#Fort Magsaysay

[mel-rhodes-place]

THE US, MANILA AND BEIJING

Philippine Army and United States Army Pacific officials and personnel during the opening ceremony of Exercise Salaknib at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. (PHOTO FROM THE PHILIPPINE ARMY, story on https://globalnation.inquirer.net/231093/2-us-ph-armies-war-games-kicks-off)America is likely to become over-stretched militarily.   –Editor Can the US and the Philippines get Beijing to back off? On…

[whatisonthemoon]

U.S., Philippines Kick off Largest-ever Balikatan Exercise as Defense, Foreign Affairs Leaders Meet in Washington (April 11, 2023)

▲ U.S. Marines with 3rd Landing Support Battalion, Army Soldiers, Navy Sailors, and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines listen during a rehearsal of concept brief in preparation for Balikatan 23 at Camp Agnew, Casigueran, Philippines on April 4, 2023.

from USNI news by Rene Acosta and John Grady

MANILA – The Philippines and the United States began the largest iteration of Balikatan, the annual military exercise involving Filipino and American troops, during a Tuesday ceremony at the Philippine military’s general headquarters of Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino opened the exercise on Tuesday as defense and foreign affairs officials also met for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Washington D.C., to discuss the direction of the alliance between the two countries.

“For the Armed Forces of the Philippines, in particular, this year’s Balikatan Exercise is most timely as we fast-track the enhancement of our capabilities for maritime security and domain awareness, as well as our employment concept of newly acquired equipment and weapon systems under our modernization program and application of newly developed doctrines – with the end-in-view of projecting a credible defense posture,” Centino said.

More than 17,600 American, Filipino and Australian sailors, Marines, soldiers and airmen will participate in the exercise, Enrique Manolo, secretary of foreign affairs, said in Washington, D.C., on Monday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The exercise illustrates the importance Manila places on internal security, Manolo said, and signifies another step in modernizing the more than 70-year-old alliance between the United States and the Philippines.

The increased emphasis on interoperability required to address new security challenges, primarily coming from Beijing, facing the alliance allows Manila “to shore up our defensive posture.”

“Balikatan provides unparalleled opportunities to demonstrate the strength and readiness of the Philippine-U.S. security alliance,” Lt. Col. Daniel Huvane, Balikatan Combined Joint Information Director, said in a news release from the American embassy in Manila.

Last year’s drills saw about 9,000 military participants in the annual exercise that began in 1991.

Philippine military public affairs office chief Col. Jorry Baclor said the 38th iteration of the bilateral exercise highlights four major events – a command post exercise, cyber defense exercise, field training exercise and humanitarian civic assistance.

Weeks before the exercise, the Philippine military said that this year’s phase would be the biggest, as U.S. armaments will even be in full use, including the Patriot and Avenger missiles and HIMARS.

This coming Thursday, U.S. and Filipino troops will also conduct a live firing of the U.S. anti-tank weapon Javelin, still as part of the recently concluded phase one of the U.S.-Philippines “Salaknib” exercise, which involved the Philippine Army and the U.S. Army in the Indo-Pacific, according to Philippine Army spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad.

An F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Figther, assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 122, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, sits parked on the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) during a scheduled port visit at Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo April 5, 2023. US Navy PhotoOn the eve of Balikatan’s opening, Filipino and American soldiers trained together in “bunker and room-clearing” operations as part of the opening salvo at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

“This year’s Balikatan will be the biggest ever, an indication of the growth of our alliance and how it continues to evolve to meet our shared goals,” Heather Variava, U.S. Chargé d’affaires in Manilla said on Tuesday. Baclor said the participating forces will enhance their joint and combined capabilities in maritime security, amphibious operations, live-fire exercise, urban operations, aviation operations, counter-terrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

The Philippines emphasized the importance of Balikatan to both U.S. and the Philippine forces, as Licudine said it builds “interoperability, enhances capabilities, and demonstrates mutual defense of the Philippine sovereign territory.”

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declared: “Balikatan is an important opportunity to train shoulder-to-shoulder and build trust and confidence that enable our forces to respond to crises and contingencies as a team.” In Washington D.C., Filipino Department of National Defense Officer in Charge Carlito Galvez and Enrique Manolo held the 2+2 meeting with Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. The U.S. State Department in a statement issued ahead of the meeting said Blinken and Austin would reaffirm Washington’s ironclad commitment to its alliance with the Philippines, which it said has “contributed to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.”

Speaking at CSIS on Monday, Manalo reiterated the distance between the Philippines and Taiwan – about 90 miles – where tensions have been rapidly rising between the United States and China over the future of the self-governing island.

Chinese naval militia continue to harass and ram Filipino fishermen working in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, he said. Beijing warships and coast guard vessels are ignoring a 2016 international tribunal’s ruling dismissing its claims to much of the South China Sea. The Chinese are treating the region as its sovereign territory.

Beijing has built at least seven artificial islands on coral reefs that are capable of supporting maritime operations and military airfields. One of those man-made islands is in the Spratlys, off the coasts of the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Manolo added, “we feel the United States is an important partner” militarily and economically. He noted several times at the CSIS event the importance of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with Washington in keeping the Indo-Pacific a safe and secure environment for maritime commerce. He indicated that the United States and other nations, possibly Japan and Australia, may soon begin conducting joint maritime patrol operations with the Philippines to secure its expansive ocean borders.

Manolo added that the Philippines has the fourth largest coastline in the world, and it’s hard to secure but vital to economic development. The secretary added that Manila also looks to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, as a forum to resolve differences peacefully. The association is developing guidelines on acceptable international behavior and mechanisms to avoid conflict in territorial and trade disputes. China is a member.

Included in the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA)were arrangements for the United States to establish nine facilities for future American operations. He said he will discuss what activities will be allowed at the last four added in the arrangement during the meeting in Washington with his counterpart, Blinken, and the two nations’ secretaries of defense.

The “2 Plus 2” meetings had been shelved for seven years when then-President Rodrigo Duerte promised he’d shift security priorities away from the United States and more toward China to bolster Manila’s sovereignty in regional politics.

A September meeting in New York between President Joe Biden and newly installed President Ferdinand Marcos that led to the new defense agreement clearly demonstrated the shift back toward the United States.

“We obviously have to work [WITH?] them,” Manolo said, referring to China. “Equity in the maritime commons” is a foreign policy goal as Manila is “on the threshold” of becoming a regional economic power. He welcomed public and private assistance in filling infrastructure needs for future development and growth. He pointed to how important Manila can be in delivering clean energy renewables with investments made to explore its deposits of important raw earth and other green minerals.

“Multilateralism must thrive” to avoid conflict, said Manolo.

But “we want to make [discussions with China] compatible with the U.S. alliance.”

Notes and links below

Japan to join Salaknib drills between PH, US armies - “Japan is joining a large-scale joint exercise between the Philippine and US armies for the first time, a top military official said, in the latest of the emerging trilateral defense partnership of the three nations.A handful of observers from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will participate in Salaknib (shield in the Ilocano dialect) — an annual exercise led by the Philippine Army to strengthen the readiness and interoperability with its counterparts from the United States — which will kick off next week.”

Stop US and Chinese aggression in the Philippines! Turn imperialist wars into wars against imperialism! The US is complicit in war crimes

The WACL and CAUSA’s Role in the Ruthless Violence of US-Philippines Counterinsurgency

Death Squads in the Philippines by Doug Cunningham

Those Spared in Duterte’s “War on Drugs” May Go to Moonie Rehabilitation

[goldiers1]

AFP Neutralizes 123 Terrorists, Seize 136 Weapons in February 2023

  The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported that it had neutralized a total of 123 local terrorists and insurgents and captured 136 assorted weapons during a series of focused military and law enforcement operations in various parts of the country in February 2023.   AFP public affairs office chief Col. Jorry Baclor said in a statement late Sunday. "On operations against the local terrorist groups (LTG), four LTG members were killed, and 41 either surrendered or were apprehended. In addition, the AFP gained 42 firearms and four anti-personnel mines and discovered ten encampments,"   In Patikul, Sulu, an Abu Sayyaf bandit was killed in an encounter with the 111th Division Reconnaissance Company and 32nd Infantry Battalion on Feb. 20. Troops recovered one M-14 rifle during the clearing operation. Likewise, three Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) members were killed, including a field commander of the BIFF-Karialan faction, following an encounter with government forces in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat on Feb. 18. On Feb. 21 29 BIFF members surrendered through the efforts of the 1st Brigade Combat Team based in Sultan Kudarat. The surrenderers turned in assorted firearms and ammunition to the government troops. Meanwhile, the AFP said it has neutralized 78 New People's Army (NPA) in the same month -- 16 of whom were killed while 62 surrendered. Troops also recovered 94 firearms.  

General HQ of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Photo by the Philippines Government.   Col. Jorry Baclor also said, "On February 24, one CNT (Communist NPA Terrorist) surrendered to the 5th Special Forces Battalion in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat yielding a Winchester M-1 Garand and one improvised M-79 grenade launcher. On February 26, an NPA officer using the alias ‘Danay’ and his follower ‘Hardan’ surrendered with one homemade shotgun to the Army’s 68th Infantry Battalion in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro,"   AFP units also discovered and seized 27 anti-personnel mines (APMs) during the period, the most recent of which was the eight APMs by the 49th Infantry Battalion in Oas, Albay on Feb. 25.   Baclor also stated, "The CTGs and LTGs continue to suffer huge losses as the AFP intensifies its intelligence-driven focused military operation complemented by various community support initiatives that address the root causes of insurgency and violent extremism."  

PH-US warfighting function exchange 2023

As this developed, the Philippine Army (PA) announced that the 7th Infantry Division and 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade (5SFAB), United States Army concluded the Philippines-United States Warfighting Functions Exchange 2023-1 (WFE 23-1) on March 3.   In a statement on Sunday, PA spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said, "The two-week training which took place at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija developed the competencies of both forces across the warfighting functions domain focusing on air assault operations, troop leading procedure, group organization, defensive operations, and engagement area development."   "All training participants belonged to the 71st Division Reconnaissance Company; Alpha Company, 99th Infantry Battalion; 1st Brigade Combat Team; and Alpha Company, 103rd Infantry Battalion, 5th Infantry Division."   He added that the activity serves as the Sustained Warfighting Enhancement and Evaluation Program (SWEEP) of the participating units and also as a gated training for the upcoming PH-US combined exercises.   Sources THX News & The Philippines News Agency. Read the full article

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Moonies Support Vigilante Violence in the Philippines Around 1986/1987

▲ Pictured: A banner from a 2017 Alsa Masa gathering. Though Alsa Masa is not what it once was, many vigilante and paramilitary organizations have descended from Alsa Masa and taken up their mantle, such as Davao Death Squad or DDS. Excerpts from Belina A. Aquino's "The Philippines in 1987: Politics of Survival.” 

Human Rights Group Confirms Vigilante Reports In mid-May, an international fact-finding team headed by former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark visited the Philippines to look into the existence and activities of armed vigilantes. The team, composed mainly of human rights advocates, interviewed people in Luzon, Mindanao, Cebu, and Negros. Its findings included: (1) a rapidly growing vigilante movement that has killed, tortured, threatened, or otherwise harassed civilians who are mostly poor farmers, workers, and other individuals who have advocated land reform, wage increases for workers, and withdrawal of the US bases; (2) Philippine military and civilian officials are endorsing and even arming some of these vigilante groups; (3) foreign organizations like the Unification Church-affiliated associations for the Unification of the Societies of the Americas, the WACL, and the World Anti-Communist Crusade, are actively engaged in organizing the movement; and (4) clear evidence of sophisticated methods of counterinsurgency and "low-intensity conflict" (LIC) operating in the Philippines, including direct military action done by Philippine forces with US technical assistance.

One of the team members was Ralph McGehee, a former CIA agent in Asia who wrote a book, Deadly Deceits, about his 25 years with the agency. He had served as a special liaison officer of the Vietnam Special Forces, which were really assassination squads assigned to liquidate communists in the villages. McGehee noticed "direct parallels" between the Vietnam experience and the current Philippine situation. Among these parallels are the "search and destroy" operations; "free-fire zones," and forcing rural people into the population centers to deny the insurgents a mass base. The Alsa Masa and NAKASAKA had counterparts in the Vietnamese reconnaissance units.

McGehee also saw the possibility that a ''version of the CIA's Phoenix Program - a coordinated military, police, and civilian effort to destroy Vietnamese revolutionary forces through assassination squads trained by special forces with the CIA - is now being employed in the country." He pointed out that Lt. Col. Calida, the so-called "godfather" of Alsa Masa had undergone training in 1971-72 at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, considered the counterinsurgency training center in the US. McGehee further noted that the mushrooming of anti-Communist literature was a normal component of CIA "media operations." Calida denied McGehee's allegations.

These observations on possible CIA involvement in Philippine affairs in the post-Marcos period are not far-fetched. At the height of the Huk movement in the fifties, CIA operative Edward Lansdale put together a plan combining military action, economic benefits, and political strategy to defeat the insurgency with the help of Philippine officials like Ramon Magsaysay. More recently, the CIA knew of the corrupt activities of Marcos as early as 1969 and his plan to declare martial law in 1972. Since Aquino assumed power, Manila media circles have speculated on the presence of about 115 CIA agents in the Philippines. The hard evidence, of course, cannot be produced, but it would strain credulity to believe that there is no CIA activity in the country today. Trained in covert action and disinformation, CIA officers are not about to give away their agency secrets. Like McGehee, they get to tell what they did in some of these countries after they retire. Religion and Politics This discussion of the emergence of right-wing fanaticism in the Philippines would not be complete without mentioning the corresponding phenomenal rise of religious fundamentalism in many parts of the country today. Banners announcing prayer meetings, talk shows, workshops, and seminars by such fundamentalist sects like Campus Crusade for Christ, 700 Club, Assemblies of God, World Vision International, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and the much-talked about CAUSA, were commonplace during the year, particularly in Metro Manila and the bigger cities. The Unification Church even sponsored a visit to the Philippines in August of Msgr. Bismark Carballo, a Nicaraguan priest exiled by the Sandinistas for his support of the US-backed "contras." The most visible fundamentalist preachers like Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, Jimmy Swaggart and Pat Robertson have either visited the Philippines or have regular telecasts in the country. The Carballo visit inspired a Maryknoll cleric, Fr. Thomas Marti, who has long worked in the Philippines, to research the connections between some of these fundamentalist groups and the right-wing networks in the U.S. Marti found that the Reagan administration sought the help of CAUSA International to support US policy in Nicaragua. It might be mentioned that the Moonies and CAUSA have conducted expense-paid seminars and conferences in Washington, D.C.; Manila and other places, inviting well-known names in academic, religious and political circles. Among the CAUSA's top brass are Cleon Skousen, a Mormon Church leader, Douglas MacArthur II, and Bo Hi Pak, the chairman who has acknowledged CIA funding. This is just another form of counter-insurgency, but it tries to minimize direct military intervention in favor of small "grassroots" efforts combining socio-economic, civic action, psychological & political objective. It seems, Marti concludes, that the combination of the political and religious right is intent on fomenting a "Red scare" in the Philippines, as they have done in Latin America, to undermine the earlier efforts of the Aquino government to come to a negotiated settlement with the NDF/CPP/NPA. Noticeable itself is the government's drift to the right and Aquino herself, while cautioning against unrestrained vigilante activities, has not discouraged them. In a visit to Davao City, which some of her supporters considered a "misjudgment," Aquino told members of the Alsa Masa "they were a model in the battle against the 18-year communist insurgency.” RELATED: - Moonies demanded $2,000 from Koreans who wanted to have Filipinas as “housemaids and sex partners.” - In 1985 the Washington Times sponsored a fund for the Contras who committed atrocities, and trafficked drugs to the US - CounterSpy: Moonies Move on Honduras (1983) - One Account of Being Trafficked into Prostitution Through UC “Blessing” - Human trafficking is despicable. Here is one Filipina’s story of slavery in the Unification Church - The UC should be held responsible for supplying weapons that killed young Filipino activists - The Unification Church and KCIA: Some Notes on Bud Han, Steve Kim, and Bo Hi Pak - The Unification Church and the KCIA – ‘Privatizing’ covert action: the case of the UC - The Broad Counterinsurgency Strategies of the US in the 80s, and a Glimpse into the UC’s Role - UNESCO Report: Korean-Filipino marriages under the UC sparked controversy and animosity

[news24fr]

Le principal écologiste du Ladakh, Sonam Wangchuk, a allégué que l'administration du territoire de l'Union voulait le faire taire alors qu'il était assis sur un long jeûne pour protester contre la destruction de l'écologie de la région et le développement non durable. Au troisième jour de son jeûne de cinq jours pour sensibiliser à la grave exploitation environnementale de la région, M. Wangchuk a déclaré à NDTV que l'administration du Ladakh tentait de lui forcer la main pour signer une caution pour l'empêcher de diffuser son message et de tendre la main aux gens. Il a également tweeté une copie de ce qu'il prétendait être la caution qu'on lui avait demandé de signer pour s'assurer qu'il ne ferait aucune déclaration ni ne participerait à des réunions publiques pendant un mois. "Je suis en résidence surveillée. En fait, bien pire que cela. Si vous êtes en résidence surveillée, vous connaissez clairement les règles et vous pouvez même explorer des moyens légaux de le contrer. Mais en ce moment, je suis détenu dans notre institut et mon les déplacements sont restreints", a déclaré M. Wangchuk, enveloppé dans une couverture au milieu de montagnes enneigées, à NDTV dans une déclaration vidéo. Il a cofondé l'Institut himalayen du Ladakh alternatif, ou HIAL, pour lequel il a jeûné. M. Wangchuk avait prévu son jeûne à Khardung La Pass, où la température pouvait chuter à moins 40 degrés Celsius. Il a allégué que l'administration tentait de l'empêcher d'atteindre le col de Khardung La. "Appeler les avocats du monde entier. L'administration du territoire de l'Union du Ladakh veut que je signe ce cautionnement même lorsque seuls les jeûnes et les prières ont lieu. S'il vous plaît, donnez-moi votre avis. Est-ce juste ? Dois-je me taire ? Cela ne me dérange pas du tout d'être arrêté", a-t-il ajouté. M. Wangchuk a tweeté, taguant le ministre de l'Intérieur Amit Shah et le Premier ministre Narendra Modi. APPEL AUX AVOCATS DU MONDE !!! Les #Ladakh L'administration de l'UT veut que je signe ce lien même lorsque seuls les jeûnes et les prières se produisent Veuillez conseiller Comme c'est juste, devrais-je me taire ! Ça ne me dérange pas du tout d'être arrêté#ClimateFast #6èmeHoraire #Vie #saveladakh@AmitShah @Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/Lq0gZPOtOf – Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) 28 janvier 2023 Bonjour le monde! A partir du 3ème jour de #ClimateFast à l'extérieur, sous forte présence policière... ne t'inquiète pas c'est tout pour ma 'sécurité' Merci pour tout votre soutien. #SaveLadakh @AmitShah @Narendra Modi @CCNUCC @PNUE @LeoDiCaprio pic.twitter.com/4HNxdI9TPq – Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) 28 janvier 2023 La police a déclaré à l'agence de presse PTI que lorsque M. Wangchuk a tenté de se diriger vers Khardung La Pass, ils lui ont demandé de revenir, mais il a résisté. Il a été ramené en justice dans son institut, a déclaré un policier à PTI. "Il (Wangchuk) n'a pas été autorisé par l'administration à tenir un jeûne de cinq jours à Khardung La Pass car les températures y tombent en dessous de moins 40 degrés Celsius. Il y avait un risque élevé pour lui et ses partisans de se déplacer vers l'endroit et en conséquence , on lui a demandé d'observer le jeûne sur le campus de son Himalayan Institute of Alternative Ladakh (HIAL) ", a déclaré à PTI le surintendant principal de la police de Leh, PD Nitya. M. Wangchuk a reçu le prix Magsaysay en 2018. Son travail avait inspiré le personnage de fiction, Phunsukh Wangdu, joué par l'acteur Aamir Khan dans le film de 2009 "3 Idiots". Il a déclaré que sans mesures préventives, les industries, le tourisme et le commerce non durables continueront de proliférer au Ladakh et finiront par finir la région. "Des études récentes de l'Université du Cachemire et d'autres organismes de recherche ont conclu que les glaciers de Leh-Ladakh finiront presque à leurs deux tiers s'ils ne sont pas correctement pris en charge. Une étude de l'Université du Cachemire

a révélé que les glaciers entourés d'autoroutes et d'êtres humains les activités fondent à un rythme relativement plus rapide », a déclaré M. Wangchuk. Il a également demandé au gouvernement d'inclure la région dans l'annexe 6 de la Constitution, qui autorise l'administration de certaines zones tribales en tant qu'entités autonomes.

[subicbay]

The Philippines could soon welcome back US troops to Subic Bay sea-facing port that Washington relinquished control of over 30 years ago

The proposed return of US forces to a vast former military base in the Philippines after a three-decade-long absence looks set to heighten superpower rivalry in the South China Sea, as it weighs on Manila-Beijing relations.

Subic Bay was once home to the United States’ largest naval base in Asia – almost the same size as the whole of Singapore – but disagreements over leasing costs in the post-Cold War era led to the withdrawal of American troops from the facility in 1992.

That could all be about to change, however, after reports emerged late last month that the site is likely being considered as a new location under the US-Philippines Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which allows the US to build and operate facilities on Philippine military bases and rotate in troops for prolonged stays.

First signed in 2014, the EDCA was laid aside after former President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016 as he looked to forge closer ties with China.

But the pact has now been revived under his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, whose defence department put out a statement last month saying the Philippines was working with the US to speed up EDCA projects at existing sites, and “exploring new locations that will build a more credible mutual defence posture”.

Existing EDCA locations include Cesar Basa Air Base, about 55km (34 miles) inland from Subic Bay; Fort Ramon Magsaysay in central Luzon – the Philippines’ largest military base; and Lumbia Airport Base Station on the southern island of Mindanao.

Subic Bay is rumoured to be among the five additional EDCA sites that Philippine military chief Lieutenant General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro told local media last month the US had expressed an interest in, shortly before US Vice-President Kamala Harris’ visit to the country.

These additional sites could be confirmed as early as December or January, according to Collin Koh, a research fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, who said “Manila is likely to expedite” the approval process amid heightened “threat perceptions in the South China Sea” – such as a recent flare-up over rocket debris that the Philippine military said was “forcefully” seized by the Chinese coastguard.

Koh said Marcos may hold off on confirming the new EDCA locations until after his planned state visit to Beijing next month, however, to avoid leaving “a bad taste” in Chinese officials’ mouths – adding that the expanded agreement was sure to be discussed during the president’s visit.

The return of US troops to Subic Bay “would come across as rather disconcerting to Beijing”, Koh said, as it would “allow the Americans to strengthen surveillance over key waterways close by, especially the highly strategic Bashi Channel” – part of the Luzon Strait that separates the Philippines’ northernmost islands from Taiwan.

The proposed return of US forces to a vast former military base in the Philippines after a three-decade-long absence looks set to heighten superpower rivalry in the South China Sea, as it weighs on Manila-Beijing relations.

Subic Bay was once home to the United States’ largest naval base in Asia – almost the same size as the whole of Singapore – but disagreements over leasing costs in the post-Cold War era led to the withdrawal of American troops from the facility in 1992.

That could all be about to change, however, after reports emerged late last month that the site is likely being considered as a new location under the US-Philippines Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which allows the US to build and operate facilities on Philippine military bases and rotate in troops for prolonged stays.

First signed in 2014, the EDCA was laid aside after former President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016 as he looked to forge closer ties with China.

But the pact has now been revived under his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, whose defence department put out a statement last month saying the Philippines was working with the US to speed up EDCA projects at existing sites, and “exploring new locations that will build a more credible mutual defence posture”.

Existing EDCA locations include Cesar Basa Air Base, about 55km (34 miles) inland from Subic Bay; Fort Ramon Magsaysay in central Luzon – the Philippines’ largest military base; and Lumbia Airport Base Station on the southern island of Mindanao.

Subic Bay is rumoured to be among the five additional EDCA sites that Philippine military chief Lieutenant General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro told local media last month the US had expressed an interest in, shortly before US Vice-President Kamala Harris’ visit to the country.

These additional sites could be confirmed as early as December or January, according to Collin Koh, a research fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, who said “Manila is likely to expedite” the approval process amid heightened “threat perceptions in the South China Sea” – such as a recent flare-up over rocket debris that the Philippine military said was “forcefully” seized by the Chinese coastguard.

Koh said Marcos may hold off on confirming the new EDCA locations until after his planned state visit to Beijing next month, however, to avoid leaving “a bad taste” in Chinese officials’ mouths – adding that the expanded agreement was sure to be discussed during the president’s visit.

The return of US troops to Subic Bay “would come across as rather disconcerting to Beijing”, Koh said, as it would “allow the Americans to strengthen surveillance over key waterways close by, especially the highly strategic Bashi Channel” – part of the Luzon Strait that separates the Philippines’ northernmost islands from Taiwan.

He said it would also enable the US to expand its military presence in the region and take part in more joint drills such as the annual Balikatan exercises, which have involved troops from Australia as well as other regional observer forces in the past.

Locking Manila into ‘the US system of alliances’

Both Australia and the US already have a Visiting Forces Agreement with the Philippines, which allows their soldiers to conduct operations on Philippine soil.

Fellow US ally Japan is now also reportedly eyeing such a pact, according to Aries Arugay, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, who said “this will be huge and a big deal as it will really lock the Philippines into the US system of alliances.”

Japan and the Philippines already have close defence ties, with Tokyo vowing in 2013 to help Manila defend its “remote islands” in the South China Sea, and sending a small contingent of unarmed troops and armoured vehicles to play a “humanitarian support role” in joint US-Philippines drills in 2018.

Meanwhile, Arugay said other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations would largely welcome an increased US presence in the Philippines as he said “their beef against the US” under former President Donald Trump had been that it was “more absent than present in the region”.

“Asean members have been longing for more US involvement in the region and this is why a lot of them have pivoted to China because they thought the US was unreliable and undependable,” he said.

Given Subic Bay’s size and favourable geography, a US return to the former naval base “makes sense”, Arugay said.

Gregory Poling, senior fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, agreed – though he also noted that any possible EDCA site at Subic Bay would not resemble the old US base “in scale or function”.

“It would be under complete Philippine control,” he said, adding that Manila would have to approve in advance any joint exercises and the rotation of US forces.

That being said, the expansion of the EDCA “highlights just how much China’s continued coercion has driven the Philippines to seek closer military cooperation with the US,” Poling said.

[sunflower-n-coffee]

EXT. Intramuros — Fort Magsaysay — Day

Diyem POV

Dito mismo ako umiyak, para magmakaawang bumalik ka, dito din kasi tayo unang nagkita. Dito mo ako dinala at tinupad lahat ng "Once upon a time" ko. Dito mo rin tinapos, pero hindi happily ever after, kahit na ganon alam kong may fairytale na buhay ka na.

[unbiasedph]

Video: Talk to the Men (Speech) 7/26/2016

Video: Talk to the Men (Speech) 7/26/2016

Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija 26 July 2016 President Rodrigo Roa Duterte met with the army officials and troops of the 7th Infantry Division in Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. In his statement, the President explained the government’s decision on the unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), National Democratic Front (NDF), and New People’s Army (NPA), saying…

[booksforacause]

LIPAD AKLAT PROJECT of the Aviation Regiment in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, in collaboration with BOOKS FOR A CAUSE will soon fly to occidental Mindoro to deliver books in the remotest schools and communities! All for His glory! #BooksForACause #LipadAklatProject #BooksForTheBarrios #ShareABook #LiteracyAdvocacy #Charity #philantropy #AviationRegiment #FortMagsaysay#NuevaEcija #PhilippineArmy #NationBuilding #GetInvolved #Now (at Antipolo, Rizal) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdpskpuJDvS/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[centralphilippine-university]

CPU ROTC Commandant initiates physical development for the Unit’s office

Col. Peter C. Bedoña (Ret) PA, CPU ROTC Commandant welcomes visitors to his office.

Former CPU ROTC cadet and now a Retired Philippine Army official, Col. Pedro C. Bedoña accepted the University’s invitation for him to manage the CPU ROTC Unit as Commandant in 2020. He was persuaded upon by his former fellow ROTC Officers who consider him as a transformational leader. Bedoña who is a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Graduate of Central Philippine University (1985) has undergone training in CPU Basic and Advanced ROTC from 1979 to 1983.

Immediately after graduation, he worked with the Philippine Army as Probationary in Camp Hernandez, Dingle, Iloilo. He had a short stint in the broadcasting company, IBC, as an Ad agent until he was employed by the Department of Public Works and Highways in 1986. He was called to active duty in 1989 and was certified as Officer in the Reserved Force.

He undertook rigid military training at Fort Ramon Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija in 1991. In 1992 as a 2nd Lieutenant, Bedoña joined the 3rd Infantry Battalion in a depressed Samar area – where military engagement with rebels is a daily operation.

Those experiences he said, made him stronger. “I pray all the time. As a Centralian, I lived the values of trust in God, self-confidence and patience. I developed leadership in me. I changed anything that I think is needed to improve myself,” he said.

The perception that the new commandant is a transformational leader, was shown when he initiated a physical change for the office of the ROTC Unit- to include database information system and orderly set -up of internal training facilities, desks and equipment.

Concrete finishing of the interior walls, new paints and lightings were done in the ROTC office. Fund for the partial renovation accordingly came from his pocket and honoraria, “…as my donation to the CPU ROTC Unit in particular, and to the University in general,” Bedoña said. He added that, “Upon my acceptance of the invitation to be the Commandant of our ROTC Unit, I was compelled to ask permission to renovate the office, thanks to University President Dr. Ted Robles for the support.”

“That moment made me feel totally committed to the service and love for my Alma Mater. Our staff cadets and tactical officers need a deserving place, conducive for office work. I dreamed of a big ROTC facility in the near future. I am very happy to help CPU ROTC Unit,” Bedoña further explained.

The cadet staff have already instituted systems for protocols and disciplines at their newly renovated office. A second renovation for ROTC is scheduled in May for the male/female comfort rooms, transient dormitory and military rifles room.

cpu.edu.ph

[tagapagbalita]

OCD tests backup center in case of NDRRMC hub destruction amid disaster

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Friday inaugurated and held a simulation exercise at the newly-constructed alternate Government Command and Control Center (GCCC) in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. (GMA News) from GMA News Online / News via IFTTT

[georgemcginn]

DOD Featured Photos

Sunlit Sail Sailors conduct small boat operations in the Atlantic Ocean, April 11, 2022. Photo Details > Target Teacher Army Capt. Rafael Herrera directs a Philippine soldier during a simulated raid at Fort Magsaysay, Ph… Photo Details > View All Photos ABOUT NEWS HELP CENTER PRESS PRODUCTS Unsubscribe | Contact Us

[jingbarroga]

Yung bundok pinuntahan niyo pero may ganito kasarap na pakain 😋 #travels #travelstories #ekisthekanin #awesomethursday (at Fort Magsaysay) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUcBLwaFc42/?utm_medium=tumblr

[militaryleak]

US and Philippine Armies Strengthen Partnership with Bilateral Exercise Salaknib 21

Approximately 60 soldiers from U.S. Army Pacific Command, led by the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade, trained side by side with the Philippine Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team from July 9-31, 2021 at Fort Magsaysay as part of Salaknib ’21 #Philippine

Approximately 60 soldiers from U.S. Army Pacific Command, led by the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade, trained side by side with the Philippine Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team from July 9-31, 2021 at Fort Magsaysay as part of Salaknib ’21. Salaknib is a Philippine Army-led, bilateral exercise sponsored by U.S. Army Pacific designed to contribute to and enhance U.S. and Philippine defense…