RESEARCH AGENDA

2020-2022
NATIONAL DEFENSE COLLEGE OF THE PHILIPPINES
NDCP Research Agenda i
 National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP)
Gen. Arturo Enrile Avenue, Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
Quezon City Philippines 1110
+63 (2) 8912 1412
info@ndcp.edu.ph

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 PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE

In the face of a constantly evolving strategic environment, the profession of developing

national security administration as a more robust academic discipline demands constant
validation and updating. Emerging technologies, power dynamics, and the steady march
of time present opportunities for the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP)
to revisit the contents, strategies, and relevance of its instruction, research, production,
and extension. Further, owing to the dual nature of the College—a government bureau
and an academic institution—the body of knowledge that NDCP needs to produce should
both be rigorous in its academic aspect and readily accessible and useful to scholars,
practitioners, and decision-makers.

The College intends to highlight its research activities for the next three years with
the delivery of prompt, quality, and relevant knowledge products and policy inputs to our
stakeholders, particularly the Department of National Defense (DND). The NDCP Research
and Special Studies Division (RSSD), Academic Affairs Division (AAD), and the Philippine
Center of Excellence for Defense, Development, and Security (PCEDS) will be working
together to develop research outputs which will serve as our inputs to the development
of defense policy and operations.

With this, we undertook the task of developing the NDCP Research Agenda 2020-
2022 in order to create a compass which the College and its stakeholders can use to
direct all its activities and initiatives towards the fulfilment of its mission. This document
is a product of numerous consultations, revisions, and presentations to our stakeholders,
while ensuring that its strategic direction remains consistent with the National Defense
Strategy and the Defense Planning Guidance of the DND.

As we envision the College to be a center of excellence in educational and policy

development for strategic and dynamic leaders in national defense and security in the
region, we view this document as our humble contribution to enhancing the practice
of national security administration, and the larger body of knowledge of defense and
security studies in the Philippines.

ARCHIMEDES H VIAJE PhD, MNSA, CESE

President

NDCP Research Agenda 1

 NDCP OVERVIEW

MISSION
To prepare future defense and security leaders for
high positions of responsibility and command and
undertake strategic research and special studies
as basis for the formulation of policies to enhance
national defense and security, and programs and
projects in pursuit of the Department of National
Defense (DND) mission.

VISION
The NDCP envisions itself “to be a center of
excellence in educational and policy development
for strategic and dynamic leaders in national
defense and security in the Asia Pacific by 2022.”

FUNCTIONS
To carry out and fulfill its broad mission effectively,
the NDCP has the following specific functions:

] Undertake an academic program and

confer the degree of Master in National Security
Administration (MNSA) or such other appropriate
courses upon all its students who have satisfactorily
completed the prescribed courses of study;

] Undertake a research program as basis in

the formulation of national defense and security
policies;

] Conduct extension program such as non

degree training, seminar-workshops, policy
conferences, and other similar fora on national
defense and security issues;

] Conduct other programs and projects in

support of the mission of the DND and its bureaus
and offices, and other government agencies; and,

] Perform such other relevant functions as

may be required by the appropriate authorities.

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 POLICY GUIDANCE

The NDCP is the government’s

premier institution for defense
and security education, research,
and training. As such, it serves as
the “in-house” think tank of the
Philippine defense establishment.
Especially upon request, the
NDCP frequently provides
substantive and administrative
inputs to specific policy issues of
concern to the Department.

According to the National Security Policy 2017-2022, the NDCP, the

Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC), the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), and
other military and police training schools and government think tanks are
mandated to collaborate among themselves in building up and expanding
the pool of national security practitioners in the country. It is also mandated
in the same document that the NDCP and PPSC shall be primarily responsible
for training competent policy analysts, security planners and intelligent
officers, and for training future generations of national security leaders and
managers.
The Defense Planning Guidance (DPG) 2019-2024 mandates the NDCP to
(a) pursue the upgrading of its faculty and facilities to meet the requirement
of its scholars; (b) conduct seminars/trainings that would address the current
national security issues of the country to complement the knowledge of
the defense personnel in the performance of their mandated tasks; and
(c) establish a think tank that would provide interdisciplinary research that
addresses the current and emerging security issues.
The DPG 2020-2025 directs the College to, among others, sustain its
partnerships with international institutions and enhance participation in
regional platforms to foster closer relationship with counterpart institutions,
exchange views on strategic issues, and build trust and confidence, and be
a strong and able partner of the DND, National Security Council (NSC), and
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the area of research.

NDCP Research Agenda 3

 STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT

A country’s geography is a major factor that

determines its security challenges, especially when
understood in the context of the key trends in the
Asia-Pacific’s strategic environment. The Philippines
is an archipelagic nation which enjoys a geostrategic
location in the Asia-Pacific region. It is an important
hub for air and maritime traffic with profound
implications in trade, tourism, travel, and most
importantly, strategic military deployment. However,
this geographic advantage also brings significant
strategic predicaments, especially that the country’s
strategic location and natural resources have historically
presented a temptation to expansionist powers.

Source: Google Maps

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 A defining trend in Asia-Pacific regional security is the competition among the major
powers, particularly between the United States and China. Since the end of the Cold
War, the US has been the sole preeminent power in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
However, the rise of other powers, particularly the People’s Republic of China, has major
ramifications for the geopolitical power balance in the region. Strategic competition on
which country should be at the apex of the regional order in the Asia-Pacific appears to
increasingly define the US-China relationship.
In the complex security landscape of the 21st century, however, it is more difficult
for most countries to have clear-cut strategic alignment, as many states did during the
Cold War. Economic interdependence and increased security cooperation have made it
difficult for countries, especially small powers like the Philippines, to ‘choose sides’. In
connection with this, another trend in the Philippines’ external security environment is
the evolving regional security architecture. The traditional US-led system of alliances,
and the multilateral platforms, particularly those led by the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) are facing considerable challenges and strains, both from
external and internal sources.
Beyond traditional security challenges, another trend in the Philippine security
environment is the continued threats from non-traditional security concerns such as
climate change, transnational crimes, and terrorism. Further, natural disasters such as
typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic activity require considerable attention
from the government to mitigate risks and damages to life and property.
Zooming in further, the Philippines’ internal security situation creates a complex
operating environment with challenges and opportunities in several dimensions of
national security. A trend that colored the country’s history is that of political uprising
and insurgency. Numerous internal armed conflicts have long plagued the country’s
domestic stability with the decades-long internal armed conflict with communist terrorist
groups (CTGs) and other local terrorist groups (LTGs). Further, border porosity and other
structural issues such as policy incoherence and weak law enforcement mechanisms,
exacerbated by rising extremism and radicalism due to poor governance, contribute to
the intractability of conflicts and the prevalence of terrorist activities.
The National Security Strategy 2018 emphasized that resolving internal armed
conflicts remains to be the “top security concern and key cornerstone of our peace and
development strategy”. Though there have been significant developments in the peace
process, such as the passing of the Organic Law of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region
of Muslim Mindanao (OLBARMM), internal stability is still a key area which requires
much attention from the government as various armed groups still pose challenges to
peace and order in the country.
Another related trend is on the call for constitutional reform in the country, brought
about by the country’s politico-economic environment characterized by inequitable
distribution of wealth and unequal access to economic opportunities. Aside from
these, other trends within the Philippine internal security environment includes law
enforcement issues, the administration’s campaign against drugs, and the rising threat
of cybercrime.

NDCP
NDCP Research
Research Agenda
Agenda 5
 RESEARCH FOCUS AREAS
Given the country’s strategic
environment, it is paramount
for the Philippine defense sector
to keep abreast of the trends
and developments in regional
defense and security. In this
light, NDCP has clustered its
research focus areas (RFAs) into
six: New Power Politics in Asia,
External Defense, Archipelagic
Security, International Security
Cooperation, Security Sector
Reform and Governance, and
Inclusive Security.

Each cluster is a collective

of several different yet
interlocking research topics
connected together through the
National Security framework
espoused by the NDCP.

NEW POWER POLITICS IN ASIA

Major power competition is one of the trends that define the regional
security environment of the Asia-Pacific. Geostrategic competition,
particularly between the US and China, also has implications for the
dynamics of other great, middle, and small powers in the region. Major
power competition is an added dimension to traditional security concerns
including military modernization, freedom of navigation and overflight,
potential regional security flashpoints (e.g. South China Sea, East China
Sea, cross-Strait relations, Korean Peninsula), and challenges below the threshold of armed
conflict, among others. Unlike the Cold War competition between the US and the Soviet Union,
the “new” regional power politics of the Asia-Pacific involves countries which are economically
interdependent but may have diverse and diverging security interests. This type of strategic
environment, where major powers are either or both security and economic partners, is not
conducive to clear-cut strategic alignments to which many states gravitated to during the Cold
War.

Hence, prospective topics under this RFA are the implications of strategic competition
between the current and emerging powers for the Asia-Pacific region and the Philippines;
examining how the Philippines, as a small power, can maintain its sovereignty and territorial
integrity amidst the complex environment of the region; the competing visions for the Asia-
Pacific; and developments in the regional security architecture, including challenges to ASEAN
centrality, dynamics in alliances and partnerships, minilateral arrangements.

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 ARCHIPELAGIC SECURITY
With the country’s challenging geographical features, coupled with
the largely inward, domestic stability and safety concerns, a number of
specific security issues have always demanded maximum attention from
the government, especially the uniformed services. Conceptualizing
archipelagic consciousness and how it connects to national security goals
among the Filipino people therefore becomes an imperative. “Archipelagic
Security” as an RFA covers the internal defense missions under the National
Defense Strategy, using perspectives that highlight the country’s immutable geography and
how it impacts on existing and emerging security concerns. This RFA interfaces with other
research focus areas, especially in the aspects of higher national security goals, the dynamics of
national and international politics, as well as mechanisms to enhance government capabilities.

This research cluster also covers longstanding domestic peace and stability challenges such
as the intractable communist insurgency, preventing and countering violent extremism, terrorist
financing, border security, immigration, technological enablers, and socio-cultural triggers.
NDCP takes interest in the new modes of pursuing the peace process while confronting the
armed and criminal component of the insurgency. Research work can also be geared towards
supporting the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. It offers new grounds
for research in terms of devolution of powers from the central government, legal and political
interactions between the national government and the autonomous region, and even the
proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

EXTERNAL DEFENSE
The evolving threats and increasing risks posed by the external
environment demand more from the Philippine defense establishment so
as to ensure prompt and sustained responses in pursuit of its national
security interests. With this, the DND has made external defense a
priority defense mission; thus, research on strengthening frameworks,
capabilities, and capacity to secure our extensive maritime domain, as well
as other domains of warfare such as cyberspace, has become increasingly
important for the College to undertake.

This research cluster further gives primacy to the role of the Armed Forces as an instrument
of national power, and how it is organized and utilized for ensuring Philippine territorial integrity
and sovereignty. As external defense is the primary role of a country’s defense forces, research
on conceptualizing and theorizing warfare in the 21st century is also included in this cluster as
the College aims to supplement the development of AFP doctrines and manuals. Additionally,
defense technology in support of military modernization is another major research area
incorporated into this cluster.

SECURITY SECTOR GOVERNANCE/REFORM

According to the DCAF Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance,
Security Sector Governance (SSG) “refers to the structures, processes, values
and attitudes that shape decisions about security and their implementation.”
Security Sector Reform (SSR) aims to enhance SSG through the effective and
efficient delivery of security under conditions of democratic oversight and
control. SSR offers a framework for conceptualizing which actors and factors
are relevant to security in a given environment as well as a methodology for optimizing the use
of available security resources.

NDCP Research Agenda 7

 This RFA pertains to the governance and reform of state security actors (i.e. armed forces,
and law enforcement agencies), in line with the demands for democratization and development
thrusts in the country. Topics under this RFA may include developing defense policy and legislation,
developing a self-reliant defense posture, as well as reform in the defense education sector. As
such, research may focus on analyzing bills, acts, plans, or programs which seek to modernize the
organization of the armed forces, transform the role of the military, arrest systemic corruption in
security institutions, as well as ensure peace and order, among others. Moreover, efforts on how
to strengthen oversight and democratic control of the armed forces, uphold the principles of
good governance such as rule of law, transparency, accountability, and predictability in the public
bureaucracy and other institutions in the security system may likewise be examined.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY COOPERATION

The Asia-Pacific strategic environment is shaped by the dynamics of
history and shared space. In this light, security cooperation is an inevitable
course taken by nation-states in order to pursue their national interests and
maintain peace in the region. Considering the strategic environment and the
constraints to capacity and capability development for its defense forces, the
Philippines should capitalize on its international engagements in order to prevent any armed
conflict, to prepare its forces to address several security challenges, and to shape the overall
strategic environment. This research cluster particularly employs the lens of international security
cooperation: its principles, theories, frameworks, and practice, and how these significantly feature
in the development of the country’s defense establishment.

As part of the external defense missions of the DND, international security cooperation in
support of laying the groundwork for stronger relations with allies and other strategic partners
is considered by the College as a major research focus area. This RFA focuses on the Philippines’
international defense and security engagements, and their strategic implications for the overall
strategic and policy environment. Research activities are related to the country’s defense cooperation
initiatives with other countries, militaries and agencies in pursuit of shared strategic ends and
security objectives while protecting the national interest. International military affairs, defense
diplomacy, and defense posturing are important foci of analysis in this research cluster. Further,
international logistics and acquisition of military hardware and systems from partner countries are
also major areas of research under this cluster, and how they contribute to the defense posturing
of the Philippines and its ability as a reliable partner in the community of nations.

INCLUSIVE SECURITY

This research cluster covers issues which have significant potential to alter
the current and future strategic and operational landscape. Perspectives on
the environment, gender, culture, strategic communication, and technological
development shall be employed in further highlighting the holistic nature of
defense. The discussions will revolve around how assumptions and prevailing
security thinking, doctrines, strategies, operations, and tactics can be altogether
constrained or bolstered by environmental issues, technological developments, shifting power
alignments, and emergence of previously unnoticed actors, inhibitors, and activators.

This RFA interacts with other areas to the extent that the former can provide unorthodox
perspectives, unconventional hypotheses, and out-of-the-box policy recommendations that goes
beyond the language of traditional systems. This also puts forth a host of new policy agenda for
international cooperation and diplomacy, as well as domestic policy prioritization and resource
allocation vis-à-vis security sector reform, peace process, and interagency collaboration.
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 ACADEMICS-RESEARCH-EXTENSION SERVICE NEXUS

As the only professional

education institution in
the Philippines offering
the Master in National
Security Administration, it is
imperative for the NDCP to
fulfill the basic functions of a
learning institution: instruction,
research, and extension. The College,
as an academic institution, can best
contribute to the raising of national
security consciousness of the Filipino
people, as well as promoting Philippine
perspectives at regional and international
level, by offering a sophisticated, robust, Figure 1. Framework of
the Academic-Research-
and relevant body of knowledge on national Extension Nexus
security. This body of knowledge benefits
both the academic and research arms
of the College. Ensuring that the services of
NDCP, from training future national security
leaders to engaging in top-of-the-line
research initiatives, necessitates honest and
responsive validation with the larger national With this, the Academic-Research
security community as well as a steady stream collaboration is crucial to enhance theories,
of updates and inputs about developments in concepts, and problem-framing included in
the national security arena. The synergy and the curriculum, pursue research development
harmonization of its instruction, research, of faculty, improve research competencies of
and extension functions through deliberate resident analysts, and increase the leverage
planning and collaboration contributes and credibility of the College in influencing
to the ability of the College to lead in the policies and strategies.
enhancement of the country’s national security Additionally, the depth and breadth of
administration. When its academic, research, NDCP’s positive influence are gauged by how
and extension programs mutually reinforce well it engages with its stakeholders. Research
each other based on a clear direction and and extension services go hand-in-hand, in a
plan, the objectives of the research agenda mutually complementing manner, framed by
will come into fruition. the NDCP’s research focus areas. Therefore,
The relationship between instruction engaging communities and external entities
and research produces policy-relevant and shall be pursued with specific research
practitioner-driven knowledge that seeks objectives, essential information required,
to understand and resolve current and and a set of evaluation criteria. Furthermore,
emerging defense and security problems in order for the College to contribute to
and challenges. This means that the idea- a deeper and more meaningful national
generation and policy influencing undertaken security consciousness in the country, NDCP
through instruction and research should not shall inject its extension services with well-
veer away from the themes and priority areas grounded, sophisticated, and updated body
identified in the research agenda. of knowledge from its research outputs.

NDCP Research Agenda

NDCP Research Agenda 9
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 ANNEXES

DIVISION PROFILES

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS DIVISION

The Academic Affairs Division (AAD) is the center of operations for the management of the
main program of the College, the Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) program.
With the College’s mission in preparing and developing potential national security leaders for
high positions of responsibility and command, the AAD adheres itself towards developing and
enhancing its systems in accordance to qualified standards. Recently, the MNSA program was
certified with ISO 9001:2015 in December 2018 by providing competent defense and security
education covering admission, instruction, graduation and curriculum review.

The MNSA program is the main academic program of the College. It is a one-year full
time government-funded graduate program consisting of 39 units earned through various
forms of lectures, thesis writing, as well as local and foreign field studies. Guided by a holistic
approach to national security and development with emphasis on resource management,
the NDCP follows a curriculum that integrates the different dimensions of national security
management namely; area security, economics and security, technology and security, strategy
and military operations, national security policy, planning and strategy, international security
affairs, and instruments of state power. It also seeks to imbue its graduates with effective
leadership qualities, managerial skills and a deep sense of commitment to national security
and development.

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RESEARCH AND SPECIAL STUDIES DIVISION
The Research and Special Studies Division (RSSD) is the
primary research arm of the National Defense College of
the Philippines (NDCP) mandated to undertake research and
special studies as input to the formulation of policies to enhance
national defense and security. Through the years, RSSD outputs
covered both traditional and non-traditional security. RSSD is
responsible for the production and publication of research
relating to defense and security including the National Security
Review (NSR), and NDCP Executive Policy Brief (EPB).

The RSSD conducts select extension services and

extramural activities of the College with beneficiaries within and outside the defense establishment such as
the Operational Law Course, Security Sector Reform Workshop, and the Heneral Antonio Luna Colloquium,
among others. The Division also undertakes relevant
projects and programs on national defense and security
solely or in partnership with other local and international
institutions. Moreover, RSSD also actively participates in
international defense and security engagements (IDSE)
such as the Track II Network of ASEAN Defence and
Security Institutions (NADI), ASEAN Regional Forum Heads
of Defense Universities, Colleges, and Institutions Meeting
(ARF HDUCIM), and Council for Security Cooperation in
the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) in pursuit of the DND mission.

PHILIPPINE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN DEFENSE, DEVELOPMENT AND SECURITY

The Philippine Center of Excellence in Defense,
Development, and Security (PCEDS) is a specialized
research and training center established at the National
Defense College of the Philippines through DND Order
No. 404 dated 18 September 2017. The Center’s nature
of operation includes providing policy-relevant researches
on global strategic affairs to address strategic change and
security priorities of the country as well as regional and
global security challenges, and facilitating cooperation
and coordination of the Philippines with relevant national
government as well as regional and international
organizations on defense and security issues.

Its mission is to aid the Department of National Defense

in preparing for future defense and security challenges
through policy-relevant research, collaborative planning,
and tailored capacity development. PCEDS examines the
impact of development and security issues on defense in
the contemporary times. PCEDS also produces policy ideas
and proposals for policy-makers and planners, and evaluate
defense strategies and programs. It further aims to evolve
into an ASEAN Center of Excellence that can deepen the
contribution of the Philippines to the ASEAN Political-Security
community.

NDCP Research Agenda 11

 PUBLICATION PROFILES

PUBLICATION: National Security PUBLICATION: NDCP Executive Policy Brief

Review (NSR) DESCRIPTION: The NDCP Executive Policy Brief is a research
DESCRIPTION: NSR is the main initiative of the College that expounds on current and
research output of the College relevant issues. The NDCP EPB offers a concise summary
which features articles from subject of information relevant to a particular national security
matter experts in diverse issue issue that the reader may have a particular interest in, and
areas relating to national security. conveys to its readers/stakeholders practical arguments/
The NSR serves as a key input to methods to policy options and recommendations in
policy making. addressing the policy issue.
FREQUENCY: Annual FREQUENCY: Quarterly

PUBLICATION: NSDS Policy Paper PUBLICATION: President’s PUBLICATION: NDCP Faculty

Papers Papers
DESCRIPTION: The National
Security and Development Study DESCRIPTION: This is a DESCRIPTION: Faculty members
(NSDS) is a bi-annual activity compilation of papers and provide scholarly articles/
integral to the MNSA program presentations on particular studies in their respective
where students visit various topics and themes specifically disciplines that enhance
regions in the country and undergo curated by the President of the academic/module instruction,
scanning and assessment of real- College. extension, and development
life scenarios on national security activities.
These papers provide
and development issues. opportunities for gathering The faculty paper contributes
Students are required to develop valuable feedback from the to the advancement of current
and submit a paper applying readers in order to further principles and continuous
strategic tools and takeaways from enhance concepts and learning by providing relevant
related modules to formulate a frameworks featured. studies and new paradigms
comprehensive policy and strategy furthering the research and
FREQUENCY: Bi-annual
paper on current security situations academic competence of the
in the chosen area/region. College and its faculty.
FREQUENCY: Bi-annual FREQUENCY: Bi-annual

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NATIONAL DEFENSE COLLEGE OF THE PHILIPPINES

EXECUTIVES

BGEN ARCHIMEDES H VIAJE AFP (Ret), PhD, MNSA, CESE

President

THERESITA V ATIENZA, DEM

Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean

PROF CHARITHIE B JOAQUIN

Chief, Research and Special Studies Division

CDR ROSTUM J BAUTISTA, MNSA PN (Res)

Chief, Academic Affairs Division

MS LETICIA S REYES, MBA

Chief, Administrative Division

MR MARLON Q SISION
Chief, Financial and Management Division

GLORIA JUMAMIL-MERCADO PhD, MNSA

Director, Philippine Center of Excellence in Defense,
Development, and Security

WRITING TEAM

CPT DIANNE FAYE C DESPI PROF

Assistant to the President on Research Matters

CLARENCE ANTHONY P DUGENIA

MANMAR C FRANCISCO
GEE LYN M BASA
MICO A GALANG
ARIELLE ANN NICOLE I LOPEZ
Research and Special Studies Division

CLOYDE MANUEL P CARIÑO

Academic Affairs Division

REJ C TORRECAMPO
LORENZO G EREÑETA
MARIA ERIKA M NAÑES
ALEXANDRIA MIKAELA P DELA PAZ
Philippine Center of Excellence in Defense,
Development, and Security

LAYOUT

APOLINARIO L AQUINO JR
Philippine Center of Excellence in Defense,
Development, and Security

NDCP Research Agenda 13

 © 2020 National Defense College of the Philippines
All rights reserved. All works of authors and artists that appear
in this publication are reserved. Printed and bound in the Philippines.

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