Philippine Navy Gets Ready for Typhoon Pablo

With typhoon 'Pablo' threatening most of Mindanao and the Visayas, the Philippine Navy (PN) on Monday activated its "Navy Battle Staff" to closely monitor the effects of the weather disturbance and deploy available naval units to areas needing support.

Col. Omar Tonsay, PN spokesperson, said the "Navy Battle Staff" is headed by Navy vice commander Rear Admiral Edgar Abogado and chief-of-naval staff Commodore Jesus Millan.

The "Navy Battle Staff" is now doing its duty at PN headquarters in Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

Tonsay said that the formation would use to monitor areas needing PN support and assistance.

Earlier, the PN announced that all of its available naval units were placed on alert in anticipation of possible disaster response missions that may be triggered by typhoon "Pablo", including its disaster response task units (DRTUs).

Naval units in alert include Naval Forces Southern Luzon, which is based in Legazpi City, Albay and has two DRTUs and five ships in its roster -- the BRP Apollo Tiano (PG-851), BRP Gen. Antonio Luna (PG-141), BRP Simeon Castro, BRP Hilario Ruiz (PG-378), and DF-338;

Naval Forces Northern Luzon, which is based in San Fernando City, La Union with two DRTUs and three ships -- DF-317, BRP Manuel Gomez (PG-388), and BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15);

Naval Forces West, which is headquartered in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, with three DRTUs and 11 vessels in commission, namely BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS-37), BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35), BRP Rizal (PS-74), BRP Ismael Lumibao (PG-383), BRP Juan Magluyan (PG-392), BRP Federico Martir (PG-385), BRP Filipino Flojo (PG-386), DF-342, BA-484, BRP Mangyan (AS-71), and BRP Benguet (LT-507);

Naval Forces Central, based in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, which will deploy five DRTUs and eight ships -- BRP Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo (PG-140); BRP Abraham Campo (PG-396), BRP Jose Andrada (PG-370); BRP Carlos Albert (PG-375), DF-352, DF-353, DF-354, and DF-339;

Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao, which is located in Panacan, Davao City and will deploy two DRTUs and 10 ships -- BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19), BRP Iloilo (PS-32), BRP Salvador Abcede (PG-114), BU-471, BRP Enrique Jurado (PG-371), BRP Felix Apolinario (PG-395), DF-350, AT-291, BRP Teotimo Figuracion (PG-389), and DF-322.