THREE DAYS before facing the Commission on Appointments, Defense Secretary Gilbert 鈥淕ibo鈥 C. Teodoro, Jr. was urged by a security think tank to push for the Philippine military鈥檚 modernization, given the challenges in the South China Sea.
鈥淗is (Teodoro鈥檚) thrust is how to strengthen the force structure of the AFP aligned to the new national security policy of the Marcos administration,鈥 Chester B. Cabalza, founding president of Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation (IDSC), said in a Messenger chat on Sunday.
With many anticipating Mr. Teodoro to hurdle the CA, Mr. Cabalza underscored that the Department of National Defense (DND) chief must also ensure that the 2016 arbitral ruling 鈥 voiding China鈥檚 claim to over 80% of the South China Sea 鈥 is used as one of the country鈥檚 鈥渋nstruments of power.鈥
鈥淧hilippine pronounced lawfare has been the country鈥檚 knight in shining armor in achieving universal support from like-minded nations against China鈥檚 grey zone strategy in the West Philippine Sea,鈥 Mr. Cabalza said.听
At the recent House Appropriations Committee deliberations on the DND budget, Mr. Teodoro called on the need to increase defense spending to catch up with its regional peers. 鈥淭here is a race among countries in terms of strengthening their capacities in defending their own territories,鈥 he said. 鈥 Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
