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| Samariniana Airstrip; news and update | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Wed May 7, 2014 4:31 am (109 Views) | |
| Flipzi | Wed May 7, 2014 4:31 am Post #1 |
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Samariniana Airstrip to be rehabilitated to support AFP operations The military also plans to repair the airstrip on Thitu Island and the construction of a pier to accommodate its air and naval assets. "With the projected gas exploration at Reed Bank, we need to develop Nanshan Island being the closest to it. There is a need to build a pier and helipad in that area and improve the buildings to bolster our security on this island," says the paper. "There is a need to improve the naval support facilities at naval stations Carlito Cunanan, Narciso del Rosario and Balabac to boost our defense capabilities at the backdoor." "Rehabilitation of Tarumpitao airstrip is also vital in support of our operations in the South China Sea...This air strip was formerly the Loran Station of the U.S. forces and at present it is occupied by the Philippine air force," the paper says. "We also need the repair of Samariniana airstrip for joint combined operations." "We need to achieve a good satellite communications, radar monitoring system with full command and control and coast watch stations to all (nine) Philippine-held Nanshan Island, Thitu Island and Commodore Reef by the end of this year," it says. "Parola (Lankiam Cay) will be the second in order of priority being in the northernmost part of the KIG. Likas (West York Island) will be on 2016, while Patag (Flat Island), Panata (Northeast Cay) and Kota (Loaita Island) will be on 2018." There is a need to launch a "sustained information strategy," the paper says. "We need to initiate and information strategy that will mainstream and raise awareness in order to gain publicity and generate more supporters globally." The Philippine military, one of the weakest in Asia, hopes that the "ironclad" security cloak provided for under the Philippines-U.S. Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement signed ahead of President Barack Obama's April 28-29 visit to Manila will help boost its maritime defense capabilities. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/05/06/14/philippines-draws-defense-plan-against-china |
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Alfred Alexander L. Marasigan Manila, Philippines getflipzi@yahoo.com http://z6.invisionfree.com/flipzi " Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them!" " People don't care what we know until they know we care." | |
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| Flipzi | Wed May 7, 2014 4:35 am Post #2 |
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1KM runway to 2.5KM The US likewise plans to build an “advance command post” in Palawan and maintain an undersize company from the Marine Special Operations Battalion (60-70 troops) in the area. The plan includes the formation of a “joint command” with the Philippine Marine Corps Reservation in Samariniana, Brooke’s Point in Palawan and extending an airstrip inside from 1 kilometer to 2.4 kilometers to accommodate US warplanes. It will also repair an airstrip in Balabac, southern Palawan formerly used by the US in World War II. The plan likewise includes the construction (already made public) of a naval base in Oyster Bay, which is just a few kilometers away from the protected Underground River, for the use of US warships. Alongside Filipino soldiers, the US had already begun construction on a naval base in (during the launching of) the 13th Philippines-US Amphibious Landing Exercise or PHIBLEX 13 in October 2012. http://www.philippinerevolution.net/statements/20140423_confront-obama-s-visit-and-us-military-basing-with-protests |
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Alfred Alexander L. Marasigan Manila, Philippines getflipzi@yahoo.com http://z6.invisionfree.com/flipzi " Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them!" " People don't care what we know until they know we care." | |
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| Flipzi | Wed May 7, 2014 4:40 am Post #3 |
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DND: No plan for US command post in Palawan Sep 6th, 2012 by News Flash. MANILA, Philippines – The Department of National Defense denied on Wednesday reports that the United States is planning to establish an advance Marine command post in Palawan facing the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) amid a territorial dispute in the area. In a report last Tuesday, Kyodo News Service quoted an unnamed Philippine officer as saying that the US is planning to station 50 to 60 Marines in Palawan “as an advance command post in the region.” Kyodo reported that the plan would also involve the conversion of a 246-hectare Philippine Marine Corps reservation in Samariniana town into a joint marine operational command. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin denied the report. “No, this was never discussed in our meetings,” Gazmin told The STAR in a text message. Asked if the US would post troops in Palawan together with Philippine forces, Gazmin replied, “Only during training and exercise.” The two countries conduct joint military exercises several times every year in different parts of the Philippines. Since 2002, several hundred US troops have been deployed on three- to six-month tours of duty in Zamboanga City, where they have set up an encampment, with offices and quarters fashioned out of retrofitted shipping containers, inside a Philippine military base. The Americans assist Philippine troops in training and intelligence gathering, mostly for counterterrorism. There are reports that this US facility will be shut down within months and US forces will move to Palawan. Washington has said it no longer wants to set up permanent bases overseas. Kyodo, quoting the unnamed officer, said the 1.1-kilometer airstrip inside the Marine reservation would be extended to 2.4 kilometers “to accommodate big US military transport planes.” The officer said construction work will begin in September (2012) in time for the annual Philippine-US amphibious landing exercise in Palawan and the US Marines will hire Filipino contractors to do the construction work. Kyodo also reported that aside from Samariniana, the US military is also looking at developing joint “operational bases” in other parts of Palawan, including Oyster Bay, Ulugan Bay, Macarasca town, Puerto Princesa City, Tarumpitao Point in Rizal and San Vicente town. According to the source, Palawan was just one of the areas identified by Manila and Washington “where US Marines will train in rotating deployment.” The officer reportedly said that several military facilities in Luzon and Mindanao have also been “opened for access” for US troops. Diplomatic and military sources said the US specifically wants more access to airfields and ports for “servicing and maintenance,” including refueling and repair of US aircraft and ships. The same sources said the number of US troops that will be rotated in the country will be between 4,000 to 4,500, including Marines based in Okinawa, Japan, according to Kyodo. Philippine security officials said a Philippine Marine brigade headquarters may be put up in Palawan. Lt. Col. Neil Estrella, spokesman for the Palawan-based Armed Forces Western Command, said they are realigning their troops to support those involved in internal and territorial defense operations. “It is not an expansion but it is more of realigning troops to support the requirement. The support (the battalions) need should come from a brigade. A brigade has armor, artillery and support units,” Estrella said. With regard to the reported plan to expand the airstrip in Palawan, Estrella said there has always been a plan to develop the facility. “Our airport can accommodate 20 to 22 flights a day. There are plans to develop the airport but not for military use,” he said. The US announced plans to boost its presence in the Asia Pacific last January amid the aggressive expansion activities of China. Beijing has repeatedly warned Washington to stay out of territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea, saying US involvement would only complicate the issue. The US has said it is not taking sides in the territorial row but stressed the need to uphold freedom of navigation and to settle the disputes peacefully. – With Alexis Romero Article source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/09/05/12/dnd-no-plan-us-command-post-palawan |
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Alfred Alexander L. Marasigan Manila, Philippines getflipzi@yahoo.com http://z6.invisionfree.com/flipzi " Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them!" " People don't care what we know until they know we care." | |
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| Flipzi | Wed May 7, 2014 4:43 am Post #4 |
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Philippine Marines to beef up force in western Palawan By Frances Mangosing INQUIRER.net 3:59 pm | Wednesday, September 5th, 2012 MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine Marines will beef up its presence in its command post in Palawan, the western part of the Philippines facing the disputed West Philippine Sea for “internal and territorial defense operations.” Lieutenant Colonel Neil Estrella, spokesman of the Western Command, said that there is “plan in motion” to deploy a brigade headquarters in Palawan. The brigade headquarters will provide support to the two battalions already stationed in Palawan. Setting up a brigade headquarters will allow easier access to artillery and armor support units. Estrella said they need to beef up the two Marine battalions with a brigade because a brigade has more armor, more artillery, and support units. “It’s not actually an expansion but more of realigning the troop deployment to enable them to give ample support to their requirements,’’ Estrella said in Filipino. The Philippine Marines used to have a brigade headquarters in the 1970s, but was moved to Mindanao due to the ongoing conflict there. Meanwhile, Estrella denied being the officer quoted in a report by the Japanese news organization Kyodo as saying US Marines were also seen to set up “an advanced command post” in Palawan. The report, quoting a senior military officer, said the plan includes deploying 50 to 60 US Marines and converting a 246-hectare Marine Corps reservation in Samariniana town in Brooke’s Point, in southeastern Palawan, into a joint marine operational command. The officer added in the report that the 1.1-kilometer airstrip inside the reservation will be extended to 2.4 km to accommodate big U.S. military transport planes. The construction work was reported to start in September in time for the annual Philippine-U.S. amphibious landing exercise in Palawan. But Estrella did not confirm the report, and also denied he was the officer quoted in the article. He said there were also no US Marines the area. “Sabi ko hindi naman ganun kadali yun, why would I mention that eh hindi naman ako US Embassy (I said it’s not really that easy and why would I mention something like that when I’m not from the US Embassy),” he told reporters. He also said the plans of expanding the airport have been long considered, but for commercial purposes and not for the military. Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/49068/philippine-marines-to-beef-up-force-in-western-palawan#ixzz30yDGG0em Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook |
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Alfred Alexander L. Marasigan Manila, Philippines getflipzi@yahoo.com http://z6.invisionfree.com/flipzi " Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them!" " People don't care what we know until they know we care." | |
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8:32 AM Jul 11