Faced with maritime threats, the Philippines is exploring the acquisition of a submarine or two from South Korean giant Hanwha Ocean.
Recently, Hanwha Ocean told me that it is “actively discussing” with the Philippines submarine capability building that includes “comprehensive training programs and simulators to develop Filipino submariners, maintainers and trainers.”
Also included in the package will be technology transfer, submarine base development and the possible establishment of a local maintenance, repair and overhaul center.
Before Philippine Navy personnel begin rejoicing in this season of wishes, it must be stressed that getting even one submarine is still in the realm of wish ko lang.
Armed Forces chief Romeo Brawner has said it is his “dream” for the country to acquire submarines for maritime defense.
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, however, recently told South Korean officials that while the interest is there, submarine acquisition is low in the funding priorities of the Philippine government. Especially with the military modernization program relegated to the unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 national budget.
At this point, we’re still just building up maritime and aerial patrol capability. This January, South Korean shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is delivering the first of six new offshore patrol vessels to the Philippine Navy.
We actually have a nascent domestic defense industry. On Oct. 8 last year, President Marcos signed Republic Act 12024, the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act. The commitment of the administration to SRDP, however, is uncertain.
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Along this line, there was a positive development this year, although it drew little attention amid the flood control corruption scandal. This month, the government rolled out the first locally designed mounted automated weapons system called COBRA, or Controller-Operated Battle Ready Armament.
The COBRA is one of a few defense equipment made in the Philippines. A 100-percent Filipino-owned company produces M4 assault rifles, M110 precision rifles and semi-automatic pistols. The Philippine Navy is also working with local companies to assemble or produce patrol and attack vessels, with the missile-capable patrol gunboat Albert Majini unveiled at the naval shipyard in Cavite in November last year.
Defense equipment, even when locally made, aren’t cheap. And the country has many urgent needs requiring funding, beginning with the most basic – health care, food, shelter and education.
On the other hand, a defense industry creates many meaningful jobs and encourages skills training and better education. It creates downstream and spin-off enterprises that boost the economies of the communities hosting the manufacturing bases.
South Korea provides a model for this. Since we’re copying many things Korean these days, we can study that country’s industrialization, which took off from its need for self-defense as it emerged from a bloody civil war, and with the country today still facing the threat of an attack from the North.
Industrialization has turned South Korea into the world’s biggest commercial shipbuilder and among the leaders in automotives, household electronics and other consumer products.
Today, South Korea can afford to prepare itself for the next generation of warfare, which will heavily involve unmanned everything, remote-controlled weapons and “soldiers” and the extensive use of artificial intelligence.
We’re way behind, but at least we’re getting started.
Seeing our fishermen and Coast Guard being blasted with water cannons in our maritime economic zone by the neighborhood bully should provide more impetus for us to get serious about self-defense, including developing a local defense industry.
It can create jobs with decent pay, requiring skills that don’t call for a PhD or master’s degree. Welders, for example, play a critical role in building ships, aircraft and high-precision munitions. Accuracy is so important in this area that the Koreans now employ robots for some of the toughest tasks.
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Having been preoccupied with the corruption scandal, we haven’t paid attention to a policy shift in the Trump administration that could impact our national security.
The latest US National Security Strategy released earlier this month says Washington will be focusing on the Western Hemisphere and deprioritizing Europe, with military attention also shifting away from the Middle East.
While the US still puts priority on “deterring a conflict over Taiwan,” rejecting “any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait” and keeping the South China Sea free and open, the new strategy sees China largely as an economic rather than a military threat to the US.
The strategy also wants Pacific allies including Japan and South Korea (the Philippines is not mentioned) to play a greater role in keeping the Indo-Pacific open and free. Washington’s message to allies is burden-shifting rather than burden-sharing.
Japan, South Korea and, for that matter, even Taiwan need not be told about the importance of a self-reliant defense posture.
South Korea has been investing heavily in developing deterrent self-defense capability. Apart from promoting national security, this is paying off for its economy. The South Korean defense industry has become a major employer and export revenue earner, ranking among the world’s top 10 arms suppliers and aiming to be among the four defense powers by 2030.
Today, according to Hanwha Aerospace, “the greatest challenge – and the hurdle we are actively overcoming – is achieving full technical sovereignty.”
Submarine maker Hanwha Ocean, which describes itself as a “global ocean solutions provider,” points out: “Global maritime warfare is rapidly intensifying, with network-centric warfare, the expansion of unmanned forces and cyber threats.” The company says it is adapting by transforming its platform to “a digital, AI-centric structure.”
South Korea, with which the Philippines now has a strategic partnership, is ready to support our country in achieving a self-reliant defense posture.
Defense companies such as Hanwha Ocean are proposing to collaborate with Philippine industries to develop a defense manufacturing base. Maybe the government should pursue the offer, to speed along the ongoing initiatives.
Hanwha Aerospace also describes itself as an “enabler of our partners’ sovereign capability.” The company considers the Philippines “as a crucial strategic partner” and supports the country’s goal of achieving self-reliant defense.
Even as allies offer assistance, we must remember that donor fatigue is afflicting not only the US under Trump. Other countries face their own security problems.
In human relationships, clingy, dependent types are generally shunned. The sooner we get serious about self-reliant defense, the better for us. Our allies will appreciate it.