President Duterte visits Japan’s largest military ship in Subic

SUBIC BAY - President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Saturday, September 1, 2018, toured one of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) Escort Flotilla Four ships, which is the JS Kaga (DDH-184), docked at Alava Pier in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Accompanying the President were National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Special Assistant to the President Secretary Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief-of-Staff General Carlito Galvez Jr., and Philippine Navy Flag-Officer-in-Command Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad.

Also present were Japan’s Parliamentary Vice Minister of Defense Keitaro Ohno, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, and JMSDF Escort Flotilla Four Commander – Rear Admiral Tatsuya Fukuda.

Upon boarding the JS-Kaga (DDH-184), one of Japan’s largest military ships, the Commander-In-Chief was given foyer honors by Japan’s Escort Flotilla Four crew. He then proceeded to the flight deck for a photo opportunity.

After visiting the flight deck, the Chief Executive signed the guest book and proceeded to meet with the Japanese delegation. President Duterte continued his tour after the private meeting.

Apart from the JS-Kaga (DDH-184) with five SH-60K patrol helicopters, two more Japanese destroyers, the JS-Suzutsuki (DD-117) and the JS-Inazuma (DD-105) consisting of around 850 officers and crew, are currently docked at the Alava Pier for a five-day goodwill visit to the Philippines.

This is Japan’s way to enhance its operational capability, promote cooperation, and facilitate interoperability with partner navies in South Asia and Southeast Asia. (PND)

PHOTOS:

[1-2] President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is accorded with honors by the Naval crew of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Escort Flotilla Four upon boarding the JS Kaga (DDH-184) helicopter carrier Japanese ship, which is anchored at the Alava Pier in Subic, Zambales on September 1, 2018. Accompanying the President are Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez Jr., Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Japan’s Parliamentary Vice Minister of Defense Keitaro Ohno, and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda. ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

[3] The JS Kaga (DDH-184), Akuzuki-class destroyers JS Suzutsuki (DD-117), and Murasama-class JS Inazuma (DD105) arrived at Alava Port in Subic Bay Freeport at around 8 a.m.

https://pcoo.gov.ph/news_releases/president-duterte-visits-japans-largest-military-ship-in-subic/

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President Duterte visits Japanese escort Flotilla in Subic

President Rodrigo Duterte visited on Sunday, June 4, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Escort Flotilla One comprised of helicopter carrier JS Izumo and guided missile destroyer JS Sazanami berthed here in Subic Bay Freeport for a four-day port visit to the Philippines.

In an interview with media, President Duterte said he was happy to board the JS Izumo, noting the state-of-the-art ship that can respond to both conflict and humanitarian missions.

Duterte added that he is the first head of state to board the JS Izumo, which was commissioned in 2015.

Japan has been a historical friend of the Philippines helping the country in different ways particularly through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Japan is also providing the Philippines with defense assets such as ships and trainer planes, he said.

"Our ties with Japan is historical and I know that we will be with them for all time. They can count on our gratitude for helping us and also our friendship to fight with them," he told reporters.

"We have so many problems in this world and I said we are friends, historical ones. We have a lot to say thank you to you. And I’d like Japan to know that we are a people of gratitude," he added.

Aside from visiting JS Izumo, the President also met Katsuyuki Kawai aboard the Japanese helicopter carrier. Kawai is Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's special adviser.

The Japanese contingent is headed by Rear Admiral Yoshihiro Goka, the commander of the JMSDF Escort Flotilla One. The JS Izumo together with several patrol helicopters and 800 officers and crews are here for a goodwill visit to the Philippines prior to its participation to the Malabar Naval exercise in India.

The four-day visit includes a series of confidence building activities between the Philippine Navy and the JMSDF personnel.

The Escort Flotilla One's port visit is expected to enhance the strong relationship between the Philippine Navy and the JMSDF. (PND/PNA)

PHOTOS:

[1] President Rodrigo Duterte is escorted by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Martin Diño and Administrator Atty. Wilma Eisma during the chief executive's tour aboard the biggest Japanese helicopter carrier JS Izumo docked at the Alava Port in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. (JRR/MPD-SBMA)

[2] President Duterte poses with his officials and the visiting officers and crew of the JS Izumo. (JRR/MPD-SBMA)

[3-4] The helicopter carrier JS Izumo (DDH-183) (top) and the Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami (DD-113) (bottom) of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Escort Flotilla One, both docked in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone for a four-day visit to the Philippines. (RBB/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/993315

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Amb. Goldberg: EDCA will not reopen US bases in PH

Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, left,
shakes hands with U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg
after signing the Enhanced Defense Cooperation
Agreement at Camp Aguinaldo, Philippine military
headquarters in suburban Quezon city, north
of Manila, Philippines on Monday,  April 28, 2014.
AP/Aaron Favila

After eight months of negotiations, both countries inked the 10-year Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Goldberg and Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin signed the deal hours before US President Barack Obama arrives in the Philippines for a two-day state visit.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg clarified, the EDCA will not reopen United States military bases in the Philippines.

“It will not reopen US bases. It is an agreement to enhance our defense relationships,” Goldberg said.

EDCA is set to enhance both countries defense cooperation and increase the presence of US soldiers in the country. It is supposed to increase training opportunities for Filipino and US forces, plus greater ability to respond to humanitarian operations.

“The agreement we signed today will be an important part of the existing MDT (Mutual Defense Treaty) and VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement) frameworks. But it will also serve to update our security alliance to meet the increasingly complex challenges of the 21st century, whether it is terrorism, transnational crimes, or disasters like typhoon Haiyan,” he said.

Goldberg noted, the largest bilateral military exercise, Balikatan, will kick off next week.

Meanwhile, Gazmin said the Philippines will have better access to US military equipment, supplies and personnel because of the agreement.

"It enables us to do more by making necessary equipment and infrastructure available.Alliances evolve, partnerships develop, engagements mature, but all through out, it is the shared trust to move forward together that keeps what is in place such as the MDT and VFA. This is the essence of a maturing relationship," he said.

He added, "The document we signed only manifests the defense relationship between the Philippines and the United States but equally serves as a framework for furthering our alliance as encapsulated in the Enhanced Defense Cooperation. Underpinned by the common goal being able to meet the security challenges that both the Philippines and the United States share in common, our alliance has continued to evolve as both our countries continuously search for mechanisms that would enhance our individual and collective abilities to face such security challenges." (ANC/Yahoo News)

read more --> https://anc.yahoo.com/news/goldberg--edca-will-not-reopen-us-bases-in-ph-030909508.html

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BRP Ramon Alcaraz: A new source of pride

The arrival here of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), the newest and most modern ship of the Philippine Navy, brought a sense of happiness, security and pride among relatives of the ship’s crew, as well as spectators who witnessed the welcoming ceremony for the ship on Tuesday.

“We are proud and we feel more secure with the newly-acquired ship,” said Marybeth Carbonel, a 32-year old resident of the coastal province of La Union, and wife of QM Villamor Carbonel, a crewmember of Alcaraz.

Carbonel said the new Philippine frigate brings new hope and inspiration to her husband and other members of the Philippine Navy.

“They are very happy to know that the long-delayed AFP Modernization Program is now progressing,” she added.

Petty Officer 3 Jomar Corpuz’s wife Salome, was as proud as she was excited to see her husband who had been away for more than a year while training as crewmember of the ship.

Mrs. Corpuz said she believes that the ship will be a big help to the Philippine Navy because it will boost its capability in maritime security operations, including anti-terrorism and rescuing those in distress.

“Mas madali silang makakapag-responde kung kinakailangan,” she said, referring to rescue missions and providing security against threats from pirates and incursion that the Navy undertakes.

LIke Marybeth and Salome, Sharlyn Martonito of Silang, Cavite agreed that the BRP Alcaraz is a new source of pride for her, especially since her husband P03 Marlon Martonito was among those chosen to man the new frigate.

“I am proud that my husband was chosen to be among the pioneers of the Alcaraz, which represents a stronger Philippine Navy that could provide security to our country,” Martonito said.

The 3,250-ton BRP Ramon Alcaraz is a former US Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutter before it was acquired by the Philippine Navy from the United States Government. It is equipped with two 3,000-horsepower (hp) engines capable of a longer sustainable speed of 15 knots, and two 18,000-hp gas turbines, which could bring the ship’s speed to more than 25 knots for urgent situations.

President Benigno S. Aquino III and US Ambassador Harry Thomas led other government officials in welcoming the ship’s 87 crew and officers headed by Capt. Ernesto Baldomino in a traditional arrival ceremony at the Alava Pier yesterday morning.

Meanwhile, students from various schools in the city, like Micaela Obien, Maryjane Montances and Joy Roxas of Aura College, were among the hundreds of students from various schools in Olongapo City and the Subic Bay Freeport who trooped to Alava Pier amidst mild rain to witness the arrival of the Alcaraz.

“Nakatutuwa at nakakataas-noo,” said Obien of the feeling. “Kahit second-hand lang ang barko ay alam naming malaking tulong ang maibibigay nito sa ating Philippine Navy na kulang na kulang sa barko at makabagong kagamitan.”

Obien said she believes that the Alcaraz, together with BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF15), would strengthen Philippine capability to defend its maritime areas, “especially from China and other countries that continue to bully our fishermen,” she added.

“With the tension going on at Scarborough Shoal or the Panatag Islets, it’s good to know that we now have ships that could protect and safeguard our territory,” said Rodmar Eda, 17, a student from Aura College here. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO
President Benigno Aquino III confers with SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia aboard the presidential yacht Ang Pangulo during the welcoming ceremony for the BRP Ramon Alcaraz frigate at the Subic Bay Freeport on Tuesday. Also in photo are: US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Del Rosario.

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PH vows intensified sea patrols as BRP Ramon Alcaraz arrives at Subic Bay

SUBIC BAY - The Philippines promised intensified sea patrols Tuesday as it welcomed the arrival of a second warship from the United States to bolster its defenses during a maritime dispute with China.

President Benigno Aquino III led the Philippine Navy in welcoming the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, a Hamilton-class cutter that had been decommissioned by the US coast guard and acquired by Manila.

The ship berthed at Subic, a former American naval base on the west coast of the main island of Luzon facing the South China Sea where the Philippines has festering territorial disputes with China.

"Now that BRP Alcaraz has arrived, we will surely intensify our patrols in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone," Aquino said in a speech as the US envoy to Manila and other officials cheered.

"It will also boost our capability to counter any threat," he said.

Aquino made no direct reference to China, which has claims in the South China Sea overlapping those of the Philippines and other nations.

The Alcaraz, named after a Filipino commodore and World War II hero who battled Japanese warplanes, is the second warship acquired by the Philippines from its US ally in recent years, significantly upgrading its poorly-equipped military.

The first, BRP Gregorio del Pilar, was acquired in 2011 and immediately sent to patrol the country's waters to counter what the government says is increasing militarisation by China of the disputed areas.

In 2012 the Gregorio del Pilar confronted Chinese ships in a tense standoff at Scarborough Shoal, a small outcrop just off the coast near Subic.

The Chinese eventually gained control of the shoal after the Philippines backed down.

The 3,250-ton (2,950-ton) Alcaraz can withstand strong waves and can stay longer at sea than any of the Philippines' current vessels, allowing for more extensive patrols, the navy said.

The Philippine military is considered one of the weakest in the region and it has been seeking more US aid to boost its capabilities.

The government last week said US military aid to Manila would increase more than 60 percent to 50 million dollars this year, with a possible acquisition of a third naval cutter.

Small numbers of US forces rotate for training in the Philippines, although the defence department has recently said it was in talks with its American counterparts for joint use of Philippine bases.

US Navy P3 Orion surveillance aircraft have also been helping the Philippines gather intelligence on what Manila has said is an increasing Chinese military build-up in the South China Sea.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters close to its smaller neighbours. The dispute has long been considered a potential flashpoint of conflict in the region.

Subic, along with the nearby Clark air base, were longtime US military facilities, playing key roles from World War II to the Vietnam War and during the Cold War.

The Philippine Senate voted in 1991 to shut down US bases in the country. (Jason Gutierrez, Agence France-Presse)

PHOTO:
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III waves as he boards the Philippine navy ship BRP Ramon Alcaraz at the Alava Pier, Subic Freeport Zone in Olongapo, north of Manila, Philippines on Tuesday.

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Pres Aquino welcomes arrival of warship in Subic

Subic Bay, Zambales (Reuters) - The Philippines' second warship arrived in Subic Bay on Tuesday (August 6), augmenting the country's naval forces to protect its territorial borders near the South China Sea.

President Benigno Aquino III and senior defense officials watched as the frigate, BRP Ramon Alcaraz, a Hamilton-class high endurance cutter and the newest ship of the Philippine Navy, sailed into Subic Bay after its two month voyage from the United States.

"With the arrival of the BRP Alcaraz, we can strengthen our patrols in our Philippine exclusive economic zone, combat any bad elements, provide support in search and rescue operations and protect our marine resources," Aquino said.

The newly acquired warship will be docked in Subic Bay, the former US Navy base 50 kilometers (30 miles) northwest of Manila, where it will be repainted before joining its sister ship on patrols.

The cutter, along with its sister ship acquired by the Philippines in 2011, were donations from its defence treaty ally, the United States, through the excess defence articles (EDA) under which Washington provides old equipment no longer in active use. But $25 million was spent to refurbish them.

The United States is the Philippines' oldest security ally and has been assisting in upgrading Manila's military capabilities to combat terrorist threats and protect its territorial borders.

Until the early 1990s, US troops operated from two large military bases in the Philippines, providing a security umbrella in the country's decades of fighting against Maoist and Muslim insurgents.

There are now plans to allow Washington wider access to civilian and military bases to help its former colony enhance its defense capability.

The Philippines, along with Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and China, are embroiled in disputes over territory in the nearby South China Sea, potentially rich in oil and gas and criss-crossed by crucial shipping lanes.
The South China Sea has become Asia's biggest potential military flashpoint as Beijing's sovereignty claim over the huge area has set it against Vietnam and the Philippines, as the three countries race to tap possibly huge oil reserves believed to lie under the seabed.

PHOTO:
The BRP Ramon Alcaraz docks at Subic (Still photo taken from a Reuters TV clip)

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Another Navy warship to arrive next week

MANILA, Philippines - A second warship acquired from the US is expected to arrive (next week).

Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Gregory Fabic said the BRP Ramon Alcaraz is expected to arrive in Guam this weekend before sailing for the Philippines.

“It is really a big boost to our capability since it will be deployed within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines,” he said. “We are looking at BRP Ramon Alcaraz as a source of pride not only for us but also the Filipino people.”

Fabic said the warship will dock on Aug. 4 at Subic Freeport, where it will be repainted grey, the color of the Philippine Navy.

An arrival ceremony is slated for Aug. 6, and the Alcaraz is expected to be commissioned by the second week of October, he added.

Navy officials are now meeting with officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to prepare for the arrival of the Alcaraz, Fabic said.

Discussions will also be held with officials of the Presidential Management Staff since President Aquino is expected to be the guest of honor at the welcome ceremony.

The arrival ceremony will likely feature a “meeting procedure,” where a naval ship welcomes a vessel that will become part of the fleet.

The government spent more than P600 million to acquire the Alcaraz, which can accommodate up to 180 personnel.

The Alcaraz is the second warship acquired from the US, after the BRP Gregorio del Pilar that was commissioned in December 2011.

Commodore Ramon Alcaraz was a Navy officer who commanded a patrol boat during World War II.

The US Coast Guard used the Alcaraz for drug and migrant interdiction, law enforcement, search and rescue, living marine resources protection, and defense readiness.

The Alcaraz departed from its homeport in Charleston, South Carolina last June 10.

It made port visits to San Diego, California and Honolulu, Hawaii before sailing for Guam. (Alexis Romero, The Philippine Star)

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Pres. Aquino unveils PNP training school in Subic Freeport

President Benigno Aquino III yesterday inaugurated a police training facility here in his first visit to the Subic Bay Freeport as the highest official of the land.

Aquino, who flew into Subic via the presidential helicopter, arrived at the Subic Bay International Airport and then motored a short distance to the Naval Magazine area where the Philippine National Police School for Values and Leadership (PNP-SVL) is located.

Aquino was welcomed at the airport by PNP Dir. Gen. Jesus Verzosa, Interior Secretary Jesus Robredo, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano Salonga, SBMA administrator Armand Arreza, Zambales governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., Bataan governor Enrique Garcia, and Olongapo City’s first lady Anne Gordon.

In his speech, the President stressed the importance of a strong police force, noting that police officers played a major part in quelling military uprisings that were launched during the administration of his mother, the late President Cory Aquino.

“Kaya pangunahing layunin ko ngayon ay magpasalamat sa taumbayan at sa Kapulisan na tumulong para sa pagpapanatili ng kapayapaan,” he said.

“Kailangang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng Kapulisan upang maging epektibong tagapangalaga ng mga mamamayan. Tulungan natin sila,” Aquino added.

Meanwhile, Verzosa expressed thanks for the support extended by the SBMA and the Philippine Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) in establishing the police training school here.

Versoza said the SBMA provided a free 25-year lease for the 1.8-hectare school site, while the PAGC gave a P14-million grant for the construction of the buildings.

Versoza added that the training facility, which can accommodate 100 police officers at any given time, will be used to conduct refresher courses on values formation, leadership training, and personality development to transform police officers into servant-leaders.

Meanwhile, when asked whether he has already made new appointments for the SBMA, President Aquino clarified that he had so far not appointed any replacement for Salonga and Arreza.

“No. There is no new appointment yet. Wala pa,” he said. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO:
President Noynoy Aquino gets a warm welcome at the Subic Bay International Airport in his first visit to the Subic Bay Freeport from SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga, Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia, and SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza.

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