The Philippine Navy officially welcomed its newest and most advanced guided-missile frigate, the BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07), during a ceremony on Monday at the Naval Operating Base in Subic.

The frigate’s arrival marks a significant step in the navy’s modernization and maritime defense capabilities, officials said. It is the second vessel of the Miguel Malvar-class of frigates built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea. Its sister ship, the BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06), was commissioned in May.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. led the arrival ceremony. He described the warship as both a “strategic asset and a powerful symbol” of the nation’s growing maritime strength.

“BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07) is a symbol of our nation’s resolve to defend what is rightfully ours, to stand firm in the face of challenges, and to demonstrate our readiness to safeguard the interests of our people,” Brawner said.

The 3,200-ton frigate is 118.4 meters long and is equipped with eight anti-ship missiles, a 16-cell vertical launching system, multiple torpedo launchers, a 76mm naval gun and a cutting-edge active electronically scanned array radar system.

The two frigates were acquired under a P28-billion contract signed in 2021 between the Department of National Defense and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. The acquisition is part of an effort to upgrade the Philippine Navy’s surface combat capabilities amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.

Capt. John Percie Alcos, the commanding officer of the BRP Diego Silang, said the ship is not just a high-tech warship, but a “vessel of hope” for the Filipino people.