All eyes are on the country’s territorial conflict with China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) but Department of National of Defense (DND) Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. reminded the military that it has to guard other areas as well from possible occupation and intrusion.
As such, Teodoro urged the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) to integrate the DND’s Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) to its internal security operation (ISO) as he graced its 18th founding anniversary at the Naval Station Felix Apolinario in Panacan, Davao City on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
“The challenge for the command now is how to integrate your CADC visions into your ISO tempo,” he said in his speech.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is gradually shifting its focus from ISO (which includes focused operations against communist and local terrorist groups) to external defense amid the evolving security landscape in the region.
For this matter, the DND developed the CADC which seeks to develop the country’s capability to protect and secure the entire Philippine territory and exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and ensure that all the bounties of the natural resources within them will be freely reaped by the Filipinos.
The defense chief said the scope of mission of the EastMinCom now covers the northern boundary of the Surigao Strait to the Pacific Ocean and the country’s 200-nautical mile EEZ, as well as the southern borders.
“It is your mission to prevent occupation and intrusion, and to guard our sovereign rights and territorial jurisdiction within our areas because if we do not pay attention to it right now, the threats to our sovereignty and occupation of our resources -- not merely our land territory -- are grave,” he warned.
Teodoro said this could be seen in one part of the Philippines, referring to the WPS, where China’s aggressive actions have been “intense compared to the past few years.”
In order to prevent "usurpers" from doing the same in Mindanao, Teodoro said the military needs to establish enough deterrence, particularly enhanced C4ISTAR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting Acquisition and Reconnaissance) capabilities.
“This is fertile ground, the EastMinCom, for doing that because we have the maneuver space, we have the maneuver room to deter and build properly, to reinforce ourselves properly and plan properly,” Teodoro said.
The DND is also planning to establish strategic military basing in the Eastern Mindanao, including the possible creation of additional air force bases, and a naval base in Nonoc Island in Surigao City.
“The needs are different and distinct, therefore, the first order of business for the area command is to shape the organization in accordance with your needs, taking into account the continuation of the remaining areas where ISOs need to be maintained while already planning forward, not only in force structure capability development, but this early, strategic basing for our CADC mission,” Teodoro said.