Australia donates P34M worth of drones to PCG

The Australian government donated P34 million worth of drones and operator training to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday.

In a statement, the PCG said 20 aerial drones were handed over to the agency by Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu in a ceremony in Bataan.

“Australia is proud of our long-standing cooperation with the PCG, and our efforts to provide practical support for their crucial work," Yu said.

“I am pleased to deliver this package of state-of-the-art drones and training. It is a tangible example of our increased maritime cooperation with the Philippines and a contribution that supports PCG’s modernization efforts," she added.

PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said Australia's donation of aerial drones will enhance the agency’s strategic maritime domain awareness capabilities.

“This support further boosts our ability to pursue more precisely, appropriately, and sustainably our complex rights and obligations from being both a maritime and archipelagic country,” he said.

“This also greatly assists the PCG to further advance its fundamental role as a responsible protector of rules to help keep the peace and prosperity for our own people and all law-abiding users of our seas to enjoy,” he added.

According to the PCG, the donation was part of Australia’s civil maritime cooperation that also offers vessel remediation, postgraduate scholarships, operational training, marine protection, and annual Law of the Sea courses.

Drone specialists from the Australian government came to the Philippines this week to deliver a four-day training for 30 members of the PCG Aviation Command Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Squadron, the PCG said.

In late 2024, Yu announced that Australia would double its civil maritime cooperation with the Philippines to P649 million from 2025 to 2029.

The PCG said Australia and the Philippines strengthened their civil maritime cooperation through a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Enhanced Maritime Cooperation. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA Integrated News