Australia pledges P110-M in drones, tech support to PCG

Australia has committed to providing an additional ₱110 million worth of drones and uncrewed maritime surveillance technology to support the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), strengthening maritime domain awareness in the region.

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu made the announcement Friday during a forum commemorating the Philippines’ 2016 arbitral victory over China in the South China Sea dispute.

“It is my great pleasure to announce today for the first time that over the next couple of years Australia will provide PCG with additional drones and other uncrewed maritime domain awareness technologies worth around P110 million,” Yu said.

The new support package builds on Australia's broader P328 million civil maritime cooperation program with the Philippines, which includes vessel remediation, aerial surveillance equipment, postgraduate scholarships, operational training and annual courses on the Law of the Sea.

In October 2024, Australia also donated Very High Frequency (VHF) base radios to the PCG to bolster communications and operations, particularly in Palawan.

The ongoing partnership reflects both countries’ commitment to upholding maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region.