BRP Ramon Alcaraz off to Vietnam

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 2): BRP Ramon Alcaraz off to Vietnam

One of the Philippine Navy's (PN) latest warships, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16), along with her AW-109E naval helicopter detachment, and 300 officers and enlisted personnel left Pier 13, Manila South Harbor Friday for a port visit to Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay. which will give Filipino naval personnel a chance to interact and train with their Vietnamese counterparts.

Capt. Lued Lincuna, PN spokesperson, in an interview with the PNA, said the mission is headed by Fleet-Marine Ready Force head Commodore Albert A. Mogol.

The port visit will end on December 12. Activities include a courtesy call on the Ambassador, Region 4 Commander of the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) and Leaders of Khanh Hoa Province Committee.

There will also be PN and VPN hosted dinners/receptions, city tour, Filipino Community fellowship, ship’s tour aboard BRP Ramon Alcaraz and goodwill games with VPN.

Lincuna said the Filipino warship is expected to participate in an exercise with the VPN, practicing drills for code for unplanned encounters at Sea (CUES), communication exercise (COMMEX), Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX), and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

"These exercises will give the PN an opportunity to not only practice what might be called upon to do in any given situation, but also the chance to establish a professional relationship with our allies, making us a more capable force working together at sea," he added.

Aside from strengthening the existing ties and embarking on multiple areas of cooperation with VPN, this visit also intends to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam that transpired on July 12, 1976, following the end of the Vietnam War.

During the Cold War, Cam Ranh Bay was home to a major Soviet naval base. It has been controlled by the Vietnamese navy since the Russians withdrew in 2002, strictly restricting foreign vessels' port calls.

Since Cam Ranh Port officially opened to foreign vessels last March 8 of this year, this visit by a PN ship is the first of its kind.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=945248