The BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07), the Philippine Navy’s newest asset, was launched Wednesday at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea.
In light of growing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, the launch represents a turning point in the nation’s continuous attempts to update its naval force.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. led the Philippine delegation to the event, joined by Navy Flag Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta and Defense Undersecretary Salvador Melchor B. Mison Jr. Also present was HHI President and CEO Lee Sang Kyun.
“The BRP Diego Silang is a testament to our commitment to defending our maritime interests and maintaining regional stability,” Brawner said in a statement released by the AFP.
The ship is the second of two 3,200-ton guided-missile frigates built by HHI under a ₱28-billion contract signed in 2021.
The BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06), which is its sister ship, sailed out of Korea on the same day and is expected to arrive at the Subic Shipyard on April 8.
With their cutting-edge armament and radar systems, both ships are expected to improve the Philippine Navy’s surface combat capability.
Their deployment comes at a time of increasing assertiveness by China in the West Philippine Sea, where the Philippines has filed numerous diplomatic protests over incursions into its exclusive economic zone.
AFP officials said the two new corvettes also reflect deeper defense cooperation between the Philippines and South Korea, a longtime ally.
The launch ceremony coincided with the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, during which Filipino troops fought under the United Nations banner to defend South Korea’s sovereignty.
The BRP Diego Silang is named after the 18th-century Ilocano revolutionary hero who led an uprising against Spanish colonial rule in northern Luzon.
