MANILA — The decommissioned World War II-era BRP Rajah Humabon (PS-11) will be turned into one of the exhibits at the Philippine Navy (PN) Museum in Sangley Point, Cavite City.
Philippine Fleet Spokesperson Lt. Sahirul Taib said in an interview Thursday that turning the ship into an exhibit would happen shortly after it is stripped of its navigational equipment and other usable items.
Taib added that turning it into one of the exhibits was in honor of its 38 years of service and long-tenure as the Navy’s flagship.
The retirement of BRP Rajah Humabon is in-line with the Navy’s Strategic Sail Plan of “moving to legacy vessels to more and capable and modern vessels,” he earlier said.
Earlier, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana issued a directive to retire the Navy’s remaining World War II-era warships due to their old age.
Prior to the arrival of the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15) in 2011 and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16) in 2013, the BRP Rajah Humabon together with the three Jacinto-class patrol vessels (formerly the Royal Navy’s Peacock class patrol ships) served as the backbone of the PN and acted as its flagship.
It also served a ceremonial ship welcoming arriving foreign warships in Manila Bay.
As of this posting, the Navy is awaiting the completion and delivery of two missile-armed frigates from South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries. The contract is worth PHP18 billion, including weapon systems and munitions, with the delivery of the first ship expected by 2020.
Once commissioned in Philippine service, the frigates will give the PN an anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine and electronic warfare capability. (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
