by Priam Nepomuceno/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The head of the Philippine Navy (PN) contingent to the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting – Plus (ADMM-Plus) Maritime Security Field Training Exercise 2019, together with the captain of BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17), paid a courtesy call on the fleet commander of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Tuesday.
Captain Jonathan Zata, PN spokesperson, said Naval Task Group 80.6 commander Captain Roy Vincent Trinidad and BRP Andres Bonifacio skipper, Captain Jerry Garrido, were joined by naval representatives from Brunei, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and were formally received by Vice Admiral Park Ki Kyun at ROK Navy fleet headquarters.
He said these navies will form the first part of the maritime training exercise of the ADMM-Plus.
The South Korean naval officer thanked all the representatives of participating navies for visiting Korea.
He believed that the efforts rendered throughout the planning of this exercise will be fruitful.
“With the increased maritime threats, the collective effort of our navies is very important in the region. We need to enhance our cooperation in maritime security and counter-terrorism,” Park said.
Meanwhile, Trinidad thanked the ROK Navy for welcoming the PN contingent on its arrival on April 27.
“The PN is playing a bigger role by engaging our regional partners. We look forward for activities like this that will bring together partners, likeminded nations as we go out to the sea and do what we love best,” he added.
Both the ROK-Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) co-chair in this year’s exercise.
The first part of the maritime training exercise will be led by the ROK Navy in Busan from April 29 to May 2. The US Navy will be also participating in these drills.
After which, the RSN will took over while sailing down to Changi, Singapore for the culmination of the exercise. Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and other ADMM-Plus members will join in this second part of the exercise.
The PN’s participation in this exercise manifests the Command’s commitment in promoting multilateral cooperation with other ASEAN and partner navies in multilateral environment for peace and stability.
