Philippine Navy Modernization (Multi Purpose Attack Craft - MPAC)

The main problem of the navy modernization is the limited fund appropriated by the legislators. Our modernization budget is supposedly substantial but the government only release small part of it. so the AFP is restricted to buy small items just like the harris radios and not actually big items such as ships.

What happened to the BCDA? The AFP only have 31.5% of the total proceeds from selling the military bases. And what happened in return? The Navy has no more base of its own, it is already squatting from Fort Bonifacio, and even, hopefully not, in Fort San Antonio Abad (now Naval Station Jose Andrada).





The Philippine Navy has recently acquired small but very fast combat boats known as MPACs or Multi-purpose Attack Craft at about 73M each. Big ships will cost billions in acquisition and millions in maintenance. It can run to as fast as 45knots (45 miles per hour). It can reach top speed in less than five seconds, and it can also stop in similar duration. It can turn at stationary position (imagine a harrier aircraft rotating on air). It is used by the Navy in the southern Philippines for interdiction and interception, while one is used in Palawan to protect the government's sensitive project there.

The thrust of the current Navy administration is to purchase new though small but lethal ships.

It is also in the process of acquiring a multi-role vessel which accommodates marines, LCU/LCAC, choppers and amphibian crafts. Our acquisition is based on the need of the country.

Another effort is to acquire a strategic sealift vessel on a lease-to-own scheme through the initiative of the Philippine Navy's civilian board of advisers. These are dedicated Filipino citizens coming from different sectors of the society devoting a portion of their precious time in recommending and sitting with the Philippine Navy as to what they can suggest and do. I hope when this group of people comes up with a foundation intended to purchase modern vessels, you will be among those who will contribute.

The most that you can do to help today is to urge our legislators either through the internet or through other means to prioritize the full and actual implementation of the AFP/NAVY modernization by releasing/allocating the appropriate budget. We Filipinos will only release those budget when the need already happened. Look at Ondoy, the Navy has been asking always for more rubber boats but a modernization program process takes at least more than 1 year and six months if you are lucky. That's Philippine government bureaucracy. But with Ondoy, the DND is urged to buy those rubber boats AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

In short, we have to wait when China, Vietnam, Malaysia, North Korea or other neighboring Asian countries to invade one of our Kalayaan Islands before the legislators will scamper to look for someone to investigate and to blame. Have they ever blamed themselves? And when that happens, that is the time that they will say let us buy missiles for our ships now. let us buy torpedos for our choppers now. I really that invasion will soon come, so that we will be forced to really modernize our navy/AFP. Unless the LAWMAKERS/EXECUTIVES don't feel the pressure to buy new ships, we will never be modernize as fast as we can. The navy will continue to pass through the very very very very taxing process of making every document pass... the very bullying question of why do you need that? "how many school buildings or books will be lost if we buy those ships. How many mouths will not be fed if we buy your toys?" Now what?

Participatory Leadership

“Do not ask anybody to do something unless you are willing to do it yourself.” A statement by Mayor Jesse Robredo that says it all about his strategy in transforming Naga City into one of Asia’s most improved cities. This humble Mayor proves that success in both the political arena and good governance can be combined. Introducing a total shift of leadership style from traditional politics into people participation using turn-around strategies, Mayor Robredo believes that empowering his constituency gains greater power than solely using it.

Mayor Robredo is not simply “leading by example” as commonly known, but leading through vision anchored strategies. Four strategies namely: Confidence Building, Investing in People, Building Partnership, and Greater People Participation brings Naga City’s vision into reality. A government official who lives to the true meaning of leadership, he rallied his constituency by taking the lead in restoring their pride through visions created by the people themselves.

With the country’s painful experiences in the Marcos regime and series of coup attempts during the Aquino administration, the Honorable Mayor faced real challenges when he was elected as Naga’s City Mayor in 1988. The election process is just like a hill that blocks the view to a gigantic mountain. What lies behind is a more challenging task that remains unseen until the hill has been climbed. Step number one for the new-comer is CONFIDENCE BUILDING. Indeed, how could you lead the people when they doubt your capacity and your sincerity? The odds must be faced. He eradicated illegal gambling particularly “jueteng” and stamped out lewd shows as concrete steps. Believing that for as long as these practices exist in his area, the people will always perceive that he is receiving “toll fees” from it. Possibly aided by his background in the corporate world, transformation will not materialize without the participation of the stakeholders. This is true to any organization, from the Sangguniang Kabataan to the national government, from the Non-Government Organizations (NGO) to private institutions, even in the military or the navy.

This leads to Mayor Robredo’s next step which is INVESTING IN PEOPLE. He recognized that the transformation can not be done by the elected government officials or the city employees alone. He empowered the people by letting them participate in the affairs of the city, by letting them feel that they are important and their voices are heard. People participation was institutionalized through an Empowerment Ordinance creating the People’s Council - a body specially created for accredited business, non-government and people’s organizations of the city, to represent the people in local special bodies. This gives them the power to observe, vote and participate in the deliberation, conceptualization, implementation and evaluation of programs, projects and activities of the city government. They can even propose legislation, participate and vote at the committee level of the City Council.

BUILDING PARTNERSHIP is the third strategy which played a very crucial role in the economic development of the city. The local government shifted its role from “do-it-all” provider to integrator and coordinator of local service providers. This strategy enabled LGUs to marshal untapped resources of the local community for pro-poor programs and other local development initiatives. Robredo recognized that he or anybody in the City Hall does not have the specialization to handle specific sectors of the society. He tapped parents of mentally-ill children to build and run a local center for that specific need. He forged partnership with NGOs to take care of urban-poor program, livelihood, health and nutrition, emergency assistance and education. Number of informal settlers reduced to a significant level through the cooperation of those urban poor organizations, landowners and private developers working together to find mutually-acceptable solutions to tenure related issues. As of 2005, they already covered at least 8,717 households. In military parlance, partnership is termed as alliance which has been emphasized by famous strategists including Sun Tzu. Alliances by the military can be forged not only in times of war but most of all in times of peace, not with other military organizations or nations but with private institutions.

Finally, the last strategy harnessed by the Mayor is GREATER PEOPLE PARTICIPATION. He believes that the people are the one who has given him his powers hence if shared with them will be returned in greater magnitude. Letting the people decide on major issues affecting the future of the city gives them ownership of that decision. And ownership of anything gives them a sense of responsibility, a responsibility to stand to that decision and keep it in the long run even if Mayor Robredo is no longer in position.

These strategies of Mayor Robredo can be applied in the case of the Philippine Navy on a different perspective. Rebuilding our navy requires the trust of everybody, at least generally. Every member must have the reason to believe that the Navy leadership is indeed sincere in making our organization strong and credible.

Alliances with private entities in this modern era will be instrumental in the navy’s transformation. Local car manufacturers, ship builders, gun-makers, shoe and uniform factories, realties, and even food & beverages producers can be tapped in a partnership with the navy for its different requirements.

Greater participation in military context will still apply in the navy by letting our men participate, also on a limited manner, on some matters for the development of the organization as what we have done in the development of the Navy’s vision.

Investing in the people would mean giving attention to the personal development of our men. Training should be taken very seriously by the Command in order to meet what we expect from the organization. We always look forward with our vision but our own people are not properly groomed right at the start of their training. At our level, we can see program of instructions taken for compliance and not regularly evaluated. Candidate soldiers seem to be having fun in a summer outing and thought under the instruction of one or two enlisted personnel as drill supervisors. We intend to impart discipline and training to our enlisted personnel and new officers but those who are handling the actual instruction are not officers. These trainees or students are expected to be under the leadership of officers hence they must be trained also in that perspective.

NETC utilization of Hyundai Buses

I. INTRODUCTION

The mission of Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) is to “Conduct individual education and training in order to provide knowledge and skills essential to the accomplishment of PN Mission.” This single statement serves as the guiding beacon of the Command for all its activities. It is also the same statement where the Commander of NETC benchmarks his programs or thrusts in administering this organization. This kind of mission outlook applies to all units of the Navy, which is aimed at accomplishing the over-all mission of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

As a subordinate organization of NETC, the mission of Naval Command and Staff College aligns to that of NETC mission which is to prepare selected Company Grade and Field Grade Officers for Staff and Higher Command Position in the Navy or Marines Corps or at GHQ and AFPWSSU’s.

During the Convening Ceremony of the Naval Command and Staff Course Class of 67 on 25 August 2009, Commander of NETC, RADM VICENTE M AGDAMAG AFP stressed that NETC is doing its best to provide the most that it could for every course that is convened within its grounds. That disposition of the Commander should not surprise anybody, because providing training or education is the primary reason of existence of this institution. The Command aims to accomplish this mission under the Five Pillars of Education he mentioned as follows: competent faculty, enhanced curriculum, a facility conducive to learning, advanced references, and high-morale students. Through these pillars, NETC shall send officers fully armed and ready to be assigned into different strategic positions not only in the Philippine Navy but in the whole Armed Forces of the Philippines.

It was during the convening ceremony where the Commander relates the experience of the AFP during the year 2000 Camp Abu Bakkar Campaign. He said that the AFP is into a full-scale war with the MILF yet the Navy’s vessel is in Singapore procuring ammunition to support the operation. The AFP does not have a good logistic support system to engage in a all-out war. And to think that it is actually a “minor” war for the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines to engage into. How can the Armed Forces of the Philippines achieve its mission to protect the people and secure the sovereignty of the state and integrity of national territory in that condition? The AFP is practically not ready to defend the country in a concentrated war, even in supporting the Philippine National Police suppressing insurgency, or against an aggression of a foreign country.

The AFP is simply a big organization living its life on a daily or piece-meal basis like an ordinary Filipino, more popularly coined as “isang kahig, isang tuka.” We do things on a reaction to something but not in preparation before things happen. We are inclined for the cure and not for prevention. The point being raised is that our attitude towards an organization is affected by our culture or mentality, however big or small is the organization handled. We are very poor in implementation even with our own logistic systems. We do not invest a lot in proper training. We simply try to comply but not achieve what we must reach.

During a visit in Sandakan, Malaysia sometime in the year 2001 for a border patrol exercise, I noticed the efficiency and effectiveness in the support system of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Mobile generator sets were lined-up at the pier providing electricity to docked Malaysian Navy vessels, however big or small. All their officers and enlisted personnel assigned in that particular area were provided each with enough housing facility that can accommodate even their own families. Costly maybe on a short perspective, but saves them money in ship maintenance and personnel management in the long term.

On 27 May 2009, DND Sec Gilberto C Teodoro Jr graced the unveiling of the Philippine Navy’s four new Hyundai buses through a caravan from Bonifacio Naval Station, Taguig City to Naval Education and Training Command in what is dubbed as “Navy Caravan 2009”1. The unveiling of these four newly-acquired buses is part of the Philippine Navy’s goal of improving mobility and transportation of its officers and enlisted personnel.

Vice Admiral Ferdinand S Golez, Flag Officer-in-Command, Philippine Navy, leads the contingent participating in this caravan. This contingent comprises of officers, enlisted personnel and civilian employees from the Philippine Navy within the Manila-Cavite area. This caravan intends to showcase the usage of the newly-acquired buses to address the Navy personnel’s accessibility concern in going to the then Naval Station San Miguel and avail of its camp facilities.

Upon arrival at NETC, the contingent partakes in various activities which include the blessing of the NETC spider-houses, model classroom and the graduation/commissioning of Naval Officer Candidate Course (NOCC) Class 14.

Each of these newly-acquired Hyundai buses is capable of seating 45 persons comfortably. These brand new buses definitely boost the mobility requirement of Philippine Navy officers and enlisted personnel. Of the four new buses, two were subsequently handed-over to the Naval Education and Training Command while the two others were distributed to other Philippine Navy units including one for the Philippine Marine Corps. This move of providing said transport facility by the Philippine Navy leadership is laudable and may be considered as a sign that we are getting matured. That is by providing the priority needs of the organization with its meager resources. This can be attributed to our common desire to attain the Navy’s 2020 vision of becoming a strong and credible navy that our maritime nation can be truly proud of.


II. THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM
The remoteness of NETC adds financial burden to the students affecting his attitude towards learning and disposition to the service.

III. THE POSITION
The creation of a policy utilizing the NETC buses as regular week-end shuttles for students, including those from NCSC.

IV. THE NEED TO IMPLEMENT CHANGES
Why did the Philippine Navy assigned two of this buses to NETC in the first place? Probably because the current Flag Officer in Command was the former Commander of NETC before he was posted to the highest post of the navy. But definitely NOT because NETC was simply his former unit, but probably because he have seen that need particularly the students.

When NCSC Class 67 was about to convene, the College arranged to provide one bus in fetching its “new” students from Taguig City to San Antonio, Zambales. It was a very encouraging arrangement because NETC is about one hundred fifty kilometers away from the country’s center of commerce and trade – Metro Manila. NETC is very remote from other Philippine Navy camps in Manila and Cavite as well, which holds our limited housing facilities. So limited housing facilities that most officers and personnel either own or rent for themselves residences, also within Cavite and Manila area. Because of that proximity issue, others dreaded the idea of going to NETC even if it is for their career advancement. That is most likely the case because commuting from Naval Station Jose Francisco (formerly Bonifacio Naval Station) to NETC will cost every individual about Three Hundred Pesos on a single journey. While those with vehicles will spend about Three Hundred Fourteen for toll gate charges if passing through SCTEX and Subic to save on time. They will also add Sixty Five Pesos toll fee if coming from Cavite Province. And it does not end there, for their gasoline consumption of about fifteen liters will cost the student about Seven Hundred Pesos. A simple computation is shown as follows:

Toll Gate Charges : 18 + 174 + 112 = 304.00
Gasoline Expenses: 700.00
Total Expenses (One way) 1,004.00
x2
Total Expenses (Round Trip) 2,008.00
x5
Monthly Transportation Expenses 10,040.00

It is obviously very costly for each student to spend about Ten Thousand Pesos in a month. Since they are no longer attached to any unit being assigned in NETC for the course, these officers no longer enjoy gasoline allocations from their former offices, if there were any. And to save on cost, they may resort to soliciting “gas slips” from officers (and even enlisted personnel acting as POL custodians) just to alleviate the financial burden.

Absurd as it may, but money is practically among the primary factors affecting our personnel’s morale. In fact, it is among the top reasons why a lot of military officers leave the service for greener pastures. Either to seek a different career on foreign land, or use the skills they acquired from the service such as flying an aircraft or deep-sea diving.

It may be a shallow reason for officers to ponder on, but it is a reality. Every single cause of dissatisfaction, however small, adds to the over-all attitude towards the service. Private companies in Pasig City for instance, with factories in Laguna or Bulacan afford to provide daily shuttle service to its employees. And yet a military agency such as the Philippine Navy with enough available resources let its officers scamper for passenger bus to earn strategic wisdom. These are the kind of persons whom the Navy will entrust its different organizations and personnel occupying important staff positions in the future.

On the other hand, there are some unsolicited “good advice” they may receive…practice “car pooling”. In this suggestion, three or four students will “save” on transportation expenses by sharing the cost of the travel. Isn’t a forty-five seater bus the most ideal vehicle to accommodate about forty students to save on cost? It is definitely cheaper for the students to pay for the POL and toll fees of the bus. But the point is, can’t the Navy utilize the bus for its young leaders?

For what reason did the Philippine Navy provided buses for NETC anyway? Is it for the mobility of its organic personnel? Maybe… or is it for the training institution’s accessibility for the students? Again, maybe… But one thing is sure, both the organic personnel and the students are the primary considerations in its assignment to the Command. It is definitely not intended for those who will play golf or for tourists who want to visit the former communication station of the United States Naval Communications Station San Miguel3.


V. STRATEGIES TO EFFECT CHANGE
Shifting the appreciation of the Philippine Navy buses as vehicles intended to resolve NETC’s remote location issue. This shall be the most important factor to be addressed at first. No single strategy to effect the change will be effective unless we re-orient our frame of mind. Once done, we shall proceed with the specific strategies necessary.
This includes the creation of a policy at the NETC level, stating the implementing rules and regulations regarding its utilization as weekend shuttle in leaving and going to NETC.
If POL allocation is not sufficient, make proper representation with higher headquarters. Until additional POL allocation is released, students may be charged with minimal amount to cover the expenses of each trip. Fifty pesos for every student at a minimum of twenty five passengers as prescribed by regulations2 will generate at least One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty or at most Two Thousand Two Hundred Fifty when fully occupied.
VI. AFTER EFFECT OF THE PROPOSAL
One positive effect is boosting the morale of PN personnel not only those actually benefiting from it, but even those from other units specifically personnel expecting to undergo training in NETC.
Each bus festooned with images about the service is one of the Navy’s ways of promoting the Service of the Future. It is our manner of telling the youth to join the most important arm of this archipelagic country. Join the Navy and riding this bus is just one of the many fringe benefits that you will receive. Each satisfied officer is just like a satisfied restaurant customer spreading the word about how good is the service of the establishment he just visited, not to mention the delicious food he enjoyed.
As earlier mentioned, it will alleviate the financial burden of each student. It will boil down into affecting positively their morale and in fact living to its will of providing a facility conducive to learning. These are already two of the five pillars of education as highlighted by the Commander, NETC.
It may deplete the POL resources of NETC because of providing the facilities for the students, but it is the essence of the Command’s existence anyway.

VII. POSSIBLE CHANGES IF PROPOSAL WILL BE IMPLEMENTED
The adoption of these proposed measures will probably require the amendment of HPN SOP with the subject Utilization General Dispatch of PN Buses indicating that said NETC buses are actually intended for the purpose.

Though the proposed change is not in conflict with to the HPN policy, it will however best to elevate the matter at the level of the headquarters.

The Philippine Navy will need to allocate more POL provision for NETC for the succeeding years to cater to this recommendation.


VIII. EVALUATION OF THE PROPOSAL
There are three main points that merit the utilization of Philippine Navy buses. First, the very reason of providing said buses to NETC is improving mobility and transportation for its officers and enlisted personnel. Its students, who are now assigned with NETC are already personnel of the Command.
Second, the very essence of existence of NETC is for its students and not for anything else. They are its main clientele, whether officers or enlisted personnel. Hence, its facilities must be focused at catering to said end-users.
Third, the morale of the entire Philippine Navy will be positively affected, more particularly the enlisted personnel who will find-out that shuttle services are now provided by the Command. It does not only reduces their financial burden due to high transportation cost, it will also physically benefit them by traveling in safety and comfort making them well prepared mentally and physiologically for the learning process of the week ahead. This will in turn create a positive notion that undergoing training in NETC is not a suffering but sort of a vacation. NETC becomes a nice place to unwind and a venue to take a break from rigors of routine job or risky operation.

NCSC Class 67 convened

“The Philippines was successfully invaded by Japan during World War II because of a weak Navy and Air Force to defend the islands.” This was the belief of General Douglas McArthur as RADM VICENTE M ADGAMAG recounts of the famous American Army General in the latter’s speech during the Convening Ceremony of the Naval Command and Staff Course Class of 67.

In a sense, the Commander of Naval Education and Training Command who was the Guest of Honor and Keynote Speaker in the said ceremony on August 25, 2009 at the Naval School Center emphasized the important role of the Navy in the past and present scenario. He stressed that the students of the Course are here to become better strategists and planners to fulfil the over-all mission to protect the people, preserve the constitution and maintain the integrity of national territory. That every student shall absorb into his system the value of honor, the object for the construction of a Conferment Hall which is to instil into every new member of the Navy the true essence of his personal oath to the Country as a loyal soldier.

That is why he stressed that NETC is doing its best to provide the most that it could for every course that is convened within its grounds. This is fulfilled through the direction of the Five Pillars of Education he mentioned as follows: competent faculty, enhanced curriculum, a facility conducive to learning, advanced references, and high-morale students. Through these pillars, NETC shall send officers fully armed and ready to be assigned into different strategic positions not only in the Philippine Navy but in the whole Armed Forces of the Philippines. Hopefully, help resolve the deficiency of the AFP in its present state of preparedness. Or rather, the AFP’s ill-preparedness which he observed during the year 2000 Camp Abu Bakkar Campaign where the military is into a full-scale war with the MILF yet the Navy’s vessel is in Singapore procuring ammunition to support the operation.

RADM AGDAMAG is indeed correct to note that our primary reason for existence as a military must boil down into its overall mission. Our mission is to keep the country safe from external aggressors and internal detractors. Training is certainly very vital in the over-all success of any organization. The individual contribution of a properly trained soldier counts and creates an influence among his peers, subordinates and even superiors. More so if applied to officers with a wider scope of influence within their respective units.

For the mean time though, we have at least moved a notch higher in trying to elevate the training standard by providing the necessary support facilities needed by the students. Because the ultimate reason of existence of NETC anyway is to train them which will be fully reinforced with the necessary logistic support. As with the Commander’s message of engaging in the Abu Bakkar campaign, the students are also “at war” and must be supported with essential logistics. And bringing in foreign military students is a laudable move for it will not only “compel” us to raise the standards of the school even higher. It will also bring in new ideas to every class which will make the Filipino students think out of the box.

Finally, preparing a strong Navy as Gen. McArthur stressed entails the availability of both material and well-trained human resources. Acquiring new ships and modern weapon systems or technology is useless in the absence of a weak Officer Corps who is unsupported by ill-educated manpower. On the other hand, a strong and credible Navy that we all are hoping to become by the year 2020 is not realistic with purely skilled personnel and does not have the ship or technology to apply their acquired trainings. Our Navy needs properly-trained men and fully-equipped ships to address our main mission of defending it against internal and external threats.