The USS Blue Ridge, flagship of the United States Navy Seventh Fleet, now on the fourth day of its 18-day goodwill visit to the Philippines, left yesterday morning for Cebu City for the next phase of its visit called "Pacific Friendship."
After a three-day stint at the port of Cebu, it will head for General Santos City for the third and final phase of the visit, then return to its home port of Yokosuka, Japan.
The USS Blue Ridge arrived last Thursday afternoon at Pier 13 of the Manila South Harbor where its officers and 1,000-man crew led by Seventh Fleet commander Vice Admiral William "Doug" Crowder were welcomed by United States Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney, Philippine Navy Operations commanding officer Commander Oscar Santos, and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Esperanza Cabral.
Kenney, Crowder, and Santos turned over more than four pallets of relief goods to Cabral as part of Project Handclasp’s humanitarian aid to victims of supertyphoons "Reming" and "Milenyo" in Bicol. (Yul Malicse)
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