The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) formally commissioned two new vessels at the Naval Operating Base in Subic, Zambales, as part of its modernization program aimed at strengthening maritime security.
The newly inducted ships are the offshore patrol vessel BRP Rajah Sulayman (PS-20) and the fast attack interdiction craft BRP Audrey Bañares (PG-910). AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. led the commissioning rites, joined by Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Adm. Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta and other senior military officials.
“Modernization is not a signal of aggression. It is a statement of responsibility. A credible defense posture deters conflict,” Brawner said, emphasizing that the AFP’s modernization program is anchored on responsibility and peace.
The BRP Rajah Sulayman is the first of six offshore patrol vessels acquired from South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries under a ₱30-billion project. Launched in Ulsan on June 11, 2025, it arrived in the Philippines on January 17, 2026. The remaining five vessels are expected to be delivered at two per year from 2026 to 2028.
The BRP Audrey Bañares is the ninth and final fast attack interdiction craft (FAIC) procured from Israel Shipyards Ltd. under a ₱10-billion contract signed in February 2021. These Acero-class gunboats are set to replace the Navy’s older medium-sized patrol craft and strengthen coastal operations.
According to the AFP, the Rajah Sulayman is named after the pre-Hispanic ruler who led Tagalog forces in the 1570 Battle of Manila, while the Audrey Bañares honors a Navy commando killed in Zamboanga City in September 2013 during a sea battle with Moro National Liberation Front fighters.
The AFP said the induction of the two vessels will enhance its ability to secure the country’s archipelagic waters, coastlines, and economic zones, expanding operations in both littoral and deep-sea environments.
