Navy to decommission World War II vintage BRP Sultan Kudarat

The Philippine Navy is set to decommission one of its legacy vessels, the BRP Sultan Kudarat (PS22), on Friday afternoon in accordance with the phase-in and phase-out of ships as it welcomes new floating assets.

"In preparation for our more capable and modern platforms, we have to also decommission older platforms," Philippine Fleet commander Rear Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said in a phone interview with reporters.

"Kumbaga i-decommission mo siya, you have to strip it of usable equipment, tapos after that, after the survey already, it will be turned over to the Naval Logistics Center for the disposal process," he added.

Bacordo said the BRP Sultan Kudarat was commissioned in the US Navy as USS Crestview (PCE 895) on October 30, 1943.

It was brought to Cavite Naval Shipyard for rehabilitation on January 10, 1976.

It was commissioned in the Philippine Navy on July 27, 1976, Bacordo said.

Another vessel is set to be decommissioned this year.

"For this year, we are at looking another vessel, the same class, patrol craft escort also," Bacordo said.

"If you remember this August, we are expecting already the Conrado class corvette, 'yung Pohang... while meron naman tayong mga navy personnel doon ngayon in Korea... they are on training and also manning already the vessel," he added. —NB, GMA News