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Sailors and officers from the Royal Australian Navy and the Philippine Navy have come together to collaborate on educational and practical training exercises.
While deployed for a routine regional presence deployment in the Indo-Pacific, personnel from HMAS Toowoomba hosted a range of demonstrations and workshops on navigation methods and replenishments at sea as some of the transferable skills between the two navies.
Activities like these act as reminders of Australia’s continued commitment to ensuring that interoperability, coordination and collaboration between regional partners is maintained.
“While our senior leaders meet regularly, this was a great chance for junior officers and senior sailors to connect on a person-to-person level,” said Lieutenant Ryan Hanaphy, HMAS Toowoomba deputy marine engineer officer.
“By enabling us to learn how each other think, it strengthens our interoperability to work together safely and professionally at sea.
“It was enlightening to work with experienced mariners from an island nation similar to Australia.
“Despite our different backgrounds and cultures, it was interesting to learn just how much we have in common.”
Australia and the Philippines have maintained a solid defence relationship in recent years with continued collaboration of joint training, multinational exercises and maritime security efforts.
Additional agreements such as the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Program provides the framework for bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
Lieutenant Dan Bryle Madrid from the Philippine Navy noted how the ongoing efforts with the Australian Defence Force is valuable in gaining a range of new skills and capabilities for Philippine defence efforts.
“We are learning from the Royal Australian Navy the real-world seamanship that is taught to us in training school to elevate our knowledge and proficiency in seamanship, navigation and also other aspects of navy life,” LT Madrid said.
“The Royal Australian Navy can learn from the Philippine Navy sailors our sense of endurance and the patriotism of the Filipino people.
“We’re learning this not just for our country, but to develop our cooperation with our neighbours, including Australia.”
