A WARSHIP donated by South Korea, which is said to be the Philippine Navy’s “most powerful ship”, has arrived in the country, a military official said on Monday, August 19.

BRP Conrado Yap, formerly Pohang-class corvette (small warship), arrived in the South Harbor in Manila on Sunday morning, August 28, according to Philippine Fleet commander Rear Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo.

Bacordo said BRP Conrado Yap is tagged as the “most powerful ship” of the Philippine Navy as it has anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare capability.

"Ibig sabihin madadagdagan ang ating anti-submarine warfare capability, ganoon ang implications niyan and then of course, we have strengthened firepower for anti... for surface warfare and for air warfare," he said.

He said they have yet to determine where the ship will be deployed.

A formal welcome ceremony will be held for BRP Conrado Yap on Tuesday, August 20, at Pier 13.

The vessel was named after Captain Conrado Yap, a decorated Filipino soldier who was part of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea during the 1950s.

It measures 88.3 meter long with a beam of 10 meters and a draft of 2.9 meters with displacement at 1,216 tons full load and is rated for a crew of 118 personnel and can sustain operational presence for 20 days. (SunStar Philippines)