16 February 2022
- RSIS
- Publication
- External Publications
- Examining the Military’s Soft Power Challenge in the Southern Philippines
Examining the Military’s Soft Power Challenge in the Southern Philippines
Military’s overemphasis on kinetic successes in Mindanao risks antagonizing communities and hardening anti-military perceptions.
Editor’s Note: The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have a vital role to play in protecting Bangsamoro peace efforts from a range of armed groups operating across Mindanao. Decades of fighting local insurgencies and terrorist groups have honed the AFP’s kinetic capabilities to fight non-state violent threats. However, in part five of this USIP editorial series examining the conflict-marred Southern Philippines, regional security analyst Joseph Franco explores how the AFP’s broader non-kinetic soft power capabilities remain underdeveloped.
Military’s overemphasis on kinetic successes in Mindanao risks antagonizing communities and hardening anti-military perceptions.
Editor’s Note: The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have a vital role to play in protecting Bangsamoro peace efforts from a range of armed groups operating across Mindanao. Decades of fighting local insurgencies and terrorist groups have honed the AFP’s kinetic capabilities to fight non-state violent threats. However, in part five of this USIP editorial series examining the conflict-marred Southern Philippines, regional security analyst Joseph Franco explores how the AFP’s broader non-kinetic soft power capabilities remain underdeveloped.
