MANILA — Philippine Navy (PN) flagship BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15) will undergo various communications, weapons, and fire-control upgrades while undergoing repair for the damages sustained during her grounding at Hasa-Hasa (Half-Moon) Shoal last August 29.

This was confirmed by Navy spokesperson Commander Jonathan Zata when sought for an update on the ship on Monday.

“Del Pilar is still undergoing bottom hull repairs and will be undocked as soon as repairs have been completed. Propellers and related underwater appendages will be shipped to the US for repairs. While awaiting the completion of those repairs, she will undergo communications and weapon and fire control upgrades in order to optimize her down-time period,” he added.

Zata said the frigate will be back in operation once these parts, coming from outside the country, have arrived.

The ship was pulled clear from Hasa-Hasa Shoal last Sept. 3 and towed to Subic Bay, Zambales, arriving there on September 7.

The BRP Gregorio Del Pilar is one of three Hamilton-class cutters acquired by the PN from the United States Coast Guard and converted into frigates.

These ships have a gross tonnage of 3,250 tons, a length of 378 feet, beam of 43 feet, and draft of 15 feet while its propulsion systems consist of two diesel engines and two gas turbine engines, giving it a top speed of 29 knots.

These vessels have a cruising range of 14,000 miles and have a sea and loiter time of 45 days and armed with a 76mm Oto Melara automatic cannon, 25mm and 20mm light cannons and .50-caliber machineguns.

Source: pna.gov.ph

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Photo Credit: worthygains.com

One of three great rivers at the foot of Mt. Pinatubo, rendered impassable and long dead for two decades, and posing great risks to Zambales residents, will be rehabilitated by a mining company at no cost to the government.

The Maloma River traversing the Municipality of San Felipe in Zambales presently overflowing with lahar and floods during rainy days since the epic Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991 will be rehabilitated by Spartan Mining and Development Corp.

Socrates G. Babia, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Spartan, announced that company will foot the-60 hectare dredging project, including the construction of a spillway and slope protection.

“The construction of a spillway and slope protection on both sides of the whole stretch of Maloma River to ensure that there will be no more flooding and that the river will be transformed to its former depth and water quality. These construction activities were approved by the DPWH and will be undertaken by Spartan as additional freebie,” Babia said.

“The project was rendered compliant with all the regulations and requirements of the Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” Babia disclosed.

“We would like to thank DENR Secretary Rey Cimatu and his staff for this good news that will signal to all that worthy projects such as ours are given the much needed push by government under President Rodrigo Duterte,” Babia said.

“We are optimistic that not only will the ECC on the Maloma River and other two bigger rivers in Zambales namely Bucao River and Sto. Tomas River, which Spartan also applied for, five years ago. will be approved soon in line with President Duterte’s Economic Recovery Program,” he added.

Spartan will dredge and rehabilitate the two rivers at no cost to the government following similar DENR measures on river dredging and rehabilitation, Babia said.

Prior dredging rights were given to Spartan for the three rivers by the Department of Public Works and Highways after Spartan had complied with Department Order 139, series of 2014.

Spartan, according to Babia, is the only company that was able to comply with the stringent measures and very high standards of the said DPWH department order.

Since Mt. Pinatubo erupted 27 years ago, the three rivers of Maloma, Sto. Tomas, and Bucao were rendered impassable and dangerous by both the DPWH and DENR because of the billions of tons of lahar that cascaded from the mountain as a result of the eruption.

Arturo Libot, President and Chief Operations Officer said the issuance is long overdue and much awaited by the people of Zambales whose lives and properties are affected by the flooding and lahar overflows during rainy days along Maloma River, notwithstanding the other two bigger rivers presently filled to the rafters with lahar still awaiting to be dredged and rehabilitated.

“It’s a win- win situation for all parties as Spartan undertakes the dredging, an important flood mitigation activity in the rehabilitation and re-opening of the Maloma River channel,” Libot said.
Not only will flooding be prevented but the national and local government will get revenues in the form of taxes and extraction fees for every cubic meter of lahar sand Spartan dredges and sells to local and international buyers in need of construction sand, he said.

The dredging, rehabilitation and re-opening of the Maloma River channel will also spur job generation and economic activities for the people of Zambales.

Lahar, according to Libot, is the best source of construction and reclamation materials in the world.

Source: manilastandard.net

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By Recto Mercene

Photo Credit: Carmudi Philippines

THE country’s premier gateway has proposed to increase the passenger terminal fee for local and international flights to raise money for the airports’ maintenance and operating expenses.

Airport general manager Ed V. Monreal made the announcement on Wednesday during an airport media forum attended by top Department of Transportation (DOTr) officials.

“Historically, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport [Naia] has the lowest terminal fee within the Philippines,” he said, noting that Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) and Clark have higher terminal fees.

The last time the Naia increased the officially named International Passenger Service Charge (IPSC) was in 1999.

“We have [made] many improvements, we need funding, although the proposal is not final but has been approved by the board,” he said, adding the proposed fees would still have to be published in a newspaper of national circulation.

According to Monreal, international passengers at the MCIA are charged P850, and domestic passengers, P300.

At Subic Bay International Airport, the rate is P650 for international and P150 for domestic, while Clark International Airport’s terminal fee is P600 for international and P150 for domestic.

At the Naia, however, the fee for international flights is only P550; and for domestic, P200. The Naia’s proposed new terminal fee for international flights is P750, and for domestic, P300.

Monreal said the average fee in the region is the equivalent of about P2,000.

If approved, the terminal fee adjustment would be implemented in the second quarter of next year, Monreal said.

The proposal has already been discussed in public hearings and was approved by the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) Board, with the management agreeing to impose it in April 2019.

The terminal fee hike, Monreal stressed, is also to cover the airport’s operational expenses such as on infrastructure and service improvements, including security expenses.

The new terminal fees will be included in the plane tickets and paid by the airlines—which, expectedly—would tack it eventually as an additional airplane fee.

The airport chief pointed out that the proposed adjustment is also part of the airport’s rehabilitation plan.

The Naia has in the past raised international terminal fees thrice—from April 1, 1993, the IPSC was P250 and it was increased to P300; then to P500 on April 1, 1994, and then to P550 on April 1, 1999.

For domestic flights, the Miaa hiked the charge it levied on passengers from P100 to P200 in September 2005.

Monreal said terminal fee exemptions are still in effect, and cover overseas Filipino workers, athletes, children below two years old, and government officials on official travel.

Night-rated airports
Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said he aims to increase the number of night-rated airports to 36, out of the 44 commercial airports managed by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap).

At the moment, there are about 20 airports that are night-rated, up from 15 since the start of the Duterte administration, according to Caap Director General Jim Sydiongco.

He said the Caap manages a total of 86 airports but half of these are community airports or provincial airstrips.

These far-flung airports were constructed either to accommodate small, private airplanes or those belonging to general aviation, or as emergency landing sites for commercial planes.

Sydiongco listed several requirements before an airport could be night-rated, meaning it could be open to operations even at night time.

“You have to extend the length of the runway and expand the width, you have to put up a control tower and you must have air-traffic controllers to man them,” Sydiongco said.

Some airports that are proposed to be night-rated are Kalibo, San Vicente Airport, Palawan; Panglao Airport, Bohol; Naga, Cotabato and Tuguegarao.

“These are priority airports which we hope would be night-rated before the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term,” Tugade said.

Source: businessmirror.com.ph

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Story by Christina Clarke
Naval Hospital – Naples

Photo By Christina Clarke | Tizon’s wife, Zenia (left), and sister, Nancy (right), place his Captain shoulder boards during his promotion ceremony.

After over 33 years of service in the United States Navy, Commander Romeo T. Tizon Jr., was promoted to the rank of Captain at U.S. Naval Hospital Naples, Italy, on September 10, 2018.

Born and raised in the Philippines, then Seaman Recruit Romeo T. Tizon enlisted in the United States Navy at U.S. Naval Station Subic Bay, Philippines in October 1984, along with 15 other Filipino nationals. This was his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve a better future. At 20 years old, he completed boot camp in San Diego, CA, and decided to be a Hospital Corpsman. “I knew right then that I would stay in the Navy as long as I could to serve the country that has afforded me so many opportunities to better my life, both personally and professionally,” said Tizon.

Tizon went on to achieve the rank of Chief Petty Officer in September 1995. During his enlisted service, he was selected as the 2003 U.S. Marine Forces Pacific Sailor of the Year and was a Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) Sailor of the Year finalist. He went on to continue his education, earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree from the University of Maryland, a Master of Human Relations degree from the University of Oklahoma, and a Master of Science in Management degree from Troy University. His dedication, perseverance and hard work paid off when he has commissioned an Ensign into the Navy Medical Service Corps in May 1997.

Tizon held various positions within Navy Medicine and the operational Fleet Marine Forces, including serving as Executive Officer, Headquarters & Service Company, 3rd Dental Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group; Health Care Administrator at U.S. Naval Hospital, Okinawa; Officer-in-Charge, Medical Branch, U.S. Marine Corps Maritime Prepositioning Forces (MPF) Program; Commanding Officer, 3rd Medical Logistics Company, 3rd Marine Logistics Group; Director for Administration for Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River, MD; Regional Logistician and Interim Deputy Chief of Staff, Installation and Logistics (M4), at Navy Medicine East.

As the current Director for Administration at U.S. Naval Hospital Naples, he leads a joint Navy-Army team in providing top-notch operations, logistics, facility, and administrative support to deliver world-class care to over 9,000 enrolled beneficiaries and over 29,000 operational forces in the EUCOM, AFRICOM, and CENTCOM areas of responsibility.

“As a first-generation immigrant, I can tell you that many of those I grew up with are wondering ‘How is it possible for someone from humble beginnings to achieve the rank of Navy Captain? This is not supposed to happen.’ I can tell you that education, training, dedication, hard work, and unrelenting perseverance makes it all possible. The American dream is alive and well and this country we all love has given us opportunities that allow us to achieve our goals and aspirations, and I am living proof of that,” Tizon said during his commissioning ceremony.

Addressing the enlisted Sailors at the ceremony, “My challenge to you is to continue to grow yourselves personally and professionally. Go to school, listen to your Chiefs and leaders, learn life lessons every single day and make the most of your Naval journey. Take care of yourselves and each other. Never give up on your dreams. The only thing that can stop you from achieving your goals is you – no one else. If I can do it, so can you!”

Tizon closed the ceremony by reminiscing on all that the Navy has afforded him. “The past 33 years have been the best days of my life. At the end of the day, what truly matters is the privilege of serving our Sailors, and the countless relationships and lifetime friendships forged during this journey. Military service is a higher calling and there is no higher honor than to serve our Nation’s best and brightest — our heroic warfighters and their families. We must not break this sacred trust.”

Source: dvidshub.net

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CLARK FREEPORT — This free port in Pampanga and Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales are taking more steps to handle the influx of Chinese tourists and investors, beginning with the training of their personnel in the Chinese language and culture.

Mandarin lessons were part of the commitment made on Friday when Noel Manankil, Clark Development Corp. president, and Wilma Eisma, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chair and administrator, signed a memorandum of understanding with Michael Tan, University of the Philippines Diliman chancellor and Confucius Institute chair.

“To support Subic and Clark’s tourism growth, we are pursuing capacity-building initiatives to upgrade the skills of their tourism front liners. This will allow them to effectively communicate with tens of thousands of Chinese tourists visiting Subic and Clark, brought about by the influx of cruise ships now calling on the Port of Subic Bay,” said Lourdes Nepomuceno, director of the Confucius Institute.

Language training

The institute has also done language training for personnel of the Bureau of Immigration and Department of Foreign Affairs.

Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo signed a similar memorandum for a Mandarin language course in Mabalacat City College. —Tonette Orejas

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

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