P1.26B drone hub eyed in Aurora ecozone

A P1.26-billion dual-use drone hub is being proposed in Casiguran, Aurora, following an agreement between the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) and Virginia-based defense logistics company Anglicotech Philippines Inc.

The two parties recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., to explore the development of a drone facility within the Casiguran economic zone.

The proposed project, with an initial investment estimated at $20 million, or approximately P1.26 billion, would serve both civilian and defense applications.

The agreement was signed by APECO President and CEO Gil Taway IV and Anglicotech CEO David Cooper.

Anglicotech, which established a presence in Subic in 2024, provides logistics, command and control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR), and foreign military sales support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Department of War.

Under the agreement, the proposed facility would be developed in phases on an initial five-hectare site.

The first phase would focus on testing and evaluating unmanned aerial vehicles and maritime drones, alongside training remote pilots and operators.

Subsequent phases could include drone operations for logistics, disaster response, maritime surveillance, and search-and-rescue missions.

The project also envisions maintenance, repair and overhaul services, eventually expanding into drone manufacturing, systems integration and component production.

“The country is building its own capacity to produce, service and operate advanced systems that serve both national security and civilian needs. APECO intends to be where that capacity takes root, and this drone hub is a building block of a strategic defense and technology hub on the Pacific seaboard,” Taway said.

Anglicotech will prepare the project's business and site development plans, covering technical specifications, financing, operational requirements and indicative timelines.

APECO, meanwhile, will coordinate with local and national government agencies to identify suitable project sites, determine infrastructure requirements and facilitate the company's registration as an economic zone enterprise.

The authority will also assist Anglicotech in accessing investment incentives under the CREATE MORE Act.

The proposed facility aligns with the government's Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act, which seeks to strengthen domestic capabilities in developing, producing and maintaining defense equipment.

Defense-related economic activities are also covered under Tiers 2 and 3 of the Strategic Investment Priority Plan.

The agreement remains exploratory, with the project's implementation subject to further planning, financing and regulatory requirements.