The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported on Tuesday the successful completion of its rotation and resupply (RoRe) mission to nine island features in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
In a recent briefing, Philippine Navy Spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad stated that the RoRe missions, conducted from December 3 to 14, were executed by the AFP’s Western Command utilizing various assets from its naval units.
“We use a different mix of assets considering that we targeted the nine different features, nine island detachments of the AFP,” Trinidad said.
“There were no untoward incidents monitored. However, there were two Chinese Coast Guard and two PLA Navy ships in the vicinity,” he added.
Trinidad noted that the main focus of the recent RoRe was to deliver Noche Buena packages to Philippine troops stationed in the WPS.
“The highlight of the RoRe was the delivery of the Noche Buena packages to our troops; their morale is high. I want to tell our countrymen that your soldiers perform our mandate without any fanfare—over sea, land, or air. This is our offering to our fellow citizens,” he added.
Trinidad said they conducted the RoRe missions in the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, Lawak (Nanshan) Island, Parola (Northeast Cay) Island, Patag (Flat) Island, Kota (Loaita) Island, Rizal (Commodore) Reef, Likas (West York) Island, and Panata (Lankiam Cay) Island.
From January 1 to December 16, he said the Philippine Navy conducted more than 300 maritime sovereignty and surveillance patrol missions in the West Philippine Sea, more than 100 air surveillance flights, and more than 60 RoRe missions in the nine island fissures.
The Department of National Defense (DND) on Tuesday welcomed the ratification of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between the Philippines and Japan.
In a statement, DND Spokesperson Asec Arsenio Andolong said that the RAA will heighten Philippine defense and security cooperation with Japan, and enhance the interoperability between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan through the conduct of more in-depth practical cooperative activities/exercises.
“We extend our gratitude to His Excellency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., and our esteemed Senators led by Senate President Francis Escudero, Majority Floor Leader Senator Francis Tolentino and Foreign Relations Chairperson Senator Imee Marcos for ensuring the realization of this landmark Agreement.” he said.
The RAA is set to be approved by the Japanese government’s National Diet, in accordance with Japan’s domestic legal process, to render it valid and binding upon both our countries.
“We look forward to the implementation of the RAA, which will enable our militaries to expand our defense cooperation and build trust and confidence amongst each other amid shared security challenges.” He added.
The DND reiterated that pursuing collaborative partnerships with like-minded nations is essential as we continue to fortify our own defense capabilities.
The RAA with Japan is a testament to the Philippines’ unequivocal commitment to peace, security, and stability of the Indo-Pacific region, according to DND.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “AFP provides Noche Buena packs to Filipino troops via RoRe mission.”
