The Fleet-Marine Ready Force (FMRF) on Monday announced that the Philippine Navy (PN) held a send-off ceremony for the naval contingent that will be participating in the upcoming 5th Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) 2025 in Bali, Indonesia from Feb. 16 to 22.
FMRF spokesperson Lt. Oscar Ronaldo Mendoza, in a statement, said send-off rites took place on Feb. 8 at the Naval Operating Base in Subic Bay, Zambales.
The contingent, dubbed Naval Task Group (NTG) 84, consists of 175 personnel coming from different PN units and the offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16).
“Capt. Malone Agudelo leads Naval Task Group 84, while BRP Ramon Alcaraz is under the command of Commander Johanns Cruzada. The NTG 84 is composed of 175 personnel from the different PN units,” Mendoza said.
Present during the send-off rites were Philippine Fleet commander Rear Admiral Joe Anthony Orbe, PN vice commander Brig. Gen. Edwin Amadar and FMRF deputy commander for fleet operations, Capt. Glenn Dizon.
Incidentally, Dizon will also act as the exercise director for the PN contingent to the MNEK. MNEK 2025 is set to feature a wide range of activities which are grouped into three — Fleet Activity, Maritime Hospitality, and Community Relations.
The Fleet Activity features the International Fleet Review, Subject Matter Expertise Exchange, and Sea Phase. Maritime Hospitality includes the International Maritime Security Symposium and bilateral meetings.
The Community Relations include the Medical Civic Action Program, Baby Turtle Release, Coral Planting, and Taekwondo Tournament.
MNEK is a biennial multilateral naval exercise joined by 31 navies. It is aimed at enhancing cooperation among the participants in building a common understanding of humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.
It also seeks to maintain and enhance good diplomatic relations and rapport with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Indo-Pacific navies through naval diplomacy.
The first iteration of the exercise took place in 2014 in Indonesia’s Batam City. (PNA)