Philippine Navy vessel launched in South Korea

MANILA, Philippines — Two brand-new 3,200-ton warships made in South Korea for the Philippine Navy are expected to be delivered to the country next month.

One of the corvettes, the BRP Diego Silang, was formally launched at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) naval shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea yesterday.

The South Korean embassy in Manila said the event was attended by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta, Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary for acquisition and resource management Salvador Melchor Mison Jr. and HHI CEO Lee Sang Kyun.

The newly commissioned warship was named after Diego Silang, a Filipino revolutionary who led a significant uprising against Spanish colonial rule and whose efforts were carried on by his wife, Gabriela, following his assassination in 1763.

In recognition of her bravery, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) previously commissioned the BRP Gabriela Silang, an offshore patrol vessel introduced in 2020.

The Korean embassy said the BRP Diego Silang is the sister ship of the BRP Miguel Malvar which also departed from Korea yesterday and is expected to arrive at the Subic shipyard on April 8.

Named after General Miguel Malvar who was a key figure in the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War, the warship is equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, a 76mm naval gun, a 35mm close-in weapon system, machine guns, anti-ship cruise missiles and a vertical launch system for surface-to-air missiles.

The Korean embassy said the two corvettes, equipped with anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft capabilities, are part of a P28-billion contract between the DND and HHI signed in 2021 and their addition strengthens the Philippine Navy’s fleet modernization efforts.

It added that the milestone highlights the deepening defense ties between Korea and the Philippines, reflecting a longstanding friendship between the two nations.

The Korean embassy said the timing is also symbolic, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the Korean War, where over 7,000 Filipino troops fought under the United Nations Command to defend South Korea’s democracy and sovereignty.

With the Miguel Malvar set to dock at Subic, the event is expected to highlight Subic’s role as a strategic hub within the Luzon economic corridor.

The Korean embassy said the shipyard, where HD Hyundai has been actively investing, serves as a key center for defense, trade and investment.

The Philippines is also set to bolster its air power with plans to acquire 12 additional light fighter aircraft from Korea for P40 billion, a deal aimed at enhancing the Philippine Air Force’s capabilities that is being finalized through a government-to-government agreement between Manila and Seoul, according to a recent Procurement Monitoring Report from the DND.

South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries, the country’s sole aircraft manufacturer, previously supplied the PAF with 12 FA-50 light combat aircraft under an P18.9-billion contract.

The AFP and the Philippine Navy are yet to officially release information about the two new corvettes but sources confirmed that some of the country’s top military officials are indeed in South Korea for an event.