FIRING LINE: Cost of a strong force

FIRING LINE: Cost of a strong force

By Robert B. Roque Jr. l October 27, 2026

Last Saturday, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. told the Philippine Military Academy’s 128th Foundation Anniversary at Fort del Pilar, Baguio City, that the country cannot afford to be timid in building its defense. He said every PMA graduate is now to be considered “a war fighter,” ready for immediate deployment.

I don’t know how much this view has been fueled by recent condescending comments from Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan that undermined the Philippines’ capability to defend itself, but our Defense Chief made it clear he wants faster modernization, better infrastructure, and expanded training facilities.

As a Filipino, I am all for it. As a columnist, I need to vet that against reality. Yes, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is shifting from internal security to external, multi-domain territorial defense. It has to because of our unique geographical position at a crucial sea lane of global economic and geopolitical consequence: the South China Sea.

To boost our defense of our territory in these waters, we have acquired the Jose Rizal-class frigates, the Miguel Malvar-class corvettes, and newer offshore patrol vessels. But the Department of National Defense says the modernization program under Re-Horizon 3 needs ₱126.97 billion for 2027.

How much of that is the proposed allocation? It’s ₱50 billion. Add rising pension liabilities, thin domestic industrial capacity, and a shortage of specialized personnel, and the gap that defines the state of our military can be clearly measured in numbers.

Last Friday afternoon, two Philippine Air Force SF-260 trainers collided over Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas, killing four pilots. Put that air accident in the context of what Teodoro demands of our military, and we get a sobering reflection on how disciplined, capable, and advanced we truly are militarily. And this is just one of the problems we must fix ourselves.

More than air defense, a 21st-century force needs systems, technology, and trained soldiers across a complex, evolving battlespace. We are already behind our regional neighbors. Indonesia is acquiring dozens of Rafale jets. Thailand flies Gripens. Singapore runs a high-readiness, indigenous defense ecosystem.

The DND chief admits we trail our ASEAN peers, so let’s not be easily brainwashed by the TikTok version of Philippine military might that passes by our social media walls. When war comes, it is our alliances that bridge the gap: the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, the EDCA sites, deepening ties with Japan and Canada.

Many of us, myself included, still harbor strong feelings against Jing’s harsh comment that Beijing “may easily win” if it wanted war. I guess even Senator Robinhood Padilla’s meeting with the ambassador fanned more flames of disgust over how China’s official has been sizing us up as a sovereign nation.

Like every Filipino, I admire Secretary Teodoro’s strength of character in standing up to China. He’s doing his best to articulate before the whole world, not just Beijing, that the Philippines is tough and serious about defending its territory.

Still, I beg to caution the national psyche. The Filipino nation need not hate any neighbor, even the Chinese. In a global economy of interdependent nations, supply chains and mutual respect, regional and world peace still matter. Our strength should be for the protection of peace — always, and not to replace it.

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