Manila has to offer tech professionals competitive salaries and a good career path without the administrative burden, analysts warn
Philippinesis targeting to recruit more coders, engineers and cybersecurity specialists into the military, as Manila confronts a battlefield increasingly shaped by software, networks and artificial intelligence.
Gilberto Teodoro Jnron Saturday ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to expand a programme that allows civilian professionals with specialised skills, such as scientists, engineers, doctors and lawyers, to join the military as commissioned officers without going through the traditional officer training route.
The plan reflects Manila’s growing recognition that cyber, AI and engineering capabilities are integral parts of modern warfare, as the country invests in more advanced weapon systems and seeks to defend its territory and maritime claims, according to analysts.
Vincent Kyle Parada, a defence analyst and lecturer at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, said cyberattacks on government databases and critical infrastructure showed that militaries could no longer focus only on the traditional domains of land, air and sea.
“Your kill chain needs to be secure from enemy disruption. As the Philippines continues to acquire more sophisticated capabilities, it needs personnel with the necessary technical expertise to operate, maintain and safeguard these acquisitions,” he said.
Defence spokesman Arsenio Andolong was quoted by the Philippine Daily Inquirer as saying that the military needed officers with expertise in computer science, programming, engineering and other science and technology disciplines.