USS Blue Ridge in Manila for port visit

USS Blue Ridge, flagship of the US Seventh Fleet, arrived in Manila yesterday for a port visit.

The US embassy in Manila, in a statement, cited the Seventh Fleet’s longstanding ties with the Philippines, with its latest port visit providing an opportunity for reconnection. The Blue Ridge last visited Manila in 2016.

Subic Bay used to be the home port of the US Seventh Fleet before the abrogation of the bases treaty in 1991.

The crew will take part in community service and cultural exchange events ashore, including multiple fleet band engagements and community relations.

“Our nations are longstanding allies and our navies have worked together for generations,” said Vice Adm. Philip Sawyer, commander of the Seventh Fleet. “Our visit to Manila strengthens the bonds between our navies and our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Blue Ridge commanding officer Capt. Eric Anduze will meet with Philippine Navy officials and other visitors for a tour of the flagship.

“We are very proud to be back in Manila after a long absence,” Anduze said.

“The Philippines has been an ally of our country for many years, and being able to show our appreciation for that friendship is something we always look forward to. Continuing to foster and maintain our deep relationships here is paramount to what we do in the Seventh Fleet,” he said.

Speaking to reporters on Blue Ridge’s flight deck, Anduze bared “professional encounters” with the Chinese Navy in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

“We did a lot of interactions with the Chinese Navy but it’s all professional engagements,” Anduze said.

Sought for comment on China’s claim that the US is stoking tensions in the South China Sea with its Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS), Anduze said it’s a matter best answered by the Seventh Fleet leadership. Blue Ridge sailors will spend time with local veterans at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center. Representatives from both the US and Philippine navies will participate in staff talks aboard the ship, expanding interoperability between the two forces and providing a venue for professional exchanges.

Many Filipino-American sailors will have a chance to reconnect with their heritage during the port visit. One of these sailors, Seaman Charmaine Dalusung, will see the country she was born in for the first time since she was a child.