Alcaraz enters Phl waters

MANILA, Philippines - After a two-month voyage from the United States, the Philippine Navy’s second frigate, BRP Ramon Alcaraz, arrived in the country yesterday morning.

Flying the Philippine flag, BRP Alcaraz was welcomed by senior Navy officials and 30 fishing boats in a “sail pass” as it entered the waters of Casiguran, Aurora.

“After almost two months of a long journey from South Carolina, we can now confidently say that she is finally home! Hurray!” Philippine Navy blogger Lieutenant Junior Grade Errol de la Cruz said as the decommissioned US Coast Guard cutter entered the Philippine area of responsibility at about 2 a.m. Friday.

Named after Philippine Navy member Ramon Alcaraz who fought alongside the US forces during World War II, the warship will be sailing from Aurora to Subic Bay in Olongapo City. It will pass by the waters of Cagayan Valley, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and La Union and a stopover in Bolinao, Pangasinan for a meeting engagement with its sister ship BRP Gregorio del Pilar.

BRP Del Pilar is also a US Coast Guard cutter that the Philippine government acquired under the US government’s defense excess article program. The Navy spent P450 million for the acquisition, refurbishment and transfer of BRP Del Pilar in 2011 and more than P600 million for BRP Alcaraz.

The scheduled meeting engagement of BRP Del Pilar and BRP Alcaraz off the coast of Bolinao town is a time-honored tradition among the navies of the world to welcome the latest addition to its fleet.

After the sea reunion off the coast of Bolinao, the two warships will be sailing through the waters between Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and mainland Zambales on their way to Subic Bay, where President Aquino and top military officials will officially welcome BRP Alcaraz on Tuesday.

Located just 124 nautical miles from mainland Zambales, Panatag shoal has been under the de facto control of China since last year.

Palace: Warship not linked to China dispute

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte yesterday said that the acquisition of BRP Alcaraz should not be linked with the territorial row with China.

She clarified that the Philippines is not thinking of matching China’s military power and the acquisition of the new warship is part of the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“The step by step upgrading that we are getting in pursuing the modernization in the military has to be done also with an eye to the other programs that we have, given that we have limitations in budget,” Valte added.

She also said it would be up to the military to discuss the capabilities of the warship.

PCG to buy French Navy ship

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is set to acquire a secondhand French Navy vessel armed with anti-aircraft weapons to aid in its search and rescue missions and offshore patrol.

PCG commandant Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena yesterday said that the French Navy ship La Tapageuse would be purchased for €6 million and is expected to arrive in the country in April 2014.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya already approved the purchase of the 54.8-meter La Tapageuse.

Isorena said that the vessel is equipped with a built-in 40-millimeter anti-aircraft gun BOFORS L60, one 20-millimeter anti-aircraft canon GIAT F2, and two 7.62-millimeter machine guns.

“This French vessel is multi-functional and it would be a major contribution to our fleet, particularly in our search and rescue operations,” Isorena added.

He also noted that while the vessel is 26 years old, it was thoroughly inspected last year and was assessed that it still has another 20 effective years of usage.

La Tapageuse will undergo dry-docking, boiler works, hull systems, propulsion engines installation, electricity generators, repaint job, electricity and electronic, hull auxiliaries and accessories and other miscellaneous works in France for the next nine months before it sails for the Philippines.

The Philippine government is also finalizing plans for the purchase from the French government of other sea assets such as four brand new 24-meter and one 82-meter multi-purpose vessels that might arrive in the Philippines in the first quarter of 2015.

The PCG chief also said that the recent visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sealed the construction of 10 multi-role patrol boats for the maritime agency.

Five of the patrol boats would be built in Japan while other vessels would be constructed by local shipbuilders in the Philippines. – With Aurea Calica, Evelyn Macairan