BRP Ramon Alcaraz enters PH – Navy

The BRP Ramon Alcaraz is the second Hamilton-class cutter that was acquired by the Philippine Navy under the Foreign Military Sales Program of the United States. The ship was named after Philippine Navy Commodore Ramon Alcaraz, a World War II hero who commanded the Philippine Offshore Patrol’s Q-Boat Q-112 Abra which shot down three Japanese aircraft. US EMBASSY PHOTO RELEASE

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ second warship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, arrived early Thursday from an almost-two month voyage from the United States.

The warship, with 88 Navy personnel on board led by Captain Ernesto Baldovino, entered the Philippine area of responsibility past 1 a.m., Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic  told INQUIRER.net.

“It is expected to be in Casiguran, Aurora by Friday morning,” Fabic said, but declined to provide the current location of the ship for operational security purposes.

In Casiguran, BRP Ramon Alcaraz will be welcomed by local fishing vessels.

The next day (August 3), BRP Gregorio del Pilar will welcome BRP Ramon Alcaraz on Bolinao waters.

The ship is expected to anchor in Subic Bay on Sunday (August 4). A formal welcome ceremony  will be held at Alava Wharf at Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales on Tuesday (August 6).

The decommissioned US Coast Guard ship, left Charleston in South Carolina in USA last June 10. It made port stops in Mayport in Florida; San Diego in California; Hawaii and Guam.

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Country’s 2nd warship starts voyage from US to PH