BRP 'Goryo' conducts drill, escorts Alcaraz to Subic

MANILA, Philippines - While waiting to be reunited with her sister ship BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar conducted a naval drill in waters off Bolinao, Pangasinan before noon Saturday.

At the sound of a whistle, more than 100 sailors and Marines simultaneously donned their fighting uniforms and manned their battle stations on orders of Cmdr. Joe Anthony Orbe, skipper of BRP Gregorio del Pilar nicknamed "Goryo."

The naval drill was launched based on an imagined upcoming naval threat sending Navy and Marine personnel to the anti-aircraft gun and heavy machinegun stations. The ship's Otomelara automatic cannon was also put on standby.

“This is what we call GQ (general quarters) each time we monitor threats while conducting maritime patrol,” Orbe said.

Orbe said the drill is just part of a routine to ensure the readiness of his men during emergencies and at the same time, honing the fighting skills of the sailors and the Marines aboard the warship.

Goryo departed Alava Port in Subic Bay, Zambales at about 11 p.m. Friday for a pre-arranged “meeting engagement” with Alcaraz, who, after a two-month voyage from the United States (US) entered Philippine waters off Aurora province before dawn of the same day.

From Aurora province, Alcaraz sailed towards the northern tip of Luzon passing through the high seas between the Calayan Group of Islands and Cagayan Valley, then to the waters of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and then to Bolinao, Pangasinan for a meeting engagement with BRP Gregorio del Pilar.

BRP Gregorio del Pilar is also a US Coast Guard cutter that the government acquired under the US government’s defense excess article program. The Navy spent P450 million for the acquisition, refurbishment and transfer of Del Pilar in 2011 and more than P600 million for Alcaraz.

After the drill, Del Pilar went on to meet Alcaraz in Bolinao waters at around 3 p.m. and escorted her sister on its final voyage to Subic Bay.