US defence logistics firm plans a P1.26 billion drone hub on the Philippines' Pacific coast

A US defence logistics company has agreed with the authority that runs the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport to explore building a drone hub at Casiguran, on the Pacific coast of Luzon, with an estimated initial investment of 1.26 billion pesos, or about 20 million US dollars. The authority, known as APECO, said the site would serve both military and civilian users.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by APECO president and chief executive Gil Taway, who holds the rank of undersecretary, and David Cooper, chief executive of Anglicotech Philippines. The signing took place at the Philippine Embassy in Washington during an APECO investment mission to the United States from 24 to 30 October 2026, and the authority made the deal public this week.

Anglicotech is based in Virginia and has operated in Subic since 2024. According to the reports, it provides logistics, command and control, communications, computer, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, as well as foreign military sales support, to both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Department of War.

The plan describes a centre of excellence for aerial and maritime unmanned systems on an initial site of about five hectares, built in phases. The first phase would focus on testing and evaluating unmanned aircraft and sea drones and on training remote pilots and operators. Later phases could add mixed operations with crewed and uncrewed aircraft and vessels, drone work in logistics, maritime surveillance, disaster response and search and rescue, and maintenance, repair and overhaul services. Over the longer term the partners mention drone manufacturing, systems integration and component production, possibly with original equipment makers.

APECO pointed to the site's geography as its main selling point. The ecozone has an airstrip that is being positioned for dual-use civil and military flying, subject to regulatory approval, and relatively uncongested airspace. It also fronts Casiguran Sound, whose sheltered waters open onto the Pacific, giving maritime drones both protected and open-sea test conditions. Aurora is frequently hit by typhoons, which the authority presented as a reason for disaster-response uses.

Taway said the Philippines was building its own capacity to produce, service and operate advanced systems for both national security and civilian needs, and described the drone hub as a building block of a wider defence and technology hub on the Pacific seaboard. APECO links the project to Republic Act 12024, the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act, which aims to expand domestic production, assembly and servicing of strategic defence equipment. Defence-related activities are also listed in tiers two and three of the government's Strategic Investment Priority Plan.

The talks behind the deal go back to 2024. Cooper and the company's country manager visited the ecozone in August 2025, and at an APECO business forum a week later he proposed an unmanned systems hub for Luzon built around the zone's airstrip. Anglicotech presented a multi-phase approach in December 2025 that has now been written into the memorandum.

The agreement is not yet a firm investment. Anglicotech is to draw up business and site plans covering technical needs, financing, operations and timelines, while APECO will help find land, coordinate with local and national agencies and register the company for incentives under the CREATE MORE Act. Both outlets that reported the deal noted that implementation still depends on further planning, financing and regulatory steps.