US Navy command ship with Fil-Am crew visits Manila

MANILA, Philippines — The United States Navy 7th Fleet flagship arrived in Manila South Harbor for a port visit on Tuesday to strengthen ties between the two counties.

"The long-standing alliance between the U.S. and the Philippines has contributed to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region for more than 60 years,"  Lt. Cmdr. Wilfredo Eslao, the ship's administration officer said in statement Tuesday.

Eslado was "born and raised" in the Philippines.

"We're tied together in more ways than one, and I'm proud to be a link between these two great nations," he added.

Many Blue Ridge sailors of Filipino roots will also visit relatives in the Philippines and reconnect with friends in the Philippine Navy.

Blue Ridge sports coordinator Culinary Specialist 1st Class Robert Smith said crew and staff personnel have military-to-military exchanges with their Filipino counterparts as well as athletic events.

"Sports are the perfect way to interact with people from other cultures. Even if no one talks to one another, after spending time sweating it out on the field or court, you still feel like you really know each other," Smith said.

The US vessel last visited the country in 2008.

Blue Ridge has been forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan for 34 years and is the  lead ship of the two Blue Ridge–class command ships of the American Navy.