Canadian warship in Philippines for goodwill visit

MANILA, Philippines — Royal Canadian Navy personnel aboard one of the RCN’s warships arrived in Manila yesterday for a five-day goodwill visit.

The presence of HMCS Montreal, docked at the Manila South Harbor, “is a clear demonstration of Canada’s dedication to regional security and stability” in the Indo-Pacific region, Canadian Ambassador David Hartman said.

The Canadian embassy said that the Montreal’s deployment is part of Operation Horizon, which is Canada’s forward presence to promote peace and stability in support of a rules-based international order in some of the world’s busiest and most vital waterways. 

The embassy noted that Canada and the Philippines are taking steps to conclude a Status of Vising Forces Agreement after a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation was signed in January.

The warship has 250 sailors, soldiers and aviators, including four of Filipino descent, the embassy said.

The vessel was deployed together with an embarked air detachment operating a CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter.

Montreal, one of the RCN’s 12 Halifax-class frigates, is equipped with extensive anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare weapons and sensors to complement its substantial anti-air warfare defenses.