Fil-Am nuclear engineer visits home as aircraft carrier makes port call

USS George Washington conducts flight operations on July 2, 2025 in the West Philippine Sea. PHOTO by John Eric Mendoza

ABOARD USS GEORGE WASHINGTON — For the first time in almost two decades, a Filipino nuclear engineer tasked to maintain the nuclear propulsion plants of this aircraft carrier gets to visit his country as the American sole forward-deployed flattop stopped by Manila for a port visit.

Before its port visit in Manila on Thursday, the USS George Washington conducted flight operations in the West Philippine Sea the day before, which was witnessed by Inquirer and select media outfits.

READ: US-aircraft-carrier-held-typical-ops-in-west-ph-sea-chinas-ire-seen/

The USS George Washington, longer (1,092 feet) than the New York City’s Chrysler Building (1,046 feet), has more than 40 aircraft currently embarked.

This Nimitz class flattop has almost 5,000 personnel,  including more than 3,000 enlisted ship’s company or non-officer personnel. Around 200 Filipinos are crew members of this aircraft carrier.

“They all do great things, the entire crew does,” said Capt. Tim Waits, the carrier strike group’s commanding officer, in an interview here. “But certainly, we appreciate the hardworking Filipino-Americans that make us able to do what we do out here.”

One of them is King Vincent Saba, 27, an MMN2 or a machinist mate, nuclear second class of this aircraft carrier, which has two nuclear reactor anchors.

Saba, a former resident of Novaliches, Quezon City, is anticipating big changes in the country’s regional capital, which he left when he was 10 years old.

“I am so excited, super,” Saba told the Inquirer. “My family promised that we will come back, but things got busy.”

Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

While there is considerable progress since Saba left the country, the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant—the only nuclear power plant in Southeast Asia—remained mothballed since the 1980s, indicative of the limited opportunities for his profession in the country.

With job prospects for him remaining slim, Saba could only visit the country for a few days.

Mall of Asia in Pasay City and the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig are part of Saba’s bucket list.

“It’s been a while since I went to Mall of Asia,” Saba said, having left two years after the mall was opened in 2006. “When I was young, BGC was not a big deal, but now it’s super popular, so I want to see what’s with the BGC.”

Aside from visiting areas in Metro Manila, the aircraft carrier’s crew and its officers are also expected to visit popular sites in nearby provinces, according to Waits.

One of them is Nathalie Grace Pulupot, 40, a Navy Logistics Specialist Seaman of this aircraft carrier.

Pulupot said her family, who are from Tacloban City in Leyte province, will visit Manila and nearby areas to celebrate the birthday of her aunt.

“I made her come from the province going to Manila,” Pulupot told Inquirer, saying they were given four days to go around. “We could visit so many areas like Tagaytay, not too far from Manila, as long as it’s within the vicinity.”

For the rest of the crew, the majority of whom are in their 20s and have never been to a foreign country before, there are probably about “12 to 15” different tour events including a nearby “volcano and lake”, according to Waits.

“The crew’s been working hard,” Waits said, noting that they did a lot of drills and logistics exercises recently.

“So it’s good to be able to pull in here and afford the crew some time for rest and relaxation, a little bit of liberty, recharge [their] batteries, and be ready to get back … after that,” he added. /mr