Manila, April 10 -- Australia's contribution of 20 advanced drones to the Philippines underscored Manila's urgent requirement to improve its maritime domain awareness, following a tense incident in the South China Sea just days earlier, where Philippine and Chinese coast guard ships came close to a collision, according to a report by South China Morning Post.

During a ceremony on Tuesday in Bataan province, Australia's ambassador to Manila, Hae Kyong Yu, stated that the donation of unmanned aerial systems valued at 34 million pesos (USD 592,000) demonstrated Australia's dedication to civil maritime collaboration with the Philippines. Other current joint efforts include vessel remediation, postgraduate scholarships, operational training, ...