At the inauguration of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Subic Agila Shipyard on September 2, 2025, South Korean Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa announced that the Philippine Navy will receive the BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07) within a week. The ship is the second in the Miguel Malvar-class, an advanced design derived from the HDF-3200 platform.
The program was launched under Horizon 2 of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program. Competing bids were reviewed from Hyundai, ASFAT of Türkiye, Israel Shipyards, Naval Group, Damen, TKMS, and Goa Shipyard. Ultimately, a government-to-government deal in December 2021 awarded Hyundai Heavy Industries the contract for its HDC-3100 (HDF-3200) design.
Unlike its Jose Rizal-class predecessor, the Miguel Malvar-class incorporates greater displacement, upgraded sensors, and a vertical launching system, which resulted in its reclassification from corvette to guided-missile frigate. Each vessel cost approximately PHP 12.5 billion ($250 million).
Construction commenced in 2023, with BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06) and BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07) slated for delivery between 2025 and 2026. The deal extends Hyundai’s partnership with the Philippines, complementing earlier contracts for frigates and offshore patrol vessels that bolstered Manila’s naval modernization efforts.
