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I wonder if those trains are Narrow gauge as PNR rails are narrow gauge.

check out the mock-up design in this video


Looks similar with the new Jakarta airport train

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I wonder if those trains are Narrow gauge as PNR rails are narrow gauge.

Indonesia main line in Java and Sumatra are narrow gauge (1067 mm) similar with Philippines, although the new line in other islands (Borneo, Sulawesi, and Papua) are build in standard gauge (1435 mm). Obviously those train set will be build according to the customer specification / requirement (narrow gauge)
 
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PH Air Force commissions 2 new aircraft from Indonesia
The Philippine Air Force has commissioned two brand new NC212i light transport manufactured by Indonesia.

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Elfien Goentoro president of the state-owned manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia formally handed over the aircraft to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a ceremony held at Clark Air Base on Tuesday.

“These two aircraft, we’ve been waiting for this for quite sometime when I assumed as Secretary of National Defense. It was about to be delivered but because there were problems with the autopilot, it was delayed,” Lorenzana said in his speech.

But he said the president of the PT Dirgantara was “very much apologetic for the delay.”

The planes, signed through a deal in 2014, were acquired under the AFP modernization program for P850 million.

‘Worth the long wait’

Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Galileo Kintanar Jr. said the acquisition of the aircraft is a big boost from their current fleet of Nomad-22, which they have been using for more than four decades.

“It stems from the urgency to increase our fleet especially we only have three Nomad-22 in the inventory which we have been operating since 1970s or more than four decades ago,” he said.

He said the new platforms are equipped with glass cockpit, modern avionics and autopilot system and could carry almost twice the number of passenger and cargo load of the Nomad.

“It has a longer reach and lower operational cost. It can take off and land in short and unpaved runways which on some days C-295 and C-130 can’t be accommodated,” he added.

“Certainly it has been worth the long wait for almost four years,” Kintanar said.

The Indonesian-built aircraft is designed for maritime patrol, troop transport, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

“We need more of this. We need this for island to island flights..From Zamboanga to Basilan to Jolo for our short-haul flights. This is ideal for bringing small number of troops and resupplying troops in the field like Pagasa Island (Thitu Island),” Lorenzana said, referring to the country’s biggest outpost in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Minister of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia General Ryamizard Ryacudu said the delivery of the planes highlight the cooperation of the two countries.

“The acquisition of the aircraft shows our close relations and close cooperation to strengthen our capability to address our common enemies,” he said.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/100434...Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1530004940
 
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Myanmar armed force chief visit to PH navy seal. potential small arms deal can be followed. :D
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Duterte to China: Tell us what route shall we take
Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Nov 14 2018 11:37 AM | Updated as of Nov 14 2018 04:57 PM

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he is worried by the tension between Western nations, led by the United States, and China in the South China Sea, as the Philippines could be dragged into a potential conflict between the two military powers.

Duterte and his fellow Southeast Asian leaders are scheduled to meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday morning and the Filipino leader said he will push for the creation of a binding code of conduct among claimants of the disputed South China Sea in order to better manage the sea tension.

Ownership of islands and waters in the South China Sea is disputed by several nations. China, which claims virtually all of the sea, has established military positions on disputed outcrops and intimidates fishermen and naval vessels from rival countries.

Duterte noted that while “everything has been excellent” between the ASEAN and China with regard to managing the sea dispute, it’s a different story for Western nations, including the US, which insists on their freedom to fly over and sail through the hotly contested sea.

The President told reporters he will remind China of Manila’s mutual defense agreement with Washington, which requires one to defend the other in case of an attack in its territory, as he warned of a potential “serious miscalculation” in the disputed sea which could disrupt the peace and stability in the region.

“It's not abrogated. It's there. And even --- I don't know. It's the decision of the President, Congress, the Armed Forces,” Duterte said of the treaty.

“I am worried. I expressed it last night because we have a defense treaty --- mutual defense…with the US and there’s some --- a serious miscalculation. You know because of the treaty I'd like to tell China ---that is why at all cost we must have the COC (code of conduct),” he added.

“So you’re there, you’re in possession, you occupied it. Then tell us what route shall we take and what kind of behavior,” he added, referring to China and its occupation of man-made islands in the South China Sea.

The US has staged various freedom of navigation and overflight operations in the South China Sea, triggering an angry response from China.

BEIJING WANTS CODE IN THREE YEARS

Li on Tuesday said the code of conduct should be finished in three years, insisting his nation does not seek "hegemony or expansion."

Li’s comments appeared to be the first clear timeframe for finishing the code of conduct. Talks have dragged on for years, with China accused of delaying progress as it prefers to deal with less powerful countries on a one-on-one basis.

Beijing and the 10-member ASEAN have for years sought to hammer out a code to govern disputes in the disputed waters, but the process has moved slowly.

Speaking in Singapore ahead of the opening of an ASEAN summit, Li said: “It is China’s hope that the (code of conduct) consultation will be finished in three years’ time so that it will contribute to enduring peace and stability in the South China Sea.”

“We are not and we will not seek hegemony or expansion. That is something that we will never do,” he added.

“What we hope is to have a harmonious relationship with our neighbors.”

There have been small signs of progress in recent months.

China and Southeast Asian nations announced in August that they had agreed on their initial bargaining positions as they work towards a code.

While both sides hailed it as a vital step, critics said that some of Beijing's proposals in the agreement were clearly aimed at expanding its influence in the region at the expense of Washington.

Navies from China and Southeast Asia also staged their first joint drills last month in the South China Sea — which is crisscrossed by busy shipping lanes and home to abundant natural resources — in an effort to ease tensions.

Opposition has weakened in many parts of Southeast Asia to China’s aggressive behavior in the waters in recent years, with countries keen to attract investment from Beijing and worried about US commitment to the region under President Donald Trump. - with Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News; AFP

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/14...9pIno7CnFC7bL_QhIgAQsY05f7I-ia8DvYCCwTevcW41A
 
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Philippines concludes fighter studies, points to possible Gripen acquisition
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
17 October 2018
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.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in comments published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on 15 October that the DND “is most likely to buy” the Gripen following a “thorough study and research” to support the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF’s) Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) project.

Lorenzana said the Gripen was the least expensive platform to procure and maintain. He reportedly added that the DND had been offered Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter aircraft from the US government but that the proposal was “too expensive”.
 
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Russia Offer Various Weapons to PHL with US$ 2 billion State Credit
04 Desember 2018


Su-35 fighter (photo : National Interest)

Su-35 Offer Is Real
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 (Pantsir 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.


Igla=S Manpads (photo : AFP)

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-S1 anti-aircraft missile/gun system and the Igla-S MANPADS.



BMP-3 amphibious IFV (photo : Vitaly Kuzmin)

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.


Project 636 Improved Kilo submarine (photo : Navy Recognition)

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.

(Philippine Airspace)
 
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Indonesia’s Gojek partners with local fintech Coins.ph.
92SHARESIris Gonzales (The Philippine Star) - January 21, 2019 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Gojek, Indonesia’s on-demand multi-service platform, has partnered with Philippine fintech company Coins.ph.

As part of this collaboration, Gojek is making a substantial acquisition of shares to support Coins.ph in its rapid growth to meet the financial needs of all Filipinos.

Gojek’s payments platform and the leading digital payments service in Indonesia Go-Pay and Coins.ph will work together to make it easier for Filipinos to process their payment needs.


Together, the two companies will work to enhance use cases and expand access to cashless payments and banking services, deepening financial inclusion in the Philippines, officials said.

Coins.ph helps its customers to easily access a variety of financial services – including mobile airtime, remittances, and bill payments – on their mobile phone.


It has grown its customer base to over five million in less than five years, processing over six million transactions per month as of December 2018.

Similarly, in Indonesia, Go-Pay has successfully contributed to the shift from cash transaction to cashless transaction habits both within and outside the Gojek ecosystem.

More than 50 percent of transactions within the Gojek ecosystem are done cashless through Go-Pay. By partnering with financial institutions, it also facilitates access for the unbanked to financial products and services.

Coins.ph founder and CEO Ron Hose said the company is proud to showcase the success of Philippine startups.

In just a few years, our team has been able to build a scalable service extending financial services to millions of Filipinos,” Hose said.

Hose said that Coins.ph and Gojek share the vision of empowering their customers by giving them lower-cost and more convenient access to services.

Aldi Haryopratomo, CEO of Go-Pay said there is huge potential for Go-Pay to bring greater access to crucial financial services in the Philippines by combining its technological expertise, scalability and experience in Indonesia with Coins.ph’s deep local knowledge and strong customer loyalty.

Officials said the move would help meet the government’s aspiration to increase digital transactions to 20 percent by 2020 from one percent in 2018.

“We are excited to work with Coins.ph, a company that shares our ethos of empowering communities by bringing more people into the digital economy. Consumer transaction behaviour in Indonesia and Philippine share many similarities, and together with Coins.ph, we hope to have similar success in accelerating cashless payments in the Philippines,” Haryopratomo said.

Gojek founder and CEO Nadiem Makarim said that with the second largest population and a strong domestic economy, the Philippines is one of the most exciting markets in Southeast Asia.


Read more at https://www.philstar.com/business/2...ers-local-fintech-coinsph#jPB8WGKsi5787Ffw.99
 
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Does anyone know the policy of when the Philarpat uniforms will be mandatory?
 
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Does anyone know the policy of when the Philarpat uniforms will be mandatory?

I recently spoke to a soldier and he said,"We have small supply here. That’s why our officer could wear it first." He also said they are issued 4 uniforms a year and he is not quite sure when they will be mandatory
 
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