Stories

Defense, Maritime History, National Affairs 25-Jan-2022

ENGAGING THE ENEMY AT THE LITTORALS: A HISTORY OF COASTAL DEFENSE IN THE PHILIPPINES from the Pre-Spanish period to the Second World War.

“ Coast Defense, in its broadest sense, includes all measures taken to provide protection against any form of attack at or near the shore line as well as within the combat zone immediately in rear thereof. ” -US FM 31-10 Basic Field Manual of Coast Defense INTRODUCTION In October 2019, the Philippine Army activated the Artillery Regiment’s 1st Land-Based Missile…

Book Review, Maritime History 25-Jan-2022

Book Review: Commanding the Pacific – U.S. Marine Corps Generals of WWII

INTRODUCTION. Some of the Marine Corps’ most difficult assignments were not only excessively costly, but also had questionable strategic value. The Marine Generals’ willingness to take on almost any assignment therefore came at a stiff price. They acceded for having little say in the Pacific War strategy, and because they were ready to demonstrate their added value to the military…

Chairman's Page, Defense, Maritime Safety, Maritime Security, National Affairs 26-Nov-2021

TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY

Over the past few decades many nations in Southeast Asia, including the ASEAN, have increased their defense budgets to procure and upgrade weapons systems. Some accounts indicate that the increase in the regional defense spending is two to three times the world average. Interestingly most of the weapons acquisitions are for their air and naval forces that are incredibly more…

Maritime Training, Ship-Manning 26-Nov-2021

Some Observations on Philippine Maritime Education

The pandemic was really a disruptive game-changer. Even before the pandemic sent home most of our seafarers in 2020; their number has been dwindling the years prior. From close to 470,000 in 2019 it dropped 54% in 2020 to about 217,000. Deployment in 2018 dropped by more than 100,000. While the number of Philippine seafarers is dwindling, the number of…

Maritime History, Ship-Design, Shipbuilding 26-Nov-2021

Oceanographic and Research Vessels of the Philippines

As the jurisdiction to the BENHAM RISE plateau was finally given to the Philippines in 2017, unknown to many, the Philippines has an Oceanographic and Research Capability that dates back to the 1900s until the present. In December 1900, the US Coast and Geodetic Survey (USCGS) sent personnel to Manila to establish the sub-office of the USCGS in the Philippines….

Marine Environment, Maritime Safety 26-Nov-2021

Sea State Conditions and Its Effect on Ship Operation

INTRODUCTION This article is a research on sea state conditions and the Beaufort scale –how sea state conditions can affect ship operation at sea and how the Beaufort scale can be a tool of information to define the characteristics of waves and its effects on ship navigation. WAVE GEOMETRY The forces generated by ocean waves are among the most powerful…

Cargo Handling, Domestic Shipping, International Shipping 26-Nov-2021

After 45 years, a Philippine shipping line goes international!

We can all use a bit of good news at this time. First, some context. Since the pandemic started, there has been a scarcity of cargo container vans and international shipping lines calling on Philippine ports. This has caused our exporters to default on their delivery schedules. The default, in turn, caused their customers to withhold payments triggering cashflow problems…

Defense, Events, National Affairs, Profiles 26-Nov-2021

Commandant-Philippine Coast Guard – VADM Leopoldo V Laroya

Born in Quezon City, Commandant Vice Admiral Leopoldo V. Laroya PCG began his military career in 1983 when he entered the Philippine Military Academy. Through hard work and discipline, he earned his degree in Bachelor of Science and graduated in the upper percentile of “Maringal” class (number 12 out of 135) in 1988. His competencies enabled him to expand his…

Domestic Shipping, Overseas Shipping, Ports and Harbors 26-Nov-2021

New Pier, POB to Boost Traffic, Address Congestion at Lucena Port

25 SEPTEMBER 2021, LUCENA CITY—The Port Management Office of Marinduque/Quezon (PMO MarQuez) is anticipating bigger Ro-Ro traffic as the PMO unveils an additional pier and a POB facility at its Lucena port. With high concentration of passengers and rolling cargoes bound for Marinduque and Romblon, the new pier facility will address the congestion at the port as it offers additional…

Defense, Events, Maritime Security 26-Nov-2021

Philippine Navy Conducts Exercise Pagsasama 2021

The Philippine Navy’s Naval Forces Central (NAVFORCEN) and the Philippine Naval Reserve Centers of Eastern Visayas (NRCEV), as well as Western Visayas (NRCWV), conducted the unilateral exercise with reservists on August 16-20, 2021. The activity is dubbed Exercise Pagsasama 2021, carrying the theme “Strengthening Integration, Cooperation and Interoperability of the Philippine Navy Reserve Force to the Regular Force.” The exercise…

Defense, National Affairs 26-Nov-2021

Philippines to Ignore New China Maritime Law Within West Philippine Sea

Manila, Philippines. The new Chinese law requires vessels passing through the South China Sea to provide information, including positions of their vessels, to Chinese authorities. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Philippines did not recognize the new Chinese maritime law, which mandated foreign vessels in the South China Sea to “report their detailed information” to China. “Our stand on that…

Defense, Events, National Affairs 26-Nov-2021

Bilateral Meeting between SND and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin

Philippine Secretary of Defense Delfin N. Lorenzana visited the United States of America to meet with US senior officials, in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). Following their bilateral meeting in Manila last 30-July-2021, Secretary Lorenzana met with his counterpart, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on 10-September-2021 in Washington DC where…

National Affairs, Sustainable Fishery 26-Nov-2021

PH and ROK Hold First Joint Fisheries Committee Meeting

The Philippines and the Republic of Korea conducted the first joint fisheries committee meeting online on 1-October-2021 to pursue an active partnership between the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) in the field of fisheries and seafood trade. Chaired and co-chaired by MOF-International Cooperation Bureau Director General Dong-sik Woo and DA Undersecretary…

Sustainable Fishery 26-Nov-2021

BFAR-7 Supports Tilapia Backyard Farming, Restores Fish Stocks in Inland Waters

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Visayas (BFAR Region 7) distributed 33,500 tilapia fingerlings and 16,000 bangus fingerlings in Cebu province, particularly in Cebu City and the towns of Asturias and San Remegio. Several tilapia backyard farmers, fishpond, and fish pen operators received fishery inputs from BFAR-7, through its Fisheries Production and Support Services Division (FPSSD) and…

Events, Sustainable Fishery 26-Nov-2021

Olongapo Fisherfolk Receive FRP Boats From BFAR-3

BARRETTO, Olongapo City – Twenty fisherfolk families and one fisherfolk organization received their Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) boats in an awarding program led by Regional Director Wilfredo Cruz on February 24, 2021. The FRP boats, worth P45,000 each, came with a 10 HP diesel engine and a complete set of underwater fittings and accessories. RD Cruz in his speech said,…

National Affairs, Sustainable Fishery 3-Sep-2021

Some Issues on Food Security

Food security, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is “ensuring that all people at all times have both physical and economic access to the basic food that they need.” The UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) further qualifies food security to mean “people having at all times physical, social, economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious…

Defense, Ship-Design, Shipbuilding 3-Sep-2021

Deliberate Acquisition of Submarine Warfare Capability of a Navy

INTRODUCTION This article emphasizes the dangers of operating a submarine short of maturity in a NAVY. They face threats and dangers of deep water that needs to be understood by a NAVY aspiring to fulfill the dreams of acquiring a submarine warfare capability for the defense of their country in territorial seas. This article is not to discouraged the NAVY,…

Defense, Maritime History, Ship-Design, Shipbuilding 3-Sep-2021

BROWN EAGLE UNDERWATER: The Philippines’ Quest For Submarines

I am sharing an article I had written six years ago, now with revisions as further information came to light in supporting the Philippine Navy’s acquisition of Submarines through a historical perspective. INTRODUCTION.  On 22-September-1914, in the cold choppy waters of the North Sea, a few miles from the coast of the Netherlands in less than 90 minutes, HMS Aboukir,…

Events, Ports and Harbors 3-Sep-2021

PPA PMO Misamis Occidental/Ozamiz Awarded by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

PPA Port Management Office of Misamis Occidental/ Ozamiz has been awarded the Outstanding Stakeholder by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in recognition of its invaluable contribution to the achievement of BSP’s objectives and values. This year’s BSP virtual awarding ceremony carries the theme, “Pagpupugay at pagkilala sa gitna ng hamon ng pandemya” that sums up its objective on giving due…

Maritime History, Profiles 3-Sep-2021

Ship & Shipmate Before Self: The Story of Telesforo Trinidad, MOH 1915

In commemoration of the 106th Anniversary of Fireman Second Class Telesforo Trinidad receiving the Medal of Honor, the USS Telesforo Trinidad Campaign (USSTTC) announces the launching of its initiative to name the first U.S. Navy Warship after an American national of Filipino descent who served in the U.S. Navy.  Trinidad holds the distinction of being the first and only Asian…