UK vessel makes second Manila visit

ABRITISH Navy vessel has returned to the Philippines to deepen the defense engagements of the British and Filipino troops and to reassure the country of its maritime presENCE IN THE INDO-PACIfiC REGION.

The Royal Navy’s offshore patrol vessel, His Majesty’s Ship (HMS) Spey, first visited in October 2023 when it participated in Exercise SAMA-SAMA, a bilateral exercise organized by the United States Navy (USN) and the Philippine Navy (PN) that strengthened the country’s international defense cooperation and advanced a rulesbased international order.

Last Thursday, February 22, the commanding officer of HMS Spey, Commander Paul Caddy, visited the National Headquarters of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Manila, where he was welcomed by Chief of Coast Guard Staff Rear Adm. Hostillo Arturo Cornelio.

Caddy and Cornelio discussed the request for a diplomatic clearance for the Royal Navy ship, a batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel, to enter Philippine waters.

HMS Spey docked at the Port of Manila to give its crew the opportunity to foster goodwill, interaction, and interoperability with their Filipino counterparts through a shipboard tour, friendly games and a passing exercise.

The return visit serves as an official defense engagement and outreach to build relationships forged through exercise.

Over the weekend, Caddy and his delegation paid a courtesy call at the PN headquarters and were received by the Chief of Fleet Staff, Capt. Lued Lincuna.

Commander John Percie Alcos, Naval Public Affairs Office director, said the visit of HMS Spey further enhanced the maritime cooperation between the two navies.

Alcos said Caddy and Lincuna reaffirmed both navies’ commitment to sustain collaboration and strengthen ties that are vital to the conduct of future bilateral training activities.

He said Lincuna thanked the Royal Navy for their steadfast support, and emphasized the importance of engagements in fostering enduring partnership and mutual understanding between the two nations.

Last month, the Department of National Defense and the UK Ministry of Defense signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defense cooperation.

The MoU aims to provide a framework to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of defense, military education, training and capacity building, peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, armaments and military equipment, and research and technology.