MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he is not keen on increasing the country’s military spending as he remarked at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland that “there is no point in the Philippines building up its armory.”
Speaking to WEF President Børge Brende, Marcos said the Philippines is not in an economic situation at par with military giants like the United States and China to hike its defense budget and is not pursuing military solutions.
“The solutions are not going to be military. If they are going to be military, then they are not solutions because it will end badly if it goes that way, it will end badly for those involved and even those who are not involved,” Marcos said, citing the war in Ukraine.
Marcos’ remarks came as the government’s continuous push for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the face of regional tensions, especially in the South China Sea.
The Department of National Defense was given a P240.7 billion budget in 2023. Meanwhile, foreign aid has been pouring in to improve the country’s military capabilities. — Xave Gregorio