MANILA -- The forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85) arrived in Manila, Philippines, Nov. 18.

The port visit highlights the strong community and military connections between the Philippines and the United States.

The port visit follows McCampbell’s successful completion of a training exercise with the Royal Brunei Navy during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2016. CARAT is a series of annual maritime exercises between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and the armed forces of nine partner nations to include Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.

The brief port call will allow McCampbell to replenish supplies as well as give Sailors time to rest and relax.

Petty Officer 1st Class Ambrosio Maddagan, a Filipino-American from Honolulu, Hawaii, said, “I am very excited for this upcoming port visit because I will be able to show my fellow shipmates my heritage and culture.”

McCampbell is commanded by Cmdr. Ed Angelinas and crewed by approximately 300 Sailors, of whom 20 are Filipino-Americans.

McCampbell is on patrol with the Carrier Strike Group Five (CSG 5) in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific.