Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS De Ruyter at the Port of Manila on May 22, 2026. Bianca Dava, ABS-CCBn News

Article (news)

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS De Ruyter arrived at the Port of Manila on Friday, in what officials said was the first visit by a Dutch naval vessel to the Philippines in “a very long time,” highlighting efforts to strengthen maritime and defense cooperation between the two countries.</p><p>The port call comes as the Philippines and the Netherlands mark 75 years of diplomatic relations and forms part of the Dutch Navy’s five-month Indo-Pacific deployment under Pacific Archer.</p><p>Netherlands Ambassador Marielle Geraedts said the timing of the ship’s arrival reflects the growing partnership between Manila and Amsterdam.</p><p>“I think the visit of the frigate is very timely, as exactly on May 17, we celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations,” Geraedts told reporters on HNLMS De Ruyter.</p><p>“And I think the presence of the ship underlines our friendship and also underlines the importance we both attach to maritime security,” she added.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779445583114viber_image_2026-05-22_17-54-39-463.jpg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS De Ruyter at the Port of Manila on May 22, 2026. Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS De Ruyter at the Port of Manila on May 22, 2026. <em>Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>Geraedts described Philippine-Netherlands relations as “very, very good,” saying ties between the two countries have expanded over the years.</p><p>She cited strong economic relations, noting that more than 120 Dutch companies operate in the Philippines.</p><p>The ambassador also highlighted the contribution of Filipino seafarers to the Dutch maritime sector.</p><p>“In the maritime field, more than 40 percent of the seafarers in the Dutch commercial fleet are Filipino,” she said.</p><p>“The Dutch fleet could not sail without the Filipinos, so I think this is a testament to our important economic relations.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/dfa-chief-lazaro-visit-to-netherlands-tackles-maritime-security-ph-eu-ties-2015">DFA chief Lazaro visit to Netherlands tackles maritime security, PH-EU ties</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>DEFENSE COOPERATION</strong></div><p>According to Geraedts, the visit could serve as a starting point for broader defense cooperation.</p><p>“I think the visit of the frigate is the first step in that process,” she said.</p><p>She added that the Netherlands sees the Indo-Pacific as a strategically important region.</p><p>“We have an Indo-Pacific strategy as the Netherlands. We consider this region crucial. Stability and security in this region [are] also important for the Netherlands,” the envoy noted.</p><p>The visit also demonstrates the significance of the Philippines in the region, she added.</p><p>“I think this visit underlines the very important position the Philippines has in the Indo-Pacific,” Geraedts said.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779445646535viber_image_2026-05-22_17-54-41-132.jpg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION</strong></div><p>The ambassador also stressed the importance of international law amid continuing maritime tensions in the region.</p><p>“The Philippines and the Netherlands are both partners in defending the international rule of law and especially the 2016 Arbitral Award, so having the ship sailing through the South China Sea also underlines the importance of freedom of navigation,” she said.</p><p>When asked about developments in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Geraedts reiterated the Netherlands’ position.</p><p>“We think it is important that all parties abide by the international law of the sea,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/13/france-ph-sovfa-underscores-paris-indo-pacific-commitment-amid-global-tensions-1723">France-PH SOVFA underscores Paris’ Indo-Pacific commitment amid global tensions</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>TRAINING AND INTEROPERABILITY EXERCISES</strong></div><p>Commander Rodger de Wit of HNLMS De Ruyter said the deployment seeks to strengthen diplomatic, economic and security relations between the two nations.</p><p>During the vessel’s stay in Manila, around 150 cadets from the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) are expected to board the ship and receive briefings on Dutch naval operations.</p><p>The Dutch Navy will also conduct exercises with the Philippine Navy aimed at improving interoperability.</p><p>“We’re going to exercise with a frigate from the Philippine Navy to see how interoperable we are,” de Wit said. “We’re going to do communication exercises, some maneuvering and see how we can work together.”</p><p>He went on, “That is really valuable for us because we’re not used to operating in this area, but as a Navy, we strive to operate all over the world. Exercising with other countries than we’re normally used to provides us a lot of lessons for the future.”</p><p>De Wit described the HNLMS De Ruyter as an air defense and command frigate capable of carrying out various missions.</p><p>“We are capable of doing all types of warfare—anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, also anti-air warfare. Our main focus is anti-air warfare and specifically to protect all types of ships from air threats, maybe aircraft, drones, but also missiles,” he explained.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BRIEF ENCOUNTER WITH CHINESE FORCES</strong></div><p>De Wit said the hnlms De Ruyter departed from Surabaya, Indonesia, and traveled through the Celebes Sea, Sulu Sea and the South China Sea before reaching Manila.</p><p>Asked whether the ship had any encounters during the journey, he said interaction with Chinese forces was minimal.</p><p>“We were approached by a helicopter but it was very professional,” de Wit said. “They asked who we were and we replied. That was enough.”</p><p>“The interaction was really short,” he added.</p>

<p>The Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS De Ruyter arrived at the Port of Manila on Friday, in what officials described as the first visit by a Dutch naval vessel to the Philippines in “a very long time,” highlighting efforts to strengthen maritime and defense cooperation between the two countries.</p>

The Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS De Ruyter arrived at the Port of Manila on Friday, in what officials described as the first visit by a Dutch naval vessel to the Philippines in “a very long time,” highlighting efforts to strengthen maritime and defense cooperation between the two countries.

Dutch navy ship visits PH after years, boost maritime partnership

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Dutch navy ship visits PH after years, boost maritime partnership

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 22, 2026 06:51 PM PHT

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HNLMS De Ruyter

Ambassador Marielle Geraedts

Commander Rodger de Wit

The Netherlands

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