Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. on Thursday called for deeper collaboration with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) to strengthen transparency and joint growth in defense and industrial development, framing the move as essential to securing the nation against rising international threats.

Speaking at an ECCP luncheon meeting in Makati City, Teodoro asserted that the Philippines stands “at the spearhead” of current threats to the global order, specifically citing China’s continued “illegal actions in the West Philippine Sea.”

“The President has instructed us to be unyielding and to reshape our defense ecosystem as quickly as possible into a multi-threat, multi-domain system,” Teodoro said.

He outlined two major strategic directions for the Department of National Defense (DND) — building internal defense resilience and expanding strategic engagements with like-minded nations.

Teodoro also revealed that the Philippines is in advanced talks for Visiting Forces Agreements (VFAs) with France and the United Kingdom, and is exploring a similar arrangement with Canada.

“The more convergence of like-minded countries at the spear’s tip, the better,” Teodoro said. “We must resist and deter any attempt to change the international order to the detriment of our people and future generations.”

The Defense chief also highlighted the urgent need to reform the country’s defense acquisition and funding systems, noting that defense spending has historically been “miserably low.”

He said the DND will prioritize the development of strategic bases and pursue government-to-government arrangements for defense procurement and joint industrial production.

Teodoro stressed that defense self-reliance depends on “reliable, diversified, and secure supply chains,” insisting, “We will focus on what we truly need, not just what’s available.”

He invited the ECCP to engage in a structured partnership with the DND rooted in transparency and mutual trust, asserting that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ended the era of the DND being a “whipping boy” in procurement processes. The event gathered European diplomats, business leaders, and Philippine officials to discuss potential collaboration in defense technology, industrial innovation and strategic logistics.