Armchair Conversation: Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro | Manila Strategy Forum 2026

those. So he's just got back last night um Korea like Korea forum and for those he put in the US and got his failure was the videos that I referred and was I think you add the site was yes only last week. >> Oh, so different style of and this is my second RG to attend and this year I was uh the topic was uh collaborative uh architecture for international stability. So optic was quite broad and naturally uh if you talk about collaborative you you're going to need a set of values that you collaborate on with others if not if it's not going to be sustainable. It's going to be self-interested, totally self-interested and uh collaboration with uh uh blossom into uh something uh more enforcable and uh we in the panel where uh minister the defense minister of Korea, the deputy prime minister and the gas minister of Czech Republic is Jun and we take short remarks that he took questions questions one from the moderator and one for the audience and as I was answering question and as more than answering I suddenly piece of paper where uh it's the standard Chinese bill Chinese position on the arch of a war is here consistent typical OC propaganda and my friend uh yeah I f to it and I said this guy will be eager handling that and indulging them too much and they the they abuse the uh urgency show that Max called it out. So uh and I was speak with them. I was not holding there as a representative of our department but there represent our country and the uh the issue was of international significance and yet China did not participate for the second time with the soul defense dialogue for the last years they did not participate uh as a principal dialogue and yet They tried to disrupt the two cities. Last year the defense atache assigned to Korea did not asked a question but delivered the lecture for the capping of break. So is here the second time they repeated it but although written uh level and I said this is already too much that was an instinctive reaction by a week and break about I I think anyone in his or her right mind with basic sense of values and basic sense of norms. uh uh so I decided for the not already fine and he boiled it already uh well known to basic decency and good behavior foundational and fundamental and all of these actions we see at the west kilipe their assertiveness whole quarry her diplomas what does that translate typical that translates in goodness abusiveness and whatever adjectives you can find. So the second part that they try to disrupt peace and I really hope that because I know that the person a slick hit to the organizers was really really a surv China. I really hope they freezer to take it. But there are questions about whether it was fake or not. Ask the Korea nizers. I will not answer. He's ask. I had much respect for our Korea brothers, sisters, state. I think I do just ask you the discussion once the last was last month and then she turn everything else I think they're standing too this the two But what's most recent forum here in minimal we had two different are so maybe you could give an update on the current state uh I think it's uh conf basically and another area where we're seeing more certificates itself of late increasing activity for China and their announcement that they play some big servatory in where they know that they have no right or any reason to be there in the first place. So also we see the safe presence of Maran militia, Chinese post guard and the PFA and Navy and I think yesterday when I was still in Korea, we saw uh our post guard plates uh were passed by uh Chinese air force. I want to see more of that. I think and uh we as I keep on repeating that we are stubborn or not. This is not be solved per night, but I know that it's not going to be resolved if we're not receiving yet firm on our position in not only the West Philippines, but the food of the maritime do of the Philippines due to our extended continental shelf. Because I say this because in the Pacific Ocean itself we see Chinese Persian city area. So much so that uh just the other day the Pacific Island forum put them out for uh loile in the Pacific Ocean near Solomon Islands. There's no B whatsoever at live fire exercises of the coast of Australia and New Zealand and it's successful have not been shy about state aid that cyber threats and other um aret like they they feel that China is left bey uh so I think uh we we see is aiveness by China perhaps people thought at a the researchers of a new chai couple of drove us south and a a new international border which is sinoentric I think we'll see more to say we should not expect him change their behavior but we should change the way you react um a teacher and now uh under first of Philippine response has been rapping line over the E the PCG. Just this year the super e database service about how significant the improvements that he over the last decade or so. So as you look forward and experation the case networks in west what the priority uh firstly we go to work in a 50 gear variety that's really working with an unalistic uh capability framework and the budgetary framework which is very unrealistic. Secondly, the sources of finance should be more uh dynamic. It should be more uh inclusive sources for the longest period of time. The major uh source should have been the basis moderies which had not worked. It has always been subsidized to by the national government and our budget modernization budget of uh 40 to 50 billion has increased over time. Uh secondly, what is not included and which we tire is in infrastructure of BI in order to support our capabilities, our troops and our precin uh land domain, the Philippines and our Egypt facing requirements cuz we cannot police the modifying the environment if we don't have these spaces. Second and we don't have the logistics necessary to push or uh uh to project these marat capabilities. Thirdly, we have a lot of platforms coming in without a dry that is why they're hurrying up the establishment of a new dry. So I I think has uh what also is lacking is the infrastructure and the connectivity required to support systems. Uh if we retire normal uh road networks in the Philippines the weight of our platforms cannot be supported by the infrastructure. So we have to mitigate this by creating new uh logistic spaces throughout the Philippines or for uh all for our lab forces that are able. We need to have more storage facilities because we need to have reserves or kon or recon ammunition and other high technological high technologies our country and as notes for critical because infrastructure cut the acre needs to work on this pure banner. Yesterday we had lastly where we have a very very small force. Yeah. uh it's in order Google uh fulfill the mission right now of uh external deterrence and uh security because current because if we do not internal peace in security happily focus internal defense sustainability. So these are we miss the ar force Philippines and not we also need robust internal presence to support our humanitarian assistance and disaster response requirements because uh uh climate climats and devastation alg getting worse are getting worse rather. So we need a robust internal presence both to deter uh malai during the republic and to support the protection of deterrence in our maritime trade. Lastly, also in the future, we will need to have an expeditionary lady to coach our weight together with other nations in protecting Filipino uh sea favors and Filipino vessels in just like Russian government. We are relying totally on uh our operation with others. As we know, Filipino spirits are one of the biggest of either Persian G conflict or uh we cannot we cannot uh have sustainable real economy uh in the future without a robust naval presence and air force presence to support uh security parties for our own Cuba security. Uh as you reminded the first one day four states reciprocal action of the OB on this just the last. So how do you think about the more of this one is important because uh this indigenous capacity you have plus these coalitions it reinforce a different because we have shared values and shared effects. And the more the more likeminded countries particularly smaller archipel force we have if uh project our resistance to unlawful aggression and for any that pushes change to world order. And the reason why I was a bit late today is because we just finished uh the committee hearing in the Philippine Senate this morning. I want to thank Senator Vik or for approving the uh peacekeeping forces agreement with France. our first uh suit file with a European country, a EU country uh in committee uh in record time. So I wish the Philippine said for that and that's why I was late this morning. I just had a a very uh informative Senate meeting at very supportive Senate support also post for the executive department keep the office I'm sure we're going to have plenty of questions get through as many as we can. So if dual question say rules do they use input that they have like so yeah >> see one back here that walk off with the front a >> from the league news Singapore uh I'm glad you mentioned Korea the ties between the Philippines Korea obviously very positive of Rome uh they may not be as uh deep and strategic and comprehensive and other parties like Japan for example Korea not being at all time for example. Uh how do you see Korea Phil strategic relationship evolving and Jar are you optimistic about reers such as Japan or the country that thank you so much for your time. >> Thank you for the question. I was asked to say uh by uh several members of the Korean League yesterday. I I I answer this way. Let's remember the situation of the Republic of Korea. But there is relative peace in the area just because there is an active army. They're facing the largest standing arid door which is nuclear which has nuclear capabilities and which is being supported of the other count to Russia and China. So I can understand that much as they will want perhaps to be have a more strategic goal at the uh the principal uh objective of the Republic of Korea is preserved peninsula deter and to have a state of eucarization to the real peninsula. So I can understand nonetheless the bilateral ties between the Philippines and Korea and born uh who were born through blood and we were there yesterday to commemorate once again who received before the TEU award which is the highest uh honor award of honor and I think Korean people are very appreciative uh of this. Now where are we going in our relationship? Korea is a uh principal provider of our chair and the nal capabilities and we are going to uh have an ambitious of trying to produce uh defense capabilities. However, I must stress that in the defects industry space, this is merely an offshoot of industrial cooperation, industrial development. We cannot have a sustainable defense industry without basic industry that is viable in the Philippines that has the quality required standards required in order to support the quality requirements of defense equipment and for shipping for example. same same point. Which is why we need to have basic industries on a quality level ongoing to support value propositions that will have sustainable defense industry cooperation and uh perhaps that's where we would like uh the private sector to go. My observation is that I think the uh the evolution from the second east now it's our has in mind I'm not g another but I I think that the concentration of the Philippine importantly is towards consumption and consumerism rather than industry for people and I think this has hard uh because you need basic industries on a quality level to support your your your expansion sustainable growth your infrastructure without this uh and without reducing costs and without enforcing standards of these basic industries probably you will be consigned to the lower end of the value chain in your participation the production cycle you cannot expect technology transfer all you can offer is land for free without African investments in our in uh say so I I think that there must be a serious reward and I say that this public reliance defured laws fundamentally loyal on that aspect that we need to share in the risk of of development and production in order to reap the reward that's but fair that's a sets at all and that is the result also of property that got present. That is why the DCPA resulted in this way because was corporatized as a land while forget the beneficiary which supposed to be the armed forces of the Philippines and uh through uh portrait structures layering costs were reduced. So the final dividend to us was new. Uh and what did we trade for this? We traed strategic assets which cannot be educated and easily is a prime logistics uh and connected and controlled pieces of property can find it an archaeologic country like it which is only running for set up. So we we should have learned painful lessons about this. So that's where we want to go with Korea. Even the trust and confidence which we have with Riyad, the uh synergies that can put together with the capabilities capacities of our own countries to have uh a mutually resilient supply chain uh such as we're see with uh the ship building activity in Zubi right Now we want to expand that and hopefully uh patiously we will hopefully see in the near future uh the uh production for first co-produced uh vessel for the Philippine Navy which right now we're talking about the uh logistic supply. >> Okay. Thanks. Good afternoon, Mr. Secretary from Lock Garden. I don't actually have a question. I just want to take this opportunity to tell you this in person. as a Filipino, as a lawyer, as a member of the integrated R and good standing. I just want to say thank you for speaking so knowledgeably, so convincingly, so strongly say I have the in South China Sea arbitral. Thank you for representing us so well in all these defense and security dialogues and forums. Thank you for standing your ground and thank you so much for continuing to defend Philippine sovereigny. Thank you for >> Thank you so much humbled by your your your kind words and uh Uh I think uh anyone in this situation with the work with the motivation that we're seeing are that the appetite I sense an appetite of a crowd to assert themselves An uh book an uhquake uh has as property I said as aification and thank you for adds uh we hope that there will be others who do also and we can only cook and pray that first viewing fortunately hopefully have the same amount of gas. I think the yesterday I get like any words coming because the other days get very painful originally for extraordinary fix this pocket and fortunately for the Philippines and hopefully uh others faced the same situation uh will be able to react the same and I think bees and break up. >> Uh, good afternoon. >> I also watch your video with the internet and as a Vietnamese I have a question. Um my question is that um during your talk uh you mentioned a lot about the importance of infrastructure to build the naval capacity in order to resist threat for all the country for the busy and also for natural disaster uh uh the Philippines is pleased with. Um now if we look at uh the west DC or the south DC there is uh territorial dispute over high sugar not only China over here as well. Um so it spy the thinking that what if as a country and given the very special uh friendly relationship between the Philippines and Vietnam. What do you think about the possibility of the Philippines and Vietnam unique infrastructure on offshore feature at sea that can mitigate the territorial dispute and also to build up together the capacity to resist uh threat for border country and also for civilian purposes such a Matthew after uh just rescued that he protect fisherman. Thank you. >> Thank you for the question. I think it's an very very trendy question and it comes after the visit of his excellency president Olam to the Philippines and in my talk I had with deputy prime minister P who I will visit uh December and uh we had a very candy discussion with my counterpart as to how we can work closer. I I see ambassador there. Uh ambassador knows where we are going with this. I What is important as yet? What is important is although we have conflicting claims, there is trust, there is confidence that we will resort these illegal needs in order to sort out these disputes. For example, Malaysia is the board. They attempt to arbitration several times and I believe Thailand did get to uh if I'm not mistaken. So, uh yeah. Or I mean with us there's no problem. That's why uh China is our problem. >> I think The possibilities are endless and at the end of the day they are the real Naples unlike a China which is Mac house of 100 kilometers away that clates is a vapor and cla that the China Sea is the home of everyone and is a shared backyard where they labor the 90% of you. How can you have a neighbor that way? and they're the only ones that play such uh such generosity, right? So with with Asia intra Asia I think the possibly with the current length of it and I think is our responsibility in this generation to spoon the future of our country our view about the importance of Asia new cohesiveness as a job duty and as a peace. Now we as recent philosophy internal peace and security in Assad is just as important to us as internal peace and security within the Philippines. However, the Philippines, as I pointed out, for those that uh did watch the videos, we are geographically distinct from the rest of Asan because the Philippines is the only country in Afghan which is both an Asian country and and a Pacific island. Right. The Philippines is the only country in Asia with both a South China Sea order and at Pacific Ocean Malikai border. So if ASI wants uned access from the streets of Alaka to the Pacific Ocean, which is an important flagship, might as well work together to make that a uh sustainable connection, build the connectivity under a framework of international law. And I took advantage of the mil to point out that we should work to to view the arbit in how it benefits Assia. How does the arbit benefit Asia? principally by saying that the nine touch of China is illegal and void and it benefits all of us and because that is the major problem here and then he gets central differences if the future soldiat but nonetheless area of convergence should be the Philippines is because of it unique position within Asia as both an Asad country and a Pacific island. That is an convergence opportunity that we should work on rather than point out the differences in our apps. Right? So I think possibilities are endless if we view where we can converge rather than where we get diverged on a particular specific basis. >> Thank you. >> I know there are plenty of other questions. I think we have to let the secretary get to his expectation. So we are going to take a break next time.