WesWorld

Again, apologies for posting "ahead of time"...blame the Menace.

********

Filipino Information, News, and Entertainment Radio
Q1/28

**********

1 January
The keel of the 'Polar Exploration Ship' Pacifica was laid down today in the Butuan shipyard. The ship, to be completed next spring, is heavily protected for icebreaking and will allow exploration and minimal explotation of our claims on the Antarctic continent.

Almirante de la Vega, attending the ceremony, publicly acknoledged for the first time the exsistance of plans for the long-rumoured 'Antarctic Battleship' to escort the Pacifica, but said the design 'is really more of an escort cruiser'.

Speaking of escort cruisers, PRS Bugsuk was also part of the activities, as she entered drydock for a complete rebuild. Virtually everything above deck will be changed, the new Skoda-Davao 210mm rifles will replace her current 8" guns, and her coal-fired boilers will be replaced by modern M.A.N.O. diesels.

8 January
It was announced today that the MdF cruiser Panay has been attached to the Indian Navy.

"We obviously have a lot of experience in tropical operations," said MdF operations chief Contre-Almirante Garcia. "But we have little or none in dryer environments. Sending Panay to As Salif will allow us to gain experience in these conditions."

10 January
The MdF revealed today that some of its ships will be taking part in a naval exercise with forces of the United States Navy this April.

Three light cruisers and six destroyers will be dispatched for the exercise, which will occur off of Hawaii. It is expected that the USN ships will be a similar force, although perhaps with the substution of a "scout carrier" for one of the cruisers.

12 January
He's Back...Capitan Antonio Azuela, who was relieved of command of the cruiser Luzon following the (quite mysterious) events of the so-called "Groundhog Day Incident" two years ago, will be returning to command a ship of the Marina de Filipinas...the oiler PRS Bambú.

The former capitan of the Bambú, Capitan de Fragata Romero Serrano, will be supervising construction of the "Polar Exploration Ship" Pacifica, and is expected to be her first Commanding Officer.

2 February
It was announced today that the Marina de Filipinas has ordered its first aircraft for operation from the aircraft carrier Sulu, currently building in India.

The order consists of 80 Mitsubishi 1MF9 fighter aircraft, which will also operate in a base-defense role.

19 February
The Skoda-Davao 210mm/53 naval rifle was accepted for service by the Marina de Filipinas today as the Model 1928. The first usage of the guns will be in the rebuild of the cruiser Bugsuk, currently underway at Butuan.

However the trials of the 180mm/53 naval rifle are not proceeding well, as the Busuanga Island artillery range saw its fourth barrel failure of this piece in as many tests.

23 February
...in political news, today marked the announcement of a new canidate for the upcoming Presidental Elections. Señor Roberto Jourdain of the Filipino Worker's Avocate Party (FWAP) will be joining acting-Presidente Piña and Señor de Varga in running for the coveted position...

8 March
The Peruvian coast-defense battleship Lima today sailed from Manila on a course for her homeland. A MdF escort was offered but declined.

13 March
It was revealed today that Generale Juan Greco, commander of the Filipino Army, was dispatched last month to speak with leaders of the "Filipino Socalist And Communist Corps" which was rumoured to be planning disturbances against the upcoming elections.

Generale Greco is quoted as saying that the talks were "extremly profitable" and that "there will be no untoward actions."

28 March
The battlecruiser Samal ran speed trials yesterday, and the reports are that at standard displacement and a 13% overload on the engines, she reached a speed of 34 knots...

(ooc: actually, that's 24,000t (a tad under standard), 20% overload, and 33.67knt, but a little propaganda goes a long way.)

Quoted

8 March
The Peruvian coast-defense battleship Lima today sailed from Manila on a course for her homeland. A MdF escort was offered but declined.

Tempting...oh this is so tempting....

Patience Anikan.....