The Philippine Navy’s (PN) offshore patrol vessel, BRP Andres Bonifacio, is heading back to Manila after participating in the Indonesian naval exercise dubbed “Komodo” which was being held yearly somewhere in the waters between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean.
Meanwhile, the Chinese naval training ship Qi Jiguang will dock in Manila on June 14 for a “goodwill port visit.”
The Philippine warship was specifically tasked to conduct a simulated rescue operation during the closing stage of the Komodo.
“The event is composed of the multinational photo exercise, maritime interdiction operation, and search and rescue exercise, wherein BRP Andres Bonifacio was designated to recover and provide assistance to a simulated person in distress at sea,” Naval Task Group 80.5 public affairs office chief Lt. Jonathan Carretas said in a statement..
These year’s drill was held in the waters of Makassar, Indonesia.
Carretas said the whole-day activity ended with the traditional passing exercise initiated by the Indonesian Navy missile corvette KRI Sultan Hasanuddin.
“(This was done) as a gesture of gratitude for the PN’s participation as well as to convey their wish for a safe voyage back to the Philippines,” Carretas said, adding that 193 PN personnel were deployed for the “Komodo.”
Naval Task Group 80.5 chief Comdr. Paul Michael Hechanova, returned the gesture with a congratulatory message for the successful conduct of this year’s “Komodo” naval exercises.
He also conveyed the enduring commitment of the PN to build a safe, secure, and prosperous maritime domain for all.
“Komodo” is a military exercise by the Indonesian Navy and is annually held between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The first iteration of the naval exercise took place in 2014 in Indonesia’s Batam City.
This year’s exercises took place from June 4 to 8. The BRP Andres Bonifacio left Naval Operating Base Subic last May 29 to participate in these naval drills.
“Komodo” emphasized military operations other than war with navies responding to natural disasters, humanitarian assistance, and maritime threats.
“The exercise had for its theme ‘Partnership to Recover and To Rise Stronger’ to promote the spirit of collective awakening from the Covid-19 pandemic and increase friendship among countries for a better future,” Carretas said.
According to the Chinese Embassy in Manila, their training vessel Qi Jiguang has left
Brunei where it conducted in-depth exchanges and environmental protection activities with the Royal Brunei Navy.
“This is a Chinese PLA Naval training ship for a goodwill port visit to Manila. It has paid visit to Vietnam, Thailand and Brunei before the Philippines,” the embassy said.
The vessel is 163 meters long, 22 meters wide, has a full load displacement of more than 9,000 tons, and has a maximum speed of 22 knots, which can meet the requirements for wind resistance of grade 12.
The port call also coincides with the 48th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations and 22nd anniversary of China-Philippines Friendship.
In another statement, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian reiterated Beijing’s commitment to forge stronger relations with Manila and hoped for more opportunities of bilateral cooperation.
“Today, June 9, we commemorate the 48th anniversary of the formal diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines and the 22nd celebration of China-Philippine Friendship Day. Thank you to all our Filipino friends for being part of our centuries-long friendship and ever-growing cooperation in many areas,” the statement read.
“From trade, business, agriculture, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and more, we have witnessed our bilateral ties thrive and open up more opportunities for our countries and peoples,” it added.