Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. delivers a keynote at the forum “A Decade of the Arbitral Award: Credible Deterrence in Defense of the West Philippine Sea” at the Manila Peninsula, July 10, 2026.— STRATBASE MEDIA
Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. said on Friday that the Philippines should increase defense spending to between 2% to 4% of gross domestic product (GDP) to strengthen its military capabilities and maritime security, as the government prepares to expand maritime patrols and receive additional defense assets.
Mr. Teodoro said that the government would need to realign its budget to support higher defense spending, noting that resources are finite.
“We definitely need to realign,” he told reporters on the sideline of the Stratbase Institute conference, “More for one means less for another.”
Asked if where the funding can get, he said, “It is up to somebody, all I’m saying is we need to increase.”
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