Teodoro eyes expanding AFP size to 220K troops
Philippine News Agency
By Priam Nepomuceno
September 24, 2025, 3:06 pm
MANILA -- Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday proposed to increase the number of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel to at least 220,000.
In an interview on ANC, Teodoro said this could be done gradually through a 10-year program.
"Kailangan siguro meron tayong 10-year program na gradual increase, maka-220,000 lang tayo okay na ako. Or to 250,000 (We need maybe a 10-year program for this gradual increase. I'm okay if we reach 220,000 or 250,000)," he said.
At present, Teodoro said the AFP's strength is placed at around 160,000 troops spread into the three major services: Army, Navy and Air Force.
Teodoro said the proposed increase in troops aims to address the lack of soldiers not only in the frontline but also in the supply, planning, intelligence and maintenance fields.
He said ideally, troop size should be based on the country's population and size. In the Philippines' case, around 360,000 military personnel are needed to protect its 120-million population, 7,600 islands, and 2 million square kilometers of maritime area.
This, however, is not feasible due to budgetary constraints, Teodoro said.
The DND chief also refuted claims that military modernization would mean size reduction, saying this is not supported by current trends.
"Rationalization should mean the ideal force size to meet a threat, (especially) potential threats," Teodoro said. (PNA)
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