NAVAL STATION JOSE ANDRADA, Roxas Boulevard, Manila (DWDD) – Research Vessel (R/V) Melville, a US Navy vessel, was formally turned-over to the Philippines through a Christening and Commissioning Ceremonies, and was named Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (BRP) GREGORIO VELASQUEZ (AGR-702) with the Philippine Navy (PN) contingent headed by Commo. Narciso A Vingson Jr, the Deputy Commander, Philippine Fleet and USEC Jesus C Millan, as representative of the Secretary of National Defense, in San Diego, California on April 26, 2016 (US Time)
Auxiliary General Research (AGR) 702, the PN’s first oceanographic research vessel, departed from San Diego today, April 29 (Philippine Time), for its voyage to the Philippines handled by its crew, comprised of more or less 50 PN personnel, who underwentpreparatory training for familiarization and orientation on the operation and maintenance of various equipment aboard said vessel since March this year.
Said vessel is one of the two ships pledged by the President of the United States of America, Barrack H. Obama to donate to the Philippines during his visit in APEC Leader’s Summit last November 2015.
The research vessel will not only provide us capability for hydrographic survey, it will also become a platform for interagency collaboration for partners in the academe and thus improve awareness of our sub-surface environment. Aside from its primary mission, AGR-702 would also be a valuable platform in reviewing our Anti-submarine Warfare Capability. This acquisition also aims to address the issues in terms of marine scientific researches/surveys and to gather marine scientific data beneficial to naval operations. Also, said vessel will enhance capacity and build capability to support the environmental protection efforts and exploration of the country for economic purposes.
Per policy, auxiliary research vessels are to be named after national scientists, hence her namesake, Dr. Gregorio Velasquez, a pioneer in Philippine physiology. Dr. Velasquez was elected as academician on 1978 and conferred as National Scientist on 1982. He was conferred with a Distinguished Science Medal and Diploma of Honor from the Republic of the Philippines (1956), the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship (1956-57), Men of Science, Division of Biological Sciences in1969, World’s Who’s Who in Sciences in 1970 and the Republic of the Philippines Cultural Heritage award in 1972. NPAO / MCAG
http://dwdd.com.ph/2015/51542-2/
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