PH, US set 2 iterations of 2023 Cope Thunder joint exercise

From GMA News Online (May 2, 2023): PH, US set 2 iterations of 2023 Cope Thunder joint exercise

The Philippines and the United States have scheduled two iterations of its newly revived joint exercise Cope Thunder for 2023, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said Tuesday.
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In a statement, the PAF announced that the first iteration will be held from May 1 to 12, while the second one will be from July 2 to 21.

The first iteration will conduct primary flight operations at Clark Air Base, Pampanga, the PAF said.

According to PAF, the exercise involves around 160 US Air Force members and 400 PAF members from different units.

Air to Air Operations and Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) will be the focus of the exercise, it said.

Among the key components of the exercise are Mission Planning Cell (MPC), responsible for planning and coordinating the integration of different aircraft, and the execution of Defensive Counter Air (DCA) and Offensive Counter Air (OCA) operations.

The first week will focus on DCA operations that involve identification, tracking, and interception of enemy aircraft in the vicinity of friendly forces.

To support these operations, SMEEs on maintenance and security forces training will be conducted, the PAF said.

These SMEEs will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to maintain their equipment and ensure security in the operational field.

The second week, meanwhile, will focus on OCA operations that involve offensive attacks on enemy aircraft and ground targets.

Cope Thunder aims to enhance the capabilities and readiness of PAF and Pacific Air Forces to respond to potential threats in the region.

The exercise began in the Philippines in 1976.

Cope Thunder was moved to Eielson from Clark Air Base in the Philippines in 1992 after the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo forced the curtailment of its operations.

In 1991, the Philippine Senate also rejected the renewal of the US base lease in the country. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/868675/ph-us-set-2-iterations-of-2023-cope-thunder-joint-exercise/story/

PH, US air forces to revive drills after over 30-year pause

From the Philippine News Agency (May 2, 2023): PH, US air forces to revive drills after over 30-year pause (By Priam Nepomuceno)

MANILA – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF) will hold Cope Thunder 23-1, a military exercise aimed at the coordination of different aircraft and various defensive and offensive tactics from May 1 to 12.

"The exercise involves around 160 USAF service members and 400 PAF airmen from different PAF units," Air Force spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said in a statement Tuesday.

Some of the aircraft involved in the exercise are the American F-16s and PAF FA-50PHs which earlier participated in the just concluded "Balikatan".

The focus of the Cope Thunder 23-1 also known as CT-Ph 23-1 is air-to-air operations and subject matter expert exchanges, she added.

"A key component of CT-Ph 23-1 is the mission planning cell (MPC), responsible for planning and coordinating the integration of different aircraft and the execution of defensive counter air (DCA) and offensive counter air (OCA) operations. The MPC will work closely with SMEEs to ensure that all participating personnel are trained and ready to undertake the mission," Castillo said.

She added that primary flight operations will take place at Clark Air Base, Pampanga.

"The first week will focus on DCA operations. These involve the identification, tracking, and interception of enemy aircraft in the vicinity of friendly forces. To support these operations, SMEEs on maintenance and security forces training will be conducted. These SMEEs will provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain their equipment and ensure security in the operational field," Castillo said.

Castillo added that the second week of operations will emphasize on OCA operations, which involve offensive attacks on enemy aircraft and ground targets.

She added that these operations require a high degree of coordination and planning, which will be facilitated by the MPC and SMEEs.

Castillo said these exercises aim to provide an opportunity for PAF and the US Pacific Air Forces to enhance their capabilities and readiness to respond to potential threats in the region.

The original Cope Thunder exercises, which provided regular flight training for US pilots and those of allied nations, were first held in 1976 and continued annually in the Philippines until 1990.

CT-Ph23-1 marks the revival of the bilateral exercise between the two Air Forces after more than three decades.

The second iteration of this air exercise, dubbed CT-Ph 23-2 will be held from July 2 to 21.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1200523

Aussie infantry ‘blooded’ in the Philippines

Posted to Contact (May 2, 2023): Aussie infantry ‘blooded’ in the Philippines (By Brian Hartigan)

 
Australian Army News Pacific

‘Balikatan’, meaning ‘shoulder to shoulder’ in the Filipino dialect of Tagalog, has been displayed through mateship and cooperation between Australian, Philippine and US soldiers on Exercise Balikatan.

CAPTION: Sergeant Ryleigh Egan, Joint Australian Training Team – Philippines (JATT-P), conducts a live-fire serial with the US Army on the M240B Medium Machinegun at Fort Magsaysay during Exercise Balikatan 23. Story by Captain Diana Jennings. Photo by Leading Seaman Nadav Harel.

Soldiers of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, started in the Philippines as part of the Joint Australian Training Team – Philippines (JATT-P) in February, initially deploying to the southern island region of Maguindanao.

The training team delivered lessons and practical activities on marksmanship, combat shooting, reconnaissance and combat first aid during the six-week program.

Platoon Commander Lieutenant Nicholas Elks said training soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a region that sees active conflict was an eye-opening and worthwhile experience.

“Knowing that the soldiers we trained had come directly off combat operations within their own region and potentially going back into conflict made it personally rewarding to provide them with useful skills for practical application,” Lieutenant Elks said.

“I think it also homed in on the value of the training we do back in Australia and the real-life application of those skills in the near region.”

Lance Corporal Corbin Pett said the training team adapted coaching styles to suit the Philippines soldiers and was impressed by the level of combat shooting they achieved.

“We picked up on some basic Tagalog and applied their catch words to help communication,” Lance Corporal Pett said.

“By the end of the training package they were executing battle lines with multiple threats and doing really well.

“The soldiers were so eager to learn and very receptive – almost like sponges – to the training we delivered.”

The AFP also passed on some valuable knowledge and skills to the Australian soldiers.

“We were lucky the AFP conducted jungle training for us on how to survive: tactics, cooking and even catching cobras to drink their blood … those guys are hard core,” Lance Corporal Pett said.

Sergeant Ryleigh Egan and Lieutenant Nicholas Elks speak with a US Army crew chief before a joint air assault training serial. Photo by Leading Seaman Nadav Harel.

“They are definitely superior in the jungle environment, so we picked up little tricks and I think next time we go to Tully we will be fine.”

Forging close bonds both on and off duty, Lance Corporal Pett said the soldiers developed a sense of mateship, which made it tough moving on to the next component of their rotation.

“We played basketball together in the afternoons and had a small goodbye function which included a bit of karaoke – that was our biggest shortfall of the visit, as none of us could sing,” he said.

“That aside, they really respected us as Australian soldiers – it was kind of bittersweet to leave but we’re thankful for the opportunity and hope it goes well for them.”

Leaving on a high (out-of-key) note, the JATT-P contingent moved from south to north, attaching to the AFP 7th Division and the US Army 1st/27th Infantry Division for Exercise Balikatan.

With more than 17,000 troops involved in the exercise, the relatively small Australian contingent took part in joint air-mobile operations and combined-arms attacks to enhance interoperability and cooperation between partner forces.

Lieutenant Elks said being a part of the massive exercise was a unique experience that allowed his soldiers to operate effectively and use a multitude of partner-force assets.

“The expeditionary nature of the exercise has been great, to get on the ground in different environments and conduct realistic combined-arms training with artillery, engineers and aircraft,” Lieutenant Elks said.

“After learning from one another, we can now adapt how we operate to work best together in the future.”

Lance Corporal Pett said the experience of training and learning from one another built memories and quiet confidence.

“To be in the Black Hawks and the Chinooks for the air assaults was amazing.

“It was a great experience in offensive operations.

“It was also good to recognise how well we performed, using our tactics, the element of surprise and individual discipline as a smaller but effective force.”

Joint Australian Training Team – Philippines (JATT-P) at Fort Magsaysay during Exercise Balikatan 23. Photo by Leading Seaman Nadav Harel.

https://www.contactairlandandsea.com/2023/05/01/aussie-infantry-blooded-in-the-philippines/

Breaking barriers and building bridges: Balikatan forces create health care centers for communities in North Luzon

From the Journal Online (May 2, 2023): Breaking barriers and building bridges: Balikatan forces create health care centers for communities in North Luzon

Camp Aquino, Tarlac City – April 30, 2023 – The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States Armed Forces’ 38th Balikatan Exercises 2023 have taken a significant step towards improving the lives of the residents of Brgy San Joaquin, Sarrat, Ilocos Norte. The newly-constructed Health Care Center has opened its doors after a month of construction since March 28, 2023, providing much-needed medical assistance to the community.

Joint Task Unit, 548th Engineer Construction Battalion, 51st Engineering Brigade of the Philippine Army, and the 523rd Engineer Support Company, 130th Engineer Brigade, of the United States Army Pacific worked together as part of the Humanitarian Civil Assistance (HCA) and Engineering Civic Action Program (ENCAP) to construct the facility.



The dedication ceremony for the Community Health Center was held on Friday, April 28, 2023, and was personally attended by COMMO KARL A DECAPIA PN, Deputy Commander of Northern Luzon Command. During the event, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held, the building marker was unveiled, and the facility was blessed.

The formal turnover of the facility to the local government of Brgy San Joaquin, Sarrat, Ilocos Norte marked a significant moment for the community, as the Health Care Center will allow residents to receive medical attention without having to travel to other barangays.

For the people of Brgy San Joaquin, the Health Care Center represents hope, compassion, and a brighter future. Hon Michael A Lardizabal, Brgy. The Chairman of San Joaquin expressed the community’s immense gratitude towards the initiative and efforts of the US-PH military.



“Barangay San Joacquin is indeed blessed today to be a recepient of Balikatan 38-23 project, that is putting a community health care center that would cater to the medical needs of our constituents. After a month, this project has come to a reality and today we dedicate this project to the people of Sarrat. The project is really a great help to us,” said Hon. Lardizabal.

During his message, COMMO DECAPIA highlighted that this undertaking is enabled by the ongoing Balikatan Exercises

“The Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board form the annual framework wdirects and enables defense and security cooperation between the U.S. and Philippine militaries. This is anchored on the mutual defense treaty between these two allies who shares the same values and commitment to peace and security. The balikatan exercise that we have now is an enabling arm of this treaty.”

“You are the reason why this center was built, and we believe that it will serve its purpose in providing you with quality healthcare services with utmost compassion and care.The benefits of this health facility will be felt by our community for years to come, which serves as a reminder of the importance of international partnerships and collaborations towards achieving sustainable development goals, “ furthered COMMO DECAPIA.



This is not the first time that the Balikatan forces have brought healthcare to a community in need. Another Barangay Health Center, ENCAP site in Brgy Suklayin, Baler, Aurora, was formally turned over to the Aurora local government on April 26, 2023.

The Balikatan forces are committed to breaking barriers and building bridges, providing much-needed assistance to the communities they serve. The newly-built Health Care Center is a testament to its unwavering dedication, hard work, and service to the people.

https://journal.com.ph/breaking-barriers-and-building-bridges-balikatan-forces-create-health-care-centers-for-communities-in-north-luzon/

Australia supports exercise in Philippines

From the Australian Defense Magazine (May 2, 2023): Australia supports exercise in Philippines

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has completed its deployment in support of Exercise Balikatan 2023 in the Philippines.

Balikatan is an annual training exercise conducted between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and United States military forces designed to enhance interoperability and support AFP’s transition 'from an internal security to a territorial defence force', Defence said.

A contingent of approximately 100 ADF personnel participated in multiple complex scenarios throughout the Philippines, including field training and live fire activities from 10 to 28 April.

The contingent included approximately 50 personnel currently deployed to the Philippines as part of the Joint Australian Training Team – Philippines.

The training team deployed to the Philippines in January as part of Australia’s Enhanced Defence Cooperation Program with the Philippines and has delivered bespoke training including tactical lessons in combat shooting, urban clearance, first aid and explosive breaching drills.

“Routine exercises with Australia’s military partners strengthen our ability to meet shared regional challenges,” Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Air Vice-Marshal Michael Kitcher said.

“The Australian Defence Force was proud to return as an active participant to Exercise Balikatan in 2023. This was a significant activity that gave our people the opportunity to work closely with our partners, increase our interoperability and deepen people-to-people links to enhance our defence cooperation.”

“By training together, our forces can build upon shared tactics, techniques and procedures that enhance readiness and response capabilities during real world challenges.”

Australia has participated in Exercise Balikatan since 2014.

https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/australia-supports-exercise-in-philippines

Cope Thunder Exercise Is Back in Philippines After 33 Years

From Air & Space Forces Magazine (May 1, 2023): Cope Thunder Exercise Is Back in Philippines After 33 Years (By Chris Gordon)

The U.S. and Philippines air forces are reviving a combat training exercise after more than 30 years as both nations grapple with China’s growing military might. From May 1-12, American fighters will practice tactics with the Philippine air force in exercise Cope Thunder.

The drills began the same day as Philippines president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., met with President Joe Biden at the White House on the increasingly close defense partnership between the U.S. and the Philippines.

In less than a year since Marcos took office, the two sides have agreed to expand U.S. basing access to four new sites in the Philippines; the U.S. has sent fifth-generation fighters to visit; and the two collaborated on Balikatan, a massive exercise featuring more than 17,000 U.S. and Philippine personnel, along with 100 from Australia.

“I think the advancement of this alliance and this bilateral relationship has really been stunning,” said National Security Strategic Communication Coordinator John Kirby in a May 1 media briefing.

Cope Thunder brings back an exercise that was an annual event at Clark Air Base in the Philippines since the mid-1970s, but after the volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo devastated the airbase on the northern Philippine island of Luzon in 1990, the exercise was suspended. Shortly after, the U.S. closed the base.

Designed to mimic combat missions, Cope Thunder was moved to Alaska as a northern version of Red Flag, the Air Force’s premier training exercise. But now Cope Thunder is back—albeit in a more limited form. This year’s Cope Thunder includes some 160 Airmen and 12 F-16 fighters from the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan, who will exercise with the Philippine Air Force, according to Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).

“Various mobility aircraft will assist with transport and logistics in support of the exercise but are not scheduled to participate in the exercise itself,” a spokesperson for Pacific Air Forces told Air & Space Forces Magazine. “The fighters will participate in various joint operations to exercise combined fighter operations; practice interoperability with tactical units; and bolster the combat capability of participating nations.”

The U.S. and the Philippines have a mutual defense treaty—and a mutual security concern in China.

“On a military level, there’s no doubt that Cope Thunder will send a clear signal that the Philippines will be building up an air force for their own air defense,” said Patrick Cronin, an Asia-Pacific security expert at the Hudson Institute. The U.S. said last month it was “in focused discussions” with the Philippines about selling it F-16s to fill a multirole fighter requirement. The Philippine Air Force’s primary fighter is South Korean-made FA-50, originally designed as a trainer.

The Biden administration announced this week it is also transferring three C-130s to the Philippines.

China has long-running territorial disputes with the Philippines over islands in the South China Sea. Working with the U.S. on basing access, the Philippines is reasserting its independence as well as its close relationship with Washington. For the U.S., that regional partnership also bolsters U.S. forces’ ability to project power near Taiwan.

Shortly before Marcos met with Biden, the U.S. called out China for a run-in in which the Chinese coast guard harassed Philippine vessels. The U.S. condemned China’s actions and said it would provide the Philippines with more naval assets.

“What we’ve seen recently is a series of continuing provocative acts on the part of China testing and probing into the Philippines’ waters, in areas of deep concern to the Philippines,” a senior administration official told reporters April 30. “They’re looking for reassurance and a strong desire to maintain peace and stability in this complex period.”

“They’re a big growing economy,” Cronin said. “They’re an ally. We need to help them get proper air force.”

Administration officials said the visit underscored their commitment to a mutually beneficial defense arrangement—as well as broader bilateral cooperation—not just more access for the U.S. military. Some experts said Beijing’s aggressive posture in the region pushed Manilla towards the U.S.

“In some ways, this is getting easier because of China’s own actions,” said Zack Cooper, a China expert at the American Enterprise Institute. “The Filipinos tried reaching out to China over the last five years and were hoping that it would result in China taking a different approach. But the Chinese kept the pressure up. I think that has convinced a lot of people in Manila that the only realistic option is to try and work with the United States to protect Philippine interests.”

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/us-philippines-cope-thunder/

‘Northern Samar clash fatalities major blow to CPP-NPA

From the Philippine Star (May 2, 2023): ‘Northern Samar clash fatalities major blow to CPP-NPA (By Michael Punongbayan)

MANILA, Philippines — The Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) suffered a major blow with the death of seven suspected guerrillas in a firefight in Bobon, Northern Samar on Sunday, the military said yesterday.

“The neutralization of the communist rebels on Sunday further weakened the communist terrorist group,” Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, chief of the Visayas Command, said.

Arevalo commended the troopers of the Army’s 803rd Infantry Brigade under Joint Task Force Storm for the successful operation.

“Justice is served for the countless lives who suffered and the billions worth of damage caused by the atrocities perpetrated by the CPP-NPA in Eastern Visayas,” Arevalo said.

Aside from the remains of the rebels, the soldiers recovered firearms, improvised explosive devices and subversive documents at the scene of the firefight.

“This latest debacle is proof of a leadership vacuum in the NPA. The members are disoriented, the lack of operational direction resulted in deaths,” Arevalo said.

He urged the “few remaining” NPA guerrillas in the Visayas to surrender.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/05/02/2263064/northern-samar-clash-fatalities-major-blow-cpp-npa

Soldiers capture 2 NPA officers in Occ. Mindoro

Posted to the Philippine Information Agency (May 2, 2023): Soldiers capture 2 NPA officers in Occ. Mindoro (By 2nd Infantry Jungle Fighter Division)

CAMP CAPINPIN, Rizal (PIA) -- Two New People's Army (NPA) members have been captured by troops conducting combat operations in Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.

Soldiers from the 4th Infantry "Scorpion" Battalion were conducting combat operations at Sitio Haguines in Barangay Wasig when they captured two armed personalities identified as "Ka Aryo," the second Deputy Secretary of KLG MAV from the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee's Sub-Regional Military Area 4D, and alias "Luoise," the supply officer of KLG MAV's Platun Serna and a former liaison of Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee's Regional Staff.



Among the items seized by the troops include one Intratec LUGER UZI sub-machine gun, one M1 Carbine rifle, one magazine loaded with 24 rounds of ammunition, 22 rounds of Cal. 45 live ammunition, an improvised hand grenade, two blasting caps, eight mobile phones, one tablet, two power banks, six cellphone chargers, one pocket wifi, two memory cards, seven USB flash drives, four SIM cards, medical supplies, subversive documents, and other personal belongings.

Currently, the two personalities are undergoing custodial debriefing.

This development comes only a day after one soldier was held and later killed while returning home in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

These incidents speak of the CPP-NPA-NDF's violence and disregard for human lives as opposed to the military's thrusts of advocating peace instead of unjustly killing the rebels they capture.

"We are consistently working with our partners from the security sector, the LGUs, and other key stakeholders in upholding the rule of the law. We are also grateful for the efforts and cooperation of our kababayans that resulted in the apprehension of these wanted NPA rebels. With this, we continue to urge those who are still in arms to return to the folds of the law so as not to suffer the same fate as these rebels," 2nd Infantry Jungle Fighter Division Commander Major General Roberto S. Capulong said in a statement. (PIA MIMAROPA/Press Release from 2ID)

https://pia.gov.ph/press-releases/2023/05/02/soldiers-capture-2-npa-officers-in-occ-mindoro

Military launches air strikes vs terror group in Maguindanao del Sur

From Rappler (May 2, 2023): Military launches air strikes vs terror group in Maguindanao del Sur (By FERDINANDH CABRERA)

Authorities say the group Dawlah Islamiyah is planning to launch a fresh wave of attacks in Mindanao

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The military launched air strikes and ground assaults on Tuesday, May 2, against a suspected lair of Dawlah Islamiyah militants in Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, who allegedly planned to launch a fresh wave of terror attacks in Mindanao.

Villagers in Barangay Magaslong, Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, and nearby villages were awakened by the strong rumbling sounds of attack helicopters and fighter jets after government troops launched a dawn offensive against the group.

The military said the assault operations were also a part of the ongoing manhunt operation against the terrorist group behind the April 17 bombing of a bus in Sultan Kudarat province.

“This is a follow-up operation against those behind the Isulan bus bombing,” said Brigadier General Oriel Pangcog, commander of the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade.

Pangcog said military intelligence operatives monitored the movement of the group and established that they were planning again to launch new terror attacks.

“We received information that they met at the target place so we carried out this operation,” Pangcog said.

Pangcog said the area is far from the civilian populace, and there was no evacuation of civilians.

The air strikes were followed by artillery attacks using 105 howitzers.

He said clearing operations by ground troops were ongoing following the pre-dawn strike.

“We could not say yet if there were casualties,” he said.

Major General Alex Rillera, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and the Joint Task Force Central, said the group has been under surveillance even before the bombing in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

The group, he said, was monitored along the boundaries of Pagalungan and Datu Montawal in Maguindanao del Sur, and Pikit town in Cotabato province.

Rillera said an earlier military operation resulted in the discovery of several improvised bombs in a temporary Dawlah Islamiyah encampment in the area.

He said a subsequent military operation led to the killing of a suspected member of the Dawlah Islamiyah and the capture of another.

“It’s not every day that they can escape. We will get them one by one,” Rillera said.

Mellan Sayutin, a women’s and children’s rights advocate for a Moro civil society group who lives in the nearby town of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, said many of the villagers have not recovered yet from armed clashes involving members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“Imagine, we were awakened again by the loud and disturbing sounds. How can our children grow healthy in this environment? What will happen to us? We have not recovered from our recent losses yet?” she lamented.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/military-air-strikes-vs-dawlah-islamiyah-maguindanao-del-sur-may-2-2023/

Marcos tells Biden: ‘Only natural for PH to look to US’ amid rising tensions in SCS, Taiwan

From CNN Philippines (May 2, 2023): Marcos tells Biden: ‘Only natural for PH to look to US’ amid rising tensions in SCS, Taiwan (By CNN Philippines Staff)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 2) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday sought stronger Philippines-United States ties when he met with US President Joe Biden in the White House amid rising tensions in the South China Sea and Taiwan.

"There are also issues, geopolitical issues that make the region (where) the Philippines is, possibly, arguably the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world right now," Marcos said in his opening remarks during his second bilateral talks with Biden.

“And so it is only natural…for the Philippines to look to its sole treaty partner in the world, to strengthen and to redefine the relationship that we have and the roles that we play in the face of these tensions that we see now around the South China Sea and the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific region," he added.

Biden reassured the Philippines of the United States’ “ironclad commitment” to defend the Asian country in the event of any conflict in the region.

The American leader said any armed attack against the Philippines would invoke the commitments under the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

In a joint statement, the two nations expressed support for the “right and ability” of Filipinos to sail and fish in the West Philippine Sea, noting the 2016 arbitral ruling that backed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the contested waters, which China has rejected.

RELATED: Marcos: PH to propose ‘fishing rights map’ to China after near-collision in WPS

Following a near-collision incident involving a Chinese ship and a Philippine coast guard vessel last week, the US government on Saturday urged China to "desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct" in the South China Sea.

China has yet to react to the US’ statement.

RELATED: US urges China to ‘desist from provocative, unsafe conduct’ in SCS

In the joint statement, the Philippines and the US also hit China anew as they stressed the importance of keeping peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, seeing it as “an indispensable element of global security and prosperity.”

The following are some of the initiatives aimed at bolstering security ties between the Philippines and the US.

— Bilateral Defense Guidelines. These seek to institutionalize key bilateral priorities, mechanisms, and processes to strengthen alliance cooperation and interoperability across the land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace.

— Modernize and enhance capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The US government has committed to providing the AFP with two Island-class patrol vessels, two Protector-class patrol vessels, and three C-130H aircraft.

— Drive sustainable development and local investments through the sites of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The US government said it has been working with communities in the vicinity of EDCA sites for their development, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief.

China has slammed the Philippine government’s decision to open four new EDCA sites in Luzon, warning that the Philippines may be affected by the issue on Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

Marcos has reiterated that the new EDCA sites were meant to beef up the country’s armed forces. He also said on Sunday that the Philippines will not be used as a “staging post” for any military action.

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/5/2/marcos-biden-security-ties-tensions-taiwan.html

For MILF combatants, a slip of paper spells a future for their families

From Rappler (May 1, 2023): For MILF combatants, a slip of paper spells a future for their families (By MERLYN MANOS)

More than 35,000 combatants and non-combatant members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front need valid government documents to move forward with the latter phase of decommissioning and accessing public services

LANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines – Mindaya Macaantal Bayan spent decades fighting with her people to eke out a homeland in the Southern Philippines.

Amid conflict, she married and gave birth to nine children. She also served in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade (BIWAB). Her children grew up to take up the fight.

Bayan is now 78 years old. Social services that most Filipinos take for granted have always been beyond her reach.

Until Thursday, April 27, Mindaya did not officially exist in the records of the Philippine government.

At Camp Bilal, Munai town, Lanao del Norte, the MILF veteran carefully handled her certificate of live birth.

“Now I can get a government ID,” she told Rappler in the Maranao language, which an interpreter translated.

“I can apply for government services.”

Her smile widened.

“Maybe I can go to Saudi (Arabia) for the Hadji.”

Bayan, a member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade (BIWAB), was among 300 decommissioned and non-decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants and their families who claimed their certificates of live birth in Camp Bilal, Lanao del Norte.

The community mingled with representatives from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) including Acting Secretary Isidro Purisima, and representatives of the Australian Embassy, Dutch Embassy, Japanese Embassy, and The Asia Foundation.

Another distribution activity was held in Balo-i town, also in Lanao del Norte.

More than a thousand MILF members and supporters have already received their birth certificates, said Lucia Ann Silva, a paralegal of the Access to Legal Identity and Social Services for Decommissioned Combatants (ALIAS DC).

HOPE FOR A SENIOR. IDEALS staff interview 78-years-old Mindaya Macaantal Bayan on April 27 at Camp Bilal, Munai, Lanao del Sur, preparatory to issuing her birth certificate. Merlyn Manos

Shift in thoughts

On the sidelines of the event, active combatant Alimama Mananggolo of Tamparan, Munai, Lanao del Norte grinned as he discussed how birth certificates could spur the next phase in the decommissioning process.

Mananggolo kept turning to his niece, who carried a child on her hip, for help in interpretation.

The 45-year-old acknowledged the strangeness of shifting one’s thought process from when, where, and how to fight, to how to start a livelihood project.

Mananggolo punctuated his explanations with shy giggles.

As he talked, one hand of the 45-year-old fighter continuously stroked the butt of the rifle he carried to the event.

Bayan and Mananggolo got their birth certificates on site, the same morning their were interviewed.

BIRTH CERTIFICATES. Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament member Abdullah Macapaar or Kumander Bravo Center, stands at the center of the second row in a black jacket, as Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants hold their birth certificates on April 27 in Camp Bilal, Munao, Lanao del Norte. On his left, Director Wendell Orbeso, Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) Implementation Department and joint Normalization Committee; Assistant Secretary David Diciano of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU).
On his right are Presidential Adviser Secretary Isidro Purisima, Australian Embassy Jennifer Bennett, and Roy Hans,Counter terrorism advisor for Southeast Asia of the Dutch Embassy. (Merlyn Manos)

Alias-DC is part of the social protection program for decommissioned MILF combatants

Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, Secretary Isidro Purisisma, said it aims to resolve legal identity issues facing ex-fighters.

“The project aims to help them establish their legal identity, and consequently, facilitate their return to mainstream society,” Purisima said.

The Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment Through Alternative Legal Services (IDEALS) implements the project funded by the European Union, the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, Japan, and The Asia Foundation.

What’s at stake

Silva told Rappler in a telephone interview that ALIAS DC has 35,665 target beneficiaries across six MILF camps or communities in Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte.

A Certificate of Live Birth is a fundamental requirement for government recognition and provision of services.

It is the most basic requirement on which to build the capacity to undertake legal transactions with different government agencies, and get socio-economic assistance like Philhealth coverage, scholarship grants, and other benefits.

Many of the target beneficiaries do not own any other supporting documents.

The latter decommissioning process and the normalization phase of the peace agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF cannot advance without resolving legal identity problems.

Because many of the beneficiaries, especially the combatants, cannot read or write, they can not fill out a certificate of live birth form.

They also do not have the means to get affidavits from two disinterested parties to back up their claim to identity.

“IDEALS designed a legal mission process,” said Silva.

Civil registration laws on late registration mandate a personal appearance by the registrant.

“Doon mismo sa civil registrar, where they fill up the forms” Silva pointed out.

The staff of the civil registrar’s office also interview registrants to ensure all the claimed facts are accurate.

That could cause a nightmare of confusion between combatants, who have lived for decades rejecting and ignoring the nation’s laws, and registrars, especially those transplanted from different cultures.

Nuances

IDEALS got government approval to train local volunteers.

They also successfully negotiated for the dropping of the personal appearance rule. Instead, IDEALS took on the responsibility of collating all required documents and processing these with local registrars.

It is a painstaking process.

For the Lanao hub, a team of 30 volunteers, mostly women, undertook a one-day training in civil registration in Iligan City.

They learned to fill out a certificate of live birth form. They also had a workshop on how to coax out the needed information from target beneficiaries trained to be tight-lipped all their lives.

“That’s why it’s important to get Maranao volunteer paralegals because they know the language,” said Silva, noting that many combatants also do not speak or understand Filipino.

Community folk know the nuances of the culture, and they make people comfortable, Silva added.

The volunteers don’t just get the basic information of the registrant.

They also need to interview the witnesses who will testify to the correctness of the information.

Shared identity is crucial in the process, Silva stressed.

“They must also know the nuances of the Shari’ah law,” she added.

There are provisions in the Civil Registration Code that are not applicable to the Muslim population.

For instance, the Civil Code says a child born within marriage should carry the last name of the father.

“But under the Shari’ah law, or the Code of Muslem personal law, or PD 1083, Muslims are allowed to carry the first name of their father as their family name,” Silva said. “Our paralegal volunteers are aware of those rules.”

OBSERVERS. Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament member Abdullah Macapaar, better known as Kumander Bravo and Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process, Secretary Isidro Purisisma, look on as two active Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants apply for their birth certificates at Camp Bilal, Munai, Lanao del Norte on April 27. Merlyn Manos

Woman power

The volunteers trained for a day on the comprehensive basic fundamentals of the civil registration law under the Civil Code and the code of Muslim personal law.

“We gave them hands-on training, simulating a legal mission, interviewing with clients,” Silva said.

“Then we deployed them immediately to legal missions, so they could learn on the spot,” she added.

IDEALS and ALIAS DC project staff stand by to clarify issues.

IDENTITY DOCUMENT. Acting Presidential Peace Adviser, Secretary Isidro Puresima distributes certificate of live birth together with Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament member Abdullah Makapaar or Kumander Bravo, on his left, Director Wendell Orbeso, CAB Implementation Department and joint Normalization Committee ( OPAPRU) and Assistant Secretary David Diciano. On his right are Australian Embassy Jennifer Bennett, and Roy Hans,Counter terrorism advisor for Southeast Asia, Dutch Embassy. Merlyn Manos

Silva said male beneficiaries outnumber females since the project is geared toward combatants.

But women volunteers outnumber men.

More women have had the opportunity for basic education in former war-torn areas.

As the men fought – or migrated to earn money – the women also became authorities in communities, especially on personal matters.

Neither were Muslim women in the areas under decommissioning relegated to the confines of hearth. They served as medics and informal negotiators, and many were also trained combatants with experience in defending their homeland.

That kind of grassroots leadership was clear in Camp Bilal.

Nora Amer, a 48-years old mother of five, shepherded neighbors and kin.

Amer, a former combatant of the MILF’s 126 base command based in Pualas, Lanao del Sur got her birth certificate in March with the first batch of beneficiaries.

Since then, she has been helping organize the registration drive.

Amer and other women moved around their folk, providing advice, answering questions, and acting as interpreters.

At one point, women chided the more reluctant combatants, talking of a future with hope.

Amer brought her colleagues and their families to Munai to start the process of registration.

“ Mahirap kasi sa amin nasa bundok kami. Tapos wala kaming alam at wala din kaming pera pambayad. Kaya sinamantala namin ang pagkakataong ito na mabigyan kami ng libre at hindi na kami mahirapan pa” she told Rappler.

(It’s hard for us because we live in the mountains. We don’t have information, we also don’t have the money for processing. So we are taking advantage of this opportunity to do this for free and not have a hard time.)

Amer does not know what the future holds.

Like many of the MILF members at Camp Bilal, she has misgivings about some aspects of the still-continuing peace process.

But for Amer and Mindaya, to not even try would dash any way out of conflict.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/certificate-live-birth-spells-future-milf-combatants-families/

Bangsamoro normalization programs ‘sputtering’ – International Crisis Group

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After West PH Sea near-collision, Marcos tells China: Form communications team

From Rappler (May 1, 2023): After West PH Sea near-collision, Marcos tells China: Form communications team (By BEA CUPIN)

The Philippines has already submitted the names of point persons for a communication mechanism to ease maritime tensions. China has not yet done so.

ON BOARD PRESIDENTIAL PLANE – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Sunday, April 30, that China has yet to form its team for a communication mechanism to avoid misunderstandings in the West Philippine Sea.

Marcos was responding to journalists who asked if he had already spoken to China about a near-collision between the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the China Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea, or the portion of the South China Sea that is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“They almost collided and that can cause casualties on both sides. And that’s exactly what we want to avoid, so I told them we should finish, create the high-level communication mechanism we talked about. It has yet to be formed,” Marcos told reporters on board the presidential plane en route to the United States.

“We’re waiting for China to give us the details [of] who will be the team at their end,” he added.

The Philippines, said Marcos, has already submitted the names and contact numbers of its team members.

The communication mechanism is the result of a much-hyped bilateral agreement signed between Manila and Beijing during Marcos’ state visit in January.

Marcos did not identify who he spoke to about finalizing the communication mechanism, but he was photographed with Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian on Saturday, April 29, during a sportsfest at Malacañang.

Despite the January state visit, and mutual promises of a “maturing” relationship between Manila and Beijing, China’s aggressions in the West Philippine Sea have seemingly grown more intense and more frequent.

The PCG has documented and reported on these incidents, including the most recent near-collision last April 23.

In February, just a month after the state visit, Chinese vessels pointed a military-grade laser at Filipinos, endangering the lives of crew on board. Marcos summoned Huang over this incident, telling the envoy that friends are not supposed to point lasers at each other.

Marcos is embarking on a five-day official visit to the US, which will kick off with a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Monday, May 1.

The Philippine President said he wants to understand Washington’s view of the situation in the Indo-Pacific and “what part today the United States intends to play.”

Marcos plans to “put our position forward.”

“To say that…kami, wala kaming interes kung hindi maging peaceful lang ang region namin (we have no interest other than peace in our region),” he added.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/ferdinand-marcos-jr-tells-china-form-communications-team-after-near-collision/ cx_testId=2&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=0&cx_experienceId=EX4CPN0G1RJL#cxrecs_s

Marcos in the White House: Manila back in Washington’s arms

From Rappler (May 1, 2023): Marcos in the White House: Manila back in Washington’s arms (By BEA CUPIN)

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be the first Philippine president to visit the White House in over a decade, following in the footsteps of Benigno Aquino III. Here's what to expect.

WASHINGTON DC, USA – Manila’s pivot back to Washington reaches its climax on Monday, May 1, as a Filipino president steps inside the White House for the first time in over a decade.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to meet US President Joe Biden at the White House on Monday (Tuesday, May 2, in Manila), a symbolic move in the face of China’s efforts to lure Southeast Asia away from America.

By making this visit, Marcos follows in the footsteps of the late Benigno Aquino III, the last Filipino president to meet his American counterpart at the White House. Marcos’ trip to the US goes a notch higher, in fact, as Marcos is undertaking an official visit, as opposed to Aquino’s lower-level working trip in 2012.

Coupled with moves such as approving four new bases under EDCA, personally witnessing Balikatan, and summoning the Chinese ambassador to Malacañang, Marcos is taking a path closer to Aquino’s than Duterte’s when it comes to the US and China.

“My visit to the United States, and more especially my meeting with President Joe Biden, is essential to advancing our national interests and strengthening that very important alliance,” said Marcos in a speech at Villamor Airbase before boarding the presidential plane PR001.

Just eight months before this, Marcos also declared in New York City that he could not “see the Philippines in the future without having the United States as a partner.”

For a president who ran on a platform of continuity, this is a departure from his predecessor, Duterte, who vowed never to visit America as president, called Barack Obama a son of a whore, and declared in Beijing “my separation from the United States, both in military but economics also.”

Friends, partners, allies, and the South China Sea

This is the second time Marcos and Biden are meeting. The first time was in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2022.

If the first meeting in New York was about introductions and making connections, the second one is about making sense of those ties.

Marcos said he wants to hear from Biden himself where the US stands given tensions in region. The Philippine president, who is joined in this trip by his defense officials, said he also wants the Philippine position of “peace” clear to its longtime ally.

Ambassador Teresita Daza, spokesperson of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, said in an April 29 briefing that “discussions on security and defense are a given.” For this particular trip, she added, “there will be a heavy emphasis on the economic agenda.”

It is, however, impossible to leave China out of the equation. Marcos entered Malacañang just as competition between Washington and China in the Indo-Pacific heightens.

The Philippines, among the US’s oldest treaty allies, is right in the middle of this competition, made more tense by China’s brazen acts in the West Philippine Sea, a portion of the South China Sea that’s part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The Aquino administration made a successful push to set back China’s claim of practically the entire South China Sea. Beijing, however, has refused to acknowledge the ruling.

Philippine-China relations then took a 180-degree turn during Duterte’s failed “pivot” to China.

 

US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the Malacanang palace, during her visit on November 21, 2022.

Several key officials of the Biden administration have visited Marcos in Malacañang, the most prominent of whom are US Vice President Kamala Harris, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Philippines and the US’ foreign affairs and defense ministers also recently met for a 2 + 2 Ministerial Meeting.

At the same time, Marcos has made it a point to keep China, its largest trading partner, close. He promised a “maturing” of Philippine-China relations during a state visit to Beijing in January 2023, then summoned Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian months later, after a laser-pointing incident in the West Philippine Sea.

Months later, Marcos came to Huang’s defense after the Chinese envoy criticized the addition of four military bases under Manila and Washington’s Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and advised the Philippines to stand against Taiwan independence if it “[cares] genuinely” about Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan.

Marcos recently welcomed to Malacañang Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang even as the Philippine government, through the Philippine Coast Guard, has become more vocal about China’s harassment in the West Philippine Sea.

In an interview en route to Joint Base Andrews for the US visit, Marcos called on China to fulfill an earlier obligation to a communications mechanism that would help avoid “miscalculations” in these waters.

There is a limit, too, to Marcos’ and the Philippines’ willingness to take sides in the Sino-American competition. “We work for peace. We’ll not encourage any provocative action by any country that involves [the Philippines]. We will not allow that to happen. We will not use – we will not allow the Philippines to be used as a staging post for any kind of military action,” said Marcos.

Defense commitments, economic ties

The Philippines is among the US’s oldest treaty allies, which means both countries have vowed to come to each other’s defense in the event of an attack. Harris, during a visit in November 2022, affirmed the US’s commitment to defending the Philippines from an attack in the South China Sea.

It also means that Manila is a key part of the US’ strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

“For the United States, the Philippines is an indispensable ally due its strategic location, just south of Taiwan and abutting the South China Sea. Whether the United States has access to military facilities in the Philippines could potentially be the key variable in a military contingency in the Western Pacific,” said Brian Harding, senior expert for Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands at the United States Institute of Peace.

Manila also stands to benefit from the military alliance, especially given China’s transgressions. “While the Philippines would prefer to be able to deter China unilaterally and is seeking to develop a more credible defense posture for itself, the reality is its greatest asset is the security guarantee under the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States and US commitment to abide by the treaty,” he said.

Marcos has said that he wants the MDT to “evolve” according to changes in geopolitics: the situation in the South China Sea, Taiwan, and North Korea, among others.

 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. answers question from the Malacañang Press Corps inside PR001. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and US President Joe Biden will meet to affirm the relationship of the Philippine and the United States.

“The conditions under which the Mutual Defense Treaty was written, the original one, are completely different from the conditions we’re facing now. China, of course, has become very dominant in the region. The United States has become less so. But then the other player, i.e. like ASEAN member-states, all the Asian states have also changed their position in the world…. We will talk about all of these things. So that’s really one of the main purposes of the visit,” he told the media in an interview on board the presidential plane.

The Marcos before him

There is certainly also personal history at play when you talk about the Marcos clan and the United States.

Marcos’ father and namesake, the dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., had a very close relationship with the Americans then. Despite rampant human rights abuses in the Philippines, Washington remained a very close friend and ally to the elder Marcos, until it could not.

Even when the US finally withdrew support for Marcos Sr., it was the Americans who helped the Marcos clan – the current President included – flee Malacañang for what would eventually become exile in Hawaii.

Thus it’s in the US, too, where Marcos and his family faced cases over their theft of Philippine funds and human right abuses. Marcos Jr. and his mother, the former first lady Imelda Marcos, have standing contempt judgements against them in the US. But as chief executive, Marcos enjoys and has been promised diplomatic immunity.

Exile in Hawaii did not last that long, however. In 1992, not even a decade since they were ousted from Malacañang during the People Power Revolution, Marcos Jr. returned to the Philippines and ran for office as a matter of “survival” for his clan.

The priority of the Marcoses, according to analysts, is to clean their family’s name on the world stage.

Fast-forward to May 2022, Biden was the first to congratulate Marcos when it was clear he would be the 17th president of the Republic.

Biden, as the Washington Post pointed out ahead of his meeting with Marcos, had opposed the President’s father in the 1980s.

Biden “suggested that President Ronald Reagan’s willingness to support the Philippine dictator was in part based on his desire to maintain US leases on military bases,” the Washington Post reported on Sunday, April 30.

“If we are totally identified with a corrupt, discredited regime that does not have the support of its people, we may be able to hold on to our bases in the short term but we will so alienate the people that we will lose them in the long run,” Biden, then a senator, reportedly said.

While the Marcos dictatorship is not expected to be discussed, the White House said in a statement that human rights would be on the agenda in the meeting with Marcos, consistent with the Biden administration’s strategy on the Indo-Pacific. Malacanang did not include human rights or press freedom in its agenda.

During their meeting, Marcos and Biden will also agree to new guidelines aimed at strengthening military cooperation, said US officials, underscoring a dramatic turnaround in US-Philippine relations over the past year.

Biden will also reaffirm the countries’ 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which calls for the United States to act in the event of an armed attack on the Philippine military, said the officials.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/agenda-top-issues-marcos-jr-official-visit-united-states-2023/

Amid China pressure, US, Philippines recommit to security alliance

From Rappler (May 2, 2023): Amid China pressure, US, Philippines recommit to security alliance (By REUTERS)

US officials say US President Joe Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed on new guidelines for stronger military cooperation, as well as stepped up economic cooperation

WASHINGTON DC, USA – The US and the Philippines reaffirmed their decades-old security alliance on Monday (Tuesday in Manila) and US President Joe Biden told his counterpart President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the US commitment to the defense of its ally was “ironclad,” including in the South China Sea where Manila is under pressure from China.

Marcos, on the first White House visit by a Philippines leader in 10 years, stressed the importance of the US as his country’s sole treaty ally in a region with “arguably the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world right now.”

The trip marks a dramatic turnaround in US-Philippine relations as both countries seek ways to push back against what they see as China’s increasingly aggressive actions near Taiwan and in the South China Sea.

US officials said the leaders agreed on new guidelines for stronger military cooperation, as well as stepped up economic cooperation.

Other Stories

Marcos in the White House: Manila back in Washington’s arms
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be the first Philippine president to visit the White House in over a decade, following in the footsteps of Benigno Aquino III. Here's what to expect.

Biden to reassure Marcos as China tensions flare
Biden has invested in courting Marcos, who still faces a US court judgment connected with $2 billion of plundered wealth under his father's rule. Washington helped Marcos' father flee into exile in Hawaii during a 1986 'people power' uprising.

“The United States remains ironclad in our commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including the South China Sea,” Biden told Marcos in the Oval Office.

A joint statement said this meant that any armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, would invoke US mutual defense commitments under 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

Washington sees the Philippines as key to any effort to counter an invasion of Taiwan by China, which claims the island as its own territory. Manila recently agreed to allow the US access to four more sites under an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, but the two sides have not said what US assets will be stationed at those sites.

The joint statement said the leaders “affirm the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity.”

Under Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos’ predecessor, US relations soured as he turned the Philippines sharply away from its former colonial ruler and built closer ties with China.

Biden has invested in courting Marcos, who still faces a US court judgment connected with $2 billion of plundered wealth under his father’s rule.

US officials said the new guidelines focused on military coordination across land, sea, air, space and cyberspace, while the US administration would also transfer three C-130 aircraft and look to send additional patrol vessels to the Philippines.

“It is only natural for the Philippines to look to its sole treaty partner in the world to strengthen and to redefine the relationship that we have and the roles that we play in the face of those rising tensions that we see now around the South China, Asia Pacific and Indo-Pacific region,” Marcos said.

The summit is the centerpiece of a four-day US visit by Marcos that started on Sunday.

Marcos has sought warm relations with both the US and China, who are vying for influence in the Indo-Pacific.

Experts say Washington considers the Philippines a potential location for rockets, missiles and artillery systems to counter a Chinese amphibious assault on Taiwan.

However, Marcos told reporters on his plane China had agreed to discuss fishing rights in the South China Sea and also that he would not allow the Philippines to become a “staging post” for military action.

Trade mission

The joint statement said Biden would send a Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines to enhance investment in clean energy transition, the critical minerals sector, and food security.

The two countries would also co-host in Manila the 2024 Indo-Pacific Business Forum – the marquee US commercial event in the region – which would further establish the Philippines as a key hub for regional supply chains.

The statement also said the countries looked forward to establishing trilateral cooperation with Japan and Australia.

With many Filipinos frustrated by China’s actions in the South China Sea, including the harassing of Philippine ships and fishermen in parts that both countries claim, popular support has grown in the Philippines for a tougher stance toward Beijing.

Biden was the first official to reach out to Marcos after his election and has made strengthening economic and military ties in the Indo-Pacific region a cornerstone of his foreign policy.

Before the summit, US lawmakers sent a bipartisan letter to Biden calling on him to raise what they called the worsening human rights “crisis” in the Philippines.

They said there were well-documented violations under Duterte but recent reports showed “ongoing impunity.” They cited reports from the Karapatan Human Rights Alliance of 17 extrajudicial killings, 165 illegal arrests from July to December 2022, and a total of 825 political prisoners.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/amid-china-pressure-united-states-philippines-recommit-security-alliance/

Refusing amnesty tantamount to signing death warrant – RTF6 ELCAC

From the Visayan Daily Star (May 2, 2023): Refusing amnesty tantamount to signing death warrant – RTF6 ELCAC (By GILBERT P. BAYORAN)

Unjustifiable refusal of the amnesty proposal being offered by the government to communist rebels is tantamount to signing a death warrant, a spokesman of the Regional Task Force 6 – ELCAC (Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict) said.

In a statement, RTF 6 ELCAC spokesman Flosemer Chris Gonzales said that the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) have shown its true colors of being anti-peace, anti-people, anti-unity and anti-progress by expressing animosity on the amnesty proposal.

In rejecting the amnesty proposal, which aims to erase criminal cases filed against CPP-NPA-NDF members, CPP Chief Information Officer Marco Valbuena said in a statement that the amnesty offer was just a “sugarcoated bullet.”

Valbuena said it was “grossly hypocritical” for AFP chief of staff Gen. Andres Centino to talk about amnesty because he was “directly responsible” for the killings of New People’s Army (NPA) leaders Jorge Madlos in 2021, when Centino was Philippine Army chief, and Rogelio Posadas last April 20 in Negros Occidental.

Gonzales said the CPP-NDF-NPA’s unreasonable, unwarranted, and unjustifiable refusal of the amnesty proposal is the height of gross ignorance that has fatal consequences, which is tantamount to signing a death warrant for communist rebels.

In 2021, the CPP-NPA and its international wing, National Democratic Front, was designated as “terrorist organizations” by the Anti-Terror Council.

https://visayandailystar.com/refusing-amnesty-tantamount-to-signing-death-warrant-rtf6-elcac/

Chinese harassment in Ayungin Shoal won’t deter PH Coast Guard

From the Philippine News Agency (May 1, 2023): Chinese harassment in Ayungin Shoal won’t deter PH Coast Guard

A Chinese Coast Guard vessel (Photo courtesy of Joint Task Force West/Western Command)

MANILA – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday said it is not deterred by the latest Chinese harassment to two vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) within the country's exclusive economic zone.

In a statement, the DOTr said the PCG is in the legitimate exercise of Philippine rights in the area as granted by international law.

"Armed with the rule of law and the support of like-minded states, the DOTr-PCG will not be deterred by these aggressive and provocative measures irresponsibly employed to impose territorial and maritime assertions which are devoid of basis," the statement read.

On April 23, two Chinese Coast Guard vessels “intercepted” PCG vessels in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal, exhibiting “aggressive tactics” towards BRP Malapascua and Malabrigo.

The Chinese vessel carried out “dangerous maneuvers” coming within 50 yards of Malapascua, which carries a team of journalists, resulting in a “near-collision.”

Similar maneuvers were documented on April 19, involving CCG 5201 and 4202, and the Malapascua while the latter was en route to Ayungin Shoal, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Recall ambassador to Beijing

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said aside from the usual filing of a diplomatic note, the Philippine government should order the country’s ambassador to Beijing, Jaime FlorCruz, to return home and never to go back unless an apology is received from the Chinese government.

Rodriguez said the Philippines has filed hundreds of protest notes with Beijing over China's aggressive and bullying activities.

In 2022 alone, 193 protest notes were served on Beijing, including 65 by the Marcos administration, he said.

“All these protestations fell on deaf ears. That is why they continue to harass and bully our Coast Guard patrols and our fishermen, from the northern part of our country in Pangasinan and Zambales to the south in Palawan,” he added.

Filipino and foreign journalists, including those from news agency Agence France Presse (AFP) on board Malabrigo witnessed the near-collision.

“We would have collided on the bow had I not cut the engine and thrown it in reverse,” Malapascua commanding officer Rodel Hernandez was quoted as telling the journalists.

He described the encounter as one between David and Goliath, as the CCG vessel is more than twice the 144-feet Malapascua.

Rodriguez said Beijing insulted the Filipinos’ intelligence by blaming the near-collision on the PCG personnel.

“It’s unthinkable for a tiny craft like BRP Malapascua to provoke a huge ship like a Chinese Coast Guard patrol vessel. It defies logic,” he said.

He said the CCG routinely harass and bully PCG ships and small boats resupplying Filipino soldiers stationed in Ayungin Shoal off Palawan.

“They do the same with our fishermen in Scarborough Shoal near Zambales and Pangasinan,” he added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1200489

DND joins May 1 rites, hails workers as ‘backbone’ of PH economy

From the Philippine News Agency (May 1, 2023): DND joins May 1 rites, hails workers as ‘backbone’ of PH economy (By Priam Nepomuceno)

Department of National Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (File photo)

MANILA – The Department of National Defense (DND) has expressed its appreciation to all hardworking Filipino workers who are the country's economic backbone as the nation celebrates Labor Day (May 1).

"The DND joins the nation in celebrating this year's Labor Day and paying tribute to the men and women who serve as the backbone of our economy and society," DND Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said in a statement.

He also took this opportunity to convey his deepest appreciation and gratitude to all Filipinos whose hard work and dedication have allowed the country to surmount the most difficult challenges the nation had faced.

"Today (Monday), we honor your invaluable contributions that will ultimately pave the way for our economic recovery and growth," the DND chief said.

Galvez also acknowledged Filipino soldiers who tirelessly defend the nation, and uphold peace and security while putting their own lives on the line.

He said that the entire Filipino nation is grateful for their courage, integrity and unwavering commitment to the protection of the Philippines.

"On this Labor Day, I enjoin everyone to remember the sacrifices and contributions of our labor force. The Department reaffirms its commitment to securing the country and enabling an environment for national stability and inclusive development. May we continue to work together towards our collective aspiration for a better and more prosperous society. Mabuhay ang manggagawang Pilipino (Long live the Filipino workers)," Galvez said.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) also joins the rest of the nation in saluting all Filipino workers for their efforts in helping the country.

OPAPRU acting chief Secretary Isidro L. Purisima, in a statement, hailed all the country's workers for doing all they can to help uplift their families and serve their communities.

And regardless of their professions, the OPAPRU chief said these workers are a valuable part of furthering a culture of peace and a progressive and peaceful society.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1200473

500 businesses shuttered by KMU, says former member

From the Philippine News Agency (May 1, 2023): 500 businesses shuttered by KMU, says former member (By Priam Nepomuceno)

MANILA – A former ranking official of militant labor group, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), on Monday claimed that the organization was responsible for the closure of at least 500 factories nationwide that resulted in the displacement of half a million workers over the past several years.

Crispin Tandog Jr., a former national executive council member of KMU, revealed that the organization was responsible for massive loss of jobs following the infiltration by underground operatives of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

"For decades, KMU has instigated and infiltrated labor unions and organizations to stage strikes that led to the closure of more than 500 factories across the country. Half a million workers lost their jobs because of them," he saidd during the "Tagged Reloaded: Debunking Lies by Telling the Truth," the online weekly press conference organized by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Tandog admitted that he joined the underground movement after he became a student activist in 1986. He was a member of another communist terrorist group (CTG) front organization, League of Filipino Students, and was recruited in the underground youth organization, Kabataang Makabayan.

Later, he was deployed as a cadre in the labor sector, ending up as an official of KMU and various leftist labor groups in Central Luzon.

"I formed labor organizations, agitated them to hate capitalists and organized strikes to cripple the operations in their work places. I have some comrades who died during bloody confrontations in those strikes," Tandog added.

Tandog said the CPP-NPA-NDF orchestrated the infiltration of labor organizations through the KMU by drumbeating issues on wages, job security and workers’ rights.

Following his return to the folds of the law, Tandog helped organize "Hugpong Obrero" which he described as an “alternative labor center” that espouses "industrial peace."

"We no longer believe in strikes and we are promoting a harmonious relationship between management and labor. We are batting for makatuwirang sahod (just salaries) and promote responsible unionism," he said.

"You can increase productivity by making the government, the investors, and industrial workers work harmoniously to achieve industrial peace. No worker wants to lose his job,” Tandog added.

At the same time, Tandog warned workers in the business processes outsourcing (BPO) industry to beware of CPP-NPA-NDF operators who are “inching their way to BPOs, targeting them through social media."

Meanwhile, Jose A. Descallar, Technical Education and Skills Development (TESD) Specialist, reported that the NTF-ELCAC's Poverty Reduction and Livelihood Cluster (PRLEC) has conducted intervention programs on labor and livelihood issues.

In addressing the problems besetting marginalized sectors in geographically isolated or "conflict-vulnerable barangays", Descallar said the labor department, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Agrarian Reform and the Department of Agriculture provided "assessment, developments and interventions" for barangays already cleared of CPP-NPA-NDF control or influence.

In terms of jobs and livelihood, he said the DOLE's "Tupad Program" has disbursed PHP553 million to 123,336 jobs in the 683 priority barangays. And its Integrated Livelihood Program totaled PHP157 million awarded to 12,138 beneficiaries.

"Dati, hindi natin nagagawa dahil kontrolado ang kanilang area ng CTGs (Before, we cannot do that as their areas were controlled by the CTGs)," Descallar, who was guest in the same forum, explained.

To date, Descallar said identification of priority projects in barangays previously controlled by CTGs is already being done by "the locals themselves through their Sangguniang Barangay, their LGUs and even their municipal and provincial leaderships." (

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1200504

7 NPA rebels killed in clash with soldiers in Northern Samar

From the Philippine News Agency (May 1, 2023): 7 NPA rebels killed in clash with soldiers in Northern Samar (By Sarwell Meniano)

CASUALTIES. Body of rebels slain in a clash with soldiers on Sunday (April 30). At least seven members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed when soldiers clashed with a band of rebels in the upland village of Bobon, Northern Samar. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Army)

TACLOBAN CITY - At least seven members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed during an encounter with soldiers on Sunday in the upland village of Bobon town in Northern Samar.

Troops from the Army’s 803rd Infantry Brigade had an armed encounter with 40 rebels in the hinterlands of Santander village in Bobon town following a tip from residents of sightings of armed men in the outskirts of their village.

The armed rebels belong to the subregional guerrilla unit and remnants of the dismantled front committee-2, subregional committee emporium of the NPA Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee led by Mario Sevillano.

The Army’s 8th Infantry Division (8ID) in a statement late Sunday said Sevillano is a notorious rebel leader who perpetrated numerous atrocities in Northern Samar province.

Soldiers called for close air and artillery support since the NPA lair was heavily fortified and surrounded by prohibited anti-personnel mines.

Maj. Gen. Camilo Ligayo, 8ID commander, said the success of the operation was made possible through the efforts to clear the NPA’s area of operations, blocking their logistical and operational support.

"Last year, we cleared the area of operations of the front committee 2 that prompted their dismantling with the help of local government officials. The people in Northern Samar now understand their duty to end insurgency,” Ligayo said.

The same NPA unit is notorious for numerous atrocities in Northern Samar such as ambuscades, extortions and killings, according to Ligayo.

One of which is the attack of two unarmed Citizen Armed Force Geographical Units Active Auxiliary members in San Isidro, Northern Samar last August 2021. Likewise, multiple warrants of arrest for murder and attempted murder have been filed against members of said for their inhumane activities.

Soldiers recovered one R4 rifle, two M16 rifles, one AK47 rifle, anti-personnel mine and subversive documents.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police reported Sunday night that a wounded member of the NPA’s front committee 2 surrendered to village officials of Trangue village in Catarman town and was turned over to the Northern Samar police mobile force company.

Police identified him as alias Kurati, 29, resident of Silvino Lobos, Northern Samar, a medical officer of the communist terrorist group.

The wounded rebel who suffered multiple face injuries, managed to escape during the firefight with soldiers early Sunday in Santander village.

Policemen rushed him to the Northern Samar provincial hospital.

The rebels' front committee 2 that operated in the boundary of Samar and Northern Samar provinces was dismantled last year with the capture and surrender of some of their combatants and recovery of several firearms.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1200469