Manila: Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. reiterated the urgent need for the country to build a credible defense posture amid complex geopolitical and socio-economic realities. Teodoro delivered the message during the US-ASEAN Business Council 2025 Aerospace, Defense and Security (ADS) Mission to the Philippines.

According to Philippines News Agency, Teodoro emphasized the importance of staying ahead of the curve in terms of defense capabilities. He stated, "It is more painful to be behind the curve because one day you need to be on that curve. If not, you lose. And you have to win in whatever objective you set." He further highlighted the necessity for a firm and lasting win, asserting that the ultimate objective is to ensure that "nobody touches the Philippines -- whoever it may be."

The 2025 ADS Mission in the Philippines gathered representatives from major US companies in the finance, defense, and security industry, providing a platform to discuss the Philippines' defense capability buildup in response to regional and global security challenges. Teodoro pointed out that the Philippine defense system is currently focused on catching up with infrastructure development, acknowledging that, "You can never escape the hard fact that sooner or later, your lack of substance will catch up with you."

The DND chief underscored the urgent need for credible deterrence, noting that the Philippines has already tried alternative dispute resolution mechanisms which, according to him, "only work when you have a stick behind you." He concluded by stating, "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."