MANILA, Philippines – The Department of National Defense (DND) and the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) hosted a two-day Karakoa Forum in Manila on April 25 and 28, 2025, in partnership with the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS).

A team of five DKI APCSS faculty members — Dr. Ginnie Watson, Professor Mike Burgoyne, Dr. Sam Mullins, Col. Matt Kent, and Maj. Kyle Brown — traveled to the Philippines at the invitation of the government to support the launch of the inaugural forum.

Named after the karakoa, a pre-colonial Philippine warship used in sea raids and battles, the forum aims to foster a strategic mindset among defense personnel. It brought together planners, logisticians, intelligence officers, operations staff, and members of the strategic studies community from the DND and its bureaus.

During the first half of the visit, the forum focused on applying critical thinking to support ongoing defense modernization efforts. In the second half, the DKI APCSS team met with officials from the National Security Council, Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Coast Guard, and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency to explore how critical thinking frameworks can aid in implementing the National Security Policy and National Security Strategy.

DKI APCSS alumni from the DND and NDCP played a leading role in organizing the forum, demonstrating strong coordination and collaboration across government agencies. The events concluded with positive discussions on future cooperation and deeper engagement among alumni and participants.