President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday signed a measure seeking to bolster the country’s new defense strategies by establishing its own resources and capabilities to support the weaponry and materiel requirement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other law enforcement agencies.

Marcos approved Republic Act 12024 or the Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Revitalization Act, which focused on growing the country's domestic production and manufacturing of defense assets and hardware, in a ceremony at Malacañang.

“We lay today the foundation of resilience shaped by our own ingenuity, our own talent, and our unwavering resolve. Through this Act, we can build on its legacy and expand upon that same vision—a defense posture that is independent, dynamic, and geared to the future,” Marcos said in his speech shortly after he formally approved the newly enacted law.

The President stressed that the SRDP law is designed to cultivate a robust and sustainable National Defense Industry in the Philippines by “establishing a structured approach to defense development.”

He also cited the need  to enhance and update the country’s defense systems to “meet unique requirements and stay ahead of evolving threats, particularly asymmetrical threats that traditional systems may effectively address.”