Fil-Am commander of US warship makes goodwill visit to Philippines

Two US Battleships arrived in the Philippines earlier in the week for a goodwill visit, as regional tension continues to rise over the much disputed Spratly Islands.

The USS Wayne E. Meyer, a guided missile destroyer battleship, arrived in Manila for a port visit on January 29 and the USS Chafee docked in Cebu City in the Visayas in Central Philippines.

“USS Wayne E. Meyer and USS Chafee are here to engage with their counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and perform Community Relations Projects, as well as allowing the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation,” the US Embassy in Manila said in a statement.

“These goodwill visits highlight the strong historic, community, and military connections between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines,” the statement added.

China and the Philippines as well as other Southeast Asian countries have been in a convoluted dispute over the Spratly Islands located in the West Philippine Sea, also known as the South China Sea.

Fil-Am commander comes home

For Leopoldo Albea Jr., a commanding officer of the Wayne E. Meyer, visiting the Philippines has special meaning.

Before his father embarked on a stellar 28-year Naval career, Leopoldo Albea Sr. was the son of a meager fisherman from Bicol. Enlisting as a steward in the US Navy in the early 1960’s, Albea Sr. rose through the ranks to Command Master Chief before retiring in 1992.

“For me, stopping in the Philippines is like coming full circle,” said Albea Jr. to the Commander US 7th Fleet News. “It was with a deep sense of pride that my father left this country to start a career in the United States Navy, and today I also feel that deep sense of pride as Filipino-American returning in command of USS Wayne E. Meyer.”

Albea Jr. was born and raised in Oxnard. He immediately took to his father and followed his path. He attended Annapolis Naval Academy, graduating in 1993. This is his 19th year in the Navy.

Spratly Islands

The islands are believed to be full of natural resources like oil and natural gas.

China has laid territorial claim citing the country’s historical presence in the region dating back to the Han Dynasty in 2nd century BC. Meanwhile, the Philippines has made geographical claims over the Spratlys because of the islands close proximity to the nation. The RP government cites the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, saying the islands are within the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.

Other countries that lay claim to the islands for various reasons include Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam.

For the past year, regional tensions have escalated as China is alleged to be increasing their military presence in the area. Last May, the Philippines accused China of entering its waters around the Spratly Islands and have sought help from the US government.

The US has asked for all parties involved to resolve the dispute in a peaceful and multilateral way.