National Issues and Concerns

National Security is defined as the state or condition wherein the values which a nation treasures such as
territorial integrity, sovereignty, people’s way of life and well-being are protected and enhanced. It is the
requirement to maintain the survival of the nation-state through the use of economic military and political
power and the exercise of diplomacy. The measures taken to ensure national security include:
 Using diplomacy to rally allies and isolate threats;
 Maintaining effective armed forces;
 Implementing civil defense and emergency preparedness measures (including anti-terrorism
legislation);
 Ensuring the resilience and security of critical infrastructure; and
 Using intelligence services to detect and defeat or avoid threats and espionage, and to protect
classified information.
In the Philippine context as indicated by the NSC Permanent Secretariat, National Security is described as
a condition or state of being where the Filipino people’s values, way of life, institutions, welfare, and we
ll-being, sovereignty and strategic relations are protected and enhanced. The elements of National
Security are the following:
 Moral-spiritual consensus Cultural cohesiveness
 Economic solidarity
 Socio-political stability Ecological balance
 Territorial integrity
 International harmony

NATIONAL SECURITY AND THE NSTP PROGRAM

The 1987 Philippine Constitution enshrined in its Declaration of Principles that the Filipinos are duty-
bound to protect the country and, as such, they may be subjected to undergo service training programs
(Art. II, Sec. 14, The Philippine Constitution). The Government may call upon the people to defend the
state, and in fulfillment thereof, all citizens may be required, under conditions provided by law, to render
personal, military or civil service. The NSTP is a program aimed at enhancing civic consciousness and
defense preparedness in the youth by developing the ethics of service and patriotism while undergoing
training in any of its three (3) program components, specifically designed to enhance the youth's active
contribution to the general welfare.

MANPOWER RESERVOIR FOR NATIONAL SECURITY

1. Graduates of CWTS and LTS shall belong to the National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC) which could
be tapped by the State for literacy and civic welfare activities such assisting in disaster
preparedness, mitigation, response and rehabilitation programs.
2. Graduates of the ROTC component shall form part of the AFP Citizen Armed Forces and AFP
Reserve Force, subject to DND requirements.

THREATS TO NATIONAL SECURITY

A. Man Made Threats
a. Terrorism
b. Explosion/Bomb Threats
c. Campus Violence/Frat and Gang War
d. Kidnapping/Hostage Taking
 e. Drug Addiction
f. Armed Robberies/Hold Ups
g. Snatching
h. Sabotage
i. Fire
j. Technological Threats such as gambling through number games, internet hold ups and
cybercrimes (computer hacking, computer pilferage, ATM stealing and cyber prostitution)

B. Natural Threats
a. Earthquakes
b. Typhoons
c. Floods
d. Volcanic Eruptions
e. Tsunamis