Zambales News

U.S. and Philippine armed forces unleashed a volley of missiles on a mock enemy warship in the South China Sea on Wednesday, in a show of military power and a strengthening alliance at a time of rising regional tension.Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr watched from a four-storey tower as a high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) fired rockets at a decommissioned navy corvette in the waters just a few miles off its western province of Zambales.It was the first time the annual U.S.-Philippines "Balikatan" exercises featured live fire drills at sea…

Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC) recently opened its Dock Container Freight Station (CFS) at the New Container Terminal 2 (NCT 2) of the Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales. Inaugurated last 7 November, the CFS is the first and only facility of its kind to serve the Central Luzon Market. Roberto Locsin, SBITC General Manager, led the ribbon-cutting and welcomed partners from Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Bureau of Customs, and ECU Worldwide. “For the past two years, we have been working to improve our services here in Subic to attract more clients. We have the strategic location, manpower and infrastructure to sustain the market in Manila and the growing trade Central Luzon. With the completion of the CFS, SBITC adds more value to the services we offer,” said Mr. Locsin.

The United States’ Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN-726) arrived in Subic Bay on Tuesday, March 22, as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific. Ohio is the second submarine to dock in Subic, a former American naval base, and the sixth US warship to visit the country this month. With its 150 crew and officers, Ohio will conduct missions and showcase the latest capabilities of the US Navy’s submarine fleet. Measuring 560 feet long and displacing more than 18,000 tons of water when submerged, Ohio is one of the largest and most versatile submarines in the world. “Our presence in the region provides a stabilizing force and through engagements with our partners, such as this port visit to Subic Bay, we aid in maintaining that stability,” said Capt.

Two Japanese warships arrived in the Philippines on Saturday to take part in the first naval drill between the two countries in the disputed South China Sea. The May 12 maritime safety exercise in the South China Sea near a disputed shoal claimed by China, which will practice the code for unplanned encounters at sea, known as CUES, is part of an agreement signed by Japan and the Philippines in January aimed at tightening security cooperation. State-run Philippines News Agency reported the Philippine Navy and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force will hold exercises off the waters of Subic Bay, Zambales and Corregidor Island on May 12. It quoted Navy public affairs office chief Cmdr.

Filipino activists denounced China's coast guard on Tuesday for turning water cannon on Philippine fishing boats in disputed waters, near where hundreds of Filipino and American Marines landed on a beach in a mock assault. The presidential palace in Manila said China's coast guard used water cannon on Monday to drive away a group of Filipino fishermen at Scarborough Shoal, damaging some of their wooden boats. Chinese ships rammed a fishing boat in the area a few months ago. China in 2012 took control of Scarborough Shoal, about 130 miles (210 km) west of a former U.S. naval base northwest of Manila, preventing Filipino fishermen from getting near the rich fishing grounds.

Filipino activists denounced China's coast guard on Tuesday for turning water cannon on Philippine fishing boats in disputed waters, near where hundreds of Filipino and American Marines landed on a beach in a mock assault. The presidential palace in Manila said China's coast guard used water cannon on Monday to drive away a group of Filipino fishermen at Scarborough Shoal, damaging some of their wooden boats. Chinese ships rammed a fishing boat in the area a few months back. China in 2012 took control of Scarborough Shoal, about 130 miles west of a former U.S. naval base northwest of Manila, preventing Filipino fishermen from getting near the rich fishing grounds.

Some 20,000 local male residents are being recruited by business titan Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co., Ltd., of South Korea for its shipbuilding and ship repair projects. Former vice Gov. Ramon Lacbain II announced that Gov. Amor Deloso has created Task Force Hanjin (TFH) to fill up the company's labor requirements. Deloso said the task force chaired by Lacbain is assisting the Korean firm in recruiting job applicants from this province and nearby provinces for the multi-billion dollar shipbuilding projects of Hanjin in Zambales and South Korea. Lacban said that his task force is going around the province to recruit applicants to save them from traveling and spending transportation expenses to Subic Bay Freeport.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inspected the ongoing construction in Subic Bay, Zambales of the biggest shipbuilding facility in Asia. The President arrived at and inspected the construction works at the Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Company (HHIC) shipyard located in Agusuhin, Redondo Peninsula, about 45 minutes by ferry from the Subic Bay Freeport. Among those who welcomed the President were HHIC chairman Cho Nam Ho, HHIC president Lee kang Rok, HHIC-Philippines president Jeong Sup Shim, Zambales Governor Vic Magsaysay, Bataan Governor Enrique Garcia, Pampanga Governor Mark Lapid, Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr., Subic Mayor Jeffrey Khonghun, and Korean Ambassador Jong Ki Hong.

Two men were seriously injured following an explosion that resulted in a fire in an inter-island oil tanker off Barangay Lamao in the Philippines, the Manila Standard Today reported. The victims were welder Jimmy Rebosa, 43, of Zambales, and pipe fitter Pedrito Parayday, 46, of Navotas City, who both suffered third-degree burns and were confined at the Isaac and Catalina Medical Center in Balanga City. The incident happened around on May 11 at 8:05 a.m. while the two victims were conducting repairs on m/t Daniela Natividad when the explosion occurred that triggered the fire. The oil tanker, with gross tonnage of 2800.14 and 22 crewmembers, had just delivered diesel fuel from the Bataan refinery of Petron.