& lsquo;Ulysses& rsquo; barrels through Luzon
Typhoon “Ulysses” battered the heart of Luzon as it made landfall over Quezon Province before midnight Wednesday, grazing Metro Manila with high-velocity winds on its steady march to Zambales toward the West Philippine Sea......»»
Ecija onion farmers get storage facilities
The Department of Agriculture has turned over two onion cold storage facilities to the DA-Central Luzon office in Nueva Ecija......»»
‘Extreme danger heat index seen in May’
The cities of Puerto Princesa in Luzon and Cotabato in Mindanao sizzled with a heat index of 42 degrees Celsius on Saturday, according to state meteorologists......»»
SMC starts works on Pangasinan tollway
Food-to-infrastructure conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has started the civil works for the Pangasinan Link Expressway (PLEX), laying the bedrock for a P34-billion project that would improve travel and tourism in Northern Luzon......»»
Philippines, US air forces back together for Cope Thunder
The Philippine Air Force and the US Pacific Air Force are set to embark on joint exercises – involving their advanced fighter jets – from April 8 to 19 for this year’s iteration of Cope Thunder, an annual air defense and offense training event to be held in Luzon......»»
Global oil demand to grow by 1.9 million bpd in 2024
LONDON (Reuters) -Global oil demand will grow by 1.9 million barrels per day (bpd) this year, according to a prediction by energy research company Wood Mackenzie, a forecast close to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) estimate for 2024. In remarks shared with delegates at a Wood Mac briefing on Wednesday during the.....»»
Iran s Navy Seizes Oil Tanker in Gulf of Oman
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Iran's navy seized an oil tanker on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman that once was at the center of a major crisis between Tehran and Washington, officials said. The seizure further escalates tensions in the Mideast waterways.The vessel was once known as the Suez Rajan and was involved in a yearlong dispute that ultimately saw the U.S. Justice Department seize 1 million barrels of Irani.....»»
Uganda seeks Chinese funding for oil pipeline project
Uganda is in the final stages of negotiations with Chinese financiers to help fund a controversial pipeline project after some Western partners pulled out, a senior official said Wednesday. "We are having final discussions with our Chinese partners to provide about half of the finances required for the construction of the EACOP (East African Crude Oil Pipeline)," Irene Bateebe, permanent secretary at the energy ministry, told AFP. "We should be concluding the arrangements with the Chinese financiers this coming month (October)," she added. French energy giant TotalEnergies is leading a multi-billion dollar project to develop Ugandan oilfields and ship the crude through a 1,445-kilometre (900-mile) pipeline to a port in Tanzania. But the scheme has come under fire from human rights groups and environmental campaigners who say it will harm fragile ecosystems and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of local people. The government has vowed to plough ahead despite the opposition, and TotalEnergies says those displaced by the project have been fairly compensated and measures have been taken to protect the environment. "This is a critical project for Uganda," Bateebe said. "Some of our international partners from Europe were forced to pull out from financing this project and as a country, we sourced for other friendly partners to finance the balance of the financing and we are on course." She said Uganda was speaking to two Chinese financiers, the Export-Import Bank of China and Sinosure. TotalEnergies has a 62 percent stake in the pipeline, with Ugandan and Tanzanian state-owned oil companies holding 15 percent each and China National Offshore Oil Corporation eight percent. The pipeline is part of a $10 billion project to develop oilfields in Lake Albert in northwestern Uganda and export the crude to international markets via the Indian Ocean port of Tanga in Tanzania. The lake lies atop an estimated 6.5 billion barrels of crude, of which about 1.4 billion barrels are currently considered recoverable. Uganda's first oil is expected to flow in 2025 -- almost two decades after the reserves were discovered -- and the project has been hailed by President Yoweri Museveni as an economic boon for the landlocked country where many live in poverty. The post Uganda seeks Chinese funding for oil pipeline project appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Missed opportunity
The Department of Energy, before the Marcos administration, had issued Department Circular 2021-09-0028 seeking to establish the Philippine Strategic Petroleum Reserve Program, which was a squandered program that would have softened the impact of the successive oil price increases. A national petroleum reserve would have significantly helped shield the country against global supply and price disruptions, considering that the country is a net importer of petroleum products. An energy expert cited as a clear example of the country’s vulnerability to global supply and price shocks the impact of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis on our domestic petroleum prices. Former Energy Secretary Al Cusi warned that the momentum of the fuel price surge will be hard to stop since even before the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Plus was already confronted with a production shortfall. The oil bloc refused to raise output despite pressure from the United States, Japan, China, India, and influential International Energy Agency members. Setting up strategic reserves was Cusi’s advocacy since it would address both the uncertainties on supply and provide a buffer against sudden price spikes. Under the proposal, private oil companies and the state-owned Philippine National Oil Company would build a strategic petroleum reserve to pool resources to ensure supply is not disrupted. PNOC would lead in maintaining the fuel reserve that would be more than the current 40-day average stock. The program was modeled after similar petroleum reserves, or SPR, of developed nations such as Japan and the United States. Several countries, including the United States, maintain a stockpile of crude oil to provide a buffer against disruptions in oil supplies. The SPR is an emergency response tool to mitigate potential oil shortages due to natural disasters, geopolitical events, and other unforeseen circumstances. The United States established its fuel reserve in 1975 following the Arab oil embargo of 1973-1974. The SPR is managed by the Office of Fossil Energy within the US Department of Energy. Underground storage facilities in salt caverns along the gulf coast of Texas and Louisiana are used. Like the DoE proposal, the primary purpose of the SPR is to ensure the availability of crude oil during severe supply disruptions. The reserve can be tapped into when significant disruptions in oil production, imports, or refining capabilities could lead to shortages and significant price increases. Releasing oil from the SPR aims to stabilize the market and provide relief to consumers, industries, and the overall economy. The US SPR has a capacity of approximately 713.5 million barrels of oil. Until September 2021, the US SPR held around 635 million barrels of crude oil. The decision to release oil from the SPR rests with the US President, who can authorize such action in response to a severe supply disruption. The release typically occurs in coordination with the International Energy Agency and after consultation with other major oil-consuming countries. Aside from the US and Japan, Germany and South Korea also maintain strategic petroleum reserves to safeguard against oil supply disruptions and market volatility. Saying that the local program should have received the government’s support is crying over spilled milk. The government, however, should consider having a buffer stock of fuel since the frequent price spikes have become a threat to the livelihood of Filipinos and thus endanger national security. The post Missed opportunity appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fuel price hikes till yearend — DoE
Motorists should expect the fuel price hikes to persist until the end of the year as prompted by the low global oil supply due to production cuts. “That is what they should expect by the end of this year because of the shortage. Now, we are at the peak of shortage that reached three million barrels per day but as per the report of the International Energy Agency by the end of the year, the shortage will be reduced to half a million,” lawyer Rino Abad of the Department of Energy-Oil Industry Management Bureau or DoE-OIMB said during the Bagong Pilipinas briefing on Tuesday. Abad thus conveyed that prices, although on an uptick, will not be hefty. “So, we expect that the price is still high because of the tightness towards the end of the year. But if you look at the three million shortfall to 500,000, there is what is called backwardation, so the price increase is expected little by little,” Abad explained. Starting Tuesday morning, 19 September, diesel prices effectively increased by P2.50 per liter. Kerosene and prices, on the other hand, both went up by P2 per liter. The new round of price adjustment was the 11th increase for diesel and kerosene and the 10th for gasoline. Relatedly, the price movement translated to a commutative increase of P13.60 per liter for diesel; P17.50 for gasoline; and P9.95 per liter for kerosene. In constant communication In a recent spot interview with reporters, Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla assured that the DoE is in constant communication with other government agencies to help consumers cope with the rising prices but noted that nothing is definitive yet as to what course of action they could take. For this week, DoE data showed gasoline prices range from P60.50 to P69.50 per liter in Quezon City, Metro Manila’s largest city. Diesel prices, meanwhile, range from P65.25 to P71.30 per liter in Makati City, the country’s top financial hub. In Manila, kerosene sold from P80.11 to P82.40 per liter. Oil companies announce price adjustments every Monday to be implemented on the following day’s morning. The post Fuel price hikes till yearend — DoE appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fuel prices rise for 10th straight week
Motorists still have to tighten their belts to endure the 10th week of fuel price increase this year as an effect of ongoing production cuts implemented by leading oil producers. Starting tomorrow morning, the prices of diesel sold at the local pumps will increase by P1.20 per liter. Kerosene prices, on the other hand, will also go up by P1.10 per liter, and gasoline prices, by a slight P0.50 per liter. Data from the Department of Energy showed that as of 29 August, the commutative increase in diesel stood at P9.50 per liter; gasoline, P14.80 per liter; and kerosene, P6.64 per liter. Meanwhile, as of 31 August, the gasoline prices range from P60.10 to P71.00 per liter in Quezon City, Metro Manila’s largest city. Diesel prices, meanwhile, range from P63.65 to P69.70 per liter in Makati City, the country’s top financial hub. In Manila, kerosene sold from P78.81 to P81.30 per liter. Oil Industry Management Bureau director Rino Abad earlier explained that the consecutive rounds of price spikes were prompted by the low global oil supply due to production cuts. “This is the continuous effect of Saudi Arabia’s production cut of 1 million barrels, which was implemented this August. Aside from this, Russia, another oil producer, decided to cut around 300,000 to 500,000 barrels per day in its production,” Abad explained. Oil companies announce price adjustments every Monday to be implemented on the following day’s morning. They adjust their prices weekly based on the movement of the Mean of Platts Singapore — the regional pricing benchmark adopted by the deregulated downstream oil sector. The post Fuel prices rise for 10th straight week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Every drop matters: 9 ways to save water even during the rainy season
While many parts of Metro Manila and other provinces have observed heavy rainfall recently, some parts of the country still experience insufficient rain and water supply. [gallery size="full" columns="2" ids="179234,179236"] Water is an essential resource for everyday living, from cleaning food to maintaining hygiene and clean surroundings and preventing the spread of diseases. Here are nine practical ways to save water: Reduce shower time. Shorten showers by aiming for about just five minutes, to conserve water and energy for heating. Don’t leave tap water running. To prevent unnecessary water waste, turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, washing your face or cleaning the dishes. Reuse Water. Reuse water used for washing rice and vegetables or rinsing dishes to water indoor plants. Laundry water can also be used for toilet flushing. Sweep instead of hose. Save water by sweeping the dirt on sidewalks and roads instead of using a hose to clean them. Use only full loads of laundry. Wait until you have a full load of laundry before using your washing machine to maximize water efficiency. Fix leaks as soon as possible. Immediately fix even small leaks in the plumbing system, because it can eventually waste a lot of water. Water plants sensibly: Water your plants in the early morning or late evening to minimize evaporation. Collect rainwater: Set up rain barrels or containers to capture rainwater for outside uses like cleaning, watering plants or filling toilet bowls. As a part of every community that it serves, SM Supermalls is aware of the fundamental role it can play in promoting water security and conservation, championing water reuse and being the catalyst of a sustainable solution. Water catchment basins in 25 malls have been installed to help prevent flooding as well as soil erosion during heavy downpours. In its malls nationwide, water is reused for non-potable use, such as cleaning the malls, flushing toilets and watering plants. Last July, SM City Baguio introduced the first facility of its kind in a mall setting, converting rainwater into potable water and thus contributing to the city's water management measures. Raise awareness in the community: Spread the word about water conservation among family, friends and neighbors to create a positive impact and generate viable solutions. Every little bit helps, and these water-saving tips can significantly contribute to preserving this vital resource for everyone’s future. The post Every drop matters: 9 ways to save water even during the rainy season appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Storm Idalia to intensify into major hurricane ahead of Florida landfall
Idalia is churning about 130 kilometers off the western tip of Cuba as it barrels north, packing maximum sustained winds of 112 km/h, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center says.....»»
Courting disaster (2)
“The judiciary,” once intoned Alexander Hamilton, “has no influence over either the sword or the purse; no direction either of the strength or of the wealth of society; and can take no active resolution whatever. It may truly be said to have neither force nor will, but merely judgment.” Thus, is the Judiciary said to be the “weakest” of the Three Great Branches of Government under the Constitution, as it, to paraphrase Hamilton, holds neither the purse (controlled by Congress) nor the sword (under the command of the Chief Executive)? Someone once joked that in the case, however, of then-Chief Justice Enrique Fernando, he holds the umbrella for Imelda Marcos, but that is something those born after the 1980s will not get. This is why the framers of our Constitution, in their infinite wisdom (and I use the phrase advisedly) had deemed it fit to elevate what had hitherto been merely ruling case law into a constitutional injunction. Section 3 of Article VIII reads: “The Judiciary shall enjoy fiscal autonomy. Appropriations for the Judiciary may not be reduced by the legislature below the amount appropriated for the previous year and, after approval, shall be automatically and regularly released.” Looks good. But in practice, it reduces judicial independence to a chimera. While the budget of the courts may not be reduced from that of the previous year, if a nasty Legislature wants to starve out a nonconformist Judiciary, it may simply opt to maintain its budget at the same level year after year after year. After a few years, with inflation, the courts will be reduced to tatters. And this happens every year, with the high officials of the Supreme Court practically reduced to bringing a begging bowl to Congress when budget deliberations come up in the agenda. This year, around P14 billion was arbitrarily lopped off the proposed budget for the Judicial branch. Now, the court administration is asking that some P6.7 billion be restored if only to upgrade the salaries of court personnel, the hazard pay for judges (who lately have been at the receiving end of gun barrels from disgruntled litigants) and costs for their security in the form of judicial marshals, the creation of more courts to serve a burgeoning caseload, and for the Judicial Integrity Board (who keeps erring judges in line). Methinks this is not too much to ask for, and as a lawyer and therefore an officer of the court, it pains me to see the Supreme Court looking like the poorer relations of Congress begging for alms. This is especially since Congress has notoriously been seen to have granted unto itself huge allocations for its members per district, the combined value of which is far and away higher than what the High Tribunal is asking for. The importance of a strong, independent Judiciary cannot be overestimated in a constitutional government such as ours. Aside from adjudicating private rights amongst competing parties, it is the final bulwark against governmental abuse. As former President Jose P. Laurel, when he was a Supreme Court magistrate, so emphatically articulated in the landmark case of Angara v. Electoral Commission, “(i)n cases of conflict, the judicial department is the only constitutional organ which can be called upon to determine the proper allocation of powers between the several departments of the government.” That is why I wish to make this call to our lawmakers to be not niggardly with the monetary allocation to our courts. It will not serve the ends of good governance well to be penny-wise and pound-foolish with the nation’s coffers. By the same token, kudos to Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Senate President Miguel Zubiri and neophyte Senator Raffy Tulfo, who have all filed bills seeking to strengthen the Judiciary’s fiscal autonomy. For to neglect the courts would necessarily be courting disaster. The post Courting disaster (2) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Saudi Arabia s oil exports fall to 21-month low
Crude shipments plunged below 7 million barrels per day in June, data has revealed Shipments of crude oil from Saudi Arabia have slumped to their lowest level in almost two years, the latest data by the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI) revealed on Wednesday. Riyadh's oil exports totaled 6.80 million b.....»»
Typhoon ‘Khanun’ barrels thru Japan, Korea
Ahead of typhoon Khanun’s Wednesday landfall in Japan’s southernmost main island of Kyushu, flights and train service to the southern region were suspended while 540,000 locals were told to evacuate. Japan Airlines on Tuesday canceled 132 flights, disrupting some 8,390 travelers, a spokesperson of the company told Agence France-Presse. ANA also scrapped flights between Kagoshima in southern Kyushu and Tokyo. Bullet train service to southern destinations were suspended, while many other local commuter and express trains were canceled, Kyushu Railway said in a statement. Kagoshima prefecture set up 314 shelters for evacuees, officials said, as carmaker Mazda’s factories in Hiroshima and Yamaguchi will suspend operations on Wednesday and Thursday. The storm forced Nagasaki, one of the main cities on Kyushu, to move indoors and scale down its annual commemoration ceremony of the 1945 atomic bombing scheduled for Wednesday. After killing at least two people, injuring more than 100 and cutting off power for several hundred thousand people in the southern Okinawa region last week, Khanun was due to roar along the western coast of Kyushu towards South Korea, according to forecasters. Khanun was moving northward from waters 300 kilometers south of Kagoshima as of 9 a.m. Tuesday and is expected to reach 30 kms west of the South Korean coastal city of Tongyeong at 9 a.m. Thursday, the Korea Meteorological Administration said, according to Yonhap. Its wind speed is expected to reach up to 126 kilometers per hour on Thursday, KMA said. Parts of Gangwon Province along the upper east coast of South Korea are forecast to receive rain as heavy as 600 milliliters, Yonhap said. The typhoon may head further north to North Korea at 9 a.m. Friday, the agency added. WITH AFP The post Typhoon ‘Khanun’ barrels thru Japan, Korea appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brace for P4 diesel shock, highest spike this year
Motorists have to tighten their belts to endure the highest price per liter increase of diesel this year as an effect of ongoing production cuts implemented by leading oil producers. Starting tomorrow morning, the prices of diesel sold at the local pumps will increase by P4 per liter. Kerosene prices, on the other hand, will also go up by P2.75 per liter, and gasoline prices, by a slight P0.50 per liter. At a public briefing on Monday, Oil Industry Management Bureau director Rino Abad explained that the six consecutive rounds of price spikes were prompted by the low global oil supply due to production cuts. “This is the continuous effect of Saudi Arabia’s production cut of 1 million barrels, which was implemented this August. Aside from this, Russia, another oil producer, decided to cut around 300,000 to 500,000 barrels per day in its production,” Abad explained. Data from the Department of Energy showed that as of 1 August, the commutative increase in diesel stood at P3.10 per liter; gasoline, P11 per liter; and kerosene, P0.10 per liter. Oil companies announce price adjustments every Monday to be implemented on the following day’s morning. They adjust their prices weekly based on the movement of the Mean of Platts Singapore — the regional pricing benchmark adopted by the deregulated downstream oil sector. The post Brace for P4 diesel shock, highest spike this year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OPEC output limits spark oil price surge
Diesel vehicle owners should brace for another shocker on Tuesday as the price of the fuel will rise by nearly P4 per liter. Petroleum distributor Unioil, in an advisory, said motorists should expect fuel prices to remain on the uptrend until 14 August. “Diesel will increase by P3.70 to P3.90 per liter. Gasoline will increase by P0.20 to P0.40 per liter. Load up accordingly,” Unioil advised. Kerosene prices, on the other hand, will rise by P2.70 to P3 per liter. Department of Energy Director Rino Abad attributed the uptrend in prices to production cuts by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, while Russia may also cut production in September. In the last four weeks, diesel prices rose by P6.80 per liter, gasoline by P5.35 per liter, and kerosene by P5.90 per liter. Saudi Arabia, in a report from Reuters, said it will extend a voluntary oil output cut of one million barrels per day, or bpd, for a third month. The limited production will last until September, and may be extended beyond that month, the Reuters report said. Saudi Arabia’s fuel production is expected to be around 9 million bpd in September. Cuts remain Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Russia would cut oil exports by 300,000 bpd in September. The announced cuts follow moves in June by OPEC and its allies like Russia, collectively known as OPEC+, to limit the oil supply into 2024, the report stated. Oil prices rose to fresh three-month highs on Tuesday, as signs of tighter supplies and pledges by Chinese authorities to shore up the world’s second-largest economy lifted sentiment, according to Luis Limlingan, head of sales at Regina Capital Development Corp. Brent crude settled 90 cents at $83.64 per barrel, or /bbl, after hitting $83.87 earlier, the highest since 19 April. US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 89 cents to $79.63. A committee of major oil producers recommended Friday to keep the cartel’s current output strategy unchanged after heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Russia extended their cuts despite recovering prices. Oil prices picked up in recent months due to high demand coupled with tighter supply, sending the price for Brent crude up to $85 a barrel — its highest level in over three months. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, oil peaked at more than $130 per barrel. In a virtual meeting, the group’s Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee “reaffirmed the commitment of its member countries” to the production reduction strategy “which extends to the end of 2024,” a press statement said. Recently, signs have emerged that supply cuts are starting to have the desired effect despite concerns about the health of the global economy. However, Saudi Arabia is expected to “gradually withdraw the voluntary cut over the coming months” and return to the agreed production level of ten million bpd to avoid “considerable revenue shortfalls and dampening economic growth,” said Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch. The next JMMC meeting is set for 4 October, according to a statement from the group. The JMMC has no decision-making power but discusses market conditions and makes recommendations, which are then formally discussed and decided at the organization’s ministerial meetings. The group’s next ministerial meeting is scheduled for 26 November. The post OPEC output limits spark oil price surge appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Oil price hike expected next week: forecast
A nearly P4 increase awaits motorists next week, as petroleum company Unioil said the price of diesel may surge up to P3.90 starting Tuesday. In an advisory, Unioil said motorists should expect fuel prices to go up from 8 to 14 August 2023. “Diesel will increase by P3.70 to P3.90 per liter. Gasoline will increase by P0.20 to P0.40 per liter. Load up accordingly,” the Unioil advisory read. Kerosene prices, on the other hand, will increase by P2.70 to P3 per liter. Industry sources said that the diesel uptick was due to the decision of Saudi Arabia to slash production of 1 million barrels per day, extending it until September. The post Oil price hike expected next week: forecast appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DND chief: EDCA sites’ proximity to Taiwan a ‘geographical accident’
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the “proximity" of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA sites to Taiwan must be a “geographical accident”, emphasizing that these locations were identified for the country’s national interest. “You know what, its proximity to Taiwan is a geographical accident, and [if] other people are paranoid about it, it's their problem. For me, my concern is Philippine national interest and national security, and we will have to put bases, not necessarily EDCA, throughout our archipelago,” Teodoro told reporters in a chance interview during his visit on Thursday to Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan — where one of the additional EDCA sites is located — accompanied by Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. Teodoro added that the defense department is now pursuing an archipelagic doctrine with baselines. “We have to protect that. The paranoia of other people may be, rightly so, taken into consideration, but national security is paramount in this country,” he said. The Philippines has already reassured other countries that it is not allowed by the Constitution to wage war or any offensive action “as an instrument of national policy.” “Now if they do not take our word for it, then how can we trust each other? Just like some people say they have pacific intentions, yet there are contrary actions,” he said. The defense chief maintained that the DND’s actions are anchored on the best interests of the country. “EDCA is not only for logistical support on the United States side, but it’s capability upgrade on the Philippine side and that’s what I’m making sure of,” he said. On the other hand, Teodoro said the development of all existing locations identified as EDCA sites should be expedited to address the “operational limitations.” An example of such limitation is refueling using the barrel method by Philippine and American aircraft engaged in disaster relief missions following the onslaught of the southwest monsoon and Typhoon "Egay". "Now you are noticing the operational limitation—as you can see they are using barrels for refueling for both Philippine assets and the United States air assets," Teodoro said. Citing the Lal-lo Airfield, Teodoro said developing or building more facilities will improve "operational tempo.” Considering the urgent demand for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief requirements in the Philippines, Teodoro pointed out the need to fast-track the construction of five initial EDCA sites with the US, including the Cesar Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation in Nueva Ecija; Lumbia Airport in Cagayan De Oro; Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa, Palawan; and Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu, as well as the additional four, namely the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta. Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan. Teodoro said the areas where these EDCA sites are the most disaster-prone. These locations are also essential to the integrity of the country’s credible deterrent posture and Philippine territorial security, he added. "The EDCA is purely a logistical site of the United States to help us speed up operational tempo and response. These are non-offensive," Teodoro said, stressing that Filipino assets to be deployed or positioned in EDCA sites will remain as “Philippine national security items for our territorial defense.” The post DND chief: EDCA sites’ proximity to Taiwan a ‘geographical accident’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner: Joint military exercises with China, Vietnam still possible
The Philippines is considering the possible conduct of joint military exercises with China and Vietnam, according to Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. “Again, we are not closing our possibilities, our prospect according to our President is that we are friends to all, enemies to none,” Brawner said in a radio interview Sunday. Brawner said the country is only exercising its military diplomacy when it comes to entering military-to-military activities with its allies and partners across the globe. “Because really our objective is to prevent war while we are preparing for possible war,” he added. Brawner maintained the AFP will be exploring chances to heighten the country’s military presence in the WPS by massively conducting maritime patrols. “As of present, we are conducting such ourselves, unilateral patrols of the area. But we are exploring all possibilities because we very well know that when it comes to our own national defense, we really cannot do it by ourselves. We really have to depend on our allies, our partners,” Brawner said. He added that the patrolling efforts in the WPS remain “unilateral” to the Philippines. “We are exploring all the possibilities because when it comes to defending our country—we can’t do it alone. We really have to depend on our allies and on our partners,” Brawner said when asked if the Philippines has an existing patrolling arrangement with other countries. Meanwhile, Senator Francis Tolentino said conducting joint disaster relief efforts with China is “more feasible” than a joint maritime patrol amid the country’s territorial claims in the WPS. “To me, what I see as more possible is a joint disaster team, HADR, or Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response,” he said. This amid the Philippines, China, and Vietnam, along with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan, shared overlapping territorial claims and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea—which has an estimated billion barrels of untapped oil and trillion cubic feet of natural gas with a very abundant fishing area. Brawner earlier said that Beijing offered Manila to conduct maritime patrol together. But, he did not provide further details as to how and where the joint military exercise will possibly be conducted between China and the Philippines. He stressed that AFP’s relations with its counterpart in China remain limited to training. Further, Tolentino said there must be a proper document presented should the AFP would consider a joint maritime patrol with China. “Kung magkakaroon ng joint patrol, kasama ang China, dapat po ito maging bahagi ng isang tratado na may concurrence ang Senado (If there will be a joint patrol with China, it should be part of a treaty with the concurrence of the Senate),” he stressed. Senator Risa Hontiveros earlier filed a resolution seeking support from the United Nations General Assembly or UNGA in protecting Philippine sovereignty in WPS. The post Brawner: Joint military exercises with China, Vietnam still possible appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»