Threats to National Security

National security- in a state where our most valued principles and ideals, our democratic way of
life, our government structures and our stability, health and well-being as a country and as a
people are consistently secured and strengthen.
Fundamental elements that lies in national security: (determinants of a stable national
security)
1. Socio-Political Stability
- Refers to social standing and political beliefs
- Must attain peace and harmony despite of religion, ethnicity, or social position.
- Government and people must participate in Nation-building.
2. Territorial Integrity
- Must ensure the absolute inviolability and efficient governance of our national
territory by the Government and the State.
- Includes preserving the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the country and protecting
it from illegal incursions and exploitation of resources.
3. Economic Solidarity and Strength
- We have to develop a free market economy diligently through responsible
entrepreneurship focused on social conscience, respect for labor integrity, and
consideration of public interest. We have to establish an economic system where
people could control of their own lives, livelihood, and economic destiny.

4. Ecological Balance
– Dealing with industrial and agricultural development and population growth, national
stability depends on the effective protection of our natural environment. Sustainable
development needs to be supported alongside social justice.
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5. Cultural Cohesiveness
- A shared set of values and beliefs established on strong moral and ethical principles,
drawn form our heritage and embodying a Filipino tradition, drawn from our
heritage and embodying a Filipino identity that transcends religious, ethnic, and
linguistic differences must define our lives as a nation.
6. Moral-spiritual consensus
- We must be driven by a national vision inspired and manifested by patriotism,
national pride, and the advancement of the national goals in our words and deeds.
7. External Peace
- We must seek positive and cordial connections with all the nations and people, even
as our nation itself must set an independent path free of external influence and
intervention or threat of aggression.
2 IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS THAT MAKES UP NATIONAL SECURITY
1. INTERNAL THREAT

- The main internal threat comes from the Communist Party of the Philippines/ New
People’s Army / National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF)
- They continue to pose a serious threat to national security, although weakened
compare to their peak strength in 1985-87.
- Continues to launch inhumane acts in Bicol Region and Southern Mindanao regions
- Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)- head of the communist rebellion in the
Philippines and functions as the “brains” that provide direction and movement.
- New People’s Army (NPA)- functions as the “sword” that provides military force to
protect the party and defeat the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
- National Democratic Front (NDF) – serves as the “shield” to parry the blows from
government and protect the armed struggle through

Abu Sayaff Group (ASG) – alias “Al-Hakarat”, Al-Islamiyyah”, “Bearer of the Sword”, “Father of
the Swordsman”.
- Formed in 1991 during the peace process between the PH government and
Nationalist/Separatist group, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Angered
by the movement towards peaceful resolution, certain MNLF members formed Abu
Sayaff. They are small band of highly mobile militants with alleged links to foreign
networks such as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and other foreign terrorist.
Organized Crime- is a national security concern. In particular, the issue of illegal drugs has
become a major threat to the national community over the nationwide with 42,979 barangays,
approximately 12% are affected in varying degrees.
Grave Incidence of Poverty – a serious threat to national security especially to the extent that it
breeds and abets rebellion, crime and dissidence, around one third of the Filipino families
nationwide are affected by the incidence of poverty. Consequently, income distribution in favor
of a privileged minority has been distorted.
Economic Sabotage – undermines the market economy, the financial system and the nation’s
resources. Within this group, illegal activities such as counterfeiting, money laundering, large
scale smuggling, ocean fishing, and commercial dumping are included.
Graft and Corruption – a threat to national security by virtue of the huge scale by which it saps
public resources, undermines the morale of civil service and affects delivery of quality basic
services. Investment has also become disincentive. In line with the dictum that any peso looted
from public funds is a peso withheld from the uplifting of the needy.
Severe Calamities – cause serious foods shortages, abet hoarding and profiteering and cause
hunger, disease and deprivation. The diaster has stood at more than 13,000 loives lost over the
past 10 years
National Disaster Coordinating Center (NDCC) – ensure that government and private
manpower and resources are centered, organized and consistently applied to disaster
prevention and community recovery and restoration activities.
Persistent Environment Degradation – poses a long-term security threat. The degradation of
forests and watersheds, air-lang water contamination and the accumulation of hazardous
pollutants are causing disease, mortality and declining national prosperity and well-being.
Environmental conservation has taken on high importance in areas of security and law
enforcement, and is an organizational area of concern in the education system.

2. EXTERNAL THREAT
- The growing uncertainties that lie in the regional and global millue makes up the
second dimension of our national security environment, even as threat of external
aggression against our country remains in the remote horizon.
The Multilateral Dispute over the Spratly Islands – source of frequent tensions, owing to the
development of systems that some claimant countries in the region consider to be military
oriented. It is a direct violation of the Philippine EEZ that is being addressed through a
comprehensive package of diplomatic measures.
Smuggling of firearms and contraband, illegal migration and the occasional movement of
foreign terrorists through the porous borders of our southwestern frontier
- Have elicited transnational concern. Philippine law agencies are collaborating
closely, bilaterally and multilaterally, with foreign police organizations to track these
activities.
The lingering effects of the currency crisis affecting countries within the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are causes of regional anxieties, which tend to intensify
political instabilities and socio-economic dislocations involving poorest people.
Serious economic disparity between the rich and poor – in many cases keeps the world in a
state crisis and literally on the verge of war. Tensions are already causing local or regional
shortages of fresh water, arable land, food, fisheries and electricity.
Conflicts of ethnic, religious, and cultural origin pervade many regions and nations, including
ours. Extreme poverty, inadequate access to education, denial of human rights, a lack of
national integration and foreign problems are continuously exacerbating it.
Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is a threat to global security. Nowadays,
nuclear materials and technologies are more obtainable than at any time in history. The relative
ease of both nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons development has made them desirable
to terrorists.
Transnational organized crime. The international monetary fund reports the 2 percent of world
economy now account to global drug trafficking, excluding illicit capital flight and money
laundering activity. There are connections between drug trafficking, terrorism, illegal alien
smuggling and etc.,
Natural disasters and environmental issues will continue to pervade global security agenda.
Global human activities (population growth etc.,), will increasingly change climate and weather
patterns, strain fragile economic systems, and bring more pressure to health and social
assistance systems.
Cybernetic Crime – threatens isolated networked information systems over the internet. Many
of our government crucial decision-making process are now electronically based and therefore
vulnerable to this danger.