BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PS-15) - ex-USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715)

[adroth]

Background on how the FF-15 acquisition was funded.

President ‘very strict’ about Malampaya Fund, now P130B
By: Michael Lim Ubac - Day Desk Chief / @umichaelNQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 01:22 AM September 21, 2013

The Malampaya Fund’s current balance stands at P130 billion, and President Benigno Aquino III spent only P15 billion from the fund in 2011 and 2012 “for energy-related projects including the purchase, refurbishment and transport of a US Coast Guard cutter,” Malacañang said Friday.

The Palace justified the use of Malampaya funds for the ship renamed BRP Gregorio del Pilar as it will be used to secure our energy resources in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Unlike the Arroyo administration, Mr. Aquino’s government did not dip into the fund and spend the money for purposes other than what was provided by Presidential Decree No. 910 of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

The Marcos-era decree provides that royalties and proceeds from the exploitation of energy resources should form part of a special fund to finance energy development projects of the government.

< Edited >

“There have been 10 projects funded, sourced from the Malampaya Fund since the President took over on June 30, 2010,” said Valte.

But presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda admitted in a previous interview that Mr. Aquino had tapped into the fund to pay for the P423-million refurbishment of the US Coast Guard Hamilton Class cutter that the government acquired from the United States in 2011. The vessel has now been renamed the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, one of only two warships that the country owns.

He justified the use of Malampaya money because the refurbished Gregorio del Pilar was to be used “to secure our energy resources” in the West Philippine Sea.

“So we have been very studious and judicious in the use of the Malampaya (Fund),” Lacierda said.

< Edited >

In 2012, the Aquino government tapped the fund for two programs: the Barangay Line Enhancement and Sitio Electri fication Projects, P1.108 billion; and for the transfer, dry-docking and periodic hull maintenance costs of one weather high-endurance cutter class vessel, P880.6 million.



Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/491851/president-very-strict-about-malampaya-fund-now-p130b#ixzz5KdLAhabo

[adroth]

Sail-by of the Malampaya Oil Field in 2013. Photo c/o of the Philippine Navy

[adroth]

When Goyo first arrived in Philippine territory from CONUS

[Manokski]

News of the event is starting to filter out.  No news on the state of the ship and its crew.

[tagalacion]

BRP Gregorio del Pilar, sumadsad sa Hasa-Hasa Shoal

MAYNILA (UPDATED) - Sumadsad ang BRP Gregorio del Pilar, ang flagship ng Philippine Navy, sa Hasa-Hasa Shoal sa Spratly Islands, West Philippine Sea nitong Miyerkoles.

Ayon sa Western Command, nagsasagawa ng patrol ang barko na patungo sa Ulugan Bay, Palawan nang mangyari ang insidente.

Walang nasaktan sa insidente, ayon kay Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato, chief ng Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs.

PH Navy flagship runs aground in West PH Sea

The Philippine Navy’s flagship has ran aground near Hasa-Hasa Shoal while on routine patrol in the West Philippine Sea, the military said Thursday night.

...

While there were no casualties, it is still unclear how badly the vessel was damaged.

[Manokski]

"A military report seen by The Associated Press said the propellers of the frigate, which has more than 100 crewmembers, were damaged by the grounding. The crew checked the frigate after it ran aground and found it was not taking in water."

Read more here: https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article217576730.html#storylink=cpy

[adroth]

RETRIEVAL OPERATIONS |  PN ship ran aground in West PH Sea
Posted by Alvin Santiago on August 30, 2018 at 9:51 AM

http://dwdd.com.ph/2018/08/30/reyrieval-operations-pn-ship-ran-aground-in-west-ph-sea/


PUERTO PRINSESA, Palawan (DWDD) – A Gregorio Del Pilar Class cutter of the Philippine Navy ran aground at the vicinity 2 Nautical Miles, North-North East Off Hasa-Hasa Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

According to reports reaching the AFP Western Command, BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF15) ran aground around 4:39 in the morning of August 29, off Hasa-Hasa Shoal.

Team WESCOM has alerted floating assets of this command for rescue operations.

They have also convened the battle staff at WESCOM Command Operations Center to map out the next plan of actions, while directing a Navy NOMAD 87 to conduct aerial reconnaissance within the vicinity of FF15. WESCOM / MCAG

[baybum7]

Not sure if this is the photo of the incident, but below was the description provided as well:



PH Navy flagship BRP Gregorio del Pilar (FF-15) runs aground near Hasa Hasa Shoal (Half Moon Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) on Wednesday, Aug. 29./ CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Read more: Source - Inquirer

[adroth]

Location of Hasa Hasa Shoal / Half Moon Shoal

[Invictus]

Navy frigate grounded in Hasa-Hasa Shoal: DND chief
By Priam Nepomuceno  August 31, 2018, 9:25 am

MANILA -- Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday confirmed that Navy flagship, the 3,250 gross ton BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15) ran aground on Wednesday in Hasa-Hasa Shoal (international name Half Moon) which lies 65 nautical miles off west of Balabac, Palawan.

He added that the Philippine Navy (PN) is still assessing the damage sustained by the frigate before towing it clear.

"That is true (grounding of BRP Gregorio Del Pilar in Hasa-Hasa Shoal) It is still there and the Navy is still assessing damage before pulling it out," Lorenzana said in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

The ship is one of three Hamilton-class cutters acquired by the PN from the United States Coard Guard and converted into frigates.

These ships have a gross tonnage of 3,250 tons, a length of 378 feet, beam of 43 feet, and draft of 15 feet while its propulsion systems consist of two diesel engines and two gas turbine engines, giving it a top speed of 29 knots.

These vessels have a cruising range of 14,000 miles and has a sea and loiter time of 45 days and armed with a 76mm Oto Melara automatic cannon, 25mm and 20mm light cannons and .50 caliber machine guns.

Col. Noel Detoyato, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief, said, “All afloat vessels in the Western Command area have already been mobilized to conduct assessment, retrieve the aground vessel and return her to safe harbor, and assist all personnel aboard BRP Del Pilar.”

Other assets from nearby AFP installations are also on standby for any contingency, he added.

Initial reports showed that none of the personnel on board have been hurt due to the incident.

"An investigation is expected in such situations to find out the possible causes of the grounding and to come up with steps to ensure that similar incidents will be prevented," Detoyato added. (PNA)

[Invictus]

BRP Gregorio Del Pilar still operational despite grounding: AFP
By Priam Nepomuceno  August 31, 2018, 1:49 pm

MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has assured that the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, one of the Philippine Navy's largest warships, is still operational after it sustained minimal damage when it ran aground in the vicinity of the Hasa-hasa Shoal in Palawan Wednesday night.

The impact did not cause any heavy damage to the ship's hull, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said Friday.

"Damage to the hull is very minimal," Detoyato said, adding that the starboard or right propeller sustained damage due to the grounding.

He, however, maintained that the port or left propeller and engines remained intact.

Detoyato said two tugboats from Batangas have already been deployed to aid in the recovery of the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, with one leaving Thursday afternoon and another later on Friday.

These small craft are expected to reach the grounded frigate in two days and will be used in removing it. The grounding site is being secured by other naval assets in the area.

The ship is one of three Hamilton-class cutters acquired by the PN from the United States Coast Guard and converted into frigates.

These ships have a gross tonnage of 3,250 tons, a length of 378 feet, beam of 43 feet, and draft of 15 feet while its propulsion systems consist of two diesel engines and two gas turbine engines, giving it a top speed of 29 knots. They have a cruising range of 14,000 miles and a sea and loiter time of 45 days. They are armed with a 76-mm. Oto Melara automatic cannon, 25-mm. and 20-mm. light cannons, and .50 caliber machineguns.

"An investigation is expected in such situations to find out the possible causes of the grounding and to come up with steps to ensure that similar incidents will be prevented," Detoyato said. (PNA)

[sbhntr]

Had that déjà vu feeling.....plan frig dongguan (july 2012).

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/NG21Ae01.html

[tagalacion]

I knew this was coming.

Lorenzana backtracks on Russian submarines

“The congressman is correct that a submarine is very expensive. In the first place, the capital outlay is already very expensive. To maintain it is also very expensive. To man it, you need two sets of crews that will alternate in manning the submarine,” Lorenzana said.

PH cautioned on plans to buy submarines

“It could suck up resources badly needed for modernization elsewhere, with the added risk that it would not end up delivering the desired deterrent capability,” he said.

On Wednesday night, the Philippine Navy’s flagship BRP Gregorio del Pilar (FF-15), a former US Coast Guard Cutter, ran aground while on a routine mission in the West Philippine Sea.

All I can say is 'wow'!  What a coincidence!  How many times has GDP patrolled that shoal since 2013?  And they happen to run aground now just when the PN needed all the credibility boost it can get - what with everyone questioning its ability to operate submarines?

And now, less than 48 hours after the incident, SND is singing a different tune wrt submarines and the media is already playing up the incompetence angle to question the plan to get submarines.

The GDP skipper's career better be sunk from here on out because he just did his country and his navy a massive disservice.

[adroth]

I knew this was coming.

Lorenzana backtracks on Russian submarines

“The congressman is correct that a submarine is very expensive. In the first place, the capital outlay is already very expensive. To maintain it is also very expensive. To man it, you need two sets of crews that will alternate in manning the submarine,” Lorenzana said.

PH cautioned on plans to buy submarines

“It could suck up resources badly needed for modernization elsewhere, with the added risk that it would not end up delivering the desired deterrent capability,” he said.

On Wednesday night, the Philippine Navy’s flagship BRP Gregorio del Pilar (FF-15), a former US Coast Guard Cutter, ran aground while on a routine mission in the West Philippine Sea.

All I can say is 'wow'!  What a coincidence!  How many times has GDP patrolled that shoal since 2013?  And they happen to run aground now just when the PN needed all the credibility boost it can get - what with everyone questioning its ability to operate submarines?

And now, less than 48 hours after the incident, SND is singing a different tune wrt submarines and the media is already playing up the incompetence angle to question the plan to get submarines.

The GDP skipper's career better be sunk from here on out because he just did his country and his navy a massive disservice.

The push for submarines was never going to be something that would be completed overnight. It was a long term project that was simply given more attention than normal . . . and the press ran with it.

Headlines that label the SND's position as "backtracking" betrays a lack of understanding of the nature of the submarine study.

What is clear is that:

Submarines have been on the PN's radar (or should I say, Sonar) since, at the very least, the Estrada administration (See here: http://defenseph.net/drp/index.php?topic=1125.0)
The PN submarine office exists
The submarine office has been funded sufficiently to have PN officers take a serious look at its options

[adroth]

BRP Gregorio Del Pilar still operational despite grounding: AFP
By Priam Nepomuceno  August 31, 2018, 1:49 pm

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1046548

MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has assured that the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, one of the Philippine Navy's largest warships, is still operational after it sustained minimal damage when it ran aground in the vicinity of the Hasa-hasa Shoal in Palawan Wednesday night.

The impact did not cause any heavy damage to the ship's hull, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said Friday.

"Damage to the hull is very minimal," Detoyato said, adding that the starboard or right propeller sustained damage due to the grounding.

He, however, maintained that the port or left propeller and engines remained intact.

Detoyato said two tugboats from Batangas have already been deployed to aid in the recovery of the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, with one leaving Thursday afternoon and another later on Friday.

These small craft are expected to reach the grounded frigate in two days and will be used in removing it. The grounding site is being secured by other naval assets in the area.

The ship is one of three Hamilton-class cutters acquired by the PN from the United States Coast Guard and converted into frigates.

These ships have a gross tonnage of 3,250 tons, a length of 378 feet, beam of 43 feet, and draft of 15 feet while its propulsion systems consist of two diesel engines and two gas turbine engines, giving it a top speed of 29 knots. They have a cruising range of 14,000 miles and a sea and loiter time of 45 days. They are armed with a 76-mm. Oto Melara automatic cannon, 25-mm. and 20-mm. light cannons, and .50 caliber machineguns.

"An investigation is expected in such situations to find out the possible causes of the grounding and to come up with steps to ensure that similar incidents will be prevented," Detoyato said. (PNA)