Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to expand recruitment and acquire advanced equipment for the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) to address the country’s evolving maritime security challenges.
Speaking during a visit to the headquarters of the AFP Western Command in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on Tuesday afternoon, Teodoro revealed that he has instructed newly installed Marine Commandant Brig. Gen. Bob Apostol to submit a comprehensive “growth plan” for the service branch.
“There are only four Marine brigades and that is not enough if you look at it,” Teodoro said, emphasizing that the force remains stretched relative to the country’s extensive archipelagic boundaries.
Among the current formations, the 3rd Marine Brigade is stationed in Palawan, serving as a frontline shield in safeguarding sovereign rights and national interests across the contested West Philippine Sea. A standard military brigade consists of at least three battalions, with each battalion comprising approximately 500 personnel.
Addressing AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel Maj. Gen. Ramon Flores, Teodoro pointed out personnel shortages across ground forces.
“I am letting J1 hear that we’re lacking Marines, just as we’re lacking Army soldiers,” Teodoro noted.
However, the Defense chief acknowledged that expanding troop numbers must be matched with sustained operational funding and modern hardware, specifically emphasizing mobility and firepower.
“At the end of the day, a Marine Corps is not a Marine Corps if it has no mobility,” Teodoro asserted. “At the end of the day that is what we must work hard: to allow them to sustain their lethality, their firepower, and their mobility particularly now in the eastern seaboard where there is no significant (military) presence.”
Teodoro added that AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, alongside members of the joint staff and naval operating base commanders, will review these operational capability gaps to formulate a long-term strategic posture.