Military Academy - Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines patterned all its military academies after the United States Military Academy (WEST POINT) and the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

These colleges are operated by the Philippine Government which serves 4 years of different baccalaureate degrees:

• Philippine Military Academy, City of Baguio - It is a primary training school for regular commissioning as officers of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Marine Corps and the Philippine Air Force, and it is under the control of the Department of National Defense. It was formerly named as the Philippine Constabulary School but was renamed before the 30's. during the American era, U.S. Army Cavalry Officers established the school for the professionalization of the defunct Philippine Constabulary enlisted personnel. In 1992, PMA stopped producing constabulary cadets after the creation of the Republic Act 6975 which as a result the Philippine Constabulary and the Integrated National Police were officially merged and renamed as The Philippine National Police. Beginning in 1993 this has become a co-educational military academy.

• Philippine Merchant Marine Academy, Zambales - It is a school for midshipmen who shall serve in different private shipping companies, foreign or local. Its midshipmen may serve in the Philippine Coast Guard as an ensign after graduation depending upon their choice. All PMMA midshipmen are also automatically appointed by the president of the Philippines as ensigns or 2nd lieutenants in the Philippine Navy Reserve, and in the Philippine National Police's Maritime Group as Inspectors. This is the oldest of the Philippine service academies having been established in 1823 during the long period of Spanish rule in the country, and was first situated in Manila for so many years.

• Philippine National Police Academy, Cavite - during the 80's, it served as a school for selected enlisted personnel and civilians to join as a Police/Fire Lieutenants in the defunct Integrated National Police. After the merging of the Philippine Constabulary and INP in January 1, 1991 it became the primary officers school for the new Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, all under the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The Philippine National Police Academy graduates are automatically appointed as Inspectors/Lieutenants in the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology according to their choice of public safety curriculum during their cadetship. This is under the supervision of the DILG and the Philippine Public Safety College.

Aside from the PMA and the PMMA, all three branches of the AFP have their own Officer Candidate Course Programs for both men and women, patterned after their US counterparts.

• Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific, Bataan - a private maritime school that is under the Commission on Higher Education just like the PMMA trains cadets under the NROTC, but this academy is owned by a private association, the Associated Marine Officer's And Seamen's Union of the Philippines or AMOSUP. It trains midshipmen for private shipping companies.

The nation's higher military colleges are:

• Armed Forces of the Philippines Command and General Staff College, Quezon City - educates officers of the AFP not exceeding the ranks of Colonel or Navy Captain
• National Defense College of the Philippines, Quezon City - is a school for senior AFP officers for military/naval planning and to ready them in holding the ranks of Brigadier General/Commodore. Notable civilians may enroll and be given the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel/Commander in the AFP Reserve upon graduation.