U.S., Philippine navies join for 17th CARAT Exercise in Palawan

By Ho'okele Staff
Pearl Harbor-Hickman News, Saturday, July 2, 2011

Armed Forces of the Philippines Navy Capt. Ronald Joseph S. Mercado, left, deputy commander of Naval Forces West, and U.S. Navy Capt. David Welch, commander of Task Group 73.1, greet Cmdr. Scott Erb, commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93), as the ship arrives in Puerto Princesa to participate in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Philippines 2011

hookelenews.com

Search ended, 10 missing Bicol fishermen presumed dead 4 rescued in 1-week operation after Falcon

By Sonny Sales
Bikol News, Friday, July 2, 2011

A Philippine Navy vessel docks at Virac port after a rescue mission.

LEGAZPI City (July 1, 2011) – Rescue teams of the Philippine Navy, using 2 sea vessels and an aircraft, have ended the search for 10 missing fishermen from Ligao City and the towns of Virac and Bato in Catanduanes province.

An official report on Thursday, (June 30) from the Office of the Civil Defence (OCD) Bicol office and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) bared that the 10 fishermen lost at sea and will not be searched anymore were identified as:

Rosa Ordan, 54, barangay Basag, of Ligao City;

Antonio Avila Bailon, 40,Nestor Tapit Mandasoc, 53, Vicente Rodriguez Tapit, 40, Paquito Tabios, 40, Rolando Sarmiento Tabios, 30 - all from the coastal village of San Vicente, Virac, Catanduanes;

Denver Sta. Ines, 24, Pedro Balingit, 37, Jason Balingit, 16, and Jonsy Rodriguez, all residents of Binanuahan, Bato, Catanduanes.

Sources from the OCD said that the fishermen left their localities on June 21 when typhoon signals for tropical storm “Falcon” were not yet raised. The fisher folks were expected to come home on the 23rd of June, but were caught by the typhoon in the high seas.

Philippine Navy vessels, “Islander 310” and “PG-112,” including a Navy aircraft, were returned to base on Wednesday (June 29) the OCD said Thursday.

Of the Catanduanes based fishermen, only one survivor, identified as Prospero Tabios, was rescued. He said they were in a group of 3 motorized fishing boats when they were caught by the typhoon.

Tabios said their vessels were swept by giant waves and sea currents to the coastlines of Northern Samar where the Navy vessels have searched since early this week.

Prospero Tabios (not to be confused with Paquito Tabios who is still missing) joins Joselito de los Santos, Joey Mendoza and Jenan Mendoza, all fishermen from Pinagtigasan, Vinzons, Camarines Norte who lived through their ordeal at sea during typhoon Falcon and were later rescued.

Chairman of the RDRRMC, Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda, stresses that a reliable early warning advisory should be put in place in coastal localities of the region to prevent further loss of lives in Bicol fishing communities and a relief program for families of fisher folks should be promptly implemented during typhoons to encourage fishermen to stay with their families rather than risking their lives at sea to earn a living.

voxbikol.com

U.S., Philippine navies join for 17th CARAT Exercise in Palawan

By Hookele Staff
Hickman News, Saturday, July 2, 2011

Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training Public Affairs

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines (NNS) Three U.S. Navy ships arrived in Puerto Princesa, Philippines, to launch the 17th Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Philippines on June 28.

Guided-missile destroyers USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, USS Howard (DDG 83) and diving and salvage ship USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50) are the U.S. Navy’s centerpieces for the exercise, which features 11 days of training exchanges with the Philippine navy, both ashore and at sea.

This year marks the second time in recent years that CARAT has been held in Palawan. The exercise was held in Puerto Princesa in 2008, in 2009, the exercise was held in Cebu and in 2010 at Subic Bay.

Ashore training includes such specialties as visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exercises, diver training, salvage operations, joint medical, dental and civic action projects, and aircrew familiarization exchanges. Additionally, there will be symposia on operations planning, search and rescue practices, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, interagency cooperation and public affairs.

The at sea phase of CARAT focuses on developing maritime security capabilities in areas such as maritime interdiction, information sharing, combined operations at sea, patrol operations and gunnery exercises, plus antipiracy and anti-smuggling exercises.

“The U.S. and Philippine navies have a long history of working together, and exercises like CARAT provide a great venue for us to hone our skills and increase our interoperability,” said Capt. David Welch, Commander, Task Group 73.1 and the commander for the exercise.

Approximately 800 U.S. Navy personnel are participating in CARAT Philippines 2011. In addition to the three ships, other participants include U.S. Navy Seabees, a U.S. Coast Guard maritime safety and security team (MSST), U.S. Navy Mobile Security Squadron, U.S. Navy Riverine Forces, medical support personnel, and P-3C Orion and SH-60 Seahawk aircraft.

CARAT is a series of annual bilateral military exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The CARAT series began in 1995 with six partner nations; Cambodia joined the series in 2009 and Bangladesh joined in 2010.

hookelenews.com

U.S. Navy Teams Up with Philippine Navy for CARAT Exercises

Defense, Maritime Security, Friday, July 1 2011

Three ships of the United States Navy arrived in Puerto Princesa, in the island of Palawan, the Philippines, on June 28: guided-missile destroyers USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), USS Howard (DDG 83) and diving and salvage ship USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50). The ships were in the Southeast Asian archipelago to team up with the Philippine Navy for the 17th Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), a series of annual bilateral military exercises.

A feature on the Navy website shared that this is the second time that the island of Palawan played host to the exercises in the Philippines. Last year’s CARAT was held at Subic Bay, while Cebu hosted CARAT in 2009. The last time Palawan hosted the exercises was in 2008. CARAT consists of eleven days of training exchanges, both ashore and at sea.

Capt. David Welch, Commander of Task Group 73.1, shared: “The U.S. and Philippine navies have a long history of working together, and exercises like CARAT provide a great venue for us to hone our skills and increase our interoperability.”

Among the training activities are Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) exercises; diver training; salvage operations; joint medical, dental and civic action projects, and aircrew familiarization exchanges, as enumerated by the Navy feature. There will also be symposia conducted on the following topics: operations planning, search and rescue practices, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, interagency cooperation and public affairs.

Aside from the Philippine Navy, the U.S. Navy also teams up with the Armed Forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand for CARAT exercises.

maritimesecurity.asia