New Navy patrol boat arrives in Subic

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy’s newest offshore patrol vessel, BRP Rajah Lakandula, arrived in Subic, Zambales on Friday.

Built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea, the vessel is the second of the six patrol ships being acquired under the Second Horizon of the Modernization Program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Four more similar warships are expected to be delivered soon under the Philippine Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel Acquisition Project (OPVAP).

Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia served as the guest of honor and speaker during the arrival ceremony at Naval Operating Base-Subic.

“Today, we are not just witnessing the arrival of a new vessel; we are experiencing institutional evolution of our Navy,” Valencia said in his message.

“Our duty is to safeguard the very dignity of our nation. 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 added.

PMA public affairs office chief Lt. Commander Jesse Nestor Saludo noted that Valencia holds a significant connection to the project, having served as the first chairman of the Defense Acquisition System Assessment Team of the OPVAP, where he helped conceptualize and lay its framework in 2017.

Saludo said Valencia’s participation in the ceremony “reflects both his long-standing contribution to naval modernization and PMA’s continued support to initiatives that strengthen the capabilities of the AFP in addressing evolving maritime and security challenges.”