The Philippine Navy (PN) said Sunday, Oct. 6, that the morale of its Naval Special Operations Command (NAVSOCOM) was boosted after Vice President Sara Duterte expressed her support to the unit recently.
Duterte praised the “great soldiers” of NAVSOCOM when she served as the guest of honor and speaker during the command’s 66th founding anniversary last Friday at their headquarters in Sangley Point, Cavite.
“In recent years, the Philippines succeeded in several counter terrorism operations, most prominently the Abu Sayyaf Group, with the help from the great soldiers of the Naval Special Operations Command,” Duterte said, putting the NAVSOCOM in high regards as she called them the “Filipino version” of the elite United States Navy SEALs who are experts in sea, air, and land operations.
PN acting Flag Officer in Command, Rear Adm. Caesar Bernard Valencia was elated when Duterte expressed support for the Navy’s plans to conduct future joint military exercises with other nations “to elevate the capacity of our soldiers and strengthen our defense against threats to our security.”
Last Sept. 21 to 23, the PN spearheaded the planning of the second ASEAN Multilateral Naval Exercise (AMNEX) which will be hosted by the Philippines in 2023. It will be attended by top naval officials from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
“We hope to continue to foster greatest cooperation and strengthen security ties with other nations as we maintain that the Philippines is a friend to everyone,” Duterte noted.
The NAVSOCOM is a special Navy command that covers all facets of unconventional warfare in all waters using unorthodox methods such as demolition, intelligence, and underwater operations. It is involved in various counter-terrorism operations involving the fiercest hostile forces in the country and is heavily influenced by the US Navy SEALs.
It was activated on Nov. 5, 1956 as the Underwater Operations Team. It was then placed under the Naval Operating Forces in 1964 and transferred from Manila to Sangley Point, Cavite City. On July 7, 2020, it was expanded and transformed as the NAVSOCOM.