In line with this it would also be reasonable to consider improving the capabilities of intelligence organizations, which would of course require more resources. Given that the Filipino government’s focus is on improving capabilities of the military, most if not all available resources for national security has been allotted to infrastructure, hardware and operational expenses. The government needs to overcome several strategic challenges if intelligence is to become a main priority, such as the allocation of resources, improving intelligence transparency and introducing intelligence education in the country. Using intelligence as a first line of defense compliments the current defense strategy of the government because the well-organized collection of reliable foreign intelligence can mitigate surprises, thus strengthening the defense posture at home. Intelligence and minimum credible defense More importantly, intelligence analysts do not thrive in the Philippines because there are no specialized academic and professional training programs that are accessible to the public. Unfortunately, it is not clear that “intelligence analysts” are given the proper professional training and recognition in the Philippines, as most analysts tend to leave the government after just a few years of service. Aside from knowledge of different analytical techniques, studies have shown that analysts need to have outstanding cognitive abilities in the following areas: written expression, reading comprehension, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, pattern recognition, oral comprehension and information ordering. This process will not be possible without competent analytical minds that have the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake analysis. The current Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement does not explicitly mention anything about intelligence, but it would be reasonable to assume that both governments have discussed the issue of intelligence cooperation given the overall objectives of the agreement.įurthermore, intelligence analysis is absolutely essential if intelligence is to be the first line of defense. The Philippines is a treaty ally of the United States and can therefore obtain information and support from the most capable intelligence community in the world, which would certainly be beneficial for defense purposes. Exploiting all sources of information will only improve intelligence.Īnother option is to strengthen intelligence cooperation. This strategy is crucial especially in regions such as the Middle East and Africa where access to information is limited. This is not to imply that the millions of Filipinos abroad should be recruited and trained as spies, but rather to use their observations and insights to supplement the information collected by the government. While is it standard procedure for states to deploy government personnel to collect intelligence, the Philippines can augment its intelligence capabilities by making use of its extensive human capital that is based abroad. As a result, it would be more feasible for developing countries such as the Philippines to rely on human intelligence. There are different types of collection sources and methods, but not all of these methods are accessible to small states with limited resources. This strategy is easily discussed in theory but would be extremely difficult to execute for the Philippine intelligence community.Įnhancing foreign intelligence collection requires specific resources and capabilities to sustain extended operations abroad. The logic behind this strategy is that intelligence activities undertaken in foreign countries is the first line of defense because it will allow the government to adopt a pro-active and decisive posture in addressing national security threats before adversaries execute hostile actions. Making intelligence the first line of defense requires a greater emphasis on foreign intelligence collection and analysis more than actual military operations. This article argues for the importance of prioritizing intelligence in defending the Philippines against adversaries. However, given the limited operational capacities of the military, improving intelligence capabilities should be the main focus of the Philippine Government. In the case of Philippines, intelligence is generally regarded an enabler of military operations. While military strategists have acknowledged the importance of intelligence, many doubt its quality and reliability considering the devastating intelligence failures in the 21 st century. Inherently, a good strategy must then be based on solid intelligence. A formidable defensive strategy is dependent on the understanding of an adversary’s intentions and capabilities.
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