By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – The Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) biggest and newest ship, BRP Gabriela Silang, docked here Friday.
The ship is an 84-meter long offshore patrol vessel.
The ship was launched at OCEA Shipbuilding at Les Sables-d’Olonne in France in July 17, 2019 and was formally commissioned by the PCG on April 13, 2020.
Commander Alberto Ferre, the ship’s commanding officer, told reporters here that they were deployed in this city due to incoming storms and typhoons.
Ferre also said they will be on standby in case of any emergency situation in the Visayas area.
He said that he took command of the ship when it was handed over to them in France in December 2019.
The commissioning of the BRP Gabriela Silang also came in time when the country was placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferre added.
He further said that from April up to this month, the PCG vessel was assigned in transporting locally stranded individuals (LSIs), and medical supplies.
The ship was here in Bacolod City in May of this year to transport Negrense LSIs and deliver personal protective equipment for COVID-19 frontliners in Negros Occidental.
He further said the ship has 60 crew members and can last 22 days at sea without reprovisioning.
The ship is also capable of handling rough weather at sea as it is fully equipped with stabilizers, which also make it fully capable to conduct immediate rescue operations during bad weather. The ship can also sail at a top speed of 21 knots.
