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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Australia donates P34M drones, training package to PCG

Australia donates P34M drones, training package to PCG

Published Apr 8, 2025 03:09 am

The Australian government donated P34 million worth of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones and operator training package to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday, April 8, to bolster its strategic maritime domain awareness (MDA) capabilities.

PCG Commandant, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan received the donations from Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu during a handover ceremony in Mariveles, Bataan.

In his speech, Gavan thanked the Australian government for the support, which he said, would further 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,” he added.

The donations include 20 world-class aerial drones as well as four-day training for 30 members of the PCG Aviation Command Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Squadron.

Drone specialists from Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s Office of the Chief Remote Pilot traveled to the Philippines this week to perform the training.

Ambassador Yu said Australia is proud of the long-standing cooperation of its government with the PCG, as well as its efforts to provide practical support for their crucial work. 

“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 noted.

The support, according to the Aussie envoy, reinforces the strategic partnership between the two countries.

She 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 program for PCG officers in Australia.

In 2024, Ambassador Yu 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,” the envoy said.

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

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

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