Navy Ship brings relief goods and heavy equipment to typhoon ravaged Isabela province

By COL ARIEL R CACULITAN PN(M)(GSC)

Acting Director, Naval Public Affairs Office

Sailors and Marines of the Philippine Navy on board a Logistic Support Vessel “BRP Dagupan City” (LC 551), as part of Task Group 10.2 “Amianan Recovery,” led by CAPT NODOLFO V TEJADA PN defied the rough and dangerous sea condition to deliver the much needed relief goods and engineering equipment. The Task Group was activated in the aftermath of Typhoon “Juan” to alleviate the plight of residents who were heavily affected in the province, to help in clearing road networks, and to undertake other engineering assistance.

At dawn of 24 October 2010, the LC 551 was immediately dispatched to Isabela with the following teams and cargo on board: four naval combat engineering teams, a 60-man rescue team, a communications team, medical team, two payloaders, trailers, and a crane used for undertaking engineering and rehabilitation of various facilities.

Ten days after the devastating typhoon left the country’s area of responsibility, bad weather conditions persisted and further aggravated the condition of the affected communities. The rough sea has forced LC 551 to take shelter in Port Irene, Cagayan temporarily, but the Sailors and Marines determination never waned and eventually succeeded in penetrating the waters of Isabela to bring help to the people. As of Friday morning, 05 November 2010, LC 551 is anchored in Aubarede Pt, Divilacan, Isabela. Under normal sea condition, the ship would reach Maconacon in six hours.

The complexity of this kind of mission, once again, underscores the need for the immediate procurement of the Multi-Role Vessel (MRV) as part of the Navy’s modernization and capability upgrade program. This vessel will not only enhance the Navy’s security efforts, but will also boost its capability in performing disaster and calamity related missions.

Aside from a wide spectrum of traditional and non- traditional military operations, the MRV can serve as a Floating Government Humanitarian Center during times of calamities. It can be a platform for medical treatment of calamity victims in isolated areas, accommodate a host of activities of DSWD and NGOs for the affected communities, Springboard for Disaster Response and Rescue Operations (DRRO) teams, and other logistic and engineering supplies and equipment that are needed in response to the humanitarian emergency anywhere in the archipelago. The MRV measures 120 meters and can load up to 7,200 tons of cargo. It can accommodate 100 crew and 500 passengers and travels at a speed of 12 knots.

It can be recalled that when Typhoon “Reming” hit the country in November 2006, the destruction it caused to Bicol’s major road infrastructures blocked rescue teams to immediately reach out to the victims. Only Navy ships on mercy mission were successful in going to the calamity / disaster areas, as the sea becomes the only unhampered maneuver space for large transport of goods and equipment after typhoon. The landslide in Ginsaugon, Leyte in February 2006 also made road networks impassable for huge movement of rescue and relief contingents from the national government. Due to the poor condition in the area, without potable water and electricity, the rescuers were themselves hard up in coping to the demands of the situation because of lack of a platform to cater to all the equipment and logistics of rescuers. Unfortunately, the present inventory of naval vessels, limits the Navy’s immediate delivery of services to victims of calamities in the country. The urgency of acquiring the MRV is often felt strongly during times when peoples’ lives and properties are in great danger.

LC-551 is transporting 36 tons of relief goods from the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund composed of food, clothing, medicine, and tents. A 30-ton load of assorted food, used clothing, medicine, and tents from the Department of Social Welfare and Development is also on board.

Navy Disaster Response Task Groups On Heightened Alert for “Juan”

By: LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)

Director, Naval Public Affairs Office

Monday, 18 October 2010

The Philippine Navy’s Disaster Response Task Groups (DRTG) are on alert since yesterday, 15 October 2010 in preparation for Typhoon “Juan”. These DRTGs are prepositioned at the Naval Forces Northern Luzon (NFNL) in La Union, Naval Forces Southern Luzon (NFSL) in Legaspi City, and the Fleet-Marine Ready Force’s task units in the Manila-Cavite areas.

In Northern Luzon, three teams are on standby with two teams located at the NFNL Headquarters. The third team at the Naval Detachment Bonoan is manned by naval reservists to augment the Navy’s regular force in the area. Each team has 10 personnel and equipped with a rubber boat and other life-saving equipment. Meanwhile, two teams are on standby at the Naval Education and Training Command, San Antonio, Zambales to respond to citizens in need.

Aside from these, three teams from NFSL are ready to be deployed to Camarines Sur and along the shorelines of Legaspi City. The Navy’s Patrol Gunboat 374 is all set to conduct rescue operations at Catanduanes and Albay if the need arises. Three other teams are also on alert at Infanta, Quezon with 10 Sailors and Marines per team. A team of Navy SEALS are also on standby. Augmenting these teams are naval ROTC cadets.

In Manila, two teams from the Naval Reserve Command (NRC), Intramuros are on standby with 10 personnel each team. They have prepared their rubber boats, trailer trucks, M35 trucks, and other life-saving equipment. Meanwhile, 20 naval reservists are also on standby in Navotas.

Four other teams under the operational command of FMRF are prepositioned at the Marine and Seabees Headquarters at Fort Bonifacio and Philippine Fleet, Cavite City. FMRF has a minimum of 10 teams and maximum of 20 teams depending on the gravity of disaster. These teams are made up of 24 officers and 159 enlisted personnel. Inventory of their equipment include the following: 9 rubber boats, 10 M35 trucks, 3 LARC, 2 ambulance, 1 amphibian truck, and 1 communications van.

The Philippine Navy is continuously monitoring events in relation to Typhoon “Juan”. Its rescue teams are prepared to help residents and local government units. It enjoins everyone to be vigilant and cooperate with local officials to ensure their safety.

Statement from the Director, Naval Public Affairs Office, RE- Hostage-taking in Manila and the Creation of an ‘Elite Strike Force’

By LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office

Saturday, 28 August 2010

There are three things that we wish to put
across regarding the incident at Luneta:

First, the Philippine Navy and the Armed Forces
of the Philippines commiserate with and express
our deepest sympathy to the family and loved
ones of the victims in that very unfortunate incident.
Flags in all Navy and AFP camps were flown at half mast.
Last 25th of August, our Sailors acted as pall bearers
and ceremonial elements in the Send-off Ceremony at
the NAIA for the bodies of those who perished in
that incident in Luneta. As far as we can recall,
this is the first time ever that our Navy has
afforded the same honors to anyone but our fallen
heroes or deceased foreign dignitaries.

Second, while there must be a thorough inquiry,
it should be motivated by the desire to draw the
lessons than passing and pinning the blame on anyone.

Third, what was glaring in that hostage-taking
incident was the absence of a highly-trained,
well-equipped, and efficient strike force that can
deliver the decisive blow when the need for it
like the Luneta incident arises.

Regarding Pres Aquino’s directive to create an
elite AFP-PNP strike force, the Philippine Navy
welcomes that directive from our Commander in Chief.
As a matter of fact, we have been anticipating that in the
Navy. After that fateful incident, we have ordered the
commanders of our elite Navy Special Operations Group
and Marine Force Reconnaissance to conduct an inventory
of our men and equipment.

There are three Rs that we need to do to effect
the directive of the Commander in Chief:

Reconstitution. The best among our elite units
have been deployed in conflict areas around the
country. We have to first gather them.

Re-tooling. Units dedicated for this specific
and specialized task should be well equipped.
At present, we do not have suitable high-powered
but shorter automatic weapons, masks, and night
fighting systems, among other state of the
art weaponry and equipment they need; and the 3rd R
is Refresher training.

Our SEAL Teams and Force Recon Marines have all
been trained for commando-type operations. However,
their present deployments are in combat operations
against the terrorists holed in the jungles of Basilan
and Sulu. They need to brush up their skills and
tactics to re-introduce them to urban
counter-terrorist actions.

There will have to be a fourth “R” if we have to
work with our counterparts with the PNP. That will
be Retraining.

While the basics that were taught to the commando
units in the AFP and the PNP are the same,
they need to train together to be one cohesive and
well-oiled fighting machine. And this is not difficult.
We just need some time for training before they can
gel and be a potent anti-terrorist strike force
deployable anywhere in the country at a moment’s
notice.

These will not affect the ongoing operations
in the Navy because our recruitment and training
of our elite units are continuous.

Update in Mantangule Island, Balabac Incident as of 191000H

LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office

Reports sent to Vice Admiral Ferdinand Golez, Navy Flag Officer In-Command by Commodore Orwen Cortez, Commander, Naval Forces West indicate that the fleet-marine operations led by the ground component commander Marine Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Pesigan was constrained to attack the MNLF group of Abdullah Abdurajak that is holed in the mosque they occupied in Sitio Marabon, Mantangule, Balabac, Palawan.

The enemy failed to surrender before sundown per ultimatum given by LTC Pesigan to Haji Sukarno Jamal, the emissary of the surrender filler. The Navy SEAL and Marine Teams under the orders of Commo Cortez launched a surgical assault on the MNLF group midnight of 18 August 09.

Sporadic firefighting that started 7am, 19 August 2009 ongoing. Two dead with firearms (one dead body already recovered) and two men captured from the marauders. Navy ships of Naval Task Group 41.5 under Commander Alberto Cruz are now patrolling the seas to pre-empt the enemy from escaping.

VADM Golez: “We will pursue the operation until its rapid conclusion and restore the rule of law in the island. We will get these marauders and kidnappers who are now shooting it out with our fleet-marine personnel.”