By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – Dutch Navy warship HNLMS De Ruyter is in Manila for a three-day goodwill visit as part of the Netherlands’ intensified efforts to strengthen maritime partnerships with countries in the Indo-Pacific.
The HNLMS De Ruyter (F804) will stay in Manila from Friday to Sunday (May 22 to 24) and is set to participate in various interoperability activities, including communication and maneuvering exercises with the Philippine Navy.
“[This is] to see how comfortable we are and how easily we can work together. For us, that’s very important, and it provides us a lot of lessons on how we can operate with other partners we’re not really used to work with now and in the future,” the ship’s commanding officer, Commander Rodger de Wit, told reporters in an interview.
De Wit said the Dutch Navy’s presence in the region also signals that the Netherlands is a “strong supporter” of international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“We’re strong supporter of that, and it doesn’t matter if that’s the North Sea or the South China Sea. That’s the reason why we are here as well — to promote freedom of navigation, keep the seas open, keep the trade going,” he said.
The Dutch frigate’s visit forms part of the Royal Netherlands Navy’s five-month Pacific Archer deployment mission, which aims to promote freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.
After its Manila port call, HNLMS De Ruyter will join the 2026 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, which will bring together 31 nations, including the Philippines, in and around the Hawaiian Islands from June 24 to July 31.
HNLMS De Ruyter is one of four De Zeven Provinciën-class Air Defence and Command Frigates operated by the Royal Netherlands Navy.
Commissioned in 2004, the warship was designed to provide fleets with advanced long-range air defense, command-and-control capabilities, and protection against modern missile threats.
The vessel is staffed by around 200 personnel and carries an NH90 twin-engine multi-role military helicopter. (PNA)
