PRESS RELEASE – 16 - 2020

Philippine Consul General in Honolulu Joselito A. Jimeno (third from right), Armed Forces of the Philippines Liaison Officers to the US INDOPACOM and U.S. Navy Officers welcome the BRP Jose Rizal from the Pearl Harbor Pier

14 August 2020 – The Philippine Navy’s newest warship, the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), arrived at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu on 14 August 2020 for a brief fuel and logistics stop in preparation for its participation in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020, a biennial maritime exercise to be held from 17 to 31 August 2020 in the waters surrounding Hawaii.

RIMPAC is aimed at strengthening international partnerships, enhancing interoperability and improving readiness of participating forces from around the Pacific.    

Due to COVID-19, this year’s RIMPAC will be an at-sea only exercise and will not include social events on shore.

Philippine Consul General in Honolulu Joselito A. Jimeno, Armed Forces of the Philippines Liaison Officers to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Navy officers welcomed the BRP Jose Rizal from the Pearl Harbor pier. The BRP Jose Rizal’s personnel remained on board the ship.  

Consul General Jimeno said “We are proud to welcome the Philippine Navy’s first warship with multi-dimensional warfare capabilities”. Launched at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea last May, the BRP Jose Rizal is capable of conducting anti air-warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and electronic warfare operations.

The BRP Jose Rizal is commanded by Capt. Jerry Y. Garrido, Jr. PN. It has on board 125 Philippine Navy personnel as well as an AW109 naval helicopter. RIMPAC provides an opportunity to assess the capabilities and systems of the BRP Jose Rizal in actual conditions. It also provides a venue to test the proficiency of Philippine Navy personnel in a wider range of operations.    

In RIMPAC 2018, the Philippine Navy’s strategic sealift vessel BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) and frigate BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF-17) participated. In earlier RIMPAC exercises, the Philippine Navy contingent participated only as observers. (END)

(Left to right) COL Vince James Bantilan PA, COL Joseph Archog PAF, Consul General Joselito Jimeno and US Navy officers

Consul General Joselito Jimeno speaking with CAPT Jerry Garrido PN by phone