Em Esber Blog 2

Views of Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City and MICT at Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental

2012-02-06T18:16:00.265+08:00

Officially the City of Cagayan de Oro, is the provincial capital city of the province of Misamis Oriental in the Philippines. It lies along the northern coastline of the island of Mindanao in the country's southern portion.

Dubbed locally as the "City of Golden Friendship" (Dakbayan sa Bulawanong Panaghigala-ay in Cebuano, as the phrase appears on the city's seal) for the camaraderie and hospitality that are inherent and traditional traits of its people

Cagayan de Oro is considered as a melting pot in Mindanao. A growing metropolis to be classified as a first-class city. Cagayan de Oro serves as the regional center being the most populous highly-urbanized city in Northern Mindanao (Region X) noted for its accessibility, business growth and tourism attractions. According to the 2007 Census, the city has an estimated population of 553,996 inhabitants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cagayan_de_Oro

http://www.cagayandeoro.gov.ph/

Pls double click the photo with the PC mouse if you like to enlarge the photo. )

View from the sea of the Laguindingan Internationl Airport of Cagayan de Oro City

Laguindingan International Airport (Cebuano: Tugpahanang Pangkalibutanon sa Laguindingan; Filipino (Tagalog): Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Laguindingan) It is designed to serve the general areas of Cagayan de Oro City of Misamis Oriental and Iligan City of Lanao del Norte in the Philippines.

The airport will replace Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro City. It is a flagship project of the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Corridor Special Development Project, which covers both cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, as well as five coastal towns in Lanao del Norte, and in the twenty two towns especially Gingoog of Misamis Oriental first and second congressional districts.

The domestic airport sits on a 4.17 square kilometre site in Barangay Moog, Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental, and is located 46 kilometers from the existing Lumbia Airport. Upon its completion, it will be a Class 1 major international airport and will be the main airport of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Cities in Northern Mindanao (Region X).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laguindingan_International_Airport

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/12/29/10/laguindingan-intl-airport-start-commercial-operations-2012

View of Mindanao International Container Terminal at

Tagaloan, Misamis Oriental

View of Del Monte Pier in Bugo, CDO and the Mindanao International

Container Terminal at Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

Del Monte Plant and Pier at Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City

About 5 miles from Del Monte Pier in Bugo, CDO is the Mindanao

International Container Terminal located at Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

View of the newly constructed Flyover at Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City

ATTRIBUTION NOTICE :

You may use the pictures in this blog under an Attribution License. You are free to use, share and modify the pictures found in this blog. Should you publish or otherwise reproduce for distribution the pictures found here in digital or printed form you must place a link to this blog or indicate the URL of this blog in your publication. Thanking you.

By Em.Esber

Related web sites:

Del Monte wharf in Bugo CDO
http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2011/04/del-monte-wharf-in-bugo-cdo-10th-and.html

Del Monte Plantation in Bukidnon
http://noelautor.hubpages.com/hub/The-Del-Monte-Pineapple-Plantation-in-Bukidnon-Philippine

Mindano Container Terminal
http://wikimapia.org/903786/Mindanao-Container-Terminal

Views of Bongao Island of Tawi Tawi Province and photos of passing Indonesian submarine.

2012-02-05T07:24:00.035+08:00

Chart / Map of the Philippine's Tawi Tawi province and the eastern part of the State of Sabah which at present is under Malaysian occupation. Sabah was a part of Sulu Sultanate and previously leased by British North Borneo and later in 1945 was illegally transferred to British Crown and in 1968 was forcibly annexed by Malaysia, using the rigged British-supervised UN referendum as a pretext of annexing. (Please see the related story in the below web link )

http://www.royalsulu.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultanate_of_Sulu

http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2007/05/mindanao-conflict.html

On the 30th of February 2012, while our ship is cruising the troubled waters of Sulu Sea we have sighted an unidentified submarine in Sibuto Passage. Later on we found that the submarine is KRI Nanggala 402 on a voyage from South Korea to Indonesia.

Below were some photos of Bongao Island, an island in the Tawi Tawi Province of the Philippines.

Videos of Bongao, Tawi Tawi

Just after passing Bongao Island at about 1730 hours on the 30th of January 2012 we have sighted the Indonesian submarine " KRI NANGGALA 402 " on " innocent passage " in the Philippine waters on their voyage from South Korea to Indonesia.

Photos of the Indonesian submarine " KRI Nanggala 402 " while under overhauling works in South Korea.

Related web link :

Kapal Selam KRI Nanggala 402 Melintasi Philipina 30 Januari 2012

http://www.kombor.com/2012/02/kapal-selam-kri-nanggala-402-melintasi.html

Kapal selam "Nanggala" tiba de perairan Indonesia

http://www.antaranews.com/berita/296012/kapal-selam-nanggala-tiba-di-perairan-indonesia

Topic: Archipelagic Sea Lanes in order to regulate the passage of foreign vessels

http://www.timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=17776.15

http://www.timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=29971.0

Photos of KRI NANGGALA 402

https://www.google.com/searchq=KRI+NANGGALA+402&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADFA_enPH413PH413&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=7rgtT4WZDcm4rAer3_jcDA&ved=0CIoBELAE

The Days of my Seafarer's Life

2012-01-05T06:36:00.009+08:00

I was born in Manila but I grew up in the rugged, scenic and secluded town near the foot of Sierra Madre mountain range. Growing up in my hometown is full of idyllic memories till the day when our family moved back again to Manila to continue my studies. Grade 6 at the Philippine Normal College’s elementary dept, Manila High School, and College at the Philippine Maritime Institute.

Just after graduation from the Nautical College, I joined the ship as a Cadet. It was full of unforgettable memories, for that time I was young, innocent, and reckless, it was the beginning of the days of wines and roses, and adventures for me.

On the summer of 1970, I was already a ship’s 3rd Officer when I was assigned to work on a Hydrographic survey ship in the former South Vietnam. It was during the height of the Vietnam War and it was very thrilling and exciting experiences when I first arrived in Saigon’s Tan Son Nhut Airport.

The Airport tarmac was full of all kinds of war machines, Jet planes, fixed propeller aircrafts, Helicopters, and other armors of war. Young American soldiers arriving from the U.S. Military staging points in California, Okinawa, and from Clark Airbase and Subic Naval Base in the Philippines. The arriving GIs were mostly draftees and were very young,as young as 18 years old and as green as their green jungle uniform.

Also in the airport were American soldiers returning to their homeland after their grueling tour of duty and perhaps they wished they never come to Vietnam. Some returnees were in coffins, and some were in crutches. And those soldiers going back to the “Land of the Brave and the Free” were very much physically fit and hardened by the brutal war, but their psyche were already damaged by that ruthless war.

Those soldiers returned to their homeland, defeated and with a deep damage to their psyche and souls for the rest of their lives. But before they went home they usually spent their last night in the brothels and bars of Saigon, since most of them usually spents months in the combat area.

In those bars and brothels you can find the very young Vietnamese girl from 14 years old and the average age of those hapless girls is 20. Most of these girls or women came from the provinces in the highlands whose farms and homes were completely burned by Napalm. Those miserable girls have no choice, either they die from the bombs dropped from the U.S. warplanes, or die of starvation.

( Ten and twenty years later, I may have met them again, those hapless girls. Perhaps some of them survived that brutal war, became boat people and later resettled in the U.S. mainland. I may have met some of them again in the Hair Saloon in Vancouver BC, or in LA Ca, or perhaps they became bar owners in the harbor area of New Orleans or Houston)

The airport was bristling with activity, everybody seemed to be in a hurry, in a hurry to die or to live and leave that God’s forsaken place ?

The ship I was onboard was a Hydrographic survey ship that was hired by either the U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam or the CIA, to surveys the bays, rivers, and coastal areas where the Americans were having their war operations. I was in Vietnam for a year experiencing the agonies, sorrows, and brutalities of men against fellow men.

The Chief of Saigon Police executed publicly a "Vietcong" guerilla.

I have seen Vietnamese mothers pimped for their very young 14 or 16 years old still virgin daughters, just to have a bowl of rice for the younger siblings, as their families were impoverished by that war. The most inhuman war in the 20th century waged by the Americans against a brave peoples who struggle to free their land from the evils of corrupt local imperialist who was supported and sanctioned by the American government and the huge politically influential American weapons industry.

I have endured the endless nights of seeing and hearing combat Helicopters firing their Rockets and machine guns on their unseen enemies on the ground. Jet planes dropping Napalm and fire bombs on the hapless civilians and guerillas alike, and hearing cannon fire from the far off mountains. I have suffered the sleepless nights hearing the sounds of endless depth charges and hand grenades thrown to the water by U.S. Army patrol boats and US Navy warships, to kill the suicidal and brave guerilla commandos that were adept in putting plastic mines on the hull of Navy ships or any ships that is supporting the American war machine.

It was very difficult to get sleep on that war torn days as the nights were turned to days by the thousands of flares lighting in the night blue skies, your brains and ears will be numbed by the exploding bombs, cannons, rockets, and depth charges. It seems to me that war is like living in hell. But in the midst of war and agonies, love can also.

In the ancient and beautiful coastal town of Danang in South Vietnam, I met my first love. Her name is Lan and by her looks I can trace that she a got a bit of French ancestry and her manners and poised, is a sign that she come from a well-to-do family, but were reduced to poverty due to the war. I met her on the street of Danang, selling pliers, hammers, cigarettes and etc, she bought from the American soldiers.

For about two weeks we loved and enjoyed the ecstasy of love as we were both young naïve, and restless. And words were not enough to describe our undying love for each other. After those happy moments we part and said goodbye not knowing whether we will see each other again.

While my Hydrographic ship is en-route to the island of Phu Quoc near the Cambodian border, I heard in the AFVN radio that my girlfriend’s village near Danang was overran by the Vietcong and later recovered by the US Marines after a bitter and ferocious firefights.

A few days later, I learned from a Filipino friend based in Danang that my dearest Lan have died in that battle, after her village was reduced to ashes by American planes dropping Napalm bombs. The war-weary Jet pilots accidentally dropped their Napalm bombs on the American-friendly village instead of their targets which is a Vietcong encampments a few kilometers away from Lan’s village She died a horrible and agonizing death from a friendly fire bombs. In the military jargon, civilian’s death from military operations were called “ killed by friendly fire.

She died during the Vietcong’s “Tet” offensive, on the eve of Vietnamese Lunar New Year, just a day before her 18th birthday, an innocent victims of that amoral and ruthless warfare. For a year, I was in anguished and in deep sorrows for her tragic and untimely death. It was the winter of 1971 when my Hydrographic ship left South Vietnam bound for Singapore.

I left Vietnam with a deep sorrows in my heart grieving for the death of Lan, and a deep pain in my souls as my spirit was also scarred by that war, a wound in my soul that may never heal.

The Hydrographic ship sailed for Singapore for dry-docking and there I transferred to a commercial ship. I was aboard many Singapore ship from 1971 up to 1985, from 3rd Officer rank to Master (Captain of the ship).

View of Singapore in the 1970s

On the year of 1974 while attending the wedding of my Filipino 2nd Officer to a charming Singaporean girl, I happened to meet a beautiful and attractive Singaporean girl of Chinese ancestry who happens to be the best friend of the Bride. Her name is Liezl and on that very moment I knows that she will be mine. She is an 18 years old College student and work part time as a Ramp Fashion Model.

It was a love at first sight and about a month later she became my girlfriend. We have an unforgettable romance and passionate sex , until one day she told me that she is pregnant. Since I am leaving for sea that time, I promised her that I will come back and on my return, I will marry her. As if fate is against us, it took about three months before I was able to return to Singapore.

I was very excited on meeting her again, but on approaching her I felt her coldness and a look of apathy towards me. She said while crying “ I am not sure when you are coming back or if you will ever come back, so I went to a doctor for abortion”. And I told her “ If you only wait for me and trusted me then you don’t have to do that drastic action.” But she only cried and cried and I know that what is done cannot be undone anymore. We continue our relationship until we finally quarrel and was bitter to each other. We break-off our relationship while there is still love and respect between us.

On the year 1980, I was already a Master Mariner when I met and fell in love with a 25 years old Filipina Nurse in Singapore. She works in Thompson Medical Center, one of the best Hospitals in Singapore. Her name is Angela and I tried to win her love for about 3 years but owing to my nature of work, we seldom see each other.

Angela went back home to the Philippines for about a year while I was sailing in Singapore ships, playing the role of Casanova, flirting, and making love to any girl who falls in my hand. Later on the year of 1983, Angela was hired to work in one of the Hospital in Baltimore in the United States.

On that same year of 1980 up to 1983, while falling in love and trying to win Angela hearts I also have a forbidden love affair with a Singapore girl. She is Kristine, a Eurasian beauty, and she works in Hongkong Bank at Singapore. My best friend Evita, who works in the same bank with her, introduced her to me. When, I met Kristine, I never asked if she is single or married. I always presumed that a girl or woman is single if she is attracted and friendly to me as most married woman were elusive to other men and faithful to their husband. Married woman is taboo for me and never, I pursued a married woman, for I am a moralist and a God-fearing man

For about a week while my ship is in port, every day, I dated Kristine after her office work
at Hongkong Bank main building at Raffles Place. We have a delightful time together, holding hands in lover’s lane and romantic candle-lit dinner in cozy restaurant. During her office hours in the Bank, I always sent to her a bouquet of beautiful Red Roses. After about a week, I sailed with the ship and returned to Singapore after a month.

On arrival Singapore, I was in a state of euphoria for I will meet my dearest Kristine on that special day which is also Valentines Day. From her office I brought her home so she can change for a nightdress for a Valentines Dinner. We went to the cozy restaurant of Holiday Inn and had a very romantic candle-lit dinner serenaded by a Filipino Band while we are holding hands and talking of sweet nothings and playing gentleman to her. After that wonderful dinner with wines and serenaded with romantic love songs, we went to Sheraton Hotel's Blue Velvet Disco.

And there at Blue Velvet disco while the sweet music “ To All the Girls I Loved Before” is played and we were dancing with our bodies tightly pressed to each other, I kissed Kristine on her cheek which she responds by smiling very sweet to me. Then before her smiles faded from her lips, I gave her an unforgettable French kisses on her lips and mouth.

On that very moment we knows that we loved each other so much that I knew that inevitably we will spend the nights together. We checked-in for a room on that Hotel and we spend the night with a very passionate and lustful love making that I have never experienced in my days of womanizing. It was a blissful night of ecstasy and an affair to remember for both of us.

After a night of love and lust, we finally rested from exhaustion and then she told me something that frozen me. “ You know darling, I am already married,” said Kristine with sadness in her quavering voice. With remorse and guilt, I told her, “ You should have told me, when I first dated you.” “Well, you never asked me and besides you told me that you will always love me, whoever I am,” she replied.

Then she relates to me that her husbands always hurt her after her tiring work in the office. And she said “ He was so jealous and neurotic that he accused me that I have an affair with my own cousin.”

And she added “ I admit that sometimes I have gone with my cousin after office work to unwind in the cocktail lounge for a couple of drinks, but I never cheated my husband and never had a love affair with my own cousin or other man,” With a wink in her naughty eyes she said, “Well, now I had an affair with you, Kristofer.”

I said to her, “ I feel guilty to have a love affair with you, knowing that you are a married woman.” And she replied, “ I am more guilty than you are, knowing that you are still a bachelor and a nice gentleman. While me is a soon- to be- divorced woman.” I am so confused and my conscience was bothered. “ Well, if I did not met you, sooner or later I will also have an affair with other men, who will be smitten by my Eurasian beauty’’ and Kristine added “ I am thankful that you came, and we found love, my dear Kristofer.”

On the following day, I visited Hongkong Bank to bring a bouquet of Red roses to my dear sweetheart Kristine. But my best friend Evita is waiting for me in the Bank lobby, and told me “ Kristofer, I heard that you have dated Kristine last night. If you are interested with her, just forget it.” She is already married and there is a Divorce case pending in the Court and you might get involved in the scandals.” I replied to Evita, “Thanks for your advice but it is quite late.”
I told my best friend Evita that I have misgiving and does not want to continue further my relationship with Kristine after knowing that she is a married woman and on the middle of divorce proceeding, but Kristine won’t let me go. As Kristine is like a person drowning in the sea, clinging to anything that floats, so that she can survive in the cruel world we live in. And me, the good-hearted Kristofer was caught by a trap. Destiny had entrapped me in that unenviable relationship.

My love affair with Kristine continued for about three years until one day e realized that our Love affair has no future as we grasp that we don’t really love each other and our relationship was based only on passion and lust. We decided to finally end our affair, and at long last I was freed from a love cage. But it was an unforgettable Affair To Remember….

End of part 1

Footnote:

In the year 2000, I returned to Vietnam as a Master of a Container ship. The black and scarred vegetation on the banks of Saigon River and the Mekong River Delta that was burned by Napalm during the war were all green vegetation at present. Saigon city which was renamed Ho Chi Minh City, was a teeming Metropolis of motorcycles and flashy cars, the Vietnamese were still after the American dollars. More and more Americans were having their fun in the city, but they are not American soldiers but Tourist and former soldiers who fought the war, the most sought after foreign currencies is still the mighty US dollars.

There is a Jollibee in the plaza center of the city. And the tallest and the most beautiful building is owned and occupied by Citibank, an American Bank. Ho Chi Minh City today looks like just another progressive capitalist city. I reckoned that ideology whether capitalism or socialism is not a big factor for a country to progress. It is nationalism or love of country that makes a country progressive. The little girl that ran naked after the napalm bombing of her home became an American citizen after residing in the US for many years.Her story was featured in the Time Magazine in the 1990s.

A Catholic church in the center of Saigon City.

Street scene in Saigon

Related Web link :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War

My sea voyage with my wife onboard MV Handy River

http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2007/05/my-sea-voyage-with-my-wife-onboard-mv.html

View of Manila Bay coast line from Paranaque City to Pasig River in Manila

2011-12-19T08:47:00.006+08:00

Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Philippines and its neighbouring countries, becoming the gateway for socio-economic development even prior to Spanish occupation. With an area of 1,994 km² (769.9 sq mi), and a coastline of 190 km (118.1 mi),

Manila Bay is situated in the western part of Luzon and is bounded by Cavite and Metro Manila on the east, Bulacan and Pampanga on the north, and Bataan on the west and northwest. Manila Bay drains approximately 17,000 km² (6,563.7 sq mi) of watershed area, with the Pampanga River contributing about 49% of the freshwater influx. With an average depth of 17 m (55.8 ft), it is estimated to have a total volume of 28.9 billion cubic meters (28.9 cubic km). Entrance to the bay is 19 km (11.8 mi) wide and expands to a width of 48 km (29.8 mi). However, width of the bay varies from 22 km (13.7 mi) at its mouth and expanding to 60 km (37.3 mi) at its widest point.

The islands of Corregidor and Caballo divides the entrance into two channels, about 2 miles (3.2 km) towards the North and 6.5 miles (10.5 km) wide on the South side. Mariveles, in the province of Bataan, is an anchorage just inside the northern entrance and Sangley Point is the former location of Cavite Naval Base. On either side of the bay are volcanic peaks topped with tropical foliage: 40 km to the north is the Bataan Peninsula and to the south is the province of Cavite.

Across the entrance to Manila Bay are several islands, the largest of which is Corregidor, located 3 kilometers from Bataan and, along with the island of Caballo, separates the mouth of the bay into the North and South Channels. In the south channel is El Fraile Island and outside the entrance, and to the south, is Carabao Island. El Fraile, a rocky island some 4 acres (1.6 ha) in area, supports the massive concrete and steel ruins of Fort Drum, an island fortress constructed by the United States Army to defend the southern entrance of the bay.

To the immediate north and south are additional harbors, upon which both local and international ports are situated. Large number of ships at the North and South harbors facilitate maritime activities in the bay. Being smaller of the two harbors, the North Harbor is used for inter-island shipping while the South Harbor is used for large ocean-going vessels^.

Photos taken last 27th November 2011

(You can enlarge the picture by double clicking it with your PC mouse)

First set of photos of Manila Bay coast line.

Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City.

Mall of Asia complex

Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City

CCP Complex

View of CCP Complex

Vicinity of Philippine Navy Headquarter, Manila Yatch Club Basin, and Central Bank building.

Vicinity of U.S. Embassy complex

ATTRIBUTION NOTICE :

You may use the pictures in this blog under an Attribution License. You are free to use, share and modify the pictures found in this blog. Should you publish or otherwise reproduce for distribution the pictures found here in digital or printed form you must place a link to this blog or indicate the URL of this blog in your publication. Thanking you.

By Em.Esber

MV Eastern Endeavor sheltering at Port San Pio Quinto, Camiguin island - 20th Nov. 2011

2011-11-27T02:18:00.104+08:00

During our voyage from Japan to the Philippines we encountered strong Gale which forced us to seek shelter in Amami Shima in Japan and afterwards in Port San Pio Quinto of Camiguin island in order to protect our cargo which were mostly rolling stocks.

Near Camiguin island of the Babuyan Islands Group we experienced heavy rolling due to quite strong Gale weather in the Batanes area, with 5 to 6 meters height of wave. On the afternoon of 24th November we entered and anchored in Port San Pio Quinto of Camiguin island of the Babuyan Islands Group. We sailed from the port in the early morning of 25th November 2011.

Below were photos of the Port San Pio Quinto, view from the sea

Camiguin de Babuyanes is an active stratovolcano on Camiguin Island, part of the Babuyan Islands group that is located in Luzon Strait, north of the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. The volcano and the island is within the jurisdiction of the municipality of Calayan, in the province of Cagayan.

Physical features

The well-forested Mount Camiguin or Camiguin de Babuyanes, to distinguish it from Camiguin of Mindanao, has an elevation of 712 metres (2,336 ft) asl, and a base diameter of 3,200 metres
(10,500 ft). It occupies the SW tip of 22 km (14 mi) long Camiguin Island.

Fumaroles are found on the southwest, west, and east flanks of the volcano and a boiling spring is located near sea level on the western flank of the volcano.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS) lists Camiguin de
Babuyanes as one of the active volcanos in the Philippines. All volcanoes in the Philippines are
part of the Pacif ic ring of fire.

Eruptions

An eruption was recorded around 1857. It was reported as phreatic and possibly partly submarine.
In 1991, there were reports of volcanic activity but instrumental investigations showed no sign of unusual volcanic activity, such as intense fumarolic activity, felt earthquakes, fissuring at the
volcano’s slopes, or smell of sulphur.

Another report of volcanic unrest was reported in 1993 but an aerial survey of the volcano proved no signs of activity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camiguin_de_Babuyanes#Physical_features

Youtube Video :

Other Related web sites:

http://www.lost-in-manila.com/babuyan-islands-the-philippines-northern-paradise

The white beach of Brgy. Balatubat, Camiguin island, Babuyan Group of Island

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/10679752

CAMIGUIN ISLAND WHALE WATCHING AND BABUYAN GROUP
OF ISLANDS EXPLORATION
http://www.facebook.com/events/109765112423397/

MV Eastern Endeavor sheltering at Amami Shima, Japan

http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2011/11/mv-eastern-endeavor-sheltering-at-amami.html

MV Eastern Endeavor sheltering at Amami Shima, Japan

2011-11-25T10:33:00.005+08:00

MV Eastern Endeavor sheltering at Amami Shima, Japan - Nov 20th to 21st 2011

Youtube Video :

Related Web link :

MV Eastern Endeavor sheltering at Port San Pio Quinto, Camiguin island - 20th Nov. 2011

http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2011/11/mv-eastern-endeavor-sheltering-at-port.html

Manila Bay - From Port of Manila to Mall of Asia

2011-11-17T04:24:00.052+08:00

Youtube Video :

Related web sites:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1458707

http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2011/09/manila-and-environs-view-from-manila.html

http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2011/06/south-harbor-port-of-manila-17th-june.html

http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2011/05/view-of-roxas-blvd-manila-bay.html

http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2011/04/view-of-manilas-south-harbor.html

http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2011/02/mariveles-coal-plant-to-be-linked-to.html

Relation of the Voyage to Luzon 1570 - Conquest of Manila

http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2010/06/relation-of-voyage-to-luzon-1570.html

MV Eastern Endeavor at Keppel Shipyard, Bauan Batangas - 15th Oct. 2011

2011-10-18T00:53:00.015+08:00

On the 15th of October 2011 our ship the MV Eastern Endeavor made a brief call in Keppel Batangas located in Barangay Bulo, Bauan Batangas.

Below were some photos of Keppel Shipyard :

Keppel Shipyard at Bauan Batangas

Related Blog :

Keppel Batangas Shipyard at Barangay Bulo, Bauan Batangas

http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2009/10/drydocking-of-ships-in-keppel-batangas.html

BRP Gregorio del Pilar at Keppel Shipyard, Bauan Batangas

2011-10-15T19:34:00.091+08:00

The BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) is slated to be the largest and most capable combat vessel of the Philippine Navy. An ex-US Coast Guard Hamilton class cutter, she was previously known as USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715) and was transferred to the Philippine Navy on May 13, 2011. In late July 2011, she passed by Hawaii for a brief port visit and during mid Aug. 2011 in Guam prior to arriving in the Philippines on August 21, 2011. She is the second Philippine Navy ship to have borne the same name, the first being another ex-US Coast Guard Cutter. She is expected to be the first of several ex-US Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutters that will serve the Philippine Navy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BRP_Goyo_Hawaii.jpg

Keppel Shipyard at Bauan Batangas

Youtube Video :

Other Videos of BRP Gregorio del Pilar :

MV Eastern Endeavor cargo loading in Sandakan, Sabah and the Indonesian ports of Malili and Samarinda - V1101

2011-09-05T05:19:00.776+08:00

Our ship sailed from Manila at 2012 hours on the 24th of August 2011 bound for Sandakan, Sabah to load Plywood and also to some ports in Indonesia to load Plywood and Nickel cargo for Japan.

( You can enlarge the image by double clicking it with your PC mouse. )

Before arriving at Sandakan harbor you will passed Taganak island of Turtle Islands Group of the Tawi Tawi province of the Philippines. Taganak island is just 15 miles north east of Sandakan Harbor and there is a Philippine Navy Coast Watch Station in that island. Vessels navigating in the vicinity of Sandakan, Sabah, Sulu and Tawi Tawi province is required to report their nationalities, cargo, port of departure and destination to the Philippine Navy Coast Watch Station in Taganak Island.

The depth of the Channel leading to Sandakan Harbor is about 7.5 meters in low water. Vessel with more than 6.5 meters drafts should enter the channel at high tide.

We arrived at Sandakan harbor at 2306 Hours on the 26th of August and dropped anchor at the Quarantine anchorage about 0.5 miles or 5 cables south west of Tanjung Aru. Later at 0405Hours we heaved-up the anchor and shifted to the working anchorage located nearby Sandakan pier.

At about 0630 hours 27th August the loading of Plywood cargo commences. The Stevedores were mostly Filipinos from Sulu and Tawi Tawi province of the Philippines, and they were permanent residents already of Sabah.

Cargo Loading in Sandakan

Cargo Hold # 1

Cargo Hold # 2

Our ship completed loading Plywood in Sandakan at 1100 Hours of 27th and sailed at 1445 Hours of the same day to the next port of Malili, Indonesia, a distance of about 1,108 miles which is about 4 days and 18 hours sailing time.

We arrived in Malili anchorage (Teluk Usu) at 0854 Hours of 31st August and waited in the anchorage for cargo barges from Malili which is about 7 miles upriver. We arrived in the middle of Ramadan which is a one week national holiday in Indonesia. The cargo barges which was towed by tugboat from Malili town arrived on our ship at 0330H on the 6th of September and loading of Nickel Matte cargo immediately commenced at 0445 Hours of the same day.

Lower Hold # 1 After part.

Loading of cargo Nickel Matte in bags.

Lower Hold # 1 After part.

Stowage and cargo lashing of Nickel Matte in bags.

Tween deck # 1 After part

We sailed from the port of Malili, South Sulawesi at 1912 Hours on the 8th of September 2011 bound for Samarinda port's Muara Berau anchorage for loading Plywood cargo.

Samarinda ( Muara Berau anchorage)

Our vessel arrived at this anchorage at 0730 Hours on the 11th of September 2011 for loading Plywood cargo for discharge at Japan.

There were many vessels anchored at Samarinda's Muara Berau, big Oil Tanker vessels were loading Crude Oil from Oilfields and big Bulk vessels were loading Coal cargo. Other bulk vessels and medium size vessels were loading Timber cargo.

About 1.5 mile to 2 miles from our loading anchorage is already shallow water, from 6 meters to 1 meter depth.

On the evening of 13th September, our vessel departed Samarinda's Muara Berau anchorage bound to the next port of Niihama, Japan.

On the route we passed the exotic island of Sibuto island and Bongao island of Tawi Tawi province.

Tawi Tawi is the island of Baleleng. The song Baleleng orignated from Tawi Tawi.

Youtube Video of Bongao

On the route from Tawi Tawi to San Bernardino Strait we passed through Tanon Strait.

Because of this Typhoon moving slowly to Okinawa and later reverse her course to south, we decided to take shelter at Virac. After a day of monitoring the tracks of the Typhoon Roke, we heaved anchored

and continue our voyage to Japan after ascertaining that the typhoon is moving northward again. Below were some photos of Cabugao Bay, Virac.

Youtube Video of Virac, Catanduanes

On the morning of 18th September we resume our voyage to Niihama Japan.

Our first port of discharge is Niihama located in the Inland Sea of Japan.

We arrived in Niihama port before midnight on the 23rd of September. Niihama is a small town

located in the Inland Sea near the Kurishima Strait.

This is Sumitomo Berth # 3 in Niihama port.

From Niihama port we sailed to Matsuzaka.

View of Matsuzaka port

From Matsuzaka we proceeded to our 3rd and 4th discharge port of Chiba and Yokohama which is located in Tokyo Bay.

View of Chiba port

From Chiba we proceeded to Yokohama our last discharge port.

View of Tokyo Bay - from Chiba to Yokohama

View of Yokohama Port

View of Yokohama port from Honmoku Pier.

MV Eastern Endeavor berthed at Honmoku Futo - Berth 5

Views of Yokohama from Daikoku Berth 3.

MV Eastern Endeavor berthed at Daikoku Pier - Berth 4.

Youtube Video of Yokohama port.

Stroll in Cebu City's Historical Spot

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Fuerza de San Pedro or Fort San Pedro

The walking tour of downtown begins at Fort San Pedro, beside Plaza de Independencia. This triangular fort made of coral blocks traces its origins to the conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who laid out the plan for a triangular palisade in 1565. Built to protect the emerging Spanish settlement, the fortification symbolized the military presence of Spain, which made the pacification of the islands possible. Bastions project from the three points of the triangle, following standard fortification plans.

The date of construction of the stone fort is uncertain. Although there are claims that a Jesuit Antonio Campioni built a stone fort in 1630, and the gate of fort bears the date 1738 together with the arms of Castille and Leon. It is certain, however, that the fort underwent major renovations in the late 1800s as part of a building program to improve Cebu City. The fort became a garrison during World War II, a zoo, and now a park. It was once the office of the Department of Tourism in Cebu, however, the office has been transferred to a nearby site.

The fort has a branch of the National Museum with vintage photographs of Cebu and copies of plans of the fort, and archaeological exhibits.

Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00 A.M, - 12:00; 1:00 - 5:00P.M.

Outside the fort are two monuments one dedicated to Legazpi and the other to Antonio de Pigafetta, the chronicler of Magellan’s expedition. From the walls of the fort, we can see the sea to the south, Plaza de Independencia to the northwest and to the southeast, warehouses, once the site of the Colegio de San Ildefonso (later Seminario de San Carlos), a college began by the Jesuits and transferred to the Dominicans and the Vincentians. The Colegio is the forerunner of San Carlos University, along P. del Rosario St.

Plaza Independencia and Fort San Pedro

View in the vicinity of Plaza Independencia

Magellan Cross

Magellan's Cross is a Christian cross planted by Portuguese, and Spanish explorers as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Cebu in the Philippines on April 8, 1521.

This cross is housed in a chapel next to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on Magallanes Street (Magallanes being the Spanish name of Magellan), just in front of the city hall of Cebu City. A sign below the cross describes the original cross is encased inside the wooden cross that is found in the center of the chapel. This is to protect the original cross from people who chipped away parts of the cross for souvenir purposes or in the belief that the cross possesses miraculous powers. Some people, however, believe that the original cross had been destroyed or had disappeared after Magellan's death, and the cross is a replica that was planted there by the Spaniards after they successfully colonized the Philippines

The Santo Niño de Cebú is a Roman Catholic figure of the Child Jesus highly similar to the Infant Jesus of Prague. Like the image's counterpart in Prague, the figure is clothed in expensive textile robes mostly donations from fervent devotees in the Philippines and abroad. The statue is the oldest Catholic relic in the Philippines and permanently housed since 1565 at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu City

In April 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, in the service of Charles I of Spain, arrived in Cebu during his voyage to find a westward route to the Indies [1]. He persuaded Rajah Humabon and his wife Humamay, to pledge their allegiance with Spain. They were later baptized into the Catholic faith, taking the Christian names Carlos and Juana. Magellan presented the Santo Niño to the newly-baptized Queen Juana as a symbol of the alliance. To her husband Carlos, Magellan presented the bust of the "Ecce Homo", or the depiction of Christ before Pontius Pilate. He gave an image of Our Lady to the natives who were later baptized with their rulers. However, Magellan died later on April 27, 1521 in the battle that took place in Mactan, leaving the image behind. In its new environment, among sun-loving people, the image stopped being a Christian symbol. After some vain efforts on the part of the natives to destroy it, as legends say, it endured its new setting and prevailed to become a pagan idol. The Cebuano natives revered the Image of Santo Niño as Bathala. They most probably blessed the image with oil or offered sacrifices to the Santo Niño while invoking for His assistance in times of difficulties, reliefs in their necessities or consolations in their adversities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Ni%C3%B1o_de_Ceb%C3%BA

Colon Street

Colon Street is a crowded street in downtown Cebu City that is often called the oldest street in the Philippines. It is named after Christopher Columbus. It traces its origins to the town plan by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the Spanish conquistador who arrived in the Philippines to establish a colony in 1565.

Cebu Harbor

Mactan island

Mactan, separated from Cebu by a narrow strait, is a flat island of fossilized coral, from which in colonial times blocks were hewn to build churches and dwellings. The Santo Niño Basilica in Cebu City was built by Fray Juan de Albarran from coral blocks quarried at Mactan. In the building industry coral block is called “Mactan stone.” In 1521, the explorer Ferdinand Magellan died at a skirmish against the warriors of the ruler of Mactan, Lapu-lapu.

http://www.admu.edu.ph/offices/mirlab/panublion/r7_mactan.html

Youtube Video of Cebu :

Kalayaan Islands Group, and Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough Shoal)

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History of Kalayaan islands Group

In 1946, Vice President Elpidio Quirino reiterated that the Southern Islands, the forerunner name for Kalayaan, as part of the Philippines. In 1947, Tomas Cloma, a Filipino adventurer and a fishing magnate, discovered a group of several uninhabited and unoccupied islands/islets in the vastness of the West Philippine Sea.

On May 11, 1956, together with 40 men, Tomas Cloma and his brother Filemon took formal possession of the islands, lying some 380 miles west of the southern end of Palawan and named it “Freedom land". Four days later on May 15, 1956, Cloma issued and posted copies of his “Notice to the Whole World” on each of the islands as a decisive manifestation of unwavering claim over the territory.

Then on May 31, 1956, Tomas Cloma declared the establishment of the Free Territory of Freedomland, ten days after he sent his second representation to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, informing the latter that the territ

On July 6, 1956, Cloma declared to the whole world his claim and the establishment of a separate government for the "Free Territory of Freedomland" with its capital on Flat Island (Patag Island). His declaration was met with violent and unfriendly reactions from several neighboring countries especially the Republic of China (ROC; on Taiwan since 1949) when on September 24, 1956 it effectively garrisoned the nearby island of Itu Aba and intercepted Cloma’s men and vessels found within its immediate waters. Unable to surmount the difficulties and pressure, he ceded his claim to the Philippines for one peso.

The Spratly Archipelago or the Spratlys is the international reference to the entire archipelago wherein the Kalayaan Chain of Islands is located. In so far as claims are concerned, the People's Republic of China (PRC), the Republic of China (ROC; on Taiwan) and Vietnam claim the entire archipelago. The Philippines essentially claims only the western section of the Spratlys, which is nearest to Palawan. Malaysia occupies five reefs. Brunei claims only a reef in the southern part of the Spratlys which is still underwater.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalayaan,_Palawan

Old maps support territorial claims, including ours over Reed Bank, Kalayaan and Scarborough Shoal.

(You can enlarge the photos by double clicking your PC mouse)

Modern Charts and Maps of West Philippine Sea and Kalayaan Islands Group / Spratly Islands

Photos of Pag-asa island the main island of the Kalayaan Islands Group

Related Youtube Video

Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough shoal

The Philippines claims that as early as the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, Filipino fishermen were already using the area as a fishing ground and shelter during bad weather. In 1957, The Philippine government conducted an oceanographic survey of the area and together with the US Navy force based in then U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay in Zambales, used the area as an impact range for defense purposes.

An 8.3 meter high flag pole flying a Philippine flag was raised in 1965. A small lighthouse was also built and operated the same year. In 1992, the Philippine Navy rehabilitated the lighthouse and reported it to the International Maritime Organization for publication in the List of Lights. As of 2009, the military-maintained lighthouse is non-operational.

In 1997, The Philippines again, officially expressed its claim to Scarborough Shoal; a flag was again raised; and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources together with the University of the Philippines conducted scientific, topographic and marine studies in the shoal.[citation needed]

The Philippines bases its claim on its proximity and the principle of terra nullius, which holds that it was previously unclaimed by a sovereign state, which is also applied by the Philippines in its claims to the Spratly Islands. By virtue of the PD No.1599 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos on June 1978, the Philippines claims an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), up to 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the baselines from which their territorial sea is measured.

In 2009, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo enacted the Philippine Baselines Law of 2009 (RA 9522). The new law classifies the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal as a regime of islands under the Republic of the Philippines.

Other related postings:

Photos of Pagasa Island in the Kalayaan Islands Group - Palawan Philippines

http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2010/04/photos-of-pagasa-island-in-kalayaan.html

Kalayaan Islands Group and the Spratly Group
http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2010/04/kalayaan-islands-group-and-spratly.html

Two hours in Paradise - Pag-asa islands of the Kalayaan Islands Group
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2009/08/two-days-in-paradise-pag-asa-islands-of.html

Kalayaan Islands Group and the Spratly Islands
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2009/05/kalayaan-islands-group-and-then_26.html

South Harbor - Port of Manila, 17th June 2011

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