Gregorio Del Pilar-class frigates also useful in humanitarian, disaster relief missions

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 25): Gregorio Del Pilar-class frigates also useful in humanitarian, disaster relief missions

Aside from their territorial patrol missions, the three Gregorio Del Pilar-class frigates (former the Hamilton-class cutters of the US Coast Guard) also can play a valuable role in the Philippine Navy's humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.

"The Hamilton-class cutters are a good platform for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations considering her size, equipment, and speed," PN spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said in an interview with the PNA.

A Hamilton-class cutter/Del Pilar-class frigates weighs 3,250 tons, has a length of 378 feet, beam of 43 feet, and draft of 15 feet.

In fact, one of the three ships in the class, BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16) was deployed to carry 200 tons of emergency supplies and relief goods to Yolanda-hit Tacloban City shortly after her commissioning in Nov. 22, 2013.

Her other sisters, the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15) and acquired on Dec. 14, 2011 and the newly-arrived BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF-17) which was commissioned last Dec. 9, are all capable of doing such missions if needed.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=950817