The Deputy Director of the Defense Plans/Policies and Program Division of Japan Self-Defense Force (JASDF), Colonel Yuichiro Hirai, rendered a courtesy call on the Vice Commander of the Philippine Air Force, Major General Conrado V Parra Jr AFP, on September 13, 2016 at the First Force Lounge in Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.
After the call, the 1st PAF-JASDF Airman-to-Airman (A2A) talk were conducted. The PAF provided briefings about the 505th SRG’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities, PAF Command Briefing, and updates on the West Philippine Sea. The JASDF, in return, briefed the PAF on the following: National Security Circumstances, Japan National Defense Policy, and Japan Defense Cooperation and Defense Exchange. As part of the engagement, the JASDF visited the 505th SRG facilities for HADR experience and capabilities.
The A2A talk was attended by Colonel Jeffrey C Hechanova MNSA (PAF), Assistant Chief of Air Staff (AC of AS) for Plans and Programs, A-5; Lt Col Joel A Inacay PAF (GSC), representative of the AC of As for Plans and Programs, A-3; Lt Col Ewald M Manay, representative of the AC of AS for Intelligence, A-2; Colonel Dennis G Estrella PAF (GSC), Group Commander of the 505th Search and Rescue Group; Major Jay S Baquiran PAF, of the Office of the AC of AS for Plans and Programs; and Major Louis L Leander PAF, from the Office of AC of AS for Intelligence, A-2.
The PAF-JASDF talks served as a great venue to explore and discuss the PAF-JASDF cooperation for capacity and capability building, as well as, take into consideration the crafting of terms of reference as an enabling mechanism for future engagements between the PAF and the JASDF.
The JASDF delegation was composed of two officers and one interpreter who arrived in the Philippines on September 12, 2016 for a three (3)-day International Defense and Security Engagement.
