From national security and military issues to government response against terror threats, this handbook and policy guide illustrates the nuanced response of Filipino security policy to the deep historical, economic, social, and political roots of Muslim radicalism in the Philippines.

From national security and military issues to government response against terror threats, this handbook and policy guide illustrates the nuanced response of Filipino security policy to the deep historical, economic, social, and political roots of Muslim radicalism in the Philippines. Divided into three parts, this updated collection begins with Filipino-specific issues, including politics and national identity, globalization, and local and military security. Part Two covers bilateral security issues involving China, Australia, and the US, and Part Three concludes with selected global, regional, and multilateral issues such as maritime security, piracy, and the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Clearly, Banlaoi is well-versed in Philippine security issues as evidenced by his description of the internal security challenges of the Philippines and institutional framework that has been established to deal with them. The extensively footnoted chapters on radical Muslim terrorism and local government responses to terrorist threats provide detailed descriptions of various Mindanao-based terrorist/insurgency groups and the government's strategy for dealing with them. ? a useful starting point for developing a more rigorous analysis of the securitization process in the Philippines ? . -Contemporary Southeast Asia, Vol. 32, No. 2, August 2010