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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Gibo underscores need for credible deterrence in US-ASEAN biz meet

Gibo underscores need for credible deterrence in US-ASEAN biz meet

Published Aug 16, 2025 02:14 pm
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. addresses representatives from major United States companies in the finance, defense, and security industry during the United States-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (US-ASEAN) Business Council 2025 Aerospace, Defense, and Security (ADS) Mission to the Philippines on Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo: DND)
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. addresses representatives from major United States companies in the finance, defense, and security industry during the United States-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (US-ASEAN) Business Council 2025 Aerospace, Defense, and Security (ADS) Mission to the Philippines on Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo: DND)
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. urged the support of the business community as he stressed the need to build a credible deterrence aimed at protecting both national sovereignty and economic progress in the face of China’s growing influence in the South China Sea.
He delivered the message before business leaders during the United States-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (US-ASEAN) Business Council 2025 Aerospace, Defense, and Security (ADS) Mission to the Philippines on Thursday, Aug. 14.
“The Philippine defense system now is busy catching up on infrastructure development, our strategic basing, warehousing, quality storage, adequate infrastructure that is of military grade, military use facilities that are secure, resilient, and as located as near as possible to our choke points,” Teodoro said.
The defense chief expounded on the complex geopolitical and socio-economic realities faced by the Philippines, with its unique position in the Indo-Pacific region. The DND is at the forefront of the country’s fight for sovereignty and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) amid China’s aggressive actions.
He explained that credible deterrence should be seen as a cost-saving measure rather than a cost substitute, warning that a lack of substance will eventually have serious consequences.
Despite persistent challenges to the country’s resolve to uphold its national interests, Teodoro said the country will push forward with efforts to reconfigure, restrategize, and clarify mission roles within the defense organization, particularly the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), to strengthen its capacity for external defense.
“Our role now is to provide as much deterrence as possible in order for our president, our diplomats, and all our other sectors to have as big a toolkit as possible to protect our interests peacefully," he said.
“Secondly, we have to provide that deterrence because we have already tried alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. And alternative dispute resolution mechanisms only work when you have a stick behind you,” he added.
Earlier, Teodoro stated that military readiness should complement diplomatic efforts, stressing that “soft power” must be backed by “hard power” to safeguard national interests.
“You have to win in whatever objective you set. You cannot have a soft win which is not permanent. You have to have a firm win. And for me, the win is nobody touches the Philippines – whoever it may be,” he said.
The 2025 ADS Mission in the Philippines brought together representatives from major US companies in the finance, defense, and security industry, providing an opportunity to contextualize the Philippines' defense capability buildup along with the regional and global security challenges.

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