The Philippines experienced notable fluctuations in military expenditure from 1960 to 2022, shaped by both domestic and regional factors. During the 1960s, spending ranged between 1.5% and 2.2% of GDP, reflecting a relatively stable period. However, expenditures spiked during the 1970s, particularly peaking at 3.9% in 1976. This rise coincided with the declaration of martial law in 1972 under President Ferdinand Marcos and subsequent internal security challenges, including the Moro conflict in the southern Philippines.
In the 1980s and 1990s, military spending gradually decreased, dropping to 1.6% in 1999 as democratization and economic challenges took precedence. The turn of the millennium marked a steady decline, reaching a low of 1.0% in 2014. More recently, military expenditure slightly increased, hitting 1.4% in 2021, driven by modernization efforts in response to territorial disputes in the South China Sea. However, this trend reversed in 2022, with expenditure falling to 1.0%, likely reflecting shifting fiscal priorities amid the pandemic recovery.
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