Philippines get second Offshore Patrol Vessel from South Korea
Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Jose Espeleta, said the arrival of the second OPV, BRP Rajah Lakandula, “signifies another milestone in the Navy’s ongoing capability development efforts.”
The Philippine Navy held the arrival ceremony for Offshore Patrol Vessel 2 (OPV 2), future BRP Rajah Lakandula, at the Naval Operating Base-Subic last Friday, May 8. Photo from Philippine Navy.
Manuel Mogato | May 10, 2026
MANILA — A South Korean shipbuilder delivered last week a second Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) to the Philippines, four months after its first delivery to boost the Philippine Navy’s surface combatant capability.
Hyundai Heavy Industry (HHI) is committed to deliver four more Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) under a 30 billion pesos contract signed in 2022, just before Rodrigo Duterte handed over power to Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (Also read: South Korea, Philippines deepen security, economic relations)
Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Jose Espeleta, said the arrival of the second OPV, BRP Rajah Lakandula, “signifies another milestone in the Navy’s ongoing capability development efforts.”
“With the addition of this asset, the Philippine Navy continues to strengthen its ability to safeguard the nation’s maritime domain and support national security objectives,” Espeleta said. (Also read: Japan plans to transfer old vessels to the Philippines)
Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia, the superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy, and the Philippine Fleet commander, Rear Admiral Joe Anthony Orbe, were at the ceremony welcoming the warship at the Subic operating base.
“When this ship sails, the spirit of Rajah Lakandula sails with it — steadfast, wise, and unyielding. We are telling the world that we are a peace-loving nation,” said Valencia.
“Our resolve to protect what is ours is as deep as the trenches of the Philippines.”
The six OPVs will replace the aging Jacinto-class vessels which were acquired in the late 1990s from the British Royal Navy in Hong Kong before the handover to China.
When the delivery of the four remaining OPVs is completed by 2028, the Philippine Navy will have 10 brand-new vessels - four guided-missile frigates and six OPVs. (Also read: Building a local defense industry)
Two more frigates are to be delivered after Marcos’ term ends in 2028. The Navy had seven other old vessels - three ex-Hong Kong OPVs, three ex-US Coast Guard cutters, and a South Korean corvette.
It also has 9 Israeli-made missile-capable fast attack interdiction craft and three ex-Cyclone-class patrol boats.