API Podcast Ep13: Is a ₱324 billion budget enough for the Philippine Defense Department?

For 2027, the Department of Budget and Management has allotted a ₱324.632 billion budget for the defense sector, a slight bump from last year. However, this is still a drop from its proposed P572.78 billion budget proposal submitted by the Department of National Defense (DND). This leaves little room for the modernization program, which is already behind schedule and nearing its 2028 deadline. Is the Philippine government allocating enough budget to defend the country's sovereignty? What should the defense sector prioritize in acquisitions next year? How can we rely on defense allies to fill in the gaps? In this episode of API Podcast, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Manuel Mogato, veteran defense journalist Rodney Jaleco and Ret. Col. Dencio Acop come together to analyze the 2027 DND budget. Visit asiapacificinsights.com for more news and opinion articles on security, diplomacy, and geopolitics.