Military set to acquire 2 more Hamilton-class cutters

By Jaime Laude,

Pilippine Star, Sunday, September 5, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Navy is set to beef up its fleet with two more Hamilton-class cutters from the United States, one of which may be delivered early next year, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. said Friday.

“We hope that we can get the second one probably early next year,” Oban said.

The Navy recently acquired its first Hamilton-class cutter, rechristened BRP Gregorio del Pilar.

Now the Navy’s flagship, it is undergoing refurbishing and is being equipped with new surveillance and electronic systems at the Sangley Point Naval Base in Cavite.

Oban said high-level talks between the AFP and the US government on boosting the Navy’s capabilities are underway.

Navy chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, for his part, said a proposal for the acquisition of two more Hamilton-class vessels has already been submitted to the US government.

We have already forwarded our proposal signifying our intention to acquire two more Hamilton-class cutters," Pama said.

www.philstar.com

Think-tank cites PH commitment to upgrade its territorial defense

By Roy Mabasa

Manila Bulletin, Wednesday, August 31, 2011

MANILA, Philippines — A United States (US)-based think-tank Wednesday said that US officials can learn two important lessons from the enthusiasm generated by the recent introduction of the Philippine Navy’s newest flagship, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, which was acquired through the US Foreign Military Sales program.

Robert Warshaw, Research Assistant in the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation, said that firstly, the Philippines is fully committed to improving its territorial defense.

Secondly, he said, the US–Philippines alliance remains extremely relevant in preserving stability across the Asia-Pacific.

Warshaw stressed that US policymakers would do well to heed the recommendations raised by The Heritage Foundation, as contained in its report, “US–Philippines Partnership in the Cause of Maritime Defense,” released early August.

He said that beyond the pressing need to fully fund its own Navy, the US should prioritize the Philippines to receive excess defense articles.

“The fanfare that greeted a Vietnam War–era Coast Guard vessel should remind the Pentagon that the Philippines operates an aging fleet of less than 80 ships; therefore, any excess ships would have a tremendous effect on ensuring regional stability,” Warshaw stated in his paper, “US Ship for Philippines a Good Start, But Much More to Be Done.”

He said the US should also explore various lend-lease programs to provide the Philippines’ armed forces with the hardware it needs to maintain a sufficient defense capability.

In continuing to provide the Philippines with the means to protect its territorial integrity, the US should ensure that the alliance can continue to flourish for the next 60 years, Warshaw said.

“The US should continue to offer support to the Philippines by reaffirming our mutual defense obligations and ensuring freedom of navigation across the region,” he said.

Last week, President Benigno Aquino III personally welcomed the arrival of BRP Gregorio del Pilar at Pier 13 of the South Harbor in Manila.

President Aquino said the docking of the 378-foot Hamilton class cutter represents the renewed strength of the country’s Armed Forces towards protecting its coastlines and assets.

In his speech during the welcoming ceremony, the President also assured the Armed Forces of the Philippines that the government will not stop in the acquisition of ships, helicopters and patrol crafts.

The BRP Gregorio del Pilar replaced the Raja Humabon, a Cannon-class destroyer escort, which is probably one of the world’s oldest warships.

Warshaw said the changeover in flagships points to the Philippines’ urgent need for maritime defense capability. “It has to start its modernization somewhere, and developing an ability to regularly patrol Philippine-claimed waters in the South China Sea is the best place to start,” he said.

Warshaw pointed out that “despite historically dedicating its security policies toward countering domestic separatism, President Aquino’s government now realizes the danger posed by continued Chinese adventurism in the South China Sea.”

He claimed that since February, Chinese military vessels on several occasions have allegedly harassed Philippine fishing boats and energy survey ships in waters “mere miles from Philippine territory.”

“President Aquino, in unveiling his new flagship before his state visit to Beijing is sending a message to Beijing that the Philippines is ready to protect its own shores,” he added.

www.mb.com.ph

Aquino vows to fight for Manila sea claims

By Maria Nikka A.Garriga

Manila Times, Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The BRP Gregorio del Pilar arrives at Pier 13, South Harbor, Manila, on Tuesday. A Philippine Navy officer tours President Benigno Aquino 3rd and other officials during an inspection of the facilities of the Hamilton-class cutter. MALACAÑANG PHOTO

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino on Tuesday vowed a stronger military defense of the country’s West Philippine Sea claims as the Philippine Navy’s newest warship sailed into Manila Bay from the United States.

www.manilatimes.com

Aquino commissions new Phl warship today

By Aurea Calica

Philippine Star, Tuesday, August 23, 2011

President Aquino leads today the inspection of the newly-acquired warship BRP Gregorio del Pilar, which is part of the upgrading and modernization efforts of the government on the maritime capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines(AFP).

Aquino will be welcomed at Pier 13 in South Harbor by government officials including Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, AFP chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr., Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, and PF15 Commanding Officer Capt. Alberto Cruz.

Manned by 13 officers and 82 enlisted personnel, BRP Gregorio del Pilar arrived in the country last week after a month-long voyage from the United States. The warship dropped anchor at the Manila Bay yesterday to undergo customs, immigration and quarantine inspection.

The Navy recently acquired the refurbished US Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton (WHEC-715) and commissioned it as BRP Gregorio del Pilar Pacific Fleet 15.

The 378-foot vessel with a crew capacity of 180 is equipped with armament and weapons system, propulsion plant, electrical generation, helicopter hangar and flight deck, among others.

It will be deployed to carry out missions for drug interdiction, law enforcement, search and rescue operations, defense readiness and migrant interdiction. It will also perform tasks in protecting the country’s natural gas and oil exploration projects off Palawan amid reported incursions in the West Philippine Sea.

Defense department spokesman Col. Hernando Iriberri said Aquino’s presence during the event signifies the government’s seriousness in modernizing the military.

“It shows the commitment of the government to improve the capability of the AFP to perform its constitutional mandate as protector of our people and guardian of our territory,” Iriberri said.

He said the arrival of the BRP Gregorio del Pilar “is a step forward toward the realization of the thrust to modernize the AFP.”

The ship is the Navy’s first Hamilton-class cutter and is its largest vessel. – With Alexis Romero

www.philstar.com

Hamilton icon of AFP’s capability upgrade

By William Depasupil
The Manila Times, Monday, August 22, 2011

THE Philippine Navy’s largest and most modern ship, the Hamilton class US Coast Guard cutter, now known as the BRP (Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas) Gregorio del Pilar, symbolizes the country’s resolve and determination to defend its territorial integrity, according to Navy flag-officer in command Vice Admiral Alexander Pama.

Pama disclosed Sunday that the 3,390-ton warship is now anchored at the Manila Bay after a 45-day journey from Coast Guard island in Alameda, San Francisco, California.

“This will be an icon to the revival of the capability upgrade of our Armed Forces,” he said. “This is the symbol of our resolve and determination to protect what is ours.”

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff, Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr., earlier said that the cutter would be used for multi-mission operations such as search and rescue, and maritime security patrols, particularly in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) to protect the country’s interests that include the Malampaya Gas Project in the waters of Palawan near the dispute Spratly group of islands.

The ship, even at 46 years old, is now the biggest and most modern in the Philippine Navy’s inventory. It was launched on December 18, 1965, commissioned to the US Coast Guard March 18, 1967 and decom-missioned on March 28, 2011.

It was acquired by the Philippine government at a transfer cost of P450 million, minus the air surface search radar, close-in weapons system and secondary 25-mm gun system.

But Pama said that even if the Hamilton is already old, it is still well-maintained and capable of enduring high weather that can make it sustain longer patrolling at sea.

“It’s not a question of age but the capability of the ship. One of our problems before is our lack of patrol ship that could endure high weather and can sustain longer patrolling at sea,” he said.

“This ship has proven its capability of crossing the Pacific Ocean and I think there’s no other place in the Philippines that has bigger waves [than the Pacific Ocean],” Pama added.

According to him, the ship is now going through the usual customs, immigration and quarantine inspection before it would be dry-docked for at least a month for repainting from white to the Navy’s official gray color. Some minor repairs and fitting of additional facilities and equipment will also be done.

Pama said that the ship has not been formally commissioned yet to the Navy and its name BRP Gregorio del Pilar is not yet final pending approval from the Office of the President.

“The name BRP Gregorio del Pilar is only a provisional name. It still needs to pass through proper procedure until it is approved by the President. It is only then that it can be commissioned and given its final name,” Pama added referring to President Benigno Aquino 3rd.

www.manilatimes.net

‘BRP Gregorio del Pilar’ makes port

By Victor Reyes
Malaya, Monday, August 22, 2011

THE Navy’s largest and newly acquired ship arrived from the United States yesterday morning and will be formally welcomed by President Aquino tomorrow.

Navy chief Vice Adm. Alexander Pama boarded the ship at the Manila Bay anchorage and had lunch (boodle fight) with the 95 officers and men, led by Capt. Alberto Cruz, who sailed the Hamilton cutter from San Francisco on July 18.

Pama said the ship had to undergo "customs, quarantine and immigration" inspection as part of procedures for ships coming from abroad.

After the arrival ceremony on Tuesday, the ship to be named BRP Gregorio del Pilar will undergo dry-docking and repainting. Its color will be changed from white to gray which is the official color of the Navy.

The ship will be deployed at the West Philippine Sea where the country has a vast maritime interest to protect.

The 44-year-old ship was acquired from the US Coast Guard through the US Excess Defense Articles program.

President Aquino, accompanied by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, will lead the formal welcome ceremony for the ship and its crew at the South Harbor. Guests will have the chance to tour the ship.

Pama said the ship will be an "icon to the revival of the capability upgrade of the Philippine Navy."

"This will be a symbol of our seriousness (in upgrading the Navy capability). Because we are a maritime nation, this will jumpstart our revival of our Navy’s capability," he also said.

www.malaya.com.ph

‘Gregorio del Pilar’ is arriving Sunday

By Victor Reyes
Malaya, Friday, August 19, 2011

The Philippines’ newest and second warship, a Hamilton class ship acquired from the United States, is expected in Manila on Sunday.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay said the ship, acquired under the US Excess Defense Articles program, has been named BRP Gregorio del Pilar.

Manned by 13 officers and 82 enlisted personnel under Capt. Alberto Cruz, Tonsay said the ship will be passing the San Bernardino Strait and is expected to anchor at Manila Bay around 8 a.m. Sunday.

The ship left San Francisco last July 18 and made stops in Hawaii and Guam.

"Her deployment is flexible depending on the operational plan but she will help a lot in protecting our offshore resources by increased maritime domain awareness and added response capability," AFP spokesman Commodore Miguel Jose Rodriguez said.

The Philippines’ only warship, the BRP Rajah Humabon, is a World War II vintage destroyer escort.

The BRP Gregorio del Pilar, which was launched by the US in 1967, will guard the Malampaya project in Palawan, which is the biggest foreign investment in the country.

Top military officials said the ship will also help protect the country’s maritime interests, including the disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea. The oil and mineral rich islands are being claimed in part or in whole by the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam.

www.malaya.com.ph

Newest Navy Ship enters P.A.R.

By Elena Aben
Manila Bulletin, Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Philippine Navy's newest and biggest ship, Hamilton cutter class BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, has entered the country's waters, a Navy spokesman announced yesterday Lt.Col Omar Tonsay, Navy spokesman, said the PN frigate BRP Gregorio del Pilar, manned by 13 officers and 82 enlisted personnel under the command pf Capt.Alberto A. Cruz, entered the Philippine area of reponsibility at around 1 p.m. yesterday. The ship is expected to enetr to enter the Manila Bay on August 21."As a multi-mission vessel, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar will be primarily important for the Philippine Navy's maritime security and sovereignity patrols especially upon its deployment at the Malampaya projects west of Palawan,"said Tonsay.

Hamilton ship arrives from the US

By Alexis Romero
Philippine Star, Thursday, August 18,2011

MANILA, Philippines - The Hamilton-class ship acquired by the Philippine Navy from the US arrived in Philippine territory yesterday after almost a month of voyage from California.

The vessel, which has been renamed BRP Gregorio del Pilar, entered the Philippines Sea at about 1 p.m., Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay said.

It passed through waters off Samar and the San Bernardino Strait off the Bicol region yesterday afternoon.

Once the ship becomes part of the Navy inventory, it would be deployed to the West Philippine Sea to secure energy projects in the area.

“As a multi-mission vessel, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar will be primarily important for the Philippine Navy’s maritime security and sovereignty patrols especially upon its deployment at the Malampaya project west of Palawan,” Tonsay said in a text message.

“Due to its classification as a weather high endurance cutter, its secondary roles will be in support for search and rescue,” he added.

A total of 95 Navy personnel are manning the ship that will dock on Manila Bay on Aug. 21. The ship will undergo customs and immigration quarantine and inspection before it will be presented in a welcome ceremony in the Manila South Harbor.

The BRP Gregorio del Pilar is classified as a cutter, a high-speed vessel that can cut through waves.

The ship would be the Philippine Navy’s first Hamilton-class cutter and is now its largest vessel. It was acquired through the United States Excess Defense Act using proceeds from the Malampaya project funds.

The transfer cost has been pegged at P450 million while the operational cost for two years is estimated at P120 million.

The Hamilton-class cutter was largely used by the US Coast Guard for drug and migrant interdiction, law enforcement, search and rescue, living marine resources protection, and defense readiness.

The 380 feet-long cutter was turned over by the US Coast Guard to Philippine officials in California last May 13.

The vessel started its voyage on July 18 when it sailed for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii from California on July 18.

www.philstar.com

On board the BRP Gregorio del Pilar

By Rodel Rodis

Inquirer, Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The Philippines has only a WW II vintage frigate, the Rajah Humabon, to use right now to defend the country against an attack from China’s formidable armada which includes an aircraft carrier, 21 destroyers, 68 submarines, 42 modern frigates and 760 ships. But help is on the way. In three weeks, the 378-foot Hamilton-class cutter BRP Gregorio Del Pilar will arrive in the Philippines where it will be dispatched to the Kalayaan Island Group of the Spratly Islands to defend this “Tirad Pass” from foreign invaders.

Imagine the Philippine David with its cutter slingshot against the China Goliath.

The BRP Gregorio del Pilar, the biggest ship ever to be acquired by the Philippine Navy, will be manned by a full complement of 180 officers and crew, 95 of whom were recently trained in the San Francisco Bay Area at Coast Guard Island in Alameda.

Before it was purchased by the Philippine government from the US for $13 million this May, the cutter, which was built in 1968, was largely used by the US Coast Guard for drug and migrant interdiction, law enforcement and defense readiness. As a multi-mission Surface Combatant Ship (SCS), the first gas-turbine jet engine-powered vessel in its fleet, the Philippine Navy plans to deploy it for operations in the West Philippine Sea.

On the eve of the ship’s departure for the Philippines from its Alameda base this July 17, I attended a Mass officiated on the ship by Fr. Mark Reburiano. Before Holy Communion was served, Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Alexander Pama spoke to thank the members of the Filipino American community.

“You warmly welcomed them in your homes, you fed them and you made them feel at home” he said. “We want you all to be proud of our Philippine Navy which represents not only the Filipino people but Filipinos everywhere.”

“We may face insurmountable odds when we return to the Philippines,” he added, “but at the end of the day, it is people who are the decisive factors in any conflict and I want you all to know that we have people of outstanding quality in our navy.”

After the Mass, we joined the officers and crew at the ship’s mess hall for their final dinner in the United States. We watched the video of the May 13, 2011 turnover ceremonies attended by Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia, Jr. and US Coast Guard Vice Admiral Manson K. Brown.

The highlight of the turnover rites was the departure of the US Coast Guard crew from the ship as the US flag was lowered and the raising of the Philippine flag on the ship as 21 members of the Philippine Navy, who had been in training in the US since February 25, 2011, boarded the ship to take command.

On the following day, 74 additional members of the Philippine Navy arrived to undergo training on the Philippine Navy’s newest ship.

The BRP Gregorio Del Pilar crew includes three female officers: Dr. Joanne Cornista, the Chief Medical officer; Ensign Lolit Gonzales; and Lt. Junior Grade Andrelee Mojica, the Damage Control Officer who happens to be the first female valedictorian of the Philippine Military Academy (Class of 2007).

At the helm of the BRP Gregorio del Pilar is Navy Captain Alberto Cruz, (PMA Class of 1988) who along with his Executive Officer, Navy Commander Reynaldo Lopez (PMA Class of 1992) arrived in Alameda on February 25, 2011 together with a specially selected crew of 19 other officers and enlisted men/engineers (the “crème de la crème”) of the Philippine Navy.

They underwent intensive hands-on training on board the USCGC Boutwell, the sister ship of the USCGC Hamilton, for two months traveling to Colombia, Ecuador and El Salvador to interdict drug smugglers. With no access to the telephone or the Internet, the crew later told reporter Gemma Nemenzo, they felt like “the lost command”. Worse torture for some of them—the steady diet of potatoes, meat, potatoes and more potatoes. No rice.

At our dinner at the Officers’ Mess Hall on July 17, I sat down with Vice-Admiral Pama who had flown in from Manila just the day before to formally issue the orders to Capt. Cruz. He candidly expressed relief that the Philippine Navy was finally getting attention from the national government after years of neglect.

We recalled Pres. Noynoy Aquino’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 26, 2010 when he said: “We have 36,000 nautical miles of shoreline, but we only have 32 boats. These boats are as old as the time of (US General Douglas) MacArthur.”

While Pres. PNoy Aquino has been hammered by his critics for lack of accomplishments during his first year in office, PNoy quietly found the government funds to purchase the Hamilton cutter from the US government and is negotiating to acquire even more de-commissioned cutters.

Vice-Admiral Pama shared that the decision to name the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar was no fluke. Philippine Navy officers were keenly aware of the heroic exploits of the “Boy General” who led his Filipino soldiers to victory in the Battle of Quingua on April 23, 1899 against the US forces of Col. John Stotsenburg. With the US forces breathing down on Philippine President Emilo Aguinaldo’s trail, Gen. Del Pilar and 60 Filipino soldiers defended Tirad Pass for five hours against the vastly superior 33rd Infantry Regiment led by Gen. Peyton March before he and his men were killed by the foreign invaders.

On Monday, July 18, we attended the send-off ceremonies at Alameda as Vice Admiral Pama officially issued the order to Capt. Cruz to depart for the Philippines. I then joined the Filipino-American community in shaking the hands of each of the 95 officers and crew of the BRP del Pilar to wish them each Godspeed. As I shook their hands and looked in their eyes, I worried that they may be the first casualties of a war with China over the Spratlys.

The Filipino American community has scheduled a national Day of Prayer for Peace in the Spratlys for Sunday, August 21, the 28th anniversary of Ninoy Aquino’s assassination, to pray for the peaceful and just resolution of our territorial conflict with China and for the protection and safety of the brave men and women of the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar.

globalnation.inquirer.net

Navy’s fastest ship sails to new homeport

By Gemma Nemenzo

NewsBreak, Wednesday, July 20, 2011

CALIFORNIA—“Requesting permission, sir, to carry out the mission to return to the Philippines.”

As the BRP Gregorio del Pilar leaves the US Coast Guard dock in Alameda, California, the crew unfurls a banner.

Philippine Navy Captain Alberto Cruz uttered these all-important words softly, almost privately—away from the chatter of supporters and onlookers—to the Flag Officer in Command (FOIC) of the Navy, Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, at around 1530 hours on July 18 in Alameda, California.

With permission granted, Cruz then boarded the BRP Gregorio del Pilar to steer the new crown jewel of the Philippine Navy on her journey of approximately a month to her new homeport.

Earlier, the rituals of departure that naval tradition calls for whenever a ship is deployed on an important mission were conducted by the ship’s 95-person crew, leaving the crowd of about a hundred supporters tearful.

The emotion of the moment was not lost on the ex-Philippine Navy officers present (all of them alumni of the Philippine Military Academy, where Pama, Cruz and the other top officers of the BRP GdP also graduated from) as they remembered their years aboard the rickety ships of the Navy and watched with a large amount of pride this big new ship the likes of which they could only dream about when they were in active service.

It took more than an hour before the former Hamilton class cutter was actually able to leave port. A minor propeller problem had to be repaired before the U.S. Coast Guard tugboat could steer it out of the dock. When she finally sailed, the dwindled crowd of wellwishers cheered and waved tiny Philippine flags as the crew unfurled a hastily made banner that said, “Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.”

Pama, recording the departure on both his cell phone and tablet computer, was visibly proud as he watched the 92 men and three women under his command sail away. Earlier, in a moment of nostalgia for his days aboard ship, he had wished that he was on board with them.

Fastest, biggest

The BRP Gregorio del Pilar is the first of three major vessels the Philippine Navy will acquire “hopefully by the end of the year,” according to Pama.

Funding for the acquisitions—part of the military modernization plans of the Aquino administration—will come from the Department of Energy’s six billion-peso allotment for oil exploration and coastal protection.

It will not be the first time this particular ship – the WHEC-715 – will dock in the Philippines.

On her initial deployment in 1969, she sailed from Panama to Subic Naval Base, where she docked for four days before proceeding to South Vietnam to carry out the mission of preventing weapons smuggling from North Vietnam at the height of the war.

After her wartime mission, the 715 was used by the US Coast Guard for anti-drug smuggling duties and rescue operations in various countries until her final decommissioning last March.

The Philippine government bought the Hamilton class cutter early this year for approximately US$13 million (Php450 million) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

Once the largest ship of the American Coast Guard, this is the first gas-turbine jet engine-powered vessel in the Philippine Navy fleet, making it the fastest, biggest and most powerful among the service’s aging inventory.

She is described as “a high endurance cutter with close-in weapons system” and features a helicopter flight deck with a retractable hangar, with capabilities for rescue operations and maritime law enforcement.

At the helm of the BRP Gregorio del Pilar is Navy Captain Alberto Cruz, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of ’88.

Elite Crew

Philippine Navy Captain Alberto Cruz, the author, and Vice Admiral Alex Pama. After this photo was napped, Cruz turned to Pama to ask permission to sail.

Not an easy task considering that this is the first time he and his crew will traverse this lengthy route, and the first time they will navigate this ship with her unfamiliar technology for an extended period in the open sea without the assistance and know-how of its former American crew.

An amiable, soft-spoken guy whose easy-going style belies years of experience in commanding naval ships and people, his all-important mission is to deliver this very valuable vessel across the Pacific to the Philippine waters safe and intact.

To top it all, they will be arriving in the Philippines right smack into typhoon season.

But if there’s any group up to the challenge, it’s this crew of naval officers and sailors who have been handpicked by the Philippine Fleet Command (a special committee of top naval officials) based on their exemplary service and experience.

“It’s safe to say that this crew, from the Commanding Officer down to the lowest ranking enlisted man, is the ‘crème de la crème’ of the Philippine Navy,” retired Philippine Navy Captain Archie Almario says.

“You don’t send someone with a checkered service record to an international mission as important as this. This [assignment] is both a recognition of their talents and a reward for their good work.”

Cruz and the seven other naval officers and 13 enlisted men/engineers that formed the initial group that trained with the Hamilton command were assigned in various naval ships stationed in different areas of the archipelago when they got the call from their superiors last January. Report to [the Philippine Navy headquarters] Manila for a new assignment was the missive. There they were told of the government’s acquisition and the role they would play in the process.

As commanding officer, Cruz had his complete crew already chosen for him. Among the seven are the executive officer Navy Commander Reynaldo Lopez (PMA Class 1992) and Lieutenant Junior Grade Andrelee Mojica (the valedictorian of PMA Class of 2007), the damage control officer, who is one of three women officers on the ship.

‘Lost command’

The first weeks of their new assignment were a whirlwind of activities for the chosen 21.

All underwent rigorous physical exams and intensive neuro-psychiatric evaluations (NPE), the latter crucial in determining whether each person had the mental and psychological capacity to withstand the challenge of being away from their families for an indeterminate period, the stability to face up to the pressure-cooker demands of a new environment in a different country, and the rigor to learn new technologies and procedures within a relatively short period of time.

Cruz credits the NPE evaluation for the relatively problem-free dynamic that currently governs the quality of interaction among the ship’s crew. “We had met each other before [this mission], but only casually,” the commanding officer says. “But somehow we bonded immediately.”

On February 25 this year, the group landed in San Francisco and were immediately whisked to Alameda (about 20 minutes away) to board the USCGC Boutwell, the sister ship of the Hamilton, for hands-on training.

What they didn’t anticipate was that they would be cut off from all communications with the outside world for two full months as the Boutwell crew carried out a highly classified US Coast Guard anti-drug smuggling operation that brought the vessel to as far as Ecuador and El Salvador.

With no telephone or Internet access, the Filipino navymen on board joked among themselves that they had become a “lost command.” Worse, they had to endure meals without rice for weeks on end, which as we know, is tantamount to torture for Filipinos from the Philippines.

“We had salad, potatoes, meat, potatoes and potatoes,” one of them remarked. No wonder they had to go through the NPEs. They were only allowed to check in with their families when the tsunami in Japan happened.

A US Coast Guard tugboat begins to steer the BRP Gregorio del Pilar out of US waters to proceed to the Philippines.

When the Boutwell returned to San Diego, the Hamilton cutter was ready to sail for Alameda for the formal turnover to the Philippine government. Cruz and his crew were given permission to ride with the ship to her new destination, but as passengers, since training on the actual vessel (already named Ex Hamilton after its decommissioning) would start only after the May 13 ceremony.

Gregorio del Pilar

With the Hamilton rechristened Gregorio del Pilar, Cruz took command of the vessel.

The rest of the crew were flown in from the Philippines to work alongside their American counterparts. By then, the original 21 have had enough experience with gas turbine engine technology to be confident that they would be able to get the ship to sail.

For a journey across the Pacific, however, more weeks of intense training were required.

Finally, in early July, they did a four-day run at sea along the coast of California for a test of the crew’s capabilities and the ship’s sea-worthiness. After that, the American trainors de-boarded and the Filipino naval officers and men were on their own.

As soon as she reaches her new homeport, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar will undergo some refurbishing before deployment to the Spratlys.

When confronted with the usual saber-rattling by powerful nations during territorial disputes, the Philippines now has a gleaming big saber to brandish in return.—Newsbreak

www.newsbreak.ph

Ex-cutter is Navy's newest ship

By Elena L Aben
Manila Bulletin, Saturday, July 16,2011

MANILA, Philippines — A Hamilton-class cutter of the United States Coast Guard will set sail from San Francisco, California, USA for the Philippines on July 18 to begin its new life as a ship of the Philippine Navy.

Philippine Navy Flag Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Alexander Pama will join the send-off for the ship, which will be christened BRP Gregorio del Pilar, for her three-week voyage to the Philippines.

Pama said the send-off will signal the last leg of activities for Gregorio del Pilar in the US before it heads for the country.

“All preparations have been made for this long trip home as the actual send-off takes place on July 18, 2011 at 4:00 p.m.,” said Pama who will be flying to the US for the activity.

The ship was turned over to the Philippine government last May 13 during turnover rites attended by Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose L. Cuisia Jr., US Coast Guard Pacific Area and Defense Force West Commander, Vice Admiral Manson K. Brown; and Philippine Defense and Armed Forces Attache to the US, Navy Captain Antonio A. Habulan Jr. Aside from Pama, Philippine Deputy General Consul to San Francisco Wilfredo Santos will also attend the send-off for the Gregorio del Pilar.

The Navy’s spokesman, Col. Omar Tonsay, said the cutter was acquired through the United States Excess Defense Act (EDA) using Department of Energy Malampaya Project funds.

The ship will stop over in Hawaii and Guam for replenishment before continuing on to the Philippines.

Gregorio del Pilar was largely used by the US Coast Guard for drug and migrant interdiction, law enforcement, search and rescue, living marine resources protection, and defense readiness.

The Philippine Navy intends to use the multi-mission vessel for maritime security patrols and search and rescue.

More specifically, it will be deployed to aid in maritime security in the Malampaya Project west of Palawan, an area where there are several oil exploration projects.

The ship was specifically designated as a Weather High Endurance Cutter (WHEC). In the Philippines, it will be re-classified as a Surface Combatant Ship with a “Type Code” of “P” for Patrol and is further classified as a Frigate with a “Type Code” of “F”, hence the designation of “PF”.

Pama said the ship is powered by combined diesel engines and gas turbines and equipped with a helicopter flight deck, a retractable hangar, and facilities to support helicopter operations.

The Gregorio del Pilar measures 378 feet from bow to stern and has a displacement (Full Load) of 3,390 tons.

It has a maximum speed of 26 knots and a range of 14,000 nautical miles.

It can stay at sea for 30 days and has a crew of 18 officers and 144 enlisted men

www.mb.com.ph