Photography's Role in Military Operations

Manila Bulletin, Monday, April 25, 2011

The Philippine Navy's Naval Communications Electronics Information Systems Center (NCEISC) recently celebrated its 14th anniversary at the Naval Base Heracleo Alano Base, Sangley Point in Cavite City. For the first time, they had incorporated basic photography lecture in one of their seminars.

According to Lt.Salvador M. Sambalilo PN, operations officer, "Photography plays a very crucial role in the military organization even during the world war period because it has documented or captured military operations and activities. A typical example for this is the controversial picture taken in the takeover ofthe Iwo Jima island. Today, photographers are still part of the military organization."

The NCEISC has 11 stations located around the Philippine archipelago. Through Lt.jg. Liezl Vidallon PN of the Navy Public Affairs Office(NPAO), she has recommended RoyVan Morales to conduct the photography lecture for NCEISC.

Roy Van Morales has conducted several photography lectures for the Philippine Navy and Marines. He has done several basic, photojournalism, and war photography in the past for NPAO under Lt.Col. Edgard A.Arevalo PN (M). He is also the co-founder ofSubic Bay Photography Society (SBPS) and is a part of Canon's AdvocacyTeam.

"Photography can be part of people's lives especially in the military since a daily activity can be part oftheir publications," soodMorales. "Not all has a military photographer in their department and if, for some reasons, the assigned photographer can't perform his duty, someone else can do it if all the personnel have the knowledge in operating a camera," he added.

NCEISC is headed by Lcdr. Marcos Y. Imperio PN. He has been the commander for the past four years. "I never thought that photography can be very significant in our unit until I took the seminar myself. It is important that at least one in any organization knows how to take a great

photo for documentation not only in military operation but also in our daily routines, community service or receiving dignitaries or guests," shared Lcdr. Imperio.

NCEISC is a unit of the Philippine Navy that handles the information and communications technology requirements of all the naval bases or units in cooperation with the other branch of service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

More than 70 participants including NCEISC officers coming from 11 remote stations around the Philippines, together with civilian employeesand enlisted officers based in Sangley Point in Cavite City were present during the two-day seminar.