Lapu-Lapu City Declares Strict No-Fly Zone For Regional Defense Meetings
Flying drones, kites, balloons, and other remote-controlled objects will be restricted across Lapu-Lapu City from October 26 to 30, 2026, under security measures for upcoming international defense meetings, Cebu Daily News reported. The city government declared its entire territorial jurisdiction a no-fly zone as it hosts the 20th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the 13th ADMM-Plus.
The restrictions are enforced under City Ordinance No. 16-033-A-2022 in coordination with the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO), according to a public advisory cited by Philstar’s The Freeman. The measure prohibits the unauthorized use of unmanned aerial vehicles, kites, balloons, laser lights, searchlights, and similar displays to prevent security risks during the summit.
Security Protocols And Equipment Confiscation Rules
Although the municipal ordinance generally allows recreational drones weighing less than seven kilograms, that exemption does not apply in areas designated as prohibited or restricted airspace during the ASEAN events, Philstar’s The Freeman reported. The LCPO is equipped with technology to neutralize unauthorized flying objects, which may be confiscated immediately if found violating summit security measures.
Operating an unauthorized flying object in restricted airspace carries a fine of ₱5,000 along with immediate equipment confiscation, according to Cebu Daily News. Kite-flying is prohibited citywide regardless of purpose, and parents or legal guardians face a ₱3,000 fine if minors under their care violate the ban.
Personnel Deployment And Regional Defense Agendas
The Philippine National Police deployed 3,670 security and medical personnel to protect delegates, government officials, and the public during the gathering, Cebu Daily News reported. The security contingent includes 2,312 police officers, 478 personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection, 60 from the Philippine Coast Guard, 341 from the Philippine Navy, 214 from the Philippine Army, 30 from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, 155 medical personnel from the Department of Health, and 80 from the Office of Civil Defense.
Main ministerial sessions are scheduled for October 28 and 29 at the Mactan Expo Center, with about 500 delegates and guests expected. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. stated that the agenda will address regional security issues, including maritime disputes, developments in the South China Sea, critical underwater infrastructure, and maritime law and security.
Keep reading