HD Hyundai Heavy Industries CEO Lee Sang-kyun, front row eighth from right, and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., front row seventh from right, pose with participants in the launching ceremony for the Miguel Malvar-class corvette for the Philippine Navy at the Korean firm's shipyard in Ulsan, Tuesday. Courtesy of HD Hyundai

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) launched its first corvette for the Philippine Navy at the company's shipyard in Ulsan, Tuesday.

Named after Miguel Malvar, a military general that served during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War, the 3,200-ton naval ship, 118.4 meters in length and 14.9 meters wide, is equipped with anti-ship missiles, a vertical launching system and an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

The warship can cruise at a speed of 15 knots (28 kilometers per hour). Its cruising range reaches 4,500 nautical miles (8,330 kilometers).

Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Romeo S. Brawner Jr. and Flag Officer-in-Command Toribio Adaci Jr attended the launching ceremony.

"One value that I want to instill in our armed forces at Defense Department is the value of indomitable spirit to stand up for what is right, not to waver because without that spirit, the progress, prosperity of the Republic of Korea will not be here today and without that spirit, the Philippines will not be what it can be," the defense secretary said.

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Kang Dong-gil and HD HHI CEO Lee Sang-kyun also participated in the event.

Monica Prieto-Teodoro, the wife of the Philippine defense secretary, was declared the ship's godmother.

"The Philippines formed a blood alliance with Korea by sending 7,500 troops to protect the freedom and democracy, when Korea was under gunfire 74 years ago," the HD HHI CEO said at the ceremony. "HD HHI will make every effort to participate in follow-up projects to build additional corvettes and frigates for the Philippine Navy."

After test operations and fittings installation, the Miguel Malvar will be delivered to the Philippine Navy by 2025. The second corvette which has been under construction since Friday will be launched in December and delivered to the Philippine Navy by the end of next year.

The Southeast Asian country asked the Korean firm to build two frigates in 2016, two corvettes in 2021 and six offshore patrol vessels in 2022 to modernize and reinforce the country's naval forces. HD HHI also won an order to maintain, repair and overhaul the two frigates delivered to the Philippine Navy in 2020 and 2021.