Ancient Philippine Treasures set to shine in Paris: Rich Filipino civilization before Spain invasion

Credit: PASCAL GOETGHELUCK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Caption: Gold belt. Gold belt from Surigao, in the Philippines. This belt was worn by royalty during the civilisation which thrived in Surigao between the 9th and 12th centuries.

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Keywords: ancient, archaeology, archeology, belt, cognitive archaeology, gold, gold belt, gold belt from, philippines, surigao

The Philippine treasure

 

IT'S about time the world knows how rich the Philippines truly.

 

The Musée du quai Branly (MQB) in Paris, France will be featuring the Philippines' pre-Hispanic collection of pottery and gold in an "exhibition of indigenous art and culture" next year.

 

This will be part of MQB's mandate as a national museum to feature arts and civilizations from Africa, Oceania, the Americas and Asia.

 

The Philippine Exhibition, entitled "Philippines, Art of Exchange," will be held from April 9 to July 21, 2013.

 

The MQB is set to borrow 30 pieces from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) pre-Hispanic collection—27 of which will be from the gold collection and three from the pottery collection.

 

The total insurance value for the 30 pieces is a staggering ₱111,159,000.00 (₱0.11 Billion)

 

Such treasures only show how distinct and rich the Filipino civilization was even before the Spanish colonization.

 

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, excavations all over the Philippines have turned up fine pottery and gold pieces in sites such as Batangas and Mindoro in Luzon, Samar in the Visayas, and Butuan and Surigao in Mindanao.

 

"The technology used in making these artifacts is an enduring evidence of the high level of technology during the pre-colonial period," the Metropolitan Museum said, adding that the artifacts are now considered a national heritage and are part of the BSP's Gold and Pottery Collection.

 

The Metropolitan Museum revealed that since the ancient times, gold has been one of the main products of the Philippine islands.

 

"Both ancient and modern-day goldsmiths exude exquisiteness in their craftmanship in making pieces for trade or for personal vanity and prestige," the Museum said.

 

The BSP's gold collection actually started with beads and gold pieces that were utilized as a means of exchange during the ancient times.

 

The pre-Hispanic gold collection also showcases "barter rings," or hollow gold tubes that form a circle.

 

These barter rings, according to the Metropolitan Museum, are bigger than doughnuts in size and are made of nearly pure gold.

 

Aside from the rings, the BSP also has a significant collection of excavated glass and semiprecious stone beads, which are strung into necklaces and other ornaments.

 

"The gold belts or waist embellishments, which are also part of the collection, have not been found anywhere else in the world and represent the height of ancient Filipino gold industry," the Museum said.

 

So rare are these embellishments that a gold sash from Surigao, which will be included in the Paris exhibition, is set to be insured for ₱54 million!

 

Other pieces in the BSP Gold and Pottery Collection show that Filipinos from a thousand years ago "sent" their dead in spirit boats to the afterworld, according to the Metropolitan Museum.

 

The ancient Filipino dead were extravagantly adorned with "masks," which covered their eyes, noses, and mouths, made of gold sheets.

 

The Museum explained that gold was then considered a magical substance that may have been aimed to be kept inside the soul or to keep out evil spirits.

 

"The gold partially hides the features of the departed, impressing on the mind of grieving relatives an eternal, incorruptible visage, not of the flesh that will soon become earth," it added.

 

Sun STAR

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2nd Philippine Frigate to be the first Ships in the World Mk38 Mod 2; ₱12 Billion Italian Maestrale-class frigates in 2013

  

Frigate for Philippines to be equipped with latest gun

 

BRP Ramon Alcaraz will have two Mk38 Mod 2 automatic cannon systems

 

A frigate purchased by the Philippines from the United States will be among the first ships in the world to be equipped with state-of-the art cannon systems.

 

The Mk38 Mod 2 is designed to counter high-speed maneuvering surface targets and will be installed also in almost all US surface ships by 2015. It was commissioned by the US Navy following the terrorist attack on the USS Cole in 2000.

 

A statement issued by the Philippine Embassy in Washington said the long range cutter, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, will be equipped with two Mk38 Mod 2 automatic cannon systems.

 

"The Pentagon has awarded a $1.8 million (₱ 74.4million) contract for the purchase of modern weapons systems that would be installed in the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the second high-endurance cutter that the Philippines recently acquired from the United States," the statement said.

 

Capt Elson Aguilar, Naval Attache at the Office of the Defense and Armed Forces Attache at the Philippine Embassy, was quoted as saying that acquisition of the 25mm autocannons are part of a $24 million contract with BAE systems for the purchase of 21 units of the remotely controlled naval gun systems and spare parts for both the US and Philippine navies.

 

The BAE contract involves the purchase of 21 units of the remotely controlled naval gun systems and spare parts for both the US and Philippine navies, according to Capt. Elson Aguilar, Naval Attache at the Office of the Defense and Armed Forces Attache at the Philippine Embassy.

 

Two 25mm autocannons will be fitted on the BRP Ramon Alcaraz as part of the frigate's air and surface defense system.

 

The BRP Alcaraz, which is expected to arrive in the Philippines in November 2012, is a sister vessel of the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, aa 115 meter-long, 3,250 metric tons Hamilton Class ship. The two vessels are the biggest and among the most modern in the country's fleet. The Del Pilar is equipped with 76mm rapid fire guns aside from the 25mm automatic cannons. Both have helicopter decks.

 

The Alcaraz will be deployed at a time of tension between the Philippines and China over a group of islands in the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea).

 

The embassy said the new weapon systems are upgraded versions of the Mk38 M242 Bushmasters (25mm cannons) that were removed from the vessel prior to its turnover to the Philippines. The remotely controlled chain gun system can fire as many as 180 25m rounds per minute at targets as far as two kilometers.

 

He added that the autocanon can be fired manually if the sensors are damaged or if the vessels lose power.

 

"The Mk38 Mod 2 will allow the Alcaraz and the Del Pilar to track and fire at targets automatically in both day and night using single shot, low speed or high-speed automatic fire," Aguilar said, adding that the autocannon can be fired manually if the sensors are damaged or if the vessels lose power.

Aguilar said the vessel is presently awaiting the general overhaul of her port main diesel engine and further installation of navigational and electronics equipment.

 

The Alcaraz is set to undergo a general overhaul of her port main diesel engine and further installation of navigational and electronics equipment, which is expected to take 11 weeks.

 

According to Aguilar, both the Alcaraz and the Del Pilar are capable of conducting patrols for long periods of time and withstanding heavy weather and rough sea conditions.

 

The two Mk38 Mod 2 systems will complement the existing weapons system that consists of the Mk75 76-mm Oto Melara main battery and four M2HB .50 caliber machine guns.

 

The addition of the modern ships to the Philippines fleet will be a big boost for the navy which had long suffered the reputation of being among the most poorly equipped in Southeast Asia.

 

The weapons system for the BRP Del Pilar (PF15) will be covered under a separate contract, Aguilar said.

 

The 378-foot-long Alcaraz was commissioned in 1968 and served with the US Coast Guard as the USCGC Dallas until it was decommissioned and turned over to the Philippines in May. It is being refurbished and refitted at a cost of $15.15-M.

 

It is the second Hamilton-class cutter acquired by the Philippines under the Excess Defense Article and Military Assistance Program.

 

The first, the Del Pilar, was turned over to the Philippine Navy in May 2011.

 

The Alcaraz was named after Commodore Ramon Alcaraz, a Philippine Navy officer who distinguished himself during World War II when the patrol boat he commanded was credited for shooting down three Japanese aircraft.

 

₱12 Billion Italian Maestrale-class frigates, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weaponry

 

2  Italian Maestrale-class frigates, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weaponry are set to strengthen the Philippines' maritime defense capabilitiesfor  ₱11.7-billion Maestrale-class frigates , which have anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weaponry.

 

"These frigates are warships. These have anti-air, sub-surface, they have anti-submarine (capabilities).

 

The frigates, which were commissioned in the 1980s, are being used by the Italian Navy.

 

The Philippine Navy is waiting for the approval of contract that is expected to be signed in January 2013.

 

The ships will then be delivered by November 2013 after they are refurbished.

 

"These are operational. They are being used by the Italian Navy.

 

Gulf News, ABS-CBN News

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Philippines' Maosonon Island, El Nido Palawan is now for sale in UK ₱200 Million

Maosonon Island, El nido Palawan Philippines is now for sale for  ₱200 Million

Paradise Island goes on sale in the Philippines

 

AN island hideaway has gone on sale in the Philippines.

 

Maosonon Island – which has no inhabitants – is on the market for a cool £2.9million (₱ 200 million Philippine Pesos).

 

The buyer will be the only person living there, and will have sole access to the 112acres of unspoilt land.

 

It features beautiful white sand beaches, palm trees and the promise of blue skies and warm weather all year round.

 

The buyer will also own also a SECOND smaller triangular island jutting off into the sea.

 

The main island features private natural harbors, rolling hills, hidden rocky coves and elevated woods.

 

Scuba-dive or swim in the stunning coral waters that surround it.

 

Maosonon is part of a protected area in the Philippines known as El Nido. It is one of the world's most stunning seascapes and measures are in place to protect the rich diversity of flora and fauna.

But despite there being no buildings on Maosonon island, the sellers claim there are opportunities for business ventures for the buyer - presumably in the tourist market.

 

With no runway the only access if by boat, but it is close to other islands in the El Nido area and can be accessed from Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

 

Currently, no studies have been conducted on the island, which is why it's known as 'Mystery' Island.

Kalupitpit Island, El nido Palawan Philippines

 

Erna Tacata, Marketing Specialist at InvestPhil Realty who are selling it said: "The beauty and richness of Maosonon is yet to discover.

 

"It's an excellent getaway for sun-seekers who crave warm weather all year round.

 

"It's a diverse island and there's opportunity for business ventures too.

 

"It's known as a virgin island but once the island is sold it was the owners' discretion if he or she will open it to public or will use it as a private place." (Read more here http://goo.gl/vRHjN )

 

The Sun

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Bad Price - Philippines’ AgriNurture cancels 20-year supply deal with SM Mall Group

AgriNurture cancels 20-year supply deal with SM Group

 

Listed AgriNurture Inc., one of the largest biggest producers of fruits and vegetables, canceled an almost two-decade supply relationship with major client SM Group, which owns the Philippines's largest supermarket chain, a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange showed on Thursday (October 25, 2012).

 

 AgriNurture's move could hurt its revenues in the short term but company President Antonio Tiu said in a phone interview that profits are likely to improve. Tiu, who noted that the SM Group accounts for about a 10th of revenues, said AgriNurture decided that it would be more profitable to sell products through traditional "wet" markets.

 

He added that pricing contracts with SM were no longer "realistic" for the company. A spokesman for the SM Group did not immediately respond with any comment. "At the end of the day this will bring more value to the bottom line," Tiu said.

 

AgriNurture booked ₱1.45 billion in revenues in the first half, up 51 percent, although net income dipped 6.7 percent to ₱101.38 million. In its disclosure, AgriNurture said its units First Class Agricultural Corp. and Fresh & Green Harvest Corp. have given notice to Super Value Inc. and Super Shopping Market Inc. that it would stop supplying SM Supermarkets and SM Hypermarkets with fresh fruits and vegetables.

 

It also intends to pull out of all inventories in the supermarket chains of the SM Group by October 26 for SM Supermarkets and October 31 for SM Hypermarkets. "The end of the two-decade-old supply relationship with the supermarket chains of the SM Group is expected to have only a small positive effect on the company's income for the rest of 2012, but will result in a more pronounced positive effect in 2013," AgriNurture said.

 

The cessation of the supply relationship will free up approximately ₱60 million in working capital tied up in credit lines to the SM Group supermarket chains, the disclosure added. AgriNurture shares closed flat at ₱8.06 each on Thursday, giving it a market value of ₱4.3 billion. (http://goo.gl/fj66p)

 

Business Mirror

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Davao City Philippines - Mayor Duterte Offers ₱7 Million reward for decapitated head of Ryan YU

Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte wants the head of alleged car thief Ryan Yu 'on ice.' Human rights advocates say Duterte has violated the law by passing a sentence on Yu without due process. Phptp: BULLIT MARQUEZ/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mayor in the Philippines offers $121,000 reward for decapitated head

 

Officials have received text messages from people seeking assurances the reward, offered by Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, is real.

The vice mayor of a southern Philippine city has offered a $121,000 reward for the decapitated head of the alleged leader of a gang of car thieves.

 

Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, known for being tough on criminals, told a news conference in Davao on Wednesday that he would give 2 million pesos ($48,400) if suspect Ryan Yu is arrested and 4 million pesos ($96,800) if he's killed. He said he'd add another 1 million pesos ($24,200) if Yu's decapitated head is delivered to him "on ice."

 

Davao police chief Ronald de la Rosa said Friday that he had received text messages from people seeking assurances the reward offer was real. He said they should cooperate with police.

 

Human rights commission chairman Loretta Rosales said Friday that Duterte violated the law by passing a sentence on Yu without due process.

 

Duterte's offer comes as he runs virtually unopposed to regain his seat as mayor of Davao. His daughter is currently the mayor but won't seek reelection. His son, Paolo, is running as his vice mayor.

 

Rosales urged Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to take action against Duterte, who has been indirectly linked to a "death squad" that was responsible for over 200 killings of suspected criminals, including some minors, when he was mayor from 2004 to 2009. He has denied any involvement.

"What he says ... is irresponsible coming from a person of authority," Rosales said. "That is an extrajudicial killing. He is justifying extrajudicial killing."

Duterte told reporters that Yu had made unfounded allegations of car smuggling against his son, Paolo, late last year and that received a call from Roxas on behalf of President Benigno Aquino III asking about the allegations.

It is not known where Yu is, or if he is still in the Philippines.

Duterte said the offer was prompted by the recent discovery of a compound where cars allegedly stolen by Yu's gang were being stored, adding the offer was open to anyone or any group, including Muslim and communist rebels.

 

"Make your choice. Either you want to earn 2 million, or you want to earn 4 million, or if you want to be morbid about it — bring the head of Ryan Yu to me and I will add 1 million," he said. He suggested putting the head in an ice bag "so it won't smell bad."

 

He said the money will come from contributions to his election campaign.

 

De la Rosa said offering a reward for an arrest is legal, adding that if Yu resists his death could be justified. "I have no comment about that," he said when asked about the reward for the decapitation.

 

He urged the public to cooperate with police officers, who will share in the reward. "Otherwise we will have so many Ryan Yus or people who look like him dead," he said.

 

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is loved by the People of Mindanao for his iron-hand against criminals and drug lords. He is also highly respected by all the lumads, residents and Muslims in the Island of Mindanao.

 

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte made the most remarkable progress of Davao with continues decline of criminals, alleviating poverty and driving business investments and job opportunities  to Davaoeños. He is known as a man with a word; word with action. 

NY Daily News

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Filipino doctor elected to key UN committee vs torture

 

Dr. June Caridad Pagaduan Lopez, MD, is a Filipina psychiatrist and trauma specialist. She is also a faculty member and training coordinator at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine and an international faculty (Torture Prevention and Rehabilitation) at Rotary Peace Center of Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. She also serves as the director of the Center for Gender and Women Studies. As a technical expert on Mental Health and Sexual Violence and as a member of the Sexual Violence Research Initiative of the World Health Organization, she promotes peace and helps traumatized women and children especially in war-torn areas like Mindanao and East Timor.

Lopez is nominated as member in the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment for 2012 to 2016. Members to the SPT will be elected on 25 October 2012 at the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland.

Filipino professor Dr. June Pagaduan-Lopez has been elected as one of twelve new members of the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT).

 

She will serve as expert, from 2012 to 2016, in monitoring detention conditions in more than 60 sixty countries worldwide.

 

The Medical Action Group (MAG), of which Dr. Pagaduan-Lopez is one of the founders, welcomed her election, saying "this will considerably strengthen the mandate of the SPT in torture prevention particularly in the field of mental health rehabilitation of torture survivors and their families."

 

Dr. Pagaduan-Lopez, is a professor at the Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines-Manila.

 

MAG said, "for many years, Dr. Pagaduan-Lopez' capabilities and outstanding commitment in linking her profession as a psychiatrist to the promotion and defense of human rights, particularly in rehabilitation of torture survivors, will enable her to make a valuable contribution to the work of the SPT and the prevention of torture in the country and worldwide."

 

The election was held at the fourth meeting of States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) on 25 October 2012, at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland.

 

Other experts who were elected are from Switzerland, United Kingdom, Argentina, New Zealand, Lebanon, Serbia, Mauritius, Costa Rica, Brazil, Germany and Republic of Moldova.

 

Dr. Lopez has 30 years as an undergraduate and postgraduate educator in medical school and public health school (psychiatry, organizational development, occupational and mental health). She finished her medicine at the University of the Philippines-Manila.

 

She was awarded by Ten Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service (TOWNS) in 1989. In 2010, she was awarded Outstanding Achievement Award by the International Council for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (IRCT) given by the Dr. Inge Genefke Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark, during its 25th anniversary celebration.

 

She was among the 39 recipients of the Most Distinguished Alumnus Award  by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) in 2011.

 

The Philippines became the 63rd state party to the OPCAT on April 17, 2012, making it eligible to submit a candidate for the SPT. 

 

SPT's work started in February 2007 with 10 members and expanded to 25 members in January 2011.

 

The SPT has a "preventive mandate" focused on an innovative, sustained and proactive approach to the prevention of torture and ill treatment.

 

It also has an operational role which consists in visiting all places of detention in States parties.

 

GMA News 

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Australia: Bullish on the “Philippines” the fastest-growing economy in Asia

The Asia Society Australia, Warwick Smith

Australia bullish on Philippines

 

SYDNEY, Australia—the business sector in Australia is bullish on the Philippine economy, with many shakers and movers in trade and investment looking forward to partnering with the "next tiger economy in Southeast Asia."

 

At a business forum here Thursday night (October 25, 2012), the chair of the Asia Society Australia, Warwick Smith, enunciated the prevailing sentiment of top CEOs in this part of the globe.

 

"It would be fair to say that this has been a remarkable transformation that has taken place in the Philippines since the election of the President," Smith said.

 

He said that recently "one leading bank … indicated it's (Philippines) the fastest-growing economy in Asia, which is an area of concern to all of us here in Australia" amid the economic downturn in America and the debt crisis in Europe.

 

"Your commitment to growth and also the successful approach to a corruption drive as we've seen transformed the opportunities in the Philippines," said Smith, telling the President that this "transformation of the Philippines would not be taking place without strong leadership … which is about commitment."

 

Smith then quoted a portion of the inaugural speech of the President in 2010 which, the businessman said, went into the very heart of commitment to public service.

 

"My father offered his life so our democracy could live. My mother devoted her life to nurturing that democracy. I will dedicate my life to making our democracy reach its fullest potential: that of ensuring equality for all. My family has sacrificed much and I am willing to do this again if necessary," said Smith, quoting Mr. Aquino.

 

When Smith asked the President about the "industry, sectors, or services" he was looking into to really "bring the Philippines as the new tiger economy in Southeast Asia," the President said his administration would harvest "low-lying fruits" and focus on three particular aspects of the economy: infrastructure, tourism and agriculture.

 

Aquino did not mention the huge potential for mining investments in the Philippines, but his new mining policy, contained in Executive Order 79, was discussed during bilateral meeting in the capital Canberra Wednesday.

 

Smith also took time to quiz the President on the broader picture of finance in the global market, asking him if he had "an overall (medium-term) prognosis for where matters are going" with "leadership changes in China this year, the United States, Europe that's struggling."

 

The President said:

 

"I think there will still be pressures on everybody to become pessimistic or, if they want to be euphemistic about it, to be guarded. And when we were in the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) Meeting in Honolulu, Madame Christine Lagarde talked about the need to enhance domestic liquidity," he said, referring to the managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

 

"And, to be honest with you, it really made me pause for a thought because it seemed like we were headed towards the same situation that existed before the Great Depression wherein everybody felt that they could successfully insulate themselves from the downturn in various other economies which, in turn, actually accelerated and deepened the recession and that led to the depression," he said.

 

"So one would do hope that man has a capacity to improve. Shouldn't this be the point in time that we should be finding ways and means to help the so-called 'weakest link' in the chain? So either we stand together or we drown together," said Mr. Aquino.

 

He noted that governments in Europe were being asked to finally address the situation that used to be the proverbial "can that got kicked down."

 

"I'm sure that very reasonable men and women are talking and that we will become into solutions that demonstrate our collective capacity to improve as species. So how long will the continued malaise happen? The conservative will say quite a bit but I tend to be optimistic as far as the human spirit is concerned. I think what we have managed to do in the Philippines will happen in varying degrees elsewhere. I can't tell you that we are about to crest the hill but I think we are approaching that crest. All it takes is a little bit of faith and optimism in our fellowmen," he added.

 

Asked by the INQUIRER in an interview to expound on how his administration would pursue this economic takeoff, he said:

 

"Basically they said the number one asset of the Philippines has to be the people. Therefore, it has to be investments in our people and that's why the massive investments in education and in health," he said.

 

Aquino pointed out that this "inclusive growth" meant that the poor should benefit from the economic gains.

 

He also cited the current efforts to match the job requirements of the local industries with what the educational sector was producing yearly.

 

Meeting the Philippine media over coffee right after the business forum, Aquino reported on the economic gains of his two-nation, five-day state visits to New Zealand and Australia.

 

In New Zealand, he said the government of Prime Minister John Key pledged to help the Philippines increase the expertise in harnessing geothermal power.

 

The Philippines and New Zealand are two of the two largest producers of geothermal power in the world, but it was New Zealand that helped the Philippines harness this alternative power source in the 1970s.

 

Also, Alliance Select Foods International, Inc. formalized its $2.18-million share purchase agreement to acquire 80 percent of Akaroa Salmon NZ Ltd., a pioneer in salmon farming in New Zealand.

 

The New Zealand-based firm is also a processor of fresh and smoked salmon.

 

"What is impressive is we are becoming a multinational," he said, pointing that the Alliance Select Foods, Inc. bought into a salmon farm.

 

Australian firm Austal will start building boats in shipping yards in Balamban, Cebu.

On its website (http://www.austal.com/en/about-austal/Overview.aspx), Austal says it is a global defense prime contractor.

 

"The company designs, constructs and maintains revolutionary platforms such as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) for the United States Navy, as well as an extensive range of patrol and auxiliary vessels for defense forces and government agencies globally. Austal also designs, installs, integrates and maintains sophisticated communications, radar and command and control systems."

 

Telstra, a top telecommunications company in Australia which has about 10,000 workers in the Philippines, is seeking "further expansion and directly hiring their employees," said the President.

 

AG&P is also starting a ₱200-million project in Batangas, Aquino said.

 

AG&P is a modular engineering, fabrication, assembly and asset management services provider to the offshore and onshore oil & gas, mining, power and civil infrastructure sectors (https://agp.ph/)

 

MacQuarie Group, a banking and lending firm, has partnered with the Government Service Insurance System for a US$600-million fund to invest in infrastructure projects in the country.

 

Lastly, the Philippines also signed a new air services agreement with both New Zealand and Australia.

 

INQUIRER Business

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5 US Warships are now in the Philippines

USS George Washington – Super Carrier

Along with the US USS George Washington the super carrier another 2 warships in Palawan and 2 escorts of the super carrier.

 

As of October 26, 2012 the following US Warships are now in the Philippines

1. USS George Washington – Super Carrier
2. USS McCampbell – Escort for the Super Carrier
3. USS Cowpens – Escort for the Super Carrier
4. USS John McCain
5. USS Mustin

 

USS McCampbell (DDG-85) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy - Escort for USS George Washington

USS Cowpens  is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser currently in service with the United States Navy - Escort for USS George Washington

USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy- In Palawan Wescom

The USS Mustin (DDG-89) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy - In Palawan Wescom

Two U.S. Warships in Palawan

 

Two more US warships have docked in Palawan, the island province that has territorial jurisdiction over some of the Philippines-claimed islands in the disputed West Philippine Sea.

 

US authorities identified the ships as the USS John McCain and the USS Mustin.

 

An official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) -Western Command (Wescom) confirmed that the two US naval vessels arrived Monday two days ahead of the arrival of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington at the Manila Bay.

 

The USS George Washington, the US Navy's only forward-deployed carrier, is accompanied by guided missile destroyer USS McCampbell and USS Cowpens, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser. Both McCampbell and Cowpens are now docked at pier 15 in the Manila South Harbor.

 

Asked about the presence of the two US ships in Palawan, Lt. Col. Neil Estrella, the Wescom spokesman, said that just like USS George Washington, USS McCain and USS Mustin are in the country also for a five-day regular port call.

 

"They are here for port calls. Foreign naval ships regularly visit us as part of fellowship and to enhance friendship between allied nations," said Estrella.

 

The docking of the US warships in Palawan came at the same time Chinese Navy vessels were spotted in the West Philippine Sea.

 

Estrella said USS McCain and USS Mustin, currently in Puerto Princesa City, are also part of the USS George Washington carrier strike group.

 

On Thursday, USS George Washington commanding officer Capt. Gregory Fenton said, "I would characterize this port visit as a routine port visit, as a breaker from our normal operations which we conduct."

 

Fenton said they are "very sensitive to the areas that are under dispute" such that they "do make a very conscious effort to stay away from those areas."

 

"I believe that we are firmly committed to helping support the nations that are involved in those disputes. But ideally, we'd like to see them sort out those disputes via diplomatic channels," he added.

 

He stressed, however, that their presence in the area would help safeguard freedom of navigation.

 

"One of the reasons we deploy throughout the region is so we can carry forth the banner of freedom of navigation. It is very important to us, given the trade that travels throughout the region on the seas," said Fenton.

 

The USS George Washington's visit to the country will allow the ship's crew to take a break from the arduous operational tempo that comes with forward-deployed life.

 

Its sailors will also have the opportunity to interact with the locals via several community service projects set up by the ship. Projects include interacting with school children, teaching basic first-aid at a local hospital facility, and general cleaning and landscaping.

 

"My Sailors willingly volunteer their time because they genuinely want to help their fellow man," said Fenton.

 

"This is a constant in each of our port visits and this fact is not lost on a lot of people; these men and women have a significant impact on the many lives they help. At the end of the day, we all walk away feeling like we've made a difference in someone's life, and that is truly the most rewarding feeling that anybody can have," he said.

 

The George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its partners and allies in the Asia-Pacific region.

 

Manila Bulletin

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