Albay -- A United States Navy warship is expected to dock off the waters of the Albay Gulf this city on Tuesday to hold a five day humanitarian mission in selected villages in this premiere city of Bicol, a Philippine Navy spokesman said today. Navy Lt. Junior Grade German Acido, spokesman of the Philippine Navy Naval Forces of southern Luzon (NAVRASOL) that USS Reuben James (FFG-57) will hold a week-long community service. The US Navy ship is an Oliver Hazard Perry-Class guided missile warship based in Hawaii, it will stay drop anchor at the Albay Gulf from October 21 until 25, while its crews will hold civic and medical services to poor city residents at the Bagumbayan Central School here. The Navy crew will also hand over medical supplies to the Legazpi City health office and the Department of Social Welfare Development here. The USS Reuben James is the third US Navy Fleet to arrive in Albay to conduct another rounds of humanitarian mission in this typhoon path province of the Bicol peninsula. Last year, two US Navy warships such as USS Comstock and USS Peleliu arrived in this city and conducted humanitarian mission to assist the poor-stricken families by two super typhoons that hit Albay province. Sources said that the viist of the US Navy warship is an advance move in preparation for the holding of a RP-US Balikatan exercise set for nest year. The schedule Balikatan 2009 in Bicol will be the 25th joint military exercise to take place in the country. The RP and US have a long standing relationship or for about six decades, and the Balikatan exercise is part of bilateral RP-US agreement in promoting cooperation, security and stability between the two countries.
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