Manila, Philippines — During the Post State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) Secretary of National Defense (SND) Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. emphasized the continuous development of the Department of National Defense’s (DND) fundamental building blocks in creating a credible deterrent posture for our country.
“We continue the upgrades, not only of our equipment, but [also by] bridging the gaps between the different horizons in our modernization timeframe and the skills of our people, both in the civilian side in the defense department and the five agencies,” Secretary Teodoro stated.
Fully aware that the country’s territorial integrity may be subverted by outside threats through internal security challenges, the defense chief shared that the department continues to work with partner agencies to maintain internal peace and stability. According to the SND, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. instructed the DND to look for nontraditional partners and alliances for upgrading our defense capabilities as well as capabilities to predict and analyze trends, in order to prepare for any eventuality that may befall the country and require the DND’s resources in the future.
“We are also in the process of looking for partners, not only for pure defensive purposes, but also for the convergence of both the economic and security potentials of growth industries, particularly in technology and in cyber,” Secretary Teodoro also noted.
In the area of the Department’s vision to achieve a self-reliant defense posture or program, the DND is expanding its scope in order to create the possibility of cross-border investments in disruptive and emerging technologies. According to Secretary Teodoro, the country needs a stronger, real time, and fully analyzed convergence of information, from point of occurrence to the decision-making process, in as much real time as possible.
The SND also pointed out that the strongest factor is the human element. Thus, the Department is upgrading the morale and welfare of the men and women in uniform, including the retirees and veterans whom the department is mandated to care for.
“The President’s instructions are, that their welfare be made paramount in our mandate to uplift the lives and to continue the care, particularly of those who cannot care for themselves,” Secretary Teodoro said, adding that the wellbeing, safety, and health of their families should also be well taken care of.
The Department also puts a premium on the education of our uniformed personnel since they form a pool of talents that would be of service not only to the DND, but also to the Filipino people.
Also important are “our program and project management skills to ensure that each and every item of equipment that we acquire, is integrated into a system with synergies and [that] we receive adequate resources for the optimal utilization of each and every item of equipment for its lifecycle,” Secretary Teodoro concluded.
