MANILA, Philippines — Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS Winnipeg dropped anchor in Manila on Monday (Oct. 11) for a quick goodwill visit.
The Philippines is the fourth stop out of seven port visits in Winnipeg’s four-month deployment, the embassy of Canada said in a statement.
Winnipeg is currently deployed to the Indo-Pacific region from August to December 2021 to conduct forward naval presence operations in the region and to hold naval exercises with allied nations.
“As a Pacific nation, Canada’s deployment of Winnipeg to this region is part of our contribution to making the world more secure and stable,” Canada’s ambassador to the Philippines Peter MacArthur said.
The Halifax-class frigate has 262 crew, with 11 of Filipino descent.
Winnipeg recently joined multinational naval drills with UK and US aircraft carriers, along with other warships from allied countries in the Philippine Sea.
“Operations conducted by the HMCS Winnipeg together with our allies and partners in the region, demonstrate Canada’s ongoing commitment to supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific,” MacArthur said.
The ship will leave Manila on Wednesday (Oct. 13) as it continues its deployment.