Executive Secretary Ralph Recto called for a people-centered definition of national security, stressing that true security lies in protecting the everyday conditions that allow Filipino families to live with dignity, stability, and hope.

Speaking at the National Security Summit 2025, Recto said that national security should not be confined to military threats alone, but rather measured by how the government addresses the daily realities faced by ordinary Filipinos.

“It is food that is affordable. Power that stays on. A job that pays enough. Truth in our newsfeeds. Trust in our institutions,” Recto said on Friday, Dec. 12.

“Because security is more than the absence of a shooting war. It means the presence of opportunity,” he added.

Recto said the Marcos administration’s approach reframes national security as human security, where economic stability, social services, and institutional trust are treated as core defenses of the State.

The Executive Secretary cited the alignment of the National Security Strategy (NSS) 2024 with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) as a key step toward this broader framework, commending the National Security Council for integrating security planning with long-term development goals.

He said the updated strategy recognizes the interconnected risks faced by farmers dealing with climate uncertainty, soldiers guarding national frontiers, and teachers countering disinformation in classrooms.

Recto pointed to ongoing government efforts to strengthen food security, expand universal healthcare, and invest in education and workforce development as essential pillars of national defense.

“For our greatest asset—our greatest defense—is the empowered, enlightened, engaged and educated Filipino people,” he said.

Recto also warned that weak governance, corruption, and lack of transparency pose serious threats to national security by eroding public trust and weakening institutions.

“This is why we are pushing for good governance reforms—finally pursuing an anti-political dynasty bill, reforming the party-list system, and giving public access to government expenditures,” he said.

“For building stronger and more transparent institutions is the nation’s sturdiest security defense,” he added.

The Palace official also said the administration remains committed to fiscal discipline and a national budget focused on quality spending to ensure that public funds directly benefit citizens.

To address overlapping security, economic, and social challenges, Recto called for stronger coordination among government agencies, the uniformed services, policymakers, academics, civil society, industry, and local communities.

He said national security requires “a government that moves as one, an economy that is strong and felt by every household, and a future defended by all.”