Australia to provide P413-M drone tech, training to Philippine Coast Guard

The Australian government will provide an additional P413 million in advanced drone technology and operator training to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Australian Embassy in Manila announced. The assistance is part of a new four-year drone support package aimed at strengthening the Philippines’ maritime surveillance and security capabilities. According to the embassy, Australian Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong said the package would include long-range and heavy-lift drones, underwater capabilities, counter-drone technology and specialized training for operators. “This P413 million drone package benefits not just the Philippines’ maritime security agencies, but the millions of everyday Filipinos who rely on an open and accessible maritime domain for their livelihoods and commerce,” Wong said in the statement released by the embassy. The Australian Embassy said the assistance is expected to bolster the Philippine Coast Guard’s strategic maritime domain awareness capabilities. The latest package brings Australia’s total drone assistance to the PCG to P578 million since April 2025. Earlier support included the provision of 35 drones and related training. The embassy also announced that Australia would double its bilateral civil maritime assistance to the Philippines through a new four-year, P678 million Civil Maritime Advancement through Partnerships and Support investment. “The doubling of our bilateral civil maritime assistance to P678 million is a tangible contribution to Australia and the Philippines’ shared interest in a peaceful, stable and prosperous region,” Wong said. The initiatives form part of the Philippine-Australia Strategic Partnership as the two countries mark 80 years of diplomatic relations. Wong is in Manila to attend the ASEAN-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the ASEAN Regional Forum.—AOL, GMA News