent average economic growth in the past several years. 

The PIDS comment was made after United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) released its recently developed inclusiveness index. 

According to UNESCAP’s Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2015 released in May, the Philippines ranks 10th out of 16 countries in the inclusiveness of growth index for the period 2002 to 2012.

The report showed the country’s various components of growth and development, like an index for social opportunities and access to electricity index.

It also discussed the country’s performance in comparison to other Asia-Pacific countries.

However, one data index shows the Philippines has one of the highest rates of unemployment in Southeast Asia.

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the jobless rate was at 6.4 percent, a decline from seven percent a year earlier, while underemployment went down to 17.8 percent from 18.2 percent last year.

UNESCAP economic affairs officer Steve Loris Gui-Diby said measuring growth inclusiveness is important to determine the best policies for achieving sustainable development.

He suggested the Philippines could start by reflecting, investigating, and understanding the dynamics affecting the young people’s career mindset. 

However, Llanto said despite the recent spate of entrepreneurial courses burgeoning across the country’s top universities, the sense of entrepreneurship remains at a “non-poor level.”

“The upper income group is more likely to start a business because they can afford to and they are willing to take the risk. But there is no support system for those in the poorer bracket to comparably afford the same risks,” he said.

The UNESCAP official also recommended the country should focus on enabling a good business environment and improving the elements of infrastructure, investor protection, financial development, and competitiveness.

He also pointed out the importance of improving the rural sector’s access to basic services.

“It has been proven the level of productivity in the rural areas is parallel to the level of access. Policies should help and encourage small and medium enterprises to foster creation of quality employment to mitigate poverty and truly accomplish more inclusive development,” Gui-Diby said.

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‘Still a lot of work to achieve inclusive growth’ | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Remittances sustain pace in April *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Remittances should continue recovering in April although at a slower pace than the five-year high growth rate seen in March, UK-based Barclays said.

In its latest Emerging Markets Weekly, the bank has forecast an eight-percent increase in remittances for April from the same month last year.

“We expect the recovery in remittances to continue, but growth likely eased from the strong pickup recorded in March,” Barclays said.

Official April remittances data will be released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Monday, June 15.

Latest central bank data showed cash remittances surged 11.3 percent to $2.101 billion in March from $1.888 billion in the same period last year.

The growth rate was the fastest following December 2009’s 11.4-percent climb.

The uptick followed a 4.2-percent rise in February and a dismal 0.5 percent increase in January, all blamed to a high base in the previous year.

The BSP earlier said the high base could be traced to a leap in transfers a year ago after the deadly Typhoon Yolanda devastated the Visayas region in November 2013.

In the first quarter of the year, cash remittances went up 5.5 percent to $5.791 billion from $5.492 billion in the same period in 2014.

BSP data showed these were mainly sent from the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and Canada.

Personal remittances, which includes non-cash items, also jumped 5.1 percent to $6.414 billion in the three months to March from $6.1 billion last year.

The sustained inflows from remittances abroad was owed to the steady deployment of overseas Filipino workers and the continuous expansion of banks’ services abroad.

Remittances support household consumption, the main driver of the Philippine economy. Last year, cash remittances accounted for 8.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

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Remittances sustain pace in April | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Oil price slump stalls San Miguel’s bid to acquire foreign energy firm *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Plunging global oil prices, earlier seen as an ally in San Miguel Corp.’s bid to expand its oil and gas empire overseas, have turned into an adversary, slowing down a potential acquisition for the diversified conglomerate.

SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said their planned overseas purchase has not advanced so far as the owners of the target company have become reluctant on selling as their firm’s valuation has gone down due to the slump in oil prices.

“Nothing has happened yet because the valuation price has dropped. So now, the owners are holding back,” Ang said.

The drop in oil prices to new lows over the previous months was supposed to serve as an advantage for SMC to shop for cheaper energy assets abroad, but it has not been the case so far. 

Last year, SMC said the firm has set its sights on a possible overseas acquisition of a company that has similarities in business operations with Esso Malaysia Berhad.

Esso Malaysia Bhd and its two subsidiaries, ExxonMobil Malaysia Sdn Bhd and ExxonMobil Borneo Sdn Bhd, were acquired by Petron’s Malaysian unit for nearly $600 million in 2012.

Esso Malaysia’s operations then included a refinery located in Port Dickson on the west coast with a capacity of 88,000 barrels per day, seven fuel distribution terminals, and a network of about 560 retail stations.

“The opportunity we are looking into is something like that of Malaysia (Esso Malaysia), which we bought already having a refinery, a tank farm, and gas stations,” Ang said in an interview last year.

SMC reported it has already invested about P300 billion for acquisitions and another P150 billion for expansion over the past seven years.

Despite the standstill in the overseas oil and gas talks, Ang said SMC continues to scout for other potential acquisitions not only for energy assets but also in food, beverages, packaging and infrastructure. 

“We are still in talks with all the possible targets. We will consider that is viable and affordable,” he said.

Ang believes SMC already has the expertise and experience to bring its business abroad.

SMC is one of the most diversified conglomerates in the country, with investments in beverages through San Miguel Brewery Inc. and Ginebra San Miguel Inc.; food through San Miguel Pure Foods Co. Inc.; packaging through San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Group; fuel and oil through Petron Corp.; power through SMC Global Power Holdings Corp.; and infrastructure through San Miguel Holdings Corp.

The conglomerate posted an eight percent increase in net income in the first quarter of the year to P2.3 billion as strong results in its core businesses managed to offset weak results from Petron.

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Oil price slump stalls San Miguel’s bid to acquire foreign energy firm | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* PSE to launch new trading system *
 By Richmond Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) has received the go-signal from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to start with the use of its new trading system.

The PSE will launch PSEtrade XTS on June 22 following its receipt of the SEC’s approval of the trading system’s rollout.

“The PSE has been working closely with the SEC on the implementation of the new system to ensure their requirements from a regulatory standpoint are addressed. We shall continuously provide the SEC with updates and information they need as we launch PSEtrade XTS to ensure its successful implementation,” PSE president and CEO Hans B. Sicat said.

The PSE deferred the debut of its new trading system last June 1 on further testing and approval required from the SEC.

In July last year, the PSE announced it would use Nasdaq’s X-stream Trading technology to power its new trading engine.

Nasdaq’s exchange technology operates in over 100 marketplaces across the US, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East.
Nasdaq’s trading technology is also used by Asean exchanges such as Bursa Malaysia, Singapore Exchange and the Indonesia Stock Exchange.

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PSE to launch new trading system | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*

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 *===========================================================================================================================================*


*Politics and International Diplomacy News:*

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* P-Noy calls for mutual respect among nations *
 By Delon Porcalla* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – With only a year left before he steps down, President Aquino yesterday called on the people to help ensure the “permanence of positive change” and for the community of nations to observe “mutual respect” and strict adherence to international law.

“I ask you to join me in a toast, to the continued success of the Filipino people: may we further harness our unity as we tread the straight path, towards ensuring the permanence of positive change,” he said during the traditional vin d’honneur in celebration of the country’s 117th Independence Day anniversary yesterday.

Addressing the diplomatic corps at the Casa Real de Iloilo, Aquino expressed his wish for nations to realize their interdependence as well as the importance of working together to achieve progress.

Aquino made the call as the West Philippine Sea issue continues to rankle Manila-Beijing relations. Beijing’s expansive claim in the West Philippine Sea, including its frenzied island-building activities, has sparked tension in the region. Manila is contesting Beijing’s claim before an international arbitral court based in The Hague.

Aquino, in a speech before Japanese business leaders on the sidelines of his state visit early this week, compared China’s threatening moves with pre-World War II Nazi Germany’s annexation of European territories.

Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua, who had skipped an advance Independence Day celebration in Manila last Monday where Aquino was guest of honor, attended yesterday’s Independence rites here.

Monday’s event, sponsored by the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc., also marked the 40th anniversary of the Philippines-China diplomatic relations and the 14th Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day.

“Excellencies, as we are determined to join your nations in the struggle to overcome the obstacles you face, so too do we ask you to join us,” he told his audience, who also included national and local officials, senators and congressmen, as well as Cabinet members.

“In this way, we can truly forge a global community in which each nation-state realizes that their growth and stability hinge on their ability to work with others,” the President said.

“This is the clearest path towards a world where there is mutual respect, where we are all bound by international law and by a single definition of our entitlements and obligations; where we are all brothers, all of equal footing, working side-by-side,” he said.

“In your presence, we pledge: the Philippines is committed to the task of building that true community of nations,” he pointed out.

Aquino also acknowledged the significant and substantial role other countries play in local development. He reassured them that Filipinos are ideal development partners, especially now that the government has achieved a lot in eliminating poverty and corruption.

“My country has indeed achieved so much, yet we did not do this all on our own. We reached our goals sooner because of the international community, who recognized our earnest efforts and saw an honest government and a people truly worth helping,” he said.

“Fostering even greater cooperation amongst all nations need not even be on the basis of our universal rights or of altruism,” Aquino stressed, noting that Filipinos owe the international community a “debt of gratitude.”

“Any practical mind would recognize that we must be concerned with our brother by necessity, especially in this shrinking world, where problems are less and less localized, and more and more common,” he maintained.

In an interview with reporters after the President’s speech, Zhao said Beijing “respects” the pronouncements from Aquino. He also said Aquino’s message of respect and adherence to international law should be the guiding principle of every nation.

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P-Noy calls for mutual respect among nations | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Pinoy

*First defense eco-zone in Southeast Asia to be established in Philippines*
June 15, 2015


First defense economic zone in Southeast Asia will soon be established in Bataan, Philippines where Government Arsenal is located. Government Arsenal is providing government security forces from Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police with basic weapons, ammunition and other munitions.

“There are a lot of defense companies lining up to come in, according to [Government Arsenal] Director Jonathan Martir. We’re just waiting for the Presidential proclamation for the incentives,” Bataan Governor Albert Garcia said as quoted byPhilistar.com.

“I think they’ll be able to formalize things with PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) by September to give incentives to locators,” Governor Garcia added.

The AFP Modernization Act (Republic Act 7898) mandates “the government arsenal shall be utilized in the production of basic weapons, ammunition and other munitions for the use of the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP), and for the sale and export of products in excess of AFP/PNP requirements.”

Furthermore, GA is authorized to use production facilities as it may own or be provided under the law or as it may arrange under joint venture, co-production or similar arrangements with local and foreign entities.

GA is located on a 370-hectare defense industrial estate in Lamao, Limay, Province of Bataan.

First defense eco-zone in Southeast Asia to be established in Philippines


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## Reashot Xigwin

SSVs can Act as Command-and-Control Platforms, Floating Government Centers




PN Strategic Sealift Vessel (image : pdff)

MANILA — Aside from improving the transport and logistics capability of the Philippine Navy (PN), the two strategic sea-lift vessels (SSVs) can also serve as command-and-control platforms or floating government centers during national emergencies. 

This was disclosed by PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Jesus C. Millan in a message to the PNA.
"(These ships can also be converted into) floating hospitals or evacuation centers," he added.

The first SSV had its steel-cutting ceremony last Jan. 22 and is slated for delivery in May 2016.

While the second SSV had its steel-cutting last June 6 and is scheduled for delivery in May 2017.

Both ships are being constructed by PT PAL (Persero), an Indonesian shipbuilder, at its Surabaya facility.

"The two SSVs will be a big boost to our transport capability once they will be phased-in/commissioned to our inventory. The SSVs will address our gaps on troop transport support for internal security and they could also improve our humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities as these vessels are multi-role platforms," Millan stated.

The Philippines has a two-SSV order with Persero for Php3,870,000,000 which is sourced from the AFP Modernization Fund.

The strategic sealift acquisition project for the PN was initiated upon the approval of Acquisition Decision Memorandum Number 2012-060 by the Secretary of National Defense last Oct. 30, 2013.

The Department of National Defense declared Persero as the Single Calculated Responsive Bidder with a bidding price of Php3,870,000,000 on Nov. 18, 2014.

The SSVs are programmed to be the PN’s floating command center carrying out their main purpose as military sealift and transport vessels and also for humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

Further, these vessels are critical assets for civil-military operations due to their capability of transporting large number of soldiers, logistics, and supplies.

Moreover, each SSV has the capacity to house three helicopters. The Navy’s Augusta Westland-109s are programmed to be on-board components of these vessels.

These forthcoming landing platform dock strategic sealift vessels will improve the transport capability of the PN and boost the defense capabilities of the country. 

(ZamboTimes)

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## Cossack25A1

*National Development(?) News:*

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* Meralco reveals earthquake preparedness plans *
 By Rosette Adel* (philstar.com) 
Updated June 16, 2015 - 11:43am*

MANILA, Philippines – The Metro Manila Electronic Company (Meralco) began to set up their earthquake preparedness plan for the potential 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Metro Manila.

During Meralco’s presentation at the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation's Earthquake Resilience Conference held late last month, they revealed that their Crisis Management Team (CMT), the top level organization that manages situation that adversely affects the company, laid out its Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) and Crisis Management Plan for the said disaster.

The EPP was defined as the component of the Crisis Management Plan that integrates functional responsibilities of all organizations required to ensure business continuity when an earthquake hits Meralco franchise area.

According to the assumptions derived from the MMEIRS Study and Stimulations performed on REDAS provided by Phivolcs about 70 percent of Meralco’s facilities will be affected and in order to attend to their consumers’ needs during crisis, they already set up gaps and action plans which are as follows:


For restoration effort slowed down huge debris, Meralco would partner with the Department of Public Works and Highways and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to prioritize clearing operations to determined power restoration highway.
Meralco will address electrical facilities prone to thievery by coordinating with military and Local Government Units (LGUs) that would create security arrangements.
Regarding stock and spares limitation, Meralco will partner with other utilities and seek Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval for increased stocks/spares provision
Meralco will collaborate with MMDA/LGUs for rescue efforts and partner with other distribution utilities.
In the event that Meralco’s operation is hindered by communication, they plan provision of satellite communication devices and arrange quick restoration of cell sites.
To assess damages caused by earthquake, Meralco will acquire and deploy aerial drones that could monitor the situation.
For MMEIRS Study and Stimulations, Metro Manila will be subdivided into four quadrants. They also estimated 3.6 million Meralco customers will be affected with 155 employee casualties and seven fatalities.

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Meralco reveals earthquake preparedness plans | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*Business News:*

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* Remittances sustain climb in April *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 16, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Remittances further rose in April amid a sustained demand for Filipino workers abroad, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported yesterday.

“The steady demand for skilled Filipino manpower overseas provided support to the continued growth in remittance flows,” the central bank said.

Personal remittances, which includes cash and non-cash items, went up 4.9 percent to $2.233 billion in April from $2.128 billion in the same month last year. This brought the four-month total to $8.647 billion, up 5.1 percent from $8.228 billion a year ago.

Cash remittances alone climbed 5.1 percent to $2.015 billion in April from $1.918 billion in the same period in 2014. In the four months to April, cash transfers grew 5.4 percent to $7.807 billion from $7.409 billion last year.

Bulk or $5.9 billion of the cash remittances during the four-month period were sent by land-based workers, while the remaining $1.9 billion were from sea-based workers.

The BSP said the funds were mainly remitted from the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and Canada.

Citing data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, the central bank noted there were 310,727 job orders as of April. These were mainly for service, production, and professional, technical and related work in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates.

At the same time, the continuous expansion of bank and non-banks’ remittance services here and abroad supported the increase in remittances from overseas Filipino workers.

Remittances are a big contributor to domestic consumption, the main driver of the Philippine economy. Last year, cash remittances reached a fresh annual peak of $24.348 billion, equivalent to 8.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

The BSP has forecast cash remittances to swell by five percent this year over 2014’s levels.

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Remittances sustain climb in April | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Government debt payments up 6.3% in Q1 *
 By Zinnia B. dela Peña* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 16, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The government spent P205.46 billion in the first quarter to pay down its debt, 6.33 percent more than the amount it settled in the same period a year ago.

Latest data from the Department of Finance showed P104.85 billion was used to pay principal obligations comprising P73.09 billion in domestic debts and P31.76 billion in foreign borrowings.

Total principal payment from January to March was 16.36 percent higher than the P90.1 billion paid out the previous year.

The government also paid P103.13 billion in interest covering P64.94 billion in local loans and P35.67 billion in foreign obligations.

Total interest payment for the period was 2.4 percent lower than the P103.1 billion paid a year earlier.

In March alone, the government paid a total P97.1 billion in financial obligations including P66.775 billion in principal and P30.32 billion in interest.

Debt-management strategies, coupled with efforts to shore up tax collections, have allowed the government to significantly trim its debt burden to a more manageable level.

The country borrows from the international and domestic markets to supplement revenues and finance development programs.

The National Government’s outstanding debt stood at P5.79 trillion as of the end of April, 2.7 percent higher than the P5.64 trillion recorded in the same period last year.

Domestic debt amounted to P3.85 trillion, representing an increase of 4.5 percent. The amount accounted for 68 percent of the country’s total obligations.

The country’s debt as a proportion of the country’s entire economy declined further last year, reflecting the government’s successful efforts to manage finances and sustain the growth of the economy.

Debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio improved to 45.4 percent at the end of December last year from 49.2 percent in 2013 due to efficient spending.

The debt-to-GDP ratio, which peaked at 78.1 percent during the 1998 Asian currency crisis, has been on a downward trajectory in the past three years as the government stepped up efforts to manage the country’s debt.

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Government debt payments up 6.3% in Q1 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Stocks struggle as Wall Street weakens, end in red *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 16, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Local stocks came out struggling yesterday following an extended weekend to join the downtrend across markets in the region brought about by a negative finish in Wall Street last week.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) shaved off 0.63 percent or 47.56 points to close at 7,456.16 while the broader All Shares index slipped 0.46 percent or 19.97 points to 4,294.27.

“Wall Street’s weak performance Friday clouded sentiment early this week, despite optimistic economic outlook from the World Bank,” said Jason Escartin, an investment analyst at F. Yap Securities.

Indexes in Wall Street ended in negative territory on Friday ahead of a Federal Reserve policy-setting meeting slated this week.

With the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq posting losses, majority of the Asian markets followed their leads, led by a 0.4 percent slide in Japan’s Nikkei yesterday.

“Most foreign fund managers are seen to check indicative trend from the Fed’s meeting mid-week,” Escartin said.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
All local counters were buried in the red yesterday, with industrial firms and property companies leading with a 1.09-percent and 0.99-percent drop, respectively.

Market breadth started the week on a negative note as decliners pummeled advancers, 91 to 72, while 56 stocks were unchanged.

Value turnover, meanwhile, declined slightly to P7.46 billion from last Thursday’s P8.55 billion.

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Stocks struggle as Wall Street weakens, end in red | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* CARS seen a boon to SME parts makers *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 16, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Car parts makers classified as small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are expected to grow and contribute more to manufacturing and employment with the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program in place, the Philippine Automotive Competitiveness Council, Inc. (PACCI) said.

In a statement yesterday, PACCI chairman Feliciano Torres said the group welcomes the issuance on May 29 of Executive Order 182 which provides for the CARS Program.

“The program comes at an opportune time when SME development has become an important global agenda. The participation of OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) in the CARS Program will drive the growth of SME automotive parts manufacturers that account for over 90 percent of the local automotive supplier base. We expect a meaningful increase in the industry’s manufacturing value-added and employment generation not only in automotive manufacturing but in manufacturing-related services as well,” he said.

The CARS Program aims to position the country as a regional automotive manufacturing hub.

Under the program, the government will support the assembly of three vehicle models by providing incentives to manufacturers that would meet production volume and investment requirements over a six-year period.

Beginning next year, the government is setting up the Automotive Development Fund in the General Appropriations Act for the fiscal support to be given to participating car manufacturers in the program.

The government is allotting a total of P27 billion for the program, with each enrolled vehicle model entitled to fiscal support at a maximum of P9 billion.

The fiscal support will be in the form of tax payment certificates which will allow participating companies to defray excise tax, income tax, import duties and Value Added Tax.

The CARS is a result of the automotive industry road map crafted by the industry under the Department of Trade and Industry’s road map initiative.

“PACCI thanks the government for visualizing new horizons for the Philippine automotive manufacturing industry,” Torres said.

This, as the program would allow the local industry to become an important production base in the Southeast Asian region.

“PACCI recognizes the government’s intention for the local auto manufacturing industry to operate at the highest possible level of efficiency and become an engine of growth for the Philippine economy. We will partner with the government in realizing the resurgence of automotive manufacturing in the Philippines to support inclusive growth,” Torres said.

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CARS seen a boon to SME parts makers | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Philippines kicks off international roadshows for infrastructure projects *
 By Danessa O. Rivera* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 16, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is kicking off a series of international road shows in the United Kingdom and in major cities in the US later this month in a bid to attract foreign companies to invest in infrastructure projects under the Aquino administration’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) program.

The government has slated investment road shows in the UK on June 17 to 19, in Washington on June 24, in New York City on June 26 and in San Francisco on June 29, PPP Center deputy executive director Eleazar Ricote said in an interview last week.

“These are the ones in the pipeline so far,” he said.

The road show in UK was organized by the Philippine embassy in London and by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) where several PPP infrastructure investments will be presented to high-level and senior representatives from British firms.

The US road show will be composed of officials from the DTI, Department of Finance, Department of Public Works and Highways, PPP Center, Department of Transportation and Communication and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Also included in the trip are representatives from the National Competitiveness Council and the

The US road show is aimed at taking advantage of the current keen interest of US firms to invest in the Philippines by highlighting economic gains and opportunities in infrastructure and other growth areas.

Partners in the US investment road show are Citi, Deutsche Bank, Development Bank of the Philippines, Landbank of the Philippines, Goldman Sachs, Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corp., JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Standard Charted and UBS.

In February, the PPP Center held a roadshow in Singapore.

Last year, it held roadshows in Australia, Europe, Singapore, Japan and North America to invite foreign companies to invest in PPP projects in the Philippines.

The Aquino administration targets to award 15 PPP contracts before its term ends in 2016. So far, it has awarded nine PPP projects with a total indicative cost of P136.37 billion since 2010.

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Philippines kicks off international roadshows for infrastructure projects | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*National Development News:*

* Small steps leading to a giant leap? *
BIZLINKS By Rey Gamboa (The Philippine Star) | Updated June 16, 2015 - 12:00am

Good news first. The government has taken the first step to consolidate all of its agencies involved in information and communications technology.

The Senate has passed its version of a law which would establish a Department of Information and Communication (DICT), separate and distinct from existing government agencies, and would take the role of promoting information and communication technology (ICT) across the country, both in the public and private sectors.

This ICT function is currently within the mandate of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC); when the bill becomes law, the DOTC will focus only on transportation, which already is an area that requires its full concentration.

Under the proposed DICT law, all other existing ICT functions in other government agencies, including the Department of Science and Technology, will also cease to exist.

Affected agencies and government offices are: the Information and Communications Technology Office, the National Computer Center, the National Computer Institute, the Telecommunications Office, and the National Telecommunications Training Institute.

Three other agencies, namely the National Telecommunications Commission, the National Privacy Commission and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center, would also be linked to the DICT to enhance the country’s fight against cybercrimes.


* More legislative work needed*

The bad news is the House is still not ready to pass its counterpart version, a move that is a precursor to bicameral meetings, and finally, the passage of the law.

The Philippines could well be one of the last countries in the world in this day and age which has both transportation and communications under one major government body.

Let’s hope this initiative to separate the functions of transportation and ICT, which was first proposed during the previous administration, will finally push through during P-Noy’s term given the need for the country to have a single agency focused on ICT-related concerns.


* Martial law legacy*

Born in 1979 during the martial law regime as the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), it formerly shared one umbrella known as the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Communications. The public works function was then moved to the Ministry of Public Works and Highways.

The MOTC was already partial to transportation-related functions, counting as its first major projects the Light Rail Transit System, a computer-controlled traffic lights system, and the Manila International Airport (now Ninoy Aquino International Airport).

Other major projects included the establishment of a motor vehicle registration and control system, and the introduction of permanent vehicle license plates and the staggered registration system. A bus leasing program was also introduced to add 1,000 new buses in Metro Manila.

The operation of the Metro Manila Transit Corporation was also expanded and the rehabilitation of the Manila South Line of the Philippine National Railways serving the Bicol Region was initiated.

Clearly, just by looking at these starting concerns, the MOTC (which eventually became the Department of Transportation and Communications after the martial law days) had its hands full.


* Free Wi-Fi*

Another spot of good news, if just for the fact the purpose is laudable, is the initiative by the DOST’s Information and Communications Technology Office to provide free Wi-Fi access for the whole country in public areas.

The listed areas, in order of priority, are plazas and parks, public primary and secondary central schools, libraries, rural health units and government hospitals, state universities and colleges, train stations of the MRT and LRT systems, airports and seaports, city and municipal halls, and national government offices.

At first glance, I would question plazas and parks as being the priority in the list. I would have thought schools would be best served first, or health centers, or local and national government offices.

Reminds me of the scandalous national broadband deal involving the Chinese firm ZTE.


*Pa-pogi DOST initiative?*

The underlying reason should be not to provide the public per se free Wi-Fi access since this would be a waste of time, effort, and finances – clearly misguided reasoning given the current conditions of the ICT sector in the Philippines.

Unless, of course, this was a pa-pogi initiative by DOST Sec. Mario Montejo, politically motivated either by the upcoming 2016 elections or the passage into law of a DICT.

There is seemingly a strong financial reason for government to undertake its own free Wi-Fi project given the huge amounts government pays to private telecommunications service providers, on top of what public servants dish out from their own pockets.

Enabling a government Wi-Fi system, even if the speed access is severely limited at first, could still prove to be beneficial just as long as the end goal would be to continually upgrade, improve, and expand the system to cover more essential public spaces.


* Stronger broadband*

But more than free Wi-Fi, government needs to seriously look at its own broadband backbone to connect all its offices under one network at a significantly lower cost and hopefully improved connectivity.

So far, South Korea has been the only country that has managed to structure its broadband services so that it is now regarded as a model for empowering its citizens to securing access to the Internet at very affordable rates.

The DICT that will be formed should make Internet access available to more and more Filipinos, especially now the country is emerging as one of the hottest economies in the world.

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Small steps leading to a giant leap? | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*SCS/West Philippine Sea News:*

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*China’s ‘selfish acts’ leading to ‘irreparable consequences’*
*Iara Jolo *
*June 17, 2015*

The Philippine government is validating China’s claim that its construction and reclamation activities in some reefs in West Philippine Sea will be finished in the coming days. “We have to validate that report,” Department of National Defense spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez said.

The Chinese foreign affairs ministry did not mention a reef when asked to specifically name a reef where reclamation and construction activities will soon be completed. “The progress of projects on different islands and reefs may vary. As for when the completion is due, it depends on the progress of construction and various conditions,” the Chinese ministry said.

The Defense department says China’s action may lead to irreparable consequences. “We reiterate that their activities if not stopped only draws the world closer to further uncertainties and untoward incidents with irreparable consequences,” Galvez said.

“We call on China to refrain from these selfish acts and consider the call of all nations for them to abide by the internationally accepted rules as stipulated in UNCLoS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” the Defense spokesman added.

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China’s ‘selfish acts’ leading to ‘irreparable consequences’ | Ang Malaya Net
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*China reveals construction in West PHL Sea completed in upcoming days to meet military defense need*
*Grace Gonzales *
*June 16, 2015*

The Chinese foreign affairs ministry revealed today that reclamation and construction activities in West Philippine Sea will be finished in the coming days. “They are not targeted at any other country, do not affect the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all countries in accordance with international law in the South China Sea, nor have they caused or will they cause damage to the marine ecological system and environment in the South China Sea, and are thus beyond reproach,” Chinese foreign affairs ministry claims.

“It is learned from relevant Chinese competent departments that, as planned, the land reclamation project of China’s construction on some stationed islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands) will be completed in the upcoming days,” the Chinese ministry added.

The Chinese spokesman from the ministry added that facilities and structures built in West Philippine Sea will meet necessary military defense need.

Apart from satisfying the need of necessary military defense, he added that structures will also help maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention and mitigation, marine scientific research, meteorological observation, ecological environment conservation, navigation safety as well as fishery production service.

This announcement from China was made after international communities, including the G7, called to stop massive reclamation activities in disputed maritime territories.

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China reveals construction in West PHL Sea completed in upcoming days to meet military defense need | Ang Malaya Net
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## Reashot Xigwin

*Outgoing AFP chief gets award of recognition from Indonesian military*
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook






_General Gregorio Catapang Jr._

Outgoing Armed Forces chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr. was recognized by Indonesian armed forces on Friday, the military said.

Catapang, who will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on July 11, was given the Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama (Grand Meritorious Military Order Award) by his Indonesian counterpart General Dr. Moeldoko at the Tentara National Indonessia Headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, AFP public affairs office chief Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc said.

The award is also known as the Defense Meritorious Service Star, the highest recognition granted to foreign nationals for invaluable services rendered not only to the TNI but also to the Republic of Indonesia.

Catapang was recognized for his dedication in improving and strengthening the partnership and good cooperation between the governments of the two countries, Cabunoc said.

The award also signifies the strong bond between the two countries, he added.

Catapang is scheduled to start his farewell visits to troops next week.


Read more: Outgoing AFP chief gets award of recognition from Indonesian military | Inquirer News 
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* Foreign debt down to $75.32 B in Q1 *
 By Kathleen Martin* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 20, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s foreign debt fell to $75.32 billion in the first quarter amid repayments made mainly by banks, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported yesterday.

The figure is five percent below the $78.93 billion recorded in the first three months of last year and also three percent lower than the $77.67-billion debt stock in end-2014.

The central bank said the negative foreign exchange revaluation and a rise in investments in Philippine debt papers contributed to the reduction in outstanding external debt.

“Key external debt indicators were observed to have remained at very prudent levels in the first quarter of 2015,” BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said.

The external debt ratio or the capacity to repay obligations over a long-term horizon stood at 21.5 percent when measured against the gross national income, an improvement from the 23.9 percent seen in the same period last year.

When weighed against the gross domestic product, the ratio also was better at 26.1 percent from 29.1 percent.

The bulk or 82.6 percent of the outstanding external debt carried medium to long-term maturities or those payable in more than a year.

“This means that FX (foreign exchange) requirements for debt payments are well spread out and, thus, more manageable,” the BSP said.

Short-term external debt made up the remaining 17.4 percent of the total loans during the period and these were mainly bank borrowings, intracompany accounts of foreign bank branches, trade credits, and deposits of non-residents.

The BSP said public sector debt amounted to $39.1 billion in the first quarter, while private sector loans reached $36.2 billion.

Foreign holders of Philippine bonds and notes made up the lion’s share of external debt during the period at 33.5 percent, followed by loans taken out from multilateral and bilateral creditors at 30.4 percent, the BSP said.

Foreign banks and other financial institutions accounted for 28.9 percent, while foreign suppliers and exporters made up the remaining 7.2 percent.

By denomination, the central bank said 64.6 percent of the debt stock were in US dollar, while 12.7 percent were in Japanese yen.

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Foreign debt down to $75.32 B in Q1 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* BOP reverts to $58-M deficit in May *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 20, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s balance of payments (BOP) position went back to a deficit in May from a surplus in the same month last year due to debt payments made by the government and the private sector, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data showed yesterday.

The country incurred a BOP deficit of $58 million in May, a reversal of the $373-million surplus in the same period last year. This was also a turnaround from the $380-million surplus recorded in April.

“This resulted mainly from debt servicing by both the public and private sectors even as remittances and BPO (business process outsourcing) revenues remain strong,” BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo said in a text message.

The BOP is a summary of a country’s transactions with the rest of the world. Its components include trade, foreign direct and portfolio investments, revenues from the BPO and tourism sectors, and remittances from Filipinos overseas.

A surplus means more money went into the economy during the period, while a deficit means otherwise.

In the first five months of the year, the BOP position stood at a surplus of $1.199 billion, a reversal of the $4.12-billion deficit in the same period a year ago.

“We continue to be optimistic we would sustain a BOP surplus for 2015,” Guinigundo said. The central bank expects a $2-billion BOP surplus by year end.

The BOP ended in a deficit of $2.858 billion in 2014 after nine consecutive years of being in surplus mainly due to the US Federal Reserve’s tapering of its massive bond buying program.

Emerging markets including the Philippines experienced capital outflows last year as investors rebalanced their portfolios amid the normalization of monetary policy in the US. Volatilities in global financial markets, however, remain pending the Fed’s rate hike.

The country’s current account surplus more than doubled to $3.305 billion in the first quarter from $1.495 billion in the same period last year.

This was due to a narrower trade-in-goods deficit, higher receipts from services amid the continued revenues from the BPO sector, and sustained strong inflows of remittances from overseas Filipino workers.

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BOP reverts to $58-M deficit in May | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* DTI holds conference on business startups *
 By Louella Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 20, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is organizing Slingshot MNL, a conference focused on startups, in line with the Philippines’ thrust to push for the growth of micro and small enterprises as this year’s host of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings.

Raymond Albert Batac, executive director of the DTI’s Foreign Trade Service Corps. said in a press conference Thursday Slingshot MNL 2015, which would serve as the venue for startup companies, investment firms and representatives of the government and academe to meet and learn about how the startup model could drive the growth of economies in the Asia-Pacific region, is an official event of APEC Philippines 2015.

The conference to be held on July 6 to 7, at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila, will feature discussions with leading figures in the international startup community, a pitching competition and local startup exhibitors.

The event is expected to be attended by startup incubators and investment and venture capital firms from the US, Latin America and Asia, as well as successful startup businesses such as UBER, GrabTaxi, Rags2Riches, AirBnb, and mClinica, along with global entrepreneur support networks Endeavor and Ashoka.

“The event is being held in line with the Boracay Action Agenda for MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises),” Batac said.

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DTI holds conference on business startups | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*National Development News:*

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* AboitizPower unit starts 14-MW Sabangan hydro plant *
 By Iris Gonzales (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 20, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Hedcor, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AboitizPower, has started commercial operations of the 14-megawatt Sabangan hydroelectric power plant, its first venture in Mt. Province.

The hydropower facility would now be able to provide additional power supply to the Luzon grid, which plunged into Yellow Alert twice this week.

The plant is set to deliver 55 gigawatt-hours of power capacity annually to the grid.

Sabangan hydro harnesses the natural force of the Chico River by diverting part of the water into the system. The water then exits the powerhouse and goes back to the river, said AboitizPower president and chief operating officer Antonio R. Moraza.

“Hedcor’s Sabangan hydro plant is a fulfillment of AboitizPower’s continual promise to bring a better future to the country and to our host communities. Sabangan hydro is hoped to energize communities connected to the Luzon grid,” he said.

The Sabangan project is Hedcor’s 22nd run-of-river hydro plant, bringing the total capacity of its entire portfolio to 185 MW of its Cleanergy brand.

The Aboitiz subsidiary also owns and operates hydro plants in Benguet, Davao City, Davao del Sur and Ilocos Sur.

AboitizPower, meanwhile, aims to continue expanding its Cleanergy portfolio as its looks for more potential areas across the country, mainly through geothermal, hydro and solar power sources.

In April, Hedcor broke ground for the construction of the P12.5 billion, 68.8-MW Manolo Fortich run-of-river hydro plant in Bukidnon, marking the first hydro plant venture of Hedcor in the province.

Last year, AboitizPower partnered with US-based solar power developer SunEdison Inc. to explore, develop, construct and operate up to 300 MW of utility-scale solar photovoltaic power generation projects in the Philippines over the next three years, the company said.

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AboitizPower unit starts 14-MW Sabangan hydro plant | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Overseas Filipino Workers News:*

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* Japan needs Pinoy nurses, caregivers *
 By Mayen Jaymalin* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 20, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino nurses and caregivers are needed in various hospitals and clinics in Japan.

The Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services (JICWELS) is looking for 75 nurses and 300 caregivers, according to Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Nurses must be licensed with three years’ hospital experience and preferably between 20 to 35 years old.

They must also be medically and psychologically fit to work.

Those applying to be care workers must be a graduate of any four-year course and certified as caregivers by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Under board nurses or graduates of any allied profession may also apply as caregivers.

 
_Qualified applicants must register online at www.eregister.poea.gov.ph , and personally submit the requirements to the POEA on or before July 10._

Several years ago, the Philippines and Japan entered into a memorandum of understanding for the training and employment of candidate Filipino nurses and caregivers in Japanese health care facilities under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement.

Under the agreement, fully qualified nurses and certified caregivers, after passing the Japanese national licensure examination, shall have the option to stay for an unlimited period in Japan to practice their profession.

Applicants can only get jobs legally through the POEA since the Philippines and Japan signed an agreement allowing only the POEA to facilitate the recruitment and deployment of Filipino nurses and caregivers. 

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Japan needs Pinoy nurses, caregivers | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

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*Philippine Air Force Flight Plan 2028 - A Mid-Year 2015 Progress Update on the PAF's Horizon 1 & 2 Asset Acquisition and Bases Development *
*
Saturday, June 20, 2015*

Previously, MaxDefense discussed the Philippine Air Force's (PAF) medium term goal (2015-2022) under their organization plan titled PAF Flight Plan 2028. Most of the entry was devoted to the PAF's equipment acquisition and organizational changes until 2022 that will allow the establishment to achieve their goals to build a capability to detect, identify, intercept, and neutralize intrusions in the Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone from Area Readiness 4 to 3 by 2022. 

The advancement of the flight plan as of mid-2015 has produced modest results so far, with the program still in the early stages and is still about to gain traction.

This blog entry is a mid-year 2015 update on the progress made by the PAF in accordance to its Flight Plan 2028's acquisition of assets and bases development. Other factors of the Flight Plan like doctrines, training, human resources, and others are not discussed here.

*****

*KAI FA-50 and Munitions Acquisitions:*




_The PAF ordered 12 FA-50 from KAI, with the 1st 2 units expected to arrive either December 2015 or January 2016. _

The PAF initially reported in the past that the first 2 units of the FA-50 lead-in fighter trainers it ordered from South Korea's KAI will be delivered by early December 2015, but it will depend on the capability of KAI to meet the schedule. Recent PAF information releases shows that there might be some changes in this, which could see the first 2 FA-50 delivered as late as the end of January 2016. The rest of the 10 units will be delivered by batches from 2016 until 2017.

Pilot training was provided for 3 PAF pilots with high flying time and experience with the PAF's AS-211 Warrior light jet aircraft. Pilot training was done at KAI's facility in Sacheon City, and in ROKAF's 1st Fighter Wing at Gwangju Air Base and 16th Fighter Wing at Yecheon Air Base. Ground crew training for maintenance will also be provided to existing Air Defense Wing personnel, which is scheduled from June to November 2015 in South Korea.

The DND and PAF is also expecting to award the contracts with a combined worth of around Php 4.5 billion ($99 million) to supply air launched munitions for the FA-50 by September 2015, if all issues regarding budget and procurement can be cleared by Malacanang and the DND before August 2015. Among those in the acquisition are short range air-to-air missiles on the same category or better as the Sidewinder AIM-9L, air-to-ground missiles like the AGM-65 Maverick, 20mm cannon ammo, and countermeasures including chaffs and flares. No confirmation yet though if the air-to-air munitions will include medium-range beyond visual range (BVR) missiles similar to the Derby missile.

*****

*Air Defense Surveillance Radar System Acquisition:*

The DND has already awarded the contract for 3 air defense surveillance radar systems to IAI-Elta of Israel for the Elta ELM-2288 AD-STAR system. It is not expected for the radars to be in the country within the year, but it is expected that the first system could be online by 2nd quarter of 2016. As part of the deal, a gap filler radar is expected to be fielded by the PAF using a radar system provided by IAI-Elta as part of the deal. Originally MaxDefense posted that this radar system will be used to secure the airspace as part of the APEC Summit in November, so it is expected that the system will be activated before November 2015.



 
_The IAI-Elta ELM-2288 AD-STAR air defense surveillance radar system._

*****

*Long Range Patrol Aircraft Acquisition:*

Currently, the re-bidding for the acquisition of 2 units Long Range Patrol Aircraft (LRPA) for the PAF has not yet started as of this writing, without formal confirmation from the PAF on the reason. But recent agreements between the Philippine government and the US and Japanese governments might have an impact on this project. Recent press reports indicated that the both the US and Japanese governments may provide the Philippines, either by grant or by sale, of used and refurbished Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Previous reports indicated that the US may provide between 1 or 2 units, while Japan may provide somewhere between 2 to 4 units. If traced back to the PAF's Flight Plan 2028, the PAF is planning to acquire 4 LRPA in 2 batches, targetted to arrive by 2016 and 2020, respectively.
Should the plan to acquire P-3C Orion from either the US and/or Japan comes to fruition, it is expected that the PAF and DND may totally cancel the acquisition of new platforms, subject to the performance and longetivity of the P-3s and availability of additional funds after 2020.




_Japan and the US are being touted to provide the Philippines with the Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, either by sale or grant, to improve the maritime surveillance and domain awareness capability of the country. _

*****

*Repair of PAF Air Bases and Air Stations:*

Several existing facilities of the PAF are slated, or are currently undergoing repair and rehabilitation as part of the Flight Plan, to enable them to accept the upcoming new PAF assets.

Among those already in the advance stages are the basing facilities for Search and Rescue (SAR) units of the PAF at Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan and the Sanga-Sanga Air Station in Tawi-Tawi which were awarded last year.
Also being prepared is the new base for the 15th Strike Wing, which is scheduled to vacate their home base at Antonio Bautista Air Base (Sangley Point) in Cavite to give way to civilian development. The unit will be transfering to the Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro, which was transfered to PAF after civilian traffic was permanently transfered to the new Laguindingan Airport.

Other basing projects are being prepared to accommodate several new upcoming assets:

1.* Antonio Bautista Air Base *(Palawan), *Basa Air Base* (Pampanga), and *Subic International Airport *(Zambales) will be prepared and refitted to accomodate air defense aviation assets, which will include the AS-211, the FA-50, the future MRF. It is also expected that all 3 air bases will also benefit from construction work related to the PH-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) which is still waiting for approval with the Supreme Court, and possibly the Philippine Senate.
_. _
2. The facilities at the *Paredes Air Station* in Ilocos Norte, *Gozar Air Station* in Lubang Island, and *Salakot Air Station *in Palawan will be accepting the first batch of Air Defense Surveillance Radar systems from Israel.

3. _*Fernando Air Base*_ (Batangas), _*Antonio Bautista Air Base*_ (Palawan), and _*Edwin Andrews Air Base*_ (Zamboanga) are scheduled for improvements to accomodate Long Range Patrol Aircraft / Maritime Patrol Aircraft assets, with the bases expected to be partially ready by 2016.

4. Ground Based Missile Air Defense assets will also be requiring their own facilities, and the initial bases to receive these assets are the _*Paredes Air Station*_ (Ilocos Norte),_* Gozar Air Station*_ (Lubang Island), and _*Basa Air Base *_(Pampanga). The missile systems will be working hand-in-hand with the Air Defense Surveillance Radar, while at the same time are expected to defend these radar and air defense facilities from air attacks.

5. Command and Control Facilities will be erected at the PAF Headquarters in _*Villamor Air Base*_, and will probably connected to the C4ISTAR system being developed for the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines.

6. Basing support systems will be improved together with the improvement of the airstrip and facilities at the _*Rancudo Air Station*_ in Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan Group of Islands in the West Philippine Sea. Currently the runway is in poor condition, and plans to repair it has not been moving forward due to the government policy in relation to its case with the United Nations against China.

7. The use of _*Crow Valley Gunnery Range*_ in Tarlac for aerial gunnery and bombing practice will be reimplemented, aside from the use of the range for ground military training and testing purposes. The Flight Plan includes a program on rehabilitating the facility for air force use.

*****

*Reactivation of the 105th Fighter Training Squadron and 5th Fighter Wing:*

The PAF is scheduled to reactivate the 105th Fighter Training Squadron (105th FTS), which is the primary unit tasked to train pilots that are to be assigned to fly air defense aircraft like the AS-211 and FA-50. The unit previously operated T-33 Shooting Star and S-211 trainer jets in the past to prepare pilots to fly the F-5A/B Freedom Fighter and other PAF fighter aircraft in the past. It was expected that the activiation could be made by May 2015, although there is no confirmation yet if this was realized by now.

To consolidate its air defense aircraft assets, the PAF is also on its way to reactivate the 5th Fighter Wing (5th FW), its foremost air defense unit since the PAF's inception, to replace the current Air Defense Wing. This could become a reality by 2016. The 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron will return back to the 5th FW, and is expected to be the unit to receive the FA-50s. Like before, the 5th FW will be based in Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga, although they would also be expected to operate from other bases including the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, and the Subic International Airport in Zambales, which is expected to be converted to a PAF air base with emphasis on territorial defense.

________________________________________


*Horizon 2 Asset Acquisitions:*

The PAF has already started the acquisition planning for several assets that will be acquired as part of the Flight Plan's Horizon 2 phase, which is from 2017-2022. The PAF expects the acquisition planning for at least 6 systems to be completed by end of June 2015, and the procurement stage to proceed afterwards. Procurement for these systems may depend, and could either be by negotiated procurement or by public tender.

*****

*1. Ground Based Air Defense System:*

With the formation of the *780th Ground Based Air Defense Group* (780th GBADG) and the basing facilities in several PAF facilities to house the unit's assets, it is now expected that the PAF will be acquiring missile-based air defense systems. Previous press releases by the DND, AFP, and PAF pointed out to at least two systems: the *SPYDER* (*S*urface-to-Air *PY*thon & *DER*by) system from Rafael and IAI of Israel, and the *Hawk XXI* from US company Raytheon. Other systems were reportedly offered but official confirmations were not made as to what models were among those considered by the PAF or DND. There is no confirmed choice yet as of this writing, and anything can happen even after previous reports of interest from the DND, AFP, or PAF existed. MaxDefense previously covered the possibility of acquiring the SPYDER in a blog entry dated June 18, 2013. 

3 systems are planned for acquisition by 2016, and another 3 systems are to be acquired by 2020. Each system will be based on one of the PAF's air bases or air stations, and are assigned to defend PAF facilities and nearby areas from air attacks.

*****

*2. Heavy Lift Helicopters:*

To improve the helilift capability of the PAF, the *205th Tactical Helicopter Wing* will be diversifying their fleet aside from its light combat utility helicopters by adding heavy lift helicopters into its inventory. Much empahsis was given by the PAF's lack of large helicopters that could carry huge amounts of cargo and personnel to areas without airfields as shown during the rescue and relief operations after the Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in 2013. The PAF relied on US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey to carry heavier load on affected areas, releagating the PAF's small UH-1H Huey and the Canadian Armed Forces CH-146 Griffon (similar to what the PAF's upcoming Bell 412EP) to lighter duties.

Great consideration will be on the helicopter's ability to load and unload cargo and men from a rear ramp, a feature present on two choices being eyed by the PAF if they decide to go brand new: the Boeing CH-47 Chinook of the US, and the AgustaWestland AW-101 from the UK. 2 units are eyed for procurement by 2019, and another 2 by 2022, although MaxDefense believes that the numbers and the schedule could change depending on funding and future decisions by the PAF to prioritize this project in anticipation of more HADR missions from natual disasters. It is also still unclear if the PAF will consider acquiring refurbished units due to the greater numbers it could acquire as compared to new ones using the same budget. 

Previously, Boeing announced a global offer to sell refurbished and modernized CH-47 Chinooks to friendly countries at a considerably lower price than their new CH-47F. The PAF could be among the possible buyers.

******

*3. Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft Acquisition:*

As the FA-50 comes into service and prepare PAF's pilots into flying more advanced combat aircraft, the PAF has also started the acquisition planning to acquire multi-role fighters (MRF). Originally the PAF Flight Plan 2028 indicated a requirement to order an additional 12 SAA/LIFT aircraft, possibly more FA-50 from KAI, to beef up the PAF's requirements. But that could change due to the FA-50's limited capability compared to contemporary fighter aircraft fielded by its neighbors, particularly China. 

The FA-50, as discussed in several forums including in MaxDefense, is considered a bridge for the PAF from its existing aircraft and technology to modern fighter aircraft. Its size has affected a lot of performance factors, limiting the aircraft to light combat aircraft capable of air policing, point interception, and ground attack roles. Even South Korea will only be using the FA-50 to replace the F-5E/F Tiger II, while replacement for the F-4 Phantoms will be of a more capable type. 

The FA-50 has a limited range, limited carrying capacity, limited weapons compatibility, limited radar range and technology, and can be considered as totally substandard compared to larger, more expensive, and more capable fighter aircraft. This could become a deciding factor in the PAF's decision to skip acquiring more SAA/LIFT and instead start investing in acquiring multi-role fighters.

As reported by the PAF, they are about to finish the acquisition planning by the end of June 2015 and will be deciding soon on how the DND could implement the acquisition by either negotiated bid or through public tender. If the PAF will replace more SAA/LIFTs with the MRF, then they expect the PAF to have its new fighters by 2019. Should this happen, it is expected that the PAF may initially acquire 12 units, and may order another 12 units a few years later as part of its Horizon 2 (2017-2022) phase. 

Recently, Saab reported that the PAF has asked questions regarding their JAS-39 Gripen, but admitted that no formal process has started yet. Saab has been active in pushing their Gripen, and has been present in several of the PAF's annual Air Power Sympotiums and at ADAS 2014. 

MaxDefense also expects American companies to push hard for their wares should the DND and PAF confirm an existing MRF acqusition project, with Boeing expected to bring their F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and Lockheed Martin their F-16C/D Blk. 52 or F-16V. 

Due to pricing, MaxDefense believes that other European offers like the Eurofighter and the Dassault Rafale will probably pass on this project. This could change, however, if easy payment schemes, counter-trade, or alternative payments sponsored by the manufacturer's government could be offered and is acceptable to the Philippine government, similar to what France offered to Egypt when they accepted to acquire Rafales, its munitions, and FREMM frigates for the Egyptian Air Force and Navy. A Russian offer might be possible from either MAPO-MiG and Sukhoi, but MaxDefense highly doubts the PAF's interests on such.

*****

*4. Aerial Early Warning and Control System Acquisition:*

Another important project to fill in the gaps of the air defense capabilities of the PAF is for the acquisition of Aerial Early Warning and Control System (AEWACS) system. This is expected to be operated by the 300th Air Intelligence and Security Group (300th AISG)

MaxDefense received information that among the strongest offers were those made by Saab for its Erieye AEWC system, which Saab is offering together with its JAS-39 Gripen. Should Saab captures the MRF project, it is expected that a counter-offer involving the Erieye AEWC system could be provided by Saab, similar to what they provided to Thailand. 

Also a possible strong contender due to its recent wins in the Philippine military is IAI-Elta, which recently also have agreements with Airbus to supply the AEWC AESA radar systems for the C-295AEWC variant. With the PAF already a C-295 operator, its not far fetched for them to choose the Airbus-Elta offer.

An American offer could also be possible, with the Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, which was recently sold to Japan and is being actively marketed in the Asia Pacific region. 

Another possible offer could come from India, with their newly developed AEWC by India's Defence Research & Develpment Organization, which it recently showed-off using an Embraer ERJ-145 business jet platform. 
The PAF could have the choice of aircraft platform it wishes to use, and MaxDefense believes that Airbus' C-295 and Embraer's R-99 (EMJ-145) could be strong platform contenders, given Embraer's strong position to bag the pending Close Air Support Aircraft (CASA) project of the PAF. 

*****

*5. Unmanned Aerial System and C2 Center:*

The PAF has also released information on the impending completion of the acquisition planning for an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and Command and Control (C2) Center. The PAF also expects the acqusition planning to be completed by June 2015, although no definite deadline was announced on when they expect these assets to be in service.

The UAS could supplement the different surveillance systems presently available or being acquired by the PAF and the AFP as a whole. Being a maritime country with no land borders, it is expected that any UAS system will take maritime surveillance as its main role, assisting the LRPA/MPA assets of both the PAF and PN (yes, the PN are still expected to use their BN-2 Islander limited MPA) in detecting surface targets. 

Previously Elbit Systems of Israel presented the PAF with an offer to use its Maritime Hermes 900 UAS as maritime patrol assets, gaining positive response from PAF and PN representatives. 

*****

The C2 Center will be used to closely coordinate and control all PAF aerial assets, radar systems, airbases and air stations from its headquarters in Villamor Air Base. It is also expected to be interconnected with the AFP's C4ISTAR system which the AFP intends to acquire very soon. This enables the AFP to have total control of all its units and assets during operations.

# # # # # # # #

Being a mid-2015 report, this analysis is still subject to change, still being in the early part of the entire Flight Plan. But it is expected that the PAF will be using this to chart their course of action in the near future in a similar fashion as the Philippine Navy's Sail Plan 2020. So MaxDefense advices its readers to take this interpretation of the PAF Flight Plan 2028's mid-2015 report as dependent on the PAF and may not be 100% accurate.

Although the plan looks good, the PAF should also consider the threat at hand, with China already banging its feet inside Philippine EEZ and interests in the West Philippine Sea. Instead of being too reliant on this Flight Plan, MaxDefense believes that the PAF should also consider an alternative option emphasizing on a faster phased modernization dependent on the DND and AFP high command's ability to push its goals to the National Government (Executive and Legislative). Although it is already unexpected for the Aquino administrtion to do something better than what is already laid beforehand, the PAF should push harder for more funding and support to hasten its modernization and strengthening in the face of Chinese aggression.

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MaxDefense: Philippine Air Force Flight Plan 2028 - A Mid-Year 2015 Progress Update on the PAF's Horizon 1 & 2 Asset Acquisition and Bases Development
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* SMEs need support system to spur growth – PIDS *
 By Danessa O. Rivera* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 21, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - While small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are seen as one of the main engines of the Philippine economy, the sector has remained weak in the past decade due to financial and institutional constraints and stiff competition with larger enterprises.

Thus, developing a support system at the community level would address social issues and provide the necessary stimulus for SMEs to move forward, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said.

About 99.6 percent of Philippine-registered enterprises are SMEs, which contribute about almost two-thirds of the total jobs market.

In a study authored by Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr., a PIDS consultant and the director of the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development, the SMEs were found to have a low contribution to employment growth.

“Research evidence shows small firms make a disproportionately large contribution to job creation, given the percentage of the workforce they employ,” he said.

Lanzona said many small firms last relatively short, only three to five years.

“Most SMEs are presently in the ‘at risk’ or ‘insulated’ categories, and adapting to the increasing competitive pressure brought by open regionalism remains to be their biggest challenge,” he said.

Furthermore, Lanzona pointed out the lack of capital and financial support hinder SMEs to access better technology and quality inputs.

“Hence, direct interventions toward poverty reduction in the form of public goods are expected to support SMEs and to raise growth,” he said.

This intervention can be in the form of social enterprises (SEs) or small- and medium-sized commercial businesses that provide valuable social service to customers, and sustainable jobs and training for up to about 200 people.

It employs a blended workforce, consisting of non-government organizations (NGOs) and other community institutions working with production units, which are often from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Lanzona said these stakeholders are often struggling to maintain work in competitive labor markets due to their disability, mental illness, age, cultural background, housing status, or other barriers.

“SEs operate in markets to address social needs and reduce inequality, recognizing that this has value. In addition, the ability of an SE to create new innovations can be used to link their production activities to the global value chain,” he said.

The NGOs and international trade arrangements like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) could help these enterprises to reach the global value chain.

Lanzona said APEC can help in the technical know-how and infrastructure, including disaster relief and mitigation measures.

“Meanwhile, NGOs, given their expertise and broad connection, can link these SEs and production units (household enterprises) into the global value chain,” he said.

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SMEs need support system to spur growth – PIDS | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Industrial policy overhaul urged *
* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 21, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - To catch up with progress in neighboring countries, the Philippines needs to overhaul its industrial policy to focus on progressive industries, according to civil society coalition Action for Economic Reforms (AER).

A framework paper done by the AER-Industrial Policy Team (IPT) pointed out the Philippines has failed to push for industrialization in the past three decades.

Dr. Rene Ofreneo, UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations professor and member of the AER-IPT, said the Philippines has a very narrow model of export-oriented industrial (EOI) policy which has failed the country massively.

“If you are strategizing, you will concentrate on those items that are highly value added where this requires higher skills,” he said.

In the paper, the AER-IPT said there has to be a political, social and economic transformation in Philippine society to form a new industrial policy.

“An immediate way forward is to build a broad coalition for industrial policy. This will have to involve representatives from labor, business, the academe, and segments of the bureaucracy and political leadership...,” it said.

Through this dialog, Ofreneo said the Philippines must strategize its position in the global market.

“To catch up with Asia, the Philippines must overhaul existing growth model and clarify industrial vision to really forge inclusive growth and sustainable development,” he said.

The AER-IPT said the industrial policy should not only apply to manufacturing but also to sectors in agriculture and services.

While the services sector has been one of the main drivers of economic growth, the agriculture sector has been deteriorating in terms of its contribution to overall growth. The latter sector also employs bulk of the poor in the workforce.

But the Philippine government has heralded the country’s economic growth performance in the first five years of the Aquino administration, which remains the highest five-year growth average recorded since the mid-1970s.

Dr. Joseph Lim, economics professor at the Ateneo de Manila University and a member of the AER-IPT, said the current economic growth is largely due business and investor confidence.

However, in the first quarter of 2015, Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) expanded at its slowest pace in over three years at 5.2 percent.

Lim said the loss in confidence most likely also had an adverse impact on this period’s GDP growth.

During the period, President Benigno Aquino III’s satisfaction ratings dropped to record low after the Mamasapano incident that took the lives of 44 Special Action Force members and some rebels.

“Obviously, economic confidence can’t be sustained without hard work, by just relying on private sector and the markets,” Lim said.

With less than a year before the May 2016 elections, investors are on a wait-and-see mode ahead of the change in administration.

“We have a weak state. Even if you put extremely sophisticated economic plan in front of a (weak leader), he’s not going to be able to implement it anyway,” he said.

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Industrial policy overhaul urged | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

_*While not exactly Philippine related, it appears this news is quite uhm... not well reported; refer to the paragraph on the article below that is highlighted in red and enlarged.*_

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*Paris Air Show 2015: IOMAX begins delivering Archangel BPAs to the UAE*
*Gareth Jennings, Paris - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly 

15 June 2015*

US-company IOMAX has begun delivering on its contract to supply the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with 24 Archangel Border Patrol Aircraft (BPA), a company official told _IHS Jane's_ on 14 June.

Speaking at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, IOMAX chief executive officer (CEO) Ron Howard said that the first of the twin-seat turboprop strike and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft is being ferried to the UAE during the week of the show. Deliveries will then proceed at a rate of one aircraft per month through to January 2016, at which time production will ramp up to two aircraft per month through to the end of the contract.

The commencement of deliveries comes just seven months after the contract with the UAE was announced. At that time, IOMAX said that it was building the Archangel to UAE-specifications to replace the IOMAX AT-802 Block 2 BPAs currently in service. The emirate had originally received 24 Block 1 and Block 2 BPAs, of which six Block 1 aircraft were later donated to Jordan. The entire Block 1 and Block 2 fleet will now be replaced by the Archangel (which was originally designated the Block 3 BPA).

Speaking at Le Bourget, where IOMAX has its Archangel prototype aircraft on static display, Jim Toole, chief technology officer, spelled out some of the UAE-requested features that have been incorporated into what is now the baseline Archangel platform.

"Before we started work on the Archangel, we sat down with UAE and [retired] US [A-10] pilots to talk through the lessons learned from the AT-802 [Block 1 and 2] aircraft, to provide a superior product," Toole said. "The A-10 guys in particular have an understanding of the air-to-ground missions, and delivering precision strike from long endurance platforms."

According to Toole, this 'superior product' is built around the fully integrated CMC Electronics Cockpit 4000, the centrepiece of which is the new head-up display (HUD) for the front-seater. Joel Hampton, a former US Air Force A-10 pilot and now an instructor pilot with IOMAX described the added capability that this HUD provides, "Before, in the AT-802, the pilot needed the target coordinates, but now with the HUD he can get 'eyes on target', which will then [automatically] enter the target coordinates into the aircraft's mission computer. With the AT-802 the pilot had to press up to nine buttons from lase [illuminating the target] to pickle [releasing weapons], but with the Archangel this has been reduced to just one."

Other improvements to the Archangel include a new German-made MT-Propeller MTV-27 scimitar-style composite propeller in place of the previous Hartzell unit, for a reduced audio signature as perceived from the ground; a sleeker nose profile; angling the exhaust rearwards to provide about 200 lb of additional thrust; remodelled wing roots and tips; a blended rear cockpit and tail section to reduce buffeting and drag; a remodelled tail and stabiliser roots and tips, and a generally cleaned-up fuselage, with as few protruding parts as possible; Terma countermeasures pods for operating in denied environments (one on each outer wing station for full hemispherical protection); cockpit and engine armour; self-sealing fuel tanks; satellite communications; and increased spacing of the six underwing hardpoints to accommodate dual-rails/launchers. With the four-rocket Cirit launcher, this new configuration will allow for the engagement of up to 48 separate targets from one aircraft.

The Archangel's blended tandem twin-cockpit has been moved forward and slightly stretched to increase the view forward and down for the pilot and the space available for the rear crew-member. While Toole said that the UAE has not taken up the option of ejector-seats and a bubble canopy in place of the standard crash-resistant seating and a roll-cage, he noted that this could be done if another customer requested it.

While the GBU-12/58 precision-guided bombs, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, and Cirit guided rockets have all been tested and cleared for use on the Archangel, IOMAX is looking to integrate additional weapons systems also. The prototype Archangel shown at the Paris Air Show featured the Thales FreeFall Lightweight Multi-role Missile (FFLMM), which Toole told _IHS Jane's_ should be integrated in 2016. Before then, IOMAX plans to integrate the Turkish-made Teber 250 lb and 500 lb laser-guided bombs, and the UMTAS long range air-to-surface anti-tank missile. A podded GAU-19 12.7 mm Gatling gun has been offered to the UAE, but to date it has not opted for this weapon system.

In addition to the weapons it can carry, the Archangel is also equipped with an electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) turret housed on a pod that can be modified to carry a synthetic aperture radar, ground-moving target indicator radar, and datalinks.

With IOMAX now beginning to deliver on its contract with the UAE, CEO Howard said that the company is working to finalise a number of other regional contracts for the Archangel. While he declined to give details, he did say that he expects there to be about 70 such aircraft flying with Middle Eastern air arms in the next two years. Beyond the Middle East, Howard reported interest in the aircraft in Central America, Eastern Europe, and the Far East. *In particular, he noted that the US government is close to fulfilling a Congressional 1206 Request (Security Assistance) to provide the aircraft to the Philippines*. Previously, IOMAX has recorded interest also from Angola, the Ivory Coast, Niger, and Turkey, among others.

According to former A-10 pilot Hampton, what makes the Archangel so particularly attractive to potential operators is its endurance, its loadout, its ease of operations, its cheap sustainment costs, and its robustness. "The problem that has always been with the armed ISR mission is that some aircraft can carry lots [of weapons and sensors] but not much fuel, while others can carry lots of fuel but not much in the way of weapons and sensors. The Archangel is the only aircraft in its class that can do both, and prosecute the 'find, fix, and finish' mission from beginning to end.

"The Archangel has taken all of the good things from its agricultural heritage, in terms of being tough. It really is the Kalashnikov of aircraft - you can [figuratively] chuck it in the mud and beat it up, and it will still function just fine," he said.

Company-provided specifications give the (Thrush S2R-T660-710P-based) Archangel a 14,800 lb maximum gross take-off weight (including 4,519 lb maximum fuel and 4,810 lb of weaponry); a 210 kt maximum speed (180 kt cruise speed); a 1,350 n mile range at 175 kt; and a more than 8 hour endurance (at minimum payload). In terms of costs, procurement ranges from USD7.5 million to USD13 million per aircraft, with operating costs running at less than USD800 per hour.

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Paris Air Show 2015: IOMAX begins delivering Archangel BPAs to the UAE - IHS Jane's 360
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* Gov’t borrowings up in Jan-April *
 By Zinnia dela Peña* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 23, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Government borrowings slightly went up in the first four months of the year due to higher foreign-denominated obligations, the Department of Finance (DOF) reported yesterday.

According to DOF, the government borrowed P128.63 billion in the first four months of the year, higher than the previous year’s P126.4 billion.

As of the end of April, foreign borrowings amounted to P79.68 billion, up 44 percent from P55.28 billion a year ago, while domestic borrowings fell 31.1 percent to P48.95 billion.

Net government borrowings reached P27.74 billion in April, 5.26 percent lower than the P29.28 billion in the same month last year.

Borrowings from local lenders fell 90 percent to P2.46 billion from P24.12 billion a year earlier.

The government incurred P25.28 billion in new foreign loans in April alone, or nearly five times the P5.16 billion in April 2014.

Foreign borrowings are done largely through the sale of sovereign bonds in the international capital market and by tapping cheap loans in the form of official development assistance (ODA) from multilateral development institutions.

The country’s biggest sources of ODAs are the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Domestic borrowings, on the other hand, are done mainly through the sale of Treasury bills and bonds.

The country has seen the ratio of its debt-to-gross domestic product decline in the past few years from a peak of more than 70 percent a decade ago mainly due to improving tax collections and intensified tax audits.

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Gov’t borrowings up in Jan-April | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Philippines pushes air talks with UAE *
 By Danessa O. Rivera* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 23, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is keen on holding air talks with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) despite opposition from local carriers as the destination is seen as a critical connector to Europe, the Tourism chief said yesterday.

The Philippine government is now in the final stages of preparing for serious discussions with UAE, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. told reporters in an interview.

“We have to renew air talks. When agreements are about to expire, we should renew (bilateral air negotiations),” he said.

The UAE is seen as a crucial connector destination to Europe and for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“The UAE, which is fundamentally Dubai and Abu Dhabi, are critical jump-off points to Europe. So that’s very important from OFW and European market standpoint,” Jimenez said.

In January, Emirates pushed for the holding of a new round of air talks between the Philippines and UAE.

Jimenez said the government is “inclined to give in to that,” with preparations ongoing even with earlier oppositions from local carriers, particularly Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (PAL).

“To be fair, they don’t oppose it, they just have point-of-view of how many, how much and how frequently. But nobody is opposing air talks per se,” he said.

In December 2014, PAL and Cebu Pacific issued a joint statement, saying increasing the flight frequencies between Manila and the UAE would only benefit Gulf carriers Emirates and Etihad Airways.

The airlines accused Emirates of influencing the Philippine Air Panel to hold air talks with the UAE in order to regularize its alleged illegal operations.

The Philippines concluded air talks with UAE in September 2012, which doubled the flight entitlements to 28 per week from 14 per week between the two countries.

Emirates and Etihad Airways have 14 flight entitlements per week, PAL has 14 while PAL Express and Cebu Pacific have seven each.

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Philippines pushes air talks with UAE | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*


*Miscellaneous News:*

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* Rainy season is here, PAGASA declares *
 By Rosette Adel* (philstar.com) *
*Updated June 23, 2015 - 12:25pm*

MANILA, Philippines – The weather bureau officially announced the onset of rainy season on Tuesday morning.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said they usually wait for the southwest monsoon otherwise known as “habagat” before declaring the onset of rainy season.

Dr. Vicente Malano, officer-in-charge of PAGASA, said the rain episodes started last Wednesday. However, based on the bureau’s criteria for declaring a rainy season were only satisfied last Sunday.

“For the past few days nakita natin, may criteria kasi tayong tinitignan na nasatisfy nitong Linggo. Kung babalikan natin, noon pang nagumpisa 'yung rainy episode na ito nun pang Miyerkules, nasatisfy ito nung Linggo,” Malano said in PAGASA’s televised press briefing.

Malano recalled that the weather bureau declared the onset of rainy season last year a little earlier, June 10 as compared to this year, June 23.

The weather bureau official said the El Niño which started last October affected the onset of rainy season. The weather bureau said their climate division is yet to issue a report on the current status of El Niño.

PAGASA advised the public that the rainy season may be expected in the next three months. After September, effects of El Niño will be felt.

According to the PAGASA, some areas will experience below normal rainfall from October to Decembe, while an estimated 11 to 16 tropical cyclones will arrive from June to December.

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Rainy season is here, PAGASA declares | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## NarThoD

*Maiden flight of FA-50PH
Philippine will receive first batch of 2 FA-50's in the end of this year 

Credit to original uploader








*

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## Indos

NarThoD said:


> *Maiden flight of FA-50PH
> Philippine will receive first batch of 2 FA-50's in the end of this year
> 
> Credit to original uploader
> 
> *



With high economic growth and high tension at SCS, Philippine will likely to choose KFX/IFX after 2024............ 

Less expensive than F-35 but still uses Lockheed Martin technology and having two engine (better supercruise- at least two proven engine will create less problem than one new engine to get supercruise- /more payload in Stealth mode/ proven Engine) , at least 32 planes will likely be bought.

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## NarThoD

Indos said:


> With high economic growth and high tension at SCS, Philippine will likely to choose KFX/IFX after 2024............
> 
> Less expensive than F-35 but still uses Lockheed Martin technology and having two engine (better supercruise- at least two proven engine will create less problem than one new engine to get supercruise- /more payload in Stealth mode/ proven Engine) , at least 32 planes will likely be bought.


Their main objective is to get MRF beyond 2018's. It could be F/A-18's or Gripen, but i doubt about KFX/IFX.

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## Indos

NarThoD said:


> Their main objective is to get MRF beyond 2018's. It could be F/A-18's or Gripen, but i doubt about KFX/IFX



With Lockheed Martin who eventually comes to KFX/IFX program as KIA partner, so there will be American stake on this program, similar like FA-50 program. As American great ally, Philippine should acquire F-35, but by considering its economic aspect, it is KFX/IFX that has more probability to be chosen. Of course we need to see the real result from this program first.

After 2024 something, it should be A STEALTH FIGHTER era, only Su 35 that in my opinion will still be hanging on at that time since this plane is also 4,5 gen aircraft and with its huge payload and very long range, it still can be used at that time for deep strike fighter (only coming after STEALTH fighter finish enemy radar and SAM).


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## Cossack25A1

*SCS/West PH Sea News:*

-----

*Zambales fishermen ask UN to intervene, stop China ‘harassment’ in West PHL Sea*
*By MARK MERUEÑAS
GMA News June 24, 2015 11:25pm*

*(Updated 8:52 a.m., June 25) *Thirty-eight Filipino fishermen from Zambales on Wednesday sought help from the United Nations against Chinese maritime personnel who have allegedly been physically harassing them since April 2012 while trying to fish at Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.

In their letter, the 38 fishermen asked the UN to “urgently intervene and investigate” the human rights violations committed by China and its state agents against them in Scarborough Shoal, also called Panatag Shoal.

"We request that you urgently intervene, remind, and direct China and its state agents to respect the human rights—including the right to livelihood, the right to adequate food, and the right to life of the Filipino fisherfolks over their traditional fishing grounds and safe refuge in the Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shalier Bajo de Masinloc),” said the fishermen, represented by the Center for International Law, in their letter.

The fishermen wanted the UN to “remind, declare, and direct” China to provide effective remedies and compensation for the human rights violations against them.

They cited China’s international obligation under the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights; and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and customary international law.

The letter was addressed to Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Hilal Elver, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food; and Idriss Jazairy, UN Special Rapporteur on the Negative Impact of the Unilateral Coercive Measures on the Enjoyment of Human Rights.

They cited the case of 56-year-old fisherman Macario Forones and his fellow Filipino fishermen aboard around 20 boats, who were told to “Go away, go away, 3 miles China Island,” by a group of armed Chinese personnel wearing orange uniforms and on board a speedboat on April 6, 2014.

Not too far away from the Chinese speedboat was a huge Chinese Coast Guard ship, with a helicopter parked on it.

As Forones’ group left and moved away from Scarborough Shoal, the helicopter pursued them and encircled them three times.

Saying the incident “traumatized” them, Forones and his companions never returned to the area and "have lost hope of returning to the shoal due to the ferocity of the Chinese state personnel. There is also a Chinese vessel patrolling inside the Scarborough Shoal.”

Forones’ cousin, Inocentes, who was among the fishermen allegedly harassed by the Chinese personnel that day, claimed developing a phobia from the incident, and insisted on never returning to the area even if he was offered P1 million.

Eight months later, in December 2014, another group of Filipino fishermen returned to Scarborough Shoal to fish, only to be driven away by armed Chinese personnel. The Chinese, on board small “file boats,” allegedly rammed the Filipino men's fishing boats and pointed guns at them when they refused to hand over their catch.

To get around Chinese personnel guarding the shoal, the Filipino fishermen would fish in the area at night, fishing at around 6 p.m. and leaving by 4 a.m. before patrolling Chinese men arrive.

Another fisherman, Nestor Calago, also complained of no longer being able to seek refuge in the lagoon of Scarborough Shoal during inclement weather due to the presence of Chinese vessels in the area. He eventually stopped going to Scarborough Shoal, and has suffered continuous financial losses, leading to his indebtedness.

The fishermen accused China of violating among others Article II of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights—to which China is a state party—and Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which both recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food.

China also allegedly violated Article 3 of the UDHR which gives everyone the right to life, liberty and security of person. China also violated the fishermen’s right, under customary international law, to the places of refuge for ships in distress in accordance with the right to life.

"The human rights violation of China and its state agents is made more pronounced by the fact that their violation is committed in Scarborough Shoal which is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone wherein the Philippines exercises sovereign rights over the living and non-living resources,” the letter said. 

"And the sovereign rights that the Philippines exercises over Scarborough Shoal should be, inter alia, for the benefit of the Filipino fisher folks,” it added. *—ELR/KG, GMA News*

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Zambales fishermen ask UN to intervene, stop China ‘harassment’ in West PHL Sea | News | GMA News Online
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## Faizan Qadeer

Very Good Information about Philippines


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## Zero_wing

Indos said:


> With Lockheed Martin who eventually comes to KFX/IFX program as KIA partner, so there will be American stake on this program, similar like FA-50 program. As American great ally, Philippine should acquire F-35, but by considering its economic aspect, it is KFX/IFX that has more probability to be chosen. Of course we need to see the real result from this program first.
> 
> After 2024 something, it should be A STEALTH FIGHTER era, only Su 35 that in my opinion will still be hanging on at that time since this plane is also 4,5 gen aircraft and with its huge payload and very long range, it still can be used at that time for deep strike fighter (only coming after STEALTH fighter finish enemy radar and SAM).



I have to disagree on there my friend on the Su35 the fighter on 4.5 left by that time would be Gripen E/F or the Eurofighter or Rafale. But anyhow by the way things are going i think we would just buy more FA50 or Gripens as main MRF fighter or just Gripens or Rafale since we have defense agreements with france mostly likely lease to own or payment scheme or maybe we get the F15Js or old F15 or the Strike Eagle or F16s either way it would be slow but surely we have a decent air force finally.

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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* Vivant investing P67 B for new power projects *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 27, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Cebu-based Vivant Corp., of the Garcia-Escano family is pouring in P67 billion for new power generation projects in the next three years, its chief operating officer Arlo Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said the group plans to invest in new facilities with over 450 megawatts in capacity, part of the company’s strategy of continuously expanding in the power industry.

“Vivant is always looking for opportunities to expand its generation portfolio. Starting 2015 up to 2018, the group expects to invest in power generation projects that involve construction of new facilities with total capacity of over 450 MW worth roughly P67 billion,” Sarmiento said.

He said the projects would help augment electricity supply in Visayas and Mindanao.

“These projects are deemed part of the solution for the worsening power problems in Visayas and Mindanao. Vivant’s participation will be close to P4 billion which should result to a 51 percent increase in its attributable generation capacity by 2018 as projects are completed,” Sarmiento said.

Last year, Vivant infused more than P1.6 billion in equity for its power generation business including its acquisition of a 40 percent stake in Minergy Power Corp. (MPC) and a 20 percent stake in Therma Visayas Inc. (TVI).

The companies are behind two coal-fired power facilities in Misamis and in Cebu.

“MPC is currently constructing a 3 x 55-MW coal-fired power generation facility in Misamis Oriental. Its completion by yearend 2017 should provide a new and stable source of power for the island of Mindanao,” Sarmiento said.

Similarly, Therma Visayas has broken ground on a 300-MW coal-fired power generation facility in Toledo City, Cebu.

Sarmiento said this particular project consists of two units, with the first one expected to be completed by end-2017 and the second to follow in the first three months of 2018.

He said Vivant continues to explore opportunities to expand and strengthen its power generation and electricity distribution business, its core business through acquisitions, green and brownfield initiatives or joint venture projects.

By end-2014, the firm’s attributable generation capacity has reached 249 MW, nine percent higher than 2013 levels. This increase was due to the completion of the Coron-Busuanga generation facilities of Calamian Islands Power Corp. (CIPC), 50 percent of which is effectively owned by Vivant through wholly owned subsidiary Vivant Energy Corp. (VEC), and the turnover to VEC of 17 MW “strips energy” from the Unified Leyte Geothermal Power Plants (ULGPP).

Last year, the company reported a net profit of P1.3 billion up 34 percent from the the year-ago level, fueled by Vivant’s generation business, which contributed P1.1 billion to the group’s bottom line, data from the company showed.

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Vivant investing P67 B for new power projects | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*Politics and National Security News:*

-----

* Petitions vs Bangsamoro deal may still be dismissed *
 By Edu Punay* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 27, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te clarified yesterday that the high court has not yet given due course to the petitions filed by the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) and former Negros Oriental congressman Jacinto Paras against the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which means the Court has not yet considered whether or not it can dismiss the petitions outright.

Lawyer Mohammad Al-Amin Julkipli, member of the government peace negotiating panel, said all the petitions lodged against the BBL revolve around one issue: does the proposal adhere to the Constitution?

He added that the end-goal in all these processes is the establishment of genuine political autonomy by building on what the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has achieved.

In making the clarification, Te said the high court would rule on whether to give due course to the petitions after receiving the comments from respondents chief peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel head Mohagher Iqbal, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and the Commission on Audit.

He stressed that Iqbal is required to answer the petitions as a respondent, although it is not very clear if the Office of the Solicitor General can represent Iqbal in the case.

Last Tuesday, the high court ordered the government and the MILF to answer the petitions assailing the constitutionality of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), including the earlier Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and its annexes.

The respondents were given 10 days from receipt of notice to comply with the order.

Former government peace panel chief and now Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen was named a respondent in the case, but court insiders said he would not be required to comment on the petitions. He has inhibited himself from the cases.

In their petitions last week, both Philconsa and Paras alleged that the government peace panel committed grave abuse of discretion in signing the FAB and CAB on Oct. 12, 2012 and March 27, 2014, respectively.

They said both agreements were a revival of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) forged by the Arroyo administration with the MILF, which was declared unconstitutional by the high court in October 2008.

The petitioners argued that the agreements violated Article X Section 1 of the Constitution, which authorizes and recognizes only five territorial and political subdivisions in the country: provinces, cities, municipalities, barangays and autonomous regions.

They added that the conduct of the peace process with the MILF violated Executive Order No. 125 issued by former President Fidel Ramos, which requires the presence of a panel of advisers composed of one each from the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Cabinet to be designated by the President.

Julkipli, in a previous Kapihan forum in Legazpi City, said he has reviewed various positions on the proposed BBL and listed 10 ‘myths’ that evolved from the public discussions.

He claimed these myths include: Bangsamoro will become an independent and separate state; BBL does not protect the rights of indigenous people; inclusion into the Bangsamoro will only need a local government resolution; the Bangsamoro will become an Islamic state; it will have its own armed forces; it will separate and have its own police force; its parliamentary system is unconstitutional; the BBL is flawed because it lacks a provision on decommissioning; the Bangsamoro government will receive P70 billion to P75 billion as funding for its first year of government; and the MILF does not represent the interests of all Muslims in the Philippines.

Julkipli said that when all the questioning is over, “it is still the people who will decide through a plebiscite after the draft BBL has been passed by Congress and the Senate and signed by the President.”

Also helping the Philippines in its peace process is Turkey, which is a member-state of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a bloc of more than 50 Muslim nations worldwide*. – With Celso Amo*

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Petitions vs Bangsamoro deal may still be dismissed | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Palace condemns killing of CNN cameraman *
 By Delon Porcalla* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated June 27, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday condemned the murder of CNN Philippines cameraman Jonathan Oldan by an unidentified gunman in Cavite on Thursday.

“We condemn the killing of CNN Philippines’ employee Jonathan Oldan,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

“The Philippine National Police has been directed to pursue those who may have been responsible for his death so that the ends of justice may be served,” Coloma said.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the killing of Oldan.

De Lima said she tasked the NBI to dispatch a team of investigators to Imus a few hours after the incident.

“Part of their assignment is to preliminarily determine whether the killing is work-related, subject to further evaluation by the administrative technical working group secretariat,” she said.

The technical working group under Administrative Order No. 35 signed by President Aquino in November 2012 created the inter-agency group to investigate unexplained killings and enforced disappearances, including those involving members of the media.

“If determined to be work-related, hence, an extrajudicial killing, then it will be assigned to a Special Investigation Team, to be monitored by the Special Oversight Team, as among the existing mechanisms under AO 35,” De Lima explained.

Initial reports said Oldan, 29, was shot dead by still unidentified gunmen in Barangay Pinagbuklod at around 5:15 a.m. last Thursday.

He was on his way to work when he was shot four times in the head, shortly after buying cigarettes at a convenience store along Bukaneg Street.

Supt. Federico Maranan, Imus police chief, said witnesses saw Oldan having an argument with an unidentified person after buying cigarettes. Then they saw Oldan running away.

Oldan is the third journalist to be killed this year and the 27th under the Aquino administration.

In its official statement, CNN condemned the killing.

“We deplore the killing of our colleague Jonathan Oldan. He was shot to death on his way to work this morning. We demand that his assailant/assailants be brought to justice. We condole with his family and loved ones in this most tragic and trying time. CNN Philippines condemns this act and will spare no effort to bring the criminal/criminals to justice,” the statement on the CNN website reads.

The National Press Club headed by Joel Sy Egco denounced the murder as it expressed its “utter disgust over the Aquino government’s lackluster efforts in preventing such heinous crimes.”

“The killing in cold blood of Mr. Oldan again highlights the government’s apathy, or lack of interest, over the horrendous state of media killings in the country,” Egco said.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and the Justice and Court Reporters Association (JUCRA) both condemned the killing.

“Whether the incident was related to our work in covering the justice department and the judiciary or to any other motive, his brutal murder demands justice,” JUCRA said in a statement.

Oldan was a member of the press organization and covered the justice beat for almost a year. *– With Edu Punay, Ed Amoroso*

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Palace condemns killing of CNN cameraman | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Aepsilons

@Cossack25A1 , any updates on Oyster Bay ? 


Salamat po!


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> @Cossack25A1 , any updates on Oyster Bay ?
> 
> 
> Salamat po!



No new updated news about the new naval base.

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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* Government sticks to 7-8% growth target until 2016 *
 By Zinnia B. Dela Peña* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The government has retained its economic growth assumptions of seven to eight percent for this year and next year, but noted that hitting the top-end of its target would be a challenge given some issues on the domestic front.

In a briefing following a meeting of the country’s economic managers yesterday, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) agreed to keep the country’s economic growth forecasts unchanged despite the uncertainties on both global and domestic fronts.

“The upper target would be a challenge but it still remains to be within range observing many of the problems are mostly domestic in nature and therefore within the control of the government,” Abad said.

The country’s gross domestic product growth (GDP) slowed to 5.2 percent in the first quarter – the lowest in more than three years – mainly due to weak government spending.

“We’re working very had to address the problems that have been identified in order to accelerate state spending,” Abad said.

The government’s economic team, meanwhile, downscaled its growth forecast for net exports of services to 13.6 percent from 15 percent, taking into account what’s going on in the global market place which includes the outbreak of the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

Last year, the economy grew by only 6.1 percent – below the government’s target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent and lower than the all-time high 7.2 percent growth in 2013 – due largely to public underspending.

Economists said the country needs to grow by at least seven percent annually over the medium term to reduce poverty.

Abad said the government has also kept the borrowing mix for 2016 at 85-15 in favor of domestic loans.

He said the proposed P3.005 trillion budget for 2016, equivalent to 19.5 percent of GDP, would be presented to President Aquino next week.

Of the proposed national budget for next year, P768 billion has been earmarked for infrastructure spending.

The DBCC, which sets the government’s macroeconomic targets and policies, expects favorable factors such as a sustained rise in remittances and continued spending for reconstruction to continue boosting growth in GDP or the value of all goods and services produced within the country.

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Government sticks to 7-8% growth target until 2016 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Index continues decline amid Greece concerns *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The benchmark stock index trimmed its losses yesterday but still closed in the negative territory as issues surrounding Greece’s debt crisis lingered.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dipped 0.03 percent or 2.88 points to finish on the losing end for the second consecutive session at 7,564.50.

The broader All Shares index likewise joined the descent as it fell 0.27 percent or 11.82 points at 4,319.59.

Analysts said players yesterday stayed at bay for sequels on Greece following Monday’s decision to impose capital controls as the country continued with its debt struggles.

“More negative news from Greece will have minimal effect henceforth. In fact, the sensitivity bias shifts to positive – a bigger reaction may be expected is a miracle agreement happens,” said Accord Capital Equities analyst Justino Calaycay Jr.

Most Asian markets suffered a different fate as that of the Philippines yesterday, with the uptrend led by Japan’s Nikkei which rose 0.6 percent.

Local counters were mixed, although those in the red dominated. Only financials and holdings firms posed gains while services companied took the largest drop at 0.88 percent.

Decliners whipped advancers, 118 to 61, while 45 stocks were unchanged.

Turnover value, however, surged to P10.68 billion from a thin P5.9-billion value the previous day.

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Index continues decline amid Greece concerns | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* PCCI bullish on 6.8-7% GDP growth *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine economy can grow by 6.8 to seven percent this year due to election and infrastructure spending, the country’s largest business organization said.

“I think a 6.8 to seven percent GDP (gross domestic product) growth is possible this year,” Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Alfredo Yao told reporters.

Among the major drivers of growth expected this year are poll-related expenditures as well as the implementation of infrastructure projects.

While strong economic growth is expected, Yao said the government needs to work on the passage of certain legislative measures which are seen positive for the economy and businesses, before the end of President Aquino’s term.

He said the President should approve the competition law which will create an independent Philippine Competition Commission to prevent businesses from engaging in unfair and anti-competitive acts.

The group is likewise pushing for the passage of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act to make improvements in the Bureau of Customs.

The Bangsamoro Basic Law also needs to be approved in order to bring peace in Mindanao and enable the region to attract more investments.

As the port congestion negatively affected businesses last year in terms of delays of exports and imports, Yao said the government will have to work on encouraging more improvements to be made in other ports to decongest Manila’s.

“We are relying 100 percent on the Port of Manila. Why not use Batangas and Subic? There should be political will,” he said.

The group is also of the view the government should revisit proposals to make Clark Airport as the country’s main international gateway with Manila already congested.

Yao said he expects to hear about Aquino’s plans on the recommendations made in the upcoming State of the Nation Address.

The government has set a seven to eight percent growth target for this year.

For the first quarter, the Philippine economy grew 5.2 percent.

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PCCI bullish on 6.8-7% GDP growth | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Public spending for infra, capital outlay up 40% in April *
 By Zinnia dela Peña* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Public spending for infrastructure and capital outlay surged by more than 40 percent to P23.3 billion in April as the government tried to catch up on disbursements which had been anemic in the past months, the Department of Finance (DOF) reported yesterday.

Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad earlier said the government would speed up infrastructure spending in the second half to further prop up economic growth, which slowed down to 5.2 percent in the first quarter.

For the first four months of the year, total infrastructure disbursements amounted to P91.9 percent, 1.9 percent lower than last year’s level.

Based on the World Bank’s 2014 Logistics Performance Index, Philippine infrastructure is the worst among the six Southeast Asian nations including Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Overall government expenditures registered a nine percent increase in April to P156.5 billion, bringing cumulative expenditures to P660.6 billion from January to April or 5.5 percent more than the amount spent in the same period a year earlier.

“Although spending for April grew year-on-year, much more needs to be done so that disbursements can move faster. Departments and agencies – particularly those with urgent, big-ticket items – should optimize their allocations so that we can look forward to more efficient spending and the faster delivery of services,” Abad said.

Abad said disbursements from Notices of Cash Allocation (NCAs) grew 17.3 percent in April. Strong performance by the Office of the President and the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Public Works (DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Interior and Local Government (DILG), as well as the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) drove performance up and offset contractions in tax expenditure subsidies and net lending.

“As we continue to reduce our debt burden, the government can provide greater budgetary support to key social and economic services. That means more funds for education, health care, and infrastructure development, among others,” Abad said.

Since the start of the year, DBM has implemented measures to clear the bottlenecks and structural weaknesses that contributed to the government’s underspending in 2014.

The majority of agency allotments were released at the start of the year, with 84 percent of the total obligation program released by end-April.

Abad said that while the government has already implemented measures to improve public spending, several institutional weaknesses still need to be addressed to ramp up state spending and support further economic growth.

Among these measures include improving planning capacities in the national and local governments. In this regard, the government has formed a sub-committee of the Development Budget Coordinating Coordination Committee (DBCC) that will be tasked to look into and evaluate project proposals costing less than P1 billion. This sub-committee will be headed by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

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Public spending for infra, capital outlay up 40% in April | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*



*SCS/West PH Sea News:*

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*Time for the Philippines to Adjust its South China Sea Approach *
*By Richard Javad Heydarian
June 30, 2015*

*Manila should pursue dialogue with Beijing while it still can. *

Growing territorial tensions in the South China Sea are taking a toll on the sizeable Filipino-Chinese community in the Philippines. Recently, one of the most celebrated Filipino writers went so far as to implicitly question the loyalty of the Filipino-Chinese community in an event of war with China, prompting vigorous rebuttals from leading Filipino-Chinese intellectuals.

Slowly, it is becoming clear that the Philippines’ territorial standoff with China not only carries the risk of possible conflict in disputed waters and a precipitous decline in Chinese investments. The increasingly toxic diplomatic exchanges between Beijing and Manila has been mirrored by equally – if not more – adversarial language in the public sphere, with some netizens stoking inter-ethnic tensions and undermining the Philippines’ proud legacy of multiculturalism.

Any objective analysis would pin the blame on China for stoking territorial tensions in the region, which in turn means that Beijing’s behavior is key to the resolution of the disputes. Nevertheless, the Philippines can still learn some lessons from its neighbors on how to better manage the ongoing disputes and best deal with the Chinese juggernaut. Diplomacy isn’t only about mobilizing allies and friends against your foes. It is also about keeping your enemies close and peacefully managing differences with even the bitterest foes.

For a long time, the Philippines has maintained considerable harmony between the majority (Christian) Filipino population and the minority (but highly influential) Chinese diaspora in the country, many of whom have converted to Christianity, learned the local language, and integrated themselves fully into the mainstream as full-fledged citizens. While it is common knowledge that the Filipino-Chinese businessmen rank among the richest in the country – overseeing major conglomerates that have powered the Philippine economy in recent years – few have emphasized how many of the Philippines’ most influential political figures have also been from the Filipino-Chinese Mestizo stock. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ founding father, has a monument in his ancestral home in Qiongque Village in Jinjiang City. The Philippines’ incumbent president, Benigno Aquino III – and his late mother, the ex-president (Corazon) – has proudly publicized his Chinese lineage. A testament to post-colonial Philippines’ strong cosmopolitan pedigree is that it has hardly experienced anything that resembles the anti-Chinese protests, which engulfed neighboring countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam in recent decades.

But saber-rattling between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea has rendered long-dormant inter-ethnic tensions more visible in the public discourse. Meanwhile, in autocratic regimes such as China, anti-Filipino sentiments have gained steam. If things continue at their current pace, biases and adversarial discourses could crystalize into a powerful, popular lobby against any diplomatic compromise in the future, undermining prospects for the peaceful resolution of the South China Sea disputes on a bilateral basis.

In the Philippines, a growing number of people have come to view China as another Soviet Union bent on territorial aggrandizement and committed to spread its tyrannical (communist) ideology. Nowadays, it is common to hear people describing China as a “bully” that should not be negotiated with. In China, a growing number of people have come to see the Philippines as a “troublemaker”, which often acts at the behest of its former colonial master, the United States. In short, inter-state diplomatic brinkmanship is spilling into the mainstream public discourse, reinforcing longstanding prejudices and feeding zero-sum strategic calculations.


*Learning from Others*

The Aquino administration, especially Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario, has consistently suggested that diplomacy with China is practically fruitless. The default policy is to garner maximum international support and rely on an inherently uncertain legal maneuver against China. But the Philippines is not the only country that has been on the receiving end of China’s territorial assertiveness: Tokyo and Hanoi have been locked in a similar territorial standoff with Beijing.

China has been Japan’s archrival for decades, if not centuries, while Vietnam’s very national identity has been forged through its millennium-old struggle against its powerful northern neighbor. Yet, both countries have been more proactive and creative in engaging China without compromising their territorial interests.

Despite the ugly standoff in the East China Sea, Japan’s nationalist leader, Shinzo Abe, took a huge gamble when he pursued a formal dialogue with Xi Jinping on the sidelines of APEC in Beijing in 2014. Soon after their awkward handshake, Japan and China resumed high-level talks among their defense and foreign ministries, paving the way for various confidence-building measures to manage their territorial disputes and avoid accidental clashes in contested areas.

As for Vietnam, at the height of its dispute with China last year, it doubled down on engagement with China. After hosting China’s leading foreign policy advisor, Yang Jiechi, Vietnam dispatched a top official, Le Hong Anh, to Beijing to deescalate tensions. This was followed by the setting up of the third hotline between the two neighbors’ relevant agencies. Earlier this year, Vietnam’s party chief, Nguyen Phu Troung, made a high-profile visit to Beijing in order to explore additional mechanisms to prevent another ‘oil rig’ crisis and maintain robust economic ties between the two neighbors.

For both Hanoi and Tokyo, it was important to make sure their territorial standoff with China did not lead to conflict and undermine critical economic linkages with Beijing. At the same time, this has not prevented them from fortifying their position on the ground, ramping up their presence close to disputed waters, and enhancing their defensive capabilities.

In contrast, Aquino and Xi are yet to hold a single formal summit; the two countries are yet to sign a single hotline; and Chinese investments in the Philippines have been effectively frozen. Obviously, as the more powerful party, Beijing should take the initiative and make necessary compromises to show its good will. But Manila can also pick up a few tactical lessons from Hanoi and Tokyo, who have heeded the advice of the great Italian thinker Niccolo Machiavelli who once said: “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

_Richard Javad Heydarian is an assistant professor in political science at De La Salle University, Manila, and the author of “Asia’s New Battlefield: US, China, and the Struggle for the Western Pacific.” _

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Time for the Philippines to Adjust its South China Sea Approach | The Diplomat
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## Cossack25A1

*SCS/ West PH News:*

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*DND slams China's completion of reclamation activities in West Phl Sea *
*By Alexis Romero (philstar.com) 
Updated July 1, 2015 - 6:52pm*

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) on Wednesday slammed China’s announcement that it has completed its reclamation in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and warned that the “illegal” activity could lead to untoward incidents.

DND spokesman Peter Galvez said China should stop militarizing the region and heed calls for it to follow the international law.

“We reiterate that their illegal island building if not stopped only draws the world closer to further uncertainties and untoward incidents with irreparable consequences,” Galvez said in a text message.

“The Chinese government should refrain from militarizing the region, stop deceiving the peace-loving Chinese people and submit to the call of all nations for them to peacefully abide by the internationally accepted rules as stipulated in UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” he added.

On Tuesday, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that the land reclamation in the disputed Spratlys chain has been completed.

“It is learned from relevant departments that, the land reclamation project of China's construction on some stationed islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands (Spratlys) has been completed recently as scheduled,” Hua said.

“In the next stage, the Chinese side will start the building of facilities to meet relevant functional requirements,” she added.

Hua said the facilities would “mainly provide various civilian services” and would “enable China to better perform its international obligations” in maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention and mitigation and marine scientific research, among other areas.

While China is making it appear that the facilities are for civilian operations, Hua admitted that “necessary military defense requirements” would also be fulfilled.

China has embarked on a massive reclamation program in Panganiban (Mischief), Zamora (Subi), Kagitingan (Fiery Cross), Kennan (Chigua), Mabini (Johnson South), Burgos (Gaven) and Calderon (Cuarteron) Reefs, areas that also being claimed by the Philippines.

Satellite photos showed that China is constructing artificial islands with airstrips, radar systems and military barracks. 

The Philippines has decried China’s activities, saying they go against the 2002 Declamation on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, which prohibits actions that would change the status quo in disputed areas.

The island-building has also destroyed coral reef systems in the West Philippine Sea, resulting to an economic loss of about $281 million per year, according to the Philippine government.

China has repeatedly claimed that it has sovereignty over the reefs and has accused the Philippines of “creating an illusion” that it is the victim of the territorial dispute.

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DND slams China's completion of reclamation activities in West Phl Sea | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Palace: West Philippine Sea documentary not meant to anger China*
 By Louis Bacani* 
Updated Tuesday June 30, 2015 - 12:32pm*

MANILA, Philippines - The government did not intend to anger China with the release of a documentary on the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Malacañang said Tuesday.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the documentary is not targeted at China as it seeks to inform Filipinos about the sea dispute between the two nations.

"We aim to create greater awareness about the historical, legal and economic aspects of the issues pertaining to the WPS. A well informed citizenry will be able to make enlightened choices and decisions," Coloma said in a text message to reporters.

"The documentary is aimed primarily to our citizens. We cannot and do not expect others to agree with contents and manner of presentation," he added.

On Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said they were "strongly dissatisfied with the groundless criticism by the Philippine documentary, which ignores the facts and confuses right and wrong."

"By misleading and deceiving the public, the Philippines plots to gain sympathies and play the victim," Hua said.

She said the Philippine government is "hyping up" the sea dispute and fueling a confrontation between the Chinese and Filipinos.

Released by Coloma's Presidential Communications Operations Office in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the three-part documentary details the Philippines' ownership over some of the disputed islands in the South China Sea.

The first part was shown during the celebration of the country's 117 years of independence on June 12 while the second episode was released last week.

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Palace: West Philippine Sea documentary not meant to anger China | Disputed Seas - Philstar.com
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On the unrelated news, this month in the Philippines is the "_Philippine-Japan Friendship Month_".

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Zero_wing

"By misleading and deceiving the public, the Philippines plots to gain sympathies and play the victim," Hua said.

Ya B please cant even prove your stupid @$$ claims


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## Cossack25A1

*National Development News: *

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* Philippines starts building world's first resort airport *
 By Louis Bacani* (philstar.com) 
Updated June 29, 2015 - 3:24pm*

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III on Monday led the groundbreaking ceremony for the "world's first resort airport" in Cebu.

The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) said the project covers the construction of a new world-class international passenger terminal building at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the renovation of the existing terminal and its conversion into an exclusively domestic facility.

The project is envisioned by concessionaire GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) to be regarded as the first resort airport in the world.

The DOTC said the construction of the new terminal will be completed by 2018 while the renovation of the existing terminal is slated to be finished in 2019.

DOTC Secretary Joseph Abaya said the project is "touted to be the start of Philippine airports matching the best in the world."

"It will not only cement our place on the global map as a major tourist and business destination, it will boost the local economy and is projected to generate jobs especially in Cebu," Abaya said.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the project aims to increase the airport's annual passenger capacity from 4.5 million to 15 million.

"Improvements such as these help to stimulate our economy and boost our country’s reputation as a tourist and business destination," Lacierda said.

The project is the first airport public-private partnership (PPP) undertaking of the Aquino administration.

In 2014, GMCAC won the auction for the 25-year PPP contract after offering the government a premium bid of P14.4 billion. Operations and maintenance of the airport was turned over to the consortium last November.

GMCAC has started implementing "soft improvements" to the existing terminal or those improvements which did not require major civil works to enhance passenger experience at the gateway.

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Philippines starts building world's first resort airport | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> On the unrelated news, this month in the Philippines is the "_Philippine-Japan Friendship Month_".


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* Philippines among most restrictive in SEA on FDI *
 By Danessa O. Rivera* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 2, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is among the more restrictive economies in the Southeast Asian region when it comes to foreign direct investments (FDIs), a recent study by the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (ERIA) showed.

This was among the findings of the ERIA discussion paper titled “FDI Restrictiveness Index for Asean: Implementation of AEC (ASEAN Economic Integration) Blueprint Measures” authored by Shandre Mugan Thangavelu of the University of Adelaide-Institute of International Trade. It compared the situation between 2010 and 2014.

The paper noted developing economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) tend to have a more open policy towards foreign investments compared to economies with more developed and mature industries.

“This suggests that economies with developed industries tend to adopt FDI policies to protect their domestic industries,” Thangavelu said.

The developing economies include Cambodia and Vietnam, while the more developed economies are Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand.

The author pointed out Vietnam and Cambodia have adopted key FDI policies to maintain their momentum of economic liberalization and integration in the region.

On the other hand, the more developed Asean economies of Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines “have not progressed further from their relatively higher investment base and this poses an important challenge for their competitiveness.”

“These countries have to liberalize their services sector as it will become an important component of their growth,” Thangavelu said.

A major drag for the Philippines in terms of attracting FDIs is Executive Order (EO) 98 or the 9th regular Foreign Investment Negative List (FINL), which was signed by President Aquino on October 2012.

“The average score of specific commitments for the Philippines declined because of its Executive Order 98,” the author said, pointing out in particular the closure of its real estate services to foreigners.

Business groups have slammed the 9th FINL as “too negative” and had called on government to open more activities to foreigners.

It had a long list of professions restricted to Filipinos and set a a 49-percent limit to foreign equity in lending companies and a 60-percent cap on the foreign ownership of investment houses and financing companies regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

But with the 10th FINL signed by the President just last month, the Philippines may be up for some improvements in terms of FDI restrictiveness.

The new list removed the foreign ownership restriction on lending firms, investment houses and financing companies and trimmed down the list of professions reserved only for Philippine nationals.

Meanwhile, the policy paper noted that Asean economies are protective in communication and transport sectors such as telecommunication, air, rail, and water transport services sectors.

“First, we observed that transport services are the least open to foreign firms. Of the various transport services, rail and road transport are the most protected by the domestic economy,” the author said.

Across the region, the paper also noted the manufacturing sector is more liberalized for foreign investment compared to the services sector.

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Philippines among most restrictive in SEA on FDI | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Another Asian bank enters Philippines *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 3, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has approved the entry of another Asian bank, a top official said yesterday.

“MB (Monetary Board) approved last Thursday, June 25, but they have not announced (the name) yet,” BSP Deputy Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. said in a text message.

Espenilla said the foreign bank has acquired 100 percent of a domestic thrift bank so it would not have to set up a branch in the country.

This marks the fifth foreign bank allowed entry in the country following the passage of the amended foreign banks law in July 2014.

At present, the BSP is evaluating an application from one bank, Espenilla said.

RA 10641 or the amended foreign banks law removed the cap on foreign banks in the country earlier set at 10.

Foreign banks have been allowed to buy as much as 100 percent of any local bank, amending a previous provision that only permits them to own up to 60 percent of any Philippine bank’s voting stock.

The implementing rules and regulations was released in November last year by the BSP and the application process started in late December.

Since January, the BSP has approved the entry of Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui, South Korea’s Shinhan Bank, Taiwan’s Cathay United, and the Industrial Bank of Korea.

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Another Asian bank enters Philippines | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Philippine budget system needs improvement – IMF *
 By Zinnia B. Dela Peña* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 3, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines obtained a favorable score in the International Monetary Fund’s Fiscal Transparency Evaluation but there is still room for further improvement in some key areas particularly the budget system, the multilateral lender said.

“Overall, the country complies with generally good practices across all pillars, although with several areas for improvement in each of them,” the IMF said in its June 2015 report.

The objective of the FTE was to assess the Philippines’ fiscal reporting, forecasting and budgeting, and fiscal risks analysis and management practices against the standards set by the IMF’s draft FTE.

The IMF said the government’s public financial management reform strategy has helped initiate a wide variety of reforms which are beginning to bear fruit.

For one, the country’s fiscal reporting was seen to be relatively comprehensive, frequent and timely with many areas of good and advanced practices.

The IMF, however, noted a number of weaknesses in the quality and integrity of fiscal data, partly reflecting multiple agencies having responsibilities for fiscal reporting.

It said while external auditing of individual government entities is the responsibility of the Commission on Audit (COA), it is also assigned the task of compiling the government annual financial reports, which is contrary to international standards.

Apart from these, the IMF noted the Philippine budget system’s unusually large amount of complexity and flexibility, which complicate fiscal reporting and give rise to vulnerabilities.

“The structure of the budget is complex as it encompasses a large number of earmarking, special purpose funds, and automatic appropriations permanently authorized by other laws,” the IMF said.

“In addition, the existing budget framework allows for the government to significantly alter the composition of expenditure during the course of the fiscal year,” the IMF said.

To address the country’s fiscal transparency gaps, the government must focus on publishing a set of budget documents that provides the public with the means to track the operations of government from one year to the next and over the course of the year; and compare the budget to the final accounts on a transparent basis.

Other reforms include better allocation of resources to priority areas over the medium-term, delineating more rigorously the government’s policy activities from purely commercial activities and ensuring that consolidated financial reports are audited in a fully-independent manner.

“High-quality reporting on public finances is fundamental to fiscal transparency. It provides a sound basis for analyzing and understanding the government’s financial position and performance, for forecasting and budgeting, for designing appropriate fiscal policies and managing risks, and for holding governments to account,” the IMF said.

Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad said the IMF’s report validates the Aquino administration’s good governance agenda.

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Philippine budget system needs improvement – IMF | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* PSEi takes cue from upbeat Asian bourses *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 3, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Share prices posted slight gains for a second consecutive session yesterday as investors remained cautious on the aftermath of Greece’s payment default to the International Monetary Fund.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi)rose 0.04 percent or 3.16 points to close at 7,578.31, while the broader All Share index picked up 0.11 percent or 4.62 points at 4,334.99.

“Volatility prevailed as fund managers weigh the merits of Greece securing a different loan via the European Stability Mechanism, plus precedence of its move to default on its loan with the IMF. This might be visible in the currencies mart, as a potential ‘Grexit’ keep investors on their toes,” said Grace Cerdenia, research head at F Yap Securities.

Stocks took inspiration yesterday from the upbeat Asian markets which was captained by Japan’s Nikkei which firmed up 1.1 percent.

Local counters were led by property firms which added 1.14 percent, while holding firms and financial companies moved the opposite direction and declined 0.43 percent and 0.41 percent, respectively.

Advancers edged out decliners for a second consecutive session, 87 to 64, while 62 stocks were unchanged.

Turnover value was upbeat at P7.6 billion compared to the previous day’s P6.46 billion.

“So far the index is holding at 7,560 support.Formidable resistance to support a bullish move will be the break on the upside from pivotal level 7,760, the upper end of the downtrend channel. If broken convincingly could mark an exit from the downtrend and lead to a possible sideways move/consolidation or even a reversal.

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PSEi takes cue from upbeat Asian bourses | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* Infra underspending to result in lower GDP *
 By Ted P. Torres* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 5, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration’s underspending is seen to be a major threat to the country’s growth, the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. said.

“Unless public spending fires up, risks to Philippine full-year economic growth outlook skew to sub six percent for the full-year 2015,” ANZ said.

While still tagging the Philippines as the “strong man of Asia,” the ANZ expressed concern that GDP growth could weaken if public underspending especially in the infrastructure side would continue.

“Philippines growth below six percent will be both an unusual and an unexpected event,” it said in a report.

The government expects the local economy to grow by six to seven percent this year.

ANZ said even if investors turn negative on growth in the short term, growth differentials would be minimal as foreign investors might return to the market as opportunities become enticing. But improvement or otherwise in the fiscal balance occurring as a result of fiscal underspending would be considerable, it added. With remittances providing a structural current account surplus, renewed public spending should serve to add to the resilience of the Philippines as the US Fed tightening cycle commences.

Likewise, the upcoming presidential election could fire up public spending. But in the absence of this, a growth/ fiscal balance trade-off falls into place, ANZ said.

“The strong man of Asia seemed a little bit unsteady on his feet over the first quarter of 2015,” ANZ said.

The Philippine economy slowed to 5.2 percent in the first quarter mainly due to state underspending.

Economic growth made a considerable downside surprise in the first quarter on the back of weak net exports - which the bank views as being aligned to the soft US GDP profile over the same period – and ongoing weakness in government spending.

With inflation seen to ease in the coming months, ANZ expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to maintain its key policy rates for the remainder of the year.

For 2016, the foreign bank is forecasting Philippine GDP to hit six to 6.1 percent.

“This easing of fiscal policy should see the Philippines as one of the first Asean central banks to follow the Fed higher,” ANZ said.

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Infra underspending to result in lower GDP | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Moody’s sees factory output picking up in May *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 5, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Factory output growth could have picked up in May after easing to a dismal 1.4 percent in April amid an improving US economy, Moody’s Analytics said in a research note.

“Industrial production in the Philippines likely enjoyed a partial rebound in May… Oil prices finding a floor has helped chemical production, while improvements in US demand are lifting manufacturing,” the research firm said.

Moody’s Analytics has forecast manufacturing growth to have risen to 3.5 percent during the said month.

“Higher government spending in coming months will lift domestic demand and, in turn, food production, the highest component of the survey,” the company said.

Official May factory output data will be released on Friday, July 10.

Latest government data showed manufacturing output, as measured by the volume of production index, climbed by only 1.4 percent in April after rising by 16.1 percent in March.

The expansion was driven by increases in the manufacture of chemical products, tobacco products, furniture and fixtures, basic metals, textiles, printing, machinery except electrical, paper and paper products, leather products, and beverages.

However, the value of production index contracted by 4.2 percent in April from a growth rate of 10.9 percent last March due to a decline in the sales of petroleum products, food manufacturing, electrical machinery, miscellaneous manufactures, fabricated metal products, wood and wood products, transport equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

The manufacturing sector has helped the economy achieve a stellar growth of 7.2 percent in 2013. Last year, factory output growth was only in single digits except during the second quarter when it was between 10 and 12 percent.

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Moody’s sees factory output picking up in May | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* MJIC raises P674M for Chinatown hotel project *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 5, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - MJC Investments Corp., a company majority owned by the Manila Jockey Club Inc. of the Reyno family, has raised P673.79 million from additional shares subscription by an investor group from Hong Kong.

MJIC said its board of directors accepted the offer of the strategic investors headed by Teik Seng Cheah, to subscribe to an additional 673.79 million shares to be taken from the company’s increase in its authorized capital stock.

The listed company said the additional equity infusion would support the firm’s capital build-up program intended for the completion of its hotel and entertainment project in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

“The transaction shall provide the corporation with funds for the ongoing construction of its hotel and entertainment project, a five-star hotel, tourism and entertainment hub which is located on its 7,510-square meter property at San Lazaro Tourism and Business Park (SLTBP) in Santa Cruz, Manila,” MJIC said.

The 18-story hotel and entertainment project is planned to have 160 suites, a 1,000-person capacity column-less ballroom, more than 5,000 square meters of themed event space, and more than a thousand parking slots.

It is targeted to be fully operational within the year.

“This project marks the first-ever construction of a five-star hotel and high-end entertainment project of this scale to be built in the heart of Greater Chinatown,” the firm said.

After due bidding, MJIC said it has chosen Datem Inc. as the general contractor for the civil works of the hotel and entertainment project with a contract value of P926 million.

SLTBP is currently home to the SM San Lazaro mall and a high-end residential condominium project jointly developed by Ayala Land and MJIC.

MJIC was initially incorporated to be engaged in the mining business, but its business has already diversified to focus on the growing Philippine tourism industry.

-----
MJIC raises P674M for Chinatown hotel project | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

*
===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*


*National Development News:*

-----

_*People like Bob Ong would HATE to hear this news...*_

* On lifting foreign equity restrictions *
*HIDDEN AGENDA By Mary Ann LL. Reyes (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 5, 2015 - 12:00am*

Just recently, Vietnam announced in a landmark decree it is lifting the 49 percent foreign equity limit in public companies, subject to certain exceptions such as in banking, beginning September. Decree 60 is intended to boost Vietnam’s stock markets and provide an extra boost to the equitization of State enterprises.

But our trade officials say there is nothing to worry about. According to Trade Undersecretary Adrian Cristobal Jr., they do not anticipate being affected by Vietnam’s decision, saying we are in a better position in aspects of the economy such as macroeconomic fundamentals and the banking system.

From being Asia’s economic giant next only to Japan in the post-war era, the Philippines failed to catch up. Frontrunners Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are too far in front and the Philippines can only hope to compete with second-tiers Vietnam, Cambodia and even Myanmar.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Alfredo Yao acknowledged the fact that Vietnam is our competitor so we have to be better than them.

For his part, Makati Business Club (MBC) executive director Peter Angelo Perfecto said Vietnam’s move “is an added plus for their competitiveness” and “the Philippines must consider similar policy shifts that... allow us to compete more aggressively with our neighbors.”

Meanwhile, Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) president Hans Sicat said Vietnam’s move would give it a potential comparative advantage over the Philippines, everything else being equal. This, he added, may be more pronounced as Asean economic integration takes place and financial market integration also moves forward.

Over the last five years, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Vietnam rose from $7.6 billion in 2009 to $9.2 billion in 2014. In contrast, FDI inflows to the Philippines only totaled $1.963 billion in 2009 and rose to $6.2 billion in 2014.

The reversal of fortunes actually started at the turn of the century when Vietnam’s FDI inward stock surpassed that of the Philippines, $14.73 billion against $13.762 billion.

In 1990, the Philippines was way ahead of Vietnam, as its FDI inward stock totaled $3.268 billion compared to Vietnam’s paltry $243 million. But by 2014, Vietnam’s FDI inward stock already reached $90.99 billion, or over a third more than the Philippines’ $57.093 billion.

The good thing is that foreign and local business leaders believe the FDI battle is not yet over for the Philippines. That is, if policymakers and lawmakers will be serious enough to do a makeover of the local business environment that analysts see as hostile to investors and investments.

*Alongside poor infrastructure, a high tax regime and an unpredictable policy climate marked by government’s perceived penchant for changing rules midstream and flouting its contracts with private partners, one more facet that has turned off the business community is the inward-looking Constitution that is overly protective of local businesses.*

Analysts believe the protectionist provisions of the 1987 Charter, particularly the rule that puts a 40 percent cap on foreign ownership, is a major deal-breaker, as it is anathema to investors at this day and age when globalization has spawned an increasingly borderless world.

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) associate economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa observed that Vietnam’s move “could further limit the ability of the Philippines to attract FDI flows given the many impediments to investment in the country.”

*Foreign ownership restrictions has been cited in the past as a reason NOT to invest in the Philippines, he said.*

Henry Schumacher, executive vice president of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), shared the concern of local business leaders, believing the solution lies in a proposed legislation that aims to make the country as attractive as, if not more attractive than, Vietnam and Asean’s other FDI magnets.

Schumacher said Vietnam’s lifting of its foreign ownership cap makes it “more attractive for foreign investors, especially in the light of a hardly improved FINL (Foreign Investment Negative List) and the withdrawal of House Resolution No. 1, which was supporting the amendment of the economic provisions of the Constitution which, in turn, could have led to more competition in the country.”

*Had Congress passed it before its June recess, the Philippines would have beaten Vietnam to the draw as the resolution seeks to open the Constitution to amendments lifting foreign ownership caps for businesses. *

But there is still enough time for both Houses to pass the resolution of both Houses as the 16th Congress still has seven working months left to work on it.

Under the resolution principally authored by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, resolution, a five-word phrase —“unless otherwise provided by law”—shall be added to seven economic provisions of the 1987 Charter to allow greater participation of foreigners in Philippine businesses.

With the insertion of “unless provided by law,” the resolution will remove restrictions or caps on the following: exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources; alienable lands of the public domain, including agricultural, forest or timber, mineral lands and national parks; conveyance of private lands; reserved investments; grant of franchises, certificates, or any other forms of authorization for the operation of public utility; ownership, control and administration of educational institutions; and ownership and management of mass media and on the policy for engagement in the advertising industry.

The inclusion of the five-word phrase means that amending the Constitution would only require a simple legislation that needs to be approved by both the Senate and the House — and then subjected to a plebiscite.

Unlike ordinary legislation, constitutional amendments require an absolute three-fourths vote by both Houses of Congress.

Hence, for the resolution to move on to a plebiscite, it needs to muster at least 217 votes in the 289-member House and at least 18 votes in the 24-member Senate.

But once approved by Congress, the resolution does not have to be signed by President Aquino into law like the regular enrolled bills passed by both chambers, because it needs only to be ratified through a plebiscite synchronized with the 2016 polls.

-----
On lifting foreign equity restrictions | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


----------



## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

*Philippines likely to sell $750m global bonds in 2016*
*July 5, 2015 | 3:22 PM

by Bloomberg News*

MANILA: The Philippines may offer about $750 million of global bonds in 2016 while seeking to keep domestic funding elevated.

The Asian nation plans to borrow P747 billion ($16.6 billion) next year, and will probably sell P33 billion of global bonds, Treasurer Roberto Tan said in a July 4 interview at the Clark economic zone in Pampanga, a province north of Manila. About P643 billion, or 86 per cent, will be raised locally as the market remains very liquid, Tan said.

The Philippines has increased reliance on the local market to fund its budget as money supply almost doubled in the five years under President Benigno Aquino. A steady flow of remittance by overseas workers and revenue from the outsourcing industry boosted liquidity to P7.6 trillion in May, compared to about P4 trillion at the end of 2009.

“The government has cut foreign debt component to 34 per cent of the total, reducing our vulnerability to fluctuations in the foreign currency,” Tan said in a speech at an event by the National Association of Securities Broker Salesmen Inc. “Ample domestic liquidity has allowed government to source majority of its financing requirement locally.”

Of the P104 billion, the nation plans to raise internationally in 2016, P71 billion will probably come from official development loans, Tan said, citing preliminary data pending approval from the economic team.


*Changing environment*

In 2016, local debt sales may increase by 9 per cent to P643 billion, compared to P590 billion this year, while external borrowing may drop by 6 per cent from P111 billion, according to Tan.

“The environment is changing and there are potential risks, such as threats of an El Nino and rising U.S. rates,” BDO Unibank market strategist Jonathan Ravelas said. “It makes sense to borrow now to prefund next year’s requirement.”

The Philippines sold $2 billion worth of 25-year notes in January at a record-low coupon for the country’s similar-dated overseas debt, using $1.5 billion to finance the purchase of shorter-dated securities to extend maturity. The nation is looking out for the possibility of a similar debt exchange, as well as opportunities for selling overseas debt earlier than its typical schedule at the start of the year, Tan said.

The government wants to hold a peso-denominated debt exchange this quarter, probably offering longer-dated bonds including a 25-year tenor in exchange for shorter, illiquid debt, Tan said. It also wants to start an interbank Specials Repo programme this year that will allow more efficient pricing for government securities.

-----
Times of Oman
-----


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## pr1v4t33r



Reactions: Like Like:
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## Cossack25A1

*Military & Defense News:*

-----

*Why DND put on hold P6.5B Israeli missiles*
By: Cynthia D. Balana, Gil C. Cabacungan
Philippine Daily Inquirer

02:54 AM July 8th, 2015

The Department of National Defense (DND) on Tuesday said there was nothing irregular in its decision to shelve the planned acquisition of the P6.5-billion missile system from Israel for the Philippine Army in view of the country’s internal security threats.

Arsenio Andolong, director of the DND’s public affairs service, said the Shore-Based Missile System (SBMS) under the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines was just in the planning stage.

“The SBMS project is merely a proposal at this time, and as such, there is no ‘realignment’ but rather a reprioritization of the said project in favor of the urgent need of our PA (Philippine Army) troops for individual force protection equipment,” Andolong said.


*‘Reprioritization’*

He said the “reprioritization” was a collective decision by senior defense leaders, which was submitted to President Aquino after going through the required processes in the Defense System of Management.

The Inquirer reported on Tuesday that Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. and Army chief Lt. Gen. Hernando Iriberri had scuttled the contract for the Israeli weapons system, which was primarily for territorial defense. The deal with Israel was negotiated in December 2014.

The new shopping list of military equipment included 832 marksmen rifles worth P149.76 million, two lots of chemical-biological-radiological-nuclear protective gear worth P103.402 million and 32 long-range sniper weapons systems worth P17.28 million.

The report also said the last-minute change was made allegedly to earn a windfall from commissions from private manufacturers unlike the contract with Israel, which is government-to-government and therefore with no commissions.

“We reiterate that Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin will never be a party to nor condone graft and corruption in the AFP Modernization Program as insinuated in the report,” Andolong said.


*Undue haste*

In the House of Representatives, three lawmakers criticized defense and military officials for their misplaced priorities and undue haste in canceling the purchase of antiaircraft missiles from Israel in favor of purchasing battlefield gear such as helmets, body armor and night vision goggles.

Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop said it was unusual for the military to prioritize internal threats when its main responsibility was to protect the country from foreign incursions, like China’s buildup in disputed waters.

“It’s also true that there are no broker commissions in government-to-government, such as the missile contract unlike the purchase of battlefield gear. But I’m not sure if this was a factor in the sudden change of plans,” Acop said in a phone interview.

Magdalo Rep. Ashley Acedillo questioned the swift U-turn in the military’s purchase of high-priced military hardware.

Acedillo said purchases under the AFP Modernization Program involved billions of pesos and it took years of planning sessions before any item would be placed on the shopping list.

He said the DND and AFP should explain why they dropped the missile purchase because their justification—increased threats from terrorists—was too flimsy to justify a drastic change in acquisition.


*Something ‘fishy’*

ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said Congress should look into the decision-making process of Gazmin, Catapang and Iriberri who took only a few months to abandon the SBMS that was negotiated for two years between Israel and the Philippines.

“There’s definitely something fishy going on here, and Congress should investigate. Just recently, the Aquino administration declared with much fanfare that it considered external threats to the country more important than internal security concerns, such as the communist and Moro insurgencies. Hence, it made the acquisition of external defense capabilities a priority of the AFP Modernization Program,” Tinio said.

Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato, Army spokesman, said the SBMS project was not scrapped.

“It was only moved to the second horizon (of the AFP Modernization Program). It was not scrapped,” explained Detoyato.


*Soldiers’ best interest *

Iriberi said the decision was for the best interest of the 85,000-strong command and its soldiers.

The decision to set aside the missile defense system, he said, involved national security concerns like the Army’s capability gaps.

“We cannot discuss matters pertaining to capability gaps of the Philippine Army as these are classified information involving national security,” Iriberri said in a text message to defense reporters.

“We want to assure our people that whatever actions the PA had undertaken on the matter are all for the best interest of your Army and for the welfare of our soldiers,” he added.

It was Iriberri who supposedly recommended the change which was conveyed by Catapang to Gazmin and approved in principle by Aquino.


*Supported by generals*

Top military officials, who asked not to be identified, said Iriberri’s move was supported by the generals, citing the pressing need for force protection equipment on the ground.

“Our troops are falling victims to land mine attacks, the use of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) is now prevalent. We need to protect our soldiers from these dastardly acts by enemies of the state,” said an Army battalion commander.

“The use of IEDs is now prevalent in the field. All armed threat groups—the NPA (New People’s Army), ASG (Abu Sayyaf group) and even the BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) have access to this type of explosives,” he added.

Another officer said that even if the Army pushed through with the missile defense system, it was capable at this time to operate it. In addition, the missile system would not ease the tension with China in the disputed waters in the West Philippine Sea.


*No war with China*

“We will not really go to war with China,” another official said.

He said China would never stop its aggressive reclamation in the South China Sea should the Philippines and neighboring countries acquire similar missile weapons system.

Iriberri brushed aside allegations of “kickbacks” from the new projects.

“On the allegation of ‘commission,’ those are pure lies,” Iriberri said. “As I said, whatever actions the PA had undertaken on the matter are all for the best interest of your Army and for the welfare of our soldiers.”

The report was perceived by other senior military officers as a demolition job against Iriberri who, according to sources, is being groomed to replace Catapang who will leave the service when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56 on July 10.

_Iriberri is Gazmin’s former senior military aide._

-----
Why DND put on hold P6.5B Israeli missiles | Inquirer News
-----


----------



## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> *Military & Defense News:*
> 
> -----
> 
> *Why DND put on hold P6.5B Israeli missiles*
> By: Cynthia D. Balana, Gil C. Cabacungan
> Philippine Daily Inquirer
> 
> 02:54 AM July 8th, 2015
> 
> The Department of National Defense (DND) on Tuesday said there was nothing irregular in its decision to shelve the planned acquisition of the P6.5-billion missile system from Israel for the Philippine Army in view of the country’s internal security threats.
> 
> Arsenio Andolong, director of the DND’s public affairs service, said the Shore-Based Missile System (SBMS) under the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines was just in the planning stage.
> 
> “The SBMS project is merely a proposal at this time, and as such, there is no ‘realignment’ but rather a reprioritization of the said project in favor of the urgent need of our PA (Philippine Army) troops for individual force protection equipment,” Andolong said.
> 
> 
> *‘Reprioritization’*
> 
> He said the “reprioritization” was a collective decision by senior defense leaders, which was submitted to President Aquino after going through the required processes in the Defense System of Management.
> 
> The Inquirer reported on Tuesday that Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. and Army chief Lt. Gen. Hernando Iriberri had scuttled the contract for the Israeli weapons system, which was primarily for territorial defense. The deal with Israel was negotiated in December 2014.
> 
> The new shopping list of military equipment included 832 marksmen rifles worth P149.76 million, two lots of chemical-biological-radiological-nuclear protective gear worth P103.402 million and 32 long-range sniper weapons systems worth P17.28 million.
> 
> The report also said the last-minute change was made allegedly to earn a windfall from commissions from private manufacturers unlike the contract with Israel, which is government-to-government and therefore with no commissions.
> 
> “We reiterate that Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin will never be a party to nor condone graft and corruption in the AFP Modernization Program as insinuated in the report,” Andolong said.
> 
> 
> *Undue haste*
> 
> In the House of Representatives, three lawmakers criticized defense and military officials for their misplaced priorities and undue haste in canceling the purchase of antiaircraft missiles from Israel in favor of purchasing battlefield gear such as helmets, body armor and night vision goggles.
> 
> Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop said it was unusual for the military to prioritize internal threats when its main responsibility was to protect the country from foreign incursions, like China’s buildup in disputed waters.
> 
> “It’s also true that there are no broker commissions in government-to-government, such as the missile contract unlike the purchase of battlefield gear. But I’m not sure if this was a factor in the sudden change of plans,” Acop said in a phone interview.
> 
> Magdalo Rep. Ashley Acedillo questioned the swift U-turn in the military’s purchase of high-priced military hardware.
> 
> Acedillo said purchases under the AFP Modernization Program involved billions of pesos and it took years of planning sessions before any item would be placed on the shopping list.
> 
> He said the DND and AFP should explain why they dropped the missile purchase because their justification—increased threats from terrorists—was too flimsy to justify a drastic change in acquisition.
> 
> 
> *Something ‘fishy’*
> 
> ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said Congress should look into the decision-making process of Gazmin, Catapang and Iriberri who took only a few months to abandon the SBMS that was negotiated for two years between Israel and the Philippines.
> 
> “There’s definitely something fishy going on here, and Congress should investigate. Just recently, the Aquino administration declared with much fanfare that it considered external threats to the country more important than internal security concerns, such as the communist and Moro insurgencies. Hence, it made the acquisition of external defense capabilities a priority of the AFP Modernization Program,” Tinio said.
> 
> Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato, Army spokesman, said the SBMS project was not scrapped.
> 
> “It was only moved to the second horizon (of the AFP Modernization Program). It was not scrapped,” explained Detoyato.
> 
> 
> *Soldiers’ best interest *
> 
> Iriberi said the decision was for the best interest of the 85,000-strong command and its soldiers.
> 
> The decision to set aside the missile defense system, he said, involved national security concerns like the Army’s capability gaps.
> 
> “We cannot discuss matters pertaining to capability gaps of the Philippine Army as these are classified information involving national security,” Iriberri said in a text message to defense reporters.
> 
> “We want to assure our people that whatever actions the PA had undertaken on the matter are all for the best interest of your Army and for the welfare of our soldiers,” he added.
> 
> It was Iriberri who supposedly recommended the change which was conveyed by Catapang to Gazmin and approved in principle by Aquino.
> 
> 
> *Supported by generals*
> 
> Top military officials, who asked not to be identified, said Iriberri’s move was supported by the generals, citing the pressing need for force protection equipment on the ground.
> 
> “Our troops are falling victims to land mine attacks, the use of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) is now prevalent. We need to protect our soldiers from these dastardly acts by enemies of the state,” said an Army battalion commander.
> 
> “The use of IEDs is now prevalent in the field. All armed threat groups—the NPA (New People’s Army), ASG (Abu Sayyaf group) and even the BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) have access to this type of explosives,” he added.
> 
> Another officer said that even if the Army pushed through with the missile defense system, it was capable at this time to operate it. In addition, the missile system would not ease the tension with China in the disputed waters in the West Philippine Sea.
> 
> 
> *No war with China*
> 
> “We will not really go to war with China,” another official said.
> 
> He said China would never stop its aggressive reclamation in the South China Sea should the Philippines and neighboring countries acquire similar missile weapons system.
> 
> Iriberri brushed aside allegations of “kickbacks” from the new projects.
> 
> “On the allegation of ‘commission,’ those are pure lies,” Iriberri said. “As I said, whatever actions the PA had undertaken on the matter are all for the best interest of your Army and for the welfare of our soldiers.”
> 
> The report was perceived by other senior military officers as a demolition job against Iriberri who, according to sources, is being groomed to replace Catapang who will leave the service when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56 on July 10.
> 
> _Iriberri is Gazmin’s former senior military aide._
> 
> -----
> Why DND put on hold P6.5B Israeli missiles | Inquirer News
> -----



Again very stupid on the part of the DND what a let down at but good thing we still got C-295M and FA50 to look forward to and possible the Gripen C/D but man am disappointed they should made budget for that sometimes its really hard to believe in our country.


----------



## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* SMC’s HK unit looks to new, improved line for growth *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Brewery’s Hong Kong-listed subsidiary will continue to develop and promote existing and new products to cushion the impact of the expiration and non-renewal of its distribution agreement with Anheuser-Busch, the world’s largest brewer, its parent company said.

“The company will continue its current efforts in developing and promoting products under its own principal brands as well as the new premium/craft brands being distributed by the company,” San Miguel Brewery Inc. said.

The Hong Kong-listed unit told its shareholders that in the first half of the year, it has incurred a consolidated net loss due to lower volume as a result of the termination of the agreement with Anheuser-Busch InBev China Sales Co. Ltd and Anheuser-Busch InBev International. 

The company also attributed the loss to the fact that “the operating costs associated with the sales and marketing operations of the affected products are sustained, redirected and reinvested in the development of new premium/craft brands in the company’s portfolio. It is a key business strategy of the company to maintain a broad portfolio of brands.”

The end of the distribution agreement, which was announced last year, closes more than 15 years of partnership between San Miguel and Anheuser-Busch.

Anheuser-Busch has selected as its exclusive distributor Jebsen Beverage Co. Ltd, a Hong Kong-based distribution and marketing company that distributes imported premium beer brands in the Greater China region, the company said.

With the end of the agreement, San Miguel no longer distributes Anheuser-Busch products under the brand names “Budweiser” and “Harbin” after Nov. 17 and “Beck’s,” “Boddingtons,” “Hoegaarden,” “Leffe,” “Lowenbrau” and “Stella Artois.”

“The company is in the process of finalizing the interim results of the group for the six months ended June 30, 2015. The information contained in this announcement is only based on a preliminary assessment by the company on the unaudited consolidated management accounts of the group for the six months ended June 30, 2015 and the information currently available to the company which may be subject to further amendments. The company expects to announce its consolidated interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2015 on Aug. 5, 2015,” the Hong Kong unit said in its profit warning.

-----
SMC’s HK unit looks to new, improved line for growth | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* FDI inflow cut by half in 4 months *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign direct investments (FDIs) were cut by half in the first four months of the year after plunging 43 percent in April amid the negative global sentiment, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed. 

Net FDI inflows reached $1.23 billion from January to April this year or 48.3 percent lower than the $2.38 billion registered in the same period last year. 

Data showed net equity capital investments fell 50.5 percent to $279 million in the first four months from $564 million in the same period last year.

Equity placements dropped 61.6 percent to $369 million from $961 million while withdrawals plunged 77.4 percent to $90 million from $397 million. 

The BSP said equity capital placements came mainly from the US, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Spain. 

The funds, the central bank added, were channeled primarily to manufacturing; real estate; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; financial and insurance; and wholesale and retail trade activities. 

On the other hand, earnings of foreign companies operating in the Philippines and plowed right back into the country retreated 20.4 percent to $266 million in the first four months of the year from $334 million in the same period last year. 

Likewise, non-residents’ net investments in debt instruments including net intercompany borrowings declined 53.8 percent to $688 million from $1.49 billion.

For the month of April alone, the BSP reported that FDIs reached $382 million or $289 million lower compared to $671 million booked in the same month last year. 

The BSP traced the decrease to the continued decline in non-residents’ net placements in debt instruments. 

Net placements in debt instruments fell 52.5 percent to $276 million from $582 million.

This partially offset the 121 percent jump in net equity capital investments to $25 million in April from $11 million in the same month last year. 

Equity placements fell 56.8 percent to $39 million in April from $90 million in April last year but withdrawals declined at a faster rate of 82.2 percent to $14 million from $79 million. 

Equity capital placements emanated largely from the US, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Germany, and Luxembourg and were channeled mainly to real estate; manufacturing; administrative and support service; financial and insurance; and wholesale and retail trade activities. 

Similarly, reinvestment of earnings inched up by 3.4 to $81 million in April from $78 million in the same period last year.

-----
FDI inflow cut by half in 4 months | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* DOST converts aquatic pests to pesos *
 By Rosette Adel* (philstar.com) 
Updated July 12, 2015 - 10:46am*

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Science and Technology – Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) found a way to use water hyacinth, considered an aquatic pest, as a source of livelihood for families living near Laguna Lake.

FPDRI developed the water hyacinth dryer which speeds up the drying time of water hyacinth stems from about a week to only a few hours.

This allows small and medium-sized businesses to maintain and raise production of water hyacinth products that may provide extra source of income to families living near Laguna Lake.

In contrast to Australian scientists who dubbed water hyacinth as “the world’s worst aquatic weed,” DOST thinks these aquatic pests may become a venture and can be turned into thousands of pesos.

Water hyacinths are known for clogging rivers, dams, lakes and irrigation channels in every continent except Antarctica. It also destroys aquatic environments and costs billions of dollars a year to control.

DOST believes that the water hyacinth dryer may provide livelihood out of water hyacinth processing for products such as classy wall coverings.

The agency said several livelihood coops in Laguna Lake area are getting involved in the water hyacinth processing.

“Mayor Bernardo San Juan, Jr. of Cardona, Rizal has reported that using the dryer, the cooperative Samahang Kababaihang Barangay Patunhay (KBP) plans to double their production capacity to 50,000 stems per week,” said FPRDI’s Wency Carmelo.

“Most of the coop’s dried and pressed water hyacinth stems are bought by the Magic Clean Company which turns them into high-end wall coverings exported to 45 countries,” Carmelo added.

The DOST-FPRDI will provide further information regarding the water hyacinth dryer and other FPRDI technologies at National Science and Technology Week Celebration at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay from July 24 to 28, 2015.

-----
DOST converts aquatic pests to pesos | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*SCS/West PH Sea News:*

-----

* Philippines ready for 2nd round Philippines panel set to answer tribunal’s questions *
 By Aurea Calica* (The Philippine Star)
Updated July 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippisne legal team in The Hague is ready for clarificatory questions from the arbitral tribunal, which has set another round of oral arguments for tomorrow to determine if it has jurisdiction over the maritime case filed by Manila against China, Malacañang said yesterday.

“They do this (questioning) to seek some clarifications. Our panel is prepared to answer questions,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in Filipino over state-run dzRB.

“According to our international law expert – law of the sea expert – this is normally done if there are little clarifications that should be asked again. So our panel is ready to answer the questions…we don’t expect anything (adversarial),” he said.

Lacierda said the process is no different from hearings conducted in regular courts.

“Our panel is really ready. We prepared for this petition for one year, so our lawyers are ready, including Solicitor General Florin Hilbay,” he said. 

“We are hoping for a favorable ruling. In any case, rest assured that the government will continue to act in the country’s best interest and in accordance with international law,” he said.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration – not the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) – is handling the case as Beijing’s refusal to take part in proceedings has made automatic arbitration necessary.

But despite snubbing the proceedings, Beijing filed a pleading questioning the court’s jurisdiction over the case filed by the Philippines in 2013.

The arbitral tribunal began hearings on the jurisdiction issue last July 7.

Manila’s filing of the case was prompted by China’s relentless encroachment on the West Philippine Sea, including its building of artificial islands to strengthen its claim over areas that are clearly within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The artificial islands are believed to be future Chinese air and naval bases.

Beijing is invoking “historic rights” to justify its nine-dash line principle and its provocative actions in disputed waters.

China’s intention to expand its presence in the West Philippine Sea became clear in 2012 when its maritime surveillance ships prevented the Philippine Navy from arresting Chinese poachers at the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

After a brief standoff between the Chinese and Filipino forces, the poachers were allowed to leave with their illegal harvest of baby sharks, giant clams and endangered corals.

Chinese vessels, which have never left the shoal since then, have been barring Filipino fishermen from the area.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario told the tribunal that Manila began in August 1995 its diplomatic approach to contesting China’s position when the latter built structures on Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, which is 126 nautical miles off Palawan and 600 nautical miles from the closest point on China’s Hainan island.

Two years later, then Chinese vice minister for foreign affairs Tang Jiaxuan stated during bilateral negotiations that Beijing and Manila should “approach the disputes on the basis of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, particularly its provisions on the maritime regimes like the exclusive economic zone.”

A joint communiqué on the matter was issued in July 1998 between then Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon and Tang emphasizing the importance of resolving maritimes disputes based on UNCLOS principles.

The initiatives came to naught, Del Rosario said, due to China’s “intransigent insistence” that it alone possesses maritime rights over disputed waters and that Manila must first recognize China’s sovereignty “before meaningful discussion of other issues could take place.” 

“We call on the Tribunal to kindly uphold the Convention and enable the rule of law to prevail,” Del Rosario said.

-----
Philippines ready for 2nd round Philippines panel set to answer tribunal’s questions | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* Peso rides out Greece, China crises *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 15, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine peso has been the second least volatile among Asian currencies so far this year amid the debt crisis in Greece and the stock market collapse in China, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The data showed the volatility of the peso or the degree of daily fluctuation stood at 0.77 percent as against Chinese yuan’s 0.37 percent – the most benign among major currencies in Asia.

The most volatile currency in the region is the New Zealand dollar at 4.12 percent followed by the Swiss francs at 3.52 percent; euro, 3.14 percent; Indonesian rupiah, 2.1 percent; British pound, 1.95 percent; and Japanese yen, 1.68 percent.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of the 2015 Awards Ceremony and Appreciation Lunch for BSP Stakeholders the peso is “moving together basically with other regional currencies.”

“There’s no major change. There is some weakening today, then some recovery tomorrow. That meant that the movements are within range. There is no blow up in terms of the exchange rates in the Philippines as well as the exchange rates in the rest of the region,” Tetangco said.

The BSP’s policy is to let the market determine the value of the peso although it does intervene if needed to avoid too much fluctuation.

“This should, to me, indicate that the funds are not moving out of these countries or economies in a big way. There may be some declines in stock markets, but the funds, I would say, tend to stay within the country,” he said.

The BSP chief pointed out the Philippine stock and foreign exchange markets would remain volatile amid recent developments involving the Greece debt crisis.

Euro zone leaders reached a unanimous decision agreeing to a three-year bailout deal worth between 82- and 86-billion euros for Greece. The agreement, however, would have to be approved by the Greek parliament and the Eurozone countries.

“The agreement in the EU, forestalling Grexit, takes away one layer of market uncertainty. The market will continue, however, to watch out for the details to implement this deal,” Tetangco said.

Likewise, he added markets would also look at other developments including the impending rate hike by the US Fed as well as the stock market collapse in China.

“The markets will also listen for signals from the Fed on timing of lift off and whether the government support in China is sufficient to fully arrest stock market declines,” he said.

He reiterated the country’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals would allow the Philippines to survive external shocks.

“Our economy has fundamental strength. The inflation is seen to remain low. Pockets of potential financial stability pressures also appear to be relatively mild,” Tetangco said.

Likewise, he said monetary authorities have enough tools to address any excessive volatility.

“We have policy space and can quickly put in place measures should such be needed to support growth, manage inflation or contain financial stability pressures,” Tetangco said.

-----
Peso rides out Greece, China crises | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Philippine stocks take cue from regional rally *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 15, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The stock market followed the positive sentiment from overseas bourses as the Greece bailout plan spurred another global rally for the second straight session.

The benchmark PSEi closed at 7,538.76 points, 42.43 points higher or an increase of 0.57 percent. The All Shares index closed at 4,296.63, higher by 27.85 points or 0.65 percent.

Luis Limlingan, analyst at Regina Capital said the market tracked the overnight sentiment from the overseas markets on the back of the European Union reaching an agreement on the Greece bailout.

“The market is also reacting more positively to the better than expected import data reported by China. Imports slipped 6.1 percent, but came in well above forecasts for a 15-percent decline and following a 17.6 percent plunge in the previous month,” Limlingan said.

“The 7,540 remains a key resistance level and the index needs to close above this level for the next couple of days. We still think the market would like to observe the events surrounding Greece and be on the lookout for China GDP, which comes out tomorrow,” he added.

Jason Escartin of F. Yap Securities said the PSEi surged early in the day to reach a high above 7,560 ahead of the official release of first half earnings.

“It then closed at 7,538 as some players locked-in their gains,” he said.

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Philippine stocks take cue from regional rally | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Palawan seeks P25-B investments over 10 years *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 15, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Palawan, voted as the world’s best island in 2014 by readers of a top global travel site, is seeking at least P25 billion worth of investments from the private sector over the next 10 years as it hopes to equal the progress of the likes of Cebu and Davao and at the same time more than triple its current annual tourist arrivals.

“The provincial government of Palawan is launching an aggressive campaign to promote investments in the province. We believe the only way to address poverty is by inviting companies to set up businesses in the province to be able to generate employment and income opportunities for the Palawenos,” Palawan Gov. Jose Chaves Alvarez said in a briefing yesterday.

To become a premier province in the country and a true world-class destination, Alvarez said the local government of Palawan is looking to tap the wealth of local and foreign companies.

“The province of Palawan needs to catch up with Northern Mindanao and Central Visayas. We are left behind by almost 30 years but we intend to catch up in the next 10 years whatever progress we have in Northern Mindanao, which is Cagayan de Oro and Davao, and the bustling city of Cebu,” he said.

“By the time I assumed office in 2013 to June this year, a total of P2.3 billion in private investments have been poured in the province but this is not enough. We need to generate more investments in order to fasttrack our economic development,” Alvarez added.

Alvarez estimated at least P25 billion worth of total private sector investment or about P2 billion a year is needed to beef up infrastructures in the province.

He said they are targeting to more than triple the current one million annual tourist arrivals to about 3.5 million over the next 10 years.

Alvarez said the tourist influx is expected to generate some P100 billion in revenues for local government.

For its part, he said the provincial government is also working to ensure that key infrastructures are in place to accommodate the inflow of private investments in Palawan.

Palawan is spending P2.3 billion to improve the province’s water system, P2.7 billion for road construction and maintenance, and about P1 billion to put up 15 new hospitals.

The provincial government of Palawan is also collaborating with the Department of Tourism, University of Asia and the Pacific, and the United States Agency for International Development to showcase the province to local and foreign investors through an investment forum and a travel and trade expo.

-----
Palawan seeks P25-B investments over 10 years | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* DBS retains Philippine growth forecast *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 15, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Singapore-based DBS retained its 2015 growth forecast for the Philippines at six percent amid the sharp 17.4-percent decline in merchandise exports last May.

“Overall GDP growth may still come in around six percent this year,” DBS said.

“While a moderation in export growth is widely anticipated this year, the May figure still came as a huge disappointment,” DBS said.

It said export growth could be barely in the positive this year after expanding by an average of 8.7 percent over the last three years.

“High base effects certainly played a part, but the current state of global demand also means it is getting harder to sustain high export growth year after year,” the investment bank said.

The country’s merchandise exports fell the most in three years after contracting by 17.4 percent to $4.9 billion in May from $5.9 billion in the same month last year amid the global economic slowdown.

This translated to a five-percent decline in merchandise exports to $24.77 billion in the first five months of the year from $23.54 billion in the same period last year.

DBS pointed out sustained strength in the overall manufacturing sector would help ease some burden off from services and construction sectors.

“More importantly, note that contribution from net exports to overall GDP growth has been fairly small in recent years Private consumption and investment growth have been pretty much the drivers of the 6.6-percent average growth in 2012-14,” it said.

Last May, DBS slashed the country’s GDP growth forecast to six percent instead of 6.3 percent after the lower-than-expected economic expansion in the first quarter of the year.

The country’s GDP growth slowed down to 5.2 percent in the first quarter of the year from 5.6 percent in the same quarter last year amid weak government spending.

The government expects the economy to grow between seven-and eight-percent this year.

The Singapore-based investment bank sees the country’s inflation falling within the two-to four-percent target set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Inflation eased to a 20-year low of 1.2 percent in June from 1.6 percent in May.

DBS said the BSP’s Monetary Board would likely keep key policy rates steady over the near term.

“No monetary policy response is likely in the near-term. It is interesting to see, however, if the central bank will spend more time discussing the relative strength of the peso,” the bank said.

The overnight borrowing rate is currently pegged at four percent while the overnight lending rate is at six percent.

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DBS retains Philippine growth forecast | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*National Development News:*

-----

* Phase 2 of Mactan airport project starts in December *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 15, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The GMR-Megawide consortium building the new passenger terminal at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport expects to start construction of the second phase of the project in December this year, its top official said.

The consortium started the first phase last June 30 after six months of delay, said GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) president Louie Ferrer.

He said the government has agreed to hand over the second and final parcel in December, after which the consortium would be able to commence construction of the second phase of the project.

Despite the delay, the consortium would still try to complete the project as fast as it can without comprising quality, he said.

“Instead of a one-year delay, it’s a six-month delay but we will still try to finish it as soon as we can,” Ferrer said.

Asked if it was possible to complete the project before the 2018 target date, Ferrer said it was unlikely given the delay in the government’s delivery of the project.

The target is to open the terminal by February 2018 but this was moved to May 2018. Construction was delayed due to the unavailability of the project site, which, in turn, was due to the delay in the relocation of Philippine Air Force (PAF) structures located inside the proposed site of the new terminal.

The consortium was supposed to start construction last Jan. 30, but this was moved to June 30.

At least 17 Air Force structures are inside a 44.9-hectare area that spans the total area of the Mactan airport expansion project, GMCAC chief executive advisor Andrew Acquaah-Harrison earlier said.

One PAF building, for instance, sits in the middle of the Terminal 2 area. This structure serves as base terminal for military flights that land in Cebu.

One of the big-ticket infrastructure projects of the Aquino administration, the new Mactan-Cebu International Airport terminal has an estimated project cost of P17.52 billion.

It aims to address the congestion at the airport, which registered 6.9 million passengers in 2013, or beyond its design capacity of 4.5 million.

The new passenger terminal aims to increase the capacity of the airport to eight million passengers per year from its existing annual capacity of 4.5 million.

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Phase 2 of Mactan airport project starts in December | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*SCS/West PH Sea News:*

-----

*UN tribunal gives China another chance to respond*
*By: Matikas Santos*
* INQUIRER.net*
* 07:04 PM July 14th, 2015*

The United Nations (UN) tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, has given China another chance to respond to the arbitration case filed by the Philippines over the West Philippine Sea dispute despite Beijing’s repeated refusal to participate.

“The Arbitral Tribunal has decided to provide China with the opportunity to comment in writing, by Monday 17 August 2015, on anything said during this Hearing on Jurisdiction and Admissibility,” it said in a statement posted online on Tuesday.

China has been given several opportunities in the past to submit comments to support their side but they have stood firm on their position to not participate in the proceedings.

The Philippine deliberation, led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, presented its arguments when the tribunal commenced hearing the case on July 7 and concluded on July 13.

“The Arbitral Tribunal now enters its deliberations and is conscious of its duty under the Rules of Procedure to conduct proceedings to avoid unnecessary delay and expense and to provide a fair and efficient process,” the statement said.

The tribunal is expected to render a decision on whether the court has jurisdiction of the case before the end of the year.

Despite China’s firm refusal to participate in the proceedings, the tribunal says it has exerted all efforts to ensure China is updated and informed of the status of the case.

“The Arbitral Tribunal has kept China updated on all developments in the arbitration and … remains open to China to participate in these proceedings at any stage. Transcripts of the hearing have been made available to China, and China has been invited to comment on anything stated at the hearing,” it said.

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UN tribunal gives China another chance to respond | Inquirer Global Nation
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## Reashot Xigwin

*The ‪Philippines‬ may use Korean-built attacker in S. ‪‎China‬ Sea*





(PHOTO) The Korea Aerospace Industries first FA-50PH for the Philippine Air Force successfully performed its maiden flight.

‪BEIJING‬, -- Should a conflict eventually break out between the country and China over the disputed China Sea, the Philippines is very likely to deploy its 12 FA-50PHs against the People's Liberation Army Navy, reports the Sina Military Network based in Beijing.

The Philippine Air Force had completed the maiden flight of its first FA-50PH on June 19. Originally, the FA-50PH was developed as a trainer known as the T-50 by Seoul-based Korea Aerospace Industries. It was modified into an attacker for the Philippine Air Force with the capabilities to carry up to 4.5 tons of weapons as well as a wide-ranging armament system. Equipped with AGM-65 air-to-surface missiles, cluster bombs and rocket launchers, the aircraft is designed primarily for close air support operations.

Despite the growth of economic interdependence between Beijing and Seoul, South Korea decided to sell its fighter to the Philippines, a potential enemy of China, because it wants to expand its own overseas arms market. Various developing nations in Southeast Asia and the Middle East are all considered partners as South Korea aims to strengthen its own defense industry. To develop its own fifth-generation stealth fighter, Seoul is also seeking cooperation from Indonesia and Turkey.

The Sina Military Network later claimed in its piece that the Philippine Air Force's FA-50PHs are unable to compete against China's air defense systems which it established over its artificial islands in the South China Sea. They will also face the challenges presented by the PLA Navy's Type 052C guided-missile destroyers and J-11BH fighters deployed to Fiery Cross island. The Chinese military website said that the FA-50PH can not do any serious damage to China's future carrier battle group.

The Philippines may use Korean-built attacker in S China Sea ~ ASEAN Military Defense Review

Don't.


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## Cossack25A1

Reashot Xigwin said:


> *The ‪Philippines‬ may use Korean-built attacker in S. ‪‎China‬ Sea*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (PHOTO) The Korea Aerospace Industries first FA-50PH for the Philippine Air Force successfully performed its maiden flight.
> 
> ‪BEIJING‬, -- Should a conflict eventually break out between the country and China over the disputed China Sea, the Philippines is very likely to deploy its 12 FA-50PHs against the People's Liberation Army Navy, reports the Sina Military Network based in Beijing.
> 
> The Philippine Air Force had completed the maiden flight of its first FA-50PH on June 19. Originally, the FA-50PH was developed as a trainer known as the T-50 by Seoul-based Korea Aerospace Industries. It was modified into an attacker for the Philippine Air Force with the capabilities to carry up to 4.5 tons of weapons as well as a wide-ranging armament system. Equipped with AGM-65 air-to-surface missiles, cluster bombs and rocket launchers, the aircraft is designed primarily for close air support operations.
> 
> Despite the growth of economic interdependence between Beijing and Seoul, South Korea decided to sell its fighter to the Philippines, a potential enemy of China, because it wants to expand its own overseas arms market. Various developing nations in Southeast Asia and the Middle East are all considered partners as South Korea aims to strengthen its own defense industry. To develop its own fifth-generation stealth fighter, Seoul is also seeking cooperation from Indonesia and Turkey.
> 
> The Sina Military Network later claimed in its piece that the Philippine Air Force's FA-50PHs are unable to compete against China's air defense systems which it established over its artificial islands in the South China Sea. They will also face the challenges presented by the PLA Navy's Type 052C guided-missile destroyers and J-11BH fighters deployed to Fiery Cross island. The Chinese military website said that the FA-50PH can not do any serious damage to China's future carrier battle group.
> 
> The Philippines may use Korean-built attacker in S China Sea ~ ASEAN Military Defense Review
> 
> Don't.



I doubt that we would do that, yet the article implies that we would fire the first shot.

We're not that insane to start a war, only wumao and _jiang_ would think of that.


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## Reashot Xigwin

Cossack25A1 said:


> I doubt that we would do that, yet the article implies that we would fire the first shot.
> 
> We're not that insane to start a war, only wumao and _jiang_ would think of that.



Cause only 4 of those planes can actually do what they're advertised.

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Cossack25A1

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Cause only 4 of those planes can actually do what they're advertised.



Besides, those FA-50s are lead-in trainer/fighters - they are only for training PH Airforce pilots and getting them familiar with avionics that is way more advance than those found in the decommissioned F-5s . And if we ever get fighter jets like F-16 or JAS 39, these FA-50s would likely be re-purposes into something else.


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## Reashot Xigwin

Cossack25A1 said:


> Besides, those FA-50s are lead-in trainer/fighters - they are only for training PH Airforce pilots and getting them familiar with avionics that is way more advance than those found in the decommissioned F-5s . And if we ever get fighter jets like F-16 or JAS 39, these FA-50s would likely be re-purposes into something else.



Merely stating that the article is bullshit. FA-50PH are LIFTs not true Fighter jets. Its just substitutes until the real one come. Soon I hope.


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## Cossack25A1

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Merely stating that the article is bullshit. FA-50PH are LIFTs not true Fighter jets. Its just substitutes until the real one come. Soon I hope.



Well I also hope too, since a presidential election is coming next year, and they have the habit of axing projects of the former administration.


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## Reashot Xigwin

Cossack25A1 said:


> Well I also hope too, since a presidential election is coming next year, and they have the habit of axing projects of the former administration.



Yep, the Philippines gov are notorious for that. Also go for the F-16 or the Hornet. Buy Americans it will help PH security & strategic in the long run.

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Cossack25A1

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Yep, the Philippines gov are notorious for that. Also go for the F-16 or the Hornet. Buy Americans it will help PH security & strategic in the long run.



We did try back then - buy second-hand F-16s, but even those were too expensive, and it seems the defense department here, or at least the military people eyes the Swedish JAS 39.

But I do hope we choose the F-16 or F/A-18.


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## Reashot Xigwin

Cossack25A1 said:


> We did try back then - buy second-hand F-16s, but even those were too expensive, and it seems the defense department here, or at least the military people eyes the Swedish JAS 39.
> 
> But I do hope we choose the F-16 or F/A-18.



Its not the matter of how expensive it was. Its a matter of the US seeing the Philippines not ready to receives a 4the gen Fighter Jets yet. Don't go with the Grippen that's my only advice to the Philippines. If you want to do a free acting independent policy then go right ahead with buying Grippen.

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*US, PH start air assault exercises*
*By: Niña P. Calleja
Philippine Daily Inquirer

05:47 AM July 17th, 2015*

The Philippines and the United States have begun three weeks of joint air assault exercises as the country starts to lay out plans to strengthen its western defenses amid increased tension in the West Philippine Sea, which China is claiming.

A statement from the US Embassy in Manila on Thursday said that the joint exercises were aimed at improving the Philippines’ ground and air operations.

The embassy said members of the US 1st Marine Air Wing, the 3rd Marine Division and their aircraft were involved in the joint exercises with the Philippine Marine Corps and the Philippine Air Force.


The training includes fast-rope rappelling, casualty evacuation drills, day and night platoon-size raids and integrated fire training—all of which were being held at three sites in Luzon: the Basa Air Base in Pampanga; the Crow Valley Range in Botolan, Zambales; and Clark Air Base, also in Pampanga.

Called Aviation Assault Support Exercise, the maneuvers are a repeat of the joint training held annually by the US and Philippine militaries.

The exercises are “designed to expand and promote cooperative training opportunities with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to enhance core skill proficiency and to increase operational readiness in ground and air operations,” the US Embassy said.

*Unique training environment *

“It gives our guys a unique training environment that they are not used to, as well as an opportunity to learn from our Philippine counterparts,” said Lt. Col. Teodoro Apalisok, US Air Force operations officer of the Joint US Military Assistance Group.

“We learn from them and they learn from us,” he said.

The exercises are in their third year, each year containing two iterations, Apalisok said.

Unique to this year’s joint maneuvers is the “unitization” of new US aircraft, or the assembling of small parts into one, Apalisok said.

“Traditionally, we have used only the MV-22 in this exercise to conduct many of the engagements,” Apalisok said. “However, this year we will be implementing the CH-53 and the UH-1Y helicopters.”

The government views the Balikatan joint military exercises between the US and the Philippines as crucial due to what the Department of Foreign Affairs has described as external threats posed by China’s increasing aggressiveness in asserting its claims in the South China Sea.

-----
US, PH start air assault exercises | Inquirer Global Nation
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Reashot Xigwin said:


> Its not the matter of how expensive it was. Its a matter of the US seeing the Philippines not ready to receives a 4the gen Fighter Jets yet. Don't go with the Grippen that's my only advice to the Philippines. If you want to do a free acting independent policy then go right ahead with buying Grippen.



I think the F/A-18 is much suited for us, since the aircraft is almost the same as the F-16, and that the F/A-18 and its prototype original, the YF-17 were at least based on the design aspect of the F-5, which we had deployed from 1960s up to 2005.


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## Zero_wing

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Its not the matter of how expensive it was. Its a matter of the US seeing the Philippines not ready to receives a 4the gen Fighter Jets yet. Don't go with the Grippen that's my only advice to the Philippines. If you want to do a free acting independent policy then go right ahead with buying Grippen.



The gripen is good for the philippines and it can work alongside other nato equipment forces in fact some nato countries do have gripens in their forces so its not a problem but we should buy also twin jet airframes like the F18 or even the Mig35 so your post no offense is bit unfounded again no offense sir just making observation


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* European mobile brand Prestigio enters Philippines *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 19, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - European mobile phone brand Prestigio has entered the Philippine market as part of its aim to expand its global reach.

Sergey Bezruchenok, product development manager at Prestigio Global, said in a statement the company decided to launch its products in the Philippines as it sees opportunity in this fast-growing and competitive smartphone market.

“The Philippines is our very first official distributor in Asia, demonstrating our confidence that we will be able to extend our global reach into the Filipino mobile market. After seeing Prestigio gain strong traction in several markets as a credible alternative to established brands at extremely competitive prices, we now look forward to replicating its success in the Philippines,” he said.

Veracity Mobile, the official distributor of the European brand in the Philippines, is aiming to capture one percent of the domestic smartphone market within the year.

“We came in late into the game, the second half of the year. Based on industry trending in terms of smartphone sales, I would think hitting a percent or near one percent of the total market share would be good for us,” Veracity Mobile managing partner Jojit Alcazar told reporters during the launch.

Capturing one percent of the market would mean selling 35,000 to 50,000 units this year.

For next year, Alcazar said the aim is to double Prestigio’s market share to two percent to three percent.

The company hopes to attract consumers in the middle segment looking for smartphones offering competitive features at much affordable prices.

Prestigio’s smartphone line is composed of the 3 Series Multiphone 3450 Duo, 3502 Duo, 5 Series Multiphone 5454 Duo, 5550 Duo and 5508 Duo which all run on Android and the Windows Phone 8.1 Multiphone 8500 Duo.

The smartphones are available at a price range of P5,699 up to P13,899.

The smartphones can be purchased online through Lazada or by visiting multi-brand retailers.

Veracity Mobile chairman and president Arnold Jimenez said the company is looking to partner with telecommunication firms Smart Communications Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. to promote the products.

The company also plans to launch other Prestigio products such as tablets by the fourth quarter and healthcare wearables in the future.

With the Philippines being the first market for Prestigio in Asia, Jimenez said Veracity Mobile would likewise be interested in introducing the products in other Southeast Asian countries.

“The initial plan is to try it out in the Philippines and moving forward, look into the possibility of growing it in other regions such as (the) Asean market,” he said.

Apart from the Philippines, Prestigio is currently being sold in 70 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

-----
European mobile brand Prestigio enters Philippines | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* DA expects crop output to pick up in H2 *
 By Czeriza Valencia* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 19, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) expects palay and corn production to pick up in the second half after first half production estimates indicated lower year-on-year outputs.

Agriculture assistant secretary for field operations Edilberto de Luna said palay production in the first six months likely reached 8.3 million metric tons (MT), slightly lower than the 8.5 million MT target and from the production level of 8.38 million MT in the same period last year.

Corn production, meanwhile, was estimated to have reached 3.4 million MT, lower than the 3.7 million MT target. It also represented a decrease from the 3.48 million MT recorded a year ago.

“There were delays in planting due to El Niño but that does not mean that we cannot hit the (production) target (for the year). The bulk of the production volume is attained during the third and fourth quarter,” said de Luna, who also heads the department’s national rice and corn program.

For this year, the Philippines is expected to produce an aggregate 8.4 million MT of yellow and white corn and 20 million MT of rice.

Government data showed domestic production and respective yield have risen steadily over the past five years mainly due to increased irrigation, use of high performing seeds and new technologies.

Rice production grew from 15.7 million MT in 2010 to 18.97 million MT in 2014. Yield per hectare rose from 3.62 MT in 2010 to 4 MT the previous year.

Corn production, on the other hand, increased from 6.4 million MT in 2010 to 7.7 million MT last year.

De Luna said these production achievements would be taken up in President Aquino’s upcoming State of the Nation Address this month.

He said the department continues to develop multi-stress grain varieties to enable farmers to cope with climate stresses.

-----
DA expects crop output to pick up in H2 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Ford on track to bring up dealer network to 40 this yr *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 19, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Ford Philippines said it is on track to bringing its nationwide dealer network to a total of 40 locations by year end as it continues its dealership network expansion with the opening of Ford Ormoc in Leyte.

Ford Ormoc is the company’s second dealership to open in Leyte and is the 38th dealership in the country.

The new dealer location is expected to further strengthen Ford’s presence in the Visayas by extending the same quality and customer experience in all Ford dealerships nationwide.

“We’re opening our doors to more customers in the Visayas region with the inauguration of Ford Ormoc. This milestone in our dealership expansion plan across the country underscores our commitment to bringing the Ford brand closer to our customers,” said Kay Hart, Ford Philippines managing director.

Ford Ormoc is a single-story facility occupying 1,700 square meters with a five-vehicle showroom that can accommodate as much as six vehicles.

Two more new Ford dealership sites are set to open this year to bring the total nationwide dealer locations to 40 by the end of the year.

“Apart from delivering One Ford products, one of our main priorities is working closely with our dealer partners to ensure a quality customer and ownership experience. We are looking forward to reaching more new-to-Ford customers as we remain aggressive with our One Ford plan and growing our dealer network to 40 locations by year end,” Hart said.

Ford Philippines posted record sales in the first half of the year as total vehicle sales surged 18 percent year-on-year to 10,427 units.

The company said products such as EcoSport, Ranger and Explorer were able to sustain strong demand locally.

-----
Ford on track to bring up dealer network to 40 this yr | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Low inflation to linger this year – ADB *
 By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star) | Updated July 19, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Developing Asia, including the Philippines, is expected to continue experiencing a low inflation environment given the weak oil prices and falling food prices, the Asian Development Bank said.

The bank has lowered its 2015 average inflation forecast to 2.5 percent in its latest Asian Development Outlook Supplement from a 2.6 percent estimate last March.

“Low oil prices and declining food prices continue to exert downward pressure on inflation in the region,” ADB said.

ADB kept its 6.7 percent projection for Central Asia, but cut its forecast for East Asia to 1.4 percent from 1.7 percent. ADB has also reduced its estimates for inflation in South Asia to five percent from 5.1 percent and the same for the Pacific to 4.7 percent from five percent.

However, the ADB hiked its 2015 inflation projection for Southeast Asia to 3.4 percent from 3.1 percent given expected rise in the rate in Indonesia and Malaysia.

“In Indonesia, inflation is now expected to reach 6.4 percent in 2015 and 4.9 percent in 2016… reflecting significant additional increases in administered prices,” ADB said.

“In Malaysia, the depreciating ringgit is seen to apply upward pressure on prices to the forecast horizon,” the bank added.

For the Philippines, ADB maintained its 2.8 percent forecast for average inflation this year.

Domestic inflation decelerated to 1.2 percent in June from 1.6 percent in May on lower food prices. This brought the average inflation rate to two percent, which is at the low end of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ two to four percent target range.

The central bank has left key policy rates unchanged last month as inflation expectations remain within the target band. The BSP will revisit policy settings next on Aug. 13.

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Low inflation to linger this year – ADB | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*National Development News:*

-----

* Weak political system in Philippines hinders full econ development governance experts say *
*(The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 19, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The weak political system in the Philippines has been blocking the country’s full development, according to governance experts.

In a recent forum organized by think tank Stratbase ADR Institute (ADRi), experts from the academe, the private sector and civil society groups cited the need for deep government reforms to strengthen the weak political system that has been stalling the country’s development and competitiveness.

“We have focused so much on personalities, we have lost substance and are wasting too much time in personal attacks instead of debating on critical issues that would create much needed jobs and boost the country’s competitiveness in the ASEAN economy,” said ADRi president Dindo Manhit.

Danilo Reyes, a professor at the University of the Philippines’ National College of Public Administration and Governance, said the country needs to tackle the issue of globalization, which has been transforming international arrangements and relationships in the world.

He said with the Asean regional integration, the country needs to conduct and pursue more research in understanding the nature of international bureaucracies and Asean connectivity.

Management Association of the Philippines governor-in-charge for National Issues Committee Gregorio Navarro said the Philippines needs to improve on a lot of areas to compete effectively in Asean.

Navarro said in the latest Corporate Governance Watch Asia, the Philippines ranked very low among 10 Asean countries in terms of corporate governance, particularly in the rule of law.

“Out of the highest possible rating of 100 points, we have 15, I think in the rule of law. We don’t lack laws, rules and regulations, we just don’t know how to implement them,” Navarro said.

Navarro said Brunei, considered the best in the region in terms of facilitating tax payments, has a 20 percent income tax rate. The number of taxes in Brunei is about 27 with a total tax rate of about 16.1 percent and takes about 96 hours in a year to comply with taxes.

In comparison, the Philippines has a 30 percent income tax rate with 36 other taxes and a total tax rate of 44.5 percent. The country targets to reduce the number of hours spent on complying with taxes to 193.

Meanwhile, Ramon Casiple, chairman of Consortium for Electoral Reforms, said the patronage system basically poisons the entire political structure or framework in the country.

“Every time they change president, the new president has the authority to appoint something like 17,500 positions. That is only in the Philippines wherein like the President can appoint up-to the sixth level of bureaucracy down to the provincial head of the national agency. Of course, that shows a very strong President. But it also reinforces what I call the patronage system,” he said.

Casiple said governance as a whole is tightly related to the patronage system because of the appointments and also because of the policies that would favor dynasties, families and politics.”

“You have to de-link that two. The marriage of politics and governance is a disaster. Unless that is addressed, all the well-meaning reforms I think would go into nothing,” he said.

Casiple cited the need to have a political mechanism to enhance the vision for national unity. “That mechanism actually is the political party--a genuine political party that talks to other political parties on the basis of programs, platforms, ideas and come up with a national agenda. You will have differences definitely but it is the differences of ideas, not personalities,” he said.

“Unless that political question is addressed, I fear that the Philippines, that would mean the government or even the private sector would not be prepared for Asean integration or for global competitiveness for that matter,” he said.

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Weak political system in Philippines hinders full econ development governance experts say | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*Philippine Military Upgrade Stalls*
*By Trefor Moss *
* July 19, 2015 12:40 a.m. ET*

_Delay for $1 billion in defense deals leaves planned overhaul years from completion 
_
MANILA—A push by the Philippines to overhaul its obsolete military has ground to a halt just as the U.S. ally is striving to deter China in the disputed waters between them.

A string of programs collectively valued at $1 billion stalled early last year, according to military officials and executives involved in Philippine defense deals. The delay underscores how the government’s efforts to transform the country’s derelict navy and air force have become mired in red tape, funding problems and corruption allegations.

The delays leave long-held plans to build a “minimum credible deterrent”—comprising small but capable air and naval fleets—at least a decade from completion, said Jose Antonio Custodio, a Manila-based defense consultant. Even with a basic deterrent in place today, Manila would likely still lack the means to check Beijing’s assertiveness.

“We’re still at square one,” said Mr. Custodio. “With China building all these new bases [in the South China Sea], I’d say it’s already too late.”

Securing secondhand equipment from allies like Japan and the U.S. may now be the Philippines’s only chance of quickly upgrading its forces, sources familiar with the country’s procurement process said, with presidential elections due in May next year making it unlikely that any big contracts will be signed before then.

President Benigno Aquino III has promised to rejuvenate the military, degraded by decades of underinvestment. A pledge to spend $1.7 billion on new equipment initially bore fruit, as the administration signed a flurry of defense contracts valued at $834 million in late 2013 and early 2014, including deals for 12 Korean fighter jets, three Airbus transport planes, and a new fleet of combat helicopters from Canada and the U.K.

“The record will show that the Aquino administration has stepped up the pace of [military modernization] considerably, surpassing the procurement program undertaken by three previous administrations combined,” presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma said.

However, Mr. Coloma also confirmed that Mr. Aquino has still not signed a law earmarking a further $2 billion for defense procurement that was passed by congress in February 2013. Mr. Coloma didn’t explain the delay.

Government finances have been stretched thin after spending billions on reconstruction after Supertyphoon Haiyan in 2013, a fact Mr. Custodio, the defense consultant, cited for the spending delay.

Spending has also slowed after a recent scandal in which prosecutors charged three senators with corruption for their alleged involvement in the use of dummy NGOs to steal around $220 million in public money. All three senators deny the charges. Already strict government procurement rules have been further tightened since then, putting the brakes on a range of spending programs.

Contracts for two naval frigates valued at $398 million and for two long-range patrol planes valued at $132 million—capabilities that would help the Philippines monitor its maritime territory, where it has overlapping claims with China—are among those that were scheduled to have been bid out last year, but are instead stuck on the drawing board.

“It’s a bureaucratic logjam,” said Mr. Custodio.

Foreign defense companies seeking to supply these and other systems can only wait for the logjam to clear.

“It seems that all programs are paralyzed,” said a Western defense executive whose company is involved in one stalled project. Another Western executive said the Philippines was hardly unique in experiencing lengthy holdups for military equipment, but recalled how the country’s defense leadership had built momentum in 2013, only to hit the buffers in early 2014.

“Defense officials just don’t have the authority to make things happen now,” he said.

The Philippine Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines didn’t respond to requests to comment.

With China accelerating its island-building program in the South China Sea, Philippine military chief General Gregorio Pio Catapang recently urged Manila to spend more on defense as the country’s economy enjoys healthy growth. Last year’s defense budget was just $3.3 billion—far less than neighboring Singapore ($9.5 billion), Indonesia ($7.5 billion), and Malaysia ($4.9 billion).

A Philippines senate inquiry into the country’s military modernization efforts has meanwhile questioned the effectiveness of the funds spent so far, with one senator arguing there was practically nothing to show for the $1.4 billion spent on new weaponry in the decade to 2013. Senators also probed a deal for 21 secondhand helicopters, which the defense department canceled in April after only seven deliveries amid concerns about the quality of the technology, and with a Philippine tax official claiming that the aircraft had been ordered in exchange for kickbacks. The defense department has denied the allegations.

The breakdown of the helicopter program has made defense officials even more reluctant to place new orders and expose themselves to further scrutiny, said Mr. Custodio.

Mr. Aquino has turned to allies for help. On a recent state visit to Japan, he requested secondhand P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, having already received a $183 million loan from Tokyo to fund the construction of 10 new patrol boats. Tokyo has said it is considering the requests, though hasn’t committed to anything specific. Australia, South Korea and the U.S. have all donated used military kit to Manila in recent years, and have signaled a willingness to do more.

But hand-me-downs won’t deliver a deterrent capable of influencing decision makers in Beijing, Mr. Custodio says. “The Chinese are building islands on our doorstep.”

-----
Philippine Military Upgrade Stalls - WSJ
-----

_____________________________________________________


*Bad news for us, though Chinese PDF members would rejoice on this news. F****!*


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## pr1v4t33r

Marpolex 2015

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## pr1v4t33r

One busy day at Indonesian PTDI production hangar, finishing aircraft orders from various customers.





2 NC212-400 for Philippines spotted at PT.DI production hangar

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## Reashot Xigwin

* Defense Budget Reduced by P2b *




The First batch of 6 Upgraded APC's delivered to the Philippine Army mechanized infantry division has been already in the country (photo : AFP will rise)

THE government has slashed to P25 billion the 2016 budget of P27,752,655.774.55 being proposed by the Department of National Defense, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad confirmed on Monday.

He said the appropriation would be used to buy modern equipment for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, one of the weakest in Asia.

The P27.7 billion defense budget for 2016 is part of the proposed Revised AFP Modernization Program dated Oct. 29, 2014, with a total amount of P90,858,912,364.56 including P31,106.003,531.90 in 2015 and P18,589,184,038.45 in 2017.

The Defense Department said that of the P90.8 billion budget for 2014-2017, it had P13,410,026,020.06 allocation in 2014 but it has yet to itemize the money.

The Budget Department must be more transparent in releasing figures because Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, in his letter to President Benigno Aquino III dated March 5, 2015, said it appeared that the P90.8 billion defense budget for 2014-2017 for 33 projects had further been slashed to P60,143,404,181.90 with 28 projects.

Gazmin said Aquino “approved in principle” 28 projects under the with a total budget of P60.1 billion during a meeting that the latter presided over on Feb. 17, 2015. Abad and all the AFP Major Service commanders, Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras, among others, were also in the meeting.

In his letter, Gazmin said the proposed P60.1 billion budget was for 2015-2017 that he submitted to Abad on Feb. 23, 2015.

Meanwhile, the P25 billion defense budget for 2016 reportedly will be used to buy two frigates, two twin-engine long-range patrol aircraft and three aerial surveillance radars to boost the military’s capability to defend the West Philippine Sea from China’s aggression in the area.

(ManilaStandardToday)


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* May imports volume expands despite drop in payments *
 By Patricia Lourdes Viray* (philstar.com) 
Updated July 24, 2015 - 2:50pm*

MANILA, Philippines - A 7.1 percent expansion in the volume of total imported merchandise was recorded in May, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said on Friday.

However, the value of the country's total imports declined by 13.4 percent from $5.1 billion in May 2014 to $4.4 billion in the same period.

“Despite lower payments for merchandise imports, more goods are actually being purchased as business sector sentiment for the quarter remains bullish. This is driven by expected robust demand from consumers, expected uptick in construction–related activities and the higher volume of production from the manufacturing sector,” NEDA Director General Arsenio Balisacan said.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, lower purchases of imported raw materials and intermediate goods (-23.3 percent), mineral fuels and lubricants (-24.8 percent), and consumer goods (-3.4 percent) were the main factors in the softening of merchandise imports.

Balisacan added that the volume of imports indicates a likely sustained growth of the domestic economy for the remainder of the quarter.

“The still bullish importation of capital goods should bode well for the country’s productive sectors particularly industry and services. Year-on-year expansion in inward shipments of power generating machines, as well as office, telecommunication and land transportation equipment remains robust,” the NEDA official said.

The NEDA official noted that the government should maintain its support on the micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as it could prompt further growth.

"Continuing improvements in the business environment through various reforms in doing business can sustain the growth momentum. One of these is the recently signed Competition Law that ensures a level playing field even for the MSMEs," Balisacan added.

Balisacan also suggested that the government should improve the quality and quantity of the country's infrastructure as it would further encourage more participation from the private sector.

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May imports volume expands despite drop in payments | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Singaporean partner ups stake in MacroAsia unit *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 24, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) has increased its stake in airline caterer MacroAsia Catering Services Inc. (MACS), a subsidiary of MacroAsia Corp., the Lucio Tan-led aviation services company.

This development is part of the two companies’ move to further strengthen their partnership in their food services venture in the Philippines.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange yesterday, MacroAsia said it signed a sale and purchase agreement with SATS to sell 162,500 shares representing 13 percent of the total issued and outstanding capital stock of MACS, the dominant airline catering company in the country.

MacroAsia currently owns 80 percent of the total issued and outstanding capital stock of MACS while SATS holds 20 percent.

Under the agreement, the share purchase consideration consists of an initial cash consideration of P168.8 million and “potential earn-out consideration subject to the achievement of certain targets.”

The parties expect to complete the transaction “on or about Aug. 31, 2015,” MacroAsia said.

In 2006, MacroAsia acquired an additional 13 percent stake in MACS through a sale and purchase agreement with Compass Group International BV at a value of P36.4 million.

By mutual agreement of the three joint venture partners in MACS then, the transaction effectively increased the shareholding of MacroAsia in MACS to 80 percent and the balance of 20 percent stayed with SATS as joint venture partner.

“The transaction today effectively reverts the shareholding of MacroAsia in MACS to 67 percent, its original stake when MACS started operations in 1998,” MacroAsia said.

Aside from this joint venture, the partners also formed a new company, MacroAsia SATS Food Industries Corp., as a 100 percent subsidiary of MACS.

This company is investing in a P300- million new food commissary located near East Service Road, Sucat, Muntinlupa City to serve the requirements of institutional clients like hotels and casinos, call centers and other non-airline institutional clients.

MACS is currently operating in a two-hectare facility inside NAIA and this new facility in Muntinlupa to be operated by the newly-formed company will complement the current inflight kitchen, aside from focusing on further expansion into the production of food for non-airline clients.

SATS, on the other hand, is based in Singapore and is listed on the main board of the Singapore Exchange. It has more than 65 years of operating experience and a growing regional presence in Asia Pacific. SATS is the leading provider of gateway services and food solutions in the region. –* Louella Desiderio*

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Singaporean partner ups stake in MacroAsia unit | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Philippines in ‘good position’ to withstand US rate hike *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 24, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the Philippines is in a “good position” to withstand the impact of the much anticipated interest rate increase in the US.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. told reporters contingency measures were put in place as early as last year in anticipation of a possible interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve.

“Remember we took tightening measures last year. In 2014, we increased reserve requirements and rates. Those preemptive measures were designed in anticipation of the US Fed lift off. That was one of the things and those haven’t been unwound, and they’re still there. We’re in a good position,” Tetangco said.

As early as March last year, the BSP raised the reserve requirement by one percentage point. This was followed by another one percentage point increase on the reserve requirements for universal and commercial banks as well as thrift banks in May.

In June, the Monetary Board raised the interest rate on the special deposit account (SDA) facility by 25 basis points to 2.25 percent from two percent across all tenors.

The BSP jacked up key policy rates by 25 basis points in July, bringing the overnight borrowing rate to 3.75 percent and the overnight lending rate to 5.75 percent.

The policy rates were raised by another 25 basis points in September, bringing the overnight borrowing rate to four percent and the overnight lending rate to six percent.

St. Louis Fed chief James Bullard said earlier there is more than a 50 percent probability the US Fed would raise its benchmark rate this September.

US Fed chair Janet Yellen said interest rates would likely be tweaked within the year.

“If you look at the impact on us, the US Fed lift off of course it will have an impact on capital flows and we expect that going back to US and other safe haven currencies,” Tetangco said.

He reiterated the country’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals would help the Philippines survive external shocks.

The BSP chief cited the ability of the Philippines in surviving the impact of the decision of the US Fed to reduce bond purchases amid the improving economic conditions.

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Philippines in ‘good position’ to withstand US rate hike | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* BSP seen keeping rates steady *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated July 24, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Standard Chartered Bank expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to keep its key policy rates unchanged until next year amid the benign inflation and stable financial conditions.

In a report, StanChart economist Jeff Ng said monetary authorities in the Philippines are likely to keep rates for the overnight borrowing or reverse repurchase facility and overnight lending or repurchase facility as well as special deposit account (SDA) facility steady this year and next year.

“We would like to reiterate our expectations on BSP policy rates for the rest of the year. We currently expect no changes to the reserve repo rate and the SDA rate for the rest of this and next year,” Ng said.

Ng said inflation is expected to ease further in the third quarter of the year before bottoming out in fourth quarter as food inflation is likely to stay muted.

Inflation eased to a 20-year low of 1.2 percent in June from 1.6 percent in May.

“However low inflation is not likely to be sustained. We see a modest rebound from the fourth quarter, as base effects turn unfavorable. As a result, there is little need for the BSP to cut policy rates now and hike later on,” Ng said.

StanChart further slashed its price forecast for oil to an average of $64 instead of $76 per barrel this year and $83 instead of $100 for next year.

“While we still expect oil prices to rebound, we now expect a modest pace of rebound in oil prices,” Ng said.

In its Global Research report last June 9, StanChart revised downwards its inflation forecast to 1.9 percent instead of 2.2 percent this year and to 2.9 percent instead of 3.5 percent next year.

Likewise, the British bank believed the BSP would keep key policy rates steady until the end of 2016 instead of an earlier projection of a 50-basis point hike.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the other day there is no need to alter monetary policy settings as the Philippines is expected to withstand external shocks arising from the much anticipated interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve.

“Remember we took tightening measures last year. In 2014, we increased reserve requirements and rates. Those preemptive measures were designed in anticipation of the US Fed lift off. That was one of the things and those haven’t been unwound, and they’re still there. We’re in a good position,” Tetangco said.

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BSP seen keeping rates steady | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*SCS/West PH Sea News:*

-----

*Fishermen remove Chinese-marked buoys off Zambales*
_*Zambales fishermen find these buoys as China asserts de facto control over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) through island-building*_
*
Randy V. Datu 
Published 10:14 PM, July 25, 2015 
Updated 10:14 PM, Jul 25, 2015 *

ZAMBALES, Philippines – Fishermen here discovered 3 lengthy floating containment booms, or buoys, located in 3 different barangays about 6 miles from the disputed Bajo de Masinloc (Scrarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Nine fishermen found the orange-colored floating booms in the sea off Zambales.

They towed the booms toward the shore and brought them to 3 barangays – Sitio Lanao, San Agustin, and Sto Rosario.

The fishermen said the booms' markings appear to indicate ownership by China.

They seem to have been placed there to set the boundary for fishermen in Zambales. These will eventually limit the areas where they can go for fishing and harvesting other marine resources, the primary sources of livelihood for these Zambales fisherfolk.

The Zambales fishermen found these buoys as China asserts de facto control over the West Philippine Sea.

In other parts of the disputed waters, China is building artificial islands that have fueled concern in the region.

The Philippines, on the other hand, is pursuing a historic arbitration case that seeks a long-term solution to the sea dispute. *– Rappler.com*

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Fishermen remove Chinese-marked buoys off Zambales
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## Cossack25A1

*PH State of the Nation Address News**:*

-----

*NOTE: More news will come/ be updated as this began 1600 hrs Philippine Standard Time (0800 hrs GMT)*

*SONA 2015: Is it really more fun in the Philippines?*
*By Rex Remitio, CNN Philippines*
*Updated 12:27 PM PHT Mon, July 27, 2015*

*Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — *President Benigno S. Aquino III, in his State of the Nation address three years ago, announced an ambitious plan for the country's tourism industry.

"Sa dinami-dami ng magagandang tanawin sa ating bansa, hindi naman siguro suntok sa buwan kung mangarap tayong pagdating ng 2016, sampung milyong turista na ang bibisita sa Pilipinas kada taon," he said in his 2012 address.
*
(There are so many beautiful places in our country that it is not impossible to dream that when 2016 comes, there will be 10 million tourists that will visit the Philippines from that point on.)*

The tourism department aggressively pushed for a marketing campaign to attract tourists, with the slogan “It's more fun in the Philippines.”

The campaign went viral, and social media platforms were abuzz with funny memes.

It was hailed as one of the world's smartest marketing campaigns, receiving dozens of international citations.

"It hit a psyche in the international travel community that now Thailand is following, right? It's not anymore Truly Asia or what, it's more human capital that they're concentrating on, what makes us unique," said Rosanna Tuason-Fores, President of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines.

Annual international tourist arrivals have been steadily rising, from 3.5 million in 2010, to a record-high 4.8 million in 2014, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The DOT said that the campaign may have drawn more tourists.

This achievement is unmatched by previous administrations. But latest figures show the Aquino government is far from achieving the tourist arrival target.

The country's numbers are unimpressive compared to its Southeast Asian neighbors, according to tourism ministries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Last year, Malaysia had 25.7 million tourist arrivals, while Thailand welcomed 24.8 million visitors. Those numbers are far greater than the 4.8 million tourist arrivals for the Philippines.

For every tourist going to the Philippines, about five others choose Malaysia or Thailand.

The tourism department said that it's still more expensive to go the Philippines, from airfare costs to hotel rates.

"Unlike most other countries in Southeast Asia, we don't enjoy the luxury of cross-border land travel. It's not as if somebody can just hop on a car, cross the border, and then you count the number of tourists," said DOT Usec. for Tourism Development Benito Bengzon.

Travel bans also drive away tourists — with China issuing bans because of the dispute in the West Philippine Sea and western countries warning tourists against heading out to the conflict-torn south.

"I avoid the areas where there are issues for example in Mindanao. I just don't go there and it's a shame because I believe it's a very attractive place to go," said Adrian Allison, an Australian national.

But experts and tourists alike say there's a deeper problem: the lack of infrastructure.

Airports can get congested and flights may get delayed.

"I'll be losing four hours in between and the second at times if it is late I cannot make up and catch up," said Vinayak More, an Indian national.

And there's horrible traffic everywhere.

"Awful. It's very crazy. Awful. Nothing you can see in Spain, everybody doesn't respect the others. Nobody respects the traffic lights. To get to about one kilometer, you have to spend about half an hour, that's incredible," said Jose Ortega Lanuza, a Spanish national.

But Bengzon said that these are things beyond their control, and all they can do is to properly sell the country — with only a 2-billion-peso yearly budget.

"If you're left with a budget that is not as big as what your competitors have then you are forced to be more creative," Bengzon said.

Tourism marketing expert Maria Criselda Badilla of the University of the Philippines suggested instead that the next administration should double DOT's budget.

Badilla said that this will boost the country's tourism campaign.

Her advice to the next president: keep the "It's More Fun In The Philippines" campaign for brand recall.

"Branding the Philippines again differently will be suicide," said Badilla.

President Aquino has declared 2015 as the "Visit the Philippines Year,” as tourism is seen a key driver towards achieving socio-economic growth. However, the tourism department admits the 10-million international tourist arrival target by 2016 remains a long shot.

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SONA 2015: Is it really more fun in the Philippines? - CNN Philippines
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*SONA 2015: Government's plans for the power sector *
*By Kristine De Guzman, CNN Philippines*
*Updated 11:34 AM PHT Mon, July 27, 2015*

*Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — *The country last suffered from an energy crisis about 15 years ago, and it may happen again if things don't change.

Sufficient power supply is important to move forward — but it's something the administration has so far struggled to achieve.

Mindanao has been suffering from the lack of electricity. Other provinces like Occidental Mindoro and Palawan are suffering from long hours of blackout.

The Luzon grid is no exception — power supply is unstable whenever some power plants stop working.

It may have taken some time, but the Department of Energy (DOE) said that new power facilities will be up and running beginning this year.

"Kung titignan nating yung outlook for the country — Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, marami tayong committed projects, meaning may financial closure, and some of these are starting to be constructed," explained Department of Energy Officer-in-Charge Usec. Zenaida Monsada.

In Luzon, a total of 2,300 megawatts will be added to the grid from June this year until September 2019.

The Visayas grid will also be augmented by about 442-megawatts, while Mindanao — which has endured power shortages for many years now — will get an additional 2,000 megawatts.

Based on the Energy Department's 5-year outlook, the additional capacity in Luzon and Mindanao will mean there will be no blackouts until 2020.

Supply will remain stable in the Visayas until 2018, as data shows there will be more demand by that year.

With the fast-paced growth of the economy, both government and the private sector must work fast to keep up with the growing demand for power. For a country growing faster than most of its neighbors, there's no room to play catch up in the quest for stable power.

"I think the industry as a whole recognizes that the only way to ensure power reliability and adequacy is to have more power plants online both as a source of actual supply when it is needed and as a reserve as well in the event of forced or sudden outages including scheduled outages," said MERALCO Spokersperson Joe Zaldarriaga.

But if government wants more power plants, economists say it should make the process easier for investors.

It takes over a hundred permits to build a single power plant.

"You can just imagine how much of a disincentive that would be for investors. Now if you don't have enough investors, if they don't come in then you don't have additional capacity and at the, let's say, fast-paced of growth of the economy then that can be worrisome because we might end up eating up what little reserves we have," said Peter Lee U, dean of the University of Asia and the Pacific's School of Economics.

Power sector participants say that the government should focus on long-term solutions to ensure enough electricity. Otherwise, large parts of the country would continue to suffer in darkness.

-----
SONA 2015: Government's plans for the power sector - CNN Philippines
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* SONA 2015: Aquino administration's policies and priority bills *
*By Anna Estanislao, CNN Philippines*
*Updated 11:34 AM PHT Mon, July 27, 2015*

*Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) —* The clock is ticking.

With less than a year left before a new President is elected, Congress will soon be tackling priority bills the current administration is pushing for.


*Bangsamoro Basic Law*

First on the list is the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

The measure is pending at the House of Representatives, and the Senate is waiting on a substitute bill. What are the chances of it being passed?

Former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan doubts it will ever be passed.

He said that there's tremendous resistance against the BBL — a measure seen to end decades-long conflict with rebels in the south.

"For the sake of argument, if it passes the legislature, to me the chances are quite slim especially at the level of the Senate. But in the event that it is passed by the legislature they still have to hurdle the SC [Supreme Court]. That will be the final battle ground," said Alunan.

Alunan maintained the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has not been transparent and inclusive. Because of this, he said that people in Mindanao believe BBL will not solve the unending cycle of violence there.

"Whether the BBL is passed or not, The MILF for example, if the BBL is not passed they will go to war. They've said it themselves. If the BBL is passed, those who are excluded from the talks — and many were excluded — said they won't take it sitting down," Alunan said.

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos,Jr., chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government, argued that cannot support the BBL in its present form.

"[T]he Philippine Peace Panel and the OPAPP had not consulted anyone but the MILF. So if I said it would lead us to perdition, it will lead us back to war, we have already had the Zamboanga uprising. Do we need a clearer indication of what the reaction would be of other groups to this BBL in the form that it has been presented?," the senator said.


*Freedom of Information Bill*

Another equally contentious measure is the Freedom of Information bill.

The President vowed to pass the law before he steps down.

While the bill passed the Senate in March last year, it has yet to get past the second reading in the Lower House.

Senator Grace Poe, author of the bill, has been urging Congress and the President to prioritize the measure.

"If I had my way, every citizen should be able to access government contracts, project details and project allocations. This is the purpose of the FOI that has been one of my priorities since day one," said Senator Grace Poe during her speech at the Rotary Club Journalism Awards.

“Freedom of Information has been enshrined in our laws combined with the wonders of technology with the powerful weapons to kill the cancer of corruption.”

But Vergel Santos, Board of Trustees Chair of the of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, said that he is not hopeful that the bill will be passed into law.

"[W]hat I had seen being discussed now in congress is a pathetic parody of freedom. I can't imagine [it], but I'm not surprised."

"[T]he potential targets of such legislation are [the] people in Congress themselves. The mere fact that there have been more than 20 versions of the bill should give you an idea of the confused play of interests surrounding the bill," Santos added

In the absence of such a law, Santos said that the Aquino administration has at least ensured some measure of transparency.

"[T]he problem is not only in Congress. It is a problem of culture… the kind of people that we elect in office, the kind of people who run our lives socio-politically — people who should be doing all those things as well."


*Economic charter change bill *

Another important legislation is the Economic Charter Change Bill. It's not on Aquino's priority list but Congress seems bent on passing it. It is a measure that introduces changes in the 1987 Constitution to allow more foreign investment in the country.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said that the measure has a good chance it will get the Senate's nod.

"We are not amending immediately the so-called economic provisions. What we are amending is the manner with which we can change the policies insofar as the economic provisions are concerned, by adding the phrase, ‘unless otherwise provided by law’,” Drilon said.

"That is why my confidence level is high that the senators will be generally supportive of this process," the senator added.

Analyst Dindo Manhit believes Congress should fast-track the approval of the bill.

He pointed out that while the country has seen better economic growth, with gross domestic product increasing by 5.2% during the first quarter of 2015, people do not have jobs, "because of our provision in our constitution of limiting it [specific business] to 60% ownership of Filipinos.

“It has limited our investment to the point that among the big ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nation] countries, we are ranked number six in terms of investments."

Manhit insists allowing foreign investment in different sectors will create job opportunities, thereby creating inclusive growth.

Other major legislative measures passed into law include the K to 12 Enhanced Basic Eudcation Act, Reproductive Health Law, Armed Forces of the Philippines Reform Act, and the Whistleblower Protection Act.

Congress has less than a year left to tackle the priority bills, putting the political will of Aquino and his allies in Congress to test.

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SONA 2015: Aquino administration's policies and priority bills - CNN Philippines
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*SONA 2015: State of the country's disaster response*
*By Triciah Terrada, CNN Philippines *

*Updated 11:35 AM PHT Mon, July 27, 2015*

*Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) —* Barely two years after Typhoon Yolanda battered Tacloban and Samar, some victims have already begun recovering.

But much has yet to be done. Other victims have yet to receive help from the government.

Safety experts say Typhoon Yolanda's destruction was a lesson learned the hard way.

Before Typhoon Yolanda struck, local government officials had difficulty asking residents to evacuate. But now, that situation has changed.

"Comparing people now and before, this time, we are receiving reports that there are individuals and families who go to the evacuation center earlier on even before the warning of the local government units," Romina Marasigan, spokesperson of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) says.

"So I think people are now understanding the importance of preparedness, mitigation and prevention," she adds.

Marasigan adds, disaster response funds are now divided into 70% for mitigation and preparedness and 30% for response.

"Funds are actually being judiciously spent by our government just to make sure that there are not only equipment, not only food packs, not only medicines, but also people who are skilled to be there and provide the assistance to them."


*'Room for improvement'*

Under the law, local disaster risk reduction and management council offices have permanents posts so standard strategies can be laid out and mainstreamed.

Safety expert Martin Aguda says these initiatives are good, but there's still room for improvement.

He adds that more than hiring permanent disaster managers, it's best to find competent people to handle emergencies.

"Since the DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) law was passed it should be a priority, madali kasi to appoint people to DRR posts. Ang tanong what are the competencies."

_[Translation: Since the DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) law was passed it should be a priority. It's easy to appoint people to DRR posts, but the question is whether they are competent to perform the task.]_

And while purchasing emergency equipment is a good idea, Aguda says the government should also weed out corruption in the purchasing process.

"Makakakita ka diyan ng fire extinguishers na substandard, because they are being dictated upon by the inspectors to get fire extinguishers from a specific supplier."

[Translation: You will see substandard fire extinguishers, because they are being dictated upon by the inspectors to get fire extinguishers from a specific supplier.]

"Actually, yun ang nakakainis e. These are basic safety equipment pero parang pinaglalaruan pa rin tayo."

_[Translation: It's irritating. These are basic safety equipment but we are being played at.]_


*Setting standards*

Aguda says all these boil down to strict implementation of the law, especially in the case of a possible 7.2 magnitude quake that could strike Metro Manila, which is projected to result in 33,000 fatalities.

In case of such an earthquake, officials say evacuation camps have already been identified and goods have been prepositioned, something learned from Typhoon Yolanda's aftermath.

A nationwide earthquake drill has also been set on July 30.

"Even people here in [Metro Manila] would be victims, there will be people coming in from the outside who are already informed that they are going to do this. Who are already provided with protocols on how they would be undertaking the disaster response," Marasigan says.

Aguda also suggests that disaster officials should implement standards for evacuation camp needs, such as finding adequate water supply, ample stock of basic necessities, and enough space.

Roads and passage for rescuers and emergency responders must also be identified. Volunteers and trained personnel must be clustered according to their expertise — for easier and faster emergency response.

"You have to layout the scenario, because it's being realistic. How many will be injured? Thousands will be injured, you might be hearing setting up field hospitals would that be enough, with the thousands injured?" Aguda says.

"We're hearing many will be displaced, 3,000 will be homeless and they have identified through the Oplan Yakal, several evacuation areas per quadrant is that enough? If you've seen Oplan Yakal hindi pa nakaincorporate yan," he adds.

_[Translation: We're hearing many will be displaced, 3,000 will be homeless and they have identified through the Oplan Yakal, several evacuation areas per quadrant is that enough? If you've seen Oplan Yakal that aspect is not incorporated yet.]_


*Capacity building*

Albay Province, one of the most disaster-prone areas in the country, is a role model for disaster risk management and prevention.

Its Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office regularly updates data on hazards and risk assessment.

Albay also invests in strengthening infrastructures to prevent damage when a calamity strikes.

"Kasi dapat safe route, safe evacuation center, I did not see the safe routes in Metro Manila. One, kapag lumindol saan ka dadaan? Tapos yung mga evacuation center mukhang pinagtuturo lang. Aba kailangan mong gawin yan hindi yan basta puwede kayo sa golf course," Albay Governor Joey Salceda says.

_[Translation: You should have a safe route and a safe evacuation center. I did not see safe routes in Metro Manila. For one, if an earthquake strikes where will you pass? And you must also build evacuation centers and not just put people in a golf course.]_

He adds the provincial government conducts training on risk reduction in schools and local communities.

The province also has early warning systems and emergency management equipment in place.

After all, Salceda says, whether it's the weather or climate change it is our response that will shape human conditions — a challenge for the government to level up preparations and mitigation initiatives.

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SONA 2015: State of the country's disaster response - CNN Philippines
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*Last Sona mirage of lost years*
*By: Amando Doronila
Philippine Daily Inquirer
03:40 AM July 27th, 2015*

On the eve of President Aquino’s sixth and final State of the Nation Address (Sona), his administration refocused Sona’s keynote to his announcement on whom he would endorse as official candidate of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) in the May 2016 general elections.

Weeks ahead of the polls, the nation has been in the throes of febrile anxiety over the issue of the anointment of his successor. In doing so, the President not only shifted public attention to the succession, away from the central function of Sona, that is, rendering an accounting to the people of what his government has done for the nation during the past five years to justify his presidential mandate.

The 2015 Sona is extraordinary in more ways than one: First, it sums up the performance in office of the administration for five years—not just his first, when his slate was clean; secondly, it sets the tone of national discourse for the next 12 months up until the day he steps down because for the first time he will be telling the nation the person to whom he would entrust its leadership for the next six years.

The spectacular atmosphere of this transfer of power is something like the pageantry surrounding the coronation of the dauphine of the French monarchy, as the new king of France, in ceremonies at Reims Cathedral in medieval France.

Sona is more than telling the people who among the aspirants for the highest office in the republic enjoys the presidential blessing to be his successor who would ensure the continuity of his good governance reforms. It is an extremely important public document that serves as an inventory of the performance of a democratically elected government consisting of what it proposed to do and failed to do in previous Sonas of the past five years.

This annual report serves to fulfill the function of accountability of any government. But by highlighting the event that the President would use it as a platform to announce his succession preferences after his Sona speech, he has downgraded the importance of Sona as a documentary mechanism of rendering public accountability to enable the public to determine whether he has squandered the resources and powers of the presidency to deliver benefits for the general public good according to the programs spelled out in previous Sonas.

From the way the administration highlighted the Sona in response to public clamor to declare the President’s preferences on who would receive his endorsement, it appears to us that using Sona as a platform to announce his succession decision is a glib cop-out to divert public attention from the serious task of scrutinizing the contents of his last Sona.


*Emphasis on trivia*

It would be brazenly presumptuous for anyone to comment on the contents of Sona until after the President has delivered it to determine what it claims as the achievements of his five years in office and what shortfalls it glosses over.

After the delivery of the last Sona, there will be more than enough documentary data, consisting of the previous Sonas to assess what the President has promised to do and has failed to deliver, on issues such as inclusive economic growth, poverty reduction, the threat of China’s territorial aggrandizement in the West Philippine Sea, land reform, safe and efficient public railways, and food sufficiency. These are the parameters with which to measure the claims of Sona. They raise many questions Sona has to address.

The highlight of the succession issue not only trivializes Sona but also diverts public attention from the hard issues enumerated above. Sona illustrates the process of Question Hour in a parliamentary democracy through which elected leaders are put on the carpet by congressional deputies of the people for accountability on their mandate to rule.

Prior to its delivery, publicity on the Sona had centered on the color and trivia (such as the fashion show on the ternos of the congressional ladies and the design of the barong of their spouses), and on the efforts of Mr. Aquino to form a coalition of political parties that would back his decision on whom to endorse as the administration’s candidates for President and Vice President next May. Malacañang handouts emphasizing the selection process left the impression that it was the centerpiece and keynote of Sona—not its contents.


*Herded sycophants*

Let us not forget that Mr. Aquino will deliver his last Sona at the twilight of his presidency when his popularity has declined and when his clout to influence events has diminished. There is little time left in the last few months to rectify the errors of the past or to push the initiatives proposed in the Sona. It is his swan song.

While we wait for his delivery of the Sona, Malacañang has stepped up the presentation of Sona as a bread-and-circus spectacle reminiscent of the triumphal parade of Julius Caesar on the Forum after his conquest of the Gaul region.

We are not sure Mr. Aquino’s Sona will be hailed with accolades of “Ave Caesar” from the adoring multitudes in the streets, but we know from experience the cavernous congressional gallery at the Batasan will be jampacked with herded sycophants who, at the slightest prompting, will explode with thunderous applause every punchline of the speech.

The media will dutifully report the number of applause for the speech, but only the naïve will claim the noise echoes the rabbles’ approval of Sona’s fantastic claims.

Meanwhile, the beneficiaries of the President’s anointment are left hanging whether the endorsement is a kiss of death or a bounty. It’s a blade that cuts both ways.

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Last Sona mirage of lost years | Inquirer Opinion
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* Gov’t spending still off target despite Q2 hike *
*(The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 29, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Public spending is expected to rise 12.4 percent in the second quarter over year-ago levels, the Department of Budget and Management said yesterday.

“For the second quarter, we project that it is going to be 12.4 percent higher than second quarter last year. Those are the emerging numbers based on preliminary figures,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said in a briefing.

The government spent P505.175 billion in the second quarter of 2014, up 9.8 percent from the P459.95 billion recorded in the same period in 2013.

Abad’s estimate of a 12.4-percent growth from year-ago levels will translate to P567.82 billion in expenditures in the three months to June this year.This projection, however, is still short of the P669.4-billion target for the period.

“I think if we base it on year-on-year performance, I think we are confident that we are doing much better than last year,” Abad said.

“But if you base it in program versus actual, that’s where the challenge is because we have to set our targets high so that our performance also improves compared to last year,” he said.

Latest data from the Department of Finance showed the government recorded a budget surplus of P86.4 billion in the five months to May.

Government revenues amounted to P922.2 billion as of May, below the P935.072-billion goal for the period. Expenditures from January to May, meanwhile, amounted to P835.7 billion, also short of the government’s P1.06 trillion program.

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Gov’t spending still off target despite Q2 hike | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* ADB boosts Phl funding to $3 B over next 3 years *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 29, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has increased its funding for the Philippines in support of infrastructure, job creation and economic development.

The Department of Finance said the ADB hiked its sovereign lending to the country to $3 billion for 2016 until 2018, up from the current $1.8 billion funding for 2015 to 2017.

“ADB will continue to support infrastructure needs; programs to strengthen senior high school education, job creation for youth, and social protection; deeper capital markets; improved access to finance; and development in southern Philippines including Mindanao,” ADB president Takehiko Nakao said.

“We are pleased to see the recent progress made by the government in its public-private partnership (PPP) program and will continue to support its implementation,” he added.

Nakao met with Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima yesterday to discuss the multilateral bank’s increased funding for the Philippines.

The ADB had forecast the Philippine economy to grow 6.4 percent this year and 6.3 percent in 2016. Nakao said the country should take advantage of its young population to increase opportunities for growth especially in the business process outsourcing, tourism, and agri-business sectors.

At the same time, the ADB has planned a capital reform program for the development of the local bond market, the promotion of long-term savings, and improvement in treasury operations. A financial inclusion program is also being readied by the bank to allow poor households access to financial services.

The multilateral agency also stressed its support for disaster risk financing, and its commitment to developing Mindanao and the Bangsamoro areas.

“The Philippines welcomes the hand extended in partnership with an unequivocal vow to press on. Filipinos have seen what we can achieve with good governance and are ready to dream of bigger things,” Purisima said.

“Our country has more than proven its mettle throughout the past five years writing a comeback story of growth and better governance. Deepening support from ADB in sustaining these reforms is critical–we need quality education and infrastructure to fuel further inclusive growth,” he added.

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ADB boosts Phl funding to $3 B over next 3 years | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Phl stocks retreat amid China debacle *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated July 29, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine stocks retreated yesterday, joining other Asian bourse that slumped amid China’s stock market rout.

At the Philippine Stock Exchange, the benchmark index went down 68.41 points, or 0.90 percent, to settle at 7,479.03. 

Value turnover reached P6.85 billion, as 2.1 billion shares changed hands. All counters were in the red, led by the 16.59 points slide of the financials sub-index. 

Market breadth was negative, as decliners edged out advancers, 122 to 46, with 38 issues unchanged.

Joey Roxas, president of Eagle Equities attributed the decline to lingering concerns over the Chinese economy as seen in its weak stock market performance.

“The market is still weak in sympathy with China. Although, it’s funny why we should sympathize since China is still up 70 percent year-on-year,” Roxas said, referring to China’s stock market index.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan ended the day 0.2 percent higher after falling nearly one percent early on, touching its lowest level since July 9.

Tokyo’s Nikkei ended 0.1 percent lower.

The main China indexes fell again, although by nowhere near as much as Monday’s 8.5 percent plunge. The Shanghai market benchmark closed 1.7 percent lower.

Since hitting a peak in early June, Chinese shares have gone through a roller-coaster ride with main indexes plummeting by a third in less than a month before rebounding by a quarter, only to then have their biggest one-day fall since 2007 on Monday. *– With Reuters*

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Phl stocks retreat amid China debacle | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*


*PH State of the Nation Address News:*

-----

* Last SONA of President Benigno S. Aquino III *
CROSSROADS (Toward Philippine Economic and Social Progress) 
By Gerardo P. Sicat* (The Philippine Star)*
*Updated July 29, 2015 - 12:00am*

This State of the Nation Address (SONA) is very different from the first five he delivered in the past.

The earlier SONAs could be seen as strategic statements concerning the year’s most pressing issues. The sixth or the last SONA sums up the President’s achievements as he winds up his final year in office. There is a feeling of awe as well as finality about the moment.

In this last SONA, the President waxes full with statistics and lists of accomplishments. There is much to praise in these numbers. There are notable achievements in such areas as provision of public facilities and in the operations of each branch of government.

As someone who has travelled through many of the country’s main roads in many trips taken, I am much impressed by the new state of national roads. Most have been widened. I suspect they have also been finished and maintained at lower cost than in the past. Yet, we also have to juxtapose the unmitigated sufferings imposed on slow accomplishments in Metro Manila’s traffic gridlock.

This SONA, therefore, has the aura of a grand summation of accomplishments. It is also replete with profuse and intimate thank-yous the President generously returns to his co-workers. Yet, the accolades could have been rendered in an in-house party atmosphere. For aren’t all public servants supposed to help make their leader do his job well?

My expectations of President Aquino at the beginning of his accession into office were much more modest than my assessment of him now as he commences the last year of his term in office. It looks like he will leave office as a successful president, one who had a positive impact on his country.

We focus first on the success arising from economic management. The national economy comes out positive and at a high plane of performance. There are successes in some economic reforms undertaken. These are in the broad areas as well as more limited sectors.

Yet there are also areas of weak performance that are glossed over. In particular, I call attention to the matter of attracting foreign direct investment, especially in the context of Asean neighbors. This is an issue of paramount importance in view of the growing integration of the Asean economies.

In the course of the last five years, President Aquino has been holding out against advice from his Congressional and Senate leadership that want to liberalize the restrictive provisions of the Constitution .

Luckily, good economic performance has come into play as a result of past legacies. The most important among these factors are strong balance of payments contributed by high OFW remittances and new export earnings from the back-office processing industries.

These have strengthened the country’s macroeconomic performance and have helped attain an “investment grade” rating for the country’s sovereign position in the capital markets.

The anti-corruption program of the government under the “daang matuwid” theme has captured wide international recognition in raising the prestige of the Aquino administration, especially in view of low esteem in this regard under previous Philippine administrations. 

Actions that led to the impeachment of the Supreme Court Chief Justice and the incarceration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on the charge of plunder, which is a non-bailable offense, apparently gave credence to the anti-corruption program. The world took notice on the significance of the catch.

The subsequent jailing of three well-known senators, two of whom harbor presidential aspirations, further improved the country’s international standing on this score. This explains why the country’s ranking in surveys concerning corruption has been moving notches upward in a more favorable light.

This development in the anti-corruption drive would not have been possible were it not for the presence of “lucky” factors that have become available within the body of laws of the country.

The enactment of the “plunder law” produced a very powerful weapon to fight corrupt officials. The crime of plunder allowed the imprisonment without bail of any one charged with plunder.

The enactment of the “whistleblower law” made it possible to blow the whistle on corrupt officials, while protecting and incentivizing the whistleblower.

Both these new provisions of law happened before Aquino came to the presidency. It is during his presidency that they are harnessed for their power in improving governance.

To end this essay, I have a tentative judgment. How do I rate the presidency of one whose last SONA has just been delivered? One year is yet to go. But I give it a rating. I give it a “Good Pass,” for performance in general.

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Last SONA of President Benigno S. Aquino III | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Reashot Xigwin

*

*
*Philippines to buy Submarines and advanced missile systems for the first time.*
*http://gulfnews.com/writers/barbara-mae-dacanay*
*By Barbara Mae Dacanay, Correspondent*
Manila: For the first time, the Philippines will buy electric and diesel-run submarines, including advanced missile systems, as listed in its $22.11 billion (998 billion pesos or Dh83.166 billion) modernisation plan that was approved in July, to ensure its strength against China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia which have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, sources said.

“The Philippine Navy will buy several submarines and missile systems in the next five years from private manufacturing firms either from South Korea or Japan,” a military source who requested anonymity told _Gulf News_.

“The ambitious purchase was scheduled after the Philippine economy grew, received good ratings from rating agencies, and allowed borrowing for expensive war materials, but the Philippines could not yet match China’s 26 submarines,” said the same source.

In 2013, the Philippine Navy bought two 1.400 tonne Incheon-class frigates (also called Future Frigate experimental or FFX), manufactured by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries and STX Offshore and Shipbuilding for $400 million (18 billion pesos or Dh1.5 billion); two strategic sealift vessels or floating command centres which can transport three helicopters per vessel, soldiers, and supplies at sea, from Indonesia’s PT PAL (Persero) for $85.7 million (3.86 billion pesos or Dh321.6 million). The new frigates and sealift vessels will arrive in the Philippines at the end of 2015 or early 2016, President Benigno Aquino announced recently.

It is widely reported that the Philippine Navy is manned by three US-made refurbished frigates: BRP Tagbanua; BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz, but Japan’s defence ministry said the Philippine Navy has 80 warships; China, 892; Malaysia, 208; and Vietnam, 94.

The Philippine Coast Guard also bought 10 40-metre-long multi-purpose response vessels (MRRV) from Japan in late 2013 for $184 million (8.09 billion pesos or Dh674.6 million), in a loan forged with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2014. They will augment the Coast Guard’s 19 rescue vessels, when they arrive in the Philippines at the end of 2015, sources said.

The Coast Guard secured a $20 million (900 million pesos or Dh75 million) loan from the United States’ Defence Threat Reduction Agency (it has a maritime security project with the US’ Weapons for Mass Destruction Proliferation Prevention Programme) for three aerial surveillance radars, two surface sensors and three surveillance planes for the Philippine Coast Guard National Coast Watch Centre in northern Luzon and southwest Philippines.

Recently, the Philippine Air Force bought 12 new FA-50 fighter-trainers made by Korea Aerospace Industries. six Close Air Support Aircraft; seven of 13 AW-109 helicopters; and six of eight Bell-412 combat utility helicopters made by Korea Aerospace Industries. The two fighters will arrive in December 2015 or early 2016, and the rest in 2017.

Japan’s defence ministry said the Philippines has a total of 26 combat aircraft, compared with China’s 2,582 combat aircraft.

The Philippine government also allotted $22 million (1 billion pesos or Dh83.33 million) for the development of three new naval bases that will protect its 36,000 kilometre coastline facing the South China Sea.

In 1995, Congress approved an $8.08 billion (364 billion pesos or Dh30.3 billion) military modernisation plan for 15 years. But only 10 per cent of the approved budget was secured by a loan 15 years later, in 2010, the budget department said.

China, Taiwan, and Vietnam claim the whole of the South China Sea and several parts of the oil-rich Spratly Archipelago. Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines claim their respective exclusive economic zones in the South China Sea and parts of the Spratly Archipelago.

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## Zero_wing

Thats still way far off but at less we are moving in the right direction


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## opruh

Support Mar Roxas! Ipagpatuloy ang Tuwid na Daan!


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## Aepsilons

Reashot Xigwin said:


> “The Philippine Navy will buy several submarines and missile systems in the next five years from private manufacturing firms either from South Korea or Japan,” a military source who requested anonymity told _Gulf News_.




Maraming na maraming salamat !

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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

* Philippines to build strategic sea vessels *
 By Jaime Laude* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 2, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - On a buying binge for big-ticket items to modernize the military, the Department of National Defense (DND) struck a deal for the transfer of technology fitted on two brand-new Strategic Sealift Vessels (SSVs) it has purchased from Indonesia.

Defense Assistant Secretary for personnel Efren Fernandez said the technology transfer by Indonesia’s PT PAL (Persero) Surabaya is highly significant, as this would allow a local shipbuilder based in Cebu to manufacture the same type of vessel.

Fernandez, former head of the Bids and Awards Committee of the defense department, recently visited PT PAL Surabaya shipyard in Indonesia, bringing along with him the shipbuilder from Cebu as an observer.

“During our inspection of the PT PAL Surabaya shipyard, the Indonesian shipbuilder agreed for technology transfer and hopefully we can locally build our own Navy ships in the near future,” Fernandez said.

Persero has bagged the contract for the delivery of two brand-new SSVs worth more than P3 billion for the Philippine Navy under the Armed Forces modernization program.

The Indonesian firm has cut the steel for the second SSV at its plant in Surabaya, thus formally setting off the assembly of the ship, which the contractor has until May next year to deliver to the Philippine Navy.

The first SSV, which is expected to be delivered either late this year or early next year, is 80 percent complete following the steel cutting in January this year.

The Philippines, despite being the fourth biggest shipbuilder around the globe – next only to China, South Korea and Japan – was only able to locally build the BRP Tagbanua, a Navy cargo ship. This was because of the lack of military technology in building modern warships.

Other than the two SSVs, the Philippine Navy is also getting two Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) that the Australian government has decommissioned and donated to the Philippines.

The newly commissioned ships are on their way from Cairns, Australia and are expected to arrive in the country next week to join the Navy’s five utility ships.

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Philippines to build strategic sea vessels | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*



*Business News:*

-----

* National Government borrowings down 2% in January to May *
 By Kathleen Martin* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 3, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Government borrowings fell two percent as of May on lower debt from domestic sources, data from the Bureau of Treasury showed.

The government borrowed P150.772 billion from January to May, higher than the P147.588 billion in the same period last year.

Borrowings complement the government’s revenue collections to help settle maturing obligations and pay for projects and programs.

External borrowings during the five-month period climbed four percent to P80.437 billion from P56.565 billion a year ago.

Program loans during the period accounted for P32.972 billion, while project loans reached P12.812 billion. Bonds issued by international sources, meanwhile, amounted to P34.653 billion as of May.

The biggest sources of these loans were the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Data also showed most of the loans were made for post-disaster relief and recovery operations.

Meanwhile, domestic borrowings made through the sale of Treasury bonds and bills (T-bills) declined 23 percent to P70.335 billion as of May from P91.023 billion in the same period in 2014.

For May alone, government borrowings grew five percent to P22.145 billion from P21.189 billion in the same month last year.

External borrowings during the month plunged 41 percent to P760 million in May from P1.284 billion a year ago. Project loans amounted to P350 million, while program loans reached to P410 million.

Domestic borrowings rose seven percent to P21.385 billion in May from P19.905 billion last year.

Government borrowings reached P369.061 billion in 2014, 33 percent lower than the P554.701 billion in 2013.

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National Government borrowings down 2% in January to May | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Government to release P278.4 B in unspent funds this year *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 3, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The government plans to release P278.4 billion in unspent portion of the national budget in the second half of the year, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the unused funds, carried over from 2014 and the previous years, are expected to be utilized for the remaining months of 2015.

The release of the funds is expected to provide additional boost to public spending, Abad said.

The bulk, or about P102 billion, of the amount will go to the Department of Public Works and Highways for the construction of new roads.

Another P20 billion will be given to the Department of Education for the establishment of new classrooms, while the Department of Agriculture will get P13 billion for construction and repair of irrigation facilities and new farm-to-market roads.

Abad said allocation for the Department of Interior and Local Government stood at P16 billion for government employees’ pension, while the Department of Transportation and Communications would get P20.7 billion.

The release of these carryover funds will be on top of the P2.56-trillion budget for this year.

Latest data from the Department of Finance showed public spending amounted to only P835.7 billion in the first five months of the year, short of the government’s P1.06-trillion target for the period.

Revenues as of May amounted to P922.2 billion, resulting in a budget surplus of P86.4 billion for the five-month period.

The government hopes to attain a budget shortfall of P283.7 billion by year-end, or about two percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

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Government to release P278.4 B in unspent funds this year | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Reashot Xigwin

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Maraming na maraming salamat !



Not yet a done deal, but keep you finger crossed.

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## pr1v4t33r

Philippines to build strategic sea vessels 

_On a buying binge for big-ticket items to modernize the military, the Department of National Defense (DND) struck a deal for the transfer of technology fitted on two brand-new Strategic Sealift Vessels (SSVs) it has purchased from Indonesia. _








Defense Assistant Secretary for personnel Efren Fernandez said the technology transfer by Indonesia’s PT PAL (Persero) Surabaya is highly significant, as this would allow a local shipbuilder based in Cebu to manufacture the same type of vessel.

Fernandez, former head of the Bids and Awards Committee of the defense department, recently visited PT PAL Surabaya shipyard in Indonesia, bringing along with him the shipbuilder from Cebu as an observer.

“During our inspection of the PT PAL Surabaya shipyard, the Indonesian shipbuilder agreed for technology transfer and hopefully we can locally build our own Navy ships in the near future,” Fernandez said.

Persero has bagged the contract for the delivery of two brand-new SSVs worth more than P3 billion for the Philippine Navy under the Armed Forces modernization program.

The Indonesian firm has cut the steel for the second SSV at its plant in Surabaya, thus formally setting off the assembly of the ship, which the contractor has until May next year to deliver to the Philippine Navy.

The first SSV, which is expected to be delivered either late this year or early next year, is 80 percent complete following the steel cutting in January this year.

The Philippines, despite being the fourth biggest shipbuilder around the globe – next only to China, South Korea and Japan – was only able to locally build the BRP Tagbanua, a Navy cargo ship. This was because of the lack of military technology in building modern warships.

Other than the two SSVs, the Philippine Navy is also getting two Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) that the Australian government has decommissioned and donated to the Philippines.

The newly commissioned ships are on their way from Cairns, Australia and are expected to arrive in the country next week to join the Navy’s five utility ships.

_Philippines to build strategic sea vessels | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com_

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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

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*Philippines to buy submarines and advanced missile systems for the first time*
*Published: 17:35 August 1, 2015 *
By Barbara Mae Dacanay, Correspondent

_*This will ensure strength in the South China Sea*_

Manila: For the first time, the Philippines will buy electric and diesel-run submarines, including advanced missile systems, as listed in its $22.11 billion (998 billion pesos or Dh83.166 billion) modernisation plan that was approved in July, to ensure its strength against China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia which have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, sources said.

“The Philippine Navy will buy several submarines and missile systems in the next five years from private manufacturing firms either from South Korea or Japan,” a military source who requested anonymity told _Gulf News_.

“The ambitious purchase was scheduled after the Philippine economy grew, received good ratings from rating agencies, and allowed borrowing for expensive war materials, but the Philippines could not yet match China’s 26 submarines,” said the same source.

In 2013, the Philippine Navy bought two 1.400 tonne Incheon-class frigates (also called Future Frigate experimental or FFX), manufactured by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries and STX Offshore and Shipbuilding for $400 million (18 billion pesos or Dh1.5 billion); two strategic sealift vessels or floating command centres which can transport three helicopters per vessel, soldiers, and supplies at sea, from Indonesia’s PT PAL (Persero) for $85.7 million (3.86 billion pesos or Dh321.6 million). The new frigates and sealift vessels will arrive in the Philippines at the end of 2015 or early 2016, President Benigno Aquino announced recently.

It is widely reported that the Philippine Navy is manned by three US-made refurbished frigates: BRP Tagbanua; BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz, but Japan’s defence ministry said the Philippine Navy has 80 warships; China, 892; Malaysia, 208; and Vietnam, 94.

The Philippine Coast Guard also bought 10 40-metre-long multi-purpose response vessels (MRRV) from Japan in late 2013 for $184 million (8.09 billion pesos or Dh674.6 million), in a loan forged with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2014. They will augment the Coast Guard’s 19 rescue vessels, when they arrive in the Philippines at the end of 2015, sources said.

The Coast Guard secured a $20 million (900 million pesos or Dh75 million) loan from the United States’ Defence Threat Reduction Agency (it has a maritime security project with the US’ Weapons for Mass Destruction Proliferation Prevention Programme) for three aerial surveillance radars, two surface sensors and three surveillance planes for the Philippine Coast Guard National Coast Watch Centre in northern Luzon and southwest Philippines.

Recently, the Philippine Air Force bought 12 new FA-50 fighter-trainers made by Korea Aerospace Industries. six Close Air Support Aircraft; seven of 13 AW-109 helicopters; and six of eight Bell-412 combat utility helicopters made by Korea Aerospace Industries. The two fighters will arrive in December 2015 or early 2016, and the rest in 2017.

Japan’s defence ministry said the Philippines has a total of 26 combat aircraft, compared with China’s 2,582 combat aircraft.

The Philippine government also allotted $22 million (1 billion pesos or Dh83.33 million) for the development of three new naval bases that will protect its 36,000 kilometre coastline facing the South China Sea.

In 1995, Congress approved an $8.08 billion (364 billion pesos or Dh30.3 billion) military modernisation plan for 15 years. But only 10 per cent of the approved budget was secured by a loan 15 years later, in 2010, the budget department said.

China, Taiwan, and Vietnam claim the whole of the South China Sea and several parts of the oil-rich Spratly Archipelago. Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines claim their respective exclusive economic zones in the South China Sea and parts of the Spratly Archipelago.

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Philippines to buy submarines and advanced missile systems for the first time | GulfNews.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

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*DND junks P6.5-million missile project for territorial defense with Israel*
*By: Jaime Sinapit, InterAksyon.com*
*August 4, 2015 7:14 AM *

MANILA - The Department of National Defense (DND) has junked the Army’s P6.5-billion Shore-Based Missile System (SBMS), a government-to-government negotiated deal with Israel, and realigned this territorial external defense capability to purchase ballistic vests, helmets, and rifles, among others.

“The SBMS acquisition project will be replaced by higher priority projects that aim to provide support and protection for soldiers in the field due to the rising security situation in the WPS (West Philippine Sea) and the continuing terrorist acts by the enemies of the government of the Philippines,” according to a two-page letter from Patrick Velez, Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Installation, and Logistics (ASAIL), to Mr. Avi Felder, president of the Israel Military Industries (IMI).

*In a letter dated 22 July 2015, a copy of which was obtained by InterAksyon.com, Velez clarified that the SBMS project is not shelved, its implementation only deferred from the 1st Horizon Project (2013-2017) to the 2nd Horizon Project (2018-2023).*

But Malacanang has not yet confirmed if President Benigno Aquino has approved the DND decision.

Velez said the decision to use the P6.5 billion for personal protection of soldiers was a result of the 69th Senior Leaders Round-Table Discussion (SLRTD) on the Defense Acquisition System (DAS) on 10 June 2015.


_*Implications to foreign relations*_

Expectedly, the Israel Military Industries was shocked over the action of the DND and has been considering the filing of a diplomatic protest.

Aquino and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin earlier promised that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) would achieve minimum credible external defense capability before their term ends in 2016.

On 18 December 2014, the DND’s Special Bids and Awards Committee 1 (SBAC1) declared the IMI as the Singled Calculated Responsive Bidder (SCRB) for the project.

The IMI had just been waiting for the issuance of the Notice of Award (NOA) when in May then Army chief and now Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Hernando Irriberi sought the realignment of the project.

*This after the local representative of IMI filed criminal and administrative charges against him before the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged undue delay of the implementation of at least three ammunition projects worth P97.8 million.*

Sources from the Ombudsman said the cases are due for resolution in connection with the supplier’s prayer for a six-month preventive suspension against Irriberi.

According to former National Security Adviser (NSA) and now Paranaque City Representative Roilo Golez, *the SBMS project would have been a good move to jump-start Aquino’s promise of minimum credible external defense capability against the aggression of China in the WPS where it was reclaiming coral reefs into artificial islands as part of its expansionist policy in the region.*

He slammed Irriberi for recommending in haste the realignment of the SBMS and urged the Commission on Appointments (CA) not to confirm him.

Implementation of the SBMS project, if not realigned, would have started this October and completed during the first half of 2016.

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http://www.interaksyon.com/article/...e-project-for-territorial-defense-with-israel
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## Aepsilons

*Japan’s New South China Sea Gift to the Philippines?*



Japan may give the Philippines planes to use for patrols in the South China Sea, media sources reported August 6.

According to _Reuters_, sources have revealed that Japan may be looking to offer three Beechcraft TC-90 King Air Planes to Manila.

The reports will come as little surprise to those following the Japan-Philippine relationship closely. As I have written before, Japan has been a strategic partner of the Philippines since 2011, and the two countries have boosted the defense side of their relationship significantly over the past few years amid growing concerns about China’s assertiveness in the East China Sea and the South China Sea (“Japan, Philippines Boost Defense Ties”).

Defense ties are set to grow even stronger in the future as the two sides have vowed to conclude an agreement on the transfer of defense equipment and technology, expand bilateral and multilateral trainings and exercises, and even conclude a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) to allow Japan access to Philippine military bases (See: “Japan, Philippines Strengthen Strategic Partnership”).

The TC-90s would be a boost for the Philippines’ capabilities. Manila currently does not have enough aircraft to conduct regular patrols in the South China Sea, and the planes could be fitted with basic surface and air surveillance radar for surveillance as Manila responds to China’s threat to Philippine claims there (See: “The Truth About Philippine Military Modernization and ‘The China Threat’”).

That being said, discussions are reportedly still quite preliminary and there are a number of uncertainties that remain.

First, it is unclear how this fits in with previous understandings of Japanese support for the Philippines. In particular, Manila has previously expressed interest in the more sophisticated Lockheed Martin P3-C aircraft. The P-3C would be a vast improvement over the Philippine Navy’s patrol aircraft Islander as it has more sophisticated and extensive radar and longer flight endurance (See: “What’s Next for Japan-Philippines Defense Ties?”).

One interpretation, which the article seems to support, is that the TC-90s would be provided instead of the P3-Cs, which are more sophisticated but harder to operate and maintain. Some in Japan reportedly worry that Manila’s lack of experience in maritime surveillance means it would struggle to operate the equipment and quickly analyze the data collected. Given this, the TC-90s may be a way to familiarize the Philippine navy with the operation of sophisticated aircraft such as the P3-Cs.

Second, such a deal would require legal changes on Japan’s part in order to occur. As of now, the three TC-90s would be donated by Japan to the cash-strapped Philippines as used military equipment. Since that would constitute the first donation of used government-owned military equipment to another nation, sources indicate that Japan would have to amend financial regulations that require such equipment to be sold at fair market value.

Thus, while we have seen significant progress in Japan-Philippine defense ties over the past few years, it may take a while longer before some of the future initiatives now being mulled — like the TC-90 deal — can actually be realized.



Reference: The Diplomat

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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* BSP has room to ease bank reserve requirements *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 9, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has enough room to tweak the reserve requirement ratio for banks to stem the impact of the US Federal Reserve interest rate liftoff, British investment bank Barclays and US financial giant Citigroup said in separate reports.

In its latest Emerging Markets research note, Barclays said the BSP’s Monetary Board could ease the reserve requirement imposed on banks to minimize the impact of the impending interest rate increase by the US central bank.

“We see outside risks of easing in the reserve requirement ratio for banks, if liquidity conditions deteriorate due to capital outflows on the back of potential US rate hikes,” Barclays said.

It added the currency stability and an expected rate hike by the US Fed would keep rates stable for the time being.

Barclays said the BSP’s Monetary Board is likely to keep interest rates unchanged in its upcoming meeting on Aug. 13 as inflation is seen to pick up in the last quarter of the year.

“As such, we continue to think it is unlikely that BSP will join other central banks in easing monetary policy. Inflation below the band, but BSP is unlikely to respond to weaker consumer price index,” it added.

Inflation eased to a record low of 0.8 percent in July from 1.2 percent in June amid slower price adjustments in food, energy, and oil. This brought the year-to-date average inflation to 1.9 percent slightly lower than the BSP inflation target range of two percent to four percent this year.

“Low inflation will not necessarily lead BSP to ease policy conditions. With growth activity levels stable, we think the BSP is comfortable with the policy stance,” Barclays said.

While near-term inflationary pressures appear manageable, the investment bank said the drier-than-normal weather conditions could affect agriculture production that could stoke inflation.

According to Barclays, there are already signs that rice planting in the Philippines has been affected by weather resulting to higher imports.

As such, the investment bank sees the BSP hiking key policy rates in the fourth quarter of the year.

“We forecast the next policy move will be a hike, most likely in the fourth quarter of 2015 after the Fed has begun its expected tightening. Risks to our rate hike view are biased towards the move being pushed out,” the investment bank said.

Citi senior economist Jun Trinidad, meanwhile, has renewed calls for a cut in the bank reserve requirement, noting the existing 20 percent reserve ratio is the highest in the region.

“Against this benign consumer price index backdrop amid stronger offshore headwinds with the China drag as key, we renew our call for a monetary accommodation by way of a bank reserve cut of one percent,” Trinidad said.

He pointed out the move could unleash P67.7 billion into the system spurring infrastructure spending and other spending catalysts to help insulate domestic demand from an export meltdown.

The economist explained that a bank reserve cut would complement the growth catalysts while ensuring a supportive bank credit risk appetite once the US Fed acts to tighten its policy rate.

Weak exchange rates that could uplift remittances’ purchasing power, enhance business process outsourcing sector’s appeal amid big-ticket public private partnership transport projects being rolled out, comprise key growth triggers.

“BSP can afford to provide additional liquidity and help fend off near-term growth challenges. A bank reserve cut, if implemented soon, would be better positioned to ease market concerns and support duration bias,” he added.

The BSP raised the reserve requirement for universal and commercial banks to 20 percent in May last year to mop up excess liquidity in the system, tempering domestic demand and easing price pressures.

BSP has kept key policy rates unchanged since September last year. The overnight borrowing rate is pegged at four percent while the overnight lending rate is at six percent.

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BSP has room to ease bank reserve requirements | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Philippines insurers prepared for Asean integration, says actuarial firm *
 By Ted P. Torres* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 9, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s insurance industry trails Singapore as the most prepared for integration into the Asean Economic Community (AEC), according to a global actuarial provider.

Milliman, a global provider of actuarial and related products and services, said the Philippines ranked second only to Singapore in its ability to adapt to international standards.

The Milliman Asean Liberalization Index (MALI) measures the openness of life insurance regulatory regimes in the 10 Asean countries, ranking their alignment with international standards.

A score of 100 indicates a perfectly liberal market while low scores indicate more tightly controlled industries, with typically less exposure to foreign participation.

The eight features covered in MALI are: product development, distribution, investment, sophistication of capital regime, policyholder protection, foreign ownership, new licences and talent mobility.

Singapore is ranked highest in the index (with a score of 70), achieving the highest score for several of the underlying features, including product development, investment freedom, sophistication of capital regime, availability of new licenses, and talent.

The Philippines received a score of 58, second best among the 10 Asean nations.

Meanwhile, Myanmar’s 10th-place ranking reflects the fact that it remains a ‘closed’ market, with a very nascent life insurance industry.

The leaders in the sector are mainly subsidiaries of global or regional players such AXA of France, Canada’s Sun Life and Manulife Financial, the FWD Group of Hongkong, Pru Life of the United Kingdom, regional giant AIA, and Assicurazioni Generali Group of Italy.

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Philippines insurers prepared for Asean integration, says actuarial firm | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* Exports continue decline in June *
 By Patricia Lourdes Viray* (philstar.com) *
*Updated August 11, 2015 - 4:54pm*

MANILA, Philippines - The country's exports continued to decline for the third consecutive month, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said on Tuesday.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that merchandise exports dropped by 3.3 percent in June from the same period the previous year. Exports in June 2015 decreased from US$5.5 billion last year to $5.3 billion.

“Weak external demand continues to affect the country’s external trade performance, particularly for the merchandise exports sector. Year-to-date outcome, in terms of both value and volume, suggests fragility in the demand, particularly in major trading partners,” NEDA Director-General and Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

Balisacan said the decline in exports reflected a fragile global economy. He noted that economies in East and Southeast Asia also recorded a drop in export performance or the same time. Only Vietnam and China registered positive export performance.

Meanwhile, the electronics sector improved as exports of electronic products rose by 9.5 percent in June. This contributed to the country's higher sales of manufactured goods.

“The country’s relatively strong semiconductor exports emulated the progress in the global semiconductors market as worldwide sales continued to expand at its 26th consecutive month, as reported by Semiconductors Industry Association,” Balisacan added.

On the other hand, agricultural exports continued to drop in June, making this the fifth consecutive month of double-digit decline this year. Outward shipments of agro-based products declined by 24.9 percent.

Lower earnings of copper metal and other mineral products resulted to the drop of exports of mineral products by 26.2 percent in June.

“In addition to the frail demand from major economies, the country’s recent external trade performance is also partly due to an abundant supply of industrial commodities, thus revenues from mineral and agro-based exports are seen to continue to decline in the short-term due to falling prices,” the NEDA official said.

Balisacan remains hopeful that positive economic developments in the United States would add to the growth of exports, particularly in consumer goods.

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Exports continue decline in June | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Foreign direct investments inflows fall 42% in 5 months *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 11, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - External shocks from the Greece debt crisis, the stock market collapse in China, and the impending interest rate hike in the US continued to take their toll on the inflow of foreign direct investments (FDIs) into the country in the first five months of the year.

In a report, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said net FDI inflow fell 41.9 percent to $1.64 billion from January to May this year compared to $2.82 billion in the same period last year.

Net equity capital investments rose 31.2 percent to $440 million in the first five months from $639 million in the same period last year.

Equity placements declined 47.5 percent to $550 million from $1.05 billion while withdrawals plunged 73.1 percent to $110 million from $409 million.

The BSP said equity capital placements came mainly from the US, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.These were channeled primarily to financial and insurance, manufacturing, real estate, electricity and wholesale and retail trade activities.

On the other hand, earnings of foreign companies operating in the Philippines and plowed right back into the country retreated by nearly 20 percent to $318 million in the first five months of the year from $396 million in the same period last year.

Likewise, non-residents’ net investments in debt instruments including net intercompany borrowings declined 26.8 percent to $757 million from $1.03 billion.

For May alone, the BSP reported FDIs reached $403 million, 6.8 percent lower compared to $433 million in the same month last year.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the domestic financial markets continue to be highly reactive to external factors.

“To the extent the moves of the advanced economy central banks create interest rate differentials that entice investors to shift portfolios around away from emerging market economies including the Philippines, we will see near-term domestic financial market volatility,” Tetangco said.

However, the impending tightening in the US and Europe could benefit emerging economies through improved global trade.

“But in the medium term, normalization in the advanced economies should be positive for the domestic economy as this can lead to improvements in global trade,” Tetangco said.

The BSP is set to meet on Thursday but is expected to keep key policy rates unchanged.

Strong macroeconomic fundamentals as well as low inflation that eased to a record low of 0.8 percent in July has allowed monetary authorities to keep interest rates unchanged since September last year.

The BSP chief said inflation is expected to pick up in the last quarter of the year due to the prolonged El Niño weather conditions until the first quarter of next year.

“The declining inflation turnouts in the last few months are seen to be transitory. The path of inflation going forward is seen to return to within target over the policy horizon. Current readings show that it is possible that El Nino could intensify later in this year up to early next year,” he said.

The BSP has set an inflation target of two to four percent this year. Inflation averaged 1.9 percent in the first seven months of the year.

Earlier, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the central bank is set to adopt major reforms starting with the establishment of an interest corridor system to further enhance the country’s financial market operations next year.

“By next year the BSP will consider a major reform in the conduct of monetary operations. We are working on establishing an interest rate corridor system that will further align our open market operations with liquidity needs of the market and further strengthen the transmission channels of monetary policy,” he said.

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Foreign direct investments inflows fall 42% in 5 months | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Index closes flat on lack of significant leads *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 11, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) closed generally flat yesterday due to the absence of significant leads to push share prices higher.

The PSEi edged up 1.83 points, or 0.02 percent, to close at 7,543.35, while the All Shares index gained 11.67 points, or 0.27 percent, to close at 4,332.27.

Analysts said yesterday’s session was a good welcome to the listing of SBS Philippines Corp. in the local bourse.

In its maiden listing, SBS’ stock price closed at P4.12 per share, 50 percent higher from its initial listing price of P2.75.

Luis Limlingan, analyst at Regina Capital said the index was expected to consolidate between 7,660 and 7,467.13 this week, with a slight bullish bias due to improved technical readings and solid higher lower base.

“However, we have to be watchful of possible support breakdowns because failure to hold initial support at 7,467.13 would pull prices back to 7,272.63,” he said.

The holding firms index declined 16.86 points to 6,818.99, while the Services index shed 13.58 points to end at 2,083.57.

Value turnover stood at P5.81 billion. Advancers edged out decliners, 84, 76 while 48 stocks were unchanged.

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Index closes flat on lack of significant leads | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Politics and National Security News:*

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* 17 senators sign Bangsamoro Bill substitute bill *
 By Christina Mendez* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 11, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Senate committee on local government chairman Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and 16 other senators signed yesterday the 100-page committee report on the substitute Bangsamoro Bill following a caucus.

Their action will now open debates on the bill before the plenary.

A majority of those who signed the report have expressed intent to propose amendments during plenary debates, Marcos said after the caucus.

“If the amendments are really good, then we can adopt them,” he said.

He and Senate President Franklin Drilon had to convince their colleagues to sign the report to enable it to move before the plenary, he added.

About 80 percent of the original Bangsamoro bill was “touched,” but its “original intent” was “very much preserved,” Marcos said.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
“In fulfillment of my promise and in compliance with our agreement during the caucus last week, I filed today the substitute bill which I firmly believe will establish a strong mechanism for peace in Mindanao,” he said.

He is ready to sponsor the bill on Wednesday and other senators have been asked to submit their proposed amendments on his committee report, he added.

Marcos has vowed to answer questions to be raised by his colleagues in the subsequent interpellation period.

Marcos described the bill as all-inclusive since it carried the applicable advocacies, positions and proposals of all concerned.

The Senate committee on local government defined the asymmetric relationship between the national government and the envisioned Bangsamoro regional government to avoid any constitutional question.

“This is a recognition of the Bangsamoro diverse culture, and identity, and their aspiration for self-governance that makes it distinct from other regions and other local governments,” read Section 23 of the Basic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR).

The asymmetric relationship is provided under Article X Section 15 of the Constitution, where the autonomous region is granted more powers and with less intervention from the national government as compared to other territorial and political subdivisions.

“Within its territorial geographical area and subject to the provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and national laws, the Bangsamoro regional government in the exercise of its right to self-governance is free to pursue its economic, social and cultural development,” read Article IV Section 12 on the General Principles and Policies of BAR.

Other senators who signed the committee report were Teofisto Guingona III, Aquilino Pimentel III, Antonio Trillanes IV, Pia Cayetano, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Manuel Lapid, Loren Legarda, Juan Edgardo Angara, Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, Gregorio Honasan, Grace Poe, Joseph Victor Ejercito and Ralph Recto.

They indicated that they will interpellate or amend the committee report.

“I signed to allow this bill to go to plenary. This is not a yes to the BBL,” Poe said in explaining her signature.

Sotto also signed “with reservation and amendments” and expressed agreement to the new title.

Sen. Alan Cayetano said he was against the bill but he also signed the committee report.

“I vote No,” he said.

“Yes to strengthening the autonomous region that will result in a just, inclusive, lasting peace. To BBL in present form. This version has addressed many (majority of objections, provisions). But many more have to addressed/amended.”

Cayetano cited as an example the “block grant” provision, which should not be included because it would give leaders of the envisioned Bangsamoro region a wide latitude to use the funds allocated to them.

“If they want schools, if they want hospitals, then let’s give them that,” he told reporters after yesterday’s plenary session.

“But why are they asking for all the money. What if they end up purchasing guns and other arms?”

Cayetano said the members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) cannot just be designated as leaders of the new region because they must be elected in the spirit of democracy.

As an example, he cited the case of Sen. Cynthia Villar who wrote, “I signed to allow this bill to go to plenary. This is not a yes to the bill.”_* – With Marvin Sy*_

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17 senators sign Bangsamoro Bill substitute bill | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Senate concurs ratification of international protocol preventing use of weapons against civilian aircraft*
*Ruser Mallari - *
*August 11, 2015*

Because no treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the members of the Senate, the Senate voted August 10 to concur in the ratification to the Protocol relating to an amendment to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Article 3 bis).

“The Protocol inserts an Article 3 bis to the original Convention, which relates to the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight and interception of aircraft flying above a State’s territory without authority,” says in Senate Resolution 1334.

Senate President Franklin M. Drilon said that the resolution would help the government in its efforts towards prevention of the use of civil aircraft for unlawful purposes, with due recognition to international laws on the matter.

“The Protocol, while recognizing the sovereignty of a State over its airspace, enjoins States from resorting to the use of weapons against civil aircraft so as not to endanger the safety of the aircraft and the lives of persons onboard,” adds in the resolution.

The Protocol Relating to an Amendment to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Article 3 bis) was adopted by consensus during the 25th Session of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on 10 May 1984 in 11 Montreal, Canada. To date, 144 counties have ratified the Protocol.

President Aquino ratified the said Protocol on 5 May 2014 and has submitted it to the Senate for concurrence in its ratification, in accordance with the Constitution.

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Senate concurs ratification of international protocol preventing use of weapons against civilian aircraft | Ang Malaya Net
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*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*New Philippine Navy chief vows to stay focused on ‘Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy’*
*Iara Jolo *
*August 11, 2015*

The new Philippine Navy (PN) Flag Officer-in-Command Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad vows to remain focused on “Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy” started by his predecessors. The strategy aims to enhance maritime situational awareness capabilities and operations of the Navy.

“It is worth noting that we have already established the direction of our organization as contained in our Philippine Navy Sail Plan and Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy. This is because of the efforts of my predecessors. I intend to stay focused in this direction and I would like to highlight the advocacies of those who led ahead of me,” Rear Admiral Taccad said.

Rear Admiral Caesar C. Taccad previously held the position of the Vice Commander of the Philippine Navy.

He was assigned as the Commander of the Naval Forces in Northern Luzon from October 2010 to February 2013. He held the title of Chief of Naval Staff from January 2014 to September 2014, Naval Inspector General from January 2013 to January 2014, and Deputy Commander of the Philippine Fleet from February to July 2013.

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New Philippine Navy chief vows to stay focused on ‘Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy’ | Ang Malaya Net
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## Cossack25A1

*Politics and Diplomacy News:*

-----

* LOOK: Did China threaten, ridicule Philippines in newspaper feature? *
*(philstar.com) *
*Updated August 12, 2015 - 3:56pm*

MANILA, Philippines - Did China poke fun at the Philippines and issue a veiled threat in a newspaper feature?

In its weekly feature entitled "Window to China" published by the STAR on Tuesday, the Asian giant maintained its position in the West Philippine Sea dispute.

But Beijing's paid feature also seemingly threatened and ridiculed Manila.

The full-paid feature contained a short ancient Chinese tale about a mantis and its prey.

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole waiting in the backdrop," the tale read.

China said the tale "describes those shortsighted people wanting to hurt others, unaware of greater lurking dangers." For some experts, this could be a reference to the Philippines.






In an interview with television reporters, historian and military analyst Jose Custodio said the ancient Chinese tale was China's cryptic message or warning in relation to the sea dispute with the Philippines.

Custodio also took offense to the caricatures of South East Asian nations that were contained in the newspaper feature.

He said it was insulting that among the caricatures, the Filipino was depicted as the smallest.






Reacting to the newspaper feature, Malacañang urged China to be a responsible country.

"Some people may take it as a threat but what is important for us is that we are all responsible members of the family of nations," Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.

"And I think that China, being cognizant of its role in the community of nations, would act accordingly as a responsible nation," he added.

In the same newspaper feature, China said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario "attacked China on its South China Sea policy" during two recent international events.

China released the response of Foreign Minister Wang Yi who cried foul over "non-constructive words or deeds that attempt to exaggerate the disagreements, hype up confrontation and heat up tensions."

Wang further claimed that China is the victim in the sea dispute since it was other countries which began invading and occupying the disputed islands and reefs in the Spratlys.

Wang said China wants a peaceful resolution of the territorial dispute but it also has the right to stop "illegal moves" against its sovereignty.

Wang concluded by maintaining that China will continue to build facilities on its artificial islands in the disputed waters *- Louis Bacani*

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LOOK: Did China threaten, ridicule Philippines in newspaper feature? | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Zero_wing

Typical chinese arrogance may arraw rin ng mga gag0 mga ito


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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

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*Revisiting the Government-to-Government Process - The Better Acquisition Alternative for the Armed Forces of the Philippines *
*MaxDefense*
*Thursday, August 13, 2015*

MaxDefense has been in up online since May 2013, and for the past 2 years, it believes that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been improved a little better now compared to then. A good sign, after a long time of almost no improvements for close to 2 decades. MaxDefense commends the leadership of President Benigno S. Aquino III for bringing such improvements to the armed forces for the past few years.
But all these gains still fail to avoid us from looking at the other side of the coin. As MaxDefense pointed out in its previous blog entry, the Aquino administration took more than 2 years to approve the endorsed wishlist of the AFP for its procurement under the Revised AFP Modernization Program RA 10349. And so far, the AFP has not receive any major equipment that could be used to defend the country's EEZ and interests in the West Philippine Sea other than 2 gun frigates converted from coast guard cutters.
Add to that other disappointing issues. Just within this year alone, the Department of National Defense (DND) has consistently been in the hot seat and named as one of the most corrupt departments of the Aquino administration. Several accusations of graft and corruption, favoritism, bid rigging, and many other issues within its ranks were reported, and although nothing has been proven yet in the courts of law, the mere presence of these reports are disturbing enough. As they say, if there's smoke, there's a fire. And most of these issues were tied to the bidding and procurement under the AFP Modernization Program.
With all these issues, is the current procurement process really the problem that is affecting all the issues mentioned above? Is it still the best way to modernize the AFP? How far did the AFP Modernization Program (AFPMP) really did move from then till now?


*The Great Italian Sale - The Maestrale-class Frigate Saga*

After a hopeful start with the AFPMP under the leadership of Pres. Aquino, the AFP formulated a list of what it needs to have to properly defend the country from inside and out. And among those being looked upon to boost the AFP's capabilities and equipment acquisition opportunity 4 years ago were the acquisition of cheap, used, readily available, and still capable Excess Defense Articles (EDA) from friendly or allied nations.

For those who can remember these events a few years ago, many were delighted with the plans to acquire from Italy two units of refurbished _Maestrale_-class frigates, together with several other equipment offered by the said country including the a couple of _Soldati_-class frigates and _Minerva_-class corvettes, hundreds of VCC-1 armored personnel carriers, dozens of FH70 155mm howitzers and Centauro tank destroyers and FH70 155mm howitzers, a squadron or two of AMX attack aircraft, and even a few Tranche 1 EF-2000 Eurofighters. Thus called "The Great Italian Sale", or simply "The Italian Package" within those in the DND and AFP circles.

Those where the days when the military was looking forward to acquire a lot from the Italians, with many in the military saying that finally, the Philippines could now catch-up with the rest in the region. It was even among the reasons why MaxDefense started, to discuss to the public what is happening and what these equipment are for to the ordinary Filipino, in anticipation of many questions coming in from the public.





Remember the _Maestrale_-class frigate saga? This was actually the start and end of the plans to acquire excess defense articles from Italy. 3 years on, the Philippine Navy still has no frigates except for the _Hamilton_-class cutters from the US.

Aside from Italy, many other countries showed interest to sell their excess defense articles to the Philippines, thanks (or no thanks) to the economic crisis in Europe that time. France, Spain, and even the UK and Germany, were all looking forward for a possible sale, which not only helps them get some earnings while reducing their expenses in maintaining their armed forces, but at the same time was looking at this goodwill gesture to improve relations with the Philippines. Suddenly you can hear news or rumors on the possibility of acquiring Mirage 2000 or Mirage F1 fighter aircraft from France, Leopard 2 main battle tanks from Germany, _Santa Maria_-class frigates and _Descubierta_-class corvettes from Spain, and many more as an alternative to what the Italians have to offer.





The French offered excess Mirage 2000 fighters, but nothing was heard after on this offer when the Philippine government decided to go brand-new for its military equipment acquisitions.


*The Fall of Plans to Acquire Excess Defense Articles from Europe*

Then, it happened. Changes in the military leadership, together with alternatives from other countries, suddenly changed the mindset on the acquisition. The Philippines dropped plans to acquire the _Maestrale_-class frigates in which almost all the offers made by Italy were tied with. This was because the Philippine government decided to acquire brand-new military equipment by tendering in conjunction with RA 9184 Government Procurement Reform Act. One by one, all the offers from friendly countries died down, and instead the government invited arms manufacturers to join the tenders.





The Italians also offered a hundred of their VCC-1 Camillino armored personnel carriers, an Italian version of the American M113. Eventually, the Philippines decided ask the Americans for M113A2 which was provided by grant. But until now, not even 1 of the 114 M113A2 provided by the Americans are in Philippine Army hands. 

The intention was good, as it means the AFP will be getting brand new equipment instead of refurbished old units. But 5 years after, the AFP is still nowhere the original plan that was promised by the Aquino administration, and nowhere from the projected force should the government acquired all those used refurbished European military wares.

Reasons vary depending on who you talk to. The Department of National Defense claims that the ships were too old and expensive for their age, and that buying new would be more beneficial and will not as expensive as earlier thought compared to the offers made by Italy. Some people say otherwise, that the deal fell through because of indecisiveness of the defense leadership. 

Other credible sources say that officials within the AFP and DND are against EDA because they won't be earning anything due to the Government-to-Government (G2G) nature of the deals, and other reasons that are only beneficial to the people involved in the procurement system. MaxDefense won't be too specific on these because in the end, it turned out that the AFP will not be as effective as we thought by 2015.


*Failures of the Current Acquisition Process of the DND*

The introduction of the system as indicated by the RA 9184 has brought transparency to the procurement system, which was unseen for a long time. Theoretically, the system's safeguards and procedures should instill a fair, corrupt-free procurement process to the corruption-hounded DND and AFP, and clean the institutions from the terrible coinage as among the most corrupt in the government.

But it seems that there are still people who were able to manipulate the system, and still enabled them to continue corruption by going around the implementing rules and regulations. This might not just be the case in the DND and AFP, but also in several other government agencies and departments.

Budgetary issues, red tape, favoritism, failed tenders, lack of experience by the DND and AFP planners, graft and corruption issues, delayed product deliveries, failed products, changing policies of military leaders, leadership incompetency, and other reasons have further delayed the acquisition process of the AFPMP.

Among the most painful of all is the corruption concerns because not only is it delaying the process, but also jacks-up the prices of equipment being acquired to the expense of tax payers, and becomes a reason for substandard equipment to be acquired. Among those corruption issues raised only this year against the DND and AFP leadership include the following issues, but not limited to:

- the acquisition of Dornier-Bell UH-1D combat utility helicopters from Rice Aviation Services Inc., in which accusations of corruption, bid rigging, and flawed products were thrown against the DND and PAF; - the realignment of the Shore-Based Missile System by the Philippine Army, and supported by the DND leadership, which was accused as a way to get commissions and kickbacks, and as a vendetta against the local agent of Israel Military Industries for filing a graft case against the incumbent Chief of Staff of the AFP.

- allegations that some officials of the DND asked arms manufacturers for a "joining fee" to enable them to bid for certain projects of the AFPMP, which includes Israel Aircraft Industries-Elta and Raytheon
Although no proof has been laid forward until now, the point that there is a new damaging issue coming out in almost every month shows that there is really something wrong with the system. And with the elections coming in very soon, MaxDefense expects more negative news against the AFP and DND, further damaging the effort to modernize the AFP in what remains of the limited time until Pres. Aquino steps down from office.




The realignment of the Shore-Based Missile System has been among the most highly debated upon by defense experts and law makers, and may even cost the appointment of an AFP Chief of Staff if proven to be irregular. 


*2015 - Where is the AFP Modernization Program Now?*

As discussed in the previous MaxDefense blog entry, our assessment is gloomy on where the modernization program is right now. A little summary of our previous assessment:


- the old AFP Modernization Program under Republic Act 7898 is still incomplete until now, with several more projects still ongoing, or has not even started. As of last check, the DND still has around 15 or more projects ongoing or for implementation as of this writing, with the acquisition of a 3rd _Hamilton_-class High Endurance Cutter from the US Coast Guard as probably the last to be implemented.

- the newer Revised AFP Modernization Program under Republic Act 10349 has only 2 of 33 projects awarded as of this writing, although the government announced during the recent State of the Nation Address that it has recently signed 30 projects for implementation and funding by the Department of Budget Management. None of the 30 projects have been awarded so far.
One of its projects, the Combat Utility Helicopter acquisition for 8 Bell 412EP helicopters, is the most advanced of the projects in terms of implementation schedule, with all 8 helicopters already in the Philippines but can't be considered complete until now because they are not yet commissioned with the Philippine Air Force. The other project, the F/SAA/LIFT acquisition wherein the project will be completed only by 2017.

Only the CUH acquisition has so far gained fruit of all the acquisition plans under RAFPMP RA 10349, as all 8 units of the Bell 412EP are in the country. But deliveries can't be considered complete until now because the PAF has not yet accepted all 8 units as of this writing.

To be fair to the Aquino administration, he has so far done more than the combined administrations of 3 past presidents before him. But as MaxDefense said in the past, the expectations from the public and the defense community was so high because it was Pres. Aquino himself who pegged the expectations to the public by his public announcements and promises. He raised it up with his promises of good governance, efficient, and corruption-free government.
With this, MaxDefense is offering this recommendation based on two problems encountered in the acquisition process: time or speed of acquisition, and corruption. The current system has so many loopholes to allow corruption to take place.


*Speeding-up the AFP Modernization: Government-to-Government (G2G) Deals*

With a limited time remaining, MaxDefense believes that the only way to improve the AFP in such a short time is by returning back to the option of acquiring excess defense articles from friendly and allied countries through Government-to-Government (G2G) process.

So far, several government agencies has already seen that the current system based on the RA 9184 Government Procurement Reform Act is not applicable for defense-related acquisitions. Moves have been made within the AFP and DND to push to Congress reforms that will enable them to bypass the RA 9184, as DND ASec. Patrick Velez confirmed in one report, "RA 9184 seems not to be fully responsive to the needs of the AFP".

Should any legal changes be made to exempt the AFP Modernization Program from strictly following RA 9184, it would then allow the DND and AFP to go for G2G deals with friendly countries.

Being G2G, the Philippine government can minimize or thoroughly avoid corruption and kickbacks by defense and military officials, as the Philippine government, through its defense department, officially deal directly with the defense ministry of the the seller/donor countries including payments and other financial issues. Corruption can probably only happen if the seller/donor country's defense ministry officials are also corrupt.
*

G2G of Refurbished Excess Defense Articles*

Excess Defense Articles are currently abundant in several advanced nations from Europe, Asia, and the US. It may not be immediately available as expected due to the need to refurbish them and meet certain requirements of the AFP, which may take some time but not as long as constructing a new one.

But with the budget for the AFPMP and RAFPMP already allocated for projects, the only way to allow funds to flow to this direction is by either reallocating them from similar projects covered by the current AFPMP/RAFPMP, or by providing a separate budget for projects under this.

As an example, let's look at the current projects of the Revised AFP Modernization Program under RA 10349. The Philippine Air Force (PAF) requires Long Range Patrol Aircraft, while the Philippine Navy (PN) requires Frigates and ASW helicopters.

Currently, the DND and PAF wanted to pursue the acquisition of new aircraft while also discussing with Japan and the US to acquire EDA refurbished P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. If there are no objections from these countries, then the DND should just push through with the procurement of the P-3C through G2G using the budget for the LRPA project. MaxDefense believes that the LRPA budget can acquire more than 2 fully equipped and newly refurbished P-3C Orion.

As for the Navy, acquisition of refurbished frigates from Europe, Korea or the US can be made. After repair and refurbishing, MaxDefense still expects the first ship to be in service earlier than constructing a new one. And with a Php18 billion budget, the PN can definitely acquire more than 2 frigates. The US is also offering refurbished SH-60B/F anti-submarine helicopters, which can be had for a portion of the PN's budget for each new ASW helicopter. Even countries with more financial capability like Spain bought these refurbished helicopters to fill in the requirements.





Instead of waiting for the South Korean government to grant it to the Philippines, the Philippines must offer to acquire EDA ships from South Korea, with the willingness to pay for them. MaxDefense believes than if acquired now, the ships could be in service by next year.


*Procurement of New Equipment through G2G*

Aside from EDAs, the government can also simultaneously acquire brand new defense equipment for projects meeting the medium to long term needs of the AFP. There's still nothing better than brand new if the need is less immediate. And this can be done also by G2G. Although it may not speed up the construction and delivery of new equipment, it can reduce the time needed during the planning and procurement phase, while also discouraging corruption within the DND and AFP. It is currently an accepted way of fast-tracking acquisitions by the DND as seen by the speed of delivery of the Bell 412EP and FA-50PH aircraft that underwent G2G.

If only most bid-ticket projects under AFPMP and RAFPMP can be shifted to G2G negotiations instead of bidding, MaxDefense believes that most of the projects can be completed and the equipment delivered earlier by at least several months up to a year earlier. 

This also avoids being too dependent on the decision to acquire a system because of cost parameters, as G2G ensures that the military can acquire specifically what they need. This procedure will allow the AFP to avoid getting cheap but possibly substandard or not really their top choice, as topnotch defense materiel are not normally cheap especially that the AFP prefer Western-made systems rather than the cheaper Eastern, Russian, of Chinese systems.

An example of where a tender has become disadvantageous over a G2G deal may include the Combat Utility Helicopter for the Philippine Air Force. Based on accounts with officers of the PAF, they actually prefer to acquire the Bell 412 as its next CUH. The specifications used on the tender was based on the Bell 412EP but some specific requirements were loosen up to allow other bidders to join the tender. We all know that AgustaWestland PZL won the project as they were the only one who can provide a similar helicopter at a lower cost than the budget allocated. And we all know what happened afterwards, until the DND decided to go G2G with the Canadian Commercial Corporation to acquire another batch of CUH, but this time acquiring the Bell 412EP.

Projects that have been awarded and are expected to have repeat orders should not undergo bidding as well, but by G2G deal. Among examples are the Harris Falcon II & III radios, the C-295M and NC-212i, and many others. An equivalent to these equipment are expected to be ordered in the next phases of the RAFPMP, and bidding won't help which may also derail standardization should another supplier and product wins next time.

Harris Falcon II and III radios were among those acquired by the AFP through Foreign Military Sales of the US government, which is essentially a G2G deal. Repeat orders were made for the past 7 years, with another major order made just late last year. More are expected to be acquired from Harris on the next phases of the Revised AFP Modernization Program. 

# # # # # 

With the DND's procurement process already becoming less reliable and less acceptable to the general public and to the stakeholders in the government, the DND, if they still have some good men left, should push hard for reforms that would allow defense procurement to be faster and less prone to corruption.
Also, the legislative and executive branches of the government should act fast to pass a new or revised law to back-up the said changes. It is good to note that there are now some lawmakers who are putting their foot forward to help the AFP attain its goals even if it seems insurmountable due to the large amount of budget is needed to overcome their needs.

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MaxDefense: Revisiting the Government-to-Government Process - The Better Acquisition Alternative for the Armed Forces of the Philippines
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@Nihonjin1051 This article further explain why the "Italian-deal" was later dropped.

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

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*Russia, Philippines agree to facilitate defense cooperation*
*11:16 August 13, 2015 
RBTH*

Russia and the Philippines decided to facilitate cooperation in defense and trade, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said in a press note.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Meetings in Kuala Lumpur last week.

“At the meeting, Secretary del Rosario and FM Lavrov agreed to facilitate the conclusion of several pending agreements between the Philippines and Russia, including the establishment of an intergovernmental commission on trade, defense and military technical cooperation, and combating transnational crimes,” the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said in the press note.

In 2016, Russia and the Philippines will mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Lavrov proposed the publication of materials, among other things, to highlight the event, according to the press note.

Vladimir Putin will visit the Philippines for the 2015 APEC summit and will also hold standalone talks with Benigno Aquino III. 

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Russia, Philippines agree to facilitate defense cooperation | Russia Beyond The Headlines
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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> @Nihonjin1051 This article further explain why the "Italian-deal" was later dropped.




Much appreciated , amigo @Cossack25A1 !

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## killmkys

Interesting


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## pr1v4t33r



Reactions: Like Like:
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* BSP rates seen to hold until 2016 *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 17, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Barclays and ANZ Bank see the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) keeping interest rates steady until the first half of next year amid the benign inflation environment.

Barclays said it expects the BSP to tweak policy rates in the third quarter of next year instead of the fourth quarter of this year after the central bank lowered its inflation forecast to 1.8 percent from 2.1 percent this year.

The BSP has set an inflation target range of two to four percent this year.

Inflation averaged 1.9 percent in the first seven months of the year after easing to a 20-year low of 0.8 percent in July from 1.2 percent in June amid stable food prices and lower utility rates.

“Benign inflation leave a room to keep policy on hold for the time being, especially with the recent weakness in the peso. As such, we are pushing back our forecast of a rate hike in the fourth quarter 2015, to the third quarter 2016, when election-related uncertainty should be over, and inflation starting to pick up,” Barclays said.

Monetary authorities decided to keep interest rates unchanged during its policy setting meeting last Aug. 13 but cited risks brought about by the longer-than-expected El Niño weather condition.

The BSP has kept policy rates steady since September last year. The overnight borrowing rate is pegged at four percent and the overnight lending rate at six percent.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier said the decision to keep key policy rates unchanged was based on its assessment that prevailing price and output conditions support maintaining current policy settings.

“In deciding to keep the BSP’s monetary policy settings unchanged, the Monetary Board observed that the recent benign inflation outturns have been a result of favorable supply-side conditions, which are seen as largely transitory,” Tetangco said.

Monetary authorities noted the upside risks coming from pending petitions for power rate adjustments and the impact of stronger-than-expected El Niño dry weather conditions on food prices and utility rates.

However, he explained the modest rise in food and commodity prices as well as slower global economic activity could pose downside risks to inflation.

“This makes it clear that while inflation is low, the bank is watchful of supply side shocks that could push up prices. There have recently been some signs that food production may come under pressure, as the Philippines recently announced that it would miss its 2015 rice production targets, raising the likelihood of higher imports in order to ensure adequate stocks,” Barclays said.

On the other hand, ANZ Bank said the BSP is likely to keep policy rates steady until the first half of next year.

“We therefore maintain our forecast that the central bank will remain on hold through the first half 2016. The expected effects of El Niño, coupled with the persistent delays in infrastructure, both beyond the influence of the central bank, are the main risks to growth,” ANZ Bank said.

The investment bank pointed out monetary authorities arrived at the decision despite external shocks brought about by the weakening of the peso after the People’s Bank of China decided to devalue the yuan.

“The BSP did note that developments on the global front need careful monitoring, but also noted that this was from a perspective of financial stability. Our reading of the BSP reaction is that prudence, i.e. a steady hand on policy settings, remains the likely outcome going forward,” ANZ Bank said.

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BSP rates seen to hold until 2016 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* GDP growth outlook cut to 5.7% in 2015 *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 17, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - ANZ Bank slashed its economic growth projections for the Philippines this year and next year due to anemic spending by the administration of President Aquino.

In its latest research note, ANZ Bank lowered its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the Philippines to 5.7 percent instead of 6.1 percent this year and to six percent instead of 6.3 percent next year.

ANZ Bank said government spending continued to disappoint in the first half of the year.

“Public spending continued to disappoint in the first half of 2015, which led to a year-to-date budget surplus of P13.8 billion, far from the annual target deficit of P283.7 billion,” the investment bank said.

Latest data from the Department of Finance (DOF) showed the country recorded a budget surplus of P13.8 billion in the first six months of the year, reversing the P54 billion deficit recorded in the same period last year.

The government has penned a budget gap target of P155.08 billion for the first half of the year and P283.7 billion for 2015.

Revenues collected mainly by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) went up 16 percent to P1.086 trillion from P933.7 billion, while expenditures rose nine percent to P1.072 trillion from P987.7 billion.

At this rate, ANZ Bank said the government would have to post an average of P49.6 billion deficit every month for the rest of the year to reach its target.

“Thus, we now believe the government’s deficit target of two percent of GDP is no longer attainable and we downgrade our 2015 fiscal deficit forecast to 0.08 percent of GDP,” the investment bank said.

The country’s GDP growth slowed down to 5.2 percent in the first quarter of the year from 5.6 percent in the same quarter last year amid weak government spending.

The government sees the GDP growing between seven and eight percent this year.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan admitted that meeting the lower end of the government’s GDP growth target this year remains a challenge amid the weak global demand.

“It’s a big challenge to get the seven percent. But we’ll see,” Balisacan said earlier.

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the country’s merchandise exports slipped 4.7 percent to $28.8 billion from January to June this year compared to $30.23 billion in the same period last year.

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GDP growth outlook cut to 5.7% in 2015 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Philippine gaming firms in losing streak in H1 *
 By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star) 
Updated August 17, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Gaming companies in the Philippines are losing their winning streak due to mounting costs and because of what seems to be a spillover of the gaming slump in Macau, as seen in their first half losses.

But the chief of the country’s gaming regulator, the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) is unfazed with the recent developments, saying gaming revenues are still going up, attributing instead the companies’ losses to expansion expenses.

“This has nothing to do with gaming behaviour. The figures will speak for themselves. The revenues are still up,” said Pagcor chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr.

Melco Crown Philippines, the subsidiary of Melco Crown and Belle Corp., incurred a net loss of P4.9 billion in the first half of the year from P2.4 billion, which it attributed to taxes, fees and expenses related to the continuous improvement of the resort and casino complex.

The resignation of James Packer as chairman of global firm Crown Resorts also puts a cloud of uncertainty over the company’s operations.

However, local officials were quick to assure that Packer’s resignation won’t have a negative impact on operations of Melco Crown’s City of Dreams, the newest casino resort at the 100-hectare Las Vegas-style Entertainment City.

“Prospects are good. James Packer has nothing to do with Manila operations. Lawrence Ho is the CEO,” said Willy Ocier, vice chairman of Belle Corp.

Manuel Gana, chief financial officer of Belle also said Packer was not involved in the day-to-day operations of COD Manila.

City of Dreams has suspended 100 workers temporarily due to mounting costs, which the company said is a temporary streamlining.

“The company has taken a step toward a temporarily streamlining of the cost structure, and has to temporarily suspend employment with certain employees. This proactive stance, though a tough and difficult decision affecting less than two percent of its total manpower, is essential for long-term sustainability of business,” it said in a statement sent to The STAR.

It said it continues to expand across all segments, with gaming and non-gaming revenues delivering robust growth in the second quarter.

Travellers International Hotel Group, operator of Resorts World Manila, meanwhile, reported a decline in revenues in the first half to P2.4 billion, 1.67 percent lower while second quarter income fell 46.4 percent year-on-year to P622 million as gaming revenues dropped by 10.5 percent to P5.7 billion during the period.

Bloomberry Resorts Corp. likewise incurred a net loss of P786.5 million in the April to June period, widening the net loss of P533.1 million in the first quarter, its income report showed.

As a result, its first half net loss ballooned to P1.32 billion compared to a net income of P2.31 billion a year earlier.

The company said operating cost and expenses of Solaire increased by 32.3 percent to P10.98 billion in the six-months ending June on the back of costs and expenses related to the full operation of Sky Tower and related amenities in the first half of 2015.

In a recent research note, First Metro said Macau’s gaming slump has contaminated the local industry’s earnings outlook.

Analysts said there is an ongoing gaming slump in Macau due to a crackdown on corruption and a no-smoking policy in some casinos.

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Philippine gaming firms in losing streak in H1 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*National Development News:*

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* Green Jobs bill set for House approval *
 By Paolo Romero* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 17, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The House Committee on Labor and Employment has approved and endorsed for plenary approval the Green Jobs bill, a first-of-its-kind measure which seeks to open job opportunities in the field of green technology and environment conservation.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles, chairman of the panel, said House Bill 4969 or the proposed Philippine Green Jobs Act has likewise passed the scrutiny of the House Committees on Appropriation, and the Ways and Means to scour funds for the implementation of the law.

The Senate, through Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, has also committed to pass Senate Bill 2893 or their version of the Green Jobs Act, which was hailed by the United Nation’s International Labor Organization as the “first of its kind” and a creative innovation to address the challenges of climate change.

The measure seeks to promote work that produce goods and services that benefit and preserve the environment. These particularly involve business enterprises that use fewer natural resources in their production processes.

“With the adverse effects of climate change being felt around the world and its increasing threat to lives and properties, nations have found it imperative to facilitate and guide the process of making industries less harmful to the environment,” Nograles said.

The bill is also pushing for fiscal incentives and tax perks to encourage individuals and enterprises to participate in the creation of green jobs, practice the use of environment-friendly technologies and produce green goods and services.

Under the proposal of Nograles, the so-called “green companies” or business enterprises involved in the production of environment-friendly products and those that offer services to promote environmental protection and conservation are entitled to fiscal incentives that may include additional deduction of labor expense and duty-free importation of capital equipment.

The incentives shall be determined and administered by the Department of Finance.

With this bill, Nograles hopes to see the establishment of many “green investments” in the Philippines such as those involved in the production of electronic vehicles, solar panels and even power companies that use renewable resources.

“This is the future. I think that in the next 10 to 20 years, we will already see a lot of homes equipped with their own solar panels and homes that have their own water recycling facilities. What we need now is to encourage more investments on green technology. This is like in the early ‘90s where mobile phones were only for the rich whereas today, every Filipino has their own cellular phone,” he said.

With the world’s dwindling resources, he said countries have no recourse but to move toward a more sustainable use of their natural resources and harness the full potential of renewable resources.

“Public policy must center on developing a green jobs agenda, enhancing workers’ skills, and ensuring a just transition to a green economy,” Nograles said.

The Department of Labor and Employment is tasked to create a national green jobs human resource development plan, which will sustain the transition into a green economy.

“It shall include programs, projects, and activities pertaining to basic, higher and technical vocational education and training, a database that identifies and links green job opportunities with private and public entities, and information on knowledge and skill requirements of a green economy,” Nograles said.

The bill also seeks to delegate the Secretary of Labor and Employment as an additional member of the Climate Change Commission as well as mandates the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to design and implement the appropriate curriculum in support of the green economy.

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Green Jobs bill set for House approval | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Military and Defense News:*

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*Japan joins U.S.-Philippine humanitarian drills amid China sea dispute*
*World | Sat Aug 15, 2015 10:01am EDT*
*SUBIC BAY, Philippines *

(This August 14, 2015 story was refiled to say this was the first Japanese role at Subic Bay)

Japan has joined U.S.-led maritime humanitarian exercises off the Philippines for the first time, as concerns mount among the three allies about China's growing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea.

A Japanese navy replenishment ship was in Subic Bay, a former U.S. naval base, to refuel a U.S. Navy floating hospital en route to Vietnam for the seven-nation humanitarian mission.

It was the first time a Japanese navy ship has taken part in the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief drills from Subic Bay. Japan has participated in past Pacific Partnership missions in other areas.

A flotilla of Japanese training vessels, including a submarine, makes annual port calls in Manila.

Rear Admiral Charles Williams, commander of U.S. Seventh Fleet's Task Force 73, said humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises were becoming a regular component of military exercises in the Philippines.

"You are seeing in exercises ... a shift from strictly bilateral engagement to multilateral, which is why you see the Japanese here today," Williams told journalists aboard USNS Mercy, one of two U.S. hospital ships.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims. Japan and China also have conflicting claims in the East China Sea.

Williams said the presence of Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, head of Japan's Self-Defence Forces, "speaks volumes about their commitment to the region and their commitment to being part of a multilateral engagement".

Kawano met early this week with his Philippine counterpart, General Hernando Iriberri, and Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in Manila, where he expressed interest in holding joint amphibious landing exercises and operations with Philippine marines.

In a meeting with Gazmin, Kawano also expressed interest in sharing information in the South China Sea and capacity building, particularly in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Williams said humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations were "a great avenue towards increasing maritime stability and security in this region", part of Washington's rebalance to Asia policy.

China hit back on Monday at U.S. criticism that it restricts navigation and overflights in the South China Sea. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also said China's construction of facilities on man-made islands for "military purposes" was raising tension and risked "militarization" by other claimant states.

_(Reporting By Manuel Mogato; Editing by Nick Macfie and Tom Heneghan)_

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Japan joins U.S.-Philippine humanitarian drills amid China sea dispute| Reuters
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## katarabhumi

*PT PAL outlines weapons fit for Philippine Navy SSVs*






_The Philippine Navy SSVs will be based on the Indonesian Navy's Makassar-class LPDs, such as KRI Banda Aceh (593) seen here in Surabaya. Source: IHS/Ridzwan Rahmat_

Key Points



Indonesia's PT PAL says weapons fit for the two SSVs in build for the Philippine Navy will consist of 76 mm and 25 mm guns
In the longer term, the navy may seek up to four SSVs to meet strategic requirements


Indonesian state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL has confirmed that the two strategic sealift vessels (SSVs) on order for the Philippine Navy (PN) will each be fitted with one 76 mm gun on the foredeck as the main armament. Two stern-facing 25 mm guns will also be fitted, one each on the port and starboard sides.

Speaking to IHS Jane's on 14 August, PT PAL's SSV project manager Turitan Indaryo also gave an update on build progress for both ships. "The first vessel is 68.39% complete, while the second vessel is 42.37% complete," he said, adding that the ships are on schedule for delivery in May 2016 and May 2017 respectively.

However, PT PAL was not able to confirm the potential suppliers of the ships' weapons. "We are just preparing the foundations. The Philippine Navy will decide," said Turitan.

PT PAL was awarded a USD92 million contract in June 2014 to construct two landing platform dock (LPD)-like vessels to meet the PN's amphibious transport and logistics requirements. The contract includes a support package that will enable Philippine industry to undertake ship maintenance and support in collaboration with the PN.

The 123 m platforms are based on the Indonesian Navy's (Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL's) Makassar-class LPDs, which were designed by South Korean shipbuilder Dae Sun.

According to IHS Jane's Fighting Ships , the PN's SSVs have a full load displacement of 11,583 tonnes. The vessels will have lift capacity for 500 troops, can embark three large helicopters, and can accommodate 126 crew. The ships have a top speed of 15 kt, a maximum range of 9,360 n miles, and an endurance of 30 days.

PT PAL outlines weapons fit for Philippine Navy SSVs - IHS Jane's 360

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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

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*Air Force looking for more advanced fighter aircraft*
*Philippine News Agency *
*August 18, 2015*

Despite the “air-to-air” capabilities of its South Korean-made F/A-50 “Fighting Eagle” jet aircraft, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) still has its sights on acquiring a more advanced and capable jet fighter. This was announced by PAF chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado in an interview Monday.

“The aircraft that we’ll be getting, while it has the capability to intercept and engage in air-to-air (mission) is still a transition aircraft, and hopefully in the next few years we will come up with a more advanced aircraft,” he added.

“No schedule yet because we are taking it one step at a time considering the limitations in the our budget, the limitations in our resources, so we are taking these things one step at a time but for sure we are moving forward, we are soaring high with our development as we continue to pursue the course of the Air Force Transformation Roadmap and AFP Modernization Program,” he added.

Under its Flight Plan 2028, the PAF intends to acquire and commission 12 multirole fighters (MRF) by 2021 to augment the then existing fleet of South Koren-made F/A-50 jet fighters.

MRF is a combat aircraft which is capable of conducting strike, surveillance and air-to-air superiority missions.

An example of an MRF is the McDonnell Douglas F-18 “Hornet” strike fighter which is being operated by the US and its allies.

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Air Force looking for more advanced fighter aircraft | Ang Malaya Net
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*First Time: Armed Navy AW-109 helicopter lands on BRP Ramon Alcaraz*
*Ruser Mallari *
*August 18, 2015*

A week after the entering service, one of Philippine Navy’s two armed Augustawestland AW-109E helicopters made a landing on BRP Ramon Alcaraz. This was reported through the Navy vessel’s official social networking page.

“Only a few days after its christening, one of the two armed Augusta Westland (AW109) helicopters landed on BRP Ramon Alcaraz for the first time,” says in the post. “The helicopter landing was part of the ship’s Operational Readiness Evaluation (ORE) 2015.”

Two armed Augustawestland AW-109 helicopters formally entered the naval force August 10.

The Navy now has five commissioned AW-109Es, two of which are armed with Rocket Machine Gun Pod system on both sides, comprising of 12.7mm (.50 caliber) machine gun, a NATO Standard 2.75inch/70mm 3-tube rocket launcher and a 400-round machine gun ammunition box.

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First Time: Armed Navy AW-109 helicopter lands on BRP Ramon Alcaraz | Ang Malaya Net
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*Politics and National Security News:*

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*All Philippine military units ordered to be extra vigilant after bombing killed 22 in Thailand*
*Philippine News Agency *
*August 19, 2015 *

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has ordered all its units to be extra vigilant and coordinate closely with their police counterparts to foil a Erawan Shrine style bombing attack from happening in the country. In the mentioned attack, 22 people were killed and 120 others wounded when still unknown bombers targeted the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand last August 17.

“I directed our forces to be extra vigilant and conduct measures to prevent similar incident to occur in our country,” AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Hernando DCA Iriberri said.

“Our efforts are in coordination with the Philippine National Police and other organizations engaged in security services,” he added.

Iriberri said this edict is in line with his orders to make the Philippines inhospitable to all threat groups.

As this develops, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato clarified that there are no indications that similar attacks will take place here.

“There is none as of the moment, but nevertheless, the Chief-of-Staff has ordered our troops to be extra vigilant, this means we will just increase our (security) activities and taskings, ” he stressed.

Detoyato said this means military units must be on the lookout “for any indicator, or indications or any relevant information that must be pursued.”

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All Philippine military units ordered to be extra vigilant after bombing killed 22 in Thailand | Ang Malaya Net
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*15 Abu Sayyaf terrorists killed near MNLF stronghold*
*Philippine News Agency *
*August 20, 2015*

Fifteen Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits were reportedly killed during an encounter with Joint Task Group Sulu units at Sitio Marang, Barangay Buanza, Indanan town, Sulu Wednesday afternoon. Joint Task Group Sulu commander Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado said the encounter took place at 5:25 p.m.

He added that troopers from 1st Scout Ranger Battalion under Lt. Col. Eugene Boquio were conducting “focused military operations” in the area when they encountered an estimated 80 to 100 brigands under ASG sub-leaders Yasser Igasan and Alhabsy Misaya.

The encounter scene is near a known Moro National Liberation Front stronghold where Nur Misuari is allegedly staying.

And in the issuing firefight, 15 ASG bandits were killed with no losses sustained by the government side.

Artillery fire was also provided to government troops.

Arrojado said that five of the slain ASGs were recovered along with three firearms.

Pursuit and scouring operations are ongoing as this posting.Many of the bandits are believed to be wounded in the encounter.

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15 Abu Sayyaf terrorists killed near MNLF stronghold | Ang Malaya Net
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## pr1v4t33r

Indonesia's Aceh an example of peace for Philippines' Mindanao

On Saturday (Aug 15), the Indonesian province of Aceh marked the 10th anniversary of a peace agreement signed between separatists and the Indonesian government. The Philippine central government is hoping for a similar ending with separatists in the Mindanao region.

read more: _Indonesia's Aceh an example of peace for Philippines' Mindanao - Channel NewsAsia_

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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> Indonesia's Aceh an example of peace for Philippines' Mindanao
> 
> On Saturday (Aug 15), the Indonesian province of Aceh marked the 10th anniversary of a peace agreement signed between separatists and the Indonesian government. The Philippine central government is hoping for a similar ending with separatists in the Mindanao region.
> 
> read more: _Indonesia's Aceh an example of peace for Philippines' Mindanao - Channel NewsAsia_



no offense but the aceh is too saudi for us


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> no offense but the aceh is too saudi for us



Still, I would still prefer Indonesia's suggestion than what Malaysia's suggestion.


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## pr1v4t33r

Zero_wing said:


> no offense but the aceh is too saudi for us





Cossack25A1 said:


> Still, I would still prefer Indonesia's suggestion than what Malaysia's suggestion.




No one suggest philippines to copy Aceh for mindanao. The report only show Aceh as an example that peace process after decedes of rebel war can be achieved. 10 years of peace in Aceh today has dramatically improve their social, economic and political condition. So when Philippines government finalize the Bangsa moro basic law, their first consideration should be the prosperity of the mindanao people. How this peace process can help to accelerate the economic and social development there.


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## Cossack25A1

pr1v4t33r said:


> No one suggest philippines to copy Aceh for mindanao. The report only show Aceh as an example that peace process after decedes of rebel war can be achieved. 10 years of peace in Aceh today has dramatically improve their social, economic and political condition. So when Philippines government finalize the Bangsa moro basic law, their first consideration should be the prosperity of the mindanao people. How this peace process can help to accelerate the economic and social development there.



I see. 

Well one idea of the Bangsamoro deal is to improve the Moro society economically and socially but for political considerations, I don't trust Malaysia.


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## pr1v4t33r

Cossack25A1 said:


> I see.
> 
> Well one idea of the Bangsamoro deal is to improve the Moro society economically and socially but for political considerations, I don't trust Malaysia.




Indeed, i agree. That's why this report was brought up recently. While most of us will agree that the peace process would greatly benefit the mindanao people, there's still some major block lingers.

1st, the battle to finalized and legalized the Bangsa Moro basic law in the congress.
2nd, there're disunity among the rebel groups to accept and move the peace process forward.

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## bdslph

as far i saw the news the BBL is not going to pass and there is new bill BAR that is less then ARMM
Marcos has screwed it well 
i dont think there will be peace soon


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## bdslph

buying too much advance missiles and submarine is a plan i think but not too soon 
it will be premature to do it now 

i disagree with the armor vehicles AFP are getting the m113 those are old and not fit for protection of the solider


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## pr1v4t33r

bdslph said:


> i disagree with the armor vehicles AFP are getting the m113 those are old and not fit for protection of the solider



Philippines defence industry can try to cooperate with PINDAD to join develop Anoa2 armored vehicles for philippine army. We can work out some offset scheme so that all the additional, modification and future maintenance work will be done independently in Philippines. For new build armored vehicle, the price definitely much more affordable than the western build such as VAB with similar capability.





and much more...

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## prima99

i am hoping for the Philippines to join for future Military Cooperation with Indonesia. we could have wait for some time until the Kfx/Ifx project finished, then i hope there will be cooperation for the Pfx (Philippines Fighter Experiment) either with Indonesia or with Korea.

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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* Philippines can withstand impact of yuan slide – DOF *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 24, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines should be able to withstand the impact of China’s yuan devaluation due to the country’s strong economy, Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said.

“The exit of portfolio investments will lead to a temporary slide in the peso, the PSEi (Philippine Stock Exchange index) and the local bond markets,” Beltran, chief economist at the Department of Finance, said in an e-mail.

“The markets will recover as the strength of the Philippine economy with its substantial current account surplus and fiscal space will offset the adverse impact of these activities,” he said.

The Philippines’ current account surplus hit a record high $12.6 billion in 2014, up from $11.4 billion in 2013. The current account surplus, an indicator of an economy’s health, shows a country’s exports and imports of goods and services, net income abroad, and net current transfers.

China’s intervention on its yuan came following the sustained growth slowdown in the world’s largest economy. Analysts believe the move could boost China’s trade activities and help lift economic growth.

“The uncertainties engendered by the CNY (Chinese yuan) devaluation is just a temporary phenomenon which will fade into the background as the Chinese economy tries to revive its economy in the face of slowdown,” Beltran said.

“The CNY devaluation will revive Chinese exports and this will benefit Philippine exports which are inputs to Chinese production,” he added.

China was the Philippines’ third largest export market last year following Japan and the US. The Philippines shipped $8.03 billion worth of commodities in 2014 to China, up 14 percent over 2013 levels.

At the same time, China was the Philippines’ largest source of imports last year with $9.57 billion.

Beltran further said while the Philippines would be able to easily shrug off the ill-effects of a China devaluation, other Asian countries especially those with stronger trade ties with China may be less fortunate.

“Some of our neighbors will not be as lucky. But since the fundamentals of Asian economies are relatively strong, they can easily bounce back from any slowdown,” Beltran said.

“Asian countries have accumulated adequate buffers that will enable them to ride through the storm,” he said.

Other Asian currencies fell from the shock of China’s devaluation and analysts cautioned a competitive devaluation may occur as economies strive to make their exports cheaper.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch, in a report late last week, noted concerns for the region stem from the fact that the devaluation came on top of China’s deflation and Asia’s sluggish exports.

The bank said the move contributed to the weakening of export competitiveness in Asia and also in key markets such as US and Europe.

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Philippines can withstand impact of yuan slide – DOF | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Philippine economy picks up speed in second quarter, says IMF *
*By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star) 
Updated August 24, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the Philippine economy likely picked up speed in the second quarter of the year after slowing down in the first quarter on weak global demand and lack of government spending.

IMF resident representative Shanaka Jayanath Peiris said the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew slightly faster in the second quarter due to improved spending by the Aquino administration.

“We would expect the economy to have picked up slightly in the second quarter from the first quarter level on improving government spending disbursements and bottoming out of the export decline, although manufacturing activity remained weak and may have dragged down growth,” Peiris said.

The Philippines recorded a 5.2 percent GDP growth in the first quarter of the year from 5.6 percent in the same quarter last year on the back of anemic spending caused by delays in the implementation of much-needed infrastructure projects.

The government is set to announce the country’s GDP growth figure for the second quarter on Thursday.

Last July, the IMF revised downwards the country’s GDP growth forecast to 6.2 percent based on the July World Economic Outlook (WEO) compared to 6.7 percent based on the April WEO as it lowered its global growth forecast amid the slow US economic recovery.

The IMF releases its WEO report during April and in September or October of every year. An updated WEO is also released every January and July of each year.

“The IMF’s GDP forecast for 2015 is 6.2 percent, therefore we expect the economy to gradually pick up through the year from 5.2 percent in the first quarter 2015,” Peiris said.

For the second half, he said the country’s GDP would gain more traction on recovering global demand and higher government expenditures.

“The second half of 2015 is anticipated to be stronger than the first half as global demand recovers and government spending accelerates further,” Peiris said.

Economic managers see GDP expanding between seven and eight percent this year.

The Philippines missed its GDP growth target of between 6.5 and 7.5 percent as the economy expanded only 6.1 percent last year from 7.2 percent in 2013.

IMF sees the country’s economic expansion picking up to 6.5 percent instead of 6.3 percent next year on the back of higher spending.

“Growth expected to accelerate further in 2016 to 6.5 as the budget deficit widens to the targeted two percent of GDP and in line with potential growth,” he said.

The IMF slashed its global growth forecast this year to 3.3 percent instead of 3.5 percent. This year’s revised forecast was also lower compared to the 3.4 percent global growth registered last year.

It said the crisis and Greece would have marginal effect on the global economy but was mum on whether the stock market meltdown in China would drag down the global economy. The devaluation of the Chinese yuan also emerged as another factor that could hurt global growth.

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Philippine economy picks up speed in second quarter, says IMF | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* CA upholds tax exemption of Pinoy employees in ADB *
 By Zinnia B. dela Peña* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 24, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Court of Appeals has junked the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s appeal which sought the reversal of an earlier decision that upheld the exemption of Filipino employees of the Asian Development Bank from payment of income taxes.

In a decision, the appellate court said the BIR should have elevated its case to the Supreme Court as required under Rule 45 of the Rules of Civil Procedure.

The BIR appealed the ruling of the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court Branch 213 Judge Carlos Valenzuela which nullified BIR revenue memorandum circular 31-2013 for being issued with no legal basis and/or without due process of law.

The circular was used as basis for the BIR to run after the supposed tax deficiencies of ADB employees.

The Mandaluyong RTC ruling was in response to the case filed by ADB employees Erwin Salaveria and Portia Gonzales who were slapped with tax evasion cases by the BIR for their failure to file their 2012 income tax returns in violation of the Tax Code.

The circular states that Filipinos employed by foreign governments, embassies, diplomatic missions and several international organizations including the ADB, are not exempted from paying income taxes.

The BIR cited the agreement between the ADB and the Philippine government that only officers and staff of the regional development bank shall be exempt from Philippine income tax.

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CA upholds tax exemption of Pinoy employees in ADB | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* MSME loans reach P1.8B *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 24, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Total loans approved by banks to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) under a credit enhancement scheme reached P1.8 billion over the past seven years, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported over the weekend.

Of the total amount, the BSP said P1.5 billion have been released to 14,591 beneficiaries of the Credit Surety Fund (CSF) program as of end June this year.

The BSP initiated the CSF Program in August 2008 as a credit innovation designed to improve the credit worthiness of MSMEs that cannot access bank credit due to lack of acceptable collaterals and credit information.

The CSF, through the issuance of a surety agreement, allows cooperatives and businessmen with viable business plans but limited capital to obtain loans from banks even in the absence of hard collaterals.

The program has been established in 30 provinces and 13 cities nationwide.

The BSP is set to launch the CSF program in the cities of Malaybalay and Valencia in Bukidnon today and tomorrow bringing to 43 the total number of CSFs nationwide.

Malaybalay and Valencia CSFs are expected to stimulate more economic activities in their respective localities ushering in job opportunities to increase household income.

A total of P2.2 million has been pledged by nine cooperatives, while the Malaybalay city government has committed P5 million for the CSF program.

On the other hand, the Valencia city government has pledged P2 million while 12 cooperatives committed P2.2 million for the credit enhancement program.

The BSP is scheduled to launch the program in Nueva Ecija next month.

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MSME loans reach P1.8B | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

*Economy crawls to 5.6% growth in Q2 *
By Ted Torres and Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 28, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine economy crawled to a 5.6 percent growth in the second quarter, falling below the government’s target, but remains on track to sustain a high growth trajectory in the next quarters, the country’s chief economic planner said yesterday.

This brought the first semester GDP growth at 5.3 percent, which would need to accelerate in the second half to hit the government’s seven- to eight-percent growth target for 2015.

“Amid ongoing events in the global economy that may affect the country, the quality and the rate of current growth of the Philippine economy give us some assurance that, with greater vigilance and persistence in pursuing economic and governance reforms, we can withstand the volatile markets overseas, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

The second quarter growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) is an improvement from the five percent pace in the first quarter – a three-year low – but slower compared to the 6.4 percent expansion a year earlier.

“Realistically, it would seem that a six-percent full year GDP growth would be better, since we have to grow an average 6.5 percent just to stay within the six percent growth,” Balisacan said in a press briefing yesterday.

“As one of the countries with a respectable growth compared to other emerging Asian economies, the Philippines remains an attractive market and investment destination. Our economic fundamentals are still strong,” he said.

Jeff Ng, economist at Standard Chartered Bank, said the GDP expanded 1.8 percent quarter-on-quarter in the second quarter compared to a flat growth in the first quarter, but would have to grow between 6.7 percent and 7.7 percent in the second half to achieve the revised growth target of six percent to 6.5 percent.

The country now ranks third among the fastest-growing economies in Asia, behind China and Vietnam, Balisacan noted.

He attributed the poor performance of the economy mainly to the El Nino phenomenon, which continued to choke the expansion of the agricultural sector.

The agriculture sector contracted 5.9 percent in the first six months, a reversal of the 3.4 percent expansion in the same period last year.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the faster growth in the second quarter from the first quarter gives authorities more space to keep its current monetary policy settings.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the higher GDP growth in the second quarter was supported by solid domestic aggregate demand, particularly consumption and capital formation offsetting the decline in exports.

“With the second quarter number and given the current operating environment, we can expect economic performance that is still strong, albeit more modest than the government’s full year target. With this outturn, there may be no need for any immediate recalibration of monetary policy settings,” he said.

He added the BSP would continue to monitor external developments after the global stock market rout last Monday, the impending interest rate hike the US Federal Reserve, the debt crisis in Greece, the global economic slowdown, among others.

“We will also remain watchful of global developments to see how these would affect domestic growth and inflation dynamics,” the BSP chief said.

The BSP’s Monetary Board has kept key policy rates unchanged since September last year. The overnight borrowing rate is pegged at four percent while the overnight lending rate is at six percent.

Meanwhile, local and foreign business groups lauded the local economy’s ability to withstand a global economic meltdown but questioned the government’s ability to accelerate growth moving forward.

The country’s business community was generally satisfied with the 5.6 percent GDP growth in the second quarter which was lower than what the government was expecting.

Makati Business Club chairman Ramon del Rosario said the second quarter GDP growth was realized in spite of weak performance in agriculture and exports and was spurred by welcome increases in public spending.

“It is hoped that continued healthy public spending especially in the context of the coming 2016 elections and stronger holiday spending and OFW remittances will give our economy enough of a boost to offset the effects of El Nino and the economic weakness of major countries to still allow us to achieve a full year growth of 6-6.5 percent,” Del Rosario said.

“GDP growth slightly lower than expected but okay in the light of worldwide economic downturns,” Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) president Francisco Del Rosario Jr. added.

MAP’s Del Rosario, however, said the country should expect further roadblocks ahead especially with the coming elections, China’s economic slowdown, and the capital market’s uncertainties.

“Philippines should continue public-private-partnership (PPP) projects, removing foreign investment restrictions, pass Freedom of Information bill and form Department of Information and Communications Technology for IT development. Also justice system should be strengthened and corruption cases finalized. Long term development plan should be completed and institutionalized,” he said.

This was supported by Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. president Dan Lachica, who said the local economy may not get better given global economic conditions such as currency devaluation of China and weaker economies of developed nations.

Lachica said exports, one of the main drivers of the economy, may also soften.

Foreign business groups, meanwhile, believe the future is bleak for the local economy if no immediate actions are taken on infrastructure development and public spending.

“The GDP growth is lower than expected and reflects government’s continuing delay in getting infrastructure projects implemented. Another issue is the low level of foreign direct investment due to the restrictive policies. If growth is to accelerate in the second half, these issues need to be addressed now,” said Henry Schumacher, vice president for external affairs at the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

For John Forbes, senior adviser at the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the second quarter Philippine economic growth was not surprising as most economies globally are going down.

“So in that sense, it could have been worse. On the other hand, the government can do more. What has to be done it more government spending. Governments have the power to spend in order to stimulate economy. It’s not that the government in the Philippines has inadequate funds, but there is an unwillingness to have a larger deficit and there is a weakness in the bureaucracy to push more and more projects out,” Forbes said.

“So now, I’m worried about three things. One is weak government spending, second is the El Nino and third is the country getting very bad reputation internationally for port congestion, airport congestion, and traffic congestion which can be fatal to GDP growth,” he added.

-----
Economy crawls to 5.6% growth in Q2 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Index treks back to 7,000-point level *
 By Iris Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 28, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Stock Exchange index PSEi continued to recover yesterday as investors took their cue from a Wall St. rally and cheered the latest economic growth figures.

“The rebound of the market is a welcome relief amidst the uncertainties in the global markets. The second quarter growth numbers highlight the resilience of the economy despite challenges abroad and we hope that investors continue to look at the Philippines as a viable investment,” PSE chairman Jose T. Pardo said.

The main composite index surged 154.17 points to close at 7,022.09, while the broader All Shares index gained 74.93 points to finish at 4,006.37.

Joseph Roxas, president of Eagle Equities said the rally in Wall St. was a bigger factor that pushed share prices up than the latest economic growth figures.

“That (GDP) takes a backseat to wild gyrations in international markets,” Roxas said.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 619.07 points to settle at16,285.51, while the Shanghai Composite index was up 5.34 percent to 3,083.591.

Meanwhile, the PSE said there were no issues encountered yesterday in the trading terminals. The PSE halted trading on Monday and Tuesday as it observed data transmission issues in the front end terminals used by the brokers.

“The PSE has put in place fixes to the technical issues it encountered and we have seen trading operating normally. Rest assured, the Exchange continues to monitor the situation,” PSE chief operating officer Roel A. Refran said.

Value turnover rose to P14.586 billion. Advancers beat decliners, 139 against 45, while 34 stocks were left unchanged.

-----
Index treks back to 7,000-point level | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Inflation seen still below 1% in August *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 28, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) sees inflation falling below one percent in August due to cheaper power rates as well as the steady decline in oil prices.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said inflation is likely to settle between 0.2 and one percent in August after easing to a new record low of 0.8 percent in July.

“August inflation could be within 0.2 to one percent range, as continued downward adjustments in power rates and domestic oil prices could temper inflation in the month,” he said.

He added that base effects could also be at play.

Early this month, the BSP lowered its 2015 inflation forecast to 1.9 percent instead of the 2.1 percent projection made in June on the back of declining food and oil prices.

The central bank, however, retained the 2.5 percent inflation forecast for next year.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Tetangco said inflation would likely pick up and fall within the two to four percent target of the BSP next year.

“For next year, however, we see inflation moving up to within target. Given the rebound in the second quarter GDP from the first quarter and the lags of monetary policy, there may be no need as yet to adjust policy,” he added.

The BSP chief explained monetary authorities would continue to monitor domestic and external developments such as the prolonged El Niño, the impending interest rate increase by the US Federal Reserve, the global economic slowdown, the stock market crash in China, among others.

“We are on the lookout for developments in oil prices, manifestations of El Niño, and financial market volatility as part of our surveillance to see if there is a need to adjust the stance of policy,” Tetangco said.

ING Bank Manila chief economist Joey Cuyegkeng said monetary authorities are likely to put on hold any interest rate adjustment in the near term.

“Monetary policy settings are likely to remain steady in the very near term while BSP remains focused on possible risks to inflation and financial sector stability,” Cuyegkeng said.

Cuyegkeng said the BSP is likely to report a modest liquidity growth for July amid the robust demand for corporate debt issuances and steady benchmark government yields.

He said upside inflation risks from El Niño continue to preoccupy BSP assessment and the central bank’s inflation outlook over the policy horizon.

“Deflation risk though is lurking as oil prices remain soft and near seven year low. Global commodity prices have also softened with China’s economic slowdown,” Cuyegkeng added.

-----
Inflation seen still below 1% in August | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

*
===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*Army prepares issuance of new, improved rifles*
*Ruser Mallari *
*August 27, 2015*

The Philippine Army said that it is preparing to issue to its troops the newly procured and improved 5.56mm R4A3 carbine rifles from Remington. The issuance will be done as soon as the required inspections and tests are finished, the Army said in a statement.

“The Army has procured a total of 56,843 carbine rifles as part of its capability upgrade program. Out of this total procurement, 44,186 rifles are now on-hand of which 24,300 are now ready for issuance and 19,866 still has to undergo ballistic test for record purposes,” the Army said.

The ballistic test is being conducted by Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory using Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS).

According to Army, IBIS is a computer-based system which has the capability to capture, store, rapidly compare and retrieve digital images of cartridge casings (shells) and bullets for the purpose of connecting or tracing this to the guns from which these were fired.

“With these new upgraded weapons, the Philippine Army is on the right track of transforming into a modern Army that our country deserves to have,” the Army said. Procurement of the rifles is under the Revised AFP Modernization Act under RA 10349 signed in December 2012 seeking to develop a credible strategic Armed Force and the professionalization of the AFP.

-----
Army prepares issuance of new, improved rifles | Ang Malaya Net
-----



*USPACOM commander receives thorough briefing from West PHL Sea military commander*
*Philippine News Agency *
*August 27, 2015*

A “meeting of the minds,” this was what the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) called the visit of US Pacific Command head Admiral Harry Harris to Western Command (WESCOM) headquarters in Puerto Princesa, Palawan Thursday. WESOM’s area-of-responsibility includes islands of Palawan and Kalayaan, including the disputed Spratly Islands group.

“Admiral Harris wanted to be appraised of the situation on the ground and follow on a previous meeting with Vice Admiral Alex Lopez, Commander of WESCOM who he met earlier in Singapore during the Shangri-La Dialogue,” said AFP spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla.

Harris arrived in the Philippines Wednesday and visited ranking Filipino military and political leaders making his trip to WESCOM headquarters Thursday. “Admiral Lopez afforded him a thorough organizational and situational briefing on his command and its area-of-operation,” he added.

In the same vein, the US official’s stopover at Western Command was dubbed by AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Hernando DCA Iriberri as a “sort of area familiarization for the new Commander of the Pacific Command.”

He summed Harris’ visit as a great opportunity to further enhance a long lasting and enduring alliance.

It was also in furtherance of a collective effort at ensuring regional security and stability as well as leveling of expectations.

-----
USPACOM commander receives thorough briefing from West PHL Sea military commander | Ang Malaya Net
-----

*
===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*National Development News:*

-----

*Philippine Marines opens training for civilians: Be measured physically and psychologically*
*Grace Gonzales *
*August 27, 2015*

The Philippine Marines is opening its training for civilians to have a taste of how Marines train. “Be measured physically and psychologically by the challenging obstacle that is both man-made and natural,” said LTCOL Stepehn Cabanlet, Philippine Navy(Marines) in a statement.

The racing with obstacles event, KARERA LAKAS PILIPINAS: The 2nd Commandant’s Cup, to be held on October 25, 2015 will simulate ‘marine life in the operational area’. The rare event will be held at the training ground of the Philippine Marine Corps in Marine Base Gregorio Lim, Ternate Cavite.

Interested civilians can choose between Astig and Bangis categories which are 5km and 10km run with obstacle courses, respectively. Registration fees are 500 pesos and 750 pesos. Races are also open for the military.

“Funds raised in this event shall be used for the MARFIT (Strength and Conditioning Program) as well as Wounded Warrior’s Recovery and Reintegration Program,” LTCOL Cabanlet said.

“A serendipitous and unsung hero of our country is hoping for your support. These soldiers has given immense sacrifice for our country to protect our freedom especially now with what’s happening in Palawan and some areas in Mindanao. We believe that the strength of the nation is the people itself,” he noted.

Registrations can be done online or onsite at Marine Corps Special Service Office (MCSSO), Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City during office hours Mondays to Fridays. More details at Karera Lakas Pilipinas | Facebook

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Philippine Marines opens training for civilians: Be measured physically and psychologically | Ang Malaya Net
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Reactions: Like Like:
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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> No one suggest philippines to copy Aceh for mindanao. The report only show Aceh as an example that peace process after decedes of rebel war can be achieved. 10 years of peace in Aceh today has dramatically improve their social, economic and political condition. So when Philippines government finalize the Bangsa moro basic law, their first consideration should be the prosperity of the mindanao people. How this peace process can help to accelerate the economic and social development there.



Ya its option but again its too saudi for us



bdslph said:


> buying too much advance missiles and submarine is a plan i think but not too soon
> it will be premature to do it now
> 
> i disagree with the armor vehicles AFP are getting the m113 those are old and not fit for protection of the solider



They been refurbished


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> They been refurbished



I think what he meant is that we should opt for better vehicles, like the ACV-15 or K200. Though if we opt for either of these vehicle, we should follow what the Argentinians did - they partnered with Germany and made a family of track vehicles based on the Marder AFV; the vehicle is called _*Tanque Argentino Mediano*_.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> I think what he meant is that we should opt for better vehicles, like the ACV-15 or K200. Though if we opt for either of these vehicle, we should follow what the Argentinians did - they partnered with Germany and made a family of track vehicles based on the Marder AFV; the vehicle is called _*Tanque Argentino Mediano*_.



Ya if we have 10 trillion budget why not? for now we have 25 billion so we have to share with three major branches and general HQ of the AFP we have to make due if it was up to me we be buying Patria's all the variants and Kaplan AFV with Israeli and european weapons and have them majority license builded here. But the sad thing is we don't have the budget not unless we stop funding education and health care and the other areas of concern what are we some of the middle east countries or north korea?


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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Ya if we have 10 trillion budget why not? for now we have 25 billion so we have to share with three major branches and general HQ of the AFP we have to make due if it was up to me we be buying Patria's all the variants and Kaplan AFV with Israeli and european weapons and have them majority license builded here. But the sad thing is we don't have the budget not unless we stop funding education and health care and the other areas of concern what are we some of the middle east countries or north korea?



While the AFP should buy new ground assets, the focus should be more on the Navy and Air Force as these branches are dire need for new equipments.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> While the AFP should buy new ground assets, the focus should be more on the Navy and Air Force as these branches are dire need for new equipments.



Well to tell you there is nothing wrong buying second had weapons we just have to spend money upgrading and refurbishing them until we can buy or produce our own even license copies of weapons systems the point is make due and blame those useless morons in congress particularly the house of rep they are the worse.


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

 
* Debt payments up 10% to P325 B in H1 *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 31, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine debt payments grew 10 percent with principal payments rising in the first half of the year, Bureau of Treasury (BTr) data showed.

Debt payments reached P324.81 billion in the first half of the year, P29.2 billion higher from P295.62 billion in same period last year.

Data from the BTr showed principal payments climbed 24 percent to P168.69 billion from P135.88 billion, while interest payments fell two percent to P156.12 billion from P159.74 billion.

Almost three-fourths of the principal payments were made for domestic borrowings at P124.14 billion, while the rest were for debt from foreign sources at P44.55 billion.

The same trend was observed for interest payments as bulk or P108.91 billion were for domestic debt and P47.21 billion were made for foreign liabilities.

For June alone, debt payments were unchanged at P23.87 billion from the same period last year.

BTr data showed interest payments during the month slid two percent to P19.20 billion from P19.62 billion a year ago.

Interest payments for domestic borrowings decreased three percent to P15.74 billion from P16.15 billion, while those made for foreign debt also declined to P3.45 billion from P3.46 billion.

Principal payments in June grew 10 percent to P4.67 billion from P4.25 billion last year. All of these payments were made for foreign borrowings.

The government borrows to augment revenue collections and to fund social services and economic development programs and projects.

Latest data showed outstanding government debt rose three percent to P5.82 trillion in June from P5.65 trillion in the same month last year.

This was made up of P3.84 trillion in loans from domestic creditors and P1.98 trillion from external sources.

-----
Debt payments up 10% to P325 B in H1 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Banks cut Philippine GDP forecast to below 6% *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated August 31, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Investment banks slashed the country’s economic growth forecast to below six percent despite picking up in the second quarter of the year.

Daniel Martin, senior Asia economist at Capital Economics, said the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is likely to expand by 5.7 percent instead of six percent this year after the disappointing data for the second quarter.

The country’s GDP grew 5.6 percent in the second quarter of the year from 6.4 percent in the same quarter last year due to weak global demand and lack of government spending.

The GDP expansion in the second quarter was faster than the revised five-percent growth penned in the first quarter amid the improving government spending and strong domestic consumption.

Barclays regional economist Raul Bajoria said the British-owned investment bank lowered its GDP growth forecast for the Philippines to 5.5 percent instead of 6.5 percent this year due to slower than expected government spending and weaker external demand.

“Overall, despite the cut in our growth forecast, we expect the Philippines to continue to outperform the other Asean economies, with the country set to be the fastest growing economy among the major Asean economies for a third consecutive year in 2015,” Bajoria said.

Standard Chartered Bank economist for Southeast Asia Jeff Ng said the Philippines is on its way to recording a 5.7 percent GDP growth this year and six percent next year.

“We believe the economy is on track to grow 5.7 percent this year and six percent next year. The domestic economy remains solid. Philippines’ household consumption outperformed that of other Asean economies over the past four to five years,” Ng said.

On the other hand, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) scaled down its GDP growth forecast to six percent instead of 6.4 percent this year despite the expected pick up in government spending in the second half.

Metrobank analyst Pauline May Ann Revillas said higher government spending would help sustain the growth in investment spending and would also further boost consumption spending.

She added the services and industry sectors are still expected to post solid growths in the coming quarters while the agri sector is seen to remain weak amid soft food prices and the impact of the El Niño phenomenon.

“Risks to the domestic economy remain amid the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, uneven global economy, and impact of financial market volatilities,” she said.

The Philippines recorded a GDP growth of 5.3 percent in the first half of the year, slower compared to 6.4 percent in the same period last year. This was way below the GDP growth of seven to eight percent penned by economic managers for 2015.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan earlier said the country’s GDP growth would likely settle between six percent and 6.5 percent this year.

-----
Banks cut Philippine GDP forecast to below 6% | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



pr1v4t33r said:


> Philippines defence industry can try to cooperate with PINDAD to join develop Anoa2 armored vehicles for philippine army. We can work out some offset scheme so that all the additional, modification and future maintenance work will be done independently in Philippines. For new build armored vehicle, the price definitely much more affordable than the western build such as VAB with similar capability.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and much more...



If this is to be considered by the Philippine government, then we can finally complement or replace the V-150 vehicles that is still in service after local AFV designs were not approved.


----------



## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* Texas Instruments undertakes $10-M expansion of Clark facility *
 By Ding Cervantes* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – Texas Instruments Philippines, the biggest semiconductor and electronics manufacturer in the country, is planning to invest $10 million to expand its distribution center at its facility in Clark Freeport Zone.

This was announced by Mohammad Yunus, president and managing director of TI Philippines, during the groundbreaking ceremonies last Thursday of the expansion of its product-distribution center in Clark.

“The groundbreaking of the new facility is a celebration of what government agencies and industry can achieve together, not only for the success of the corporate enterprise but also for the success of the country,” Yunus said.

Yunus said last quarter, TI shipped 1.5 billion semiconductor units, and this quarter, TI would ship about two billion semiconductor units.

“Our current product distribution center is overflowing. We do not have enough space to do an efficient job in distributing,” he said.

The new product distribution center is designed to be a state of the art storage retrieval system with high levels of automation, and to have the highest level of workplace ergonomics, Yunus said.

“We are currently looking at two billion units, which could be a new record for any Texas Instruments sites anywhere in the world,” Yunus said.

TI already has an investment of $1 billion for its manufacturing facilities in Clark.

During the groundbreaking ceremonies, Philippine Economic Zone Authority director general Lilia De Lima cited Clark Development Corp. (CDC) president Arthur Tugade for making Clark Freeport Zone one of the country’s strong investment and promotions destinations.

“I’ve been in this job for more than 20 years as PEZA director general and I’ve seen presidents of CDC come and go, but the current one is the best,” she said.

As of June this year, the actual employment in Clark Freeport Zone was recorded at close to 80,000 in 781 registered enterprises, including some government agencies.

-----
Texas Instruments undertakes $10-M expansion of Clark facility | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Japan, Singapore eye Philippines for pork, duck supply *
 By Czeriza Valencia* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Japanese and Singaporean buyers are considering to source pork and duck from the Philippines as the country remains free from animal diseases, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said.

In a recent interview, Alcala said at least two groups of Japanese buyers have expressed interest in importing pork and duck from the Philippines as several prefectures in Japan continue to have cases of foot-and-mouth disease as recently as six months ago.

“They (buyers) have been asking me if we are clear to export chilled pork and peking duck. We have been discussing this. Our production systems are not yet that integrated so if we can start with a small volume it is already a good start,” Alcala said.

He said local producers need to conform with the stringent import requirements of Japan.

“We do not export pork to Japan yet so we would need to conform to the necessary tests. We need to work fast,” said Alcala.

The Philippines currently supplies chicken yakitori nuggets to Japan.

These buyers have also visited La Trinidad, Benguet to look at the possibility of sourcing vegetables, Alcala said.

A group from Singapore has also expressed interest in buying pork from the Philippines, the DAR chief added.

“Singapore has a small population but because of tourism, it is a good market,” Alcala said.

The Philippines remains free from animal diseases that have caused devastation to the livestock and poultry industries of neighboring Asian countries such as avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

The World Organization for Animal Health has recognized the Philippines as free from FMD without vaccination as well as from goat plague.

Alcala attributed this to the proactive monitoring of the animal health situation in the country as well as to the promotion of Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP), and improving animal health services.

Both FMD and goat plague are economically damaging animal diseases that could lead to significant production losses.

FMD is a disease that primarily affects cattle and hogs but can also affect small ruminants. Humans may be infected though rarely. It is characterized by the onset of high fever in infected animals followed by the occurrence of blisters inside the mouth and on the feet.

It causes rapid weight loss and reduction of milk production among infected animals.

Goat plague, on the other hand, also affects sheep but does not affect humans. It is characterized by fever in the infected animal and is accompanied by discharge form the eyes and nose which can form a crust.

The infected animal may have coughing fits and foul-smelling breath; it may also suffer from diarrhea. The general weakness experienced by the animal usually leads to death.

The disease is spread through excretion of infected animals such as tears, and mucus from the nose and droplets ejected with cough.

-----
Japan, Singapore eye Philippines for pork, duck supply | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* More investment banks slash Philippine growth targets *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star)*
*Updated September 1, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - More investment banks have lowered their economic growth forecasts for the Philippines despite the slight uptick in the second quarter of the year.

DBS Bank of Singapore slashed its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the Philippines to 5.7 percent from the original target of six percent this year.

“The full-year GDP growth may only reach 5.7 percent versus our earlier projection of six percent,” DBS said in a research note.

However, the investment bank is not ruling out a six percent GDP growth this year depending on the eventual pace of fiscal spending for the rest of the year.

Lack of government spending and weak global demand pulled down the GDP growth to 5.3 percent in the first half of the year from 6.4 percent in the same period last year.

Economic growth, however, picked up slightly to 5.6 percent in the second quarter of the year from the revised five percent in the first quarter amid the improved public spending.

“Looking ahead, downside risks to GDP growth remain prevalent, mainly on the external front,” the bank said.

Global financial markets have been rattled by external shocks including the stock market rout last Aug. 24, the devaluation of the Chinese yuan last Aug. 10, the impending interest rate increase by the US Federal Reserve, among others.

On the other hand, ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said the country’s GDP would likely average 6.3 percent in the second half of the year from 5.3 percent in the first half.

“We retain our forecast growth of 5.9 percent in 2015 with a 6.3 percent second half GDP growth,” he added.

Cuyegkeng said domestic demand would continue to power overall growth with expected acceleration in government spending and construction activity.

Likewise, he explained the growth in household spending is likely to remain strong at around six percent in the second half of the year.

Government economic managers have set a GDP growth target of between seven and eight percent this year but Socioeconomic planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said growth could settle at six to 6.5 percent this year.

Both DBS and ING Bank expect the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep its monetary policy stance unchanged for the rest of the year.

“Monetary policy settings are likely to remain steady in the very near term while BSP remains focused on possible risks to inflation and financial sector stability,” Cuyegkeng said.

The BSP has kept interest rates on hold since September last year amid steady GDP growth and easing inflation.

The BSP has penned an inflation target of between two and four percent but it averaged 1.9 percent in the first seven months of the year after easing to a record low of 0.8 percent in July.

-----
More investment banks slash Philippine growth targets | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


----------



## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

*The Philippines and South Korea are the big winners from China's slowdown*
*September 2, 2015 - 1:21AM *
*William Pesek*

How panicked were investors last week about China's stock market plunge? Enough to treat the Korean peninsula, a place that was teetering on the brink of war, as a safe haven.

Even as policy makers braced for renewed military confrontation between North and South Korea, the won staged a rally.

It may be time to start counting Korea as a developed nation, rather than an emerging market.

That's made South Korean assets one of the few bright spots in a dark time for emerging markets. On August 24 alone, investors yanked $2.7 trillion out of developing nations, with Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand especially hard hit. It matched the violent September 2008 selloff after Lehman Brothers collapsed.

Back then, Korea was battered so hard that pundits were calling it the "next Iceland" and the "Bear Stearns economy". Now, together with the Philippines, it's one of Asia's only refuges from chaos.

It's not hard to explain why many Asian economies are suffering from China's slowdown. Exporters of commodities, who depended on a humming Chinese market, have especially suffered. But why are there such big outliers among battered emerging markets?


*Less like lemmings*

The answer is that investors are finally basing their decisions less on herd mentality than nuanced, case-by-case analyses.

"Emerging market investors have become a lot savvier," says economist Frederic Neumann of HSBC in Hong Kong.

"Gone are the days where emerging markets were all lumped into one bucket. Today, countries with stronger fundamentals are able to resist the spread of contagion washing over global financial markets."

Along with South Korea and the Philippines, Neumann notes that even some frontier economies, like Vietnam, "have weathered global financial turmoil with apparent ease".

The common link among the success stories is they've got the basics right since Asia's 1997 financial meltdown. They have healthier financial systems, greater transparency, stronger banks, sober national balance sheets, and reasonable current-account deficits.

Malaysia's reckoning, by contrast, is long overdue.

The ringgit is trading near 17-year lows because scandal-plagued Prime Minister Najib Razak cares more about staying in power than modernising the country's unproductive economy.

Meanwhile, Thailand's military junta is undoing much of the progress Bangkok made since the late 1990s in strengthening the rule of law. And for all its gripes that Indonesia is being unfairly lumped in with Asia's laggards, President Joko Widodo's administration is rapidly losing the trust of investors.

While there's still time to win it back, Widodo's first 315 days in office have been a case study in timidity, drift and lost opportunities.


*Korea credible*

Korea, by contrast, is on the "more credible side of the spectrum," says economist Marc Chandler of Brown Brothers Harriman.

Even though China's downshift and US interest rate hikes will eventually make a dent, the won was Asia's top performer last week. Its 2.7 percent gain almost matched the drop in the Chinese yuan since August 11.

Meanwhile, Korean bond yields are falling. It turns out that the world's central banks had it right last year when they boosted their Korean debt holdings. In 2014, they made up 45.4 percent of the foreign-held portion of Korea Treasury bonds, up from 41.8 percent a year earlier.

It may be time to start counting Korea as a developed nation, rather than an emerging market. Korea still faces many challenges, not least of which are its rogue family-run conglomerates. But its macroeconomic performance deserves the recognition it's receiving from investors.

The same goes for the Philippines. Since 2010, President Benigno Aquino has steadily improved his nation's debt position (winning investment-grade ratings in the process), attacked graft and drawn in waves of foreign-direct investment.

Last month, reporters asked Philippine central bank governor Amando Tetangco if he's worried about the spectre of economic crisis haunting Asia at the moment.

"There's a herd mentality," he said, "but there'll be differentiation."

So far, he's been proven right. The country formerly derided as the "sick man of Asia" has been standing its ground amid market chaos.


*Still risks*

Risks abound, of course. While South Korea's economic fundamentals are stable – it's growing at a rate of 2.2 percent with a 3.7 percent jobless rate – its high household debt of $458 billion is a concern.

Manila, for its part, faces an uncertain 2016 election, in which Ferdinand Marcos Jr, son of the dictator who ravaged the nation in the 1970s and 1980s, may make a bid for the presidency. History has shown that emerging markets are often just one bad leader away from relapsing into chaos.

For now, the relative stability washing over Korea and the Philippines underscores that steady leadership and long-term thinking matter. It also shows that global investors are getting better at identifying those factors in Asia.

_*Bloomberg*_

-----
The Philippines and South Korea are the big winners from China's slowdown
-----


----------



## Cossack25A1

*National Development News:*

-----

*MRT prototype assembly begins*
*Kevin Manalo, ABS-CBN News*
*Posted at 09/03/2015 11:33 AM *
*Updated as of 09/03/2015 1:27 PM*

MANILA - After months of deliberation, meetings and approval by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) management, the new train set prototype from the Chinese company CNR Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co. Ltd., has begun its assembly today.

The prototype of three train coaches arrived from the port area and was delivered to the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) depot in trailer trucks.

After the assembly, it will be transferred to the MRT-Line 3 depot in North EDSA and will undergo a series of tests until the end of the year.

DOTC Spokesperson Atty. Michael Sagcal said this is beneficial for both the passengers and the management of MRT as it will make riding the MRT, notorious for frequent breakdowns, more comfortable.

After it passes the series of tests conducted by the MRT engineers, 48 train coaches from CNR Dalian Locomotive will be added to the current 73 available train coaches.

This means that at peak hours on day and night there will be 30 train sets compared to the 20 train sets currently running.

Records show there are 540,000 people who use the MRT Line 3 at peak hours daily but after the approval of the new train sets, the transit system would be able to cater to 900,000 people.

The DOTC hopes that the prototype will be up and ready for testing in the days to come. Overall, DOTC officials are optimistic that this move will improve the transport system in Metro Manila.

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MRT prototype assembly begins | ABS-CBN News
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*
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*

*Business News:*

-----

*DoTC eyes new MRT maintenance provider by January 2016*
*By: Yuji Vincent Gonzales*
*INQUIRER.net*
*07:17 PM September 2nd, 2015*

The deteriorating Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT) will have a new, long-term maintenance provider by January next year, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) said on Wednesday.

DoTC said the procurement of a three-year maintenance contract was unanimously approved by the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) last August 20.

“We were given the go signal by the GPPB last to pursue this mode of negotiated procurement. We’re targeting to award the contract within the year, and to have the new maintenance provider begin its services in January next year,” DoTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said in a statement.

In its request to the GPPB, DoTC cited the “immediate need” for a three-year maintenance provider to upgrade “worn-out facilities” and address other existing problems that haunt the congested railway system, “as well as the general overhaul of train coaches and the replacement of the signalling system.”

“These are essential in order to address the core problems of obsolescence and complete wear-and-tear,” DoTC said.

After two failed attempts to bid out MRT’s maintenance contract and while waiting for GPPB’s approval, DoTC has resorted to the existing six-month multidisciplinary approach, wherein seven different contractors are in charge of maintaining rail tracks and permanent ways, rolling stock (coaches) and depot equipment, power supply and overhead catenary, conveyance systems (elevators and escalators), communications systems, single-ticketing systems, and buildings and facilities.

“The new long-term maintenance provider will take over from these 7 multi-discipline contractors when their services expire in January. In accordance with the GPPB-approved plan, the DoTC has invited several established, well-reputed international expert groups in the railway maintanance industry,” DoTC said.

“This will effectively eliminate the possibility of non- or under-qualified firms from participating in the bid and eventually winning the contract,” it added.

DoTC has blamed the Sobrepeña-owned MRT Holdings Inc. for the sorry state of the MRT, saying that the private owner failed to add train coaches, conduct proper overhauling, and replace rail tracks, among others.

DoTC said the negotiated mode of procurement for the long-term maintenance contract was also approved by the Department of Justice and the National Economic Development Authority. _*Yuji Vincent Gonzales/TVJ *_

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DoTC eyes new MRT maintenance provider by January 2016 | Inquirer Business
-----



*PSE tracks Wall Street gain*
*By: Doris Dumlao-Abadilla*
*Philippine Daily Inquirer*
*04:53 PM September 3rd, 2015*

HE LOCAL stock barometer returned to positive territory on Thursday, tracking an overnight rebound in Wall Street.
Snapping out of a two-day decline, the Philippine Stock Exchange index firmed up by 26.3 points or 0.37 percent to close at 7,098.76.

The gains were led by the services sub-index which advanced by 1.13 percent while the financial, industrial, holding firms and mining/oil counters firmed up by a more modest pace.

The only counter that bucked the day’s upswing was the property sub-index, which fell by 0.77 percent.
Value turnover for the day was thin at P6.4 billion. There were 110 advancers, nearly twice the 59 decliners while 40 stocks were unchanged.

ICTSI led the day’s rebound, rising by 3.37 percent while URC and Semirara both advanced by over 2 percent.

PLDT gained 1.16 percent while GTCAP, SMIC, Meralco, Globe, AGI, Metrobank, JG Summit, BPI, MPI and RLC also contributed modest gains.

Outside of the PSEi, the notable gainers were DoubleDragon (+6.68 percent) and Security Bank (+0.72 percent), which were among the most actively traded stocks for the day.

Bucking the day’s upswing were SMPH, BDO and ALI which all faltered by over 1 percent.

Elsewhere in the region, stock markets traded mostly higher as most investors likewise took their cue from Wall Street.

Meanwhile, China’s financial markets are closed due to a holiday that commemorated victory over Japan during World War II.

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http://business.inquirer.net/198434/pse-tracks-wall-street-gain
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*IMF sees PH growing slower than expected*
*By: Paolo G. Montecillo*
*Philippine Daily Inquirer*
*06:21 AM September 3rd, 2015*

Philippine economic growth is expected to be slower than expected this year following a disappointing first-semester performance and amid threats to stability coming from overseas.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) currently sees Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) rising by 6.2 this year and 6.5 percent in 2016. However, a senior official said the country might fall short of these already-conservative projections.

“The downward revision to the first quarter GDP and somewhat weaker global environment may result in a slightly lower forecast than our original,” said Shanaka Jayaneth Peiris, IMF’s resident representative to the Philippines, said on Wednesday.

Late last month, the government said the economy grew by 5 percent in the first quarter of 2015, slower than the initially reported expansion of 5.2 percent. A separate report showed Philippine GDP growth picked up to reach 5.6 percent in April to June.

Despite the improvement, the first-half performance was still far short of the government’s goal of at least 7 percent for the entire year.

The economy will have to grow by more than 8 percent in the second half of the year for this target to be met.

In an e-mail to reporters, IMF’s Peiris said the Philippine economy remained healthy.

“Strong fundamentals should help cushion the economy from global financial market volatility with exchange rate flexibility serving as a shock absorber and supporting growth,” he said.

He said the country’s steady expansion would be “supported by an acceleration in public spending, a recovery in exports and continued accommodative monetary conditions.”

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IMF sees PH growing slower than expected | Inquirer Business
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*PH stocks reverse early gains, close lower*
* Philippine Daily Inquirer*
*07:12 AM September 2nd, 2015*

The local stock barometer slipped for the first time in four sessions on Tuesday as a sluggish factory gauge out of China weakened regional marts.

Reversing gains in early session, the Philippine Stock Exchange index lost 11.95 points, or 0.17 percent, to close at 7,086.86 in mixed trade.

Across the region, stock markets traded mostly lower as a factory gauge in China fell to a three-year low, aggravating concerns over Asia’s largest economy.

At the local market, the PSEi was led lower by the services and mining/oil counters, which slumped by 2.02 percent and 1.79 percent, respectively. The industrial counter was also sluggish (-0.89 percent).

On the other hand, the property counter rose by 1.3 percent while the financial and holding firm counters also advanced.

Value turnover for the day amounted to P10.3 billion. There were only 63 advancers which were overwhelmed by 110 decliners while 42 stocks were unchanged.

The PSEi was led lower by PLDT, which slumped by 2.86 percent, and ICTSI, which slid by 3.26 percent.

BDO, BPI, JG Summit, AEV and RLC also declined.

On the other hand, AC gained by 2.3 percent while ALI also rose by 1.95 percent. SM, SMPH and MPI all advanced by over 1 percent. Globe, Metrobank and AGI also firmed up.

Outside of the PSEi, Security Bank—which has the highest return on equity among the largest local banks—gained 3.26 percent.*—*_*Doris Dumlao-Abadilla*_

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PH stocks reverse early gains, close lower | Inquirer Business
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*Military and Defense News:*

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*Upgraded APCs from Israel waiting for .50 caliber remote controlled weapons system*
*Philippine News Agency *
*September 2, 2015*

While the six upgraded armored personnel carriers (APCs) from Israel are all ship-shape, they are still to be fitted with .50 caliber-remote controlled weapons system (RCWS). This was stressed by Mechanized Infantry spokesperson Major Filemon Tan in a text message to the PNA on Tuesday. He said the RCWS are still to clear the Bureau of Customs.

“The weapon systems have not arrived in Camp O’Donnell for fitting,” Tan added.

The six APCs were transported to Tarlac last July 8. They arrived in the Philippines last June 18.

The Philippines signed an order for 28 M-113 APCs worth PhP882 million with Israeli defense manufacturer Elbit Systems Ltd. on June 22, 2014.

Fourteen of these vehicles are configured as fire support vehicles, four as infantry fighting vehicles, six as armored personnel carriers, another four as armored recovery units.

Upgrades include installation of 25mm unmanned turrets, 12.7mm (.50 caliber machine guns) RCWS and fire control systems (FCS) for 90mm turrets.

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Upgraded APCs from Israel waiting for .50 caliber remote controlled weapons system | Ang Malaya Net
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## The Asian Arms Race Guy

The Army just loves the M113. Can't blame them--it's the ultimate tracked APC.

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> *MRT prototype assembly begins*




Post pictures, amigo.


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## Cossack25A1

Once I found the pictures.

Though according to the news, it was assembled in a depot for a different line of elevated railways (Manila LRT Line 1 or Green (formerly Yellow) Line), thus I suspect that future trains for the said line will come from China.



Nihonjin1051 said:


> Post pictures, amigo.





The Asian Arms Race Guy said:


> The Army just loves the M113. Can't blame them--it's the ultimate tracked APC.



The PH Army should also consider AIFV or derivatives of it like the South Korean K200 or Turkish ACV-15 (ACV-300).

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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> Post pictures, amigo.



Well these are the ones I found 














Do note that this train prototype for the Manila MRT (Line 3) was assembled in the depot for the Manila LRT Line 1 train, though both rail lines are connected to each other.

The design (particularly the front) is similar to the third generation trains the Manila LRT Line 1 uses (the first generation trains for the said line is from Belgium, the second generation from South Korea and the third from Japan)

The current rolling stock of the Manila MRT (Line 3) is from Czech Republic while this prototype and likely the second generation rolling stock will come from China.

The Manila LRT Line 2 is a different story because it is a heavy rail rapid transport, the only other rapid transport I am most familiar with that is similar the Manila MRT Line 2 is Bangkok's BTS Skytrain because both trains are wide.

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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

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*AFP Modernization projects now moving to next respective bidding phase*
*Samuel Biag*
*September 8, 2015*

Acquisition of around 30 much-needed military equipment and platforms, part of revised Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program, is now on green light after President Benigno S. Aquino III’s approval. Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary for Finance, Modernization, Installation and Munitions Fernando Manalo noted that these projects “were held in abeyance” last May pending the approval of the President.

Undersecretary Manalo made a presentation before the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee in today’s hearing for the 2016 budget.

Military equipment and platforms in the list include missile-firing frigates, long-range patrol aircraft, surveillance radars and close-air support aircraft program. Acquisition projects will now move to their next respective bidding phase, Manalo said. Frigates and radar projects are in the later phase of bidding.

The DND, last September 2, moved the Close Air Support Aircraft acquisition project from held in abeyance to active project. Pre-bid conference is scheduled on September 16, while bid opening will be on September 30.

The DND is seeking a PhP158.8-billion budget for 2016, broken down into PhP63.5-billion for territorial defense, security and stability; PhP1.5-billion for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; PhP667-million for international engagements and peace support missions; and PhP93.1-billion for force level support and training. The latter amount is also inclusive of pensions.

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http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...s-now-moving-to-next-respective-bidding-phase
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*Close Air Support Aircraft acquisition project continues*
*Ruser Mallari *
*September 8, 2015*

After being “held in abeyance”, the Department of National Defense released a supplemental bid bulletin notifying possible bidders that hold on the Close Air Support (CAS) Aircraft acquisition project was lifted. DND will be conducting pre-bid conference on September 16, while bid opening will be on September 30.

Allocated budget for this acquisition program is PhP4.9 billion.

Philippine Air Force will be replacing/complement its Rockwell OV-10 “Bronco” turboprop attack planes with the upcoming six brand new CAS aircraft. These aircraft are designed to provide air support to infantry and naval units in contact with the enemy.

A per DND’s technical specification, bidders must present aircraft with dual tandem seating. The aircraft must have a carrying capacity of at least 3000 pounds with five hard points. Aircraft must also have two .50 caliber guns built-in or through pods.

DND Undersecretary for Finance, Modernization, Installation and Munitions Fernando Manalo confirmed, while presenting the 2016 defense budget before House of Representatives Appropriations Committee today, that revised AFP Modernization projects “held in abeyance” will now move to their next respective bidding phase.

Projects include missile-firing frigates, long-range patrol aircraft, surveillance radars, close-air support aircraft program, and other much-needed military equipment and platforms.

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http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...upport-aircraft-acquisition-project-continues
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*Navy always ready to deploy 78% of assets to defend territory*
*Philippine News Agency *
*September 8, 2015*

Unknown to many, the Philippine Navy (PN) is capable of steaming or deploying 78 percent of its fleet of patrol and logistic vessels at any given time. This was stressed by PN flag officer-in-command Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad during the presentation of the proposed 2016 budget of the Department of National Defense (DND) before the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee on Tuesday.

Taccad was responding to questions from the lawmakers on whether the PN can sail to show the flag and protect Philippine territory from poachers and other threats.

The PN chief also said that it is using its aircraft to project Philippine sovereignty over the Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal which lies 124 nautical miles off Zambales.

The area is currently under Chinese control.

As of this posting, the PN has on its inventory 124 fleet marine units ready for various contingencies.

Taccad said that 78 percent of these units can steam if needed, adding that these ships are not merely sitting alongside piers.

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http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...dy-to-deploy-78-of-assets-to-defend-territory
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*PHL, Australian army special forces undergo two joint trainings*
*Grace Gonzales *
*September 8, 2015*

Philippines and Australia will be conducting two joint military exercises in September and October to be held in Australia and Philippines respectively. Personnel from Special Operations Commands (SOCOM) of both the Philippine and Australian Army will be participating in the said exercises, the Philippine Army said in a statement.

Exercise ‘Dusk’ Caracha 2015, to be held September 15 to 26, will be held in Perth, Western Australia. The Army will be sending 25 personnel from the Light Reaction Regiment (LRR), SOCOM.

“Exercise ‘Dusk’ Caracha aims to enhance the counter-terrorist skills and capabilities of the Philippine Army’s Light Reaction Regiment utilizing the training facilities of the Special Air Service Regiment in Australia,” the Army said. It will also include closed-quarter battle training, sniper skills development training, and unit collective training.

Meanwhile, Exercise ‘Dawn’ Caracha 2015 will be held in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija on October 19 to 30. Australian Army will be sending 15 personnel.

“Exercise ‘Dawn’ Caracha is an annual army-to-army exercise between the Special Air Service Regiment, SOCOM, Australia and the SOCOM, Philippine Army which aims to enhance the interoperability between the Special Forces units of both countries,” the Army said.

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http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...rmy-special-forces-undergo-two-joint-training
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*3 Japanese navy minesweepers now in Manila*
*Philippine News Agency *
*September 7, 2015*

Three Japanese minesweepers have arrived at the Manila South Harbor for a three-day goodwill visit which started Monday. The ships, which are part of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF)’s Minesweeper Division 51, are commanded by Capt. Toshiro Takaiwa.

Cmdr. Lued Lincuna, Philippine Navy public affairs office chief, said the visit of the Japanese minesweepers in Manila is part of the JMSDF’s tour in Southeast Asia. Minesweeper Division 51 is composed of JS Bungo (MST-464), JS Aishima (MSC-688) and JS Shishijima (MSC-691).

These specialized vessels are used in locating and disarming naval mines.

Philippine Navy delegates rendered customary welcome ceremony upon arrival of the visiting vessels followed by a port briefing on topics about security, safety and health with their Japanese counterparts aboard JS Bungo.

As part of their visit, Takaiwa together with the commanding officers of the three vessels, rendered a courtesy call to PN flag-officer-in-command, Rear Admiral Caesar C. Taccad. This goodwill visit will also involve series of confidence building engagements between PN and JMSDF personnel such as soccer games and receptions that would create an avenue for cultural exchanges.

Moreover, PN personnel will also be given a chance to tour and familiarize with the Japanese ships to enhance their knowledge especially in mine countermeasures.

“The said visit is another gesture of fostering goodwill thus contributing to the furtherance of friendship between the PN and JMSDF established through the years with continuing commitment to promoting naval diplomacy and camaraderie,” Lincuna stressed.

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http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/2015/09/07/13163-3-japanese-navy-minesweepers-now-in-manila
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*Business News:*

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* Gov't exceeds target in latest bond swap *
 By Prinz Magtulis* (philstar.com) *
*Updated September 8, 2015 - 1:52pm*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has accepted tenders more than double its minimum target for its latest bond exchange transaction, which has resulted in P2.4 billion in government savings in the first year.

A total of P237 billion in new 10-year and 25-year bonds were swapped with eligible maturing obligations in an exercise meant to lower the country's interest payments and lengthen debt payment terms, the Bureau of the Treasury said on Monday.

Broken down, a total of P121 billion in 2025 bonds and P142 billion worth of 2040 securities were exchanged with illiquid debts or those no longer traded. The government had set a minimum P50-billion target for each maturity, but total tenders reached as high as P388 billion.

The bonds were priced at the minimum coupon rates of 3.625 percent for the 10-year tenor and 4.625 percent for the 25-year paper.

"The transaction has helped the Republic achieve its debt management objectives while also providing investors with new benchmark bonds in exchange for illiuid bonds," Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima was quoted in the statement as saying.

"Amid turbulence around the world, the overwhelming response we received from the market is an unequivocal show of strength and stability on the part of the republic," he added.

Aside from the bond exchange, the Philippines also put on offer fresh 25-year bonds for purchase by cash. A total of P9.6 billion was accepted from tenders amounting to "approximately P21 billion."

The Treasury had said earlier that proceeds from the new 25-year bond offer will be used to settle interest payments and fees for the bond swap. The remaining amount will form part of the government's general fund.

"We are pleased with the unwavering support from the market. We will continue to work with investors to ensure that the Republic maintains an efficient debt portfolio, while achieving competitive funding rates," National Treasurer Roberto Tan said in the same statement.

The Philippines launched its latest offer last August 26.

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Gov't exceeds target in latest bond swap | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Budget swings to P32.2-B deficit in July *
 By Prinz P. Magtulis* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 8, 2015 - 12:00am*

*Government spending surges at fastest pace in 13 months *

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration’s budget balance swung to a deficit in the first seven months of the year after government spending accelerated at its fastest rate in 13 months, the Bureau of the Treasury reported yesterday.

The budget gap – the difference between government expenditures and revenues – reached P32.2 billion in July, wider than last year’s P1.8 billion.

This brought the year-to-date fiscal performance to a deficit of P18.5 billion, reversing the first half budget surplus of P13.7 billion. The government has capped its deficit at P284 billion this year.

“The pace of expenditure growth we are seeing has a clear positive trend since we adopted a whole-of-government approach to address underspending,” Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said in a statement.

“Expenditures are on track to drive our growth for the third quarter,” he added.

For July, revenues reached P178.5 billion, seven percent up from last year. Disbursements surged by 25 percent from a year ago - the fastest since June 2014’s 44-percent uptick – to hit P210.7 billion.

For the first seven months, revenues were up 15 percent to P1.264 trillion, data showed. Spending, meanwhile, reached P1.282 trillion, an improvement of 11 percent from last year.

Emilio Neri Jr., lead economist at the Bank of the Philippine Islands, said while expansion in disbursements is a “welcome development,” much of July’s growth was also due to low base effects last year.

“We anticipated these results precisely because last year, there was a contraction in spending because of the (Supreme Court) ruling in DAP,” Neri said in a phone interview.

“I think we would have to see one or two more months of growth in spending before we can truly say that we have turned the corner,” he said.

The government has come under fire for underspending which analysts said had put a dent on economic growth. This was made worse by a high court decision in July last year that declared the disbursement acceleration program (DAP) unconstitutional.

The DAP was conceived in 2011 as a way to pump prime the economy by re-allocating funds from non-performing agencies. The high court said only the legislature has such power, cautioning the state from spending since then.

This, in turn, has resulted in economic growth slowing to 5.3 percent as of the first semester this year.

“Hopefully, the higher spending so far will offset the effects of El Niño on growth,” Neri said.

The Aquino administration has fallen below its deficit target since 2011, official figures showed.

In 2011, deficit fell to two-percent of gross domestic product (GDP), way below the 3.2-percent target that year. It was followed by 2.3 percent, 1.4 percent and 0.6 percent of GDP in 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively.

The deficit-to-GDP ratios in those years fall below the 2.6 percent target in 2012 and two-percent goal in 2013 and 2014, DOF data showed.

Deficit-to-GDP is key measure of how well the government spends and collects revenues as the economy expands.

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Budget swings to P32.2-B deficit in July | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* More Philippine CEOs bullish on business growth – survey *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 8, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The top business executives in the counrty are more optimistic about the future of their businesses as opportunities are seen to widen despite threats of increasing tax burden, overregulation, and skills shortage, a joint study by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) and Isla Lipana & Co. showed.

In a press briefing yesterday, MAP and Isla Lipana officials unveiled the results of the 2015 Philippine CEO Survey Report which studied factors affecting the business community based on the perspective of the leaders of large corporations and small and medium enterprises.

The report revealed 73 percent of CEOs surveyed are very confident about their business growth in the next 12 months, while 62 percent are very optimistic on growth prospects in the next three years.

The report further showed these CEO’s are slightly more confident in the growth of their business than the revenue growth prospects of the industry where they belong over the near term.

“This optimism of the CEOs is further evidenced by their ability to see more opportunities to grow. Eighty-five percent of the CEOs we surveyed say there are more opportunities today than three years ago, compared to 56 percent who say there are more threats,” the study showed.

Among the biggest opportunities for growth seen by the country’s business leaders are the untapped local market for banking, demand for basic services such as telecommunications, and the upcoming establishment of an Asean Economic Community.

“Progress in the Philippine economic landscape is also seen to present growth enablers to businesses. The country’s economy grew remarkably during the past few years. Businesses have learned to identify opportunities by responding to the megatrends in the increasingly global market. And as the country and business players strive to compete and remain relevant, more growth opportunities will emerge,” the report said.

Meanwhile, CEOs have identified increasing tax burden, overregulation, geopolitical uncertainties, and access to affordable capital as their top concerns in terms of economic and regulatory risks.

As far as business-related threats are concerned, availability of key skills, cyber dangers, speed of technological changes, and high power costs were cited as their top worries.

“The majority of the respondents at 87 percent expressed concern regarding the increasing tax burden. The country has the highest corporate tax rate in Asean that is why CEOs are worried about the competitiveness of the Philippine tax structure and increasing taxes. Some CEOs think the tax regime should be revisited to be more business friendly and to encourage more investments,” the study said.

The majority of the CEOs surveyed at 78 percent believe good governance should be the government’s top priority moving forward.

This is followed by adequate physical infrastructure at 72 percent and internationally competitive and efficient tax system at 52 percent.

Internally, the country’s business leaders see innovation as key to their growth and survival in the coming years.

The report said 84 percent of the CEOs who participated in the study consider innovation critical and important to their organization’s growth.

As such, the study said companies which view innovation critical and important allocate a larger percentage of their revenues for research and development and innovation initiatives.

When asked for the reasons behind innovating, the study revealed about 96 percent of the CEOs say they innovate to stay on top of competition, remain relevant and grow revenues.

MAP president Francisco del Rosario Jr. said the Philippine CEO Survey Report, the first of a series of annual CEO surveys, is expected to benchmark the changes in how CEOs think, react and innovate.

The study pooled a total of 96 business leaders, 70 percent of whom came from large corporations.

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More Philippine CEOs bullish on business growth – survey | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*Politics and Diplomacy News:*

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* PNoy: Philippines ready to help Syrian refugees *
*(philstar.com) *
*Updated September 9, 2015 - 6:54pm*

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno S. Aquino III said Tuesday that the Philippines is ready to help refugees from conflict-stricken Syria.

In a media forum aired on state-run People's Television, Aquino noted that the Philippines helped other asylum-seekers in the past.

Aquino cited the case of the 2,700 Vietnamese boat people who sought refuge in the Philippines in the 1970s.

He also mentioned the over 1,200 European Jewish refugees who were saved by the Philippines from Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.

"We have proven, as a country, that we are ready to assist," Aquino said.

But with limited resources and millions living in poverty, Aquino said the Philippines can only do so much.

"The history is there, the culture is there. We just want to make sure that we manage it properly, that we don't take more than what we can handle," he said.

"Vast majority of our people are still living in poverty. We would like to take our resources to better our people and do our fair share," the president added.

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PNoy: Philippines ready to help Syrian refugees | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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_*(This news article is likely for tomorrow's newspaper print)*_


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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*US to Deliver Four New Patrol Vessels to the Philippines*
_*State Department awards contract to firm to provide Manila with the boats.*_

*By Prashanth Parameswaran*
*September 08, 2015*

The Philippines will receive four new patrol vessels from a U.S. company in November 2015, the firm announced September 3.

According Willard Marine Inc., the U.S. State Department had awarded it a contract to provide the Philippine National Police Maritime Group with patrol vessels equipped for search and rescue operations along the country’s maritime borders.

The move is consistent with efforts by the United States to build the capacity of its allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific such as the Philippines to tackle maritime security challenges. In addition to such assistance, Washington and Manila also inked an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement in 2014 that, if approved by the Philippine legislature, would grant access to US troops, planes and ships in the country on a rotational basis.

A press release by the firm noted that it would provide it with two aluminum, 30 foot patrol boats with twin 480-hp engines and dual water jets, as well as two 34-foot patrol boats with 600-hp engines and dual water jets. The vessels will be equipped with gun posts forward and aft, and cabins will include features such as shock-mitigating seats to enhance crew comfort and safety. The customized patrol craft for the Philippines is derived from a SeaArk Marine boat design that the company acquired the licensing rights to last year.

This is the third time that Willard Marine has been awarded a contract to provide military vessels to the Philippines. In 2013, the company supplied a number of 7 m Sea Force 730 rigid-hull inflatable boats to the Philippine Navy under a US Navy Foreign Military Sales program. Ulrich Gottschling, the company’s president, said the relationship is one that it hopes will continue in the coming years.

“We are confident that the Philippine National Police will get tremendous use of their new Willard patrol boats for many years, and we hope to provide them with additional vessels as their mission requirements grow and evolve over time,” he said.

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US to Deliver Four New Patrol Vessels to the Philippines | The Diplomat
-----


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## Dakila

*Philippines to experience longer nights after Sept. 23*
Updated September 9, 2015

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Wednesday announced that there will be longer nights after the autumnal equinox on September 23.

PAGASA said the country will experience longer nights as the sun moves below the celestial equator toward the southern hemisphere after the autumnal equinox at 4:20 p.m., September 23.

The state weather bureau explained that the autumnal equinox is when the day and night will have equal length with 12 hours all over the world.

PAGASA Astronomical Observation and Time Unit Chief Mario Raymundo explained that the autumnal equinox exposes the countries below the equator or in the southern hemisphere to more sun and those above it to less sun.

*“After ng September 23 ay dahan-dahan ng hahaba ang gabi sa Pilipinas na nasa northern hemisphere. Ibig sabihin ay mas maaga ng lulubog ang araw,”* Raymundo said.

Raymundo said that the longer nights in the northern hemisphere will prevail until December.

*“Pagdating ng December, mga around 5:30 p.m. pa lang ay lulubog na ang araw,” *Raymundo said.

Raymundo said the autumnal equinox signifies the approach of winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the southern hemisphere.

Aside from longer nights, PAGASA weather forecaster Robert Badrina said the country will also start experiencing cold weather as the southwest monsoon shift to the cold-weather-associated northeast monsoon or “hanging amihan” beginning next month.

The northeast monsoon is the cold wind from China and Siberia that blows into the country from late October until mid-February, often associated with Christmas season.

The transition of weather occurs twice a year, in March and in September where the astronomical event is called vernal equinox and autumnal equinox, respectively.

Meanwhile, Raymundo also reported that a super moon or the perigee moon, is expected to happen on September 28.

The super moon is the phenomenon when the full moon is closest to the earth during its yearly orbit. The moon’s normal average distance from the Earth is about 384,400 kilometers.

Raymundo noted that the anticipated super moon is the most visible and closest to the Earth among the super moon events this year as it will appear about 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter.

PAGASA said that the moon will be nearest to the Earth at 356,877 kilometers at 9:46 a.m., September 28.


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## bdslph

*Close Air Support Aircraft acquisition project continues*

be side the A29 from PAF can buy which is very cheap and easy maintain and cheap per hour flight 
*EMB-314 Super Tucano* 
EMB-314 Super Tucano / ALX trainer and light attack aircraft - Airforce Technology

PH can go for US made Scorpion plane which is cheap and new and 20 mil a pop

*Scorpion ISR / Strike Aircraft*
Scorpion ISR / Strike Aircraft - Airforce Technology

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

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*Government Arsenal eyes 35 million rounds of small arms ammunition for 2016 output*
*Philippine News Agency *
*September 10, 2015*

The Government Arsenal in Limay, Bataan is targeting to produce 35 million rounds of small arms ammunition next year, or five million more than its production target for 2015, for the use of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Small arms ammunition refers to bullets used by handguns, automatic rifles and sub-machine guns in the military’s inventory.

This figure has a 98 percent percentage acceptance based on standards with huge percentage of supportability to AFP combat requirements, according to National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin during the House Appropriations Committee hearing on Department of National Defense proposed 2016 budget at the House of Representatives in Quezon City last Sept. 8.

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http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...unds-of-small-arms-ammunition-for-2016-output
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*DND wants Php63.5-B for territorial defense, security operations in 2016*
*Philippine News Agency *
*September 11, 2015*

For 2016, the Department of National Defense (DND) announced that it is allocating the sum of Php63,559,926,000 for territorial defense, security and stability operations. This was stressed by Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin during the House Appropriations Committee hearing on DND’s proposed 2016 budget at the House of Representatives in Quezon City last Sept. 8.

And in line with its disaster relief missions, another Php1,533,715,000 will be allocated while another Php667,812,000 will be given to international engagement and peace support operations.

The DND is allocating Php93,100,927,000 force level C2, support and training (inclusive of pension).

The DND is requesting a Php158,862,380,000 for Fiscal Year 2016.

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http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...rritorial-defense-security-operations-in-2016
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*Philippine Army eyes deployment of 189 tactical battalions for 2016*
*Philippine News Agency *
*September 9, 2015*

To ensure that the country will be protected against all forms of threats, the Philippine Army (PA) is looking at the possibility of deploying and maintaining 189 tactical battalions in 2016. A battalion is equivalent to 500 enlisted personnel and officers.

This is two battalions higher than the 187 tactical battalions activated in 2015. This does not include 81 tactical battalion as reserves.

Aside from this, the PA is also eyeing a 90 percent capability to deploy these forces within one hour, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said during the House Appropriations Committee hearing on DND’s proposed 2016 budget at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Tuesday.

The DND is seeking a PhP158.8 billion budget for next. This is broken down into PhP63.5 billion for territorial defense, security and stability; PhP1.5 billion for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; PhP667 million for international engagements and peace support missions; and PhP93.1 billion for force level support and training. The latter amount is also inclusive of pensions.

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http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...eployment-of-189-tactical-battalions-for-2016
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*Korean Coast Guard vessel in Philippines for joint training*
*Samuel Biag *
*September 9, 2015*

A Korean Coast Guard vessel is in Manila for a joint training with Philippine Coast Guard. “Korean Coast Guard ship 3010 arrives at Pier 13, South Harbor Manila today, September 8, 2015 for a three day search and rescue exercise with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG),” PCG said.

KCG vessel 3010 is a Taepyungyang-class 3,000-ton ship commissioned year 2010.

Measnwhile, three Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) vessels and one United States Navy vessel are also in South Harbor, Manila for three-day goodwill visit in Philippines.

The US Navy vessel, USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) arrived September 6, while the Japanese vessels, JS Bungo (MST 464), JS Aishima (MSC 688) and JS Shishijima (MSC 691) arrived September 7.

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http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...uard-vessel-in-philippines-for-joint-training
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*
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*Business News:*

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* S&P trims Philippine growth forecast to 5.6% *
*(The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 11, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Standard & Poor’s slashed its 2015 economic growth forecast for the Philippines amid higher volatility and more regional risks brought about by weak trade and financial turbulence in China.

In a report titled “Asia Pacific growth slips as China wobbles and trade tumbles further,” S&P lowered the gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the Philippines to 5.6 percent this year and next year.

This is the second time S&P revised the GDP growth outlook for the Philippines. Last July, the debt watcher lowered the GDP growth projection to six percent instead of 6.2 percent this year and to six percent instead of 6.4 percent next year.

Despite the reduction, the Philippines is expected to grow faster compared to Indonesia’s 4.9 percent, Malaysia’s 4.7 percent, Thailand’s 3.1 percent, Singapore’s 2.4 percent, and Taiwan’s 1.5 percent.

S&P retained the GDP growth forecast for China at 6.8 percent this year, but lowered next year’s projection to 6.3 percent instead of 6.6 percent.

The rating agency lowered the GDP growth target for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) 4 – the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand – to 4.6 percent instead of 4.9 percent this year and to 4.8 percent instead of 5.1 percent next year.

S&P said growth in the major Southeast Asian countries is not as export-dependent as in the tiger economies but the external sector would still present a headwind for this group.

“We have lowered all GDP forecasts for the Asean 4 economies except in Malaysia. Although these economies are still exposed to weaker external demand, strong domestic demand can provide sizable offsets and keep growth at a decent pace, particularly in the Philippines, Indonesia, and to a lesser extent, Malaysia,” it added.

S&P is the second debt watcher that lowered the GDP growth projection for the Philippines.

Moody’s Investors Service earlier slashed the country’s GDP growth forecast to 5.7 percent instead of 6.7 percent this year and to six percent instead of 6.5 percent next year.

Fitch Ratings is now reviewing its GDP growth forecast for the Philippines projected at 6.3 percent this year.

The Philippines recoded a slower growth of 5.3 percent in the first half from 6.4 percent in the same period last year on the back of weak global demand and lack of government spending.

The country’s GDP growth accelerated to 5.6 percent in the second quarter from the revised five percent in the first quarter of the year on improved government expenditures.

Government economic managers penned a seven percent to eight percent GDP growth for the Philippines this year.

S&P sees the country’s inflation easing to 2.1 percent this year before accelerating to four percent next year from 4.2 percent last year. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) sees inflation averaging 1.9 percent or lower than the target of two percent to four percent for this year.

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S&P trims Philippine growth forecast to 5.6% | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* FDI inflow plunges 40% to $2 B in H1 *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 11, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the Philippines plunged 40 percent from January to June due to uncertainties brought about by the impending interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve, weak global economy, and the stock market collapse in China.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported yesterday FDI inflows amounted to $2.02 billion in the first half, $1.35 billion lower compared to $3.37 billion in the same period last year.

According to the BSP data, equity and investment fund shares retreated 10.8 percent to $1.04 billion from January to June, compared to $1.16 billion in the same period last year.

Equity placements fell 23.8 percent to $858 million from $1.12 billion, while withdrawals plunged 52.9 percent to $204 million from $433 million.

The central bank said equity capital placements came mainly from the US, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

Equity placements were channeled primarily to manufacturing; financial and insurance; real estate; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; and wholesale and retail trade activities.

On the other hand, earnings of foreign companies operating in the Philippines and plowed right back into the country declined 11.6 percent to $385 million in the first semester from $471 million a year ago.

Likewise, non-residents’ net investments in debt instruments including net intercompany borrowings plunged 55.6 percent to $981 million from $2.21 billion.

For June alone, the BSP reported that FDIs reached $383 million, 31 percent lower compared to $554 million in the same month last year.

Equity placements coming from the US, Singapore, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan surged 293.5 percent to $308 million in June from $78 million in the same month last year.

However, withdrawals also jumped 288.2 percent to $94 million from $24 million.

On the other hand, reinvestment of earnings decreased 11.6 percent to $67 million from $76 million, while investments in debt instruments or lending by parent companies abroad to their local affiliates to fund expansion plunged 76 percent to $102 million from $424 million.

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FDI inflow plunges 40% to $2 B in H1 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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_____________________________________________________________________________________________




bdslph said:


> *Close Air Support Aircraft acquisition project continues*
> 
> be side the A29 from PAF can buy which is very cheap and easy maintain and cheap per hour flight
> *EMB-314 Super Tucano*
> EMB-314 Super Tucano / ALX trainer and light attack aircraft - Airforce Technology
> 
> PH can go for US made Scorpion plane which is cheap and new and 20 mil a pop
> 
> *Scorpion ISR / Strike Aircraft*
> Scorpion ISR / Strike Aircraft - Airforce Technology



The PH Airforce did consider the EMB-314 but the bidding is still stalled. As for the Scorpion ISR, reading some details about it, the said aircraft is almost similar the the KAI FA-50.


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* IFC, ICD partner to promote good corp governance in Philippines *
 By Ted P. Torres* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The International Finance Corp. (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and the Institute of Corporate Directors in the Philippines have entered into a partnership to promote good corporate governance among Philippine businesses and institutions.

Numerous studies have shown that improved corporate governance help strengthen the financial performance of businesses and boost economic growth.

Under the three-year partnership, IFC will support the institute in developing and delivering training to its members, many of whom are corporate directors and senior managers.

The World Bank affiliate will also assist the ICD in providing consultations and workshops for individual corporations as well as developing publications and other products on corporate-governance topics.

ICD chief executive officer Ricardo Nicanor N. Jacinto said the partnership with IFC supports its objectives of enhancing the professional skills of Philippine corporate directors and boards.

“The partnership also strengthens our advocacy of promoting good corporate-governance principles and best practices,” Jacinto said in a statement.

The partnership is part of IFC’s Corporate Governance Program in East Asia and the Pacific, which is funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland.

IFC works with the private sector in developing countries to promote good corporate governance that helps businesses mitigate risk, safeguard against mismanagement, and attract much-needed investment and capital that will fuel their growth and sustainability.

IFC Philippines country manager Yuan (Jane) Xu explained the partnership can help Philippine companies implement good corporate-governance practices.

“It will allow Philippine companies to build sustainable businesses, which in turn will drive growth and development in the country,” Xu added.

Corporate governance refers to the structures and processes by which companies are directed and controlled. It makes companies more accountable and transparent to investors and gives them the tools to respond to stakeholder concerns.

For fiscal year 2015, the IFC long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly $18 billion, helping the private sector play an essential role in the global effort to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity.

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IFC, ICD partner to promote good corp governance in Philippines | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Ghost month scares off traders? Customs collections slow down anew in Aug *
 By Prinz P. Magtulis* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs likely missed its collection goal last month as trade could have also slowed down due to a traditional Chinese superstition that makes it unlucky to do business in August.

“It was ghost month. Normally, (collections) are down in August because businesses don’t transact as much,” the bureau said in a statement issued to The STAR.

The BOC, which accounts for a fifth of state revenues, has set a collection target of P35.91 billion for August. As of July, the bureau raked in revenues of P208.7 billion, up two percent from the previous year’s P203.9 billion.

The government has mandated the BOC to collect P436.59 billion this year although Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina had already conceded the agency could not meet it.

The bureau has missed all its monthly collection targets this year, which it has attributed to lower oil prices. Tax revenues from oil accounts for 30 percent of Customs’ collections.

Since its June peak, oil prices have gone down more than a fifth in value, meeting the technical definition of a bear market. While this also trimmed local pump prices, import receipts from the commodity is negatively affected.

The Philippines imports more than 90 percent of its oil requirements, according to the Department of Energy.

On the flipside however, Emilio Neri Jr., lead economist from the Bank of the Philippine Islands, said Customs collections may get a boost from the peso’s continued depreciation against the US dollar.

“This is positive for Customs since a weaker peso increases the valuation of imports,” Neri said in a phone interview.

Higher valuation, in turn, results in more tax collections.

The peso has reached a five-year low of 47 to a dollar last Tuesday, before trimming losses later in the day to close at the P46-level.

The local unit closed at 46.89 against the greenback yesterday, four centavos weaker than Thursday’s 46.85.

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Ghost month scares off traders? Customs collections slow down anew in Aug | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* World Bank extends helping hand to Philippines in coping with natural disasters *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MACTAN ISLAND, Cebu, Philippines –The World Bank said yesterday it is still mulling ways to further improve the ability of the Philippines to withstand shocks coming from natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes.

Rachel Kyte, vice president and special envoy for climate change at the World Bank, said in a briefing the bank has been in talks with the Philippine government following the devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda in late 2013.

“Together with the Philippine government, we are trying to build a much more robust, comprehensive, financial resilience system that will offer insurance and risk transfers at the national government level, local government unit level, and individual household level,” Kyte said.

She said these efforts would be in addition to the $500-million credit line for the Philippines created by World Bank in 2011 meant especially for reconstruction efforts and for coping in the face of natural disasters. The funds come from the Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan with Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat-DDO).

“At the local level, we’re looking at how to establish a catastrophe insurance facility… while at the individual household level, the International Finance Corp. is working together with clients in the Philippines to see whether or not it is possible to establish a national catastrophe risk insurance pool for small and medium enterprises, and home owners,” Kyte said.

She noted issuing catastrophe bonds guaranteed by the Philippine government is among the options being eyed as the bank continues to assess which financial instruments would work best for the country.

“One has to build the resilience in the infrastructure and the economy in countries like the Philippines where we know there will be unpredictable disasters both geophysical and meteorological,” Kyte said.

The Philippine government mainly relies on budget allocations and special appropriations in funding disaster recovery efforts as the insurance market remains underdeveloped.

The country experiences typhoons, flooding, and earthquakes, among others, every year, leading to economic losses and deaths.

The government has first floated the idea of issuing catastrophe bonds, which are insurance-linked back in 2011. Last week, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said the country is eyeing catastrophe bonds amounting from $100 million to $300 million to help allocate more funds for calamities.

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World Bank extends helping hand to Philippines in coping with natural disasters | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Utang na naman...*



* Banks urged to protect market share as Asean integrates *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) urged banks to protect their market share in the country with the advent of the integration among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. told officials and members of the Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines (BMAP) to develop solid and excellent marketing programs since protecting market share in the Philippines would be more challenging under the Asean integration.

Tetangco said banks should focus on strategy, creativity, execution, and results.

“In general, a product can be upgraded when it is no longer in its prime. In our industry, however, the ultimate product is public trust. It is a product that is fragile, demands constant care and requires special packaging,” he said.

He added banks should be able to package specific products to those who need the specific features of the product.

“This is important in banking where we adhere to a fiduciary responsibility and must constantly meet the bar of client suitability,” Tetangco said.

According to him, banks need to bridge the demands of a differentiated public to the array of products and services that are available.

“This lasting relationship is the ultimate measure of public trust; it validates the value proposition that your bank presents to the general public,” he said.

The BSP chief said the banking industry has remained a pillar of strength in the economy in the face of new volatilities in the global financial landscape.

Tetangco said the BSP together with other government agencies launched the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) as well as the results of the National Baseline Survey for Financial Inclusion.

The NSFI provides a platform for government-private partnerships for financial inclusion as a means to achieve inclusive growth.

Results of the National Baseline Survey on Financial Inclusion showed 97 percent of Filipino adults believe it is important to save money and to have the way or means to save money.

However, the survey indicated that only four out of 10 Filipinos actually save money. Of those who save, 70 percent keep their money at home while only 30 percent of savers keep their money in banks.

According to the survey, six out of ten adults with bank accounts indicated that the bank’s reputation is their main consideration in opening a deposit account. Other considerations are interest rates, minimum maintaining balance, proximity of the bank branch, and quality of client service.

Likewise, about 45 percent of the Filipinos borrow money and while more than 85 percent of respondents indicate they want to access financial services from formal financial institutions, majority of them still borrow from family, friends and informal lenders.

Banks as source of borrowing stood only at 4.4 percent. The primary considerations in borrowing money are: interest rates, loan amount, period to pay for the loans, ease of loan application, reputation of the credit institution, amortization, collateral, fees, and processing time.

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Banks urged to protect market share as Asean integrates | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*
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*National Development News:*

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*Napocor reduces power outages in off-grid areas *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 13, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - State-run National Power Corp. (Napocor) has successfully reduced the incidence of power outages in far-flung areas around the country not connected to the main grid.

In an interview with The STAR, Napocor president Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita said these areas, classified under Napocor’s Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG), have frequently registered blackouts in the past.

“The weekly blackouts monitoring of our 291 SPUG nationwide have registered fewer and fewer blackout from 14 to 17 per week when it started to four to seven areas per week,” said Sta. Rita.

By the end of the year, Napocor would be able to commission a total 100 units of generator sets with a combined capacity of 21.1 megawatts for the SPUG areas, she said.

And before her term ends in 2016, Sta. Rita said the target is for all SPUG areas to have enough reserves to help ensure there would be no more blackouts.

Sta. Rita is now on her second year as president and CEO of Napocor.

Asked about her leadership style, Sta. Rita said: “On my first day with the employees in 2013, I said, ‘I promise to hold dear in my heart this company and this family; bearing in mind that I come here as your president and your mother.’ And I would like to believe I did just that,” she said.

However, she said steering Napocor to where it is now did not come easy.

“When I came in in August 2013, people were saying that the company was at the end of its days,” she recalled.

Last year, Napocor posted a net income of P1.5 billion, five times higher than its 2012 income, which Sta. Rita attributed to collection efficiency.

“We were able to raise the bar of collection efficiency nationwide to a steady 96 percent from 86 percent in 2012. By the end of 2015, I believe we can surpass our 2014 accomplishments,” she said.

Moving forward, she said she would continue with her brand of leadership to stir Napocor to even greater heights.

“For me leadership knows no gender and boundaries. You can do anything if you put your mind into it, if you work hard and if you take that responsibility seriously. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg once said that leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence. It bears a striking resemblance to my current management goal in Napocor,” she said.

She said as a woman leader in today’s society, she reaffirms the vital role of women and the need for their full and equal participation and leadership in all areas of sustainable development.

“Together with our male counterparts, I think leaders in this country should be drivers of sustainable development and work towards economic and social advancement,” she said.

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Napocor reduces power outages in off-grid areas | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Military and Defense News:*

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*Air Force receiving another C-295 military aircraft ahead of schedule: Photos surface*
*Ishi Gonzales*
* September 11, 2015*

The Philippine Air Force will be receiving the second unit of three ordered C-295 military transport aircraft ahead of original schedule. Photos of the supposed second PAF C-295, with tail number 140, have surfaced in the internet.

The first unit, with tail number 129, was delivered in March this year.

“The remaining two aircraft will be delivered ahead of schedule during the second half of this year,” Airbus Defence and Space press manager for military aircraft Kieran Daly previously told Ang Malaya Net. According to original schedule, first unit was set to be delivered August 2015 and the second one was scheduled by March 2016, while the third aircraft was expected September 2016.

The representative from Airbus also noted that PAF will be receiving the M (military) version of C-295 as ordered by Philippines. “The remaining PAF C295s will not have winglets (W variant). It is normal for operators to order all aircraft in their fleet with the same configuration.”

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http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...ary-aircraft-ahead-of-schedule-photos-surface
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

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*PH plans to acquire submarine; Navy captain now schooling in Germany *
*by Mario Casayuran*
*September 12, 2015*

The Philippines has added a submarine or two to its shopping list for its military modernization program.

This was learned during the recent hearings of the bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) when it confirmed three senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) although they were absent as the AFP leadership submitted to the CA explanations for their absence. One of the three was Navy Capt. Vincent J. Sibala.

Rep. Antonio A. del Rosario, chairman of the CA National Defense Committee, told his colleagues during the CA plenary session presided by Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, concurrent CA chairman, that Sibala is in Kiel, Germany, undergoing schooling on submarine warfare.

Sibala was one of the 105 senior AFP officers confirmed by the CA last Wednesday. Heading that list was Hernando Delfin Carmelo A. Iriberri, as the 46th AFP chief of staff and as a four-star general.

Asked by Bulletin whether the country has indeed added a submarine or submarines to its shopping list, Del Rosario replied in the affirmative. The planned submarine acquisition is under the proposed P25-billion AFP modernization program. That program, according to Del Rosario, includes airplanes and helicopters.

He could not give details on the AFP modernization program since his responsibility, he said, is centered on deciding whether or not a military officer is fit to hold such office.

Del Rosario said the AFP is supposed to complete its buying program before the end of the six-year term of President Aquino which ends June 30, 2016.

He commented that what the Philippines needs is peace, “but we don’t want to be bullied,” alluding to the present maritime dispute between the Philippines and China.

Asked if the submarine and other modern military hardware being purchased are enough to face a big military power, he replied that even ants can bite.

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PH plans to acquire submarine; Navy captain now schooling in Germany | mb.com.ph | Philippine News
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* Noy approves AFP modernization shopping list *
 By Alexis Romero* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated September 14, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has approved the Armed Forces modernization program’s shopping list, allowing the procurement of defense assets to move forward.

The President signed the program last July 22, Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo told The STAR yesterday.

He said all but three of the upgrade projects in the shopping list have secured Aquino’s approval.

The three projects that are still being reviewed are the designated marksman rifles, the standard weapons system and the project that would have replaced the shore-based missile system whose procurement schedule was moved to a later date.

“These projects were not disapproved. They just need some clarifications,” Manalo said.

The big-ticket items approved by Aquino include the two Navy frigates worth P18 billion, three air surveillance radars worth P2.68 billion, six close air support aircraft worth P4.97 billion, two units of long range patrol aircraft worth P5.98 billion, multi-purpose attack craft project worth P864.32 million, night fighting system worth P1.116 billion; two C-130 aircraft worth P1.6 billion, two naval helicopters worth P5.4 billion and lead-in fighter trainer jets ammunition worth P4.47 billion.

The shopping list also includes four basing support system and logistics projects with a total budget of P2.15 billion. These projects aim to improve existing military facilities in key areas.

Other items in the list include Army radios, thermal imaging device, field ambulance units, armored personnel carriers, flight simulators, amphibious assault vehicles, combat systems, light utility vehicles and engineering equipment.

The modernization program submitted to the President is worth more than P60 billion.

“The approval of the program will raise the level of capability of the Armed Forces and will help our troops perform their duty, including rescuing those who are in need in times of calamities,” Manalo said in Filipino.

Defense Assistant Secretary Efren Fernandez gave assurance that the procurement of the military equipment would comply with existing regulations to avoid anomalies.

“We will see to it that the requirements will be followed. The procurement will be transparent. That has been our marching order from the start,” Fernandez said in a separate interview.


* South Korea defense minister’s visit*

Meanwhile, the modernization of the Philippine military is expected to be tackled during the meeting of Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and visiting South Korean defense minister Han Minkoo today.

Han will visit Camp Aguinaldo to affirm the security ties between South Korea and the Philippines, which is now embroiled in a territorial row with China.

“The visit aims to strengthen the relationship of the Philippines and South Korea. They have been our partners in the modernization (of the military),” Defense department spokesman Peter Galvez said in a phone interview.

“We view them as our close allies,” he added.

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Noy approves AFP modernization shopping list | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Business News:*

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* DBM releases P2.322 T to government agencies in 8 months *
 By Prinz P. Magtulis* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated September 14, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Allotment releases for the first eight months of the year were slightly lower than last year as a proportion of the total budget, but the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) maintains the spending acceleration remains on track.

According to a statement released over the weekend, a total of P2.322 trillion is already deemed released to state departments and agencies as of August, representing 89.1 percent of the P2.606-trillion budget for 2015.

The proportion of the budget released were slightly down from 89.3 percent posted in the same period last year. The DBM attributed this to the increase in the General Appropriations Act from P2.264 trillion in 2014.

“While releases made by August 2014 represented a slightly higher percentage…, the significant increase in this year’s national budget means that P300.6 billion more in allotment releases have been made in the last eight months, compared to the same period in 2014,” the agency said.

The Aquino administration has come under fire for its persistent underspending that helped curb the budget deficit – the difference between expenditures and revenues – to P18.5 billion as of July.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, however, said growth in spending – which hit a 13-month high of 25 percent in July – is proof the government is on track to faster pace of disbursements in the coming months.

“We now look to our agencies to sustain the improvements they’ve so far made, and to continue optimizing their budgets to help support the country’s growth,” Abad was quoted as saying in the statement.

“This gives us a good measure of confidence in our spending performance for the rest of the year,” he added.

An allotment is an authorization from the DBM for agencies to spend for their projects. Disbursements - one which is recorded in the government’s fiscal performance – however, only happens when actual withdrawal of cash is made.

The withdrawal pertains to the issuance of a check by the Bureau of the Treasury to state agencies, one which would still require a disbursement authority from the DBM.

As of August, a total of P1.274 trillion have already been released to state departments, representing 95.5 percent of their total P1.740-trillion aggregate budget for the year. The proportion is higher than 93.4 percent in the same period a year ago.

Meanwhile, P821.79 billion in automatic appropriations have also been authorized by DBM. This represented 94.9 percent of the total P866.23-billion in automatic outlays, or those which are annually included in the budget without the need for Congress approval.

Automatic appropriations include items such as retirement and insurance premiums for state employees, net lending to government corporations as well as foreign and local debt servicing.

The remaining balance of P225.85 billion were in the form of special purpose funds, which includes contingency funds for natural disasters and calamities. Total releases so far accounted for only 55.6 percent of its P405.92-billion budget.

“These funds, such as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, are not released until contingencies arise and the appropriate release requirements are met,” Abad pointed out.

-----
DBM releases P2.322 T to government agencies in 8 months | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Philippine peso is least fragile currency among EMs – think tank *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 14, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - London-based Capital Economics Ltd. said the Philippine peso is the least vulnerable currency in emerging market economies amid the turbulent global financial markets.

The think tank said in its latest global economic and market analysis entitled “Which emerging market currencies will suffer in the event of more capital flight?” the Philippine peso is the least vulnerable currency among emerging market economies.

Based on its latest currency vulnerability index, the think tank said Brazil has the most vulnerable currency followed by Columbia, South Africa, Turkey, Russia, Chile, Mexico, Malaysia, Peru, Indonesia, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Korea, Thailand, India, Czech Republic, and the Philippines.

“The latest figures show the Brazilian real, Turkish lira, South African rand, Columbian peso are the most vulnerable emerging market currencies to snap sell – offs,” the report said.

Among emerging markets in Asia, Capital Economics said South Africa has the most vulnerable currency followed by Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia.

“By contrast, the Indian rupee, Czech koruna, and Philippine peso appear less fragile,” it added.

The think tank assigned a score out of 10 for each major emerging market currency with on being the least vulnerable to sell- offs and 10 the most.

The Philippines got a score of one while Brazil, Columbia, and South Africa received a score of about six each.

The peso has depreciated by 14.1 percent to 46.85 to $1 as of last Friday from 41.05 to $1 as of end 2014.

Capital Economics said a sense of calm returned to the financial markets of emerging economies after a global stock market rout led by China last Aug. 24.

“Our new Capital Flows Trackershows that net capital outflows from emerging markets reached almost $250 billion in the three months to August – only a touch less than during the depths of the global financial crisis,” it said.

It clarified the situation right now is not as bad as it was during the Global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009.

“And it seems that much of the recent outflow has been due to Chinese individuals accumulating foreign currency deposits, and not necessarily a reason to panic,” it said.

However, Capital Economics warned about more bouts of capital flight from emerging markets once the US Fed raises its interest rates.

“But with the Fed on the cusp of raising interest rates, and in our view set to tighten monetary policy much more aggressively than is generally expected, there are likely to be more bouts of capital flight from emerging markets in the future,” the think tank said.

-----
Philippine peso is least fragile currency among EMs – think tank | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* DTI sets business mission to Germany *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated September 14, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade Industry (DTI) will lead a 96-man business mission next month to Germany to promote Philippine export products to the rest of the world.

In a statement, the DTI said it is taking 96 delegates from 35 companies to the world’s largest food fair called Anuga to be held in Cologne, Germany from Oct. 10 to 14.

The DTI and the Department of Agriculture will likewise hold a Philippine business forum during the Anuga 2015 to take advantage of the presence of the major food importers and investors from all over the European Union (EU).

Trade Undersecretary Ponciano Manalo Jr., said the forum would present the details on how EU importers and investors could avail themselves of very competitively-priced Philippine exports of premium quality.

“Our superior price competitiveness stems from the EU-GSP+ (European Union’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus), which reduces or eliminates tariffs on exports from developing countries, and the Philippines is one of only 13 developing countries and the lone beneficiary in Southeast Asia to gain zero tariffs from the EU-GSP+, which covers some 6,274 export products,” Manalo said.

Manalo added the business forum on EU-GSP+ and the Philippines food pavilion at the Anuga Fair are expected to generate publicity about the quality and price competitiveness of Filipino products.

As the world’s largest and most important food and beverage fair, the biennial Anuga attracts thousands of exhibitors and visitors from all over EU and around the globe.

Its previous edition in 2013 drew 6,777 exhibitors from 98 countries and 155,000 trade visitors from 187.

The EU alone is the world’s single largest trading body, accounting for 40 percent of global merchandise exports and imports and the second-largest importer of goods and services.

-----
DTI sets business mission to Germany | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*South Korea Defense Minister visits Philippines*
*Grace Gonzales *
*September 14, 2015*

South Korea Defense Minister Han Min-koo will be in the country today. He is scheduled to conduct meeting with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and pay a courtesy call to President Benigno Aquino. Minister Han and Secretary Gazmin will tackle regional security and defense matters.

South Korean firms are active in participating in several Armed Force of the Philippine modernization acquisition projects. The Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is scheduled to deliver first 2 of 12 ordered FA-50 fighter trainer aircraft before the years ends.

Korean firms are also among the bidders vying for the PhP18-billion frigate program for Philippine Navy. The program aims to acquire two frigates which are capable of firing anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine missiles and weapons.

-----
http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/2015/09/14/13350-south-korea-defense-minister-visits-philippines
-----



*South Korea ready to share ‘know-how’ in defense*
*Philippine News Agency *
*September 14, 2015*

South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo on Monday expressed hopes that countries engaged in a territorial dispute at the West Philippine Sea to sign a binding code soon to resolve the maritime conflict. “South Korea looks into this area as well because 90 percent of our petroleum trade and 30 percent of our total trade goes through this area,” Han said in a press briefing at Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

“Relevant nations should act in accordance with the declaration of conduct that has been made and Korea hopes for the speedy conclusion of the code of conduct,” Han said.

The South Korean official said he and Gazmin also agreed to expand cooperation between their countries’ militaries, and expressed readiness to share Seoul’s “know-how” in defense.

Before the briefing, Han met with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, with whom he signed an “agreement on protection of confidential military information.” The South Korean official is in a two-day visit to Manila, the first time for a South Korean defense minister to visit in six years.

During his stay, Han also met with surviving members and families of the Philippine contingent that fought in the Korean War. He added South Korea is trying to return the favor, as shown by the deployment of Korean soldiers in Leyte during the aftermath of Super typhoon “Yolanda” in November 2013.

-----
http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/2015/09/14/13363-south-korea-ready-to-share-know-how-in-defense
-----



*South Korea, Philippines sign Protection of Classified Military Information agreement*
*Philippine News Agency *
*September 14, 2015*

Defense chiefs of South Korea and the Philippines signed Monday an “Agreement on the Protection of Classified Military Information” to deepen the relation of the two nations. Defense public affairs office chief Arsenio Andolong said that the agreement would allow the systematic exchange of information of significant developments in the region.

“This Agreement will enable the Philippines to be better apprised of the latest developments in the Korean Peninsula, if any hostilities arise. Safety and repatriation of Filipinos residing in ROK will be PHL’s paramount concern when such contingency erupts between the two Koreas,” he added.

Signing for the Philippine side was Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin while South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo represented his country. Both officials manifested their continued support to the further enhancement of its defense relations through the expansion of exchanges at the senior defense and military levels.

And to promote more relevant and practical cooperation towards the goal of establishing a strategic partnership, the Department of National Defense and South Korean Ministry of National Defense will explore the establishment of an annual Defense Policy Consultation at the vice-ministerial level.

Gazmin personally extended his appreciation, in behalf of the direct beneficiaries of Leyte, who benefited from the one-year deployment of the South Korean Army’s “Araw” Unit which assisted in the rehabilitation of Palo, Tanauan and Tolosa in the aftermath of Typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013.

While Han, on the other hand, committed the support of Korean defense industries in the Modernization Program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

-----
http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...-of-classified-military-information-agreement
-----

__________________________________________________________________________________________


*It appears that there is a high-probability that most of the PH military's assets will come from South Korea, we can consider the K-200 to complement the AIFVs and ACV-15s.*


----------



## Cossack25A1

*National Development News:*

-----

*Bataan nuclear plant will take years to rehab, House committee told*
*Posted on September 14, 2015*
*09:27:00 PM*
_
*A HOUSE of Representatives panel is drafting a nuclear power policy which may result in a decision on whether to operate the mothballed nuclear plant in Bataan.*_

The House committee on energy yesterday held an inquiry into the government’s latest plans for the nearly 40-year-old Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).

Should the government decide to operate the plant, it would need years of preparation and an additional $1 billion for repairs, authorities said.

National Power Corp. (Napocor) President Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita said rehabilitation of the Bataan plant and studies on whether the plant can still be operated safely will require years, according to the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI).

“The estimate is really very hard to do but... it would probably need at least 5 to 10 years for the regulatory body,” said Teofilo V. Leonin, Jr., chief of the PNRI’s nuclear regulations division. “Even at the moment, just in case the government comes out with a nuclear power policy -- we need that before we can proceed -- we are already (projecting) at least 5 years to be able to decide.”

Mr. Leonin added that the Napocor would first need to secure a license to operate from PNRI before it can run the nuclear plant.

The Bataan facility is home to a pressurized water reactor constructed between 1976 and 1984 at $2.3 billion through loans which the government only finished paying on April 2007.

The plant has never been used to supply power. The government has spent P50 million annually since 2007 for maintenance costs, while absorbing yearly losses amounting to about P12 million.

Committee chairman and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo V. Umali (2nd district) said a draft law on nuclear power policy is targeted for completion before the “end of the third regular session,” as time runs out on the 16th Congress.

“We hope to work on this and have this decided on by the committee,” Mr. Umali told reporters after the hearing.

Mr. Umali said that opening the nuclear facility would require money and experts, but the biggest concern would be its social acceptance.

“We will also try to build a consensus,” the lawmaker said. “If the consensus is towards operating it, then so be it. If the consensus will be away from it, then so be it.”

The Department of Energy (DoE) and the Napocor, meanwhile, said a public referendum would be the best way to secure an “absolute” decision to run the Bataan facility before government makes a move.

“The DoE sees that BNPP is not only a power issue alone but it is a national issue. We are of the position that the issue should involve national consensus, thus submitting it to a plebiscite or referendum,” DoE Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos told lawmakers at the House of Representatives.

Mr. Marcos and Ms. Sta. Rita, meanwhile, said the government should keep the Bataan plant and its adjacent facilities intact pending a decision on nuclear power.

But Mr. Umali said a referendum might not be needed if Congress is able to pass a nuclear policy law.

The Bataan plant sits on a 389-hectare lot in Napot Point, Morong, and is owned by the government. If allowed to operate, Napocor sees the facility producing as much as 620 megawatts or about a tenth of the Luzon grid.

It is also expected to help bring down power prices as its generation cost is lower compared to coal-fired plants.

The Philippines has yet to come up with a national policy on nuclear power, the officials added, which they said has stood in the way of pursuing actual operations. -- _*Melissa Luz T. Lopez*_

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BusinessWorld | Bataan nuclear plant will take years to rehab, House committee told
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*Philippine military receives new equipment for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Platoon*
*Grace Gonzales *
*September 17, 2015*

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) received new equipment for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Platoon-Army Support Command (ASCOM) of the Philippine Army (PA). AFP Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Edgar Fallorina today inspected one of the new equipment donated by the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

DTRA said in August 31 that its Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Preparedness Program (CP2) engaged in an intensive four-week training event at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland for AFP’s newly established CBRN Response Team.

“The 27 participants will be trained in CBRN preparedness, reconnaissance, and decontamination skills, in addition to learning operating procedures for the CBRN Dismounted Reconnaissance (DR-JUONS) kit provided by CP2 to create an operational capability for preparation to support the Asia Pacific Economic Council (APEC) Summit planned for the fall of 2015,” DTRA said.

The intensive course will train Philippines Army CBRN Response team in donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE) at various levels of protection, participate in agility drills while in PPE, conduct personal decontamination and engage in practical application skills preparing them to receive a DR-JUONS kit.

-----
http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...mical-biological-radiological-nuclear-platoon
-----



*PAF’s 2nd new medium-lift aircraft arrives from Spain *
*by Elena L. Aben
September 17, 2015*

The Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) second new Spanish Airbus C-295 medium-lift aircraft arrived at Clark Air Base in Mabalacat City, Pampanga, Tuesday afternoon.

Col. Enrico Canaya, PAF spokesman, said the aircraft with tail number 140 arrived at 5:30 p.m. It departed Spain last September 8 and was flown in by pilots of Airbus Defense and Space (ADS), one of the largest defense and airspace product manufacturers in the world.

Canaya said the PAF Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee (TIAC) shall undertake the inspection and acceptance procedures at Clark before the aircraft is flown to Villamor Air Base in Pasay City for the turn-over and blessing ceremony.

The first C-295 medium-lift fixed-wing aircraft arrived last March 22 and was formally turned over and blessed on March 30 in a ceremony held at Villamor Air Base.

The first and second C-295s were delivered five months ahead of schedule. A third aircraft is expected to arrive before the year ends.

Canaya said that based on a contract approved last March 26, 2014, the supply and delivery of the three aircraft were to be delivered October 2015, February 2016, and June, 2016, respectively.

Four Philippine pilots and 19 maintenance crew completed their training from January to March and another two pilots completed their training from March to April this year in Spain.

The acquisition of the three planes is one of the projects under the AFP modernization program. The medium lift aircraft will be used to transport AFP personnel and logistics to any part of the country as needed, as well as for humanitarian assistance and disaster response missions.

Airbus won the Department of National Defense’s (DND) medium-lift aircraft program with its bid last year of of P5.29 billion for three aircraft.

The C-295 is described as “a capable and versatile transport and surveillance aircraft.” It can carry up to nine tons of cargo or 71 people. It also has a maximum cruising speed of 260 knots and take off and land in short and rough airfields.

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PAF’s 2nd new medium-lift aircraft arrives from Spain | mb.com.ph | Philippine News
-----

*
===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*


*Business News:*

-----

* Philippines hailed ‘top and most professional borrower’ in Asia *
 By Rosette Adel* (philstar.com) *
*Updated September 17, 2015 - 3:14pm*

MANILA, Philippines – FinanceAsia named Philippines as this year’s Top Borrower and Most Professional Sovereign Borrower in Asia.

"This is very encouraging news; it shows the market has its confidence firmly placed in us and our performance as a sovereign borrower. Especially in these turbulent times, reputation is everything," Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said.

The Philippines just recently conducted its Domestic Management Transaction with total tenders amounting to P388 billion, considered as a show of force since it was executed in uncertain and troubled times.

Last year, the Philippines was also given Region’s Best Borrower Award for its innovative execution of a one-day accelerated switch tender offer in January 2014, its first transaction as an investment grade sovereign.

FinanceAsia will feature the results of their 2015 Fixed Income research poll, announce last September 11 in their upcoming printed bond market supplement.

-----
Philippines hailed ‘top and most professional borrower’ in Asia | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Expect market volatility until year-end – PSE *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 17, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The volatility in the local stock market is expected to continue until the end of 2015 but opportunities still abound, according to the head of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

PSE president Hans Sicat said while financial markets are overreacting, investors still have reasons to stay invested in the stock market.

“I think the view that the economy is going to grow by at least 5.5 to six percent (this year) is not too radically different from a six percent expectation. It may be lower but it’s certainly not fatal,” Sicat said.

Sicat believes the markets will eventually calm down. “Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later,” he said.

First Metro Securities Brokerage Corp., the stockbrokerage arm of tycoon George Ty’s First Metro Investment Corp., advised investors to maximize opportunities in the local stock market even with the prevailing volatility.

Mark Angeles, head of FMIC’s equity research, said investors could take position for opportunities that would arise amidst the volatile environment brought about by slower-than-expected growth, weak corporate earnings, the eventual US Fed rate hike, and economic troubles in China.

“Despite the volatility, which will most likely continue until the end of 2015, we remain optimistic of the Philippine market over the longer term.” Angeles said.

His recommendation is for investors to rotate to defensive stocks, or stocks that have constant dividends and stable earnings during any economic state.

Angeles also advised investors to go for stocks with high dividend yields and visible positive ratings.

The upcoming campaign and national elections in May next year is another factor to consider in looking for opportunities in this volatile market, Angeles noted.

“We suggest investors to take advantage of the current market weakness by increasing their exposure on stocks that tend to perform better during election season. Historically, expenditure on groceries, liquor, cigarettes, and fuel tend to rise about 12 months prior to elections,” he said.

FMIC head of institutional sales Mhelvin Abajon, for his part, said the current market weakness presents an attractive buying opportunity.

Abajon also noted the importance of having a reliable trading platform to take advantage of market opportunities.

First Metro Philippine Equity Exchange-Traded Fund (FMETF) provides opportunities for long-term investing in the stock market. It is a mutual fund that mirrors the performance of the Philippine Stock Exchange index and trades like a stock in the local bourse.

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Expect market volatility until year-end – PSE | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Bargain hunters dominate ahead of Fed meet *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 17, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The main composite index managed to stay above the 7,000 level as investors gobbled up bargain stocks ahead of the US Fed meeting.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose 4.91 points, or 0.07 percent, to close at 7,093.02.

Similarly, the broader All-Shares index climbed 5.64 percent points, or 0.14 percent, to close at 4,046.26.

Joseph Roxas, president of Eagle Equities said some investors went for bargain stocks ahead of the upcoming meeting of the US Federal Reserve.

Value turnover reached the P7 billion level, hitting P7.068 billion as advancers outnumbered decliners, 101 to 63, while 39 stocks were unchanged during yesterday’s session.

Yesterday’s best performers include Lopez-led Energy Dev’t Corp., which rose 3.51 percent to close at P5.90. Similarly, Ayala Corp. rose 1.60 percent or 12.000 points to close at P761 per share.

Meanwhile, global share markets were also up yesterday, albeit in thin volume, and short-term US bond yields held near 4 1/2-year highs as investors braced for the possibility of the first interest rate hike in the United States in almost a decade.

A late five percent surge in Chinese stocks had helped Asia’s bourses finish more than 2 percent higher as early gains of 0.7 to 1.3 percent for London’s FTSE, Frankfurt’s DAX and Paris’s CAC 40 got Europe of to a solid day too.

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Bargain hunters dominate ahead of Fed meet | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*Politics and Diplomacy News:*

-----

*China may impose trade embargo against Philippines*
*Philippine News Agency *
*September 17, 2015*

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista said Wednesday the poll body has decided to transfer the manufacture of optical mark reader (OMR) machines from Suzhou, China to Taiwan “because of current conditions between the Philippine and China.” The poll body has decided to purchase 77,000 new optical mark reader (OMR) machines and lease of new 23,000 new OMR machines from Smartmatic for the 2016 elections.

Smartmatic project manager Marlon Garcia said that it was five percent more expensive for Smartmatic to transfer the manufacturing of voting machines to Taiwan.

“It was going to be more expensive for us, and we absorbed the cost for that, in order to increase the comfort of the commission on the manufacturing of the machines,” Garcia noted.

He, however, said that the Smartmatic “cannot blame the commission,” for its decision because of the sudden turn of events. Last August, the Comelec announced that the voting machines would be made in Suzhou, China.

During the hearing of House committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms on government preparation for the 2016 elections, Comelec Commissioner Robert Lim alleged that there might be an attempt by China to possibly “sabotage” the country’s 2016 presidential elections.

“We don’t want the complications. Another reason why we want all deliveries of machines by January, because we are anticipating the release of the arbitration decision that might affect the elections. So we don’t want that, we want to avoid the complications,” Lim said.

The Philippines expects the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague, Netherlands to rule on territorial dispute over the West Philippine Sea early next year.

“Once China decides to make a trade embargo there will be no trade, so any product made in China will not be coming in the Philippines. There’s a lot of possibilities,” Lim said.

-----
http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/2015/09/17/13451-china-may-impose-trade-embargo-against-philippines
-----


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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

* Philippine Army to hold demonstration of .50 caliber-RCWS *
 By Rosette Adel* (philstar.com) *
*Updated September 20, 2015 - 1:40pm*

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Army (PA) is scheduled to test the .50 caliber-remote controlled weapons system (RCWS) of its newly acquired M-113 armored personnel carriers (APCs) on Monday.

PA spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao on Sunday said PA will hold the demonstration before members of the media at the rifle range of the Mechanized Infantry Division Camp O’Donnel, Capas, Tarlac.

The newly acquired six APCs were part of the 28 APCs ordered from Israeli defense manufacturer Elbit Systems Ltd.

The APCs contract, worth P882-million, was signed June 22, 2014. The M-113 APCs arrived in June 18, 2015 and was transported to Tarlac last July 8.

Reports said the acquisition of APCs from Israel is expected to boost the Army’s fighting capability.

According to PA, fourteen of the M-113s will be configured as fire support vehicles, while four will be used as infantry fighting vehicles, six of which as APCs while the remaining four will be configured as armored recovery units.

To date, PA operates 343 armored fighting vehicles (AFV) and APCs.

The AFVs consists of 150 United Kingdom-built GKN “Simba”, US-designed V-150 and V-200 APCs, M113s, Turkish-made ACV-300s and British Scorpion CVRTs.

Around 85 percent of these AFVs are on green status or fully mission capable while another 10 percent are on yellow status or undergoing repair and five percent are on red status or beyond repair to provide PA its armor capability.

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Philippine Army to hold demonstration of .50 caliber-RCWS | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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## pr1v4t33r

Demonstration by the Philippine Army of 6 newly acquired M113A2 from Elbit Systems, armed with RCWS 12.7mm guns

Reactions: Like Like:
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## bdslph

EID MUBARAK TODAY IS EID AL ADHA IN PH
EID MUBARAK TO EVERY AND TO FILIPINO  

going to prayer now

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Aepsilons

bdslph said:


> EID MUBARAK TODAY IS EID AL ADHA IN PH
> EID MUBARAK TO EVERY AND TO FILIPINO
> 
> going to prayer now



Eid Mubarak !



Cossack25A1 said:


> *South Korea, Philippines sign Protection of Classified Military Information agreement*
> *Philippine News Agency *
> *September 14, 2015*
> 
> Defense chiefs of South Korea and the Philippines signed Monday an “Agreement on the Protection of Classified Military Information” to deepen the relation of the two nations. Defense public affairs office chief Arsenio Andolong said that the agreement would allow the systematic exchange of information of significant developments in the region.
> 
> “This Agreement will enable the Philippines to be better apprised of the latest developments in the Korean Peninsula, if any hostilities arise. Safety and repatriation of Filipinos residing in ROK will be PHL’s paramount concern when such contingency erupts between the two Koreas,” he added.
> 
> Signing for the Philippine side was Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin while South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo represented his country. Both officials manifested their continued support to the further enhancement of its defense relations through the expansion of exchanges at the senior defense and military levels.
> 
> And to promote more relevant and practical cooperation towards the goal of establishing a strategic partnership, the Department of National Defense and South Korean Ministry of National Defense will explore the establishment of an annual Defense Policy Consultation at the vice-ministerial level.
> 
> Gazmin personally extended his appreciation, in behalf of the direct beneficiaries of Leyte, who benefited from the one-year deployment of the South Korean Army’s “Araw” Unit which assisted in the rehabilitation of Palo, Tanauan and Tolosa in the aftermath of Typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013.
> 
> While Han, on the other hand, committed the support of Korean defense industries in the Modernization Program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
> 
> -----
> http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/201...-of-classified-military-information-agreement
> -----
> 
> __________________________________________________________________________________________
> 
> 
> *It appears that there is a high-probability that most of the PH military's assets will come from South Korea, we can consider the K-200 to complement the AIFVs and ACV-15s.*





You guys can't go wrong in going Korean-made. They're good. Very good.

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Zero_wing

Thanks so Japan made screw the chinese products poorly made garbage


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

*ADB bats for ‘selective’ capital controls As developing countries brace for impact of looming United States rate hike *
By Prinz P. Magtulis* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 26, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - “Selective” capital controls could be imposed by countries in developing Asia – including the Philippines – in order to manage the impact of the upcoming US interest rate hike while boosting growth, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has suggested.

“To deal with monetary policy dilemma between stabilizing the domestic financial sector and responding to the need for domestic demand stimulation, regional authorities can… (adopt) careful macroprudential policy that selectively controls destabilizing capital flows,” the ADB said in a report released Tuesday.

“Imposing filters on several types of debt flows can make independent monetary policy more effective,” the report updating the Asian Development Outlook said.

In particular, the Manila-based lender said its studies showed that controls to capital flows in bonds, money market commercial and financial, and derivatives have been “effective” in dealing with spillovers from central bank actions abroad.

The policy recommendation came after the multilateral organization slashed its growth forecast for developing Asia to 5.8 percent this year from the original six-percent forecast in March.

Slowing growth would have required lower interest rates, something when done would make economies more unattractive to capital seeking higher returns. As a result, the ADB said capital controls could come in handy.

“Regional monetary authorities need more scope for conducting monetary policy that is more independent of conditions and policy in the US without jeopardizing the stability of national finance,” the report stated.

Last week, the US Federal Reserve kept its near-zero policy rates in place since 2006 despite recent improvements in the US economy that could have warranted higher interest rates to control financial stability.

It cited, among others, the rout in emerging markets in recent months, especially following China’s devaluation of its currency, the yuan, which effectively signaled weakness in Asia’s largest economy.

The Philippine peso, specifically, has weakened versus the greenback by about five percent since the end of last year. Other regional currencies have slumped as well as capital seeks refuge in the US dollar.

In a briefing last Tuesday, ADB principal economist Joseph Zveglich Jr. said Asian currencies could tumble further as long as the US keeps the market waiting for its much-anticipated hike in rates.

“We are still anticipating for something to happen in the coming months or before the end of the year. We see this more as a question of “when” not “if,” Zveglich told reporters.

“While this [US rate hike] is something that will create volatility, we do not expect it to come as a shock to the region,” he added.

On its policy-meeting last Thursday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) kept its policy rates unchanged at four and six percent, citing risks from the El Nino phenomenon which could tilt record-low inflation higher in the months to come.

The BSP also cited the persistent weakness in the global economy and the volatility in the world markets in justifying its decision.

-----
ADB bats for ‘selective’ capital controls As developing countries brace for impact of looming United States rate hike | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Fitch backs BSP regulation to manage real estate risks *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 26, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Fitch Ratings believes the proactive supervision and regulation being undertaken by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) would help contain macro-prudential risks stemming from the real estate market.

Fitch welcomed the plan of BSP to release a residential real estate price index (RREPI) later in the year since the lack of data on property prices and affordability indicators make it difficult for the debt watcher to assess the effect of credit growth on the real estate market.

“The proactive supervision and regulation of the BSP, particularly on the introduction of real estate stress tests and caps on mortgage loan values relative to collateral, may help to contain risks,” the debt watcher said.

It noted private sector credit is still growing at a brisk pace despite moderating to 14.1 percent in end June from 19.9 percent in end-2014.

Data from Colliers International show average land values in the Makati Central Business District jumped by more than 50 percent since end-2012.

Fitch, however, said relatively low vacancy rates and strong growth in rents suggest some fundamental support for current price levels.

As early as 2014, the BSP was contemplating on launching the index that would track property prices in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. The monitoring would be expanded to cover other key cities in the country.

The RREPI would help the central bank address concerns of a “bubble” in the country’s booming residential real estate sector brought about by the improving purchasing power of Filipinos.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said a statistical index like RREPI would help make a general characterization of the real estate sector and the likely path of property prices.

Likewise, it would also be useful to produce a decomposition into residential and commercial property prices which are driven by different dynamics.

He pointed out the country continues to have a large backlog in the housing sector while the capacity of the clients has increased due to overseas remittances, higher employment, and the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

“The risks of asset price inflation appear manageable and have, in fact, been addressed by a number of macroprudential measures,” he said.

He explained demand for commercial space has reportedly been shooting up as the robust economic tempo has generated great interest from investors.

“But again, the various macroprudential measures and careful monetary stance of the BSP have helped support the sustainability of this segment,” he added.

According to him, key property builders and developers are now more risk-conscious and, therefore, have conducted themselves responsibly, while banks engaged in real estate have been advised to ensure their capital base is not unduly challenged by their exposure in real estate.

The BSP stepped up its watch over the real estate sector as early as 2012 by ordering banks to disclose more comprehensive reports on their exposures to the property industry.

The pre-emptive macroprudential policy measure approved by the Monetary Board required stress tests for banks to determine if their capital will be enough to absorb credit risk that may arise from their exposure to the property sector.

The BSP explained universal, commercial, and thrift banks would need to meet a capital adequacy ratio of 10 percent of their qualifying capital following the stress test results.

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Fitch backs BSP regulation to manage real estate risks | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* DTI to institutionalize Industry Development Council *
 By Kathleen A. Martin* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 26, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry wants to institutionalize the Industry Development Council so succeeding administrations would not be able to hamper improvements being undertaken to upgrade industries.

“There’s already a draft executive order submitted to Malacanang,” Trade assistant secretary Rafaela Aldaba said.

This is only one of the implementation challenges of the country’s new industrial policy which was introduced to create more and better jobs, and reduce poverty at the same time.

“We need to strengthen our institutional coordination, there are a lot of agencies with whom DTI has to coordinate with for the implementation of our industrial policies,” Aldaba said.

“Of course, we know all the different agencies have varying mandates. So how to reconcile these varying mandates is truly a challenge for us,” she continued.

The new industrial policy, meant to improve competitiveness and productivity, tasks the government to create a proper environment for private sector development.

The phases of development of the industries such as manufacturing, agribusiness, and services until 2025 have been planned under this new policy.

But Aldaba stressed the creation of programs under the industrial policies remains a difficult task for regulators and concerned agencies as measures should be specific to one industry.

“In crafting our industry support programs, there is no one-size fits all approach. We need to fully understand each industry in order to come up with strategic measures so this would enable us to tailor the measures to specific circumstances,” Aldaba said.

At the same time, she noted there should be focus on small businesses which need all the support they can get in terms of financing and access to technology.

“We need to create more space for our micro, small and medium enterprises because up to now, it’s still the large enterprises that control bulk of the value-added services and the employment,” Aldaba said.

“For the MSMEs, most of the issues are access to financing and access to technology that we need to address,” she said.

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DTI to institutionalize Industry Development Council | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* EU urges Philippines companies to maximize GSP+ scheme *
 By Richmond Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated September 26, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The European Union has asked Philippine companies to step up efforts in taking advantage of the EU’s Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) to fully utilize the benefits of the scheme.

In a recent dialogue between EU officials and Philippine companies, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) said the EU urged the Philippine business community to maximize and reap the full benefits of the GSP+ status grant.

While significant improvements have been seen in machinery and agri-food industries, the EU said there are still much more untapped development potential in trade following the GSP+ status grant.

The EU noted that despite the promising benefits of the EU GSP+ in trade, the Philippines pales in comparison with India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan which are seen to be the largest EU GSP+ users.

The Philippines became the only beneficiary country of the EU GSP+ in Southeast Asia after securing the grant status in December last year.

The EU GSP+ scheme allows beneficiary countries to export 6,274 products to any of the 28 members of the EU bloc at zero tariff for a period of 10 years.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Products that may avail of the duty-free access include coconut and marine products, processed fruit, prepared food, animal and vegetable fats and oils, textiles, garments, headwear, footwear, furniture, umbrellas and chemicals.

Prior to securing EU GSP+ status, the Philippines was a beneficiary of the regular GSP program which covered 6,209 products, with 2,442 products subject to zero duty and the rest subject to lower tariffs.

The EU, however, stressed the EU GSP+ grant comes with a price, as beneficiaries are expected to comply with 27 international conventions as well as the EU reporting and monitoring procedure.

The ECCP said the Department of Trade and Industry already expressed its commitment in helping the Philippine company expand and diversify product lines.

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EU urges Philippines companies to maximize GSP+ scheme | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*
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*Military and Defense News:*

------

*Spending ban may delay PHL air support in South China Sea dispute – SBMA's Garcia*
*September 26, 2015 12:36am *

Plans to renovate an air base at Subic Bay, enabling Philippine fighter jets to respond quickly to any Chinese moves in the disputed South China Sea, may face delays due to a spending ban before general elections, a senior official said on Friday.

New fighter jets and two frigates are to be stationed at the former US naval facility in Subic Bay northwest of the Manila from early next year, the first time the massive installation will have functioned as a military base in 23 years.

Subic Bay's deep-water harbor lies on the western side of the main Philippine island of Luzon, opposite the South China Sea, and is about 130 nautical miles (240 km) from Scarborough Shoal, a rocky outcrop China seized control of in 2012.

China has built seven artificial islands on submerged shoals and outcrops in the area, which it says is part of its territory, and is believed to be constructing three airfields there.

Roberto Garcia, chairman of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, - which is overseeing the conversion of the industrial and commercial complex - said the military had to move quickly to repair the base's airfield because a pre-election ban on military spending kicks in March.

The Philippines holds national elections in May.

"That is my concern, if the military does not get funding for the repairs, the air and naval bases may be delayed," Garcia said, adding that South Korea was due to deliver the first two fighters in early December.

An air force general, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the press, said the government had yet to respond to a request for 100 million pesos ($2.14 million) to refurbish Subic's airfield.

The Philippine Air Force has been allocated about 10 percent of the 200-hectare airport facilities to house a squadron of 12 FA50 light fighters for maritime security missions.

Once one of the biggest U.S. naval facilities in the world, Subic was shut in 1992 after the end of the Cold War.

"With the situation in the South China Sea right now, it looks like the presence of foreign troops will increase in coming months," Garcia said, adding that approval by the Supreme Court of a new military pact with the United States would change the situation. A ruling is expected next month. *— Reuters*

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Spending ban may delay PHL air support in South China Sea dispute – SBMA's Garcia | News | GMA News Online
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*Philippine Navy mock amphibious assault*
*Posted on September 25, 2015 *

Philippine Navy and Marine units conducted a mock amphibious assault in Ternate, Cavite on Thursday, as part of the five-day Exercise “PAGSISIKAP” 2015 which started Monday, Navy public affairs office chief Cmdr. Lued Lincuna said.

“This mock amphibious raid was a combined special operations designed to put into test, evaluate and further enhance the capability of the Fleet-Marine personnel in the conduct of an integrated attack from its initiation from the sea through naval platforms, to the insertion of troops and infiltration into the hostile terrain, to demolition raid and close-quarter combats and finally to the extraction of the VIPs from the enemy-laden environment,” he added.

Aside from war-fighting capabilities, it was also an avenue for the troops to run through the tactical combat casualty care by air and water that comprised of life-saving techniques and strategies for providing first aid and care on the battlefield for combat casualties.

Exercise “PAGSISIKAP” 2015 is the 12th iteration of the annual Fleet-Marine amphibious exercise conducted by the PN in order to develop and achieve an amphibious-capable and credible force and enable the Fleet-Marine forces to assert more efficiency in the conduct of its mandated task. (PNA)

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Philippine Navy mock amphibious assault
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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*Infra, investment constraints hinder business in Philippines – World Bank *
By Ted P. Torres* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 6, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The World Bank said the biggest constraints to improving the business climate in the Philippines are policy reforms revolving around investments and infrastructure.

“The most important priority is improving the business and investment climate, especially affecting infrastructure and investments,” World Bank chief economist for the East Asia and Pacific Region Sudhir Shetty said in a teleconference yesterday.

Shetty said the Philippine government must take another look at the revenue picture, collection levels, and increasing the country’s tax base.

The World Bank economist also cautioned the Philippines and the rest of emerging Asia in being too eager in giving tax incentives to new investments.

The World Bank had always maintained tax incentives should benefit the poorer segment of a nation.

Nevertheless, the country’s economic growth remains fairly robust although slower than expected.

Due to slowdown in public investments, the World Bank said Philippine economic growth would be in the vicinity of 5.8 percent in 2015, picking up to 6.5 percent in 2016 and six percent in 2017.

Meanwhile, Shetty said the World Bank forecasts economic growth in the East Asia region would be slightly moderate this year until 2017. For China, it would also slow to 6.7 percent in 2016.

Among the Asean nations, Vietnam and the Philippines would show relative robust growth while Thailand is expected to move in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile, Karl Kendrick Chua, senior country (Philippines) economist of the World Bank, said the second half economic performance would outdo the first semester as government ramp ups spending.

Weak public spending especially in infrastructure was one of reasons for the slower 5.3 percent growth in the January to June period.

Chua said the major risk factor is the El Nino weather phenomenon.

“A stronger El Nino is a major risk factor as this could hurt agriculture severely, much like the 1983 and 1998 episodes,” he said.

Chua said that the key response to El Nino in the immediate term is to ensure adequate food stock, especially through timely importation of rice and other key food items. “In the medium term, reforms in food policy and disaster-proofing infrastructure are essential.”

In response to the tax issues, the economist made several recommendations, including lowering the top marginal income tax to 25 percent.

He said that the World Bank recommendations intend to lower the rate while broadening the tax base.

Another recommendation is to rationalize tax incentives by making them more targeted, transparent, performance-based, and temporary, including the timely release of a tax expenditure statement, which enumerates all existing and proposed tax incentives and who benefits from them.

Chua also mentioned a reduction in the gap between the regular and special corporate income tax rates, and simplification of the tax regime for micro and small enterprises by moving to a single tax on turnover, for example, six percent in lieu of all other taxes.

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Infra, investment constraints hinder business in Philippines – World Bank | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* BSP eases rules on dividend declaration *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 6, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has further eased the regulations on dividend declaration of banks and quasi-banks on shares of stock and similar capital instruments.

The BSP’s Monetary Board has approved the policy liberalization to align the dividend declaration standards of banks and quasi-banks in the Philippines with international standards on the rights of shareholders.

BSP deputy governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said the revised policy holds more accountable the board of directors and management of the bank and quasi-banks on the declaration of dividends and makes more transparent to the public the dividend declaration in view of the required disclosures.

“Basically, no more prior BSP evaluation/clearance before a bank can declare dividend unless a bank has been specifically directed by the Monetary Board otherwise. It will be the bank’s responsibility to determine and certify its compliance with BSP requirements,” Espenilla added.

The BSP explained the policy would bring publicly listed banks or quasi-banks in a position to comply with the 30 calendar day’s timeline prescribed under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS) for the payment of dividends to shareholders of record.

Further, the policy also requires that the dividend declaration be immediately recognized as a liability in accordance with Philippine Accounting Standards, and that it be disclosed in the statement of equity changes and in the notes to the financial statements.

Banks and quasi-banks that meet the pre-qualification criteria including capital adequacy requirements shall be qualified to declare and pay dividends without prior BSP verification.

The central bank added any bank or quasi-banks that misrepresents or does not comply with the amended regulations on dividend declaration shall be reverted back to the “prior Bangko Sentral verification” requirement. 

Espenilla said violators would also be subject to other enforcement actions provided by law or regulations, including possible declaration of unsafe or unsound banking practice.

“Sanctions apply if a bank is later found to violate conditions, including loss of privilege,” he added.

The number of banks in the Philippines declined amid the consolidation of smaller players, but the physical network of banking industry increased in the first half of the year.

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BSP eases rules on dividend declaration | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Index nearly breaches 7,000 level *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 6, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Shares prices rallied yesterday, testing the 6,900 resistance level following the release of sluggish US jobs data which could mean a delay in the rate hike of the US Federal Reserve.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) surged 111.32 points, or 1.62 percent, to finish at 6,961.93, while the broader All Shares index ended at 4,011.55, up 54.36 points or 1.37 percent.

According to data from the US government, job growth was recorded at 142,000 last month, below expectations of more than 200,000.

The recently released jobs data raised doubts on whether the US economy was strong enough for the Fed to raise rates by the end of the year.

Jason Escartin of F. Yap Securities said the sluggish jobs data would provide a picture of the US economy even as the delay in the increase in Fed rates could be seen as a boon for the equities market including the local equities mart.

All other indices closed in positive territory, a marked turn around from last week’s sluggish trade.

Value turnover reached P9.15 billion. Advances outnumbered decliners 112 to 65, while 32 stocks were unchanged.

Gainers include BHI Holdings Inc., SM Prime Holdings, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. and Bloomberry.

Yesterday’s worst performers include Chemical Industries of the Philippines which declined 29.62 percent as well as Grand Plaza Hotel Corp.

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Index nearly breaches 7,000 level | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*Military and Defense News:*

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*US to start naval exercises with Philippines, ASEAN Navies*
*Posted on October 5, 2015 *

The Philippine Navy (PN) will participate in a US Navy-led multilateral exercise codenamed SEACAT (Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training) together with the navies from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.

SEACAT 2015, which started Monday, marks the 14th in the series, PN public affairs office chief Cmdr. Lued Lincuna said.

SEACAT is a scenario-driven tracking exercise which focuses on real time information exchange between the navy units involved, coordinated monitoring and close observation on our maritime territory, tracking suspicious vessels, and eventual conduct of visit, board, search and seizure to the SEACAT-controlled contact of interest or the supposed suspicious target vessel.

The field at-sea training is carried out in each country’s territorial waters.

In the Philippines, the exercise will be conducted within the area of responsibility of Naval Forces North West which is the West Philippine Sea area, in vicinity off Subic Bay area, Manila and its approaches.

Lued said SEACAT 2015 will see some of the PN’s surface, air assets and special operations units interoperating with other navies as they aim to expand information-sharing capabilities, improve interoperability among military, and law enforcement agencies in the region and provide opportunities to participating navies to gain good working experience in a multilateral environment.

Involved in this exercise are the two Philippine Navy patrol vessels, air assets and members of the Naval Special Operations Group.

Also included is the high-speed vessel United States Navy Ship Millinocket (JSHV-3) which is a flexible platform that can be used to provide rapid projection of task tailored for response to a wide range of military and civilian contingencies such as non-combatant evacuation operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief.

SEACAT 2015 also aims to enhance the PN’s capability in its fight against transnational crimes, and other maritime threats in the region.(PNA)

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US to start naval exercises with Philippines, ASEAN Navies
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*DND to resume acquisition of six close-air support aircraft next week*
*Posted on October 6, 2015*

The Department of National Defense (DND) has scheduled on October 12 the bid opening for the P4.9-billion contract for six close-air support aircraft.

The procurement is one of 30 multibillion contracts suspended earlier in May pending the go-ahead of President Benigno S. C. Aquino III. These include two navy frigates worth P18 billion, two long-range patrol aircraft worth P5.9 billion, and three air surveillance radars worth P2.68 billion.

The six foreign firms who bought bid documents for the contract are: Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company-Construcciones Aeronautics SA (EADS-CASA) Airbus Defense and Space, and Israeli defense contractor Elbit systems, and US-based Beechcraft Defense Company and IOMAX USA, Inc.

The bid documents were priced at P75,000, obtainable from the DND’s Special Bids and Awards Committee.

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DND to resume acquisition of six close-air support aircraft next week
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*DND’s JCPV Phase 3A project now open for bidding*
*Posted on October 5, 2015 *

The project designed to improve the armament, optical sights and munition supply for the Philippine Navy’s three Jacinto class patrol vessels (JCPV) has been finally opened for bidding.

Bid opening and submission is scheduled for Oct. 27 at the Department of National Defense-Bids and Awards Committee Conference Room, Basement Right Wing, DND Building, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

The project, officially called the JCPV Phase 3A, has a budget of PhP 630,637,163.60 which will be sourced from the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.

JCPV Phase 3A involves “the restoration and sustainment of two 76mm for two JCPVs, three 25mm gun systems for three JCPVs, delivery of two brand-new electro-optical fire control systems and sensors for two JCPVs and supply and delivery of ammunition for three JCPVs.”

Winning bidders are required to delivery these items within 25 months.

“Only system integrators who are themselves manufacturers of the main weapon system, fire control system or the Combat Management System are eligible to participate in the bidding,” DND-BAC Chair and Sssistant Secretary Ernesto D. Boac said.

The JCPV is one of the most modern surface combatants of the PN.

The three ships were originally operated by the Royal Navy in Hong Kong.

They were sold to the Philippines in August 1997 when Great Britain’s lease on Hong Kong ended.

Bid opening was earlier scheduled for March 10 but was put in abeyance pending the signing of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program. The program was signed last July 22. (PNA)

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DND’s JCPV Phase 3A project now open for bidding
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## pr1v4t33r

SSV#1

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> SSV#1



Can't wait


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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> *Index nearly breaches 7,000 level *
> By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
> *Updated October 6, 2015 - 12:00am*
> 
> MANILA, Philippines - Shares prices rallied yesterday, testing the 6,900 resistance level following the release of sluggish US jobs data which could mean a delay in the rate hike of the US Federal Reserve.
> 
> The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) surged 111.32 points, or 1.62 percent, to finish at 6,961.93, while the broader All Shares index ended at 4,011.55, up 54.36 points or 1.37 percent.
> 
> According to data from the US government, job growth was recorded at 142,000 last month, below expectations of more than 200,000.
> 
> The recently released jobs data raised doubts on whether the US economy was strong enough for the Fed to raise rates by the end of the year.
> 
> Jason Escartin of F. Yap Securities said the sluggish jobs data would provide a picture of the US economy even as the delay in the increase in Fed rates could be seen as a boon for the equities market including the local equities mart.
> 
> All other indices closed in positive territory, a marked turn around from last week’s sluggish trade.
> 
> Value turnover reached P9.15 billion. Advances outnumbered decliners 112 to 65, while 32 stocks were unchanged.
> 
> Gainers include BHI Holdings Inc., SM Prime Holdings, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. and Bloomberry.
> 
> Yesterday’s worst performers include Chemical Industries of the Philippines which declined 29.62 percent as well as Grand Plaza Hotel Corp.
> 
> -----
> Index nearly breaches 7,000 level | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
> -----




My friends say now is the 'hot' season to be investing in the Philippines. 

Tayo na ! Segurado ako na ! (did i say it right?) lol


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## Cossack25A1

Nihonjin1051 said:


> My friends say now is the 'hot' season to be investing in the Philippines.
> 
> Tayo na ! Segurado ako na ! (did i say it right?) lol



Well technically yes, though I just hope that the upcoming elections will not get in the way.

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## Cossack25A1

This may be old news, but it seems we were developing our own ammunition cartridge back in 2012.


* The New Musang AR round*
*Posted Aug 07th 2012 | 
By: Christopher Eger *

Recently Government Arsenal /DND, the national armory and arms factory of the Philippines government introduced a new round that they have in development for their military special operations forces. This round, the *7.62x37mm Musang*, looks to be a hard hitter. 

*The specifics of the round*

The 7.62x37mm Musang has apparently been in development for some time but has only been made public in a series of AFAD (Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers of the Philippines) sponsored arms shows in the Philippines in the past month. It would seem to be a wildcat round somewhere between the .300 AAC Blackout and the 7.62x40WT Wilson Combat. Its immense 250-grain bullet is loaded to go subsonic while its necked down case will still fit in a standard 5.56x45mm magazine and therefore, magazine well. With a modified upper atop the standard PI M16/M4 platform, any standard issue rifle is just two pins away from being able to fire the Musang round. 




_timawa.net photo_

*Development *

The 7.62x37mm as a caliber is not new. Heckler and Koch's development team of nutty Bavarians came up with their own 7.62x37mm cartridge almost twenty years ago when they took the SSK .300 Whisper, itself based on a .221-Remington case, and necked it down to accommodate a large (up to 220-grain) bullet. This round is used on their proprietary and slow selling HK SL9SD subsonic sniper rifle. The Pilipino development team has chosen to use a 5.56x45mm NATO case instead. This gives the Musang an ever so-slightly more rounded shoulder that either the Whisper or the H&K round even though the tolerances are within millimeters of each other. The subsonic Musang, loaded with handgun-grade propellants, is optimized for use with suppressors and delivers a solid 250-grain thump in close quarters combat scenarios. It should be remembered that the Philippine military is heavily involved in counter-insurgency/counter terror operations against Islamic radicals and it’s no doubt that this round is needed. In fact, if an insurgent chambers a readily available 5.56mm round into a captured Musang rifle, he could be in for quite a bad bad. 

According to posts on the PI military blog timawa.net attributed to GA director Jonathan Martir, the round is also planned as a big part of the upcoming suppressed Night Fighting Weapon System now in development. 




_The Philippines' Army and Marines are hard-pressed and have been in a forever war with local insurgents for decades. Note the M4 rifles and locally produced holstered M1911s. Some of the best 1911s made in the world come from Philippine factories. _

The unique new cartridge isn’t meant to replace the 5.56 or the 7.62x51mm NATO rounds, which will still be used for the standard infantry and marine rifles and machineguns. As stated before it will hold a niche capability in the growing legions of local CT teams and spec-ops groups. With the GA arsenal being the sole manufacturer of the cartridge, this helps make M4s chambered for the weapon unusable if captured by insurgents. It should be remembered that the country is made up of 7107 islands, some of which have never considered themselves a part of the Manila-based government. 




_From left to right, the 5.56x45mm NATO, the 7.62x37mm Musang (note the lack of neck and resemblance to the .300 Whisper), and the 7.62x51mm NATO. timawa.net photo. _

The Musang is undergoing testing and low-initial production at the GA's Camp General Antonio Luna in Bataan Province. Government Arsenal Director Jonathan Martir, formerly commander of the Phillipine Marines says that it’s a step in making the country more ammunition independent. In an interview for ZT he said “Our armed forces now is more a like a consumer armed forces because it buys everything from abroad. You have an army that buys its camouflage uniforms from China. The navy and the marines buy their camouflage uniforms from Taiwan, combat boots from Taiwan and Singapore. The only last thing that is proudly Philippine-made — as we say in the Arsenal — is our ammunition."





The low recoil 7.62x37mm Musang, with good long-range performance and very high accuracy in a subsonic envelope is a neat step towards that.

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The New Musang AR round
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## Nike



Reactions: Like Like:
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* In tie-up with Australia’s Telstra: SMC signals entry into telecoms *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 15, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Corp. aims to launch its mobile telecommunications business next year, its top official said.

Speaking before top global CEOs and businessmen at the Forbes Global CEO Conference yesterday, SMC president Ramon S. Ang disclosed the conglomerate’s impending entry into the local mobile phone market.

“We’re building a mobile global company. We think we can switch on the network next year so I think there will be no more problems for those of you who are experiencing problems,” Ang said, drawing applause from the crowd.

Ang, however, did not give any update on the ongoing talks with Australian telecoms giant Telstra, but both parties have confirmed the negotiations for a possible telco venture in the Philippines.

Melbourne-headquartered Telstra, Australia’s biggest phone company, was earlier reported to have selected banks for its expansion program.

Ang earlier said there was a need for a third telco player to compete with the duopoly and provide better services.

He said consumers continue to look for better services.

“We are building a network that will provide better service and that will work. It’s not impossible to have three players in one country,” Ang said.

He said SMC’s telco venture would be both in the wired and wireless sector, with focus on mobile broadband.

Ang led the conglomerate’s move to diversify into other businesses outside its core business of beer and food.

“We had nowhere to grow. Our beer then had a 95 percent market share and what else can we do?” Ang said.

Ang said after the 2008 Asian currency crisis, he convinced other shareholders to allow the company to diversify.

“We took advantage of it…We invested into power generation. We own coal fired power plants, the 1,000 megawatt Sual plant in Pangasinan, a hydroplant in San Roque and a 1,200 MW natural gas fired plant. We went into oil refinery and petrochem business and gas stations and invested into tollways. We now have 70 percent of tollways in the Philippines and we are building a new airport now in Boracay,” Ang said.

For the Caticlan Airport in Boracay, Ang said the company is expanding the runway to expand bigger plans such as Airbus 321 which can accommodate flights from Boracay to anywhere within a five-hour range.

He said SMC is also building a metro railway from Manila to Bulacan as well as expanding its cement businessmen to 16 million tons annually from the current six million.

“Our dream is to provide better infrastructure, better products and a better place for our countrymen,” Ang said.

SMC hopes to bring its yearly consolidated revenues to $40 to $50 billion in the next five years from an estimated $20 billion at present.

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In tie-up with Australia’s Telstra: SMC signals entry into telecoms | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Growth targets put on hold this year *
 By Prinz P. Magtulis* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 15, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The government has adopted a wait-and-see stance on economic targets due to the volatility in global financial markets, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said yesterday.

“There is so much volatility going around. You might as well wait for the end of the year to do that,” Abad told The STAR in an interview.

Abad chairs the inter-agency Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC), which also includes the Department of Finance, the central bank, the Office of the President and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Abad said the DBCC would no longer convene this year and would just wait until further economic data is available by the end of 2015.

He stressed, however, the Aquino administration would continue on working to hit its growth targets for this year. “The high-end of the target, I don’t think we can reach anymore. The low-end is even a challenge,” he said.

Economic growth slowed to 5.3 percent as of the first semester, way below the seven- to eight-percent target for the year. Earlier, NEDA director-general Arsenio Balisacan said the government is aiming for at least six percent expansion in 2015.

The Philippines, together with other Asian nations, has been hit by slowing growth due to slumping export demand overseas, particularly in China. The upcoming US Federal Reserve rate hike did not help as well.

Merchandise exports plunged 4.4 percent as of August, census data showed. The peso, meanwhile, is down more than four percent versus the greenback this year as funds flow out to the US where rates are expected to rise soon.

Nonetheless, Abad said the country could benefit from domestic drivers of growth, especially during the second semester.

“The second semester is (also) a faster spending period (for the government). Aside from that, two factors can contribute further to growth,” he explained.

“First are the measures we adopted to accelerate spending, and second is the pressure from agencies to complete public projects...before the election ban,” he added.

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Growth targets put on hold this year | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* China downturn drags down stocks *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 15, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Share prices tumbled for two straight days, pushing the index below the 7,000 mark following new signs of a slowdown in China’s economy, analysts said.

They said low inflation figures from China, volatility in other major emerging markets dampened investor sentiment.

China’s inflation eased in September, stoking expectations that Beijing would have more leeway for interest rate cuts or other stimulus to prop up slowing economic growth.

The broader Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) plunged by another 88.67 points, or 1.26 percent, to settle at 6,924.77, while the broader All Shares declined by 40.54 or 1.006 points.

Value turnover reached P5.209 billion. Decliners edged out advancers, 112 to 64 while 46 stocks were left unchanged.

Meanwhile, Asian stock markets extended losses yesterday as investors digested weak Chinese trade and low inflation. Japan’s Nikkei 225 for instance, slid two percent to 17,081.89 while South Korea’s Kospi dropped 0.5 percent to 2,009.37. Similarly, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng also declined 0.8 percent to 22,439.91. On the other hand, Shanghai Composite Index in mainland China was nearly flat, down 0.1 percent to 3,289.80.

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China downturn drags down stocks | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*
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*SCS / West PH Sea News:*

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*Japan, India, Vietnam, PHL, US, Australia united for freedom at seas*
*Iara Jolo 
October 15, 2015*

Australia, United States, Japan, Philippines, India and Vietnam are all one in commitment to solve regional issues like territorial and maritime disputes and maintaining freedom of navigation while pursuing prosperity, the top Pentagon official, US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said during a joint press conference in Boston. The joint press conference was held after the Australia-United States Ministerial (AUSMIN) consultations in Boston, October 13, between Carter, US Secretary of State John Kerry, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne.

He said US and Australia “both want to sustain and renew an Asia- Pacific regional security architecture where everyone rises and everyone prospers. That’s the essence of the US rebalance toward the region.”

“Together, our nations favor peaceful resolutions to disputes and oppose coercion and infringement on well-established international norms, especially in the face of rising tensions in the East and South China Sea,” Carter noted.

“Make no mistake, the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as we do around the world, and the South China Sea is not and will not be an exception,” the top Pentagon official said.

“This is not simply a US commitment, our two nations are joined by an increasing number of countries in the neighborhood, including Japan, the Philippines, India and Vietnam, all with an interest in prospering while solving regional issues,” Secretary Carter said.

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Japan, India, Vietnam, PHL, US, Australia united for freedom at seas | Ang Malaya Net
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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

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*3 Attack Crafts being acquired for Navy as missile system platforms*
*Samuel Biag *
*October 16, 2015*

The bid opening for Philippine Navy’s three (3) Multi-purpose Attack Crafts Mk III (17-meter MPAC Mk III) is now scheduled on October 27, Department of National Defense said. This is after AFP modernization projects previously ‘held in abeyance’ were given go signal by President Aquino. The DND is applying the amount of PhP270 million through the General Appropriations Act for the acquisition of these 3 brand-new MPACs.

These MPACs to be acquired will be utilized as platforms for missile launch system and other weapons.

DND wants these MPACs Mk III to have provisions for remote weapon system for 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun M2HB; and missile launch system and its respective remote operating consoles inside the craft. MPAC Mk III should also have provisions for two M60/7.62mm Light Machine Gun.

Weapons and missiles will be procured in a separate project, Multi-Purpose Attack Craft Acquisition Project (Lot 2).

The Navy is now operating six MPACs (not armed with missiles). Three from Taiwan (15-meter MPAC Mk 1) while the other three (17-meter MPAC Mk II) were from Filipino shipbuilder Propmech Corporation.

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3 Attack Crafts being acquired for Navy as missile system platforms | Ang Malaya Net
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*Politics and Diplomacy News:*

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*Philippines Defense chief to meet Chinese, ASEAN counterparts*
*Philippine News Agency 
October 16, 2015*

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin will meet with Gen. Chang Wanquan at the China-ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Beijing, China Friday. Chang is China’s Minister of Defense and State Councilor of the People’s Republic of China and a general in the People’s Liberation Army.

Gazmin will be joined by other ASEAN defense ministers.

The various defense ministers are expected to exchange views on regional security issues and multilateral defense cooperation towards enhancing peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific amidst an increasingly complex security environment where defense establishments are being called to address both traditional and non-traditional security issues.

It is also anticipated that the development of ASEAN-China security relations will be included as one of the topics of discussion.

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Philippines Defense chief to meet Chinese, ASEAN counterparts | Ang Malaya Net
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*PHL, India to boost defense, security ties: Indian President may soon visit PHL*
*Grace Gonzales 
October 15, 2015*

Philippines and India are working on the possible visit to Philippine visit of Republic of India President Pranab Mukherjee. This was confirmed in a joint statement released by India External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Affairs Albert F. del Rosario after a meeting at New Delhi October 14.

“The Ministers welcomed the proposed visit of the President of India to the Philippines and endeavoured to work towards its success,” said in the joint statement.

They also expressed satisfaction at the deepening defense cooperation especially in exchanges in military training and education, capacity building, and regular goodwill visits by Indian Naval Ships to the Philippines.

Philippines and India also agreed to further strengthen defense and security cooperation in the areas of maritime domain awareness, intelligence sharing, capability building, White Shipping and defense production. “The Ministers expressed satisfaction at the regular INTELLEX meeting and looked forward to the convening of the 2nd meeting of the India-Philippines Joint Defense Cooperation Committee (JDCC) in India,” said in the joint statement.

The Indian side also expressed support to Philippines’ chosen track in solving maritime dispute in West Philippine Sea. “Minister Swaraj expressed support for the peaceful resolution of the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea dispute. Both sides reiterated the importance of the settlement of all disputes by peaceful means and of refraining from the threat or use of force , in accordance with universally principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.”

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PHL, India to boost defense, security ties: Indian President may soon visit PHL | Ang Malaya Net
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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*No more port congestion – Customs Lina assures BOC ready for Christmas influx *
By Prinz P. Magtulis* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 18, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines – There will be no repeat of last year’s port congestion.

Local ports have been told to ensure enough capacity for the ongoing cargo influx for the Christmas season and “divert” shipments if necessary as preparations mount to avoid the piling up of undelivered cargoes just like last year.

“We are prepared. We are doing all we can and we are in close coordination with other agencies on it. We don’t think it (port congestion) will happen again,” Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina told The STAR in an interview.

Should there be a necessity however, ports have been instructed to move excess cargoes from one port to another to free up space, also in a bid to save time and ensure their timely delivery, Customs said in a statement.

“Ports have already been inspected and given direction should there be a need to divert entries to other ports in the latter part of the year, we will do so, rather than making our shipments wait in the anchorage,” it explained.

“(The) Commissioner himself visited Port of Manila this week,” it added.

“The ports are prepared as well as the warehouses.”

In addition, Lina said the bureau is likewise coordinating with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to ensure roads around the ports are cleared amid the worsening traffic condition in Metro Manila.

As of September, port utilization is around 65 percent, far from a high of around 90 percent last year after the city government of Manila imposed a tighter truck ban plying around its area from February to the middle of September.

The ban, said to be targeted on decongesting roads around the capital, had an undesired effect of limiting cargo deliveries in and out of the Metro. This, in turn, resulted in lower supplies, increasing consumer prices and impacting on economic growth.

Aside from current preparations, Lina also said Customs officers continue to work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily in order to facilitate cargo inspection on a timely basis. Reforms undertaken by the Aquino administration will also help the bureau.

One of them is Republic Act 10668, which amended the Cabotage law to allow freer access to local ports by foreign vessels.

Under the law signed last July, shipments for areas outside Manila may now be directly sent to any ports in the country. Before, these cargoes will need to be cleared first by the Manila port before getting shipped to their destination.

Sought for comment, businesses had mixed views of Customs’ assurance.

Alfredo Yao, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said port congestion is already unlikely since most Christmas goods are arriving from September to October.

“If they are saying that we are only on 65 percent port utilization, then that is good, especially since the goods for Christmas are already arriving,” Yao said in phone interview over the weekend.

“I don’t think it can worsen anymore. At the most, few more Christmas goods will arrive until mid-November. But the height really is from September to October,” he added.

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No more port congestion – Customs Lina assures BOC ready for Christmas influx | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* ALI, EDC, Petron top sustainability, CSR firms *
 By Danessa O. Rivera* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 18, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines – Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), Energy Development Corp. (EDC) and Petron Corp. were heralded by Channel News Asia as the Philippines’ top three publicly-listed companies for pursuing sustainable business practices and corporate social responsibility.

The 2015 Channel NewsAsia Sustainability Ranking is a collaborative effort of regional broadcaster Channel News Asia and research firm CSR Asia.

Based on indicators and methodology developed by environmental, social and governance (ESG) and corporate ratings and research provider Sustainalytics, the ranking identifies the top 100 companies in the region with the highest sustainability performance.

It also highlights the top 20 companies and top three businesses per country. Countries covered in the ranking include China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Japan.

ALI was chosen as one of the Philippines’ top three firms because it “employs sustainable land development through active local community engagement initiatives,” the Sustainability Ranking said in its website.

ALI’s large-scale land development projects were assessed for impacts and underwent Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Environmental Impact Assessment Process, the report said.

It also noted the company undertakes due diligence procedures to minimize the impact on local agricultural activities.

Meanwhile, EDC was picked for exclusively pursuing renewable energy (RE) developments.

“As one of the largest geothermal energy producers in the world, EDC is also diversifying into other renewable energy sources, including hydropower, solar and wind power, that together account for 20 percent of the company’s generation capacity. The company’s strategy to exclusively pursue renewable energy leads to a lower carbon intensity than its peers and positions it well to capitalize on future growth opportunities,” the ranking said.

As for Petron, the ranking noted the country’s biggest oil refiner has an environmental management system which is “certified to ISO-14001 standard with periodic monitoring and auditing of its environmental performance.”

Commenting on the recognition, Petron president and CEO Ramon S. Ang said it is an honor to be named one of the most sustainable companies in the country.

“This recognition affirms our commitment to continue to improve the way we do business and make a positive impact in society and the environment,” he said.

Petron runs a 180,000 barrel-per-day refinery in Bataan which is the first facility of its kind to reach the internationally-recognized Integrated Management System (IMS) standard. All of its 30 depots and terminals are also IMS-certified.

Petron is also the first and only oil company in the country to adopt the ISO-14001 Environmental Management Systems in its service station network, ensuring the safety and environmental protection of host communities.

The Channel NewsAsia Sustainability Ranking was launched during the recently concluded CSR Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – the leading corporate social responsibility conference in Asia.

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ALI, EDC, Petron top sustainability, CSR firms | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* PLDT unit cracks online gaming in Europe *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 18, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines – IPC (IP Converge Data Services Inc.), a unit of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.’s information and communications technology arm ePLDT is expanding into Europe via its partnership with Alderney Gambling Control Commission, an e-gambling regulator based in the British Channel Islands.

Under the partnership, IPC will serve as the Internet data center provider of Alderney.

“Alderney is one of the key entities in the global online gaming industry, and IPC’s hosting certificate provides leverage into other enterprises in the United Kingdom and Europe. That Team Alderney has chosen to work with us in their plans to reach out to the Asian market speaks well of the readiness of Philippine technology firms to do business with the world,” IPC president Rene Huergas said.

To date, IPC is the only Asian data services company which earned the approval of Alderney.

Through the partnership, IPC will enable Alderney to grow its business in the Asian region.

“Online gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry with very large requirements technology-wise. Alderney handles gaming licenses from around the world and is one of the largest international hubs for online gaming. Mission critical requirements of this scale need to be fulfilled with managed data services that meet global standards and able to grow with a client’s business. Our services will strategically help Alderney expand their business in Asia,” Maricar Nepomuceno, IPC vice president for managed data services sales for gaming said.

For her part, Susan O’ Leary, director of e-commerce at Alderney Gambling said the arrangement with IPC is seen to provide gains to the regulator’s other partners as well.

“The e-gambling industry thrives on technological development and innovative ideas and Alderney is at the forefront, setting standards for others to follow,” she said.

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PLDT unit cracks online gaming in Europe | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*
Politics and Diplomacy News:*

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*Defense chief makes strong statement before Chinese, ASEAN counterparts*
*Philippine News Agency *
*October 18, 2015*

During the China-ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Beijing, China Friday, Department of National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said that “maritime disputes are complex issues that should be resolved by rules-based solutions.”

And as such, parties involved must refrain from unilateral action that can change the status quo and increase the tension.

“We must keep the lines of communication open through dialogues with all parties involved.”

The Philippines is presently involved in maritime dispute with China regarding some features of the West Philippine Sea. The country is resolved to ease the tension via diplomatic means.

As this develops, Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan called upon ASEAN and China to continue promoting practical cooperation such as in the areas of peacekeeping operations, joint patrols, disaster response and deepening of trust between the concerned countries.

In view of the adoption of the Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), when China hosted the Western Pacific Naval Symposium in 2014, China proposed to conduct joint training on CUES in 2016.

Chang stressed that China would not seek hegemony, its foreign policy is defensive in nature, and it adopted a strategy of active defense –- proof of which is the reduction of the People’s Liberation Army’s strength by 300,000.

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Defense chief makes strong statement before Chinese, ASEAN counterparts | Ang Malaya Net
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## pr1v4t33r

Update for Philippines' NC212-400 Light Lift Aircraft Project

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## Reashot Xigwin

Well-deck under construction:

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## Cossack25A1

Not sure if this is accurate, but I just found this recently, what the Philippines was before it got colonized by the Spanish Empire under House of Habsburg.






Before there was even a "Philippines" there are already different kingdoms existed, but it was the Spanish that created the "Philippines" by having Luzon, Visayas and very few portion of Mindanao under the rule of Viceroyalty of New Spain.


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* NG debt inches up to P5.9T in Jan-Aug *
 By Prinz P. Magtulis* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 25, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines – In line with the Aquino’s administration’s thrust, the government’s debt metrics continued to improve in August, Bureau of the Treasury data showed.

As earlier reported, the national government debt inched up 0.9 percent to P5.898 trillion for the first eight months. By currency distribution, 67.2 percent were in pesos, while the remaining 32.8 percent were in foreign denominations.

External liabilities were further classified into different currencies. Bulk of the debt, accounting for 74.6 percent, were in the US dollars, 14.4 percent in Japanese yen, 6.4 percent in so-called global pesos, 2.7 percent in euros and 1.9 percent in other units.

Global pesos are debts issued in local currencies, but are settled in foreign units, normally US dollars.

Nicholas Antonio Mapa, economist at the Bank of the Philippine Islands, said the state’s preference to local debts “insulates the country” for the threat of the upcoming interest rate hike in the US that could lower emerging market currencies.

Less foreign liabilities mean the country is least affected by foreign exchange drops from capital flight once investors get attracted back to the US, the world’s safe haven. Weaker currencies mean more local units needed to settle debts. The peso has lost around four percent of its value since the end of last year.

“Nobody’s going to be spared from the interest rate hike since there will definitely be a shift across currencies,” Mapa said in a phone interview.

“But at least three countries— Vietnam, India and the Philippines— could experience much less severe episodes of capital flight,” he added.

In addition, around 92.15 percent of state debts have fixed interest rates, meaning charges will stay put even once local interest rates rise as they follow their US counterparts.

Only 7.71 percent were in floating interest, while the remaining 0.14 percent were interest free, Treasury figures showed.

“It means any subsequent rate hike will not affect the nature of our debts since we were able to lock in rates that are favorable to us,” Mapa explained.

By maturities, the government also secured itself more time to settle most of its liabilities.

As of August, 88.4 percent of the debts were payable over the long-term or more than 10 years. Medium-term obligations accounted for 6.8 percent, while short-term payables cornered 4.8 percent.

Since 2010, the Aquino government has embarked on a number of liability management transactions that effectively lower the government’s interest payments by lengthening payment terms and reducing foreign debt exposures.

This has reduced debt payments as a proportion of the budget and freed up more resources to finance state projects and programs.

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NG debt inches up to P5.9T in Jan-Aug | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Asean renews forex liquidity support program *
 By Larence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated October 25, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has renewed for the fifth time the short-term foreign exchange liquidity support for member countries experiencing balance of payments difficulties.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and other Asean member central banks signed the fifth supplemental memorandum of understanding on the Asean Swap Arrangement last Oct. 8.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. signed the MOU extending the ASA for two years starting Nov. 7.

The ASA involves the provision of $2 billion short-term foreign exchange liquidity support for Asean member countries that experience balance of payments difficulties. 

The Philippines’ contribution commitment of $300 million allows the country to draw up to $600 million as the need arises. 

The ASA provides the country an additional safety net similar to other regional financial arrangements including the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization under the Asean+3.

Central banks and monetary authorities of the original Asean – 5 including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand agreed to establish reciprocal currency or swap arrangements in August 1977.

Originally intended to be in effect for just one year, the arrangement has been extended incrementally.

The Chiang Mai Initiative expanded the ASA to all current Asean members during the Asean+3 Finance Ministers’ meeting held in May 2000.

The total amount available for swap transactions under ASA was increased to $1 billion from $200 million in November 2000 and was doubled to $2 billion during the 8th Asean +3 Finance Ministers’ Meeting in May 2005.

Current Asean members include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

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Asean renews forex liquidity support program | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Military and Defense News:*

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*US, Philippines top military officials meet in Hawaii*
*Samuel Biag *
*October 25, 2015*

Commander of United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) Admiral Harry Harris Jr. and Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces Philippines (AFP) General Hernando Iriberri led the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board meeting at Oahu in Hawaii October 19. The meeting was held to program activities for next year that will sustain strong alliance.

Mutual Defense Board and the Security Engagement Board meetings have been held annually since 1958. The goal is to bring together key military and government personnel to discuss US and Philippine activities for the upcoming year. Balikatan and other military interactions are topics for the Mutual Defense Board. The Security Engagement Board on the other hand discusses plans for the two nations to work together in humanitarian assistance, disaster response, counter-terrorism and counter-trafficking.

At the end of Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board meeting, Iriberri and Harris as co-chairs, endorsed the upcoming bilateral activities for next year. USPACOM said they “signed the activities agreement, shook hands, and thanked the many men and women from both the US and Philippines Armed Forces and government representatives. Their hard work and dedication ensured another year of exercises, training and engagements that continue to strengthen both nations.”

“Prepared to face any threat together, the two nation’s interoperability simply can’t be duplicated. An example of an activity discussed each year is the annual exercise Balikatan,” USPACOM said. “The talks are crucial in ensuring the US, Philippine alliance is one of the strongest military partnerships in the region surrounding the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).”

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US, Philippines top military officials meet in Hawaii | Ang Malaya Net
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*Military unit getting ready for Civil Disturbance*
*Philippine News Agency *
*October 24, 2015*

The Armed Forces of the Philippines announced that its Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) Company is now preparing for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Manila this November.

The event will take place Nov. 18 to 19, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said Saturday. The training is to ensure better response in situations requiring CDM service.

The AFP CDM Company will be on standby for the duration of the APEC Meeting as support unit to Philippine National Police personnel who will be on the frontline of keeping the safety and security of the event.

They will be immediately deployed if necessary or when when the peaceful conduct of the event is threatened.

The CDM Company is composed of soldiers under the Security and Escort Group of AFP General Headquarters based in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo.

They will also be accompanied by AFP K-9 units. They regularly undergo training on crowd management. These soldiers were also properly briefed in human rights as part of their training, Detoyato stressed.

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Military unit getting ready for Civil Disturbance | Ang Malaya Net
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*Philippine Air Force FA-50 jets having P4.47 billion worth ammunition*
*Uel Balenia *
*October 23, 2015*

The government is allocating PhP4.47 billion for the ammunition of ordered twelve Philippine Air Force FA-50 lead-in fighter trainer jets from South Korea, this is according to Presidential Communications Secretary Coloma’s October 22 statement. “We are looking at the early delivery of two FA-50s. They will be combat and mission ready upon their arrival this December,” Department of National Defense Undersecretary for Finance, Modernization and Materiel Fernando Manalo previously said.

Secretary Coloma’s remarks was made in light of recent report that the country’s military ranks sixth in the list of the world’s worst armies. The ranking was based on an online article posted by “We Are The Mighty,” a group of former American soldiers who turned to the Internet to provide information to US servicemen.

Coloma added that two navy frigates worth P18 billion, three air surveillance radars worth P2.68 billion, six close air support aircraft worth P4.97 billion, two units of long-range patrol aircraft worth P5.98 billion, multipurpose attack craft project worth P864.32 million, night fighting system worth P1.116 billion, two C-130 aircraft worth P1.6 billion and two naval helicopters worth P5.4 billion were also among the big ticket items in the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization.

He also noted that 56 projects under the AFP modernization program have been completed, compared to only 45 under the previous administrations.

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Philippine Air Force FA-50 jets having P4.47 billion worth ammunition | Ang Malaya Net
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*Three more Australian vessels to enter Philippine Navy service*
*Philippine News Agency 
October 22, 2015*

Three more “Balikpapan” class LCHs (landing craft heavies) are scheduled to arrive and be commissioned in Philippine Navy (PN) service by the first quarter of 2016. These ships are the HMAS Balikpapan, HMAS Wewak and HMAS Betano. The Royal Australian Navy decommissioned these LCHs in November 2014.

The three are sisters to BRP Ivatan (formerly HMAS Tarakan) and BRP Batak (ex-HMAS Brunei) which were commissioned into PN service last Aug. 10. LCHs are an extremely versatile vessel, capable of moving large amounts of cargo, personnel and equipment from larger ships to shore.

A very shallow draft (two meters) allows these ships to deliver personnel and equipment to areas otherwise unreachable especially during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.

It is an all-welded twin-screw vessel, able to trans-ship cargo and supplies from ships lying offshore to water terminals or across the beach. Maximum cargo load is governed by the load-fuel balance and varies between 140 and 180 tons.

A typical load of 175 ton gives the LCHs a range of 1,300 nautical miles, increasing to 2,280 nautical miles for a load of 150 tons. Up to five shipping containers with HADR supplies and equipment can also be embarked.

LCHs have a draft of two meters, length of 44.5 meters, beam of 10.1 meters and displacement of 364 tons. It has a speed to 10 to 13 knots and a range of 3,000 nautical miles and a crew of 15.

Sources said that the three ships were acquired at their respective “salvage value” which is 10 to 15 percent of the actual value of the LCHs.

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Three more Australian vessels to enter Philippine Navy service | Ang Malaya Net
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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

*Philippines slips in World Bank ranking on doing business *
*By Richmond S. Mercurio (The Philippine Star)
Updated October 29, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines slipped six notches in the World Bank’s latest report gauging economies in terms of ease of doing business despite reforms made by the government in expediting ways of starting businesses.

In the World Bank Group’s Doing Business 2016 report released yesterday, the country’s ranking dropped six notches to 103rd from last year’s 97th spot across 189 economies. The Philippines ranked 95th from the original report published last year but was revised to 97th to reflect a change in methodology.

The decline in the latest rankings likewise pulled the Philippines down one place to the 5th spot from the previous 6th among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Singapore, which emerged on top of the ease of doing business list for the 10th consecutive year, Malaysia (18th), Thailand (49th), Brunei Darussalam (84th), and Vietnam (90th) were the top five Asean economies where doing business is easier than the Philippines.

Aside from Singapore and Malaysia, other countries in the East Asia and Pacific which were in the top 20 rankings are New Zealand (2nd), Republic of Korea (4th), Hong Kong (5th), Taiwan (11th) and Australia (13th).

East Asia and the Pacific is the second most represented region in the Doing Business 2016 report after Europe in the world’s top 20 economies.

Despite slipping in the rankings, the Philippines was recognized by the World Bank Group for making starting a business easier by streamlining communications between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Social Security System and thereby expediting the process of issuing an employer registration number.

“A majority of economies in East Asia and the Pacific are undertaking reforms to further improve the regulatory environment for small and medium-sized enterprises. During the past year, 52 percent of the region’s 25 economies implemented 27 reforms to make it easier to do business,” the World Bank said.

The Doing Business ranking provides an idea on how easy or difficult it is for a local entrepreneur to open and run a small to medium-size business when complying with relevant regulations.

The report measures and tracks changes in regulations affecting 11 areas in the life cycle of a business namely, starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, resolving insolvency and labor market regulation.

It does not, however, measure all aspects of the business environment such as macroeconomic stability, corruption, level of labor skills, proximity to markets, as well as regulation specific to foreign investment or financial markets.

The World Bank said this year’s Doing Business report completes a two-year effort to expand benchmarks that measure the quality of regulation, as well as the efficiency of the business regulatory framework, in order to better capture the realities on the ground.


* NCC expresses disappointment*

The National Competitiveness Council (NCC), however, is not too pleased with this year’s ease of doing business outcome, saying the report has undergone methodological changes in four of the last five years which made it confusing and unreliable for measuring change.

“Despite our efforts to introduce reform projects to improve the ease of doing business in the Philippines, the International Finance Corp. shows different sets of scores and rankings every year due to a change in methodology,” NCC co-chairman Guillermo Luz said.

“The changes are applied retroactively so even prior years’ results are changed without our knowledge. This makes it difficult to tell whether we are on the right track or not using this instrument. It has become unreliable,” Luz said, questioning the relevance of the report’s diagnostic tool moving forward.

According to Luz, the NCC has made steady improvements by streamlining processes and introducing reforms across a wide range of the indicators.

“We have done so much to improve doing business in the Philippines. However, the Doing Business report doesn’t capture these initiatives and the constant methodology change and recalculation of ranking every year is of no help. We need consistency in the diagnostic tool to monitor ourselves, and better measure our performance,” Luz said.

“We’re not junking a too just because it tells us it’s getting worse. What we want is a tool that tells us accurately if we did well or worse,” he added.

With the Philippines’ five-spot plunge in this year’s ranking, World Bank official said the country remains a good place as far as doing business is concerned but it needs to step up further its game to address the tougher competition.

“I want to emphasize the Philippines has risen and you are now in a much tougher, much competitive environment. Even Hong Kong which is third ranked had four reforms last year. The top is moving all the time, therefore we have to move faster for the Philippines to gain ground,” World Bank Philippines country director Motoo Konishi said.

“There are questions on methodology, but one thing to emphasize though is the Philippines has been doing reforms, it simply needs to accelerate to compete with others in the neighborhood,” Konishi said.

IFC operations officer Roberto Galang said the Philippines going forward should be able to seize momentum by concentrating on a number of regulatory reforms in which many do not require the passage of new laws.

“Our rise from the 130s to our present position has put us in a very competitive neighborhood. The World Bank Group will intensify our cooperation with the NCC in further streamlining the ease of doing business in the country,” Galang said.


* Purisima calls survey erratic, unsound*

The Philippines lambasted yesterday the World Bank after its ranking in an annual gauge of business environment slumped to one of the lowest in Southeast Asia, calling the measure an “inappropriate” reflection of the country’s business climate.

Calling the World Bank-International Finance Corp.’s Doing Business (DB) Report “erratic” and “unsound,” Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima expressed dismay on the country’s six-notch slip— to 103rd from 97th— in the survey.

“The Philippines firmly believes that the Doing Business survey methodology of collecting sample data from one or only two cities makes it inappropriate to present the report as reflective of the state of doing business for an entire economy,” Purisima said.

“Countries, especially developing ones like the Philippines, will have bright spots of promise in some areas and not in others,” he added.

A case in point are the country’s special economic zones, which the finance chief said are not being captured by the survey. These locators, managed by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), are granted numerous fiscal incentives in their operations.

The World Bank, for its part, has recognized this as one of the “limits” of the survey, which focuses only on each economy’s “largest business city.” Survey questionnaires were sent to businesses in covered areas.

A total of 14,233 respondents participated in the global survey in the latest report. In the Philippines, the survey was conducted in Quezon City.

“With this methodology, the DB survey should be more aptly titled as ‘Doing Business Across Cities’ to provide a better representation of the results of the report,” Purisima said.

Purisima, who is the country’s governor in the World Bank Group, also criticized the survey’s “erratic methodological changes year after year” which tended to affect even the previous years’ results.

An example is the Philippines’ place last year, which changed to 97th in the current report from 95th when it was first reported. The country ranked 134th in 2011, the first full year of the Aquino administration. – *with Prinz Magtulis*

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Philippines slips in World Bank ranking on doing business | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* PAL revives talks with strategic investors *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 29, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Airlines (PAL) is in talks to bring in a strategic investor to support the company’s expansion plans.

PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista told reporters that while the carrier is not in a hurry to get a strategic investor, its financial adviser is currently in talks with potential investors.

“We are considering some,” he said, but declined to name the parties being considered citing confidentiality agreements.

PAL is looking for a strategic investor as it looks to expand its operations in the international markets.

“As we expand, as we take delivery of more airplanes, as we compete in Asia, the US, Europe, we will need that (investor),” Bautista said.

According to Bautista, PAL is aiming to be the preferred carrier in all the markets where it operates and so, it would need the help of a partner in growing its presence in certain areas. “(We need) companies that will help us grow our market,” he said.

For instance, partners from Europe who can carry PAL’s passengers from London and beyond would be welcome as the carrier wants to serve more passengers in that region.

While PAL would also want to grow in the domestic market, Bautista said there is limited capacity to expand operations given congestion in the airport.

PAL is spending about $500 million to $700 million next year to take delivery of five Airbus A321 aircraft as well as two Boeing 777-300ER in line with its plan of expanding its services.

For this year, the carrier has already taken delivery of five new A321 aircraft.

The company is also evaluating a plan to purchase new aircraft for long-haul flights to replace its Airbus A340s which consume more fuel and are costlier to maintain.

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PAL revives talks with strategic investors | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Stocks take breather ahead of US Fed meet *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated October 29, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Share prices took a breather yesterday, declining 36.50 points as investors took their cue from regional slump ahead of the US Fed meeting.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) settled lower at 7,289.26 points, while the broader All Shares index slid 12.29 points, or 0.29 percent, to end at 4,189.25.

Total value turnover reached P39.152 billion in a session that saw a close race between decliners and advancers, 87 to 84, in favor of advancers. Thirty eight stocks were left unchanged.

Analysts attributed the decline to the regional slump ahead of the US Federal meeting.

The US Fed is expected to issue a policy statement at the conclusion of a two-day meeting on Wednesday and is again expected to hold off its first rate hike in nearly a decade until next year.

Analysts said the Fed would have a difficult time convincing investors that it can tighten monetary policy before the end of the year in the face of US and global economic headwinds.

Many investors had expected the rate hike last September but the US Fed decided to keep rates unchanged.

Elsewhere in the region, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.6 percent while South Korea’s Kospi declined 0.4 percent and Shanghai stocks also shed 0.7 percent.

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Stocks take breather ahead of US Fed meet | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*Military and Defense News:*

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*Philippine FA-50s to appear on AFP’s 80th founding anniversary*
*Philippine News Agency 
October 28, 2015*

There is a very high chance that the South Korean-made F/A-50 “Fighting Eagle” will be making an appearance during the 80th founding anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in December. Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez during an interview Thursday, said, “ninety percent the (first two) F/A-50s will play a role in the coming 80th AFP founding anniversary.”

Galvez said that it is very likely that the F/A-50s will play the centerpiece of this year’s celebration.

“I don’t know whether the planes will perform a high-speed pass or not but I know the aircraft will be the centerpiece of the celebration,” the DND spokesperson disclosed.

The Philippines contract with Korea Aerospace Industries is worth Php18.9-billion.

The 12 aircraft deal was signed last February 2014.

An initial two units is expected to be delivered by December this year.

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Philippine FA-50s to appear on AFP’s 80th founding anniversary | Ang Malaya Net
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*Air Force expecting 6 AW-109E before 2015 ends: Acquiring spare parts*
*Philippine News Agency *
*October 26, 2015*

In line with efforts to ensure the mission worthiness of all its available aircraft, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) announced that it is setting aside Php33,706,911.52 for acquisition of spare parts needed for the maintenance of the electrical systems of its AgustaWestland AW-109E “Power” attack helicopters.

Bid opening is on November 13, 9 a.m., PAF Procurement Center Conference Room, Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

The PAF formally commissioned its first two attack AW-109Es last August 17. Another six are expected to be delivered before the end of the 2015. The Philippines signed an eight-unit attack AW-109E order with AgustaWestland in 2013 for Php3.44 billion.

The AW-109E is a three-ton class eight seat helicopter powered by two Pratt and Whitney PW206C engines. The spacious cabin is designed to be fitted with a number of modular equipment packages for quick and easy conversion between roles.

The aircraft’s safety features include a fully separated fuel system, dual hydraulic boost system, dual electrical systems and redundant lubrication and cooling systems for the main transmission and engines.

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Air Force expecting 6 AW-109E before 2015 ends: Acquiring spare parts | Ang Malaya Net
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*Navy interested to acquire third Hamilton-class cutter*
*Philippine News Agency *
*October 25, 2015*

The Philippine Navy (PN) is interested in acquiring another decommissioned Hamilton-class cutter from the United States Coast Guard (USGC). This was disclosed by Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary for Finance, Modernization and Materiel Fernando Manalo in a text message to the Philippine News Agency.

He made the statement when queried if the Philippines is interested in acquiring the services of the USCGC Boutwell, one of the 12 Hamilton-class cutters the US Coast Guard is phasing out in favor of the heavier and more modern National Security Council cutters of which five now are in service.

“I don’t know if Boutwell is the cutter the DND is proposing to acquire. What I know is the PN is interested in acquiring (an) additional cutter,” Manalo said.

The PN presently operates two ex-Hamilton class cutters, the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15 and ex-USCGC Hamilton) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16 and formerly the USCGC Dallas).

These two ships are the PN’s most up-to-date surface combatants and capable of patrolling the vast expanses of the West Philippine Sea.

Despite being armed with only a 76mm Oto Melara auto-cannon and small caliber weaponry, the Hamilton-class cutters are ideal for the PN since these are capable of sailing even in adverse weather condition and capable of housing naval helicopters aside from serving as a training platform for Filipino naval officers and crewmen expected to man the upcoming new SSVs and missile-armed frigates.

A Hamilton-class cutter has a gross tonnage of 3,250 tons, a length of 378 feet, beam of 43 feet, and draft of 15 feet. Its propulsion systems consist of two diesel engines and two gas turbine engines, giving it a top speed of 29 knots.

The ship has cruising range of 14,000 miles and a sea and loiter time of 45 days. It has a complement of 167 officers and men.

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Navy interested to acquire third Hamilton-class cutter | Ang Malaya Net
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*Philippine 2016 Presidential Election News:*

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*Bongbong to Noynoy: Move on already*
*posted October 29, 2015 at 12:01 *
*by Macon Ramos-Araneta*

SENATOR Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Wednesday that President Benigno Aquino III should move on as most Filipinos have moved on from Martial Law and forgiven his family following their election into public office.

The senator is the only son of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the country for two decades, nine years of which were under Martial Law.

Since Marcos’ ouster in 1986 in the People Power Revolution, members of the Marcos family have been elected to public office, with the senator having served for more than 20 years. His older sister, Imee Marcos-Manotoc, is the governor of Ilocos Norte, while his mother, Imelda Marcos, is an elected representative of their province.

In an ABS-CBN public affairs program, Marcos was asked if being elected to public office was an indication that Filipinos had forgiven them, Marcos answered: “Perhaps yes. They are voting for us.”

Marcos said moving on was the key when Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, a key Martial Law figure that turned against the older Marcos, raised his hand when he officially announced he would run for vice president.

He said he and Enrile had talked about Martial Law, but added: “That was 30 years ago and many things have happened… Maybe we have both moved on.”

On Tuesday, the President said the Marcoses should apologize for the atrocities and transgressions committed by the late dictator against Filipinos during Martial Law.

Asked during the presidential forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines if the Marcoses have something to apologize for, the President replied: “ I have said that time and again for many decades, yes.” He said the Marcos children should apologize to the Filipino people.

Aquino picked on the senator for the alleged wrongdoings perpetrated during the regime of the former strongman from 1965 to 1986.

But the senator, who is running for vice president in the May 2016 elections, said he does not see why he and his family should say sorry for the horrors of Martial Law. He said his father’s administration did not intend the abuses that happened during that regime. He noted that the suffering was not a policy of the government led by his father.

“If we planned to hurt people or make them suffer, then of course, we will apologize.... If it indeed happened, that was not the plan of my father’s administration,” he said.

“What should I apologize for? Have I hurt anyone? If there is evidence that I did something which brought hardship and suffering, I am ready to apologize,” he added.

Aquino, whose father was assassinated during the Martial Law years, said he was confident that Filipinos would not return the Marcoses to Malacañang Palace.

Aquino also dismissed reports that there was a resurgence of support for Marcos in his vice presidential bid.

Aquino said the Marcoses could have told the Filipino people: “We had this opportunity to turn this country great as our father promised—it didn’t happen. We apologize. We want to make amends. That, I think, would have been acceptable. We are a forgiving people as a general rule. But they have statements that there’s nothing to apologize for.”

Marcos’s presidential candidate Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago quoted the Bible in support of her running mate: “The sins of the father should not be visited upon the son... Marcos should be given the chance to redeem himself because he won as senator.”

Santiago said this meant the greater majority did not oppose Marcos as a public servant.

“I have not seen prima facie evidence that he killed someone, raped someone or burned a house, that he violated the Penal Code. No allegation that he personally committed a crime. During the time of Martial Law, he was just a small boy,” said Santiago noting that there was no allegation that he sinned against his neighbor.

“We cannot punish someone on the basis of suspicion. I can’t support that as a lawyer,” said Santiago who was a Quezon City regional trial court judge during the Martial Law years.

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Bongbong to Noynoy: Move on already - The Standard
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## Reashot Xigwin

* F/A-50s to Appear During AFP's 80th Founding Anniversary *




F/A-50 Fighting Eagle (photo : KAI)

MANILA (PNA) --- There is a very high chance that the South Korean-made F/A-50 "Fighting Eagle" will be making an appearance during the 80th founding anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in December.

Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez during an interview Thursday, said, "ninety percent the (first two) F/A-50s will play a role in the coming 80th AFP founding anniversary."

Galvez said that it is very likely that the F/A-50s will play the centerpiece of this year's celebration.

"I don't know whether the planes will perform a high-speed pass or not but I know the aircraft will be the centerpiece of the celebration," the DND spokesperson disclosed.

The Philippines contract with Korea Aerospace Industries is worth Php18.9-billion.

The 12 aircraft deal was signed last February 2014.

An initial two units is expected to be delivered by December this year.

The F/A-50 has a top speed of Mach 1.5 or one and a half times the speed of sound and is capable of being fitted air-to-air missiles, including the AIM-9 "Sidewinder" air-to-air and heat-seeking missiles aside from light automatic cannons.

The F/A-50 will act as the country's interim fighter until the Philippines gets enough experience of operating fast jet assets and money to fund the acquisition of more capable fighter aircraft.

The F/A-50 design is largely derived from the F-16 "Fighting Falcon", and they have many similarities such as the use of a single engine, speed, size, cost, and the range of weapons.

KAI's previous engineering experience in license-producing the KF-16 was a starting point for the development of the F/A-50.

The aircraft can carry two pilots in tandem seating. The high-mounted canopy developed by Hankuk Fiber is applied with stretched acrylic, providing the pilots with good visibility, and has been tested to offer the canopy with ballistic protection against four-pound objects impacting at 400 knots.

The altitude limit is 14,600 meters (48,000 feet), and airframe is designed to last 8,000 hours of service.

There are seven internal fuel tanks with capacity of 2,655 liters (701 US gallons), five in the fuselage and two in the wings.

An additional 1,710 liters (452 US gallons) of fuel can be carried in the three external fuel tanks.

Trainer variants have a paint scheme of white and red, and aerobatic variants white, black, and yellow.

The F/A-50 uses a single General Electric F404-102 turbofan engine license-produced by Samsung Techwin, upgraded with a full authority digital engine control system jointly developed by General Electric and Korean Aerospace Industries.

The engine consists of three-staged fans, seven axial stage arrangement, and an afterburner.
Its engine produces a maximum of 78.7 kN (17,700 lbf) of thrust with afterburner. 

(PNA)


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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

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* Philippines plays first-time host to AXA regional confab *
*(philstar.com) *
*Updated November 2, 2015 - 2:40pm*

MANILA, Philippines -- Just a few months after the visit of its global CEO, Henri de Castries, to the Philippines, AXA has decided to hold its annual AXA Asia Corporate Meeting (ACM) in the country for the first time as a testament to the growth and contribution of the country to its global and regional business.

To be held this year at The Peninsula Manila from November 2 to 3 (Monday to Tuesday), the AXA Asia ACM gathers the top 130 senior executives of AXA from the entire Asian region. Delegates from China, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand will be visiting to discuss best practices and plan for the future of AXA in Asia, to be led by Jean Louis Laurent Josi, Regional CEO of AXA Asia.

“We are very proud to be this year’s host for the AXA Asia ACM,” shares Rien Hermans, President and CEO. “AXA Philippines has been growing steadily and significantly the past several years. The decision to hold the ACM here in our country recognizes the contribution of our local organization to the bigger regional business, and shows how AXA sees the potential in the Philippine market.”

AXA Asia has an aggressive ambition in its sight, targeting 30 million customers by 2020 and 100 million by 2030. Knowing that it takes great change and upheaval to reach such a lofty goal, the 2015 theme is entitled “Transforming Asia Together.”

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Philippines plays first-time host to AXA regional confab | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* World Bank urges Philippines to simplify business regulations *
 By Richmond S. Mercurio* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated November 2, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines could rake in additional investments of at least P5 billion to P10 billion from the private sector annually should it simplify business regulations, according to the World Bank.

In a briefing last week, World Bank Philippine office senior country economist Karl Kendrick Chua said business regulations in the Philippines tend to be cumbersome and limit the growth of innovative entrepreneurship and investments.

“Indicative estimates suggest the high cost of doing business is clearly a toll on the country’s inclusive growth agenda. We don’t have exact numbers, but if we have simpler regulations, we are seeing anywhere from at least P5 billion to P10 billion in new investments that can come in,” Chua said.

Chua said current Philippine business regulations also contribute to large scale informality which prevents the country from creating more and better jobs that could reduce poverty at a faster rate.

He said simplifying business regulations could unleash the potential of the private sector, particularly the small and micro businesses which are important contributors and beneficiaries of inclusive growth.

“They not only have to pay legitimate fees between P21,000 to P45,000 a year when they open a business, they also spend a considerable amount of time moving from one agency to another, and waiting in line to process their documents, often resulting in significant loss of productive time and income. In some instances, businesses report they need to pay bribes to obtain various permits and licenses,” Chua said.

“After a business commences, numerous annual regulatory and tax requirements are needed, which can take many days in a year. Moreover, there are tax and contribution payments that have to be paid frequently every year,” he added

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World Bank urges Philippines to simplify business regulations | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Businesses urged to innovate in the digital age *
*(philstar.com) *
*Updated November 2, 2015 - 9:20am*

MANILA, Philippines – Enterprise leaders were urged Thursday at the 6th annual Enterprise Innovation Forum (EIF) hosted by Globe Telecom to innovate more to sustain competitiveness in the digital age.

“Businesses today operate in a world that is in an ever-constant change," Globe Senior Advisor for Enterprise and IT Enabled Services Group Mike Frausing said. "This change has affected enterprises in such a way that it has disrupted usual thought process and workflow.”

“With the trend of how technologies evolve and become available, these changes in the business environment drive enterprises to transform their business models to remain relevant now and in the future,” Frausing added. 

“Enterprises need a little bit of spark—a change of mindset,” Globe Chief Operating Officer for International and Business Markets Gil Genio said.

This year’s EIF featured MIT Leadership Center Executive Director Hal Gregersen as the main keynote speaker. Gregersen talked about what innovators should be doing and shared different techniques on how they can get new ideas in a very disruptive world.

“The reason problems exist is because you’re asking the wrong questions,” he said.

“Innovators ask questions that are catalytic.”

According to Gregersen, innovators should also talk to people of different race, language and industry to gain new insights.

The Chief Executive Officer of Singtel Group Enterprise, Bill Chang, was also one of the plenary speakers who presented interesting facts on cyber security.

According to Chang, big global brands have fallen prey to several cyber attacks. In fact, it take companies that boast of using high-end cyber security technologies 205 days on average before realizing that their cyber security measures had been breached.

Mobile devices, personal data, confidential company files on computer, and online banking information and transactions can all be intercepted by hackers using different techniques, Chang shared.

Some hacking techniques were demonstrated to help participants understand how cyber security is breached in both the hacker’s and victim’s perspectives.

“Enterprises are increasingly challenged to defend themselves,” Chang said.

“Companies have to figure out who they’ll work with and invest in cyber protection.”

Other distinguished speakers who led the breakout sessions in the forum were Arbor Networks’ CF Chui, Trustwave’s Michael Cerick, Singtel’s Wong Loke Yeow, Globe Telecom’s Anton Bonifacio, Tata Communications’ Srini Nagaraj, and Fortinet Southeast Asia and Hong Kong’s Alvin Rodriguez.

Globe Business holds the EIF every year for industry leaders to gain new insights and learn best innovative practices to stay competitive in their respective industries.

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Businesses urged to innovate in the digital age | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* No plan to borrow abroad yet – Tan *
 By Prinz P. Magtulis* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated November 2, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Diverting from usual practice, the Aquino administration is unlikely to borrow offshore early in 2016 as financial volatility persists over the impending interest rate hike in the US.

National Treasurer Roberto Tan said in a text message last Friday “There is no firm plan at the moment” for a foreign borrowing exercise in early 2016.

The government, however, is in “regular consultation” with its bank advisers to determine “market opportunities” for an issuance, he said.

But when asked how a US Federal Reserve action by end-2015 affect state borrowing plans, Tan said: “We will be guided by our program and implement it most advantageously under future market conditions.”

Under Aquino, the Philippines has been an active foreign borrower early in fiscal year since 2011, floating bonds to finance government financing requirements.

In January 2011, it issued $1.25 billion in global peso bonds, which were followed by a higher $1.5 billion offer in March that year. In January 2012, the country issued another $1.5 billion worth of 25-year bonds.

The following year, Manila dropped foreign borrowing plans as domestic market provided it with enough liquidity. Its return to the offshore market in 2014 was marked by a $1.5-billion dollar bond offer in January.

The practice continued in January this year when the government raised another $2 billion from 25-year global bonds. This coincided with a limited offer of 2016 and 2034 dollar papers of which $1.5 billion were awarded.

Two weeks ago, Tan said the Philippines, one of the most active issuers of foreign debt among emerging markets, is taking an “opportunistic stance” in issuing foreign debt papers amid the looming Fed interest rate hike.

The US central bank is still highly anticipated to raise rates by its last meeting in December, even after foregoing such action last week. Higher US rates appeal to yield-seeking investors attracted to the US as a safe haven.

The mere prospect of higher rates has created volatility across emerging economies, including the Philippines, as capital flows out of the region. For instance, the benchmark 91-day Treasury bill averaged 1.47 percent as of Oct. 20 from 2.10 percent in end-August and 2.20 percent in end-July.

The peso, on the other hand, has swung between 45 and 47 level versus the dollar this year. It has lost about four percent of its value to date against the greenback after closing at 46.82 last Friday.

“We are giving ourselves an opportunistic stand on this. When there is a good window, when there is very good opportunity, then we will consider it. Right now, there’s no plan yet,” Tan earlier said.

“We’ll have to watch how the market is behaving from here on,” he added.

The government borrows from local and foreign markets to finance its budget deficit and pay existing debts.

For 2016, the government plans to borrow P747.8 billion to bridge a budget deficit programmed to hit two percent of economic output under a proposed P3.002-trillion outlay.

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No plan to borrow abroad yet – Tan | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* StanChart, DBS see October inflation easing further *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated November 2, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Banks believe inflation remained muted last month on the back of stable food prices as well as lower pump prices of petroleum products and cheaper utility rates.

Standard Chartered Bank said inflation likely eased further to a new record low of 0.3 percent in October from 0.4 percent in September.

“We expect inflation to have remained muted, easing to 0.3 percent in October from 0.4 percent in September,” Standard Chartered said.

The bank explained energy inflation likely dragged down the headline number as gasoline and diesel prices were cut in October.

It added food prices remained stable last month although expected to increase in the coming months.

“With last year’s high base effect likely to affect data in the coming months and no inflationary pressure on prices of most items in the consumer price index, we expect inflation to remain benign and below trend levels until year-end,” the bank said.

Gundy Cahyadi, economist at DBS Bank Ltd, said inflation likely settled at 0.5 percent last month.

Cahyadi said benign inflation as well as strong gross domestic product (GDP) growth would give the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) more room to keep interest rates steady.

“Despite the softer inflation outlook, a rate cut doesn’t look imminent for now. Not as long as GDP growth momentum remains fairly strong, which is currently the case,” he added.

Monetary authorities have tagged the impact of the prolonged and severe El Niño weather condition as one of the factors that could push inflation higher.

However, he explained there would be pressure on the BSP to lower interest rate as the US Federal Reserve is unlikely to be aggressive in tightening its monetary policy.

“This is especially since several central banks in the region have been relaxing their monetary policy stance as well. On this front, the BSP’s stance on the peso will be interesting to monitor. Should the BSP feel the need to facilitate a softer currency, some policy loosening may be in the offing,” he said.

The BSP sees inflation settling between 0.1 and 0.9 percent in October amid the minimal impact from the damage caused by Typhoon Lando that battered provinces in northern and central Luzon.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier said the impact of Lando would be wiped out by lower gasoline prices and cheaper power rates.

“Transitory uptick in food prices in Lando-affected areas, higher LPG and diesel prices could be offset by downward adjustments in power rates and regular gasoline prices,” Tetangco said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) earlier placed the cost of damage to agriculture and infrastructure caused by Typhoon Lando at more than P9 billion.

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StanChart, DBS see October inflation easing further | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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* Loans to MSMEs under credit enhancement program hit P1.9B *
 By Lawrence Agcaoili* (The Philippine Star)*
* Updated November 2, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Total loans approved by banks to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) under a credit enhancement scheme reached P1.91 billion over the past seven years, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported over the weekend.

Of the total amount, the BSP said P1.66 billion have been released to 14,613 beneficiaries of the Credit Surety Fund (CSF) program as of end August this year.

“These figures continue to grow as the program penetrates the grass roots,” the BSP said.

The BSP initiated the CSF Program in August 2008 as a credit innovation designed to improve formal access to bank credit due to lack of acceptable collaterals and credit information.

The CSF, through the issuance of a surety agreement, allows cooperatives and businessmen with viable business plans, but limited capital, to obtain loans from banks even in the absence of hard collaterals.

The central bank is set to launch another CSF in Parañaque City tomorrow.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr., together and Parañaque City mayor Edwin Olivares, would lead the signing of the memorandum of agreement with partner institutions and participating cooperatives.

About 13 of the city’s well-capitalized cooperatives have signified their intention to join the Parañaque City CSF by pledging P4 million, while the city government pledged P3 million.

The Parañaque CSF would be the 44th in the Philippines and the third in the National Capital Region (NCR). The stakeholders in the city are optimistic more MSMEs in need of financial help would benefit from the program.

The credit enhancement program is aimed at helping unbankable MSMEs gain access to formal sources of credit.

The fund created by the pooled cash contributions of participating well-capitalized and well-managed cooperatives, local government units and partner institutions, serves as an alternative to hard collaterals and thus improve the bankability and creditworthiness of MSMEs who are short of collaterals.

The BSP is also set to launch the CSF program in Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija on Nov. 9.

Now on its 7th year of operations, the CSF Program has been institutionalized in 30 provinces and 14 cities nationwide.

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Loans to MSMEs under credit enhancement program hit P1.9B | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
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*===========================================================================================================================================*
*===========================================================================================================================================*


*SCS/West PH News:*

-----

*PHL welcomes Tribunal decision debunking China’s position*
*Philippine News Agency *
*October 30, 2015*

The Philippines on Friday welcomed the decision of an international tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands to assume jurisdiction over its case against China, which seeks to invalidate Beijing’s massive claim in the resource-rich South China Sea.

Such ruling by the five-man judges of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on October 29, three months after the Philippine legal team argued its case in The Hague last July, enables the court to finally proceed to formal deliberations on Manila’s complaint that challenges the legality of Beijing’s assertion that its ownership of nearly the entire South China Sea is “indisputable” and “historical.”

“We welcome the decision of the Arbitral Tribunal that it has jurisdiction over our case,” a Foreign Affairs statement said. “We look forward to the Tribunal’s further hearing on the merits of the case.”

In an initial legal victory for the Philippines, which filed the case in January 2013, the tribunal said it will be holding hearings soon and that a final ruling on the case will be handed down in 2016. The tribunal, in its 147-page decision, also debunked China’s argument that Manila’s case is beyond the scope of the court’s mandate.

In its decision, the tribunal said it has immediate jurisdiction on seven out of 15 points raised by Manila against China, called “submissions” in legal parlance, but postponed for “later consideration” its jurisdiction ruling on eight other issues raised by Manila, saying it will be decided on as it conducts a formal hearing on the merits of the case.

“The Tribunal will convene a further hearing on the merits of the Philippines’ claims. In consultation with the Parties, the Tribunal has provisionally set the dates for the merits hearing,” the ruling said. “The Tribunal expects that it will render its Award on the merits and remaining jurisdictional issues in 2016.”

China says it owns about 90 percent of the South China Sea and the cluster of islands, reefs and atolls further south that’s called the Spratlys. Other claimants are Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. Parts of the South China Sea that fall under Manila’s exclusive economic zone was renamed West Philippine Seaby the Philippine government.

All claimants have stationed military troops in their territories in the vast sea, said to be sitting atop huge oil and gas deposits, except for Brunei.

-----
PHL welcomes Tribunal decision debunking China’s position | Ang Malaya Net
-----



*UN Tribunal rules in favor of Philippines over Jurisdiction, Admissibility of case against China*
*Ruser Mallari *
*October 30, 2015*

The Tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands has rendered its decision on the Jurisdiction and Admissibility of case filed by Philippines against China regarding the West Philippine Sea dispute. The Tribunal decided that it will hold further hearings to hear the merits of the case. The decision of the five-man tribunal was unanimous.

The Tribunal said “this arbitration concerns the role of “historic rights” and the source of maritime entitlements in the South China Sea, the status of certain maritime features in the South China Sea and the maritime entitlements they are capable of generating, and the lawfulness of certain actions by China in the South China Sea that are alleged by the Philippines to violate the Convention.”

“The Tribunal has also held that China’s decision not to participate in these proceedings does not deprive the Tribunal of jurisdiction and that the Philippines’ decision to commence arbitration unilaterally was not an abuse of the Convention’s dispute settlement procedures,” says in the press statement released October 29.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration will be releasing further statement regarding the commencement and closing of the merits hearing. The hearing on the merits will not be open to the public, however the Tribunal will consider requests from interested States to send small delegations of observers.

“The Tribunal expects that it will render its Award on the merits and remaining jurisdictional issues in 2016,” the statement added.

-----
UN Tribunal rules in favor of Philippines over Jurisdiction, Admissibility of case against China | Ang Malaya Net
-----


----------



## Zero_wing

Yup its good year for the Philippines


----------



## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

-----

* PLDT braces for Telstra entry, keeps core net income guidance *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated November 4, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s leading telecommunications and digital services provider Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) is confident it will meet, if not exceed, its core net income guidance of P35 billion this year but is cautious for next year amid the possible entry of new player Telstra.

“In terms of core income, we affirm our guidance number at P35 billion… Based on the track record for the first three quarters, we are averaging about P9 billion so it is within scope we can achieve full-year guidance of P35 (billion), and we may exceed it slightly depending on how the final two months of this year pan out,” PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said during a briefing yesterday.

PLDT’s core net income reached P27.1 billion in the first nine months, five percent lower than the previous year’s P28.6 billion.

The decrease was attributed to lower EBITDA (earnings before income tax, depreciation and amortization), reflecting the impact of expenses relating to the manpower reduction program, and higher financing costs, offset by lower provisions for income tax and a decrease in depreciation and amortization.

PLDT’s net income also declined by nine percent to P25.3 billion as of end-September from P28 billion in the same period in 2014, as a result of the dip in core net income and higher foreign exchange losses.

The PLDT Group’s consolidated service revenues, excluding revenues from the international and national long distance segments, rose two percent to P107 billion from January to September compared with last year’s P104.5 billion.

Revenues from data and broadband as well as fixed line services, registered year-on-year increases of 15 percent and five percent, respectively.

The company has yet to provide its core net income guidance for next year but Pangilinan said their outlook would take into consideration the possible entry of Telstra.

“Our planning assumption for 2016 includes the prospect of Telstra’s entry into the market by 2016,” he said.

While he said it is difficult to say how Telstra’s possible foray to the Philippine market would affect PLDT for now, the company is getting ready if and when Australia’s biggest telephone firm comes in.

Telstra is currently in talks with San Miguel Corp. for a possible joint venture in the wireless business in the Philippines.

“There are certain essential things we have to do. The network has got to be up to snuff. (It) has got to have standards across the board. 3G, 4G, service delivery platforms must be up to global standards as well. International circuits, the resiliency and capacity of our fibre optic backbone must be improved,” Pangilinan said.

On the content side, PLDT is also working to improve the digital experience of subscribers.

As the speed of Internet in the country has been a common complaint by users, Ray Espinosa, regulatory affairs and policies head of PLDT said in the same event the firm is working to address the issue but noted the government would also have to help.

In particular, the National Telecommunications Commission has to step in by looking at how to provide access to incumbent telco players to the 700 megahertz (MHz) frequency or so called digital dividend that would help hasten speed of Internet service.

“We are focused on speed and we are focused on basically asking for our fair share on the 700 MHz…Government should work hand-in-hand with incumbent players and even new entrants to ensure the scarce range of frequency spectrum that will enhance the speed of mobile telecommunications is made available on a fair and reasonable basis,” Espinosa said.

-----
PLDT braces for Telstra entry, keeps core net income guidance | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Bloomberry incurs P1.5 B loss in 9 months *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) 
Updated November 4, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Bloomberry Resorts Corp., the hotel and casino operator owned by ports tycoon Enrique Razon, incurred a net loss of P1.5 billion in the first nine months of the year, a reversal of the P3.3 billion profit reported in the same period last year.

In the third quarter alone, Bloomberry’s net loss reached P189 million, significantly lower than the previous quarter’s P787 million loss.

Bloomberry owns and operates Solaire Resort & Casino within the 100-hectare Pagcor Entertainment City in Parañaque, and Jeju Sun Hotel & Casino in Korea.

The company registered P19.42 billion in revenue from January to September, up from P16.97 billion in the same period a year ago.

For the third quarter, Bloomberry booked revenues of P7.09 billion, 29 percent higher than the P5.5 billion recorded a year earlier.

Razon, Bloomberry chairman and CEO, said the company’s additional investments are paying off.

“Our investments in the Sky Tower are beginning to show returns. Given the improvement in Philippine operations and the opening of a new revenue stream, we are hopeful that returns stream, we are hopeful that returns will continue to gain higher ground,” Razon said.

Gross gaming revenues and non-gaming revenues for the first nine months reached P24.55 billion and P1.38 billion, respectively.

On a year- on-year basis, these grew by 14 percent and 53 percent, respectively, with strong growth across all gaming segments and additional incremental growth in non-gaming revenues with the opening of Sky Tower in November 2014 and the consolidation of Korean operations beginning in the second quarter of 2015.

“Jeju Sun, in its first 15 days of casino operations, accounted for less than one percent of consolidated gross gaming revenues and 13 percent of consolidated non-gaming revenues,” Bloomberry said.

By segment, bulk of the revenues came from gaming followed by hotel, food, beverage and retail.

Bloomberry said gaming accounted for 94.6 percent of total revenues followed by hotel, food and beverage and retail at 5.1 percent with the balance of 0.3 percent taken up by Interest Income.

Cost cutting measures continue to show tangible benefits, the company said, with cash operating expenses in the third quarter declining six percent quarter-on-quarter to P3.98 billion.

-----
Bloomberry incurs P1.5 B loss in 9 months | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Index rises on strong corporate earnings *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated November 4, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Share prices gained yesterday, boosted largely by encouraging third quarter corporate income reports.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 11.88 points, or 0.16 percent, to close at 7,210.73, while the broader All Shares index rose 3.74 points, or 0.09 percent, to close at 4,156.09 points.

Most indexes closed higher, led by the mining and oil barometer, which surged 165.41 points or 1.43 percent higher to settle at 11,666.12.

Astro del Castillo, managing director of First Grade Finance Inc., said investors remain positive as companies report on their third quarter earnings.

“Investors remain positive as corporate earnings continue to pour in. However, cautiousness is still up in the air given that we ended flat and value turn over remains thin,” Del Castillo said.

Value turnover remained thin at P5.940 billion even as advancers outnumbers decliners 98 to 83 and left 37 stocks unchanged.

Analysts said corporate earnings would help determine whether or not the market would sustain its rally and be a precursor of the generally bullish season capped by the Santa Claus rally.

While the market continues to keep an eye on central bank policies across the globe, domestic corporate earnings will take center stage and would likely be the main driving force for trades in the next two to three weeks, they said.

-----
Index rises on strong corporate earnings | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


----------



## pr1v4t33r

PAF NC212-400 Light Lift Aircraft Almost Ready

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## Zero_wing

damn good job guys


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## Cossack25A1

Cossack25A1 said:


> I just want to share a picture I found about the possibility of Clark airport (DMIA) to replace NAIA, which would have been "cheaper" compared to the proposed Sangley Point Airport.
> 
> Apparently, there were two designs for Clark
> 
> View attachment 120355
> 
> 
> View attachment 120352
> 
> 
> There is a reason why Manila Skyway is being extended to connect NLEX and SLEX... and why the botched North Rail Project was conceived.




The location of the proposed new airport in Sangley Point in Cavite, south of Manila and near in proximity to the NAIA.






DOTC eyes Aquino nod on location of new airport in Sangley Point | Inquirer Business

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## Cossack25A1

*APEC 2015 Summit News:*

-----

* Palace: No signs Xi Jinping will snub APEC in Manila *
 By Louis Bacani* (philstar.com) *
*Updated November 4, 2015 - 5:51pm*

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang expressed confidence on Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila this month.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said China has yet to confirm Xi's attendance to the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) "but there are no indications that he will not go."

"Thus far, their home office has been working with us kasi may mga advance visits po 'yan, may mga advance teams. They are all represented," Valte said in a press briefing.

Considered as APEC's biggest event, the AELM will be held on November 18 and 19 in Metro Manila and will be attended by President Benigno Aquino III and 20 other heads of state.

Valte said more than 10 leaders have confirmed their attendance. Earlier, Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and all other leaders except for Xi have confirmed attendance at the APEC summit.

In an interview with reporters in Eastern Samar on Friday, Aquino said there is no reason to relate the West Philippine Sea dispute with Xi's decision to attend the APEC summit.

"Bahagi lang itong usapan na ito (sea dispute) sa relasyon natin sa Tsina. Siguro naman ay hindi magiging kabuuan ng desisyon nila ay dahil dito sa isang bahagi lang," Aquino said.
_*("This is just part of the discussion with regards to our relationship with China. I am sure that the incident will not affect their decision.")*_

Aquino said he is open to hold a possible bilateral meeting with the Chinese leader if he attends the Manila event.

The president said he would want to discuss stability with Xi.

"All our governments are supposed to be there for the improvement of the lot of our people, improvement in their lives, and this can only happen if there’s stability. So if there is a central message that would be that I would want to convey," Aquino said in a forum with foreign media correspondents last week.

-----
Palace: No signs Xi Jinping will snub APEC in Manila | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


----------



## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> *APEC 2015 Summit News:*
> 
> -----
> 
> * Palace: No signs Xi Jinping will snub APEC in Manila *
> By Louis Bacani* (philstar.com) *
> *Updated November 4, 2015 - 5:51pm*
> 
> MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang expressed confidence on Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila this month.
> 
> Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said China has yet to confirm Xi's attendance to the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) "but there are no indications that he will not go."
> 
> "Thus far, their home office has been working with us kasi may mga advance visits po 'yan, may mga advance teams. They are all represented," Valte said in a press briefing.
> 
> Considered as APEC's biggest event, the AELM will be held on November 18 and 19 in Metro Manila and will be attended by President Benigno Aquino III and 20 other heads of state.
> 
> Valte said more than 10 leaders have confirmed their attendance. Earlier, Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and all other leaders except for Xi have confirmed attendance at the APEC summit.
> 
> In an interview with reporters in Eastern Samar on Friday, Aquino said there is no reason to relate the West Philippine Sea dispute with Xi's decision to attend the APEC summit.
> 
> "Bahagi lang itong usapan na ito (sea dispute) sa relasyon natin sa Tsina. Siguro naman ay hindi magiging kabuuan ng desisyon nila ay dahil dito sa isang bahagi lang," Aquino said.
> _*("This is just part of the discussion with regards to our relationship with China. I am sure that the incident will not affect their decision.")*_
> 
> Aquino said he is open to hold a possible bilateral meeting with the Chinese leader if he attends the Manila event.
> 
> The president said he would want to discuss stability with Xi.
> 
> "All our governments are supposed to be there for the improvement of the lot of our people, improvement in their lives, and this can only happen if there’s stability. So if there is a central message that would be that I would want to convey," Aquino said in a forum with foreign media correspondents last week.
> 
> -----
> Palace: No signs Xi Jinping will snub APEC in Manila | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
> -----



Well screw them their lose


----------



## pher

Cossack25A1 said:


> *APEC 2015 Summit News:*
> 
> -----
> 
> * Palace: No signs Xi Jinping will snub APEC in Manila *
> By Louis Bacani* (philstar.com) *
> *Updated November 4, 2015 - 5:51pm*
> 
> MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang expressed confidence on Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila this month.
> 
> Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said China has yet to confirm Xi's attendance to the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) "but there are no indications that he will not go."
> 
> "Thus far, their home office has been working with us kasi may mga advance visits po 'yan, may mga advance teams. They are all represented," Valte said in a press briefing.
> 
> Considered as APEC's biggest event, the AELM will be held on November 18 and 19 in Metro Manila and will be attended by President Benigno Aquino III and 20 other heads of state.
> 
> Valte said more than 10 leaders have confirmed their attendance. Earlier, Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and all other leaders except for Xi have confirmed attendance at the APEC summit.
> 
> In an interview with reporters in Eastern Samar on Friday, Aquino said there is no reason to relate the West Philippine Sea dispute with Xi's decision to attend the APEC summit.
> 
> "Bahagi lang itong usapan na ito (sea dispute) sa relasyon natin sa Tsina. Siguro naman ay hindi magiging kabuuan ng desisyon nila ay dahil dito sa isang bahagi lang," Aquino said.
> _*("This is just part of the discussion with regards to our relationship with China. I am sure that the incident will not affect their decision.")*_
> 
> Aquino said he is open to hold a possible bilateral meeting with the Chinese leader if he attends the Manila event.
> 
> The president said he would want to discuss stability with Xi.
> 
> "All our governments are supposed to be there for the improvement of the lot of our people, improvement in their lives, and this can only happen if there’s stability. So if there is a central message that would be that I would want to convey," Aquino said in a forum with foreign media correspondents last week.
> 
> -----
> Palace: No signs Xi Jinping will snub APEC in Manila | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
> -----


he will not come believe me. then those countries who want to meet Xi will hate your nation to the bone.

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## Cossack25A1

pher said:


> he will not come believe me. then those countries who want to meet Xi will hate your nation to the bone.



I just posted a news and later you commenting about APEC countries will have animosity against the Philippines just because Xi Jinping may not come? 

WTF.


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## pher

Cossack25A1 said:


> I just posted a news and later you commenting about APEC countries will have animosity against the Philippines just because Xi Jinping may not come?
> 
> WTF.


get used to it, nobody care about your counry but most of them will await in the line to talk to Xi

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## Zero_wing

pher said:


> get used to it, nobody care about your counry but most of them will await in the line to talk to Xi



Again we don't care



Cossack25A1 said:


> *APEC 2015 Summit News:*
> 
> -----
> 
> * Palace: No signs Xi Jinping will snub APEC in Manila *
> By Louis Bacani* (philstar.com) *
> *Updated November 4, 2015 - 5:51pm*
> 
> MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang expressed confidence on Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila this month.
> 
> Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said China has yet to confirm Xi's attendance to the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) "but there are no indications that he will not go."
> 
> "Thus far, their home office has been working with us kasi may mga advance visits po 'yan, may mga advance teams. They are all represented," Valte said in a press briefing.
> 
> Considered as APEC's biggest event, the AELM will be held on November 18 and 19 in Metro Manila and will be attended by President Benigno Aquino III and 20 other heads of state.
> 
> Valte said more than 10 leaders have confirmed their attendance. Earlier, Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and all other leaders except for Xi have confirmed attendance at the APEC summit.
> 
> In an interview with reporters in Eastern Samar on Friday, Aquino said there is no reason to relate the West Philippine Sea dispute with Xi's decision to attend the APEC summit.
> 
> "Bahagi lang itong usapan na ito (sea dispute) sa relasyon natin sa Tsina. Siguro naman ay hindi magiging kabuuan ng desisyon nila ay dahil dito sa isang bahagi lang," Aquino said.
> _*("This is just part of the discussion with regards to our relationship with China. I am sure that the incident will not affect their decision.")*_
> 
> Aquino said he is open to hold a possible bilateral meeting with the Chinese leader if he attends the Manila event.
> 
> The president said he would want to discuss stability with Xi.
> 
> "All our governments are supposed to be there for the improvement of the lot of our people, improvement in their lives, and this can only happen if there’s stability. So if there is a central message that would be that I would want to convey," Aquino said in a forum with foreign media correspondents last week.
> 
> -----
> Palace: No signs Xi Jinping will snub APEC in Manila | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
> -----



Dude wag ka mag post ng ganito kasi alam mon mga imperialista they think differently

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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Dude wag ka mag post ng ganito kasi alam mon mga imperialista they think differently



Since _pher_ said no one cares, I may consider stop posting *any* updates at all. Someone has to do it, and it better not be _opruh/oproh _and_ Fsjal_.


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## Zero_wing

Cossack25A1 said:


> Since _pher_ said no one cares, I may consider stop posting *any* updates at all. Someone has to do it, and it better not be _opruh/oproh _and_ Fsjal_.



Ya but do some work first before posting


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## pr1v4t33r

PAF Lead-In Fighter Trainer

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## Cossack25A1

Zero_wing said:


> Ya but do some work first before posting



The thing is that this thread is about the PH's economy, military and other updates, including diplomatic situation.

Unless someone else will be posting any news updates, as only a few Filipinos are left here in this forum, with one being the cheerleader for the _PDF China Platoon_.


----------



## pher

Cossack25A1 said:


> Since _pher_ said no one cares, I may consider stop posting *any* updates at all. Someone has to do it, and it better not be _opruh/oproh _and_ Fsjal_.


wow, you can do what you want. there is a second opion does not mean what you did isn't right.

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## bdslph

Cossack25A1 said:


> *Business News:*
> 
> -----
> 
> * PLDT braces for Telstra entry, keeps core net income guidance *
> By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) *
> *Updated November 4, 2015 - 12:00am*
> 
> 
> -----



i want TELSTRA TO START IN PH SOON THE INTERNET IS SO SLOW and PH IS SO EXPENSIVE INTERNET CHARGE

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## Reashot Xigwin

* Inside BRP Ramon Alcaraz *




BRP Ramon Alcaraz (all photos : Inquirer)

THE BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) is the Philippine Navy’s biggest warships and the second ship of the Gregorio del Pilar class.




The ship was commissioned by the Philippine Navy last 2013 after being acquired under the Excess Defense Articles and Foreign Assistance Act. Previously, it served the US Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutter from 1968 to 2012 as USCGC Dallas.




Navy public affairs chief Commander Lued Lincuna said the ship will be one of the Navy’s assets to be used for seaborne security during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation next week.




The ship is commanded by Captain Juario Marayag. It has been used for relief transport during Super Typhoon Yolanda and has participated in several exercises with different countries. It is used for patrolling Philippine waters including its claims in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).




Below are some of the photos during the visit of Philippine defense media onboard the ship recently.




The BRP Ramon Alcaraz and its bridge and reception area.
(Inquirer)

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## Cossack25A1

*Business News:*

------

* San Miguel cuts off rival access to frequency band *
 By Louella D. Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated November 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is not in favor of giving telco firms Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Globe Telecom Inc. access to the 700 megahertz (Mhz) frequency band held by the firm, citing the need to promote competition in the market.

“They have more than enough frequency between them. They have almost 300 Mhz of LTE frequency. Why do they need more? All they need is to improve and fine-tune what they have,” SMC president Ramon S. Ang told reporters yesterday.

Ang made the comment following PLDT and Globe’s call to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to facilitate the equitable distribution of the unused 700 Mhz frequency band held by SMC through an auction to provide better Internet service to customers.

SMC, which is in discussions with Australia’s largest telephone firm Telstra for a joint venture on the wireless business, holds 90 Mhz of the total 100 Mhz on the 700 Mhz band through wi-Tribe Telecoms Inc.’s 80 Mhz and High Frequency Telecommunications Inc.’s 10 Mhz. The remaining 10 Mhz is held by New Century Telecommunications.

The 700 Mhz is seen as the key to providing faster Internet speeds and addressing the mobile data explosion as it is located above the remaining TV broadcast channels, allowing signals to easily go through buildings and walls and covering larger areas with less infrastructure needed as compared to frequencies in higher bands.

Ray Espinosa, regulatory and policies head of PLDT said existing players can improve Internet service to consumers by being given their fair share of the 700 Mhz band.

Globe general legal counsel Froilan Castelo said “giving active and operating telecommunications companies access to this band will allow the industry to provide broadband and data services at faster speeds and in a more cost-efficient manner.”

Ang said the 700 Mhz is necessary for SMC to be able to operate its wireless business.

NTC director Edgardo Cabarios said the agency is lukewarm to the proposal of PLDT and Globe citing the need to promote competition in the market.

With a new player to break the duopoly in the telco industry, Ang said consumers are expected to benefit in terms of lower prices and better services.

“It (service) will now improve for sure,” he said.

Asked on the potential partnership with Telstra, he said discussions are still ongoing.

Telstra chief executive officer Andrew Penn said earlier the company is looking to invest nearly $1 billion for the wireless business in the Philippines, if and when it proceeds with plans with SMC.

“Our estimate would be an investment from Telstra (which) would be less than $1 billion,” he said.

Should SMC decide to pursue its wireless business, Ang said the focus would likely be on postpaid and broadband.

SMC is engaged in the telecommunications business through companies Eastern Telecommunications Philippines Inc., Bell Telecommunications Philippines Inc., Liberty Telecoms Holdings Inc. and Vega Telecom Inc.

-----
San Miguel cuts off rival access to frequency band | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* PAL profit soars to P6.1 B *
 By Louella Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated November 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The parent firm of flag carrier Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL) saw its net earnings post sharp growth in the first nine months due to higher revenues.

In a report to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), PAL Holdings Inc. said its net profit soared to P6.1 billion as of end-September from P238.1 million a year ago.

The dramatic increase was attributed to the 10.8 percent rise in revenues to P82 billion from P74 billion last year.

“The growth was attributable mainly to higher passenger revenues and other revenues generated during the period,” PAL said.

The company also recorded a 30 percent year-on-year growth in passenger volume for the nine-month period mainly for the Americas, Australia, Japan and Middle East routes.

The interlining arrangement with PAL Express in the domestic sectors likewise contributed to the favorable revenue performance during the current period.

The company’s total expenses, meanwhile, rose 4.6 percent to P76.4 billion the first nine months from P73.1 billion a year ago.

Maintenance expenses, one of PAL’s biggest costs, rose 38.3 percent to P8.3 billion as of end-September from P6 billion last year due to maintenance services for the newly acquired aircraft.

Passenger service expenses climbed 12.5 percent to P6.3 billion in the first nine months from the previous year’s P5.6 billion amid higher costs related to cabin crew benefits and passenger food due given increase in passengers and number of flights.

General and administrative expenses posted a 23 percent uptick to P2.7 billion in the January to September period from P2.2 billion in the same period in 2014 as a result of various fees paid for the financing of three A321 aircraft during the current period and additional obligations incurred.

Reservation and sales amounted to P4.8 billion as of end-September, a 6.7 percent increase from P4.5 billion mainly on account of higher selling expenses incurred to support the growth in ticket sales.

-----
PAL profit soars to P6.1 B | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Better PESO, but more jobs needed *
*BIZLINKS By Rey Gamboa (The Philippine Star) 
Updated November 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

While amendments to the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) law are expected to further institutionalize job-matching services in all local governments, and therefore ease the country’s joblessness profile, the reality remains there are still fewer jobs being created compared to the number of new job seekers turning up. 

Still, the PESO law recently amended will be able to amplify the gains that were achieved by this piece of legislation since it was signed in 1999, something which was noble-sounding at most, but definitely nebulously structured. 

Even then, the PESO law was able to achieve something worthwhile since its inception. According to press releases, the PESO offices that were voluntarily set up by local governments were able to assist 1.6 million youths in getting jobs during the last 15 years.

This has perhaps helped in bringing down the country’s unemployment figures in recent years to about six percent. But this still translates to about 2.9 million people without jobs, with an estimated 50 percent within the 18- to 25-years-old age bracket and belonging to the rural areas.

More jobs may be expected in the coming years with the amendment’s implementing rules finalized early next year. By then, all local governments will be obliged to set up a PESO office funded and staffed through their respective internal revenue allotments.


* Match-making*

The law’s amendments will also solidify efforts to collect employment data from business establishments, both present and future, which will likewise help not only the local PESO units but also schools and universities in planning and fine-tuning their respective programs.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
With local PESOs fully operational, these should act as a one-stop authority on job placements that can competently match-make whatever job opportunities are available in the local environment with those seeking for work. Think of this as the biggest – and most credible – job placement agency in the locality.

This should help businesses, with complementary help by universities and schools, to find the right manpower for the jobs that are often left unanswered for long periods of time despite the surfeit of young people looking for work.

The local educational system, on the other hand, will be able to plan for the kind and quality of courses they will offer at the tertiary level. This would minimize, for example, having nursing graduates end up doing clerical jobs in offices.


* Revitalize agriculture*

Of course, we must not forget the PESO is not a panacea, or an end-all solution to the country’s unemployment – and more so, underemployment – problem.

You can’t solve these inequalities by streamlining employment networks; the country has to create more jobs t to take in the army of graduates that swell the ranks of unemployed in the second quarter of every year.

For this reason, the government must really look at revitalizing agriculture where the bulk of those unemployed and underemployed have been noted. The agricultural sector may not provide the most significant contribution to the economy – yet, but there is potential in it if given enough government support.

It’s too late for the Philippines to think it can be a manufacturing capital in the region now that China has efficiently streamlined its processes and infrastructure to become the world’s center for manufacturing. Even Thailand and Malaysia have given up on competing against this giant.

And despite the record number of youths being employed in the business process outsourcing sector in recent years, this will not be enough to turn the tide of unemployment and underemployment prevalent outside the country’s major urban centers.


* Underemployment and poverty*

Much as unemployment is a key indicator that tracks the country’s efforts towards improving the economy and bringing more people into the fold of inclusive growth, underemployment is a much bigger problem that comes hand-in-hand with poverty.

Farmers, fishermen, forestry workers, laborers and unskilled workers are among those that have grappled, sometimes for a lifetime, with the uncertainty and seasonality of work, which provides a sporadic stream of income to support the family.

This is a basic reason why many children are not able to focus on getting a good education despite this being compulsory and free. In rural areas most specially, children are expected to drop out from classes when temporary work is available in farms.

Government statistics place underemployment at a conservative 20 percent of the population, which is already high by world standards. Those belonging to this segment plagued by poverty have little chances to improve their lives, and ironically, continue to spawn offspring that will join them in such uncertain predicament.

By bringing development to the rural areas, there will a new world of opportunity opened to more Filipinos who deserve better lives. Sadly, though, agriculture is not an area that is considered a priority in the government’s agenda.


* Expanding PESO coverage*

While the latest amendment of the PESO law will give the muscle and fuel to create a reliable facility for job placement among the youth, it could very well be expanded to answer for the needs of the underemployed, which means people well beyond 25 years of age.

This sector needs help, perhaps even more than the young graduates of secondary and tertiary education, in getting better-paid jobs. They are a bigger labor force, and one that already carries the weight and responsibility of other people in the families they have created.

In parting, I would like to reiterate the need for government to give more attention to encouraging the agriculture sector’s growth. In a world where competition has become keener, we have to give some priority to those who need help more.

This is what parents should do with any of their children not having the better instincts to survive in this world. This is what a government should undertake for its citizens who have the least resources to fend for themselves to become more productive.

-----
Better PESO, but more jobs needed | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Globe mulls $800 M capex for 2016 *
 By Louella Desiderio* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated November 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. is planning to earmark up to $800 million in capital expenditures for 2016.

Globe chief commercial officer Albert de Larrazabal told reporters yesterday the telco may spend at least $800 million in capital expenditures for next year amid an expected strong data uptake.

“I think more than half of it (capex) will be data,” he said.

The company also intends to continue to invest in core services such as voice and SMS next year to ensure the good quality of the service is maintained as the usage rises in existing areas.

De Larrazabal said part of the capex would also be spent to modernize the fixed-line infrastructure of Bayan Telecommunications Inc.

Bayan was acquired by Globe from the Lopez Group earlier this year.

De Larrazabal said Globe would likely be tapping the debt market to fund part of next year’s capex.

“By end of November, we will have clearer view,” he said.

For this year, the firm expects to spend close to $800 million of the $850 million capital expenditures allotment.

As of end-September, Globe saw its core net income grow 10 percent to P12.7 billion from P11.6 billion.

The telco’s net income, meanwhile, rose to P14.1 billion in the nine-month period from P10.5 billion a year ago.

-----
Globe mulls $800 M capex for 2016 | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Index tumbles on lack of strong leads *
 By Iris C. Gonzales* (The Philippine Star)*
* Updated November 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi), fell below the 7,000 level yesterday as investors stayed on the sidelines due to a lack of stronger leads and after lackluster sessions in US and European markets.

The PSEi tumbled 16.39 points, or 0.23 percent, to close at 6,983.72, while the broader All Shares index tumbled 1.83 points, or 0.04 percent, to finish at 4,039.03.

All other indexes – the financials, industrial, holding firms and services closed lower.

Analysts said most investors kept to the sideline, while those who took action did so on the sell-side, pulling the PSEI lower for a sixth day.

“An uneventful session in US and Europe markets overnight left local investors grasping for strings to latch on to. With leads from the domestic front even thinner, most kept to the sidelines while those who took action did so on the sell-side, pulling the PSEi lower for a sixth day,” said Justino Calaycay of Philstocks Financial.

Calaycay said earnings have started to climb – at least to within our estimated range – for the nine-month period, even as quarter results have so far turned out flat, year-on-year.

As of yesterday, 60 companies that have made a report posted an aggregate net income of P38.747 billion, slightly lower than the P38.918 billion in the same quarter last year.

Given the flat-to positive results so far, Calaycay said, the market should steady around current levels.

Value turnover amounted to P7.80 billion as decliners outnumbered advancers, 89 to 70 while 53 stocks were left unchanged.

-----
Index tumbles on lack of strong leads | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----



* Factory output up in September *
 By Ted P. Torres* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated November 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s manufacturing sector stepped up its production volume in September as it grew 3.5 percent from 1.9 percent in August.

The Philippine Statistics Authority’s Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries for September 2015 showed the manufacturing sector’s Volume of Production Index (VoPI) increased 3.5 percent but lower than the 4.7 percent growth it posted in the same month in 2014.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the robust growth was due to demand for tobacco, transport equipment and construction activity.

Economic Planning Secretary and NEDA director general Arsenio M. Balisacan said the manufacturing sector is forecast to surge further with the holiday season and the approaching May 2016 elections.

“This makes business leaders anticipate increased orders and sales, which will boost both the production and sales of manufactured goods,” Balisacan said.

He said the improved pace of government spending, low production costs, declining oil prices and the steady inflow of remittances from overseas Filipino workers favor stronger growth momentum of the manufacturing sector going into 2016.

On the other hand, the same PSA report showed the Value of Production Index (VaPI) in September declined 4.8 percent but slower compared with the 6.1-percent drop in August 2015.

For consumer goods, tobacco and beverages both turned in double-digit growth rates, with the former posting a 29.2-percent growth in volume and 30.4-percent growth in value of net sales.

Beverages grew 21.4 percent in volume and 32.2 percent in value.

On the other hand, the food subsector continued to suffer both in value and volume of net sales due to the persisting dry spell brought about by the El Niño.

To counter negative impact of external forces, including natural disasters, Balisacan said government must strengthen the linkages of all production sectors through the implementation of the Comprehensive National Industrial Strategy.

The strategy was designed to guide the effective integration of the agriculture, industry and services sectors to ensure sustained growth and resiliency of the economy to external and internal shocks.

“The government needs to enhance the productive capacity of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through capacity building and improved access to financing. It should also play an active role in facilitating the smooth flow of goods by addressing logistical bottle necks and reducing transportation costs,” he said.

-----
Factory output up in September | Business, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

*
===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*


*APEC 2015 Philippines News:*

-----

* Philippines '97% ready' for APEC 2015 *
 By Patricia Lourdes Viray* (philstar.com) 
Updated November 12, 2015 - 12:49pm*

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is ready for hosting the 23rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit next week, the National Organizing Council (NOC) said on Thursday.

"I think we are 95 to 97 percent ready for APEC. We are just fine-tuning some of the details," NOC Director General Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr. said in a press briefing.

Paynor said the security of the leaders has been the greatest challenge in hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting this year.

A total of 19 heads of state, including President Benigno Aquino III, and two leaders of economies will attend the summit in Manila from November 18 to 19.

The Presidential Security Group will take charge in securing the world leaders who will be attending the APEC summit in the country. Over 7,000 delegates are expected to attend the event.

Paynor noted that the nature of world security has changed since the "9/11" terrorist attack in the United States back in 2001. 

The normal police force of the National Capital Region have been stretched for the upcoming meeting of world leaders in the country, Paynor said.

"We brought in augmentations from other regions," the ambassador said.

Paynor assured that Aquino is "on top of everything" and directed the organizing council to ensure that the country's hosting will be a success from all points of view.

Malacañang earlier said that the president wants a “flawless and seamless” APEC summit next week.

-----
Philippines '97% ready' for APEC 2015 | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

*
===========================================================================================================================================
===========================================================================================================================================*


*Politics and National Security News:*

-----

* Noy, Obama to tackle sea dispute, EDCA *
 By Jaime Laude* (The Philippine Star) *
*Updated November 12, 2015 - 12:00am*

MANILA, Philippines – It may not be on the agenda of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, but President Aquino is discussing with US President Barack Obama rising tensions in disputed waters in the region on the sidelines of APEC.

This was disclosed yesterday by US Ambassador Philip Goldberg, who said the two leaders are also expected to tackle the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Goldberg attended the annual Veterans Day commemoration at the Manila American cemetery at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

He was asked whether Aquino and Obama would have bilateral discussions on security issues including the EDCA, which would post US troops in the Philippines on a rotational basis.

“I would imagine they will,” Goldberg said. “When the two presidents get together, those are issues of mutual concern.”

Implementation of the 10-year pact, signed by the two governments last year shortly before Obama visited Manila in April, has been snagged by legal challenges brought before the Supreme Court.

Obama and Aquino are expected to hold a bilateral meeting Wednesday morning next week.

Goldberg said that while he did not want to preempt the US president on the purpose or possible outcome of the bilateral talks, he was certain the meeting between the two leaders would further bolster relations between the US and the Philippines.

He said discussions would center on “our mutual interests, our shared interests,” including the climate change meeting in Paris next month.

Goldberg also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to further improve its relations with the Philippines in all aspects, especially economic.

He said the United States is eager to hear a favorable Supreme Court decision on EDCA. A news report earlier this week, citing unidentified court sources, said the SC would uphold the constitutionality of the pact.

The Senate has issued a resolution declaring EDCA a treaty that needs the chamber’s concurrence.

EDCA allows the US military to set up camps inside major military bases of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as well as to store or pre-position armaments and materiel.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Goldberg signed EDCA on April 28, 2014, ahead of the state visit of Obama in Manila on April 28 and 29 last year.

The SC is set to vote on the petitions against EDCA on Nov. 16. Obama is again expected to arrive in the country for the APEC summit on Nov.18-19.

The Department of National Defense (DND) has maintained that there is no need for Senate concurrence of EDCA as the latter is already tied to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the US.

Meanwhile, Goldberg could not say if Obama would have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China has prevailed upon the Philippines, being the APEC host, not to discuss the South China Sea issue in the economic forum.

-----
Noy, Obama to tackle sea dispute, EDCA | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

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## Cossack25A1

*APEC 2015 Summit News:*

-----

*Putin, Widodo to skip APEC *
 By Rosette Adel* (philstar.com)
Updated November 12, 2015 - 5:53pm*

MANILA, Philippines – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indonesian President Joko Widodo will not attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' meeting in Manila next week.

According to the Russian news agency RBC, Putin suddenly refused to participate in the APEC summit in the Philippines but will send Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev instead.

The Russian news agency did not disclose the reason but said that Putin will still attend the G20 Summit in Turkey.

Meanwhile, during the press briefing at the International Media Center on Thursday afternoon, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario confirmed Widodo’s absence from APEC.

“I just got a verbal message that there are things in Jakarta that need the attention of Pres. Widodo,” Del Rosario said, citing domestic concerns as reason for Widodo’s sudden non-attendance.

Widodo will be represented by Indonesian Trade Minister Thomas Lembong.

Putin and Widodo earlier confirmed attendance at the APEC Summit to be held in Manila on November 18 to 19 along with 18 other heads of APEC economies.

-----
Putin, Widodo to skip APEC | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----


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## Nike

A few photos from PA's official website :

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## pr1v4t33r

Progress for the 1st & 2nd PAF NC212i light lift aircraft in PT.DI facilities

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## Zero_wing

Man the plan is looking great thanks Indonesia


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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*Philippine Air Force receiving South Korean FA-50 jets*
_The Philippine Air Force is receiving the first two jet aircraft ordered from Korea Aerospace Industries as part of its aircraft modernization program.
_
*By Richard Tomkins *
*Nov. 25, 2015 at 2:48 PM*

MANILA, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- The Philippines will receive on Friday the first two of 12 FA-50 Golden Eagle jets from Korea Aerospace Industries.

The planes, lead-in fighter trainers, will arrive at Clark Air Base, a former U.S. facility of the Philippine Air Force, as part of the PAF's modernization effort, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.

The FA-50, built by the Korean company with assistance from Lockheed Martin, has a maximum speed of 1,020 miles per hour and range of 1,150 miles. It can be fitted with air-to-air missiles, heat-seeking missiles, and light automatic cannons. It can also carry a variety of bombs.

"This is the first time that we will have supersonic capability since 2005 when our (F-5) jets were decommissioned, said PAF spokesman Col. Enrico Canaya. "This is the revival of the supersonic jet age."

The newspaper said the remaining 10 aircraft from South Korea are to be delivered by 2017.

The Philippines earlier this year sent three PAF pilots to South Korea to undergo training in operating the aircraft.

The delivery of the aircraft comes amid continuing tension between the Philippines and China over ownership of small islands off the Philippines and Chinese military construction in the area.

-----
First Korean-made jets being delivered to Philippine Air Force - UPI.com
-----

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## anas_nurhafidz

Progress for the 1st SSV Phil navy.
@kruk

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## pr1v4t33r

2 New F/A-50 Light Fighter Jet Aircraft Have Landed @ Clark Air Base this Morning

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## pr1v4t33r



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## pr1v4t33r

Cossack25A1 said:


> I am pretty sure you had seen that "Philippine FA-50" thread before most messages there got deleted.
> 
> I might suggest that some Filipino members to move to another forum rather than posting here since the _PDF Chinese _members would surely post anything that could derail such threads and place the blame on us, who just reacts to their insensitive comments.



Keep posting on this Thread instead.. we would love to read updates from Philippines. And please add more pictures

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> I am pretty sure you had seen that "Philippine FA-50" thread before most messages there got deleted.
> 
> I might suggest that some Filipino members to move to another forum rather than posting here since the _PDF Chinese _members would surely post anything that could derail such threads and place the blame on us, who just reacts to their insensitive comments.




Then post here.


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## Cossack25A1

pr1v4t33r said:


> Keep posting on this Thread instead.. we would love to read updates from Philippines. And please add more pictures





Nihonjin1051 said:


> Then post here.



The problem is that one of the recent threads here got too personal due to a Chinese member "hitting a certain spot" which caught my ire, aside from posting insensitive comments.

While the Filipino members here may not follow what I posted earlier, there is likely a slow down in posting news here since even they don't post any updates in this thread.

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## pr1v4t33r

take your time, just take it light and easy.

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## Aepsilons

Cossack25A1 said:


> The problem is that one of the recent threads here got too personal due to a Chinese member "hitting a certain spot" which caught my ire, aside from posting insensitive comments.
> 
> While the Filipino members here may not follow what I posted earlier, there is likely a slow down in posting news here since even they don't post any updates in this thread.




Dude, don't take things personal. Don't also dish personal insults. Remember: it takes two to tango. 

Kalma ka lang diyan.


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## pr1v4t33r

old photos of SSV, before main mast installation






Electrical panels for SSV#1 stored in PT. Pal Indonesia workshop, ready to be installed on board.

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## pr1v4t33r

Ground testing of the Philippine Air Force's NC-212i at Indonesian Aerospace (PTDI) in Bandung, Indonesia.





__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1010647625624348

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## pr1v4t33r

Philippine delegation visiting PT.PAL Indonesia to check the SSV's development progress

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## pr1v4t33r

PAF's new assets

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## Hailstorm

Good for Philippines! Keep it up

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## Zero_wing

Man its slow process made even slower i hope the line up am voting for wins the next election we need to continue this


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## yugocrosrb95

pr1v4t33r said:


> PAF's new assets
> View attachment 277142



Hopefully Taurus and KAI will agree to implement KEPD 350K-2 for FA-50PH, this would make it deadly against war ships and ground targets.

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## Nike

yugocrosrb95 said:


> Hopefully Taurus and KAI will agree to implement KEPD 350K-2 for FA-50PH, this would make it deadly against war ships and ground targets.



No use, regarding limited radar range of FA50, short legged too and harsh fact about the total absence of otht platform and installation in ph.

Just use jdam, paveway and maverick will sufficient to meet ph internal challange right now

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## yugocrosrb95

madokafc said:


> No use, regarding limited radar range of FA50, short legged too and harsh fact about the total absence of otht platform and installation in ph.
> 
> Just use jdam, paveway and maverick will sufficient to meet ph internal challange right now



FA-50 radar is produced in South Korea, it is licensed radar from israel, modified and further developed jointly.

It is improved version or original Israely one.

KEPD 350 does not need radar guideance

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## Aepsilons

pr1v4t33r said:


> PAF's new assets
> View attachment 277142



A modest acquisition, but definitely GREAT improvement. Good Job Philippines!



pr1v4t33r said:


> Philippine delegation visiting PT.PAL Indonesia to check the SSV's development progress
> View attachment 277058
> 
> View attachment 277059



Impressive development. This will be a major backgbone for Philippine Navy's deployment mandate throughout the 7000 islands in the insular republic. The Philippines needs to purchase at least 6 of these from Indonesia to support her objectives.

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## pr1v4t33r

Nihonjin1051 said:


> The Philippines needs to purchase at least 6 of these from Indonesia to support her objectives.



6 would be great. I think PT.PAL Indonesia will be more than willing to take up the challange. But we can expect at least 2 more order from the Philippines in the future to complete their requirement of 4 SSV in their Navy desired force mix 2020. Furthermore, the next order most likely will include ToT so they will be able to build the ship themselves _(through licencing or they'll need to make their own design)_, or at least maintain them well and make custom modification as they wish.

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## pr1v4t33r

PAF's NC-212i with modern glass cockpit avionics

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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> PAF's NC-212i with modern glass cockpit avionics
> View attachment 279111



Nice and i hope we have more business in the future especially when those new planes that your country currently testing can't for it to be mass product


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## Reashot Xigwin

I know its not "good news," but please like this anyway.

House Scraps P10-B Budget for More Fighter Jets




Procurement of multi-role fighter in 2016 was blocked by this budget scrapped (image : keypublishing)

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has scrapped a P10-billion appropriation recommended by the Senate for the procurement of more fighter planes for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The rejection was made during last week’s bicameral conference on the proposed P3.002-trillion 2016 national budget.
Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, House appropriations committee chairman, told reporters yesterday that House conferees did not accept their Senate counterparts’ recommendation as it would have taken P8 billion from funds for conditional cash transfers (CCT) to poor families.

“We could not accept it because it would have sacrificed the administration’s CCT program,” he said.

He said the House conferees, with support from Sen. Ralph Recto, prevailed in their stand that P8 billion be retained in the CCT program.

* Recto was quoted as telling his colleagues in the conference committee that slashing the huge amount from CCT funds would have deprived at least 500,000 poor families of government assistance under the program for one year.*

Ungab said instead of the P10-billion appropriation, the conferees agreed to allocate P1 billion for the PAF for the procurement of more air assets.

(Philstar)

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## Cossack25A1

Reashot Xigwin said:


> I know its not "good news," but please like this anyway.
> 
> House Scraps P10-B Budget for More Fighter Jets
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Procurement of multi-role fighter in 2016 was blocked by this budget scrapped (image : keypublishing)
> 
> MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has scrapped a P10-billion appropriation recommended by the Senate for the procurement of more fighter planes for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
> 
> The rejection was made during last week’s bicameral conference on the proposed P3.002-trillion 2016 national budget.
> Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, House appropriations committee chairman, told reporters yesterday that House conferees did not accept their Senate counterparts’ recommendation as it would have taken P8 billion from funds for conditional cash transfers (CCT) to poor families.
> 
> “We could not accept it because it would have sacrificed the administration’s CCT program,” he said.
> 
> He said the House conferees, with support from Sen. Ralph Recto, prevailed in their stand that P8 billion be retained in the CCT program.
> 
> * Recto was quoted as telling his colleagues in the conference committee that slashing the huge amount from CCT funds would have deprived at least 500,000 poor families of government assistance under the program for one year.*
> 
> Ungab said instead of the P10-billion appropriation, the conferees agreed to allocate P1 billion for the PAF for the procurement of more air assets.
> 
> (Philstar)



Probably the procurement will be moved in 2017-18, although "baby-sitting" the poor people is not the right way in improving their lives.


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## Zero_wing

Ya that maoist makabayad bloc again stupid maoist their is money for the power and yet they wanna show off for the next elections stupid SObs


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## Reashot Xigwin

Some good news. Now like me.
 

*Philippine Congress Approves 15 pct Rise in 2016 National Budget *




STX France Next Generation Floreal frigates (photo : Navy Recognition)

The Philippine Congress has approved a 15 percent rise in the national budget next year to boost infrastructure and defence spending that will likely underpin the economy.

The larger spending on defence by the Philippines also comes as China nears completion of its man-made islands in the South China Sea, which has raised tensions in the region.

The 2016 budget, President Benigno Aquino's last year in office, will boost spending to a record 3 trillion pesos ($63.40 billion) from this year's 2.6 trillion pesos, said Feliciano Belmonte, speaker of the lower house of Congress.

The approval will pave the way for the signing of the budget bill into law by Aquino before the end of the year.

The budget will fund a 29 percent increase in infrastructure spending to help the economy sustain a 7-8 percent growth trajectory and fast track government spending.

"We are happy to hear of Congress' ratification of the 3.002 trillion peso 2016 national budget," Aquino's budget secretary Florencio Abad said in a statement, adding the spending will create greater inclusive growth.

Manila aims to increase infrastructure outlay to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) next year, from a target of 4 percent in 2015.

The government is under pressure to accelerate spending to prevent the economy from losing momentum. The export-reliant economy grew an annual 6 percent in the third quarter but is likely to pick up pace in the fourth quarter, underpinned by public spending.

*Frigates, surveillance planes and radars*
Aquino is also spending a record 25 billion pesos ($528.3 million) next year to purchase frigates, surveillance planes and radars to improve its capacity to guard its maritime borders.

Countries bordering the South China Sea have been increasing defence spending this year, said a report from IHS Jane's, predicting total regional spending is expected to reach $533 billion annually from $435 billion in 2015.

"Rising tensions in Asia Pacific have seen a long overdue process of military modernisation move up the political agenda in a number of countries," said Craig Caffrey, principal analyst at IHS.

The Philippines has challenged China's nine-dash-line claim on the South China Sea in the arbitral court in The Hague and is expecting a favourable decision next year. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims on the sea, where about $5 trillion in seaborne goods passes annually.

(Reuters)

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## yugocrosrb95

Reashot Xigwin said:


> I know its not "good news," but please like this anyway.
> 
> House Scraps P10-B Budget for More Fighter Jets
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Procurement of multi-role fighter in 2016 was blocked by this budget scrapped (image : keypublishing)
> 
> MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has scrapped a P10-billion appropriation recommended by the Senate for the procurement of more fighter planes for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
> 
> The rejection was made during last week’s bicameral conference on the proposed P3.002-trillion 2016 national budget.
> Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, House appropriations committee chairman, told reporters yesterday that House conferees did not accept their Senate counterparts’ recommendation as it would have taken P8 billion from funds for conditional cash transfers (CCT) to poor families.
> 
> “We could not accept it because it would have sacrificed the administration’s CCT program,” he said.
> 
> He said the House conferees, with support from Sen. Ralph Recto, prevailed in their stand that P8 billion be retained in the CCT program.
> 
> * Recto was quoted as telling his colleagues in the conference committee that slashing the huge amount from CCT funds would have deprived at least 500,000 poor families of government assistance under the program for one year.*
> 
> Ungab said instead of the P10-billion appropriation, the conferees agreed to allocate P1 billion for the PAF for the procurement of more air assets.
> 
> (Philstar)



If it involves Gripen C/D...

Philippines doesn't need to pay right away for Gripen since delivery would start in 2017 and Gripen C/D radar upgrade in 2016/2017 the PS-05/A Mark 4 has radar range of 300 kilometers for RCS of 4 m2 and 0.1 m2 at 120 kilometers.


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## Reashot Xigwin

* PHL's First Strategic Sealift Vessel to be Delivered May 2016 *




Strategic Sealift Vessel of the Philippine Navy (image, photo : timawa)

CLARK AIR BASE, ANGELES CITY, PAMPANGA (PNA) --- The country's first strategic-sealift vessel (SSV) will be delivered to the Philippine Navy (PN) in May 2016, a military official confirmed on Monday.

"The ship is now 87 percent complete and will be launched this coming January (2016). The SSV will be delivered sometime this May," Navy spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo said at the sidelines of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 80th founding anniversary Monday.

Eight seven percent completion means the ship's keel, propulsion, engine and other major systems are now installed.
The second SSV, which is now 46 percent complete, will be delivered in 2017, Arevalo added.

When asked if the SSVs are to be armed, Arevalo said defensive armament of the ships will be installed by the PN.
The Philippines has a two-SSV order with Persero for PHP3.87 billion which is sourced from the AFP Modernization Fund.




The SSV acquisition project for the PN was initiated upon the approval of Acquisition Decision Memorandum Number 2012-060 by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin last Oct. 30, 2013.

The Department of National Defense declared Persero as the Single Calculated Responsive Bidder with a bidding price of PHP3.87 billion on Nov. 18, 2014.

* The SSVs are programmed to be the PN’s floating command center carrying out their main purpose as military sea-lift and transport vessels and also for humanitarian assistance and disaster response.*

Further, these vessels are critical assets for civil-military operations due to their capability of transporting large number of soldiers, logistics, and supplies.

Moreover, each SSV has the capacity to house three helicopters. The Navy’s Augusta Westland-109s are programmed to be on-board components of these vessels.

These forthcoming landing platform dock strategic sealift vessels will improve the transport capability of the PN and boost the defense capabilities of the country. 

(PNA)

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## Nike

credit to blackhand at timawa.net

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## Nike

credit to blackhand@timawa.net

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## Aepsilons

Looking really good, Pilipinas !


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## pr1v4t33r

The 1st NC212i for PAF is ready




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1092747067416397






Simulation of traffic alert & collision avoidance system on NC212i




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1088170704540700






PAF's NC212i Cockpit

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## pr1v4t33r

Old Image of SSV under construction at PT.PAL before mast installation.

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## katarabhumi

Propeller installation for Philippine SSV.











Picture credit to @CountStrike

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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*Big-ticket items for AFP modernization await implementation *
By Alexis Romero* (philstar.com) *
*Updated January 4, 2016 - 12:56pm*

MANILA, Philippines - Four big-ticket items of the military’s modernization program, including radars for territorial defense and drones for combat operations, are awaiting the issuance of notices of award by the Defense Department.

A notice of award is issued when a project already has a winning bidder. The issuance paves way to the actual implementation of the project.

Data obtained by The STAR showed that the military projects waiting the issuance of notices of award are the air surveillance radars worth P2.68 bilion, Marine Forces Imagery and Targeting Support System Acquisition Project or drones worth P684 million, eight amphibious assault vehicles worth P2.5-billion, and Air Force full motion flight simulators worth P246 million.

The suppliers of all the projects have satisfied the requirements of the post-qualification phase. The post-qualification phase allows the government to check if the equipment or supplies being offered suits the needs of the military unit that will use them.

The procurement process of the four projects moved forward after President Aquino approved the shopping list of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program last July.

Before the president’s approval, the projects were put on hold because their budget could not be released.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
The air surveillance radars will be supplied by Elta System Ltd., a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.

Last year, The STAR reported that the Philippines would buy three air search radars from Israel to strengthen its monitoring activities in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Defense officials signed an implementation arrangement that would pave way to the purchase in February 2014.

The Philippines is boosting its external defense capabilities to protect its territorial interests amid China’s aggressive expansion in the South China Sea, where more than $5 trillion worth of trade passes through every year. 

The supplier of the drones under the Marine Forces Imagery and Targeting Support System Acquisition Project will be Triton Communication Corp.

The project involves the acquisition of six sets of drones or small unmanned aerial vehicle sub-system, nine sets of target acquisition device sub-systems, 12 kits of tactical sensor integration sub-systems, and an integrated logistics support package. According to the bid bulletin of the project, the equipment will be used by the three Marine brigades in Sulu, Central Mindanao and Palawan. 

The eight amphibious assault vehicles, which will enable Marine troops to move from sea to shore, will be supplied by South Korean firm Hanwha Techwin. The project is one of the big-ticket items in the military’s upgrade efforts.

The full motion flight simulators will be provided by Pennsylvania-based firm Environmental Tectonics Corp. The equipment seeks to enhance the training and skills of military pilots.

Other big-ticket items approved by the president include two Navy frigates worth P18-billion; six close air support aircraft worth P4.97 billion; two units of long range patrol aircraft worth P5.98 billion; multi-purpose attack craft project worth P864.32 million; night fighting system worth P1.116 billion; two C-130 aircraft worth P1.6 billion; two naval helicopters worth P5.4 billion; and lead-in fighter trainer jets ammunition worth P4.47 billion.

The shopping list also includes four basing support system and logistics projects with a total budget of P2.15 billion. These projects are in various stages of procurement.

The military modernization shopping list submitted to the president require more than P60 billion. 


* AFP to buy ammunition for jets*

Meanwhile, the military will spend P106 million to buy ammunition and explosives for the lead-in fighter trainer jets it acquired from South Korea.

The project involves the purchase of 93,600 rounds of 20mm ammunition for the modified A50 gun system of the jets, a bid bulletin published on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System showed. The opening of bids is expected to be held this month.

The military has purchased 12 jets from South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries for P18.9 billion to strengthen its external defense capabilities. Two of the 12 jets were delivered to the Air Force last November 28.

-----
Big-ticket items for AFP modernization await implementation | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
-----

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## Reashot Xigwin

*Philippine Court Upholds New US Defense Pact *
Supreme Court upholds constitutionality of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.





By Prashanth Parameswaran
January 12, 2016





US President Barack Obama gives remarks to media November 17, 2015 on board the BRP Gregorio del Pilar in the Philippines as part of a maritime security event.
Image Credit: Flickr/US Embassy Manila

The Philippine Supreme Court finally declared that a new defense pact signed between the Philippines and the United States nearly two years earlier is constitutional, local media outlets reported Tuesday.

The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) – a pact inked in April 2014 between Washington and Manila that, among other things, would give U.S. troops and equipment wide access to Philippine military bases on a rotational basis – has been languishing in the face of a constitutional challenge in the Southeast Asian state. Though Philippine officials had been assuring outside observers that EDCA’s approval was a question of when rather than if, several deadlines had passed without a ruling into 2016.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court finally voted 10-4 to uphold the constitutionality of the agreement. Four justices – Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Arturo Brion, Teresita Leonardo-De Castro and Marvic Leonen – dissented from the ruling, while Francis Jardeleza inhibited.

With that, the Court resolved the most contentious concern by opponents of the pact: that EDCA is actually a new treaty that requires Senate concurrence by a two-thirds majority, rather than an executive agreement in line with the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty as the administration of Philippine president Benigno Aquino III has been arguing.

As I have argued previously, the approval is a significant development both for the Philippines itself as well as the U.S.-Philippine alliance (See: “Will the Philippines Approve a New US Defense Pact Ahead of Obama Visit?”). Resolving constitutionality issues around EDCA would allow defense officials to begin actually implementing arrangements – ranging from the construction of facilities to the prepositioning of defense equipment – that they have long been talking about. Getting that groundwork in place as soon as possible will be crucial as the Aquino administration which inked the agreement will soon be leaving office following upcoming presidential elections in May.

More specifically, these steps are vital to giving the Philippines – still one of Asia’s weakest militaries – what defense planners call ‘minimum credible deterrence’ in the face of a variety of threats including China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea (See: “The Truth About Philippine Military Modernization and the China Threat). With a ruling expected on the Philippine case against China in the South China Sea later this year, there is no telling how Beijing will react and Manila will need to be prepared for any fallout.

The Supreme Court’s decision is also a relief for the U.S.-Philippine alliance. Even if most had expected EDCA to eventually go through, legislative tests on U.S.-Philippine questions only conjure up nightmares of September 1991 when the Philippine Senate voted to end U.S. military presence in the country in a razor-thin 12-11 vote.

Timing-wise, the decision also usefully comes just as the two countries are set to begin their official ‘two plus two’ ministerial talks in Washington on Tuesday. The talks, which will see Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Ash Carter meet with their counterparts, are expected to deal with regional security issues including the South China Sea and future U.S. military assistance to the Philippines. With the EDCA issue now all but resolved, both sides can both symbolically send strong signal about the alliance’s credibility and more substantively discuss next steps in defense cooperation.

Philippine Court Upholds New US Defense Pact | The Diplomat

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## James David

Yihaaaah!!! We are officially back in the PI!!!!! @gambit , @jhungary , @Nihonjin1051 white sandy beaches and cold beer!!!!


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## pr1v4t33r

Painting work progress for Philippines SSV #1. January 12th 2016, PT. Pal Indonesia, Surabaya.

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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> Painting work progress for Philippines SSV #1. January 12th 2016, PT. Pal Indonesia, Surabaya.
> View attachment 286798



Any news about the weapons systems?


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## Reashot Xigwin

Zero_wing said:


> Any news about the weapons systems?



Not part of the deal. You going have to provide it for yourself. 

Though if you're asking this is what Makassar's have:

Armament:
'A' position 1 x Bofors 40mm SAK40/L70 'B' position: 2 x 20mm Oerlikon

'B' position: 2 x Mistral Simbad


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## Zero_wing

Reashot Xigwin said:


> Not part of the deal. You going have to provide it for yourself.
> 
> Though if you're asking this is what Makassar's have:
> 
> Armament:
> 'A' position 1 x Bofors 40mm SAK40/L70 'B' position: 2 x 20mm Oerlikon
> 
> 'B' position: 2 x Mistral Simbad



I hear they were going to put weapons systems in before it was going to the Philippines?


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## anas_nurhafidz

Huge Ship... Ready to launch

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## pr1v4t33r



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## Cossack25A1

pr1v4t33r said:


>



It seems the Navy (and the Marine Corps) has plans whereas the Air Force and the Army has yet to come out with plans for third horizon of the modernization program.

Also, the picture in the first horizon that shows "guided missile frigate" is an _Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate_. Given that the said frigate will be retired soon, I guess some will be transferred to PH Navy.

As for the rumored _Pohang-class corvette _that will be given by South Korea, it is _ROKS Mokpo_.

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## pr1v4t33r

_more pictures: Indonesia Military News & Discussion Thread | Page 569_

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## pr1v4t33r



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## Nike

you know what, this ship will be named as BRP Tarlac






credit to gombaljaya

actually i can't wait to see her afloat and conduct passing exercise with our Fleet in Eastern Command

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## pr1v4t33r

Looks even better than the mock-up model... clap! clap! Good job. Indonesian Navy will also order another 2 units of this LPD for hospital ship.

Atau bisa juga 2 LPD Makassar class yang lama dikonvert jadi kapal RS, terus bikin lagi 2 LPD yang baru, yang lebih combat oriented.


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## CountStrike

pr1v4t33r said:


>


what the meaning of first horizon, second horizon and third ? its based of time (maybe like our MEF in 5 years each) or priority procurement?


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## MarveL

madokafc said:


> you know what, this ship will be named as BRP Tarlac
> 
> credit to gombaljaya
> 
> actually i can't wait to see her afloat and conduct passing exercise with our Fleet in Eastern Command



Gombaljaya tarik kesini aja dah. @Jakartrans@PkDef can you invite him here...  (his nick-name bit diffucult to mention... damn)


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## anas_nurhafidz

madokafc said:


> you know what, this ship will be named as BRP Tarlac
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> credit to gombaljaya
> 
> actually i can't wait to see her afloat and conduct passing exercise with our Fleet in Eastern Command


Crazy man... Keren bgt

More than i expected before.


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## anas_nurhafidz



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## pr1v4t33r

BRP Tarlac 601

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## Aepsilons

pr1v4t33r said:


> BRP Tarlac 601
> View attachment 287914



She's a good looking ship !

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## pr1v4t33r

Nihonjin1051 said:


> She's a good looking ship !


Wait till PN install the defensive armament and put 3 helicopters onboard. WIll be a glorious moment for the Navy.

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## orang biasa

congrats to our cousin














Ekspor Perdana Kapal Perang

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## MarveL

_Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin (second left) talks to Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli (third left) and Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu (left) and Navy chief of staff Adm. Ade Supandi (front right) after the launch of a Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) warship produced by PT PAL Indonesia in Surabaya, East Java, on Monday. The Philippines has purchased two of the warships from Indonesia.(JP/Wahyoe Boediwardhana)_

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## pr1v4t33r

BRP Tarlac LD-601 already launched to the sea

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## JayMandan

IF only we had a few of this before Yolanda/Haiyan, we could have saved more lives! We need more of this for our calamity magnet country. Beautiful looking ship btw.

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## pr1v4t33r

JayMandan said:


> IF only we had a few of this before Yolanda/Haiyan, we could have saved more lives! We need more of this for our calamity magnet country. Beautiful looking ship btw.



The next PH administration will need to continue current negotiation on Transfer of Technology for this SSV for the 3rd and subsequent units if they want to build more of this at home. Even Indonesia which already operate 5 LPD, plan to add another 2 units for naval hospital role.

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## Aepsilons

pr1v4t33r said:


> The next PH administration will need to continue current negotiation on Transfer of Technology for this SSV for the 3rd and subsequent units if they want to build more of this at home. Even Indonesia which already operate 5 LPD, plan to add another 2 units for naval hospital role.
> 
> View attachment 288541




Impressive naval construction abilities by Indonesia! Most importantly, its good to see that Indonesia is truly a strategic and military partner for the Philippines. I think Indonesia is the only country to produce such large scale military vessels for the Philippines --- NEW !



pr1v4t33r said:


> The next PH administration will need to continue current negotiation on Transfer of Technology for this SSV for the 3rd and subsequent units if they want to build more of this at home. Even Indonesia which already operate 5 LPD, plan to add another 2 units for naval hospital role.
> 
> View attachment 288541



What is the current military to military relations between Jakarta and Manila? Are the two forging towards a military alliance?



pr1v4t33r said:


> BRP Tarlac LD-601 already launched to the sea
> View attachment 288480



Beautiful looking ship! I can see that the PN can put some ASM, AAM batteries on this baby and make it not just a strategic sealift, but command ship for their Filipino Fleet.


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## pr1v4t33r

Nihonjin1051 said:


> - Impressive naval construction abilities by Indonesia! Most importantly, its good to see that Indonesia is truly a strategic and military partner for the Philippines. I think Indonesia is the only country to produce such large scale military vessels for the Philippines --- NEW !
> - What is the current military to military relations between Jakarta and Manila? Are the two forging towards a military alliance?
> - Beautiful looking ship! I can see that the PN can put some ASM, AAM batteries on this baby and make it not just a strategic sealift, but command ship for their Filipino Fleet.




- Thanks, but still nothing compared to Japan, China and South Korea. This is just a baby step to embrace the world.

- Indonesia don't make "alliance" with anybody in traditional sense. But we do have strategic partnership agreement with many countries. And Indoneisa have Joint Defense Cooperation Committee (JDSCC) with Philippine.

- Navy can do a lot of things with this SSV, These are some roles she can play...

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## CountStrike

*SSVs has Provision for Defensive Weaponry*

21 Januari 2016




SSV BRP Tarlac 601 (photo : antifamous)
MANILA (PNA) --- The country's sealift strategic vessels (SSVs) have provisions for the installation of defensive weaponry.
This was disclosed by Defense undersecretary for finance, munition and material Fernando Manalo in reply to queries on whether the first SSV, which is scheduled for delivery this May, are fitting with defensive armaments.
"No but it will have provisions for the installation of defensive weapons," he said.
This means that some parts of the SSV, especially the bow and stern, are already capable of being fitted with weapons.
*Weapons eyed for the Philippines' first SSVs are 76mm Oto Melara main guns and 25mm automatic cannons*.
The first SSV was launched at PT PAL (Persero)'s shipyard in Surabaya, Indonesia Sunday.
"The SSV's weapons system will be solely on the discretion of our Navy, and I think they are preparing for that, at the moment I am not at liberty to divulge any of those arrangements, and as soon as the Navy has any information that is prepared to announce then we will," Armed Forces of the Philippines' spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla earlier said.
The first SSV will arrived by May while the second will be delivered on May 2017.
The Philippines has a two-SSV order with PT PAL (Persero) for PhP3,870,000,000 which will be sourced from the AFP Modernization Fund.
The SSV acquisition project for the PN was initiated upon the approval of Acquisition Decision Memorandum Number 2012-060 by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin last Oct. 30, 2013.
The Department of National Defense (DND) declared Persero as the Single Calculated Responsive Bidder with a bidding price of PhP3,870,000,000 on Nov. 18, 2014.
The SSVs are programmed to be the PN’s floating command center carrying out their main purpose as military sealift and transport vessels and also for humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
The ships are estimated to weigh around 7,300 gross register tons.
Further, these vessels are critical assets for civil-military operations due to their capability of transporting large number of soldiers, logistics, and supplies.
Moreover, each SSV has the capacity to house three helicopters. *The Navy’s Augusta Westland-109s are programmed to be on-board components of these vessels.
These forthcoming landing platform dock strategic sealift vessels will improve the transport capability of the PN and boost the defense capabilities of the country. *

DEFENSE STUDIES: SSVs has Provision for Defensive Weaponry


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## pr1v4t33r

After the 2nd SSV project completed, PH will have 3 option to further aquire this ship.

1. Buy without transfer of technology, the cheapest and fastest option if PN only need one or two more units, and don't have any plan to export this ship in the future
.
2. Get license right to produce at home. If PN plan to operate and maintain large number of SSV in the future (let's say at least 5 units), but don't have any plan to export this ship in the future.

3. Get transfer of technology and assistance to design and build. The most expensive option initialy but cheaper in a long run, give more flexibility and independence for PH to build and export


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## Indos

I believe Philipine, Thailand, and maybe Malaysia will order KFX/IFX in the future if the program end up success, and South East Asia Market of KFX/IFX is for Indonesia. 

Singapore will still prefer F-35 or maybe order F 15 Silent Eagle as they always see Indonesia as their biggest Threat (because of that they will not order KFX/IFX)

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## pr1v4t33r

Indos said:


> I believe Philipine, Thailand, and maybe Malaysia will order KFX/IFX in the future if the program end up success, and South East Asia Market of KFX/IFX is for Indonesia.



How do we split the sales right with South korea? Considering we have 20% share in the development.


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## Indos

pr1v4t33r said:


> How do we split the sales right with South korea? Considering we have 20% share in the development.



South Korea will get huge market like Middle East region is for them, we only have South East Asia actually. But it is just an old information, I dont know any detail about recent agreement on the project like recent market share configuration.

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## pr1v4t33r

Indos said:


> South Korea will get huge market like Middle East region is for them, we only have South East Asia actually. But it is just an old information, I dont know any detail about recent agreement on the project like recent market share configuration.



If possible, take the sales right for Africa nations too. This market will be quite mature in a decade or two.

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## pr1v4t33r



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## pr1v4t33r



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## MarveL



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## MarveL

_
Soldiers wounded from encounters were visited by Ms Universe 2015 winner Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach at V. Luna Hospital/AFP Medical Center this afternoon, January 27, 2016, as part of her homecoming itinerary after winning the crown. She was accompanied by Lt. Gen. Edgar Fallorina, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and Colonel Joseph M Acosta MC (MNSA), Commander of AFP Medical Center._

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## CountStrike

*PHILIPPINE NAVY SET TO RECEIVE POHANG CLASS (PCC 759) MISSILE WARSHIP*
Posted on February 2, 2016





Share on FacebookTweet on Twitter


Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is set to transfer Pohang-class Mokpo (PCC 759) to Philippine Navy after decommissioning took place on 31 December 2015 at Jinhae naval base.

The vessel has the ability to launch surface-to-surface missiles and are equipped with six 324 mm Mk 32 anti-submarine torpedo tubes and one or two 76 mm Oto Melara anti-surface and anti-aircraft guns.

The 1,240-tonne ships can carry a crew of 95 over an effective patrolling range of 4,000 nautical miles. The vessels have a maximum speed of 32 knots.

The Philippine Navy had said that the corvette acquisition will significantly increase its abilities to monitor disputed maritime areas, most notably the Philippine-claimed South China Sea zone.

http://tankler.com/philippine-navy-set-receive-pohang-class-pcc-759-missile-warship-4249

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## CountStrike

*Coast Guard eyes acquisition of bigger ships for WPS patrol*
by Raymund F. Antonio
February 1, 2016

Share587 Tweet0 Share0 Email0 Share644
While the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) expects the delivery of 10 multi-role vessels from Japan starting this year until 2018, the maritime agency is working on getting two bigger vessels that would be deployed to the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and elsewhere.

Newly appointed PCG commandant Rear Admiral William Melad confirmed on Monday that they are in communication with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the acquisition of 92-meter vessels.

“We are currently discussing with JICA for possibility of acquiring bigger vessels for PCG as stipulated in our Capability Development Plan through Japan’s ODA (Official Development Assistance),” he said.

Back in 2009, the PCG initiated efforts to acquire bigger vessels from Japan until a feasibility study was submitted three years later and was resubmitted in 2014.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), mother agency of the PCG, has endorsed the project to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Melad said the estimated cost per vessel is 11.7 billion yen, but he did not discount the possibility it still could go up.

The PCG is set to acquire three 40-meter vessels from Japan within the year, five more next year, and the remaining two in 2018.

It is part of an ODA project, in which a P7.37-billion loan grant was extended by JICA to purchase these vessels.

But the Coast Guard is looking at the deployment of bigger vessels than 40 meters in the West Philippine Sea to withstand the big waves and strong winds during typhoons.

“The West Philippine Sea could be a logical deployment but it can be deployed anywhere. Today, the basic justification is to improve PCG’s maritime capability,” Melad said.



Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/coast-guard-ey...ger-ships-for-wps-patrol/#6A33bc0cHim16qeI.99

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## pr1v4t33r



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## CountStrike

*Philippines acquiring two long-range patrol aircraft*
 February 3, 2016 Gracel Ortega


The Department of National Defense (DND) Special Bids and Awards Committee is inviting firms to bid for Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (DND-AFP) Long-range Patrol Aircraft acquisition project. The project aims to procure two (2) patrol aircraft for the Philippine Air Force.

Project includes Sensors, Sensors Integration, Mission Support Facilities and ILS Package for two Long-range Patrol Aircraft.

The project has an approved budget of PhP 5,976,000,000.00 (P5.976 million) through the AFP Modernization Act Trust Fund (RA 10349 – Revised AFP Modernization Program).

Deadline for the submission of bids and opening for the First Stage Bidding will be on February 29 at DND BAC Conference Room, Basement, DND Building, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City. There will be a pre-bid conference on February 15 at DND BAC Right Wing Basement, DND Building. Both events will start 10 in the morning.

Eligible bidders after the First Stage Bidding process will be notified for the procedure of Second Stage Bidding.

The bidder/supplier should be the manufacturer of the aircraft to be offered and must be in active service in the Armed Forces of the country of origin or at least two Armed Forces of other countries.

The reopening of this acquisition project is after a failed bidding mid-2015. *Seven firms reportedly participated in the said failed bidding: Saab Asia Pacific, L3 Mission Integratio, IAI Elta Systems, Elbit Systems, Lockheed Martin, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Indonesian Aerospace), CASA-Airbus Defense and Space.


http://www.update.ph/2016/02/philippines-acquiring-two-long-range-patrol-aircraft/2350*


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## Cossack25A1

*Military and Defense News:*

-----

*PH procuring frigates with design ownership, license *
 February 8, 2016 
Ruben Santos

The Department of National Defense has released a Supplemental Bid Bulletin informing prospective bidders of changes in the bidding documents including the Technical Specifications of the Frigate Acquisition Program for Philippine Navy. The said document was released February 2.

According to the said document, the Philippine government is now acquiring two (2) Frigates with design that the Philippine Navy can have ownership or license to manufacture/build in future. The revised technical specification also stipulated that the frigates should be at least 92 meters long and have a displacement of at least 2000 tons.

The frigates should also able to “survive at Sea State 7”, previously “able to operate at Sea State 6”; with no degradation of anti-air, anti-surface, and electronic warfare capabilities at Sea State 5 and no degradation of anti-submarine warfare capability at Sea State 4.

The frigates should also be able to accommodate a 12-ton helicopter (from 10-ton) at flight deck, and should also have a hangar for a 10-ton helicopter.

DND also made changes and/or became more specific on hull form and layout, radar, weapons, and propulsion systems.

Six firms including Navantia Sepi of Spain, STX Offshore & Shipbuilding of South Korea, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. of South Korea, Hyundai Heavy Industries Inc. of South Korea, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. of India, and STX France SA previously qualified in the 2013 first stage bidding.

DND tentatively scheduled the bid submission and opening on February 16 with the revised Technical Specifications in effect. 

-----
PH procuring frigates with design ownership, license – Update.PH
-----

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## pr1v4t33r

BRP Tarlac 601 current progress






BRP Tarlac 601 with 3D radar and weapon system

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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> BRP Tarlac 601 current progress
> View attachment 293574
> 
> 
> 
> BRP Tarlac 601 with 3D radar and weapon system
> View attachment 293570



I though the Tarlac will have 76 mm and 20mm cannons


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## pr1v4t33r

Zero_wing said:


> I though the Tarlac will have 76 mm and 20mm cannons



that's just a fanboy design, exploring possibilities.


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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> that's just a fanboy design, exploring possibilities.



Jane's already confirmed it i was a bit surprised i thought it was official thanks for the heads up


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## MarveL

_Soeharto & Ferdinand Marcos, back in the day... _


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## MarveL

*Singapore Airshow 2016: First Philippine NC212i prepares for flight trials*






*
Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
17 February 2016

The first of two NC212i light utility turboprop transport aircraft on order for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will begin its first flight trials at the end of February 2016, Indonesia's state-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara told _IHS Jane's_ at Singapore Airshow 2016.

"We are currently in the process of finalising testing parameters that have been drawn up based on operational requirements that have been given by the PAF" aid Ade Yuyu Wahyuna, PT Dirgantara's vice-president of business development and marketing. "Initial tests within the company are expected to take about a month after which there will be final acceptance tests that will involve Philippine government officials around April 2016", he added.

Singapore Airshow 2016: First Philippine NC212i prepares for flight trials | IHS Jane's 360

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## MarveL

*PNP
*










Higit pang mga mainit na batang babae. pakiusap...

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## Zero_wing

MarveL said:


> *PNP
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Higit pang mga mainit na batang babae. pakiusap...



Wow nice filipino speak

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## James David

Zero_wing said:


> Wow nice filipino speak



Good Lord!! I'm moving to PI!!! You have such beautiful women @Cossack25A1 !!!

I'll be there on July for a business trip!

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## Zero_wing

James Jaevid said:


> Good Lord!! I'm moving to PI!!! You have such beautiful women @Cossack25A1 !!!
> 
> I'll be there on July for a business trip!



actual he said it wrong though but sure all are welcome but please respect the culture and the place ok

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## Aepsilons

MarveL said:


> *PNP
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Higit pang mga mainit na batang babae. pakiusap...



Beautiful and powerful ! Respect to her !


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## Cossack25A1

James Jaevid said:


> Good Lord!! I'm moving to PI!!! You have such beautiful women @Cossack25A1 !!!
> 
> I'll be there on July for a business trip!



Business trip?

Maybe it is a joint military exercise scheduled sometime in July.


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## Zero_wing

Zhu Rong Zheng Yang said:


> _Sorry Off Topic_ ... ...
> 
> What business trip ? Narcotics business ?
> Looks like you plan to wreck many fine Pinoy women, and left
> them pregnant and disease ridden, such as ( AIDS, Zika viruses ) ??
> 
> 
> Usually, I wonder how -- all Pinoy can protect themselves from American whitey Trailer Park trash visitor
> who plan to wreck and destroy the life of many, many fine Pinoy women ??
> 
> 
> 
> _Back to Philippines Military news ... ...
> 
> 
> *Beware of Diseases & Narcotics ~ American Whitey Trailer Park Trash*
> _
> View attachment 295148



Wow other drone troll


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## James David

Cossack25A1 said:


> Business trip?
> 
> Maybe it is a joint military exercise scheduled sometime in July.



Just business buddy! I left the service years ago but I was able to join the exercises way back 02-07. I now work in a bank we do have a branch in the PI near a military camp in the city.

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## Cossack25A1

James Jaevid said:


> Just business buddy! I left the service years ago but I was able to join the exercises way back 02-07. I now work in a bank we do have a branch in the PI near a military camp in the city.



Ah okay.


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## CountStrike

*Airbus offers C-295 variant as PH’s long-range patrol aircraft*
 March 3, 2016 Joel Dizon


Airbus Defence and Space has confirmed that will be offering a variant of its C-295 aircraft for Department of National Defense (DND)’s long range patrol aircraft project. The bid opening for the said project is scheduled on March 14, 10:00 a.m. at the DND Bids and Awards Committee Right Wing Basement, DND Building, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

This project has an approved budget for the acquisition of two long range patrol aircraft for Philippine Air Force. These aircraft will provide the Air Force with capability to monitor and patrol Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The reopening of this acquisition project is after a failed bidding mid-2015. Seven firms reportedly participated in the said failed bidding: Saab Asia Pacific, L3 Mission Integratio, IAI Elta Systems, Elbit Systems, Lockheed Martin, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Indonesian Aerospace), CASA-Airbus Defense and Space.

Airbus Defence and Space Press Manager for Military Aircraft Kieran Daly confirmed today in an email to Update.PH that they will be offering the C-295 for this project.

The said aircraft has a variant equipped with integrated surveillance systems, including the Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS) to effectively act as maritime patrol aircraft.

The Philippine Air Force is currently operating three C-295M aircraft as medium lift aircraft.





Airbus offers C-295 variant as PH’s long-range patrol aircraft – Update.PH

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## Zero_wing

CountStrike said:


> *Airbus offers C-295 variant as PH’s long-range patrol aircraft*
> March 3, 2016 Joel Dizon
> 
> 
> Airbus Defence and Space has confirmed that will be offering a variant of its C-295 aircraft for Department of National Defense (DND)’s long range patrol aircraft project. The bid opening for the said project is scheduled on March 14, 10:00 a.m. at the DND Bids and Awards Committee Right Wing Basement, DND Building, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
> 
> This project has an approved budget for the acquisition of two long range patrol aircraft for Philippine Air Force. These aircraft will provide the Air Force with capability to monitor and patrol Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
> 
> The reopening of this acquisition project is after a failed bidding mid-2015. Seven firms reportedly participated in the said failed bidding: Saab Asia Pacific, L3 Mission Integratio, IAI Elta Systems, Elbit Systems, Lockheed Martin, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Indonesian Aerospace), CASA-Airbus Defense and Space.
> 
> Airbus Defence and Space Press Manager for Military Aircraft Kieran Daly confirmed today in an email to Update.PH that they will be offering the C-295 for this project.
> 
> The said aircraft has a variant equipped with integrated surveillance systems, including the Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS) to effectively act as maritime patrol aircraft.
> 
> The Philippine Air Force is currently operating three C-295M aircraft as medium lift aircraft.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Airbus offers C-295 variant as PH’s long-range patrol aircraft – Update.PH



A far better option

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## CountStrike

*1 of 2 Second-Hand C-130 Transport Planes to Arrive Next Week*

08 Maret 2016




Two C-130 secondhand transport planes from the United States are scheduled to be delivered this year– one next week and the other in September. The two assets will give a boost to the territorial defense and humanitarian assistance operations of the Philippine military. Photo : PAF)
Two second-hand C-130 planes from the United States worth P1.6 billion and expected to boost territorial defense and humanitarian operations are scheduled to be delivered this year.
“We expect the first C-130 by the middle of this of this month, March 15. The Air Force Technical Working Group are in the United States right now,” outgoing Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado told reporters on Tuesday.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines is currently modernizing its capability for humanitarian and disaster response and territorial defense amid China’s sweeping expansion in the West Philippine Sea.
The other C-130 plane, meanwhile, is expected to be delivered by September.
The military transport planes are currently based in Davis-Mothan Air Base in Arizona. They are acquired under the Excess Defense Articles program of the United States.
The additional aircraft will raise the number of mission-ready C-130s of the Philippine Air Force to five.
(Inquirer)


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## MacanJawa

guys what recent news about frigate aquisition?


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## MKC

MacanJawa said:


> guys what recent news about frigate aquisition?


Speculated that GRSE won Philippines Navy Deep water patrol vessel (frigate) program

Source: Speculated that GRSE won Philippines Navy Deep water patrol vessel (frigate) program


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## CountStrike

*Korean manufacturer to provide PH Marines 8 new Amphibious Assault Vehicles*
 April 10, 2016 Gracel Ortega


Hanwha Techwin, previously Samsung Techwin, was declared as the winning bidder for the Department of National Defense’s Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) acquisition project, according to MaxDefense. MaxDefense said that the Notice of Award was already provided.

The contract price for the acquisition of eight brand-new AAVs is PhP2.423 billion. These amphibious vehicles will render service to Philippine Marine Corps of Philippine Navy when delivered. Approved budget for the said acquisition was PhP2.5 billion.

South Korean Hanwha Techwin and American BAE Systems are producing AAV7A1 vehicles. Amphibious vehicles produced by the South Korean manufacturer are designated as KAAV7A1 (KAAV).

This project was among the seven multi-year contract projects that President Aquino approved. The approval also included two frigates, two anti-submarine helicopters for Philippine Navy; two long-range patrol aircraft, six close-air support aircraft, munitions for FA-50 and three air surveillance radars for the Philippine Air Force.

Meanwhile, units of Philippine Marines have conducted AAV familiarization training event with their American counterparts April 4, during the conduct of Balikatan 2016.






April 4, 2016. US Marines photo.
Filipino Marines ride at the back of a US Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicle with Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force at Crow Valley last week.

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## bidonv

By:www.thanhniennews.com
*U.S. to give Philippines eye in sky to track South China Sea activity*



> The United States will transfer an observation blimp to the Philippines to help it track maritime activity and guard its borders amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, a U.S. diplomat said on Monday.
> Philip Goldberg, U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, said Washington would give Manila, its oldest Asia-Pacific security ally, $42 million worth of sensors, radar and communications equipment.
> "We will add to its capability to put sensors on ships and put an aerostat blimp in the air to see into the maritime space," Goldberg said in an interview with CNN Philippines,
> The blimp is a balloon-borne radar to collect information and detect movements in the South China Sea, a Philippine military official said.
> China claims almost the entire South China Sea, believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to parts of the waters, through which about $5 trillion in trade is shipped every year.
> U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter visited the Philippines last week to reaffirm Washington's "ironclad" commitment to defend Manila under a 1951 security treaty.
> China has been expanding its presence on its seven artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago and on Monday landed a military plane for the first time on one of them, Fiery Cross Reef.
> It comes ahead of a planned U.S. freedom of navigation patrol this month near the Spratlys.
> Carter's visit also signals the start of U.S. military deployment in the Philippines, with 75 soldiers to be rotated in and out of an air base north of Manila.
> Goldberg said the two allies had agreed to set up a system for "secure and classified communications" as part of a five-year, $425 million security initiative by Washington in Southeast Asia.
> Manila will receive some $120 million in U.S. military aid this year, the largest sum since 2000 when the American military returned to the Philippines for training and exercises after an eight-year hiatus.
> They signed a new deal in 2013 allowing increased U.S. military presence on a rotational basis and storage of supplies and equipment for maritime security and humanitarian missions.............*See more*


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## 21 Dec 2012

12 advanced trainers for fighter jets in a country with $250bn GDP. Does Philippines even want to defend itself.


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## Zero_wing

21 Dec 2012 said:


> 12 advanced trainers for fighter jets in a country with $250bn GDP. Does Philippines even want to defend itself.



Thats the budget thank the Philippine congress but this is just phase 1 we still have 2 and 3 and we are starting phase 2


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## 21 Dec 2012

Zero_wing said:


> Thats the budget thank the Philippine congress but this is just phase 1 we still have 2 and 3 and we are starting phase 2


And whats the budget for phase 2?


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## bidonv

By:www.benarnews.org
*Armed Forces of the Philippines Faces Significant Encounter with Islamic State Fighters *


> he most significant battle by a group associated with the Islamic State (IS) in Southeast Asia occurred on the island of Basilan, Philippines, on April 9, 2016, although the government did not acknowledge it as a fight between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and an IS group led by Isnilon Hapilon.
> 
> The battle left 18 troops dead and 53 injured, a significant loss for the government.
> 
> Hapilon is former deputy leader of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the IS designated leader in the southern Philippines. His former members of ASG based in Basilan pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi in 2015 and joined forces with other groups associated with IS.
> 
> The 125 men led by Hapilon demonstrated they can hold ground and fight AFP. Exploiting the recent successes, IS is likely to declare a wilayat in the Sulu Archipelago.
> 
> If the Philippines is determined to prevent IS rise in Mindanao and with it implications for Southeast Asia, it should take the threat seriously. Rather than denying IS existence, the government should make fighting IS a national security priority and step up cooperation with counterparts in Southeast Asia to contain and isolate the threat.
> 
> IS increases capabilities in the Philippines
> 
> The IS has been steadfastly influencing and building capabilities in northern, southern and western Mindanao in the Philippines.
> 
> In northern Mindanao, Tawhid Wal Jihad has renamed itself as Islamic State of Lanao in Butig. Although IS central in Syria and Iraq has not acknowledged the Butig-based group as an official branch, it presents a major threat as members have fought AFP and hold several civilian hostages.
> 
> In southern Mindanao, Ansar Khilafa Mindanao has fought with AFP and conducted IS-style beheadings. The group was involved in arms transfers to IS Indonesia and hosted Indonesian bomb making instructor Ibrahim Ali Sucipto who was killed on Nov. 26, 2015.
> 
> The most significant of the IS entities is Hapilon’s Basilan-based unit of former ASG members. The unit, considered the IS-designated official entity in the Philippines, came to the forefront when Hapilon unified with a handful of fighters from Malaysia.
> 
> $5 million offered for killing or capture of Hapilon
> 
> The April 9 AFP operation aimed at capturing Al Barka, the IS base, releasing foreign hostages and killing or capturing Hapilon who is subject of a $5 million U.S reward.
> 
> AFP was supported by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which has maintained a ceasefire with the government since March 2014. The MILF relationship with ASG deteriorated after the MILF joined the peace process and ASG Basilan joined IS.
> 
> The MILF informed AFP that the IS base was five kilometers from the MILF community in Sitio Bohe in the the village of Macalang. AFP had requested MILF leave the area and as their fighters and families moved out, IS, forewarned and exceptionally well prepared, confronted the AFP. During the 10-hour firefight in the village of Tipo-Tipo, the AFP did not anticipate IS’s preparation.
> 
> Julie S. Alipala, writing “Hell in Basilan: Landmine Blast Followed by Gunfire Everywhere,” April 10, 2016 in Inquirer Mindanao, highlighted the army’s failure to prepare adequately to fight IS. Among the injured were the 44th Battalion Commander Col. Tommy Crosby and other officers.
> 
> The AFP recovered the body of Moroccan fighter Mohammad Khattab, an explosives expert.
> 
> IS issues propaganda after battle
> 
> In a release titled: “100 Killed from the Philippine Crusader Army in Operations by Soldiers of the Caliphate in Philippines,” dated 5 Rajab 1437 (April 13, 2016), “The Islamic State, Philippines” stated: “Soldiers of the Caliphate were able, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, to repel attempts by the Philippine Crusader army to seize control over positions of the mujahideen in Philippines.
> 
> “By the grace of Allah, seven troop carriers were blown up and those inside were killed, and there were also clashes with the enemy, killing another number of its soldiers, and the rest fled, defeated and disgraced, by the grace of Allah. The result of the operation reached nearly 100 killed and dozens wounded from the Crusaders, and three brothers from the mujahideen were martyrs, we consider them thusly and Allah knows them best.”
> 
> IS has territorial control in Philippines
> 
> The IS has established territorial control and established training bases in the Philippines. The fight against IS requires a higher level of commitment and leadership. Rather than deploy general purpose forces, it is imperative for the special operations forces to spearhead the fight.
> 
> With their best intelligence assets, the Special Operations Commander of AFP should move to Basilan and remain in the Sulu Archipelago until all the groups that pledged allegiance to IS are dismantled and their leaders are captured or killed. There is no better moment to mobilize and mount an uncompromising intelligence led military operation at this point when the nation will rally around AFP for their monumental sacrifice.
> 
> Otherwise, IS influence will slowly and steadily spread and its capabilities will grow, a phenomenon witnessed since last year. With a new government in Manila coming soon, the new president will have to confront the rise of IS.
> 
> Manila should continue to work with MILF in a range of prevention and preemption operations to keep IS from spreading and growing. The governments in the region should support Manila and keep IS out of their countries and the region. The fight should be decisive and this should become the government’s priority vision and mission.........*See more*


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## Zero_wing

21 Dec 2012 said:


> And whats the budget for phase 2?



don't know the next congress will make that assuming the leftist groups will not stop any moves by the next administration and assuming Duterte is not President and assuming they not change the plan for the next phases i assume from the current plan other 2 or 5 billion US because we are starting to build bases for the MRF (Multirole Fighter Aircraft) and buying our first Anti Sub Corvettes and Anti ship and Anti tank and anti air missiles and upgrades on current systems and new weapons for our troops, tanks and ships and planes etc and anything else we miss in Phase 1 and doing it for the next 10 years and then Phase 3. Again due to the elections anything can happen.


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## pr1v4t33r

BRP Tarlac 601, will be ready to be sent to the Philippine in a few days

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## anas_nurhafidz

pr1v4t33r said:


> BRP Tarlac 601, will be ready to be sent to the Philippine in a few days
> View attachment 301775
> 
> View attachment 301776



LCU Also Ready for Tarlac

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## pr1v4t33r



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## Zero_wing

Nice guys thanks


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## pr1v4t33r




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## pr1v4t33r

SAF static display features the BRP Tarlac, the lead ship of the Tarlac (Makassar) class LPDs

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## Zero_wing

what's that other ship on side is it a tender ship?


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## pr1v4t33r

Zero_wing said:


> what's that other ship on side is it a tender ship?


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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


>



Oh ok i thought it was tender ship so are you telling me this can fit inside the tarlac class or its different additional ship?


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## pr1v4t33r

Zero_wing said:


> Oh ok i thought it was tender ship so are you telling me this can fit inside the tarlac class or its different additional ship?



If i'm not mistaken, SSV can only house 2 boats that have equvalent size or smaller than LCM or around 25 meter length inside her welldeck. So, PT.PAL might be just want to promote their line of products to PN as prospective customer.


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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> If i'm not mistaken, SSV can only house 2 boats that have equvalent size or smaller than LCM or around 25 meter length inside her welldeck. So, PT.PAL might be just want to promote their line of products to PN as prospective customer.



So its other Ship well its 38 meters i guess its OPVs but you guys have missile version right i believe it was 25 meters?


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## pr1v4t33r

Zero_wing said:


> So its other Ship well its 38 meters i guess its OPVs but you guys have missile version right i believe it was 25 meters?



Our smallest missile boat currently in production is KCR-40 class, which is more than 40 meter.


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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> Our smallest missile boat currently in production is KCR-40 class, which is more than 40 meter.
> View attachment 304073



Ok my mistake thanks for the Info but are they classified as missile or OPVs or just missile boats?


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## gombaljaya

Hallo sir Pr1v4t33r....

Just see her pennant number, 6XX thats means Fast attack missile boat,
Meanwhile pennant number 8XX is just patrol boat.











Thats Indonesian Navy standart naming of their ships.

Bact to Philippines topic please,

Today is handling over ceremony of BRP. Tarlac LD-601, ...
We will wait amy pictures from sir Pr1v4t33r...

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## pr1v4t33r

Zero_wing said:


> Ok my mistake thanks for the Info but are they classified as missile or OPVs or just missile boats?



With only 250 Ton displacement, around 45 meter length and sailing endurance less than a week, I won't consider this boat as an OPV but littoral combat vessel, which is useful and suitable to patrol Indonesian archipelagic waters. We have 2 varian of this vessel, missile boat and patrol boat. The current operators of this vessel and its derivative are the navy, coast guard and SAR agency.



gombaljaya said:


> Hallo sir Pr1v4t33r....
> Just see her pennant number, 6XX thats means Fast attack missile boat, Meanwhile pennant number 8XX is just patrol boat. Thats Indonesian Navy standart naming of their ships.



Welcome aboard comrade! thank you for the explanation, i'm well aware of this convention.



gombaljaya said:


> Today is handling over ceremony of BRP Tarlac LD-601























This ship is scheduled to set sail immediately, in 5 day journey to Philippines after the handling-over ceremony.


Few weeks ago

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## anas_nurhafidz



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## Zero_wing

pr1v4t33r said:


> With only 250 Ton displacement, around 45 meter length and sailing endurance less than a week, I won't consider this boat as an OPV but littoral combat vessel, which is useful and suitable to patrol Indonesian archipelagic waters. We have 2 varian of this vessel, missile boat and patrol boat. The current operators of this vessel and its derivative are the navy, coast guard and SAR agency.
> 
> 
> 
> Welcome aboard comrade! thank you for the explanation, i'm well aware of this convention.
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 304135
> 
> View attachment 304120
> 
> View attachment 304121
> 
> View attachment 304136
> 
> View attachment 304137
> 
> This ship is scheduled to set sail immediately, in 5 day journey to Philippines after the handling-over ceremony.
> 
> 
> Few weeks ago
> View attachment 304138



Ok so basicly a attack support ship thanks for info guys


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## Bennedict

pr1v4t33r said:


> With only 250 Ton displacement, around 45 meter length and sailing endurance less than a week, I won't consider this boat as an OPV but littoral combat vessel, which is useful and suitable to patrol Indonesian archipelagic waters. We have 2 varian of this vessel, missile boat and patrol boat. The current operators of this vessel and its derivative are the navy, coast guard and SAR agency.
> 
> 
> 
> Welcome aboard comrade! thank you for the explanation, i'm well aware of this convention.
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 304135
> 
> View attachment 304120
> 
> View attachment 304121
> 
> View attachment 304136
> 
> View attachment 304137
> 
> This ship is scheduled to set sail immediately, in 5 day journey to Philippines after the handling-over ceremony.
> 
> 
> Few weeks ago
> View attachment 304138



Is it okay to skip the sea trials? I know Philippines Navy wanted it so badly, but this phase is one of the most important thing in ship building. Who knows if there's a flaw that should be repaired before handling it to the customer.

Well then Philippine Navy shouldn't blame us if there's something wrong with their SSV. Just my 2 cents


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## pr1v4t33r

Bennedict said:


> Is it okay to skip the sea trials? I know Philippines Navy wanted it so badly, but this phase is one of the most important thing in ship building. Who knows if there's a flaw that should be repaired before handling it to the customer. Well then Philippine Navy shouldn't blame us if there's something wrong with their SSV. Just my 2 cents




We already did the sea trial for this vessel a few days back. Someone already post the event few days ago.
_- https://defence.pk/threads/indonesia-military-news-discussion-thread.229571/page-644#post-8280986_
_- https://defence.pk/threads/indonesia-military-news-discussion-thread.229571/page-647#post-8290890_
_



_
_BRP Tarlac sea trial few days ago_

_



_
_BRP Tarlac tight maneuvers during sea trial_

While the process might be partial and far from complete, any further evaluation can be done during the 5 days voyage to the Philippines and afterwards. Some said that PT.Pal have partner shipyard in Philippines that can carry out the evaluation and maintenance process for the SSV. CMIIW.

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## Cossack25A1

Philippine national elections 2016 ongoing.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/...5-million-pick-president-160508154153252.html



pr1v4t33r said:


> Our smallest missile boat currently in production is KCR-40 class, which is more than 40 meter.
> View attachment 304073



Can this be equipped with missiles such as Spike missile or similar system?


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## anas_nurhafidz

Cossack25A1 said:


> Philippine national elections 2016 ongoing.
> 
> http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/...5-million-pick-president-160508154153252.html
> 
> 
> 
> Can this be equipped with missiles such as Spike missile or similar system?


Why Spike? This one already equipped with Anti ship missiles C-705


----------



## pr1v4t33r

Cossack25A1 said:


> Philippine national elections 2016 ongoing.


Which candidate do you side with?



Cossack25A1 said:


> Can this be equipped with missiles...


Off course, that's why we call it missile boat. Right now we armed this boat with 2×C-705 AShM and AK-630 CIWS system. We use Chinese missile since we have plan to license produce this missile en-masse to fulfil our national defense needs. C-705 missile is the equivalent of French Exocet missile.


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## Cossack25A1

anas_nurhafidz said:


> Why Spike? This one already equipped with Anti ship missiles C-705
> 
> View attachment 304259
> 
> View attachment 304260



Well one ship the PH Navy will be procuring (MPAC Mk. III) apparently has the Spike missile. Anyways, if that ship already has anti-ship missile, then this ship is an ideal choice for PH Navy, with the missiles suitable for the cutters the PH Navy procured from US.



pr1v4t33r said:


> Which candidate do you side with?
> 
> 
> Off course, that's why we call this missile boat. Right now we armed this boat with 2×C-705 AShM and AK-630 CIWS system. We use Chinese missile since we have plan to license produce this missile en-masse to fulfil our national defense needs. C-705 missile is the equivalent of French Exocet missile.
> 
> View attachment 304270
> 
> View attachment 304269



Looking at those missile, that is one possible choice for anti-ship missile that can be mounted onto the Hamilton-class cutters the PH Navy has.

Also, I voted this woman for the presidential position: Miriam Defensor Santiago.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/784111/miriam-santiago-to-youth-guard-the-vote


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## pr1v4t33r

Cossack25A1 said:


> Looking at those missile, that is one possible choice for anti-ship missile that can be mounted onto the Hamilton-class cutters the PH Navy has.



The original French exocet missile would be perfectly fit to arm the Cutters, since PH would avoid installing Chinese missile system i suppose. The only drawback is the price would jump sky high.



Cossack25A1 said:


> Also, I voted this woman for the presidential position: Miriam Defensor Santiago.



How about her chances to win? any recent poll statistic?


----------



## Cossack25A1

pr1v4t33r said:


> The original French exocet missile would be perfectly fit to arm the Cutters, since PH would avoid installing Chinese missile system i suppose.
> 
> How about her chances to win? any recent poll statistic?



Possibly, either the Exocet missile or the Harpoon missile, but the latter is very expensive... though there is a chance that rather arming the cutters with missile, the PH Navy would likely look forward for the a new ship that is equipped with missile.

http://www.manilalivewire.com/2016/...ed-to-buy-the-karmota-class-frigate-of-india/

As for the Philippine president, this is the latest (and final) survey statistics.







The one I voted for is dead last.


----------



## pr1v4t33r

Cossack25A1 said:


> The one I voted for is dead last.



. So many candidate. Will they have to get 50%+1 vote to win? or whoever with the highest percentage win?


----------



## Nike

actually C-705 is a lighter version compared to exocet, C-802 is a more appropriate comparison to Exocet


----------



## pr1v4t33r

madokafc said:


> actually C-705 is a lighter version compared to exocet, C-802 is a more appropriate comparison to Exocet



Indeed, but we were talking about C-705 missile earlier and suggesting comparable western missile system for PN. Are there more fitting comparison for C-705?


----------



## Nike

pr1v4t33r said:


> Indeed, but we were talking about C-705 missile earlier and suggesting comparable western missile system for PN. Are there more fitting comparison for C-705?



This in class of Gabriel missile


----------



## pr1v4t33r

madokafc said:


> This in class of Gabriel missile



Are you sure, i look into google and find this stat.

Gabriel missile Specifications
*
Weight*
Mark I: 430 kg
Mark II: 522 kg
Mark III: 560 kg
Mark III A/S: 590 kg
Mark IV: 960 kg

*Warhead*
Mark II: 100 kg
Mark III / IIIA/S: 150 kg
Mark IV: 240 kg

*Operational range*
Mark I: 20 km
Mark II:6–36 km
Mark III:36 km
Mark IIIA/S:60 km
Mark IV:200 km


----------



## Cossack25A1

pr1v4t33r said:


> . So many candidate. Will the they have to get 50%+1 vote to win? or whoever with the highest percentage?



Well the counting will begin in just about an hour, but whatever the result, it will have an impact in regards to the relation between the Philippines and the United States of America, as well as between the Philippines and the People's Republic China.

Thing is, the presidential candidate that is leading in the survey (Rodrigo Duterte) is in favor of bilateral talks with China, even as going as far as "shutting up" if China builds railways here in the Philippines, and he has a rather controversial relations with the CPP-NPA; Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army, the former being the political party and the latter its armed wing that continues to fight the Philippine government, wreaking havoc in the provinces.

He is also against the modernization of the PH military, particularly the modernization of the territorial defense capability of the Philippine military.


----------



## pr1v4t33r

Cossack25A1 said:


> Well the counting will begin in just about an hour, but whatever the result, it will have an impact in regards to the relation between the Philippines and the United States of America, as well as between the Philippines and the People's Republic China.



Sure, but i won't comment on Philippine domestic politics. I'm sure PH are mature enough to choose their president. I hope so .

But earlier i ask about how the presidency seat is won. From the poll, nobody gather more than 50% vote. Will there be 2nd round of voting by the 2 highest voted candidate. Or whoever get the highest vote will win the presidency seat?

In Indonesia election, President must get atleast 50%+1 vote to win


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## Cossack25A1

pr1v4t33r said:


> Sure, but i won't comment on Philippine domestic politics. I'm sure PH are mature enough to choose their president. I hope so .
> 
> But earlier i ask about how the presidency seat is won. From the poll, nobody gather more than 50% vote. Will there be 2nd round of voting by the 2 highest voted candidate. Or whoever get the highest vote will win the presidency seat?
> 
> In Indonesia's election, President must win atleast 50%+1 vote.



Actually, how "mature" Filipinos are in terms of voting is well uhm... T_____T

Usually, the one with the most number of votes wins. Thus if _Candidate A_ has the most number of votes (given that all the ballots are counted properly), _Candidate A _is declared the winner.


----------



## pr1v4t33r

Cossack25A1 said:


> Usually, the one with the most number of votes wins. Thus if _Candidate A_ has the most number of votes (given that all the ballots are counted properly), _Candidate A _is declared the winner.



I can see why would PH choose this method, since it's simpler and considerably cheaper to organize. But, there's much higher drawback to this system.

If the president win the election with less than 50% vote, it's means that more than 50% population are not his/her supporter. This will bring the question of _"legitimacy"_ of his/her power. Can he/she consolidate the various political power, stabilize the country and run his government effectively? Or will there be constant conflict and disturbance that threaten social, political and economic stability?


----------



## Cossack25A1

pr1v4t33r said:


> I can see why would PH choose this method, since it's simpler and considerably cheaper to organize. But, there's much higher drawback to this system.
> 
> If the president win the election with less than 50% vote, it's means that more than 50% population are not his/her supporter. This will bring the question of _"legitimacy"_ of his/her power. Can he/she consolidate the real political power, stabilize the country and run his government well? Or will there be constant conflict and disturbance that threaten social, political and economic stability?



Since 1986, this has been an issue - disunity between political parties thus some politicians have dissenting views about certain programs the elected president will propose, though not to the point that will threaten social and political stability unless it reaches a point that coups are becoming common, but whether there is an effect on political and social stability, any disunity will always have an effect on the economy as some programs of the former president may not be supported by the newly elected president or worse, outright cancel said programs.



> This is the tentative results of the elections for the 2016 Philippine general elections - President and Vice-President.
> 
> (Time is +0800 GMT)
> 
> *PRESIDENTIAL*
> *
> Rank* *Candidate* *Political Party* *Vote Count
> *
> 1
> *DUTERTE, RODY*
> *PARTIDO DEMOKRATIKO PILIPINO LAKAS NG BAYAN*
> 127,829
> 
> 2
> *ROXAS, MAR*
> *LIBERAL PARTY*
> 93,363
> 
> 3
> *POE, GRACE*
> *INDEPENDENT*
> 78,742
> 
> 4
> *BINAY, JOJO*
> *UNITED NATIONALIST ALLIANCE*
> 54,269
> 
> 5
> *DEFENSOR SANTIAGO, MIRIAM*
> *PEOPLE`S REFORM PARTY*
> 15,333
> 
> 6
> *SEÑERES, ROY*
> *PARTIDO NG MANGGAGAWA AT MAGSASAKA*
> 222
> 
> *PARTIAL AND UNOFFICIAL RESULTS AS OF 5:28PM May 09, 2016 - 0.72% OF REGISTERED VOTERS | SOURCE: COMELEC TRANSPARENCY SERVER*
> 
> 
> 
> *VICE PRESIDENTIAL* *
> Rank* *Candidate* *Political Party* *Vote Count
> *
> 1
> *MARCOS, BONGBONG*
> *INDEPENDENT*
> 144,017
> 
> 2
> *ROBREDO, LENI*
> *LIBERAL PARTY*
> 121,283
> 
> 3
> *CAYETANO, ALAN PETER*
> *INDEPENDENT*
> 41,896
> 
> 4
> *ESCUDERO, CHIZ*
> *INDEPENDENT*
> 36,528
> 
> 5
> *TRILLANES, ANTONIO IV*
> *INDEPENDENT*
> 7,348
> 
> 6
> *HONASAN, GRINGO*
> *UNITED NATIONALIST ALLIANCE*
> 7,070
> 
> *PARTIAL AND UNOFFICIAL RESULTS AS OF 5:28PM May 09, 2016 - 0.72% OF REGISTERED VOTERS | SOURCE: COMELEC TRANSPARENCY SERVER*
> 
> 
> -----
> 
> http://halalanresults.abs-cbn.com/?...QKK3KASA96ePboq_r1nmqhQmNlTNpr4VTGhoCUG_w_wcB
> 
> 
> -----
> 
> I'll post the next update 1-2 hours later.



*This is the tentative results of the elections for the 2016 Philippine general elections - President and Vice-President.*

_*As of 1900 (7:00 PM) Philippine Standard Time / 1100 (11:00 AM) GMT*_
_*(Time is +0800 GMT)*_

*PRESIDENTIAL

Rank* *Candidate* *Political Party* *Vote Count*

1
*DUTERTE, RODY
PARTIDO DEMOKRATIKO PILIPINO LAKAS NG BAYAN*
7,034,664

2
*POE, GRACE
INDEPENDENT*
4,012,417

3
*ROXAS, MAR
LIBERAL PARTY*
3,847,989

4
*BINAY, JOJO
UNITED NATIONALIST ALLIANCE*
2,373,262

5
*DEFENSOR SANTIAGO, MIRIAM
PEOPLE`S REFORM PARTY*
744,707

6
*SEÑERES, ROY
PARTIDO NG MANGGAGAWA AT MAGSASAKA*
9,933

*PARTIAL AND UNOFFICIAL RESULTS AS OF 7:00PM May 09, 2016 - -% OF REGISTERED VOTERS | SOURCE: COMELEC TRANSPARENCY SERVER*




*VICE PRESIDENTIAL* * 
Rank* *Candidate* *Political Party* *Vote Count*


1
*MARCOS, BONGBONG
INDEPENDENT*
6,536,505

2
*ROBREDO, LENI
LIBERAL PARTY*
5,850,998

3
*CAYETANO, ALAN PETER
INDEPENDENT*
2,460,587

4
*ESCUDERO, CHIZ
INDEPENDENT*
2,081,343

5
*TRILLANES, ANTONIO IV
INDEPENDENT*
346,953

6
*HONASAN, GRINGO
UNITED NATIONALIST ALLIANCE*
301,384

*PARTIAL AND UNOFFICIAL RESULTS AS OF 7:00PM May 09, 2016 - -% OF REGISTERED VOTERS | SOURCE: COMELEC TRANSPARENCY SERVER*


-----

http://halalanresults.abs-cbn.com/

-----

I'll post the next update 1-2 hours later.


----------



## pr1v4t33r

_http://ph.rappler.com/elections/2016/results_

Interesting election system, so PH vote president & vice president separetely? interesting...

And Duterte only need 13 million voters to become the president of the Philippine... 
For comparison study, Indonesian president was backed by more than 70 million voters in the last election...

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## Cossack25A1

Yes, we vote our president and vice-president separately unlike the USA, thus we end up having a president from "Party A" while the vice-president comes from "Party B".


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## anon45

Cossack25A1 said:


> Yes, we vote our president and vice-president separately unlike the USA, thus we end up having a president from "Party A" while the vice-president comes from "Party B".



Oh god, we had a system in the beginning where we electected the president and the vice president was the runner-up... it was not a good system to say the least. How does that work out for the Philippines if the President and the VP come from different parties and hate each other?


As an aside, I will be very interested in seeing how Duterte governs, the talk i've seen makes him out to be a Trump variety of strongman, lots of bluster.

Apparently he has personal tensions with Australia and the US? Will be interesting to see how his foreign policy turns out.

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## Cossack25A1

One example is the current administration - President Benigno Aquino III came from "Liberal Party" while Vice President Jejomar Binay came from "Nacionalista Party"

From 2010 to 2016, well there were some conflict of interest and disagreements when it comes to policy, but it didn't compromise the country's stability.


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## pr1v4t33r

Bon voyage!






Preparation before leaving for Manila 2 days ago

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## CountStrike

*Philippine Navy's lead SSV sails towards home*
*Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
10 May 2016






The first SSV, Tarlac, during a visit by IHS Jane's to PT PAL in March 2016. Source: IHS/Ridzwan Rahmat
The first strategic sealift vessel (SSV) on order for the Philippine Navy (PN) has departed Surabaya and is now on its way towards Manila, a PT PAL official told _IHS Jane's_ on 9 May.

The landing platform dock-like vessel, which will be the future BRP _Tarlac_ (601), was sent off on the previous day in a ceremony presided over by Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla and representatives from the Philippine government.

_Tarlac_ is the first of two SSVs acquired under a contract worth USD92 million signed in June 2014 between PT PAL and the Philippine government. The vessel was launched in January 2016 and began its first sea trials in April the same year, according to PT PAL.

The platform features an overall length of 123 m, an overall breadth of 21.8 m, and a draft of 5 m. The ship can accommodate a crew of 126, and has a lift capacity for 500 troops. It can also carry up to two 23 m landing craft utility vessels in its well dock, according to specifications provided by PT PAL.

A company official _IHS Jane's_ spoke to in March 2016 during a visit to PT PAL's shipyard in Surabaya confirmed that _Tarlac_ will be delivered to the PN without any weapons attached. However, the vessel has been designed to be armed with one 76 mm gun on the foredeck as the main armament and two stern-facing 25 mm guns.

_Tarlac_ is scheduled to be handed over to the Philippine Department of National Defense in a formal ceremony in Manila on 13 May.

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(283 of 317 words)


----------



## pr1v4t33r

Sea trials for PN's first SSV successfully completed

MANILA, May 11 (PNA) -- Sea trials for the Philippine Navy (PN)'s first strategic sealift vessel (SSV) has been successfully concluded. This was announced by PN spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna in a a message to PNA Wednesday morning.

"Sea trials were successfully concluded, we are still planning for her arrival ceremonies," he added. Sea trials refer to the testing phases which aims to check the performance of all machineries and equipment of the SSV. "It is also conducted to check and measure the ship's general performance and seaworthiness," he added.

_http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=884207_

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## CountStrike

*Philippine Navy to officially welcome BRP Tarlac on Monday*
 May 12, 2016 PNA


Philippine Navy (PN) flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Caesar C. Taccad will lead the welcoming ceremonies for BRP Tarlac (LD-601), the country’s first strategic sealift vessel (SSV), this coming May 16.

The ceremony will be held at Pier 13 of the Manila South Harbor, said PN spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna.

Taccad will act as the event’s guest-of-honor and speaker. Its highlights are the tribute and recognition to the laudable efforts of the sailors who were instrumental for the ship’s safe and successful voyage to the Philippines.

The BRP Tarlac left the Surabaya shipyard of Indonesian builder PT PAL (Persero) last Monday It is expected to arrive in Manila Bay on Saturday, May 14. “The ship will anchor at designated area and crew will undergo Custom Immigration and Quarantine before she will dock at Pier 13 on May 16,” Lincuna said.

The SSVs are programmed to be the PN’s floating command-and-control centers especially in the conduct of humanitarian assistance and disaster response and serving other purposes as military sealift and transport vessels.

These vessels are also critical assets for civil-military operations due to their capability of transporting large number of soldiers, logistics, and supplies. Moreover, each SSV has the capacity to house three helicopters.

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## pr1v4t33r

*Track her here:* _https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:4077329/imo:9745639/mmsi:525022418/vessel:SSV TARLAC_





BRP Tarlac now inside Philippine territory – Navy 

The country’s first-ever strategic sealift vessel (SSV), the BRP Tarlac (LD-601), is expected to drop anchor off Manila Bay where she and her crew will undergo Customs and Immigration Quarantine (CIQ) Saturday. This was disclosed by Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna in a message to the PNA Friday.










_“[By Saturday morning], BRP Tarlac will arrive at anchorage area off Manila for CIQ,” he said. Lincuna said BRP Tarlac entered Philippine territory upon sailing Sibutu passage, Tawi-Tawi Thursday. He added that the SSV is now sailing towards her Manila destination._
..........
_http://www.update.ph/2016/05/brp-tarlac-now-inside-philippine-territory-navy/5616_

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## kaka404

pr1v4t33r said:


> *Track her here:* _https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:4077329/imo:9745639/mmsi:525022418/vessel:SSV TARLAC_
> 
> BRP Tarlac now inside Philippine territory – Navy
> 
> The country’s first-ever strategic sealift vessel (SSV), the BRP Tarlac (LD-601), is expected to drop anchor off Manila Bay where she and her crew will undergo Customs and Immigration Quarantine (CIQ) Saturday. This was disclosed by Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna in a message to the PNA Friday.
> 
> View attachment 305004
> 
> 
> _“[By Saturday morning], BRP Tarlac will arrive at anchorage area off Manila for CIQ,” he said. Lincuna said BRP Tarlac entered Philippine territory upon sailing Sibutu passage, Tawi-Tawi Thursday. He added that the SSV is now sailing towards her Manila destination._
> 
> ..........
> 
> _http://www.update.ph/2016/05/brp-tarlac-now-inside-philippine-territory-navy/5616_


according to the link it's already there...


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## Zero_wing

Thanks for info guys


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## pr1v4t33r



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## orang biasa

From Julie M. Aurelio's twitter...

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## pr1v4t33r

__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1149092988458272


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## CountStrike

*Phil. Army's 7ID Receives New Trooper Trucks, Military Ambulances*

21 Mei 2016




The Armed Forces of the Philippine ordered a total of 717 Kia KM-450 trucks worth PhP1.937 billion to increase the mobility of Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines. (photos : Update)
(PNA) - Thirty six new trooper trucks and four military ambulances were received by the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division based here in simple rites Wednesday at the command headquarters in this sprawling military camp.
Major Gen. Angelito de Leon, 7ID commander, said the new equipment are big boost to their capabilities, being part of the Modernization Program and Transformation Roadmap of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
In his message, De Leon said the trucks and ambulances were just part of the program, saying that the command has earlier received firepowers such as R4s which are more sophisticated than the M16 Armalite rifles.
But, it is not only the Army now being modernized, he said.
The Philippine Navy, he said, has also received the first ever strategic vessel that can be used as an alternate command and control vessel while the Philippine Air Force got two FA 50 Led-in Fighter Jets.
De Leon said these combat equipment are proof of how the government cares for national security and the Filipino soldiers.
(PNA)

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## CountStrike

*PAF in the Market for F-27 Spares*

28 Mei 2016




PAF will repair and maintenance one of its three Fokker F-27 (photo : amdr)
MANILA (PNA) -- In line with its efforts to ensure that all of its aircraft are mission-ready at all times, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) has allocated the sum of Php4,650,000 for the acquisition of spare parts needed for the repair and maintenance of one of its three Fokker F-27 "Friendship" transport planes.
Pre-bid conference is scheduled for June 2, 2 p.m. at the PAF Procurement Center Conference Room, Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.
On the other hand, bid submission and opening is on June 14, 9 a.m. at the same venue, said PAF Bids and Awards Committee chair Brig. Gen. Nicolas C. Parilla.
The F-27 is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the defunct Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.
Design of the aircraft started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner. 
(PNA)


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## CountStrike

*Philippine Navy commissions first SSV, three landing craft on 118th anniversary*
*Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
03 June 2016






BRP Tarlac during its commissioning ceremony on 1 June 2016, on the occasion of the Philippine Navy's 118th anniversary. Source: Philippine Navy
*Key Points*

The Philippine Navy has officially inducted its largest vessel to-date
Platform will significantly improve the service's transportation and HADR capabilities
The Philippine Navy (PN) has commissioned its first 123 m strategic sealift vessel (SSV), the PN's naval public affairs office told _IHS Jane's_ on 2 June.

BRP _Tarlac_ , with pennant number 601, was commissioned in Manila on 1 June in a ceremony marking the occasion of the PN's 188th anniversary. _Tarlac_ is the first of two landing platform dock (LPD)-like ships acquired under a contract worth USD92 million signed in June 2014 between Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL and the Philippine government.

According to _IHS Jane's Fighting Ships_ , _Tarlac_ features a full-load displacement of 11,583 tonnes, can accommodate a crew of 126, has a lift capacity for 500 troops, and can accommodate up to two medium helicopters on its flight deck. The platform has a top speed of 15 kt and an endurance of up to 30 days.

The second SSV is currently under construction in Surabaya and is scheduled for delivery in mid-2017.

Also inducted on the same day were three former Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Balikpapan-class landing craft that were retired from RAN service in December 2012, and received by the Philippine government in March 2016.

Formerly known as HMAS _Wewak_ (L 130), HMAS _Betano_ (L 133), and HMAS_Balikpapan_ (L 126), the vessels have been commissioned as BRP _Waray_ (288), BRP_Iwak_ (289), and BRP _Agta_ (290) respectively, said the PN. Each landing craft has a military lift capacity for three medium tanks or equivalent, and a range of 3,000 n miles (5,556 km) at 10 kt.

"All of these new acquisitions give the PN a significant boost on its capability of transporting personnel, equipment, and aid during humanitarian assistance and disaster response [HADR] operations," said the service in its statement on the inductions.

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(333 of 434 words)


----------



## Anjo

News circulating Facebook and PH defense forums today. Note that these are still unconfirmed by the PN itself but according to PDB, a tentative date for the contract signing would be towards the end of the month/first week of July. Reportedly the variant the PN navy is getting would be very similar to the Incheon FFX 1.


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## CountStrike

*FA-50PH Need Php 37,6 Mio for Engine Overhaul*

14 Juni 2016





PAF FA-50PH (photo : rappler)

*PAF in the Market for FA-50PH Engine Assy Service Providers*

MANILA (PNA) --- The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is allocating the sum of PHP37,602,175.63 for service providers capable of repairing and overhauling the engine assy for the use of its brand-new South Korean-made FA-50PH light-interim fighter jet aircraft.

Pre-bid conference is on Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. at the PAF Procurement Center Conference Room, Villamor Air Base, Air Force bids and awards committee chair Brig. Gen. Nicolas Parilla said.

While submission and opening of bids is on July 8, 9:00 a.m. at the same venue.

The PAF's first two FA-50PH jet aircraft arrived in the Philippines on Nov. 28, 2015. The rest remaining 10 aircraft, out of a 12-plane order from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) worth PHP18.9 billion, will be delivered between 2016 to 2017.

The FA-50PHs has a top speed of Mach 1.5 or one and a half times the speed of sound and is capable of being fitted air-to-air missiles, including the AIM-9 "Sidewinder" air-to-air and heat-seeking missiles aside from light automatic cannons.

It will act as the country's interim fighter until the Philippines get enough experience of operating fast jet assets and money to fund the acquisition of more capable fighter aircraft.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)'s FA-50PH design is largely derived from the F-16 "Fighting Falcon", and they have many similarities: use of a single engine, speed, size, cost, and the range of weapons.

KAI's previous engineering experience in license-producing the KF-16 was a starting point for the development of the FA-50PH.

The aircraft can carry two pilots in tandem seating. The high-mounted canopy developed by Hankuk Fiber is applied with stretched acrylic, providing the pilots with good visibility, and has been tested to offer the canopy with ballistic protection against four-pound objects impacting at 400 knots.

The altitude limit is 14,600 meters (48,000 feet), and airframe is designed to last 8,000 hours of service.

There are seven internal fuel tanks with capacity of 2,655 liters (701 US gallons), five in the fuselage and two in the wings.

An additional 1,710 liters (452 US gallons) of fuel can be carried in the three external fuel tanks.

Trainer variants have a paint scheme of white and red, and aerobatic variants white, black, and yellow.

The FA-50PH uses a single General Electric F404-102 turbofan engine license-produced by Samsung Techwin, upgraded with a full authority digital engine control system jointly developed by General Electric and KAI.

The engine consists of three-staged fans, seven axial stage arrangement, and an afterburner.

Its engine produces a maximum of 78.7 kN (17,700 lbf) of thrust with afterburner. 

(PNA)

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## Cossack25A1

CountStrike said:


> *FA-50PH Need Php 37,6 Mio for Engine Overhaul*
> 
> 14 Juni 2016
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PAF FA-50PH (photo : rappler)
> 
> *PAF in the Market for FA-50PH Engine Assy Service Providers*
> 
> MANILA (PNA) --- The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is allocating the sum of PHP37,602,175.63 for service providers capable of repairing and overhauling the engine assy for the use of its brand-new South Korean-made FA-50PH light-interim fighter jet aircraft.
> 
> Pre-bid conference is on Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. at the PAF Procurement Center Conference Room, Villamor Air Base, Air Force bids and awards committee chair Brig. Gen. Nicolas Parilla said.
> 
> While submission and opening of bids is on July 8, 9:00 a.m. at the same venue.
> 
> The PAF's first two FA-50PH jet aircraft arrived in the Philippines on Nov. 28, 2015. The rest remaining 10 aircraft, out of a 12-plane order from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) worth PHP18.9 billion, will be delivered between 2016 to 2017.
> 
> The FA-50PHs has a top speed of Mach 1.5 or one and a half times the speed of sound and is capable of being fitted air-to-air missiles, including the AIM-9 "Sidewinder" air-to-air and heat-seeking missiles aside from light automatic cannons.
> 
> It will act as the country's interim fighter until the Philippines get enough experience of operating fast jet assets and money to fund the acquisition of more capable fighter aircraft.
> 
> Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)'s FA-50PH design is largely derived from the F-16 "Fighting Falcon", and they have many similarities: use of a single engine, speed, size, cost, and the range of weapons.
> 
> KAI's previous engineering experience in license-producing the KF-16 was a starting point for the development of the FA-50PH.
> 
> The aircraft can carry two pilots in tandem seating. The high-mounted canopy developed by Hankuk Fiber is applied with stretched acrylic, providing the pilots with good visibility, and has been tested to offer the canopy with ballistic protection against four-pound objects impacting at 400 knots.
> 
> The altitude limit is 14,600 meters (48,000 feet), and airframe is designed to last 8,000 hours of service.
> 
> There are seven internal fuel tanks with capacity of 2,655 liters (701 US gallons), five in the fuselage and two in the wings.
> 
> An additional 1,710 liters (452 US gallons) of fuel can be carried in the three external fuel tanks.
> 
> Trainer variants have a paint scheme of white and red, and aerobatic variants white, black, and yellow.
> 
> The FA-50PH uses a single General Electric F404-102 turbofan engine license-produced by Samsung Techwin, upgraded with a full authority digital engine control system jointly developed by General Electric and KAI.
> 
> The engine consists of three-staged fans, seven axial stage arrangement, and an afterburner.
> 
> Its engine produces a maximum of 78.7 kN (17,700 lbf) of thrust with afterburner.
> 
> (PNA)



My guess is that after PH Air Force pilots gain sufficient skills in piloting modern combat aircraft, the FA-50 will be used as a light fighter-bomber aircraft while a future MRF (multirole fighter) will be the main fighter of the PH Air Force; it is speculated that the Swedish JAS 39 will be the the future PH Air Force's MRF.

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## yugocrosrb95

JAS 39 is fine aircraft... Even C/D will have Meteor BVRAAM, hitting a fly up to 300 kilometers away.

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## Anjo

Anybody here know if the "Press trust of India" is a legitimate news source? The Article is dated about a week ago which coincidentally is the same time the PQ of HHI in Korea concluded. I wonder if this article just came out late considering GRSE failed its PQ..


*GRSE close to sealing deal with Philippines on warship export*

Press Trust of India | Kolkata Jun 08, 2016 03:07 PM IST

Inching closer towards finalising a deal with the Philippines Navy, defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) has emerged as the lowest bidder for exporting two frigates to the Southeast Asian island country. 

"We are the lowest price bidder for the order. Now the government is evaluating other aspects before placing the order. We are hopeful of a positive outcome but things are not final yet," Commodore Ratnakar Ghosh, Director (shipbuilding), GRSE, told PTI. 
Advertisement

Few days ago, a team from the Philippines Navy visited the facilities of the Kolkata-based shipyard and expressed satisfaction at the infrastructure. 

"If you look at the infrastructure nobody is better than us. We have been in negotiations with them for the last two years and now they are examining other bidders also," company chairman and managing director Rear Admiral (Retd) A K Verma said. 

If GRSE bags the order, it will be India's second export order for delivering a warship and a boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' campaign. 

The shipyard already has the distinction of exporting India's first warship, an offshore patrol vessel, to Mauritius in December 2014. 

Buoyed by the success, GRSE had participated in the bidding process for building two frigates for the Philippines. 

As per the specifications laid down by the Philippines government, they want two light frigates of 109 meter length which can run at a speed of 25 knots. 

Officials said these are for general purpose use in protecting their maritime boundaries. 

GRSE already has the required expertise for making frigates as the Kolkata shipyard has bagged the order of making three advanced stealth frigates from the Indian Navy. 

"In between we have the capacity to build these frigates for them," Verma said. 

GRSE has also built INS Kamorta, first in its class of four anti-submarine warfare corvettes, which is the first warship ever built in the country with almost 90 per cent of indigenous content. 
Ghosh said they are in touch with other nations like Vietnam and Bangladesh for building warships.


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## Cossack25A1

*Unconfirmed report, but if this is true, the CCs here will celebrate.*

-----

*Breaking: Duterte will no longer continue AFP Modernization*

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine president-elect Rodrigo Duterte has announced live on PTV4 that he won’t longer continue the AFP Modernization.

Duterte cites that fighter jets are just decorative planes.

“Fighter jets are good only for ceremonial flybys. I’m not in favor of building up external defense, I will not got to war with China”, Duterte said.

International analyst have noted that the incoming Filipino president may take a softer stance in regards to the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippines and China is locked on a bitter dispute in the West Philippine Sea where China claims the whole sea area with overlapping claims against the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

In 2012, President Benigno Aquino signed the Revised AFP Modernization Program, a multi-billion dollar program that aims to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines which has been left behind by its ASEAN neighbors in terms of defense capability.

With China’s increasing aggressiveness in the West Philippine Sea, the Aquino government had seek defense cooperation to numerous allied countries such as the United States, South Korea, Indonesia, Spain, Italy and Japan in a bid to modernize the AFP.

So far, the AFP Modernization under its Phase 1 had successfully implemented 93 projects worth $2.5 billion from 12 FA-50 fighter jets, 3 Hamilton Class Frigates, 15 AW-109 helicopters, 21 Aaeremachi Trainer Aircraft, 3 C-195 medium-lift transport aircraft, 4 C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, 21 refurbished UH-1H and many more.

-----
http://themaharlikan.info/defense/breaking-duterte-will-no-longer-continue-afp-modernization/
-----


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## Anjo

Anything from the Maharlikan, update.ph & Manila livewire should never be considered as "news" sources. These sites are basically clickbait which really only offer gossip & misinformation.

Duterte actually never stated the that he will "stop" the AFP modernization. For one it was already passed as a law way back in 2012. It also helps to if one would view Duterte as a neophyte when comes to the military. I'd even argue that his knowledge on anything military is conservatively limited at best. Whether its about strategy, procurement or even modernization. I'd reserve my judgement on Duterte till he actually gets briefed by the AFP after he gets sworn in.


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## MacanJawa

So duterte make friends with china now? and philipine give up un south china sea?


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## Cossack25A1

MacanJawa said:


> So duterte make friends with china now? and philipine give up un south china sea?



His opinion shows that he is friendly towards China, and for the UNCLOS case, no news until the result will be release on July.


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## Doomfloyd

Anjo said:


> Anything from the Maharlikan, update.ph & Manila livewire should never be considered as "news" sources. These sites are basically clickbait which really only offer gossip & misinformation.
> 
> Duterte actually never stated the that he will "stop" the AFP modernization. For one it was already passed as a law way back in 2012. It also helps to if one would view Duterte as a neophyte when comes to the military. I'd even argue that his knowledge on anything military is conservatively limited at best. Whether its about strategy, procurement or even modernization. I'd reserve my judgement on Duterte till he actually gets briefed by the AFP after he gets sworn in.



I agree with you, It's hard to say what Duterte is planning right now for the future of our Army. Let us hope for the best that he actually consider's to continue our army's modernization program.


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## Anjo

Based on this article, it seems that Digong has already been somewhat briefed by the DND. The good news is that the AFP modernization would go through under this new administration with Lorenzana explicity stating big ticket items like the frigates and patrol aircraft would not be cancelled.


*Territorial defense a priority under Duterte admin –DND chief*

*Published *July 1, 2016 2:38pm

Territorial defense will be a top priority under the freshly installed administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, and the acquisition of military assets for this purpose will continue, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Friday.

Interviewed at Camp Aguinaldo, Lorenzana said the 15-year modernization plan for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will continue "as scheduled" amid fears that the procurement of territorial defense assets will be shelved in favor of internal defense requirements caused by the Abu Sayyaf problem.

Territorial defense "is one of the top priorities of the Duterte administration," Lorenzana assured.

"Territorial defense is very important because we have safeguard our territories against encroachments by other parties," the retired Army major general added. "That's important for this administration."

On the territorial defense assets — among them two frigates, two anti-submarines, and two long-range patrol aircraft — that are already in the process of acquisition, Lorenzana said: "The President said yesterday that we will honor contracts, so those in the pipeline will be continued."

However, there will be "redirection" as the Duterte administration vows to crush the Abu Sayyaf, a violent group of Islamic fundamentalists in Sulu and Basilan notorious for bombing and kidnapping activities, including of foreigners.

"It's very important because it's giving us a bad name in the international community. As long as the Abu Sayyaf continues to do mischief, it will continue to erode our credibility in the international community, so we will focus on that," said Lorenzana. -GMA News


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## BoQ77

Conglatulation !!! PH for the victory in PCA statement.


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## Silent Knight

Any news on the procurement of 20mm ammunition for your FA-50PHs? 

Last time I heard, the bid was cancelled and your aircrafts have no ammunition, except the 50 years old AIM-9 previously served with F-5 fighters.


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## CountStrike

*First MRRV from Japan will Arrive in Manila on August 18*

30 Juli 2016





BRP Tubbataha, an MRRV-4401, is leaving the Yokohama shipyard on August 11, 2016. (all photos : Philippine Coast Guard)

*PH Coast Guard gets new rescue ship from Japan*

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is expecting in August a multi-role vessel from Japan that will help in its “various search and rescue and maritime security and law enforcement operations.”

The BRP Tubbataha, an MRRV-4401, will leave Yokohama on August 11, and will arrive at the Port of Manila on August 18. It will be formally turned over by the Japan International Cooperation Agency to the Philippine government on September 1.






The 44-meter vessel was built at the Japan Marine United Corporation Yokohama Shipyard. In a statement, the PCG cited BRP Tubbataha’s special features will be specially helpful in operations. They include fire monitors, night vision camera, radio direction finder, a work boat, and the bullet-proof navigational bridge.

Here are the ship’s particulars, according to the PCG: Length: 44 meters, Breadth: 7.5 meters, Depth: 4 meters, Engine: MTU12V4000M93L, Output: 2,580 kw, Max Speed: Approximately 25 knots, Cruising range: 1,500 nautical miles, Complement: 25 persons.






Japan is building 9 more MRRV’s for the Philippine Coast Guard. They “will also be named after the primary lighthouses in the country to denote its significance as one of the navigational aids in the maritime industry.”

The Japanese Coast Guard has also conducted sea drills with its Philippine counterpart since their two countries signed a Declaration for a Strengthened Strategic Partnership and its Action Plan in June 2015. 

(Rappler)

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## CountStrike

*PAF MD-520MG Attack Helicopters up for Maintenance*

04 Agustus 2016





PAF MD-520MG attack helicopter (photo : pdff)

MANILA (PNA) -- The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is allocating the sum of PHP3,200,000 for the acquisition of spare parts needed for the maintenance of its McDonnell Douglas MD-520MG "Defender" attack helicopters.

Pre-bid conference is on Wednesday, 9 a.m. at the PAF Procurement Center Conference Room, Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

While submission and opening of bids is on Aug. 16, 9:00 a.m. at the same venue.

The PAF is known to operate between 12 to 16 models of the MD-520, according to military sources.

The PAF affair with the MD-520 started in the early 90's when 25 units of these excellent aircraft were delivered to country.

It was used with great effect against New People's Army (NPA) rebels and lawless elements like the Abu Sayyaf Group for the past few years.

The MD-520 is derived from the MG-500 light utility helicopter.

It can be armed with .50 caliber heavy machines and air-to-ground rockets.

The aircraft carries a crew of two and is capable of flying to speeds up to 160 miles per hour (257 kilometers per hour), making it ideal for close air support work. 

(PNA)


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## CountStrike

*President Duterte Plans to Convert Presidential Jet to Air Ambulance*

09 Agustus 2016





Fokker 28 Philippine Presidential aircraft (photo : Global Aviation)

President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday announced his plan to convert the presidential plane into an air ambulance, saying that he’s already “comfortable” with commercial flights.

“I have also requested (National Defense) Secretary (Delfin) Lorenzana to make the arrangement because I am giving up the presidential plane, convert it into an air ambulance,” he told the 500 soldiers of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division at Camp Lukban in Catbalogan, Samar late Monday afternoon.

The President also asked the Defense chief to study converting some Fokker planes of the Armed Forces of the Philippines into air ambulances as well.

“You’ll have about so many planes for the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Tutal ako komportable na ako sa PAL (Philippine Airlines) pati itong Cebu Pacific. Matagal namang walang nahulog diyan so okay na siguro ang mga eroplano nila (nobody has fallen from their planes for a long time so they must be okay),” he added in jest.

The Chief Executive said it’s up to the next President to acquire a presidential plane after his term.

During his 15-minute speech, he also bared his plan to use a small private plane for his travels.

“Sometimes I can use a jet plane, a small one kung may pang-gasolina. I just pay the gasoline, air, pati operational costs,” he said.

The President reiterated his campaign promise on converting presidential aircraft after detailing his plans for the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center.

“Anything that can help you, we will give it to you,” he added.

The Air Force’s 250th Presidential Airlift Wing has been used for the air mobility of the President as well as the first family and visiting dignitaries.

(Update)


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## Cossack25A1

*Japan to fund $2.4-B railway to ease Manila's hellish traffic*
*Agence France-Presse
Posted at Aug 12 2016 03:43 PM*

Japan on Friday announced it is pouring a massive $2.4 billion into a new railway in the Philippines aimed at easing Manila's notorious gridlock.

Japan, Philippines' top trading partner and source of aid, said the 38-kilometer (24-mile) elevated commuter line would connect Manila to nearby Bulacan province to decongest the capital and help spur economic activity.

"This is one of the biggest projects Japan has ever embarked upon using the yen loan," Masato Ohtaka, deputy press secretary for Japan's foreign ministry, told reporters in Manila.

"Railways are one of our fortes ... We sympathise with the Filipinos that this is a project that needs to be done very, very quickly."

Ohtaka said Japan was also open to building a railway in the southern region of Mindanao, a project Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had previously said China offered to fund.

The Philippines has sought to strengthen ties with former World War II foe Japan as it faces a tense maritime dispute with Beijing over the South China Sea.

The railway was among the topics visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida discussed with Duterte on Thursday in the southern city of Davao.

Duterte, who assumed office on June 30, has said reducing traffic congestion and fixing the deteriorating transport system are priorities for his administration.

Manila's traffic problems cost the Philippines an estimated $64 million a day in 2015, a Japanese-funded study found.

In Manila, railway commuters endure long lines and overcrowding is common in trains that sometimes stop between stations or even overshoot their tracks.

Duterte has even declined invitations for engagements in Manila, saying he wants to avoid worsening the congestion.

The Japanese loan is for the Philippine transportation department, payable over 40 years, though Ohtaka did not give a timeline for the project.

Japan is also donating coast guard vessels and leasing aircraft to boost the Philippines' weak military and maritime capabilities.

Japan faces a separate dispute with China over uninhabited islets in the East China Sea.

Philippine foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay said Thursday Manila and Tokyo shared the same experience of dealing with Beijing's "intimidation" at sea.

Yasay and Kishida urged Beijing to observe the rule of law after an international tribunal rejected its claims to most of the South China Sea.

-----
http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/12/16/japan-to-fund-24-b-railway-to-ease-manilas-hellish-traffic
-----

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## CountStrike

*AFP Allotted with P130.6 Billion for 2017*

16 Agustus 2016





Armed Forces of the Philippines (photo : Xinhua)

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Monday submitted to Congress the proposed PHP3.35-trillion national budget for 2017, the first under President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno turned over the General Appropriations Act of 2017, dubbed as “A Budget for Real Change”, to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and House appropriations committee chairman Davao City First District Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles at the Speaker’s Hall, House of Representatives in Quezon City.

The 2017 budget is higher by 11.6 percent than the current year’s budget of PHP3.002 trillion. Furthermore, the proposed budget represents 20.4 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017, higher than this year’s 20.1 percent GDP share.

In his speech, Diokno said that the 2017 budget will focus on programs and projects that achieve Duterte’s 10-point socioeconomic development agenda. Of the PHP3.35 trillion proposed budget, 40 percent will be allotted for social services, 27.6 percent for economic services, and 22 percent for general public services and defense.

He noted that the budgets for the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were hiked substantially to boost the administration’s war against crime, illegal drugs and terrorism.

PNP will receive PHP110.4 billion, up by 24.6 percent than in 2016, while AFP will receive PHP130.6 billion, 15 percent higher than this year’s.

Diokno also highlighted that the country’s total infrastructure spending for 2017 will increase to PHP860.7 billion, which is equivalent to 5.4 percent of the GDP, noting that the golden age of public infrastructure in this country will be realized by the end of the Duterte administration.

The Department of Education’s budget topped all the government agencies with PHP570.4 billion, a 31 percent hike compared to this year’s budget. This will help sustain the major education reform K to 12 program, in terms of classroom construction, hiring of additional teachers, and providing student assistance.

The health sector is proposed to have an allocation of PHP151.5 billion mainly for the continuation of the Department of Health’s universal healthcare program, as well as ensuring the full implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development will receive PHP129.9 billion, which includes the PHP78.7 billion allocation for the conditional cash transfers (CCT) for 4.63 million beneficiary-families.

The subsequent budget hearings are set to commence on Aug. 22.

(Update)

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## Cossack25A1

This just shows that the Duterte administration is also prioritizing the modernization of the PH military.

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## CountStrike

*Israel Shipyard's Shaldag Mk. V Fast Patrol Boat Offered to the Philippine Navy*

18 Agustus 2016




Shaldaq FPB (all photos : israel-shipyards)

According to very credible sources involved in the project, the Philippine Navy recently released a Request for Information (RFI) for 6 Fast Attack Crafts to equip the Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet. This is to fulfill a partial requirement under the Philippine Navy’s Capability Upgrade Program's Horizon 2 phase.

Despite bring a Horizon 2 project, it is now being front-loaded for early processing rather than wait until 2018 due to the prerogatives of new Philippine president, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in beefing up the capabilities to fight internal threats like insurgency, terrorism, and drug shipments as part of his overall security plan.

The Philippine Navy released a Request for Information to Israel Shipyards recently, and a formal offer was made in response. The requirement is for a fast attack craft larger than the MPAC and almost the same size as the Andrada-class patrol gunboats of the PN.






SHALDAG Fast Patrol Boat highlights

*Designed for security operations requiring high intercept speeds, without sacrificing vessel control.
*Easy to operate, with low maintenance needs.
*Fitted with modern light-weight weapons systems.
*Special features:
-Acceleration 0-40 Knots in one minute
-Turning diameter of about 150m at 40 Knots
-Very shallow draft
-Exceptionally low slamming in all sea states
-Dry decks at all speeds
-High speed maintained in rough seas

See full article MaxDefence


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## William Hung

Cossack25A1 said:


> This just shows that the Duterte administration is also prioritizing the modernization of the PH military.



Do you have a PS Vita? It has now been hacked wide open for piracy...time to get one for all those JPRPG and GN.


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## Cossack25A1

William Hung said:


> Do you have a PS Vita? It has now been hacked wide open for piracy...time to get one for all those JPRPG and GN.


Nope, I don't have one.



Langkasukan said:


> What happen with your NC212i ordered and made by PTDI? Is it true that your gov't has blacklisted PTDI?



I doubt that it is black listed as the said Indonesia company are building two of those aircraft that were ordered by the PH govt.


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## Kalazan

I dont know that case in detail but hope the case can be solved smoothly and win-win solution between party.
Should have discussed with good spirit. Cooperation and join production between country in the next time is good plan.
Literally i prefer indonesia make cooperation with philippine than other asean country in basic defense need. Have same nature condition is one reason.
I hope that kind of case not happened again beetween asean country, will broke the cooperations. Meet and discussion is in the first place.

All must think ASEAN broterhood is more important.


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## Yuyukangkang

Langkasukan said:


> What happen with your NC212i ordered and made by PTDI? Is it true that your gov't has blacklisted PTDI?



Is there any valid news about that? I tried bunch keywords but none relates to the matters. Cheers.



Kalazan said:


> I dont know that case in detail but hope the case can be solved smoothly and win-win solution between party.
> Should have discussed with good spirit. Cooperation and join production between country in the next time is good plan.
> Literally i prefer indonesia make cooperation with philippine than other asean country in basic defense need. Have same nature condition is one reason.
> I hope that kind of case not happened again beetween asean country, will broke the cooperations. Meet and discussion is in the first place.
> 
> All must think ASEAN broterhood is more important.



So what did you know about the issue? Any hints would be find.


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## Yuyukangkang

Cossack25A1 said:


> Nope, I don't have one.
> 
> 
> 
> I doubt that it is black listed as the said Indonesia company are building two of those aircraft that were ordered by the PH govt.



gppb site
Cumulative amount of Liquidated Damages reached ten percent (10%) as provided for in Section 68, Rule XXII of Republic Act 9184
One (1) Year Blacklisting
06/30/2016 - 06/30/2017

so what's that thing? ...


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## Kalazan

Yuyukangkang said:


> Is there any valid news about that? I tried bunch keywords but none relates to the matters. Cheers.
> 
> 
> 
> So what did you know about the issue? Any hints would be find.



Sorry i dont know in detail.
But conduct to the procurement of 2 light aircraft from Philipine goverment to PT.DI .


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## pr1v4t33r

Philippines twin NC-212i are already completed and ready for some action

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## Cossack25A1

Yuyukangkang said:


> gppb site
> Cumulative amount of Liquidated Damages reached ten percent (10%) as provided for in Section 68, Rule XXII of Republic Act 9184
> One (1) Year Blacklisting
> 06/30/2016 - 06/30/2017
> 
> so what's that thing? ...



That I do not know as the news was not publicized.


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## Anjo

Thanks to MaxDefense there's finally some news on the Frigate acquisition project! Design is still to be finalized by mid 2017 while expected delivery would be 2019 and 2020 for the first and second ships.

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## Cossack25A1

Anjo said:


> Thanks to MaxDefense there's finally some news on the Frigate acquisition project! Design is still to be finalized by mid 2017 while expected delivery would be 2019 and 2020 for the first and second ships.



Contrary to earlier and previous reports that mentioned the India-based shipbuilder GRSE, it seems that the shipbuilder from South Korea will be the one building the new frigate.

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## Svantana

*South Korean Shipbuilder Awarded Contract to Build 2 Philippine Warships*
...
The frigates will be at least 95 meters long and have a displacement of at least 2000 tons. The frigates will also able to “survive at Sea State 7” with no degradation of anti-air, anti-surface, and electronic warfare capabilities at Sea State 5 and no degradation of anti-submarine warfare capability at Sea State 4.

Good news 

http://defense-studies.blogspot.co.id/2016/09/south-korean-shipbuilder-awarded.html

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## Yuyukangkang

Svantana said:


> *South Korean Shipbuilder Awarded Contract to Build 2 Philippine Warships*
> ...
> The frigates will be at least 95 meters long and have a displacement of at least 2000 tons. The frigates will also able to “survive at Sea State 7” with no degradation of anti-air, anti-surface, and electronic warfare capabilities at Sea State 5 and no degradation of anti-submarine warfare capability at Sea State 4.
> 
> Good news
> /QUOTE]
> 
> A good news indeed for PH. Is that Incheon-class frigate family?


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## Anjo

It will be a derivative of the Incheon class as the PH Navy frigate requirements are bit different to the current Korean version in terms of propulsion and armament. They most likely will take cosmetic cues from the upcoming batch 3 albeit a bit shorter than the ROKN version.

Batch 1






Batch 3


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## Cossack25A1

It makes me wonder if MRAP are considered as replacement for the V-150s as those vehicle may no longer be enough considering the presence of IEDs.


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## Anjo

Cossack25A1 said:


> It makes me wonder if MRAP are considered as replacement for the V-150s as those vehicle may no longer be enough considering the presence of IEDs.



I'd like to think so as well. I haven't really heard any news about the PA trying to acquire such vehicles just yet. The good thing is that at least the PA is proactively replenishing cavalry & mech units with refurbished M113's.

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## Anjo

__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1293968787330455










The Philippine Army is finally getting a new BDU to replace its decades old design.

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## Cossack25A1

Anjo said:


> I'd like to think so as well. I haven't really heard any news about the PA trying to acquire such vehicles just yet. The good thing is that at least the PA is proactively replenishing cavalry & mech units with refurbished M113's.



Since there were photos released by MaxDefense in regards to the M113s with 25mm autocannons, those vehicles should be prepared as soon as possible as the only IFVs armed with autocannon the PH Army possesess is the AIFV.

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## Anjo

Cossack25A1 said:


> Since there were photos released by MaxDefense in regards to the M113s with 25mm autocannons, those vehicles should be prepared as soon as possible as the only IFVs armed with autocannon the PH Army possesess is the AIFV.



I'm sure that given the current situation in Mindanao the army is fast tracking the deployment of these vehicles. An interesting tidbit a fellow forumer gave me is that in the upcoming ADAS, Elbit systems are there exhibiting their products again. With the current trend of defense policies under Duterte, I'd love to see the AFP purchase more rcws for their mech units.

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## Cossack25A1

Anjo said:


> I'm sure that given the current situation in Mindanao the army is fast tracking the deployment of these vehicles. An interesting tidbit a fellow forumer gave me is that in the upcoming ADAS, Elbit systems are there exhibiting their products again. With the current trend of defense policies under Duterte, I'd love to see the AFP purchase more rcws for their mech units.



Some of the 114 M113A2 APCs acquired from the US can be installed with RCWS, or even replace the turret of the Simba APCs with RCWS (turning those vehicles into IFVs) and leave the troop transport to M113s


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## Anjo

*Philippines eyes 14 percent defense budget rise to secure seas, fight rebels*





A military officer escorts President Rodrigo Duterte during a visit at an army Camp Capinpin military camp in Tanay, Rizal in the Philippines August 24, 2016. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

By Manuel Mogato | VIENTIANE

The Philippines is proposing a 14 percent increase in defense spending next year to buy new ships and aircraft to boost its fight against Islamist militants and enhance maritime security in the disputed South China Sea.

According to internal documents seen by Reuters on Monday, about 130 billion pesos ($2.8 billion) or 96 percent of the proposed defense budget, would go to the armed forces.

The push to beef up military spending reflects regional concern about China's maritime assertiveness and the new government's determination to crush the entrenched and lucrative network of the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels behind a spree of kidnappings.

Some 25 billion pesos would go to a modernization programme, the Department of National Defence said in the documents, including the acquisition of two surveillance planes and six close-air support planes to fight Abu Sayyaf.

The rebels, who have their stronghold in two southern islands in the Muslim-majority south, are holding more than 20 hostages of five nationalities.

Abu Sayyaf has this year beheaded two Canadian hostages and President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the military to "destroy" the group. The government believes it was behind Friday's bombing in Davao city that killed 14 people.

The government has proposed a 3.35 trillion pesos national budget for next year, which the bicameral legislature is expected to approve before the end of the year.

A senior defense official told Reuters 2017 would be the second year in a row that the government is spending 25 billion pesos for the modernization plan, which is slated to cost 82 billion over a five-year period.

The country is set to award contracts for two frigates for navy and three radar systems for the air force, which are designed to improve monitoring in the South China Sea.

Part of the funds will go to instalments to pay for 12 Korean-made FA-50 jets, two of which arrived last year


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## skyhigh88

*State Welcoming Ceremony for the President of the Philippines Pres. Rodrigo Duterte to Istana Merdeka*
Posted by the Ministry of State Secretariat of the Republic Indonesia
Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Indonesia
Sep 9, 2016

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## CountStrike

*Pres. Duterte “Indonesia is not only a Friend but a Brother”*
*




*
http://www.dutertenewstoday.com/pres-duterte-indonesia-is-not-only-a-friend-but-a-brother/

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## skyhigh88

*Engine startup NC-212i MPA Philippines Air Force*
*Indomiliter.com Official Channel*
Published on Sep 13, 2016





Engine startup satu diantara dua unit NC-212 MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) pesanan militer Fiilipina. Pengujian dilakukan di fasilitas produksi PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

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## Anjo

^^Nice to see it finally done and working but for some reason the delivery of these planes have been delayed for some time now.

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## Nike

Anjo said:


> ^^Nice to see it finally done and working but for some reason the delivery of these planes have been delayed for some time now.



paying issues


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## Nike

Langkasukan said:


> PH ordered for light lift .. not MPA
> 
> ..
> 
> 
> 
> As far as I know ...PTDI declined a request from PH to pay a penalty for its late delivery (as written in the contract) .. Now, this dispute has been "taken over" by both Gov'ts ....



seems you know nothing

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## ahojunk

_Manila is going green with electronic tricycles. This is good news for the Philippines.
Each charge gives 80 km, which may not be enough for the day._

--------
*Manila: No more trikes, pedicabs next month*
By Jose Rodel Clapano (The Philippine Star) | Updated September 18, 2016 - 12:00am






_*A file photo shows electronic tricycles the Manila City government plans to distribute 
to drivers of tricycles, pedicabs and kuligligs next month*_.​
MANILA, Philippines - The Manila City government will totally phase out gasoline-run tricycles, kuligligs and pedicabs next month, Mayor Joseph Estrada said yesterday.

In an interview with The STAR, Estrada said the phaseout of these vehicles is part of his goal to transform Manila into the country’s electronic tricycle or e-trike capital.

“By (Oct. 15), strictly there will be no more kuligligs, gasoline-run tricycles and pedicabs. We want Manila to become the e-trike capital of the Philippines and to make Manila a green city,” he said.

He said that at present, there are 25,000 gasoline-run tricycles, kuligligs and pedicabs plying all over the city “without a franchise.”

The city government, with the requisite resolution from the city council, has appropriated an initial amount of P120 million to buy 10,000 seven-seater e-trikes.

He said an e-trike can be fully charged in four hours and travel up to 80 kilometers.

Estrada said the e-trikes will be distributed to qualified tricycle drivers and bona fide city residents who will lose their income from the phaseout. The drivers and residents will also get uniforms in orange, the mayor’s trademark color.

“Tricycle drivers are paying a daily boundary of P150 and are spending P200 for their gasoline. That is P350 per day. On an e-trike, they will not spend a single centavo for gasoline. The battery charging will be shouldered by the city government,” Estrada said.

He said under the e-trike program, those who will receive the vehicles will pay P150 to P200 per day for four years.

“Even if we will require them to pay more than P200, it will still be favorable to them because they will still earn money more than what they are earning at present,” Estrada told The STAR.

Estrada said Binondo will be their pilot area for the e-trikes. He said the city government will put up two charging stations at both ends of each e-trike route.

“Pickup stations and two charging stations will be made available for them. There will be many routes. But we will have Binondo as our pilot area. We will also put e-trike stations in the university belt, Port Area, among others,” Estrada said.

City auditor Mario Lipana said the city government is also looking into setting up e-trike routes in Malate and Intramuros.

Lipana said the city government is working with the Manila Electric Co. to set up coin-operated battery charging stations for e-trikes.

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## ahojunk

Reuters | Mon Sep 19, 2016 | 3:45am EDT
*Exclusive: Philippines may suspend at least 10 more mines under crackdown*

_*




The gold mining town of Diwalwal in Compostela Valley, southern Philippines May 25, 2012. 
REUTERS/Erik De Castro/File Photo*_​
By Manolo Serapio Jr | MANILA

The Philippines could suspend at least 10 more mines under an environmental crackdown on the sector, the minister in charge of mining said, in a move that threatens to halt the operations of half the mines in the world's top supplier of nickel ore.

Global nickel prices jumped 2 percent as the country's second-biggest nickel producer warned that more new stoppages would disrupt shipments to the crucial Chinese market and elsewhere.President Rodrigo Duterte has taken a tough line on the industry and warned the nation could survive without mining, while mineral producers have labeled a review of the sector a "demolition campaign".

The Philippines has already halted the operations of 10 mines, eight of them nickel producers, for environmental lapses since it launched an audit on July 8.

That has left 30 mines still operating, but Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez said others could be suspended when the agency releases the results of the mining audit on Thursday.

Asked if a further 10 or more mines could be suspended, Lopez said in a text message: "Yes possible."

"We are coming clean here. For decades we have turned a blind eye to the suffering of our people. Not anymore," she said, adding that any decision to halt mines would follow the law.

Lopez, a committed environmentalist picked by Duterte to promote responsible mining, has said miners have to upgrade their operations to limit harm to the environment and local communities.

"They just need to get their act together," Lopez said in the text message.


*"MINIMAL EXPORTS"*

Dante Bravo, president of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc, the Philippines' No. 2 nickel producer, said further suspensions would hit shipments.

"Definitely, these suspensions would disrupt supply of nickel ore not only to China but to other markets as well," said Bravo, who expects his company to pass the mining audit.

Bravo said nickel miners, many located in the southern Mindanao island, are also expected to halt operations in October due to the rainy season. "Hence, we would be seeing minimal exports toward the end of the year."

Past environmental disasters, including a 1996 tailings leak at a copper mine in central Marinduque province that contaminated rivers, have spurred mining opponents in the Philippines led by the influential Catholic Church.

Miners, however, have questioned the inclusion of anti-mining activists in the audit teams.

The mine closures and the risk of more being shuttered had lifted three-month nickel on the London Metal Exchange to a one-year high of $11,030 a tonne on Aug. 10.

Price have since eased, but the metal climbed 2 percent on Monday to $9,915 a tonne at 0645 GMT (02:45 a.m. EDT). It has gained 12 percent this year.

The Philippines is the biggest supplier of nickel ore to China, where the metal is used to make stainless steel.

The Southeast Asian country shipped 34 million tonnes to Beijing last year, while exports this year have dropped 27 percent in January-July.


(Additional reporting by Enrico dela Cruz; Editing by Ed Davies)


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## CountStrike

*Newest warship rammed, damaged by oil tanker in Philippines*
Tue 20 September 2016 05:27 GMT | 09:27 Local Time

Text size:










“Investigation by the Philippine Coast Guard Station is ongoing to determine the circumstances of the collision."
The Philippine Navy (PN)’s largest and newest warship, the BRP Tarlac (LD-601), sustained minor damages after being rammed by an oil tanker while it is anchored off Zamboanga City Monday night. The incident took place 7:47 p.m. approximately 1,000 yards south of the Ensign Majini Pier, Naval Station Romulo Espaldon, of the above-mentioned city, Update.ph reported.

PN spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said the BRP Tarlac was rammed by the M/T Tosca, a Liberian-flagged tanker, crewed by 21 Filipinos and Ukrainians.

The merchant ship is skippered by Capt. Dominador Tanguas and is headed for Bintulo, Malaysian at the time of the collision.

Naval Forces Western Mindanao commander Rear Admiral Jorge Amba reported that no one was hurt among crew members while the BRP Tarlac sustained minor damages in her right forward bulwark and side ramp.

“Investigation by the Philippine Coast Guard Station is ongoing to determine the circumstances of the collision,” Lincuna said.

BRP Tarlac was commissioned during short ceremonies at Pier 13, Manila South Harbor last June 1.

She arrived in the Philippines last May 14 after a five-day journey from PT PAL (Persero)’s shipyard in Surabaya which started on May 9.

The Philippines has a two SSV order with the Indonesian shipbuilder worth PHP3.8 billion.

News.Az


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## MarveL

Sea Platforms
*Philippine SSV sustains damage to bow after collision with product tanker*
*Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
21 September 2016





_Tarlac, currently the largest ship operated by the Philippine Navy, has sustained damage from a collision with a product tanker on 19 September. Source: Philippine Navy
_
The Philippine Navy's recently commissioned strategic sealift vessel (SSV), BRP_Tarlac_ (601), has sustained damage to its bow section after a collision, the service's public affairs confirmed with _IHS Jane's_ on 21 September.

The 123 m landing platform dock (LPD)-like ship was anchored off Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Mindanao on 19 September when it was rammed by the Liberian-flagged product tanker MT _Tosca_ shortly before 8 pm, said the PN.

Initial assessments suggest that the damage sustained is minor but a full investigation into the incident is currently underway. The service is however not yet able to comment on _Tarlac_ 's operational status given ongoing investigations.

AIS data from _IHS Maritime_ on 21 September show that _Tosca_ is currently anchored about 300 m from _Tarlac_, off the coast of Zamboanga in the Southern Philippines.

_Tarlac_ is the first of two SSVs acquired under a contract worth USD92 million signed in June 2014 between Indonesian state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL and the Philippine government. The first-of-class was commissioned in June 2016, while the second ship is expected to be inducted in 2017.

The SSV platform features a full-load displacement of 11,583 tonnes, has a lift capacity for 500 troops, and can accommodate up to two medium helicopters on its flight deck.


http://www.janes.com/article/63977/...ge-to-bow-after-collision-with-product-tanker


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## pr1v4t33r

2nd SSV for PN

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## CountStrike

*Philippines seeks Duterte visits to Japan, China next month*

Reuters
| September 23, 2016

A Japanese foreign ministry official confirmed plans were being made. There was no immediate response from China.





MANILA: Diplomats in the Philippines are in talks with counterparts in Japan and China to arrange visits for their controversial President Rodrigo Duterte at the end of next month, officials in Manila said on Friday.

Dates were still being worked out for the proposed trips by the outspoken leader, several officials said, remaining anonymous because they were not authorized to speak to media.

A Japanese foreign ministry official confirmed plans were being made. There was no immediate response from China.

Philippine relations with Japan are warm but those with China have long been frosty over territorial wrangles in the South China Sea.

Duterte has repeatedly said conflict was pointless and he wants to get along and do business with Beijing.

Some analysts believe Duterte’s uncharacteristic verbal restraint toward China, in contrast to his stinging rebukes of the United States, United Nations and European Union, shows he is hedging in pursuit of his goal of an independent foreign policy and reducing reliance on former colonial ruler Washington.


China and the Philippines are trying to find a way to break the ice after a verdict by an arbitral court in The Hague in July invalidated China’s claims to most of the South China Sea and gave Manila the legal high ground in the dispute.

During a speech on Thursday Duterte said he would go to China this year and, without elaborating, told Chinese businessmen: “you will see me often”.

He reiterated he would not deviate from the court ruling but would seek a way out of a four-year deadlock at the disputed Scarborough Shoal and for China’s coastguard to let Filipino fish there unimpeded. The arbitration panel ruled that no one country can legally control that shoal.

A source in the Duterte’s office said it was possible former president Fidel Ramos, his new China envoy, could visit as early as next week to lay the groundwork for talks.

The relationship with Japan is far less complicated and Tokyo has agreed to provide 10 coastguard vessels to Manila to support its maritime security efforts.

Japan, a major investor across Southeast Asia, has been providing coastguard training and ships also to Vietnam, another country at odds with China over its maritime assertiveness.

The proposed October visits would be among Duterte’s first as president in what has been a colorful, at times dramatic first three months in office.

He attended a summit of Asian leaders in Laos earlier this month and has been to Indonesia. He is due to visit Vietnam next week.
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/ca...eks-duterte-visits-to-japan-china-next-month/

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## cochine

*Russia eyes military deal, transfer of technology to Philippines*

September 25, 2016 Joel Dizon Nation 0

ShareTweet



Officials from the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) discussed with Philippine Embassy officials in Moscow possible Philippines-Russia military cooperation which may include acquisition of Russian military equipment and technology, September 16.

Among the topics that were discussed include different modes of financing, transfer of technology, investment in domestic military production and servicing, training, and after-sales service and maintenance.

Russian officials include Mr. Sergey I. Buganov, Chief of the First Department on Military and Technical Cooperation with Foreign States, and Mr. Valery A. Orel, Chief of the Section on Military-Technical Technical Cooperation with Countries of the Asia-Pacific Region.

Philippine Ambassador to Russia, Carlos D. Sorreta, and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Luningning Camoying, the Political Officer of the Embassy, met with the Russian officials.

“We welcomed the briefing, which was quite revealing, particularly as to the extent that Russia is able to interact with a large number of countries in this field and the different mechanisms that are employed, including in terms of the acquisition and transfer of Russian military equipment,” Ambassador Sorreta said.

“This is all part of our job to explore opportunities that could contribute to our government’s efforts to modernize our defense capabilities,” the Ambassador added.

The briefing followed the recent visit to Moscow of a Department of National Defense Delegation led by Undersecretary for Finance and Materiel, Raymundo De Vera Elefante, which met with top Russian defense officials, including officials of the FSMTC.

http://www.update.ph/2016/09/russia-eyes-military-deal-transfer-of-technology-to-philippines/9691


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## anas_nurhafidz

She is ready for tomorrow

#SSV2

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## Kababayan88

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MANILA - Defense Technology work of the nation no less shine in the international arena. In the event the ADAS International Defense Technology Exhibition 2016 in Manila, Philippines, Wednesday (28/9), Indonesia bringing the nation's work defense technology.

The Indonesian delegation in the national security and defense exhibition was followed by PT PAL Indonesia, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI), PT Nusantara Turbine & Propulsion (NTP), PT Napindo Media Indoguardika Ashatama and PT Cipta Creative (ICK).

Technology Director PT ICK Dahniar Paramitha Vishnu explained that they produce some hardware such as a PSTN, radio HT (Handy Talkie), jamming or jammer, secure VPN, direction finder and some other tools. The software applications developed include SMS, Chat and Voice antisadap. The application is grown in cell phone users.

Antisadap device can be used for both civilian and military. "Especially for military purposes, we create variants and special specifications to be suitable for field conditions," Wisnu said in a written statement received Republika.co.id

On this occasion, PT DI showing air of superior products and CN235-220 NC212. Aircraft CN235-220 a multi-function military aircraft used for maritime patrol.

PT PAL engaged industry shipbuilding showcase advanced warship Strategic Sea lift Vessel (SSV). Meanwhile, PT NTP showcase various aero engine maintenance services and a range of industrial turbines.

Previously separate place, President Director of PT Agung ICK S Bakti revealed during ministry of defense facilitate the security and defense industry in the country participated in various international defense exhibition.

"Under the coordination ministry of defense various domestic defense industry following the international defense exhibition including the Defense Services Asia (DSA) Malaysia and Defense & Security in Bangkok, and now ADAS in 2016 in Manila," Agung added.

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## Kababayan88

*Two right hands of Abu Sayyaf Dead with Philippines Soldier.*






Philippine troops continue to hunt for the Abu Sayyaf group includes other groups associated with the Abu Sayyaf. Wednesday (28/9) morning, the two leaders of the pirates who were accomplices of the Abu Sayyaf group reportedly killed in a firefight with Philippine troops.

Armed clashes occurred near the island Tambulian, Municipality of Pata Island. When the incident, the military troops of the Joint Task Force Sulu and Panglima Estino town volunteers met with a group of pirates. Armed clashes also inevitable.

Officers managed to identify two pirates, each named Nixon Muktadil and Brown. They are siblings and is known as a leader Muktadil Brothers. "Two brothers Muktadil is a leader and architect and expert navigator kidnappings of foreigners in the Malaysian border," said a spokesman for Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) Maj Philemon Tan Jr., Wednesday (28/09/2016).

From the data owned by Philippine security authorities, Muktadil Brothers involved in the kidnapping of 26 citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia on the border of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

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## anas_nurhafidz



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## samudro_JOY

Sea Platforms
*ADAS 2016: PT PAL readies for rectification works on the Philippine Navy's first SSV*
*Ridzwan Rahmat, Manila* - IHS Jane's Navy International
29 September 2016





Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL has confirmed that it is working with the Philippine Navy (PN) to determine the extent of damages sustained by the service's first-of-class strategic sealift vessel (SSV) in a collision on 19 September.

The landing platform dock (LPD)-like ship, BRP _Tarlac_, was anchored off Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Mindanao when it was rammed by a Liberian-flagged product tanker, MT _Tosca_ .

Initial assessments suggest the damages suffered in the incident are minor, and mostly localised in the ship's bow section at the point of impact.

"However, we are not taking any chances and our technicians are currently on the vessel to check the ship's vital components," said Tjahjono Yudo, PT PAL's general manager of corporate strategic planning, in a meeting with _IHS Jane's_ at the ADAS 2016 defence exhibition in Manila on 29 September.

The inspections will cover components including the vessel's hydraulic systems, electrical systems, and hull scantlings to ensure the platform's structural integrity has not been compromised.

"We are standing by for the possibility that the vessel may be sent back to Surabaya for repair works in the worst-case scenario," said Tjahjono. But he added that this looks highly unlikely unless the technicians find major rectifications are required.


*Philippines interested in Indonesian medical support ship*

Nani Afrida
The Jakarta Post

Jakarta | Thu, September 29 2016 | 04:35 pm






After purchasing two Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) warships from PT PAL Indonesia, the Philippine government is considering putting in another order for a medical support vessel from Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilder.

During the 2016 Asian Defense & Security (ADAS) exhibition in Manila, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana held a discussion with Brig. Gen. Jan Pieter Ate from the Indonesian ADAS delegation on Indonesian defense products.

“The Secretary of National Defense and the Philippines Navy chief of staff are impressed with the medical support vessel that will be fit for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations,” Jan Pieter, the Defense Ministry’s director of the defense industry and technology, told _The Jakarta Post_ on Thursday.

According to Jan Pieter, the Philippine secretary of defense had shown a deep interest in the 123-meter vessel and spent a lot of time looking at the vessel’s mock-up.

It was reported that the Philippines had also put in an order for the CN235-200 and N212i aircraft from state-owned airplane maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia in 2015.

The three-day ADAS 2016 exhibition ends on Friday.

According to its official website, ADAS 2016 attracts exhibitors from around the world and works closely with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). (evi)

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## Kababayan88

samudro_JOY said:


> Sea Platforms
> *ADAS 2016: PT PAL readies for rectification works on the Philippine Navy's first SSV*
> *Ridzwan Rahmat, Manila* - IHS Jane's Navy International
> 29 September 2016
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL has confirmed that it is working with the Philippine Navy (PN) to determine the extent of damages sustained by the service's first-of-class strategic sealift vessel (SSV) in a collision on 19 September.
> 
> The landing platform dock (LPD)-like ship, BRP _Tarlac_, was anchored off Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Mindanao when it was rammed by a Liberian-flagged product tanker, MT _Tosca_ .
> 
> Initial assessments suggest the damages suffered in the incident are minor, and mostly localised in the ship's bow section at the point of impact.
> 
> "However, we are not taking any chances and our technicians are currently on the vessel to check the ship's vital components," said Tjahjono Yudo, PT PAL's general manager of corporate strategic planning, in a meeting with _IHS Jane's_ at the ADAS 2016 defence exhibition in Manila on 29 September.
> 
> The inspections will cover components including the vessel's hydraulic systems, electrical systems, and hull scantlings to ensure the platform's structural integrity has not been compromised.
> 
> "We are standing by for the possibility that the vessel may be sent back to Surabaya for repair works in the worst-case scenario," said Tjahjono. But he added that this looks highly unlikely unless the technicians find major rectifications are required.
> 
> 
> *Philippines interested in Indonesian medical support ship*
> 
> Nani Afrida
> The Jakarta Post
> Jakarta | Thu, September 29 2016 | 04:35 pm
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After purchasing two Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) warships from PT PAL Indonesia, the Philippine government is considering putting in another order for a medical support vessel from Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilder.
> 
> During the 2016 Asian Defense & Security (ADAS) exhibition in Manila, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana held a discussion with Brig. Gen. Jan Pieter Ate from the Indonesian ADAS delegation on Indonesian defense products.
> 
> “The Secretary of National Defense and the Philippines Navy chief of staff are impressed with the medical support vessel that will be fit for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations,” Jan Pieter, the Defense Ministry’s director of the defense industry and technology, told _The Jakarta Post_ on Thursday.
> 
> According to Jan Pieter, the Philippine secretary of defense had shown a deep interest in the 123-meter vessel and spent a lot of time looking at the vessel’s mock-up.
> 
> It was reported that the Philippines had also put in an order for the CN235-200 and N212i aircraft from state-owned airplane maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia in 2015.
> 
> The three-day ADAS 2016 exhibition ends on Friday.
> 
> According to its official website, ADAS 2016 attracts exhibitors from around the world and works closely with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). (evi)



I think this 2 vessel ship is enough, PH should plan to buy a fast boat for sea patrol can run fast or Sigma-class frigate. 

Sea Patrol boat need to be renovate, last year I went to one of pier in PH I feel so pity seeing the patrol boat rusty.


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## skyhigh88

Kababayan88 said:


> I think this 2 vessel ship is enough, PH should plan to buy a fast boat for sea patrol can run fast or Sigma-class frigate.
> 
> Sea Patrol boat need to be renovate, last year I went to one of pier in PH I feel so pity seeing the patrol boat rusty.



I thought PN was going to procure up to 3 or 4 SSVs? or 3 SSVs and 1 Hospital ship? I know PH really needs to upgrade its HADR capabilities due to all the typhoons. Hopefully PT PAL can get more projects from PN.

_"It was reported that the Philippines had also put in an order for the CN235-200 and N212i aircraft from state-owned airplane maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia in 2015." <-- _Anyone has more info on this??

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## CountStrike

*Rafael Expands Market Share in the Philippines*

30 September 2016





Rafael Spike N-LOS (photo : Jane's)

Israeli company Rafael has recently boosted its presence in the Philippine defence market significantly and is looking for further opportunities to supply its systems to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Haim Jacobovitz, the company's vice president for international marketing, told IHS Jane's on 28 September.





Spike ER missile (photo : i-hls)

Speaking at the Asian Defence and Security 2016 (ADAS 2016) exhibition in Manila, Jacobovitz confirmed that the company has, in the past two years, secured a range of orders from the Philippine Navy (PN) to supply its Mini-Typhoon 12.7 mm lightweight naval machine gun mount, its Spike-ER (extended range) missile system, and its Spike-NLOS (non-line-of-sight) missile system.

(Jane's)

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## Kababayan88

PN should have one kind of this missile to clear down Abu Sayaf group.


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## Yuyukangkang

IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
*ADAS 2016: PTDI provides details behind delays of Philippine Air Force's NC212i deliveries*
State-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has denied media reports that delays to two light utility turboprop transport aircraft on order for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) stem from manufacturer faults.

The Philippine government awarded a contract for two NC212i aircraft to PTDI in 2014 and was originally scheduled to receive the platforms in mid-2016.

"The two platforms are ready and have been completed according to manufacturing schedule," said Teguh Gratio, an area sales manager for PTDI, in a meeting with _IHS Jane's_ at the ADAS 2016 exhibition in Manila. "However, there has been a delay in the integration and certification of the aircraft's auto-pilot system."
*http://www.janes.com/article/64223/...s-of-philippine-air-force-s-nc212i-deliveries*


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## Svantana

BRP DAVAO DEL SUR
--------------------
repost from Indonesian Military Thread

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## ahojunk

Duterte gov’t readies fund to join China-led AIIB
By: Ben O. de Vera
Philippine Daily Inquirer
04:08 AM September 28th, 2016

The Philippines is ready to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), with allocation in the proposed 2017 national budget for the paid-up capital contribution needed to become a member.

Officials said that even as only over three months remain before the deadline, the Philippines still has ample time to secure its membership in the AIIB.

In a statement Tuesday, the Department of Finance (DOF) noted that the Bureau of the Treasury’s budget for next year almost quadrupled to P6.461 billion, in part due to capital subscriptions to foreign financial institutions, including the AIIB.

The Lower House’s committee on appropriations Monday night endorsed for Congress’ approval the DOF’s P21.3-billion budget for 2017, up from this year’s P18.4 billion in appropriations mainly due to higher salaries of personnel under the second tranche of the Salary Standardization Law.

To become an AIIB member, the Philippines must shell out $196 million, payable in five years or $39 million (over P1.8 billion) per year, as indicative paid-in capital.

Members must pay the initial tranche of their respective contributions by yearend.

For the contribution needed to be shelled out this year, the Department of Budget and Management had said the initial instalment can be paid out of the P4-billion contingency fund under the 2016 budget.

“Ratifying our membership in the AIIB is a priority agenda,” Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles C. Jose said in a text message.

“The Senate is aware of the December deadline for us to submit our ratification papers, and had indicated that they will prioritize this,” Jose added, referring to the Senate foreign relations committee headed by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

National Treasurer Roberto B. Tan agreed that there was time for the Senate to ratify the country’s AIIB membership.

In a recent meeting, Chinese embassy officials urged the DOF to fast-track work on the Philippines’ membership in the AIIB.

“The Chinese ambassador expressed appreciation that the Philippines is taking steps to complete procedures in its membership with the AIIB. The ambassador reiterated the need to complete all steps for full membership in the AIIB so the Philippines can access project financing to support its infrastructure requirements,” the DOF had said, referring to Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua.

The Philippines’ AIIB membership remained pending as it still needs Senate ratification. The country still has until yearend to secure Senate approval to become a founding member.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III earlier said that the Duterte administration would speed up the Philippines’ membership in the AIIB to widen financing options in line with plans to ramp up infrastructure development.

On Dec. 31 last year—only a day before the deadline—the Philippines announced that it would become a founding member of the AIIB, which aims to finance developing countries’ infrastructure needs. Pundits say the AIIB is seen to rival other multilateral lenders such as the World Bank and the Manila-based ADB, which are led by the United States and Japan, respectively.

Dominguez had said the DOF “will do its part to work closely with the bicameral committees involved in studying the benefits the Philippines will acquire by signing as members to the AIIB.”

“The Duterte administration will definitely pursue joining the AIIB as at the forefront of the incoming administration’s socioeconomic agenda is to increase infrastructure spending in the country … With traffic and the lack of basic infrastructure projects being hindrances to Philippine economic prosperity, the membership of the Philippines to the AIIB—an infrastructure-lending bank, is surely something that the people will benefit from,” according to Dominguez.

The administration wanted to raise the share of infrastructure spending to the gross domestic product (GDP) to as much as 7 percent by 2022.


Read more: http://business.inquirer.net/215531/duterte-govt-readies-fund-join-china-led-aiib#ixzz4LvS4CVH2


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## CountStrike

*Philippine Marines to Receive 8 KAAV in 2018*

01 Oktober 2016





Hanwha Techwin KAAV (photos : maxdefense)

*New kit for Philippine marines*

The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) will benefit from new amphibious vehicles and unmanned aircraft systems being introduced over the next two years. 

In March the Philippines ordered eight Korea Amphibious Assault Vehicles (KAAV) from Hanwha Techwin for PHP2.423 billion ($52.6 million). An integrated logistics support package was included in the contract sum.

The KAAV is a licence-built version of the BAE Systems AAV7A1. HoJun Shin, manager of the overseas sales team of Hanwha Techwin’s defence business unit, confirmed that his company is ready for serial production. 






A significant number of indigenously built AAVs are in service with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, but the company has to restart the production line to fulfil this first export order.

All eight are AAVP7A1 personnel-carrying variants fitted with a one-man turret mounting a K4 40mm automatic grenade launcher and K6 12.7mm machine gun.

A Philippine Navy spokesperson confirmed that four AAVs will be delivered in August 2018 and the remaining quartet in December the same year.

Under Horizon 2 of its modernisation plan, the PMC will be seeking additional AAVs as well.




Super Swiper SUAS (photo : hellotrade)

*Small unmanned aircraft system*

A second piece of new equipment destined for the PMC is a UAV being obtained under the Marine Fleet Imagery Targeting Support System programme.

This solution is being supplied by Triton Communications Corporation, a Philippine company. Citing a confidentiality agreement, Triton declined to name the UAV platform, though it could confirm it comes from overseas.

Shephard understands the Super Swiper UAV from Emmen Aerospace is the platform selected by the Philippines. The hand-launched Super Swiper has a maximum two-hour endurance and 16km range.

The MITSS is due to be delivered to the marines by June 2017. 

(Shephard)

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## Kababayan88

*Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia agree on joint air patrols*

The defense ministers of the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to explore joint air patrols during their trilateral meeting in Hawaii for the Asean-US Dialogue.

“The three ministers agreed to explore joint air patrols even while their respective armed forces are finalizing the parameters for maritime patrol in the agreed upon transit corridor in what the three countries consider as maritime areas of common concern,” the Department of National Defense (DND) said in a statement on Monday.

Last month, the three countries signed a document on standard operating procedures for trilateral maritime cooperation to secure regional waters.

The agreement to launch joint patrol in the seas after an increase of kidnappings led by the Abu Sayyaf this year.

“Primarily driven by the need to address the rising incidents of armed robbery at sea, kidnapping and piracy in the three countries’ areas of common concern, the trilateral meeting has evolved to be a platform for the defense ministers to address other emerging common concerns to include violent extremism,” the DND said.

“The phenomenon of returning fighters from the conflict in the Middle East could eventually create security challenges for the three countries, something which the ministers recognized and hence their decision to further get their act together,” it added.

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## CountStrike

*PH Air Force to Get US C-130 on Sunday*

07 Oktober 2016





C130T for PAF (photo : AMARG)

The fifth US Lockheed C-130 transport plane to be acquired by the Philippine Air Force will arrive in Cebu on Sunday.

The plane will touch down at Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Air Force spokesperson Col. Antonio Francisco told reporters on Thursday.

The plane took off Thursday morning from Davis-Monthan Air Base in Tucson, Arizona.

The C-130 plane will boost the Air Force’s capability in humanitarian assistance and disaster response, as well as transport of troops, relief goods and equipment.

The refurbished C-130 is the second of the two planes bought from the US at P1.6 billion through the Excess Defense Articles program. The first one arrived last April.

The number of C-130 planes in the Air Force inventory will be increased to five after the latest C-130 arrives. Other transport planes of the Air Force are three C-295 airbus and three Fokker F-27.

(Inquirer)

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## CountStrike

*Second Japan-Made Patrol Vessel to Arrive in December*

05 Oktober 2016




The second Parola-class patrol vessel will be named as BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) (photo : JCG)

The Philippine Coast Guard reported that its second Parola-class patrol vessel, 44-meter Multi-Role Response Vessel (MRRV), is expected to sail to the Philippines this December and will be named as BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402).

“BRP Tubbataha (MRRV-4401), meanwhile, is now ready for her commissionship on October 12 during the celebration of the 115th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard,” PCG said.

BRP Tubbataha was delivered in August 2016, succeeding deliveries are expected every quarter until completion of 10 units in 2018.

Japan, through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has granted the Philippine government Official Development Assistance (ODA) Loan for the first phase of Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP) for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in 2013.

The said project is providing the PCG with 10 44-meter Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRVs).

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the acquisition of two (2) heavy weather, high endurance 94-meter Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRVs) under the MSCIP Phase II.

(Update)

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## CountStrike

*Manila, Moscow Near Deal on $12-m Choppers*

08 Oktober 2016





Mil Mi-24/Mi-35 helicopter (photo : Dimitry Labutov)

THE Philippines is set to acquire two helicopters—each worth between $12 million and $17 million—as its initial purchase under a Russian-Philippine military acquisition program. 

An insider ad Foreign Affairs Department told the Manila Standard that the Philippines is looking to purchase either two of Mi17 or Mi24 to improve the country’s capability against possible internal and external threats.

“We are looking of purchasing two to four Mi17 or Mi24. This is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s focus is more on internal security than external,” the source, who asked for anonymity, told the Manila Standard.

Although the Philippines is still window shopping, the source admitted that the Israel government is also pushing for their drones.

The heavily armored Russian helicopters are designed to withstand any kind of weather and are said to be low maintenance.

The choppers are also said to have defensive capabilities against portable surface-to-air attacks.

The source said Russia may offer a huge discounts and extended payment schemes could be arranged.

“It’s all just feelers at the moment. There are no negotiations yet,” the source said.

Recently, Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta said the Philippines is looking to buy military equipment and technology from Russia.

He said the officials of Federal Service for Military-technical Cooperation (FSMTC) briefed them on the different modes of financing on acquiring militaty equipment or technology.

The ambassador said Philippine defense officials have established the kind of equipment they need for internal defense and counterterrorism, and that they were now canvassing to see if the systems that Manila needs are available from Russia.





Mi-17 helicopter (photo : Piotrek Bozyk)

The Philippines has been unable to procure the weapons it wants “because some countries don’t believe we can use these high-tech systems properly or because of certain country-specific conditionalities,” he said.

The only country so far with the available military technology and the willingness to sell it is Russia.

“They trust that we will use these in accordance with international humanitarian law,” he said.

Aside from the military equipment and technology, Sorreta said, both countries have discussed possible cooperation on training; after-sales service and maintenance; transfer of technology; investment in domestic military production and servicing; and different modes of financing.

The talks with Russia developed after Duterte met with Russian Ambassador Khovaev in Davao City a few days after the May 9 elections.

Khovaev said he was impressed by Duterte during a “very productive” meeting where they discussed how to jump-start Philippine-Russian relations which officially started only in 1976.

Khovaev said that it was “time for Russians to discover the Philippines, and it is time for the Philippines to discover Russia,” adding that strengthened trade cooperation could begin before the end of this year.

The Russian envoy said there is much potential in the two country’s bilateral ties because “there were no disputes and no contradictions.” 

(The Manila Standard)

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## Cossack25A1

CountStrike said:


> *Manila, Moscow Near Deal on $12-m Choppers*
> 
> 08 Oktober 2016
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mil Mi-24/Mi-35 helicopter (photo : Dimitry Labutov)
> 
> THE Philippines is set to acquire two helicopters—each worth between $12 million and $17 million—as its initial purchase under a Russian-Philippine military acquisition program.
> 
> An insider ad Foreign Affairs Department told the Manila Standard that the Philippines is looking to purchase either two of Mi17 or Mi24 to improve the country’s capability against possible internal and external threats.
> 
> “We are looking of purchasing two to four Mi17 or Mi24. This is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s focus is more on internal security than external,” the source, who asked for anonymity, told the Manila Standard.
> 
> Although the Philippines is still window shopping, the source admitted that the Israel government is also pushing for their drones.
> 
> The heavily armored Russian helicopters are designed to withstand any kind of weather and are said to be low maintenance.
> 
> The choppers are also said to have defensive capabilities against portable surface-to-air attacks.
> 
> The source said Russia may offer a huge discounts and extended payment schemes could be arranged.
> 
> “It’s all just feelers at the moment. There are no negotiations yet,” the source said.
> 
> Recently, Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta said the Philippines is looking to buy military equipment and technology from Russia.
> 
> He said the officials of Federal Service for Military-technical Cooperation (FSMTC) briefed them on the different modes of financing on acquiring militaty equipment or technology.
> 
> The ambassador said Philippine defense officials have established the kind of equipment they need for internal defense and counterterrorism, and that they were now canvassing to see if the systems that Manila needs are available from Russia.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mi-17 helicopter (photo : Piotrek Bozyk)
> 
> The Philippines has been unable to procure the weapons it wants “because some countries don’t believe we can use these high-tech systems properly or because of certain country-specific conditionalities,” he said.
> 
> The only country so far with the available military technology and the willingness to sell it is Russia.
> 
> “They trust that we will use these in accordance with international humanitarian law,” he said.
> 
> Aside from the military equipment and technology, Sorreta said, both countries have discussed possible cooperation on training; after-sales service and maintenance; transfer of technology; investment in domestic military production and servicing; and different modes of financing.
> 
> The talks with Russia developed after Duterte met with Russian Ambassador Khovaev in Davao City a few days after the May 9 elections.
> 
> Khovaev said he was impressed by Duterte during a “very productive” meeting where they discussed how to jump-start Philippine-Russian relations which officially started only in 1976.
> 
> Khovaev said that it was “time for Russians to discover the Philippines, and it is time for the Philippines to discover Russia,” adding that strengthened trade cooperation could begin before the end of this year.
> 
> The Russian envoy said there is much potential in the two country’s bilateral ties because “there were no disputes and no contradictions.”
> 
> (The Manila Standard)



I would prefer the Mi-24 than the Mi-17 as the armed Mi-17 is almost similar to the armed UH-1 whereas the Mi-24 is rather unique as it is heavily armed and at the same time, can be used to transport soldiers.

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## pr1v4t33r

Cossack25A1 said:


> I would prefer the Mi-24 than the Mi-17 as the armed Mi-17 is almost similar to the armed UH-1 whereas the Mi-24 is rather unique as it is heavily armed and at the same time, can be used to transport soldiers.



Mil Mi-17 will serve as transport helicopter, while Mil Mi-24 will serve as attack helicopter with limited transport capability. For transport purpose, Mi-17 have a much bigger capacity than UH-1 in PH inventory. Hence PH consider to try them both.

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## CountStrike

*DND Set to Acquire Sophisticated Equipment, Missiles*

10 Oktober 2016





Ambassadors of India, Russia and Israel have offered misile to Philippines (image : Brahmos Missile)


President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to look for other military markets for sophisticated weapons.

According to DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, ambassadors of India, Russia and Israel have offered some of their sophisticated equipment.

“Is it time for us to look for others for our military defense materials? It’s time. Many ambassadors already came to me, offering a lot of equipment. I see this as a healthy development with our relationship with other countries,” Lorenzana said, as quoted by Interaksyon.com.

The defense secretary also hinted the plan to acquire missile defense.

“We can also buy missiles from other countries like Germany, Israel and South Korea. We can also buy from France,” he said.

However, Lorenzana acknowledged, US-made materials and technology remain well-known world-wide.

(Tankler)


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## Nike

what happened to timawa.net ? http://timawa.net/

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## pr1v4t33r

madokafc said:


> what happened to timawa.net ? http://timawa.net/



Some said the Admin (Opus) is upset with current gov.


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## Cossack25A1

madokafc said:


> what happened to timawa.net ? http://timawa.net/



It may have something to do with the recent news about Duterte not raising the issue of Scarborough shoal when he goes to China and instead, he will ask the Chinese government (some see it as pleading to China, to Xi Jinping to be specific as he will be meeting him) to let Filipino fishermen to fish in the sea area around Scarborough shoal.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/148772-philippines-president-duterte-china-trip-scarborough-shoal

Strangely, he was supposed to visit Japan *first* but it ended up with him visiting China first then later Japan.


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## pr1v4t33r

Ten (10) Officers of the Philippine Air Force flew to Indonesia to attend the 6th Philippines-Indonesia Junior Officer Exchange Visit Program (PHIL-INDO JOEVP) conducted on September 26, 2016, which was hosted by the Indonesian Air Force (IDAF). 







The PAF participants in the PHIL-INDO JOEVP are: Lt Col Perfecto R Magalong Jr. PAF (GSC), Lt Col Derrick S Ablog PAF, Lt Col Peter Adrian E Eslava PAF (GSC), Lt Col Jasper P Lepsot PAF, Maj Alexander C Ilagan PAF, Maj Archibald S Magbanua PAF, Maj Manuel Paolo A Lascano PAF, Maj Renee Faye P Montenegro PAF, Cpt Reina M Caraig PAF, and Cpt Julie B Barroga PAF.






Now on its 6th year, the PHIL-INDO JOEVP is an annual bilateral activity between the Philippines and Indonesia that aims to promote military cooperation, strengthen friendly relations, and more importantly, develop the capabilities of personnel of both countries vis-à-vis their respective Air Forces.






Upon arrival, the Assistant Chief of FLO, Maj Angel A Luntungan TNI, welcomed the PAF delegates. A courtesy call and briefing then followed where they were able to discuss the following: contractual obligation of pilots, standard training for newly recruit Officers, pilot qualification and promotion system, policy on assignment and re-assignment of Officers, multi-lateral working relationship with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, procurement system, Officer’s service obligations, C-130H aircraft simulator training policies and qualifications, and doctrine formulation and policies.






For the first two (2) days, the PAF delegates interacted with their respective counterparts from the IDAF and toured around the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) Air Force bases. During the activity, some PAF Officers got the opportunity to fly the IAF PUMA flight simulator. 






They also conducted “live firings” of their munitions at Pintad Company, a weapons and ammunition firm, as well as, toured around the T Dirgantara Indonesia Company, an aircraft manufacturing firm, where they had the chance to observe their aircraft manufacturing laboratories including the two (2) nearly completed NC212i aircraft for the PAF. 






They then visited the facility of the Indonesian Peace and Security Center (IPSC), Southeast Asia’s biggest peacekeeping and anti-terror training camp. Moreover, the PAF delegates paid a quick visit to two (2) significant TNI Air Force base facilities namely: the Halim Air Force Base (home of the transport aircraft), and the Atang Sendjaja Air Force Base (home of the Helicopter Wing).

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## CountStrike

*Basler Offers BT-67 Gunship to Philippines*

14 Oktober 2016





BT-67 gunship (photo : xfwspot)

US company Basler Turbo Conversions is offering its BT-64 gunship to the Philippines as that country looks for a replacement for its ageing Rockwell OV-10 Broncos, the company announced on 12 October.

The BT-67 is essentially a twin-turboprop conversion of the Douglas DC-3 Dakota fitted with updated systems such as digital avionics, a night-vision goggle-compatible cockpit, weather radar, and a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor. It is being offered as a multirole platform that not only performs the ground attack role of the OV-10, but can also fulfil transport, surveillance, aero medical evacuation, and maritime patrol requirements of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

According to the Basler Turbo, the BT-67 offers a flexible configuration depending on the mission, a rough-field short take-off and landing (STOL) capability, a readily accessible pool of parts and spares, and reduced vulnerability to manportable air defence systems (MANPADS) on account of the exhaust vents for the twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R engines being angled over the wings.

The BT-67 is based on arguably the most proven airframe in the history of aviation, with the DC-3 having originally entered service in the mid-1930s. Performance specifications for the turboprop-powered Basler variant give it a more than 4,500 kg payload capacity over 650 n miles (or 1,200 kg over 1, 875 n miles with long-range tanks), and a 35 m 3 cabin volume. The aircraft has a cruising speed of 210 kt and a service ceiling of 13,000 ft.

Already fielded by the air forces of Colombia (gunship), El Salvador (transport), Guatemala (transport), Mali (transport), Mauritania (surveillance), Thailand (scientific research), and by the US State Department (transport and surveillance), deliveries to the Philippines could start a year after a contract signature.

The Philippines is set to re-launch its OV-10 Bronco-replacement programme, with a new request for proposals (RfP) to be issued in the coming months.

(Jane's)


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## CountStrike

*Duterte OKs Plan to Buy 2 PCG Helicopters*

17 Oktober 2016





PCG currently operates 2 helicopter Bo-105 (photo : PCG)

MANILA, Philippines – President Duterte has approved the acquisition of two helicopters to be used in search and rescue operations by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Duterte promised PCG commandant Rear Admiral William Melad that the agency would soon receive the helicopters when the President toured BRP Tubbataha during the PCG’s 115th anniversary on Oct. 13, PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said yesterday.

Air assets such as helicopters are vital in the PCG’s performance of its functions, particularly in search and rescue missions.

“The helicopters can be utilized in air dropping of relief goods, dropping of rescuers at sea and evacuation of people trapped on roofs and on trees during calamities,” Balilo said.

Aside from the 10 units of newly built 44-meter vessels from Japan that would arrive in the country in staggered delivery until 2018, the President also approved the acquisition of two more ships from Japan.

The ships measuring 90 meters long may be delivered by 2020, the PCG said.

The government is also planning to order two ships from France to add to the PCG’s fleet.

(PhilStar)


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## ahojunk

*While US companies fret in Philippines, Swedes are moving in*

Business delegation led by Sweden’s Minister of Enterprise will coincide with November opening of new embassy in Manila

By JOHAN NYLANDER OCTOBER 21, 2016 3:52 PM (UTC+8)

_*




Swedish defence contractor Saab is reportedly in pole position to secure a deal to sell its JAS 39 Gripen fighter
aircraft to the Philippine Air Force. Photo: Oleg V. Belyakov/AirTeamImages/ Wikimedia Commons*_​
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-American outbursts have made US businesses in the country increasingly worried about their future. For Swedish companies, the outlook seems quite different.

In early November, a business delegation led by Sweden’s Minister of Enterprise and Innovation Mikael Damberg will arrive to coincide with the opening of the country’s new embassy in the capital Manila.

At the same time, defence contractor Saab Group is opening a new office in Manila and is reportedly in pole position to secure a deal to sell its JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft to the Philippine Air Force. Trade promoter Business Sweden may also open a new office in the country.

During a visit to Beijing this week, Duterte said it was “time to say goodbye” to the US and that military exercises between the two countries should end. If that wasn’t clear enough, Duterte has previously told US President Barack Obama to “go to hell.” An anti-American demonstration outside the US embassy ended violently on Wednesday with dozens of people arrested and many injured.

Ebb Hinchliffe, head of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, told Reuters that Duterte’s statements have unnerved American businesses. US trade delegations in technology, financial services and manufacturing have canceled trips in recent weeks, he said. At least two American companies have chosen to do business in Vietnam instead “because of the president’s anti-American sentiment.”

“Every time he opens his mouth and says something negative about America, that hurts me personally… and from a business standpoint, it’s not helping,” he said in the Reuters interview.

Guenter Taus, the head of the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, also raised concerns, saying “uncertainty is a factor that we do not like in business, and that is exactly what we’re experiencing right now because we don’t know where we are heading.” The credit-rating agency S&P Global said that stability and predictability of policy making in the Philippines has diminished under the new presidency.”

*Optimistic Sweden*

In contrast, Joona Selin, Executive Director or the Nordic Chamber of Commerce in Manila, said its member companies remain optimistic. “There has been a lot of headwind lately, but from a business and economic perspective, the Philippine story hasn’t changed. All positive fundamentals in the economy are in place.”

The country’s GDP growth accelerated to seven percent in the second quarter from 6.8 percent in the first, making it one of the region’s fastest growing economies. “We remain bullish,” Selin said.

Still, Duterte’s defense of his bloodstained anti-drug campaign – with some 3,500 people killed in alleged extra-judicial executions in just three months – has created unease in several Western countries. That includes Sweden as the country opposes the death penalty, regardless if it’s in the Philippines, China or the US.

Sweden strongly rejects the executions taking place in the Philippines, Damberg said in an interview in Singapore last month.

“We believe that trade and exchange with countries is essential for the development of human rights. But we are not naive. We know that some countries violate human rights,” he said in an interview.

“Perhaps it’s even more important to have an embassy in countries where there are challenges. Our increased presence in the region makes it easier for us to support Swedish companies to do right.”

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## katarabhumi

*In Indonesia, PH military chief attends expo of weapons makers*





_General Ricardo Visaya says the expo will give the military new insights and inputs on how to proceed with the AFP's capability upgrade _

MANILA, Philippines – Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Ricardo Visaya flew to Indonesia last week to attend the 7th Indo Defense Expo and Forum, which brought together senior government and military officials from all over the world.

The bi-annual expo held from November 3-5 also gathered over 750 major and minor weapons manufacturers, according to a military statement.

"We have a standing commitment to our soldiers and by extension to the Filipino people that we will exert all efforts to bolster our own military capabilities. With this exposition and different bilateral meetings we will conduct on the sidelines, we can expect to gain new insights and inputs on how to proceed in realizing our vision of fully capable Armed Forces,” Visaya said in a statement.

In aiming to forge a military policy that is independent of the country's longest treaty ally, the US, President Rodrigo Duterte declared he wants the Philippines to look for alternative sources of weapons.

The companies represented at the expo came from Germany, India, Italy, Australia, South Korea, France, Turkey, USA, UK, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Belarus, and Indonesia.

AFP Public Affairs Office chief Marine Colonel Edgard A. Arevalo said the AFP chief flew to Indonesia to meet with his Indonesian counterpart, General Gatot Nurmantyo, and heads of delegations from East Timor, Malaysia, and Poland.

They discussed shared concerns like terrorism, drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, and other transnational crimes.

The expo that carried the theme “Bolstering Defense industry Cooperation: Achieving a Global Maritime Fulcrum and Secure World” was held simultaneously with the 5th Indo Aerospace, 2nd Indo Helicopter, and 4th Indo Marine Expositions.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/151458-indonesia-general-ricardo-visaya-weapons

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## Pinoy

*The history of the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty since 1951*

*A POINT OF AWARENESS (The Philippine Star) 
November 17, 2016*

Since President Duterte declared the “separation” of the Philippines from America, the whole country was very puzzled why suddenly the new president is rejecting a long time ally. Before US Ambassador Nicholas Platt and his wife Sheila left the Philippines in August 1991 for their next post in Pakistan, his office sent me a pack of leaflets narrating the basic facts behind the RP-US Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Security. Most inspiring was the comprehensive documentary, “In Our Mutual Interest.” In the foreword, Ambassador Platt eloquently appealed to our leaders:

“In Our Mutual Interest” appears at a critical juncture in our bilateral relations. As both countries look forward to the challenge of the 21st century, we are asked to re-evaluate the security and cooperation which has been one of the cornerstones of our relationship over the past 40 years.”

*Filipinos – Heartbeat of the US military facilities in Asia Pacific Defense*

The other brochures were a three-fold red, white and blue handout entitled 15 Facts About the US Military Facilities in the Philippines, and black and white brochure entitled 1998 Memorandum of Agreement on US Facilities in the Philippines. The magazine, Asia Pacific Defense Forum: Filipinos – Heartbeat of the US Military Facilities had information on the Filipino expert technicians, engineers, computer programmers, plant managers and medical personnel for just about everything from food to electronics and F-5 jet planes.

Since 1946, the US provided the Philippines with $3.3 billion in economic assistance. They are vital to the life of the nation and the global security of Asia.

Television, radio and print media barely focused on the fact that about 50 percent of Asia’s oil and 80 percent of its strategic materials pass through nearby straits such as Malacca, Lombok and Sunda. Of the oil used in the Philippines, 95 percent is imported by sea. Its security is reinforced by the Subic Naval Base.

The fact remains that US military assistance under the MBA permits the Philippines to have one of the lowest defense budgets in the ASEAN, despite an active internal security threat. It was only when the generals, led by Gen. Abadia revealed that 42 percent of the military budget had been sustained by America since she granted us our independence in 1945. At the same time, every year, the US military facilities purchase a broad range of services and supplies from nearly 2,000 local companies and Filipino entrepreneurs. This provides jobs for tens of thousands of other Filipinos. Since World War II, the US Veterans Administration has paid over $3.2 billion in benefits to Filipino veterans.

*The history of American presence in the Philippines*

The Philippines became a colony of the US following the Spanish-American War (April 21-Aug. 13, 1898) and the subsequent Philippine-American War (1899-1902). In 1935, under the terms of the Tydings-McDuffie Act, the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth, the Philippine Commonwealth, with full independence planned for 10 years later. Delayed by World War II and the Japanese invasion and occupation of the Philippines, the Philippines became fully independent on July 4, 1946.

Following independence, there remained in the Philippines a strong American military presence including a number of US military bases in the Philippines, all allowed by treaties between the newly independent Philippines and the US.

There were also a number of treaties that created a strong bond between the Philippines and the US which gave both countries rights not enjoyed by other nations. The Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty was signed on August 30, 1951 in Washington, D.C. between representatives of the Philippines and the United States.

After Spain, ceded the Philippines to the US in 1898, Fort Stotsenberg was established in Pampanga. This original site of Clark Air Base occupied part of 250,000 hectares of land in 13 provinces. It became the basis for the Philippine-US Bases Agreement.

The 99-year lease provided the US with more than 20 base sites. The MBA has undergone 40 amendments since its signing in 1947.

By 1979, all the bases reverted to Philippine control. Thus, American facilities were created on Philippines base lands greatly reducing them from 53,036 at Clark to 3,760, and at Subic from 14,800 to 6,303 hectares.

*Preparing the Philippines for independence*

Two centuries ago, America as a young nation was suffering from piracy in the open seas. To have a self-sufficient armed force and naval defense facilities were among their priorities.

To stand strong and free alongside the democratic countries of the world, the US felt the necessity for a self-sufficient military. As they prepared us for our independence way back in 1935, they gradually restored to us the 20 military base sites installed in 13 provinces of the Philippines.

First American Governor General of the Philippines Arthur MacArthur, father of Gen. Douglas MacArthur even helped establish the Philippine Military Academy of Baguio, Philippine counterpart of the US West Point to train Filipino military officers. Historically, this was contained in the 99 years MBA land lease agreement whose foundation President Franklin D. Roosevelt laid himself, in the dark days of December 1941.

On December 8, 1941, the US air force at Clark was decimated, the day after the destruction of the US fleet at Pearl Harbor by Japan. This event presaged the fall of the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma and French Indochina to Japan.

Some 80,000 Filipinos employed in Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base compose the second largest group of specialist workers employed by a foreign agency.

The US Base Facilities are the Philippines’ second largest employer. Total salaries amount to $110,590,000 (about P2.356 billion in 1988). It provides the second largest payroll in the Philippines.

*Night club rows spark anti-US sentiments*

The nightclubs and social hotspots rows surrounding Clark Air Force Base and Naval Base Subic Bay became the flashpoint of anti-US sentiment. This continued to grow and was reflected in the election of the Philippine Senate leading Pres. Corazon Aquino to sign the Anti-Base Manifesto Bill. Then the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo volcano damaged both US military bases. This created “Operation Fiery Vigil,” the emergency evacuation of roughly 20,000 people, all non-essential military and US military and defense civilians with their dependents from the bases and the last of them removed by November 1992.

However, with the unfortunate events surrounding the 9/11 bombing in New York, the US began restructuring and exercising its rights in the US-Philippine Defense Treaty as a part of its ”War on Terrorism” which included deployment of US forces to the Philippines in “Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines” to advise and assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

*2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA)*

On April 28, 2014, desiring to enhance cooperative capacities and efforts in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, the Philippine and US governments executed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). This was intended to promote the following between them: interoperability, capacity building towards AFP modernization, strengthening AFP for external defense, maritime security, maritime domain awareness and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR).

The agreement allows US forces to access to and use of designated areas and facilities owned and controlled by the AFP at the invitation of the Philippine Government. It contains clear provision that the US will not establish a permanent military presence or base in the Philippines and prohibition of entry to the Philippines of nuclear weapons. The EDCA has an initial term of 10 years, and thereafter will continue in force until terminated by either party after having given a one-year notice of intention to terminate.
*
*


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## Hindustani78

World News | Wed Dec 14, 2016 | 12:49pm EST 

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-usa-defense-idUSKBN1432BY

The U.S. government has approved the sale to the government of the Philippines of two Sea Giraffe radars and related equipment, support and training for about $25 million, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Wednesday.

The Philippines requested the sale to improve monitoring of its territorial waters. The radars will be installed on two Philippines Navy ships and the principle contractors will be VSE Corp and Saab.

The radar sale will allow the Philippines to beef up its maritime security and helps reinforce an important U.S. regional security relationship at a time when Washington is concerned about what it sees as China's overreaching claims in the South China Sea.

The Philippines has for decades been one of the closest U.S. allies in Asia, but the relationship has been strained recently as President Rodrigo Duterte has voiced disdain and mistrust of Washington while U.S. officials are worried over potential human rights violations under his government.

The U.S. Congress was informed of the radar sale and did not object.

A recent sale of assault rifles to the Philippines' national police was blocked in the U.S. Senate over concerns that they could be used against civilians.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, editing by G Crosse)


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## Nevsky

Pictures from the Russian visit in Philippines.

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## James David

@Cossack25A1 I am now in Bohol but here is a picture taken in Boracay!!!! Awesome place!!! The wife is very very happy!!! Now where in the world did I put my SMB!??! Will go up north in a few days I will be in the old John Hay next week!

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## pr1v4t33r



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## Caan

*2 More FA-50PAH Jet Fighters Arrived*






Arrival ceremony for Philippine Air Force’s fifth and sixth South Korea-made FA-50PH “Fighting Eagle” (005 and 006) was conducted today in Clark Air Base, Pampanga. The ceremony started at 11 am. FA-50PH with tail number 005 touched down 11:05 am, while 006 touched down 11:07.

The Philippines has 12-plane order from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) worth PHP18.9 billion. FA-50PH aircraft are Mach 1.5 capable.

The 1st and 2nd FA-50PHs arrived in November 2015, while the 4th and 3rd arrived a year after. The remaining six aircraft on order are expected to be delivered within this year.

PAF’s FA-50PHs were recently blooded in combat during the surgical air and artillery strike that wounded Abu Sayyaf Group commander Isnilon Hapilon last January 26.

The FA-50PH has a top speed of Mach 1.5 or one-and-a-half times the speed of sound and is capable of being fitted air-to-air missiles, including the AIM-9 “Sidewinder” air-to-air and heat-seeking missiles, aside from light automatic cannons.


It will act as the country’s interim fighter until the Air Force gets enough experience in operating fast jet assets and budget allocation for more capable fighter aircraft*.*

*Air Force now has six ‘Fighting Eagles’*






With the delivery of additional two South Korean-made FA-50PH “Fighting Eagle” jets, the Philippine Air Force now has six supersonic aircraft that can reach the speed of Mach 1.5 (1852.2 km/hour) or 1.5 times faster than the speed of sound.
FA-50PH with tail number 005 touched down 11:05 am in Clark Air Base, while 006 touched down at 11:07, February 22.

The Philippine Air Force ordered 12 units of FA-50PHs from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) worth 18.9 billion pesos.

The 1st and 2nd FA-50PHs arrived in November 2015, while the 4th and 3rd arrived a year after. The remaining six aircraft on order are expected to be delivered within this year.

These aircraft will act as the country’s interim fighter until the Philippine Air Force gets enough experience in operating fast jet assets and budget allocation for more capable fighter aircraft.

PAF’s FA-50PHs were recently blooded in combat during the surgical air and artillery strike that wounded Abu Sayyaf Group commander Isnilon Hapilon last January 26.

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## Svantana

*PN's Second SSV Nears Completion, Sea Trials by March*





MANILA (PNA) -- The country's second strategic sealift vessel (SSV), tentatively known as the BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602), is almost completed and will start dock and sea trials by March.

This was confirmed by Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna in a interview with the Philippine News Agency.

"LD-602 is more than 95 percent complete. By March (she) will have a series of dock and sea trials to test her systems, machineries and equipment," he added.

At the moment, PT PAL (Persero) shipbuilders in Surabaya, Indonesia are now installing navigational, deck and engineering equipment on the PN's second SSV.

The BRP Davao Del Sur was launched last Sept. 29. She is the sister ship of the BRP Tarlac (LD-601), currently the largest Filipino warship in commissioned.

BRP Tarlac was commissioned during short ceremonies at Pier 13, Manila South Harbor last June 1.

She arrived in the Philippines last May 14 after a five-day journey from PT PAL shipyard in Surabaya which started on May 9.

BRP Davao Del Sur is also a Makassar-class landing platform dock like her sister ship BRP Tarlac.

Its delivery to the Philippines, is tentatively scheduled this coming May, will complete the two-unit SSV procurement project with an approved budget contract of PHP4 billion sourced from the AFP Modernization Act Trust Fund.

Just like the BRP Tarlac, the PN's latest SSV will serve as a floating command-and-control ship especially in the conduct of humanitarian assistance and disaster response and will also serve as a military sealift and transport vessel.

The ship has an overall length of 120 meters,breadth of 21 meters, draft of five meters and can carry a payload of 2,800 tons.

She has a cruising speed of 13 knots and maximum speed of 16 knots and a minimum operating range of 7,500 nautical miles.

BRP Davao Del Sur can carry 500 troops, two rigid-hull inflatable boats, two landing craft units and three helicopters. 

http://defense-studies.blogspot.co.id

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## katarabhumi

*Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia to patrol piracy-prone waters*
_Thursday, Mar 9, 2017_

Manila - The Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia will launch joint patrols in piracy-plagued waters, Manila's defence secretary said Thursday, after a wave of attacks that saw Islamic militants kidnapping and murdering foreigners.

The Abu Sayyaf, a kidnap-for-ransom network that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, has been kidnapping sailors on fishing vessels and cargo barges including an elderly German whom it beheaded last month after ransom demands were not met.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he and his counterparts from Malaysia and Indonesia had agreed to patrol a sea lane where commercial vessels could pass with protection from the three nations' navies.

"We are inaugurating some time in April or May a joint patrol of the three nations in that area," Lorenzana said in a news conference.

"(Vessels) cannot stray beyond that lane so that we can help protect them." The waters between the three nations have become increasingly dangerous in recent years, with maritime officials warning of a "Somalia-type" situation if the attacks are not addressed.

In February, the Abu Sayyaf murdered Jurgen Kantner, 70, five months after his yacht was found drifting off the southern Philippines with the body of his female companion, Sabine Merz, who had been shot.

The Abu Sayyaf are holding 31 foreign and local hostages including six Vietnamese seamen attacked on their cargo ship off the southern Philippines last month, according to Lorenzana.

Lorenzana said he told the Vietnamese envoy to Manila last week to arm his nation's crewmen passing through the waters or coordinate with Philippine authorities to avoid being kidnapped.

He added President Rodrigo Duterte was "very interested" in ending the kidnapping problem.

Duterte had asked China to help patrol the waters, citing Beijing's dispatch of a naval convoy to the Gulf of Aden in 2009 to protect Chinese ships from Somali pirates.

Lorenzana said equipment to help fight the Abu Sayyaf like fast boats, drones and radars would be acquired as part of a military modernisation programme.

The Abu Sayyaf, established with seed money from Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network, have been kidnapping foreigners and locals for decades and holding them for ransom on its remote island strongholds in the southern Philippines.

Lorenzana, who identified the Abu Sayyaf and other extremist groups as the Philippines' top security threat, said the kidnappings were "embarrassing to the whole world".

http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/philippines-malaysia-and-indonesia-patrol-piracy-prone-waters

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## Suika

First 2 of 5 TC-90s arrived to the Philippines on March 27th.


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## UMNOPutra

PH is similar with Malaysia .. accept it as their destiny ..
-------
*Chicken Out: Philippines' Duterte cancels visit to disputed South China Sea island*






MANILA: Philippines' President Rodrigo *Duterte has cancelled a planned visit to an island the Philippines claims in the disputed South China Sea, after Beijing warned him against the visit.*

The brash Philippine leader last week *announced his plan to raise the Philippine flag in the island of Thitu and fortify it with barracks, setting off alarm bells.*




*"Because of our friendship with China and because we value your friendship I will not go there to raise the Philippine flag,"* Duterte said in a speech before the Filipino community in Riyadh late Wednesday.

"They said, do not go there in the meantime, just do not go there please. I will correct myself because we value our friendship with China," he said, adding that he might just send his son to the island.

China claims most of the South China Sea through which about US$5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. (http://tmsnrt.rs/1GHW1LC)

Duterte said Beijing warned him that "there will likely be trouble" if every head of state of contending parties will go to the disputed islands and plant flags.






The popular president is on a week-long state visit in the Middle East to facilitate trade and investments, and *meet with Filipinos overseas. The Middle East is the second largest source of remittances, with more than one million Filipino workers sending home US$7.6 billion in last year, government data showed.*

Duterte, who led the warming of ties with China, had blamed the United States for the current maritime tensions for not intervening to stop China building and arming artificial islands in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

The Philippines will reinforce, but not militarise, areas in the South China Sea controlled by Manila to maintain the geopolitical balance, Duterte said on Monday.

(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Michael Perry)


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## lcloo

According to a Philippines newspaper, A Chinese PLA flotilla consist of a type 052C destroyer, a type 054A frigate and a replenishment ship will arrive at Davao city tomorrow for a 3 days visit.

The PLA flotilla is on a round the world trip, Philippines is the first of more than 20 countries that the PLAN flotilla will visit.

Photo: The flotilla leaving Shanghai for round the world trip.






*中国军舰7年来首次抵菲律宾纳卯市访问*
2017年4月29日 星期六 _09:15 AM_



菲律宾商报讯：3艘中国海军军舰将自明天起，前往纳卯市访问3天，彰显双方日益升温的关系。这是2010年4月以来，首次有中国军舰访问菲律宾。

东棉兰佬军区昨天发布通告说，导弹驱逐舰长春号、导弹护卫舰荆州号以及综合补给舰巢湖号将由东海舰队副司令员沈浩率领，于明天航进纳卯港，进行亲善访问直到5月2日。

杜特尔特总统预期将登舰参观。


军方表示，这是自2010年4月13日以来，首次有中国军舰访菲。

国防部发言人安多隆在简讯中说，“国防部对于外国海军来访保持开放态度，诚如美国、越南、俄罗斯与纽西兰一样，我们欢迎中国军舰访问我们。”

他补充说：“除了作为信心建立的措施之外，我们也认为这是中方彰显两国关系升温的动作。”

至于为何多数外国军舰访菲是停泊在马尼拉湾，而中国军舰选择到南部纳卯市？安多隆说：“中国可能选择对他们方便的地点，我不愿多做假设，或许他们想看看纳卯市是什么样子。”

中国舰队将与菲方进行友谊体育竞技，并于5月1日开放给民众登舰参观。

来源：菲律宾商报

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## C130

UMNOPutra said:


> PH is similar with Malaysia .. accept it as their destiny ..
> -------
> *Chicken Out: Philippines' Duterte cancels visit to disputed South China Sea island*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MANILA: Philippines' President Rodrigo *Duterte has cancelled a planned visit to an island the Philippines claims in the disputed South China Sea, after Beijing warned him against the visit.*
> 
> The brash Philippine leader last week *announced his plan to raise the Philippine flag in the island of Thitu and fortify it with barracks, setting off alarm bells.*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *"Because of our friendship with China and because we value your friendship I will not go there to raise the Philippine flag,"* Duterte said in a speech before the Filipino community in Riyadh late Wednesday.
> 
> "They said, do not go there in the meantime, just do not go there please. I will correct myself because we value our friendship with China," he said, adding that he might just send his son to the island.
> 
> China claims most of the South China Sea through which about US$5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. (http://tmsnrt.rs/1GHW1LC)
> 
> Duterte said Beijing warned him that "there will likely be trouble" if every head of state of contending parties will go to the disputed islands and plant flags.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The popular president is on a week-long state visit in the Middle East to facilitate trade and investments, and *meet with Filipinos overseas. The Middle East is the second largest source of remittances, with more than one million Filipino workers sending home US$7.6 billion in last year, government data showed.*
> 
> Duterte, who led the warming of ties with China, had blamed the United States for the current maritime tensions for not intervening to stop China building and arming artificial islands in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
> 
> The Philippines will reinforce, but not militarise, areas in the South China Sea controlled by Manila to maintain the geopolitical balance, Duterte said on Monday.
> 
> (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Michael Perry)



he should just make a deal with China  he doesn't have the balls to call China President a son of a bitch


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## 帅的一匹

C130 said:


> he should just make a deal with China  he doesn't have the balls to call China President a son of a bitch


Because Xi Jin Ping is definitely not a SOB.


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## pr1v4t33r

2nd LPD for PH Navy currently on sea trials, BRP Davao Del Sur crews onboard, Suramadu bridge, Surabaya Indonesia on background.

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## Suika

Philippines Defense Secretary in a C-130 circled around Zamora (Subi reef) in a C-130 before landing Pag-asa on April 21st. P1.6 billion (about 32 million USD) set aside to develop Pag-asa.

---start---
MANILA, Philippines - A military aircraft flying Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año over the West Philippine Sea received a warning yesterday from Chinese forces to leave the airspace.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) C-130 transport aircraft was circling over Zamora or Subi Reef for its final approach to the unpaved Rancudo airfield on Pag-Asa Island in the Spratlys when it received a radio warning from the Chinese to stay away from the area.

The PAF pilot responded that the aircraft was flying in Philippine airspace.

Lorenzana downplayed the incident. “It’s already normal because each time our planes conduct resupply operations here they are challenged (by the Chinese),” he said.

“We replied that we are flying over Philippine territory,” Lorenzana later told reporters.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the Chinese told the Filipino pilots to stay away from Subi to avoid a miscalculation.

“As before, (the pilots) were once again challenged as they made their pattern of landing,” Padilla said.

From being merely a “seabed” in “international waters” under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Subi Reef has metamorphosed into a bustling artificial island, with massive structures, a 3,000-meter runway, two ports, gun emplacements, and radar domes.

There were reports the Chinese have installed a missile defense system on the reef. Based on UNCLOS, there can be no territorial waters for features built on the seabed. Subi Reef is about 40 nautical miles from Pag-asa Island.

With Lorenzana and Año on the plane were Army commanding general Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda, Western Command (Wescom) commander Lt. Gen. Raul del Rosario, and other AFP officials and members of the media. The aircraft touched down at around 8 a.m. The DND chief attended a flag ceremony along with 45 military officials and personnel stationed on the island.

The group, with Palawan Gov. Jose Alvarez and representatives of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), toured the island.

On the West side of Pag-asa facing the West Philippine Sea, Lorenzana personally witnessed the presence from a distance of four to five Chinese Coast Guard ships.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it welcomed efforts of the Department of National Defense and the AFP to secure Pag-asa Island.

“We defer to the DND and the Armed Forces on how best to fulfill their Constitutional mandates with respect to improving the safety, welfare, livelihood and personal security of Filipinos in the Palawan municipality of Kalayaan,” the DFA said.

‘Unsafe side’

Soldiers assigned on Pag-asa island told The STAR they call the Eastern side of the island the Philippine side and the Western part the “unsafe side” as they wouldn’t want to call it the Chinese side.

In remarks, Lorenzana assured government troops the administration of President Duterte and the AFP are looking after their welfare despite the Chinese menace.

The Chinese, he explained, “believe that this is theirs, they protest to say that they do not want what we are doing here.”

The Philippines maintains that the island group including Pag-asa is part of its territory, which Filipinos occupied as early as the late 1960s, and on which a runway was built in 1975.

“I don’t think I should give them any message. This is just a normal visit within our territory, we believe and we know that this is our territory and I am just visiting to look at the conditions of our people here,” Lorenzana said.

Reacting to China’s challenging the PAF’s flight over Subi, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the administration takes seriously the Chinese action.

“We mind and we respond appropriately. We have our challenges and answers where protocols to be made if it is bad enough that that could be the basis for some note verbales,” Esperon said after President Duterte’s visit to Russian ship Varyag yesterday.

“A challenge is not something that is really positive. But a challenge could be just to identify yourself but it could also mean that you’re challenging because you think that’s your territory,” he added.

Asked if Duterte would go to Pag-asa island in the future, Esperon said: “In the future? Let me answer you that in the future.”

Pressed if the President would spend a night in the island, the national security adviser replied: “Why not? But not now.”



P1.6-B Pag-asa dev’t

Meanwhile, Loranzana also revealed the administration has set aside at least P1.6 billion to develop Pag-asa.

He said the building of a beaching ramp would be prioritized and hopefully done by July this year so that construction materials like gravel and cement as well as heavy equipment could be brought to the island by sea.

He told reporters in a press briefing that BFAR also intends to build a fish port in the area.

The government also wants to put up a radio station, an ice plant, water desalination facility, homes for soldiers stationed in the island, and put up a sewage system.

“We will develop this into a tourism area and marine research (facility),” Lorenzana said.

“These are our plans, the plans of the President and he said do it now and do not delay. That’s why we are here now,” he stressed.

“We’ve been here since 1971, and our flag has been planted way back in the 1970s. We were here first, the others just followed,” he said of the country’s claim on the Kalayaan Islands.

Lorenzana said the development of Pag-asa has long been delayed because of the arbitration case filed by the Philippines that resulted in a moratorium on the implementation of projects.

The DND chief said President Duterte’s treatment of China shows that he is just trying to develop friends around the neighborhood.

“China is the most powerful country in our neighborhood, economically and militarily, and we are trying to manage the issue and talk to them one-on-one bilaterally, settle this dispute in the South China Sea,” he said.

“I believe that the President is right in talking to the Chinese leadership on how to manage the issue here in South China Sea,” he added.

The second biggest island next only to the Taiwanese-occupied Itu Aba, Pag-asa is a fifth class municipality in Palawan exercising overall jurisdiction over the country’s regime of islands in the disputed Spratlys region.

Lorenzana’s trip to Pag-asa came only a day after reports came out about Chinese coast guards firing warning shots to drive a group of Bataan-based Filipino fishermen from Union Bank. The incident, which reportedly happened on March 27, involved Chinese coast guards securing the reclaimed Gaven Reef.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commander Armand Balilo confirmed receiving information about the Chinese harassment of Filipino fishermen around Union Bank.

He said a Chinese coast guard speedboat with guns and carrying seven personnel fired shots at the fishing boat Princess Johann, which is owned and operated by Dionisio Cabacungan.

The Chinese reportedly fired warning shots when the Filipino boat dropped anchor some two nautical miles from Union Bank. The crew panicked, cut off their anchor line and fled the area.

Balilo said they were not able to interview the fishermen as they had already returned to the sea. “We were only able to communicate with them via radio. But according to the boat captain, the Chinese Coast Guard did not directly fire shots at them,” he said.

Vietnamese and Chinese forces have already occupied most of the maritime features within the Union Bank, a wide body of submerged features right within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping maritime claims in the region. Only Brunei has no military presence in the areas it claims.
---end---
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2...se-challenge-philippines-defense-chiefs-plane


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## Suika

Balikatan Exercise 2017 will be smaller than Balikatan 2016, but still continues.

---start---
Military officials in the Philippines have announced that joint annual drills with the United States will continue although the mission would mostly focus on humanitarian and counter-terrorism operations rather than live-fire exercises.

The military said Sunday that annual military exercises, known as Balikatan (Shoulder-to-Shoulder), will now go ahead in May, and will last for 10 days.

"It will be scenario-based like (preparing for) a big storm hitting the Philippines or the possibility of terrorism," Balikatan spokesman Major Celeste Frank Sayson, said, adding "We are safe to say there will be no more live-fire exercises. We (will) focus on humanitarian and civil assistance."

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had said earlier that the exercises would focus on fighting terrorism, a top priority for the Philippines, which is still battling militants in its lawless south.

The drill will be the first under President Rodrigo Duterte, an outspoken critic of the West who has repeatedly clashed with Washington over his anti-drug campaign. He has also courted China, effectively putting into question Manila's 70-year alliance with the US. Duterte even suggested last year that the annual drills should be cancelled and US troops should leave the Islands nation.

Before Duterte, the drills intensified as disputes between the Philippines and China over islands in the South China Sea escalated. However, Duterte has ignored the dispute in favor of economic concessions from Beijing.

However, Manila still needs military support from the US to repel sporadic attacks by militants of the Abu Sayyaf and other groups that have pledged allegiance to the Daesh Takfiris in Iraq and Syria.

Clashes erupted between security forces and militants earlier in the week after Abu Sayyaf elements attacked a key Philippine tourist destination, the first of its kind in recent years.
---end---
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/04/16/518304/Philippines-US-drills
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/04/16/518304/Philippines-US-drills
Some videos of Balikatan 2016.


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## Svantana

Second SSV launched yesterday at PT PAL Indonesia
BRP Davao Del Sur 602

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## Svantana

BRP Davao Del Sur Interior

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## Satria Manggala

BRP Davao Del Sur Arrived at Philippines [update .ph]

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## Suika

As Balikatan 2017 begins, it became known that Australia and Japan are also sending a small dispatch to participate in the exercise.

---start---
MANILA, Philippines — Australian and Japanese military forces will be involved in this year’s Balikatan Exercise, the Philippine military announced Monday, as it holds scaled down drills with its treaty ally, the US.

Lt. Gen. Oscar Lactao, the Philippine side exercise director, said that Australian forces would be involved in some special operations while military personnel from Japan would participate in the humanitarian exercises.

“For the Australian Armed Forces, they will participate in some special operations and bilateral exercises, and for the Japanese it’s more of HADR,” Lactao said.

This year's Balikatan Exercise features drills in humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and counterterrorism, an apparent scale down of the yearly military engagement between the two countries.

Evidence pointing to some strain on the military alliance of the two countries came after it was announced that the two sides would not hold Philippine Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) and Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) this year.

PHIBLEX participants engage in live-fire events and training for amphibious landing while CARAT is an annual naval exercise of the US with nine other countries including the Philippines.

In a press conference, Lactao admitted that “political authorities” decided on the humanitarian and disaster relief focus of this year’s military exercise.

He said that based on the guidance coming from Philippine political leaders, the focus of this year’s drills should be humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and counterterrorism.

“This exercise scenario is being done by both countries. Of course, we get the guidance from political authorities. So, the political authorities give the guidance to us on the priority at this point in time. The priority according to the president is HADR (humanitarian assistance, disaster relief) and counterterrorism,” Lactao said

The 2017 Balikatan Exercise has 2,800 Filipino soldiers and 2,600 US participants. Eighty military personnel will come from Australia while 20 from Japan will join the drills.

Military contingents from some Southeast Asian countries are observing the bilateral exercise.
---end---
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/05/08/1697947/australia-japan-forces-join-balikatan-2017

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## Satria Manggala

*Philipphine will order 2 more SSV , one for hospital

PT PAL Akan Buat Kapal Angkut untuk Militer Filipina*

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Indonesia melalui BUMN, yaitu PT PAL Indonesia (Persero) telah mengirim kapal perang jenis Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) kedua ke angkatan militer Filipina. Kapal itu dinamakan BRP Davao Del Sur LD 602.

Deputi Bidang Usaha Pertambangan,‎ Industri Strategis dan Media Kementerian BUMN Fajar Harry Sampurno mengungkapkan, pesanan kapal dari Filipina tidak berhenti di situ. Harry mengaku Indonesia masih memproses pembuatan kapal pesanan Filipina ke 3 dan ke 4 dengan tipe yang berbeda.

"Sudah ada pembicaraan dengan Filipina, rencana ada SSV 3 dan SSV 4," tegas Harry saat berbincang dengan wartawan di kantornya, Selasa (9/5/2017).

‎Dijelaskannya, meski dua kapal yang dipesan itu memiliki tipe yang sama, namun Militer Filipina menginginkan memiliki fungsi khusus. Satu sebagai kapal yang berfungsi sebagai rumah sakit, dan satu sebagai markas pasukan.

Dalam kapal rumah sakit ini, nantinya dijadikan cover kesehatan bagi para pasukannya yang tengah melakukan operasi di daerah-daerah pertempuran.‎ Di dalamnya akan ada laboratorium hingga ruang perawatan.

Sementara untuk kapal markas pasukan, nantinya akan digunakan militer Filipina dalam memberantas perompak-perompak di perairannya.

"‎Nanti juga dilengkapi dengan senjata. ‎Filipina ini negara kepulauan seperti Indonesia, sehingga pemberontak-pemberontak akan dimasukkan ke kapal, sehingga tidak perlu turun ke darat. Nah SSV ini cocok," papar Harry. (Yas)*

http://bisnis.liputan6.com/read/2945972/pt-pal-akan-buat-kapal-angkut-untuk-militer-filipina*





*BRP Davao Del Sur LD 602* [*update.ph*]

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## katarabhumi

*New ship from Indonesia to join PH Navy on its 119th anniversary*
_By: Frances Mangosing - Reporter / @FMangosingINQ
INQUIRER.net / 10:13 AM May 11, 2017_





The BRP Davao del Sur at the South Harbor in Manila. (Photo from the Facebook page of the AFP)

The Navy will celebrate its 119th anniversary with the commissioning of its brand new landing dock vessel, the BRP Davao del Sur (LD-602).

Navy spokesperson Captain Lued Lincuna announced on Wednesday that BRP Davao del Sur (LD-602) will join the Philippine Fleet during the Navy’s anniversary ceremonies in Davao City on May 31. Its sister ship, BRP Tarlac, was also commissioned on the Navy’s anniversary last year.

With the capabilities of the strategic sealift vessel, it is likely to be used for humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.

“It can work in tandem with BRP Tarlac or alternate vessel if one is in maintenance,” Philippine Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Gaudencio Collado Jr. said on the sidelines of the welcome ceremonies for BRP Davao del Sur.

“With this we can have the assurance that if there is calamity, although we are not asking for that, we have something to use for HADR,” he said.

For instance, had there been this type of vessel during Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013, much-needed aid would have reached Eastern Samar in a day or even less.

Asked if the new ship would perform territorial defense duties like BRP Tarlac, Collado said they would wait for a directive from the higher headquarters.

The arrival of BRP Davao del Sur marks a “milestone” for the Navy, according to the Philippine Fleet commander.

“Davao del Sur, like BRP Tarlac, illustrates the perseverance of our government to build up capability of our Navy…Her timely arrival gives us more reasons to celebrate another year of honorable service to our country and people. I take pride in saying that the Navy is on its way to becoming strong better and credible naval force that our maritime nation can be truly be proud of,” Collado said.

The new vessel has a minimum operating range of 7,500 nautical miles. It is about 120 meters long and has a maximum carrying capacity of 11,583 tons.

The ship can carry 500 troops, two landing craft units, three helicopters and two rigid-hull inflatable boats. It can also stay for a month at sea.

The two strategic sealift vessels, now the biggest ships of the Philippine Navy, were acquired from PT PAL in Indonesia for P4 billion. 

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/895967/new-ship-from-indonesia-to-join-ph-navy-on-its-119th-anniversary

.

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## Satria Manggala

*Philippines considers purchasing Indonesian medical support ship*

*



*
*BRP Davao del Sur LD602 Arrived [stripes]
*
Manila (ANTARA News) - The Philippines Defense Ministry has considered buying a medical support ship from PT PAL Indonesia after it purchased two Strategic Sealift Vessels (SSVs) from the state-owned ship builder.

PT PAL Indonesias General Manager of the merchant vessel division Satriyo Bintoro stated here, Thursday, that the Philippines had conducted an evaluation of the plan, including finalization of the specifications of the ship.

"We are optimistic that they would order another ship from PT PAL, as they are satisfied with the earlier orders," Bintoro noted.

He admitted that customer satisfaction will improve the national shipbuilders credibility and create more business opportunities for PT PAL Indonesia.

"In addition to the medical support ship, they need three more SSVs, as its specifications are in line with the conditions in the Philippines," he added.

The Philippines had earlier purchased two SSVs from the company -- BRP Tarlac and BRP Davao Del Sur -- worth Rp1.1 trillion (US$82.4 million) in total.

Indonesia had won an international tender for the ships in 2014, beating eight other ship-building nations, including South Korea, a major producer of ships and war jets.

The first exported warship was launched by Vice President Jusuf Kalla on May 8, 2016, and the delivery of the second vessel was launched by Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu on May 4.(*)

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/1...rs-purchasing-indonesian-medical-support-ship

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## pr1v4t33r



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## Satria Manggala



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## Svantana




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## Penguin

The Hamiltons look nice in grey. They just need a bit more 'hardware' imho.

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## Penguin

CountStrike said:


> *PHILIPPINE NAVY SET TO RECEIVE POHANG CLASS (PCC 759) MISSILE WARSHIP*
> Posted on February 2, 2016
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is set to transfer Pohang-class Mokpo (PCC 759) to Philippine Navy after decommissioning took place on 31 December 2015 at Jinhae naval base.



These are aesthetically pleasing, small but capable ships. However, as much as I like these ships, I like the Ulsan class - shown below as the farthest away ship - even better. Get as many of both as you can!

http://i.imgur.com/zjvchIZ.jpg

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## Satria Manggala

*Duterte says China's Xi threatened war if Philippines drills for oil*






Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte in Beijing. 


> REUTERS/Etienne Oliveau/Pool
> 
> By Manuel Mogato | MANILA
> Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday Chinese counterpart China Xi Jinping had warned him there would be war if Manila tried to enforce an arbitration ruling and drill for oil in a disputed part of the South China Sea.
> 
> In remarks that could infuriate China, Duterte hit back at domestic critics who said he has gone soft on Beijing by refusing to push it to comply with an award last year by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which ruled largely in favor of the Philippines.
> 
> Duterte said he discussed it with Xi when the two met in Beijing on Monday, and got a firm, but friendly warning.
> 
> "We intend to drill oil there, if it's yours, well, that's your view, but my view is, I can drill the oil, if there is some inside the bowels of the earth because it is ours," Duterte said in a speech, recalling his conversation with Xi.
> 
> "His response to me, 'we're friends, we don't want to quarrel with you, we want to maintain the presence of warm relationship, but if you force the issue, we'll go to war."
> 
> Duterte has long expressed his admiration for Xi and said he would raise the arbitration ruling with him eventually, but needed first to strengthen relations between the two countries, which the Philippines is hoping will yield billions of dollars in Chinese loans and infrastructure investments.
> 
> The Hague award clarifies Philippine sovereign rights in its 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone to access offshore oil and gas fields, including the Reed Bank, 85 nautical miles off its coast.
> 
> It also invalidated China's nine-dash line claim on its maps denoting sovereignty over most of the South China Sea.
> 
> Duterte has a reputation for his candid, at times incendiary, remarks and his office typically backpeddles on his behalf and blames the media for distorting his most controversial comments.
> 
> Duterte recalled the same story about his discussion with Xi on oil exploration in a recorded television show aired moments after the speech.
> 
> He said Xi told him "do not touch it".
> 
> He said Xi had promised that the arbitration ruling would be discussed in future, but not now.
> 
> 
> Duterte said China did not want to bring up the arbitral ruling at a time when other claimant countries, like Vietnam, might also decide to file cases against it at the arbitration tribunal.
> 
> It was not the first time the firebrand leader has publicly discussed the content of private meetings with other world leaders.
> 
> His remarks came the same day that China and the Philippines held their first session in a two-way consultation process on the South China Sea.
> 
> They exchanged views on "the importance of appropriately handling concerns, incidents and disputes involving the South China Sea", the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that gave few details.
> 
> (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Martin Petty)



http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-philippines-china-idUSKCN18F1DJ


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## Suika

Some videos of Balikatan 2017.


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## Banglar Bir

*‘West is just double talk, I want more ties with Russia & China’ – Duterte*
Published time: 21 May, 2017 10:37

The Philippines should have stronger ties with Russia and China, as Western nations are only interested in double talk and disregard Philippines interests, President Rodrigo Duterte told RT and other Russian media ahead of his visit to Moscow.
The Philippines leader is due to arrive for a five-day visit on May 22.



Philippines eyes $500mn loan to buy Chinese arms, says strings attached to US weapons
Duterte said that while he has nothing personal against Washington, his country needs a change in its foreign policy to separate it from American interests.

_“I have nothing against America, [US President Donald] Trump is my friend. But my foreign policy has shifted. I want to deal with China and Russia. Because in Western world, it’s double talk,”_ he said.
_“You treat me as if I’m your colony still. You must be kidding! We’re an independent country. I want my country to be treated with dignity,”_ he added.

Duterte has repeatedly expressed his desire to have countries such as China and Russia provide military hardware for the Philippines.
This week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana signed a letter of intent with Chinese state-owned arms manufacturer Poly Technologies on future purchases.

Next week, Duterte is expected to sign a similar agreement in Russia on his visit to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Speaking to Russian media ahead of the visit, Duterte said he will not leave Philippines national security dependent on Washington.
_“If my country collapses, who will bring it back? The US? We need weapons,”_ he said.
_“Russia sells weapons, no conditions. With the US it’s a different story. They make conditions. But I’m not gonna stand on bended knees.”_

View image on Twitter





The Philippines is a former US colony which has a military alliance with its former master. For decades, three-fourths of its arms purchases came from US suppliers.

Duterte says he does not want his country dragged into a potential US confrontation with China.
_“They want me to fight China. With what? Do I have cruise missiles? It’s gonna be a massacre! And then what? We’ll sit at the bargaining table and be like – I want this, and they say I want that. Do I look stupid?”_ he said.

https://www.rt.com/news/389105-duterte-west-russia-visit/


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## skyhigh88

*Indonesian-made BRP Tarlac during BALIKATAN 2017*
Rappler
May 15, 2017





BALIKATAN. A Philippine Air Force C-130 cargo plane flies over Philippine navy sea lift vessel BRP Tarlac, while a speed boat loaded with US and Philippine marines sails during a simulation of a disaster drill as part of the annual joint Philippines-US military exercise at a sea port in Casiguran, Aurora province on May 15, 2017. Photo by Ted Aljibe/AFP











Philippine special forces guide an amphibious landing craft on a beach on May 15, 2017 in Casiguran Province, Philippines. Philippines and U.S. troops held the annual 'Balikatan' (shoulder-to-shoulder) joint military exercises with an approximately 6,000 participating troops, consisting of some 2,800 Philippine troops and 2,600 U.S. troops.

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## Cossack25A1

*Philippines needs modern weapons vs ISIS, Duterte tells Putin
Reuters
Posted at May 24 2017 05:02 AM 
Updated as of May 24 2017 05:11 AM*

*MOSCOW* - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told Russian leader Vladimir Putin that the Philippines needs modern arms to fight Islamic State and that he expected Russian support.

Duterte also said he had to halt his visit to Moscow and return home as there was still fighting with ISIS's militants there.

Putin said he hoped the conflict in the Philippines would be resolved "with minimum losses". He also said there were the prospects for economic and military cooperation between Moscow and Manila. 

Putin met Rodrigo Duterte late Tuesday, instead of meeting on Thursday as originally planned.

Duterte earlier declared martial law in southern Mindanao province after fighting raged in southern Marawi City between the army and militants linked to Islamic state. 

Duterte, a native of Mindanao, cancelled a meeting set for Wednesday with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. 

Two soldiers and a policeman were killed and 12 wounded amid chaos in Marawi, a predominantly Muslim city of about 200,000 people, where members of the Maute militant group took control of buildings and set fire to a school, a church and a detention facility.

"The government is in full control of the situation and is fully aware that the Maute/ISIS and similar groups have the capability, though limited, to disturb the peace," presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella told a news conference in Moscow.

The Maute and Abu Sayyaf militant groups have pledged allegiance to Islamic State, also known as ISIS, and have proved fierce opponents for the military as Duterte seeks to crush extremists and prevent radical Islamist ideology from spreading in the Philippines.

Abella said the militants "have shown no hesitation in causing havoc, taking innocent lives and destroying property."

Duterte has warned repeatedly that Mindanao, an impoverished, restive region the size of South Korea, was at risk of "contamination" by Islamic State fighters driven out of Iraq and Syria.

Brigadier General Rolando Bautista, commander of the Philippines' First Infantry Division, said security forces were trying to locate militants who had scattered everywhere and were blocking reinforcements from arriving.

"There are more or less 100, divided into groups of 10 in different locations," Bautista told news channel ANC.

"Since they are advocating ISIS ideology they have to show ISIS that they are a force to be reckoned with."


*MAUTE SNIPERS*

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said and some 1,000 soldiers would be in Marawi by morning, but warned civilians to stay in their homes.

"There are Maute snipers all around, so the troops are still holding and elements have already joined," he said.

The purpose of Tuesday's raid was to capture Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of the Abu Sayyaf group which is notorious for piracy and for kidnapping and beheading Westerners. The U.S. State Department has offered a bounty of up to $5 million for Hapilon's arrest.

The military has not explained how the raid on an apartment turned into urban warfare that was still raging 12 hours later.

The incident highlights the challenges facing Duterte, who has pleaded with separatists and moderate Muslims in the predominantly Catholic nation to shun Abu Sayyaf and Maute.

He has threatened several times to declare martial law in Mindanano, and deliver a "harsh" crackdown. Martial law will apply for 60 days.

The government has blamed the Maute for a bombing in September 2016 at a street market in Duterte's hometown of Davao City, which killed 14 people and wounded dozens.

Maute fighters took over a disused building in the region in November and endured five days of military air and ground assaults before fleeing, with 61 fighters killed.* - with a report from Doris Bigornia, ABS-CBN News*

*-----
http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/23/17/philippines-needs-modern-weapons-vs-isis-duterte-tells-putin
-----*


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## MarveL

any updates on Marawi's ops?


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## Banglar Bir

*ISIS conquers Philippines city of Marawi (pictures)*
ADAM GARRIE 6 hours ago 

The Philippines city of Marawi has reportedly been taken by ISIS in the most brutal way imaginable. According to the Amaq Agency, over 70 Philippines soldiers have been killed. However, the Philippine Army have contradicted this report saying that only 8 of their soldiers have been killed. It remains to be seen which report is the more accurate figure.

ISIS have set up check-points around the city in a manner reminiscent of how they came to control cities like Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria.

New pictures have been released by al-Masdar depicting the rapid conquest of the city by ISIS.

The rapid gains ISIS is making in Philippines could gain the group a foothold in South East Asia. Unlike previous Islamist insurgencies in Philippines, ISIS openly claim to hold regional and indeed global ambitions.

















http://theduran.com/isis-conquers-philippines-city-of-marawi-pictures/

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## 帅的一匹

China shall Provide heavy artillery to Phillipine army.

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## 帅的一匹

Kill those terrorists relentlessly.

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## pr1v4t33r

BRP DAVAO DEL SUR Strategic Sealift Vessel is now at Sasa Port of Davao to support military operation in Marawi

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## Banglar Bir

*Philippines deploys commandos, helicopters to retake city from Islamists*

Reuters
Published at 03:59 PM May 26, 2017
A black smoke comes from a burning building at a Marinaot town, after government troops continuous assault with insurgents from the so-called Maute group, who has taken over large parts of the city, in Marawi City, southern Philippines May 26, 2017 `REUTERS

*The battles with the Maute group, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, started on Tuesday during a failed raid by security forces on one of the group's hideouts that spiraled into chaos.*

The Philippines mobilised attack helicopters and special forces to drive Islamic State-linked rebels out of a besieged southern city on Thursday, with six soldiers killed in street combat amid heavy resistance.

Ground troops hid behind walls and armoured vehicles and exchanged volleys of gunfire with Maute group fighters, shooting into elevated positions occupied by militants who have held Marawi City on Mindanao island for two days.

Helicopters circled the city, peppering Maute positions with machine gun fire to try to force them from a bridge vital to retaking Marawi, a mainly Muslim city of 200,000 where fighters had torched and seized a school, a jail and a cathedral, and took more than a dozen hostages.

“Our troops are doing deliberate operations in areas we believe are still occupied or infested with the terrorist presence,” said the head of the task force, Brigadier General Rolly Bautista.

The battles with the Maute group, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, started on Tuesday during a failed raid by security forces on one of the group’s hideouts that spiraled into chaos.

Eighteen rebels were killed on Thursday, the army said.

The turmoil was the final straw for President Rodrigo Duterte, who on Tuesday delivered on his longstanding threat to impose martial law on Mindanao, the country’s second-largest island, to stop the spread of radical Islam.

“If there’s an open defiance you will die,” he said on Wednesday. “And if it means many people dying, so be it.”

Islamic State claimed responsibility late on Wednesday for Maute’s activities via its Amaq news agency.

At least 46 people – 15 security forces and 31 rebels – have been killed and religious leaders say militants were using Christians taken hostage during the fighting as human shields. The status of those hostages was not known.

The White House condemned the Maute group as “cowardly terrorists” and said the United States was a proud ally of the Philippines and backed its fight against extremism.

*Getting out*
Hundreds of civilians had sheltered in a military camp in Marawi City as troops helped clear the few remaining people from streets where smoke lingered in the air.

“We’re leaving,” said a resident named Edith, walking along a rundown street carrying a small suitcase. “We can no longer take it and we need to save our children.”

Sultan Haji Ismael Demasala said he was staying and would leave his fate in God’s hands. “If Allah wills it so, then we cannot stop it,” he said, pointing his finger in the air.

Marawi is located in Lanao del Sur province, a stronghold of the Maute, a fierce, but little-known group that has been a tricky opponent for the military.

Military leaders say the Maute’s motivation for taking the city was to raise its profile and earn recognition from Islamic State.

Tuesday’s raid was aimed at capturing Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of radical faction of another militant group, the Abu Sayyaf. The government says Hapilon is a point man for Islamic State in the Philippines and has been collaborating with the Maute leaders.

“Based on our intelligence, Isnilon Hapilon is still in the city,” said Jo-Ar Herrera, spokesman for the First Infantry Regiment.

The Maute group’s rise is a source of concern for Mindanao native Duterte, who is familiar with Muslim separatist unrest but alarmed by the prospect of rebels helping Islamic State to recruit and establish a presence in the volatile region of 22 million people.

The president held a cabinet meeting on Thursday in Davao, his home city and the biggest on Mindanao.

Security was stepped up in Davao, with more military checkpoints and some businesses sending staff home during daylight hours. Residents were urged to stay vigilant.

In the city where Duterte was mayor for 22 years, and enjoys a cult-like following, residents were supportive of martial law.

“It’s not a hassle. It is good because it prevents harmful events,” said manicurist Zoraida Jakosalem Himaya. “He is like a father telling his children what to do.”

http://www.dhakatribune.com/world/a...commandoes-helicopters-retake-city-islamists/

*BRP Davao Del Sur, PH Navy's latest ship, arrives in Manila*
(UPDATE 2) The BRP Davao Del Sur is the second Strategic Sealift Vessel of the Philippine Navy. It is a versatile ship that can serve as a one-stop operations center at sea.

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## Banglar Bir

*Russia helps Philippines fight ISIS*
ADAM GARRIE 4 hours ago 

Russia and Philippines have concluded an agreement wherein the former will supply much needed modern military hardware to the East Asian country as well as cooperate on further defence and counter-terrorism measures as well as the war against drugs.

The wide ranging talks were described by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the following way,
“These (agreements) include a defence cooperation agreement, memorandums on cooperation in nuclear energy, trade, investment, industry, transport, culture, and arts, as well as an action program for cooperation in tourism and a plan of consultations between our foreign ministries”.

According to the Philippines Star, President Rodrigo Duterte asked President Vladimir Putin for a loan to purchase much needed modern weapons. This comes after Philippines ran into difficulty securing weapons from its traditional ally, its post colonial ruler, the United States.

Duterte had a notoriously poor relationship with Barack Obama whom Duterte called a ‘son of a whore’. He has a notably better relationship with Donald Trump, but this has not changed Duterte’s position from looking increasingly to China and Russia as foreign partners.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Minister Alan Cayetano said that,
“The response of the Russian Federation through President Putin was very, very generous. So they said, well, we have the framework in place through our agreements to cooperate.

They have showed us what is available to us. I’m not at liberty now to discuss that…but they are awaiting our proposals.

It’s nothing new for the Russian Federation to lend a helping hand to countries that are their friends”.
Alan Cayetano also said that the Philippines will ask Russia for protective body armour for its troops and other protective gear in addition to modern weapons.

While Philippines has battled an Islamist insurgency for decades in the south of the country. Manila reports that unlike previous insurgencies the current fight with ISIS is internationalised. In addition to radicalised citizens of Philippines, the fighters include those of Indonesian and Malaysian origin, including some who were unable to get to Syria and Iraq in order to wage Salafist war/jihad.





According to Philippines Solicitor General Jose Calida,

“Before it was just a local terrorist group. But now they have subscribed to the ideology of ISIS. They want to make Mindanao a part of the caliphate”.

He also said that the intention is for ISIS fighters to turn Mindanao province in the south of the country into a province of the ISIS caliphate ruled from Raqqa in ISIS occupied Syria.

Rodrigo Duterte has promised total war on ISIS, but has made it clear that the war can only be won with the modern military equipment that the country currently lacks. He has turned to Russia for assistance in this matter.

There is however a distinct possibility that the US under Trump may come to Philippines’ aid in the war against ISIS. If the war becomes more protracted, Russia may also send special military advisers, although it is still far to early for such a thing to be an immediate possibility. If this happens though, there is interestingly a higher likelihood that Trump will finally be able to realise his goal of working with Russia against ISIS in Philippines rather than in Syria. The US after all is much better equipped to fight in Philippines than in Syria as it has an historic presence in and around the country. By contrast, the vast majority of America’s wars in the Middle East have been total strategic and at times military failures.

It is of note that ISIS began their violent assault on Marawi City when Duterte was in Moscow. Many have commented that this could imply that ISIS are taking their orders from those in the west who seek to undermine Duterte’s foreign policy which seeks historic new positive relations with both China and Russia.

It is also of note that illegal narcotics are a major source of funding for groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda.

Rodrigo Duterte has overseen the world’s most thorough war on drugs. Therefore Duterte’s struggle against drugs and ISIS terrorism are deeply related. It is the drugs which help to finance ISIS. Philippines is now at war with both.

http://theduran.com/russia-helps-philippines-fight-isis/


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## MarveL

*PH signs some $500-million deals in Russia: delegate*


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## Banglar Bir

*Philippines crisis ‘transmogrified into invasion by foreign terrorists’*
Published time: 26 May, 2017 03:53 Edited time: 26 May, 2017 16:11





An armoured personnel carrier and government troops, Philippines May 25, 2017. © Romeo Ranoco / Reuters

The Maute group confronting the Philippine army in Marawi City is no longer considered a local terrorist organization as it has been reinforced by jihadists of Malaysian, Indonesian and “other nationalities,” the country’s authorities have announced.
_“Before it was just a local terrorist group. But now they have subscribed to the ideology of ISIS. They want to make Mindanao as part of the caliphate,”_ Solicitor General Jose Calida told a news conference_, _according to Reuters.

*READ MORE: Russia & Philippines sign defense cooperation agreement, reaffirm unity against terrorism*

He added that Indonesians and Malaysians are among the Islamist radicals who are fighting the army. Meanwhile, an army spokesman said six foreigners were killed in Mindanao on Thursday, including militants of Malaysian, Indonesian and _"other nationalities."_

_“What’s happening in Mindanao is no longer a rebellion of Filipino citizens”_ but _“has transmogrified into an invasion by foreign terrorists who heeded the clarion call of the ISIS to go to the Philippines if they find difficulty in going to Iraq or Syria,”_ Calida added, as cited by InterAksyon news.





The terrorist group is aiming to create an Islamic State _“province”_ in Mindanao and will target anyone to achieve their objective, Calida warned.
_“People they consider as infidels, whether Christians or Muslims, are also targets of opportunity,”_ he said. _“What it worrisome is that ISIS has radicalized a number of Filipino Muslim youth.”_

Duterte deploys commandos, attack helicopters to retake Marawi from ISIS-linked fighters (VIDEO) https://on.rt.com/8cqd 

2:02 AM - 26 May 2017




*Duterte deploys commandos, attack helicopters to retake Marawi from ISIS-linked fighters (VIDEO) —...*
Philippines special forces launched an attack on Islamist militant positions in Marawi City early Thursday morning in a bid to retake the city from the ISIS-affiliated Maute group. The operation...

On Thursday, Philippines’ Western Mindanao Command (WESMINCOM) announced that, since Tuesday, at least 31 fighters of the IS-linked Maute group were killed in Marawi City.



Philippines 'Dirty' Duterte facing ‘same ISIS dynamic’ as Assad in Syria
_“As of this report, 31 terrorists were already neutralized and 6 high-powered firearms were recovered by the troops,”_ said Brig. Gen. Rolly Bautista, head of Joint Task Force Zam PeLan.

At least 13 government troops and police officers lost their lives since Tuesday.

_“Our troops are doing deliberate operations in areas we believe are still occupied or infested with the terrorists’ presence. I specifically ordered our soldiers to locate and destroy these terrorists as soon as possible,”_ Bautista added.

On Tuesday night, President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire island of Mindanao under martial law for 60 days after battles between government troops and the Maute in Marawi escalated. On Wednesday, Duterte warned that he will not hesitate to declare martial law throughout the entire country if terrorism spills beyond Mindanao.

The Philippines leader also promised to resign if extremists prove him incapable of maintaining peace in his country.

_“As president, if I cannot confront them, I will resign,”_ Duterte said Wednesday. _“If I am incompetent and incapable of keeping order in this country, let me step down and give the job to somebody else.”_
https://www.rt.com/news/389770-philippines-marawi-foreign-terrorists/


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## Ryuzaki

*ISIS ambushes the Philippine Army south of Marawi amid heavy clashes in the city*

*



*

*

 https://twitter.com/i/web/status/868063537679224832*

https://mobile.almasdarnews.com/art...ne-army-south-marawi-amid-heavy-clashes-city/


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## pr1v4t33r

Battle intensifies in Marawi. Army' APC getting hit by RPG

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## nufix

pr1v4t33r said:


> Battle intensifies in Marawi. Army' APC getting hit by RPG
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 400419
> 
> View attachment 400420



those are some serious individual battle gears actually


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## MarveL

nufix said:


> those are some serious individual battle gears actually



*Soldiers killed in military air strike in Marawi*
(UPDATED) AFP chief General Eduardo Año is leading a probe into the incident. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana tells Rappler 'pilot error' is a possible cause.









BURNING. In this file photo, a Philippine Marines armored personnel carrier speeds away as black smoke billows from burning houses after military helicopters fired rockets at militant positions in Marawi City on May 30, 2017. File photo by Ted Aljibe/AFP



MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – At least 10 soldiers were killed in a military air strike during operations to rid Marawi City of members of the Maute Group, said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday, June 1.

Another 7 soldiers were wounded during the air strike on Wednesday, May 31, said Lorenzana in a text message to Rappler.

An investigation, headed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Eduardo Año, is underway. But Lorenzana told Rappler that "initial report says pilot error."

In a press briefing at Malacañang on Thursday, Lorenzana explained that two military planes had been flying at the time. The first plane hit its target accurately, while the second one missed its target by around 100 meters and instead hit the soldiers.

"We are trying to ascertain how the first plane hit the target, _'yung second ang layo_ (the second one completely missed)," he said.

_"Ang sasakupin niyan _(The investigation will cover) what happened really – was there a failure to communicate? ... We will find out."

The bodies of the dead soldiers have been retrieved, and their families have already been informed.

"Sometimes mistakes happen," said Lorenzana. "We hope they don't happen but all we can do is to see to it that they don't happen again."

The defense chief also raised the possibility of limiting air strikes by using only precision-guided aircraft, but said the final decision lies with ground commanders. He said the bomb that hit the soldiers was a conventional one, not a precision-guided missile.

Lorenzana added that there may be no need for as many air strikes if more ground troops converge on areas in Marawi City still held by the Maute Group.

President Rodrigo Duterte has been informed of the incident. – with reports from Carmela Fonbuena and Pia Ranada / Rappler.com

http://www.rappler.com/nation/17160...l&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer


_________





__ https://www.facebook.com/










_quoted as it is:
"Heroes in Uniform. DISCLAIMER: The theme expressed in this photo is purely coincidental with the current situation in Mindanao, Philippines. This photo was taken on May 19, 2017; five days before the Marawi siege." _


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## Satria Manggala

*Gunman on loose at casino in Philippine capital, but nobody shot*




AFP / NOEL CELIS  
*Philippines' police officers stand guard by the Resorts World Hotel in Manila on June 2, 2017 *

A gunman was on the loose at a casino complex in the Philippine capital on Friday after firing an assault rifle in a gambling room, but nobody has been reported shot or taken hostage, the national police chief said.

People ran screaming out of Resorts World Manila, which is across a road from one of the main terminals of the Philippines' international airport, after the man fired what police chief Ronald dela Rosa said was an M4 assault rifle.

"There hasn't been anyone shot... there are only injuries from people who tried to escape in a stampede or from smoke," Dela Rosa said on DZMM radio.

Dela Rosa said he could not say if it was terrorist attack, but emphasised the gunman did not shoot anyone and there had been no reports of hostages being taken.

However the gunmen had not been found, Dela Rosa said at 4:30 am on Friday, (2030 GMT Thursday, more than four hours after the shooting occurred.





AFP / Kun TIAN  
*Gunfire at casino complex in Philippine capital*

Dela Rosa said the man, who appeared to be acting alone, walked into one of the gambling rooms and fired the rifle at a large television screen then poured gasoline onto a gambling table and set it alight.

He said the man then fired again at a stock room containing gambling chips and filled a backpack with them.

The man then left the room and went upstairs to a hotel section of the complex, according to dela Rosa.

"We have cleared the rooms (on the floor of the hotel the gunman was last seen) but we don't see where he is," dela Rosa said.

The Islamic State group immediately claimed responsibility.

IS said "lonewolf soldiers" from its group carried out the attack, according to the SITE Intelligence Group that monitors terrorist organisations.

But dela Rosa said: "We cannot attribute this to terrorism."

He said it may have just have been an attempted robbery, pointing out the gunman tried to steal the gambling chips.

- Terrified -





AFP / NOEL CELIS 
*A man fired what police chief Ronald dela Rosa said was an M4 assault rifle inside Resorts World Manila*

People inside the casino recounted feelings of terror when the shooting occurred.

"I was about to return to the second floor from my break when I saw people running. Some hotel guests said someone yelled 'ISIS'," Maricel Navaro, an employee of Resorts World, told DZMM radio.

ISIS is another acronym for the Islamic State group.

"Guests were screaming. We went to the basement locker room and hid there. People were screaming, guests and employees were in panic," Navaro said.

"When we smelled smoke, we decided to go for the exit in the carpark. That's where we got out. Before we exited, we heard two gunshots and there was thick smoke on the ground floor."

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law last week across the southern region of Mindanao to crush what he said was a rising threat of Islamic State there.

He declared martial law shortly after militants went on a rampage through the southern city of Marawi, which is about 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Manila.

Security forces are still battling the militants in Marawi, and the clashes there have left at least 171 people dead.





AFP / TED ALJIBE  
*Military tanks maneouver through a village as they advance towards a position of Islamist militants in Marawi, on the southern island of Mindanao on June 1, 2017*

Duterte said last week he may need to declare martial law across the rest of the country if the terrorism threat spread.

A Muslim separatist rebellion in the southern Philippines has killed more than 120,000 people since the 1970s.

The main Muslim rebel groups have signed accords with the government aimed at forging lasting peace, giving up their separatist ambitions in return for autonomy.

However a range of hardline militants groups have rejected the peace process and in recent years have sought to unite behind IS.

https://www.afp.com/en/news/15/gunman-loose-casino-philippine-capital-nobody-shot

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## MarveL

Satria Manggala said:


> *Gunman on loose at casino in Philippine capital, but nobody shot*

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## skyhigh88

*Duterte welcomes BRP Davao del Sur*
President Rodrigo Duterte promises 'more acquisitions of vessels and equipment' for the AFP at the 119th anniversary of the Philippine Navy

Rappler.com
Published 3:59 PM, June 01, 2017
Updated 3:59 PM, June 01, 2017






NAVY ANNIVERSARY. President Rodrigo Duterte troops the line at the Philippine Navy anniversary in Sasa Wharf, Davao City, on May 31, 2017. Photo by Manman Dejeto/Rappler 





MAN AT THE HELM. President Rodrigo Duterte takes a seat at the ship's bridge. Photo from Presidential Photo
































DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the country’s newest military ship, the BRP Davao del Sur during the Philippine Navy’s 119th anniversary in Davao City on May 31, 2017.

The BRP Davao del Sur is 123 meters long and is the navy’s second amphibious landing dock vessel. On June 1, 2016, its twin ship, BRP Tarlac, was commissioned into the Navy. The two are the biggest ships in the navy's inventory.

*"I have 5 years. I will acquire more jets, air assets and boats. And I will make the Philippine Armed Forces a little bit stronger by the time, InShaAllah, I go out as President*,” he added, amid applause from the crowd composed mostly of Navy men and women, and other top military officials.

Duterte promised “more acquisitions of vessels and equipment” for maritime law enforcement, counterterrorism, and disaster relief operations.

Duterte vowed to improve the AFP's capability as government troops battle members of the terrorist Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.

Terror groups attempted to take control of the city on May 23 after soldiers and police launched an operation against Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf member who allegedly has direct ties to ISIS.

Duterte later toured the ship with other officials, including Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/171622-brp-davao-del-sur-duterte-military-modernization

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## pr1v4t33r

MarveL said:


>



What a grim story with maute attack and now this.. is this the time for living dangerously in Philippines...


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## nufix

pr1v4t33r said:


> What a grim story with maute attack and now this.. is this the time for living dangerously in Philippines...


maybe we can say the same for our country.


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## Satria Manggala

*Duterte Eyes 12 More Fighter Jets for Military*





PAF F/A-50PH (photo : Lester Tanggo)

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte vowed Friday to acquire more brand new military equipment, including 12 more fighter jets.

Duterte told the soldiers from the 102nd Infantry Brigade in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, that his administration would not accept second hand equipment.

"Kung buhayin pa ako ng Panginoon Diyos, you will have about 24 jet planes. Mag-acquire pa ako ng 12. Subukan ko. You have the best equipment, ‘yung --- ang sources natin sa baril ninyo is just two nations. I will not mention the names," he said.

"During my time, wala na akong second-hand mga barko, barko. It has to be brand new. Hindi na ako tatanggap ng mga equipment ng military na second-hand. Iyong ibinibigay ng Amerikano, ayaw ko na ‘yan. Even I have to spend double the money," the President added.

Duterte also expressed confidence that the government would win on its fight against the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group in Marawi City.

"Dito naman sa extremism, mananalo tayo. But we will have losses, ganon lang talaga ang buhay. That is how life is governed in this universe. You would never know when," he said.

He said it has been taking long for the government forces to finally defeat the terrorists because of the civilians who could be affected.

"But no we are a government and we are bound by rules and even treaties, ‘yung mga Geneva Convention. That’s their favorite sanctuary. They also refer the Geneva Convention ‘pag pabor nila. ‘Pag nadehado sila, wala silang ingay sa Geneva Convention. And that is always the problem because the government can never ignore treaties and the laws of the land," he said.

"Kung terorista lang din tayo, madali na natapos ‘yan. Bombahan mo lang lahat, tapos na isang araw. Eh marami na akong jet planes ngayon, sampu na ‘yan," Duterte added.

The military has been conducting offensive operations against the Maute members since May 23 when the militants attacked Marawi.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said earlier the military could completely clear Marawi of terrorists by June 2.

But in a news briefing on Friday, Brigadier General Restituto Padilla, military spokesman, said that it was not possible anymore.

"It was a deadline that was set forth and provided by the Secretary of National Defense so we can aim for it. But the final decision actually rests on the ground commander. And based on the report that we’re getting I don’t think we can meet that deadline today to completely --- I’d like to qualify that --- to completely free Marawi of every single armed element in every street," he said.

But he added that the government forces were working and doing their best to immediately complete the mission. 

(SunStar)

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## pr1v4t33r



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## Satria Manggala

^^^it's that protection ... really useful?


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## pr1v4t33r

Satria Manggala said:


> ^^^it's that protection ... really useful?



They'll have to find out the answer... the hard way...
i do notice that the cardboard armor looks partly destroyed, so it took some hit and survived.

This one not so fortunate...


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## cnleio

It seems China start to arm Philippine Police ... no surprise weapons from China later will arm Philippine military force to against local terrorists/separatists, just like ten years ago China ever helped the government in Sri Lanka.

Many weapons from BeiJing to Manila

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## Satria Manggala

*New weapons from US for Marawi war
*




















(*AP Photo / Bullit Marquez*)

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## Nike

i ak looking cheytak intervention, nice piece of works


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## Satria Manggala

*Maute's Rocket PG bounces off tank.*
*AFP uses ordinary cardboard to protect tank. *

*



*


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## Satria Manggala

*Marawi home yields ₱52.2-M in cash, ₱27-M in checks*

*ByNewsLine Philippines
June 6, 2017



A platoon from 37MC of Marine Battalion Landing Team 7 has recovered P52.2M & stale cheques worth P23,776,386.71 from a post of the Maute Group at a residence in Brgy Saduc Proper, Marawi City on June 5, 2017.
*
DAVAO CITY, Philippines— Members of the 37MC of the Philippine Marine battalion recovered P52.2-million cash and P23.7-million worth of stale checks inside a house serving as post for Maute group in barangay Saduc Proper, just near Mapandi bridge, Marawi City during the clearing operations.

The total amount of the cash and the checks amounts to P79.2-million.

In a media briefing Task Force Marawi spokesperson Jo-Ar Herrera clarified it and Marine officers said ₱52.2 million in cash and P27 million-worth of stale checks were found inside a vault during a house-to-house clearing operation near Mapandi bridge.

Mapandi bridge was under the control of the terrorist Maute group for 12-days as the bridge served as their shelter from military attacks.




The checks recovered, authorities has yet to determine where the money and checks come from.-Contributed photo
While clearing the house Monday afternoon marine troops discovered huge cash and checks. After the inventory the same was turned over to the Joint task Force for safekeeping.

The Marines reported the house was an abandoned machine gun position of the armed terror group Maute.

The terrorist Maute group has been the subject of joint government operations since May 23 reportedly to protect the “emir” or leader of ISIS in the Philippines, Isnilon Hapilon, who is believed to be in the area.

Hapilon is allegedly working with the Maute group to establish a “wilayat,” or caliphate of ISIS in Lanao del Sur.

President Rodrigo Duterte is offering PHP20 million bounty to anyone who can give vital information leading to the arrest and neutralization of Abu Sayyaf leader and ISIS “Emir” in the Philippines, Isnilon Hapilon and Abdullah and Omar Maute, the heads of the terror group now being cornered by security forces in Marawi City.

The money will come from President Rodrigo Duterte, said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo Año on Monday.

The PHP10 million is allotted for Hapilon and PHP5 million for each of the Maute brothers.

“The President is offering PHP10 million-reward money for the neutralization of Isnilon Hapilon who is believed to be leading the terrorist Maute-ISIS group in attacking Marawi City,” Año disclosed. Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph

*http://newsline.ph/top-stories/2017/06/06/marawi-home-yields-₱52-m-in-cash-₱23-7-m-in-checks/*


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## Hindustani78

US new brand weapons and equipment to Phillipines Military.


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## striver44

transporting heavy weaponry for marawi theater

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## pr1v4t33r

>>> It's an upgrade.... from cardboard armor that is...

These ISIS-Fighting Philippine Tanks Are Clad in DIY Wooden "Armor"

New pictures from the fighting between Philippine government forces and guerrillas aligned with the Islamic State show armored vehicles with ad hoc wood armor. The images of the Philippine Army Cadillac Gage V-150 armored car, circulated on Twitter, show it covered with discarded ammunition crates and salvaged wood. The wooden armor is supposed to protect it from man-portable anti-tank weapons— another image showed a RPG-2 rocket-propelled anti-tank grenade launcher captured from ISIS troops.






The armor is well-meaning, but probably not up to the job. So could wood armor actually work?

RPGs and other infantry anti-tank weapons use so-called high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) technology, also known as shaped charges. The shaped charge was first demonstrated by Charles Munroe, a professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, in 1888. A cone-shaped cavity is placed against a slab of metal, or tank armor, and an explosive charge is detonated behind it. The cavity channels the force of the explosion through the cone to the tip. This enables a shaped charge warhead to penetrate armor up to seven times the diameter of the charge.

The result is that a handheld rocket launcher such as the RPG-2 can penetrate more than 180 millimeters of steel armor. This is more than enough to pierce the armor of a V-150 armored car, which is designed to stop bullets with a diameter of 7.62-millimeters or smaller.






To be effective, wooden armor would have to do one of two things: stand away from the vehicle's hull, or be plenty thick. In the first case, building a "cage" of wood armor would do the trick. This would cause the RPG warhead to detonate against the wood and burn through the "armor," but dissipate before it actually reached the vehicle's surface. Think of the cage armor that protects U.S. Army Stryker interim armored vehicles. It actually doesn't matter what the cage is made of as long as the material is hard enough to trigger the contact fuze.

If a cage isn't available, then a _lot_ of wood would help. At least a foot of wood armor might do the trick to dissipate the armor-piercing molten jet. Maybe. The distance between the slat armor on the Stryker and the actual surface of the vehicle might be a good hint at how thick wood armor ought to be.

Of course, wooden armor would be absolutely useless against kinetic energy anti-tank rounds. Modern armor-piercing ammo, which is basically a giant tungsten or depleted uranium dart fired at supersonic speeds, would cut through wood like a hot knife through butter. Fortunately those types of anti-tank weapons are mounted only on full-size tanks, of which ISIS in the Philippines has none.

_http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a26804/wooden-armor-tank-rockets/?src=socialflowTW_

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## Nike

pr1v4t33r said:


> >>> It's an upgrade.... from cardboard armor that is...
> 
> These ISIS-Fighting Philippine Tanks Are Clad in DIY Wooden "Armor"
> 
> New pictures from the fighting between Philippine government forces and guerrillas aligned with the Islamic State show armored vehicles with ad hoc wood armor. The images of the Philippine Army Cadillac Gage V-150 armored car, circulated on Twitter, show it covered with discarded ammunition crates and salvaged wood. The wooden armor is supposed to protect it from man-portable anti-tank weapons— another image showed a RPG-2 rocket-propelled anti-tank grenade launcher captured from ISIS troops.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The armor is well-meaning, but probably not up to the job. So could wood armor actually work?
> 
> RPGs and other infantry anti-tank weapons use so-called high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) technology, also known as shaped charges. The shaped charge was first demonstrated by Charles Munroe, a professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, in 1888. A cone-shaped cavity is placed against a slab of metal, or tank armor, and an explosive charge is detonated behind it. The cavity channels the force of the explosion through the cone to the tip. This enables a shaped charge warhead to penetrate armor up to seven times the diameter of the charge.
> 
> The result is that a handheld rocket launcher such as the RPG-2 can penetrate more than 180 millimeters of steel armor. This is more than enough to pierce the armor of a V-150 armored car, which is designed to stop bullets with a diameter of 7.62-millimeters or smaller.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To be effective, wooden armor would have to do one of two things: stand away from the vehicle's hull, or be plenty thick. In the first case, building a "cage" of wood armor would do the trick. This would cause the RPG warhead to detonate against the wood and burn through the "armor," but dissipate before it actually reached the vehicle's surface. Think of the cage armor that protects U.S. Army Stryker interim armored vehicles. It actually doesn't matter what the cage is made of as long as the material is hard enough to trigger the contact fuze.
> 
> If a cage isn't available, then a _lot_ of wood would help. At least a foot of wood armor might do the trick to dissipate the armor-piercing molten jet. Maybe. The distance between the slat armor on the Stryker and the actual surface of the vehicle might be a good hint at how thick wood armor ought to be.
> 
> Of course, wooden armor would be absolutely useless against kinetic energy anti-tank rounds. Modern armor-piercing ammo, which is basically a giant tungsten or depleted uranium dart fired at supersonic speeds, would cut through wood like a hot knife through butter. Fortunately those types of anti-tank weapons are mounted only on full-size tanks, of which ISIS in the Philippines has none.
> 
> _http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a26804/wooden-armor-tank-rockets/?src=socialflowTW_



those add on armor, just wish there is no one between enemies who thinking to solve the problems with molotov cocktail. They will burning so good


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## pr1v4t33r

madokafc said:


> those add on armor, just wish there is no one between enemies who thinking to solve the problems with molotov cocktail. They will burning so good



In that case, those apc will turn into oven... ugh.. that's, not a happy thought...


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## Nike

pr1v4t33r said:


> In that case, those apc will turn into oven... ugh.. that's, not a happy thought...



thats why the so creative thinking is actually very idiotic at the start. It just the enemy is not creative too


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## MarveL




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## cnleio

pr1v4t33r said:


> >>> It's an upgrade.... from cardboard armor that is...
> 
> These ISIS-Fighting Philippine Tanks Are Clad in DIY Wooden "Armor"
> 
> New pictures from the fighting between Philippine government forces and guerrillas aligned with the Islamic State show armored vehicles with ad hoc wood armor. The images of the Philippine Army Cadillac Gage V-150 armored car, circulated on Twitter, show it covered with discarded ammunition crates and salvaged wood. The wooden armor is supposed to protect it from man-portable anti-tank weapons— another image showed a RPG-2 rocket-propelled anti-tank grenade launcher captured from ISIS troops.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The armor is well-meaning, but probably not up to the job. So could wood armor actually work?
> 
> RPGs and other infantry anti-tank weapons use so-called high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) technology, also known as shaped charges. The shaped charge was first demonstrated by Charles Munroe, a professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, in 1888. A cone-shaped cavity is placed against a slab of metal, or tank armor, and an explosive charge is detonated behind it. The cavity channels the force of the explosion through the cone to the tip. This enables a shaped charge warhead to penetrate armor up to seven times the diameter of the charge.
> 
> The result is that a handheld rocket launcher such as the RPG-2 can penetrate more than 180 millimeters of steel armor. This is more than enough to pierce the armor of a V-150 armored car, which is designed to stop bullets with a diameter of 7.62-millimeters or smaller.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To be effective, wooden armor would have to do one of two things: stand away from the vehicle's hull, or be plenty thick. In the first case, building a "cage" of wood armor would do the trick. This would cause the RPG warhead to detonate against the wood and burn through the "armor," but dissipate before it actually reached the vehicle's surface. Think of the cage armor that protects U.S. Army Stryker interim armored vehicles. It actually doesn't matter what the cage is made of as long as the material is hard enough to trigger the contact fuze.
> 
> If a cage isn't available, then a _lot_ of wood would help. At least a foot of wood armor might do the trick to dissipate the armor-piercing molten jet. Maybe. The distance between the slat armor on the Stryker and the actual surface of the vehicle might be a good hint at how thick wood armor ought to be.
> 
> Of course, wooden armor would be absolutely useless against kinetic energy anti-tank rounds. Modern armor-piercing ammo, which is basically a giant tungsten or depleted uranium dart fired at supersonic speeds, would cut through wood like a hot knife through butter. Fortunately those types of anti-tank weapons are mounted only on full-size tanks, of which ISIS in the Philippines has none.
> 
> _http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a26804/wooden-armor-tank-rockets/?src=socialflowTW_


.... need add Guard Fence to against RPG, better add Explosive Reactive Armour(ERA)


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## Satria Manggala

*Philippines says U.S. troops near besieged Marawi, but not fighting*

*



*
*An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) moves along a road at Amai Pakpak as government troops continue their assault against insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines, June 13, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco 

*
*By Neil Jerome Morales and Simon Lewis | MARAWI CITY, Philippines 
 

 U.S. troops are on the ground near Marawi City in the southern Philippines, but are not involved in fighting Islamist militants who have held parts of the city for more than three weeks, a Philippines military spokesman said on Wednesday.

The Philippines military has previously said the United States was providing technical assistance to end the occupation of parts of Marawi City by fighters allied to the Islamic State group, but it had no boots on the ground.

"There are some U.S. personnel who are operating equipment to provide information on situation awareness to our troops," Brigadier General Restituto Padilla told a news conference. 

"I do not know the exact number and the specific mission. They are allowed to carry rifles for self-defense. But they are not allowed to fight, they only provide support," he said.

It was not clear how close to the battle zone the U.S. troops were. They were from a contingent of Special Forces based in the southern city of Zamboanga, the Philippines military has said previously.

The U.S. embassy in Manila did not respond to a request for comment.

A U.S. official in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States was providing a P-3 surveillance plane as well as intelligence gathering from a drone. That drone, however, crashed on Saturday after it lost communication links with its operator, the official said.

On Wednesday, government forces attacked rebel positions in Marawi with bombs, tank fire and helicopter gunships, and plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the battered city. Some sniper shots could be heard.

Fighting died down in the afternoon when heavy rain fell.


It was the 23rd day of fighting in Marawi, and there was no sign that it would end any time soon.

"There will be no more deadlines," said Padilla, referring to a promise by the military to clear the city by June 12, the country's independence day. "It may take some time."

In Washington, a security official who is familiar with the region said the battle in Marawi appeared to be locked in a stalemate.

"At the very least, it is not at all clear that government forces are presently winning or even gaining significant ground," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"Islamic State demonstrated significant determination and success in capturing and holding Mosul in Iraq and their effort in Marawi is of a similar notable quality."

 
HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS

 
The seizure of Marawi has alarmed Southeast Asian nations which fear Islamic State - on the back foot in Iraq and Syria - is trying to set up a stronghold on Mindanao island that could threaten their region.

Another Philippines military spokesman said troops had gained a significant advantage by taking control of eight high-rise building in the battle zone where the militants had set up snipers and machine-gun posts.

"This is very important," Colonel Edgard Arevalo told reporters. 

"We are in the final stage of our operation in Marawi. But we have to be very careful with our actions because there are still civilians in the area, they still have hostages and there are still people trapped in the firefight.The military said 290 people had been killed, including 206 militants, 58 soldiers and 26 civilians.


Islamic State's news agency, Amaq, said its fighters controlled two-thirds of the city.

Responding to the report, Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez, head of military command in Western Mindanao, told Reuters the militants controlled 20 percent of the town.

"The truth is probably somewhere in between," said the U.S. security official.

The Philippines has been fighting twin insurgencies from Maoist-led rebels and Muslim separatists in the south for nearly 50 years. 

Critics say military action is not enough to bring peace to a region that has long suffered from political neglect and poverty.

For graphic on Islamic State-linked groups in Philippines south, click: tmsnrt.rs/2rYIHTj

For graphic on battle for Marawi, click: tmsnrt.rs/2qBkSPk

 (Additional reporting by Manuel Mogato in MANILA, Idrees Ali and Mark Hosenball in WASHINGTON; Writing by Raju Gopalakrishnan; Editing by Paul Tait, Robert Birsel)


http://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-militants-idUSKBN1950EH
*


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## Satria Manggala

*Super Tucano in pole position to meet Philippine Air Force requirement*

*Jon Grevatt* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
16 June 2017
The Philippine Air Force’s (PAF’s) longstanding requirement to procure a new close-air support (CAS) aircraft has finally progressed, with the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano having been selected by the Department of National Defense (DND) as the programme’s single lowest bidder.

Speaking to _Jane’s_ on 16 June, Arsenio Andolong, the DND’s chief of public affairs, said the Super Tucano was recently selected ahead of another unidentified platform. “There were two bidders,” he said, “and after going through the process as mandated by law, Embraer was declared the ‘lowest calculated bidder’.”

He said the bid now proceeds to the next phase, which is post-qualification evaluation.

*Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options:　**ihs.com/contact*

http://www.janes.com/article/71486/...tion-to-meet-philippine-air-force-requirement


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## Satria Manggala

*TNI chief lauds Philippines` military attempts to muffle ISIS in Marawi*

17 hours ago | 839 Views

Tarakan, N Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Military (TNI) commander General Gatot Nurmantyo lauded the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for their hard work to muffle ISIS terror in Marawi.

"On this occasion, I congratulate AFP for their achievement towards dampening ISIS movement in Marawi and killing 257 terrorists," he stated, during the inauguration of the Maritime Command Center (MCC) here, on Monday.

According to Gatot, the initiative by the Philippines is a warning for Indonesia, as well as Malaysia, to counter ISIS, considering its sleeper cells that exist in both countries.

Therefore, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia must involve in trilateral cooperation and agreement to facilitate exchange of information.

"The speed and accuracy of information is needed to determine early anticipatory measures to prevent ISIS from entering the country," Gatot remarked.

Moreover, the authorities must also be aware of the possibility of ISIS members leaving Marawi posing as refugees, he added.

Security has been tightened in Indonesia, where 16 of the regions have sleeper cells of ISIS, according to TNI.

The addition of troops and the deployment of warships, submarines, and aircraft for patrols have been carried out primarily in border areas of North Sulawesi and North Kalimantan, such as Marore Island, Miangas, Morotai, and Talaud.(*)


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## nufix

Satria Manggala said:


> *Indonesia donates 14 thousand liters of diesel oil for Gaza*



why is this in the philippines thread?


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## Satria Manggala

nufix said:


> why is this in the philippines thread?


upps ... sorry wrong thread  ( I delete it right away) I suppose upload in Indonesia economy Forum.

cannot delete it by myself but already report wrong thread ...

*Indonesia, Philippines to monitor ISIS movement *
Red: Reiny Dwinanda
AP/Joseph Nair





Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The governments of Indonesia and the Philippines are intensively communicating to monitor the developments of the ISIS movement in Marawi, southern Philippines. Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu revealed that every two days, his staff and the personal team of the Philippines' Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana communicate to exchange the latest information on ISIS.

"Through such communication, we hope to minimize ISIS' spread in the Philippines and anticipate any of its impacts on other countries in the region," Ryacudu said here on Thursday.

Trilateral cooperation, involving Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, has yet to make any significant progress apart from tightening border security in Marawi through coordinated patrols. According to Ryacudu, sea and air patrols aim to restrict the ISIS members from leaving Marawi.

Since terrorism is a common enemy, it is not the sole responsibility of the armed forces to counter this menace, but the police and counterterrorism agencies should also play a role.

The result of the trilateral ministerial meeting on counterterrorism currently held in Manila will decide whether the Indonesian National Police and National Counterterrorism Agency will be involved in resolving the conflict in Marawi.

Ryacudu stated that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had, in fact, agreed to involve additional military forces from Indonesia.

However, the Philippines' Constitution prohibits the involvement of foreign military forces to operate in its sovereign territory.

*Antara*


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## Shotgunner51

nufix said:


> why is this in the philippines thread?





Satria Manggala said:


> upps ... sorry wrong thread  ( I delete it right away) I suppose upload in Indonesia economy Forum.
> 
> cannot delete it by myself but already report wrong thread ...


Post moved as per your request.

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## cnleio

Weapons from China to Philippines ... next time maybe TANK/IFV

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## Suika

cnleio said:


> Weapons from China to Philippines ... next time maybe TANK/IFV



TANK/IFV? Why not patrol aircraft and naval ships?


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## cnleio

Suika said:


> TANK/IFV? Why not patrol aircraft and naval ships?


They need ground weapons to deal with ISIS-fighting in Marawi city.


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## Suika

cnleio said:


> They need ground weapons to deal with ISIS-fighting in Marawi city.



The small arms deal with China was made in December 2016, so the purpose of this transfer of rifles and ammunition is not related to what happened in Marawi.


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## cnleio

Suika said:


> The small arms deal with China was made in December 2016, so the purpose of this transfer of rifles and ammunition is not related to what happened in Marawi.


Sure, China should sell some aircrafts like K-8, L-15 jet trainer / Y-12, Y-8, Y-9 transport / JF-17 fighter / Z-8, Z-9, Z-11, Z-10 (armed) helo / patrol boat / stealth missile boat / FFG / DDG / Submarine / anti-ship or anti-aircraft Missiles to Philippines ... if BeiJing and Manila can sign a good deal which benefit to both nations, I do think China can provide everything they want, BeiJing has the interest to arm Philippines military force.

China can support Philippines with weapons (or make friend with Philippines via arms sale)





菲律宾士兵装卸枪械箱，后面是弹药箱





NDM-86 sniper rifle, 这次出口的是EM352构型，7.62×51mm ammo





CQ-A rifle (China M4)，5.56×45 mm ammo

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## jhungary

cnleio said:


> Sure, China should sell some aircrafts like K-8, L-15 jet trainer / Y-12, Y-8, Y-9 transport / JF-17 fighter / Z-8, Z-9, Z-11, Z-10 (armed) helo / patrol boat / stealth missile boat / FFG / DDG / Submarine to Philippines ... if BeiJing and Manila can sign a good deal which benefit to both nations, I do think China can provide everything they want, BeiJing has the interest to arm Philippines military force.



Actually, it is not in Beijing interest to arm Philippine.

First of all, traditionally, Philippine is a Pro-US country, even with Duerte in charge Today, we still see US troop fighting in Philippine and continue US-Philippine Collaboration between Armed Force and Law Enforcement level. US is not going to be force out by the Chinese. There are worse time in 1990s when the Philippine actually did expulse all US force in the country, and still, the relationship continue afterward, that show you how deeply US interference is in Philippine.

Another things is that even at the height of US-Philippine relationship, Philippine still cannot rearm their armed force, you are talking about a country that have difficulty to pay 500 millions for a few Korean Trainer. And you want to sell them multi-billions dollar warship??

Duerte is not really that stupid, he know something he can and he cannot do, and buying arms from China in any large quantities is not the things they can do at this point.

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## Suika

Even with Duterte, the Philippines doesn't seem to be giving up its relations with the US, or its interest in the South China Sea that runs counter to China's 9 dash line.

Annual US-Philippines joint-training held in June with a name change and different theme for year 2017, but continues nonetheless.
---start---
In the past few years, United States Navy and Philippine Navy were conducting Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Philippines every month of June. CARAT is a series of US Pacific Command-sponsored, US Pacific Fleet-led bilateral exercises held several times annually with Southeast Asia nations to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness.

CARAT Philippines 2016 focused on combined operations at sea, amphibious landings, diving and salvage, maritime domain awareness, and community service events.

However, after the Philippine government under the Duterte administration announced last year that CARAT and Amphibious Landing Exercise (Phiblex) with US Navy will be scrapped, Philippines and US navies this year launched a brand new maritime exercise named Maritime Training Activity Sama-Sama (together).

The inaugural activity was conducted June 19 to 25 with events mostly held in vicinity of Cebu. CARAT Philippines involved activities in West Philippine Sea.

“Sama Sama is a bilateral maritime exercise between U.S. and Philippine naval forces and is designed to strengthen cooperation and interoperability between the nations’ armed forces,” the US Navy said.

US assets deployed for MTA Sama-Sama were Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4), Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport USNS Millinocket (T-EPF 3), and a P-8 Poseidon aircraft.

Del Pilar-class frigate BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15), BRP Agta, an AW109 helicopter, and a BN-2 Islander aircraft, a Philippine Marine company and other naval staff represented the Philippine Navy.

National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenza said in November last year that military exercises between US and Philippines will focus on counterterrorism, humanitarian response, engineering projects, and civic action. Moreover, activities with amphibious landing exercises, which were intended for external offensives, will be lessen.
---end---
https://www.update.ph/2017/06/us-ph-create-brand-new-joint-maritime-exercise/18397



An example of the Philippines seemingly not giving up its interest in the Philippines was when the defense minister visited Pag-asa. Before landing at Pag-asa, his airplane circled around Subi reef. The Chinese radioed his aircraft to leave. Additionally, the Philippines are putting 32 million USD into the development of Pag-asa.
---start---
MANILA, Philippines - A military aircraft flying Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año over the West Philippine Sea received a warning yesterday from Chinese forces to leave the airspace.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) C-130 transport aircraft was circling over Zamora or Subi Reef for its final approach to the unpaved Rancudo airfield on Pag-Asa Island in the Spratlys when it received a radio warning from the Chinese to stay away from the area.

The PAF pilot responded that the aircraft was flying in Philippine airspace.

Lorenzana downplayed the incident. “It’s already normal because each time our planes conduct resupply operations here they are challenged (by the Chinese),” he said.

“We replied that we are flying over Philippine territory,” Lorenzana later told reporters.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the Chinese told the Filipino pilots to stay away from Subi to avoid a miscalculation.

“As before, (the pilots) were once again challenged as they made their pattern of landing,” Padilla said.

From being merely a “seabed” in “international waters” under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Subi Reef has metamorphosed into a bustling artificial island, with massive structures, a 3,000-meter runway, two ports, gun emplacements, and radar domes.

There were reports the Chinese have installed a missile defense system on the reef. Based on UNCLOS, there can be no territorial waters for features built on the seabed. Subi Reef is about 40 nautical miles from Pag-asa Island.

With Lorenzana and Año on the plane were Army commanding general Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda, Western Command (Wescom) commander Lt. Gen. Raul del Rosario, and other AFP officials and members of the media. The aircraft touched down at around 8 a.m. The DND chief attended a flag ceremony along with 45 military officials and personnel stationed on the island.

The group, with Palawan Gov. Jose Alvarez and representatives of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), toured the island.

On the West side of Pag-asa facing the West Philippine Sea, Lorenzana personally witnessed the presence from a distance of four to five Chinese Coast Guard ships.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it welcomed efforts of the Department of National Defense and the AFP to secure Pag-asa Island.

“We defer to the DND and the Armed Forces on how best to fulfill their Constitutional mandates with respect to improving the safety, welfare, livelihood and personal security of Filipinos in the Palawan municipality of Kalayaan,” the DFA said.

‘Unsafe side’

Soldiers assigned on Pag-asa island told The STAR they call the Eastern side of the island the Philippine side and the Western part the “unsafe side” as they wouldn’t want to call it the Chinese side.

In remarks, Lorenzana assured government troops the administration of President Duterte and the AFP are looking after their welfare despite the Chinese menace.

The Chinese, he explained, “believe that this is theirs, they protest to say that they do not want what we are doing here.”

The Philippines maintains that the island group including Pag-asa is part of its territory, which Filipinos occupied as early as the late 1960s, and on which a runway was built in 1975.

“I don’t think I should give them any message. This is just a normal visit within our territory, we believe and we know that this is our territory and I am just visiting to look at the conditions of our people here,” Lorenzana said.

Reacting to China’s challenging the PAF’s flight over Subi, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the administration takes seriously the Chinese action.

“We mind and we respond appropriately. We have our challenges and answers where protocols to be made if it is bad enough that that could be the basis for some note verbales,” Esperon said after President Duterte’s visit to Russian ship Varyag yesterday.

“A challenge is not something that is really positive. But a challenge could be just to identify yourself but it could also mean that you’re challenging because you think that’s your territory,” he added.

Asked if Duterte would go to Pag-asa island in the future, Esperon said: “In the future? Let me answer you that in the future.”

Pressed if the President would spend a night in the island, the national security adviser replied: “Why not? But not now.”



P1.6-B Pag-asa dev’t

Meanwhile, Loranzana also revealed the administration has set aside at least P1.6 billion to develop Pag-asa.

He said the building of a beaching ramp would be prioritized and hopefully done by July this year so that construction materials like gravel and cement as well as heavy equipment could be brought to the island by sea.

He told reporters in a press briefing that BFAR also intends to build a fish port in the area.

The government also wants to put up a radio station, an ice plant, water desalination facility, homes for soldiers stationed in the island, and put up a sewage system.

“We will develop this into a tourism area and marine research (facility),” Lorenzana said.

“These are our plans, the plans of the President and he said do it now and do not delay. That’s why we are here now,” he stressed.

“We’ve been here since 1971, and our flag has been planted way back in the 1970s. We were here first, the others just followed,” he said of the country’s claim on the Kalayaan Islands.

Lorenzana said the development of Pag-asa has long been delayed because of the arbitration case filed by the Philippines that resulted in a moratorium on the implementation of projects.

The DND chief said President Duterte’s treatment of China shows that he is just trying to develop friends around the neighborhood.

“China is the most powerful country in our neighborhood, economically and militarily, and we are trying to manage the issue and talk to them one-on-one bilaterally, settle this dispute in the South China Sea,” he said.

“I believe that the President is right in talking to the Chinese leadership on how to manage the issue here in South China Sea,” he added.

The second biggest island next only to the Taiwanese-occupied Itu Aba, Pag-asa is a fifth class municipality in Palawan exercising overall jurisdiction over the country’s regime of islands in the disputed Spratlys region.

Lorenzana’s trip to Pag-asa came only a day after reports came out about Chinese coast guards firing warning shots to drive a group of Bataan-based Filipino fishermen from Union Bank. The incident, which reportedly happened on March 27, involved Chinese coast guards securing the reclaimed Gaven Reef.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commander Armand Balilo confirmed receiving information about the Chinese harassment of Filipino fishermen around Union Bank.

He said a Chinese coast guard speedboat with guns and carrying seven personnel fired shots at the fishing boat Princess Johann, which is owned and operated by Dionisio Cabacungan.

The Chinese reportedly fired warning shots when the Filipino boat dropped anchor some two nautical miles from Union Bank. The crew panicked, cut off their anchor line and fled the area.

Balilo said they were not able to interview the fishermen as they had already returned to the sea. “We were only able to communicate with them via radio. But according to the boat captain, the Chinese Coast Guard did not directly fire shots at them,” he said.

Vietnamese and Chinese forces have already occupied most of the maritime features within the Union Bank, a wide body of submerged features right within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping maritime claims in the region. Only Brunei has no military presence in the areas it claims.
---end---
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2...se-challenge-philippines-defense-chiefs-plane

Maybe some can still see a benefit for China to sell ships and aircraft to this kind of Philippines, but I can't. After all, they are getting ships and planes from other places like Indonesia, South Korea, the US, and Japan.


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## cnleio

jhungary said:


> Actually, it is not in Beijing interest to arm Philippine.
> 
> First of all, traditionally, Philippine is a Pro-US country, even with Duerte in charge Today, we still see US troop fighting in Philippine and continue US-Philippine Collaboration between Armed Force and Law Enforcement level. US is not going to be force out by the Chinese. There are worse time in 1990s when the Philippine actually did expulse all US force in the country, and still, the relationship continue afterward, that show you how deeply US interference is in Philippine.
> 
> Another things is that even at the height of US-Philippine relationship, Philippine still cannot rearm their armed force, you are talking about a country that have difficulty to pay 500 millions for a few Korean Trainer. And you want to sell them multi-billions dollar warship??
> 
> Duerte is not really that stupid, he know something he can and he cannot do, and buying arms from China in any large quantities is not the things they can do at this point.


That China arms trade with foreign country, not for the money ... usually exchange with local strategic materials or international political support. One side China soon finish building artificial islands in SCS, one side BeiJing support Philippine weapons to against ISIS in their south islands ... BeiJing already got the goal in SCS why not make good friend with Philippine via gift some free weapons ? This called "Provide Timely Help". BeiJing don't need Philippine to pay for those weapons, just need Philippine support us on SCS issue.

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## Suika

cnleio said:


> That China arms trade with foreign country, not for the money ... usually exchange with local strategic materials or international political support. One side China soon finish building artificial islands in SCS, one side BeiJing support Philippine weapons to against ISIS in their south islands ... BeiJing already got the goal in SCS why not make good friend with Philippine via gift some free weapons ? This called "Provide Timely Help". BeiJing don't need Philippine to pay for those weapons, just need Philippine support us on SCS issue.



The Philippines doesn't support China in the South China Sea. There were other news articles about Duterte saying that he can't fight a war with China. In other words, he would if he had the strength. Openly saying things like this is a message to all the Filipino people that China is arm twisting them on the South China Sea issue.


About the US relationship with the Philippines, there are more Filipinos in the US than any other country by far. With that comes economic relations. A lot of Filipino family members in the US send money back to other family members still in the Philippines. The country is just really tight with the US. But while relations between the US and the Philippines have always been high, a recent change was the view towards Japan. Of course after the war, the Philippines had a very negative view of Japan, and this lingered on up to the 1980s. But their opinions of Japan started to improve. And now with new developments in the security relationship, the views towards Japan are almost as positive as with the US. There is also a growing Filipino population in Japan as well. How many Filipinos live in China?





http://www.pulseasia.ph/march-2017-...ries-and-internationalregional-organizations/






A war memorial honoring the American and Filipino soldiers that fought together against the Imperial Japanese during WW2. A valiant defense that made Japanese control of the Philippines take 2-3 months longer than they expected, thus delaying their entire operation southwards.





Wanting to kick the US out of the Pacific, including out of the Philippines, is truly selfish of the Chinese indeed.

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## cnleio

Suika said:


> The Philippines doesn't support China in the South China Sea. There were other news articles about Duterte saying that he can't fight a war with China. In other words, he would if he had the strength. Openly saying things like this is a message to all the Filipino people that China is arm twisting them on the South China Sea issue.
> 
> 
> About the US relationship with the Philippines, there are more Filipinos in the US than any other country by far. With that comes economic relations. A lot of Filipino family members in the US send money back to other family members still in the Philippines. The country is just really tight with the US. But while relations between the US and the Philippines have always been high, a recent change was the view towards Japan. Of course after the war, the Philippines had a very negative view of Japan, and this lingered on up to the 1980s. But their opinions of Japan started to improve. And now with new developments in the security relationship, the views towards Japan are almost as positive as with the US. There is also a growing Filipino population in Japan as well. How many Filipinos live in China?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.pulseasia.ph/march-2017-...ries-and-internationalregional-organizations/


Yes, we know both U.S and Philippines have deeper relationship than China-Philippines ... but now China developing relationship with Philippines even provide arms. Although both had a bad time when China built artificial islands in SCS, there's no eternal enemy China is helping Philippines to against their enemy that ease both strained relations due to SCS issue.

*"There's no eternal friend, also eternal enemy"* im glad to see BeiJing playing _"a big stick, a carrot"_ mature diplomatic policy to deal with SCS issue. I believe China weapons will help us to win more friendships in this region, replace Made in US. *We can gift them free Made in China weapons and sell them Made in China products, both win their good friendships. *

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## jhungary

cnleio said:


> Yes, we know both U.S and Philippines have deeper relationship than China-Philippines ... but now China developing relationship with Philippines even provide arms. Although both had a bad time when China built artificial islands in SCS, there's no eternal enemy China is helping Philippines to against their enemy that ease both strained relations due to SCS issue.
> 
> *"There's no eternal friend, also eternal enemy"* im glad to see BeiJing playing _"a big stick, a carrot"_ mature diplomatic policy to deal with SCS issue. I believe China weapons will help us to win more friendships in this region, replace Made in US.



lol.....

It's quite dreaming to say you will replace made in US weapon (assuming this is what you said) to the one with Made in China, considering a lot of these made in US weapon acquired by Asian Nation were intended to use on Chinese Aggression.

There is a reason why even today, this moment, US arms deal are still going on in Philippine even with Duerte is in charge, the problem is that Duerte is only a figure head, it does not mean anything to Philippine, and to that end, they will always choose US as an allies than China. 

There are no a big stick, a carrot for China in Philippine, in fact, there is only a big stick, and which used to force people to get into your way, that is the main reason there is a lot of Made in USA weapon in Asia to begin with. What China is doing is exactly what US is doing and done in the past, and then the US did more. And for that, it would be very hard for Filipino to change from made in US.

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## Suika

Vietnamese and Philippines Navies playing sports together at Vietnam's Southwest Cay in the South China Sea. Maybe someday, the Chinese can join them there.





---start---
MANILA -- Philippine and Vietnamese navies have been playing soccer, volleyball and tug-of-war games together on a South China Sea island, the latest get-together by two countries concerned by Chinese assertiveness in the disputed waters.

The two sides played in mixed teams on Thursday on Southwest Cay in the Spratly archipelago, the Philippine navy said, the third event of its kind since 2014 on an island held four decades ago by the Philippines, but now under Vietnamese control.

The games are among a series of exchanges between the two countries, quietly demonstrating their unity in the face of Beijing's expanding presence and signs of militarization of man-made islands in the Spratly chain.

Ariesh Climacosa of the Philippine Naval Forces West said the games showed how the two sides could get along and would trust and understand each other better.

Relations strengthened under the previous Philippine administration, leading to the signing of a strategic partnership in 2015, at a time when both countries were locked in fierce disputes with China and enjoying warm ties with the United States.

But ties have since become more uncertain, due largely to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to charm rather than confront Beijing, while also turning more hostile towards Washington.
---end---
http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/25/17/ph-vietnam-navies-play-sports-on-south-china-sea-island


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## dy1022

I see China haters in here gone crazy and desperate

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## ChineseLuver

dy1022 said:


> I see China haters in here gone crazy and desperate



Lol! My impression is we hate you and punch you but we pinoi love you also so much. Please give more weapons aid.
If no give me we no lovey you,typical tough guy talk

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## Satria Manggala

* FA-50PHs Now Armed with Air-to-Ground Missiles *
04 Juli 2017






FA-50PH with AGM-65 Maverick missile (photo : Update)

Philippine Air Force’s FA-50PHs are now armed with AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground tactical missile (AGM) designed for close air support, this was highlighted by Pinoy Aviators Facebook page.

This was evidenced by FA-50PHs aircraft displayed during the 70th anniversary celebration of Air Force held today in Clark Air Base.

The said aircraft were also armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile and unguided Mark 82 low-drag general-purpose bomb.

One of the celebration’s highlight was the presentation of certificate of complete delivery for 12 FA-50PH ‘Fighting Eagle’ Fighter/Surface Attack/Lead-in Fighter Trainer (F/SA/LIFT) aircraft.

Earlier today, National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that a Philippine C-130 military transport aircraft flew to Arizona, United States to pick up munitions for PAF aircraft.

The said C-130 left the country June 23 and was back July 1

(Update)


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## Satria Manggala

* Airbus Sends C-295 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft to Philippines *
13 Juli 2017





Airbus C-295 Maritime Surveillance (photo : Airbus)

Airbus Defence and Space is sending a C-295 aircraft in maritime surveillance (MSA) modification to the Philippines.

“Another successful flight on #C295Worldtour, another team & guests photo. On to Philippines tomorrow,” Airbus said in its official micro blogging account on July 10 in Malaysia. The said aircraft is in a two-week five Asian nations demo tour which include Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and South Korea

Airbus is an active participant in the ongoing Long-range patrol aircraft (2) acquisition project of the Department of National Defense (DND)-Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Airbus is offering a C-295 variant for the said acquisition project of DND-AFP.

Bid Submission and Opening for the mentioned acquisition project is scheduled on July 21 as part of AFP Modernization First Horizon.

PAF is currently operating 3 C-295 in medium lift aircraft modification.

(Update)


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## bdslph

cnleio said:


> Weapons from China to Philippines ... next time maybe TANK/IFV
> 
> View attachment 407001
> View attachment 407002
> View attachment 407003
> View attachment 407004
> View attachment 407005
> View attachment 407006
> View attachment 407007
> View attachment 407008





cnleio said:


> Sure, China should sell some aircrafts like K-8, L-15 jet trainer / Y-12, Y-8, Y-9 transport / JF-17 fighter / Z-8, Z-9, Z-11, Z-10 (armed) helo / patrol boat / stealth missile boat / FFG / DDG / Submarine / anti-ship or anti-aircraft Missiles to Philippines ... if BeiJing and Manila can sign a good deal which benefit to both nations, I do think China can provide everything they want, BeiJing has the interest to arm Philippines military force.
> 
> China can support Philippines with weapons (or make friend with Philippines via arms sale)
> View attachment 407081
> 
> 
> 菲律宾士兵装卸枪械箱，后面是弹药箱
> View attachment 407082
> 
> 
> NDM-86 sniper rifle, 这次出口的是EM352构型，7.62×51mm ammo
> View attachment 407083
> 
> 
> CQ-A rifle (China M4)，5.56×45 mm ammo
> View attachment 407084



can any filipino say how is the perform of the this China made arms which PH got 



Satria Manggala said:


> *Duterte Eyes 12 More Fighter Jets for Military*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PAF F/A-50PH (photo : Lester Tanggo)
> 
> PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte vowed Friday to acquire more brand new military equipment, including 12 more fighter jets.
> 
> Duterte told the soldiers from the 102nd Infantry Brigade in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, that his administration would not accept second hand equipment.
> 
> "Kung buhayin pa ako ng Panginoon Diyos, you will have about 24 jet planes. Mag-acquire pa ako ng 12. Subukan ko. You have the best equipment, ‘yung --- ang sources natin sa baril ninyo is just two nations. I will not mention the names," he said.
> 
> "During my time, wala na akong second-hand mga barko, barko. It has to be brand new. Hindi na ako tatanggap ng mga equipment ng military na second-hand. Iyong ibinibigay ng Amerikano, ayaw ko na ‘yan. Even I have to spend double the money," the President added.
> 
> Duterte also expressed confidence that the government would win on its fight against the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group in Marawi City.
> 
> "Dito naman sa extremism, mananalo tayo. But we will have losses, ganon lang talaga ang buhay. That is how life is governed in this universe. You would never know when," he said.
> 
> He said it has been taking long for the government forces to finally defeat the terrorists because of the civilians who could be affected.
> 
> "But no we are a government and we are bound by rules and even treaties, ‘yung mga Geneva Convention. That’s their favorite sanctuary. They also refer the Geneva Convention ‘pag pabor nila. ‘Pag nadehado sila, wala silang ingay sa Geneva Convention. And that is always the problem because the government can never ignore treaties and the laws of the land," he said.
> 
> "Kung terorista lang din tayo, madali na natapos ‘yan. Bombahan mo lang lahat, tapos na isang araw. Eh marami na akong jet planes ngayon, sampu na ‘yan," Duterte added.
> 
> The military has been conducting offensive operations against the Maute members since May 23 when the militants attacked Marawi.
> 
> Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said earlier the military could completely clear Marawi of terrorists by June 2.
> 
> But in a news briefing on Friday, Brigadier General Restituto Padilla, military spokesman, said that it was not possible anymore.
> 
> "It was a deadline that was set forth and provided by the Secretary of National Defense so we can aim for it. But the final decision actually rests on the ground commander. And based on the report that we’re getting I don’t think we can meet that deadline today to completely --- I’d like to qualify that --- to completely free Marawi of every single armed element in every street," he said.
> 
> But he added that the government forces were working and doing their best to immediately complete the mission.
> 
> (SunStar)



the same trainer fighter from Korea or real fighter jets like jas 39 gripen or f16 viper

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## Satria Manggala

* Indonesia to Deliver 2 PH Air Force Aircraft this Quarter *
28 Juli 2017





PAF NC-212i aircraft (photo : Detik)

The delivery of Philippine Air Force’s two NC-212i short takeoff and landing (STOL) medium transport aircraft ordered from Indonesia state-owned PT Dirgantara Indonesia-Indonesian Aerospace may take place this third quarter.

The Philippine government entered a contract with the said Indonesian firm for the supply of two NC-212 aircraft early 2014. Delivery was expected late 2015.

MaxDefense Philippines said delivery may take place next month. MaxDefense said “PTDI failed to deliver the aircraft on time due to issues between PTDI and the approved autopilot supplier, who was bought by another company and was said to have not honored its commitments to PTDI, which led to the delay and blacklisting of PTDI.”

“Blacklisting from Philippine government procurement board [is] coming to an end in 3 days,” MaxDefense said.

However, according to a credible source of Update Philippines, delivery may take place in September.

CASA C-212 Aviocar is a turboprop-powered STOL medium transport aircraft designed and built by CASA in Spain. Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) became a subsidiary of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) in 1999 as EADS CASA, and in 2009 EADS CASA was absorbed by Airbus Military.

At present, C-212s are also being produced under licence by Indonesian Aerospace under NC-212 family.

(Update)

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## Satria Manggala

* PH Air Force Men Complete Certification for Soon to be Delivered Aircraft *
10 Agustus 2017





PAF NC-212i aircraft (photo : Pinoy Aviators)

“The pilots and aircrews from the 220th Airlift Wing of the Philippine Air Force just completed their NC212i Pilot & Aircraft Type Ratings on 07 August 2017 at the Husein Sastranegara International Airport (BDO/WICC) in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia,” Pinoy Aviators said in its social networking page today.

The Philippine government entered a contract with the PT Dirgantara Indonesia-Indonesian Aerospace for the supply of two NC-212i aircraft early 2014.

These aircraft are now expected to be delivered within the second half of 2017, after facing some delays.

2 NC-212i aircraft will be operated by the Air Force’s 220th Airlift Wing.

C-212 Aviocar is a turboprop-powered STOL medium transport aircraft designed and built by CASA in Spain. Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) became a subsidiary of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) in 1999 as EADS CASA, and in 2009 EADS CASA was absorbed by Airbus Military.

At present, C-212s are also being produced under licence by Indonesian Aerospace under NC-212 family.

(Update)

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## RISING SUN

*Philippines to Send Troops to Halt Bird Flu’s Spread*
The Philippines will deploy hundreds of troops to hasten the culling of about 600,000 fowl, the farm minister said Wednesday, as part of efforts to rein in the Southeast Asian nation’s first outbreak of bird flu.

There has been no case of human transmission after the flu was detected on a farm in the province of Pampanga, about 75 km (47 miles) north of the capital Manila, but it has spread to about 36 other farms and nearly 40,000 birds have died.

Troops to be sent

“I have asked the Philippine army to provide us with additional warm bodies to help us in depopulating the farms,” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol told a news conference. “Six hundred thousand is no mean job. Our personnel are facing a difficult task and we lack people.”

Pinol said the government had about 200 men in the area, but fewer than 20,000 birds had been culled since the outbreak was reported.

Brigadier-General Rodel Mairo Alarcon said at least 300 soldiers would be sent to the province Thursday to assist in the cull of chicken, quail and ducks.

“The Philippines army and the Armed Forces of the Philippines is 100 percent in support of this effort,” Alarcon said.

Soldiers will be given protective gear and doses of Tamiflu to guard them against possible infection.

Specific strain unknown

Two sick farm workers from the area have tested negative for the virus, health ministry spokesman Eric Tayag said.

Although the health ministry has yet to identify the specific strain of the virus that hit the Philippines, health and farm officials say initial tests have ruled out the highly pathogenic H5N1.

Samples are being sent to Australia for further testing to determine the presence of the N6 variety of the strain.

The Philippines is the latest country in Asia, Africa and Europe and Africa to suffer the spread of bird flu viruses in recent months. Many strains only infect birds, but the H7N9 strain has led to human cases, including deaths, in China.
https://www.newdelhitimes.com/philippines-to-send-troops-to-halt-bird-flus-spread/


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## Svantana

*FRIDAY, 18 AUGUST, 2017 | 16:16 WIB
DPR Refuses to Send TNI Troops to Marawi If Not for Peace-keeping




TEMPO.CO*, *Jakarta *- The House of Representatives (DPR) Defense Commission says there is no further coordination yet with the Defense Ministry regarding the plan to send troops to Marawi, Southern Philippines.

The commission's deputy chairman from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Tubagus Hasanuddin said here on Friday, August 18.

The commission's deputy chairman from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Tubagus Hasanuddin said here on Friday that the commission sticks with its stance that sending TNI troops to Marawi violates the Indonesian Law.

"It is not permitted by our law, except they go as a peace-keeping force," he said.

Earlier, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu claimed that the Philippines had allowed the TNI to engage in a war against the Mautes militia in Marawi, Southern Philippines.

Since mid-July, Ryamizard has said that his ministry is ready to coordinate with the House.

"Even if the target is to prevent, it's only in the borderline".

Tubagus denied that TNI's refusal to deploy troops is because it clashes with Indonesia's defense principle, the Active Defensive policy.

"No, it's just a defense strategy, mainly because it's against the law."

Another member of the commission, Abdul Kharis Almasyhari from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), shared Tubagus' sentiments.

"In addition to considering the law, dispatching TNI troops should take into account our budget. If we don’t have the budget, why do it?" he said.

The discussion on the plan to send troops to Marawi, said Abdul, will be discussed internally by the Defense Commission on Monday, 21 August.

*FAJAR PEBRIANTO

https://en.tempo.co/read/news/2017/...TNI-Troops-to-Marawi-If-Not-for-Peace-keeping*


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## striver44

cnleio said:


> Sure, China should sell some aircrafts like K-8, L-15 jet trainer / Y-12, Y-8, Y-9 transport / JF-17 fighter / Z-8, Z-9, Z-11, Z-10 (armed) helo / patrol boat / stealth missile boat / FFG / DDG / Submarine / anti-ship or anti-aircraft Missiles to Philippines ... if BeiJing and Manila can sign a good deal which benefit to both nations, I do think China can provide everything they want, BeiJing has the interest to arm Philippines military force.
> 
> China can support Philippines with weapons (or make friend with Philippines via arms sale)
> View attachment 407081
> 
> 
> 菲律宾士兵装卸枪械箱，后面是弹药箱
> View attachment 407082
> 
> 
> NDM-86 sniper rifle, 这次出口的是EM352构型，7.62×51mm ammo
> View attachment 407083
> 
> 
> CQ-A rifle (China M4)，5.56×45 mm ammo
> View attachment 407084


If this is the case.......then philippines current president is an idiot.......exchanging few arms for the scs is stupid......the u.s and it's nato allies should take action to secure the scs from further chinese encroachment.......

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## cnleio

striver44 said:


> If this is the case.......then philippines current president is an idiot.......exchanging few arms for the scs is stupid......the u.s and it's nato allies should take action to secure the scs from further chinese encroachment.......


Current Philippine President choose cooperation with BeiJing rather than confronting China in SCS issue.

Anyway PLA didn't attack Philippine islands in SCS, why they need follow foreign order to against China ? *The Philippine President now meet 2x Civil Wars inside his country:* *1. Anti-Drug War in major cities*, everyday hundred of drug dealers killed by Police & Army. *2. Anti-ISIS War in southern region*, anti-terrorism war still going in their southern cities. *Philippine need weapons & money & international political support from Top5 power* to run their wars ... Only China support Mr Duterte's actions & wars in Philippines, *China has money + arms export + big importing market to support Mr Duterte* in both military & economy fields, so right now we r friends. 

The political relation between countries is complex & flexible, bro !


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## xiao qi

striver44 said:


> If this is the case.......then philippines current president is an idiot.......exchanging few arms for the scs is stupid......the u.s and it's nato allies should take action to secure the scs from further chinese encroachment.......


Philippines gets nothing in their hands to against China. See what they did in Marawi. Like making a joke to the world, Noone believes this army can defeat anyone. Yes, exchange the weapon to SCS is so idiot. the weapon uses to save the territories, not because of the exchanging the weapon to lands. Cambodia is an example why they are so weak now because they ceded its land to Thai, Viet to get peace.


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## devillianangel

__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=339670289790293


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## devillianangel




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## Hindustani78

http://aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-gives-philippines-1-000-gas-masks/900253

The United States delivered 1,000 gas masks to the Philippine Navy (PN), said the US Embassy in Manila on Saturday in a statement on its website.

It explained that, the Joint United States Military Assistance Group delivered 1,000 M40 field protective masks and C2 filter canisters to the Philippine Navy. 

The embassy said the transfer was made through the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement and is part of the ongoing transfers of select munitions and equipment from the US military to multiple branches of the Philippine military.

“As the fighting continues in Mindanao, the PN requested these gas masks in order to better prepare their sailors and marines to respond to chemical threats,” the statement said.

Despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s hostile stance towards U.S., the donation came to show Washington’s commitment to its closest, long-time ally in Southeast Asia.

“The United States is proud to work closely with the Republic of the Philippines and will continue to support capacity-building counterterrorism efforts and the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ long-term modernization goals.”


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## striver44

Why is the thread so silent?.......is there a lack of fellow pinoy active in defence.pk??....man i miss timawa.net


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## 帅的一匹

striver44 said:


> If this is the case.......then philippines current president is an idiot.......exchanging few arms for the scs is stupid......the u.s and it's nato allies should take action to secure the scs from further chinese encroachment.......


These weapons are free....no strings attached
Why you so worry about China- Phillipine relationship?


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## Kulas Mata

Greetings from the Philippines! New recruit here in defense.pk I'm hoping to be able to contribute informatively in the discussion to foster greater understanding on Philippines issues in defense and politics.

For a start, in case any of you haven't known it yet, in the latest survey research done by the US PEW Research indicates majority of Filipinos still favors US over China but the gap is narrowing. What is notable in the survey result is the massive jump in support for a strong economic relationship thrust with China by the current Duterte administration than the previous tougher stance against China by the previous government. 

Considering Pres. Duterte have still 5 years to go on his term, we can expect China's image among the Filipinos will improve significantly once Chinese benevolent projects starts to become visible this year or the next. Of course, assuming Pres. Duterte can continue to weather-out both US and EU pressures on Philippines domestic issues, and finish his term of office.

Just recently, the Citizen National Guard, a local organization composed of both active and retired military personalities, reservist, nationalist, lawyers and private citizens in the Philippines has identified the US NED (National Endowment Democracy) as an overt organization of the CIA posing as an NGO. This CIA sub-contractor is actively funding media outfits in the Philippines who are overly-critical of Pres. Duterte's government policy on both local and foreign. 

Sorry, can't post links to cite sources but its all in Google.

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## James David

Subic oh la la!!


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## Kulas Mata

*DND misfires, uses Taiwan emblem as China donates rifles*

MANILA – Someone goofed big-time in the preparations for last week’s turnover by China of rifles and ammunition for the Philippine military, using the emblem of Taiwan’s defense ministry on a tarpaulin at the rites instead of Beijing’s Ministry of National Defense.

The faux pas prompted profuse verbal apologies from top officials of the Philippines Department of National Defense. An official DND statement acknowledged what it called “a grievous but purely unintentional mistake of using a wrong logo on a banner to represent the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China.”

While the official DND statement did not mention “Taiwan” by name, it was learned that the DND indeed referred to Taiwan defense ministry’s emblem, but had not called it by name in consideration of Beijing’s sensitivity to the matter. The PROC considers Taiwan a renegade province.

In its statement, the DND made it clear “that the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines strictly adhere to the One China Policy as espoused by the Philippine government.”

The DND said an official apology was sent to the government and people of PROC through China’s Ambassador to Manila Zhao Jianhua.

Source: Interaksyon, TV5

Curiously, these past days other government department, the Philippines News Agency has been hit also by this same mistakes of using wrong logo and other gaffes that leads to some quarters to think whether these were intentional or simply mere sloppy works.


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## Kulas Mata

*Duterte bares Russian gov’t to donate 5,000 rifles, 20 military trucks*

*CAMP TESCSON, Bulacan*—*The Russian government will donate 5,000 rifles and army trucks to the Philippines to help in its fight against terrorism, President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday.*

“We will have the 5,000 sa inyo, baril (guns for you) Kalashnikov,” Duterte said in a speech here after he led the unveiling of the Scout Ranger Ville here.

Kalashnikov is a brand name of Russian-made assault rifles being used by the Soviet Union, its famous among its product line is the AK-47, which is considered one of the most durable firearms around the world.

In an ambush interview, *Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that Russia was donating 5,000 rifles and 20 military trucks to the government.*

“Ito yung (This is the) donation ng Russia sa ating (in our) fight against terrorism. Darating yung barko nila dito sa (Their vessel will arrive here on) 22 October, which is about two weeks from now tapos yung turnover ng mga equipment, mga baril sa 25 sa Manila,” Lorenzana told reporters.

“Ang equipment na ibibigay nila sa atin ay 5,000 Kalashnikov rifles at 20 units ng army trucks,” he added. /jpv
*
*

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## striver44

*PH’s Sixth Brand-New Japan-Made Patrol Vessel Arrives*

12 Oktober 2017





BRP Sindangan 4407 (photo : AGC)

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) today received its sixth brand-new 44-meter Parola-class Multi-role Response Vessels (MRRV) built by Japan.

The said vessel, BRP Sindangan (MRRV-4407), skippered by Lieutenant Severino B. Destora, was welcomed at the Headquarters Coast Guard Ready Force Pier 13, Manila. BRP Malabrigo (MRRV 4402), BRP Suluan (MRRV 4406), BRP Pampanga (SARV 003), and BRP Batangas (SARV 004) welcomed BRP Sindangan.

BRP Sindangan is part of the 10-order deal with Japan Marine United Corporation (JMUC) under PCG’s Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP) Phase I. These vessels are named after the primary lighthouses in the country to denote their significance as one of the navigational aids in the maritime industry.
According to MSCIP, these vessels will act as (1) “primary rescue vessels within the PCG District’s areas of responsibility (AOR) when the extent of the disaster is beyond the capability of floating assets deployed within the area.”

The MRRVs will also (2) assist in controlling oil pollution and protection of the marine environment. (3) These vessels will also enforce applicable maritime laws within the designated AOR, particularly relating to illegal fishing and sea patrol. The vessels will provide (4) service as platform for rapid response during relief operations in the area, and (5) transport of personnel and logistical support.

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## MarveL



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## Kulas Mata

*China donates heavy equipment for Marawi rehabilitation
*
ILIGAN CITY, Philippines – On board a cargo ship, the 47 various heavy equipment donated by the Chinese governmentt arrived at the port of Iligan City, Thursday.

These equipment include 8 dump trucks, wheel loaders, mixer and hydraulic excavators, 5 sets of bulldozers, compact and road rollers.

“We will check it one by one and whatever is lacking, like hydraulic oil or engine oil, we will put it,” Equipment Mngt. Division – Region X Head Engr. Omra Panggaga said.

The operators of the said equipment will come from the provinces of Zamboanga, Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro and Surigao.

The sets of equipment are expected to help in the massive reconstruction and rehabilitation of the now war-torn Marawi City.

Officials await the turn-over of the equipment by representatives of the Chinese Government before transferring it in Marawi City. President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to attend the turnover.

Engr. Panggaga also said Japan is also set to donate equipment for the said rehabilitation. *– Aiko Miguel | UNTV News & Rescue*

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## Cossack25A1

Kulas Mata said:


> *we can expect China's image among the Filipinos will improve significantly once Chinese benevolent projects starts to become visible this year or the next.*



Not everyone



James Jaevid said:


> Subic oh la la!!
> View attachment 430406



As Sinophobia decreases here, anti-Americanism on the other hand is rising.

And dissenting opinions by some Filipinos are now being mistaken as disloyalty by the rest of the Filipinos, just swap the groups.



striver44 said:


> Why is the thread so silent?.......is there a lack of fellow pinoy active in defence.pk??....man i miss timawa.net



Timawa.net is in protest mode, may return in 2022-23.

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## Kulas Mata

*Marawi: Leaders of pro-Islamic State siege killed by Philippine troops, Defence Minister says*
By Indonesia correspondent Adam Harvey, ABC News Australia

Two of the men responsible for the capture of the Philippine city of Marawi have been killed in clashes with armed forces.

Omar Maute and Isnilon Hapilon were killed during a Philippine Armed Forces operation earlier today, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.

Mr Lorenzana said he now expects to announce the end of hostilities in Marawi within days — although previous predictions like this have come and gone.

Omar Maute and his brother Abdullah were responsible for planning the attack on Marawi late in May.

The brothers aligned themselves with Isnilon Hapilon, a former leader of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group and the self-described emir of the Islamic State group (IS) in South-East Asia.

Mr Lorenzana said a hostage held by the Islamists had led them to Hapilon and Omar Maute.

"She was able to confirm the presence of Isnilon and Maute in that particular building," he said.

"That's the building we assaulted this morning."

A video of the Maute brothers planning the tactics of the attack was released showing Hapilon at the table during a planning meeting. The men said they were establishing an IS caliphate in South-East Asia. The Islamists released videos of the execution of police officers captured in the early days of the battle.

Early attempts to clear the city by police and soldiers were repelled by Islamist fighters, and the battle soon ground down into siege, with soldiers barely capturing any ground for weeks on end.

The Maute group fighters dug in and even airstrikes and helicopter gunship assaults had little impact.

Australia P3 Orion crews have been providing aerial surveillance over Marawi since June.

Last month Defence Minister Marise Payne announced that small Australian Defence Force training teams would increase their assistance to the Philippine military.

The Philippine Armed Forces said 162 soldiers have been killed in the fighting, with more than 1,700 wounded.

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## Kulas Mata

Cossack25A1 said:


> Not everyone



Yes, one can't just reversed a 100 years US influence in within span of 6 years. Still, the Filipinos had no deep seated historical grievances against China, convincing Filipinos will take time but it will not be so hard. 

Take for instance Japan, who's Imperial Army invaded the entire Philippines in WWII, is now enjoying a much higher trust among the Filipinos compared China. This despite the fact that the Chinese did not commit atrocities while occupying an inhospitable rock formation in the middle of the sea. 

I think the pro-American Philippine media has something to do on why the Chinese side of the story in the SCS did not even minutely register in the Filipino public's consciousness. It is only now under Duterte that the Philippines mainstream media is under intense scrutiny by the Filipinos, they had a hard time selling US agenda unlike before. 

And there's Duterte, with an unusual high trust rating acting as China's apologist and vicious critic of the West. Five years is quite enough time for improvements on China's image in the Philippines. Plus they can put money where there mouth is.

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## MarveL

Kulas Mata said:


> *Marawi: Leaders of pro-Islamic State siege killed by Philippine troops, Defence Minister says*
> By Indonesia correspondent Adam Harvey, ABC News Australia



bodies of terrorist leaders isnilon hapilon and omar maute

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## lcloo

October 17, 2017 Joel Dizon Nation

President Rodrigo Duterte on October 17 said that Chinese sniper rifles killed terrorist leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute before dawn of October 16.

“China, dalawang beses na naglipad dito para sa [paghatid ng military aid]. ‘Yung sniper nila was of great help. ‘Yung mahaba nila na sniper [rifles]. ‘Yun ang nakakuha kay ano – ‘yung dalawa – madaling araw,” Duterte said during the Federalism Summit and oath-taking ceremony new members of PDP-Laban at the Capitol Convention Center in Pili, Camarines Sur.

“‘Yun ang nakakuha, it’s about a distance of about one kilometer. Isang kilometro ‘yun eh. Eh walang hangin pagka umaga. ‘Yun ang nagamit natin,” he noted.

“Malaking tulong ‘yung binigay ng [China],” he said.

China already delivered 2 batches of firearms to the Philippine government all for free. China first transferred 3,000 rifles with 5 million ammunition and 90 sniper rifles with 800,000 ammunition in June.

The second batch was this month which included 3,000 units of rifles; 3,000,000 rounds of assorted ammunition; and dozens of sniper scopes.

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## Nike

lcloo said:


> October 17, 2017 Joel Dizon Nation
> 
> President Rodrigo Duterte on October 17 said that Chinese sniper rifles killed terrorist leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute before dawn of October 16.
> 
> “China, dalawang beses na naglipad dito para sa [paghatid ng military aid]. ‘Yung sniper nila was of great help. ‘Yung mahaba nila na sniper [rifles]. ‘Yun ang nakakuha kay ano – ‘yung dalawa – madaling araw,” Duterte said during the Federalism Summit and oath-taking ceremony new members of PDP-Laban at the Capitol Convention Center in Pili, Camarines Sur.
> 
> “‘Yun ang nakakuha, it’s about a distance of about one kilometer. Isang kilometro ‘yun eh. Eh walang hangin pagka umaga. ‘Yun ang nagamit natin,” he noted.
> 
> “Malaking tulong ‘yung binigay ng [China],” he said.
> 
> China already delivered 2 batches of firearms to the Philippine government all for free. China first transferred 3,000 rifles with 5 million ammunition and 90 sniper rifles with 800,000 ammunition in June.
> 
> The second batch was this month which included 3,000 units of rifles; 3,000,000 rounds of assorted ammunition; and dozens of sniper scopes.



hoax

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## Cossack25A1

Kulas Mata said:


> Yes, one can't just reversed a 100 years US influence in within span of 6 years. Still, the Filipinos had no deep seated historical grievances against China, convincing Filipinos will take time but it will not be so hard.
> 
> Take for instance Japan, who's Imperial Army invaded the entire Philippines in WWII, is now enjoying a much higher trust among the Filipinos compared China. This despite the fact that the Chinese did not commit atrocities while occupying an inhospitable rock formation in the middle of the sea.
> 
> I think the pro-American Philippine media has something to do on why the Chinese side of the story in the SCS did not even minutely register in the Filipino public's consciousness. It is only now under Duterte that the Philippines mainstream media is under intense scrutiny by the Filipinos, they had a hard time selling US agenda unlike before.
> 
> And there's Duterte, with an unusual high trust rating acting as China's apologist and vicious critic of the West. Five years is quite enough time for improvements on China's image in the Philippines. Plus they can put money where there mouth is.



Just like how you hate the Americans as a whole, there will be Filipinos who hates Mainlanders as a whole


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## Kulas Mata

*Philippines' Duterte says Malaysian Islamist militant killed*
From Associated Free Press (AFP) News, via Yahoo

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday that a Malaysian militant tipped to become the new leader of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia had been killed.

Mahmud Ahmad was described by the Philippine military as a "high value target" who had funded an attack by pro-IS militants on the southern city of Marawi in May and connected local insurgents with jihadists in the Middle East.

Duterte said Mahmud was the latest militant leader to have been killed in the nearly five-month battle in Marawi following the death of Isnilon Hapilon, the head of IS in Southeast Asia, and his ally Omarkhayam Maute on Monday.

"Now the other (one), the one they called 'Doc' -- there are three: Hapilon, Omar and the Doc -- he was taken this afternoon, and that completes the story," Duterte said at a business conference in Manila, drawing applause from the crowd.

Hours before Duterte spoke, military chief of staff General Eduardo Ano said the armed forces were "increasingly becoming confident" that Mahmud was among 13 militants killed in fighting on Wednesday night, citing accounts of freed hostages.

A DNA test would later be conducted on the body, military spokesman Major-General Restituto Padilla told AFP.

Pro-IS gunmen occupied parts of Marawi -- the main Islamic city in the predominantly Catholic Philippines -- on May 23, triggering intense fighting that has killed more than 1,000 people and reduced the city centre to rubble.

On Tuesday, Duterte declared Marawi "liberated from terrorists' influence" but the military said fighting was continuing against at least 20 remaining militants.

Following Hapilon's death, terrorism expert Ahmad Kumar Ramakrishna from Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies said if Mahmud survived he would likely take over the leadership of IS-linked fighters in the southern Philippines.

"He was the one responsible for the direct linkage of Hapilon to the larger group of the Daesh. It was he who provided the funding necessary to bankroll the siege of Marawi," Padilla said on Tuesday, using another term for IS.

The Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict described Mahmud as a former university lecturer who sat on the "inner circle of the Marawi command structure".

"Mahmud controlled recruitment as well as financing and has been the contact person for any foreigner wanting to join the pro-ISIS coalition in the Philippines", stated the July report.



Cossack25A1 said:


> Just like how you hate the Americans as a whole, there will be Filipinos who hates Mainlanders as a whole



I don't hate the US just because I have a positive outlook on China. I just want US and China to have both equal footing in Philippines foreign policy. Continuing bellicose attitude towards China will be disadvantageous to the Philippines in the long run as the US power is waning. Regional powers are rising and there's one right in our neighborhood. 

Yes, you're right though, there will be always Filipinos who who will be forever be indebted to the US, specially those who are on the American pensions and those who earn their living in the US. One does not simply bites the hand that feeds.



madokafc said:


> hoax



No its not. Duterte did claimed Chinese sniper rifle were used in killing HVTs in Marawi. Whether its true or not remain to be seen as the AFP has not yet officially divulge full details of the incident to the public.

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## 21stCentury

Kulas Mata said:


> Just recently, the Citizen National Guard, a local organization composed of both active and retired military personalities, reservist, nationalist, lawyers and private citizens in the Philippines has identified the US NED (National Endowment Democracy) as an overt organization of the CIA posing as an NGO. *This CIA sub-contractor is actively funding media outfits in the Philippines who are overly-critical of Pres. Duterte's government policy on both local and foreign. *



Like cancer they try to destroy you from within in. Divide and counter takes on many forms. Let see how president Duterte will eliminate this CIA virus.


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## Nike

Kulas Mata said:


> *Philippines' Duterte says Malaysian Islamist militant killed*
> From Associated Free Press (AFP) News, via Yahoo
> 
> Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday that a Malaysian militant tipped to become the new leader of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia had been killed.
> 
> Mahmud Ahmad was described by the Philippine military as a "high value target" who had funded an attack by pro-IS militants on the southern city of Marawi in May and connected local insurgents with jihadists in the Middle East.
> 
> Duterte said Mahmud was the latest militant leader to have been killed in the nearly five-month battle in Marawi following the death of Isnilon Hapilon, the head of IS in Southeast Asia, and his ally Omarkhayam Maute on Monday.
> 
> "Now the other (one), the one they called 'Doc' -- there are three: Hapilon, Omar and the Doc -- he was taken this afternoon, and that completes the story," Duterte said at a business conference in Manila, drawing applause from the crowd.
> 
> Hours before Duterte spoke, military chief of staff General Eduardo Ano said the armed forces were "increasingly becoming confident" that Mahmud was among 13 militants killed in fighting on Wednesday night, citing accounts of freed hostages.
> 
> A DNA test would later be conducted on the body, military spokesman Major-General Restituto Padilla told AFP.
> 
> Pro-IS gunmen occupied parts of Marawi -- the main Islamic city in the predominantly Catholic Philippines -- on May 23, triggering intense fighting that has killed more than 1,000 people and reduced the city centre to rubble.
> 
> On Tuesday, Duterte declared Marawi "liberated from terrorists' influence" but the military said fighting was continuing against at least 20 remaining militants.
> 
> Following Hapilon's death, terrorism expert Ahmad Kumar Ramakrishna from Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies said if Mahmud survived he would likely take over the leadership of IS-linked fighters in the southern Philippines.
> 
> "He was the one responsible for the direct linkage of Hapilon to the larger group of the Daesh. It was he who provided the funding necessary to bankroll the siege of Marawi," Padilla said on Tuesday, using another term for IS.
> 
> The Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict described Mahmud as a former university lecturer who sat on the "inner circle of the Marawi command structure".
> 
> "Mahmud controlled recruitment as well as financing and has been the contact person for any foreigner wanting to join the pro-ISIS coalition in the Philippines", stated the July report.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't hate the US just because I have a positive outlook on China. I just want US and China to have both equal footing in Philippines foreign policy. Continuing bellicose attitude towards China will be disadvantageous to the Philippines in the long run as the US power is waning. Regional powers are rising and there's one right in our neighborhood.
> 
> Yes, you're right though, there will be always Filipinos who who will be forever be indebted to the US, specially those who are on the American pensions and those who earn their living in the US. One does not simply bites the hand that feeds.
> 
> 
> 
> No its not. Duterte did claimed Chinese sniper rifle were used in killing HVTs in Marawi. Whether its true or not remain to be seen as the AFP has not yet officially divulge full details of the incident to the public.



Had been discussed in details before at another forum and revelation from scout ranger member before. Expilisit reason

1. The one who hunting Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute is Scout Ranger member along with light cav. Regiment units with UT25 equipped M113A2. Not Police Force
2. Chinese equipment is intended for Police Corps not the Army, meanwhile Scout ranger is from Army unit
3. Chinese equipment is still in certification process before can be uses at real battle, so it is not possible to find them in Marawi at this moment

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## Kulas Mata

madokafc said:


> Had been discussed in details before at another forum and revelation from scout ranger member before. Expilisit reason
> 
> 1. The one who hunting Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute is Scout Ranger member along with light cav. Regiment units with UT25 equipped M113A2. Not Police Force
> 2. Chinese equipment is intended for Police Corps not the Army, meanwhile Scout ranger is from Army unit
> 3. Chinese equipment is still in certification process before can be uses at real battle, so it is not possible to find them in Marawi at this moment



1. In case it was not mention in that forum, PNP is actually involve in the Marawi City operation, and that is the PNP-SAF.
2. Yes, as far as the Chinese cloned M4s are concern but the Chinese sniper rifles could have been already been distributed to special units in Marawi for actually performance in battle.
3. Not certification but for inventory, the AFP Spokeperson, Brig. Gen. Padilla said it himself as far as June.

Here's one proof that Chinese sniper rifles are already in use in Marawi.

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/895218582799265794
Knowing how rabidly pro-American are most Philippine mainstream media, it is not surprising information like this are not considered newsworthy, hence the little coverage on Chinese weapons.

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## cnleio

MarveL said:


> bodies of terrorist leaders isnilon hapilon and omar maute


News from China side , it's Philippines Special Force （BAKAL）shot China type26 (CS/LS4) sniper rifle to kill two terrorist leaders, ambush action in the evening.

type26(CS/LS4) sniper rifle:

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## dy1022

Kill them all, good luck to the people of Philippine,wish a quick rebuilding in Marawi!


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## Kulas Mata

cnleio said:


> News from China side , it's Philippines Special Force （BAKAL）shot China type26 (CS/LS4) sniper rifle to kill two terrorist leaders, ambush action in the evening.
> 
> type26(CS/LS4) sniper rifle:
> View attachment 432525



Still no official statement from the Philippines Army specifically on what type of sniper rifle or weapon were used in killing the two HVTs. In the absence of official details on this issue, everybody have the liberty to their assumptions. 

I don't have information whether the Type 26(CS/LS4) that China donated comes with Thermal imaging/scope but if it did, there's a higher chance on the assumption that the 8th Scout Ranger Company that killed IH and OM did used Chines Type-26(CS/LS4).

Here's a blown-up image of one Scout Ranger ace-sniper using what seems to be a Type 26(CS/LS4). This guy alone has 9 confirmed hits while his buddy bagged 5 heads.




Compare his rifle's silhouette to the one below that Duterte tried on.



The bipod and the bolt handle is such a give-away.

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## cnleio

Kulas Mata said:


> Still no official statement from the Philippines Army specifically on what type of sniper rifle or weapon were used in killing the two HVTs. In the absence of official details on this issue, everybody have the liberty to their assumptions.
> 
> I don't have information whether the Type 26(CS/LS4) that China donated comes with Thermal imaging/scope but if it did, there's a higher chance on the assumption that the 8th Scout Ranger Company that killed IH and OM did used Chines Type-26(CS/LS4).
> 
> Here's a blown-up image of one Scout Ranger ace-sniper using what seems to be a Type 26(CS/LS4). This guy alone has 9 confirmed hits while his buddy bagged 5 heads.
> View attachment 432563
> 
> Compare his rifle's silhouette to the one below that Duterte tried on.
> View attachment 432564
> The bipod and the bolt handle is such a give-away.


No doubt China is arming Philippines Army for fighting against terrorism, donate rifles just beginning ... when both nations develop more co-operative relationship, i sure future China can support new armored vehicles to Philippines Army, since past 60 years China had good experience on arming a foreign military force to win their wars.

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## Cossack25A1

Kulas Mata said:


> 1. In case it was not mention in that forum, PNP is actually involve in the Marawi City operation, and that is the PNP-SAF.
> 2. Yes, as far as the Chinese cloned M4s are concern but the Chinese sniper rifles could have been already been distributed to special units in Marawi for actually performance in battle.
> 3. Not certification but for inventory, the AFP Spokeperson, Brig. Gen. Padilla said it himself as far as June.
> 
> Here's one proof that Chinese sniper rifles are already in use in Marawi.
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/895218582799265794
> Knowing how rabidly pro-American are most Philippine mainstream media, it is not surprising information like this are not considered newsworthy, hence the little coverage on Chinese weapons.



It is used but that doesn't mean CC weapons are used to kill those terrorists leaders.


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## Kulas Mata

*Fighting in Marawi City is over*
By Claire Jiao and Lara Tan, CNN Philippines

Clark, Pampanga (CNN Philippines, October 23) — The Philippine government on Monday declared the end of five months of fighting in Marawi City and victory against Southeast Asia's "most serious threat of violent extremism."

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced the end to all combat operations against ISIS-inspired Maute terrorists after the military killed the last remaining local and foreign terrorists in the city.

"After 154 days of the siege of Marawi by the Daesh-inspired Maute-ISIS group, or after a week since the Commander-In-Chief declared the liberation of Marawi, we now announce the termination of all combat operations in Marawi," he said at the ASEAN Defense Ministers meeting in this freeport zone north of Manila. "Daesh" is the Arabic acronym used to refer to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, but its use is considered an insult by the terrorists.

Lorenzana said the killing of 920 of the Maute group including foreign fighters and its top leaders has prevented the spread of extremism in Asia.

"In crushing thus far the most serious attempt to export violent extremism and radicalism in the Philippines and in the region, we have contributed to preventing its spread in Asia," he said.

Defense chiefs of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are on the first of two-day meetings here in the runup to the leaders' summit in November.

Malacanang welcomed the news and reiterated government's victory.

"We have successfully concluded what has been, so far, the most serious threat of violent extremism and radicalism in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia," said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella in a statement Monday.

In Marawi City, more than 1,500 kilometers away from here, Joint Task Force Ranao Deputy Commander Colonel Romeo Brawner said Lorenzana's declaration means the military has ended their assaults against Maute members.

"When we say 'termination of combat operations,' this means that we are terminating the assault, the offensive attack on the positions of the Maute-ISIS," he said.

Brawner said government troops will defend themselves in case they come across stragglers.

Lorenzana said a total of 42 cadavers — composed of Maute terrorists, two wives of fighters, and five possible foreign combatants — were found in a building believed to be the last stronghold of the Maute. Amin Baco, the reported leader of the stragglers in Marawi, could also be part of the casualties, he added.

"No more. There are no more militants around Marawi City," he said.

Brawner cited hostages saying that even the kin of the Maute had taken up arms. "'Yung ibang asawa ng mga Maute ay nakipaglaban na rin because they feel desperate. We believe na kasama sila (foreign terrorists) sa cadavers na ire-recover natin."

Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, Maute leader Omar Maute, and Dr. Mahmud Ahmad, the Malaysian militant who funded the war were killed during the 154 days of fighting.

All 1,780 hostages of the terrorists have been rescued by the military.

The deaths of the top two leaders on October 16 marked a significant turning point in the crisis, and prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare the liberation of Marawi City from terrorists on October 17.



Cossack25A1 said:


> It is used but that doesn't mean CC weapons are used to kill those terrorists leaders.



The Armed Forces of the Philippines has not yet issued an official statement on that matter. What I have shown so far is China's rifles were actually used in Marawi by PH elite forces contrary to what is being trumpeted in most pro-US defense forums, that the Chinese weapons are still under evaluation by the AFP.

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## Cossack25A1

Kulas Mata said:


> The Armed Forces of the Philippines has not yet issued an official statement on that matter. What I have shown so far is China's rifles were actually used in Marawi by PH elite forces contrary to what is being trumpeted in most pro-US defense forums, that the Chinese weapons are still under evaluation by the AFP.



Post your source that the Philippine Army special forces are using Chinese-donated rifles aside from what Pres. Duterte's claims. And I mean from the Philippine military website as those website will have news about it.


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## jhungary

Kulas Mata said:


> Still no official statement from the Philippines Army specifically on what type of sniper rifle or weapon were used in killing the two HVTs. In the absence of official details on this issue, everybody have the liberty to their assumptions.
> 
> I don't have information whether the Type 26(CS/LS4) that China donated comes with Thermal imaging/scope but if it did, there's a higher chance on the assumption that the 8th Scout Ranger Company that killed IH and OM did used Chines Type-26(CS/LS4).
> 
> Here's a blown-up image of one Scout Ranger ace-sniper using what seems to be a Type 26(CS/LS4). This guy alone has 9 confirmed hits while his buddy bagged 5 heads.
> View attachment 432563
> 
> Compare his rifle's silhouette to the one below that Duterte tried on.
> View attachment 432564
> The bipod and the bolt handle is such a give-away.



You can see the rifle is different between a Chinese NSG1 CS/LR4 and what the sniper used. The bolt of CS/LR4 is arched backward and straight, so you will need to charge the rifle backhanded with your right hand (with your palm facing up) the rifle the soldier using have the bolted arched backward and downward and bended, so you can use front hand to charge the handle (So you charge the weapon palm facing downward) This is 2 distinct design so the rifle could not be the same.

The scope and bipod can be third party so you cannot use the scope cover and bipod to distinguish whether or not the rifle are the same because I can use both the same bipod and scope on 2 different rifles as long as it take the same RIS system, but you cannot change the design of a rifle.


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## Kulas Mata

*China's donation of equipments for Marawi Rehabilitation.*
CTTO - DPWH Sec. Mark Villar








Pro-US Philippine media is not showing these in their broadcast. 



Cossack25A1 said:


> Post your source that the Philippine Army special forces are using Chinese-donated rifles aside from what Pres. Duterte's claims. And I mean from the Philippine military website as those website will have news about it.



*Lorenzana thanks partner countries for help in Marawi siege*
By: Frances Mangosing- Reporter / Philippine Daily Inquirer 03:26 PM October 23, 2017

LARK FREEPORT – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday expressed his gratitude to the country’s partner countries that helped in the five-month long Marawi siege.

“We’d like to thank the nations that helped us — China, United States, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, also Brunei and Singapore,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the regional security forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Lorenzana’s statement came after he declared the termination of combat operations in Marawi City, exactly five months after the fighting between government troops and Islamic State-linked Maute Group erupted.

*Asked by a reporter on the difference of the assistance given by China and US in the Marawi crisis, Lorenzana said China provided weapons while the latter helped on the technical side.*

*“China gave us firearms and ammunition and sniper rifles, while the United States provided technical intelligence,” he said.*

China earlier *donated thousands of sniper and assault rifles to the Philippines for the Marawi siege.* The bulk of the donation went to the Philippine National Police while the *sniper rifles were given to the military*.

*“Some of their (China) rifles were used against the terrorists so they are in the frontlines *while the Americans provided us images of the enemy. They have very sophisticated intelligence gathering capability that they offered us,” Lorenzana said.

Unless you do not consider units of 1st Scout Ranger Regiment as special forces then I rest my case.
*
*

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## Kulas Mata

jhungary said:


> You can see the rifle is different between a Chinese NSG1 CS/LR4 and what the sniper used. The bolt of CS/LR4 is arched backward and straight, so you will need to charge the rifle backhanded with your right hand (with your palm facing up) the rifle the soldier using have the bolted arched backward and downward and bended, so you can use front hand to charge the handle (So you charge the weapon palm facing downward) This is 2 distinct design so the rifle could not be the same.
> 
> The scope and bipod can be third party so you cannot use the scope cover and bipod to distinguish whether or not the rifle are the same because I can use both the same bipod and scope on 2 different rifles as long as it take the same RIS system, but you cannot change the design of a rifle.



I respect your expert opinion but Philippines army loves their sniper rifle's bipods with springs and they don't have the time and luxury for two sets of bipods in the middle of terrorist siege. Besides the few bolt-action type sniper rifles of the army have ball-edged charging handles like its MS24s and Robar SR-60s unlike the Chinese' CS/LR4s that China donated recently.

Springs






M24





And here's a an CS/LR4 chambered, albeit with ball-edge type handle.





Compare to my smoking gun..





All images CTTO.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In other news...

*Russia and Philippines sign contract for delivery of grenade launchers*
TASS, Russian News Agency

CLARK /Philippines/, October 24. /TASS/. Moscow and Manila have signed a contract for the delivery of the *Russian-made RPG-7B grenade launchers and ammunition to the Philippines.*

The contract was signed by Russia’s Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheyev and Philippine Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana in the presence of Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergey Shoigu.

The signing ceremony took place in the Philippines’ Clark, where the fourth meeting of defense ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states and dialogue partners is being held.





Image by Yuri Smityuk/TASS


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## jhungary

Kulas Mata said:


> I respect your expert opinion but Philippines army loves their sniper rifle's bipods with springs and they don't have the time and luxury for two sets of bipods in the middle of terrorist siege. Besides the few bolt-action type sniper rifles of the army have ball-edged charging handles like its MS24s and Robar SR-60s unlike the Chinese' CS/LR4s that China donated recently.
> 
> Springs
> View attachment 433028
> 
> 
> M24
> View attachment 433029
> 
> 
> And here's a an CS/LR4 chambered, albeit with ball-edge type handle.
> View attachment 433031
> 
> 
> Compare to my smoking gun..
> View attachment 433033
> 
> 
> All images CTTO.
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Most Special Force member like to modify their weapon, it's not about time or anything but rather about personal need. The problem is the Peripheral are usually modded in a way every weapon uses by Special Force member can be distinguish to each individual member, meaning you can literally know who was there by the look of their weapon. The ball edge is actually an add on like a piece of rubber you put on the tip of your pen so you can grip better. 

But you cannot change the bolt unless you have the time and money to craft your own, because each bolt have to suit a particular barrel with twist and grooving. To change the bolt, you will need a gunsmith specialise in this (Literally he/she know how to forge a barrel) otherwise if the barrel and the bolt don't match, your weapon will misfire. This is something even an experience gun smith, gun dealer like me cannot do, most of the time if you want to craft a bolt, you will need to go back to the company and ask them to make you one, this do exist from time to time but I don't think Philippine SF have the ability to do that with donated weapon, usually you use as is. However, Scope and Bipod or designator like PEQ-15 are what we call QD (Quick Detachment) you can fix it on your rifle within seconds.

I can very definitely say the weapon used by the sniper in your pic is not a CS/LR4, you can see the barrel is a different shape than a LR4 and the bolt is different. From that angle, it could be either a M24, or L119.

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## Kulas Mata

jhungary said:


> Most Special Force member like to modify their weapon, it's not about time or anything but rather about personal need. The problem is the Peripheral are usually modded in a way every weapon uses by Special Force member can be distinguish to each individual member, meaning you can literally know who was there by the look of their weapon. The ball edge is actually an add on like a piece of rubber you put on the tip of your pen so you can grip better.
> 
> But you cannot change the bolt unless you have the time and money to craft your own, because each bolt have to suit a particular barrel with twist and grooving. To change the bolt, you will need a gunsmith specialise in this (Literally he/she know how to forge a barrel) otherwise if the barrel and the bolt don't match, your weapon will misfire. This is something even an experience gun smith, gun dealer like me cannot do, most of the time if you want to craft a bolt, you will need to go back to the company and ask them to make you one, this do exist from time to time but I don't think Philippine SF have the ability to do that with donated weapon, usually you use as is. However, Scope and Bipod or designator like PEQ-15 are what we call QD (Quick Detachment) you can fix it on your rifle within seconds.
> 
> I can very definitely say the weapon used by the sniper in your pic is not a CS/LR4, you can see the barrel is a different shape than a LR4 and the bolt is different. From that angle, it could be either a M24, or L119.



I beg to differ, definitely not M24 based on the position of the sniper hand to what seems to be a pistol grip. M24s have a semi-pistol grip. Regarding L119, as far I know Philippine army don't have that in its arsenal. They have a few TAC-50 though, but again its charging handles are all ball-edged. Newly purchased rifles are used as is and seldom goes to modification even by the soldiers themselves. Their pay is barely enough for family upkeep. Only really old rifles such as the Vietnam era M16s and WW2 era M3 submachine guns went into the government arsenal for upgrades and modification.


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## jhungary

Kulas Mata said:


> I beg to differ, definitely not M24 based on the position of the sniper hand to what seems to be a pistol grip. M24s have a semi-pistol grip. Regarding L119, as far I know Philippine army don't have that in its arsenal. They have a few TAC-50 though, but again its charging handles are all ball-edged. Newly purchased rifles are used as is and seldom goes to modification even by the soldiers themselves. Their pay is barely enough for family upkeep. Only really old rifles such as the Vietnam era M16s and WW2 era M3 submachine guns went into the government arsenal for upgrades and modification.
> View attachment 433104



It could be, if he extended the bolt and ready to shoot. (then the bolt would have covered part of his hand.)

The picture is too grainy to see what he is using, but again, judging by the fact that the bolt and barrel shape, pretty sure it is not a CS/LR4. 

Special Force people don't operate the same rules as normal troop or police. Normal soldier don't modify their weapon (In fact in some case you cannot modify a government issue weapon) But most SF does, in fact, I can't think of any SF I met (US or other country) did not modify their weapon to some degree.

But well, anyway, this is a bit off topic and I am just saying the rifle the man use does not looks like a CS/LR4

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## Cossack25A1

Kulas Mata said:


> *China's donation of equipments for Marawi Rehabilitation.*
> CTTO - DPWH Sec. Mark Villar
> View attachment 433025
> 
> View attachment 433034
> 
> Pro-US Philippine media is not showing these in their broadcast.
> 
> 
> 
> *Lorenzana thanks partner countries for help in Marawi siege*
> By: Frances Mangosing- Reporter / Philippine Daily Inquirer 03:26 PM October 23, 2017
> 
> LARK FREEPORT – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday expressed his gratitude to the country’s partner countries that helped in the five-month long Marawi siege.
> 
> “We’d like to thank the nations that helped us — China, United States, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, also Brunei and Singapore,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the regional security forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
> 
> Lorenzana’s statement came after he declared the termination of combat operations in Marawi City, exactly five months after the fighting between government troops and Islamic State-linked Maute Group erupted.
> 
> *Asked by a reporter on the difference of the assistance given by China and US in the Marawi crisis, Lorenzana said China provided weapons while the latter helped on the technical side.*
> 
> *“China gave us firearms and ammunition and sniper rifles, while the United States provided technical intelligence,” he said.*
> 
> China earlier *donated thousands of sniper and assault rifles to the Philippines for the Marawi siege.* The bulk of the donation went to the Philippine National Police while the *sniper rifles were given to the military*.
> 
> *“Some of their (China) rifles were used against the terrorists so they are in the frontlines *while the Americans provided us images of the enemy. They have very sophisticated intelligence gathering capability that they offered us,” Lorenzana said.
> 
> Unless you do not consider units of 1st Scout Ranger Regiment as special forces then I rest my case.



Apparently it was the Mech Division that killed the terrorist

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/938695...ute-hapilon-maute-marawi-escape-terrorism/amp

http://www.interaksyon.com/watch-wh...rm-took-out-isnilon-hapilon-omarkhayam-maute/

It mentions an RCW and because it was night and there is an M113 when the terrorist were killed based on the drone shot that shows two bodies were taken away into an APC...

And i wonder, will the CC Dragunov or CS/LR4 has thermal scope?

And there's this
https://www.update.ph/2017/07/pnp-to-use-3000-donated-chinese-rifles/18794


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## cnleio

Kulas Mata said:


> I beg to differ, definitely not M24 based on the position of the sniper hand to what seems to be a pistol grip. M24s have a semi-pistol grip. Regarding L119, as far I know Philippine army don't have that in its arsenal. They have a few TAC-50 though, but again its charging handles are all ball-edged ...
> View attachment 433104


That's not a problem, it's China CS/LR4, it's PLA version not Police version





















BTW China also produce M24 clone

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## cnleio

Cossack25A1 said:


> Apparently it was the Mech Division that killed the terrorist
> 
> http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/938695...ute-hapilon-maute-marawi-escape-terrorism/amp
> 
> http://www.interaksyon.com/watch-wh...rm-took-out-isnilon-hapilon-omarkhayam-maute/
> 
> It mentions an RCW and because it was night and there is an M113 when the terrorist were killed based on the drone shot that shows two bodies were taken away into an APC...
> 
> And i wonder, will the CC Dragunov or CS/LR4 has thermal scope?
> 
> And there's this
> https://www.update.ph/2017/07/pnp-to-use-3000-donated-chinese-rifles/18794


I don't know whether China government donated Infrared imaging devices to Philippines Army ... if yes, ur soldiers can shoot the target at night.

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## cnleio

If China government donated China Type10 sniper rifle to Philippines Army ... on the rifle already equipping infrared thermal scope + laser range finder, the Philippines soldiers also can shoot the target at night.

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## katarabhumi

*2 Indonesia navy ships to visit Mindanao*
_Wednesday, October 25, 2017 By Juliet C. Revita_

TWO Indonesian navy ships will arrive in Mindanao for a three-day goodwill visit starting on October 29 at Makar Wharf, General Santos City as Indonesia seeks to further improve relationship and closer cooperation with the Philippines.

Lieutenant James Reyes, spokesperson of Naval Forces of Eastern Mindanao (NFEM), these Indonesian vessels are Kri Sultan Hasanuddin-366 and Kri Sultan Iskandar Muda-377, which will dock on Sunday until November 1.

He added that part of the visit includes courtesy calls of the Indonesian navies to different security forces including Joint Task Force Gensan, Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group, and the City Mayor of General Santos.

"Likewise, there will also be a hosted dinner reception between two navies and goodwill games among participating security forces and the Indonesian Navy," he said.

There will also a public viewing or shipboard tour onboard the two Indonesian vessels which will be open on October 30 to 31 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Last July, the annual coordinated marine patrol exercise between Philippines and Indonesia, dubbed as Corpat Philiindo 2017, kicked off in Davao City wherein both navies conducted joint exercises geared to strengthen common boundaries against maritime threats to prevent lawless armed groups from using the southern part as point of entry.

Meanwhile, NFEM will hold its Unilateral Fleet Training Exercise within Davao Gulf which involves its floating assets within Naval Task Group 71 area of responsibility from October 24 to 28 under Commander, Task Force Seahawk.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2017/10/25/2-indonesia-navy-ships-visit-mindanao-571223

.

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## Kulas Mata

Cossack25A1 said:


> Apparently it was the Mech Division that killed the terrorist
> 
> It mentions an RCW and because it was night and there is an M113 when the terrorist were killed based on the drone shot that shows two bodies were taken away into an APC...
> 
> And i wonder, will the CC Dragunov or CS/LR4 has thermal scope?



Excerpt from the Philippine Daily Inquirer:

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Año declined to comment when asked if President Rodrigo’s claim that Chinese rifles were used to kill Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, the top leaders of the Marawi siege.

*"I won’t answer that question, but Chinese sniper rifles were used by soldiers who fought in Marawi. If I’m not mistaken those were LR4As, very effective."

Gen. Año had said that Hapilon was shot in the chest while Maute was killed by sniper shot in the head.
*
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let me just drop it here, its bad PR for the US to pay for the Reward Money on a wanted terrorist killed by Chinese precision sniper rifle. I can only imagine the headlines and the implication. Maybe in time when things subsides, details will be revealed.

Whether that donated Chinese sniper rifles comes with thermal scope imaging no information so far. But it would not be far fetched to think China must've pass a few of them to the Philippine Army but away from the public eyes.



cnleio said:


> That's not a problem, it's China CS/LR4, it's PLA version not Police version



My favorite pic...wrap rags on the barrel, bingo!

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## Cossack25A1

Kulas Mata said:


> Excerpt from the Philippine Daily Inquirer:
> 
> Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Año declined to comment when asked if President Rodrigo’s claim that Chinese rifles were used to kill Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, the top leaders of the Marawi siege.
> 
> *"I won’t answer that question, but Chinese sniper rifles were used by soldiers who fought in Marawi. If I’m not mistaken those were LR4As, very effective."
> 
> Gen. Año had said that Hapilon was shot in the chest while Maute was killed by sniper shot in the head.
> *
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Let me just drop it here, its bad PR for the US to pay for the Reward Money on a wanted terrorist killed by Chinese precision sniper rifle. I can only imagine the headlines and the implication. Maybe in time when things subsides, details will be revealed.
> 
> Whether that donated Chinese sniper rifles comes with thermal scope imaging no information so far. But it would not be far fetched to think China must've pass a few of them to the Philippine Army but away from the public eyes.



Why post only an excerpt from an article and not the whole thing, like not mentioning another excerpt in the article

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/940448...o-isnilon-hapilon-omar-maute-china-rifles/amp


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## Kulas Mata

Cossack25A1 said:


> Why post only an excerpt from an article and not the whole thing, like not mentioning another excerpt in the article



No ill intent whatsoever. I just want to highlight the part that supports my assumptions. There's no question on the use of remotely controlled weapon that iced Hapilon in the first place. Only on what at type of sniper rifle that got Maute that is in contention. Besides, I don't have the privilege yet to post direct Internet link to the article source for now.


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## Kulas Mata

PNP-Special Action Force contingent back to barracks after ISIS-Maute defeat in Marawi.














































All image credit to PNP-PIO

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## Svantana

Battle of Marawi documentary

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## Hindustani78

Philippines Air Force (PAF) personnel, deployed in the war-torn Marawi city, march during a Heroes’ Welcome ceremony at the PAF headquarters in Pasay city, metro Manila, Philippines, on Monday. — Reuters


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## Cossack25A1

We don't have any scopes from China, only from US and Turkey

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/adas-2016-aselsan-achieves-first-a100-export/

_During the second ADAS 2016 exhibition in Manila, Shephard received further details of Aselsan’s sale of A100 night vision devices to the Philippines.

*The Turkish company is fulfilling a PHP712.069 million ($15.4 million) order for 4,464 monocular devices for the Philippine Army*._

-----

http://www.defencereviewasia.com/articles/172/FIGHT-TONIGHT-NIGHT-VISION-PROGRAMMES-IN-ASIA

_The Philippines obviously benefits greatly from American financial and military assistance. *The newest NVG for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is the EOTech M914A (a version of the AN/PVS-14). By May 2010, the Philippines had received 2,351 M914A goggles from Nightline Inc in the USA. Most sets went to the army to assist operations in the restive southern region of Mindanao*. There are still not enough to go around, however. Several years ago when the author visited the Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG), one member admitted there was often only one set per eight-man team instead of the desired rate of one per member. Aircraft and helicopter pilots now perform regular night missions thanks to US training and equipment._


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## lcloo

Get a feel on new toy.

Reactions: Like Like:
2


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## Hindustani78

*Philippines Marines in southern Philippines*

Reactions: Like Like:
1


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## striver44

PHILIPPINES
*Malacañang on China buildup on PH reef: What do you want us to do?*
(UPDATED) Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque again downplays continued militarization by China of artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea

https://www.rappler.com/authorprofile/pia-ranada
*Pia Ranada*
@piaranada
Published 3:05 PM, February 05, 2018
Updated 12:37 AM, February 06, 2018
 continued construction on Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef), a reef that belongs to the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

"If the Aquino administration was not able to do anything about these artificial islands, what do they want us to do?" asked Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque during a Palace news briefing.


He was asked what the Philippine government intends to do about the new structures built by China on the reef located in the Spratlys which the Permanent Court of Arbitration, through a landmark ruling, affirmed belongs to the Philippines.

Photos show the reclaimed reef now has a concrete runway, two radomes for radar equipment, two hangars, and a control tower.

Roque said the reclamation of the reefs in the Spratlys began during the administration of Benigno Aquino III and that the government had already known then of China's plan to build military structures on them.

"I think whether or not we like it, they intended to use them as military bases. So, what do you want us to say? All that we could do is to extract a promise from China not to reclaim any new artificial islands," said President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman.

Asked if the Philippines intends to file a diplomatic protest against China, Roque was evasive.

"In the first place, it did not happen overnight. I think the previous administration must have filed also a protest, when it became apparent that they were going to be used as military bases," he said.

Roque insisted that the only red flag for Malacañang is if China creates more artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea.

This despite Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana saying a month ago that even just military buildup on existing artificial islands is a violation of China's promise.

"I know for a fact that the Chinese government said some time ago that they are not going to militarize those reclaimed islands," said Lorenzana last January 8.

"If it is true and we can prove that they have been putting soldiers and weapons, then it will be a violation of what they said," he added.

Advertisement
Asked to explain the discrepancy between his remarks and that of the defense chief, Roque said he can only speak for Duterte and not for other Cabinet members.

*Options outside of war*

This is the second time Roque has downplayed new Chinese construction in the West Philippine Sea. In early January, he also said the transformation of Kagitingan Reef (Fiery Cross Reef) into a Chinese air base was not a violation of China's "good faith commitment."

During the Monday briefing, Roque wondered out loud what else the Duterte administration could do in the face of China's continued construction on reclaimed reefs. He even asked reporters present for suggestions since declaring war against China is "impossible."

Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio had previously outlined 5 steps the Duterte administration could take to deter China's activities in the West Philippine Sea without going to war.

One of these steps is to file a diplomatic protest. Another is to send the Philippine Navy to patrol features in the EEZ.

Carpio also said the Philippines could ask for the assistance of the United States, possibly in the form of joint naval patrols. He also advised the government to avoid any act or statement that expressly or impliedly waives Philippine sovereignty to any Philippine territory in the West Philippine Sea. (READ: Why Justice Carpio wants China to read his e-book)

Asked about Carpio's criticism of the Duterte administration's decision to trust China's word on its activities in the West Philippine Sea, Roque said it would be better for Carpio to write a relevant court decision or to run for a post in government.

"He could run [for] an elective, legislative position if he wants to make policy for government," said Roque. *– Rappler.com*


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## Dai Toruko

Duterte is making a backdoor deal with China. When the people figure out what is going on, China will have more control of the South China Sea, the Philippines will lose whatever China promised them, and will be under Chinese jurisdiction. Duterte is the Donald Trump of the Philippines. He has absolutely no idea about foreign policy, the detrimental repercussions, what he's doing, how to do it, and who to do it with. In his campaign, he claimed he would ride out to the islands himself to plant a Philippine flag to show China whose it is. Now, he backdoors his people, joins China, hands the islands to them on a silver platter, all while dancing a jig.


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## TaiShang

*China is Philippines' largest source of imports in February: report*

Xinhua | Updated: 2018-04-11 

MANILA - China was the Philippines' largest source of imports in February, comprising 19.9 percent share of the total import for the month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Wednesday.

In a report, the PSA said import bills from the top 10 countries for imports for February amounted to $6.08 billion or 78.7 percent share of the total.

"China was the country's biggest source of imports with 19.9 percent share in February 2018. Import payments to this country stood at $1.54 billion, posting an increment of 57.7 percent from $977.17 million in February 2017," the PSA said.


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## Suika

Last three of five patrol aircraft donated to the Philippines from Japan.
---start---




CAVITE, Philippines – The Philippine government got 3 more hand-me-down Beechcraft King Air TC-90 planes from Japan on Monday, March 26, completing the expected 5-plane squadron promised by Tokyo.

The transfer was formalized through an elaborate arrival and transfer ceremony at Sangley Point, Cavite City, complete with a water cannon salute when the planes landed.

Present at the event were Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Armed Forces chief General Rey Leonardo Guerrero, and Navy chief Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad.

"The activation of the 5 TC-90 aircraft into the service of the Philippine Navy is truly a huge leap in the PN's air capability. The TC-90 is far more superior than our current inventories," Empedrad said in his speech.

How are they superior? The planes are not much for the Japanese as they only used the aircraft to train their pilots before they board bigger, more state-of-the-art patrol planes.

For the ill-equipped Philippine Navy, however, they matter a lot. (READ: Small planes for PH Navy signal Japan's growing security role)

Compared to the Navy's old Islanders, Empedrad said, the TC-90s are "far more superior...in terms of speed, range, longer loiter time capability, superior search, tracking, imaging, and identification."

Planes for free? The planes weren't supposed to be given for free, but the Japanese government decided to give them away after their law had allowed for turning over defense equipment to other nations.

The change in legislation has saved the Philippine government much, as the initial agreement between Manila and Tokyo required the Philippines to pay $28,000 for a 5-year lease.

While few and small, the planes are remarkable for being among the first equipment given away by Japan in the wake of its lifted weapons export ban put in place since World War II.

How will the planes be used? The planes will fly on patrol over the West Philippine Sea, but Defense Secretary Lorenzana noted that the aircraft will take on more missions inside the Philippines for disaster response operations. 
---end---
https://www.rappler.com/nation/199002-philippines-navy-patrol-planes-japan-maritime-patrol



China's investments into the Philippines is very little. Chinese media like to post flashy headlines about big projects getting agreement or signed, but in the months following such agreements and signings, often the project bogs down and stalls. The Indonesia high speed rail project with China is an example.
---start---
As far as the economy is concerned, it’s business as usual in the Philippines. This is a significant factor, precisely because since President Rodrigo Duterte’s ascent to power in mid-2016, there have been growing worries about the country’s international isolation and, by extension, economic outlook.

Thanks to the president’s incendiary rhetoric against traditional allies as well as deepening concerns over widespread extrajudicial killings under Duterte’s war on drugs campaign, many observers feared that intemperate leadership and shaky politics would (once again) undermine the country’s newfound economic momentum.

Yet, facts on the ground suggest a more sanguine outlook for the Philippine economy. More interestingly, however, the bulk of investments under Duterte have come from traditional allies, namely the United States, Japan and Europe. Mainland China is yet to make a major dent on the country’s overall investment landscape.

At odds

To be fair, there have been signs of economic tremor. The Philippines’ currency has been in tailspin, reaching its lowest level in more than a decade. It has the dubious distinction of standing as the worst performing currency in all of Asia. The country also posted its highest trade deficit on record, expanding to $3.78 billion in November last year.

It’s an unusual situation for a booming Asian economy in an export-oriented region, where most countries enjoy large trade surpluses as well as significant reservoir of sovereign wealth funds. Credit rating agencies have also been perturbed by the state of rule of law (or its absence) and policy predictability under the Duterte administration. So initial worries weren’t entirely baseless.

Yet, latest data shows that the Southeast Asian country continues to be a favored destination for investors. And the reason is largely structural. Investors are interested in tapping into the vast potentials of a young, vibrant and highly promising labor force.

After more than a decade of sustained macroeconomic reform, beginning in the mid-2000s and reaching its apogee in recent years, the Philippines seems to be on its way to establishing itself as the new darling of international investors.

Last year, Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the Philippines reached a record-high of $10 billion. This perfectly tracked with the prescient prognostications of the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) of the Philippines.

Never in its recent history has the Southeast Asian country, formerly known as the “sick man of Asia” attracted as much greenfield investments.

In its latest report, The US News & World Report, in partnership with the Y&R’s BAV Group and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, identified the Philippines as “Best Country to Invest In” in 2018. Much of the optimism of the report was based on the assumption that, “country is expected to receive more FDI from within the region from powerhouses like China,” which are intent on optimizing cheaper labor in neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

The money flow

Yet, actual figures show that China is yet to make any major investments in the Philippines, despite repeated announcements about a new “golden age” in bilateral relations. In fact, Chinese investment pledges have been at the heart of Duterte’s pivot away from its traditional allies and increasingly warm relations with Beijing, despite yearlong maritime disputes in the South China Sea.

The bulk of investments last year came from traditional trading partners such as the U.S., Japan, and the Netherlands, as well as city-states of Singapore and Hong Kong. No trace of Mainland Chinese investments in key sectors of Philippine economy.

In the first year of Duterte’s administration, Japan and the United States led the way in investments. Japanese investment increased by 23.79%, from an already large base of $490 million (PHP 25.43 billion) in 2016 to $600 million (PHP 31.48 billion) in 2017. American investment was down by 69.62% (a 13-year low), from $530 million (PHP 27.51 billion) in 2016, but still stood at a high $160 million (PHP 8.357 billion).

South Korean investment, however, virtually collapsed, down by 92.61% from a high of $230 million (PHP 11.82 billion) in 2016 to only $16.6 million (PHP 873.15 million) in 2017. In contrast, China investment expanded by 15%, but from a very low base of only $27 million (PHP 1.40 billion) in 2016 to $31 million (PHP 1.61 billion) in 2017. That means countries like Japan out-invested China by a whopping 23:1 ratio.

More on Forbes: Duterte's Ambitious 'Build, Build, Build' Project To Transform The Philippines Could Become His Legacy

In short, the Philippine economy under Duterte, so far, continues to rely on investment from traditional partners, despite all the commotion about the supposed deluge of Chinese investments. In fact, it’s Japanese investors, which are also at the forefront of infrastructure build up in the country, including the Mega-Manila underground metro system project, the country’s first.

It remains to be seen whether coming years will see Mainland China making large-scale investment commensurate to its rhetoric, and expand beyond traditional area of investments such as casinos and extractive industries. One thing is clear, however: The Philippine economy keeps on roaring in spite of its political leadership.
---end---
https://www.forbes.com/sites/richar...tment-boom-but-dont-thank-china/#56a200e9393e



USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Bunker HIll, HMAS Anzac and HMAS Success, and JS Akizuki visit the Philippines at the same time. Balikatan exercise next month.
---start---
MANILA, Philippines – About 300 Filipino government officials, military officers, businessmen, diplomats, and journalists boarded a massive US aircraft carrier in Manila Bay Friday night, April 13, for a reception hosted by US ambassador Sung Kim.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt, the flagship of US Navy Carrier Strike Group 9, arrived in Manila on April 11, the same day China began drills in the South China Sea. The reception aboard the carrier was held only hours after China ended the drills with a large naval parade that Chinese President Xi Jinping himself witnessed.

Two Australian warships and a Japanese destroyer also arrived in nearby Subic Bay for innocent but curiously timed port visits.

US Navy Rear Admiral Stephen Koehler, commander of the Strike Group 9, said it is important to make sure that the "sea is a rightful place for everybody."

"Sailing in the South China Sea continues to be a great opportunity to ensure freedom of commerce and ensure that the sea is a rightful place for everybody. All the navies that we’ve sailed with here, and it’s been plenty, continue to do that," Koehler told Rappler.

Alliance: US, Australia, Japan

The US, Australia, and Japan are allies in fighting for freedom of navigation in the South China Sea – an important trade route – where China insists sovereignty.

The Royal Australian Navy's long range guided missile frigate HMAS Anzac and auxillary oiler replenishment HMAS Success arrived on April 11 for a 5-day goodwill visit.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Akizuki-class destroyer JS AKIZUKI arrived in Subic Bay on April 13 for a 3-day goodwill visit.

The USS Roosevelt is the second US aircraft carrier to visit Manila this year, following USS Carl Vinson last month. It's a testament to the importance of the Philippines to the US, said Kim.

"We are thrilled that USS Roosevelt is visiting the Philippines. I think it's a very clear reflection of our commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, commitment to the US-Philippine alliance, partnership, friendship and also our commitment to promoting and protecting very important rights, principles and values like freedom of navigation and freedom of commerce, and freedom of flight," Kim told Rappler during the reception.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano, and business tycoon Jaime Zobel de Ayala were among the guests. Representatives of other embassies and foreign military attaches were also present.

Koehler also hosted a small group of Philippine generals aboard the carrier in the South China Sea before arriving in Manila Bay on April 11.

US envoy: I'm pleased with the alliance

The Philippines, located strategically between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, is a longtime ally of the US. But geopolitics in the region changed when President Rodrigo Duterte sought warmer ties with China, and for a time threatened to scrap treaties with the US in the wake of criticisms over his brutal campaign against drug use.

The US-Philippines alliance survived and Duterte expressed a liking for US President Donald Trump, a positive development if only for the survival of the ties.

The annual US-Philippines Balikatan war games will be held next month. Australia and Japan will also participate.

The US and Australia have visiting forces agreements with the Philippines, a treaty also previously contemplated with Japan.

"I’m very pleased with the state of our alliance in general," said Kim. Our exercises are continuing. Planning for Balikatan this year has been well underway for many months now. I expect that it will be a very productive exercise this year as it was last year," said Kim. (READ: How are US-PH ties under the Duterte? 'Terrific,' says envoy)

Personnel of the USS Theodore Roosevelt will participate in cultural exchanges and community relations. The US embassy said the carrier, after departing Manila, will continue on its deployment to the Western Pacific.

The Australian and Japan navies will hold various engagements with the Philippine Navy.
---end---
https://www.rappler.com/nation/200212-united-states-allies-show-force-south-china-sea


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## TaiShang

*China, Philippines smash international drug network*
Xinhua, April 12, 2018

BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- *A drug factory in Batangas province, the Philippines, was busted through joint efforts by Chinese and Philippine police on Thursday *after seven months of investigations, according to China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS).

Police arrested seven suspects, including four Chinese nationals and three Philippine nationals at the drug factory on a farm.

Another four suspects were arrested in east China's Fujian Province.

Half-made methamphetamine, drug-making raw materials and equipment were seized in the joint operation.

*Clue to the cross-border drug manufacture and sales case was uncovered last September by Fujian police, who learned that a drug baron was planning to hire Chinese workers to make methamphetamine in the Philippines.*

http://www.china.org.cn/china/Off_the_Wire/2018-04/12/content_50870293.htm


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## Suika

JS Osumi visiting the Philippines.
---start---
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) vessel JS OSUMI (LST-4001), an Osumi-class tank landing ship with approximately 150 officers and crew on board, arrived Wednesday in Manila for a three-day goodwill visit until Saturday, April 28, 2018.

This is the third visit of a JMSDF ship in the country this year. The first one was JS AMAGIRI which arrived last February and the last one was JS AKIZUKI which arrived two weeks ago in Subic.

Landing Platform Dock, JS Osumi was here in the Philippines last 2013 together with extra-regional navies to give assistance in the HADR operation efforts after Typhoon Hainan devastated the country.

Philippine delegates headed by Captain Dennis Rommel G..Quines, representing Navy chief Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, accorded the visiting navy a welcome ceremony upon arrival followed by a press briefing and health and security briefing aboard JS Osumi.

Subsequently, Captain Tomonori Kobayashi, the Commander of Landing Ship Division One, JMSDF and Captain Yuji Horikawa, Commanding Officer of JS Osumi (LST 4001), will call on Empedrad.

Like their previous visits, the Japanese navy will engage in a series of confidence-building activities with their PN counterparts such as goodwill games followed by a boodle fight. A send-off ceremony with customary Passing Exercise (PASSEX) will cap off their port visit on April 28.

Captain Lued L. Lincuna, the Director of the Naval Public Affairs Office, said

the visit aims to strengthen the relationship between the two navies.

“It will enhance and sustain the promotion of peace, stability, and maritime cooperation of the two countries through naval diplomacy and camaraderie,” he said.
---end---
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/04/26/japanese-landing-ship-in-manila-for-port-visit/








__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155636420777956








Balikatan exercise 2018 coming up - US, Philippines, Australia, and Japan. UK will come to observe.
---start---
MANILA, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Troops from the Philippines and the United States will kick off next Monday a series of joint military exercises designed to hone their interoperability skills in fighting terrorism, including chemical attack, and disaster response, said a Philippine military officer on Thursday.

"Every year, we are trying to level up the training," Lt. Liezl Vidallon told reporters. For example last year, she said the focus is natural calamity. This year, she said the drills will focus on how to counter man-made calamities like chemical attack.

The U.S. and Philippines will work with regional partner nations throughout the "Balikatan" or "shoulder to shoulder" period.

Multinational forces from the U.S., the Philippines, Australia, and Japan will participate in all major training events this year. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has also invited Britain to observe training for the mitigation of post-disaster suffering.

Vidallon said the participants in this year's Balikatan Exercises will be dealing with new tactics, techniques and procedures and lessons learned from last year's joint training.

This year's joint exercises, slated for May 7 to 18, will be conducted in several locations in the Philippine main Luzon island.

Balikatan is an annual U.S.-Philippine multilateral military exercise focused on mutual defense, counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief.

Vidallon did not say how many American and Philippines troops are participating in this year's Balikatan exercises. About 5,400 from both countries took part in Balikatan 2017.
---end---
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/03/c_137153801.htm


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## TaiShang

*Removal of Manila statue condemned*
China Daily, April 30, 2018





The bronze statue honoring comfort women in Manila. [Photo/Xinhua]
Philippine women's rights groups have strongly condemned the removal of the comfort woman statue in Manila, calling it "a desecration of Filipino women's dignity."

The 2.1-meter bronze sculpture, depicting a blindfold, grieving woman in Maria Clara traditional Filipiniana gown and unveiled in December, represents women in the country forced to work as sex slaves in Japanese military brothels during World War II.

"This monument is reminder of the Filipino women who were victims of abuses during the occupation of the Japanese forces from 1942-45. It took a while before they came out into the open to tell their stories," reads the inscription on the monument.

Activists said the statue was quietly removed around 8 pm on Friday, less than five months after it was erected along Roxas Boulevard.

"GABRIELA Alliance of Filipino Women strongly condemns the removal of the comfort woman statue along Roxas Blvd despite opposition from women's rights advocates, historians and other sectors," said Joms Salvador, GABRIELA secretary-general.

Manila City Hall said the statue will be returned once drainage work is completed, but it gave no time frame for the project.

The statue supposedly serves as a reminder to future generations of Japan's atrocities and abuses against Filipino women during World War II, and women's historical victimization in times of wars of aggression, she said.

The erection of the statue has angered Japan. Japan's Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Seiko Noda had expressed regret over the construction of the monument in January.

Last year, Osaka terminated its 60-year sister-city ties with San Francisco to protest a statue commemorating Asian sex slaves that was erected by Asian communities.

The issue of comfort women has provided a dilemma for the Philippines' relations with Tokyo, a major provider of aid and financing to Manila.

It's estimated that at least 200,000 women in their teens across Asia including the Korean Peninsula, China, Indonesia and the Philippines, were forced to work in the wartime military brothels.

http://www.china.org.cn/world/2018-04/30/content_51037538.htm


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## Suika

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – *President Rodrigo Duterte stressed on Sunday, April 29, that the controversial comfort woman statue along Roxas Boulevard can be placed "somewhere else," as he claimed it is not his government's policy "to antagonize other nations."*

"Whose initiative was it, I really do not know. I didn't even know that it exists. But it has created somehow a bad, you know... You can place it somewhere else," Duterte said in Davao City on Sunday morning, upon his arrival from a regional summit in Singapore.

The statue, along with two others, was removed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Friday evening, April 27. In a statement, the DPWH said this is "to give way" to the improvement of the Roxas Boulevard Baywalk Area, which includes the installation of concrete drainage pipes and footbridges along the thoroughfare.

*"If there is what you would call a memorial for injustice committed at one time, it's all right. But do not use... It is not the policy of government to antagonize other nations," added Duterte.*

Duterte made this comment even as he repeatedly slams the United States and the European Union over a host of issues. One of these is the 1906 Bud Dajo massacre, which saw American colonial soldiers killing Moros in Sulu.

*Duterte said on Sunday, however, that if the comfort woman statue is erected on private property, "fine, we will honor it."*

He also maintained that having the statue is part of freedom of expression. Nonetheless, Duterte noted Japan's reparation efforts since the end of World War II.

*"Masakit kasi pa na ulit-ulitin mo pa ulit. (It's still painful to keep on repeating it.) And you start to imagine how they were treated badly. But Japan has apologized to the Filipinos. And they have certainly made much more in terms of reparations," he said.*

Women's group Gabriela has blasted its removal, calling it "a foul insult on hundreds of Filipina sex slaves victimized under the Japanese occupation."

The issue of "comfort women" remains a sensitive topic for Japan, one of the Philippines' allies. The statue inaugurated in December 2017 drew a complaint from Japan.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/201348-duterte-comfort-woman-statue-roxas-boulevard-removed


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## striver44

*Prof on Duterte’s Benham visit: Inaagaw ang harap ng bahay, sa likod dumepensa*
*Published *May 15, 2018 8:42pm
*



**A* maritime security expert on Tuesday questioned the wisdom of President Rodrigo Duterte visiting the Benham Rise to press the country's ownership over the resource-rich undersea plateau east of Luzon.

According to Maki Pulido's report on "24 Oras", Professor Jay Batongbacal said Duterte should have instead visited the Philippine claims in the South China Sea, on the other side of the archipelago.

While the Benham Rise isn't the subject of claims by China, the Chinese have built artificial islands on reefs well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the disputed waters west of the Philippines.

"Imagine mo ang bahay mo na merong dalawang bakuran, bakuran sa harap at bakuran sa likod," Batongbacal said.

"Meron kang kapit-bahay sinasakop na niya 'yung bakuran sa harap ang ginawa mo dun ka nagpunta sa likod at dun ka nagsabi na dedepensahan mo ang iyong pag-aari," he added.

Duterte promised to visit the Benham Rise, officially named the Philippine Rise, in order to assert the country's sovereign rights over the region. However, Duterte only reached as far as Casiguran Bay.

Duterte has sent a team of scientists who will conduct a month-long research in the region.

The rise, a 13-million hectare undersea plateau off Aurora province, is within the country’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone as recognized by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in 2012.

The area is believed to be rich in gas, minerals and marine life. —Anna Felicia Bajo/NB, GMA News

what do you think about this @Cossack25A1 ??????


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## Cossack25A1

striver44 said:


> *Prof on Duterte’s Benham visit: Inaagaw ang harap ng bahay, sa likod dumepensa*
> *Published *May 15, 2018 8:42pm
> *
> 
> 
> 
> **A* maritime security expert on Tuesday questioned the wisdom of President Rodrigo Duterte visiting the Benham Rise to press the country's ownership over the resource-rich undersea plateau east of Luzon.
> 
> According to Maki Pulido's report on "24 Oras", Professor Jay Batongbacal said Duterte should have instead visited the Philippine claims in the South China Sea, on the other side of the archipelago.
> 
> While the Benham Rise isn't the subject of claims by China, the Chinese have built artificial islands on reefs well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the disputed waters west of the Philippines.
> 
> "Imagine mo ang bahay mo na merong dalawang bakuran, bakuran sa harap at bakuran sa likod," Batongbacal said.
> 
> "Meron kang kapit-bahay sinasakop na niya 'yung bakuran sa harap ang ginawa mo dun ka nagpunta sa likod at dun ka nagsabi na dedepensahan mo ang iyong pag-aari," he added.
> 
> Duterte promised to visit the Benham Rise, officially named the Philippine Rise, in order to assert the country's sovereign rights over the region. However, Duterte only reached as far as Casiguran Bay.
> 
> Duterte has sent a team of scientists who will conduct a month-long research in the region.
> 
> The rise, a 13-million hectare undersea plateau off Aurora province, is within the country’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone as recognized by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in 2012.
> 
> The area is believed to be rich in gas, minerals and marine life. —Anna Felicia Bajo/NB, GMA News
> 
> what do you think about this @Cossack25A1 ??????


Duterte is unwilling to stand up against CCP.


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## pr1v4t33r

The Philippine National Railways (PNR) and PT Industri Kereta Api (PT INKA) join together for a contract signing ceremony for the purchase of four (4) diesel multiple train units and three (3) diesel hydraulic locomotive train sets at the Manila Hotel on May 28, 2018





__ https://www.facebook.com/





PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA) akan mengekspor produk keretanya ke Filipina senilai US$ 47,5 juta atau sekitar Rp 641,25 miliar. Kontrak tersebut mencakup pembelian empat trainset Diesel Multiple Unit atau Kereta Rel Diesel (KRD) dengan nilai US$ 21,4 juta, serta pembelian tiga lokomotif dan 15 kereta penumpang senilai US$ 26,1 juta. 

_https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/news/20180528202027-4-16967/inka-ekspor-kereta-rp-641-m-ke-filipina_

Reactions: Like Like:
2


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## Cossack25A1

pr1v4t33r said:


> The Philippine National Railways (PNR) and PT Industri Kereta Api (PT INKA) join together for a contract signing ceremony for the purchase of four (4) diesel multiple train units and three (3) diesel hydraulic locomotive train sets at the Manila Hotel on May 28, 2018
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __ https://www.facebook.com/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA) akan mengekspor produk keretanya ke Filipina senilai US$ 47,5 juta atau sekitar Rp 641,25 miliar. Kontrak tersebut mencakup pembelian empat trainset Diesel Multiple Unit atau Kereta Rel Diesel (KRD) dengan nilai US$ 21,4 juta, serta pembelian tiga lokomotif dan 15 kereta penumpang senilai US$ 26,1 juta.
> 
> _https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/news/20180528202027-4-16967/inka-ekspor-kereta-rp-641-m-ke-filipina_


I wonder if those trains are Narrow gauge as PNR rails are narrow gauge.


----------



## skyhigh88

*NR buys seven more trains worth P2.37-B from Indonesia*
By: Dexter Cabalza - Reporter / @dexcabalzaINQ Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:52 PM May 29, 2018

Just months after buying two trains, the Philippine National Railways (PNR) again bought from the Indonesian government seven more trains worth P2.37 billion to improve the country’s oldest train system.

Under the two contracts entered into by PNR with Indonesian government-owned company PT Industri Kereta Api (PT Inka), *the three diesel hydraulic locomotive (DHL) trains and four diesel multiple unit (DMU) will be delivered to the Philippines between December 2019 to January 2020.*

*The DHL, with a contract price of P1.306 billion* each, has five coaches per set and can carry 1,330 passengers per trip.

The slightly cheaper *DMU set, which has a contract price of P1.071* billion each, has a four-car system and can accommodate 1,090 passengers.

The contracts were signed by PNR general manager Junn Magno and PR Inka president Budi Noviantoro, and witnessed by officials of the Department of Transportation led by Secretary Arthur Tugade, and Rini Soemarno, Indonesian minister of state-owned enterprises.

PNR general Manager Junn Magno said the DHLs was the solution to rail service interruptions on rainy season and typhoons, as they can wade flood waters up to 20 inches from top of the rail.

Magno said this was the first time in 40 years that the PNR purchased new trains through its own budget, after receiving a P3.5 billion budget in 2018.

In January, PNR purchased two diesel-electric trains also from PT Inka for P485.3-million./ vvp

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/995374...ns-worth-p2-37-b-from-indonesia#ixzz5GsexrB9h 

Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook



Cossack25A1 said:


> I wonder if those trains are Narrow gauge as PNR rails are narrow gauge.



Most of Indonesia's rail tracks are narrow gauges and i'm sure INKA will manufacture trains that will fit PNR's requirements.

I wonder if PNR will use diesel hydraulic locomotive to revive Bicol Express line

Next PH should order LRT trains for MRT 3 from INKA.

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## pr1v4t33r

Cossack25A1 said:


> I wonder if those trains are Narrow gauge as PNR rails are narrow gauge.



check out the mock-up design in this video






Looks similar with the new Jakarta airport train

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## pr1v4t33r



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## trishna_amṛta

Cossack25A1 said:


> I wonder if those trains are Narrow gauge as PNR rails are narrow gauge.



Indonesia main line in Java and Sumatra are narrow gauge (1067 mm) similar with Philippines, although the new line in other islands (Borneo, Sulawesi, and Papua) are build in standard gauge (1435 mm). Obviously those train set will be build according to the customer specification / requirement (narrow gauge)


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## pr1v4t33r

PH Air Force commissions 2 new aircraft from Indonesia
The Philippine Air Force has commissioned two brand new NC212i light transport manufactured by Indonesia.






Elfien Goentoro president of the state-owned manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia formally handed over the aircraft to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a ceremony held at Clark Air Base on Tuesday.

“These two aircraft, we’ve been waiting for this for quite sometime when I assumed as Secretary of National Defense. It was about to be delivered but because there were problems with the autopilot, it was delayed,” Lorenzana said in his speech.

But he said the president of the PT Dirgantara was “very much apologetic for the delay.”

The planes, signed through a deal in 2014, were acquired under the AFP modernization program for P850 million.

‘Worth the long wait’

Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Galileo Kintanar Jr. said the acquisition of the aircraft is a big boost from their current fleet of Nomad-22, which they have been using for more than four decades.

“It stems from the urgency to increase our fleet especially we only have three Nomad-22 in the inventory which we have been operating since 1970s or more than four decades ago,” he said.

He said the new platforms are equipped with glass cockpit, modern avionics and autopilot system and could carry almost twice the number of passenger and cargo load of the Nomad.

“It has a longer reach and lower operational cost. It can take off and land in short and unpaved runways which on some days C-295 and C-130 can’t be accommodated,” he added.

“Certainly it has been worth the long wait for almost four years,” Kintanar said.

The Indonesian-built aircraft is designed for maritime patrol, troop transport, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

“We need more of this. We need this for island to island flights..From Zamboanga to Basilan to Jolo for our short-haul flights. This is ideal for bringing small number of troops and resupplying troops in the field like Pagasa Island (Thitu Island),” Lorenzana said, referring to the country’s biggest outpost in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Minister of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia General Ryamizard Ryacudu said the delivery of the planes highlight the cooperation of the two countries.

“The acquisition of the aircraft shows our close relations and close cooperation to strengthen our capability to address our common enemies,” he said.

_http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/100434...Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1530004940_

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## sahureka2

Philippine, Russian navies consider submarine agreement

https://www.janes.com/article/82217/philippine-russian-navies-consider-submarine-agreement


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## Aung Zaya

Myanmar armed force chief visit to PH navy seal. potential small arms deal can be followed.


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## UMNOPutra

Bravo to the mighty PH ..


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## UMNOPutra

*Duterte to China: Tell us what route shall we take*
*Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News*
Posted at Nov 14 2018 11:37 AM | Updated as of Nov 14 2018 04:57 PM

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he is worried by the tension between Western nations, led by the United States, and China in the South China Sea, as the Philippines could be dragged into a potential conflict between the two military powers.

Duterte and his fellow Southeast Asian leaders are scheduled to meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday morning and the Filipino leader said he will push for the creation of a binding code of conduct among claimants of the disputed South China Sea in order to better manage the sea tension.

Ownership of islands and waters in the South China Sea is disputed by several nations. China, which claims virtually all of the sea, has established military positions on disputed outcrops and intimidates fishermen and naval vessels from rival countries.

Duterte noted that while “everything has been excellent” between the ASEAN and China with regard to managing the sea dispute, it’s a different story for Western nations, including the US, which insists on their freedom to fly over and sail through the hotly contested sea.

The President told reporters he will remind China of Manila’s mutual defense agreement with Washington, which requires one to defend the other in case of an attack in its territory, as he warned of a potential “serious miscalculation” in the disputed sea which could disrupt the peace and stability in the region.

“It's not abrogated. It's there. And even --- I don't know. It's the decision of the President, Congress, the Armed Forces,” Duterte said of the treaty.

“I am worried. I expressed it last night because we have a defense treaty --- mutual defense…with the US and there’s some --- a serious miscalculation. You know because of the treaty I'd like to tell China ---that is why at all cost we must have the COC (code of conduct),” he added.

“So you’re there, you’re in possession, you occupied it. Then tell us what route shall we take and what kind of behavior,” he added, referring to China and its occupation of man-made islands in the South China Sea.

The US has staged various freedom of navigation and overflight operations in the South China Sea, triggering an angry response from China.

BEIJING WANTS CODE IN THREE YEARS

Li on Tuesday said the code of conduct should be finished in three years, insisting his nation does not seek "hegemony or expansion."

Li’s comments appeared to be the first clear timeframe for finishing the code of conduct. Talks have dragged on for years, with China accused of delaying progress as it prefers to deal with less powerful countries on a one-on-one basis.

Beijing and the 10-member ASEAN have for years sought to hammer out a code to govern disputes in the disputed waters, but the process has moved slowly.

Speaking in Singapore ahead of the opening of an ASEAN summit, Li said: “It is China’s hope that the (code of conduct) consultation will be finished in three years’ time so that it will contribute to enduring peace and stability in the South China Sea.”

“We are not and we will not seek hegemony or expansion. That is something that we will never do,” he added.

“What we hope is to have a harmonious relationship with our neighbors.”

There have been small signs of progress in recent months.

China and Southeast Asian nations announced in August that they had agreed on their initial bargaining positions as they work towards a code.

While both sides hailed it as a vital step, critics said that some of Beijing's proposals in the agreement were clearly aimed at expanding its influence in the region at the expense of Washington.

Navies from China and Southeast Asia also staged their first joint drills last month in the South China Sea — which is crisscrossed by busy shipping lanes and home to abundant natural resources — in an effort to ease tensions.

Opposition has weakened in many parts of Southeast Asia to China’s aggressive behavior in the waters in recent years, with countries keen to attract investment from Beijing and worried about US commitment to the region under President Donald Trump. - with Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News; AFP

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/14...9pIno7CnFC7bL_QhIgAQsY05f7I-ia8DvYCCwTevcW41A


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## polanski

*Philippines concludes fighter studies, points to possible Gripen acquisition*
*Jon Grevatt, Bangkok* - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
17 October 2018
The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) has concluded a study in support of its programme to procure a new fighter jet and confirmed that Saab’s Gripen aircraft is in pole position to win the contract.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in comments published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on 15 October that the DND “is most likely to buy” the Gripen following a “thorough study and research” to support the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF’s) Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) project.

Lorenzana said the Gripen was the least expensive platform to procure and maintain. He reportedly added that the DND had been offered Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter aircraft from the US government but that the proposal was “too expensive”.


----------



## UMNOPutra

*Russia Offer Various Weapons to PHL with US$ 2 billion State Credit*
04 Desember 2018




Su-35 fighter (photo : National Interest)

*Su-35 Offer Is Real*
The Russian Federation has officially offered the Philippines a military hardware that is too good to refuse. While still in wraps for now, Malacanang sources disclosed this equipment to be a submarine (pair of Project 636 Improved Kilo class), squadron of MRF jets (Su-30SME/35), and missile defense batteries (Pantsir S-1/Buk M-2) to be financed by loan grant to as much as US$2 billion. 

If all taken, that is ₱110 billion-off the ₱300 billion revised AFP modernization program second horizon budget.




Igla=S Manpads (photo : AFP)

The acquisition of submarines was originally planned for the third horizon (2023-2028). But the current navy chief, Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, lobbied for the immediate inclusion of diesel-electric submarines in horizon two.

Russian state-run Rosoboronexport attended the Asian Defense, Security and Crisis Management Exhibition and Conference, ADAS 2018 in Manila Philippines last September 28 showcasing for the Philippine Air Force Su-35 and Su-30SME super-maneuverable multifunctional fighters, the Yak-130 training and combat training aircraft, the Mi-35M transport/combat helicopter, Ka-226T light multi-purpose helicopter and the Mi-171Sh military transport helicopter, Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile/gun system and the Igla-S MANPADS.





BMP-3 amphibious IFV (photo : Vitaly Kuzmin)

It also exhibited small arms like the AK-100 family of Kalashnikov assault rifles and armored vehicles, for example, the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle and BT-3F armored personnel carrier for the Philippine Army. While for the Navy, the Project 636 large diesel-electric submarine, Gepard-3.9 class frigate and boats for various purposes are on display at the Company’s stand. 

Russia said they are working on workable payment schemes with the Philippines to pay for the products that they intend to order as its State-run company is prevented from using US dollars under Section 231 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA). CAATSA provides prohibition upon foreign exchange transactions under U.S. jurisdiction and transactions with the U.S. financial system.




Project 636 Improved Kilo submarine (photo : Navy Recognition)

Rosoboronexport General Director Alexander Mikheyev who met with President Duterte confirmed the restriction and said the company would focus on conducting transactions in the currency of a customer instead of US dollars.

Mikheyev said it had examined a number of ways to work around US sanctions against the company and was now considering the possibilities of working in non-US currencies.

(Philippine Airspace)


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## CountStrike

*Indonesia’s Gojek partners with local fintech Coins.ph.*
92SHARESIris Gonzales (The Philippine Star) - January 21, 2019 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Gojek, Indonesia’s on-demand multi-service platform, has partnered with Philippine fintech company Coins.ph.

As part of this collaboration, Gojek is making a substantial acquisition of shares to support Coins.ph in its rapid growth to meet the financial needs of all Filipinos.

Gojek’s payments platform and the leading digital payments service in Indonesia Go-Pay and Coins.ph will work together to make it easier for Filipinos to process their payment needs.


Together, the two companies will work to enhance use cases and expand access to cashless payments and banking services, deepening financial inclusion in the Philippines, officials said.

Coins.ph helps its customers to easily access a variety of financial services – including mobile airtime, remittances, and bill payments – on their mobile phone.


It has grown its customer base to over five million in less than five years, processing over six million transactions per month as of December 2018.

Similarly, in Indonesia, Go-Pay has successfully contributed to the shift from cash transaction to cashless transaction habits both within and outside the Gojek ecosystem.

More than 50 percent of transactions within the Gojek ecosystem are done cashless through Go-Pay. By partnering with financial institutions, it also facilitates access for the unbanked to financial products and services.

Coins.ph founder and CEO Ron Hose said the company is proud to showcase the success of Philippine startups.

In just a few years, our team has been able to build a scalable service extending financial services to millions of Filipinos,” Hose said.

Hose said that Coins.ph and Gojek share the vision of empowering their customers by giving them lower-cost and more convenient access to services.

Aldi Haryopratomo, CEO of Go-Pay said there is huge potential for Go-Pay to bring greater access to crucial financial services in the Philippines by combining its technological expertise, scalability and experience in Indonesia with Coins.ph’s deep local knowledge and strong customer loyalty.

Officials said the move would help meet the government’s aspiration to increase digital transactions to 20 percent by 2020 from one percent in 2018.

“We are excited to work with Coins.ph, a company that shares our ethos of empowering communities by bringing more people into the digital economy. Consumer transaction behaviour in Indonesia and Philippine share many similarities, and together with Coins.ph, we hope to have similar success in accelerating cashless payments in the Philippines,” Haryopratomo said.

Gojek founder and CEO Nadiem Makarim said that with the second largest population and a strong domestic economy, the Philippines is one of the most exciting markets in Southeast Asia.


Read more at https://www.philstar.com/business/2...ers-local-fintech-coinsph#jPB8WGKsi5787Ffw.99


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## CG96

Does anyone know the policy of when the Philarpat uniforms will be mandatory?


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## CG96

CG96 said:


> Does anyone know the policy of when the Philarpat uniforms will be mandatory?



I recently spoke to a soldier and he said,"We have small supply here. That’s why our officer could wear it first." He also said they are issued 4 uniforms a year and he is not quite sure when they will be mandatory


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## sahureka2

8 April 2019
The Russian Pacific Navy Fleet Large Anti-Submarine ships ADMIRAL TRIBUTS and ADMIRAL VINOGRADOV dock at the Port of Manila on Monday for a five-day port call to further strengthen the Russian and Philippine Navy cooperation. 
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019...nes-as-manila-distances-itself-from-us-a65135


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## sahureka2

Thursday, the launch of the BRP missile frigate Jose Rizal (FF-150), which will be the first combat ship designed and acquired specifically for the Philippine Navy.
https://www.mintfo.com/security-def...o-luna-first-real-combat-ships-for-phl/10759/







The second ship of the same class , the BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) , steel-cutting is scheduled for this week.

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## sahureka2

BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150)
http://pageone.ph/ph-navy-gets-early-christmas-gift-with-launch-of-brp-jose-rizal/

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## CG96

Is there any update on the Blackhawk and T129 attack helicopters the Philippines planned to purchase?


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## skyhigh88

*Why Philippines is building military base near Taiwan*
*



*


Al Jazeera English
Published on Jun 2, 2019

The Philippines is building its first military base on Y'Ami Island on the northernmost tip of the country. Taiwan is just 80 kilometres away from the uninhabited island, also known as Mavulis Island. Al Jazeera's Jamela Alindogan reports from Mavulis Island, Philippines.

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## Cossack25A1

CG96 said:


> Is there any update on the Blackhawk and T129 attack helicopters the Philippines planned to purchase?


T-129 is in jeopardy due to CAATSA.


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## Reashot Xigwin

A defining moment for PH maritime interests
By: Antoinette R. Raquiza - @inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:06 AM June 13, 2019

It’s been six months since Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines (HHIC-Phil) declared bankruptcy and closed the gates of the shipbuilding giant at Subic Bay, yet its future remains uncertain. The five Philippine banks that invested a total of $412 million in loans are working for the quick sale of the facility, while the Philippine Navy has called for its transformation into a naval base and shipbuilding hub.

So far, however, selling the Subic facility has proved challenging due to a price tag that would include covering HHIC-Phil’s liabilities, and the $12-million monthly working capital required for its operations. Daunting, too, is the need for additional investment to reconfigure the facility, fitted solely to produce large cargo vessels for the external market that had long soured due to sluggish global trade.

ADVERTISEMENT

To thrive as a shipbuilder would likely mean diversifying its product lines to cater as well to domestic buyers—an option that might crowd out Filipino shipbuilders and, given the small market, include securing government contracts. The easier alternative could be to reduce the facility into commercial space, consisting of real estate and port, but this would mean losing the equipment, infrastructure and technical know-how that had made the country the world’s fifth largest shipbuilder.

In this light, the Navy’s proposal deserves serious study. In a forum organized by the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies, Rear Adm. Giovanni Carlo J. Bacordo argued that the Philippine government should acquire the facility, citing security concerns due to its proximity to the disputed waters of Scarborough Shoal, and the Navy’s need for a secure and ready deep-sea harbor, especially for vessels newly acquired to strengthen the country’s defense in the high seas.

It is, however, the Navy’s interest in shipbuilding that suggests developmental thinking. Bacordo argued that if the country develops its naval shipbuilding capacity, it could benefit from the global trend of rising defense spending. By buying locally made vessels, rather than relying on imports, much of the money spent in the purchase can also be reinvested in the domestic shipbuilding industry.

An added incentive is the potential of technology transfer. One industry practice when partnering with a foreign naval shipbuilder for the delivery of specific models is to have at least one or a few of the commissioned ships be built domestically — a condition that would allow for technology transfer, increased local content and job creation.

Apparently, the Philippine Navy is informed by the experience of Indonesia, from which it recently bought two amphibious landing docks for P3.8 billion or $76 million and that launched in April its first Indonesian-made (20-percent local content) diesel-electric submarine — a product of a joint venture with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME).

History is replete with examples of how developing countries’ shipbuilding industries got their start with the State, specifically the Navy, as lead player. Given the huge investment needed to build even a single long-distance, export-quality maritime vessel, governments stepped up both as producers and procurers — an arrangement true not only for states but also for private corporations in which shipbuilders operate shipping lines.

In Indonesia and Malaysia, the state-owned or -led PT PAL and Boustead Naval Shipyard, respectively, build ships for the Navy, Coast Guard and other government agencies in contract-based joint ventures with foreign shipbuilders (e.g. the Dutch Damen Group, Naval Group of France and DSME). The Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) and Royal Malaysian Navy shape the domestic industry also by ensuring technology transfer and placing work orders with local shipbuilders.

With Hanjin’s closure, the country finds itself at a defining moment. Do we, as an archipelagic nation, have a stake in strengthening our maritime industry and defense? If so, then the national government needs to step up, rather than opt out, in the face of such colossal market failure.

* * *

[emoji767] Copyright 1997-2019 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

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## CG96

Quick question for you guys if you might enow. Do the scout rangers wear the srdu for just ceremonies or in combat as well?


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## Galactic Penguin SST

*Filipinos in space? Creation of new Philippine agency teases prospect of astronauts in future*

• The Philippine Space Act, signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this month, provides billions of pesos for research and development
• It also raises the prospect of Filipino astronauts, with one government scientist saying ‘we’re not precluding the possibility’

Kyodo Published: 10:48am, 17 Aug, 2019Updated: 10:19pm, 17 Aug, 2019

Will the Philippines one day emerge as a major player in the realm of space exploration? President Rodrigo Duterte certainly seems to hope so, with the passage of a new law earlier this month creating the country’s first space agency.

Fortunato dela Pena, the Philippines’ science and technology secretary, told a news conference on Wednesday that the legislation signed on August 7 “will bear fruits” for generations yet to come.

“Now we can have an agency that can move on its own, without depending on [others]”, he said.

“There will be new knowledge that can be generated, and … models that can be presented.”


The Philippine Space Act explicitly focuses on six areas: national security and development, hazard management and climate studies, space research and development, space industry capacity building, space education and awareness, and international cooperation.

A Philippine Space Council was also created, to be chaired by the president and selected members of the cabinet.

The agency itself is to be located in the Clark Special Economic Zone, north of Manila, with the government hoping that its facilities will be ready before the Duterte administration ends in 2022.

“We have to be pragmatic in the beginning. We will probably start off continuing what we’re doing. We [already] have momentum building small satellites,” said Joel Marciano of the Quezon City-based Advanced Science and Technology Institute, which falls under the government’s department of science and technology.

The Philippines began its microsatellite programme in 2014, with local engineers producing Diwata-1, Diwata-2, and Maya-1 that were all subsequently launched using foreign facilities.

Since 2010, the country has invested around 7.5 billion pesos (US$143 million) in space research and development, according to dela Pena, who also said there are currently more than 1,000 Filipino experts in space science.

Enrico Paringit of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development said a number of sectors will benefit from such research.

“We can monitor vessels out there in the sea … This can also support our fisherfolk, not just to monitor where they are but also where to efficiently fish … We can also monitor our agricultural productivity … We can monitor real-time, with these capabilities in place, where deforestation and degradations are taking place … We can monitor situations in disaster-stricken areas,” he said.

The country will also be better poised to air any concerns on space issues to international organisations, such as the United Nations.

Marciano, of the Advanced Science and Technology Institute, expects the establishment of a space agency to encourage Filipino space scientists abroad to return home, and inspire young Filipinos to consider a career in space.

“We’re not precluding the possibility of it later on – that a Filipino would be in space,” he said.

“If we’re to send somebody in space … we want it to contribute something meaningful, maybe do an experiment in the space station, an experiment that is born out of local research.”

However, the prospects of a Filipino rocket launch site remains remote, he said, “because it costs a lot of money”.

The law signed by Duterte provides the new agency with an initial operating fund of 1 billion pesos (US$19.1 million), and created a 10 billion-peso Philippine Space Development Fund.

The agency is also permitted to generate income from specialised products, services and royalties, as well as accept grants and donations, and secure loans.

Leftist lawmaker Carlos Zarate said the establishment of a space agency was another example of the Duterte administration incorrectly prioritising the allocation of funds.

“There’s nothing wrong in being ambitious … but that 10 billion pesos can go a long way if we improve our agriculture sector. We even have problems in our health sector, which is also being deprived of funds. Our social services are facing big problems [too],” he said.

But Rogel Mari Sese, a Filipino astrophysicist who helped craft the new law, argued that the average return on every peso invested in space research or technology would be 2.5 pesos, based on a study his group had conducted. And this, he said “is a very conservative estimate”, citing the global average of “US$4 for every US$1 [invested]”.

“Space is no longer a luxury when it comes to national development and security. It’s a necessity,” he said.


This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Duterte aims high with launch of space agency


https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/sout...space-creation-philippine-space-agency-teases
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2...health-asia-pacific/philippines-space-agency/

*Commentary*

Rodrigo Roa Duterte, also known as Digong and Rody, is a Filipino President of the caliber of former President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has started the first Iranian manned space program.

Back in February 2013, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had volunteered to become his country's first astronaut.

Encouraged with the success of Iran's first suborbital space flight of a monkey, Ahmadinejad wanted to go where no Iranian has gone before.

In 2011 he promised Iran would send a man into space by 2019, although few at the time could have thought he was thinking of himself.








Spoiler: Links



https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...9/?temp_hash=886a8c3db40055848f83bf9e51e8b9d7
https://scontent-mxp1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=03126989592f2bbd42b687bb0590ae9e&oe=5CDBD7AA
February 9 at 12:39 AM · Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
https://www.facebook.com/KimJongUnLookAlike/photos/pb.361346080650226.-2207520000.1550870098./2020405221410962/?type=3&eid=ARBqYN_I2mQgnRDK7J7Kch_GPSMNefGvVbrZYWbmYyh6cwvzS_p9HhupLUutPMVz2IO8OKIeDjwfGFoN



▲ Supreme Leader spotted with Rody!







Spoiler: Links



https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...0/?temp_hash=886a8c3db40055848f83bf9e51e8b9d7
https://scontent-mxp1-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=771d9b6e33efe80dcac4e3ec568e02c1&oe=5CDECA9F
February 7 at 7:17 AM · Sha Tin, Hong Kong
https://www.facebook.com/KimJongUnLookAlike/photos/pb.361346080650226.-2207520000.1550870098./2017976918320459/?type=3&eid=ARD1rsDOdOfuTznBW2Xa5wZ4PgwzsIRN4u7qqL0-Z19j2fBKdxS6YLGfe7ySHMxkRUXi_TuzWFH-enjj



▲ Supreme Leader spotted with Digong!


----------



## barjo

sahureka2 said:


> BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150)
> http://pageone.ph/ph-navy-gets-early-christmas-gift-with-launch-of-brp-jose-rizal/


Good ship better to add ffbnw 8 cell missile launch to 16, or 12 coz it still ffbnw so nothing change actually


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## bdslph

is ph buying anything from russia as of now


----------



## barjo

Credit by KRI Bima Suci © BatamXinwen.com/Heriyanto






DEFENCE INDONESIA
*Indonesian Naval Vessel ‘Bima Suci’ Arrives in Manila for Goodwill Visit*
by Indah Gilang Pusparani
Published August 13, 2019 - 14:33 Jkt

1share



Kapal perang Republik Indonesia (KRI, Naval Vessel of the Republic of Indonesia) “Bima Suci” (945), an Indonesian training ship, docked in Manila on Monday for a four-day goodwill visit aimed at strengthening further the relations between the two Southeast Asian countries. 

Commander Jeffrey Magbanua, executive officer of the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Civil-Military Operations, led the Philippine Navy (PN) delegates in according a warm welcome to the 192-member Indonesian Navy contingent led by Lieutenant Colonel Waluyo, commanding officer of the KRI Bima Suci.

“The presence of this Indonesian Navy vessel, led by Lt. Col Waluyo and its 103 Indonesia Naval Cadets and 89 officers and crew contingent, underscores the relationship between our government and navies,” Magbanua said.





Members of the Philippine Navy welcome the Indonesian Navy training ship Kri Bima Suci with 103 Indonesian naval cadets and 89 officers and crew on board for a goodwill visit in Manila on Monday (12/8). Image: ABS-CBN
“This trumpets the Philippine Navy’s commitment in promoting naval diplomacy and camaraderie and fostering goodwill with our Indonesian Navy counterparts,” he added during a news conference following the ship’s arrival as quoted by The Manila Times.


The Philippines and Indonesia have established a long history of defense cooperation.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1949, Indonesia has been one of the closest allies of the Philippines and the Philippine Navy. Both countries have supported each other’s policies in the region such as democracy and the rule of law in the South China Sea.





Philippine, Indonesian navy officials pose for a photo-op. Image: Martin Sadongdong/Manila Bulletin
According to Manila Bulletin, a trilateral maritime cooperation agreement on border security was finalized in Kuala Lumpur in 2018 among the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia to prevent lawless elements such as pirates, smugglers, and foreign and local terrorists from using the southern backdoor as their entry and exit points to and from the three countries.

“We know that in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), we have so many issues regarding our maritime sector such as piracy, areas dispute, and fisheries,” Waluyo stated.

“The cooperation is part of Indonesia’s commitments to participate in maintaining security in Southeast Asia which focuses on capacity building in supporting the peace missions and maintaining border and maritime securities,” he said.





The KRI Bima Suci is a three-mast barque tall ship which is regarded as one of the largest tall ships in the world with a 36,200 sq. ft. of sails, and a capacity for a crew of 200. Image: Antara Foto/M Agung Rajasa/aww
‘Bima Suci’

The KRI Bima Suci is a three-mast barque tall ship which is regarded as one of the largest tall ships in the world with a 36,200 sq. ft. of sails, and a capacity for a crew of 200.

Named after a Javanese hero who was a “symbol of force, bravery, and righteousness,” KRI Bima Suci is the Indonesian Navy’s newest and largest sail training ship which is equipped with a series of “extremely sophisticated navigation and communication tools and a reverse osmosis water supply.”


Tags: 
KRI Bima Suci


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## congtubl

Theo Philstar hồi đầu năm 2018, chính phủ Philippines đã quyết định mua 2 chiếc tàu ngầm Type 212 do Đức sản xuất.


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## sahureka2

In South Korea launches frigate BRP _Antonio Luna_ (FF-151) is the second ship of the Jose Rizal-class frigate for Philippines Navy 
https://www.janes.com/article/92462/hhi-launches-second-and-final-jos%E9-rizal-class-frigate-for-philippine-navy


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## polanski

The Philippine Navy’s José Rizal-class frigate. The Rizal-class is one of the advanced warship in that region. Thanks to HHI, Thales, Leonardo, Hanwha and Aselsan. 
https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2019/11/10/the-philippine-navys-jose-rizal-class-frigate/


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## CG96

Thoughts?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1187019/defense-budget-needs-2-of-gdp-to-be-at-par-with-asean-military


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## Indos

CG96 said:


> Thoughts?
> 
> https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1187019/defense-budget-needs-2-of-gdp-to-be-at-par-with-asean-military



Indonesia defense spending is less than 1 % of its GDP.

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## polanski

Gripen Enters Series Production for domestic and International customers. 
Swedish Air Force Gets First Gripen E Fighter Jet https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2019/12/08/swedish-air-force-gets-first-gripen-e-fighter-jet/


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## sahureka2

Philippines is likely to become the first country to purchase Russian-Indian BrahMos cruise missiles

https://www.rt.com/news/475356-brahmos-missile-philippines-deal/

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## Cossack25A1

CG96 said:


> Thoughts?
> 
> https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1187019/defense-budget-needs-2-of-gdp-to-be-at-par-with-asean-military


Depends on the economy.


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## polanski

The Philippines Air Force receives Israeli Hermes 900 UAS: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2...es-air-force-receives-israeli-hermes-900-uas/


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## sahureka2

Philippines awards 94-meter Offshore Patrol Vessels to Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
https://www.asiapacificdefensejournal.com/2020/02/philippines-awards-94-meter-offshore.html


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## Corsair255

*Philippines army buying Turkish earthmover*
*Turkish armored vehicle producer FNSS signed new export deal with Philippine military*

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/philippines-army-buying-turkish-earthmover/1729798


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## polanski

The US State Department approves Apache AH-64E and AH-1Z Viper Helicopter For Philippines: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2...nes-apache-ah-64e-and-ah-1z-viper-helicopter/


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## sahureka2

Prima fregata missilistica della Marina filippina, BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) arriving may 23

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/1...-capable-vessel-arriving-may-23#ixzz6Mc59XJhE


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## sahureka2




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## Indos

Cossack25A1 said:


> Depends on the economy.



You need to bring your Philippino defense enthusiast community from Max Defense to this site.


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## polanski

Philippines Navy Welcomes Jose Rizal (FFG150) Frigate: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2020/06/19/philippines-navy-welcomes-jose-rizal-ffg150-frigate/


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## polanski

Philippines fixes airstrip on South China Sea island: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2020/06/25/philippines-fixes-airstrip-on-south-china-sea-island/

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## polanski

Amid China tensions, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte wants to retain VFA with the U.S.:
https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2...igo-duterte-wants-to-retain-vfa-with-the-u-s/


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## polanski

The Philippines to acquire eight Shaldag fast patrol boats from Israel: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2...-eight-shaldag-fast-patrol-boats-from-israel/


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## polanski

Philippine Navy To Purchase New Corvette Under Philippines Modernization Program: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2...ette-under-philippines-modernization-program/


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## polanski

Philippine to share air defense information with Japan: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2020/07/18/philippine-to-share-air-defense-information-with-japan/

Philippine sets to procure Israeli Spyder GBAD: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2020/07/18/philippine-sets-to-procure-israeli-spyder-gbad/


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## polanski

Philippine wants to buy T129 but Turkey can’t get an export license: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2...y-t129-but-turkey-cant-get-an-export-license/


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## polanski

The U.S. Department Approves $126 Million Armed Assault Boats Sale to the Philippines: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2...-armed-assault-boats-sale-to-the-philippines/


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## NEKONEKO

*Euronaval: Naval Group Confirms Negotiations With The Philippines For Submarine Sale*









Euronaval: Naval Group Confirms Negotiations with the Philippines for Submarine Sale - Naval News


During an Euronaval press conference, Naval Group CEO highlighted "intense discussions" with the Philippines concerning submarine sale




www.navalnews.com


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## Cossack25A1

*Israel’s Elbit Systems supplying light tanks, APCs to Philippine Army*









Israel’s Elbit Systems supplying light tanks, APCs to Philippine Army


Israel-based international defense company Elbit Systems is reportedly the winning proponent for Philippine Army's light tank and wheeled armored personnel car




www.mintfo.com


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## Indos

Cossack25A1 said:


> *Israel’s Elbit Systems supplying light tanks, APCs to Philippine Army*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Israel’s Elbit Systems supplying light tanks, APCs to Philippine Army
> 
> 
> Israel-based international defense company Elbit Systems is reportedly the winning proponent for Philippine Army's light tank and wheeled armored personnel car
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.mintfo.com



Any update on LPD ship tender ?


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## sahureka2

HHI Delivers 2nd Jose Rizal-Class Frigate To Philippine Navy Ahead Of Schedule
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-new...frigate-to-philippine-navy-ahead-of-schedule/


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## sahureka2

The Philippine Navy’s BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) its way home to the Philippines. The ship left Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea this morning and is expected to arrive in Subic in a few days
Photos shared to @inquirerdotnet


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## T-SaGe

*Philippines eyes tie-up with Turkey to modernize navy*




_4/21/2021 9:31:00 PM_

The Philippine Navy is exploring ways to collaborate with the Turkish government in its ongoing modernization efforts, state-run media said on Wednesday.
Chief of the Philippine Navy Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo told the Philippine News Agency that a delegation visited Turkey last week at the invitation of Turkish state-owned defense contractor ASFAT.
"The visit was also an opportunity for the Turkish government to showcase their defense capabilities to us through ASFAT, Turkish navy, and other agencies," the agency quoted Bacordo as saying.
He said ASFAT is particularly interested in providing capacity and technology solutions, and participate in acquisition projects for naval vessels and other defense equipment.
“Their main selling point is their centuries-old and proven shipyard capability that guarantees the quality of work and long-term integrated logistics support," he said.
Bacordo added that the successful engagement with Turkish Naval Forces could jumpstart future cooperation in maritime security through joint exercises, personnel exchanges, and education and training.
Source: AA








Philippines eyes tie-up with Turkey to modernize navy


The Philippine Navy is exploring ways to collaborate with the Turkish government in its ongoing modernization efforts, state-run media said on Wednesday. Chief of the Philippine Navy...




www.defensehere.com


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## sahureka2

polanski said:


> The U.S. Department Approves $126 Million Armed Assault Boats Sale to the Philippines: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2...-armed-assault-boats-sale-to-the-philippines/



first two T129 attack helicopters would be delivered in September to beef up the Philippine Air Force’s fleet.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1436771/dnd-turkish-attack-helicopters-arriving-in-sept


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## Cossack25A1

US official: Possible sale of fighter jets, military equipment to PH ‘unrelated’ to VFA talks


The US Embassy also anticipates the arrival of more American-made COVID-19 jabs in the Philippines, especially after US President Joe Biden vowed to donate vaccines.




news.abs-cbn.com




------

MANILA — The US State Department’s approval of the possible sale of P118 billion worth of military equipment and fighter jets to the Philippines is unrelated to ongoing talks on the Visiting Forces Agreement, a US Embassy official said.


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## Cossack25A1

*








US defense chief Austin to meet Duterte with military pact on the line


Philippine ambassador bullish for a deal as Washington courts Southeast Asia




asia.nikkei.com





----*


WASHINGTON/MANILA -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte during his tour of Southeast Asia starting Friday, the Philippine ambassador to the U.S. told Nikkei, as Washington works to save a pact at the heart of their military alliance.

Relations between the Philippines and the U.S. have been strained under Duterte, who has repeatedly expressed anti-American sentiment. He unilaterally decided in February 2020 to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement, which provides a legal framework for the U.S. military presence in the Philippines and is widely considered critical to maintaining their alliance.

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Cossack25A1

Indos said:


> Any update on LPD ship tender ?



No news, some of the budget went to COVID-19 response.



----------------------------------

Made-in-Japan Philippine Coast Guard ship to launch soon.









Philippine Coast Guard's first 97-meter Multi-Role Response Vessel to launch soon


The Philippine Coast Guard is expecting good news in the next dew days. Its largest ship acquisition to date, the 94-meter Multi-Role Resp...




maxdefense.blogspot.com

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## Cossack25A1

US vaccine aid may have helped save VFA – Roque


THE vaccine donation from the United States may be one of the reasons President Rodrigo Duterte lost interest in abolishing the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), his spokesman Harry...




www.manilatimes.net





THE vaccine donation from the United States may be one of the reasons President Rodrigo Duterte lost interest in abolishing the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), his spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said on Monday.


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## Cossack25A1

*DND doubles down on push for AFP modernization, more reforms*

By Priam Nepomuceno 
July 27, 2021, 10:31 am


*MANILA* – Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he will continue to push for the military's modernization and measures to improve its personnel management in the remaining months of the Duterte administration.

"In the remaining 11 months in this administration, we will push for the continued modernization of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), enactment of laws to improve the personnel management of the AFP and focus on the other priorities we set for ourselves when we assumed our posts back in 2016," Lorenzana said in a statement late Monday night.

*More -> https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1148383*


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## Cossack25A1

*4 Things To Know After The Philippines Kept Its Pact With The U.S. Military*

August 6, 20211:17 PM ET


Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has derided the United States, and courted China, through much of his time in office, putting one of America's oldest alliances in Asia on the back foot. But now, nearing the end of his single six-year term, the mercurial leader appears to be looking more favorably toward the Americans.

Last week, Duterte withdrew a year-and-a-half-old threat to cancel a key security pact with the U.S. — the Philippines-United States Visiting Forces Agreement. The 1998 VFA makes it easier for U.S. forces and ships to operate in the Philippines, including conducting large combat exercises that have alarmed China.

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said last Friday that his government retracted its pending termination of the agreement and said, "We are back on track." He was speaking at a joint news conference in Manila with visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who said restoring the VFA was "a very welcome decision."

MORE -> https://www.npr.org/2021/08/06/1025287447/philippines-united-states-military-agreement-analysis


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## Cossack25A1

*France joins PH-US exercises for the first time*
By: Frances Mangosing - Reporter / @FMangosingINQ
INQUIRER.net / 05:56 PM October 21, 2021

MANILA, Philippines—The French navy for the first time joined Philippine-US maritime exercises recently, which could mark France’s efforts to expand contribution to regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

France took part in the maritime training activity Sama-Sama (Filipino for together) as an observer, along with Japan, which was joining for the second time. The exercises were held online from Oct. 10 to 15 to promote regional security cooperation, maintain and strengthen maritime partnerships and enhance interoperability among operating forces.

-----
Read more: https://globalnation.inquirer.net/1...us-exercises-for-the-first-time#ixzz7AESY9hPP


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## Cossack25A1

*PH military to boost arsenal with South Korean hardware*

By: Frances Mangosing - Reporter / @FMangosingINQ
INQUIRER.net / 06:33 PM November 11, 2021

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine military is seeking to boost its arsenal with equipment from South Korea.
A team of defense and military officers was in South Korea last week for a joint visual inspection of used rocket systems and a surplus warship that will be handed over by the Seoul government, security officials familiar with the matter told INQUIRER.net.

The Philippine Army and Philippine Marine Corps are likely to be recipients of 22 Kooryong multiple launch rocket systems from the Korean Army. These would include equipment and ammunition. These were expected to be handed over to the Philippines in the next few months though this was first publicly announced in 2019.

Philippine Navy representatives examined the decommissioned Pohang-class corvette ROKS Andong (PCC-771) at the Jinhae naval base in South Korea. It was found to be in “good operating condition.”

If the transfer pushes through, the vessel will be the Philippines’ second donated ship by South Korea, which two years ago handed over a second-hand Pohang-class corvette ROKS Chungju (PCC-762), now called BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39).



Link -> https://globalnation.inquirer.net/200218/ph-military-to-boost-arsenal-with-south-korean-hardware


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## sahureka2

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Holds Launch Ceremony in Shimonoseki Thursday launched its second 97-meter multi-role response vessel (MRRV) for the Philippines 
https://www.untvweb.com/news/pcg-launches-second-97-meter-ship-in-japan/


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## sahureka2

in these photos the two 97 m Philippine OPVs still on the dock of the Mitsubishi shipyard to complete the final outfitting


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## Indos

MAX DEFENSE

Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that the Department of Budget Management (DBM) has approved the release of Php32 billion for the acquisition of 32 Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk combat utlity helicopters for the Philippine Air Force from Sikorsky's Polish subsidiary PZL Mielec. This is an additional project under the 2nd List of Horizon 2 phase.

He also confirmed that the DBM had also approved the release of Php30 billion to fund the acquisition of 6 new Offshore Patrol Vessels, which are still being negotiated with Australian shipbuilder Austal. The Philippine Navy's OPV Acquisition Project is part of Horizon 2 phase priority projects.
OPV Acquisition Project resource page below:

https://www.phdefresource.com/.../offshore-patrol-vessel...

He also confirmed that the DND is pushing forward with the acquisition of the Russian Helicopters Mil Mi-17 Hip, as well as six more A-29B Super Tucano light attack aircraft and six TAI T-129B ATAK attack helicopters.
These are some of the pending big ticket acquisitions of the DND under the current administration. There are several others that require funding approval including the Multirole Fighters and refunding for Long Range Patrol Aircraft for PAF, Submarines, Corvettes, and Shore Based Anti-Ship and Air Defense Missile Systems for the PN, and Land Based Anti-Ship Missile Systems and Helicopters for PA.
More on the article from Tribune below.
https://tribune.net.ph/.../lorenzana-plans-to-buy-32.../


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## Indos

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1468414633476190211
PTDI will try to get PH Airforce buy their planes. Currently PH is interested to buy small plane for MSA and India has offered Dornier along with credit line.







__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1468504310858203138


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## Indos

Singaporean fansboy that become moderator in other forum have already got mad with this Pinoy decision to buy Russian defense equipment 

He even angrily asked USA government to give huge sanction to Pinoy LOL who do you think you are.....









Down payment for PAF's Russian heavy-lift choppers out soon: DND


MANILA – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the down payment for the Philippine Air Force (PAF)'s Russian-sourced heavy-lift helicopter acquisition program will be released soon."Also, the down payment for the heavy-lift helicopters, I think will be paid soon so that we will have the...




www.pna.gov.ph






Not to mention Indonesia has also bought Russian weapon that he think is impossible to happen....... 

I dont recommend big ticket order like SU 35 fighter, but I always said that support weapon from Russia like missiles and others will not make USA impose CATSAA to Indonesia

JUNE 2021






Indonesia acquires A-220M naval guns for KCR-60M attack craft


The Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) has acquired two A-220M 57 mm naval guns from Russia, and is now installing the first unit on a...



www.janes.com


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## Indos

Very beautiful plane indeed, new C 295 for Philippine Air Force 






Philippine Navy is likely to buy 6 NC 212i from Indonesian Aerospace. 

Previously Philippine Armed Force has also bough 2 NC 212i from Indonesian Aerospace and delivered 4 years ago.


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## tonyget

Philippines is the fourth largest ship builder in the world


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