MANILA – The Philippine Navy (PN) is set to receive two brand-new missile corvettes from 2025 to 2026, an official said on Wednesday.
"Marami po tayong parating na barko. Pagdating po ng 2025 tsaka 2026, we will be receiving two brand-new corvettes. Galing po ito sa (South) Korea. Bago po ito (We have a lot of naval ships coming. In 2025 and 2026, we will be receiving two brand-new corvettes from [South] Korea. Both of these ships are new)," PN vice commander Rear Adm. Caesar Bernard Valencia said in an interview with DZBB.
Valencia said these brand-new corvettes are expected to backstop the two Jose Rizal-class missile frigates – the BRP Jose Rizal and the BRP Antonio Luna that are in service.
He was referring to the corvette acquisition program of the Department of National Defense (DND), which was formally awarded to South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) on Dec. 28, 2021.
These corvettes are worth PHP28 billion and are designed to be capable of conducting anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare missions.
Valencia noted that from 2026 to 2028, the PN would also start receiving six brand-new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) worth PHP30 billion and awarded to HHI on June 28, 2022.
"At pagdating po ng 2026-2028, we expect to receive six more brand new OPVs. Ang OPV, ang pinaka main purpose po niya ay magpatrulya sa karagatan (Come 2026-2028, we expect to receive six more brand new OPVs, the main purpose of the OPV is to patrol the seas)," he added.
(PNA)