MANILA — The Canadian warship HMCS Montreal docked at Manila South Harbor on Friday, marking the beginning of a five-day goodwill visit by the Royal Canadian Navy, scheduled to last until August 6.
HMCS Montreal is equipped for anti-submarine, anti-surface, and anti-air warfare, as well as search and rescue missions.
The deployment aims to “promote peace and stability in support of a rules-based international order in some of the world’s busiest and most vital waterways.” Additionally, it seeks to “reinforce ties with international allies and strengthen relationships with like-minded nations.”
China has expressed opposition to the warship’s passage through the Taiwan Strait en route to the Philippines. Commanding Officer Travis Bain stated that the transit was “lawful.”
“We are committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific. We transited lawfully through international waters and in doing so we followed all the rules and regulations,” Bain emphasized.
During its visit, HMCS Montreal will engage in professional development and training activities with the Philippine Navy, participate in community outreach, local engagements, a friendly ice hockey game, and a culinary exchange between the ship’s cooks and those of the Philippine Navy.
The HMCS Montreal, accompanied by an air detachment operating a CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter, carries 247 sailors, soldiers, and aviators. Among them are four individuals of Philippine descent, including Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicole Fabella from Zamboanga City.
“Being in the forces as a Filipino-Canadian, I would say as a Filipino we are very proud, we take a lot of pride in what we do, and I very much take that into what I do in my career,” Fabella said.
Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines, David Hartman, remarked that the arrival of HMCS Montreal further demonstrates the strong relationship between Canada and the Philippines.
“This is yet again a tangible demonstration, under the auspices of our Indo-Pacific strategy, of our commitment to the Philippines and to the people of the Philippines,” Hartman noted.
In January, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation and are working towards concluding a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SoVFA).
“We are much more optimistic that we will be able to conclude far more quickly and we really are hoping to advance in the coming months. The reality is we have already exchanged texts, drafts… I remain very optimistic that we will be able to conclude and ideally announce something in the not distant future, ideally in the next couple of months,” he added.
Last month, the Philippines and Japan signed a key defense pact allowing troop deployment on each other’s territories, further strengthening their ties in response to China’s growing assertiveness.