A legislator from the Bicol Region has urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to acquire unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or military-grade drones for use in anti-terrorism, anti-insurgency, and border patrol missions, as well as environmental protection, disaster response, and search-and-rescue operations.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luigi Villafuerte filed House Bill 1362, or the “National Defense Drone Act,” proposing the establishment of a Philippine Unmanned Aerial Systems Program (PUASP). The measure tasks the Department of National Defense, in coordination with the AFP and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, with overseeing drone acquisition and training of operators and technicians.
Villafuerte said drones were initially developed for military use and later adopted for commercial purposes. “Their use made operations faster and more efficient, particularly in surveillance, security, and disaster response, where human capacity is limited,” he explained. Maricel V. Cruz
