CEBU CITY – By virtue of the Philippine Navy General Order No. 229, the Naval Forces Central (NavForCen) which covers the Visayas Islands was renamed the other day, as the Naval Base Rafael Ramos (NBRR) in recognition to one of the founding fathers of the Philippine Navy, Col. Rafael T. Ramos.

Vice Admiral Ferdinand S. Golez, the Flag Officer-in-Command of the Philippine Navy was the principal sponsor of the renaming ceremony of the NavForCen home base to NBRR which was then the Naval Operating Base Mactan (NOBM) hosted by Naval Forces Central commander Commodore Honorio Robert Balanon Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

According to Judyline Canoñeo, information officer of the home base, previously, the Naval Bases and Marine Facilities of the Philippine Navy were named after its geographical location, however due to Golez’s initiatives, which aim to honor the memory of many naval personnel who have greatly contributed prestige and honor to the development of the Philippine Navy, the home base was named after them.

Moreover, the contribution of Ramos in the Philippine Navy was highlighted on April 1938 during the time of President Manuel L. Quezon’s administration where the AFP – which is solely the Philippine Army at that time – was alarmed when a news report about a “mysterious flotilla” was sighted maneuvering in Davao Gulf.