Manila, May 21 -- The commissioning and inclusion of the brand new guided-missile frigate, the BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06), to the Philippine Navy's (PN) fleet will enhance the country's capability to protect its maritime territories, a ranking naval official said Wednesday.

"BRP Miguel Malvar is a welcome addition to the Philippine Navy. Her modern capabilities will allow us greater and longer operational reach as we continue to perform our mandate of securing our seas," PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.

Trinidad also said the BRP Miguel Malvar is a "good investment in the security and future of our country."

The BRP Miguel Malvar is the most...