R/V Melville formally turned-over to PN

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 29): R/V Melville formally turned-over to PN

The R/V Melville (AGR-702) was formally turned-over to the Philippine Navy (PN) in San Diego, California last April 26 (American time).

The ship, which was pledged to the country by US President Barack Obama during the APEC Leaders' Summit last November, was renamed the BRP Gregorio Velasquez (AGR-702).

The turnover and christening ceremonies were witnessed by Defense Undersecretary Jesus C. Millan and Philippine Fleet deputy commander Commodore Narciso A. Vingson.

Capt. Lued Lincuna, PN spokesperson, said the BRP Gregorio Velasquez will be the country's first oceanographic research vessel.

He said that the ship left San Diego, California this Friday (Philippine time) for its voyage home.

It is being handled by a crew of 50 Filipino officers and enlisted personnel who have undergone familiarization and orientation training on various systems of the ship since last March.

"Said vessel is one of the two ships pledged by the President of the United States of America, Barack H. Obama to donate to the Philippines during his visit in APEC Leader’s Summit last November 2015," Lincuna said.

Lincuna said the research vessel will not only provide the PN capability for hydrographic survey but platform forinter-agency collaboration for partners in the academe and thus improve awareness of the Philippine 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 purpose," he added.

Per policy, auxiliary research vessels are to be named after national scientists, hence her namesake, Dr. Gregorio Velasquez, a pioneer in Philippine physiology.

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.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=880913