Filipino is 2nd top man in engineering dept of U.S. guided-missile ship

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 29): Filipino is 2nd top man in engineering dept of U.S. guided-missile ship

A Filipino holds the second top post in the engineering department of guided-missile destroyer USS John McCain, one of two American warships participating in the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise in Subic Bay.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Arnold Libongco, 46, is from San Mateo, Rizal and with the United States Navy for 20 years.

He is assistant head of the engineering department that has supervision on all engines of the ship, including three engines that supply electricity to the whole ship and the combat system that manages the missiles.

Libongco is with 20 other Filipinos among 329 officers and men of the ship.

“Once a week, the ship prepares Filipino cuisine like lumpia, pansit and adobo that even many American sailors like to eat,” the chief petty officer said.

He visited his family in San Mateo only last month so he volunteered to help in the CARAT exercise.

“This is the first time I saw Philippine Navy ships. I saw how professional and industrious the sailors of the Philippine Navy," Libongco said.

He said that every time a U.S. Navy ship makes its port call in the Philippines, Filipino sailors are very eager to go home to their families.

”They cannot sleep the night before and very excited to have an opportunity to go home in their respective areas in the Philippines," he added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=657905