Italy will sell some of its Navy Ships to Philippines and some other countries

Italy is suffering severely for the current economic crisis and, despite the measures taken to stem the losses, the forecasts for the future is bleak. The data presented at Eurosatory - arms fair held in Paris - show a country in great difficulties even in the defense sector: the Ministry of the total budget is spent 22.4M-17.6M dollars in four years, with a reduction of 21.4% in 2012 compared to 2008.

The Italian government is trying, like many other European countries, to cut the unnecessary and at the same time find ways to sustain capacity and invest in new technologies. No wonder, then, that Italy is planning to get rid of some of its vehicles in service in favor of potential buyers, to reduce costs and raise cash.

It will be the Navy to be more affected by this process, if ever the government decides to implement it. The Navy has 82 ships in service of various kinds and 6 submarines. The plan is to get rid of 26-28 vessels, according to a statement by Admiral Louis Binelli Mantelli, Chief of Staff of the Navy, during a hearing at the Senate defense committee. In the list of 'offers' there would be 7 frigates, 6/8 corvettes, 4 ships trainer, 4 offshore tugboats, 3 coastal minesweepers and 2 carriers.

Not all ships in the list will bring money into the bank of the Navy Department. Some units have reached the maximum number of years of life and will be withdrawn from service and were not included in the list because now considered unusable. Others, such as deminer Lerici, retired from service last March, is still considered suitable for sale as the Maestrale class frigates, including the most 'old' will still be retired at the end of 2013.

Philippines

At the moment it is not yet clear which (or which) countries the ships will be offered. Whispers in the corridors of the ministry of an interest in the Mistral frigates from the Philippines, but there is nothing concrete. Nor is it clear what ships will be sold and which will be given away for free. The latter possibility, keeping in view of the Admiral. Part of the vessels on the list, in fact, require significant work and upgrades, and the Navy is aware that discarding will have to make them palatable for free. On the other hand, if they were to be scrapped would still represent a cost to the Italian State.

Peru

Binelli Mantelli also supported the need to involve industry in the sale of Italian naval ships. The example to follow is the sale of two Lupo class frigates to Peru in 2005, the ships were withdrawn from service with the Italian Navy, renovated in the shipyards of Fincantieri and later sold to Peru. The agreement has thus resulted in an advantage for our Navy, but also for the Italian shipbuilding industry.

The transaction, however, poses two risks: the first is that the wave of enthusiasm is decided to reduce the excessive number of vessels in service, compromising the functionality of the Navy. The second risk relates to the implicit competition against Italian shipping industry: ship used to market low cost could halt the construction / purchase of new vessels, because potential customers would turn to MMT.

(Meridian)

Malaysia Sees- Philippines could be the new ASEAN giant

Ceritalah by KARIM RASLAN (the Star Online – Malaysia)

The Philippines – with natural resources such as gold, copper, nickel and oil and gas aplenty – has tremendous potential. Last year, the republic registered an amazing 7.1% growth rate, and growing.

MALAYSIANS have looked down on the Philippines for decades, seeing the republic as South-East Asia's basket case, a source of maids, manual workers and little else.

However, with Noynoy Aquino's thumping electoral victory in last year's presidential election, international perceptions are starting to change and the Philippines fastpaced of its Rebranding.

At long last, the republic has a leader with an unquestionable mandate.

Indeed, the Philippines – especially for the businessman – is beginning to look very interesting.

On a personal note, and having experienced how Indonesia started turning around soon after Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's victory in 2004, Manila 2011 reminds me a great deal of how Jakarta was all those years ago: gradually reaching some measure of stability before booming.

Of course, recent natural disasters such as Typhoon Pedring have tended to focus our attention on the Philippines' many weaknesses, much in the same way the 2004 tsunami shook Indonesia.

Still, there's no denying that the two countries share many unfortunate similarities, beginning with their susceptibility to natural disasters, high levels of corruption and poverty, poor infrastructure and weak government.

Nonetheless, scale has its advantages.

The two great archipelagic nations are sprawling, island-based nations with huge populations – the Philippines' 94 million to Indonesia's 240 million.

Both are hampered by poor infrastructure, vast distances and a degree of lawlessness – especially in regions far from the centre of power.

However, the Philippines' poverty levels are more acute.

More than a fifth of all Filipinos (23.1 million) currently subsist on less than US$2 (RM6.2) a day.

Furthermore, the Philippines, having endured decades of Marcos' autocratic and venal kleptocracy, has only just managed to achieve a measure of political stability as institutions and civil society now seek to regain strength and resilience.

Indeed, political violence is still a reality in the Philippines – as the 2009 Maguindanao massacre tragically demonstrated.

Nevertheless, the Philippines, much like Indonesia, has tremendous potential.

In 2010, the republic registered an amazing 7.1% growth rate.

Natural resources ranging from gold, copper and nickel are also plentiful. Troubled Muslim-majority Mindanao is estimated to have a whopping US$1 trillion (RM3.1 trillion) worth of natural oil and gas deposits.

Indeed, the Philippines – for decades an international laggard – is no longer cash-strapped.

For starters, individual Filipinos have become big savers and the country's reserves (US$76bil or RM238.6bil) far exceed net foreign debt: a record that would put most European nations to shame.

There are three fast-growing drivers of the local economy; business process outsourcing (BPO), remittances and tourism.

According to the brokerage CLSA, BPO generated US$9bil (RM28.2bil) in 2010, up 25%.

Indeed, the republic is targeting US$25bil (RM78.5bil) in revenues by 2016.

Meanwhile, BPO jobs have kicked off a mini-boom as housing, banking and auto-sales have benefited from the advent of well over 600,000 middle-class consumers across the country with major hubs in provincial cities such as Cebu and Davao.

Remittances have also been growing steadily.

With over ten million Filipinos working abroad in 2010, well over US$18.8bil (RM59bil) was sent home.

Moreover, the country is sending more and more trained and skilled workers (such as nurses, accountants and technicians) to Europe, the Middle East and North America.

Tourism is also set to grow.

The archipelagic nation is set to become a major playground for North Asian tourists.

The soon-to-be inaugurated Air Asia Philippines will no doubt bring even more visitors to the islands of Bohol, Boracay and Iloilo with their white sandy beaches and historic towns and cities.

At the same time, casino operators, having witnessed Resorts World's phenomenal success, will be pouring money into newer and even grander developments along the Manila Bay area, thereby enhancing Philippine tourism offerings even more.

With a 70% approval rating, President Aquino has a golden opportunity to change his nation's future fundamentally.

Having seen how SBY has altered Indonesia's standing, it would be very unwise to bet against the Philippines' nascent turn-around.

What does this all mean for Malaysia?

For starters, it means that Filipinos, much like Indonesians, will not be flocking to work in our homes or on our plantations and construction sites in the near future.

Today's Filipino overseas workers possess skills (including fluency in the English language) that often surpass what's available in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru or Penang.

Second, the Philippines will become a major challenge to our own services economy.

Third, the republic's booming and vast domestic market will attract global MNCs desperate for growth, distracting them from smaller nations including our own.

As the First World shudders once again with an impending credit crisis, middle-income nations like Malaysia have to weigh their options carefully.

Are we nimble enough to compete with Singapore and Hong Kong?

If not, can we fend off the competition from the new Asean giants – Indonesia and, now, the Philippines?

Can we become a more efficient destination for global business as these vast nations begin to stir?

Philippines Coast Guard Acquiring 10 New Patrol Vessel from Japan

The Coast Guard is negotiating a loan for the acquisition of 10 units of 40-meter patrol ships (photo : pdff)

Phl acquiring 10 patrol boats from Japan

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will acquire 10 brand new patrol vessels from Japan for the Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said he could not discuss details of the acquisition as it is still in progress.

“I know that they (Japan) have a standing offer (to bolster the country’s maritime territorial defense),” he said.

“The Coast Guard has the complete details of the procurement.”

Speaking to reporters, Coast Guard commandant Vice Adm. Edmund Tan said the acquisition of the patrol vessels is subject for approval of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“The arrival of the vessels in the country would depend on how fast the loan is being processed and approved by NEDA,” he said.

The Coast Guard is negotiating a loan for the acquisition of 10 units of 40-meter patrol ships, Tan said.

Quoting the Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun, the Korean Broadcasting System reported that Japan intends to provide thePhilippines with patrol vessels after easing three Principles of the Arms Export law.

The handover of the 1,000-ton patrol vessels is scheduled before the yearend, the report added.

Nihon Keizai Shimbun also reported that the Japanese government wants to help boost maritime safety capabilities in the West Philippine Sea.

(PhilStar)

French aircraft manufacturer enters Philippines

Eurocopter, Dassault jet store opens

By Recto Mercene

May 24, 2012

THE Philippine economy must be performing well, gauging by the decision of Eurocopter Philippines and France’s Dassault Falcon to jointly sell the seven-seater helicopter and the eight-seater Falcon jet as complimentary package for the country’s top 500 corporations, including chairmen and chief executive officers of multinational companies and conglomerates.
 

There is a family of Falcons to choose from—six distinct aircraft to suit the company’s budget—while the helicopter needs no further introduction, having been introduced in the Philippine market since 1970.

Jussi Hoikka, commercial director of Eurocopter Philippines, said the company has locally sold 60 Eurocopters, at $3 million to $3.2 million per unit, representing a 60-percent share of the market.

Its most exclusive feature is the Fenestron tail rotor, which is enclosed and not exposed like most helicopters. This prevents personnel or passengers from being cut accidentally when the rotor is turning.

The Eurocopter T3 is also equipped with an “active vibration control system,” vibrations being a natural curse of all helicopters owing to its design. This helicopter, however, senses the vibrations and a damper removes this bone rattling sensation, lessening the noise to give passengers comfortable ride, devoid of nausea.

The Falcon costs $30 million, excluding the 12-percent to 25-percent tax. So far, only one has been sold locally, compared to the 25 percent to 30 percent that Chinese billionaires had gobbled up so far.

However, as Hoikka pointed out, they aim to sell about six to 10 Falcons for the next two years, and in five years, be the leading executive jet supplier in the country.

He said a busy executive can jet to any point in the Philippines, and still afford to make it on time to any remote locations by hopping to a waiting Eurocopter, which would be the favorite chariot of choice by mining executives, oil and gas barons and politicians hot on campaign trails.

The helicopter can be also be used for emergency medical evacuation and to enter the remotest jungle or reach any isolated islands.

Eurocopter Philippines has a 95-percent Filipino staff, mostly industry professionals, serving customers that include the Coast Guard, the Navy, the National Police, charter operators, corporate operators and other private owners.

The Falcon 2000LX, the latest in the lineup, has enough headroom for tall persons, and offers 5-percent additional range, which would be 4,500 nautical miles, over the 2000EX EASy model.

It can land and takeoff on 1,500 meters of runway.

At the cockpit, cutting-edge technology includes two onboard computers, a fully digitalized cockpit, a trackball like in a computer game, where the pilot places the cursor in on a map, and pinpoints the runway locations anywhere in the world. The map could be enlarged to see the airport’s layout and all information needed for navigation.

Instantly, the pilot is provided with any particular runway’s length, configuration, navigational aids, frequencies to tune in and all related data.

Not many airplanes, even commercial ones, have this computerized cockpit.

Capt. Frederick Lascourreges, the check-pilot, shows how, by the turn of the trackball, he can avail of any information at his fingertips, having done away with the “Flying Kit Bag” a bulky black leather bag that used to contain all the maps and the pilot’s survival kit.

Chinese fake parts 'flood' US military -- Senate report

22-May-12, 8:13 AM | Michael Mathes, Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON DC -- More than a million Chinese counterfeit electronic parts are estimated to be in use in US military aircraft, according to a US Senate report released Monday saying the discovery jeopardizes safety and national security.

The Senate Armed Services Committee said its year-long investigation launched by Democratic chairman Carl Levin and ranking Republican John McCain uncovered 1,800 cases of bogus parts, including on the US Air Force's largest cargo plane, special operations helicopters and Navy surveillance planes.

The 112-page report "outlines how this flood of counterfeit parts, overwhelmingly from China, threatens national security, the safety of our troops and American jobs," Levin said.

"It underscores China's failure to police the blatant market in counterfeit parts -- a failure China should rectify."

The report also said the Chinese government denied visas to committee staff to travel to the Asian giant as part of the committee's probe, with a Chinese embassy official saying the issue was sensitive and that a negative report could end up "damaging" US-China relations.

While the senators lay the blame squarely on China, the report said US authorities and contract companies contributed to the vulnerabilities to the defense supply chain by not detecting the fakes, or routinely failing to report suspected counterfeiting to the military.

"The failure of a single electronic part can leave a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine vulnerable at the worst possible time," the report said.

"Unfortunately, a flood of counterfeit electronic parts has made it a lot harder to prevent that from happening."

The fakes included parts in the Electromagnetic Interference Filters used in night missions and in operation of "hellfire" missiles on SH-60B Navy helicopters.

The were also found in memory chips in the display systems of C-17 Globemaster III and C-130J military cargo planes, and refurbished ice detection modules on the Navy P-8A Poseidon, modified Boeing 737 aircraft incorporated with anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capabilities.

The report said the Defense Department "lacks knowledge of the scope and impact of counterfeit parts on critical defense systems," and that the use of unvetted independent distributors for the supply of critical military parts results in unacceptable risks to national security and safety.

U.S.-Philippines Alliance 2012 - Congressman Royce

Japan, SoKor, Australia to help PH improve defense capability – DFA

By Jerry E. Esplanada

Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from the United States, at least three other countries – Japan, South Korea and Australia – are helping the Philippines establish a minimum credible defense posture to complement its diplomatic capacity in dealing with its territorial disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario pointed this out over the weekend as he also disclosed that the Tokyo government is likely to provide the country with 12 patrol boats.

“They’re considering 10 forty-meter patrol boats on ODA (Official Development Aid) and two larger ones as grants,” Del Rosario told the Philippine Daily Inquirer

In a text message, he also said: “Regarding South Korea, we have a logistics agreement and we have received equipment, such as vests and helmets (for the Armed Forces of the Philippines).”

“I understand our defense department is looking to possibly purchase aircraft from there,” according to Del Rosario.

In November, President Benigno Aquino III asked visiting South Korean President Lee Myung-bak for aircraft, patrol boats and other hardware to help boost the country’s military amid then rising tensions with China over the Spratlys Islands.

Lee did not disclose any response to the specific request but said Seoul wanted to help Manila resolve its maritime problems.

From Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs head said the country could expect to get “a number of vessels for search-and-rescue, as well as significant training here and abroad for large numbers of our military (personnel).”

“We expect increased help (from the Australian government) when the Status of the Visiting Forces Agreement (or SOFVA between Manila and Canberra) is ratified, hopefully this week,” said Del Rosario.

The SOFVFA, which covers the “status of visiting forces from each state while in the territory of the other state,” was signed on May 31, 2007 in the Australian capital by then Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and his counterpart Defense Minister Brendan Nelson.

The signing of the bilateral pact was witnessed by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and then Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Last week, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin confirmed reports that the Philippines would acquire at least 10 patrol boats from Japan. However, he declined to discuss with reporters details of the acquisition still in progress.

Coast Guard head Vice Admiral Edmund Tan said they have been negotiating a loan for the acquisition of the vessels.

Meanwhile, the AFP chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Jessie Dellosa, said the process of building a credible defense for the country has been moving fast, with the Navy’s acquisition of a second Hamilton-class cutter from the US.

The first such acquisition, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, figured in the early part of the standoff between the Philippines and China over the Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, which Manila calls Bajo de Masinloc and Panatag Shoal.

On the other hand, Beijing refers to the rock formation as Huangyan Island.

Del Rosario has repeatedly said “we have committed ourselves to improve our national defense by building a minimum credible defense posture” as he also stressed the need to protect national sovereignty.

“Given the country’s lack of resources, it behooves us to proactively seek the assistance and cooperation of our various international partners to achieve this minimum credible posture, which is a fundamental attribute of any sovereign country,” he also said.

According to Del Rosario, the “defense track” is part of the DFA’s comprehensive overall plan in promoting national security.

This year, the Philippines would be receiving about $144.66 million (about P6.25 billion) in defense assistance from the US, he said.

Aside from the delivery of a second Coast Guard cutter, “negotiations are likewise underway for more defense articles, including newer air assets for the Philippine Air Force. We also successfully secured funding in the amount of $53 million (about P2.3 billion) for radar systems to be used by the Coast Guard Watch Council for enhanced maritime domain awareness.”

He said Manila has been upgrading its defense partnership with Washington under the two allies’ Mutual Defense Treaty, citing changes in the regional and global security environment.

Del Rosario emphasized their focal point for cooperation has been to “increase our capacity for territorial defense and maritime security.”

Aside from the defense track, he also referred to the DFA’s diplomatic or political track, where the country would continue to push for the transformation of the West Philippine Sea into a Zone of Peace, Freedom, Friendship, and Cooperation, or ZoPFFC.

Under the ZoPFFC, Manila would observe a rules-based approach to all disputes in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

For the legal track, the DFA plans to continue coordinating with other concerned government agencies as it resorts to dispute settlement mechanisms under UNCLOS.

According to Del Rosario, “there are five of them and we’re assessing which one is best for us, one that will serve our purpose well.”

Scarborough Shoal lies north of the Spratlys and 124 nautical miles west of Zambales province.

Both asserting their territorial claim to the shoal, Manila and Beijing have refused to recall their vessels from the area.

China has violated the Asean Declaration on the Conduct of Parties “for not allowing us to enforce our laws in the country’s 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone,” according to Del Rosario.

The Philippines earlier filed a protest with the UN, challenging China’s nine-dash claim that encompasses the whole West Philippine Sea.

Last month, Manila asked the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to take a stand on its dispute with China over the Scarborough Shoal.

Del Rosario asserted that “all, not just the Philippines, will ultimately be negatively affected if we do not take a stand.”

He observed “if you take a good look, it appears to us that China wants to establish the rules. Obviously, there’s a negative implication for everyone, not just the Philippines.”

Asked if they would ask the US government’s help in resolving the conflict, he said they “would want all nations to make a judgment as to what’s happening there and what the implications are to their own countries.”

He claimed Washington has already taken a “very constructive role” in resolving the Spratlys dispute, when it pushed for the application of international law in solving the problem.

President Mulls Buying Brand New Jets and rejects US Ageing' F16s

MANILA (AFP) — The Philippines is looking at arming itself for the first time with dedicated fighter jets made outside of the United States, President Benigno Aquino said Wednesday amid a territorial dispute with China.

The Philippines last month requested aircraft, patrol boats and radar systems from its US military ally to help it achieve what the government said would be a “minimum credible defense.”

Aquino said that his government had asked to buy secondhand F-16s from the United States, but their maintenance costs could end up being too high because of their age.

"We might end up spending $400 million or $800 million per squadron, and we were thinking of getting two squadrons," he said in an interview with Manila's Bombo Radio.

“We do have an alternative, and — this is a surprise — it seems we have the capacity to buy brand-new, but not from America," Aquino said, without mentioning the aircraft model.

"These are manufactured by another progressive country that I won't name at this point."

Aquino noted that Manila had retired its last fighter jet, a Korean War-vintage F-5, in 2005. It does continue to fly S211 trainer jets made by the Italian firm Marchetti, which are sometimes used as ground attack aircraft against various insurgencies.

But along with the F-5, the Philippines had previously relied on obsoleteUS hand-me-downs including the T-33 and the P-51 Mustang as dedicated attack fighters, and the country now has no effective air defences.

It is engaged in a tense maritime standoff with China over the disputed Scarborough Shoal and surrounding waters in the South China Sea. Both nations have stationed vessels there for over a month to assert their sovereignty.

(Manila Bulletin)

Philippines willing to share Spratlys bounty – Aquino

By Norman Bordadora

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Speaking before a general assembly of alumni of US universities late Wednesday, Aquino said the Philippine government continues to talk with the Chinese for a mutually beneficial solution to their standoff over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal as well as other disputed territories in the area.MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III is willing to share with other countries in the region the benefits of the natural gas deposits in the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea. But he said he will not be a  party to the ceding of portions of the Philippine archipelago to a foreign power like China.

“I am not empowered to give up any of our territory,” the President said in answer to a suggestion that “a win-win solution” might be for the two countries to split the $35 trillion worth of natural gas that another disputed territory, the Recto Bank, is believed to hold.

The Recto Bank (international name: Reed Bank), which lies within the Philippines’ 200 nautical-mile (370 kilometers) economic zone, is located abut 150 km east of the Spratly chain of  islets, which is claimed in whole or in part by Brunei, Malaysia,

Taiwan and Vietnam, as well as the Philippines and China.

The Recto Bank, which is said to have oil and gas deposits that reach deep into the Cuyo Islands in Palawan, has been the subject of numerous exploration campaigns by the Philippines in the past.

The Philippines last year filed a diplomatic protest against China after two Chinese ships reportedly harassed a vessel that had been contracted by the government to undertake oil exploration activities in the bank.

Aquino acknowledged that the huge benefits from the resources in the disputed territories could free the region from dependence on fossil fuel from Middle Eastern and North African countries.

“If we are able to exploit these resources, that redounds to benefits for the entire region,” he said.

He said the parties to the dispute “should work towards easing the problems and the concerns of our respective peoples in the here and now and not in some future date where, you know, it is not a fair solution.”

“If it’s clear that we have a 200-mile economic zone, exclusive economic zone, designated by the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas, and both of us are parties to it, is it too much to ask that our rights are respected by our neighbors in the same token that we respect their rights?” he said.

The President said the Philippines doesn’t have to be “the sole winner of exploitation of resources” in the disputed areas. He said the country has always been a good neighbor to other countries in the Asia Pacific.

However, it has to draw the line when it should look after its rightful interests, he said.

“Recto Bank is 80 miles from us. There are areas that are even closer… So if we keep on subtracting about 30 percent—and not to be flippant about it—if you don’t draw the line somewhere, will we be having claims against us on the Pasig River or other rivers?” he added.

He stressed that the Philippines was resolved on a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the disputes with China, noting that it cannot afford to engage Beijing militarily.

“So we are exploring ways and means to resolve the conflict. We keep on reemphasizing that we are not for conflict. We do not want to present a threat to them in any shape, manner or form, or whatsoever in terms of military action,” he said.

“If it were just a boxing match, they’re 1.3 billion and we’re 93 million. We will not prevail. That is not the route and our Constitution actually prohibits it,” he said.

Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez said there is an upside to the tension between the Philippines and China over the Panatag Shoal dispute.

He said the Philippines’ refusal to bow down to China has united many Filipinos against a common enemy and earned the country respect from other groups and nations.

“This extended standoff, with the Philippines not buckling down against the world’s second most powerful country, is gaining for us international respect and moral support,” Golez said in a statement.

“It is a unifying and rallying force. Even Filipino groups outside the country have mobilized themselves in support of our cause,” he said.

It also shows the world that the Philippines has a strong and steadfast foreign policy that does not crumble under economic pressure and veiled military threats, Golez said. With Leila Salaverria

Japan eyes maritime aid for Philippine defense

By DJ Yap, Inquirer Southern Luzon, Redempto D. Anda

The Philippine Navy said it welcomed any form of assistance from any nation but could not confirm whether Japan had made such a commitment to the Philippine government.MANILA, Philippines – Japan is planning to provide maritime vessels, including 1,000-ton patrol ships, to the Philippines to “support the island country in its territorial dispute against China,” a Japanese newspaper reported in March, weeks before tensions erupted over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

In a March 22 report carried by KBS World Radio, a Korean English-language news website, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, a Japanese-language newspaper, was quoted as saying that Japan “has decided to provide the

Philippines with patrol ships” by year’s end.

“The newspaper said that Japan has decided to provide vessels, including 1,000-ton patrol ships, to the Philippines by the end of the year,” KBS World Radio said.

Not official yet

But the Japanese Embassy here Thursday said Japan “has not yet officially decided” if it would provide the Philippines with the maritime patrol vessels.

“The government of Japan is still considering whether to include them under its official development aid” to the Philippines, the embassy’s information and press center told the Inquirer.

KBS World Radio said the move to supply the Philippines with patrol vessels came after the government last year eased the “Three Principles of Arms Export,” a law which proscribes Japanese export of arms.

It quoted the Japanese paper as saying “this is a move to raise the Philippines’ maritime safety capabilities in the South China Sea, where it is clashing with China over sovereignty rights.”

“The United States and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are said to be keeping China in check as part of their efforts to maintain maritime security, which Japan also supports,” KBS World Radio said.

Added boost

Navy spokesperson Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay said the Navy would appreciate the added boost to its capability, considering recent circumstances, but he said he could not confirm whether such plans were really in place.

Armed Forces public affairs chief Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos said the military was not part of the discussions, but that information reaching him indicated that the ships in discussion would be smaller than the reported 1,000-ton vessels.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces Chief Lt. Gen. Jessie Dellosa Thursday said the process of building “a credible defense” for the

Philippines was moving fast, with a new warship arriving on May 22, as well as eight new combat helicopters and radar facilities.

During a visit to Puerto Princesa City in Palawan Thursday, Dellosa said the purchase of new hardware would help the armed forces build a “modest deterrent capability.”

The AFP chief met with Western Command  Commander Juancho Sabban and key officers to assess the situation at the disputed Panatag Shoal just 200 kilometers off Masinloc in Zambales province.

On April 10, tensions rose between China and the Philippines over disputed fishing grounds in Panatag, known as Scarborough internationally and as Huangyan island to the Chinese.

2nd ship from US

Dellosa said the government would “formally receive” its second Hamilton-class naval vessel from the United States on May 22. The first such acquisition, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, figured in the early part of the Scarborough standoff with Chinese vessels when its crew tried to arrest a group of Chinese poachers caught red-handed inside the disputed shoal. With Jerry E. Esplanada

Newest Warship Needs P247M For Fuel

BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15), the Philippine’s frigates (photo : Philipiines Navy)

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) is procuring P247 million worth of additional diesel and lubricants for the use of the country's newest warship, BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15).

The DND is also bidding out P133 million worth of aviation fuel and diesel requirement for its QRF (Quick Response Fund).

An invitation to bid for was posted at the DND website for additional petroleum, oil, and lubricants for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with P381,384,101.14 approved budget for the contract (ABC).

Of the total approved budget,  P247,596,691.50 will be for the additional diesel and lube oil requirement for the Del Pilar; P88,245,591.81 for diesel requirement for QRF; and P42,541,817.83 for aviation fuel requirement for QRF.

As stated in the invitation to bid signed by defense assistant secretary Patrick M. Velez, chairman of the DND Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), "the bidding will be conducted through an open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criteria as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act."

The bidding is "restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, and organizations with at least 60 percent interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens  of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws and regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to Republic Act 5183 and subject to Commonwealth 138."

As the DND called on eligible bidders to send in their sealed bids, it also said that only bids from bidders who pass the eligibility check will be opened.

Velez said interested bidders may obtain further information from his office.

Pre-bid conference is scheduled May 17, while formal bid opening will be on May 29.

(ManillaBulletin)