Two Navy ships resume voyage to Manila

May 28, 2020

The Philippine Navy delegates onboard BRP Davao Del Sur (LD602) and the newly-repaired BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS16) resume their voyage to Manila on Wednesday.

Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, Philippine Navy acting public affairs director, said the two Navy vessels will make a brief stop at the Port of Colombo on May 29 to repatriate 12 more Filipino tourists and overseas workers stranded due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roxas said 12 Filipino tourists from Sri Lanka will join the 19 repatriates from India in separate rooms inside BRP Davao del Sur with 24-hour monitoring by an onboard medical team.

"BRP Davao del Sur originally left for Manila on May 9 and already reached Sri Lanka when it was compelled to return to India to take shelter from the brewing storm in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea," she said.

"Such delay also gave ample time for the other component of the Naval Task Force (NTF) 82 under Joint Task Force "Pagpauli," BRP Ramon Alcaraz to catch up with BRP Davao del Sur after it was forced to return and stay in the Port of Cochin to undergo needed repair works following the fire that broke out in its engine room on May 7," she added.

Roxas said the "Philippines' existing defense cooperation with India paved the way for the latter's navy to provide expertise and assistance to the PN personnel, leading up to the restoration of the ship's main propulsion, generators, auxiliary systems and other  essential equipment."

"BRP Ramon Alcaraz has been restored to being seaworthy and is now sailing in convoy with BRP Davao del Sur," she said.

"The unavailability of flights due to the pandemic situation hindered the transport of material support from the US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) however, their subject matter experts and needed logistics will be available once BRP Ramon Alcaraz arrives in Subic," she added. Robina Asido/DMS