SU-35 Offer Is Real

30 November 2018



The Russian Federation has officially offered the Philippines a military hardware that is too good to refuse. While still in wraps for now, Malacanang sources disclosed this equipment to be a submarine (pair of Project 636 Improved Kilo class), squadron of MRF jets (Su-30SME/35), and missile defense batteries (pantser s-1/buk m-2) to be financed by loan grant to as much as US$2 billion.

If all taken, that is ₱110 billion-off the ₱300 billion revised AFP modernization program second horizon budget.

The acquisition of submarines was originally planned for the third horizon (2023-2028). But the current navy chief, Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, lobbied for the immediate inclusion of diesel-electric submarines in horizon two.

Russian state-run Rosoboronexport attended the Asian Defense, Security and Crisis Management Exhibition and Conference, ADAS 2018 in Manila Philippines last September 28 showcasing for the Philippine Air Force Su-35 and Su-30SME super-maneuverable multifunctional fighters, the Yak-130 training and combat training aircraft, the Mi-35M transport/combat helicopter, Ka-226T light multi-purpose helicopter and the Mi-171Sh military transport helicopter, Pantsir-S1anti-aircraft missile/gun system and the Igla-S MANPADS.

It also exhibited small arms like the AK-100 family of Kalashnikov assault rifles and armored vehicles, for example, the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle and BT-3F armored personnel carrier for the Philippine Army. While for the Navy, the Project 636 large diesel-electric submarine, Gepard-3.9 class frigate and boats for various purposes are on display at the Company’s stand.

Russia said they are working on workable payment schemes with the Philippines to pay for the products that they intend to order as its State-run company is prevented from using US dollars under Section 231 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA). CAATSA provides prohibition upon foreign exchange transactions under U.S. jurisdiction and transactions with the U.S. financial system.

Rosoboronexport General Director Alexander Mikheyev who met with President Duterte confirmed the restriction and said the company would focus on conducting transactions in the currency of a customer instead of US dollars.

Mikheyev said it had examined a number of ways to work around US sanctions against the company and was now considering the possibilities of working in non-US currencies.

Gripen Locks MRF Acquisition

29 November 2018



Sweden is locked on bagging the Philippines Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) acquisition project as government confirms ₱61 billion (USD1.1 billion) budget to procure a Multi-Role combat aircraft over the next five years when the Philippine Air Force (PAF) enters phase II of its modernization project, which runs from 2018 to 2022.

The Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) programme calls for the acquisition of 12 fighter aircraft with a ceiling price tag of not more than US$1.1 billion.

The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) has concluded a study in support of its programme to procure a new fighter jet and confirmed that Saab’s Gripen aircraft is in pole position to win the contract to be awarded next year says Delfin Lorenzana in Ozamiz City yesterday.

Swedish defense company giant SAAB offers for 12 new fighter aircraft JAS 39 Gripen C / D with the latest MS20 package, ammunition, maintenance and support services with ranges between 800 and 900 million euros. The Manufacturer has cultivated ties with the Philippine military for more than two years as it positions itself to win a multi-billion dollar contract for a Gripen squadron.

Total funding for PAF modernisation under the second horizon is ₱139 billion (USD2.5 billion).

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has budgeted ₱61 billion (USD1.1 billion) to procure a multirole combat aircraft over the next five years.

The Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) programme, which will feature the acquisition of 12 aircraft in its initial phase - is one of several requirements for the PAF as it enters its 'second horizon' modernisation phase, which runs from 2018 to 2022. Total funding for PAF modernisation under the second horizon is ₱139 billion.

First Commercial Airport In The Country

29 November 2018

Its Not What You Think At All
The first commercial flight in the Philippines was made by Pan American Airlines Martin M-130 four-engine flying boats when it landed on Manila Bay.


The first Terminal is still in existence today. Manila hotel is the Philippines first international terminal and airport.

PAN AM made inaugural flight services on November 22, 1935 followed by Press flight service on October 7, 1936 and finally on October 14, 1936, the Philippine Clipper carried PAN AM owner Juan Trippe and other VIP passengers on a journey across the Pacific as a final preview flight before regular passenger service began between San Francisco and Manila.


The PAN AM M-130 was not only the first big plane that grace Philippine skies, it was also the first international commercial flight of the country and in Asia.

Duterte Unveils 1.2B Ozamiz Airport Project

29 November 2018


President Rodrigo R. Duterte unveiled the Ozamiz Airport Modernization Project in Barangay Labo, Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental yesterday.

The modernization project will entail ₱300 of lot acquisitions and another ₱922-million for the construction of a new passenger terminal building, new aircraft parking apron in accordance with international standards, and taxiways for a more efficient operation that will transform the airport to international standards.



Airport development plan which was designed in 2013 will be funded by General Appropriation (GAA) fund through 2030 to include the next set of navigational facilities.

Ozamiz Airport Development Project is the first project to be funded and implemented by the Duterte Administration. Airport project will commence construction beginning 2020.

Panglao Airport Opens to the Public

Bids Farewell to Old Tagbilaran


November 27, 2018

Bohol International Airport will open to the public Tuesday with President Rodrigo R. Duterte gracing the event after construction began in 2014.





The ₱8.9 billion project (originally ₱4.8B increase to ₱7.4B) was 30 years in the making and became reality only after securing additional international funding from Japan.

Earlier, The Philippine and Japanese governments signed 2.1B supplemental loan agreement on October 8, 2018 for the expansion of Bohol airport to include extension of the runway further to 2,800 meters in 2019, the construction of a cargo terminal building, parallel taxiway, and a fuel depot.

The new airport boast a 2,500 metre runway (original 2k)x 45 meters, and aircraft apron size of 55,585m² (originally 29,903m²+7,670m² general aviation apron) and a terminal floor space of 13,884 square meters (originally 7,890m² to 8,281m²) divided between international and domestic section, boasting three (3) air bridges and 9 gates which can accommodate two (1m originally) million passengers a year.

Funding for the airport project consists of ₱5.862bn ($123.5m) Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency-Overseas Development Assistance (JICA-ODA) signed in 2013.

The amount went to construction of the passenger terminal building, control tower, fire station, drivers’ lounge, car parks, guard house, toll booths, utility and navigational aids buildings, access roads and airport infrastructure including runway strip and taxiways.

The total airport project has a price tag of ₱11.79B ($262 million) when fully completed.

The remaining amount will be funded by the national government.


First Airline To Fly

The facility will replace Tagbilaran airport to handle domestic and regional flights within the Asia-Pacific region.


PH Updates ASA with Switzerland

20 November 2018
*
Secures Fifth Freedom Rights to Europe

The Philippines has secured fifth Freedom Rights to Europe and an expanded landing rights after Switzerland and the Philippines signed new Air Services Agreement daily daily services between Manila and Zurich, its largest City.

The Philippines first entered Air Services Agreement with Switzerland on 8 March 1952 and was a transit point to Philippine Airlines twice weekly flight to Paris France.

The ASA was last amended in 1994 granting 4 times a week schedule with Swiss Air and Philippine Airlines flying via Bangkok.

PAL Terminates Abu Dhabi

18 November 2018

Stops Tagbilaran-Seoul Flight

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines is terminating flights to Abu Dhabi on January 12, 2019 citing poor sales, It is also terminating its flight to Seoul from Tagbilaran effective February 9 due to relocation of service to Kalibo.

PAL Links Manado

18 November 2018


Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will fly Manado from Davao beginning March next year. The route will be flown by Q400NG aircraft three times a week. This will be the airlines first international route from Davao.

Feeding Young and Old Alike

Truly the Heart of a Filipino!

9 November 2018

For Philippine Airlines, feeding the old is not the only norm. It also feed the infant, literally.

Flight attendant Patrisha Organo was doing her job as flight attendant Wednesday when she received another call beyond duty.

Organo, a new mother of nearly one-year-old daughter heard an infant profusely crying after takeoff.

It was "a cry that will make you want to do anything to help," Organo wrote on Facebook.

"I approached the mother and asked if everything's okay." she wrote.

The mother of the baby told Organo that her child was hungry because she'd run out of formula.

Organo switched gears from flight attendant into mom mode.

 "I felt a pinch in my heart. There's no formula milk onboard," Organo wrote. "I thought to myself, there's only one thing I could offer and that's my own milk. And so I offered."

The mom had been at the airport as early as 9pm on Monday night. Their flight was scheduled to depart a little after 5am on Tuesday morning, which explains why the mom ran out of her formula milk.

Both the mother and the child were brought to the galley at the back where Organo breastfed the baby. The baby started rooting, she was so hungry.

"I saw the relief on her mother’s eyes. I continued to feed the baby until she fell asleep . I escorted her back to her seat and just before I left, the mother sincerely thanked me." she wrote

Organo said she knew that flight would be memorable for her because it was her first flight in a new position as cabin crew evaluator. But she never imagined it would turn out like this.

"Thank you, Lord for the gift of mother's milk," Organo wrote.

Xiamen Air Flies Davao

9 November 2018

XiamenAir will launch twice-weekly direct flights between Quanzhou/Jinjiang – Davao route starting December 18. The route will be flown with Boeing 737-800 aircraft every Tuesday and Friday with the following flight schedule:
MF8679 JJN0900 – 1215DVO 738 25
MF8680 DVO1315 – 1630JJN 738 25

CNS-ATM Goes Full Blast

8 November 2018

The Philippines will begin its full transition to new Communications, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Systems that would beef up the country’s civil air traffic services beginning November 14.

The transition process from the old radar system to the new air navigation system would affect flights to and from Manila starting 5 a.m. of November 14 until 5 p.m. of November 20.

During transition phase, four arrival and departure flights will be canceled per hour at Ninoy Aquino International Airport according to Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) for safety purposes.

CAAP said airlines are already notified of the volume reduction for the entire week and are cancelling flights during the entire duration of the upgrade process. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Asia already cancelled flights on affected dates.

Once the new CNS ATM Center becomes fully operational, the CAAP thru ATS will start to reduce the horizontal separation standard for all enroute traffic from a minimum of 80NM to 50NM.

All ATS routes in Manila FIR has already been converted to RNP10 (Required Navigation Performance) at or above FL290. After activation, ATS routes will be upgraded to RNP4 for enroute traffic and RNP2 for domestic traffic which will be implemented in Q4 of 2019 pending guidance material on communication and separation.

The project was funded in part by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with a grant of 22,049 million yen and is expected to provide more efficient and safer air traffic flow management in the Philippines.

The project includes the establishment of a central traffic control complex housed in the CAAP office in Manila, and 10 radar sites covering the entire Philippine Flight Information Region.

Package 1 of the CNS/ATM project constitutes the construction of the ATM Center building and the ATM Automation System, which involves the installation of the latest Eurocat system with an integrated Digital Voice Control System, Aeronautical Information System, Automated Message Handling System, Aeronautical Telecommunications Network Router, Global Navigation Satellite System monitoring and metrological systems.

The project's Package 2 includes the installation of an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Ground Station, En-route Radar (Secondary Surveillance Radar Mode-S), Terminal Radar (Airport Surveillance Radar/Secondary Surveillance Radar), VHF Terminal and Remote Control Air-Ground Communications facility, Microwave link and Very Small Aperture Terminal.

The CNS/ATM Systems Development Project was first conceptualized in 1994 in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Global Air Navigation Plan, and would replace the aging vital communications, surveillance, and air traffic control equipment at selected airports nationwide.

Additional en-route surveillance radars are installed in Aparri, Laoag, Cebu-Mt Majic, Quezon-Palawan, Zamboanga, and new airport surveillance radars are installed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2, Mactan, Bacolod, Kalibo, and Davao.

Package 3 of the project involves the installation of three more controlled airspace TMAs (Terminal Management Area), in Kalibo, Bacolod and Davao which will be provided with radar approach service in the CNS ATM Center, while additional airport surveillance radars in Puerto Princesa, Cagayan De Oro and Iloilo are likewise being constructed and is slated for completion in 2019.

Cathay Dragon Inaugural Flight

2 November 2018

Cathay Dragon has launched direct flights between Davao and Hong Kong beginning Sunday, October 28. Flights from Hong Kong depart at 12:35 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, and arrive in Davao at 3:50 p.m. the same day. Return flights from Davao depart at 4:50 p.m. and arrive in Hong Kong at 8 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.