A US amphibious assault vehicle trundles past Philippine Marines taking position during a simulated beach landing as part of the annual Balikatan military exercises at a Navy training camp in San Antonio, Zambales yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines — Some 340 Filipino and American troops stormed and neutralized “enemy” positions along the coastline of San Antonio, Zambales yesterday.

By: Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star)

This was among the highlights of the Balikatan joint military exercises between the Philippines and US troops for this year.

Balikatan is the yearly joint military training carried out in the country under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States.

Balikatan-Philippines spokesperson Lt. Liezl Vidallon said 180 Filipino sailors and Marines took part in the coastal assault with around 160 American troops.

Three American amphibious assault vehicles and two landing craft from the Philippine Navy’s landing dock ship BRP Davao del Sur took part in the drill.

Providing extra muscle to the mock beachhead assault was the Navy’s frigate BRP Ramon Alcaraz.

Simultaneously hitting the beaches, combined Filipino and American troops engaged the “enemies” in close quarter battle in an urban setting.

The joint troops will also take part in live fire exercises in a gunnery range at Crow Valley in Tarlac, as well as land combat drills at the Army’s base in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija.

Photo credi: Alvin Kasiban

A small number of troops from the Australian Defense Force (ADF) as well as those from Japan are also participating in this year’s land-based combat drill.

The decades-old tradition appeared headed for the history books last year as newly elected President Duterte pivoted toward China – and away from long-time Philippine ally the US.

But the number of troops taking part in the drills has increased by a third from last year to 8,000, a return to figures seen in years past when the exercises served as a thinly veiled deterrent to a rising China.
Duterte’s change of heart on the two-week Balikatan may be due to what experts see as careful efforts by the military to restrain their unpredictable president.

Photo credit: Alvin Kasiban

“The fact it’s being done under this administration means they (Duterte’s government) now have a better understanding of the security equation,” political analyst Victor Andres Manhit said.

Though the bulked-up maneuvers – including a live-fire component that was dropped last year – took place on a naval base just 180 kilometers east of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal that China has controlled since 2012, the drill’s leaders barely mentioned Beijing.

“We are an island nation. That’s why we need to improve our capabilities on amphibious operations,” Army Major General Emmanuel Salamat told reporters.

“We’re not concerned about Scarborough. We’re concerned about what we’re doing here.”

China claims most of the South China Sea, a strategic waterway believed to harbor significant oil and natural gas deposits, but this was ruled illegal in 2016 after Duterte’s predecessor Benigno Aquino III filed suit before an international maritime tribunal.

Duterte has since reversed course and set the ruling aside, along with long-simmering friction over competing claims to the waters, in order to court Chinese trade and investment.

He has also cut two major annual naval exercises with the US and last year reduced the Balikatan contingent to 5,400 US and Filipino troops.

The decision came at a low point for US-Philippine relations, when Duterte called the American ambassador “gay” and served notice that the 2017 edition would “be the last military exercise” with the United States. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, AFP

Source: philstar.com

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ORION, Bataan — The ferry boat services plying from this coastal province to Mall of Asia in Pasay City contributes to the province’s economic progress as it brings Bataan closer to Metro Manila with its only one hour trip via Manila Bay.

Ferry boat (photo by Mar Supnad / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

To give more comport to the passengers, the Ferry management has also utilised a shuttle van from Port of Orion, free of charge, to bring the commuters to various drop off points such as Petron and Lamao in Limay town, Cabcaben, Alas asin, AFAB, all the way to Mariveles town hall in the South while Bilolo, Alauli, Balanga Jollibee, Abucay cafe, Calaguiman, DPWH Orani, Hermosa public market all the way to Dinalupihan plaza in the North.

Commuters can also avail of free wifi inside the ferry boat while traveling.

“We are not yet making money here but we utilized the Ferry boat for the sake of public service as requested by Gov Abet Garcia, and we cannot refuse it,” pointed out Goody Ilagan, the Ferry president.

With the deployment of the airconditioned fast craft, traders and the public can now certainly reach Manila and vice versa from this town in just an hour without the hassle of being caught in monstrous traffic jam.

Bataan has become one of the most progressive provinces in Central Luzon and hosts two free ports- Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), providing employment to almost two hundred thousand personnel and workers.

It has become a home to most of the region’s largest industrial businesses, such as, aside from FAB and SBMA, the multi-billion Bataan Petron Refinery in Limay town; the Hermosa Economic Zone; the Petrochemical plant; the soon to be put up P60 billion industrial zone project in Biaan, Mariveles; among others.

Bataan’s strategic location within the economic gateway of Manila Bay and the special economic zones is a key feature that would anchor further investments in the province and in the whole Central Luzon as well, said Gov Garcia. The 1Bataan Integrated Transport System, (Ferry boat operator) is a joint project by the Provincial Government of Bataan thru Gov. Garcia and Magic Leaf Marine Logistics Corp. led by its President Mr. Manuel Carlos “Goody” Ilagan, Jr.

The Ferry service project which started its soft run last December 11, 2017 ushers in the birth of a modern comprehensive and integrated transportation service system, promoting further the industrial growth and sustainability of the province and elevating the standard of living of its residents towards a better quality of life for Bataan residents and businesses alike.

Its travel route starts from MOA Esplanade Seaside Terminal (EST) and docks in Port of Capinpin in Orion, Bataan.

By Mar Supnad

Source: news.mb.com.ph

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SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Companies, workers and residents brought used light bulbs, car batteries, unused paints, electronic discards, and even old air conditioners to an empty lot here on Friday to join the Subic Bay community in a collection program to recycle wastes and donate the proceeds to charity.

Workers sort out recyclable materials brought in by stakeholders during the 4th Recyclable Collection Event in the Subic Bay Freeport on Friday.

The project was the fourth in a series of Recyclables Collection Event (RCE) organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) in line with its “War on Waste” program.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the bi-annual SBMA activity encourages Subic stakeholders to help keep the Subic Bay Freeport clean by collecting recyclable materials and bringing them to accredited waste handlers for recovery and upcycling.

“With these periodic Recyclable Collection Events, we hope to be able to control or minimize the illegal disposal of solid, toxic and hazardous wastes in both the land and water bodies in the Freeport, and, thus, help secure the local environment for future generations, as well as for economic sustainability,” Eisma said.

Among the most common waste materials collected during the activity were busted fluorescent bulbs, used industrial and domestic oil, used lead acid batteries, empty printer ink cartridges, and other electronic wastes.

SBMA Ecology Center manager Amethya Dela Llana said the activity is conducted in partnership with the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Bureau of Customs in Subic, and various treater, storage and disposal (TSD) companies in Manila and Central Luzon, which collect waste products.

During the 3rd RCE in November last year, the SBMA collected some P186,630 in waste products sold to TSD’s and the cash proceeds was donated to the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation.

SBMA Ecology Center records on the 3rd RCE indicated that the top donors of recyclable materials Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp. (Phils.), which brought in P55,165 worth of recyclables; Hitachi Terminals, P12,588; Mega Subic Terminal Services, P10,539; and Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium, with P10,530.

Dela Llana said the SBMA is expecting to surpass the previous RCE collection, as more locators and residents have committed to bring in waste materials for the 4th RCE.

She added that the enthusiastic participation of the Subic community will help ensure a healthy environment with clean rivers, mountains and other natural wonders that the public can enjoy.

The 4th Recyclable Collection Event was also highlighted by the re-launching of the anti-smoke belching program in the Subic Bay Freeport by transportation groups, and an art activity conducted by artist-environmentalist Badz Magsumbol for Ayta children from the Cawag community in Subic, Zambales.

Source: mysubicbay.com.ph

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OLONGAPO CITY: The shortage of water supply currently experienced by residents of this city as well as the neighboring Subic Bay Freeport will continue to last until the onset of the rainy season, an official of Subicwater, the utility firm supplying water to both areas, told The Manila Times on Monday.

BY PATRICK ROXAS, TMT

Photo by: subicwater.com.ph

Hernan Habacon, Subicwater corporate communications head, said the amount of rainfall last year was the worst in history and they anticipated that there will be a water shortage this year.

He said the water utility firm prepared two deep wells at the Naval Magazine area in anticipation of this shortage but this was not enough to supply the two areas.

“We have a bigger population in both Olongapo and Subic Freeport now and with the lowest amount of rainfall we got last year, water shortage is unavoidable,” Habacon said.

According to him, Subicwater proposed the Morong Bulk Water Supply Project to the city government and if approved by next year, it will be ready to supply even the far-flung villages of Barretto, Old Cabalan and New Cabalan.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority officials on the other hand, called on consumers to conserve water in the face of the on-going water crisis.

Water supply at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone is now on Condition One, meaning, water shortage will be experienced in some areas.

In Olongapo, some residents in the villages are already complaining of the lack of water supply.

Source: manilatimes.net

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The Balikatan (BK) 2018 joint military exercises between the United States and the Philippines open today with US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Y. Kim and Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana leading the ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Filipino Soldiers launch a joint amphibious landing with US Soldiers on the shores of Casiguran, Aurora as part of the Civil Military activities from the sea of the 17th US-Philippines Balikatan excercises. PHOTO/ Alvin Kasiban

Lt. Liezl Vidallon, BK2018 public affairs director on the Philippine side, said yesterday that this year’s joint military exercises will not only focus responding to natural calamities but also man-made emergencies.

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, and Lt. Gen. Emmanuel B. Salamat, AFP Northern Luzon Command (NoLCom) Chief who is also the Exercise Director on the Philippine for this year’s Balikatan, will join high-ranking defense and military officials from both the US and Philippines at the opening rites.

Vidallon said every year both American and Filipino forces are trying to level up the training and this year’s 34th iteration of the two countries’ biggest annual military exercise is no exception.

“For example, the humanitarian assistance and disaster response training last year focused only on natural calamities. This year, we will also train for man-made disasters like, for example, a chemical attack,” she said in broken English.

Vidallon said those who participate in the exercises every year learn new tactics, techniques and procedures and they will apply what they have learned from the previous exercise.

“Mutual defense kasi ang balikatan (and) is more on interoperability of both forces, and then counter terrorism and HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) so scenario based itong Balikatan (the Balikatan is scenario-based),” Vidallon said.

Balikatan (shoulder to shoulder) is an annual military exercise between the AFP and the United States Pacific Command.

Balikatan 2018 features humanitarian civic action activities in pre-selected areas in Cagayan and Central Luzon.
On May 9, there will be an Amphibious Landing at the Naval Education Training Command, San Antonio, Zambales while on May 15, 2018, there will be a combined

Arms Live Fire Exercise at Colonel Ernesto Rabina Air Base, Tarlac, (Crow Valley).

However, the Amphibious Landing and combined Arms Live Fire Exercise between the two countries are not open for media coverage as directed by higher authorities.

The closing ceremony of Balikatan 2018 will be held at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on May 18.

By Francis Wakefield

Source: news.mb.com.ph

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