BRP Gregorio del Pilar led Naval Task Group (NTG) 80.5 that sailed on Saturday to participate in the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) scheduled from May 11 to 19.
Capt. Donn Anthony Miraflor, NTG 80.5 commander, 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 contingent preparing for the Navy’s 119th founding annivesary there.
The naval chief of staff, Rear Adm. Allan Ferdinand V. Cusi, presided over the send-off ceremony for the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a former US Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutter, and NTG 80.5.
This International Defense and Security Engagement will be highlighted by the attendance of the Navy flag officer in command, Vice Adm. Ronald Joseph S. Mercado, at Singapore’s First International Maritime Review; International Maritime Defense Expo (Imdex) Asia 2017 and Fifth International Maritime Security Conference, which will serve as an opportunity to solicit modernization initiatives that could best benefit the Navy and the Philippines.
In addition, the Navy contingent will engage in friendly discussions and exchanges with other participants of Imdex 2017 through the Sixth WPNS Multilateral Sea Exercise; Third International Naval Engineering Conference; and Maritime Information-Sharing Exercise.