Thousands evacuated in Albay as 'Falcon' passes Bicol

By Phil Star, Thursday, June 23, 2011

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines - The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) in Albay has evacuated a total of 68,886 persons or 14,552 families as of noon today, who are all threatened by flooding brought by tropical storm Falcon.

PDRRMC chairman and Albay Governor Joey Salceda said the number of evacuees might increase depending on the weather condition.

The provincial government has initiated all necessary contingency measures specially in flood and landslide prone areas.

The PDRRMC also confirmed that due to floods, roads in Barangays Masarawag, Guinobatan, Sitio Paclas, Isidro, Libon and Sua-Quirangay are impassable. As of 12:00 noon, the upland roads in Polangui are also impassable because of a landslide.

Governor Salceda said the Philippine Army has prepositioned six trucks in the municipalities of Polangui, Libon and Oas, all in Albay, for the immediate evacuation of other flooded threatened residents.

The Philippine Navy has been tasked to distribute relief goods in the island of Batan, Rapu-rapu.

The PDRRMC of Albay reiterated its call to all mayors to evacuate immediately those residents located in the flood prone areas.

On the other hand, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional office in Bicol reported that 11 persons are missing in Albay and Catanduanes.

OCD regional director Raffy Alejandro said the missing persons have been identified as Rose Belga, 54, believed to have been swept away by ranging waters in Sitio Buga, Barangay Basag, Ligao City; Antonio Bailon, 40; Nestor Tapit Magdasoc, 50; Vicente Rodriguez Tapit, 40; Prospero Tabios; Paquito Tabuzo; Rolando Sarmiento Tabor; Denver Sta Ines; Pedro Balingit, 37; Jason Balingit; and Jonsy Rodriguez, all fishermen and residents of Bato and Virac, Catanduanes.

Alejandro said that Philippine Navy and the Coast Guard are now conducting search operation.

Meanwhile, 210 persons have been stranded in the sea ports of Tabaco City and Pioduran, Albay as of press time. (PNA)

PhilStar

'Di kami namimili ng top of the line na gamit - AFP

By Bombo Radyo, Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Nanawagan ng suporta sa publiko ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sa harap ng umiinit na tensyon sa West Philippine Sea.

Sa panayam ng Bombo Radyo kay Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, muling binigyang diin ng opisyal na sa kabila ng maliit na pondo ng AFP at kakulangan nito sa gamit ay nakahanda umano ang buong hukbong sandatahan na ipaglaban ang sobereniya at kalayaan ng bansa.

Una rito, inakusahan ng mga militanteng grupo na ginagamit lamang ng gobyerno ang isyu sa Spratly Islands para maidepensa ang P40-billion additional budget para sa AFP modernization program.

"Kami po ay gagampanan po namin ang aming trabaho, kahit ano pa man ang kagamitan na mayroon tayo. Hindi po pinag-uusapan kung makakaya o hindi, gagawin po namin iyan. Ang aming sinusumamo lang ay sana po kami po ay mabigyan ng suporta ng ating taumbayan," panawagan ni Pama.

Samantala, muli ring ipinaliwanag ng opisyal na masyadong maliit kung tutuusin ang P40-billion na pondo para sa modernisasyon ng AFP.

Paliwanag ng officer-in-command, hindi naman sila naghahabol ng mga "top of the line" na mga kagamitan, kundi ang mga dapat lamang kakailanganin para magampanan nila ang kanilang tungkulin.

"Matagal na pong kailangan ito para mapangalagaan ang ating seguridad. Hindi naman natin hinahabol ang mga top of the line, 'ika nga, kundi kung ano iyong mga bagay, alinsunod doon sa ating ginagawang stratehiya na makakayanan natin," dagdag ng opisyal.

Bombo Radyo

Phl sending more troops to Spratlys

By Jaime Laude, Aurea Calica, Pia Lee-Brago, Delon Porcalla and Evelyn Macairan, Tuesday, June 21, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - A Philippine Navy supply ship has reached Pag-Asa Island in the Kalayaan Island Group in the Spratlys and has unloaded troops and fresh provisions.

The BRP Benguet (LST 507) dropped anchor off Pag-Asa Island the other day but has yet to complete unloading its cargo of food and other supplies due to bad weather, according to a source.

“Our Navy supply ship arrived there the other day but it is still unloading supplies,” the Palawan-based source told The STAR yesterday.

The ship will return to its base in Palawan today if it completes its delivery. The source did not say how many troops were brought in or if some had been pulled out after completing their one-month tour of duty.

Nine civilian residents of Pag-Asa, including an infant, were among the passengers of the ship.

Pag-Asa, also called Isla, is home to 60 civilians. It is the biggest of the seven islets occupied by Filipino troops in the Kalayaan group. A retired administrator of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Palawan, Eugenio Bito-onon Jr., is mayor of Kalayaan.

The arrival of the Benguet came amid increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea stoked by reports of intrusions by Chinese vessels and aircraft into areas within Philippine jurisdiction.

Aside from China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the Spratly Islands. The area is believed to contain huge deposits of oil and gas.

The Philippines has deployed its biggest warship, World War II-era BRP Rajah Humabon, “for routine patrol within the country’s territorial waters” near Palawan.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay declined to comment if the Benguet had indeed already reached Pag-Asa.

PhilStar.com

AFP readies P40-B shopping list

By Alexis Romero with Jess Diaz, Tuesday, June 21, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - The military is preparing its shopping list for a P40-billion equipment upgrading program over the next five years, with the Philippine Navy expected to receive a huge chunk of the funds because of high equipment cost.

Brig. Gen. Roy Deveraturda, chief of the Armed Forces Modernization Program Management Office, said in an interview yesterday that the military has identified priority projects for the next five years, which are awaiting approval. He said that in procuring new equipment, it would be considered that the military’s focus is still internal security operations.

Navy chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama said they are still discussing the proper allocation of funds for each major service but confirmed that the Navy will get a huge share of the funds,

“We cannot deny that some of our equipment are old. We need them to fulfill our mandate as provided by the constitution,” Pama said in an interview with radio station dzRH.

Out of the 53 patrol ships in the Navy’s inventory, only 26 are operational. These patrol ships are aged at an average of 36.4 years old. The larger vessels— like the Mine Sweeper Frigates and patrol craft escorts— are 66 and 67 years old respectively.

Only three of the seven Navy transport vessels—all 15 years old— are operational. The non-operational vessels are 64 years old.

Only four of the 10 Navy auxiliary ships are operational while only 23 of the 32 small crafts—all of which are 21.3 years old— are operational.

On Sunday, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the government is prepared to implement a P40-billion military modernization project over the next five years starting in 2012 to secure the country’s territory in the West Philippine Sea.

He said the government plans to allot P8 billion annually for the next five years for the modernization program to protect the country’s territorial integrity. The P8 billion annual funding for 2012 to 2016 is higher than the current modernization outlay of P5 billion.

Deveraturda said the higher modernization budget would fasttrack their capability upgrade program.

“It would be a big help (to our modernization efforts). We can assure you that these funds would be used properly. Our records are open and anyone can participate in the procurement process,” he said.

AFP chief Gen Eduardo Oban said the military’s baseline capability should be improved because of the developments in the West Philippine Sea.

The AFP Modernization Act, which took effect in 1995, has mandated the military to modernize its assets in 15 years with a total fund of P331 billion. 16 years later, the military is still suffering from lack of equipment and ageing assets. Of the P331 billion mandated by the law for expenditure, only about P33 billion have been spent. Earlier, President Aquino said more than P11 billion had been allotted for the purchase of modern equipment for the military this year.

\The funding for these assets would come from the P8 billion proceeds from the Malampaya natural gas project in Palawan while P3 billion would come from the modernization outlay.

The AFP expects the implementation of 13 military capability upgrade projects worth more than P5 billion this year.

PhilStar.com