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Philippines declares 'strategic defeat' of NPA rebels
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines declared on Tuesday a "strategic defeat" of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, who have been fighting against the government since the 1960s, saying there is no more active guerilla fronts in the country. Eduardo Ano, National Security Adviser and former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said "thousands" of NPA insurgents have decided to return t.....»»
Philippines declares 'strategic defeat' of NPA rebels
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines declared on Tuesday a "strategic defeat" of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, who have been fighting against the government since the 1960s, saying there is no more active guerilla fronts in the country. Eduardo Ano, National Security Adviser and former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said "thousands" of NPA insurgents have decided to return t.....»»
Fish catch in West Philippine Sea grows despite tensions with China
Despite rising tensions with China, the Philippines expanded its fish catch in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) last year to a four-year high of over 200,000 metric tons on the back of higher state support to fishermen......»»
National security chief to back TikTok ban if proven for cyber espionage use
National Security Adviser and concurrent National Security Council Director General Eduardo Año will not hesitate to recommend the banning of video-sharing app TikTok in the Philippines if proven that it is being used by China for cyber espionage......»»
Manila says Chinese vessels ‘intentionally’ hit Philippine boats
Manila said Monday that Chinese vessels "intentionally hit" Philippine boats at the weekend, escalating a diplomatic row over two collisions in the South China Sea. The countries have traded blame over Sunday's incidents near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, with both sides filing diplomatic protests and releasing videos to support their accusations. The two collisions happened during a Philippine resupply mission to troops stationed on a navy vessel that was grounded on the shoal in 1999 to assert Manila's territorial claims. Philippine officials accused a Chinese coastguard ship and a "militia" vessel of "dangerous maneuvering" that resulted in collisions with a Philippine resupply boat and a Philippine Coast Guard vessel. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro took it one step further Monday, labelling the Chinese actions near Second Thomas Shoal deliberate. "Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels, in blatant violation of international law, harassed and intentionally hit Unaiza May 2 and Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Cabra," Teodoro said. "We are here to really decry in the strongest possible terms this egregious violation and illegal act within the (Philippines') 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and the obfuscation of the truth by China's distorting the story to fit its own ends." His comments came hours after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos met with security officials and ordered the coastguard to investigate the incident, which was "being taken seriously at the highest level of government", his communications team said. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning on Monday accused the Philippines of "continuing to spread false information and hype things up". Earlier Monday, the Philippine foreign ministry summoned China's ambassador to Manila and lodged a diplomatic protest over the incident. Spokeswoman Teresita Daza said the ambassador was unavailable and was represented by his deputy chief of mission. "Ayungin Shoal is part of our exclusive economic zone and continental shelf and we have sovereign rights and jurisdiction over it," Daza said, using the Philippine name for the shoal. The Chinese foreign ministry and embassy in Manila also issued "stern representations to the Philippines" over its "infringements" at Ren'ai Reef, Mao said, using China's name for Second Thomas Shoal. China has said a "slight collision" happened after the Philippine resupply boat ignored "multiple warnings and deliberately passed through law enforcement in an unprofessional and dangerous manner". In the other incident, China accused the Philippine Coast Guard of reversing in a "premeditated manner" into a Chinese fishing vessel. No Filipino crew member was injured, but the supply boat was damaged and forced to turn back, Philippine officials said. A second supply boat reached the tiny garrison on the grounded BRP Sierra Madre and unloaded its cargo. Manila's longtime ally Washington has led a chorus of international criticism of China's alleged interference in the resupply mission. The US State Department on Sunday reiterated its mutual defence pact with the Philippines "extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft –- including those of its Coast Guard –- anywhere in the South China Sea". 'Arbitral ruling is binding' China claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored a 2016 international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. Second Thomas Shoal is about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan, and more than 1,000 kilometers from China's nearest major landmass, Hainan island. Previously warm ties between Manila and Beijing have cooled since Marcos took power in June 2022, as he seeks stronger relations with the United States. The Marcos administration has publicly criticized Chinese actions in the South China Sea, publishing photos and videos to support its claims of Chinese harassment and the blocking of its vessels. Beijing has released its own images of the incidents. Despite the challenges, the Philippines would "continue to do what is necessary" to supply its troops on the BRP Sierra Madre with provisions, said Jonathan Malaya, assistant director general of the National Security Council. Manila and Beijing have a long history of maritime disputes in the South China Sea. Tensions flared in August when China Coast Guard vessels used water cannon against a Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal, preventing one of the boats from delivering its cargo. The post Manila says Chinese vessels ‘intentionally’ hit Philippine boats appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
India holds trial run for manned orbital mission
India on Saturday successfully launched the first unmanned trial run of its upcoming crewed orbital mission, in the latest milestone for its spacefaring ambitions. The Gaganyaan (“Skycraft”) mission is slated to send three astronauts into Earth’s orbit in 2025, an important yardstick of the Indian Space Research Organization’s technical capabilities. Saturday’s rocket tested the emergency escape system of its crew module, which separated from the thruster and made a soft sea landing about 10 minutes after the launch. “I am very happy to announce the successful accomplishment of the mission,” ISRO chief S. Somanath said afterwards. The lift-off was postponed for two hours after bad weather and a glitch in the engine. ISRO will conduct a series of 20 major tests, including carrying a robot to outer space, before the final manned mission takes place in 2025. Gaganyaan is the first mission of its kind for India and comes with an estimated price tag of $1.08 billion, according to ISRO. India plans to send astronauts beyond the reaches of Earth’s atmosphere for three days before they are brought safely back with a soft landing in Indian territorial waters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced plans to send a man to the Moon by 2040 following a year of triumphs for India’s space program. In August, India became the fourth nation to land an unmanned craft on the Moon after Russia, the United States and China. The following month, India launched a probe to observe the outermost layers of the Sun from solar orbit. India’s space program has grown considerably in size and momentum since it first sent a probe to orbit the Moon in 2008, and it has steadily matched the achievements of established spacefaring powers at a fraction of their cost. India also plans a joint mission with Japan to send another probe to the Moon by 2025 and an orbital mission to Venus within the next two years. Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts’ wages. The post India holds trial run for manned orbital mission appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl economy still strongest this year — RCBC
The Philippine economy will remain among Asia’s strongest in the fourth quarter despite a possible higher interest rate because of strong consumer demand for certain products and services and more employed Filipinos, the chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation said Saturday. “This growth forecast is still among the fastest in the region because our economy is doing well,” RCBC’s Michael Ricafort said. The World Bank recently downgraded this year’s Philippine economic growth to 5.6 percent from 6 percent due to inflation risks, apart from lower government spending and weaker demand for exports. However, it is still higher than China’s 5.1 percent, Indonesia’s 4.9 percent, and Malaysia’s 4.3 percent growth forecast. Ricafort said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) might raise its policy rate this year to slow inflation to 4 percent by year-end after it accelerated again to 6.1 percent last month. “The BSP is working to bring down prices of goods and services. As an unintended consequence, the economy could slow down. Borrowing costs for business owners also increase and consumer demand weakens,” he said. Ricafort said global oil prices have started falling which could discourage the central bank from raising its rate drastically. “Global oil prices have declined to $82 to $83 per barrel from a peak of $95 per barrel last month or since the war between oil-rich countries Russia and Ukraine began,” the economist said. He also expected a downtrend in rice prices starting this month as he said local farmers have begun collecting fresh harvests. “Inflation quickened last month mainly from higher prices of rice which accounted for nearly 9 percent of the inflation basket and grew 17 percent year-on-year,” Ricafort said. While a higher interest rate aims to slow consumption, Ricafort said the continued flow of remittances from overseas Filipino workers, or at least 3 percent growth yearly will still support substantial levels of consumer spending, especially during the Christmas season. “That is more than $40 billion a year. That’s the fourth largest in the world after India, China and Mexico,” the economist said. He added more Filipinos or 800,000 could earn from business process outsourcing or BPO this year as the industry’s revenue could rise from $32.5 billion to $59 billion based on data from the Contact Center Association of the Philippines. Another growth area is tourism, which Ricafort said saw 4 million foreign visitors last month, nearing the 4.8 million full-year target of the government. He added higher productivity among Filipinos is also expected as the country’s unemployment rate declined to 4.4 percent in August from 4.8 percent in July, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Moving forward, Ricafort said the government must improve science and technology education for higher quality jobs and increase spending on infrastructure amid the full reopening of most economies. “We are now fully reopened. Students are also back in schools which encourages putting up food businesses. Labor market in the US also improved which will affect export trade,” he said. Ricafort added the government could continue distributing financial and other assistance to farmers to control inflation. He believed the inflation rate will approach 3 percent next year, close to the ideal 2 percent for healthier economic growth. The post Phl economy still strongest this year — RCBC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Congress vows funding for Pag-asa Island development in WPS
The House of Representatives has vowed to finance the development of Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea amid the intensifying geopolitical tensions between the Philippines and China. While the amount has yet to be disclosed, Speaker Martin Romualdez announced on Thursday that the funds will go to finance storm shelters for fishermen, a solar power plant, ice and cold storage facilities, a desalination plant, and satellite-based communication facilities, among others. The commitment came following a tour by Romauldez, majority leader Mannix Dalipe, minority leader Nonoy Libanan, and House committee appropriations Elizaldy Co accompanied by Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Romeo Brawner, wherein they had first-hand discussions with the island’s local folk and the armed personnel manning the country’s outpost in the West Philippine Sea. Building these critical infrastructures in Pag-asa Island, Romualdez said, will help mitigate the challenges faced by Filipino soldiers and fishermen operating in the disputed waters in the Spratly Group of Islands and to boost their military might to further safeguard the Philippine territory. “It’s clear that Pag-asa Island needs a development plan. The House of Representatives will take the lead in coming up with such a plan, being the institution responsible for the national budget and national policies that need legislation,” he said. The Speaker added that supporting local troops in the area underscores the Philippine government’s commitment to assert its sovereignty over territorial waters. Romualdez, in a late press conference on Thursday, said that the House appropriations panel will look into the necessary measures to finance the establishment of such crucial infrastructures. Back in September, deputy speaker Ralph Recto lamented that a "measly" P80 million allocation to strengthen Pag-asa Island would be insufficient to cover the development of military facilities in the said area. Recto said the national government could not just make "loud noises" in defending the WPS but must set aside a greater budget for the Pag-asa Island to help the defense sector execute its military might in the disputed area. Under the proposed P5.768 trillion national budget for 2024, the funding allocated for the improvement of military infrastructure in Pag-asa Island lobbied under the Department of Public Works and Highways' Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad Program or TIKAS is merely P80 million, according to the Batangas lawmaker. The post Congress vows funding for Pag-asa Island development in WPS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lester Pimentel Ong: The ‘Iron Heart’ director is also a restaurateur
When action films came to a screeching halt around year 2000 because of piracy, then stuntman Lester Pimentel Ong bravely ventured into the food business. For him, it was like wading into untested waters. “Nagsimula ako sa (I started in) Rice-In-A box 23 years ago. I started in the film industry as a stuntman. Nakatrabaho ko si Victor Neri, sa mga films ni direk Toto Natividad. Nawala ‘yung raket namin sa stunts kasi nauso ‘yung piracy sa film. Humina ‘yung action film so wala kaming raket. (I worked with Victor Neri, in the films of director Toto Natividad. We lost our stunt jobs because film piracy became prevalent. Action films slowed down, so we didn’t have a job). With his P80,000 savings, he started his rice-in-a-box business at Masagana City Mall, in Pasay, recalled Ong during the opening of the ninth branch of Wangfu, his Chinese-Singaporean restaurant that’s been up for 11 years now. That small rice-in-a-box business now has more than 100 stores consisting of food carts and food stalls. “That business financed all of our other businesses, all our other restaurants,” said Ong proudly. A foodie, Ong was exposed to street food when he was a wushu athlete who represented the country in many competitions abroad. He reveled in the street foods of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand. “I would go around to different places and tuwing may break kami, we would explore the street food market ng different countries. I fell in love with different kind of food, Asian food,” he said. Wangfu came about because, after shoots, “kapag late night, wala kaming makakainan. Nasa food business naman ako, so nagtayo kami ng restaurant sa Tomas Morato. Iyon ang first branch (of Wangfu),” he said. He was joined in the venture by business partner Ace Wang. Wangfu serves Singaporean cuisine like laksa, Hainanese chicken and salted egg fried chicken. From Sir Chief to Sir Chef Actor Richard Yap is also one of Ong’s partners in Wangfu. Yap disclosed that when he was young, he “used to cook at home because my mom cooks very well.” It was his love for food that drove him to study culinary arts. But he discovered along the way that cooking was not for him. “When I took up a culinary course, I found out na hindi pala para sa akin ang pagluluto (that cooking is not for me). Ang hirap ng preparations. It takes a long time. Kung ako ang magluluto (If I will do the cooking), it will take three to four hours if you do it by yourself,” he said. In college, Yap took up a pre-Med course, Medical Technology, for two years, and then stopped because his father asked him to take up Business Management instead. When he applied for Med studies at UST, he was told that he had to go back to first year again. “I said never mind. I’ll just finish my Business Management course at La Salle,” he recalled. Getting into showbiz 12 years ago was something that Yap didn’t see coming. “When I started out with “My Binondo Girl”, after that nagdadalawang isip ako (I had second thoughts). So, I had to ask around. One of my directors, direk Jeffrey Jeturian, said, ‘You know, you have to make a choice kasi it’s either you go full-time sa showbiz or not.’” Yap’s apprehensions were not without basis, since not a lot of people would make it at his age then, around 40. “Ako, sabi ko, late na ako (I’m late), wala pa akong experience. It would take me a lot of time to catch up with veteran actors and actresses,” he said. Fortunately, those around him told him he had a future in showbiz for as long as he persevered. And that he did — and now he’s Richard Yap, a popular actor and household name, forever remembered by many as Sir Chief of the blockbuster TV series Be Careful With My Heart. The post Lester Pimentel Ong: The ‘Iron Heart’ director is also a restaurateur appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S. asserts safe WPS passage for all
It has nothing to do with that particular country, or so they claimed rather cautiously and diplomatically. Navies of the Philippines and the United States opened their bilateral naval exercises yesterday, along with six other countries, at Naval Station Jose Andrada on Roxas Boulevard, Manila. The drills involve at-shore events at the Philippine Navy’s headquarters before going out to sea for exercises intended to improve the allied naval forces’ interoperability. Dubbed Exercise Sama-Sama, or Together, the exercise, according to Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci, has nothing to do with a particular country that has figured in increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea. But Adaci was obviously referring to China whose coast guard had used water cannons on Philippine Coast Guard-led resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal in the WPS. Adaci opened the exercise with US Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Karl Thomas. “The exercise is designed to be conducted here in Manila and the southern Luzon area,” Adaci said. Thomas, for his part, stressed the need to recognize the rules-based international order. Strong word “I think it is important that all nations have a right to sail and operate in the West Philippine Sea — free from worrying about being attacked,” Thomas said. “And attack is probably a strong word.” “I would say, free from being coerced, free from being intimidated. You know we want the commons to be common and open and free. And so long as our nations operate in accordance with the rule of law, in accordance with the rules and regulations, with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he said. Like Adaci, Thomas did not mention China, but it is common knowledge that the United States military has been conducting “freedom of navigation” patrols to keep the South China Sea open to international commerce. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last week ordered the PCG to cut the 300-meter floating barrier installed by Chinese militia vessels at Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal. PN assets in action A 2016 arbitral ruling deemed China’s territorial claim on nearly the entire South China Sea, including areas that overlap the WPS, invalid. The ruling stemmed from a 2013 case filed by the Philippines against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, or PCA, after Beijing seized control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012. As the PCA junked China’s nine-dash line South China Sea claim, it affirmed the Philippines’ entitlement to its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Around 700 sailors and marines from different PN units are participating in the exercise, which will see in action, among other assets, the BRP Antonio Luna, and an AW109 naval helicopter. For the second straight year, the exercise will include the navies of Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Australia. They will be participating mainly in humanitarian assistance and disaster response drills. Observers Meanwhile, the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Indonesian Navy are also joining as observers the naval exercise that dates back to 1994 when it was known as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training. In 2017, its name was changed to Exercise Sama-Sama. Subsequently, the exercise was conducted annually across various regions: In 2017 at Naval Forces Central; in 2018 at Naval Forces Northern Luzon; in 2019 at Naval Forces West; and in 2021 at the Northern Luzon Command. Last year, it was held alongside Exercise Lumbas — the bilateral navy-to-navy exercise between the Philippines and Australia — with the limited participation of France, Japan and the United Kingdom. According to the PN, the primary objective of the exercise is to enhance the capabilities of both nations in responding to regional crises. Additionally, it aims to strengthen its capacities to address non-traditional challenges, including territorial defense, natural and man-made disasters, counterterrorism, maritime security and transnational crimes. The post U.S. asserts safe WPS passage for all appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UN chief convenes ‘no nonsense’ climate summit, without China or US
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set Wednesday to host a climate meeting marred at its outset by the absence of speakers from the world's top two emitters, China and the United States. Despite increasing extreme weather events and record-shattering global temperatures, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and fossil fuel companies reap handsome profits. Guterres has thus billed the "Climate Ambition Summit" as a "no nonsense" forum where leaders or cabinet ministers will announce specific actions that deliver on their commitments under the Paris Agreement. The bar for making the podium was set high, with the UN chief making clear that only leaders who had made concrete plans to achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions would be allowed to speak. After receiving more than 100 applications to take part, the UN finally released a list on Tuesday night of 41 speakers which did not include China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan or India. "Tomorrow, I will welcome credible first movers and doers to our Climate Ambition Summit," Guterres said Tuesday. Several major leaders didn't bother making the trip to New York for this year's UN General Assembly, including President Xi Jinping of China and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak from the United Kingdom, who said he was too busy. US President Joe Biden, who addressed the General Assembly on Tuesday, sent his climate envoy John Kerry to the meeting -- though Kerry won't be permitted to speak. "There's no doubt that the absence of so many leaders from the world's biggest economies and emitters will clearly have an impact on the outcomes of the summit," Alden Meyer of climate think tank E3G said. He blamed competing issues -- from the Ukraine conflict to US-China tensions and rising economic uncertainty. "But I think it's also the opposition in many of these countries from the fossil fuel industry and other powerful interests to the kind of transformational changes that are needed," said Meyer. Catherine Abreu, executive director of nonprofit Destination Zero, said it was "perhaps a good-news story that we see Biden not being given a speaking slot at the summit" because the United States is continuing to expand fossil fuel projects even as it makes historic investments in renewables. "I think about this as being a correction from past summits, where leaders have been given the opportunity to take credit for climate leadership on the global stage, while they continue to pursue plans to develop fossil fuels, and continue driving the climate crisis back at home," she added. While the United States won't take the rostrum, California will be represented by Governor Gavin Newsom. From Britain, London Mayor Sadiq Khan will also attend. Growing anger The event is the biggest climate summit in New York since 2019, when Greta Thunberg stunned the world with her "How Dare You" speech before the UN. Anger is building among climate activists, particularly younger people, who turned out in thousands last weekend for the "March to End Fossil Fuels" in New York. Observers are eager however to see what Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen say both on their own goals and on financing commitments for the developing world. The failure of advanced economies, responsible for the majority of historic emissions, to honor their promises to the worst affected lower-income nations has long been a sore point in climate talks. There are some bright spots, including the announcement that Colombia and Panama are joining a grouping called the Powering Past Coal Alliance -- particularly notable as Colombia is the world's sixth biggest coal exporter. Wednesday's summit comes weeks ahead of the COP28 climate talks in the United Arab Emirates, where goals include tripling renewable energy by 2030, and ending by 2050 the generation of fossil fuel energy that isn't "abated" by carbon capture technology. The post UN chief convenes ‘no nonsense’ climate summit, without China or US appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Aboitiz chief tracks techglomerate journey
Aboitiz Group president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz brought a wealth of knowledge and transformative leadership insights to the esteemed 21st Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore on 11 September. The conference, themed “Sea Change,” provided a platform for Aboitiz to share his vision and expertise as he spearheads the Aboitiz Group’s journey toward becoming the maiden techglomerate in the country. The Forbes Global CEO Conference is an annual gathering of influential leaders and visionaries who engage in insightful discussions and brainstorming sessions about the global economic landscape. Approximately 500 distinguished CEOs, thought leaders, entrepreneurs and investors attended this year’s conference to navigate the ever-evolving waves of economic transformation. Aboitiz, standing alongside notable leaders in Asia, participated in a thought-provoking panel entitled “Captains Courageous,” which explored the themes of courage and leadership. Distinguished peers His fellow panelists included Binod K. Chaudhary, chairman of CG Corp Global; Mike Federle, CEO of Forbes Media; Nuno Matos, CEO of Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC; and Arsjad Rasjid, president director of Indika Energy and chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The panel conversation delved into the intricacies of courage and leadership, offering profound insights into the mindset of successful CEOs and the principles that have shaped their illustrious careers. Forbes assistant managing editor Diane Brady posed thought-provoking questions encouraging panelists to share their most courageous decisions, reflect on moments when their courage faltered, and acknowledge the influential leaders who have guided their paths. Drawing upon his extensive and exemplary leadership experience across various roles and companies within the Aboitiz Group, Aboitiz imparted invaluable wisdom on the concept of courage. He emphasized that courage takes on different meanings depending on individual circumstances and available options. “Courage means different things to different people depending on who they are or what situation they’re in,” Aboitiz stated. “Just like being generous means different things to different people. Courage is what you’re willing to give up, depending on the situation you’re in. If you’ve got lots of options, then frankly, you’re not that courageous. If you have no options, the more you have to lose, the more courageous you are,” he added. Following his engaging participation in the high-profile conference, Aboitiz was interviewed by CNBC Asia where he provided insights on how the Aboitiz Group is embarking on its Great Transformation journey. There was also huge interest in the recent partnership of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC to acquire Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. for $1.8 billion. It will be a joint venture where CCEP would be the majority owner at 60 percent while AEV will own 40 percent. This is in line with the direction to diversify a bit more into retail. “This goes back to our strategy to move a little out of one industry which is power and diversify a little bit into retail. Coca-Cola is the best brand in the world, so we thought that it would be the best way to move into the beverage and into more retail direction to be able to balance our portfolio,” Aboitiz explained. As the lead convenor of the Private Sector Advisory Council, Aboitiz also highlighted the importance of the private sector’s involvement especially in digitizing government services which President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. had been advocating. The post Aboitiz chief tracks techglomerate journey appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CA confirms Brawner, 29 military officers
The Commission on Appointments, led by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, confirmed Wednesday the ad interim appointment of Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with the rank of four-star general and the nomination of other 29 generals, flag officers, and senior military officers. Zubiri lauded the soldiers for their loyalty to the Philippine flag and their willingness to make sacrifices for the country. “Once again, you are the vanguards of democracy in our country. We cannot have hearings today, we cannot have these institutions in place without the brave men and women of the Armed Forces,” Zubiri said. During the bicameral CA deliberation of his appointment, Brawner vowed the AFP military officials are ready to defend and protect the country and Filipino people against any security threats. Senator Risa Hontiveros started the deliberation by asking Brawner about his primary objectives intended to be accomplished through the AFP's revolving door policy and Republic Act 11939. Brawner responded by enumerating his priority thrusts for the armed forces embodied in an acronym U.N.I.T.Y, which stands for unification, normalization, territorial defense, internal security operations and youth programs. Brawner said the AFP will focus on the the normalization of the Bangsamoro region, particularly the decommissioning, disarmament and reintegration of the former combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. “Now that we believe that we are winding down with our internal security operations, we will have to sustain the gains that we had,” he added. Brawner also noted that the AFP will have to recalibrate its doctrines, training and the entire organization in order to be able to cope with the demands of defending the country’s territory. The AFP, he added, will focus on developing the Filipino youth through programs such as the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Brawner said the AFP will make sure that those who will handle the ROTC activities “are prepared and are professional” to prevent a repeat of abuses, including grades for sale, hazing and maltreatment of students. “We are anticipating the passing of that bill for the mandatory ROTC. Naghahanda na po ang inyong armed forces and we want to make sure that we will not repeat the mistakes that we had, the abuses that happened during the past when we had the ROTC program,” he said. On sending military officers to China Meanwhile, Senator Francis Tolentino scrutinized the AFP’s engagements with China, particularly the sending of senior officials and cadets to Chinese military schools. Brawner explained that the Philippines’ military-to-military relationship with China is covered by a memorandum of agreement on Defense Cooperation that was forged in 2004. “That is why we are allowed to send officers to China to study and vice versa, they are sent here because we find value in sending our officers abroad not just to China but in fact to so many countries in order for them to train and to bring back the knowledge that they gain so that we can learn from them and probably apply the best practices that they are applying in other countries,” he said. However, Brawner noted that the AFP is currently studying the revisitation of the memorandum following the blocking and water cannon actions by Chinese vessels against Philippine ships last 5 August in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. “I ordered the temporary stop to sending officers to China. Just last week there was a communication, an invitation from China for us to send cadets to China to join a conference of cadets from all over the world,” he said. Tolentino urged Brawner to provide updates on the results of the study. Senator Imee Marcos also pushed for the local production and procurement of firearms and equipment for the AFP to lessen the country's dependence on foreign suppliers for its national defense. Brawner said the AFP is eyeing the revival of the country’s Self-Reliant Defense Posture program. Meanwhile, the number of military personnel filing for early retirement has increased due to the bill on the reform of the pension system for military and uniformed personnel. "Tumaas po 'yung nagfa-file ng early retirement dahil nga po they are anticipating na kapag lumabas yung batas, 'yung unang version po, they are basing it on the early versions (The number of personnel filing for early retirement increased because they are anticipating the law on the reform of the MUP pension system. They are basing it on the early version),” the AFP chief. "Gusto nila na mapaloob pa sila sa lumang sistema (They want to be covered by the old system). They want to avail of the old system wherein they will receive one-rank higher pay when they retire and indexation,” he added. However, Brawner said there is no cause for concern as many Filipinos are willing to join and apply for the AFP service. "The alarming situation would be 'yung mawawala po 'yung ating senior non-commissioned officers. So kung puro bata naman yung ating Armed Forces, it will not be a healthy organization (The alarming situation would be when our senior non-commissioned officers leave the AFP. So we will be left with mostly young personnel, it will not be a healthy organization),” Brawner said, noting that the military organization also needs the leadership of its non-commissioned officers. According to Brawner, he already advised AFP personnel “to just wait for the final version of the law before making a decision on their retirement.” He added that soldiers are always willing to sacrifice a portion of their pay for the country's benefit. Brawner stressed the Department of National Defense has developed a plan that would enable the AFP to generate pension funds, including utilizing available real estate assets. The post CA confirms Brawner, 29 military officers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AFP eyes review of 2004 Phl-China defense cooperation agreement
The Armed Forces of the Philippines is considering the review of the country’s military engagement with the Chinese government amid increasing tensions in parts of the West Philippine Sea, military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Wednesday This came after Senator Francis Tolentino scrutinized the AFP’s engagements with China, particularly the sending of senior officials and cadets to Chinese military schools. Brawner explained that the Philippines’ military-to-military relationship with China is covered by a memorandum of agreement on Defense Cooperation that was forged in 2004. He clarified that it was an exchange program designed to fostered stronger military relations between the two countries. “That is why we are allowed to send officers to China to study and vice versa, they are sent here because we find value in sending our officers abroad not just to China, but in fact to so many countries in order for them to train and to bring back the knowledge that they gain so that we can learn from them and probably apply the best practices that they are applying in other countries,” he said. However, Brawner noted that the AFP is currently studying the revisitation of the memorandum, following the blocking and water cannon action by Chinese vessels against Philippine ships last 5 August in Ayungin shoal in WPS. “I ordered the temporary stoppage of sending officers to China. In fact, just last week there was a communication, an invitation from China for us to send cadets to China to join a conference of cadets from all over the world,” he said. Tolentino urged Brawner to provide him with updates on the results of the study once completed. The post AFP eyes review of 2004 Phl-China defense cooperation agreement 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......»»
China’s Huawei renews patent licensing deal with Ericsson
Chinese telecoms giant Huawei said Friday it had renewed a licensing agreement with Ericsson to use each other's technologies, in a rebuff to US warnings about the risk of espionage by Beijing. Huawei has been at the center of an intense technological rivalry between China and the United States, which suspects the company of spying for Beijing -- accusations Huawei denies. US sanctions on Huawei since 2019 have cut off the firm from global supply chains for American components and hobbled its smartphone arm, forcing it to pivot towards other forms of growth. Washington has also pressured its allies to ban the use of Huawei gear in their 5G telecoms networks, arguing that Beijing could use the equipment to spy on other countries' communications and data traffic. Despite those tensions, Huawei and Ericsson -- based in Stockholm -- have signed a "long-term" global agreement to license each other's patents, the Chinese company said in a statement Friday. The deal covers patents essential to 3G, 4G, and 5G cellular technologies as well as both companies' "respective sales of network infrastructure and consumer devices", Huawei said. The company's intellectual property chief, Alan Fan, said the agreement "demonstrates the commitment both parties have forged that intellectual property should be properly respected and protected". "Our commitment to sharing leading technological innovations will drive healthy, sustainable industry development and provide consumers with more robust products and services," he said. The previous agreement between Huawei and Ericsson was signed in 2016. Back then, Huawei was an insurgent force in the global technology sector with an eye on dethroning Apple and Samsung as the world's top sellers of smartphones. It briefly grabbed that title in 2020 but US sanctions have since clipped its wings and forced Huawei into a strategic refocus on software, connected devices, business computing, smart vehicles, and other sectors. Despite being sidelined from American technologies, Huawei could begin producing its own chips for 5G phones this year, according to media reports about which the company has refused to comment. The post China’s Huawei renews patent licensing deal with Ericsson appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
India becomes first nation to land spacecraft near Moon’s south pole
India on Wednesday became the first nation to land a craft near the Moon's south pole, a historic triumph for the world's most populous nation and its ambitious, cut-price space program. The unmanned Chandrayaan-3, which means "Mooncraft" in Sanskrit, touched down at 6:04 pm India time (1234 GMT) as mission control technicians cheered wildly and embraced their colleagues. Its landing comes days after a Russian probe crashed in the same region and four years since the previous Indian attempt failed at the last moment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi smiled broadly and waved an Indian flag on a live broadcast to announce the mission's success as a triumph that extended beyond his country's borders. "On this joyous occasion I would like to address the people of the world," said Modi from the sidelines of the BRICS diplomatic summit in South Africa. "India's successful moon mission is not just India's alone," he added. "This success belongs to all of humanity." The Chandrayaan-3 mission has captivated public attention since launching nearly six weeks ago in front of thousands of cheering spectators. Politicians staged Hindu prayer rituals to wish for the mission's success and schoolchildren followed the final moments of the landing from live broadcasts in classrooms. Chandrayaan-3 took much longer to reach the Moon than the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s, which arrived in a matter of days. India used rockets much less powerful than the ones the United States used back then, meaning the probe had to orbit the Earth several times to gain speed before embarking on its month-long journey. The lander, Vikram, which means "valor" in Sanskrit, detached from its propulsion module last week and has been sending images of the Moon's surface since entering lunar orbit on August 5. Now that Vikram has landed, a solar-powered rover will explore the surface and transmit data to Earth over its two-week lifespan. Ambitious program India is closing in on milestones set by global space powers such as the United States and Russia, conducting many of its missions at much lower price tags. The South Asian nation has a comparatively low-budget space program, but one that has grown considerably in size and momentum since it first sent a probe to orbit the Moon in 2008. The latest mission has a cost of $74.6 million -- far lower than those of other countries, and a testament to India's frugal space engineering. Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts' wages. In 2014, India became the first Asian nation to put a craft into orbit around Mars and is slated to launch a three-day crewed mission into Earth's orbit by next year. Wednesday's landing had been eagerly awaited by the Indian Space Research Organisation after the frustrating failure of its previous mission at the last hurdle in 2019. Back then, mission control lost contact with the Chandrayaan-2 lunar module moments before its slated landing. 'Very, very important' Former ISRO chief K. Sivan told AFP that India's efforts to explore the relatively unmapped lunar south pole would make a "very, very important" contribution to scientific knowledge. Only Russia, the United States and China have previously achieved controlled landings on the Moon. Russia launched a lunar probe in August -- its first in nearly half a century. If successful, it would have beaten Chandrayaan-3 by a matter of days to become the first mission from any nation to make a controlled landing around the south pole. But Luna-25 crashed on Saturday after an unspecified incident as it prepared to descend. The post India becomes first nation to land spacecraft near Moon’s south pole appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Will Locsin soar over or crash into Great Wall?
The President’s appointment of Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. as Special Envoy to the People’s Republic of China for Special Concerns — a post he will hold on top of his day job as Philippine Ambassador to Great Britain and Ireland — is a daring, if astute, move. Daring because Locsin is not known to hold back with either word or deed to express what he feels strongly about, e.g., the dirty finger, and astute because in naming Locsin, the President couldn’t have found a better, smarter, and more seasoned man to represent Philippine interests with singular loyalty and devotion to the republic. Locsin was, of course, the former dispensation’s Ambassador to the United Nations where he, fluent as he is in Spanish, enjoyed congenial relations and camaraderie with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the rest of the Spanish-speaking members of the Latin America bloc in the multilateral organization. The former journalist (his father, Teodoro M. Locsin Sr., was publisher of the legendary Free Press) and Makati congressman was subsequently appointed by then President Duterte Secretary of Foreign Affairs, during whose tenure 45 diplomatic protests were filed against Beijing, including over a law that allows the China Coast Guard to fire on foreign vessels in the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines, in fact, during Locsin’s term as DFA Secretary was the first country in the world to file a diplomatic protest through a note verbale in January 2021 against China’s Coast Guard Law. As Foreign Affairs Secretary, he laid claim to “assiduously protesting every infringement on Philippine territory and sovereign right, as well as Chinese actions that amounted to provocation, threats or coercion.” The DFA, with Locsin at its helm, raised the South China Sea dispute in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other fora even as it continued to engage China through the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea. His accomplishments included the two diplomatic protests filed by the DFA in May 2021 over the “incessant, illegal presence” of Chinese militia disguised as fishermen in fishing boats and the Chinese Coast Guard “shadowing, blocking, conducting dangerous maneuvers and radio challenges against Philippine Coast Guard vessels in the WPS,” which an irate Locsin accompanied with a separate post on Twitter saying, “China my friend, how politely can I put it? Let me see. O.. GET THE F**CK OUT. What are you doing to our friendship? You. Not us….” He eventually apologized to Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian for his intemperate language after then-President Duterte reminded him that only he (Duterte) could spew profanities while engaging in diplomacy. Whatever advice President Marcos may have received before he named Locsin to the post must have detailed certain actions by the former DFA chief towards the Chinese. That these did not deter the President from naming Locsin anyway signifies that he sees more in Locsin than his capacity for displaying outrage in a provocative manner. Many have lauded the choice of Locsin by the President. Indeed, we hold our breath as Locsin sets out to engage with the top Chinese officialdom in Beijing. We are curious to see what charms and ingenious diplomatic skills he will pull from his sleeve and whether these will make the Chinese finally accept, for instance, the 2016 ruling of the Arbitral Tribunal that said China has no lawful claim over waters determined to be part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. It will be interesting to see if Locsin will be able to clinch his objectives and score well enough to make him, and the country, feel like soaring over — instead of crashing into — China’s Great Wall. The post Will Locsin soar over or crash into Great Wall? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner: AFP will pursue rotation, resupply mission in Ayungin shoal
Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. vowed to continue the military’s rotation and resupply activities for the BRP Sierra Madre as he asserted the Philippines’ sovereign rights to the Ayungin Shoal over China's claims to the area. “Definitely, we are going to pursue our rotation and resupply operations. We will continue this; as to the schedule, we will leave that to the commander of Western Command,” he said in a recent press conference at the Western Command headquarters in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Brawner noted that the BRP Sierra Madre is a commissioned ship of the Philippine Navy, thus "it is the duty and obligation of the country" to resupply the troops stationed in the vessel. “So they [China] don’t have the right to hold us back or tell us what to do in there. We are operating in fact within our exclusive economic zone so we will continue to pour resupply operations,” he added. The post Brawner: AFP will pursue rotation, resupply mission in Ayungin shoal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner: Water cannons are for saving lives
PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan — Philippine ships, like those of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, are also equipped with water cannons but they are intended to save lives and not to attack other ships. Thus said AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner in a press conference here, during which he said the Philippines would continue carrying out rotation of troops and resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. “Water cannons (of the AFP) are being used only to save lives,” Brawner pointed out, as he assured that the AFP will “defend and protect” the people of Palawan and troops under the Western Command. He was referring to an incident last week when a China Coast Guard vessel trained its water cannon on ships carrying supply and fresh Philippine troops to the World War 2-era ship intentionally ran aground in the area. The AFP chief emphasized that the BRP Sierra Madre is a commissioned ship of the Philippine Navy, thus “it is the duty and obligation of the country” to resupply the troops stationed in the vessel. “So they don’t have the right to hold us back or tell us what to do in there. We are operating, in fact, within our exclusive economic zone, so we will continue to conduct resupply operations,” he added. Following the water cannon incident, Brawner said the AFP would be deploying more Filipino vessels in the area. “Yes, definitely, we have plans to deploy more ships and even our aircraft to monitor our exclusive economic zone. We have to establish our presence in the area,” he pointed out. However, Brawner admitted that the Philippines has fewer ships than China, and so the AFP is pushing for the acquisition of more vessels, including a submarine. In the same press conference, AFP Western Command Chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos reported more than 400 foreign fishing vessels are currently within the country’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippines Sea, with 85 percent of these monitored vessels in the WPS likely being Chinese fishing ships. The post Brawner: Water cannons are for saving lives appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»