Six nations to join in talks during US-Philippines drill

Manila, March 18 (IANS) Australia, Brunei, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand will take part in a maritime security discussion with the US and the Philippines during a military exercise to be held in April, a Philippine official said.

The "Multinational Maritime Security Roundtable Discussion" is part of the upcoming Balikatan Exercise 2013, Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

The exercises will take place April 5-17.

However, the six other countries will not be taking part in the actual field training exercises which will be limited to Filipino and US forces alone, the official said.

"The roundtable discussion seeks to determine specific humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in high- traffic international waters, and build response confidence among multi-national partners," said Burgos.

"The event will be one of the highlights of this year's military exercise where more than 8,000 soldiers from the AFP and US military are set to participate," he said.

Burgos said the annual exercise seeks to "further promote and foster the existing friendship" between the two countries and "advance the security and stability of the region in the near future".

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Indo Asian News Service | March 18, 2013 | Article Link

Balikatan 2013 kicks off April 5

MANILA, Philippines – About 8,000 soldiers from the United States and Philippines will participate in this year’s 29th Balikatan exercises in April, the military said Tuesday.

“High-ranking military officers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, United States military, and other partner countries’ military will convene for the Multinational Maritime Table-Top Exercise (TTX) here in Camp Aguinaldo this April. This will be the highlight of the upcoming Balikatan Exercise 2013 which will kick off on April 5, 2013 here, and will run until April 17,” Colonel Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr., military spokesman said in a statement.

The aim of the TTX is to determine specific Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) operations in high-traffic international waters, and build response confidence among multi-national partners.

Armed forces personnel from both countries will conduct combined staff exercises and field training at Camp O’Donnell, Crow Valley, Subic Bay and Fort Magsaysay “to improve interoperability and contingency planning.”

The US and Philippine security forces will also undertake joint humanitarian assistance projects in communities throughout Zambales province, with preliminary work on community infrastructure projects that will begin mid-March.

Military medical personnel will also offer free medical, dental and veterinary care. In selected communities, military engineers will construct and repair schools and other infrastructure.

The Balikatan exercises, which will focus on humanitarian and disaster response, seeks to address disaster situations that occurred recently in the Philippines with the objectives of supporting the Government with the development of regional disaster management and emergency response mechanisms, Burgos said.

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Frances Mangosing | INQUIRER.net | March 12, 2013 | Article Link

Locklear Arrives in Manila for Security Talks

MANILA, Philippines, July 15, 2012 – The senior U.S. commander in the Pacific region arrived here today to reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty and to explore how the United States can support efforts to boost Philippine military capacity.

Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, arrives in the Philippines to meet with senior military officials in Manila, July 15, 2012. The United States and the Philippines share a Mutual Defense Treaty, and the two nations work closely together through bi-lateral and multi-lateral training to enhance interoperability. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Danny Hayes  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, paying his first visit here since taking command at U.S. Pacific Command in March, is slated to meet with President Benigno S. Aquino III, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Armed Forces of the Philippines chief, Gen. Jessie Dellosa, for talks to center on maritime and regional security issues.

Locklear told American Forces Press Service during the flight here that he looks forward to building on the historic U.S.-Philippine bilateral defense relationship that marked its 60th anniversary last year.

The admiral recalled his days as a young Navy officer when the United States had a large presence at Subic Bay and U.S. military members worked closely with their Filipino counterparts. Although the U.S. footprint in the Philippines has changed significantly over the years, he said, the trust and collaboration established between the two nations hasn’t.

That foundation will be important, he said, as the United States helps the Filipino military transition from an army-centric, internally focused organization into one able to draw on more joint capabilities to address regional challenges.

“Now, as the security environment changes, many countries recognize that there has got to be more maritime domain awareness [and] more understanding of what is happening around them rather than [just] what is happening internally,” he said. “So what we are looking for is to try to provide [the Philippines] assistance that builds the interoperability of our defense forces over time.”

The United States isn’t alone in this endeavor, the admiral said, noting that other regional allies and partners are invested as well, recognizing that the broad challenges across the Asia-Pacific region demand strong multilateral cooperation.

Among those challenges are tense maritime disputes in the South China Sea. The Philippines, China, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam all claim portions of the contested waterways. The Philippines and China are currently locked in a naval standoff, with both claiming ownership of the contentious Scarborough Shoal. That dispute reached a new level just before Locklear’s arrival as a Chinese naval frigate ran aground about 70 miles off the Philippines’ western coast. The incident was resolved peacefully as the Chinese freed the stranded vessel earlier today.

Locklear, speaking with reporters in Australia before that latest development, said the United States doesn’t take sides in territorial disputes and encourages peaceful resolution through international legal processes. He warned, however, of excessive maritime claims that cause friction among neighbors, and if not resolved, could lead to “miscalculation” that threatens stability.

During his meetings with Filipino military and political leaders, Locklear said he’ll seek ways to expand the U.S.-Philippine military-to-military relationship in ways that promote regional stability and security.

“On the military side, a productive alliance requires us to be able to work together, to have connectivity with each other, to be able to share information, and to be able to bring our military systems together in a meaningful way across all aspects of military power -- whether it’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief or a contingency or otherwise,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to giving the message to the Filipino military and to the leaders there that the United States is a very reliable ally,” he said. “We want the Filipinos to be a reliable ally to us as well.”

Locklear said he will reinforce the message of U.S. commitment that Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made during his visit here in June. 

Dempsey and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta had delivered the same message days before that visit when they met with Gazmin and Dellosa at the annual Shangri-La regional security summit in Singapore.

That discussion followed U.S.-Philippine “Two Plus Two” talks in Washington in April. Panetta, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Gazmin and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario met for what Panetta called “very successful” sessions about expanding the alliance.

Locklear said he looks forward on building on this momentum in ways that deepen engagement between the two countries and identify ways they can work together to support common security goals.

“This is a reaffirmation that the Mutual Defense Treaty is still in place and still strong,” the admiral said of his visit here. “And it is an opportunity for us to find places and missions were we can partner and exercise together in a way that will increase our overall security cooperation and increase security in this critical part of the Asia-Pacific.”

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Donna Miles | American Forces Press Service | July 15, 2012 | Article Link

Philippines studying military accord with Singapore

The Philippines is studying a military training agreement with Singapore and is closely watching the progress of a similar accord with Australia for lessons, the defence department said.

The proposed Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) would allow Philippine and Singaporean troops to train in each other's countries, reviving joint exercises that were suspended in 1996, department spokesman, Peter Galvez, said on Saturday.

The department is looking at the experiences with both the Philippines' existing VFA with the United States and a VFA bill with Australia being debated in the Senate, Galvez said.

"They are collating all the experiences with the various agreements so we can craft a well-rounded VFA (with Singapore) that everyone can agree to," he told AFP.

Singapore had a military training agreement with the Philippines in 1994 but joint exercises were suspended in 1996 because under Philippine law the entry of foreign troops for wargames must be covered by a VFA approved by the Senate.

Singapore submitted a draft proposal to the Philippines in 2007 but progress in crafting the final bill was slow due because the Manila office concerned lacked manpower, said Galvez.
The United States, the country's main defence ally, sealed such a VFA in 1999 and a similar accord with Australia is pending.

Nationalists and leftists have opposed such agreements as a violation of the country's sovereignty.

The Philippines' defence ties have received greater attention in recent weeks after a maritime standoff with China broke out two months ago over disputed territory in the South China Sea.

Galvez said "we are more positive with the Australian VFA. If it rolls out, that will be template for the other countries".

However he said it would be a long time before the agreement with Singapore is presented to the senators.

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Agence France-Presse/Yahoo News Online | June 9, 2012 | Article Link

US Senate approves resolution honoring mutual defense obligations with Philippines

MANILA – On the eve of the three-day official working visit to Washington of President Benigno S. Aquino III, the United States Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution calling for increased defense and security cooperation with the Philippines.

The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. said Senate Resolution 481, sponsored by Senator Richard Lugar (Republican, Indiana) was approved unanimously by the chamber, adding that Washington was fully committed to honoring its mutual obligations with Manila.

The resolution, which was co-sponsored by Senators John Kerry (Democrat, Massachusetts); James Inhofe (Republican, Oklahoma); Jim Webb (Democrat, Virginia); Kelly Ayotte (Democrat, New Hampshire); Tad Cochran (Republican, Mississippi); and Daniel Inouye (Democrat, Hawaii), also called on Manila and Washington to continue high-level consultations.

In a statement released by his office, Lugar said:  “The United States–Philippines relationship represents shared sacrifice in defense of freedom. While historically we have worked well together on multiple fronts, it is necessary that the two countries discern new ways to expand trade, account for their mutual defense and promote stability throughout the region.”

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia Jr. welcomed the adoption of the resolution, which Senator Lugar introduced in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States.  The Treaty, which was signed on August 30, 1951, requires both nations to support each other if an external party attacked either.

“This is a very positive development that further underscores the importance the United States places on its alliance with the Philippines,” Cuisia said. “The Filipino people greatly appreciate this gesture by our friends in the United States Senate.”

Cuisia said the resolution calls for increased cooperation and enhanced bilateral security ties between the two countries, including support for Philippine defense modernization, the rotational presence of US forces and increased humanitarian and disaster relief preparedness activities.

It also urged Washington to continue its efforts to assist Manila in the areas of maritime security, maritime domain awareness, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and related communications infrastructure to enable enhanced information sharing and overall military professionalism.

The resolution mentioned the support the US government extended to the Philippines, particularly the recent turnover to the Philippine Navy of two decommissioned US Coast Guard cutters; the assistance provided by US forces in recent calamities in the country; and the conduct of more military exercises and other joint training activities with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The resolution also cited the April 30 meetings where Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta reaffirmed to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin that Washington remains “fully committed to honoring mutual obligations with the Philippines and that the alliance continues to serve as a pillar of the Philippines-US relationship and a source of stability in the region.”

The resolution also underscored the shared interest of the two countries “in maintaining freedom of navigation, unimpeded lawful commerce and transit of people across the seas and subscribe to a rules-based approach in resolving competing claims in maritime areas through peaceful, collaborative, multilateral and diplomatic processes within the framework of international law.”

“The Senate confirms the alliance’s centrality and enduring value as one of the key pillars of peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and as a key tool in addressing the emerging security environment in the region,” the resolution read.

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Eric B. Apolonio | InterAksyon.com | June 8, 2012 | Article Link

Aquino secures US pledge for Philippine defense upgrade

WASHINGTON - The United States pledged Thursday to help the Philippines step up its defenses in the face of a rising China as it welcomes President Benigno Aquino III, seen by US officials as a promising partner.

President Barack Obama will meet Friday at the White House with Aquino, who has raised the profile of the Philippines in Washington through his pledges to tackle corruption and to boost the military relationship with the United States.

Top US military officer General Martin Dempsey, who met Aquino on Monday in Manila, said that he spoke about expanding cooperation with the former US colony beyond recent efforts focused on fighting Islamic insurgents.

The Philippines "has been inward-focused on its internal terrorism and insurgent issues for some time - for decades really - and so have a very limited capability to project power or to influence activities around it," said Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"We think that they need some of that, particularly in maritime security," Dempsey told reporters in Washington.

The United States has already been helping to upgrade the notoriously antiquated Philippine military and Aquino has agreed to let a greater number of US troops rotate - but not set up bases - in the archipelago.

The cooperation comes as the Philippines sees particularly tense relations with China, which has butted heads with a number of its neighbors in recent years over territorial disputes in strategic waters.

Friction escalated in April when Chinese and Philippine vessels approached the Scarborough Shoal, which lies near the main Philippine island of Luzon. Manila says the rock formation falls within its exclusive economic zone, but China claims the shoal along with nearly all of the South China Sea.

Dempsey said he spoke with Aquino about the need to "ensure freedom of navigation" in the South China Sea.

Dempsey said that he and Aquino did not discuss the disputes in themselves but "we certainly called on all claimants to resolve these issues through existing international fora and without coercion."

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Agence France-Presse/InterAksyon.Com | June 8,2012 | Article Link

7 senators reject VFA with Australia

MANILA, Philippines – Seven senators, just one vote shy of what’s needed to torpedo the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and Australia, voted to reject treaty ratification on Wednesday as Congress prepared to adjourn sine die until July 23, when another round of voting is scheduled.

Senator Joker Arroyo led six of his peers in rejecting ratification of the VFA, citing Australia’s disregard for Philippine interest in several matters, notably  for continuously banning the country’s fruit exports.

“The Senate cannot simply concur in treaties if other contracting countries have no consideration of the country’s interest,” Arroyo said in his interpellation.

The Senate approved the treaty on second reading with 7 negative votes and 14 affirmative votes.

According to Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, the third reading of SRN 788 will be done when session resumes on July 23.

Under the Constitution, the Senate has the sole power to ratify any treaty or international agreement entered into by the Executive Department and a 2/3 vote of the present members of the Upper Chamber is needed to adopt it.

“Like the impeachment trial, the treaty needs 2/3 votes of the members of the Senate. As seven senators voted against the agreement at this stage, it only needs one more vote to finally reject the treaty,” Arroyo said in an interview after the voting.

The senator recalled that when he entered the Senate in 2001, one of the first matters taken up was the issue of Manila’s mango exports to Australia. “During that time, Philippine mangoes were banned and Sen. (Edgardo) Angara was fuming mad because with his experience in agriculture, he knew that the country’s mangoes were accepted in the US, Japan and other advanced countries.

“Today when I asked Senator Angara about the problem, he replied that Australia has not only banned mangoes but also bananas and pineapples, and that the country’s balance of trade with Australia was P500 million in imports and only P50 million in exports, meaning, it is lopsided,” he argued.

Aside from Arroyo, Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Sergio Osmena III, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Aquilino Pimentel III, Manuel Villar and Ralph Recto opposed the measure.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, together with Senators Loren Legarda, Jinggoy Estrada, Franklin Drilon, Vicente Sotto III, Pia Cayetano, Bong Revilla, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, Antonio Trillanes IV, Edgardo Angara,  Kiko Pangilinan, Panfilo Lacson and Gregorio Honasan voted to approve the measure on second reading.

Senator Kiko Pangilinan, meanwhile, reserved the right to explain his vote once the resolution is taken up on third reading. 

Santiago pointed out a part of the Agreement which says that the visiting forces may temporarily use land, sea and air space or other facilities of the receiving state for training, exercises or other activities mutually approved by both countries, but noted that there is no clear constitutional basis for the country’s military forces to be trained by a visiting force.

“Proponents of the Agreement between the Philippines and Australia have not made clear what the constitutional basis is for the Philippines to allow our military forces to be trained by a visiting force in our own territory,” Santiago said, and warned that concurrence of the Philippines “may threaten the sovereignty of the country.”

Explicit terms on environment

The Agreement, which was ratified by President Benigno Aquino III on December 23, 2010, called for the issuance of a Memorandum Order (MO) directing the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to closely monitor the activities of the Australian Visiting Forces and its Civilian Component in the Philippines, and ensure that these activities do not violate any of the environmental laws and ordinances of the country.   

“The Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with Australia sets a precedent in defense agreements in that it has unique provisions on environmental protection. The Agreement explicitly prohibits the conduct of exercises or other activities in protected areas, ancestral domain areas, critical watersheds and protected forest areas,” Senator Loren Legarda, sponsor of the resolution and chair of the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and Climate Change, said.

“It also provides that any environmental damage will be subjected to claims and compensation and that the sending state will be responsible for the rehabilitation of damaged areas,” Legarda added.

“The Agreement will enforce the duties and obligations of both parties with respect to environmental protection, including the clean-up and restoration of any local site or body of water that may be affected by the activities allowed for under the Agreement,” she added.

The Agreement also calls for the Service Authorities of Australia to cooperate with the Philippine government to prevent any abuse or misuse of the privileges granted in favor of Australian Visiting Forces and its Civilian Component, and to ensure that proper discharge of the obligations imposed on the visiting party are met.

The Agreement addresses the sensitive issue of criminal jurisdiction “through a clear set of rules,” and that the “authorities of the receiving state have jurisdiction over visiting forces with respect to offenses committed within the receiving state and punishable by the law of the receiving state, but not by the law of the sending state.”

“With respect to criminal jurisdiction, it is provided in the Philippine-Australian VFA that the receiving state shall exercise primary jurisdiction over all offenses except for offenses relating to the property and security of the sending state, and offenses performed in official duty. Thus, as a general rule, offenses shall be under the primary jurisdiction of the receiving state. We believe that these are but reasonable rights afforded to the sending state,” Legarda added.

Respect for the other's laws

According to Legarda, there is also emphasis made in the SOVFA regarding the principle of respect for the laws of the receiving state.  

“No offender from the visiting forces who commits a crime in the Philippines will escape justice under the SOVFA,” Legarda stressed.

The resolution also states that the Agreement must provide for a comprehensive legal framework that will govern the status of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Australian Defense Forces personnel who will participate in education, training, combined exercises and humanitarian activities in each others territories.

The Agreement, which provides for enhanced bilateral defense and military cooperation between the two countries through the exchange of visits, was anchored on the 1995 Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperative Defense Activities with Australia through exchange of visits.

Since 2001, Australia has extended defense assistance to the Philippines totalling an estimated P1.16 billion.

This includes, among others, military education and training of an average of 120 AFP officers annually in Australia, costing an average of US$ 26.751 million per year;  contribution of US$ 17.834 million worth of riverine boats as part of the efforts to upgrade counter-terrorism and maritime security capabilities; supporting the implementation of the Coast Watch System to strengthen the country’s capability in addressing maritime security challenges; and conducting counter-terrorism trainings and mutual training assistance to help develop inter-operability between the special operations units of the armies and navies of the Philippines and Australia.

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Karl John C. Reyes | InterAksyon.Com | June 6, 2012 | Article Link

Philippines seeks broader influence with Aquino-Obama meet

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Philippines seeks to broaden its influence here as it looks to the United States to expand military and economic assistance to the country when President Aquino calls on President Obama next week.

Philippine Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr. revealed the two leaders will hold an afternoon meeting at the White House that will involve the “full gamut” of US-Philippine relations. But he indicated regional security and trade issues are likely to dominate discussions.
President Aquino is scheduled to arrive at Andrews Air Base in Maryland Wednesday (June 6) evening but his first major events will begin the next day.

Cuisia said one highlight of his visit will be the launching of the US-Philippine Society that is jointly chaired by businessman Manny Pangilinan and former State department official and US ambassador to Manila John Negroponte.

Former US Ambassador John Maisto is president of the society.

Other countries have also formed similar groups in Washington DC, primarily to promote their specific interests in the vast US government bureaucracy.
Cuisia revealed the society has invited key US executives, lawmakers and business leaders to join the group.

According to the brochure, the US-Philippine Society aims to “strengthen educational, cultural, tourism and people-to-people ties, with emphasis on educational exchanges.”
But in this town, “education” is usually a euphemism for “lobbying” or trying to influence decision-makers in and outside the US government. The Philippines, for instance, is trying to push the SAVE Act, potentially the first trade agreement in nearly half a century, and greater access to surplus military equipment.

The Aquino-Obama summit is also expected to build on agreements forged during the series of top-level meetings including last month’s 2x2 conference of State Secretary Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta with their Filipino counterparts, and the US-Philippine Strategic Dialogue last January.

Those meetings reiterated US commitment to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), setting the groundwork for expanded military assistance for the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Cuisia challenged the view the MDT cannot be invoked if the Philippines is attacked in disputed isles like Scarborough Shoal or the Spratly Islands.

He was reacting to a May 15 editorial in the Manila Mail, the longest-running Fil-Am newspaper in the Metro DC region that argued they were not parts of the Philippines when the MDT was ratified 60 years ago and therefore excluded from the reciprocity guaranteed by the military pact.

Cuisia cited a January 1979 letter from then US State Secretary Cyrus Vance that said an attack didn’t have to occur only in Philippine metropolitan or island territories as long as it falls under the definition of “Pacific Area”. A subsequent letter from US Ambassador to the Philippines Thomas Hubbard 2 decades later expanded the definition of “Pacific Area” to the South China Sea.

These, along with other official declarations, bolster the Philippine’s belief that the US would come to its aid if attacked in Scarborough Shoal, the Spratlys or other parts of the South China Sea where the Philippines have legitimate territorial claims, the envoy indicated.

Cuisia told ABS-CBN News the White House meeting was important as the Philippines stakes its place in America’s strategic pivot to the Asia-Pacific region.
Although merely a working visit, the White House encounter has been over 2 years in the making.

This meeting also almost didn’t push through because of President Obama’s tight schedule as he campaigns for a 2nd term.

There are about 3.4 million Filipino Americans according to the 2010 Census, making them the 2nd biggest Asian American group in the US. Although traditionally conservative with a history of backing Republican candidates, over 58 percent of Fil-Ams went for Democratic Barack Obama in 2008.

Philippine officials here have tied a campaign to push absentee voter registration for the next polls back home to urging Fil-Ams to register and vote in the US November elections.
President Aquino does not have scheduled meetings with the Fil-Am community here but will instead meet with them in Los Angeles, California after the June 8 White House meeting, Cuisia said.

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Rodney Jaleco | ABS-CBN North America | May 31, 2012 | Article Link

US Seabees Begin Partnership Projects

MANILA, Philippines --- Members of the US Navy Seabees and Armed Forces of the Philippines have started the construction of schools and medical facilities in Samar as part of advance work for the launch of the Philippine leg of the Pacific Partnership 2012 (PP12).

PP12 is the largest annual humanitarian and civic assistance mission conducted by the US Pacific Fleet to strengthen international relationships and partners and host nations in Asia and the Pacific.

It is also aimed at enhancing interoperability of regional forces in their ability to respond to natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies.

AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. said work began on three of four Engineering Civic Assistance Projects (ENCAP) of the PP12 last May 24 with the arrival of US Navy Seabees and other partners.

The schools and medical facilities to be constructed as part of the PP2 will benefit 20,000 residents of Samar, Burgos said.

The Philippine leg of the PP2 is scheduled to officially kick off on June 18.  It will run until July 1.

Partner nations of PP12 include Thailand, Australia, Malaysia, Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Korea, Chile, Peru, and Netherlands.

Foreign non-government organizations (NGO) like the Project Hope, Oceanit, World Vets, and Vietnam Medical Assistance Program will also join local NGOs in the implementation of engineering civic action programs (ENCAP), medical civic action programs (MEDCAP), dental civic action programs (DENCAP),  veterinary civic action programs (VETCAP), and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) lectures and seminars to Philippines (Samar), Indonesia (North Sulawesi), Vietnam (Vinh), and Cambodia (Sihanoukville).

Burgos said engineers from the AFP, United States Navy, and other partner nations and non-government organizations in the PP12 are already executing the three ENCAP sites in Palanit, Bugtong, and Tambongan ahead of schedule. These are aimed at contributing to the economic and social development of the selected communities.

The ENCAPs will include the construction of a two-classroom school building in Palanit, San Isidro, Northern Samar; renovation of a health center in Bugtong, Tinambacan District, Western Samar; renovation of San Jorge Elementary School in San Jorge Samar; and reconstruction of Tambongan Elementary School in Gandara District, Western Samar.

The Palanit Elementary School has not received any improvement projects in the last six years despite serving primary education to the 3,029 residents of the barangay and adjacent villages. The project will involve the construction of a seven-meter by 16-meter, two-classroom school building that will also serve as a facility for major village functions.

The ENCAPs will also include the major reconstruction of a school building in San Jorge Elementary School that was badly damaged by typhoon in 2011. The project will help the municipality of San Jorge improve the education environment of the school that currently only has 13 classrooms with more than 1,000 students enrolled yearly.

Also, Barangay Tambongan Elementary School has 177 students using only four classrooms and one temporary school building made from bamboo and nipa. The engineering project in the school will construct another seven-meter by 16-meter, two-classroom school building to improve the school’s facility for education.

Meanwhile, the Barangay Bugtong health center serves the 2,069 residents of the village with medical services. The ENCAP will renovate the existing government building by replacing the entire roof structure, repairing walls, constructing a new toilet facility, and installing electrical outlets.

The cities and towns that will benefit include the Catbalogan City and Calbayog City and the towns of Silanga, Gandara, Carayman, Veriato, Malaga, and San Isidro.

AFP Chief of Staff General Jessie D. Dellosa commended the “AFP engineers who committed themselves and joined foreign partners in constructing a brighter future for the youth and improving the quality of life of thousands of residents in Samar.”

“Each time a window of opportunity opens to serve, our soldiers, particularly our engineers, are always a step ahead in making sure that the Filipino people are given the facilities for growth and a better quality of life. For this, we express our gratitude to the partner nations in the Pacific Partnership 2012 for another year of humanitarian, disaster response, community relations, and civic action programs,” said Dellosa.

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Elena Aben | Manila Bulletin | May 28, 2012 | Article Link

Visiting US Navy men to help clean up three schools in Lapu-Lapu

AT LEAST 30 US Navy personnel from the visiting USS Pearl Harbor will help fix and clean three public schools in Lapu-Lapu City next week as part of its community service activities during their five-day goodwill visit here.

The ship arrived in the Cebu International Port yesterday.

The US Marines and US Navy sailors will join Philippine Navy personnel in conducting the yearly Brigada Eskwela activity on Tuesday , said Ensign Ison, Naval forces Central (Navforcen) spokesman.

US Navymen will help clean and repair the Canjulao Elementary School, the Looc Elementary School and the Looc High school. It will be a simultaneous activity in which troops and personnel of Pearl Harbor will be divided into three groups, Ison added.

The USS Pearl Harbor, an amphibious landing ship, carries 22 US officers, 356 enlisted personnel and more than 300 Marine personnel.

On Monday, USS Pearl Harbor officials will make courtesy calls on Camp Lapu-Lapu officials, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

A soccer game will be held with Philippine Air Force personnel on Wednesday. The ship is scheduled to leave Cebu on May 31.

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Tweeny M. Malinao | Cebu Daily News/ Philippine Daily Inquirer | May 27, 2012 | Article Link

Moscow Open To Joint Exercises

MANILA, Philippines -- The Russian Federation is open to the idea of conducting military joint exercises with the Philippines in the area of anti-piracy, and search and rescue operations, similar in nature to what it conducted with Indonesia at the beginning of the year.

However, according to Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Nikolay Kudashev, to make such an activity a regular practice and to introduce the idea of camaraderie into the military-to-military relationship of Moscow and Manila, both countries need to keep in mind the “new regional architecture” and to shed “the ghost of Cold War.”

"While the ghost of the Cold War exists and while the traditional alliances would still keep that divisive nature, that would still be a problem,” Kudashev told Manila Bulletin in an interview at his official residence in Forbes Park, Makati City.

The Russian envoy said certain aspects could still give the feeling that the Philippines is still living under the Cold War era.

“You inherited it from the previous times and you need more of mutual understanding, more of talking to one another, more of confidence to get free of those ghosts,” he stated. “This is my personal feeling.”

Kudashev noted that the documents of certain treaties the Philippines signed with other countries, particularly the United States such as the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), actually originated during the Cold War era.

“What we believe is necessary now, and this is a larger issue, is to think about re-adjusting, I'll try to be as delicate as possible, I would not say dismantling,” Kudashev said.

“Re-adjusting these alliances and making them fit the current of the new age, the current of the new reality in the Asia Pacific, the current of cooperation, of facing together the new threats, of protecting economic cooperation, of facilitating business confidence. We should think about it,” he said.

“Of utmost importance now is to look into the future, to design a new regional set up, to look for a way and that would not be easy,” he said.

In the possible joint Philippine-Russia military exercises, Kudashev cited the recent visit of three Russian Navy ships to Manila.

The ships, which include the Russian anti-submarine destroyer Admiral Panteleyev, sea tanker Boris Botuma, and rescue tug Fotiy Krylov, sailed into Philippine shores last February.

The Russian ambassador said during the visit, Russian sailors introduced themselves to the civilian as well as to the military leadership of the Philippines

He said the crew even conducted some preliminary naval exercises at the Manila Harbor.

“During the meetings with Filipino navy men and Filipino coast guard, (the Russian crew) discussed the issue of conducting joint exercise,” Kudashev said.

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Roy Mabasa | Manila Bulletin | May 21, 2012 | Article Link

147 troops join Philippine-Indonesia naval exercises

MORE than 140 soldiers participated in the Corpat Philindo, a joint exercises of the Philippines-Indonesia naval forces in Balut Island, Sarangani province.

Some 100 troops from Philippine Navy's Eastern Mindanao Command and 47 troops from Indonesia participated in the joint exercises last April 23-May 2.

Captain Robert Empedrad, deputy commander for fleet operations and commander naval task force seahawk of Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao, said the objective for holding such an exercise is to conduct a joint patrol between the territorial waters of countries Philippines and Indonesia.

He said the holding of joint military patrol will lessen the incidents of maritime crimes, including piracy, poaching, human smuggling and illegal fishing.

"We have enough ships here to patrol over our area of operation," he said.

He added they will stage another Corpat Philindo in September 2012.

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Antonio L. Colina IV | SunStar.Com.Ph | May 9, 2012 | Article Link

ANALYSIS: Two decades after kicking out US bases, Philippines wants to see more of American military

MANILA - Twenty years after the Philippines voted to remove American bases, it now wants to give US troops more access to its ports and airfields.

Manila's moves to strengthen security ties with its former colonial master coincide with the US foreign policy "pivot" towards Asia to concentrate on, among other things, North Korea's nuclear ambitions and China's military buildup.

China is likely to be high on the agenda at top level US-Philippine security talks on Monday as Washington refocuses its foreign policy on Asia and Manila realises its limits in trying to solve territorial disputes with Beijing alone.

China has maritime spats with several countries in the South China Sea, believed to be rich in oil and gas and crossed by important shipping lanes, and its neighbours fear its growing naval reach in staking claims.

Those disputes are pushing the Philippines to seek closer cooperation with the United States, which in turn has prompted China to warn Washington against getting involved, denouncing last week's US-Philippine military drills as bringing the risk of armed conflict closer.

"I'm sure we need to be diplomatic, but I don't think we should tip-toe around the Chinese on this," said Walter Lohman, director of the Asian Studies Center with the conservative Washington-based Heritage Foundation think tank.

"...There is nothing new about the U.S. exercising with the Philippines. We shouldn't refrain because the Chinese don't like it. In fact, I expect the (Washington meeting) will come up with some agreement on increasing the frequency and variety of exercises, ship visits. Also expect agreement on hardware, joint use of Philippines' training facilities and bases."

The talks also coincide with a potential new source of tension between Washington and Bejing after blind activist Chen Guangcheng was reported late last week to have sought U.S. protection in the Chinese capital after an audacious escape from 19 months under house arrest.

"We enjoy a really close military-to-military relationship with the Philippines and I think certainly coming out of this two plus two, we'll be looking for ways to improve and enhance that relationship," said Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain John Kirby, referring to talks between the defence and foreign secretaries, the highest-level security talks yet between the two sides.

"But it is safe to say that ... our relationship with the Philippines is part and parcel of the larger shift to focus on the Asia-Pacific."

A Philippine general familiar with the discussions to be held in Washington said the United States had a list of airfields in the Philippines that it could use for routine deployment of tankers, fighters and transport planes.

"These are not new bases for the Americans, these are still our facilities," said the general who declined to be identified. "They are only asking us if we can share some of our idle space with them."

Kirby said the United States wanted to continue "a rotational and training" relationship. "We're certainly not looking ... for permanent basing there."

This is nevertheless a sensitive area for Philippine President Benigno Aquino, some of whose political advisers are uncomfortable with an expanding U.S. role.

The U.S. plan to use Philippine airports is not new. At the height of U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in the mid-2000s, Manila allowed U.S. military planes to refuel at an airport in northernmost Batanes province, close to Taiwan.

"We don't want them back, they create noise when most of us are already asleep," Budget Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad said of U.S. transport planes landing at night in Basco airport.

Abad is one of Aquino's closest political advisers. Another political adviser told Reuters Aquino would not allow a de facto basing arrangement.

"That's a violation of our constitution," he said.

Philippine foreign and defence officials, however, will use the Washington talks to try to get U.S. backing on its position in the South China Sea, invoking freedom of navigation.

"I think we would want all nations, including the U.S., to make a judgment as to what is happening there (in the South China Sea) and what the implications are to their own security," Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario has said.

A retired Philippine flag officer said Washington, which is shuffling and redeploying its forces around Asia, including in Japan and Australia, wanted to rebuild the "air bridge" between Northeast and Southeast Asia.

"They are trying to plug these holes when they left Clark in 1992," he said, referring to a former U.S. air base in the northern Philippines. "They need airfields more than ports because most of their tactical aircraft are based too far from potential hotspots in Southeast Asia."

Richard Jacobson, of Pacific Strategies and Assessments, cautioned both sides against playing the China card, saying he did not see naval standoffs in the South China Sea as dramatic enough to improve U.S.-Philippines relations.

"It appears more likely that any new strategic partnership will evolve gradually over time," Jacobson told Reuters.

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Manuel Mogato | Reuters/InterAksyon.Com | April 30, 2012 | Article Link

U.S.-Philippine Leaders to Discuss Alliance Future

WASHINGTON, April 27, 2012 – American and Philippine officials will discuss the state of the alliance between the two nations during an April 30 meeting at the State Department, DOD officials said here today.   Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will meet with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario and Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin. It is the first time this “two-plus-two” type of meeting will occur between the two allies. In conjunction with the meeting, Panetta will hold a joint service honor cordon to welcome Gazmin to the Pentagon. The Philippines are a terrific partner in that part of the world,” said Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby. “We do enjoy a rotational presence in and around the Philippines. We’ve just wrapped up … the 18th annual Balikatan exercise. We enjoy a really close military-to-military relationship with the Philippines.” The United States military wants to work with the Philippine military to improve an already good relationship, Kirby said. The U.S. relationship with the Philippines is “part and parcel” of the larger U.S. strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, he said. “We also want to continue a rotational and training relationship with the Philippines,” Kirby said. “We are certainly not looking … for permanent basing there.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Garamone | American Forces Press Service | US Department of Defense |  April 27, 2012 | Article Link

Philippines: War Games with U.S Boost Defense

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines said war games with the U.S. that ended April 27 had showcased its resolve to fend off external aggressors amid an escalating territorial dispute with China.

Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin also said the 12 days of exercises, which included more than 6,000 soldiers, had firmed up a 1951 mutual defense treaty between the longtime allies.

“This training activity ... demonstrates our unequivocal resolve to support each other against the threats of external aggression and the enemies of freedom and liberty,” Gazmin said in a statement.

The exercises were held amid the backdrop of a dispute between the Philippines and China over a shoal in the South China Sea, with both nations stationing vessels there for nearly three weeks to assert their sovereignty.

The Philippines and the U.S. had repeatedly emphasized the war games were not connected to the Scarborough Shoal issue, as they were an annual exercise planned well before the latest flare-up in tensions.

Nevertheless, the Philippines also sought to use the war games to highlight its military alliance with the U.S. amid warnings and threats from China over the South China Sea dispute.

One of China’s ruling Communist Party newspapers ran an editorial calling for a small-scale war with the Philippines to end the standoff, and its military on April 26 vowed to defend the country’s territory.

“China’s armed forces bear the responsibility for the task of defending the nation’s territorial sovereignty,” China’s official Xinhua news agency quoted defense ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng as saying.

China claims all of the South China Sea as a historic part of its territory, even waters close to the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries, and hundreds of miles from its own landmass.

The Philippines says Scarborough Shoal is its territory because it falls well within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, as recognized by international law.

The Philippines has called for arbitration through the United Nations to end the dispute, but China has refused.

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Agence France-Presse | April 27, 2012 | Article Link

Usual ‘thank-yous’ marked end of Balikatan 2012

MANILA, Philippines – After 10 days of military drills, civic action, humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HA/DR) work involving US and Philippine troops that drew warnings from China of possible armed confrontation, the Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) 2012 close Friday at Tejeros Hall in Camp Aguinaldo.

The 28th Balikatan, and the third HA/DR focused joint  exercise featured Civil-Military Operations activities, including the Engineering Civic Action Program (ENCAP) where engineers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and United States Armed Forces constructed five school buildings in Palawan.

The beneficiaries of ENCAP were Tagbarungis Elementary School and Inagawan National High School in Brgy Tagbarungis, Kandis III Elementary School in Brgy Sta Bacungan, Sta Cruz Elementary School in Brgy Sta Cruz, and Buena Vista Elementary School in Brgy Buena Vista all in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Other community relations activities were also held including the Futbol Clinic with the Philippine Azkals in Camp Aguinaldo, Basketball rehab and hoops with the Philippine Air Force in Clark Airfield, Futbol Clinic with PAF in Zambales Halfway House, Futbol Clinic in Fort Magsaysay Parade Ground, Carpentry/Masonry Training in Fort Magsaysay, Student Tour in Clark Airfield, and Army/Navy Sports Challenge in Subic Bay Athletic Complex.

A Senior Leaders’ Seminar (SLS) on HA/DR was held that focused on experiential exchanges to further improve operations, procedures, and policies on emergency disaster response. 

The seminar involved participants from Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea.

The Balikatan also featured amphibious exercises in Palawan that simulated an actual port and base recovery exercise. It involved about a hundred  joint US and Philippine troops aboard the BRP Laguna that later released 12 rubber boats about four to five miles off the shore of Ulugan Bay.

A series of free medical, dental and veterinary services were held in Palawan that started on April 9 to 27 as part of the Civic Action Programs. Included also in the activities were medical trainings for rural health workers, a medical symposium, and a combat lifesaver course.

Soldiers from both countries also paid tribute to the fallen heroes of World War II in a wreath laying ceremony attended by 7th Infantry Division Commander Brigadier General Alan Luga and US Army Pacific Command Deputy Commander Major General Roger Matthews at Pangatian Shrine in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

Among those who attended the closing ceremony were AFP Chief of Staff General Jessie Dellosa; US Exercise Director Lt. Gen. Duane Thiessen; Philippine Exercise Director Rear Admiral Victor Emmanuel Martir; and US Ambassador to Manila Harry Thomas. 

Representatives from the Senate and House, Department of Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic Corps, National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, and other government agencies.

“I am truly grateful of the success of the Balikatan 2012. The Table Top and Field Training Exercises have opened up new avenues and widen the horizon for new opportunities for international participation and partnership in ensuring regional security and stability,” Dellosa said.

“As the curtain closes down on this year’s Balikatan, I would like to express my gratitude to the American soldiers and foreign partners who gave their valuable time to share their experiences, best practices, and different approaches in dealing with various types of situations and security challenges that the country might confront in the future,” he added.

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Frances Mangosing | INQUIRER.net | April 27, 2012 | Article Link

Philippines, US push to protect ‘mutual interests’ as ‘Balikatan’ ends

MANILA, Philippines —  As the Balikatan exercises for 2012 drew to a close Friday, the Philippines and the US underscored the need to support each other “in areas of common concern and mutual interest” and “with the assurance of the mutual defense treaty”.

“As we bring our shared history of cooperation into the future, it is paramount that we agree on synchronizing our structured responses, protocols and mechanisms to scenarios and situations in areas of common concern and mutual interest,” Lieutenant General Jesse Dellosa, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, said in ceremonies at the military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.

US Ambassador Harry Thomas in his speech to the American and Filipino troops who participated in the annual event said, “We must conduct all of our activities with respect, with alignment with your priorities, [and] with assurance of our mutual defense treaty.”

This year’s Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises were held under the shadow of an ongoing dispute between the Philippines and China over ownership of the Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal, with Beijing warning Manila that the conflict may escalate into war if it continues to “internationalize” the situation.

The Philippines, considered a long-time ally of the US, has urged a world court to intervene in the conflict.

Dellosa  said that the exercise “has not only improved our capacity to do things together but has also promoted good will with the people.”

“I stand before you with pride, as I thank all the participants from the Philippines and the US sides for the successful conclusion of this year’s Balikatan,” Dellosa said in his speech.

Lieutenant General Duane Theissen, Commander of the US Marine Corps Forces Pacific, said that it was an honor for the American troops to be in the Philippines for the exercises.

“It’s an honor for all of the US forces, all of the members of the Pacific Command, to be with you here in the Philippines today for this exercise and for all of our engagements that we do together,” Thiessen said in his speech.

“It has been my privilege to work hand-in-hand and cooperate with all of [the troops and organizers] as we have gone through this exercise,” he said.

He described the Balikatan exercises as an “amazing success.”

He also praised the “leadership and the vision of the government of the Philippines” and “the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.”

“I have been very, very impressed,” Thiessen said.

He complemented the soldiers for their hard work and the Filipinos for being “gracious hosts.”

Before he delivered his speech, Thomas asked all the American troops present to stand and to give thanks to the Filipino troops.

“Thank you for letting us conduct this wonderful 28th Balikatan Exercise, we appreciate being in your country, we’ll always treat you with the respect you deserve.”

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Matikas Santos | INQUIRER.net  | April 27, 2012 | Article Link