Usad-pagong with Juan Tamad attitude for West Philippines Sea Japanese Patrol Boats - HIT

Juan Tamad (Lazy John) is best to describe a man who just love to lie down the shed of the tree waiting when the fruit fall into his mouth. - This best describe to the Philippine government who are just keep waiting when this deal fall down to the hand of the Navy which making effort. (an embarrassing moment as Japan Noticed it) The Philippine government should not make an alibi of being approved by any government department concern if the national Security is at stake. Priority and selflessness is important not a personal and political interest.

Japan to Philippines: Do you want Coast Guard ships or not?

Saying that "the ball is in the Philippines' court," Japan has revealed that its plan to provide the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) with 12 brand new patrol boats had yet to officially take off.

In a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Japanese Embassy-attached Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) said over the weekend that "the status (of the aid program) has not changed."

"It remains a plan since we have not yet received any official request from the Philippine side," said the JICC, which added, "Please contact the Department of Transportation and Communications, the PCG or the National Economic and Development Authority for updates.

Contacted shortly before he was named interior secretary by President Benigno Aquino, then Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas said: "We, the DOTC, and the Coast Guard are working with the Japanese government and with the Department of Foreign Affairs on this."

"I understand the DFA is already requesting formally (for the boats)," Roxas had told the Inquirer.

For its part, the DFA said "the plan of Japan to provide patrol boats to our Coast Guard has already been approved by the Neda."

"We will formally inform the Japanese authorities as soon as possible," said Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson.

Minister Shinsuke Shimizu, head of the Japanese Embassy's chancery, said in an earlier interview that unlike the decades-old and stripped-down ships the Philippines has been getting from the United States, the patrol boats the PCG will get from Japan will be brand new.

Japan, he said, "has yet to decide which of the vessels will be built and transferred to the Philippine government on official development assistance or grants."

He pointed out that "since 1990, Japan has been helping the Coast Guard in its capacity-building program."

Fourteen years ago, Tokyo gave Manila a marine accident response and buoy tender ship that the agency named the BRP Corregidor.

(Inquirer)

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China continue Expanding Hold in Mischief Reef of Palawan Province

Photos show the development of China's structures on Panganiban Reef, also known as Mischief Reef: a 1995 photo of the original octagonal structures on stilts; a concrete fort being built in 2005; and an AFP-Wescom photo taken last July showing an expanded structure which includes a windmill.  AP/AFP-Wescom

China continues to tighten its grip in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), building new structures on Mischief Reef, one of the areas being claimed by the Philippines. Mischief reef is a reef with only few kilometers distance from Main Island Palawan and well within Philippines territory. Chinese captured the reef during the government of Fidel V. Ramos granting china asking for temporary shelter for their fishermen and never leave the place since then and claimed it together with many other islands and reef in Palawan Province.

Rommel Banlaoi, executive director of think tank Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, said the latest structures to be spotted in the area were a windmill, solar panels, a concrete platform suitable for use as a helipad and a basketball court.

"Improved facilities bolster PRC's (People's Republic of China's) effective occupation and increased vigilance in the disputed areas," Banlaoi said in a text message to The STAR yesterday.

Banlaoi said he acquired a photo of the structures last June but believes it was taken months before.

He said he could not release the photo since only the one who provided it has the authority to do so.

"The point is China continues to improve its facilities and I think other claimants too," Banlaoi said.

Mischief Reef is close to Ayungin Shoal, where the Philippines has a coast watch station. The reef is about 70 nautical miles from Palawan.

Mischief Reef, which the Philippines calls Panganiban Reef, has been occupied by China since 1995.

The Chinese initially constructed structures on stilts at Panganiban Reef, supposedly to provide shelter for fishermen, and later transformed them into a military garrison equipped with powerful radars and other air and maritime monitoring equipment.

 Earlier, China also installed a powerful radar station in Subi Reef, an islet just 12 nautical miles southwest of Pag-asa Island, which is part of Kalayaan Island. The Chinese began building the four-story structure, including a lighthouse, six years ago.

The Philippines, on the other hand, has built a town hall, a health center, a 1.3-kilometer airstrip, a naval station and recently a kindergarten school at Pag-asa Island.

Based on records, Kalayaan Island is a sixth-class municipality in the province of Palawan and is composed of only one barangay, Pag-asa.

The Philippines is claiming several islets, shoals, reefs and sandbars in the Spratly Group of Islands, which is being claimed in whole by China.

China has been boosting its presence in the West Philippine Sea in a move seen as an effort to assert what it described as "indisputable sovereignty" over the area.

Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also claim part of the islands, which are rich in natural resources.

All Spratly claimant countries have troops in the region, except for Brunei.

Philippine Navy joins Coast Watch exercises with US Participation

Meanwhile, 200 Navy personnel will join the five-day Coast Watch System Capability Exercise 2012, which starts today.

The activity aims to harmonize the coordination of agencies with maritime platforms namely the Navy, Coast Guard and the Philippine National Police's Maritime Group.

A US spy plane P3C Orion will participate in the activity and will complement the Philippine Navy Islander aircraft during a maritime surveillance exercise.

Participants from law enforcement organizations in Davao and General Santos will also be involved in the exercise. Observers from Australia, Malaysia, and Indonesia were also invited to the event.

Among the local assets that will be used in the exercises are two Navy ships, a Navy islander aircraft, a Navy Reservist ship and two police patrol fast boats.

"The exercise intends to promote inter-agency collaboration in line with the establishment of the National Coast Watch System," Navy chief Vice Adm. Alexander Pama said.

philSTAR

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