MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Philippines must “resist and deter any attempt to change the international order to the detriment of our people and future generations.” He issued the statement as he urged stronger collaboration between the government and European businesses to help build a more resilient and self-reliant defense sector.
Addressing members of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) in Makati City Friday night, Teodoro warned that the country was “at the spearhead of current threats to the international order,” citing China’s latest illegal activities in the West Philippine Sea.
He said the Philippines’ position at the center of regional tensions underscored the urgency of reshaping its defense capabilities into a “multi-threat, multi-domain system.” “The President has instructed us to be unyielding and to reshape our defense ecosystem as quickly as possible,” he said.
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Teodoro said the Department of National Defense (DND) was pursuing two main priorities: strengthening internal defense resilience and expanding strategic partnerships with like-minded nations.
He cited ongoing negotiations for Visiting Forces Agreements (VFAs) with France and the United Kingdom, and a similar initiative being explored with Canada.
“The more convergence of like-minded countries at the spear’s tip, the better,” he said, referring to the importance of collective deterrence in maintaining regional stability.
Teodoro also pressed for comprehensive reforms in defense funding and procurement, lamenting that military spending had long been “miserably low.” He said the DND would prioritize the development of strategic bases and shift to government-to-government arrangements for defense procurements and industrial collaboration.
“We will focus on what we truly need, not just what’s available,” he said, adding that defense self-reliance depended on “reliable, diversified, and secure supply chains” aligned with the Philippines’ national interests.
He further expressed the DND’s readiness to establish a structured partnership with the ECCP grounded in transparency and trust, describing it as essential to strengthening the country’s defense-industrial base.
“For many a times, even with partner government agencies, we have always been the whipping boy. And that ended when Ferdinand Marcos took office and when he appointed me as the Defense Secretary,” Teodoro said. “That is the obligation I owe to the Filipino people, and that is the standing order of the President.” Teodoro said the DND’s goal was not only to modernize the Armed Forces but also to ensure that defense and industrial cooperation contribute to long-term national security and economic stability.