The government’s adoption of the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) signifies the country’s seriousness in addressing the current external security challenges, a geopolitical expert said on Saturday.

De La Salle Professor Renato de Castro, in a news forum, said the new foreign policy, which was recently announced by Defense Chief Gilberto Teodoro Jr., can be beneficial to the country’s whole-of-government resolve to address the increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea amid China’s vast claims in the territorial waters. 

“When we talk about comprehensive power.. this means we will have to strengthen our maritime capabilities, including our air assets and of course develop [other services of the] Armed Forces of the Philippines,” he noted. 

This, however, entails a huge amount of funding, he added. 

“We really have to start from scratch ‘no but this is of course our effort to address what I call ‘no – a quintessential security threat which is of course China literally knocking on our door,” De Castro said. 

Under the concept, De Castro said the Philippines must actively improve the archipelagic defense of the entire AFP in addressing external security challenges.