BRP Gregorio Velasquez now undergoing CIQ off Manila Bay

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 9): BRP Gregorio Velasquez now undergoing CIQ off Manila Bay

The country's first survey ship, BRP Gregorio Velasquez (AGR-702), is now undergoing Customs Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) off Manila Bay starting Wednesday morning.

It left Guam by June 2 and arrived in Manila Bay by 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, the PN said in a statement.

The BRP Gregorio Velasquez arrived in Guam last May 28. She left San Diego, California last April 27 after being formally transferred to the PN.

The BRP Gregorio Velasquez is commanded by Cmdr. Edwin Nera. The ship is presently manned by 30 officers and enlisted personnel.

After CIQ, the ship will then dock on Pier 13, Manila South Harbor on Friday, where she will be giving the traditional welcome ceremony, PN spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said.

Aside from helping map the country's vast maritime domains, the BRP Gregorio Velasquez (formerly the US research vessel Melville) will also help develop the PN's anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability.

"Aside from its primary mission, AGR-702 would also be a valuable platform in reviewing our anti-submarine warfare capability," he said.

Lincuna did not give specifics on this but the PN is in the process of developing its ASW capability after signing a contract to acquire two AW-159 "Wildcat" anti-submarine helicopters with AgustaWestland last March.

The contract is worth PHP5.360 billion, lower than the stated PHP5.4 billion.

These helicopters are expected to be deployed among the PN's large ships which include the two Gregorio Del Pilar-class frigates and incoming two strategic sealift vessels, of which one is expected to be delivered this month, and the BRP Gregorio Velasquez.

Lincuna said the acquisition of the latter ship 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.

She is the country's first oceanographic research vessel.

The BRP Gregorio Velasquez is being manned 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 stressed.

He said the research vessel will not only provide the PN capability for hydrographic survey but platform for inter-agency collaboration for partners in the academe and thus improve awareness of the Philippine sub-surface environment.

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=893464