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

The donation package includes 20 “world-class aerial drones,” aimed to bolster the PCG’s strategic maritime domain awareness capabilities and to meet its operational demands.

Drone specialists from Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s Office of the Chief Remote Pilot traveled to the country to provide a four-day training for the 30 members of the PCG Aviation Command Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Squadron.

In a ceremonial handover, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines, Her Excellency HK Yu, handed over the drones to PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan.

In receiving the donation, Gavan said these drone devices are seen to boost the PCG’s “ability to pursue more precisely, appropriately, and sustainably our complex rights and obligations from being both a maritime and archipelagic country.”

“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,” Gavan added.

For her part, Yu said the donated drones would serve as a “tangible example” of the “increased maritime cooperation” between Australia and the Philippines.

This also serves as Australia’s support for PCG’s modernization efforts, she added.

The PCG said the “equipment was provided as part of Australia’s civil maritime cooperation which also includes vessel remediation, postgraduate scholarships, operational training, marine protection, and annual Law of the Sea courses.”

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

“This is another example of how we are putting our Philippines-Australia Strategic Partnership into action,” she noted.

The Philippines and Australia have strengthened their civil maritime cooperation through a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Enhanced Maritime Cooperation.

“The MoU continues to accelerate closer collaboration in promoting a shared vision for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region and respect for international law,” the PCG said.