The Philippines is eyeing partnerships with allied nations, including Japan, for the joint production of military assets.

In an interview with reporters on Monday, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said aside from Japan, the Philippines is also looking at possible joint production of military capabilities with South Korea and the United States.

"There are some capabilities that we can enter into. I cannot talk about it. But what we want is not just to be in assembly, but to become a joint developer as well," he said.

However, Teodoro stressed the need for the country to have a "capital" and a reliable source of energy to make it a reality.

"We should also have capital, because without capital, how can we have a share in the intellectual property rights?," he said.

"At the heart of all this is the need for a reliable power supply, since electricity is expensive, and logistics costs are also high," he added.

The defense secretary emphasized the significance of joint production for the Philippines, noting that limiting its contribution to "assembly work" will not help the country build its own capabilities.

"On our part, we cannot simply say, "We'll just wait here and do the assembly work." That is not the right approach because it does not help us build our own capabilities, including our infrastructure," he said. Robina Asido/PHS