2nd Malvar-class guided missile frigate now in PH

MANILA – The Philippines’ second guided Malvar-class missile frigate, which will be called BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07) once commissioned, has arrived in the country, the Philippine Navy (PN) announced on Tuesday.
In a statement, PN public affairs office chief Captain Benjo Negranza said the warship was formally welcomed by the PN’s first guided-missile frigate, the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), as it sailed into Philippine waters on Monday.
“The soon-to-be BRP Diego Silang will undergo final preparations, acceptance procedures and commissioning before officially joining the PN’s active fleet,” Negranza said.
Once it joins the fleet, Negranza said BRP Diego Silang will “greatly enhance” the PN’s operational readiness, maritime domain protection, and capability to uphold a free, secure, and rules-based international order.
Aside from its meeting procedures with BRP Jose Rizal, BRP Diego Silang also conducted the same maneuvers with the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) offshore patrol vessel, the BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301), off Zambales.
Negranza said the activity is a significant event for both services.
“More than a routine encounter, the meeting of these vessels honors the legacy of Diego and Gabriela Silang, symbolizing the spirit of heroism and unity that guides the PN and PCG in safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty,” he said.
Negranza added that the coordinated procedure also reinforced fleet interoperability, operational readiness, and the PN’s modernization efforts, while highlighting the human side of service and the shared dedication of generations of maritime officers.
Philippine Fleet commander, Rear Adm. Joe Anthony Orbe supervised the procedure while his son, PCG Ensign Joshua Orbe, participated aboard BRP Gabriela Silang as part of his ongoing schooling on ship familiarization.
Like its sister ship, BRP Miguel Malvar, which arrived on April 8 and was commissioned on May 20, BRP Diego Silang weighs 3,200 gross tons, measures 118.4 meters, and has a beam of 14.9 meters.
It also has a range of 4,500 nautical miles and a cruising speed of 15 knots.
Before the arrival of the BRP Miguel Malvar, the most modern ships in the PN inventory were the two Jose Rizal-class frigates: BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna (FFG-151). (PNA)