28/11/2025
𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬, 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬
QUEZON CITY – Former defense officials, human rights advocates, academics, civil society leaders, and international partners pushed for strengthened accountability mechanisms and a long-term national strategy in security governance during a forum organized by the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) held last November 13.
At the Security Sector Reform (SSR) in the Philippines: Assessment and Way Forward forum, ASoG Professorial Lecturer retired RAdm. Rommel Jude Ong emphasized that SSR must be understood as a political and social process rather than a purely technical undertaking.
“Security Sector Reform is about building institutions that protect our people with professionalism, accountability, and respect for human dignity,” Ong said. “Successful reforms require political continuity, sustained oversight, and the collective will to ensure that security institutions remain firmly rooted in democratic principles.”
DCAF – Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance Head of Asia-Pacific Unit Dr. Albrecht Schnabel described the forum as timely because of global uncertainties such as cyber threats and geopolitical tensions that require security institutions to remain adaptable.
“In a rapidly changing world, even experts must learn to become students again. Trust and accountability are the foundations of effective security governance,” he said.
The forum brought together representatives from the Anti-Terrorism Council Program Management Center (ATC-PMC), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), PNP Academy (PNPA), National Security Council (NSC), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC), Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), Ateneo Human Rights Center, The Asia Foundation, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Stratbase Albert Del Rosario Institute (Stratbase ADRi), the British Embassy Manila, DCAF – Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, the Ateneo de Manila University Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences (RGLSOSS), and the Philippine Transmarine Carriers Group.
Read more about the forum by clicking this link: https://www.ateneo.edu/news/2025/11/defense-experts-rights-advocates-call-long-term-strategy-security-reforms
