Military's Bayanihan has new head

By Donna Pazzibugan

Philippine Daily Inquirer, Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has a new chief for civil military operations, three months into the implementation of a new counter-insurgency plan, Bayanihan, which gives equal importance to community projects in "winning the peace."

Navy Commodore Miguel Jose Rodriguez, assumed office as deputy chief of staff for civil military operations (J7) on Friday, the AFP announced over the weekend.

Rodriguez replaced Army Brig. Gen. Nonato Peralta Jr. who was named Philippine Military Academy (PMA) superintendent following the retirement of Vice Adm. Leonardo Calderon on March 11.

A member of PMA Class 1980, Rodriguez was commander of the Fleet-Marine ready Force, before being appointed J7.

"CMO (civil military operations) is where my heart belongs,"he said during the turnover ceremonies.

He described Peralta as his mentor with whom he worked in the commemoration of the Battle of Sibuyan.

Rodriguez said the Filipino tradition of bayanihan or community spirit "is what civil military operations is about."

Rodriguez had served as assistant chief of staff for CMO for the AFP Western Command (Wescom) and chief of the evaluation and research branch of the Office of the Secretary of the AFP joint staff.

Rodriguez assumes post

By Elena A. Aben

Manila Bulletin, Monday, March 21, 2011

Navy Commodore Miguel Jose S. Rodriguez has formally assumed as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 39th Deputy Chief of Staff Civil- Military Operations (J7), succeeding Bring. Gen Nonato Alfredo T. Peralta Jr., who is now the Superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). Rodriguez, a member of the PMA Class of 1980 was Fleet Marine Ready Force commander prior to his assumption of the J7 post. In assuming his post, Rodriguez vowed to help bring in to the national consciousness the spirit of "bayanihan", which is what the Civil-Military Operations is about.

New AFP deputy chief of staff installed

By Jaime Laude

The Philippine Star, Sunday, March 20, 2011

A senior Navy officer was installed yesterday as the Armed Forces of the Philippines deputy chief of staff for Civil Military Operations, a key military position left vacant, as a result of the continuing changes triggered by the recent reteriment of AFP chief and now Immigration Commisioner Ricardo David.

In a simple turn-over rites, Commodore Miguel Jose Rodriguez, commander of the Navy’s Fleet-Marine Ready Force, assumed command of the AFP’s J-7, from its outgoing J-7 commander, Brig. Gen. Nonato Alfredo Peralta Jr.

Peralta was literally kicked up following his official designation as the new superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) replacing Vice Admiral Leonardo Calderon who retired from the military service March 11.

The Philippine Navy has already recommended four names of senior officers to choose who among them would replace Rodriguez as commander of the Navy’s fighting force.

“The AFP welcomes Commodore Rodriguez as its 39th deputy chief of staff for Civil Military Operations,” AFP Public Information Office chief, Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos said.

Rodriguez was a member of the PMA Class of 1980. Aside from being designated as commander of the Navy Fleet-Marine Ready Force, he has commanded several Navy ships.

He is also aholder of Public Management and Law degrees from the University of the Philippines and Baguio Colleges Foundation, and a recipient of awards and decorations to include numerous military merit medals and the Gold Cross Medal.

In his assumption speech, after being installed by Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista on behalf of AFP chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban, Rodriguez vowed that he will do his best so that his new position will become an instrument of peace and will focus his command efforts on the implementation of Oplan Bayanihan.

Leyte, Bohol placed under state of calamity

By Mario J Mallari

The Daily Tribune, Saturday, March 19, 2011

The provinces of Leyte and Bohol were placed under the state of calamity after massive flooding hit the areas due to continuous heavy rains in the Visayas region that already claimed the lives of nine persons.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that the two additional fatalities came from Leyte and Bohol provinces where widespread flooding was reported, prompting local officials to declare state of calamity.

Reports from the NDRRMC identified the two latest fatalities as 65-year-old Armando Buticarlo, who died of drowning in Bohol, and Leo Espina, of Palo, Leyte who was electrocuted.

The NDRRMC said that some 3,130 families or 15,398 people from Bohol, Western Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Misamis Oriental, and South Cotabato.

Of these numbers, 2,878 families or 14,138 people have been evacuated.

Last Thursday, a landslide buried alive seven members of a family in Barangay Cabalawan, Tacloban City, they were couple Marlon and Jenita Jordan, both 35, and their children Marieta, 16; Angelica, 14; John Paul, 13; John Rey, 4; and Heyrex, 3.

NDRRMC executive director and Office of the Civil Defense Administrator Benito Ramos said that local disaster management councils are closely monitoring the situation to prevent further rise in casualty figures.

In a related development, the Navy reported yesterday the rescue of 80 residents in two barangays in Palo, Leyte at the height of heavy rains and strong winds since last Wednesday.

Naval Forces Central Command, through its Naval Station Dioscoro Papa, based in Tacloban City dispatched a team of Disaster Rescue and Response Unit after report of massive floods from the provincial coordinating council.

Last Wednesday evening, the Navy team rescued 19 children and seven adults from Barangay San Antonio, Palo town and brought the victims to an evacuation center.

The following day, at about 6 a.m., the Navy team proceeded to Barangay Cangumbang and rescued an infant, 29 children, and 24 adults. Among those rescued was a woman who just gave birth.