The Philippine Navy commissioned the BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07), its new corvette built in South Korea, during a ceremony held at the Naval Operating Base in Subic, Zambales. The ship, which arrived in the country in September after completing its construction at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyards, is incorporated as part of the modernization process of the Philippine Armed Forces.
The BRP Diego Silang is a multipurpose platform designed to carry out antisurface, antiair, antisubmarine, and electronic warfare missions. The vessel is equipped with a torpedo launch system, C-Star missiles, and a vertical launch system (VLS), among other elements intended to strengthen naval operational capability.
During the christening and commissioning event, the commander of the Philippine Navy, Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta, highlighted the ship’s impact on maritime surveillance and regional interoperability. “As a guided-missile frigate, the vessel strengthens our surface combat force, enhances maritime domain awareness, and improves interoperability with partner navies,” he stated. He added that “it enables a more persistent presence in our waters, especially in the West Philippine Sea.”
The commissioning of the BRP Diego Silang comes one year after its launching in March, when the South Korean shipbuilder formally presented the second 3,200-ton corvette destined for the Philippine Navy. At 118.4 meters in length and 14.9 meters in beam, these units are larger than the José Rizal-class frigates currently in service. Their cruising speed reaches 15 knots and their estimated range is 4,500 nautical miles. In addition to the 16-cell VLS, they feature a 76 mm main gun, eight anti-ship missiles, and a 3D AESA radar for target detection.
During the ceremony, the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Resource Management, Salvador Melchor Mison Jr., emphasized the government’s commitment to strengthening national defense. “Diego Silang sends a clear message that the Philippines will continue to invest in programs that strengthen maritime domain awareness, improve deterrence, and increase our ability to uphold the rule of law,” he stated.
The arrival of the BRP Diego Silang coincides with the upcoming delivery of six new offshore patrol vessels, scheduled for next year, which will continue expanding the operational presence of the Philippine Navy in the region.
*Images obtained from the Philippine Navy.
You may also like: After more than 40 years in service, South Korea may transfer the first of its Type 209 submarines to the Philippine Navy
Philippine military equipment are antiquated because there’s no money for military upgrade. Government money is always stolen by corrupt government officials starting from the president who is a drug addict. Marcos family name is always associated with being thieves with Marcos Sr awarded by the Guinnes Book as the greatest thief of a government.
It’s actually a frigate, not a corvette. The Rajah Sulayman-class are the corvettes being built by South Korea for delivery starting 2026.
The main difference is size, capability, and operational range: Corvettes are smaller, cheaper, coastal patrol ships with limited endurance, while Frigates are larger, more capable ocean-going vessels designed for independent, open-ocean missions, often with better sensors, weapons, and helicopter facilities for tasks like anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and air defense, though modern definitions blur lines, with some large frigates resembling old cruisers.
It may look powerful but in reality it is not due to its low tech computer systems that are way below the demands of new defensive/offensive armaments in the market. It may also be excessively overpriced, thanks to corrupt officials.