SINCE the Philippines gained independence from the United States (US) on July 4, 1946, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been plagued with internal security problems, particularly with the armed insurgency led by the Communist Party of the Philippines and the Muslim secessionist movement in Mindanao.

For external threats, the Philippines relied heavily on the protection of the US, which had military facilities or bases in the country. This reliance has made the AFP inferior to its Southeast Asian counterparts, as it failed to catch up with major strategic developments in the region.