DEFENSE SPENDING | Philippines should raise its defense spending up to 2 percent of GDP to build a credible defense posture

DEFENSE SPENDING | Philippines should raise its defense spending up to 2 percent of GDP to build a credible defense posture – security expert

July 19, 2022 , 06:30 PM

By Manny Mogato, News 5 editor-at-large

(July 19, 2022) – The Philippines must raise its defense budget for 2023 to about 2 percent of the country’s $394.09 billion gross domestic product to be able build a credible defense posture and assert its maritime claims in the South China Sea, a security expert said.

De la Salle University professor Renato de Castro, international relations and security percent, said the Philippines will be able to afford the expensive military capability upgrade under its modernization program’s 3rd horizon if the annual defense spending will be increased to almost 450 billion pesos in 2023.

In 2022, Congress allocated only 222 billion pesos or roughly $4.39 billion on defense, including 25 billion pesos in the modernization fund. The bulk of the defense spending went to salaries and allowances of the 150,000 members of the Armed Forces and the pension of retired soldiers and veterans.

The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to submit his first budget to Congress when it reopens next week. Marcos has to double the defense budget to boost the modernization program. Last year, under Duterte, the police had bigger budget than the military.

“It’s time for the Filipinos to pay the cost of external defense by increasing the share of the defense budget by 2 percent,” de Castro told an international security forum hosted by the Albert del Rosario Institute (ADRI) in a Makati hotel, adding that many countries in Europe have been doing it already.

Germany, France and other western European states have started ramping up defense spending after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February. Sweden and Finland have made moves to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as an insurance against Russian aggression,

In Asia, China’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea has forced many smaller states in the region to modernize their armed forces, especially Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

The Philippines under two former presidents – Benigno Aquino and Rodrigo Duterte – had embarked on ambitious capability upgrade, acquired a squadron of light fighters FA-50s, T-129 attack helicopters, two guided-missile frigates, eight missile-capable fast attack interdiction crafts and two corvettes and six Offshore Patrol vessels.

Under horizon 3, the military planned to acquired a squadron of multi-role fighters, two diesel-electric submarines, anti-air and anti-ship missiles and long-ranger patrol planes to improve maritime domain awareness in the disputed waters.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea. Brunei. Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have conflicting claims on the strategic waterway where more than $3 trillion seaborne-trade passes every year.

De Castro also suggested the military should start focusing on external and territorial defense and leave the counter-insurgency operations to the Philippine National Police.

“Diplomacy has to work with military capability,” de Castro said but the country could rely on allies and security partners, like the United States, Australia and Japan to strengthen external defense capabilities through training, exercises and equipment.

Washington and Tokyo promised to transfer military equipment that could enhance the military capability to resist Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea. The US has unveiled a $60 million maritime security initiative (MSI) to help littoral states in the South China Sea develop maritime domain awareness. The US has donated several ScanEagle drones and plane mounted surveillance and reconnaissance equipment.

Privacy Statement

Our Privacy Commitment

TV5 Network Inc. values and respects your privacy. We are committed to safeguarding your personal data in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its implementing rules and regulations.

We have developed a Privacy Policy that adopts and observes appropriate standards for personal data protection. While our Privacy Policy sets out the general principles governing the collection, use, and disclosure of our users’ personal information, our Privacy Commitment seeks to inform you more about TV5’s privacy practices.

Why do we collect your personal information (as applicable)?

We may collect and maintain basic information about you as site user of TV5 sites for the following purposes:

To deliver news and updates on current events, sports, esports and entertainment;
To share livestreams of news and sports events;
To understand our viewers’ needs and preferences;
To meet legal and regulatory requirements; and
To perform other processes or disclosures that are required to comply with pertinent laws, rules, or regulations.

Where do we get your personal information?

There are several ways we collect your personal information.

Information that you personally provided.

Most of the personal information we have are those that you have provided us when you:
- Register to our programs or services;
- Inquired, filed a complaint or requested for our services;
- Took part in our research and surveys; and/or
- Became our Partner, Vendor, Contractor or Supplier.

Information we collect during your engagement with us

We also collect information as you use our products and services, like:
- Viewing our websites;
- Activities that are being tracked by our website cookies;
- Calling our hotline;
- Using our apps, websites, and self-service channels and portals; and/or
- Joining our promos, prize raffles, or rewards and loyalty programs.

Information we collect from other sources

Other means of collection of information may be through:
- Our market research initiatives;
- When you visit and use our websites and mobile application; and
- Subsidiaries, affiliates, and third-party business partners to whom you have given consent to share your information to us.

When do we disclose personal information?

There may be instances when we are required to share the information you provided us. In such cases, we ensure that your personal information will be disclosed on a confidential manner, through secure channels and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act and other privacy laws.

We will never share, rent, or sell your personal information to third parties outside of TV5 except in special cases where you have given consent, and in cases described in our privacy policy.

In some instances, we may be required to disclose your personal information to our agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, business partners and other third-party agencies and service providers as part of our regular business operations and for the provision of our programs and services. This means we might share your information with our service providers, contractors, and professional advisers who help us provide our services.

How we protect your personal information

The integrity, confidentiality, and security of your information is important to us. We have implemented technical, organizational, and physical security measures that are designed to protect your information from unauthorized or fraudulent access, alteration, disclosure, misuse, and other unlawful activities.

We also put in effect the following safeguards:

We keep and protect your information using a secured server behind a firewall, encryption and security controls;
We keep your information only for as long as it is necessary for us to (a) provide the products and services that you avail from us, (b) for our legitimate business purposes, (c) to comply with pertinent laws, and (d) for special cases that will require the exercise or defense of legal claims;
We limit the access to your information only to qualified and authorized personnel who are trained to handle your information with strict confidentiality;
We undergo regular audits and rigorous testing of our infrastructure’s security protocols to ensure your data is always protected;
We promptly notify you and the National Privacy Commission when sensitive personal information that may, under the circumstances, be used to enable identity fraud are reasonably believed to have been acquired by an unauthorized person; and
We let you update your information securely to keep our records accurate.

TV5 will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than the purpose that you may have given your consent for.

What are your choices?

We make sure that we have your consent to continue to collect, use, and disclose your personal information for the purposes that we have identified. We want you to know that you may object or withdraw your consent and/or edit your consent preferences at any time.

If you wish to have access to the personal information in our custody or if you think that the personal information you provided is incomplete, or otherwise inaccurate, you may get in touch with our Data Protection Officer through the contact details provided below. In some instances, we may request for supporting documents or proof before we effect requested changes.

Data Protection Officer
TV5 Network Inc.
Reliance corner Sheridan Streets
Mandaluyong City
tv5dataprivacy@tv5.com.ph

What happens when there are changes in our Policy?

From time to time, we may update our privacy policy and practices to comply with changes in applicable laws and regulatory requirements, adapt to new technologies and protocols, and align with the best practices of the industry.

You will be provided notices if the changes are significant and, if we are required by law, we will obtain your updated consent.