Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said he hopes the current administration will leave behind “irreversible” reforms that will enable the country to sustain its defense buildup even after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. steps down from office.

Speaking ahead of Marcos’ fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27, Teodoro said the administration's goal is to establish the foundations of a “credible deterrent posture” that future governments would continue.

“We will have achieved, I hope, an irreversible trend towards building a credible deterrent posture and positioning the coming administration in a converged position with the Filipino people for their best interests,” Teodoro said.

He said building the country's defense capability is a long-term effort that should not be derailed by politics.

“This is a huge undertaking and it will take time. That is why we need to quickly put in place the building blocks that cannot be changed simply because of partisan politics,” he said.

These include further professionalizing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and keeping the military focused on its mission.

He also said the Department of National Defense (DND) is reforming its own organization to speed up decision-making.

“Our biggest enemy is the slow government system. We need to move fast. Warp speed, especially when we have defense challenges,” he said.

In fact, he said previous defense secretaries had long struggled with bureaucratic delays that slowed military modernization.

“We have to speed up the process of building our strategic bases. We have to lay the foundation for modern equipment. There is no debate about that. Even in disaster response, there is no debate. The old way of thinking in government no longer works. Agility is the name of the game,” he noted.

The Marcos administration has placed defense modernization among its priorities as tensions continue in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The government has also accelerated the implementation of the AFP Modernization Program and expanded defense cooperation with allies while developing new military facilities across the country.

But the defense chief stressed that military equipment alone does not guarantee a credible defense posture.

“The Armed Forces is only the tip of the spear. The body of credible deterrence is the resilience of our country. That includes power, fuel and infrastructure,” Teodoro said.

He noted that equipment accounts for only a small portion of the country's overall deterrent capability because operating, maintaining, and housing military assets require far greater investments.

Meanwhile, the defense chief lamented the continued loss of military properties over the years, saying strategic military bases should no longer be converted to other uses.

“We started from negative in external defense. Not zero, negative. If we compare ourselves with our neighbors, we were left behind, especially in bases,” he said.

He said the administration is now prioritizing strategic basing so newly acquired military assets will have facilities for operations and maintenance.

“When the equipment we ordered arrives, and those we will order in the future, we can fly them, sail them, assign people to operate them properly, and maintain them. They will not simply become covered with barnacles or be used only for air shows,” he said.

The defense secretary also appealed to young Filipinos to remain engaged in national security issues and demand accountability from both the Philippine government and countries that violate international law.

“You should demonstrate your resolve. This is not about sacrifice. It is about commitment,” he said. “Organize yourselves. Show what you want for our defense and for the West Philippine Sea.”

Teodoro said WPS represents only one part of the country's broader maritime future, pointing to the country’s vast maritime domain and the strategic importance of the Pacific Ocean.

“It is not fair to leave problems to the next generation. We should resolve the problems that are ours to solve so the next generation can compete with the rest of the world,” he said.