By PNA
Manila Bulletin, Friday, September 16, 2010
The fighting capability of the troops from the Philippine Marines Corp (PMC) will be further enhanced with the acquisition of new gadgets, a top military official disclosed Thursday.
Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mohammad Dolorfino, Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) commander, said the PMC recently acquired nightfighting system gadgets.
Most if not all of the battalions of the PMC’s three brigades are deployed within the area of jurisdiction of the Wesmincom that stretches from Tawi-Tawi up to Misamis Occidental.
Dolorfino said the night-fighting system gadgets are a combination of night-vision goggle and target system that are shock- and water-proof.
“It will give us complete nightfighting capability and accuracy,” he said.
Dolorfino said previously the troops could only see their enemy during night time using their nightvision goggles. But there is no target accuracy that the newly-acquired gadgets provide, he said.
He said the PMC is set to train personnel on the use of the newly-acquired gadgets for their eventual use in the fight against bandits belonging to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
“Definitely, marami ang matutumba na ASG (many ASG members will fall),” he said.
Dolorfino’s command is running after at least 300 ASG bandits, including Jemaah Islamiyah militant Marwan, whose real name is Zulkifli bin Hir, and reportedly hiding in the province of Sulu.
Marwan is a Malaysian national and an engineer by profession.
The United States government is offering a reward of up to $ 5 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Marwan, a terrorist believed to be involved in multiple deadly bomb attacks in the Philippines.
Of the remaining 300 Abu Sayyaf bandits, 200 of them are hiding in the province of Sulu while the 100 are in the province of Basilan, Dolorfino said.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
3 PN Priorities
By DR. JESUS P. ESTANISLAO
Manila Bulletin, Thursday, September 15, 2010
Under the organization perspective, the Philippine Navy (PN) has listed three priorities, for which it presents several performance scorecards – each with initiatives, measures, and targets.
Under the first priority of “sound and appropriate and maritime doctrines," the initiative proposed is the validation of the soundness of maritime doctrines developed. Here, the measure is a percentage: Of the required doctrines developed, what is the percentage of those fully validated for appropriateness and soundness. The current base in 2010 is listed at only 10 percent. The targets for 2011, 2012, and 2013 are 20 percent, 30 percent, and 40 percent, respectively. For 2020, the target is 90-95 percent.
A lay observer who looks at this performance scorecard is left awed by the effort that must go into the validation of the appropriateness and soundness of the doctrines developed. The effort may involve continuing assessment and dynamic reformulation, taking into account the changing seascape that would confront the Philippines as a maritime nation. This initiative leaves a clear impression of the imperative for the Navy to develop a high level of strategic thinking, which has to be adapted to the particular circumstances of the fast-changing environment within which our nation operates.
The second priority of a “responsive naval reservists’ program” is to be pursued through the following initiative, to institute a sustainable PN reservists system. Two concrete measures, with corresponding targets, are proposed to monitor progress under this specific initiative. The first is the percentage fill-up of reservist positions: Starting at less than 20 percent in 2010, this should move up to 23 percent in 2011; 50 percent in 2012, 53 percent in 2013, and eventually 100 percent in 2020. The second is the reservists training readiness profile. This is now at 65 percent in 2010. The targets for the immediate succeeding years ahead are: 70 percent in 2011, 75 percent in 2012, 80 percent in 2013. By 2020, this percentage should hit 95 percent.
This initiative underscores the outreach program the Navy has to undertake with a view to winning many highly qualified applicants to its reservists’ program. Moreover, such a program should be designed to inculcate the core values in the PN Governance Charter, including deep loyalty and very high level commitment to – duly accompanied by competence required by – the PN Mission.
The third priority of a “dynamic and responsive naval organization” calls for two initiatives that the PN has committed to undertake. The first of these is to institute a reliable and responsive PN force structure. The proposed measure of progress for this initiative is the completion rate of the desired force structure. Now at 80 percent in 2010, this moves up to 90 percent in 2011 before finally reaching 100 percent as early as 2012. It will be maintained at that percent completion rate from 2013 onwards. The second initiative is to pursue ISO-certified PN systems. The measure of progress is straightforward: The number of PN units with ISO certification. In 2010, the figure set is one. Each year up to 2013, there should be one more PN unit obtaining ISO certification, and this increase should be sustained until the number reaches 10 PN units ISO-certified in 2020.
Benchmarking against global best practices and therefore obtaining ISO certification for various PN units would constitute an important step forward. They need to be complemented with the usual creativity and inventiveness of all Navy personnel: They are always called upon to innovate and bring up to the highest possible standard of effectiveness all processes within the organization, despite the perennial constraints under which the PN operates.
Manila Bulletin, Thursday, September 15, 2010
Under the organization perspective, the Philippine Navy (PN) has listed three priorities, for which it presents several performance scorecards – each with initiatives, measures, and targets.
Under the first priority of “sound and appropriate and maritime doctrines," the initiative proposed is the validation of the soundness of maritime doctrines developed. Here, the measure is a percentage: Of the required doctrines developed, what is the percentage of those fully validated for appropriateness and soundness. The current base in 2010 is listed at only 10 percent. The targets for 2011, 2012, and 2013 are 20 percent, 30 percent, and 40 percent, respectively. For 2020, the target is 90-95 percent.
A lay observer who looks at this performance scorecard is left awed by the effort that must go into the validation of the appropriateness and soundness of the doctrines developed. The effort may involve continuing assessment and dynamic reformulation, taking into account the changing seascape that would confront the Philippines as a maritime nation. This initiative leaves a clear impression of the imperative for the Navy to develop a high level of strategic thinking, which has to be adapted to the particular circumstances of the fast-changing environment within which our nation operates.
The second priority of a “responsive naval reservists’ program” is to be pursued through the following initiative, to institute a sustainable PN reservists system. Two concrete measures, with corresponding targets, are proposed to monitor progress under this specific initiative. The first is the percentage fill-up of reservist positions: Starting at less than 20 percent in 2010, this should move up to 23 percent in 2011; 50 percent in 2012, 53 percent in 2013, and eventually 100 percent in 2020. The second is the reservists training readiness profile. This is now at 65 percent in 2010. The targets for the immediate succeeding years ahead are: 70 percent in 2011, 75 percent in 2012, 80 percent in 2013. By 2020, this percentage should hit 95 percent.
This initiative underscores the outreach program the Navy has to undertake with a view to winning many highly qualified applicants to its reservists’ program. Moreover, such a program should be designed to inculcate the core values in the PN Governance Charter, including deep loyalty and very high level commitment to – duly accompanied by competence required by – the PN Mission.
The third priority of a “dynamic and responsive naval organization” calls for two initiatives that the PN has committed to undertake. The first of these is to institute a reliable and responsive PN force structure. The proposed measure of progress for this initiative is the completion rate of the desired force structure. Now at 80 percent in 2010, this moves up to 90 percent in 2011 before finally reaching 100 percent as early as 2012. It will be maintained at that percent completion rate from 2013 onwards. The second initiative is to pursue ISO-certified PN systems. The measure of progress is straightforward: The number of PN units with ISO certification. In 2010, the figure set is one. Each year up to 2013, there should be one more PN unit obtaining ISO certification, and this increase should be sustained until the number reaches 10 PN units ISO-certified in 2020.
Benchmarking against global best practices and therefore obtaining ISO certification for various PN units would constitute an important step forward. They need to be complemented with the usual creativity and inventiveness of all Navy personnel: They are always called upon to innovate and bring up to the highest possible standard of effectiveness all processes within the organization, despite the perennial constraints under which the PN operates.
Defense contract review for multi-role vehicle purchase done in 1 month
By Jaime Laude
The Philippine Star, Thursday, September 16, 2010
The review of the P10 billion defense contract for the purchase of two Multi-Role Vessels (MRVs) from South Korea will be completed in a month’s time, a senior South Korean official said yesterday.
South Korean defense attaché to the Philippines Col. Kim Yi Kon said the review of the contract to purchase, entered into by the previous defense leadership, is now underway.
In his remaining weeks as defense chief, then secretary Norberto Gonzales ordered the deferment of the bidding process to favor a government-to-government acquisition for the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The rush was largely due to Gonzales’ eagerness to strike a huge military deal with friendly states to re-equip the AFP major commands before the P330 billion AFP modernization program expires this year.
Gonzales then noted that out of the staggering defense budget to purchase military hardware only P30 billion were used.
Aside from the two MRVs for the Navy, bankrolled by the 2009 and 2010 AFP modernization program, Gonzales also was able to strike a deal with the Polish government to purchase eight brand-new combat utility helicopters for P3.2 billion.
But when the administration of President Aquino came in, a review of these multi-billion defense contracts entered into by Gonzales was ordered, in effort to cast aside speculations that these were part of the midnight deals by the Arroyo administration.
“We are not saying that something is wrong with these defense contracts which have not been perfected yet. We are just reviewing these to determine if all are aboveboard,” Defense spokesman Eduardo Batac said in an earlier interview.
Kim said that once the review is completed and approved by the new defense leadership, it would take sometime before these two MRVs can be delivered to the Philippine Navy.
Kim made the statement during a media briefing on the preparations for the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War.
The Philippines, as among the countries that fought during the Korean War, was represented by the Philippine Marines to the five-day Wonju Tattoo International Military and Marching Bands Music Festival at Gangwan-Do, South Korea.
Marine spokesman Capt. Alden Gwyn Amargo said the crowd was impressed by the showmanship of the Philippine Marines, compared to the large delegation from their counterparts from Russia, Mexico, Thailand, New Zealand, Taiwan, the US and the South Korean Marines.
He said the Philippine Marine band had earned admiration from their counterparts for their musical and drill performances.
“Of the 11 participating military and marching bands, the Philippine Marine Corps Marine Drum Bugle Team has the least number of performers.
The Philippine Star, Thursday, September 16, 2010
The review of the P10 billion defense contract for the purchase of two Multi-Role Vessels (MRVs) from South Korea will be completed in a month’s time, a senior South Korean official said yesterday.
South Korean defense attaché to the Philippines Col. Kim Yi Kon said the review of the contract to purchase, entered into by the previous defense leadership, is now underway.
In his remaining weeks as defense chief, then secretary Norberto Gonzales ordered the deferment of the bidding process to favor a government-to-government acquisition for the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The rush was largely due to Gonzales’ eagerness to strike a huge military deal with friendly states to re-equip the AFP major commands before the P330 billion AFP modernization program expires this year.
Gonzales then noted that out of the staggering defense budget to purchase military hardware only P30 billion were used.
Aside from the two MRVs for the Navy, bankrolled by the 2009 and 2010 AFP modernization program, Gonzales also was able to strike a deal with the Polish government to purchase eight brand-new combat utility helicopters for P3.2 billion.
But when the administration of President Aquino came in, a review of these multi-billion defense contracts entered into by Gonzales was ordered, in effort to cast aside speculations that these were part of the midnight deals by the Arroyo administration.
“We are not saying that something is wrong with these defense contracts which have not been perfected yet. We are just reviewing these to determine if all are aboveboard,” Defense spokesman Eduardo Batac said in an earlier interview.
Kim said that once the review is completed and approved by the new defense leadership, it would take sometime before these two MRVs can be delivered to the Philippine Navy.
Kim made the statement during a media briefing on the preparations for the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War.
The Philippines, as among the countries that fought during the Korean War, was represented by the Philippine Marines to the five-day Wonju Tattoo International Military and Marching Bands Music Festival at Gangwan-Do, South Korea.
Marine spokesman Capt. Alden Gwyn Amargo said the crowd was impressed by the showmanship of the Philippine Marines, compared to the large delegation from their counterparts from Russia, Mexico, Thailand, New Zealand, Taiwan, the US and the South Korean Marines.
He said the Philippine Marine band had earned admiration from their counterparts for their musical and drill performances.
“Of the 11 participating military and marching bands, the Philippine Marine Corps Marine Drum Bugle Team has the least number of performers.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
PN Performance Scorecards
By DR. JESUS P. ESTANISLAO
Manila bulletin, Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Having listed its priorities under the five perspectives it has chosen, the Philippine Navy (PN) sailed further and went on to craft performance scorecards for each priority.
Under the personnel perspective, the Navy had listed only one priority, “highly competent and motivated professionals.” It went on to answer this question, “How are we to pursue this priority?”
To be able to do so, the Navy has put forward a first initiative, which it labelled as the PN Education & Training System. It then proposes a measure, which it will be using to track progress and monitor accomplishment in pursuit of the priority. The measure is quantitative, and it is the “Personnel Readiness Profile.” The base, in 2010, of this measure is 44 percent. The Navy has targets for this measure to go up to 50 percent, 55 percent, and 65 percent in 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively. By the end of the Vision period, 2020, the Navy has set a target of 95 percent for this measure.
It is clear that the Navy sets great store upon its training system, which should produce for it the “highly competent and motivated professionals” it seeks. Furthermore, the Navy recognizes that it is starting from a low base, by the measure it has chosen, at 44 percent in its Personnel Readiness Profile. But note the ambitious target: By 2013, or within three years, this should shoot up by 21 basis points. Moreover, by 2020, it should shoot up by another 30 basis points from the level it will have reached in 2013. Considering how important the personnel perspective is in the Navy Sail Plan, this measure and the targets set for it is a bell-weather of any substantive, breakthrough results the Navy would deliver under its Sail Plan.
The Navy has also put forward a second initiative, which is equally fundamental: It is a Competency-Based PN Personnel/Human Resource Management System. Again, the Navy stresses the word “system,” and in this specific instance it also underscores competency as at the very core of its HR management. Through a system it proposes to introduce upgrading its HR management, it expects to reduce the “Turn-over Rate of Skilled Personnel” within the Navy. The baseline data, still to be finally determined, show that this rate is currently at a high level, above 75 percent. Thus, the Navy has set the following targets for 2011, 2012, and 2013: 75 percent; 70 percent; and 65 percent, respectively. The target for 2020 is 30 percent.
A high turn-over rate is expensive for any organization. In the case of the Navy, such a high rate can be debilitating relative to the Mission it has to carry out. Thus, in view of the imperative to strengthen the organization, the PN has correctly put forward this initiative, with its corresponding measure and targets: On this initiative, it has committed to turn in substantive breakthrough results. The turn-over-rate of skilled Navy personnel must be cut drastically within the Vision period. By 2020, it should be down by more than half of its current rate.
Into the two systemic initiatives the PN has put forward, the first related to education and training, and the second related to competency-based HR management, it needs to consider embedding the demands of a transformation culture that its Sail Plan calls for. This would entail giving concrete flesh and substance to the core values the Navy has chosen to enshrine in its Governance Charter. It has to look for specific ways and means by which those core values, with the level of competence and motivation associated with them, find life in every facet and at all levels of day-to-day operations. This is a tall order, but it happens to be one that a deeply committed Philippine Navy should be able to meet and fill.
Manila bulletin, Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Having listed its priorities under the five perspectives it has chosen, the Philippine Navy (PN) sailed further and went on to craft performance scorecards for each priority.
Under the personnel perspective, the Navy had listed only one priority, “highly competent and motivated professionals.” It went on to answer this question, “How are we to pursue this priority?”
To be able to do so, the Navy has put forward a first initiative, which it labelled as the PN Education & Training System. It then proposes a measure, which it will be using to track progress and monitor accomplishment in pursuit of the priority. The measure is quantitative, and it is the “Personnel Readiness Profile.” The base, in 2010, of this measure is 44 percent. The Navy has targets for this measure to go up to 50 percent, 55 percent, and 65 percent in 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively. By the end of the Vision period, 2020, the Navy has set a target of 95 percent for this measure.
It is clear that the Navy sets great store upon its training system, which should produce for it the “highly competent and motivated professionals” it seeks. Furthermore, the Navy recognizes that it is starting from a low base, by the measure it has chosen, at 44 percent in its Personnel Readiness Profile. But note the ambitious target: By 2013, or within three years, this should shoot up by 21 basis points. Moreover, by 2020, it should shoot up by another 30 basis points from the level it will have reached in 2013. Considering how important the personnel perspective is in the Navy Sail Plan, this measure and the targets set for it is a bell-weather of any substantive, breakthrough results the Navy would deliver under its Sail Plan.
The Navy has also put forward a second initiative, which is equally fundamental: It is a Competency-Based PN Personnel/Human Resource Management System. Again, the Navy stresses the word “system,” and in this specific instance it also underscores competency as at the very core of its HR management. Through a system it proposes to introduce upgrading its HR management, it expects to reduce the “Turn-over Rate of Skilled Personnel” within the Navy. The baseline data, still to be finally determined, show that this rate is currently at a high level, above 75 percent. Thus, the Navy has set the following targets for 2011, 2012, and 2013: 75 percent; 70 percent; and 65 percent, respectively. The target for 2020 is 30 percent.
A high turn-over rate is expensive for any organization. In the case of the Navy, such a high rate can be debilitating relative to the Mission it has to carry out. Thus, in view of the imperative to strengthen the organization, the PN has correctly put forward this initiative, with its corresponding measure and targets: On this initiative, it has committed to turn in substantive breakthrough results. The turn-over-rate of skilled Navy personnel must be cut drastically within the Vision period. By 2020, it should be down by more than half of its current rate.
Into the two systemic initiatives the PN has put forward, the first related to education and training, and the second related to competency-based HR management, it needs to consider embedding the demands of a transformation culture that its Sail Plan calls for. This would entail giving concrete flesh and substance to the core values the Navy has chosen to enshrine in its Governance Charter. It has to look for specific ways and means by which those core values, with the level of competence and motivation associated with them, find life in every facet and at all levels of day-to-day operations. This is a tall order, but it happens to be one that a deeply committed Philippine Navy should be able to meet and fill.
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