Philippine national security, in state of systemic vulnerabilities

The principle that the security of the state is the primary responsibility of a government is a foundational concept in political philosophy, often referred to as raison d’etat (reason of state) or national security doctrine.

This perspective is central to the realist school of international relations, which argues that a state cannot achieve other goals — such as economic prosperity, social welfare, or individual liberty — unless it first guarantees its own survival and protection from external and internal threats.

Political theorists and legal scholars, however, frequently debate how to balance this principle with other core values.

1. The Social Contract: Thinkers like Thomas Hobbes argued that citizens yield certain freedoms to a sovereign power explicitly in exchange for security and physical protection.

2. Civil Liberties: Conversely, frameworks built on individual rights (such as those championed by John Locke or constitutional democracies) emphasize that state security should not systematically override fundamental human rights, freedom of speech, or the role of law.

3. The Modern Balance: In practice, modern governance often centers on finding the equilibrium between maintaining robust national defense and preserving the civil liberties that define the society the state is trying to protect.

When a state faces the concurrent convergence of domestic political warfare, systemic governance challenges and a critical external security crisis, its national security is pushed into a state of severe strategic overextension and systemic vulnerability.

For the administration of President Marcos Jr., navigating this exact intersection requires balancing internal fractures against a highly volatile external environment.

Domestic political warfare fractures internal stability

Domestic political warfare — such as the high-profile fracturing of executive-level alliances, legislative investigations, and impeachment trials — directly impairs national security concerns. If these institutions are forced to focus heavily on counter-subversion, political preservation, or localized stability, resources are diverted away from external tasks.

Political warfare reduces social cohesion, allows hostile actors — both domestic insurgence and foreign intelligence services — to exploit polarization, sow discord and weaken public trust in the state.

Finally, within the framework of Philippine National Security Policy 2023-2028, the top three competing forces that split the strategic focus of the Marcos administration, regarding national security vulnerabilities include:

1. The Pivot to External Defense (Territorial Integrity)

Driven heavily by the intense US-China geopolitical competition and the escalating maritime dispute in the West Philippine Sea, the administration has shifted its chief priority toward national sovereignty and territorial defense. This external focus demands immense resource allocation, diplomatic capital, and military modernization to counter incursions and secure the maritime border.

2. Persistent Internal Security and Law and Order

While external threats dominate headlines, the administration cannot fully abandon its domestic focus. It remains bound by the structural vulnerabilities of traditions, longstanding internal security threats, criminal justice challenges, public safety concerns and the preservation of socio-political stability across the archipelago.

3. Non-Traditional Vulnerabilities (Cyber and Economic Security)

The administration’s focus is further divided by contemporary, non-traditional security domains — most notably cybersecurity and economic resilience. Rapid bureaucratic digitalization has opened the state up to severe digital vulnerabilities, forcing the government to dedicate significant focus to National Cybersecurity Plans, critical infrastructure protection, and ecological/economic resources sustainability.

Ultimately, the Marcos administration is forced to balance its attention in a three-way tug-of-war between external sovereignty, internal stability and modern technological vulnerabilities.

Email: arturobesana2@gmail.com