PH Navy ship to make 5-day port visit to Vietnam

This photo taken on June 7, 2014 shows the Philippine Navy frigate BRP Ramon Alacraz anchored at the mouth of the South China Sea in Ulugan Bay off Puerto Princesa on Palawan island. AFP

A Philippine Navy ship was sent off on Friday to make a five-day port visit to Vietnam.

BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16) with helicopter Agusta Westland 109 were sent off by Navy chief Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado at South Harbor in Manila.

The ship with more or less 300 Philippine Navy personnel onboard will make a port visit to Cam Ranh from Dec. 2 to 12. Aside from the crew, surface warfare students, medical team, Naval Special Operations Team and other port visit directorate members will join the visit. The mission team is headed by Commodore Albert Mogol, commander of Fleet-Marine Ready Force.

Some of the activities during the visit include drills for unplanned encounters at sea, maneuvers and communication exercise, search and rescue exercise, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

“These exercises will give us an opportunity to not only practice what might be called upon to do in any given situation, but also the chance to establish a professional relationship with our allies, making us a more capable force working together at sea,” said Navy public affairs chief Captain Lued Lincuna.

The two navies will also hold another activity in Pugad Island or Southwest Cay in the South China Sea before the year ends.