By Francis Wakefield
After its month-long exercise in Hawaii, the Philippine Navy (PN) contingent composed of two PN vessels, BRP ANDRES BONIFACIO (FF-17) and BRP DAVAO DEL SUR (LD-602), arrived at the Apra Harbor in Guam, USA, on Wednesday morning (August 15, 2018), local time.
Philippine Navy (Photo courtesy of navy.mil.ph | Manila Bulletin)
Officials from the Philippine Consulate General in Guam headed by Consul Mark Francis C.Hamoy and party welcomed the PN contingent after its successful participation in the concluded Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The head of the contingent, Naval Task Force (NTF) 86 Commander, Captain Ernesto O. Baldovino, Deputy Commander Captain Joe Anthony Orbe, the Commanding Officers of the two naval vessels, together with selected personnel of NTF 86 paid a courtesy call to the Philippine Consul General to Guam, Consul General Mariano R. de Borja, at the latter’s Official Residence in Jonestown, Tamuning.
The four-day visit is part of the contingent’s return voyage to the Philippines. Series of activities were scheduled especially for Filipino communities residing in the area such as the PN-hosted Reception and Open Ship Tour.
The Philippine Navy continues to conduct International Defense and Security Engagement (IDSE) as part of its diplomatic role.
The Naval Affairs.Office, said the activity in Guam is one of the PN’s way of expressing patriotic pride that our Filipino community may look upon and gaining stakeholders support on the continuing efforts of the Navy towards its modernization.