BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, NTG 80.5 to participate in 50th anniversary celebrations of RSN

From the Philippine News Agency (May 7): BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, NTG 80.5 to participate in 50th anniversary celebrations of RSN

BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15) and Naval Task Group (NTG) 80.5 on Saturday sailed to participate in the 50th anniversay celebrations of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) which is scheduled from May 11 to 19th.

Capt. Donn Anthony Miraflor, NTG 80.5 head, said the theme for the RSN event is “RSN50: Maritime Nation, Maritime Force”.

After the activity, NTG 80.5 will be deployed to Sasa Wharf, Davao City to augment the Philippine Navy (PN) contingent preparing for the service's 119th founding annivesary there.

PN chief-of-staff Naval Staff Rear Admiral Allan Ferdinand V. Cusi presided over the send-off ceremony for the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, the country's first Hamilton-class cutter, and NTG 80.5.

This International Defense and Security Engagement will be highlighted by the attendance of PN flag officer-in-command Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph S. Mercado in the Singapore’s 1st International Maritime Review (IMR); International Maritime Defense Expo (IMDEX) Asia 2017; and 5th International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC) which will serve as an opportunity to solicit modernization initiatives that could best benefit the Navy and the Philippines.

Additionally, PN contingent will engage into friendly discussions and exchanges with other participants of IMDEX 2017 through 6th WPNS Multilateral Sea Exercise (WMSX); 3rd International Naval Engineering Conference (INEC); and Maritime Information-Sharing Exercise (MARISX).

Likewise, this mission will also provide training opportunity for the 35 students of the Naval Officers Basic Officers Course (NOBC) who will have the opportunity to undergo shipboard training onboard BRP Gregorio Del Pilar and visit the state-of-the art training facilities of the RSN, and also a chance to interact with the Filipino communities in Singapore.

The PN recently participated in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition last March this year.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php/articles/985593