AFP CHIEF TELLS MEN: STAY FIT
MANILA, MAY 14, 2008 (STAR) By James Mananghaya - Newly installed Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano said he would strictly implement the military’s policy on physical fitness, from the highest-ranking general down to the privates, to ensure that all personnel comply with the requirement.He said this has been implemented when he was still Army chief, requiring commanders to pass physical fitness tests before they are assigned as battalion, brigade and division heads.
“That’s the first requirement, we don’t even talk about their other qualifications and competence. It’s the first requirement because that is a requirement not only by me as the new chief of staff but it has been there, a policy that is as old as the AFP itself,” he said.
In an interview following the turnover of Lt. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang and Brig. Gen. Romeo Lustestica as the new AFP deputy chief of staff and deputy chief for operations, respectively, Yano also said the counter-insurgency operations would be stepped up to be able to meet the 2010 deadline set by President Arroyo to wipe out security threats.
Yano said this would be his advice to commanders when he makes the rounds of military units following his assumption the other day.
Yano met with his staff and other unit commanders yesterday afternoon in a command conference and ordered them to step up and accelerate operations in priority areas all over the country.
“As of now we just sustain the momentum and step up. I will have to visit the different units in the field in the next few days when my schedule allows and personally evaluate the conduct of operations in the different areas,” he said.
The AFP top brass said complimenting their internal security operations is the implementation of more civil military efforts such as the military’s direct participation in development projects in the countryside, especially in areas that have been previously influenced and controlled by communist New People’s Army rebels.
“The NPA has also shifted to the unarmed form of operations so we also have to put more CMO efforts,” he said.
Yano said there is no need at the moment to change the strategies of the government’s anti-insurgency campaign as the ones laid down by his predecessor Gen. Hermogenes Esperon have given the military much-needed momentum in its efforts to defeat the rebel group and render it an inconsequential force in two years’ time.
“At this point I do not see (changes), we are on track and the accomplishments were good and I do not see any reason to change at this time. If we feel along the way that there is something to be improved or to be amended... that will be done and will be announced accordingly,” he said.
AFP turnover HIDDEN AGENDA By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes Wednesday, May 14, 2008
The command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines changed hands last Monday. Retiring AFP chief of staff General Hermogenes Esperon Jr. turned over the reins of the military sector to Lt. General Alexander Yano.
The turnover took place in an atmosphere of stability within the AFP — a welcome development as far as the business sector is concerned, and a moment of sunshine for the AFP as far as our soldiers are concerned.
The AFP command was being turned over sans controversies the way it was hounded by major issues in the past. The retiring AFP chief exited with sterling accomplishments while the incoming chief brought with him important credentials.
Last Monday’s turnover of the AFP command sent positive signals, and the business community is upbeat. The signal is that the military sector will remain stable and apolitical — an important legacy of the retiring AFP chief. The stability and non-partisan nature of the AFP today are crucial to investor confidence levels. It is also vital to the investment climate in the regions where business decisions are influenced by the presence or absence of revolutionary taxation levied by insurgent and terrorist groups.
Some of our media colleagues who have covered Gen. Esperon’s term called this column’s attention to the fact that the 50 percent reduction in the number of NPA guerrilla fronts was not accomplished by the retiring AFP chief with the use of firepower alone.
We were told the diminishing influence of leftist armed groups in the regions was also largely due to a move by Gen. Esperon to activate the so-called National Development Support Command. The command placed under one wing all the engineering and infrastructure-related groups of the AFP. Gen. Esperon then mobilized them to build roads, bridges, school-buildings, and similar projects in rebel infested areas.
The infrastructure sped up the entry of other development support. With the improvement in people’s lives, the guerrilla groups lost their reason for being.
Now, we have a better picture of how the war against insurgency is being waged and won.
And the successes of this war will long be associated with Gen. Esperon who has now become plain citizen Jun Esperon .
Noli’s loyalty
The last time this corner wrote about the Meralco rate controversy, we explained how the National Power Corp. may to be to blame for the high cost of electricity.
To be fair, this time we’ll air the sentiments of those who are on the other side of the fence.
Many are wondering how Vice President Noli de Castro is positioning himself amidst the public outcry over the Manila Electric Co.’s distribution rates, considering that the Lopezes who control Meralco were his former employer and political patron.
They say that if he is the champion of the masses as he claims to be, then the Vice President has found himself in a serious bind, especially with his presidential aspirations.
It is the opinion of some quarters that Noli must come out and try to help the greater number of poor Filipinos, many of whom are members of the state-pension fund Government Service Insurance System which owns 33-percent stake in Meralco, understand why Meralco keeps on demanding for a rate hike when it couldn’t open its books for public scrutiny.
They opine that an inspection of the books by GSIS, which holds four of the 11 Meralco board seats, is a must considering that Meralco has been reprimanded twice by the Supreme Court in 2003 and 2004 for overcharging its customers, ordering a refund of P30 billion in income taxes which Meralco passed on to its customers between 1994 and 2002. The tribunal has also voided a provisional increase collected by Meralco in 2004 without the benefit of public hearings.
The GSIS is planning to file civil and criminal cases against Meralco over the P30-billion refund, with Garcia saying a number of laws must have been violated for an overcharging of that scale to have taken place and in over a span of eight years.
Also, GSIS president Winston Garcia has being asking Meralco charges its Luzon customers more when the generation costs in Metro Manila is equal to that in the Visayas.
Garcia had also criticized Meralco for saddling its four million customers with the so-called systems loss charges which, he said, may be allowed by law but is unconscionable to collect from poor Filipinos.
No less than Ambassador Allistair McDonald of the European Commission has declared that one of the major reasons why the Philippines is not attracting as much foreign direct investments as other countries is it high rates of energy. Of course, who is to blame for these high rates is the current topic of debate.
Meralco critics charge the company buying power at higher rates from Lopez-owned Independent Power Producers (IPPs). On the other hand, Meralco’s supporters counter that it is Napocor which has control over the overpriced coal the latter supplies to the IPPs.
As the second highest leader of the land, observers insist that the Vice President speak up on the matter. If only to douse suspicions that he is still beholden to the Lopezes.
Not so hidden agenda
Our broadcast journalist friend from Karambola sa DWIZ, Ed Javier marked a feat for the young people of Parañaque City by bringing in the support of government and corporate entities for the first “Karambola sa Parañaque” billiards tournament. Ed is chairman of the Batang Parañaque Foundation, a non-profit organization formed to help the youth of Parañaque, particularly those who don’t possess much in life. The sports activity taps Parañaque’s best billiard players in the 19-below bracket while providing the city’s youngsters with a good summer diversion. Ed’s feat shows that media, government and private sector can work together for a worthy cause.
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
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