Sangley Point, Cavite City - The Philippine Navy through the Philippine Fleet decommissioned BRP Lake Caliraya (AO81), BRP Bonny Serrano (PC111), Navy Helicopter 423 and deactivated 16 Patrol Boats namely: PB321, PB350, PB323, PB348, PB349, PB352, PB340, PB343, PB333, PB336, PB322, PB351, PB317, PB320, PB354 and PB341 after years of their honorable service to our maritime nation at Captain Salvo Pier, Naval Base Heracleo Alano in a joint ceremony presided by the Flag Officer In Command, PN, Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo J. Bacordo PN with the Commander, Philippine Fleet, Rear Adm. Loumer P Bernabe PN today, December 17, 2020.
The ceremony was attended by the Philippine Fleet Command team, HPN Staff, and former skippers and pilots of the vessels and aircraft.
The decommissioning of legacy ships and aircraft will pave way for the arrival of new platforms as part of the PN’s Phase In, Phase Out Program. This is in support to the PN's capability and development program aimed towards the acquisition of modern platforms with state of the art equipment and combat management systems.
In his message, the Commander, Philippine Fleet expressed his gratitude and utmost respect to the officers and crew of these legacy vessels and aircraft. “During the service of these vessels and aircraft, they had encountered circumstances that had challenged their capabilities, various weather conditions and limitations, and different derangements incurred. But through the concerted efforts of the officers and crew of the respective vessels and aircraft, they had successfully accomplished each and every mission. They had even participated in various naval exercises, and had received numerous awards and recognitions,” Rear Adm. Bernabe said.
The decommissioning of these vessels and aircraft will serve as the initial way going to a modernizing Navy. It is the primary key in becoming a strong and credible organization that will fulfill our mandate in protecting the people, upholding our sovereignty and preserving our territorial integrity.
The Philippine Fleet and the Philippine Navy will continually remember all the success and contributions of these vessels and aircraft. The achievements they had brought to the Philippine Navy, country and to our people will always be upheld and remembered by those who once served aboard and most especially by those who benefited from these lengthy services.
In the FOIC, PN's message, "The Philippine Navy is compelled and ready to proceed to the next stages of our modernization process. And to me, in as much as we are modernizing our naval assets and weaponries, modernizing the Navy personnel’s mindsets is an important professional obligation. We need to be able to imbibe a new and better normal way of thinking within the Philippine Navy. And to be able to do this, we must learn to let go of these aging vessels and aircraft. One by one, little by little, we will strip ourselves with the old cloak that made us feel comfortable with performing with the bare minimum. With the closure of these old platforms comes new and better-equipped platforms. " Vice Adm. Bacordo said.
This activity was conducted under the new normal situation with strict adherence to health and biosafety protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19.