PHILIPPINES – As the highlight of the month-long celebration of the 117th Philippine Navy Anniversary, an awarding ceremony for the distinguished officers, enlisted personnel, civilian employees and stakeholders that have contributed to the PN’s mission accomplishment was held here today with Hon. Voltaire T. Gazmin, the Secretary of National Defense as the Guest of Honor and keynote Speaker.
With the theme “Protecting the Seas, Securing our Future”, a series of month-long pre-anniversary activities was conducted as a tribute for the 117 years of continuous enactment of selfless and dedicated service to the country.
These include series of CMO activities such as “Experience the Navy Dream” where 40 children and orphans from Asilo de San Vicente de Paul were treated for the marine barracks and museum tour, military tank ride, navy aircraft ride and a cruise aboard a navy vessel in order to inspire them to pursue an honorable service and to have a good future for themselves.
The event also included free mall concerts with performers from the Philippine Navy Wind Orchestra, the Marine Corps Band and Seabees Band. The concert was dedicated to the Filipino people as the Navy’s tribute and appreciation of the nation’s untiring support. The Navy musical groups played for the mall goers in SM Marikina and in Trinoma Mall. Shop goers were also able to find out more about the PN through the photo and static displays to highlight the heroic accomplishment of the organization and its contribution to national development and security.
Another pre-anniversary activity was the “Navy Got Talent” competition which aims to showcase the talents and performances of the Sailors and Marines.
A Simultaneous Flag Raising and Thanksgiving Mass were also conducted in several units of the PN all over the country to commemorate the actual date of the founding of the organization.
The PN also welcomed the first oil tanker to its fleet, the former motor tanker from Philippine National Oil Company, was commissioned and christened as the BRP Lake Caliraya (AF81). The Navy chief, Vice Adm. Millan underscored the importance of this tanker saying that it breathed a new life into the replenishment-at-sea capability of the Navy.
The men and women of the Philippine Navy together with their spouses gathered in a traditional Navy Ball, a formal dinner dance held on the night of May 23, 2015 to commemorate the birthday of the Philippine Navy. Traditionally, the oldest and the youngest service members in attendance are announced and asked to cut the birthday cake.
The Philippine Navy was established on May 21, 1898 during the second phase of the Philippine Revolution when General Aguinaldo formed the Revolutionary Navy which was initially composed of a small fleet of eight Spanish steam launches captured from the Spaniards.
For more than a century of invaluable service to the Filipino people, its strategies have advanced the organization in its journey towards becoming a strong and credible force that our maritime nation can be proud of. The Navy has proven its worth in identifying means and ways to protect this maritime nation and to fulfill its mandated task of protecting the people. With such various noble undertakings, the Sailors and Marines have always been proud to serve and to succeed the right and honorable way.
RSS