UN rehires retired Filipino general peacekeeping force commander

By DJ Yap

Phiippine Daily Inquirer, Friday, June 24,2011

A Filipino general who commanded the 1,050-strong United Nations peacekeeping force in the Middle East’s troubled Golan Heights officially retired from the service this month.

But Gen. Natalio Ecarma III has been called back to duty—as a naval reservist this time—on the request of UN officials who have been impressed by his performance, according to the military.

A highly decorated Marine general, Ecarma became the force commander and head of mission for the UN Disengagement Observer Force in the disputed region in March 2010.

The Golan Heights is a 1,800-square kilometer hilly area overlooking the Jordan River valley. The area was part of Syria until the 1967 war, when a large part of it came under Israeli military occupation.

Ecarma officially retired from the military on June 3 and was conferred military honors last Wednesday, said Lt. Cherryl Pontillas Tindog, acting director of the Marine Corps Public Affairs Office.

Navy reservist

“However, he will not be retiring because the UN asked him to stay in his post and so President Aquino called him back to active duty as a naval reservist,” Tindog said.

She said this was the first time for such an arrangement to happen.

Tindog said Ecarma credited his success in the UN mission to his peacekeeping experience in the Mindanao conflict.

“He saw how important it is to have sincerity, humility and compassion when dealing with armed conflicts. When you engage in talks, you have to show that you’re sincere,” she said.

Part of his responsibilities included deploying forces, keeping morale high, giving a sense of direction to the mission, and employing military strategies, Tindog said.

His being called back to duty was a testament to the exemplary duty and leadership that Ecarma displayed and his “innate compassion and dedication,” she said.

“This is something that has inspired the troops and Marines like me. Maybe our people need to know this story to be inspired too,” she said.

Ecarma will be flying back to the Golan Heights on June 27.

globalnation.inquirer.net

3 US vessels to arrive in Puerto Princesa for exercises

By VR/Sunnex
Sun Star Manila, Friday, June 24,2011

THREE vessels from the United States will arrive in Puerto Princesa City on Tuesday as part of their participation in naval exercises with their Philippine counterpart, the second such exercise since 2008.

The USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), USS Howard (DDG 83), both guided missile destroyers, and the USNS Safeguard (T-ARS), a diving and salvage ship, are part of the US Navy's "centerpieces" for the 11-day exercise, US Navy Lieutenant Commodore Mike Morlet, information officer of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Carat), said in a statement.

The three vessels are staffed by 800 persons.

To be conducted until July 8, the exercise will take place at the Sulu Sea, which is located east of Palawan. The area lies on the opposite side of the disputed Spratly Islands, which is reportedly rich in oil and mineral deposits.

The upcoming training is the 17th in the series of the annual Carat exercises. Last year, the exercises were held at the former US naval base in Subic Bay and in Cebu the previous year.

Among the training exercises covered by the program include 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," Morley said.

Meanwhile, the exercise's at-sea phase will be focused on "developing maritime security capabilities in areas such as maritime interdiction, information sharing, combined operations at sea, patrol operations and gunnery exercises, plus anti-piracy and anti-smuggling exercises."

Other participants to the exercises include the US Navy Seabees, A US Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST), US Navy Mobile Security Squadron, US Navy Riverine Forces, Medical Support personnel, and P-3C Orion and SH-60 Seahawk aircraft, he added.

For its part, the Philippines said four of its ships will be participating in the exercises, the Philippine Navy's spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Omar Tonsay, said.

Besides the Philippines, the US also pursues similar CARAT exercises with the Armed Forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

US and Vietnam also figure in Carat-like event known as Naval Exchange Activity.

sunstar.com.ph

PN-US SEACAT exercise 2011

Zamboanga Today, Friday, June 24, 2011

The Naval Forces Western Mindanao participated in the conduct of PN-USN exercise Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT 2011) together with other Naval Forces and Philippine Navy units in Mindanao area of operation from 14-24 June 2011 in the vicinity of Sulu Sea and Zamboanga Peninsula area of responsibility.

The purpose of the SEACAT 2011 training exercise is to give equal opportunity to both nations’ navies in dealing with maritime cooperation at sea. The exercise SEACAT is a scenario driven fleet training activity which focuses on real time information exchange, coordinated surveillance operations, tracking, and eventual conduct of actual vessel board search and seizure (VBSS) to the maritime contact of interest (COI). For this year, the exercise was conducted at the AORs of Naval Forces West, (NFW), Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM), and Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) respectively. The activity also involved PN surface, air and special operations units in the conduct of surveillance, tracking, and boarding of the contact of interest (The USS Safeguard Ship). One maritime Interdiction operations (MIO) scenario was conducted at each Naval Forces area of operation. The Naval Task Force 61 under NFWM took part in the PN-USN exercise SEACAT2011 in the vicinity of NFWM AOR utilizing PN assets particularly PG 117, PG390, DF333 and Naval Special Operation Unit 6 personnel (SEAL Teams) upon arrival of the Contact of Interest (COI)at the designated boarding area specifically in Basilan Strait on 22 June 2011. Boarding opportunity during the exercise was conducted by one (1) SEAL team aboard their two (2) 11- meters (RHIBS) with PG390 as support vessel in the said scenario.Likewise, Coast Watch South Center and all available CWS stations of all Naval Forces West, Western Mindanao and Eastern Mindanaowere utilized in order to test their capabilities in surveillance, tracking, and communications and operations activities. The end state of the exercise SEACAT 2011 is to promote regional coordination, combined inter-operability and also enhance the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) capabilities in its mandate to fight global terrorism, transnational crimes, and other maritime treats in the region as well. The exercise SEACAT 2011 was culminated after the completion of the visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) and upon signal from NFWM Exercise Battle Staff aboard Naval Forces Western Mindanao Operation Center.

zamboangatoday.ph

‘Falcon’ merges with LPA, gains strength

By Katherine Evangelista

Philippine Daily Inquirer, Thursday, June 23, 2011

MANILA, Philippines—Tropical Storm Falcon (international name: Maeri) gained strength on Thursday after it merged with a low pressure area that was earlier spotted off Catanduanes, according to the country’s weather bureau.

Public storm signal No. 1 was raised in Quezon, Aurora, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Isabela, Batanes Group of Islands and Cagayan, including Calayan and the Babuyan Group of Islands.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Falcon was expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and would bring rains over Central and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Pagasa said residents in low-lying and mountainous areas should watch out for flashfloods and landslides. Fisherfolk in western Luzon, Visayas and eastern Mindanao should also refrain from venturing out to sea, it added.

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Falcon was 420 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora. It had maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

It was moving northwest at 15 kph.

The low pressure area was spotted 550 km northeast of Virac, Catanduanes earlier Thursday .

Because of its interaction with this low pressure area, Falcon had slowed down.

Forecaster Rene Paciente also said that with the merging of the LPA and Falcon, more rains are expected in the country.

Falcon is expected to be out of the Philippine area of responsibility by Sunday. Its projected rainfall is 15 to 20 millimeters per hour, according to Paciente.

By Friday afternoon, Falcon is expected to be 270 km east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan, and 320 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes, by Saturday afternoon. By Sunday afternoon, it is expected to be 740 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes or 140 km northwest of Okinawa, Japan.

Meanwhile, seven fishermen were confirmed missing in Virac, Catanduanes. In its latest situation report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that the seven fishermen were from San Vicente village in Virac, Catanduanes. They were reported missing early Thursday afternoon and were reportedly aboard three fishing boats.

The missing fishermen were identified as Antonio Avila Bailon, Nestor Tapit Mandasoc and Vicente Rodriguez Tapit, who were on board a white-green-and-yellow-colored boat; Prosperos Tabios and Paquito Tabuzo who set sail on a yellow-colored boat; and Rolando Sarmiento Tabor and Denver Sta. Ines who were also on another yellow boat.

The Region 5 Office of Civil Defense has requested assistance from the Naval Forces Southern Luzon and Philippine Coast Guard-District Bicol in the search and rescue operations for the missing fishermen. The Philippine Navy will be deploying a PG112 boat and an Islander Aircraft as soon as weather condition improves, the NDRRMC said.

The PCG District Bicol has also issued a no sailing advisory for all motor boats, and passenger and cargo vessels within the region.

As of 6 a.m. Thursday, 210 passengers, 15 trucks, three passenger buses and a private car were reported stranded in the ports of Tabaco, Pio Duran and Rapu-Rapu, all in Albay. Six motor boats and nine other vessels were also confirmed marooned on the ports, the NDRRMC said.

Likewise, the Air Transport Office said it had also cancelled 30 international flights and 26 domestic flights due to the bad weather brought by Falcon.

The provincial disaster council in Albay also issued Advisory No. 2, which suspended classes on all levels in the province; instructed city and municipal mayors to evacuate residents living near flood-prone areas; ordered that no one shall cross flooded roads and bridges and swelling rivers; and warned those living near river banks and mountain slopes to take precautionary measures against possible flashfloods and landslides.

The Department of Public Works and Highways have prepositioned two stake trucks in Albay while the Philippine Army has readied six trucks in Polangui, two in Libon, and two more in Oas, all in the province of Albay, for any possible evacuation.

Ipo dam remained to be nearing critical spill level with 100.3 meters of water level as of 7 a.m. Thursday, the state-run disaster management council said.

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