January 2016

Come ride the floating bus … Sakay na!

Vallacar Transit Incorporated (VTI) began as a family-owned and managed business that has grown from a lone 14- seater jeepney business called Ceres Liner plying a single route, to a conglomerate of transportation companies with a combined number of 4,000 transport vehicles nation wide. The company pioneered inter-modal services between Negros, Cebu, Mindanao, Leyte, Panay, and Luzon. It also pioneered inter-modal transport services…


Proceedings of MBFs 105 & 106

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) hosted the 105th MBF, led by RADM. WILLIAM MELAD on behalf of VADM.RODOLFO ISORENA, and was held on 18 September 2015 at the Hub, Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila.


Indonesian Firm picks Catamaran Design

Indonesia’s largest marine tourism operator, Bali Hai Cruises, has awarded a contract to International Maritime Consultants (IMC) for the design of its next generation day-cruise catamarans.


APECCS: APEC/APEX of the Future?

In the shadows of today’s global problems – principal among them were terrorist attacks in Paris last 13 November that claimed 130 lives with others still in critical condition (and threats of more of the same in other countries in Europe and the U.S. by ISIS terrorists) – the Philippines hosted this week the 2015 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting.


Shift Lanes To Save The Whales

Every year, about 300 whales feeding near the southern coast of Sri Lanka are hit more than a thousand times by large carriers up to 300 meters long. About 50 of these collisions are likely to be lethal for the rare Pygmy Blue Whales indigenous to Sri Lanka waters. Next year could likely be the “Year of No Return” of…


The West Philippine Sea Situation

My involvement in the Spratlys, South China Sea and West Philippine Sea issue goes back a long way. As a junior  officer, fresh from the Naval Academy, I was part of a secret mission sometime in 1971. I transported troops,weapons, equipment and supplies to the islands we occupied in Freedomland, now called the Kalayaan Island Group.




Capt. Sibala and Pres. Obama

On 17 November, US President Barack H. Obama visited the Philippine Navy’s flagship, US-made BRP Gregorio del Pilar, the first US Coast Guard Hamilton Class 3,250-ton frigate combatant ship that was transferred to the Philippines in 2011. The second frigate was transferred in 2012, and named BRP Ramon Alcaraz. President Obama spoke with Captain Vincent Sibala PN (USNA’93) on the…