About BalangAI Strategic Security Institute
BalangAI Strategic Security Institute is a Philippine-registered, non-stock, non-profit corporation established as an independent think tank and research institute.
Its purpose is to conduct research, policy analysis, practitioner development, and public education on peace, security, defense, governance, and national resilience, with primary focus on the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and the Indo-Pacific region.
BalangAI operates as a platform for evidence-based and practitioner-informed insights, promoting informed public discourse, positive peace, and the professional advancement of national security and peace-building practitioners.
BalangAI does not operate as a school and does not grant degrees, diplomas, certificates, or academic credentials. It functions as an independent policy and research platform that elevates practitioner perspectives through publications, forums, and dialogue.
Our Purpose
BalangAI was established to provide a platform for rigorous analysis, constructive dialogue, and policy-relevant research that contributes to peace, stability, and good governance. It seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice by making complex security issues accessible and understandable to decision-makers and the public.
Bridging the Practitioner Gap
Public discourse on Philippine security is often dominated by voices with limited operational experience. While academic analysis and civilian perspectives are valuable, they frequently lack the practical understanding that comes from implementing defense policy, managing disaster response, coordinating civil-military operations, or working within complex security systems.
Defense and security practitioners—active and retired military officers, police, coast guard, civil defense officers, local DRRM coordinators, and peacebuilding professionals—possess critical expertise gained through years of hands-on experience. Yet they rarely have accessible platforms to share their insights with the public.
BalangAI was created to address this gap. We provide a professional platform where practitioners can contribute evidence-based analysis grounded in real-world experience, elevating public understanding by bringing practitioner voices into national conversation.
Mission
BalangAI’s mission is to contribute to peace and security by producing rigorous analysis, fostering informed dialogue, and making complex strategic issues accessible to decision-makers, institutions, and the wider public.
Why BalangAI
BalangAI draws its name and inspiration from the Balangay of Butuan—a powerful reminder that the Philippines was once a confident maritime trading nation, deeply connected to regional networks across Asia.
The inspiration behind BalangAI emerged from direct engagement with this history. Seeing the Balangay boats firsthand—examining their craftsmanship, scale, and purpose—made one conclusion unavoidable: the narrative that the Philippines has always been poor, weak, and dependent is historically false.
The Balangay is not folklore. It is evidence.
These vessels were built for trade, movement, and connection. They linked inland resources to sea lanes and integrated early Filipino communities into Asian commerce. They reflected a mindset that understood power in an archipelago as something derived from interconnectedness, not isolation.
While geography has remained constant, national mindset has shifted.
BalangAI exists to help recover that outward-looking perspective—using the tools of the present to shape a better future. Just as the Balangay once connected islands and peoples across seas, artificial intelligence today enables connections across data, disciplines, time horizons, and communities.
AI, within BalangAI, is not an end in itself. It is a tool—used to amplify human judgment, practitioner experience, and historical understanding. It allows complex security and policy issues to be translated into accessible insights, linking lessons from the past to present realities and future choices.
In this sense, AI functions as the modern sail: a capability that, when guided by human intent and ethical judgment, enables societies to move farther, faster, and with purpose.
BalangAI is not an attempt to recreate the past. It is an effort to learn from it intelligently.
If Filipinos once built regional networks using wood, wind, and shared trust, there is no reason those networks cannot be rebuilt today using knowledge, technology, and cooperation.
The Balangay reminds us of what was possible. AI helps chart what is still possible.
BalangAI exists to demonstrate a simple but urgent idea:
the Philippines’ future does not need to be smaller than its past.
What We Stand For
BalangAI upholds the principles of intellectual independence, non-partisanship, and responsible engagement. Its work is grounded in respect for democratic institutions, the rule of law, and the pursuit of positive and sustainable peace.
Our Work
The Institute undertakes policy-oriented research, publishes analytical articles and policy briefs, and engages with stakeholders across government, academia, civil society, and the private sector.
BalangAI supports the professional development of national security and peacebuilding practitioners by providing opportunities for public scholarship, peer engagement, and knowledge exchange. We welcome contributions from practitioners across the defense, law enforcement, disaster management, peacebuilding, and governance sectors.
Independence and Integrity
BalangAI operates as an independent and non-partisan institution. The views expressed in its publications are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of any government agency or organization. This independence allows BalangAI to provide honest, balanced, and evidence-based perspectives on complex security challenges.
Transparency and Governance
BalangAI Strategic Security Institute is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a non-stock, non-profit corporation. [Optional: Include SEC registration number]
The Institute is governed by a Board of Directors and operates with clear editorial standards and safeguards. All publications include proper disclaimers indicating that views expressed are those of individual authors and do not represent official positions of any government agency or organization.
BalangAI does not accept funding that would compromise its independence or editorial integrity.
Scope and Audience
BalangAI’s work focuses primarily on the Philippines and its strategic environment, with particular attention to Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Its audience includes policymakers, practitioners, researchers, educators, students, and members of the public seeking a deeper understanding of peace and security issues.