Canadian warship in goodwill visit to Philippines

The Royal Canadian Navy has been on a goodwill visit to the Philippines, the first since 1996, to further demonstrate the strong relations between the two countries, Canada\'s Ambassador to the Philippines Christopher Thornley said Wednesday. Her Majesty\'s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina arrived at the Port of Manila on Tuesday and will be here until February 16. \"I am pleased to welcome HMCS Regina, its officers and crew to Manila. The Philippines has always been a very good host to our fleet and I know this visit will further strengthen a relationship that bridges the Pacific Ocean,\" Thornley said. In conjunction with the visit, Rear Admiral William Truelove, commander of Maritime Forces in the Pacific, will also be in Manila. He will meet with Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista to discuss issues of mutual interest at Camp Aguinaldo. Aside from calls on Philippine military officials, HMCS Regina\' s officers and crew will be involved in various activities including charity events and friendly sports competitions with their Philippine counterparts. The ship has about 250 personnel onboard and is the fifth of 12 Halifax-Class Frigates, all built in Canada. Although conceived as an anti-submarine frigate, Regina\'s engineering and state-of-the- art technology make it one of the most capable multipurpose platforms in the world.