BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), the second missile-capable frigate of the Philippine Navy (PN), was officially commissioned into service at Pier 13 in South Harbor, Manila on Friday, March 19.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana led the christening and commissioning rites of BRP Antonio Luna, which arrived in the country last February 26 from the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard where it was manufactured in Ulsan, South Korea.
It was launched in the Korean shipyard almost 17 months ago and had to undergo several performance tests before it was finally turned over and delivered to the Philippine Navy.
The vessel is expected to further the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to protect the country's maritime interests in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
"Almost 17 months ago since it was launched in Ulsan, South korea, the BRP Antonio Luna has arrived home and is now officially a part of the fleet of the Philippine Navy as FF-151," Lorenzana said in his speech during the commissioning activity.
"I share in the joy of the AFP leadership, and our gallant sailors and marines the Philippine Navy, of this milestone knowing that having a fleet of frigates has always been their dream as much as the Filipino people.
Like the legacy of the great hero this ship was named after, who was a highly admired as the first Commanding General of the Philippine Revolutionary Army, much is expected from the BRP Antonio Luna crew," he noted.
Like its sister ship BRP Jose Rizal (FF150), the BRP Antonio Luna is considered one of the most powerful warships of the Philippine Navy. It is capable of conducting the "four dimensions of warfare" namely anti-surface warfare, anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and electronic warfare operations.
"May this latest addition in our fleet inspire you to do your jobs better. Tulad ni Heneral Antonio Luna, nawa'y maging simbolo ang barkong ito ng kagitingan. Kagitingan ang nagsalba sa ating bansa mula sa dayuhang mananakop, ito rin ang kailangan natin para mapanatili ang tunay na kalayaan at kasarinlan, at makamit ang ating hinahangad na kapayapaan at kaunlaran (Like General Antonio Luna, may this ship be also a symbol of valor. Valor was what saved our country from the foreign invaders, this is also what we need to preserve true freedom, and to reach the peace and development that we all aspire)," Lorenzana told the soldiers who witnessed the commissioning.
The ship has a maiden crew of 101 sailors headed by its first commanding officer, Captain Charles Merric Villanueva.
Lorenzana said BRP Antonio Luna will be used to expand the military's patrol operations in the WPS at a time when China has tightened its grip of resource-rich areas there despite them being in heavily-disputed waters.
"Malaki ang kahalagan nito dahil noong nakaraang panahon wala man lang tayong barko na pampatrolya dyan sa West Philippine Sea. Noon kasi, 'yang mga pampatrolya natin 'yung World War 2 vintage , wala namang armas (This is very important because in the past, we didn't have any ships capable of patrolling in the West Philippine Sea. The ones we used before were World War 2 vintage , which had no weapons)," he said.
"Ito ngayon ang medyo capable, meron siyang.... missile-capable siya, anti-air, anti-surface, submarine warfare so pwede na natin dyang iharap dyan sa mga, kung sino man ang mananakop sa ating territory sa West Philippine Sea (What we have now is a capable which is missile-capable, has anti-air, anti-surface, and submarine warfare so we can use it against anyone who will invade our territory in the West Philippine Sea)," he explained.