On Tuesday, June 18th, HHI announced that it held the launching ceremony for the 3,200-ton Philippine Navy Corvette ‘BRP Miguel Malvar’ at its shipyard in Ulsan, attended by high-ranking military officials from both the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. The Launching Ceremony was attended by the Philippine Secretary of National Defense (SND) Atty. Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., Undersecretary for Civil, Veteran, and Reserve Affairs, Mr. Pablo M. Lorenzo, Undersecretary for Acquisition and Resource Management, Mr. Salvador Melchor B. Mison, Jr., Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), LTGEN Romeo S. Brawner, and Flag Officer-In-Command of the Philippine Navy, VADM Toribio D. Adaci Jr. among many distinguished guests. Mrs. Monica Louise Prieto-Teodoro, the wife of SND and special envoy to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) performed the christening of the ship as the designated sponsor. From Korea, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations VADM Kang Dong-Gil and Deputy Director of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration Mr. Kang Hwan-Seok graced the occasion with their presence.
At the Ceremonial Speech of the Launching Ceremony, the Philippines SND Atty. Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. stated, “Today, we made a special effort to attend the launching of BRP Miguel Malvar in order to show our commitment to work with the government of the Republic of Korea towards ensuring a Principled Peace in the Indo-Pacific area. On the corporate side, on the capability side, … we look forward to … partnering with Korea to build up not only our strategic framework of cooperation, but our capabilities. The acquisition must make a difference in our building up a credible deterrent posture and value, and I am happy to note that companies in Republic of Korea have proven their quality, their reliability, and good faith in negotiations. Governance standards are kept high. Therefore, we look forward to working with you on a sustainable and sustained basis.”
Also worth mentioning, HHI secured maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) contracts for the two BRP Jose Rizal Class Frigates delivered to the Philippine Navy in 2020 and 2021, actively supporting the Philippine Navy’s fleet operations. Furthermore, in celebration of Philippines Independence Day on June 12th, HHI hosted various programs such as musical concerts, special dinners, and movie viewings to appreciate the efforts of Overseas Filipino Workers at HHI’s Ulsan shipyard who have contributed immensely to the construction of BRP Miguel Malvar.
In return, HHI CEO Mr. Sang-Kyun Lee stated, “The Philippines is one of Republic of Korea’s closest allies which helped defend ROK’s freedom and democracy by deploying 7,500 expeditionary forces to the Korean War 74 years ago. HHI, in gratitude for this sacrifice made by the Filipino soldiers, will strive to participate in the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Horizon 3 Modernization Program to contribute to the advancement of the Philippine’s Navy’s Defense Capabilities.“
BRP Miguel Malvar is a state-of-the-art surface combatant measuring 118.4 meters in length and 14.9 meters in breadth, with a cruising speed of 15 knots (about 28 km/h) and a range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,330 km). It is equipped with advanced weapon systems such as anti-ship missiles, vertical launch systems, and 3D AESA radar. Named in honor of the Philippine independence activist and revolutionary General Miguel Malvar, the vessel will undergo sea trials and outfitting before being delivered to the Philippine Navy by 2025. The second Corvette, whose keel was laid on Friday, June 14th, is scheduled to be launched in December this year and delivered next year. The Philippine government, in its effort to modernize and strengthen its naval presence, has been pursuing the AFP Modernization Program. Through its Horizon programs, the government has placed an order with HHI for a total of ten vessels: two Frigates in 2016, two Corvettes in 2021, and six Offshore Patrol Vessels in 2022.
