Some netizens have questioned the appointment of retired UP Professor Clarita Carlos as Nationwide Safety Adviser (NSA), citing her lack of navy background. Let’s simply disabuse ourselves of the notion that an NSA must be from the safety equipment.
The Philippines has had no less than two civilians within the put up: Bert Gonzales (underneath former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) and former UP president Noel Soriano (underneath the late former president Cory Aquino). The post-Marcos NSA wished to eliminate tactical intelligence that the outdated NISA was obsessive about.
It’s a strategic put up that’s in actual fact higher held by civilians, the navy mindset being myopic in line with its vested pursuits and battlefield view. Nevertheless it additionally took a retired common, Jose Almonte (see his memoir as advised to Marites Dañguilan-Vitug, Countless Journey), who redefined nationwide safety within the broadest, most complete sense doable: he equated nationwide safety with nation-building given our context.
Below him, nationwide safety tackled all types of safety – human, meals, local weather, and many others. Dismantling telco monopolies, in his view, helped degree the taking part in area and due to this fact enhanced nationwide safety. Intelligence for strategic ends. The outgoing NSA Hermogenes Esperon Jr. was shackled by his navy worldview though he might argue that the anti-insurgency job drive (NTF-ELCAC), which the NSA has administrative management of, in precept approached the safety downside holistically.
With Carlos on the helm, how will she assist obtain the duty drive’s strategic objectives? Will she shake it a bit and floor extra the civilian companies which are a part of it? Or will she kowtow to AFP curiosity and allow them to proceed their dominant shaping of technique? She can be in for some surprises. For one, the NSA’s operations arm NICA is such a poor shadow of its outdated self now. Let’s see.
