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Navy Reservist to be honored after Cebu Pacific 5J 971 mishap

The 'Guiding Voice', Captain Bok of Cebu Pacific 5J 971 © Sherwin Reyes/PhilMug
Reservist News - After the Cebu Pacific crew failed to provide much needed attention to the passengers, Captain Bok or ENS Marlon Deang Bo of the Philippine Navy Reserve responded the call to help his fellow passengers during the mishap of a Cebu Pacific flight 5J 971 after it missed the runway in Davao International Airport last June 1, 2013.
Because of this 'heroic' attempt to calm the passengers, he will be honored from doing his heroic deeds. A Navy spokesperson Marine Colonel Edgard Arevalo, the Navy’s Civil Military Operations Group spokesman said, “We are formally documenting his heroic deeds so the Navy, as Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano, the Flag Officer in Command if the PN also desires, can honor the hero of that Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 971,”.


 I give my salute to you Ensign Marlon Bo! Isa kang laang kawal na dapat gayahin! 

 QUOTE:

© AFP/Karlos Manlupig
MANILA, Philippines – A Navy reservist will be honored by the Philippine Navy for his “heroic deeds” after he helped calming down passengers in a Cebu Pacific plane 5J 971 that missed the runway of the Davao International Airport and landed on mud and grass at the side on Sunday.

Marine Colonel Edgard Arevalo, the Navy’s Civil Military Operations Group spokesman, identified the “hero” as Lieutenant Marlon Bo, a Navy reservist and a graduate of Philippine Merchant Marine Academy in 2003.

“We are formally documenting his heroic deeds so the Navy, as Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano, the Flag Officer in Command if the PN also desires, can honor the hero of that Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 971,” he said Wednesday.

Bo was one of the passengers in the Cebu Pacific plane when the incident happened.

Nino Alinsub, also one of the passengers, recalled how Bo helped the passengers to safety.

“It took the courage of one person, whom we only know as Captain Bok from the Philippine Navy, to stand up and calm everyone down. He knew what he was doing, and he was in control when even the cabin crew looked like they were really at a loss on what to do. Capt Bok gave clear instructions for everyone to sit down, so that we could leave row by row to prevent the plane from tilting over. He was the clear definition of a “guiding voice,” he said in his blow-by-blow account.

The stricken Cebu Pacific Manila-Davao flight plane was removed from the runway of the Davao International Airport late Tuesday night.

Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/421173/navy-to-honor-hero-in-cebu-pacific-plane-mishap

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15ID SARU holds family bonding summer camporee

In lieu with the changing climate and the unpredictable weather of our country, safety preparedness should be everybody's concern. Especially now that the rainy season is coming up fast. 

In response to this, our friends from the Search and Rescue Unit, 15 Infantry Division Ready Reserve located at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City conducted their annual family-centered camporee which aims to deliver and train junior responders in disaster preparedness planning and response program in a fun, age-specific approach last May 25-26, 2013.

Fun-filled activities surprised the junior responders who will not only be trained in basic first aid, CPR for kids, victim transfer, family emergency planning, but will also receive outdoor training on camp management, tent-pitching, rappelling, and knot tying. Provided these kids undergo military-based training, they will also need to perform reveille and morning exercises. 

Junior responders being trained various outdoor management. 
Junior responders being trained on various knot tying.
Morning exercises is also part of the conducted camporee. To heed the call to help at SARU requires a person to be fit for duty. 

CPT Joam Morales PA (RES) teaching junior responders how to cleanse a wound. 
CPT Rommel H Marquez (INF) PA (RES) teaching kids about camp management. 

Kids enjoy rappelling activity with SARU personell.
These days, training at least one responder at home can provide fast first-aid delivery in such circumstances when it is needed. Parents and their children should see the advantage of planning their emergency policy and basic equipment at home because these actions do save lives, even their neighbors.
Pvt Donald Ordiales, PA (RES) conducted the storytelling prior to lights off. 
Photos from Search and Rescue Unit, 15ID (RR)

 © iamreservist.blogspot.com

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Philippine Army Shooting Team photos in AASAM 2013

Photos from AASAM Facebook page by their respective photographers.
Mga kawal natin sa AASAM 2013 ay hinahanap at vine-verify ang scores pagkatapos sa naganap na match.

Si Sgt Rudy Edas, PA ay tinutulungan sa mga technique upang maka-iscore ang isang US Army Specialist Christopher Payne sa huling araw ng Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM). 

Photo by SGT John Waddell © Commonwealth of Australia 2013




Isang myembro ng Philippine Army Shooting Team ay dumaan sa isang obstacle course na parte sa Match 51 kasama ang isang sundalo na hawak ang bandila ng Pilipinas. 

Awarding


Champion Shot - International! Congratulations Staff Sergeant Armando Mejia of the Philippines!

Philippine Army Shooting Team Photos



Napakasarap isipin at damdamin ang isang Pilipino na gumanap bilang kontestant sa isang okasyon na ito. Talagang saludo kami sa kawal Pilipino! You do us proud!

Photos from AASAM Facebook page by their respective photographers.

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Ang ating sundalo sa AASAM 2013


Mga mahuhusay na 350 shooters galing sa ibat-ibang sulok ng mundo ay dumalo para sa Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) noong ika 2 - 17 ng Mayo, 2013 sa Puckapunyal Military Range, Victoria, Australia. 

Ito ay isang combat focused skill at arms competition para maipakita ang husay ng bawat sundalo ng kanilang bansa gamit ang current in-service small arms system capabilities, equipment and targetry, at training analysis ng combat shooting technique, weapon training doctrine, at small arms practice.
Naghayag na kampeon ang sarili nating' Staff Sergeant Armando Mejia, Philippine Army sa international champion shot category.  Photo by: Sgt John Waddell, Commonwealth of Australia 2013 


For champion shot results click here

Habang 3rd place naman tayo sa international teams weapons championship category. Isang oooahh naman dyan!
Mga Pilipinong kawal natin sa AASAM sa awarding ceremony. Photo by SGT John Waddell © Commonwealth of Australia 2013

Ang naturang kompetisyon at sinasalihan ng mga shooters galing sa United States, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, China at marami pang iba. Ngunit ito ay kompetensya lamang sa husay sa lingwahe ng marksmanship kung saan ang isang team o indibidwal ay sasabak sa mga iba't-ibang pagsubok araw man o gabi. May assault course na mapapakita ang galing sa close quarter fighting at deliberate shooting to 450 meters. Mga isniper at susubok sa target na lagpas 1000 meters habang ang ibang contestants naman ay puputok ng iba't-ibang klaseng baril na standard issue sa kanilang sandatahang lakas. 

For the international results click here
For champion shot results click here
Mga isnappy at pogi nating Philippine Army Shooting Team (PAST) sa the AASAM 2013. Photo by SGT John Waddell © Commonwealth of Australia 2013
Dahil dito ay talaga namang masarap maging Pilipino! Ganyan din ang mga kawal natin, world -class!

 Mga pictures ng kawal natin sa naganap na AASAM. 
Photos by AASAM 2013 Facebook page by their respective photographers. 

 © iamreservist.blogspot.com

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Why our Coast Guard 'properly' did its job?

Chinese-Taiwanese media sparked an uncontrollable outrage among their people about the death of their fellow fisherman Huang Shih-Cheng due to a recent shooting incident. 

Before I go further, I should say that I humbly sympathize for the loss of life. 

Now let me clarify my points as to why our Coast Guard 'properly' did its job.

1. Nothing is disputed at all. The incident took place well-within our territorial zone [Philippine], specifically 43 nautical miles east of Balintang Island. Obviously far beyond any Taiwanese territory. I wonder why their media constantly blurs out or removes Batanes in the map. 

An example of a map printed by some irresponsible Taiwanese media removing Batanes islands from the map. Facts about Batanes island.  
Whereas the incident actually happened 43 nautical miles east of Balintang island (shown in map on left). Now based on the publicly released geographic coordinates by Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (TCGA), the intruding boat was located at 19'58", 122'58", deep within our territory recognized by the UN Convention Law of the Seas (UNCLOS). I had imagined that they themselves are telling us that their boat was indeed inside our territory!
2. There was no overlapping EEZ. Taiwan is holding us responsible for the death of Huang Shih-Cheng and demands fishing rights in the area, specifically their self-imposed overlapping EEZ with the Philippines. This is somehow absurd because UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) does not reveal any document of overlapping zones.  

This is an image showing Taiwan's EEZ (blue) and the disputed areas (green) courtesy of Sea Around Us Project.
3. Rules of Engagement.  On May 9, 2013 at around 5:00 a.m., our [Philippine] coast guard on board MCS-3001 detected four foreign fishing vessels inside our jurisdiction. All four boats were being addressed using alarms or sirens, and loudspeaker announcements but they all sped away towards the direction of Taiwan. 

Since it was vitally important for our Coast Guard to inspect their vessel for it's illegal fishing, they also have to open the possibility of smuggling, drug trafficking, illegal logging, and illegal migration activities. These possible violations will only be determined if the Philippine Coast Guard was able to board their vessels. 

A chase which lasted four hours gave a possible attempt to board one fishing vessel but upon doing so, several fishing boats tried to ram the Philippine boat marking it a 'hostile' act against law enforcers. With an intention to cause harm, the PCG decided to provide warning shots for them to stop. With no cooperation, the PCG then decided to immobilize their vessel, the Guang Ta Hsin 28, by firing at it's engine. During the process, a bullet hit the neck of a 65 year Mr. Huang Shih-Cheng.

The Taiwanese fishing vessel continued to navigate towards the direction of Taiwan until the Taiwanese Coast Guard escorted them home. 

According to the United States Coast Guard Rules of Engagement, the action of the Taiwanese fishing boat by intentionally ramming a law enforcer's vessel was a clear justification to shoot. There have been several accounts wherein law enforcers need to protect themselves in defense from hostile suspects.

U.S. Coast Guard member dies after boat rammed off 
Man shot after ramming a law enforcer

Regardless if the fishing vessel was a significantly smaller vessel compared to the MCS-3001. It should not be justified that our law enforcer's shouldn't protect themselves. 
I admire the boldness of the Coast Guard personnel who, in that decisive moment, made the choice to shoot the intruders' boat in order to prevent an further loss of lives. 

Yet I do agree that an apology to the Taiwanese people be given publicly. Being sympathetic on a fisherman's death is also as important but what I should also patronize is the need to be nationalistic in saying that my country was the victim in the first place. What the Taiwanese government is actually demanding is too much as it seemed politicizing the activities of poaching. 

I have my faith restored with them as evidence that our Coast Guard is still true to their oath in protecting the nation's territory and marine wealth.  

Therefore, I say thank you Philippine Coast Guard!
I call upon every Filipino out there, join the ranks! Be a Navy reservist marked with courage, boldness, and patriotism. It is time to take part and be a doer of good deeds. 

 © iamreservist.blogspot.com