House Bill No. 6658 Airsoft are considered REAL FIREARMS

source: Fallujah

At the Congressional Hearing yesterday before the Committee on Public Order and Safety, we were invited along with all other stakeholders in the firearms industry and business to comment on House Bill No. 6658 introduced by Reps. Pedro P. Romualdo (lone district Camiguin) and Antonio V. Cuenco (Cebu). On our part, we prepared a lengthy position paper commenting on the flawed provisions of HB No. 6658 and were prepared for an oral discussion and questioning. Much to our dismay, none of the invited public or resource persons were allowed to speak or participate, as is the usual procedure in committee hearings before the House. Instead Congressman Chairman Rodolfo W. Antonino (Nueva Ecija) simply allowed a few short (irrelevant) comments from some committee members (who knew nothing about the bill) totalling about 20 minutes, then they moved to, and voted for, approval of the bill over our protestations.

Later that evening, I texted another congressman from that committee as to why it happened that way, he said, "That's a Malacanang-backed bill. The Office of the President made direct contact with the congressmen (not him) to approve that bill". Grrr..!

So now Malacanang, thru its dwarf President who is guilty of ordering and/or approving the extrajudicial killings and abductions of hundreds activists and journalists, is not hypocritically enact measures that would effectively disarm the general population and deprive us of our right to defend ourselves.

Consider the following provisions of HB 6658:

1. Airsoft guns and all gas, spring operated pistols and rifles are now classified as TRUE FIREARMS, requiring licensing and Permit to carry just like regular firearms!

2. If you are in a group and one of you is caught with a firearm or part thereof (with or without your knowledge) ALL OF YOU will be presumed to be in illegal possession of firearms, and shall be accordingly all charged.

3. Penalties have been hugely INCREASED to Life Imprisonment for illegal possession and/or manufacture of firearms or light weapons, or 6-18 years for ammunition. "Ammunition" is defined, among others, to include BLANK AMMUNITION, and NOXIOUS LIQUID AND GAS??!!

4. "Light weapons" are now defined and prohibited, which includes any weapon capable of holding a DRUM magazine, which would include practically all semi-auto rifles, including rimfire 22's.

5. The crime of illegal possession of firearms shall now be considered as a SEPARATE AND DISTINCT penalty if any other crime is commmitted in the same act. So you could be charged TWICE for the same act and be slapped with TWO PENALTIES.

This bill is now being fast-tracked thru the congress for approval by GMA before Congress ends and her term expires next year. Of course, we in PROGUN and UAA are doing our best to make sure that we block this Bill in the House and the Senate. We, however, cannot do it alone without the support of YOU the thousands of legitimate and responsible gun owners and airsofters who value our freedom and civil rights. We are thus appealing for your help in this noble endeavor of preserving our shooting sports.

BTW These Congressmen are CHA CHA Congressmen. You can find them here in this link just Cntrl F and write their family name.
http://filipinowriter.multiply.com/photos/album/84/Photos_of_Congressmen_who_Signed_Con-***_HR_1109

Corruption and Airsoft

Well, one little anecdote. When i was in Mang Lumings Last, there was a guy asking mang lito if he could make a "receipt". Since Mang lito normal issues receipt, by what the guy meant was "Patong" or Padded Amounts which Lito pointed out quite plainly. He said (in tagalog), if the guy wanted to padded go a head and make a fake reciept but he won't involve himself in tha matter.

Understanding how Mang Luming's earn their money (which you can forensically guess if you know enough about retail), he makes it in pure bulk. He doesnt need nor really need to get involved with padded earnings. He's the dominant supplier because he can make the costs everyone wants and his business is simply that. These people who buy from him, get BDUs at roughly 1/3 because of bulk and standard fit (Php1,000 each but around 10-20 pieces). Padding it is none-of-his business and would invite inquiry because of the pragmatic vigilance from the kind of customers he attracts.

He sells bdus at Php1400, but that is because he's not really a retailer and the costs add up because of risk, inventory and sales time. of course if your a regular, you can get the whole set plus boonie hat at 1300. of course, you have to be a regular, and shouldnt be presumptious on getting that discount unless your buying a whole ton of stuff (spending around Php2500+).

Just an anecdote to share and forget about.

Cheap@$$ gear Part 1

This month's airsoft expenses.
A New BDU for the upcoming Kami Wars. Our team will be using Cadpat as our other woodland styled fatigues.










These safety gogles were from Vincent's (in St. Francis square beside Mega Mall) for P400. 400fps protection, My only complaint was that it pinned my nose bridge and I had to wear a special lower face half to correct that.






Balaclava Php40 from Mang Luming's, feels like swimming trunks fabric.










New Boots for Php650 from Mang Lumings (the Supplier of most other Airsoft Shops).
Qualities You can bend the toe part comfortably. Meaning he toe section should be of a flexible leather (Not the hard ones which are meant for "dress" attire and not for real action).
Use Ladder Lacing it uses up the lace well and gives great support.












The Combat Shovel was another expense, Php160 at vincent's. I've had problems with certain sites where we keep getting tangled over by the foilage. I plan to remedy that and save some effort "Bush-whacking" with this game friendly devices.

As actually using for a shovel, I probably never need it until a real emergency

Lets Start with Gear and You

I've been weighing my self and my gear separately in order to calculate maximum effective encumbrance. I know some people may be turned off by this but consider the possible injuries you may prevent, the additional calorie burn with the added mass, maximizing mobility and balance, and of course the power that comes of knowing you equipment intimately.

So that you can get a basic reference: conveniently I'm 5'9.5 at 160lbs (almost exactly medium build).

Lets begin with my favored Gear configuration

• BDU (Cotton Ripstopping Heavy Fabric) Php1400; 4lbs
• ALICE (empty; Y-Suspenders, Pistol Belt, 4 magazine pouches, 1 water pouch) Php640; 4lbs
• Shoes (Hiking Hi-top) Php500; 3lbs
• Gun (JG-0512T Ak Tactical, minimalist config) Php4,350; 6lbs
• 4 AK 600rnd Magazines Php 850; 4lbs
• Protective Gear (Wire-mesh mask, knee and elbow pads) Php650 2lbs
  
• Clothes (Shirt, Undies, Soccer Socks, Balaklava Suspenders) 1lbs

total weight 24lbs!
Consider this:

Try to hold 20lbs with just one hand or both of them; then try to run with that?
Then grab a backpack and carry that same weight and run around?

You will notice there is a big difference in your balance and your ability to move. In a combat situation, the ideal movement is fast and smooth. What we mean by smooth is that the movement doesn't have complicating factors that affect the predictability of its result. Snagging, the half second needed to correct balance, and the strength needed to quickly change direction are all affected by how you arrange your gear. If you look carefully at how you spend your time in a game, The fastest thing to add up is what is lost in the In-efficiency of movement.

Since inefficiency from gear problems is equal to Frequency x Inconvenience, In Game days that run for 4 hours, this adds up Very Quickly. That pouch that takes you 5 seconds to get ready is 5 seconds lost when you find yourself in a situation that I call Need&Have (Better to Have and not Need ; Than to Need and not Have). Consider this also, you will be playing this hobby, trying to get as much Satisfaction as possible and Time is a factor that affects your total satisfaction in the end of the day, month or year.

Of all the times I was being told to take care of my gear in ROTC and in CAT, it was only NOW I understand why. The problem between then and now is that I had something I could DO with my gear instead of just marching around. Working on something that will never happen is a "Brilliant" way to screw up the Work. In airsoft, your working to get better at the game and hone a skill you associate with pride to your own self-image (in other words, your Motivated).

Knowing your gear quite intimately, is part of mastering any skill. As you observe it and reflect on your playing style and self image one realizes the Uncertainties that spring up with concern of the gears performance.

Will that hold? Will it Tear? Will it Snag? Will I break it by accident? Should I arrange my gear so that I can go prone? (a matter if you chose to put stuff in your front torso) Should I get the more durable and expensive one because I tend to play rough? Will this make me lose valuable seconds?

Mastery of the Gear is much easier to instill when there is a goal (unlike ROTC and CAT). Honestly, would anyone ever care if they didn't have a reason to care? Yeah try selling "nationalist" pride and "grades" to someone who has to wake up at 4-5am to do march and drill up to 3pm on a Saturday!

Gear Load out and Balance. I've mentioned the importance of arranging gear to optimally distribute weight. Another aspect of this is injury prevention. Particularly concerning cramps. The athletic demands of a combat game where anything can go, means we might be jumping over low obstacles, pulling ourselves out of our previous positions, and basically using a BUNCh of muscles that we don't use and didn't build up any strength for. In our desktop activities keep alot of muscles inert and inert muscles are attrophying muscles (to a very minute degree). You will find many of the strength feats, even just standing up too quickly calling on muscles that never needed to stand up as quickly for months.

Poorly placed gear, like gear that stresses the back in the other hand, even if the gear is well placed but the muscles that make up that part of the body is not well toned or conditioned will certainly lead to injury.

Begin with the basic set of movements you find in the game. Prone to Standing while holding a gun is a typical army excersize that will enlighten you WHY they do it. Then try Standing to Prone very quickly (Ouch!) thats what knee and elbow pads are for by the way. I know some people see it as too much trouble but whe I started using them I realized I can just literally Fall prone (which is very fast) because of the protection it grants. Remember the Idea is to excerise muscles you may not find in regular use during the week, find out what they are, build up their strength, and know not just your gear but your bodys range of movement.

Calories Burn: Work is equal to (Mass x Movement) over time. The more work, the more calories we burn. Pacing yourself is important, as well as the fitness aspect of Airsoft. Carrying at least 24lbs of gear into a 15 min game with all muscles tense and at the ready will burn more calories than one would think. The tense muscle readiness already simulates toning excersizes and the weights add to "resitance". Elbow and Knee Pads also add resistance to joints as well as the BDU clining securely in many contact points around the body. Don't forget maintaining an eleveated heart rate for the duration of the 15min game is already 1 full days work out already.

Since you burn so much energy so quickly in airsoft, an experience of many newbies on their first time on the field, pacing and endurance are two factors that affect your overall satisfaction in the game. You would want to learn both. You want to maximize enjoyment, thus you want to play longer to enjoy the game more. Focusing in endurance means you have to red-line every time, not good and not healthy since you might have other health problems even you wouldnt know about until you push too hard too often. Gradation towards red lining is advised so that you can sense problems early enough to give warning and take preventive measures. Who wants to take an injury and be out of commision for weeks or months. There goes all that money!


Although you may never get your girlfriend or wife to get into Airsoft for the excerise at least your trimming up for her.

And finally. If your cheap resist that urge to buy that new gun or accessory, before you thoroughly evaluate what you need. Take the time to fix your own gear. Customize it, or Reinforce it from breaking, conduct some repairs and preventive maintenance. Write it all down so that if you realize something "brilliant" make sure you don't forget it. After a while all that adds up to make you a better player.




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