By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is moving to expand its military drone capabilities as part of a broader effort to modernize the armed forces and strengthen the country’s external defense, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said.
Teodoro told lawmakers during a budget hearing at the House of Representatives that the government plans to develop and acquire additional unmanned systems, while also pursuing other major defense assets, including guided-missile corvettes.
The Philippines has increasingly shifted its defense priorities toward external security amid escalating tensions with China in the South China Sea, where confrontations involving disputed maritime features within Manila’s exclusive economic zone have become more frequent.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines currently operates unmanned aerial vehicles primarily for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
“As we mature on the cycle, then we can acquire more,” Teodoro said as he defended a proposed 6.3-percent increase in the Department of National Defense’s 2027 budget from this year’s P305.5 billion allocation.
The proposed modernization program includes P50 billion for next year, a 25-percent increase from the current budget, with the expansion of drone capabilities among the priorities.
Teodoro said, however, that acquiring drones is only one part of the modernization effort, stressing the need to develop the systems, secure connectivity and operational expertise required to integrate the technology effectively into military operations.
“More than the personnel, it is the integration into the operation, what do you do with them and how do you use them,” he said.
He also underscored the importance of secure communications and network capabilities, particularly as advances in artificial intelligence raise new security concerns.
Teodoro declined to disclose specific drone systems being considered, citing the classified and highly sensitive nature of the information.
“They are very, very sensitive to compromise, particularly with AI,” he said, adding that the Philippines is in discussions with several countries with expertise in drone technology.
Ukraine has also discussed possible cooperation with Manila on drone technology, according to its ambassador to the Philippines.
The United States, meanwhile, provided the Philippine military with four solar-powered sea drones in June to enhance maritime surveillance capabilities.
The planned expansion of unmanned systems forms part of the Philippines’ wider push to build a more capable military focused on protecting the country’s territory and maritime interests.
ia/xf
