Australian Open decision ‘soon’ says tournament chief
Australian Open chief Craig Tiley said Sunday he expected “decisions soon” on arrangements for the tournament after reports said it could be shifted from its usual January slot, while Rafael Nadal urged players to be patient. Tiley had originally wanted players to start arriving in Australia from mid-December so they could undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine […] The post Australian Open decision ‘soon’ says tournament chief appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cruise ship bringing in tourists to Leyte
TACLOBAN CITY — A cruise ship that will bring over 100 tourists composed mostly of Australian retirees will arrive in Leyte to visit typhoon “Yolanda”-hit sites. Tacloban City Tourism Operations Office chief Ma. Lumen Tabao said the cruise ship Coral Adventurer will arrive on 3 November for a one-day visit. It will dock in Babatngon, a town next to the city on the northern side but will be touring mostly in Tacloban. Among the sites lined up for the visit include a mass grave of those who died during the supertyphoon, the shipwreck, Tacloban convention center, Price Mansion, Sto. Niño Shrine, MacArthur Park, Palo Cathedral and Sto. Niño Church. The tourists will also be view with the lights and sounds of San Juanico Aesthetic Lighting. “We also want to highlight the Yolanda rehabilitation projects that were implemented by the Australian government to show our gratitude for all their assistance during our distress,” Tabao said. Tabao added that the Department of Tourism regional office is conducting training for waiters, food handlers, bus drivers, and staff of pasalubong centers and Sto. Niño shrine. “We have to put our best foot forward because the travel agency will organize another cruise trip next year if they are satisfied on how we organize this event,” she said. Coral Adventurer is a first-class tropical expedition ship designed to access unconventional destinations that often are inaccessible to large cruise ships. Tabao said the arrival of Coral Adventurer will be the first-ever cruise call in Tacloban and Babatngon for any cruise company. The visit will come five days ahead of the 10th anniversary of the devastation of typhoon “Yolanda” last 8 November 2013. Next week, a representative from the said travel agency in Australia will come to Tacloban to do an ocular inspection of the places that will be visited by the tourists. Tacloban has an average daily tourist arrival of 2,000 usually for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. The post Cruise ship bringing in tourists to Leyte appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl not dependent on US in boosting defense posture in WPS
The Philippines has no “dependence relations” with other countries to bolster its defense posture in the West Philippine Sea. National Security Council Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, who is also the concurrent spokesperson of National Task Force West Philippine Sea, particularly said the country is not dependent on the United States to secure the country’s exclusive economic zone in WPS. “Hindi ko maintindihan ‘yung konsepto ng umaasa sa kaalyado kasi hindi naman ‘yung Estados Unidos ang nagdadala ng supplies sa Ayungin Shoal, sa BRP Sierra Madre (I don’t understand the concept that we are just relying on our allies because the US was not the one bringing the supplies to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal),” Malaya said in a radio interview over the weekend. Malaya was pertaining to the recent rotation and resupply mission of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard in the BRP Sierra Madre, the country’s military outpost in Ayungin Shoal, which was questioned by Senator Robin Padilla because of the presence a maritime surveillance aircraft of the US Navy. Padilla said the event may have provoked China to escalate tensions in WPS, pointing out that the country could do the resupply mission on its own sans US presence. On 8 September, a Boeing P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft was seen accompanying a RoRe mission of the AFP’s Western Command and PCG while escorting the Philippine Navy boats traversing the Ayungin waters. “Walang dependence relationship dito. Ito ay Philippine mission. Philippine troops ang pupunta doon, nagro-rotate, ‘yung mga vessel lahat Philippine Navy o PCG. Ang ginagawa lang ng US is to monitor what’s happening there (There was no dependence relationship here. This is a Philippine mission. Philippine troops as well as Philippine Navy or PCG vessels involved. What the US is doing is only monitoring what’s happening there),” Malaya stressed. In a separate television interview on Monday, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela earlier confirmed that there was no coordination made with the United States about the flight of surveillance along with the RoRe mission. During the Senate joint committee inquiry Tuesday, Defense Undersecretary Ignacio Madriaga told senators that the AFP coordinated with the US. Defense Chief Gilberto Teodoro said the aircraft was flying in the international airspace. “Anybody can fly over there…There is freedom of navigation and overflight over the international airspace notwithstanding Ayungin is Philippine territory,” he added. Teodoro further pressed that the Philippines is just proactively asserting its sovereign rights in WPS. Meanwhile, AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the presence of US surveillance aircraft was just some kind of “technical support” from an ally under the Mutual Defense Treaty. “If you are referring to the airplanes that were seen during the resupply missions, let me tell you that this is nothing new. During the Marawi siege we also received the same kind of technical support from our ally the United States and even our partner the Australian Defense Force,” he said. Brawner noted the same aircraft had contributed to the success of government forces against the Daesh-inspired Maute group in Marawi City. “I could say that we have been successful because of the technical assistance that we received through the airplanes that were flying above and giving us the technical and intelligence information that was very critical in identifying the positions of the Maute-ISIS and for us to be able to really neutralize them because we were very precise in our targeting,” he said. Asked if the same presence of the US assets in the RoRe mission would become a regular thing between the two countries, US Indo-Pacific Commander Adm. John Aquilino expressed full support for the Philippines' missions in securing its territory. “The security environment is extremely challenging right now and I wanna thank my friend and partner, Gen. Brawner, for his leadership, as he works to protect his force and execute the missions that he's been tasked by his leadership and as a mutual defense treaty—we coordinate every day on operations and anywhere possible that I can support my friend and partner we will,” Aquilino told the defense reporters. The post Phl not dependent on US in boosting defense posture in WPS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Australia boost partnership, mull more bilateral military exercises
The Armed Forces of the Philippines and Australian Defense Forces are mulling more bilateral military exercises that will further strengthen and boost both of their military forces. This development came after ADF chief Gen. Angus Campbell paid a courtesy call to AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Tuesday at the AFP general headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Brawner and Campbell discussed the existing defense partnership between the Philippines and Australia as well as the joint Exercise ALON. "We want to showcase the close ties that we have among our Armed Forces. We would also like to thank you for the recent exercise,” Brawner said. For his part, Campbell emphasized that the ongoing Philippine-Australia bilateral drills serve an “expression of an important message and a demonstration of cooperation among partner nations.” “We want to make sure that the particular form of the military is evolving in ways that the Armed Forces of the Philippines want and that would see mutual benefit and partnership. I want to make sure that we remain a partner that listens and adapts,” Campbell said. Brawner, meanwhile, thanked the Australian Defense Force Chief for the continuous support that they have given to the country. "All have seen how the relationship between both our Armed Forces has grown, from counterterrorism and now shifting to territorial defense. There is a lot of room for us to work together,” Brawner said. [caption id="attachment_176884" align="aligncenter" width="1800"] AFP Chief General Romeo S Brawner Jr. welcomed Chief of Australian Defense Force General Angus Campbell during arrival honors conducted at the general headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on 29 August 2023. (Photo by AFP PAO)[/caption] From Comprehensive to Strategic Partnership Department of National Defense Undersecretary Ireneo Espino on Tuesday also announced that the Philippines and Australia are now elevating bilateral relations from a Comprehensive Partnership to a Strategic Partnership following their biggest bilateral Cooperative Amphibious Serial exercise. “Indeed, the importance of our two countries' place on security partnership comes at the crucial junction in our regional security landscape with challenges becoming more complex by the day,” Espino said during the closing ceremony of Philippines-Australia Exercise ALON 2023, which was held at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City. “Our partner can rest assured that DND stands ready to further heighten the Philippines' friendship and cooperation with Australia,” he added. Meanwhile, Bgen, Jimmy Larida, executive director for Exercise ALON-23, described the newly concluded combined amphibious drills between AFP and ADF as a “very resounding success,” noting that the strategic objectives were met throughout the exercises. “We were able to identify what particular procedures where we are already good in dealing with Australia and what particular tactical procedures that we should improve further so we will do everything to improve during the next iteration of this exercise,” Larida said. AFP Public Affairs chief, LtCol. Enrico Gil Ileto, said the largest bilateral exercise conducted between the AFP and ADF included an air assault exercise in Palawan on 21 August and a combined amphibious assault exercise in Zambales on 25 August —which was carried out by launching a combined amphibious landing force from the Navy ships to secure the beach landing sites, followed by parachute insertion to seize the objectives and a simultaneous landing via landing craft and USMC MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The Palawan air assault exercise in Rizal was designed to simulate realistic combat scenarios, enhancing the forces’ preparedness and operational readiness across air, sea and land actions. It featured over 600 soldiers from the AFP, ADF and USMC, and close air support by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-35A Lightening II and E-7A Wedgetail. Ileto said the assets used in these drills included HMA ships Canberra and Anzac, with the Tarlac-class BRP Davao Del Sur (LD 602), close air support from RAAF F-35A Lightning II aircraft, Australian Army M1A1 Abrams tank and two Philippine Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicles. To mark the final phase of the exercise, the AFP and ADF will hold a live fire training as the final phase in Capas, Tarlac on 31 August. Exercise ALON was designed to enhance both military forces’ capability in conducting combined operations and improved their tactics, techniques and procedures for amphibious operations. Participants were composed of 1,000 personnel from the AFP and 1,200 from the ADF, with support from 150 US Marine Corps. The post Phl, Australia boost partnership, mull more bilateral military exercises appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Australia boosts partnership, mulls more bilateral military exercises
The Armed Forces of the Philippines and Australian Defense Forces are mulling more bilateral military exercises that will further strengthen and boost both of their military forces. This development came after ADF chief Gen. Angus Campbell paid a courtesy call to AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Tuesday at the AFP general headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Brawner and Campbell discussed the existing defense partnership between the Philippines and Australia as well as the joint Exercise ALON. "We want to showcase the close ties that we have among our Armed Forces. We would also like to thank you for the recent exercise,” Brawner said. For his part, Campbell emphasized that the ongoing Philippine-Australia bilateral drills serve an “expression of an important message and a demonstration of cooperation among partner nations.” “We want to make sure that the particular form of the military is evolving in ways that the Armed Forces of the Philippines want and that would see mutual benefit and partnership. I want to make sure that we remain a partner that listens and adapts,” Campbell said. Brawner, meanwhile, thanked the Australian Defense Force Chief for the continuous support that they have given to the country. "All have seen how the relationship between both our Armed Forces has grown, from counterterrorism and now shifting to territorial defense. There is a lot of room for us to work together,” Brawner said. [caption id="attachment_176884" align="aligncenter" width="1800"] AFP Chief General Romeo S Brawner Jr. welcomed Chief of Australian Defense Force General Angus Campbell during arrival honors conducted at the general headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on 29 August 2023. (Photo by AFP PAO)[/caption] From Comprehensive to Strategic Partnership Department of National Defense Undersecretary Ireneo Espino on Tuesday also announced that the Philippines and Australia are now elevating bilateral relations from a Comprehensive Partnership to a Strategic Partnership following their biggest bilateral Cooperative Amphibious Serial exercise. “Indeed, the importance of our two countries' place on security partnership comes at the crucial junction in our regional security landscape with challenges becoming more complex by the day,” Espino said during the closing ceremony of Philippines-Australia Exercise ALON 2023, which was held at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City. “Our partner can rest assured that DND stands ready to further heighten the Philippines' friendship and cooperation with Australia,” he added. Meanwhile, Bgen, Jimmy Larida, executive director for Exercise ALON-23, described the newly concluded combined amphibious drills between AFP and ADF as a “very resounding success,” noting that the strategic objectives were met throughout the exercises. “We were able to identify what particular procedures where we are already good in dealing with Australia and what particular tactical procedures that we should improve further so we will do everything to improve during the next iteration of this exercise,” Larida said. AFP Public Affairs chief, LtCol. Enrico Gil Ileto, said the largest bilateral exercise conducted between the AFP and ADF included an air assault exercise in Palawan on 21 August and a combined amphibious assault exercise in Zambales on 25 August —which was carried out by launching a combined amphibious landing force from the Navy ships to secure the beach landing sites, followed by parachute insertion to seize the objectives and a simultaneous landing via landing craft and USMC MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The Palawan air assault exercise in Rizal was designed to simulate realistic combat scenarios, enhancing the forces’ preparedness and operational readiness across air, sea and land actions. It featured over 600 soldiers from the AFP, ADF and USMC, and close air support by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-35A Lightening II and E-7A Wedgetail. Ileto said the assets used in these drills included HMA ships Canberra and Anzac, with the Tarlac-class BRP Davao Del Sur (LD 602), close air support from RAAF F-35A Lightning II aircraft, Australian Army M1A1 Abrams tank and two Philippine Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicles. To mark the final phase of the exercise, the AFP and ADF will hold a live fire training as the final phase in Capas, Tarlac on 31 August. Exercise ALON was designed to enhance both military forces’ capability in conducting combined operations and improved their tactics, techniques and procedures for amphibious operations. Participants were composed of 1,000 personnel from the AFP and 1,200 from the ADF, with support from 150 US Marine Corps. The post Phl, Australia boosts partnership, mulls more bilateral military exercises appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Joint drills with US, Australia not meant to provoke a particular country — Brawner
The Philippines’ execution of joint military exercises with its counterparts, including the United States and Australia, is not meant to provoke a particular country, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. stressed on Monday. Brawner cited the recent conduct of the biggest United States-Philippines Balikatan Exercises, which has been observed annually under both countries’ mutual defense treaty. "'Yung ginagawa nating coalition, 'yung ginagawa nating mga joint exercises ( The coalition and the joint exercises that we are doing) are not addressed toward one specific country," Brawner told reporters in a chance interview shortly after the National Heroes Day event at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Earlier this month, the Philippines and Australia, assisted by the US, began their first-ever bilateral amphibious warfare exercise in San Antonio, Zambales. It is part of the Philippines-Australia’s “Exercise ALON”, with 700 AFP personnel joining along with 1, 200 members of the Australian Defense Force and 150 officers of United States Marine Corps. Exercise ALON, which runs until 31 August, is part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour activity between the Philippines and Australia for 2023, which targets close collaboration between the AFP and ADF to increase interoperability and deepen people-to-people links to enhance defense cooperation. The Indo-Pacific Endeavor is Australia's flagship international engagement activity in the Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean region. Brawner insisted that these exercises with other countries would not necessarily provoke China’s aggression. "No, we don't believe that they will be more aggressive because of that. In fact, we have been doing this for a longer time already," Brawner said. "'Yung Balikatan Exercises na ginagawa natin every year, nandiyan po 'yung mga sundalo ng US, nandiyan po 'yung mga sundalo ng Australia, may mga observers tayo from Japan, we also have observers from other nations (We conduct Balikatan every year, US troops are there, Australian soldiers are there and we have observers from Japan),” he added. The post Joint drills with US, Australia not meant to provoke a particular country — Brawner appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AFP: PBBM, Australia back joint patrols in WPS
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is backing Philippine-Australia joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea as part of promoting an “open and free” Indo-Pacific Region. This was bared by Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. in a radio interview on Monday, noting that the plans for this endeavor are now ongoing after Marcos and the Australian government gave their approval. "Pinaplano pa rin ho natin 'yung mga detalye pero in essence ay na-aprove na po ng ating Pangulo at ng liderato ng Australia. This is to ensure na we maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, kasama po tayo dyan dahil isinisulong po natin 'yung rules-based international order (We are now planning the details, but in essence the President and the Australian leadership have already approved it, and this will be done so that we can maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. This is part of our efforts to promote a rules-based international order)," Brawner said. Both countries are currently conducting bilateral Cooperative Amphibious Serial drills also known as “Exercise ALON”, with 700 AFP personnel and 1, 200 members of the Australian Defense Force, assisted by 150 officers of United States Marine Corps, participating. In a joint statement on the sidelines of Exercise ALON released on 25 August, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Australia Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles said the Philippines and Australia mutually "discussed the importance of all countries in the region exercising their agency in support of an Indo-Pacific region that is based on sovereignty, international law, and ASEAN Centrality.” Teodoro and Marles mutually agreed on the importance of all states operating safely and professionally, while respecting and adhering to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS. “We reaffirmed our strong support of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Award. In line with this, the Philippines and Australia have "recommitted to planning bilateral joint patrols in the South China Sea/ West Philippine Sea and other areas of mutual interest,” the joint statement further read. Brawner had previously said the Philippines is only exercising its military diplomacy when it comes to entering military-to-military activities with its allies and partners across the globe. In his previous interview, Brawner said the AFP will be exploring chances to heighten the country’s military presence in the WPS by conducting increased 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,” he said. The post AFP: PBBM, Australia back joint patrols in WPS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos seeks expanded military drills with Australia
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said military drills between the Philippines and Australia should be expanded to strengthen the two countries’ security and defense cooperation. In an interview with the reporters in Zambales, Marcos said he would discuss this possibility with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese when the Australian head of state visits the country next month. “We would be discussing for sure, also the continuation of this kind of joint exercise to increase the capabilities again of our... You know that when coordination is excellent, especially in the military context, it has a significant multiplier effect, and that’s why it is important that we continue that,” Marcos said. He said he is confident that the two countries will come up with new strategies and agreements on security cooperation during Albanese’s visit. “I’m sure that we will come up with some new strategies and some new ideas, agreements and in terms of partnerships between our two countries,” he said. The President said the Philippines and Australia share many common concerns in the region, such as the South China Sea dispute. “We have many common concerns with Australia in terms of the region and, of course, we also have very many Filipino nationals in Australia,” he said. He said that he was grateful to Australia for welcoming Filipino nationals and providing them with opportunities to work and live in that country. “And I was reminding the ambassador, not only do we have a large contingent of Filipinos in Australia, we have a large happy contingent living in Australia, Filipinos who have chosen to live and work in Australia, and they have been welcomed as part of the society, welcomed into the workforce and for that we have to be grateful to our Australian friends,” he said. Albanese is scheduled to visit the Philippines from 7 to 8 September. Before the media interview, Marcos witnessed the first amphibious drills between the Philippines and Australia held in Zambales. “This is our continuing effort to strengthen our capabilities and to have a closer working relationship with the militaries of our neighbors around the region and I think it is an important aspect of how we prepare for any eventuality and considering that there have been so many events that attest to the volatility of the region,” Marcos said. “This kind of exercise, this kind of close strategic cooperation between countries around the region is extremely important and I think that we have demonstrated that today and to see how well our troops work together now and this is a very large exercise, with so many elements involved, but they got it right and we are able to see that things went according to plan and again the working relationship between our two militaries and, of course, the United States, has been demonstrated and is something that we will continue to strengthen,” Marcos added. He also thanked the Australian Defence Force for their participation and cooperation and support “for all that we are doing and congratulations to all who are involved for a very well-run exercise.” The Philippines-Australia Exercise Alon 2023 involves numerous ships, planes, and more than 2,000 personnel, including about 700 from the Philippine Marine Corps, 1,200 from the Australian Defense Force, and 150 from the United States Marine Corps. The amphibious landing practice is an element of this exercise. Romeo Brawner Jr., chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. were present at the event. They were joined by their Australian counterparts, Richard Marles, the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Minister of Defense, and Lt. Gen. Greg Bilton, the ADF’s Commander of Joint Operations. The post Marcos seeks expanded military drills with Australia appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Australia conduct assault exercises
Nearly 2,000 troops from the Philippines and Australia — assisted by United States soldiers — participated in a combined amphibious assault exercise in San Antonio, Zambales on Friday as part of this year’s Exercise Alon 2023. Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs chief LtCol. Enrico Gil Ileto said the exercise, held at the Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui, marked the second and final phase of amphibious action after the air assault exercise in Palawan earlier this week. “This is the first time that the Philippines and Australia have conducted Exercise Alon which forms part of Australia’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023 program,” Ileto said. The participants include 1,200 personnel from the Australian Defense Force, 560 from the AFP and 120 from the US Marine Corps. “A result of months of planning and preparation by the AFP and the ADF with assistance from the United States Marine Corps, the training exercise at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui included Pre-Landing Operations where the Philippine Marine Corps and ADF Force Reconnaissance Group were inserted via small boats to observe the beach landing sites,” Ileto said. Among the assets used in the drills were HMA ships Canberra and Anzac, with the Tarlac-class BRP Davao Del Sur (LD 602); close air support from Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft; Australian Army M1A1 Abrams tank and two Philippine Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicles, with airlift support by Darwin-based USMC MV-22B. Ileto stressed that the exercise seeks to enhance the conduct of combined operations and improve tactics, techniques, and procedures to ensure the effective use of all combat arms integrated via force-level command and control. The post Phl, Australia conduct assault exercises appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Australia conduct assault exercises
Nearly 2,000 troops from the Philippines and Australia — assisted by United States soldiers — participated in a combined amphibious assault exercise in San Antonio, Zambales on Friday as part of this year’s Exercise Alon 2023. Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs chief LtCol. Enrico Gil Ileto said the exercise, held at the Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui, marked the second and final phase of amphibious action after the air assault exercise in Palawan earlier this week. “This is the first time that the Philippines and Australia have conducted Exercise Alon which forms part of Australia’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023 program,” Ileto said. The participants include 1,200 personnel from the Australian Defense Force, 560 from the AFP and 120 from the US Marine Corps. “A result of months of planning and preparation by the AFP and the ADF with assistance from the United States Marine Corps, the training exercise at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui included Pre-Landing Operations where the Philippine Marine Corps and ADF Force Reconnaissance Group were inserted via small boats to observe the beach landing sites,” Ileto said. Among the assets used in the drills were HMA ships Canberra and Anzac, with the Tarlac-class BRP Davao Del Sur (LD 602); close air support from Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft; Australian Army M1A1 Abrams tank and two Philippine Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicles, with airlift support by Darwin-based USMC MV-22B. Ileto stressed that the exercise seeks to enhance the conduct of combined operations and improve tactics, techniques, and procedures to ensure the effective use of all combat arms integrated via force-level command and control. The post Phl, Australia conduct assault exercises appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Australia forces conduct amphibious assault exercise in Zambales
Nearly 2,000 troops from the Philippines and Australia, assisted by United States soldiers, participated in a combined amphibious assault exercise in San Antonio, Zambales on Friday as part of this year’s Exercises ALON. AFP Public Affairs chief LtCol. Enrico Gil Ileto said the exercise, held at the Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui, marked the second and final phase of amphibious action after the air assault exercise in Palawan earlier this week. “This is the first time that the Philippines and Australia have conducted Exercise Alon which forms part of Australia’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023 program,” Ileto told reporters. The participants include 1,200 personnel from the Australian Defence Force, 560 from the AFP and 120 from the US Marine Corps. “A result of months of planning and preparation by the AFP and the ADF with assistance from the United States Marine Corps, the training exercise at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui included Pre-Landing Operations where the Philippine Marine Corps and ADF Force Reconnaissance Group were inserted via small boats to observe the beach landing sites,” Ileto added. Among the assets used in the drills were HMA ships Canberra and Anzac, with the Tarlac-class BRP Davao Del Sur (LD 602); close air support from Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft; Australian Army M1A1 Abrams tank and two Philippine Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicles, with airlift support by Darwin-based USMC MV-22B. Ileto underscored that the exercise seeks to enhance the conduct of combined operations and improve tactics, techniques and procedures to ensure the effective use of all combat arms integrated via force-level command and control. Exercise Alon enables the AFP and ADF to work closely together to increase interoperability and deepen people-to-people links to enhance defense cooperation. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Philippine Defense Chief Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. and Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles witnessed the combined amphibious assault exercise. The post Phl, Australia forces conduct amphibious assault exercise in Zambales appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Air assault exercise kicks off
The Philippines and Australia on Monday conducted air assault exercises at Punta Baja in Rizal, Palawan as the first major training serial for "Exercise Alon" being carried out by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Australian Defense Force. The exercises started on 14 August and will culminate on 31 August. "This marked the first major training serial as part of the bilateral cooperation between the AFP and the ADF as part of the latter’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour activities for 2023," said AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Enrico Gil Ileto. It involved coordinated air, land and sea actions to simulate realistic combat scenarios, enhancing the forces’ preparedness and operational readiness and Ileto said that the Palawan air assault exercise involved insertion of ground combat elements via MV-22B "Osprey" tilt-rotor aircraft from Marine Rotational Force-Darwin, launched from the Royal Australian Navy's landing helicopter dock, HMAS Canberra to the Punta Baja Airfield last 20 August. The helicopter assault force established a link with the 3rd Marine Brigade to secure the Punta Baja Airfield, and set-up a forward arming and refueling point. "On 21 August 2023, a joint raid was conducted at Tarumpitao Airfield by the combined forces of the AFP, ADF and United States Marine Corps with close air support provided by Royal Australian Air Force F-35A 'Lightning II' aircraft," Ileto said. Meanwhile, exfiltration will take place on 22 August and will have the force departing from Tarampitao Airfield via MV-22B and returning aboard the HMAS Canberra. The exercise involved 175 troops from the AFP and two platoons from the ADF, with support from the USMC, as well as a Philippine Marine Corps ground-based security force along with HMAS Canberra and frigate HMAS Anzac and air support by USMC MV-22B, and RAAF aircraft. IPE23 serves as Australia’s flagship international engagement activity in the Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean regions. It aims to promote security, stability and stronger partnerships through bilateral and multilateral engagement, training, capacity building and humanitarian efforts. "Exercise Alon 2023" marks the first bilateral amphibious exercise between Australia and the Philippines, aimed at enhancing interoperability and enabling the forces to share tactics, techniques, procedures and best practices in the conduct of amphibious operations. The post Air assault exercise kicks off appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl ‘unaware’ of US, Japan, Australia joint navy drills
The Philippines is “unaware” of the plan of the United States, Japan and Australia to conduct joint navy exercises in the South China Sea, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Monday. In a radio interview, Brawner said the AFP is still verifying with their Japanese counterparts the report released by the Kyodo News over the weekend regarding the planned navy drills of the three countries. Brawner denied that the Philippines had declined participating in the joint military activity. “Actually ‘yung nabasa po natin dun sa Kyodo News ay bini-verify pa rin natin sa ating counterpart sa Japan, sa US, sa Australia. Kung meron man po silang mga activities na ganun ay hindi po tayo informed, hindi po totoo 'yun na nag-decline tayo (Actually, we are still verifying with our counterpart in Japan, US and Australia if they have activities like what we read in Kyodo News.. If they already have such activities, we were not informed, and it’s not true that we declined),” Brawner said. “Actually, maybe what they mean is that we did not join or commit a ship; however, we have an ongoing exercise. In fact today, our exercise is ongoing in Palawan with the Australian armed forces,” he added. The joint navy exercises reportedly aim to underscore the commitment of the three countries to the rule of law in the region, following the water cannon incident last 5 August where the China Coast Guard drove away Philippine vessels and troops conducting a resupply mission for personnel stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. According to the report, the US plans to deploy its aircraft carrier, the USS America, while the Japan Self-Defense Force would send one of its helicopter carriers, JS Izumo, one of its largest warships, during drills. The Royal Australian Navy, for its part, has committed to send its helicopter carrier HMAS Canberra. The report said the Philippines "canceled" its participation in the joint drill since the three other nations' aircraft “are too large to land on the decks of Philippine warships." The US, Japan and Australia were among the countries that recognized the 2016 arbitration ruling on a 2013 case filed by the Philippines over the parts of the SCS. The post Phl ‘unaware’ of US, Japan, Australia joint navy drills appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Australia hold air assault exercise in Palawan
The Philippines and Australian armed forces conducted on Monday an air assault exercise at Punta Baja in Rizal, Palawan as the first major training serial for this year's "Exercise Alon.” The bilateral Cooperative Amphibious Serial drills — known as “Exercise ALON”, coined from the term “waves” — are joined in by 700 personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines along with 1, 200 members of the Australian Defense Force and 150 officers of United States Marine Corps from 14 to 31 August. "This marked the first major training serial as part of the bilateral cooperation between the AFP and the ADF as part of the latter’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour activities for 2023," AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Enrico Gil Ileto said in a statement. Ileto said the exercise involved coordinated air, land and sea actions to simulate realistic combat scenarios, enhancing the forces’ preparedness and operational readiness. Meanwhile, the Palawan air assault exercise involved the insertion of ground combat elements via MV-22B "Osprey" tilt-rotor aircraft from Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D), which was launched from the Royal Australian Navy's landing helicopter dock, HMAS Canberra (LO2), to the Punta Baja Airfield last 20 August. The helicopter assault force established a link with the 3rd Marine Brigade to secure the Punta Baja Airfield and set up a forward arming and refueling point. Ileto added that a joint raid exercise was conducted at Tarumpitao Airfield by the combined forces of the AFP, ADF, and USMC (United States Marine Corps) with close air support provided by Royal Australian Air Force's F-35A 'Lightning II' aircraft on 21 August. An exfiltration drill will take place on 22 August and will have the force departing from Tarampitao Airfield via MV-22B and returning aboard the HMAS Canberra. The exercise involves 175 troops from the AFP and two platoons from the ADF, with support from the USMC, as well as a Philippine Marine Corps ground-based security force along with HMAS Canberra and frigate HMAS Anzac (FFH-150) and air support by USMC MV-22B, and RAAF aircraft. The Indo-Pacific Endeavour serves as Australia’s flagship international engagement activity in the Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean regions. It aims to promote security, stability and stronger partnerships through bilateral and multilateral engagement, training, capacity-building and humanitarian efforts. "Exercise Alon 2023" marks the first bilateral amphibious exercise between Australia and the Philippines, aimed at enhancing interoperability and enabling the forces to share tactics, techniques, procedures, and best practices in the conduct of amphibious operations. The post Phl, Australia hold air assault exercise in Palawan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Darwin amphibious war games start
The Philippines and Australia officially started their first bilateral amphibious warfare drill, Exercise Alon, on Monday in Darwin, Australia. The event, which will run until 31 August, is part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023 activity between the Philippines and Australia. IPE is Australia’s flagship international engagement activity in the Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean regions. The exercise involves 700 personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 1,200 members of the Australian Defense Force, and 150 officers of the United States Marine Corps. AFP public affairs office chief, Lt. Col. Enrico Gil Ileto, said the USMC will be participating as a support unit integrated with Australia’s Amphibious Force. They will be utilizing USMC MV-22s during the combined air assault. The exercise kicked off with a ceremony on the flight deck of the Royal Australian Navy landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra. IPE 2023 commander Air Commodore Tony McCormack was present at the ceremony. Ileto said the main objective of the exercise is to enhance interoperability and share tactics, techniques, procedures, and best practices in the conduct of amphibious operations. The post Darwin amphibious war games start appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Australia begin first-ever bilateral amphibious warfare exercise
The Philippines and Australia officially began their first bilateral amphibious warfare exercise city of Darwin on Monday. The bilateral Cooperative Amphibious Serial drills -- known as “Exercise ALON”, coined from the term “waves” -- will be joined in by 700 personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines along with 1, 200 members of the Australian Defense Force and 150 officers of United States Marine Corps. AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Enrico Gil Ileto said the United States Marine Corps will be participating as a support unit integrated with Australia's Amphibious Force. They will be utilizing USMC MV-22 during the combined air assault. The maneuvers formally kicked off at the flight deck of the Royal Australian Navy landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra (LO2) with Indo-Pacific Endeavor 2023 commander Air Commodore Tony McCormack present during the proceedings. This Exercise ALON, which will run until 31 August, is part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour activity between the Philippines and Australia for 2023. Ileto said the IPE23 serves as Australia's flagship international engagement activity in the Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean region. IPE is targeted to promote security, stability and stronger partnership through bilateral and multilateral engagement training, capacity-building and humanitarian efforts. The opening ceremony started with the acknowledgment of participating militaries, including the 111 contingent from the AFP aboard the ship, commanders of participating RAN and ADF units and USMC representatives. The departure of Exercise Alon 2023 participants onboard HMAS Canberra from Australia to the Philippines after the opening ceremony depicts the start of a bilateral and joint-led amphibious field training exercise of the AFP and ADF, according to Ileto. A series of bilateral activities are slated to be conducted in various training locations within the AFP Northern Luzon Command and Western Command with the ground, aviation and surface assets from ADF, Philippine Navy, Philippine Marine Corps, Philippine Fleet, Philippine Air Force and Philippine Army supported by USMC. “The main objective of this exercise is to enhance interoperability and be able to share tactics, techniques and procedures, and best practices in the conduct of amphibious operations in the accomplishment of the PMC and AFP mission,” Ileto said. The bilateral exercise, he added, will help enhance regional security through cooperation and partnership. It will further enhance interoperability and readiness to respond to shared security challenges. Exercise Alon is also expected to become an avenue for a shared commitment to a peaceful, prosperous and resilient Indo-Pacific Region. The post Phl, Australia begin first-ever bilateral amphibious warfare exercise appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Enchanted Kingdom celebrates Eldar the Wizard’s birthday
In line with the marking of Enchanted Kingdom’s 28th soft opening year, the first and only world-class theme park in the Philippines celebrated its beloved character’s birthday month, 31 July. Eldar the Wizard is a home-grown, jolly character of Enchanted Kingdom (EK) known to teach children to uphold virtues of kindness, humility, patience, honesty, diligence, generosity, and love of God and family. Eldar’s birthday bash captivated more than 400 guests with performances by EK characters and talented musicians, magicians, and dancers. Both kids and adults enjoyed the fun activities prepared by EK and its sponsors. EK’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) Cynthia R. Mamon expressed her gratitude to the guests and sponsors for making Eldar’s birthday extra special. “This is indeed a very special day for us as we also commemorate Enchanted Kingdom’s soft opening 28 years ago. Eldar has been an icon of bringing magic to everyone, and we hope to continue bringing magical experiences and memories that last a lifetime,” she added. The magical celebration was made possible by EK’s sponsors: Australian Own Milk, Dayzinc, Reyes BBQ, Mondelez International, Avea, The Big Chill, Vitamilk, Tiny Buds, Evian Facial Spray, Ovomaltine, Clever Mama, Farlin, Zim, Nurture, Oishi, Royal Crown, Rite N Lite, Jele Beautie Philippines, Ceres, Nissin, Dutchmill, Lucky Me, Spectrum, Jollibee Foods Corporation, SD13 Advertising Corporation, Lock N Lock Philippines, Poten – Cee, URC - Universal Robina, Goya, Tender Juicy, Cherifer, Expressions, and View True Express Digital Imaging. Additionally, the event was supported by the following tenant partners: Dairy Queen, Alcatraz, Potato Corner, Shakes Station/Zenzu Milk Tea, Karate Kid, TEHO Apparel, Fortune Bakeshop, DVK Enterprise, Taters, Turks, Famous Belgian Waffle, Subarashi Manju, Po Jang, Lil Orbits, Sweetie Yors, Sigue Trading, Chino Latino, Auntie Anne's, La Churrera, Angels Corn, Dash Ice Scramble, and Shakey’s. The post Enchanted Kingdom celebrates Eldar the Wizard’s birthday appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Australia, US open large-scale war games
SYDNEY (AFP) — Australia opened a large-scale joint military exercise with the United States and almost a dozen other nations on Friday, as a senior officer revealed that a Chinese spy ship was following the proceedings. Officials formally launched the biennial Talisman Sabre exercise, involving more than 30,000 troops from 13 nations, including Britain, Japan, Indonesia, Canada and France. The drills come amid increasing concern about the threat posed to the region by China, which is not part of the military exercise. Speaking at a news conference onboard the HMAS Canberra, Australia’s Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant General Greg Bilton told reporters that a Chinese spy ship had been spotted off the country’s northeastern coast the previous day. “We reached out on Thursday and hailed that vessel in the Coral Sea,” he said. “It’ll move down, I expect, and join the exercise or be in the location of the exercise again. They’ve done this for a number of years — we’re well-prepared for it.” He said the Chinese response to Australia’s communication had been “courteous and in accordance with normal norms at sea.” Australia and the United States have made it clear that they have their eyes on China’s activities in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia has announced moves to develop military facilities in its northern region, while also saying that the US military presence there will increase in coming years. A US “Indo-Pacific Strategy” last year announced efforts to work more closely with regional allies to “shape the region around China” to blunt Beijing’s influence. Lieutenant General Bilton said Australian defense officials “haven’t reached out to the Chinese specifically” ahead of the military exercise. He added: “This exercise is about us, it’s about our partner nations, building interoperability, trust and our ability to respond together to whatever crisis might exist in our region in the future.” For two weeks, until 4 August, troops will participate in field training, amphibious landings, ground force maneuvers, air combat and maritime operations. Most of this year’s exercise will take place in the northeastern Australian state of Queensland. The post Australia, US open large-scale war games appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Australia wrap up KASANGGA army exercise
The Philippines and Australia officially wrapped up the second phase of their bilateral Army-to-Army Exercise or “KASANGGA” 23-2. PA chief, Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., graced the closing ceremony at the headquarters of the 2nd Infantry “Junglefighter” Division (2ID) at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal on Friday, 23 June. Some 114 personnel from the 22nd Division Reconnaissance Company of 2ID have trained side-by-side with a platoon from the Australian Army since 5 June. The first phase of the bilateral drill was held from 15 May to 5 June. Brawner feted the participating troops for their efforts in the conduct of Kasangga 23-2. "I congratulate all of you for accomplishing the objectives of this endeavor - to elevate each other's competencies and strengthen our bonds as friends and protectors of peace,” he said. The Australian troops assisted the Filipino troops in enhancing their urban warfare capabilities. The Filipino troops, on the other hand, imparted their knowledge and skills in jungle warfare to their Australian counterparts. This year’s Exercise Kasangga 23-2 is the 13th iteration of PAAAE between the Philippine Army and the Australian Army. The Philippines and Australia first initiated the annual KASANGGA in 2017, which is anchored on the Philippines-Australia Defense Engagement Plan for July 2022 to July 2023. The bilateral exercise has the main objective to will bolster their Army-to-Army ties and interoperability between the two ground forces. The post Phl, Australia wrap up KASANGGA army exercise appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cookbook features Pinoy classics using Australian products
It was a celebration of great food and great friendship during the recent launch of Australian-Filipino food and travel writer, photographer and cookbook author, Yasmin Newman’s Under Coconut Skies: Feasts an Stories from the Philippines at SM Aura Premier. The event, organized by the Australian Embassy and the Australia Global Alumni in the Philippines, brought together members of the Filipino-Australian community, alumni and corporate executives. During the afternoon reception at the mall’s Skypark, Visum Ventures founder and chief executive officer John Michael Hilton, also a Filipino-Australian, joined Newman in preparing kinilaw na isda using kalamansi and Australian finger lime. Broadcast personality and Australian alumnus Martin Andanar hosted the program. They were welcomed by SM’s Millie Dizon. [gallery columns="4" size="large" ids="141790,141791,141792,141793"] Under Coconut Skies is Newman’s second Filipino cookbook. The book is a celebration of the Philippines and its food, and takes her readers on a journey to discovering classic Filipino dishes through stunning photographs and unique culinary traditions, folklore and personal stories. Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu PSM said: “One of the things that Filipinos and Australians share is our love for food — we love bringing people together to enjoy great food and have great conversations. We are delighted to have Filipino-Australian Yasmin Newman here in the Philippines to celebrate Philippine culinary heritage with the best of Australian products — a culinary fusion of the best of both countries.” In the cookbook, Newman invites readers into her kitchen and into the homes of friends and locals, sharing traditional dishes and vegetarian and modern interpretations on the classics. From sizzling wild mushroom sisig, golden turmeric and cassia bark rice from the Muslim south and pork belly adobo to glistening candied kalamansi cake, Filipino food celebrates and satisfies all the senses. Guests were seen enjoying the afternoon tea curated by Newman which featured well-loved Filipino dishes from her cookbook using fresh Australian ingredients, such as Tasmanian salmon with turmeric rice and ube pavlova. As a proud ambassador of Filipino cuisine and Australian food products, Newman also shares her love for food and her Australian and Filipino influences in a series of cooking videos called A Taste of the Philippines, produced by the Australia Philippines Business Council in partnership with the Australian Government. In 2013, she also wrote and published her debut cookbook 7000 Islands: A Food Portrait of the Philippines. Under Coconut Skies: Feasts and Stories from the Philippines is available on www.amazon.com The post Cookbook features Pinoy classics using Australian products appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pakistan Int’l Container Terminal, SeaLead launch Pakistan-Australia direct service
Pakistan International Container Terminal Limited, International Container Terminal Services, Inc.'s subsidiary operating at the Port of Karachi, has partnered with Singaporean shipping line SeaLead to establish a direct service between Pakistan and Australia. Calling regional ports across Malaysia, Australia and Pakistan, the newly launched ASI service enables easy and efficient connection between markets in South Asia and Australia. With the arrival of the service at the Port of Karachi, PICT looks to strengthen trade patronage with global customers and cater to growing trade demands. The ASI service will substantially benefit importers and exporters through the faster and more cost-efficient route that provides direct access to Asian and Australian ports, and eventually allow new businesses and growth areas to emerge within the associated economies. “We look to provide unmatched supply chain solutions to local and global trade stakeholders. Through our partnership with SeaLead, customers in both Pakistani and Australian markets will benefit through direct port linkages that enable economies to grow,” said Khurram Aziz Khan, PICT chief executive officer, “PICT will remain resilient in its efforts to make this collaboration a successful venture for all stakeholders,” he added. The ASI service, which handles both shipper-owned and carrier-owned containers, is also expected to provide PICT’s trade allies a competitive edge within the industry. With Pakistan as a commercial hub connecting several geographical regions, the PICT-SeaLead partnership will boost the country’s foreign trade through the enhanced and efficient access to and from Australian markets. Operating Berths 6 to 9 at the East Wharf of the Karachi Port, Pakistan International Container Terminal is the preferred terminal for the Indian subcontinent trade routes. The common-use terminal offers excellent connections to Central Asia, Afghanistan and the Western China hinterlands. Headquartered and established in 1988 in Manila, Philippines, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. is in the business of port development, management and operations. ICTSI’s portfolio of terminals and projects are located in developed and emerging market economies in the Asia Pacific, the Americas, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Independent with no shipping or consignee-related interests, ICTSI works and transacts transparently with all stakeholders of the supply chain. ICTSI continues to receive global acclaim for its public-private partnerships, which are focused on sustainable development, and supported by corporate social responsibility initiatives. (www.ictsi.com) The post Pakistan Int’l Container Terminal, SeaLead launch Pakistan-Australia direct service appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»