Renato Cruz De Castro​, ​Professor of International Studies at De La Salle University​, ​examines how the Philippines can leverage the US-Australia Alliance in efforts to realize its Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC).​ for additional titles in theAsia Pacific Bulletin"​The United States and Australia stand out as the most capable and willing security partners in assisting the Philippines in developing its capabilities to transform the CADC into a viable defense strategy. ​"​Confronted by Chinese expansion and coercive behavior in the West Philippine/South China Sea, Philippine Secretary of National Defense (DND) Gilberto Teodoro announced a new defense concept called the “Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC)” in January 2024. CADC assumes that as an archipelagic country, the Philippines’ land mass is limited while its population is increasing, causing the need for resources to expand exponentially. Since the early 21st century, Manila has planned to survey and eventually exploit the natural gas and oil deposits on Reed or Recto Bank, which is inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ)​. The views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent those of the East-West Center.