Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has accused China of using propaganda to influence Filipinos and drive a wedge between them over the country's territorial claims. He voiced the concern on Monday during a Senate hearing on the Department of National Defense's proposed budget for 2027 and the agencies attached to it. According to Teodoro, the People's Liberation Army runs information operations aimed at Filipino audiences, spreading narratives that weaken public confidence in Manila's position on disputed waters. Beijing and Manila have clashed repeatedly over reefs and shoals in the South China Sea, with confrontations between their coast guards now a regular occurrence. Teodoro's warning adds to longstanding Philippine worries that Chinese messaging is being tailored specifically to Filipino readers. Lawmakers were urged to see the defense budget in that context, as the department confronts pressure on the water and in public opinion alike. How much of the proposed allocation survives Senate scrutiny will be another measure of how seriously Manila weighs the threat.