BRP Pangasinan ( PS - 31 ) BRP " Pangasinan " ( PS - 31 ) is a of the Philippine Navy . She was originally built as USS " PCE - 891 " , a for the United States Navy during World War II . She was decommissioned from the U . S . Navy and transferred to the Philippine Navy in July 1948 and renamed RPS " Pangasinan " ( E - 31 ) . The ship is . Along with other World War II - era ships of the Philippine Navy , " Pangasinan " is considered as one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world today . History . Commissioned in the US Navy as USS " PCE - 891 " in 1944 , and was decommissioned after World War II . She was then transferred and commissioned into the Philippine Naval Patrol and was renamed RPS " Pangasinan " ( E - 31 ) in 1948 . She was carried on to the Philippine Navy in 1950 , and between 1965 - 1966 she was renamed as RPS " Pangasinan " ( PS - 31 ) using a new classification system . Again in June 1980 she was renamed BRP " Pangasinan " ( PS - 31 ) using a new localized prefix . Between 1990 and 1991 the " Miguel Malvar " underwent major overhaul , weapons and radar systems refit , and upgrade of communications gear . She is currently assigned with the Patrol Force of the Philippine Fleet . Notable Deployments / Exercises . On 16 July 1973 , " Pangasinan " under the command of Lt . Cdr . Arturo Y . Capada ( PN ) , dispatched a motor whale boat operated by ET3 Celso Rosario ( PN ) and rescued a Philippine Constabulary detachment of 9 troopers from Tandu Batu , Luuk , Sulu . ET3 Rosario died in the said rescue operation , which earned him the Philippine Medal of Valor . In August 2002 , she was also one of the Philippine Navy ships which rescued Filipino refugees from Sabah beating the 24 August 2002 deadline imposed by the Malaysians for undocumented workers to leave . On 14 October 2003 while conducting patrol operations along the Philippine - Malaysian border , " Pangasinan " apprehended a motor launch carrying some R3 . 5 million worth of smuggled goods off Tawi - Tawi . Last 20 May 2008 , as part of a composite team from the Philippine Army 53rd Infantry Battalion , Philippine Navy - Naval Forces Western Mindanao , and the Philippine National Police , she joined a raid on the island of Ticala , San Pablo , Zamboanga del Sur , in order to put an end to sea robberies and extortion in the waters of Illana Bay . On July 2011 , " Pangasinan " , together with BRP " Rizal " ( PS - 74 ) and US Navy ships USS " Howard " ( DDG - 83 ) and USS " Chung - Hoon " ( DDG - 93 ) , took part in the sea phase bilateral exercises Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training ( CARAT ) Philippines 2011 . Technical details . There are slight difference between the BRP " Pangasinan " as compared to some of her sister ships in the Philippine Navy , since her previous configuration was as a patrol craft escort ( PCE ) , while the others are configured as rescue patrol craft escort ( PCER ) and minesweepers ( " Admirable " class ) ships . Armaments . Originally the ship was armed with one forward Mk . 26 3 " / 50 caliber dual purpose gun , three aft twin Mk . 1 Bofors 40 mm guns , four Mk . 10 20 mm Oerlikon guns , 1 Hedgehog depth charge projector , four depth charge projectiles ( K - guns ) and two depth charge tracks . This configuration applies before its overhaul in the early 1990s . During its overhaul and refit between 1990 to 1991 , the Philippine Navy removed her old anti - submarine weapons and systems , and made some changes in the armament set - up . Some sources claim the loss of its three Bofors 40mm cannons during the 1990 - 1991 overhaul and refit period , but photos at of 2011 show the Bofors guns still present . Final armaments fitted to the ship are one Mk . 26 3 " / 50 - caliber gun ( fore ) , three twin Mk . 1 Bofors 40 mm cannons ( aft ) , four Mk . 10 Oerlikon 20 mm cannon s ( 2 each on bridge wings ) , and four M2 Browning 12 . 7 mm / 50 caliber machine guns ( 2 besides main bridge , 2 aft near the lower Bofors gun tub ) . This made the ship lighter and ideal for surface patrols , but losing her limited anti - submarine warfare capability . Electronics . Also during the refit the ship ' s RCA CRM - NIA - 75 surface search radar and RCA SPN - 18 navigation radar was replaced by a Raytheon AN / SPS - 64 ( V ) 11 surface search and navigation radar system . Later modifications included the installation of an additional Furuno navigation radar , long range and satellite communications systems , and GPS system standard to all Philippine Navy ships . Machinery . The ship is powered by two GM 12 - 278A diesel engines with a combined rating of around driving two propellers . The main engines can propel the 914 tons ( full load ) ship to a maximum speed of around .