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1 PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER MAY - AUGUST 2014
1PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
MAY - AUGUST 2014
2 PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
MAY - AUGUST 2014
Balikatan Exercise 2014Filipino and US Troops: shoulder to shoulder for jointness and interoperability
The locals watched with delight while American soldiers and their Filipino counterparts walked around and
worked for their communities this May during the 30th iteration of PH-US Balikatan Exercise this year. Military engineers built classrooms, school buildings, a water catchment system, a health center, concrete sidewalks and other facilities while military medical personnel provided free medical, dental and veterinary care services. In the background, some of the soldiers chatted and played with the children in the Barangays. All these in a series of humanitarian and civic assistance activities in selected communities that were conducted by Filipino and American troops during Balikatan 2014.
Balikatan Exercise 2014 was officially launched on May 5, 2014 and was participated in by over 3,000 Filipino and 2,500 American soldiers. The combined troops took part in a series of staff exercises, field training exercises, and humanitarian and civic assistance activities in various cities and provinces.
Balikatan is an annual PH-US military bilateral training exercise and humanitarian civic assistance engagement. This year the Australian Defense Force took part in the annual event by deploying some 68 personnel who participated in the academic discussion and crisis action planning on common BK14 scenarios.
In Bicol, troops from the AFP Southern Luzon Command took the lead in the construction activities for Malobago Elementary School, and in Doña Mercedes Elementary School in Guinobatan, Albay. The installation of water storage tank and construction of a public rest room benefitted the residents of Brgy. Pawa, Legazpi City. The troops also repaired and renovated parts of Tamaoyan Elementary School in Brgy. Tamaoyan, Legazpi City. Combined Army and Navy troops from AFP and U.S. Armed Forces likewise constructed and renovated school-buildings, offered medical and veterinary services, and conducted medical symposia and training in Legazpi City and Guinobatan, both in Albay. A total of 65 personnel from the AFP and 94 from joint US and multinational forces participated in
the events.The highlight of Balikatan 2014 is the military exercises.
The combined troops held a series of staff exercises in Camp Aguinaldo and the Western Command in Puerto Princesa.
A joint Philippines and US Marines amphibious drill at the Naval Education and Training Command in Zambales was also held to showcase interoperability between the Armed Forces of the Philippines Marine Corps and US Navy. Combined live-fire exercises were also held at the Marine Base in Ternate, Cavite and in Crow Valley, Tarlac. Cobra familiarization flights and air assault live fire exercises were also held.
The partnership between the AFP and U.S. Armed Forces continue to be healthy, dynamic and beneficial. It continues to highlight the unswerving commitment of both military forces towards a more secure Asia-Pacific region.
“As we conclude this year’s Balikatan Exercises, we look forward to more joint bilateral military exercises and undertakings that will help the AFP in coping with our ever evolving security environment and achieve our goal of a minimum credible defense system,” Balikatan 2014 Spokeperson, Lieutenant Annaleah P. Cazcarro said.
Meanwhile, BK14 Exercise Director for Philippines, Maj. Gen. Emeraldo Magnaye and his US counterpart, Major Gen. Richard Simcock II, deputy commander of US Marine Corps Forces Pacific said other countries are welcome to participate in the annual event.
“We don’t have a definite country yet but we are open to more participation,” said Magnaye, noting that since Australia started participating they will definitely be invited in the next Balikatan.
“The Asia-Pacific region is evolving, it’s evolving very very rapidly and large exercises like Balikatan need to also evolve at a commensurate rate… When it evolves and other nations are asked to come in and participate, we encourage that we look forward to the opportunity to work together with all nations within the nation” Simcock said. PDN
(Inset, from L-R:) Colonel John Rutherford, Officer-in-Charge of the Balikatan 2014 joint exercises support group, Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, US Ambassador Philip Goldberg, former AFP Chief of Staff General Emmanuel Bautista, and Major General Emeraldo Magnaye during the opening ceremony of Balikatan Exercises held at the AFPCOC on May 05, 2014.
3PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
MAY - AUGUST 2014
Public Affairs Service (PAS ) Department of National DefenseOPA Building, Natividad Avenue
Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City 1110Tel: (+632) 982-5679 Fax: (+632) 911-7113
Email: [email protected]
Usec. Eduardo G. BatacDir. Paul Peter R.G. Galvez, MD,MNSA,CESE
Dir. Arsenio R. Andolong, MNSAADVISERS
Miriam G. AlbaoEDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Marina M. Agustin Anthon A. Cayaco Managing Editor Associate Editor Nelson L. Gallarde Tiffany Pery Buena Finance Layout Artist Prime S. Berunia Noriza Atienza Media Relations News Editor
Ruferick Somera Carmelita L. Briones Renato C. Alba Research
Fred A. Abuda, Jr. Photographers Sgt Isidro R Areja Administrative Services
Contributors
LTC Harold F. Cabunoc (AFP)Eva B. De los Santos (DND)Dianne M. Gammad (DND)
Hiyasmin O. Karunungan (GA)Chester Cabalza (NDCP)
Romina R. Marasigan (OCD)Ma. Juanita S. Fajardo-Rivera (PVAO)
Support Services Assistance & Support by
Gloria A. Bantaotao AFP-PAO SSgt Anthony B Cadiz OJ7Cpl Celso P Castromayor CRS-AFP
Public Affairs Offices of
Philippine Army Philippine Navy/Philippine Marine Corps
Philippine Air Force
Much has been said and written about the Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas Sierra Madre.
BRP Sierra Madre continues to be in the news, a hot item despite its desolation. It has also been the subject of many in-depth articles and documentaries by both local and foreign journalists from reputable and international publications.
Its gaping holes, thickening rust and dark corners and even its entrails have been photographed and exposed for the whole world to see, as much as its meaning and symbolism have been examined and analyzed.
Although some quarters see the vessel as nothing but a rusty chunk of junk waiting to rust itself into decay and annihilation, the deep meaning of this unusual juxtaposition of metal, rust, sea and a jutting shoal has not been lost to many.
Many view the Sierra Madre as a symbol of Filipino courage, resilience and heroism as personified by the marines who brave the odds and the hovering threat of intrusions by foreign vessels.
Old and decaying the iconic ship may be, but it is still very much a version of David fending off Goliath.
And in this situation, courage is key. The officers and men stationed in the ship really have to brave it out there. They say that they have actually gotten used to the presence and the watchful eyes of the Chinese from their Coast Guard vessels that are stationed in the vicinity but there are also the added threats of the vast seas - storms, hunger and loneliness do visit them every now and then.
Food and drinking water are critical. Resupply and rotation of the troops, supposed to be a scheduled reliable lifeline for the troops, have become difficult to accomplish as the Chinese coast guards try to block the Filipino vessels that are meant to deliver fresh supplies and new men.
Thankfully, up to this day, the Philippine Navy finds a way to get through such blockades and, at times, a hot pursuit. The endurance and bravery of our soldiers involved in all these operations are a testament to the heroism that is innate in us, Filipinos.
Others view this whole juxtaposition of a marooned ship, contested territory and men in uniform and Chinese ships on the watch as a stroke of genius, a proof of Filipino ingenuity. That we have managed to strengthen our claim and guard our territory this way, is a smart move, according to some quarters.
But public opinion tend to converge more on the point of view that the degenerate state of the BRP Sierra Madre and the dire living condition of the soldiers who are stationed there are but glaring reflections of the degeneration of the Philippine defense system for the past several years.
(continued on page 5)
EDITORIAL
Then, now and what is to come
4 PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
MAY - AUGUST 2014
SND pursues reforms, advances interest of Filipino veterans
Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin ordered the continued
implementation of the newly approved Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) Constitution and By-Laws (CBL) to pursue reforms of the VFP and address its systemic problems.
The VFP was created by virtue of Republic Act 2640, “An Act Creating a Public Corporation to be known as the Veterans Federation of the Philippines”, in 1960 under the control and supervision of the Secretary of National Defense (SND). It is therefore the duty of the SND to look into the affairs of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP). The new CBL which has been approved by Secretary Gazmin on June 25, 2013 is pursuant to the provisions of the VFP Charter.
As a public corporation, particularly, a government-owned or controlled corporation (GOCC), the VFP has been entrusted by the State with vast tracts of lands, resources and special privileges to administer and manage, for the benefit of all veterans and veterans’ surviving spouses.
Secretary Gazmin, being a veteran himself and son of a World War II veteran, manifests his genuine concern for the veterans and their families by ensuring that the Federation adheres to the true letter and spirit of the law that created it. The law which states incontrovertibly, that the Federation “shall exist solely for purposes of a benevolent character, and not for the pecuniary profit of its members.”
As the alter-ego of the President on matters pertaining to defense and veterans affairs, the SND vigorously
supports the President’s platform of good governance which is anchored on eradicating corruption by promoting transparency and public accountability. Secretary Gazmin’s leadership is geared towards genuine and meaningful reforms within the VFP, for the benefit of all Veterans. He believes that these reforms will strengthen the VFP towards achieving its vision of creating a unified Filipino veterans community that will serve as the government’s reliable partner in nation-building.
“The new constitution and by-laws of the VFP is the backbone of the various reforms that will further strengthen the VFP,” the Secretary explained.
Product of ConsultationThe CBL is a product of consultation
with all veterans organizations, primarily the VFP, for over two years, starting in 2010.
“We believe that all veteran organizations, most especially the VFP, have been adequately and fairly represented in the series of consultations we did. I even directed all veterans’ organizations to submit their proposed CBL,” Secretary Gazmin added. Among those who submitted their proposal were the Alliance for the Amelioration headed by retired Gen. Rodrigo Gutang; Cavalier Association of Veterans, Inc. headed by Col. Cesar P. Pobre, PA (Ret); KAMPILAN Peace-keepers Association, Inc. headed by LtGen. Raul S. Urgello, AFP (Ret); and the Veterans Federation of the Philippines.
Other veterans organizations also submitted their comments and inputs during the deliberations. In the series of
consultations, the VFP had been represented by Col. Francisco T. San Miguel PA (Ret), former Executive Vice President; Col. Pablo Salamat PA (Ret), former Secretary General; and BGen Michaelangelo Siscar AFP (Ret).
The CBL therefore is a consolidation of the inputs from various stakeholders and veterans organizations. A substantial portion of which was derived from the proposal of the VFP. The CBL has been crafted by leaders of all veteran organizations whose inputs were consolidated by the Legal Affairs Division of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO). It has passed the scrutiny of the Office of Legal Services of the DND and has been approved by the Secretary of National Defense on 25 June 2013.
Why a new CBL for VFP?
The need for a new CBL for the Federation stemmed from the issue that there had been no valid proof that the old CBL was approved by the Secretary of National Defense in 1964. Granting that it was approved, it is still imperative to craft a new one for the approval of the incumbent SND because the 1964 CBL, as the present VFP leaders themselves admit, had since undergone several revisions and amendments (e.g. VFP Constitution and By-Laws was revised on March 5, 2008; March 5, 2013; and March 2014) which were not approved by the succeeding Secretaries of National Defense. Some provisions during the series of amendment had deviated already from the VFP Charter (RA 2640).
The move to promulgate a CBL for VFP was initiated by the House Committee
5PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
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In a nutshell, Secretary Gazmin has directed the following reforms in
the Veterans Foundation of the Philippines (VFP) to ensure transparency, accountability and uphold the principle of check and balance, to wit:
• Expansion of VFP membership in order for the Federation to become truly representative of the entire Filipino Veterans Community, unlike in the present set-up where only 30% of veterans and surviving spouses receiving pension from the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) comprise the federation’s membership.
• Creation of a professional Management Group separate from the Supreme Council that will competently manage and oversee the operations and corporate affairs of the VFP.
• Adoption of a management system that is transparent, responsible, and accountable, as mandated by existing laws and regulations as implemented by government regulatory bodies such as the Governance Commission on GOCCs (GCG), and the like. Compensation for corporate officers is subject to Republic Act No. 10149 or the “GOCC Governance Act of 2011.”
• Professionalization of the VFP
staff in compliance with the laws and regulations of the Civil Service Commission (creation of compliant plantilla with corresponding career civil service eligibility requirement and compliance with the Salary Standardization Law).
• Adoption of a financial system and regulation of the federation’s Annual Budget to ensure that revenues from both membership dues and business ventures will be well-managed, and funds disbursed in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and Audit (COA). Cash advances shall be strictly controlled and immediately liquidated within the reglementary period. The annual budget shall be presented for the approval of the SND. Member-organizations shall have proportionate share in the revenues of VFP and PVAO shall collect membership dues from pension and remit directly to VFP.
• Adherence to the Government Procurement Law (Republic Act 9184) in all procurement activities, especially in the procurement of medicines, supplies, and equipment
• Implementation of Election Reforms for better representation and empowerment of various organizations in the Supreme Council.
What does the DND aim to accomplish in implementing the Approved VFP CBL? By implementing the CBL, the DND aims to:
S• trengthen the organization and attain the following objectives provided for in the law:
- to uphold and defend the democratic way of life as envisioned in the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines;
- to represent and to defend the interest of all Filipino veterans;
- to coordinate the efforts of all different veterans organizations of the Philippines in behalf of the interests of respective members;
- to promote mutual help among former comrades-in-arms;
- to perpetuate their common experiences in war;
- to undertake acts of charity and relief work;
- to preserve peace and order;- to foster love for country and
things Filipino;- to inculcate individual civic
consciousness.Boost / improve its membership•Make VFP a more dynamic •organization
What specific reforms in the VFP has the Secretary of National Defense directed?
on Veterans Affairs and Welfare through a Committee Resolution directing the Secretary of National Defense through its bureau, the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) to implement a “To Do List.”
Headed by Bataan Rep. Herminia B. Roman, the Committee conducted a series of hearings and consultations with various veterans organizations following complaints pertaining to alleged abuses and mismanagement of VFP funds as stated in the audit reports of the Commission on Audit (COA).
The consolidated output was again presented in a number of public hearings of the Committee where veterans organizations were again represented, including the VFP, before elevating it to the Office of Legal Services – DND and, finally, to Secretary Gazmin who approved it on June 25, 2013.
Role of the veterans familiesOn the part of veterans’ sons and
daughters, Secretary Gazmin explained that their role as relatives of veterans is primarily to provide support and other necessary services to their parents, as part of their moral obligation and patriotic duty.
They should ensure that the heroic deeds of their parents are never forgotten.
Contrary to reports that the CBL would diminish the core function of the current set up of officers, and downgrade the roles of the veterans’ widows and children, Secretary Gazmin said that the CBL shall advance the interest of all Filipino veterans and consequently, their families, and not just the interest of a few.
Call for veterans participation The Defense chief explained that
through the years, the VFP has become unpopular to the veterans that less than 30 percent of the total number of PVAO pensioners nationwide are members of the group.
“We hope that veterans would actively help bring back the relevance of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines as an organization that would harness in their old age, their talents, skills, leadership, business and influence, and raise their capacity to contribute to nation-building, and to continue serving as inspiration and as models to the citizenry, especially to the youth in loving and serving our country,” he said.
“We are exerting efforts to encourage more veterans, especially the retirees, to participate in the affairs of VFP because the federation is the “umbrella” of all veterans organization,” Secretary Gazmin said further. PDN
(Source: Philippine Veterans Affairs Office)
There is no denying that the number and the state of the country’s navy ships and air force flying machines and other military equipment, as well as the pace of materiel acquisition had been on the decline in the past several years. It is really no wonder that BRP Sierra Madre is in such sorry state.
The good news is that from such a
state of weakness and degeneration, the Philippine defense system is now on the rise. We are moving towards a new era. We have started to rebuild a minimum yet credible defense system. The Department of National Defense under the present administration will usher the country into this new era. The DND will be marking its 75th Anniversary this year
with tangible milestones in the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. By modernizing the AFP, the government is ushering in the next 25 years of a more secure Philippines. This is the commitment of the Department on its way to its 100 years of service to the Filipino people. PDN
(continued from page 3)Then, now and what is to come
6 PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
MAY - AUGUST 2014
Desolate But Defiant: The BRP Sierra Madre Amidst Territorial Disputes in the West Philippine Sea
COVER STORY
Situated just 105 nautical miles from Palawan is a rusting and
hole-riddled World War II-era ship, the country’s unlikely vanguard in the intensifying territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.
The BRP Sierra Madre of the Philippine Navy ran aground on Ayungin Shoal in 1999 and has since remained as a threadbare military garrison of a small number of Filipino troops stationed in defiance to the encroachment of Chinese vessels in the Philippine waters.
Tipping pointNamed after the longest mountain
range in the country, the BRP Sierra Madre was the former USS Harnett County, a tank-landing ship deployed during World War II. During the Vietnam War, it was repurposed as a floating helicopter and speedboat hub. Eventually, the US gave the ship to Vietnam in 1970, and, in 1976, it was handed over to the Philippines.
Also known as the LT57, the Sierra Madre used to serve as mobile ship and carried combat soldiers, helicopters, and tanks. It was also a recipient of multiple Service Ship of the Year awards during it active commission. Indeed, this battle-tested ship of the Philippine Navy that served the country for decades had proven its worth and continues to do so until today.
Like its namesake that shields the island of Luzon from the devastation of typhoons from the Pacific, it is the Sierra Madre that stands ground in keeping foreign incursions at bay.
Beaten by the scorching tropical sun, ravaged by rust, and barely kept together by metal sheets and patches of tarpaulins, the ship is being manned by a handful of Marines whose bravery and love of country keep the whole contraption of metal and men buoyed up in the middle of such a dire situation, amidst the intense physical and mental challenges that the soldiers have to
endure. The same courage and love of country have become the nation’s fortress and stronghold in that part of the Philippines.
“It was hard to imagine how such a forsaken place could become a flash point in a geopolitical power struggle,” wrote Jeff Himmelman in his October 2013 article for The New York Times, A Game of Shark and Minnow.
Ayungin Shoal is within the disputed Spratly Islands claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and China. The overlapping claims are said to stem from the abundant oil and natural gas deposits, as well as the rich fisheries and the huge chunk of the world’s merchant fleet tonnage that pass through the waters.
“Of all places, the scorched shell of the Sierra Madre has become an unlikely battleground in a geopolitical struggle that will shape the future of the South China Sea and, to some extent, the rest of the world,” wrote Himmelman.
6 PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
7PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
MAY - AUGUST 2014
Desolate detachmentThe eve of the Philippines’
submission of a memorial to the United Nations arbitral tribunal coincided with a resupply and troop rotation to the BRP Sierra Madre. On March 29, 2014, journalists joined the operation bringing food supplies and fresh boots of Marine troops replacing the group of 1st Lt. Mike Pelotera and company aboard the scorched and dilapidated ship on Ayungin Shoal.
“Ang misyon namin ay dependahan yung area natin at i-report or mag-conduct kami ng surveillance. So sa loob ng tatlong buwan, tipid tayo sa tubig. Dahil, yun na nga, kung wala tayong tubig, mahihirapan tayo. Pag kakain tayo, wala tayong tubig,” Pelotera said in an interview. [“Our mission is to defend our area and to report and conduct surveillance. For three months, we have to ration our water usage because if we have water shortage, it will be difficult for us, especially when
we eat.”]Using improvised spears and
arrows from repurposed nails and blades to catch lapu-lapu, the Filipino troops swim around the ship to catch fish by the buckets on good days, trying to augment their food supply. “Mostly talaga, nanginigsda yung tropa ko,” Pelotera said.
However, water and food supply might be the lesser worry of the Marines aboard Sierra Madre. The barely-habitable ship only relies on portable generators to light the areas inhabited by the soldiers while the rest of the ship remains in permanent darkness.
Aside from the extreme weather conditions—intense heat from the sun during the day, and howling winds and rains during storms—the Marines need to adapt to the various health hazards and dangers posed by the corrosion, unstable footing and sharp edges of the deck’s brittle steel.
During their downtime, the Marines gather for karaoke, watch movies that they have already seen countless times, or watch television programs regularly interrupted by faulty connection. Often, the soldiers retreat to their own makeshift quarters to spend the time to work out.
“Loneliness talaga ma-e-encounter mo, eh. Yung family talaga, iniisip ka lagi. Kailangan nilang maintindihan yung trabaho ko, kasi alam naman nila na para sa bayan yung ginagawa namin,” explained Pelotera. [“(The troops) have to face loneliness. My family thinks of me often, but I have to make them understand my job because they know that what I’m doing is for our country.”]
Every week or so, the deployed soldiers get to talk to their families back home using one of the satellite phones on board. These five to ten-minute calls are the only contact they have outside their lonely detachment.
“Hindi kami nawawalan ng pag-asa o na-lo-low morale. Hindi. Mas tumitibay yung kalooban naming na depensahan
ito dahil atin ito.”
(continued on page 10)
The troops spend their days on the BRP Sierra Madre weathering the elements, gathering food and water, and keeping an eye on foreign vessels patrolling the area. (Photo courtesy of Lt Annaleah Cazcarro, PN and NAVFORWES)
7PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
8 PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
MAY - AUGUST 2014
With extreme weather conditions becoming the new normal in the world these days, governments and
concerned private entities are finding ways and means to prepare for typhoons, moonson rains, flooding and disasters of great magnitude such as super typhoon Yolanda.
One of the most important lessons learned in the Yolanda tragedy is that communication is key. It is in fact crucial for the first responders and in the ensuing rescue and relief operations.
The communication problems encountered especially in the immediate aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda, highlighted the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) need to be equipped with an effective communication system and an operation center that has the capability to deploy a rapid emergency communications team.
The good news is that these gaps in the country’s disaster management agency’s capability will soon be filled
with the help of SMS Global Technologies Inc. (SMSGT), which is donating a state of the art Intelligent Operation System and Infrastructure.
NDRRMC signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with SMSGT on the donation of Intelligent Operation System and Infrastructure on May 5, 2014, at the Social Hall of the Department of National Defense in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Construction of the project started in August and the IOS is envisioned to be functional by April 2015.
With the help of its partners from the US, Canada and New Zealand, SMSGT which is an IT and telecommunications systems integrator and solutions provider will shoulder the entire cost of the project which is about P300 million.
The infrastructure project, which will house the communication systems, will soon rise in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo. Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin led the groundbreaking ceremony on August 28, 2014. PDN
NDRRMC and SMS Global Technologies to build Intelligent Operation Center and Infrastructure
Artist’s perspective of the new NDRRM Operation Center, Command Center and the Operation Center lobby (Photo courtesy of OCD)
9PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
MAY - AUGUST 2014
In a simple turnover ceremony on May 12, 2014, the Department of National Defense (DND) welcomed
former Philippine Navy flag officer-in-command (FOIC) Alex Pama, who assumed his post as executive director of the National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) after President Benigno S. Aquino III appointed him to head the disaster management agency.
Pama replaced Eduardo Del Rosario who resigned as NDRRMC chief on April 24 due to health reasons .
According to DND Spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez, “Alex Pama was selected based on his experience with the
defense department and with the Armed Forces.” Aside from a successful career in the military, Pama also
served at the Department of National Defense as chief of staff of then (Defense) Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Galvez added.
Pama who served as Navy FOIC until his retirement on Dec. 21, 2012 is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1979,
Prior to this NDRRMC appointment, the President appointed him as presidential adviser on maritime affairs in June last year. PDN
DND welcomes new NDRRMC head
The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program is the
main source of reservists in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). However, with the implementation of the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001, which mandated the voluntary enrolment in the program, the number of ROTC enrollees have since declined. Based on recorded data, there was almost a 50-percent decrease in the number of enrollees from over two million in 2001 to an estimated 950,000 in 2012.
In an effort to enhance the ROTC Program and increase the number of its enrollees, the AFP conducted the ROTC Commandants’ Symposium on July 26, 2014, at the AFP Commissioned Officers Club.
The AFP through the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Reservist and Retiree Affairs, J9, invited officials from the Department of Education, Commission
on Higher Education, and selected (NSTP) directors to participate in yesterday’s activity.
The symposium focused on the current status of the ROTC Program implementation, best practices by the commandants, and updates on the DepEd’s K12 program and its effects on ROTC. It also served as opportunity for different NSTP school administrators to give insights on how to enhance ROTC and develop creative ways to increase the number of enrollees.
The Deputy Chief of Staff for Reservist and Retiree Affairs, Rear Admiral Romeo Santiago Nebres presided over the event.
The constitution states that the preservation of the state is an obligation of every citizen. The ROTC program is a good training program for our youths to prepare them in the fulfillment of this sacred duty.
The AFP, for its part, continues to encourage more youths to enroll in the ROTC program. It believes that it is high time that it develops people who will willingly help in the emerging threats of external aggression, during and after natural calamities and disasters.
Through ROTC, the country will have trained men and women who can defend their country in times of war and crises; undertake disaster, relief and rescue operations and; assist in socio-economic development, and operate vital government and private installations in times of emergencies.
The ROTC Program promotes nationalism and patriotism among the youth and develops their sense of willingness to render active military service and civil services, either for peacetime, emergency or wartime missions. PDN
Enhancing the ROTC: AFP holds Symposium
Where have all the young men gone? Our country needs them don’t they know?When duty calls would they hear it at all?
And if they do, would they heed the call?
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MAY - AUGUST 2014
Standing on dangerous groundThe old communications room with
outdated electronic equipment is the driest spot on the ship. This area holds the computer, television with satellite connection, and radio used to report the numbers and activities of vessels near Ayungin to the headquarters in Palawan.
The troops aboard the Sierra Madre monitor the movements of foreign ships in the vicinity, which are mostly Chinese Coast Guard vessels. These bigger and more modern ships often blockade Navy operations to the shoal and the surrounding waters. These vessels pose a constant threat of incursions looming in the horizon.
According to Himmelman’s October 2013 article, Maj. Gen. Zhang Zhaozhong of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army described China’s “cabbage strategy”, which deploys numerous ships in a contested area so that “the island is thus wrapped layer by layer like a cabbage.”
The BRP Sierra Madre stands its ground in the shadow of the standoff between the Philippines and China in 2012 in Scarborough Shoal, and the Chinese reclamation of Mischief Reef only 21 nautical miles from Ayungin where China has built fortifications.
“Since [the 2012 standoff], we have begun to take measures to seal and control the areas around the Huangyan
Island,” Zhang said in a May 2013 television interview, using the Chinese term for Scarborough. He further listed Ren’ai Shoal (the Chinese name for Ayungin) in the PLA’s “series of achievements in the South China Sea.”
“If we carry out the cabbage strategy, you will not be able to send food and drinking water to the islands. Without the supply for one or two weeks, the troopers stationed there will leave the islands on their own,” Zhang said.
Despite the overwhelming odds, the Marines aboard the Sierra Madre keep their feet firm on the deck of the ship.
“Nakikita naming yung China Coast Guard na nagpapatrolya sa vicinity ng Ayungin Shoal, hindi kami nawawalan ng pag-asa o na-lo-low morale. Hindi. Mas tumitibay yung kalooban naming na dependahan[sic] ito dahil atin ito,” 1st Lt. Pelotera stressed. [“We see the Chinese Coast Guard patrolling the vicinity of the Ayungin Shoal, (but) we do not lose hope or get disheartened. No. We keep our morale high to defend this territory because this is ours.”]
“Nakikita namin na high-tech yung kagamitan nila. Pero hindi pa rin kami nagpapatinag. Hindi baleng high-tech sila, basta tayo hangga’t nandito tayo, bantayan natin itong teritoryo natin. Atin ito, eh,” Pelotera added. [“We know that they (the Chinese) have more advanced
equipment, but we don’t let it get the better of us. It doesn’t matter if they have better technologies as long as we’re here, we will defend our territory. This is ours.”] PDN
Atty. Cherrie B. Belmonte-Lim, Director IV and Chief of the DND Legal Affairs Service landed in the top ten among the 2,048 successful examinees in the March 2014 Real Estate Broker Licensure Examination. She also passed the Real Estate Appraiser Licensure Examination held on July 13-2014.
(continued from page 7)Desolate But Defiant
Despite the overwhelming odds, the Marines keep their morale high and their feet firm on the deck of the BRP Sierra Madre. (Photo courtesy of Lt Annaleah Cazcarro, PN and NAVFORWES)
11PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
MAY - AUGUST 2014
After more than four decades of fostering industry, frugality and savings, the Armed Forces and Police Savings Association, Inc. (AFPSLAI) continues to show its members that the Association values their trust with the
introduction of the Expected Dividend Advance (EDA) and a much lower Credit Redemption Insurance (CRI) premium rates for consumption loans.
AFPSLAI understands the financial needs of the members who depend on the quarterly dividend payout so when BSP Circular No. 789 Series of 2013 prescribed that the distribution of dividend to AFPSLAI members should now be on an annual basis, the Association started offering EDA which allows registered members to receive/advance their dividends on a quarterly basis. Tangible application forms are available in all branches and extension offices of the Association. A downloadable form is also available in AFPSLAI’s official website.
As also mentioned, AFPSLAI has successfully negotiated the reduction of the premium rates on the CRI for Salary/Pension Loan, Multi-Purpose Loan, Emergency Loan and Personal Loan which would help lessen the burden of borrowers. The maximum loanable amount and insurance coverage for pensioners aged 70-80 have also been increased.
Additional good news for member-pensioners who are 81-85 years old who can now avail of a loan up to Php150,000 as they are now covered by CRI.
For more information on AFPSLAI and its products and services, visit www.afpslai.com.ph or any of AFPSLAI’s 21 branches and 50 extension offices nationwide.
AFPSLAI introduces expected dividend advance and reduced loan rates
ADMM convenes for the 8th time
Meeting for the eighth time in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on May 20, 2014 since the ASEAN Defense Ministers
Meeting (ADMM) was convened in 2006, the defense ministers of ASEAN approved a workplan for 2014-2016, which contains activities of the defense sector that would contribute to the establishment of an ASEAN political and security community. And to further ensure efficient and effective conduct of these activities, the ministers likewise adopted additional protocols for the ADMM and the ADMM-Plus.
To help prevent conflict from arising and to defuse tension if it occurs, the ministers agreed to establish direct communications link between and among themselves with the possibility of bringing in ASEAN’s dialogue partners such as China, once the system is in place in 2015.
In his intervention, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin stressed the need to finally conclude a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea considering that it has been 12 years since the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT
was signed between ASEAN and China in 2002. Meanwhile, ASEAN militaries should explore crafting
shared protocols of interaction at sea to help ASEAN navies and maritime agencies avoid accidents and incidents at sea.
Secretary Gazmin also explained that the arbitration case of the Philippines would also benefit China as a clarification of maritime entitlements of China resulting from the arbitration would enable it to exercise responsible leadership in the region. Secretary Gazmin once more emphasized these points during the informal meeting between the ASEAN defense ministers and China’s defense minister later in the day. PDN
12 PHILIPPINE DEFENSE NEWSLETTER
MAY - AUGUST 2014
