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Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star
July 26, 2026 | 12:00am
The grant was announced yesterday following a meeting between Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas on Thursday on the sidelines of commemorative events marking the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
Pixabay / File
MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is set to receive maritime surveillance and monitoring equipment from the European Union (EU) along with a specialized training program for Filipino troops under a historic maritime security assistance package.
The grant was announced yesterday following a meeting between Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas on Thursday on the sidelines of commemorative events marking the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The Department of National Defense (DND) said it welcomes the EU’s announcement of its maritime security assistance package under the European Peace Facility, marking the facility’s first-ever assistance in the Indo-Pacific.
The non-lethal maritime surveillance and monitoring equipment, together with capacity-building and specialized training that the EU will provide to the AFP, will help enhance the country’s Maritime Domain Awareness and enable the military to better monitor activities across the Philippines’ maritime zones, improve interoperability with like-minded partners and support the protection of national security interests and sovereign rights.
DND spokesman Arsenio Andolong said the initiative reflects the growing strategic partnership between the Philippines and the EU, underscoring the shared commitment towards a peaceful, stable and rules-based maritime order founded on international law.
He said the Philippines welcomes the EU’s reaffirmation – expressed unanimously by its 27 member-states – of the legal significance of the 2016 Arbitral Award, as well as its steadfast support for the peaceful resolution of maritime issues through dialogue, adherence to international law and respect for established legal processes.
