The Philippine contingents to Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise visited Guam as part of their voyage back to the country.

Commander Jonathan Zata, Philippine Navy (PN) spokesman, said after its month-long exercise in Hawaii, the BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF-17) and BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) arrived at Apra Harbor, Guam Wednesday morning (US time).

“Officials from the Philippine Consulate General in Guam headed by Consul Mark Francis Hamoy and party welcomed the PN contingent after its successful participation in the concluded Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise in Honolulu, Hawaii,” he said.

Zata said during their visit “the head of the contingent, Naval Task Force (NTF) 86 Commander, Captain Ernesto Baldovino PN(GSC), Deputy Commander Captain Joe Anthony Orbe, the commanding officers of the two naval vessels, with selected personnel of NTF 86 paid a courtesy call to the Philippine Consul General to Guam, Consul General Mariano de Borja, at the latter’s official Rrsidence in Jonestown, Tamuning.”

“The four-day visit is part of the contingent’s return voyage to the Philippines. Series of activities were scheduled especially for our Filipino communities residing in the area such as the PN-hosted Reception and Open Ship Tour,” said Zata.

“The Philippine Navy continues to conduct International Defense and Security Engagement (IDSE) as part of its diplomatic role,” he noted.

The activity in Guam is one of the PN’s way of expressing patriotic pride that our Filipino community may look upon and gaining stakeholders support on the continuing efforts of the Navy towards its modernization, Zata added. Robina Asido/DMS