Commander Jonathan V. Zata, director of the Naval Public Affairs Office (PN / MANILA BULLETIN)

The Philippine Navy said that Wednesday’s capability test firing activity held off the waters of Lamao Point, Bataan, was not intended to coincide with the two-day visit to the country of Chinese President Xi Jingping.

This was clarified by Commander Jonathan V. Zata, director of the Naval Public Affairs Office on Wednesday.

“It’s not intentional. It’s not something that was planned, purposely for anyone, or any organization. It so happened that the planning cycle afforded this window and this is the only available window that was agreed upon,” Zata said.

“Hindi ito (This is not) purposely against one person or against an organization or even a particular entity. It so happened lang na yung (that the) planning cycle, even consideration… medyo nauna na to (This came first) even before…,” he added.

Zata, at the same time, said that President Rodrigo Duterte was supposed to attend the scenario-based capability demonstration and live firing of the newly-installed Spike Extended Range (ER) Missile System and Mini Typhoon Machine Gun System (MGS) on board the Multi-Purpose Attack Craft (MPAC) MKIII but sent instead Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Zata said the Capability Demonstration is PN’s way of showing its readiness and preparedness as it acquires new capabilities as part of the ongoing military modernization program.

“The newly acquired Spike ER missile system, automated machine gun system and rocket equipped helicopter of your navy are intended to better serve the country and people,” Zata said.

The Philippine Navy successfully tested last August its first Spike-ER surface-to-surface missile on board the Multi-Purpose Attack Craft (MPAC) MKIII during the Sea Acceptance Test (SAT) off Lamao Point in Limay, Bataan.

Zata said Navy officials together with teams from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. (RAFAEL) and the Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee (TIAC) of the Department of National Defense (DND), oversaw the test firing activity that included the SAT for the Mini Typhoon Machine Gun System (MGS) and SAT for the Spike-Extended Range (ER) Missile Launching System (MLS).

He said it is necessary to test, inspect and accept the weapons and its systems in accordance with the contract for the final acceptance of the system.

Zata said Vice Admiral Empedrad, together with other senior Navy officers and DND Defense Acquisition Office representatives were on board an MPAC as they witnessed the historic missile live fire testing.

He said a Spike-ER missile was fired and accurately hit the designated target, approximately 6 kilometers away from the firing platform.

“The target was hit dead center even if the sea state condition was moderately rough with wave of at least 1 meter high but within the normal firing conditions of the missile,” Zata said.

The Philippine Navy MPAC Acquisition Project earlier entered into a contract with RAFAEL, through SIBAT of Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD), for the supply and integration of the Weapons Systems to MPAC MKIII platforms.

Source: news.mb.com.ph

Continue Reading

Photo Credit: 1Bataan

PILAR, Bataan — More drug surrenderers are expected to receive help in leading new lives with the inauguration on Monday of the newly-constructed Bataan Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center at the foot of historic Mt. Samat here.

Dr. Elizabeth Serrano, chief of hospital, said the center was built through funds from the Department of Health (DOH) and the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) amounting to more than PHP50 million.

Serrano said their operation began in an old building in Barangay Liyang here that was built in the 1970s by the Kabataang Barangay, then headed by Imee Marcos, now Ilocos Norte governor, as training center for the youth.

She said they started with a 50-bed capacity in October of 2008.

With the new center constructed on the same location, she said they now have a 220-bed capacity facility.

The new center, built on 1.7-hectare lot, will offer regular in-house program, outpatient treatment, after care treatment, and medical and dental services. There will also be an art room, prayer room and chapel for spiritual rehabilitation, Serrano said.

The center also has a room, where paintings and other forms of art of the “residents” or rehabilitees are displayed.

Serrano said at present, they have less than 90 “residents” and 300 outpatients. About 60 percent are Bataan residents and the rest from various parts of the country.

“Karamihan ng admissions are from the plea bargaining agreement. Galing sa jail na nag-plead ng guilty (Most of the admission were from the plea bargaining agreement. They came from jail and pleaded guilty),” Serrano said.

Residents undergo eight to 12 months of rehabilitation and the outpatients, four months.

Serrano said that thousands of residents have already graduated in their 10 years of operation. (PNA)

Source: pna.gov.ph

Continue Reading

CLARK International Airport aims to welcome 4.5 million annual passengers by 2022.

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it is expecting total passengers at the Clark International Airport (CIA) to reach 2.5 million next month as the holiday season kicks in.

In a statement on Monday, the DoTr said Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and chief executive officer Jaime Alberto C. Melo reported the number of passengers in Clark is set to hit a record 2.5 million by the third week of December. In 2017, CIA recorded 1.5 million passengers.

“(Clark International Airport) is now one of the country’s busiest airports and this 2.5 million passenger mark is another record-breaking milestone for Clark,” he was quoted as saying.

The gateway in Pampanga currently handles 390 domestic and 184 intrnational flights every week. By next year, the Clark airport eyes 11 domestic and 24 international destinations.

“The increase in the number of passengers here at the Clark Airport means we help ease congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and in Metro Manila, and at the same time increase economic activities in the central and northern regions,” Mr. Melo added.

The Clark airport targets to register 4.5 million annual passengers by 2022. — Denise A. Valdez

Source: .bworldonline.com

Continue Reading

A Chinese group will finance the establishment of an industrial park in New Clark City, Pampanga.

MANILA, Philippines — As Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the country this week, a Chinese company will invest $2 billion or about P105.2 billion to establish an industrial park in New Clark City, Pampanga.

According to a report in the Financial Times, the China Gezhouba Group will sign a memorandum of understanding to develop 500 hectares in Clark.

This would be one of the largest projects under the Duterte administration’s “Build Build Build” infrastructure program.

It would also be one of Beijing’s biggest investments in the country.

The signing of the deal will coincide with Xi’s two-day state visit to Manila, the first by a Chinese leader since former President Hu Jintao.

Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president Vince Dizon said Chinese technology and manufacturing companies will be using the planned industrial park in Clark.

“You are talking about thousands of jobs that would be made available there once those industrial locators come in,” Dizon told the Financial Times.

An executive from Gezhouba said an intention and framework for investment has been established, the Financial Times reported.

The Chinese group has been waiting for official feedback from the Philippine government and is currently in the “stage of commercial confidentiality.”

“We hope to promote co-operation with the BCDA, with the help of the high-level government visit this time,” the Gezhouba senior official told Financial Times.

Gezhouba will be the second Chinese company to establish a major presence in the Philippines in recent months after China Telecom, which has expressed intent to become the country’s third major telecommunications provider.

The Philippines and China have agreed on $15 billion or P789 billion worth of infrastructure projects when President Rodrigo Duterte visited Beijing last year.

‘Debt trap’
However, implementation of China-backed projects have been slow with net foreign investment flows from Beijing amounting to about P9.48 billion in the first half of 2018, the report noted.

US Vice President Mike Pence has warned Asia Pacific countries of falling into China’s debt traps.

“Projects they support are often unsustainable and of poor quality. And too often, they come with strings attached and lead to staggering debt,” Pence said during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, meanwhile, assured the public that the Philippine government is “very careful” in choosing projects with China.

“We are very careful. Number one, we choose the projects we want… Second, we would step around for the best terms,” Diokno said. — Patricia Lourdes Viray

Source: philstar.com

Continue Reading

Photo Credit: garlete.com

MARIVELES, Bataan — The privately-owned Seafront Shipyard and Port Terminal Services based in Barangay Lucanin, here, is now producing local but quality ships that can compete with vessels made by other shipbuilding companies abroad.

This positive development came after a huge maritime training ship was successfully commissioned in a blessing last week that was witnessed by local and shipping officials in the State-owned Orion port.

“This is another breakthrough of the province and a big help to the Maritime industry,” said Gov Abet S. Garcia, impressed by the local ship product of Seafront.

The commissioning of the JBL Vanguard Maritime Training Ship was led by Garcia, Dr. Mary Lou Arcelo, owner of the training ship; Carlo Ignacio, vice president of Seafront Shipyard and Port Terminal services that manufactured the vessel; and other guests.

The governor said that the commissioning of the ship was a big boost to the Maritime industry in the country, and came at a time when the world is in demand of more international seafarers.

Arcelo told The Manila Bulletin that the training ship will be open to other Maritime schools to help train their students.

The JBL maritime ship, however, will be sailed to its home port in Iloilo City, to be operated by the John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University.

Ronaldo Sebastian, CEO of JBL, pointed out that the P200-million training ship was just a Second hand vessel but underwent for almost a year of massive renovation by Seafront Shipyard in barangay Lucanin, Mariveles town.

Asked why the company needed to go all the way to Bataan for its renovation considering there are a lot of ship repair facilities in Manila and Visayas areas, Sebastian said that it is more economical to have their ship repaired at Seafront Shipyard because aside from being cheaper, its (Seafront) technical expertise is above par.

Source: news.mb.com.ph

Continue Reading