On 28-March-2022, Malaysian Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, and yours truly, representing the Philippines, held our Ministerial Meeting on Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA). To further strengthen the security of Sulu and Sulawesi Seas, we agreed to develop the TCA beyond the current security landscape through multiagency combination, accelerate the placement of Trilateral Maritime Patrol Relations Officers in…
INTRODUCTION. Vampire! Vampire! Vampire! yelled the Fire Controlman aboard BRP Vicente Catalan (DDG-01) as the blips came into his scope. Countermeasures! as the Ship’s Weapons Officer shouted, decoys launched. Enemy Missiles destroyed. –A fictional futuristic scenario in which Philippine Navy warships may encounter in a modern high intensity conflict from a mobile land-based anti-ship missile systems. On 04-April-2022, the Shore-Based…
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has confirmed the increasing presence of Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc, Zambales. During the intensified maritime operations from 28 February to 05 March 2022, the PCG has monitored approximately 45 Filipino fishing boats conducting fishing activities at the vicinity waters off Bajo De Masinloc. Through the ongoing “Bayanihan sa Karagatan,” personnel of BRP Capones…
FORT BONIFACIO, Taguig City – The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) led by Commandant MGen Nestor C Herico PN(M) activated the new Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile (SBASM) Battalion (Provisional) on 3-April-2022. The SBASM Battalion, the first in the Philippines, will be operating an anti-ship missile system that can quickly detect, track, chase, and destroy maritime targets. “The activation of SBASM will certainly…
To complement police operations, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has added more marine and land mobile assets, as well as communication technology. During simple rituals at the PNP National Headquarters on 9-February-2022, PNP Chief, Police General Dionardo B Carlos, led police officials in blessing new equipment worth Php576,667,540. Ten police high-speed Tactical Watercraft with twin 250 horsepower engines are the…
The author, COL Thomas J Gordon USMC (Ret), said “Though I am presenting these maxims as leadership tactics, techniques, and procedures, I do not pretend that they will make you a good leader –Marines see through insincere ploys and hollow rhetoric.” Just reading a book on golf will not make you a good golfer, and just reading about leadership will…
In January 2022, one of the few remaining WWII veterans, Major Maximo P Young, passed away due to a heart ailment. He was six months away from his centennial birthday. The Armed Forces of the Philippines rendered full military honors during his internment ceremony. Major Young was an extraordinary veteran having served in 3 international conflicts: WWII, Korean War, and…
In August 2017, Chinese coast guard and navy ships were seen close by Sandy Cay, a sandbar neighboring Philippine-occupied Thitu (Pag-asa) Island in the South China Sea (SCS). Then Senior Associate Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court, Antonio Carpio, warned that Sandy Cay was “being seized (to put it mildly), or being invaded (to put it frankly) by China.” President…
The American Era: Coastal Defense Fortifications Take Shape The importance of Corregidor Island in the military complex dates back as far as the beginning of the Spanish Colonial period during the 1500’s, as Spanish Galleons used to anchor at the Island or on other nearby islands. Apart from being a naval anchorage, it was an outpost to alert Manila and…
It was not so long ago when a fine young man had joined the Maritime League, and that man eventually became one of the League’s Trustees. He is LTJG Christian R Chua PN (Res), a junior officer by rank, but to his colleagues, he is a true soldier, gentleman, leader and a fine officer who can be trusted. We would…
The Marine Exercise 2022 Philippines (MAREX 22 PH) between the Philippine Marine Corps and the United States Marine Corps (USMC) officially concluded with a virtual closing ceremony graced by the Philippine Navy Flag Officer In Command Vice Admiral Adeluis Bordado as the Guest of Honor and Speaker on 2-February-2022. The annual bilateral exercise was conducted from 28-31 January-2022. The exercise…
INTRODUCTION From 7 January to 9-April-1942, the Battle of Bataan was fought by the Fil-Am troops of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). Said battle displayed the courage and gallantry of the Filipino from all walks of life to preserve the democratic way of life and freedom of free loving people of the world at the…
Maritime League Vice President VAdm Emilio C Marayag Jr. was elected President and Board Chairman of the Association of General and Flag Officers, Inc. (AGFO) for the year 2022. He was the former Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Chairman of the Membership and Ethics Committee. He joined the 15-man Board in 2019 and was recently re-elected as a Director for…
In February 2015, the Secretary-General established the IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador (IMO-GMA) Scheme. It aims to reach new target audiences and inspire a new generation of maritime experts and seafarers. The multi-faceted maritime world offers a series of rich and fulfilling career opportunities for young people, both at sea and ashore. Seafaring can provide young generations not only with an…
Early Days of Mischief. It was during the years 1888-1904 in Owenton, Kentucky that Willis Augustus Lee Jr. was nicknamed “Mose.” His father, Judge Lee Sr, was the circuit judge who tried civil and criminal cases. His mom, Susan, died of a heart attack in 1913. His elder brother, Clarence also died at an early age. His father had a…
01-March-2022, Bagamanoc, Catanduanes – CAPTAIN SALVADOR G LAVAPIE JR PN(GSC), Chairman, Technical Working Group (TWG) Forward Operating Base (FOB) Catanduanes and Commander, Naval Task Force – 31 (NTF-31), paid a courtesy call to Catanduanes Governor, Hon. Joseph Chua Cua on 01 March 2022. The courtesy call is in connection with the proposed construction of a Forward Operating Base (FOB) for…
Thirty (30) fisherfolks from Barangays Asuncion, Combado and Pasay of Maasin City, Southern Leyte whose fishing boats have been totally damaged by Typhoon Odette on December 16, 2021 have been awarded with 15 units of 20-footer fiberglass boats with engines and accessories by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on 22-January-2022. The said fishing boats with an estimate…
On 16-December-2021, Typhoon Odette left the province of Bohol in a devastated environment: with uprooted trees, flooding, roofs ripped from schools and buildings, and collapsed numerous homes! RADM MARGARITO V SANCHEZ JR AFP(RET), Chairperson of SEABEES and ENGINEER RETIREES GENEREAL SERVICES COOPERATIVE (SERGS Coop) organized a relief drive to benefit victims of this typhoon as what they had carried out…
The Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) continues to expand its relief and recovery drive in coastal communities affected by Super Typhoon Odette. DA-BFAR’s multi-mission vessels have been deployed to fast-track the recovery of Odette-stricken coastal areas. More than Php6 million worth of relief goods and food packs including frozen fish, rice, sardines, clothes, and hygiene…
Navy’s operating forces in Palawan distributed hundreds of galvanized iron sheets to aid in rehabilitation of Typhoon Odette-affected areas. The Naval Forces West (NFW) together with Civil Military Operations Unit – West (CMOU-W), Naval Installation and Facilities-West (NIF-W), and Joint Task Force I-CARE, facilitated and assisted Lara’s Ark Foundation in the distribution of 580 pieces and 170 pieces of galvanized…
05-March-2022. Joint law enforcement operatives have destroyed 1,837,200 fully-grown Marijuana plants, 30,000 grams of dried fruiting tops, 6,000 grams of Marijuana seeds, 70,000 grams of powdered Marijuana, and 492,666 grams of dried Marijuana leaves and stalks with a total estimated market value of PHP 375 Million during their 10-Day Air and Land Interoperability Operations Against Illegal Drugs in the province…
Phase 1 (4 years) – A Pacific Ocean marine corridor in central Philippines Background. Phase 1 of the Programme spotlights a Pacific Ocean corridor in central Philippines serves as the initial focus for the wider Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific 3/ maritime region that is critical to global health and security. This large sea area as designated is comprised of interconnected enclosed-semi-enclosed seas…
NAVAL FORCES SOUTHERN LUZON NAVAL FORCES EASTERN MINDANAO NAVAL FORCES FLEET MARINE NAVAL FORCES CENTRAL NAVAL FORCES WEST SAMBISIG
INTRODUCTION This article is a detailed overview on how the propulsion system of 44M Multi-Role Response Vessel of the Philippine Coast Guard PMS can be achieved. The existing propulsion system of said ten units 44M MRRV is MTU Model 12V 4000 series M93L which can be maintained effectively using the following step by step PMS procedures: Understanding the engine performance…
In the event tensions escalate to a conflict between China and Taiwan, will the Philippine be involved? This may be one of the risk scenarios in 2022.* China’s President Xi Jinping blamed the U.S. for the tensions between the two world economic and military powers on “Repeated attempts by Taiwan authorities for U.S. support in their independence agenda as well…