BRP Miguel Malvar, Philippine Navy's newest corvette, launched in Korea

The first of two vessels acquired under the Philippine Navy's Corvette Acquisition Program was launched in South Korea earlier this week.

The BRP Miguel Malvar (FF06) named after a Filipino general is one of two corvettes supplied by Hyundai Heavy Industries.

In his speech during the ceremonial launching, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. said future acquisitions would adhere to the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, or the government’s plan to improve and level up the country’s defense through the Armed Forces of the Philippines. 

“Key considerations for these acquisitions include supply chain reliability, redundancy, corporate good governance, and the overall value for money,” the DND said in a statement. 

According to reports by Korean media, the newly acquired ship measures 118.4 meters long and 14.9 meters wide and is also equipped with anti-ship missiles, a vertical launching system, and an active electronically scanned array. 

The corvettes are part of the P28-billion contract signed between DND and HHI in December 2021. 

Teodoro also thanked South Korea for its support to the Philippines amid its ongoing tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea. 

“The event underscored the DND and AFP's commitment to fostering cooperation with the Korean government to ensure principled peace in the Indo-Pacific region. It also highlighted the strategic framework of collaboration and capability-building between the two countries,” the agency added. —NB, GMA Integrated News