Adoption of Gibo’s defense concept backed by expert

MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration’s adoption of a Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) is a move in the right direction and a manifestation of its seriousness in tackling external security challenges, particularly China’s growing aggressiveness in the West Philippine Sea.

This was according to De La Salle University professor Renato de Castro at a forum in Quezon City yesterday.

He was reacting to Department of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro’s pronouncement on Friday that he had ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines to “operationalize” the CADC “to ensure that our people and all the generations of Filipinos to come shall freely reap and enjoy the bounties of the natural resources that are rightfully ours within our domain.”

“For many decades and several administrations, our defense has been focused on internal security operations,” De Castro said.

“But now, the emerging major challenge is external security threat – our waters and marine resources are being gobbled up. If we let this continue, even our interisland waters and resources will be targeted in the future, so we really need this (CADC),” he said.

He recalled that President Marcos, in his speeches last year, had acknowledged the need for greater emphasis on external defense.

De Castro said the very essence of the strategy is to develop the country’s ability to project comprehensive power in its exclusive economic zone – not only in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea but also in the entirety of its territorial jurisdiction.

“When we talk about comprehensive power, what comes to mind is the Armed Forces – so this means we will have to strengthen our maritime capabilities and air, and of course develop (the other services under) Armed Forces of the Philippines,” De Castro pointed out.

“Of course, this will entail a huge amount of money as we really have to start from scratch, but this is of course our effort to address what I call a quintessential security threat, which is of course China literally knocking on our door,” he added.

Last week, Chinese coast guard and militia vessels made another attempt to block a resupply mission for troops on the BRP Sierra Madre