President Rodrigo Duterte issued an administrative order on Thursday directing all agencies to implement the National Security Strategy (NSS) of the government.

Department of National Defense (DND) spokesman Arsenio Andolong said in a phone interview with the Daily Manila Shimbun on Saturday, the NSS “serves as a statement of intent of a government on how it intends to run its internal and foreign affairs.”

“The NSS is the narrative framework which the entire government uses in crafting all of its policies and plans to promote the development and security of the state,” he said.

“It provides a guide for the actions that we will take during the term of the incumbent President in achieving our people's political, economic, sociological, techno-scientific, environmental, and military objectives as well as ensure the stability and continuity of the Filipino nation,” he added.

Section one of the administrative order states that “all government departments and agencies including Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) and Local Government Units (LGUs) are directed to formulate and implement relevant strategy plans and program to execute the herein attached National Security Strategy (NSS) 2018.”

This administrative order that was signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Mediadea also stated that the National Security Adviser (NSA) / Director General of the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) is also “directed to initiate, coordinate and oversee the formulation and implementation of the relevant strategy plans and programs implementing the NSS 2018.”

“Whenever necessary, the NSCS shall provide technical assistance and support to the government departments and agencies including GOCCs and LGUs in the formulation of strategy plan,” it stated.

“It shall be the responsibility of the NSCS to consolidate all strategy plans to ensure coherence and achieve synergy,” it added.

In its executive summary, “NSS is the Philippines’ first such official publication and follows the (National Security Policy 2017-2022) NPS’s overarching principle that national security and economic development are closely intertwined and mutually reinforcing concepts.”

It also noted that “the NSS integrates the State’s major security policies, goals responsibilities and courses of action into a roadmap or blueprint for the fulfillment of the national security vision.

“It seeks to foster better coordination, synchronization and cohesion of government functions in order to improve efficiency and maximize the use of limited State resources,” it stated.

“The NSS also serves as an important vehicle to articulate the national interest, convey the State’s intention and rally public support for government policies and programs,” it added. Robina Asido/DMS