18 April 2016 - Upon the invitation of Admiral Luís Macierra Fragoso, Chief of the Portuguese Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Caesar Taccad, Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy, conducted an official visit to the Portuguese Navy from March 27 to 30.
The visit is part of the efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal under the leadership of Ambassador Philippe J. Lhuillier to develop relations and cooperation between the Philippines and Portugal in the area of defense and security. As two nations with respectively large maritime areas under its operational jurisdiction and a rich maritime heritage, it was considered natural that contact between the two Navies would serve as a solid foundation for establishing a framework for defense cooperation between the two countries.
The visit provided officials from both navies an opportunity to share best practices and operational experience on the various challenges faced in carrying out their respective missions. Both sides likewise exchanged views on the maritime security environment in their respective regions. One area of interest to the Philippine Navy delegation was the setup of the Portuguese National Maritime Authority that provides a streamlined command and control structure that enables the Portuguese government to effectively respond to its maritime security and safety commitments and challenges, and at the same time prevents redundancies in the organizational structure and in the allocation of resources.
The Portuguese Navy shared their experience in facing the challenge of maximizing limited resources and how their navy pursued a transformation program that emphasized innovation, flexibility and efficiency.
In addition to the briefings and exchange of views with the Portuguese Naval Command and Submarine Squadron, the visit involved demonstrations and tours of the Portuguese Navy Operations Center, a naval training simulator, the latest Viana de Castelo class Ocean Patrol Vessel, the Tridente class submarine, a naval corvette and the Arsenal do Alfeite, the primary maintenance and repair provider of the Portuguese Navy.
A briefing on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) defense modernization program was also given for representatives of various companies of the Portuguese defense industry who have expressed interest to participate in the 2nd and 3rd phases of the modernization program.
With regard to establishing a framework for cooperation, both sides expressed a commitment to explore and develop opportunities in the areas of technical cooperation, training and logistics. END
