PH NAVY'S NEWEST WARSHIP ARRIVES IN SUBIC

SUBIC, ZAMBALES — The Philippine Navy welcomed the arrival of its newest offshore patrol vessel, the soon-to-be BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS21), during ceremonies held at the Naval Operating Base-Subic on Thursday, marking another milestone in the country’s naval modernization efforts.

Built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea, the vessel is the second of six offshore patrol vessels being acquired under the Philippine Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel Acquisition Project through the Second Horizon of the AFP Modernization Program.

“Today, we are not just witnessing the arrival of a new vessel; we are experiencing institutional evolution of our Navy,” Philippine Military Academy Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard N. Valencia said during the arrival ceremony.

Valencia added that the country’s maritime defense efforts go beyond military capability, stressing the importance of protecting national sovereignty.

“When this ship sails, we are telling the world that while we are a peace-loving nation, our resolve to protect what is ours is as deep as the trenches of the Philippine Sea,” he said.

The ceremony was attended by Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Q. Ezpeleta, Philippine Fleet chief Rear Admiral Joe Anthony C. Orbe, and other naval officials.

Valencia also holds a significant connection to the project, having previously served as the first chairman of the Defense Acquisition System Assessment Team of the Offshore Patrol Vessel Acquisition Project in 2017, where he helped conceptualize and establish its framework.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy said the arrival of the vessel further boosts the country’s maritime patrol and territorial defense capabilities amid evolving regional security challenges.