New Navy warship BRP Alcaraz leaves Guam, starts final leg of journey to PHL

After a stopover at Guam, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the Philippine Navy's second warship, began early Monday the final leg of its journey to the Philippines.

 

In a blog post before noon Monday, a Philippine Navy blogger said the BRP Ramon Alcaraz cast off lines to sail back to sea after 32 hours in Guam.

 

"Indeed, our stopover in Guam was too short for us to even say our proper goodbyes. After exactly 32 hours since we arrived here in Naval Base Guam, we are once again casting off all our lines to sail back to sea," it said.
 

The blogger added that Filipino-Americans waved their goodbyes as the warship started moving away after a sendoff ceremony.

 

Many Filipino-Americans also held a "Bon Voyage" streamer, the blog post added.

 

"On all our port visits, the support of the Filipino Community is truly overwhelming. Their genuine hospitality can wash away the salty homesickness we brought along with us from our lonely times at sea," the blogger said.

 

A separate report on state-run Philippines News Agency quoted Philippine Navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic as saying the ship departed Naval Base Guam around 2 p.m. Sunday.

 

"She is now enroute to the Philippines," Fabic said.

 

Earlier, Fabic said the vessel is due to arrive in Subic Aug. 4, with President Benigno Aquino III as the guest-of-honor at the welcome rites.

 

Fabic also said the vessel will be commissioned in October and may be deployed to the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. —KG, GMA News