Navy welcomes missile frigate Antonio Luna
We are still far from being the best. But I do believe that we are on track towards a better and more capable Philippine Navy. The arrival of FF151 is a
The Philippine Navy (PN) officially welcomed its second missile frigate Antonio Luna (FF151), and its maiden crew in a simple arrival ceremony at Pier 13 in Manila Friday.
Public Works and Highways Secretary of Mark Villar, the guest of honor, led spectators in witnessing the future BRP Antonio Luna finally docking to a Philippine port for the first time.
He was joined by the Navy Chief Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, Offshore Combat Force Commander, Commo. Joe Anthony Orbe, Littoral Combat Force Commander, Commo. Roy Vincent Trinidad, and other Armed Forces of the Philippines senior officials.
Fleet Commander Rear Adm. Loumer Bernabe, in his welcome remarks read by the LCF Commander, Commodore Trinidad, congratulated the “officers and men and women of FF151, under the sterling leadership of Capt. Villanueva.”
“My heartfelt gratitude goes to all of you for embracing the challenges and maintaining the standards that the Philippine Navy may have required of you,” Bernabe said.
“We are still far from being the best. But I do believe that we are on track towards a better and more capable Philippine Navy. The arrival of FF151 is a step closer to a modern and multi-capable naval force,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bacordo described FF151’s arrival ceremony as “a momentous event in the history of our organization.”
“As our competence and capacity continue to grow through the years, the Philippine Navy consistently pursues its modernization thrust — with the people and more importantly, for the Filipino people,” he said.
“From the decommissioning of PN legacy assets to our continuous effort in upgrading our fleet, the Philippine Navy is fully committed to become a more credible unit of the Armed Forces of the Philippines” added Bacordo.
During his speech, Villar praised frigate Antonio Luna as “the most modern surface combatant of the Philippine Navy… it is world-class and capable of competing with other world-class ships in armed forces around the world.”
“With our sailors who are among definitely the best in the world, I can say that with this addition to the Navy we’re definitely improving our position as one of the stronger armed forces and navies in the world… I give all my praises to the skilled and experienced sailors of the Philippine Navy” added Villar.
FF151 was initially given at-sea honors by the PN earlier this month through a meeting procedure conducted by BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) and a fly-by of Philippine Air Force’s FA-50 jets as it entered the Philippine territorial sea. The ship had to stay in the anchorage off Subic Bay, Zambales to observe the mandatory quarantine period for the crew prior to this event.
It has a maiden crew of 101 sailors headed by its first commanding officer Capt. Charles Merric Villanueva. The frigate will be formally handed over to the Philippines, christened, and commissioned into service tentatively on the 4th week of March.