The mystery involving air noises heard by residents of Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces for the past several days has now been solved.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines celebrated its 87th founding anniversary on Monday with the theme “Kaisa ng Sambayanan Tungo sa Mapayapa, Matatag, at Maunlad na Pilipinas.”
Rites were held at its general headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, where it highlighted some of its assets as part of its modernization program.
The military said that the Philippine Air Force‘s FA-50 jets flew above its headquarters in a high-speed opener for the pass-in review and parade of ground.
A pass-in review refers to troops marching past a reviewing party for inspection purposes.
Meanwhile, AFP said that the parade of ground was followed by fly-by contingents.
These were composed of four A-29 Super Tucano, ten SF-260, nine T-41, and three Cessna fixed-wing aircraft, followed by three Black Hawks, one B412, one S-76A, one T129 Atak, one AH-1S Cobra, three AW109, one R44, and one BO 105 comprising the rotary aircraft group.
Various military equipment was also on static display on-site, which included an AW159 anti-submarine helicopter, a T-129 Atak helicopter, a ground-based air defense system, mobile command and control vehicles, armored mortar carriers, a 155 self-propelled howitzer and a mobile kitchen.
The AFP said that the celebration aimed to highlight the military’s accomplishments and contributions to the country’s peace and security in the past year.
Several days before, residents of Metro Manila cities and some of its surrounding provinces reported hearing helicopters and other air noises generated by
“@ABSCBNNews, @gmanews, what’s up with all these planes and helicopters?” a Twitter user asked on December 15, tagging two news outlets.
“So, bakit ang daming helicopter kanina??” another Pinoy asked on the same day.
“Too many helicopter whirring sounds hovering above the past few minutes,” Manila Times columnist Noemi L. Dado tweeted on December 14.
Another Twitter user shared clips of helicopters and jets flying over Metro Manila on December 15.
“Ano meron? This is the 3rd day na may nagpa-patrolyang helicopters at fighter planes around Metro Manila. Can someone enlighten us?” he wrote before.
Ano meron? This is the 3rd day na may nagpa-patrolyang helicopters at fighter planes around Metro Manila. Can someone enlighten us? pic.twitter.com/nUdYDbbxqd
— marc (@jayaustriaa) December 14, 2022
Another rounds. pic.twitter.com/x4Ok5ENBEM
— marc (@jayaustriaa) December 15, 2022
The AFP on December 15 announced that it was preparing for its anniversary rites.
These included rehearsals that feature a fly-by of the military’s air assets over Camp Aguinaldo and in nearby areas.
A video of this was shared by DWDD AFP Radio, its official radio station.
“The AFP aims to showcase our transformation and advancement as a military organization through the display of these assets,” it said in a statement before.
