A self-reliant defense industry is long overdue for us Filipinos.
Times have changed. There was a time when hegemonies like the US handled world security, but now there is a lot of emphasis on individual countries’ national defense.
The war in Ukraine is reaching its third year, and this has influenced NATO countries to increase defense spending across the board. And down south, the year-old Israel-Hamas war is also pushing defense spending up with neighboring Arab countries.
In East Asia, Japan and South Korea have also begun to increase their military spending because of China’s aggression and North Korea’s saber-rattling.
Even in Southeast Asia, we can see our country being pushed to modernize due to China’s bullying tactics in the South China Sea. We’re now importing ships from South Korea, missiles from India, tanks from Israel, and looking for fighter jets, helicopters, and even submarines.
However, importing has its limits. We’re limited to what countries can supply. The war in Ukraine has reportedly depleted many countries’ surplus ammunition (in the form of shells and mortars), so there is no ready supply if you need it immediately. Also, there are big lead times if you need ammunition. This was experienced during the Marawi Siege, where ammunition was weeks late because of supply chain issues.
A bill is being ratified that focuses on our country’s self-reliant defense posture. It would grant incentives for local manufacturers to produce military equipment and ammunition. This is a good first step, as creating locally would always be cheaper, and we would be more agile in determining what we need.
There is a significant need to be self-sufficient regarding arms and ammunition. The Philippines only has a single local arms manufacturer. We also have local manufacturers of small warships and vehicles, but they are small in number. We need a more robust defense industry as it can be a great source of economic growth.
If we can specialize even in a single industry, we can be more cost-effective in procuring what we need. For example, Ukraine has innovated in asymmetric warfare using drones. Drones are cheap and plentiful and cannot be effectively shut down by conventional air defenses. A typical missile used in defense can be 100x more expensive than a single drone.
What does this lead to? A stronger, self-sufficient defense industry would lead to better preparedness and faster response in times of crisis. A robust industry can stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and foster technological innovation. More importantly, this can contribute to regional stability by deterring aggression and becoming more independent.