US Ship In Manila On Five-Day Goodwill Visit

The US Navy cruiser USS Shiloh started a five-day goodwill visit in the Philippines as an expression of Washington’s "long-standing" commitment to strengthen bilateral partnership with the Philippines. During the visit, crew-members of the USS Shiloh are expected to participate in community building projects with local counterparts. "The visit reflects the long-standing military, historical and personal ties between the U.S. and the Philippines as well as the continued U.S. commitment to work together to assist people in need of humanitarian outreach," the US Embassy said in a statement. Commanded by Captain Alan J. Abramson, the USS Shiloh is based at Yokosuka, Japan, and serves in the US 7th Fleet.USS Shiloh (CG 67)"During the visit, the Commanding Officer will be turning over a donation of medical supplies to the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development. In addition, sailors from the ship will be participating in the construction of homes for local citizens," the embassy said. Last year, the San Diego-based USS Peleliu visited the country to embark on a multi-country goodwill mission called "Pacific Partnership" in Southeast Asia and Oceania. The USS Peleliu delivered donated goods such as clothes, toys, food, and medical supplies; provided free health clinics for citizens in poor or remote communities; and conducted engineering projects to construct and improve schools and public buildings in Cotabato and Jolo, Sulu. Pacific Partnership is a unique humanitarian mission that brings together U.S. Military personnel not only with host nation military medical personnel, but also with medical and engineering specialists from nongovernmental organizations, private charitable groups, and thirdcountry military medical personnel.