Philippine, Brunei navy strengthen bilateral relations

October 7, 2020

The Philippine and Brunei Navy chiefs boosted their bilateral relationship despite the COVID-19 pandemic during a virtual meeting on Tuesday.

Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, acting Navy public affairs director said Navy chief Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo and his Royal Brunei Navy counterpart, First Adm. Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Othman bin Haji Suhaili, held a virtual talk.

Roxas said  tackled by the two navy heads were their roles " in helping their respective governments mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the navies engagements such as the recent Rim of the Pacific Exercise in Hawaii and the group sail conducted by RBN vessel KDB Darulehsan (OPV07) with the PN’s BRP Jose Rizal, along with the US Navy ship from Hawaii to Guam."

"Other engagements such as the upcoming ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ Meeting in November and the maritime training activity dubbed as Seagull that was postponed for this year but intended to push through by 2021 were likewise tackled," she said.

Roxas said the two Navy chiefs assure each other of full support for future endeavors and continued friendship.

“We would like to assure you that in spite of us not seeing each other face to face or physically, the PN and RBN have all the friendship, trust and confidence (that) goes on and the relationship is very strong,” Bacordo said.

Roxas said virtual meetings among leaders of neighboring navies has been the new normal in light of travel restrictions and enforcement of physical distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Robina Asido/DMS