The Philippines Set to Develop Boat Drones 

-Gillian Paul Abayon

Filipino engineers from Mindanao State University are developing an unmanned surface vessel (USV) called the Philippine Autonomous Littoral Interdiction Drone (Palid) that is equipped with an unguided bomb which will cause severe damages towards enemy ships no matter how advance the ships are.

On Wednesday, July 30, the Philippine Navy held the very first Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Forum, an event supporting the Republic Act 12024 signed last October 2024 that promotes the local development of the country’s defense assets which are intended to be for military and commercial purposes.

“If you see the exhibit, it’s more about drones, because that is the thrust right now of the Philippine Navy,” said Capt. Gregory Fabic, chief naval staff for civil military operations, during the forum.

Fabic also noted that another objectives of the SRDP Revitalization Act is to support research and development of weapon systems like drones.

The Navy is focused on production of drones and USVs that will be helpful in tactical missions, minimizing the use of human resources and boosting search and rescue/retrieval, reconnaissance and surveillance missions.

The country must invest and continue to modernize the military, in order to face upcoming geopolitical problems as global tensions are at an all time high.