Philippine and Japanese officials on Friday witnessed the maiden voyage of the latest Japanese-built sea asset of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) that will be deployed to patrol the country’s territorial waters. Adm. Artemio Abu, commandant of the PCG, was elated to welcome the BRP Melchora Aquino into the coast guard’s fleet, saying the construction of the 97-meter multirole response vessel (MMRV) was another testament to the close ties between the two countries. “The Filipino people are enthusiastically waiting for her arrival to our shores,” Abu said at the sendoff ceremony.

Ramos, M. (2022, May 28). Newest PH Coast Guard vessel arriving next week. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A6.