BRP Ramon Alcaraz, 300 naval personnel safely home after Vietnam visit

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 12): BRP Ramon Alcaraz, 300 naval personnel safely home after Vietnam visit

The BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16) is now safely home after its successful port visit to Camh Ranh Bay where its officers and enlisted personnel interacted successfully with the Vietnam People's Navy (VPN).

Capt. Lued Lincuna, Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson, said the ship arrived 10 a.m. Monday at Pier 13 of the Manila South Harbor.

The visit started Dec. 2 and ended on the 12th.

Aside from the ship's officers and crew, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz also carried members of Naval Task Group 80.5 headed by Capt. Dennis Rommel Quines and members of the AW-109 helicopter detachment.

Also aboard were surface warfare students, a medical team from the Cavite Naval Hospital, Naval Special Operations Team, Submarine Group, Naval Combat Engineering Brigade Combo and representatives from the Support Base Facilities of Naval Installation Command.

All-in-all, 300 Filipino personnel participated in BRP Ramon Alcaraz's port visit, Lincuna said.

"During the port visit, the head of mission, Commodore Albert A Mogol, together with Capt. Dennis Rommel Quines, and the commanding officer of FF16, Cmdr. Jeff Rene Nadugo, paid a courtesy call to the Commander of Naval Region 4, Vietnam People’s Navy and the Leader of Khanh Hoa Province Committee in Nah Trang to engage in a dialogue and establish strategic partnership on maritime security and sustain a mutual respect and cooperation," Lincuna said.

He added the visit also provided training opportunity for 20 students of Surface Warfare Commanders Course to be able to have a friendly exchange of knowledge with VPN officers and to expose themselves on good seamanship.

"The port visit was a bilateral engagement between the PN and the VPN’s to strengthen alliance and commitment towards peace and stability in the maritime region by promoting naval diplomacy, camaraderie and fostering goodwill. During the port visit, series of events were conducted such as combined planning for Passing exercise (PASSEX) to enhance the interoperability between the two navies, goodwill games, city tour and social interaction," Lincuna said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=947744