Canadian warship docks in PH for goodwill visit

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Philippine News Agency

PORT CALL. His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Montreal at the Manila South Harbor on Friday (Aug. 2, 2024). The Canadian warship would be docked in the country from Aug. 2 to 6. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

MANILA – The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) frigate Montreal is in the Philippines for a five-day goodwill visit as part of Canada’s show of commitment to a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region, with two more warships expected to make a port call within 2024.

His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Montreal docked at the Manila South Harbor on Aug. 2 after passing through the Taiwan Strait — a passage that earlier angered China.

The vessel is one of the 12 Halifax-class frigates of the RCN and is originally deployed in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans to protect Canada’s sovereignty.

In a press conference aboard the ship, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman said this alone is a clear demonstration that Ottawa is “dedicated to regional security and stability” in the region.

“So, you talk about a demonstrated commitment to the Philippines, we’ve pulled a ship off of our Atlantic fleet to deploy it here to the Pacific to ensure that we have that consistent, persistent presence here — that doesn’t get much more real than that,” he said.

“In the next couple of months, between now and the end of the calendar year, we will have two other vessels participating here in the Philippines,” he said.

As maritime nations, Hartman said Canada and the Philippines “share a common interest in upholding a rules-based international order and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

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Meanwhile, HMCS Commanding Officer Commander Travis Bain said the frigate’s passage through the Taiwan Strait was conducted in a lawful and professional manner.

“Part of what we are here to do is we are committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific. We transited lawfully through international waters, and in doing so, we followed all the rules and regulations,” he told reporters.

“The conduct from the Chinese PLA-N (People’s Liberation Army Navy) and as well other navies was professional as we proceeded through and we proceeded southbound towards our visit in Manila,” he said.

PLA Eastern Theater Command spokesperson Li Xi on Thursday said Canada’s passage on July 31 “disrupted the situation” and “undermined peace and stability” across the Taiwan Strait

Full program

In the Philippines, the warship will have a full program, including professional development and training opportunities with the Philippine Navy, community outreach, and local engagements, a friendly game of ice hockey and an exchange between cooks of the ship and the Philippine Navy.

“Through our ongoing engagements in the Indo-Pacific, the Royal Canadian Navy is reinforcing partnerships with trusted partners from across the region,” Bain said.

“I look forward to working closely with the Philippine Navy throughout our visit to Manila to foster sailor-to-sailor exchanges and strengthen interoperability between our two navies,” he said.

HMCS Montreal’s deployment is part of Operation HORIZON, Canada’s forward presence to promote peace and stability in some of the world’s busiest and most vital waterways.

The operation seeks to reinforce ties with international allies and strengthen relationships with like-minded nations by integrating with partner navies, participating in training exercises, and engaging in military and diplomatic cooperation.

The visit also comes as Canada and the Philippines bolster defense relationship with increased engagement and training opportunities under the Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation signed last January.

To date, talks are ongoing to conclude a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SoVFA) between the two countries.

HMCS Montreal, together with an embarked air detachment operating a CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter, has approximately 250 highly trained and professional sailors, soldiers, and aviators, including four Filipino-Canadians.

Petty Officer 2nd class Nicole Fabella, one of the Filipino descent officers on Montreal, said she looks forward to helping strengthen the friendship between the Philippines and Canada.

“We take a lot of pride in what we do and I very much take that into what I do within my career,” the Zamboanga-born naval communicator said.

“I am happy to return to the Philippines as a member of the Royal Canadian Navy. We are doing important work for the peace and stability in the region. I look forward to helping strengthen our friendship and partnership with the Philippine Navy,” she said.

The ship is equipped with extensive anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare weapons and sensors to complement their substantial anti-air warfare defenses.

The Canadian Embassy in Manila said the combination of these weapon and sensor systems, coupled with state-of-the-art damage control and machinery control systems, makes the frigate one of the most advanced warship designs in the world.