The Accomplishments of P.Noy

[alien space bats]

Aquino signs EO granting additional compensation to soldiers GMA News
05/03/2011 | 12:42 PM

Malacañang announced that President Benigno Simeon Aquino III has signed Executive Order 38, granting additional compensations such as duty and incentive pays to the officials and enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said EO 38, signed by Aquino on April 28, set the amount of combat pay at P500 and the incentive pay at P150 per day.

It will be applied retroactively as of January 1, 2011.

"President Aquino approved EO 38 to put in effect the intention of his administration to improve the conveyed allotment of benefits and entitlements to the members of the AFP, especially those engaged in combat operations and recognizing the vital role they play in nation building," Ochoa said.

EO 38 was issued to "consolidate, clarify, and integrate all executive issuances" to provide maximum benefits for qualified members of the AFP.

The order consolidated all presidential directives about combat duty and
incentive pay of AFP officers and enlisted personnel.

The new EO supersedes or takes the place of previous related orders: EO 1017, 15, and 658.

Under EO 38, officers and enlisted personnel of the AFP performing combat
duties or activities will receive a combat duty pay of P500 per
month.

An additional combat incentive pay of P150 per day will be given to AFP
members who are actually engaged in combat operation against members of
various insurgent, terrorist, and lawless groups.

The initial funding requirement to implement EO 38 will be drawn from the
personal services savings of the AFP during fiscal year 2010-2011.

The succeeding budget for this presidential directive will be included in the
General Appropriations Act.

Consolidation of other presidential orders

EO 1017, which was issued on March 22, 1985, had set the combat duty pay of
soldiers from P120 to P240 per month.

Subsequently, EO 658, which was issued on September 6, 2007, granted an
additional combat incentive pay of P150 per day to soldiers for being directly involved in actual combat operations.

On December 20, 2010, Aquino issued EO 15, which provided for an additional
combat allowance of P260 per month to increase it to P500 per month but
removed the P150 per day incentive of the men in uniform in the field for
combat operations.

With the issuance of EO 38, Ochoa said soldiers taking part in actual combat
operations can now receive their daily incentive pay on top of the monthly
combat allowance.

"The intent of the administration is to improve the conditions of our
soldiers, especially those in combat who risk their lives," Ochoa said.

"We are taking measures to extend to them adequate compensation that is also
commensurate to the services they render to contribute to nation building,"
he added. - VVP, GMA News

guys, our president is working. he's just signed his 38th E.O. He's been in office for what? only 11 months? take away 2 or 3 orders w/c the SC declared as unconstitutional, that's still 3 important decisions per month or 1 important decision every 10 days.

 

[b3lowzro]

guys, our president is working. he's just signed his 38th E.O. He's been in office for what? only 11 months? take away 2 or 3 orders w/c the SC declared as unconstitutional, that's still 3 important decisions per month or 1 important decision every 10 days.

lol, he's such a workhorse, waking up early (at round 5:30 am) to attend wakes hahaha.

 

[dxjayrock2008]

lol, he's such a workhorse, waking up early (at round 5:30 am) to attend wakes hahaha.

Nice job Mr. President! Lol.

 

[eindhow]

hey its a comfortable excuse for noy's supporters to say that but heck where's the "matuwid na daan" that he's promising. Not even a concrete plan for the country's development.

Who says I'm a Noynoy supporter?? I think if we were ruled by Gordon right now the country will be better that right now..

 

[dxjayrock2008]

Who says I'm a Noynoy supporter?? I think if we were ruled by Gordon right now the country will be better that right now..

Either Gordon or Gibo won the election, Pinas is in a better shape right now.

 

[alien space bats]

here's an interesting letter made by uncle peping and published today in the star by columnist federico pascual jr.

the chinks in the administration's armor are slowly showing. while i do not want pres. noy to suffer the fate of pres. estrada, i cannot help but compare this present administration to that of the disgraced erap. beware, mr. president, of disgruntled "allies"! the countdown has begun

How Peping and family feel about Noy’s admin



UPDATE: What’s the latest between President Noynoy Aquino and his uncle Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr.? Are they still talking to each other?


Get a hint from a piece written days ago by Cojuangco himself. Here it is:
First published in the Philippine Star issue of May 10, 2011)


* * *


“IT IS DANGEROUS if not fatal to believe that winning an election -- or even more especially, losing one -- also bestows a monopoly on virtue and good intentions.


“I used to be more widely known as the bayaw of Ninoy. Then as the husband of Tingting. Then as the brother of President Cory. Then as the dad of Mikee. And now, of course, as the uncle of President Aquino.


“I also know that my name is one of those inevitably mentioned whenever critics of our family bring up their well-worn smear word as their all-purpose demolition device -- Kamaganak Inc. The notion of a Kamaganak Inc. is as revolting and repulsive to me as it is to everyone, and even more so to all of our family members who have had to bear this unfair and unfounded burden that comes with the territory of having a President in the family. And now, two Presidents.


“The fact is that we Filipinos overwhelmingly elected Cory’s only son, because we want her courage and honesty to continue guiding our leaders in governing the country, regardless of the qualifications, experience, or abilities of her senator child. Voting him in was a resounding rejection of the corruption of Gloria and her allies, and a very clear declaration that we have had enough of the dishonesty, deception, and duplicity through Gloria’s remaining appointees or her anointed successors.


* * *


“THE FILIPINOS also decisively proclaimed their distaste for naked partisan politics, emphatically rejecting unacceptable candidates of the Liberal Party, including Mar Roxas for Vice President -- something that the Liberals prematurely crowed over as a ‘done deal’ when for a brief period, he enjoyed better projected poll numbers than Noynoy Aquino.


“So again, I have been singled out as the convenient scapegoat for the embarrassing losses of the Liberal Party. If their candidate for Vice President cannot hang on to the coattails of the overwhelming landslide victory of his running mate, why of course, this can only be the work of none other but that wily and crafty Peping. Undoubtedly, he orchestrated and deployed all his


Federico D. Pascual Jr.
political resources and allies to ensure his nephew’s win, and the spectacular and stunning triumph of the well-known Cory loyalist, Jojo Binay, over the hapless, shocked, and overmatched Mister Palenke and Mister Tricycle.


“When the expected crush for political appointments materialized immediately after the election, I did not sponsor anyone for any high-ranking position in the new administration. But instead of being hailed for not meddling in the frenzy of new appointments, I was characterized as being ‘outside the loop,’ toxic and persona non grata.


“Ironically, it has been the losing Liberal Party candidates who have feverishly inserted themselves at the feasting trough, cleverly gulling the winning President into balatos and consuelo de bobos, unmindful and spiteful of their wholesale rejection by the electorate.


* * *


“NOT WISHING to distract from the new President’s efforts and programs, I have tried to avoid any public back and forth about the continuous and well manipulated defamation designed to keep me distant from and unwholesome for his image. I have accepted this as the expected strategy of those wanting to preserve and entrench their influence within the new administration.


“But my silence has only emboldened the desperate and the greedy, as the end of the one-year ban on the appointment of losing candidates approaches.


“Recently, columns, articles and programs have renewed the concoctions and fabrications at my expense. One has me leading a ‘United Opposition as the advisor and convenor of political forces disgruntled by PNoy’s performance.’ Another claims outright that I have refurbished my LABAN movement for no foreseeable purpose than to fight the current administration.


“The innuendoes have become shrill enough to openly announce that I resent being ignored by the core groups of President Aquino. That I am being coldly treated by the presidential sisters. That the President and his sisters distance themselves from me in political matters, especially in appointments to the government.


* * *


“ONE miserably misleading report even floated the unthinkable ‘prospect’ of my meeting with Gloria for a proposed coalition as an actual event that is being passed around as fact instead of fantasy.


“Never mind that one such as I, supposedly powerful enough to stage the defeat of a sure winner in the Vice Presidential poll is, on the other hand, being derided as not only as a complete undesirable but a disgraceful political liability to the election’s biggest winner and his sisters?


“That my entire direct family worked non-stop for the President’s election is undeniable and on record. In particular, my daughter Mikee, along with her husband Dodot, toiled with my wife Tingting and all my other children throughout the campaign. Tirelessly. Indefatigably. And as it has turned out, thanklessly as well.


* * *


“THERE is no rift between the President and myself, in spite of the accurate statements in the press that none of our followers who worked endlessly for his election have been rewarded with choice government positions. All of the volunteers in my various reform movements labored freely without remuneration, and unmotivated by gaining any government position or reward, unlike so many in the President’s own Liberal Party who had to be reimbursed extravagantly before they would even begin to ‘support’ President Aquino.


“In fact, the Cojuangco families are very thankful that the Abads -- we have an Abad as the secretary of the DBM, an Abad as Secretary to the PMS, an Abad as Vice Chairman of the House committee on appropriations, and an Abad as chief of staff of the Secretary of Finance… The Abad nepotism has so metastasized through the body of this administration that they have even managed to be included in the plunder charges recently filed against Gloria and her known galamay -- these Abads have, faster than one can scream ‘magkakamaganak bang lahat ito?’ now quickly snatched the label of ‘Kamaganak Inc.’ for their own families’ use -- shamelessly, insensitively, and defiantly -- regardless of the lack of delicadeza and basic decency.


“Apparently, the dictates against the appearances of nepotism only apply to my family members, who sadly have not been fortunate enough to be named Puno, Ochoa, Abad, or Roxas. Obviously, we can also dismiss any smirks over the stigma of charges about Kabarkadas, were we so lucky enough to be named Alvarez.


* * *


“I, AND MY children, are so honored and humbled to be able to say that my wife preferred to step down from her career post at the PPSC, rather than cause even the slightest appearance of public bickering within the President’s family (though she was appointed by GMA not by BCA, and is also technically not a direct relative), taking the high road over petty and distasteful public rows.


“She has set a sterling example of honor in public behavior that does me and all our children proud, not to mention continuing with the high standards of behavior and principles inspired by my sister Cory and Ninoy.


“In closing, let me be clear that I have never been involved in any way with any opposition force against my nephew.


“But I will always be in fierce and unyielding opposition to any and all self-serving partisan efforts and characters who put their interests before and above those of our people.”


http://www.manilamail.com/web/index.html

 

[dxjayrock2008]

from manilastandardtoday.com.

from manilastandardtoday.com.

Poor, poor Noynoy

Perhaps our President thinks it’s still cute when he bemoans how hard it is to go on a date now that he’s the head of state. But to a growing number of Filipinos hard-pressed to eke out a living every blessed day, Aquino’s non-stop trivialization of the presidency through his whiny complaints and petty problems is getting to be really, really boring.
President Noynoy Aquino ended his first year in office not by admitting that he may have not done all that he promised and vowing to do better. He didn’t talk about the job that lies ahead and how important it was for everyone to pull together for the entire country to make it through the hard times.

Instead, the man described even by his allies in media as “laid-back” marked the milestone in a fashion that we now know to be typical of him—by complaining about his loss of privacy. Sometime earlier, he was even able to flat out deny that he keeps playing with a PSP, in a much-rumored geeky version of the Roman emperor who supposedly played the fiddle while his city went up in flames.

But what Aquino must fail to realize is that every time he opens his mouth to complain about some personal inconvenience or supposed hardship that the presidency has foisted upon him, he only reinforces the belief that perhaps he really isn’t up to the job. Or, at the very least, that he still thinks that his assumption to the presidency is truly a great personal sacrifice.

But what do you say about a leader of an entire nation who, upon reaching his first year in office, has only this to declare:

“Just going to a fast-food outlet is already such a difficult thing to do. How about just going out, period. It’s the first time I experienced going out on a date, and it’s like I brought along the entire neighborhood with me. In short, there’s nothing left of the old days.”

It’s perfectly conceivable that there are still those among us who feel nothing but sympathy for Aquino’s sad, sad plight in Malacañang. That there are many who still think the guy deserves to be able to gorge on fast food and go out on a date without undue interference from anyone, like he was so used to doing before he was elevated to the highest office in the land.

But I still believe that Aquino’s personal travails, such as they are, should—publicly, at least—be of secondary importance to the task of running an entire country. And that Aquino should just suck it up and get with the program, assuming he truly has one.

It’s been a year, Mr. President. Please spare us your trifling concerns from hereon; we have bigger problems to solve and better things to do than listen to you whine and bitch all the time.

And it’s definitely not cute anymore.

* * *

The long-running “corporate dispute” in Stradcom, the infotech provider of the Land Transportation Office, seems to be winding down, now that the proper authorities have stepped into the case. Only last weekend, we learned that a Quezon City court has ordered the arrest of a lawyer for allegedly falsifying papers filed before the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The required general information sheet of Stradcom, filed last year by the lawyer in his capacity as the company’s supposed corporate secretary, was the same one used to question the ownership of the company. That scheme led to the alleged illegal takeover of the company’s premises inside the LTO compound in Quezon City which, in turn, paralyzed the drivers’ licensing and motor vehicle registration operations of the government for nearly a day.

The supposed plot to take over the company and to oust Stradcom top honchos Cezar Quiambao and Roberto de Ocampo has apparently backfired, leading to the virtual ouster of LTO chief Assistant Secretary Virginia Torres, a purported co-conspirator against Quiambao’s group. Officially, Torres—a reported shooting buddy of President Noynoy Aquino’s—is on leave; our sources, however, say she will probably not return to the top LTO post.

Investigators from the Department of Justice who looked into the corporate dispute have evidence tending to show that Torres could have abetted the illegal takeover of the private infotech contractor of LTO. It was Torres who appeared in closed-circuit television footage taken during the December 9 takeover of the Stradcom offices (which also houses the company’s sensitive and secure database on vehicles and drivers) as arriving at the premises apparently to wait for Quiambao’s supposed rivals for control of the firm.

It was also Torres who ordered that the government stop paying Quiambao’s group, allegedly until the corporate dispute was resolved. This move by Torres was apparently aimed at paralyzing Stradcom financially, forcing it go go under due to a lack of operating funds.

* * *

The Aquino administration did the right thing in not allowing Torres to work with Quiambao’s resurrected former partners in Stradcom—Aderito Yujiuco and Bonifacio Sumbilla—to grab control of the company. By distancing himself from Torres, Aquino also refused to appear to take sides in what was really a private dispute that had nothing to do with the government.

Even Congress, which also looked into the Stradcom dispute, found Torres’ actions strangely partisan in favor of Yujuico and Sumbilla, particularly when she ordered the suspension of the payment of LTO’s contractual obligations to the company. Both House Transportation Committee chairman Roger Mercado and San Juan City Rep. JV Ejercito wondered why Torres insisted on the supposed competing claims on the ownership of Stradcom when the LTO even before her time had been dealing with the company and promptly paying it for operating and maintaining the agency’s computerized licensing and registration operations.

But even while the forced but quiet removal of Torres has broken the back of the campaign to take over the company, the efforts to oust Quiambao’s group apparently continues. A group calling itself Road Users Protection Advocates has filed charges against the present head of LTO, Assistant Secretary Raquel Desiderio, and Stradcom officials before the Ombudsman for working to get payments for the government’s contractual obligations for services rendered.

But the Aquino administration simply cannot allow such moves to prosper, if only because they send the wrong signal to investors that the government can, without justifiable cause, withhold payments that it has long been making and has promised to pay in several contracts.

In fact, the reason why Torres got into a world of trouble is her refusal to pay government’s obligations to Stradcom, using a non-existent and totally fabricated corporate ownership dispute as cover. Now that it’s becoming clear that the dispute was part of a nefarious plan to bring down Quiambao’s group, the government has no choice but to fulfill its obligations to pay for Stradcom’s services.

Oftentimes, as the proponents of laissez-faire say, the best thing government can do for business is just to get out of the way. And to pay its contractors for services rendered, naturally.

 

[alien space bats]

anyone wanting to land a lucrative position in the aquino administration must be CESO eligible. no, not Career Executive Service Officers but Classmate ni Executive Secretary Ochoa.
text-text lng

 

[QWERTY1234]

BFF.......MAI MISLANG,CARANDANG any others?

 

[alien space bats]

PH Acquires its Biggest Warship

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - The biggest ship ever to be acquired by the Philippine Navy, the renamed BRP Gregorio del Pilar, will begin its three-week journey to the Philippines from California on Monday.

The 378-foot Hamilton-class cutter is a decommissioned United States Coast Guard patrol vessel that the Philippines was able to acquire under the United States Excess Defense Act.

(The cutters are called ¿Hamilton class¿ after their lead ship, the Hamilton, named after Alexander Hamilton, the first US Secretary of the Treasury.)

Armed Forces Chief Eduardo Oban Jr. earlier said the transfer cost to the government was around 450 million pesos.

The money used for its acquisition came from the Department of Energy¿s Malampaya project funds, according to Lieutenant Colonel Omar Tonsay, chief of the Navy¿s public affairs office.

While the ship¿until recently the largest class of vessel in the US Coast Guard¿was designated as a ¿weather high-endurance cutter¿ in the USCG, in the Philippine Navy it is classified as a ¿surface combatant ship¿ or a warship, said Tonsay.

It will be used for, among other purposes, defending the country¿s interests in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), particularly in waters near the disputed Spratly Islands, according to the Navy.

The send-off in San Francisco will be attended by Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Alexander Pama and Philippine Deputy General Consul to San Francisco Wilfredo Santos.

¿The send-off will signal the last leg of activities for BRP Gregorio del Pilar in the US and will start the first leg of its journey to the Philippines," said Pama.

Long trip home

¿All preparations have been made for this long trip home as the actual send-off takes place on July 18 at 4 p.m.," he said in a statement.

The journey will include stopovers in Hawaii and Guam for replenishment.

The Del Pilar, or PF-15, was turned over to the Philippine government on May 13 during turnover rites led by Jose L. Cuisia Jr., the Philippine ambassador to the United States, and Vice Admiral Manson K. Brown, the US Coast Guard Pacific Area and Defense Force West Commander.

The vessel, whose two 1,800 horsepower gas turbines can propel it to speeds of up to 28 knots, was renamed the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, or PF-15 (the type code designating it as a patrol frigate).

It is the biggest ship ever to be acquired by the Philippine Navy at 378 feet long, with displacement weight of 3,390 long tons. It can stay at sea for 30 days without refueling, and has a crew capacity of 180.

Powerful facilities

It is powered by combined diesel engines and gas turbines and equipped with a helicopter flight deck, a retractable hangar, and other facilities to support helicopter operations.

The Del Pilar will replace the 306-ft BRP Rajah Humabon, a Cannon-class destroyer-escort built during World War II, as the country¿s biggest warship, said Tonsay.

The Hamilton-class cutter was largely used by the US Coast Guard for ¿drug and migrant interdiction, law enforcement, search and rescue, living marine resources protection, and defense readiness," Tonsay said.

¿The Philippine Navy, on the other hand, intends to use this multimission vessel for operations such as maritime security patrols and search and rescue," he said.

¿But more specifically, it will be deployed to aid in the maritime security of the Malampaya Project west of Palawan," Tonsay said.

In a forum in May, Oban said the Del Pilar would be deployed to the Palawan area, ¿purposely to patrol our maritime area there and protect our territorial waters as well."

Military modernization

The Philippines has sought to modernize its military following a series of incidents with

China, particularly in the Spratlys, a reputedly oil- and gas-rice chain of islets claimed wholly or in part by the Philippines, China, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and Taiwan.

The Philippines has accused China of repeated intrusions into Philippine-claimed territories in the West Philippine Sea that lie well within its exclusive economic zone.

On Friday, Oban said the AFP had recorded no new foreign intrusions in the area since June.

¿That means we¿re doing good in terms of our presence," he said.

¿What I¿m saying is there are fewer incidences of intrusion unlike the first four to five months of the year when we have seen increased level of intrusion," he said.

He said the AFP would maintain ¿vigilance on all fronts¿ in protecting Philippine waters.

¿Our mandate is to patrol our exclusive economic zone. Whether there is threat or not we have to enforce maritime and environmental laws," Oban said.

I was visiting a lady friend at the Senate when I decided to eavesdrop on the hearing of the powerful Commission on Appointments concerning the appointment of Gen. Oban as AFP Chief of Staff. One of the points raised by Sen. Angara (i think the Senator was trying to rattle him) was the seeming impracticality of the use of this gas-guzzling monster of a ship in protecting the spratlys. according to angara, the philippine navy has no naval base in the western part of palawan. the brp del pilar will be docked at the naval base on the eastern part of palawan. in the case of chinese incursions in the west philippine sea, the boat has to go around the looong island of palawan just to engage the intruders lol. angara was not against AFP modernization but i think he wanted fast jetfighters more than slow ships.

but i have to agree with yahoo users on this one. this is better than nothing. for what it is, this is still an accomplishment of pnoy. hope to see more military upgrades in the near future. next target, fA18 hornets/F15's.

 

[alien space bats]

Aquino to China: Filipinos will defend territory

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — President Benigno Aquino III warned China in a major national speech Monday that the Philippines was ready to defend its Spratly Islands claims by acquiring more weapons and would elevate the territorial feuds to a U.N. tribunal.

In his State of the Nation Address to Congress, Aquino also announced a new chief anti-graft prosecutor and said his year-old government plans to file its first major corruption case this year against corrupt officials and their accomplices. He did not name the officials but vowed punishment for the guilty.

"We do not wish to increase tensions with anyone, but we must let the world know that we are ready to protect what is ours," Aquino said, drawing loud applause at the packed House of Representatives. The address also was televised live to the nation.

Aquino's tough rhetoric echoed past criticisms of China over the Spratlys, so may have been meant to project him as a strong leader dealing firmly with an issue about which many Filipinos feel emotional, political analyst Ramon Casiple said.

"He was playing to a domestic audience. It's more of asserting to the people that he's a leader," Casiple said, adding that Aquino's reiterated position was unlikely to surprise China.

Aquino noted the efforts to bolster the military's capability, citing the recent purchase of a U.S. Coast Guard cutter and plans to acquire more patrol vessels, helicopters and weapons in deals he guaranteed would be aboveboard.

Aquino did not name China in his speech but clearly referred to it in laying a clear claim to the South China Sea feature called Recto Bank, also known as the Reed Bank, where the Philippines alleges China has intruded.

"There was a time when we couldn't appropriately respond to threats in our own backyard," Aquino said. "Now, our message to the world is clear: What is ours is ours; setting foot on Recto Bank is no different from setting foot on Recto Avenue."

Recto Avenue is a popular street in downtown Manila. The Philippines has said Chinese forces have repeatedly intruded into Manila-claimed areas in the sea since February, including at the Reed Bank. Filipino officials said two Chinese patrol boats threatened a Filipino oil exploration ship into leaving the Reed Bank, which they said was within its regular territorial waters and not part of the nearby Spratlys.

Two military planes were deployed during the March 2 incident, but the Chinese boats have left by the time the aircraft reached the Reed Bank, about 90 miles (150 kilometers) from the Philippine coast.

Chinese officials have said there were no intrusions because those waters belonged to China.

The chain of barren, largely uninhabited islands, reefs and banks in the South China Sea are claimed entirety or partly by China, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei. They are believed to be rich in oil and natural gas and straddle a busy international sea lane.

The Spratlys have long been regarded as Asia's next potential flashpoint for armed conflict.

Washington has said the peaceful resolution of the territorial disputes and ensuring the freedom of navigation there were in the U.S. national interest, a position that irked China.

The Philippines has said it intends to bring the Spratlys disputes before the U.N.'s International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea. China opposed the plan and wants to negotiate bilaterally instead.

Aquino said bringing the case before an international arbiter would ensure that "all involved nations approach the dispute with calm and forbearance."

On government corruption, Aquino did not identify the officials his government would charge this year but he has been under intense pressure to have his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, prosecuted for alleged plunder.

Arroyo has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and criticized Aquino for a lackluster performance. traveled to her home province of Pampanga, north of Manila, but later returned to the capital and was confined to a hospital for a still unspecified reason, her spokeswoman, Maite Defensor, said.

More than 6,500 mostly left-wing protesters rallied outside Congress as Aquino spoke, demanding higher wages, farmland and Arroyo's prosecution. They were blocked by riot police from getting near Congress.

This is what you get when you have a fps gamer for a president .

seriously, the braggadocio means nothing unless you back it up with real, tangible objects.
while i agree more or less that gunboat diplomacy is part of the solution in the spratlys dispute, i believe it is better showcased with actual firepower and not with empty words. well, let's all hope that pnoy makes good on his promise. it's high-time that we put a huge emphasis on our military. the spratlys belong to him who is not afraid to use the sword.

 

[alien space bats]

from the philippine star...


Missed opportunities
SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH By Ernesto M. Maceda (The Philippine Star) July 26, 2011

While President Aquino talked proudly of the few accomplishments of his 12 months in office, there were quite a few missed opportunities for scoring good points. Among them:

1. His not pushing reconciliation by not taking his oath of office before Chief Justice Renato Corona;

2. His not accepting the recommendations of IIRC headed by DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima to discipline 12 officials who handled the Luneta Hostage crisis;

3. His refusal to fire DILG Usec Rico Puno, a “Kabarilan” who is clearly incompetent in handling police matters;

4. His not convincing his family to distribute Hacienda Luisita to its farmer tenants;

5. His failure to push hard for the approval of the House for the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in the same way he campaigned for the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and the postponement of the ARMM elections;

6. His failure to certify the Freedom of Information bill;

7. His approval of the increase in the price of NFA rice from P18/kilo to P27/kilo. He could have done it gradually, maybe P20 to begin with;

8. His refusal to fire Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez, the Alabang Golf cheat for failure to achieve his collection targets;

9. His failure to reorganize the Presidential Communications Group whom he charged of failure to deliver his message;

10. His refusal to stop smoking or at least reduce it;

11. His not announcing 24/7 or at least 18/6 working hours;

12. His failure to clamp down on the excessive profit making of oil companies. He could have called the oil company executives to Malacañang and persuaded them to temper their greed;

13. His failure to immediately solve the classroom shortage. It would have been more impressive than the Conditional Cash Transfer program (CCT) of DSWD if after one year, he can announce that he has built 66,000 classrooms;

14. His failure to reduce pork barrel allotments. On the contrary, it has been increased;

15. His failure to immediately increase PhilHealth coverage from 54% to at least 80% of the population;

16. His not effecting a Cabinet revamp. He could have at least reassigned the 3 “headache givers” in the Cabinet;

17. His failure to make NAIA Terminal 3 fully operational;

18. Not agreeing to higher wage increases for private and government employees. P22 increase for Metro Manila is just too small.

It’s not too late. He should consider revising some of the above decisions. To start with, the first five:

1 .Certify the Reproductive Health Bill;

2. Reassign Usec Rico Puno;

3. Reduce the price of NFA rice to P23 or P24/kilo. NFA just announced billions in profits and savings;

4. Appoint a new Commissioner of Customs.  Elizabeth Lee would be a good choice;

5. Solve the classroom shortage crisis in the next 12 months. Limit pork barrel to building classrooms to begin with.

* * *

MORE STATE OF THE NATION REALITIES:

42. 6,296 Hacienda Luisita farmers have not gotten their lands. No action from President Aquino as yet;

43. 20 cases of robbery and rape against dentists from August 2010 recorded in Metro Manila and nearby provinces with crime capital Quezon City recording 14 cases, the latest being perpetrated in Mexico, Pampanga;

44. DOH Secretary Enrique Ona admitted a 178% increase in dengue cases in Metro Manila and a 300% increase in Central Luzon;

45. Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) gives P-Noy a failing grade;

46. Marine Colonel Generoso Mariano calling to replace the Aquino Administration;

47. Palace and the general public lamenting the slow pace of the Maguindanao Massacre trial;

48. Nine million Filipinos working abroad;

49. Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Ronald Llamas wooing ex Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano to spill the beans on the 2004 presidential election cheating;

50. 12% VAT to be imposed on toll rates causing more hardships to the public with a corresponding effect on prices of foods transported thru NLEX and SLEX;

51. DOH Sec. Enrique Ona wants a nationwide no smoking ban but, role models President Noynoy Aquino and Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa are still smoking;

52. President Aquino in a direct clash with the CBCP;

53. Noynoy friendly columnist Solita Monsod criticizing President Aquino for crowing about NHA Gen. Manager Chito Cruz for completing 4,000 housing units because the NHA’s target for 2011 is to complete 70,000 socialized housing units. 

54. 400,000 unemployed or underemployed nurses. Some of them have become massage parlor attendants or call center agents;

55. We lack 60,000 policemen to reach the legal proportion of 1 policeman for 500 residents. 25% of present PNP forces have no government issued short firearms;

56. Pork barrel of Congressmen who didn’t vote to impeach Merceditas Gutierrez and against the postponement of the ARMM elections not released by Malacañang; --(lmfao! shades of gma!)

57. Movement for Good Governance (MGG) Chaired by Solita Monsod composed of academicians and civil society leaders gave the Aquino Administration a 4.78 out of 10 points rating. The lowest score was 3 for health, 4.4 for the economy, 4.7 for environment and 4.8 for corruption.

* * *


* * *

 

[b3lowzro]

for the overly impressed with PNoy's speech last Monday, here's something to read.

PNoy took figures in SONA out of context, analysts claim
PATERNO ESMAQUEL II, GMA News
07/25/2011 | 11:14 PM

In his statistics-driven State of the Nation Address (SONA), the President glossed over figures that would have depicted a more grounded and even less impressive national situationer, an economist and a think-tank analyst said Monday.

President Benigno Aquino III trumpeted his accomplishments but not in the context of certain self-imposed targets that he has not met, said University of the Philippines economics professor Winnie Monsod in a telephone interview with GMA News Online.

Sonny Africa, research head of independent think-tank IBON Foundation, also told GMA News Online that by excluding certain nuances in data, Aquino effectively reported half truths in his SONA.

Reporting the gains of his one-year-old administration, Aquino's SONA focused more on “social transformation," said Communications Strategy Secretary Ricky Carandang, who was part of the team that drafted Aquino’s speech.

Rice gains not due to PNoy

One of the items in the speech that both Monsod and Africa singled out involves the Philippines’ supposed gains in rice production. In his SONA, Aquino said the Philippines was able to slash the rice shortage in his first year in office, lessening the need for the country to import the commodity.

Citing data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), Africa said the increase in rice production is not directly attributable to the Aquino administration.

In its April 2011 Rice and Corn Situation Outlook that was independently accessed by GMA News Online, the BAS projected a 14.9-percent increase in palay production for the first half of 2011, to 7.61 million metric tons (MT) from 6.62 million MT in the same period last year.

“This could be attributed to the expansion in harvest area and improvement in yield compared to last year’s conditions when palay production was adversely affected by the El Niño phenomenon," the BAS explained.

Give credit to farmers

For Africa, this means it is the favorable weather and the efforts of farmers to increase the areas planted to rice that should be credited for the Philippines’ rice productivity gains.

“Walang kinalaman ang gobyerno sa weather at sa expansion ng rice lands," Africa said, adding that he did not know of any government project that pushed for an increase in the areas planted to rice.

Noting that Aquino was “very proud" of this development, Monsod also said, “That’s not an increase in production but an increase in hectarage."

In fact, rice farms were not any more productive in 2011 than in 2009, before the El Niño phenomenon — an abnormal weather pattern characterized by prolonged drought — plagued the country’s rice fields, according to both Monsod and Africa.

BAS data showed that rice farms yielded 3.80 MT per hectare (MT/ha.) in 2011 — a 0.01-MT/ha. difference from 3.79 MT/ha. in 2009 when the Arroyo administration was still in office. In 2010, during the onslaught of the El Niño phenomenon, areas planted to rice yielded 3.64 MT/ha. of the staple grain.

Bureau of Agricultural Statistics data show that the productivity of rice farms barely improved in 2011 as compared to 2009, before the El Niño phenomenon hit the country and during the term of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Screen grab from the April 2011 BAS Rice and Corn Situation Outlook


Inaccurate employment numbers

In a statement, Africa also criticized the Aquino's claims that the employment situation improved “with a slightly lower unemployment rate and 1.4 million jobs created."

Aquino said Filipinos are now finding more jobs in the domestic market and slowly letting go of their ambition to find employment abroad.

The IBON research head said Aquino failed to mention that the jobs created “were more than offset" by a growing labor force of 1.2 million people and an 829,000-increase in underemployment, which he said indicates an increase in the number of low-quality work opportunities.

Africa also downplayed the Philippines’ supposed gains in the stock market as well as the ratings upgrades given by the international agencies Moody’s, Standard and Poor's, Fitch, and the Japan Credit Ratings Agency.

“Wala namang direktang kaugnayan ‘yon sa issue ng mga karaniwang mamamayan — trabaho, pagkain," Africa said.

Monsod also said Aquino’s statement that he will not increase taxes “has no economic basis" and is “populist." She explained the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have not even met the revenue targets set by the government.

In January, the Finance Department said the BIR collected only P822.39 billion in 2010, lower than its revised goal of P860 billion. The BOC generated only P259 billion in 2010, lower than its revenue target of P280.7 billion, the department’s records also showed.

Selective data

Meanwhile, Monsod hit Aquino’s supposed selectiveness in citing statistics – in particular his reference to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on self-rated hunger in the second quarter of 2011.

“Nitong taong ito, taumbayan na mismo ang nagsabi, nabawasan ang nagugutom sa kanila. Mula 20.5 percent na self-rated hunger noong Marso, bumaba na ito sa 15.1 percent nitong Hunyo, katumbas ng isang milyong pamilyang Pilipinong nagugutom dati, pero ngayon ay nakakakain na nang tama kada araw," Aquino said in his speech without attributing the numbers to SWS.

Monsod noted that Aquino discredited a similar SWS survey in the first quarter of the year, which showed that the number of self-rated hungry Filipinos rose to 20.5 percent.

“All of a sudden, he is quoting the survey without reservations," Monsod said. “If he accepted that hunger went down in the second quarter, then he must accept that hunger went up in the first quarter."

The economist said the President “went the way of all his predecessors, which is to showcase his accomplishments but forget his shortcomings."

Referring to Aquino’s slogan that the public is his boss, Monsod said, “’Pag nagre-report ka ba sa boss mo, you will only include the good things?"

Nevertheless, Monsod commended Aquino for his stand on the Spratlys issue in his speech, among other things. “The Philippines is firm in its territorial claim," she explained.

Compared to other Presidents

While opinions remain divided over Aquino’s SONA, the performance of his predecessors during their first years in office may provide a barometer of how the President is doing, according to a special report on GMA News’ “24 Oras" newscast.


For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

The reported noted that among the former presidents’ achievements include Corazon Aquino’s fast rebuilding of the country’s democratic systems, Fidel Ramos’ actions to address the electricity and power crises during his reign, Joseph Estrada’s ability to pacify the nation in the aftermath of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s focus on the economy. — With a report by Bea Cupin/VS, GMA News

http://www.gmanews.tv/

 

[TrueBluePinoy]

I don't know where exactly to put this.

I don't know where exactly to put this.

Senator Migz Zubiri resigns
By Angelo L. Gutierrez The Philippine Star Updated August 03, 2011 02:24 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri today announced that he is resigning from the Senate amid allegations that he benefitted from massive election fraud in 2007.

"In this august chamber, without admitting any fault... I am submitting my resignation as duly elected Senate of the Republic of the Philippines in the election which I am falsely accused without mercy and compassion," Zubiri said in his privilege speech this afternoon.

Zubiri said that he has directed his lawyers to inform the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) of his intention to resign "with the end in view of expediting the proceedings with the prayer that the tribunal come up with a decision at the soonest possible time.

The SET is currently hearing the election protest of lawyer Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III against Zubiri.

Zubiri clarified that he is resigning ahead of tribunal's decision, "not because I wish to evade the decision of the SET."

"Handa po akong tanggapin ang anumang hatol mula sa nasabing hukuman," he added.

The senator said that the main reason behind his decision was to spare his family and the Senate from the election fraud controversy.

"I have seen and felt the suffering of my family, and from the burrows of my conscience, I could not allow this to happen, let alone to be tolerated. After all I am a husband first before a senator, and I am a father before a legislator," Zubiri said in his speech.

He added that he wanted to save the country from being divided.

"I am resigning because of these unfounded accusations against me and these issues have systematically divided our nation and has cast doubt in our electoral system which has affected not only myself, but this institution together with the public as well," Zubiri said.

He said that he also wanted to preserve his integrity as a public servant.

“No amount of power, position or wealth is worth sacrificing one's honor and integrity. Sa bandang huli, ang legasiya ng isang tao ay hindi nasusukat kung gaano kataas ang posisyon ang kanyang narating o ang dami ng kanyang yaman na naipon, kungdi ito ay nasusukat sa kanyang pagpapanatiling malinis at walang bahid dungis ang kanyang sariling dignidad at integridad.”

Zubiri won by a slim margin of at least 21,000 votes against Pimentel during the 2007 senatorial elections.

Pimentel filed an election protest after Zubiri was proclaimed winner of the 12th senatorial seat.

The Commission on Election (Comelec) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to start its joint investigation into the alleged massive election fraud in 2004 and 2007.

The joint probe will be conducted based on testimonies of new witnesses, including former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol.

Bedol had said that he was ordered to pad votes for Zubiri and other candidates under the ticket of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The former election officer also said that he was ordered to shave votes from then senatorial candidates Alan Peter Cayetano, Panfilo Lacson and Benigno Aquino III.

Bedol came out after suspended ARMM governor Zaldy Ampatuan made the same allegation.

The Comelec has already obtained testimonies from Bedol and other supposed witnesses to the massive election fraud in 2004 and 2007.

Moral courage



Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile commended Zubiri for putting himself behind and thinking of the nation first in his decision to relinquish his position.

“Never in my expectation when I assumed this position as President of the Senate that I would witness today a very rare show of moral courage, when a member of this august chamber, in defense of his honor and his family’s honor, had decied to turn back on the power of a Senate of the Republic of the Philippines; to go out into the arena out there in defense of his self,” Enrile said.

The Senate president said that Zubiri’s resignation is a “historical event” since it would be the first time that a senator “shows honor ahead of himself.”

“Bayan muna, bago sarili,” Enrile said as he commended Zubiri’s action. “I commend you, as head of this chamber.”

Enrile said that he would not say goodbye to Zubiri. “I’m sure you will be back.”

Pimentel, in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel, said that he was disappointed with Zubiri’s continued denial that cheating happened during the 2007 senatorial election.

“You know the evidence is everywhere,” he said. “The soonest he accepts these facts, the better for him, for his peace of mind.”

http://www.philstar.com/nation/article.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=63&articleid=712913

 

[alien space bats]

Cory’s life now a musical

By Walter Ang
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines - While a musical and a concert have already been made about a former Philippine First Lady (the East West Players theater company of California staged ?Imelda: A New Musical? in 2005 while David Byrne and Norman ?Fatboy Slim? Cook devised a ?song-cycle? titled ?Here Lies Love,? staged in Adelaide in 2006), no one has yet made a theatrical production that focuses on our country?s first female President. Until now.

?Cory: The Musical,? a production based on the life of former President Corazon ?Cory? Aquino, was conceived by Lourdes ?Bing? Pimentel (wife of Sen. Aquilino Pimentel), a self-taught composer who has produced and composed musicals such as ?Nasaan si Hesus,? ?Huwag Pumayag sa Dagdag Bawas? and ?Pagibig sa Bayan.?

To say Aquino?s life has been trying is an understatement. She is known to have been a devoted wife who was supportive of the political career of her husband, Benigno ?Ninoy? Aquino Jr., whom she married in 1954.

He started out as mayor of Tarlac, became the youngest senator in Philippine history in 1967, and emerged as a leading critic of the Marcos government.

He was arrested during martial law in the ?70s, sentenced to death, and eventually allowed to leave for exile in Boston with his family.

Her husband?s assassination in 1983 catapulted Aquino to global recognition. After a snap election in 1986, she served as the 11th President of the Philippines until 1992, the country?s and Southeast Asia?s first female President.

In 1986, Aquino was Time Magazine?s Woman of the Year and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Later she would be cited as one of the ?100 Women Who Shaped World History? and become a recipient of the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding. She was also chosen by Time Magazine as one of the ?20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century? as well as one of ?65 Great Asian Heroes.?

Cancer

Pimentel says when she learned the former president had contracted cancer earlier this year, she felt it time for people to demonstrate their love and appreciation for the sacrifices Aquino had undergone.

?I thought of gifting her with a musical,? she says.

?Cory: The Musical? has 20 songs and tackles the life of Aquino from her teenage years until the time she accepts the presidency. Acclaimed singer-actress Isay Alvarez known for being in the original London cast of ?Miss Saigon? as Gigi and was recently seen onstage in Peta?s ?Skin Deep,? will be playing the titular role.

?It?s nerve-wracking,? says Alvarez of portraying the former president. ?I read a lot of materials on what she went through to figure out where she was coming from. There is a stereotype of Ms Aquino that portrays her as a timid person. But she?s not timid at all; she?s composed. And she?s composed because she?s really a strong person and she?s gone through a lot.?

Leo Quinitio serves as the musical director, conductor and arranger. Direction is by Inquirer Saturday Special editor Nestor U. Torre.

Torre has been involved in theater, radio, TV, film and entertainment journalism. He was the creative force behind musicals such as ?Katy!? and ?Magnificat.?

This production also serves a reunion of sorts for Alvarez and Torre since Alvarez was in the original cast of Torre?s musical ?Magsimula Ka.?

In fact, Alvarez?s husband Robert Seña was with her in the original cast of that musical and is part of this one as Ferdinand Marcos.

The role of Ninoy Aquino will be essayed by Sherwin Sozon, who was recently seen onstage in ?Dalawa Niyang Libing,? one of the plays in Virgin Labfest 4. Pinky Marquez will play Imelda Marcos.

?The story for this musical is really a study of two people, Cory and Ninoy,? says Torre, who also developed the book (script) for this production.

?It?s about the dark night of the soul when Ninoy is incarcerated for seven years and the transformation they go through as a couple. It?s about how they are challenged by the events surrounding them, how they rise above themselves.?

Produced by Buhay Isang Awit Foundation, Inc., ?Cory: The Musical? goes onstage Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at the Meralco Theater. Call 8513120.

indirectly, another accomplishment of p.noy. weeeeee!

 

[alien space bats]

Nearly 5,000 Metro workers lost jobs in Q1
By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Nearly 5,000 workers in Metro Manila lost their jobs following the closure of various commercial establishments in the National Capital Region, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Records from the DOLE-Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) showed that a total of 4,925 workers or a daily average of 55 workers were laid off in the first quarter of the year.

Based on DOLE data, Metro Manila accounted for the biggest number of displaced workers after various commercial establishments shut down nationwide.

A total of 457 companies nationwide closed down in the first three months of the year, affecting a total of 6,250 workers.

Other regions that reported high number of laid off workers were Central Luzon with 695 and Central Visayas with 346.

The top reason cited for retrenchment and closures of establishments was downsizing, which led to the displacement of more than 3,000 workers in the country.

Employers also claimed financial losses and lack of market as among the factors that forced them to lay off workers or close down their firms.

Labor officials, however, stressed that the number of company closures and retrenched workers due to economic difficulty was lower than the past years.

In 2009, DOLE reported a total of 61,360 workers laid off following the closures of 2,522 commercial firms nationwide. Around the same number of firms also folded up last year, but only 36,583 workers were displaced.

Earlier, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz expressed confidence that the prevailing economic crisis in the United States would not result in massive layoff of Filipino workers.

Baldoz said the department is closely monitoring export companies, particularly those in the US as major market so that immediate necessary measures could be put in place to avoid displacement of workers.

 

[alien space bats]

President Aquino: Ship symbol of our defense

The Philippines' newest warship, which sailed on Tuesday into Manila Bay after a 14,679-kilometer voyage from the United States, was hailed by President Benigno Aquino III as a symbol of the country¿s determination to defend its claims in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

¿This is just the beginning. Expect more good news because we will not stop at one ship," Mr. Aquino said as the refurbished Hamilton-class cutter BRP Gregorio del Pilar dropped anchor, ending a 33-day voyage across the Pacific Ocean.

¿This ship symbolizes our newly acquired ability to guard, protect, and if necessary, fight for the interests of our country," the President said.

The 3,390-ton, 115-meter Gregorio del Pilar, a decommissioned US Coast Guard vessel, is 46 years old. It replaces a World War II-era destroyer as the country¿s flagship vessel.

Mr. Aquino said the ¿new¿ flagship vessel would help protect the country¿s exclusive economic zone and its oil and gas exploration activities in the contested sea.

¿This will upgrade our capability to guard our exclusive economic zone as well as the service contract areas," he said in a welcoming speech.

Many of those areas are claimed by China, which insists it has sovereign rights to almost all of the disputed territory, even waters approaching the coasts of Southeast Asian countries.

Other parts of the West Philippine Sea, including a cluster of isles and reefs called the Spratly Islands, are believed to be rich in oil and mineral resources and straddle vital sea lanes. They are also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Revival of Philippine Navy

The Philippine Navy chief, Vice Adm. Alexander Pama, hailed the Gregorio del Pilar as a timely boost to the Philippines¿ military power.

"[It] now symbolizes the revival of the Philippine Navy," Pama said at the welcoming ceremony.

¿The Gregorio del Pilar¿s ability to operate in adverse conditions¿ will be vital in securing our maritime nation¿s territory and asserting our sovereignty in areas where our capability is now seriously needed, he added."

US Navy impressed

Officials said the 95 crew members of the Gregorio del Pilar impressed the US Navy with how quickly they learned how to operate one of the largest ships ever built for the US Coast Guard.

Led by Capt. Alberto Cruz, the 13 officers-three of them women-and 82 enlisted personnel trained rigorously in the United States from February before setting out for the Philippines.

¿They were quite impressed with our troops," Pama said.

An initial batch that included Cruz and 20 other officers and enlisted personnel underwent rigorous training on board the USCG Boutwell, a sister ship, for two months.

The 21-member team then trained the next batch of 74 crew members.

The ship was acquired under the Mutual Defense Treaty that gives the Philippines access to decommissioned US defense equipment.

The Philippine military¿s budget of about $2.5 billion this year is just a fraction of China¿s published defense spending of about $90 billion.

China warning

Manila clinched the deal to acquire the Gregorio del Pilar-named after the youngest Philippine revolutionary general who fought the Spanish and died in combat against American forces-early this year before the tensions with China flared.

The United States has since promised to help upgrade the Philippine military further, but no details have been released.

China¿s state-run media this month warned the Philippines it could pay a ¿high price¿ for building up its military presence in the West Philippine Sea.

But bilateral ties remain strong in other areas, and Mr. Aquino will pay a state visit to China next week.

Jets, armored carriers

Mr. Aquino spent nearly two hours in a tour of the vessel. A select group of reporters were also allowed to tour the ship.

The President has set his sights on acquiring more ships, trainer fighter jets and armored personnel carriers.

¿I want everything. But what we will acquire (are) lead-in jet trainers to keep the skill (levels) of the fighter pilots," Mr. Aquino said.

He also mentioned acquiring for the Philippine Air Force defense radars, a long-range patrol aircraft and support aircraft.

He also cited the need for amphibious vessels, offshore patrol vessels, at least three naval helicopters and Coast Watch stations.

For the Army, the Philippines plans to buy new assault rifles, armored assets and force protection equipment such as helmets, bulletproof vests, night-fighting equipment and radios, Mr. Aquino said.

¿There¿s a whole list of modernization items for the (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and also the (Philippine National Police) and the Coast Guard," the President added.

Defenseless in airspace

The country has been defenseless in its airspace since 2001, when the Philippine Air Force last flew a fighter jet. The obsolete F-5 jets were decommissioned in 2005.

Mr. Aquino said the country had to carefully weigh whether acquiring a submarine is ¿practical, whether or not it meets our needs."

He cited the experience of a Southeast Asian country, which he did not name, that bought submarines from Eastern Europe for a ¿bargain¿ price of $12 million.

But the buyer discovered that the submarines had to be refitted for tropical purposes so it ended up spending the same amount it would have spent had it bought new submarines.

Pama said the Navy planned to acquire at least two more decommissioned ships from the US Coast Guard.

The Philippine Navy has an old and badly equipped fleet of fewer than 80 ships to protect its coastline and vast marine interests. The fleet is mostly made up of aging World War II vessels.

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/president-aquino-ship-symbol-defense-040002692.html

 

[emuemu]

Thanks

 

[alien space bats]

AFP modernization, what’s the score?

The Philippines was second to none in military might among countries in Southeast Asia, but that was long, long time ago.


Today, by twist of fate, the Philippines found itself at the bottom, gasping for breath trying to save whatever it could on its remaining aging aircraft and warships in its arsenal.

What a pitiful sight, considering that shortly after World War II, the Armed Forces of the Philippines was the envy of many neighboring nations as the AFP had on its inventory an array of modern weapons supplied by the United States – the F-86 Sabre jet-fighter bombers, a variety of aircraft, including C-123 transport planes, C-47s, for the Philippine Air Force, and several frigates, patrol ships, fast patrol crafts, landing ship tanks, armored vehicles, tanks, to name a few for the Philippine Navy.

In the 1950s, the PAF had in its arsenal more than 80 F-86 fighter planes and a fleet of transport helicopters. The PAF was really a force to reckon with.

By 1965, the Air Force received 25 brand-new supersonic F-5A/B fighter planes from America as part of the RP-US Military Assistance Program.

The Philippines was one of the first recipients of the F-5s “Freedom Fighters” among the U.S. allies the world over. In addition, the PAF also got over 140 UH-1H “Huey” helicopters, further boosting its air power.

Its foot soldiers were armed with the sophisticated weapons available at that time such as M1 Garand rifles, automatic Carbine rifles, Browning Automatic Rifles (BAR), Thompson sub-machine guns, bazookas, howitzers and many more. Name it, the AFP had it.

Throughout the 1960s, the Philippines was on top in terms of air and naval power. The PAF had about 100 jet fighter-bombers as its first line of defense in guarding the country’s airspace while the Philippine Navy had close to 200 warships of various types.

By 1970, the AFP started to draw up a modernization program in anticipation of its air and naval assets to be phased out in the years to come.

However, before the modernization program could take off, the Mindanao secessionist war erupted in 1973. The AFP was at the forefront of the fighting. Many of its assets were destroyed. Replacements were in order.

In 1979, the PAF got a squadron of F-8 Crusader fighter-bombers from the United States as part of the RP-US Military Assistance Program. The F-8s and the F-5s formed the first line of defense for the AFP.

The F-8s were in service for only a decade as the Air Force decided to phase out the aircraft because the Crusaders consumed too much gas, according to Maj. Gen. Jose Toy E. Villarete, AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans (J-5).

Villarete, an F-5 fighter pilot with over 3,000 hours flying time, said that the F-8, which is carrier-based aircraft, was very expensive to maintain “because we have to dump all the aviation gas before we could land.”

In the late 1980s, the PAF got 30 S-211 jet trainers from Italy. The delivery was a big boost to the Air Force’s training program of future pilots.

Almost at the same time, the Air Force received 25 MG-500 attack helicopters it ordered from the United States. The PAF also purchased a fleet of Bell Transport helicopters.

But over the years, due to wear and tear, the PAF’s air assets continued to deplete.

On the other hand, the Philippine Navy is also in a sorry state. Most of its warships are of World War II vintage.

Considering that the Philippines is an archipelagic country, the Navy badly needs ships to patrol the vast territorial waters the coastline of which is more than twice as long as that of the United States.

Yet, it has no new vessels and is forced to maintain aging warships to secure the country’s territorial waters.

In 1990, Defense reporters were invited by the Navy to ride one of its warships — the BRP Quezon.

The vessel left the Navy’s headquarters at Roxas Boulevard and was bound for Sangley Point in Cavite City. But it took more than four hours to reach its destination, prompting a reporter to say that it was faster for a man to walk briskly to negotiate the distance in an hour than to take the dilapidated and slow-moving Navy ship.

Twenty years had passed since then, but still the Philippine Navy has no new ships to replace its aging ones which were long destined to the scraps, while the Philippine Air Force has no fighter aircraft to speak of after its F-5 planes were retired in 2004.

It may be recalled that in 1995, Congress enacted Republic Act No. 7898, otherwise known as the AFP Modernization Act.

Congress has allocated P331 billion for a 15-year AFP Modernization Program.

However, only P30 billion had been used to acquire new equipment for the military. The remaining P300 billion is still up in the air. (PNA Feature)

http://balita.ph/2010/07/16/afp-modernization-whats-the-score/

Just like in basketball, we used to be an asian superpower in terms of military might.
it's a good thing philippine basketball is making waves once more. and if plans push through, our armed forces will also see the light of day. 2013 is the year where we acquire j-39 gripens and mig-29fulcrums.

 

[dxjayrock2008]

PNoy sings Balong Malalim at Senator Kiko Pangilinan's birthday. Lol.

PNoy sings Balong Malalim at Senator Kiko Pangilinan's birthday. Lol.