Military anti-insurgency unit abolished

MANILA, Philippines — The National Development  Support Command, the development arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to fight insurgency in the countryside, has been abolished with the retirement of its commander.

 

In a ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo Thursday, Major General Carlos Holganza, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1978, was honored in a testimonial parade as he reached the mandatory retirement age of 56.

Nadescom was in charge of developmental projects and programs in the countryside.

The deactivation was for the restructuring program of the AFP under the Defense Planning Guidance for 2013 to 2018.

Meanwhile, Nadescom spokesman Major Emmanuel Garcia could not say whether it would be replaced with a new unit, but said the remaining projects would be distributed to unified commands and field units.

Nadescom personnel at the General Headquarters were also seen packing their things, and their office vehicles were recalled effective Thursday.

The Nadescom had been partnering with non-government organizations to continue its projects since its funds from the Kalayaan sa Barangay Program had been re-channeled to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process under the Pamana program in 2011.

The Nadescom was formed under former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2006 to spearhead the KBP, which handles the military’s development programs in far flung areas in the country to address insurgency.

It was composed of five Army brigades, one Navy Seabees and one Air Force Engineering Brigade.

President Benigno Aquino III in his first budget message, scrapped the KBP as it was “no longer able to deliver its intended outcome.”

The military finished 1,800 projects including health centers, schools and farm to market roads under Nadescom.

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Frances Mangosing | INQUIRER.net | May 4, 2012 | Article Link

AFP, ABS-CBN turn over 50 classrooms in CDO, Iligan

MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Foundation have turned over a total of 50 classrooms in storm-ravaged areas of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities.

AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said the turnover was in line with efforts to reconstruct the areas hit by tropical storm “Sendong” last December.

The storm left more than 1,200 people dead and more than 6,000 others injured.

The 50 classrooms were turned over to school authorities in formal ceremonies held in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan last Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Burgos said 30 classrooms were constructed in different schools in Cagayan de Oro, and the rest in Iligan.

These structures were constructed by members of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division and 52nd Engineer Brigade built the classrooms. 

The project was made possible by the partnership forged by the AFP National Development Support Command (Nadescom), the ABS-CBN Foundation and local officials. 

Burgos said the ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Foundation also granted 300 scholarships to students in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. 

“Numerous projects in other parts of the country are also being undertaken by soldiers as part of the focus in supporting the education sector and efforts on humanitarian assistance and disaster response of the AFP and OCD (Office of Civil Defense),” Burgos said. 

Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, Nadescom chief, said the efforts of ABS-CBN Foundation have inspired soldiers to continue serving the people.

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Alexis Romero | The Philippine Star | March 19, 2012 | Article Link

Russia to donate equipment for rescue operations

MANILA, Philippines - Russia is donating equipment for rescue operations to help enhance the country’s disaster response capabilities, the government said yesterday.

Benito Ramos, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director, said the Russian government has invited him to Moscow to discuss the matter.

“The meeting has been scheduled in September,” he said. “The meeting seeks to strengthen our cooperation in terms of disaster response.”

Speaking after an earthquake drill at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Ramos said they have not discussed what equipment the Russian government would provide.

“People from the embassy of Russia are here (in Camp Aguinaldo) to determine the things we lack and they promised to donate (equipment),” he said in Filipino.

Representatives from the Russian embassy were present during yesterday’s earthquake drill.

Ramos said among the possible items to be provided are equipment used to rescue people trapped in collapsed structures.

“The meeting with Russian officials will also allow us to share our experiences with them,” he said.

“There will be sharing of information about disaster mitigation and response.”

About 1,000 soldiers joined the earthquake drill at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.

The drill was based on the assumption that a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit Metro Manila and caused widespread damage in the military headquarters.

The activity demonstrated the capabilities of Camp Aguinaldo Station Hospital, Camp Aguinaldo Fire Station, Air Force Fire and Air Response, and the National Development Support Command Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue Team.

Personnel from the NDRRMC, Armed Forces Command Center, National Capital Region Command and Bureau of Fire Protection also joined the drill.

These units conduct simulated search and rescue activities during the one-hour activity.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said he is satisfied with the actions demonstrated by the military and its civilian partners.

“Overall, I think everybody contributed. It (drill) became successful because everyone cooperated,” he said.

Adequate preparation, training and information exchange would help reduce casualties during disasters, Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Jessie Dellosa said.

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By Alexis Romero

The Philippine Star

March 02, 2012 12:00 AM

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AFP Conducts Camp-Wide Earthquake Drill

CAMP GENERAL EMILIO AGUINALDO, Quezon City – Following the recent earthquake that hit the central part of the country, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will conduct a camp-wide earthquake drill within the General Headquarters tomorrow to test anew its preparedness in responding to an earthquake disaster.

The earthquake drill scenario envisions a 7.2 magnitude earthquake striking Metro Manila causing widespread devastation in the national Capital Region and greatly damaging Camp Aguinaldo. The activity will be composed of the static display of Disaster Response Operations (DRO) capability including the equipment of the Philippine Army (PA), Philippine Air Force (PAF), Philippine Navy (PN), National Development Support Command (NADESCOM) and AFP Reserve Command; and the actual conduct of the earthquake drill.

During the drill, the GHQ and Headquarters Support Command to be augmented by Search and Rescue (SAR) teams from the PA, NADESCOM and 505th PAF Search and Rescue Group will conduct a simulated search and rescue activity.

The AFP Command Center will lead the simulated establishing of command-and-control over subordinate units by setting up an emergency command post (ECP). The National Capital Region Command (NCRCOM) will also establish an ECP to simulate the monitoring of DRO in the NCR. The Bureau of Fire Protection will perform Hazardous Material Handling drill with other government agencies also performing DRO capability demonstration. The Department of National Defense Office of the Civil Defense will be providing the evaluators during the actual drill.

The vulnerability of the Philippines to earthquakes being geographically situated in the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire” was again brought to fore with the 5.6 magnitude earthquake that hit the Samar Islands last February 4 followed by a more powerful 6.9 tremor in Tayasan, Negros Oriental, which resulted to an estimated 41 casualties, 54 injured and 67 missing persons with millions worth of damaged properties.  Although the conduct of earthquake drills is a constant practice in AFP camps, these series of events prompted the AFP to further test its capability to respond to earthquake disasters.

“Our natural world has proven to be very erratic these past few years which is why it is only fitting for us to strengthen our forces and capabilities in responding to natural disasters and calamities, which might strike our country,” AFP Chief of Staff, LtGen Jessie D. Dellosa said.

“Our objective is to increase our troops’ preparedness, evaluate our response capabilities and improve coordination among the tasked units during an earthquake disaster and other natural calamities,” Dellosa added.

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More information here:

1st Quarter Nationwide Earthquake Drill (Press Release)

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council

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Created on Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:39

Published on Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:39

Written by PAO, AFP

Armed Forces of the Philippines

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Japanese trader builds classrooms in Bataan, Tarlac

MANILA, Philippines - The path that witnessed the infamous “Death March” during the Second World War is becoming a place of hope due to the efforts of a Japanese national who views the Philippines as his second home. 

Katsutoshi Shimizu, a Japanese businessman, has built classrooms in Tarlac and Bataan, provinces that saw the brutality of invading troops who happened to be his countrymen. 

The new school buildings were built at the Jimenez Elementary School in Capas, Tarlac and Bantan Elementary School in Orion, Bataan. 

These areas form part of the 128-kilometer route of the Death March that left almost 11,000 Filipinos and Americans dead due to starvation, disease and violent acts of Japanese troops. The new classrooms were inaugurated last week. 

Shimizu, 73, said the building of the two classrooms is the start of his journey to revisit the route of the Death March. He is set to build more classrooms in Bataan and Tarlac.

“I feel it is my responsibility as a private citizen to be an ambassador of goodwill and bring the rainbow of friendship between Japanese and Filipinos,” Shimizu said in a statement released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). 

“This is my way of giving back to the Filipinos. They made me what I am today,” he added. 

Shimizu built the classrooms through the help of the Department of Education, AFP and local officials.

He thanked Filipinos for giving him the opportunity to give back to his “second home.”

Shimizu noted that the Japanese came to the Philippines as invaders during the Second World War. They have returned to Capas and Orion after 70 years this time as friends, Shimizu added. 

“I thank the AFP for helping in the construction. I saved a lot of money because I did not give a single centavo to them,” he said. 

The money saved were used to buy LCD television, computers, tables, chairs, uniforms, shoes and school supplies for students. 

Each school building costs about P1.5 million, and the school equipment, about 500,000.

Shimizu, who founded the firm Shimizu and Co. Ltd. (Japan) in 1969, made some fortune in exporting ships to the Philippines. He has been doing business in the Philippines for 43 years.

Shimizu decided to build classrooms upon learning about the lack of school buildings in the country.

This led to the forging of a partnership among the Shimizu (Nagasaki) Foundation, DepEd and the National Development Support Command (Nadescom), a military unit that facilitates the delivery of basic services.

The first batch of school buildings Shimizu had funded consisted of 10 classrooms in Batangas. The buildings were constructed by local residents and military personnel.

Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, Nadescom chief, said the projects enabled the military to be an instrument of nation-building.

The military has implemented 1,790 development projects nationwide since 2005.

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By Alexis Romero 

The Philippine Star 

February 27, 2012 12:00 AM

Article Link

AFP implements dev't projects

MANILA, Philippines - The military implemented 98 development projects worth P95 million in far-flung areas last year, an official said yesterday.

National Development Support Command (NADESCOM) spokesman Maj. Emmanuel Garcia said the projects benefited some 100,000 families nationwide.

The projects include school buildings, farm-to-market roads, health centers, rural electrification, bridge, path walk, water system, multi-purpose buildings and rain collectors.

Garcia said the projects were implemented in partnership with private donors and local government units.

“About P1.2 billion worth of peace and development projects are in the pipeline,” he added.

Soldiers are also building 30 classrooms in areas hit by tropical storm “Sendong.” Garcia said 15 of the classrooms are in Cagayan de Oro and the other 15 in Iligan.

“We are also constructing 20 bunk houses through the 4th Infantry Division. Each of the bunk houses can accommodate 20 families,” he said.

The NADESCOM is the development arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It has been working with private groups to facilitate the delivery of basic services to conflict areas.

The implementation of development projects is part of the military’s security plan Bayanihan, which seeks to end insurgency by addressing poverty.

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By Alexis Romero 

The Philippine Star 

January 29, 2012 12:00 AM

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