Navy to commission 1st Hamilton-class ship on Dec. 14

TAGAYTAY CITY, Philippines – The Navy is expected this month to commission the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, its largest and first Hamilton-class ship acquired from the United States.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay said the commissioning of the ship will be held on Dec. 14 at Pier 13 in South Harbor, Manila and would be led by President Aquino.

“Tentatively, the commissioning of the BRP Gregorio del Pilar would be held in the middle of month. The dry docking and repainting (of the ship) have been completed,” Tonsay said at the sidelines of the military’s public affairs summit here.

Tonsay said they would also commission on the same day a BO-105C Bolkow helicopter that was donated by the Tourism department last August.

“The helicopter would be used for aerial reconnaissance. It will become part of the inventory of the Naval Air Group,” he said.

The Navy would also christen on the same day a landing craft utility that is 100 percent Filipino-made. The ship, to be named after the Tagbanua tribe in Palawan, was built in Misamis Oriental.

Also happening on the same day is the renaming of the more than 50-year-old presidential yacht BRP Pag-asa to BRP Ang Pangulo.

Tonsay said the commissioning ceremony will pave the way for the deployment of the ships to their area assignments. He said the commissioning of the Gregorio del Pilar would allow them to boost their maritime defense capabilities.

“This is a golden opportunity to push forward the advocacy that we are a maritime nation,” Tonsay said.

“The commissioning represents the ownership of the ship. This would place the ship under the service of the Philippine Navy,” he added.

Tonsay said the commissioning would be witnessed by Navy chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, the Armed Forces chief who would succeed Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr., and descendants of national hero Gregorio del Pilar..