Undaunted by the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) departed to Honolulu, Hawaii on Wednesday to participate in the Rim of the Pacific 2020 (RIMPAC) exercise from August 17 to 31.
Philippine Navy Chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo served as the presiding officer and keynote speaker for the send-off ceremony of the Naval Task Group (NTG) 80.5 at the Alava Wharf in Subic, Zambales.
The Navy's brand-new warship left with an embarked Agusta Westland (AW109) naval helicopter.
Bacordo, in his speech, stressed that the Navy's participation in this year's RIMPAC amid the global health crisis signifies its "commitment in promoting multilateral cooperation leading to the strengthening of relationship and cooperation among regional and extra regional navies."
"This will boost your team training and increase your operational readiness. But all of you need to observe safety protocols. In this challenging times, it is imperative to work together, learn together and be safe together," he noted.
The Navy chief also said that the participation "marks the beginning of a new era of naval operations as we build up our capabilities for modern warfare."
BRP Jose Rizal is the first warship in the Navy's inventory that is equipped with four dimensional warfare capabilities namely anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine, and electronic warfare. It was delivered to the country by the South Korean shipbuilding company Hyundai Heavy Industries last month.
"Through RIMPAC20, our Navy will be able to simulate and test the capabilities of this newly acquired platform. This will provide FF150 a venue to test the profiency of personnel as they integrate in a wider range of operations," Bacordo said.
Meanwhile, Bacordo bared that the RIMPAC20 will be an at-sea event only.
"To ensure safety of all the contingents from different military forces, shore-based activities are minimized," he said.
Further, the participating contingent led by Captain Jerry Garrido Jr., commanding officer of the BRP Jose Rizal, underwent "rigorous" health and safety protocols prior to boarding the vessel to ensure their safety ahead of the naval exercise.
The RIMPAC is a biennial naval exercise hosted by the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet.
It is geared towards "building trust and partnership with other navies, understanding the capabilities of other navies and enhancing inter-operability."