Navy ships to repatriate Filipinos in Middle East lands in Sri Lanka

January 28, 2020

Two Philippine Navy ships deployed to assist on the repatriation of Filipinos in Middle East made its first historical mark in Sri Lanka.

Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, acting Philippine Navy public information director. said BRP Ramon Alcaraz and BRP Davao Del Sur made its stop at the East Container Terminal in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on Sunday.

"The Naval Task Force (NTF) 82 headed by Marine Colonel Noel Beleran was accorded a welcome ceremony by counterparts from SLN Western Naval Area," she said.

"The party then set to pay courtesy to the WNA commander, Rear Admiral Sumith Ananda Weerasinghe. Other confidence building activities include shipboard tour, cultural show, basketball game and reciprocal dinners," she added.

Roxas said the layover was intended only for refueling and reprovisioning but "Sri Lanka Navy (SLN)  desired to host it as official visit as it was the first time for PN ships and personnel to pass by this territory and traverse the Indian Ocean."

"This visit is another milestone for the Philippines-Sri Lanka relations that was established in 1961 and recently being sustained and enhanced by naval diplomacy," she said. 

The Sri Lankan ship P626 made its first-time goodwill visit to Manila in April 2019, Roxas noted.

"The historic sail on Indian Ocean by PN ships validates its status as a Navy  that is now capable to sustain operations across open oceans," she added.

It can be recalled that  Naval Task Force 82 “Oplan Pagbabalik” contingent was deployed to help in the repatriation of OFWs affected by the tensions in the Middle East. Robina Asido/DMS