Philippine Revolution (18961898)[edit]

Main article: Philippine Revolution

The Philippine Revolution began in August 1896, upon the discovery of the anti-colonial secret
organization Katipunan by the Spanish authorities. The Katipunan, led by Andrs Bonifacio, was
a secessionist movement and shadow government spread throughout much of the islands whose
goal was independence from Spain through armed revolt. In a mass gathering in Caloocan,
the Katipunan leaders organized themselves into a revolutionary government and openly declared a
nationwide armed revolution. Bonifacio called for a simultaneous coordinated attack on the
capital Manila. This attack failed, but the surrounding provinces also rose up in revolt. In particular,
rebels in Cavite led by Emilio Aguinaldo won early victories. A power struggle among the
revolutionaries led to Bonifacio's execution in 1897, with command shifting to Aguinaldo who led his
own revolutionary government. That year, a truce was officially reached with the Pact of Biak-na-
Bato and Aguinaldo was exiled to Hong Kong, though hostilities between rebels and the Spanish
government never actually ceased.[14][15]

SpanishAmerican War (1898)[edit]

Main article: SpanishAmerican War
The first battle in the Philippine theater was in Manila Bay, where, on May 1, 1898,
Commodore George Dewey, commanding the United States Asiatic Squadronaboard
the USS Olympia, in a matter of hours, defeated the Spanish squadron, under Admiral Patricio
Montojo y Pasarn. Dewey's force sustaining only a single casualty a heart attack aboard one of
his vessels.
After the battle, Dewey blockaded Manila and provided transport for Emilio Aguinaldo to return to the
Philippines from exile in Hong Kong. Aguinaldo arrived on May 19 and, after assuming command of
Filipino forces on May 24, initiated land campaigns against the Spanish. After the Battle of Manila on
the morning of August 13, 1898 (a mock battle between U.S and Spanish forces), the Spanish
governor, Fermin Jaudenes, surrendered Manila to U.S. forces under Dewey.
On June 12, 1898, with the country still under Spanish sovereignty, Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine
independence from Spain, under a dictatorial government then being established. The Act of the
Declaration of Independence was prepared and written in Spanish by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista,
who read it at the proclamation ceremony. The Declaration was signed by ninety-eight persons,
among them an American army officer who witnessed the proclamation. The insurgentdictatorial
government was replaced on June 23 by an insurgent revolutionary government headed by
Aguinaldo as president. The government included a Department of War and Public Works under
which was placed the Army of Liberation of the Philippines, a volunteer army to be organized as
soon as possible.[16]
The SpanishAmerican War was formally concluded on December 10, 1898 by the Treaty of
Paris between the United States and Spain. In that treaty, Spain ceded the Philippine Archipelago to
the United States, and the United States agreed to pay US$20,000,000 to the Spanish government.
[17]
The United States then exercised sovereignty over the Philippines. The insurgent First Philippine
Republic was formally established with the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on January 23,
1899.

World War I (19141918)[edit]

Main article: World War I
In 1917 the Philippine Assembly created the Philippine National Guard with the intent to join
the American Expeditionary Force. By the time it was absorbed into the National Army it had grown
to 25,000 soldiers. However, these units did not see action. The first Filipino to die in World War I
was Private Tomas Mateo Claudio who served with the U.S. Army as part of the American
Expeditionary Forces to Europe. He died in the Battle of Chateau Thierry in France on June 29,
1918.[20][21] The Tomas Claudio Memorial College in Morong Rizal, Philippines, which was founded in
1950, was named in his honor.[22]

World War II (19391945)[edit]

The first Filipino military casualty during the Second World War was serving as an aviator
with British forces. First Officer Isidro Juan Paredes of the Air Transport Auxiliary was killed on
November 7, 1941, when his aircraft overshot a runway and crashed at RAF Burtonwood. He was
buried at Great Sankey (St Mary) Churchyard Extension, but later repatriated to the Philippines.
[23]
Paredes Air Station in Ilocos Norte, was named in his honor.

Korean War (19501953)[edit]

Main article: Korean War

The Philippines joined the Korean War in August 1950. The Philippines sent an expeditionary force
of around 7,500 combat troops. This was known as the Philippine Expeditionary Forces To Korea,
or PEFTOK. It was the 4th largest force under the United Nations Command then under the
command of US General Douglas MacArthur that were sent to defend South Korea from a
communist invasion by North Korea which was then supported by Mao Zedong's China and the
Soviet Union. The PEFTOK took part in decisive battles such as the Battle of Yultong Bridge and
the Battle of Hill Eerie. This expeditionary force operated with the United States 1st Cavalry Division,
3rd Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division, and 45th Infantry Division. [24]

Vietnam War (19641969)[edit]

Main article: Vietnam War

The Philippines was involved in the Vietnam War, supporting civil and medical operations. Initial
deployment in 1964 amounted to 28 military personnel, including nurses, and 6 civilians. The
number of Filipino troops who served in Vietnam swelled to 182 officers and 1,882 enlisted
personnel during the period 19661968. This force was known as the Philippine Civic Action Group-
Vietnam or PHILCAG-V. Filipino troops withdrew from Vietnam on December 12, 1969. [25][26][27]

EDSA Revolution (February 2225, 1986)[edit]

Main article: People Power Revolution

On February 22, 1986, former Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Fidel V. Ramos withdrew their support for President Ferdinand
Marcos and led the EDSA Revolution by Corazon Aquino (Ninoy's widow). On February 25,
1986, Corazon Aquino was sworm in as the 11th President of the Philippines. Marcos and his family
were ousted from power by a combination of the Military, People and Church Members to end the
20-year dictatorship of Marcos.

Persian Gulf War (19901991)[edit]

Main article: Gulf War

The Philippines sent 200 medical personnel to assist coalition forces in the liberation of Kuwait from
the stranglehold of Iraq then led by Saddam Hussein.

Iraq War (20032004)[edit]

Main article: Iraq War

The Philippines sent 60 medics, engineers and other troops to assist in the invasion of Iraq. The
troops were withdrawn on the 14th of July, 2004, in response to the kidnapping of Angelo dela Cruz,
a Filipino truck driver. When insurgent demands were met (Filipino troops out of Iraq), the hostage
was released. While in Iraq, the troops were under Polish command (Central South Iraq). During that
time, several Filipino soldiers were wounded in an insurgent attack, although none died.

Organization and branches[edit]

The 1987 Philippine Constitution placed the AFP under the control of a civilian, the President of the
Philippines, who acts as its Commander-in-Chief. All of its branches are part of the Department of
National Defense, which is headed by the Secretary of National Defense.

The AFP has three major services:[17]

Philippine Army (PA) Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas, Ejrcito Filipino

Philippine Navy (PN) Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, Armada Filipina

Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) - Hukbong Kawal Pandagat ng Pilipinas, Infantera

Marina de las Filipinas

Philippine Air Force (PAF) Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas, Fuerza Area Filipina

These three major services are unified under a Chief of Staff who normally holds the rank
of General/Admiral. He is assisted by a Vice Chief of Staff, normally holding the rank of Lieutenant
General/Vice Admiral. Each of the three major branches are headed by an officer with the following
titles: Commanding General of the Philippine Army (Lieutenant General), Flag Officer in Command of
the Philippine Navy (Vice Admiral), and Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force(Lieutenant
General). The Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps holds the rank of Major General.
Unified commands[edit]
Units from these three services may be assigned to one of several "Unified Commands", which are
multi-service, regional entities:[20]

Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM)

Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM)

Central Command (CENTCOM)

Western Command (WESCOM)

Eastern Mindanao Command (EASTMINCOM)

Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM)

AFP-wide support and affiliate units[edit]
Several service-wide support services and separate units report directly to the AFP General
Headquarters (AFP GHQ), these include:

General Headquarters and Headquarters Service Command (GHQ & HSC) (acts since 1988
as the fourth Major Service Command representing the support, technical and independent
services of the Armed Forces)

Technical and Administrative Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines (TASAFP)

Presidential Security Group (PSG)

Philippine Military Academy (PMA)

Armed Forces of the Philippines Command and General Staff College (AFPCGSC)

Armed Forces of the Philippines Reserve Command (AFPRESCOM)

Intelligence Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP)

Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center (AFPMC)

Armed Forces of the Philippines Commissary and Exchange Service (AFPCES)

Communications, Electronics and Information System Service, Armed Forces of the

Philippines (CEISSAFP)

Civil Relations Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines (CRSAFP)

 Armed Forces of the Philippines, Dental Service Center (AFPDSC)

National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP)

Armed Forces of the Philippines - Joint Special Operations Group (AFP-JSOG)

AFP Peacekeeping Operations Center (AFP-PKOC)

AFP Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (AFP JTF-NCR) - Replaced the deactivated
NCR Command

AFP Leadership[edit]

President of the Philippines - President Rodrigo R. Duterte

Secretary of National Defense - Sec. Delfin Lorenzana

Senior military leadership[edit]

Chief of Staff Armed Forces of the Philippines (CSAFP) - Lt. Gen. Ricardo R. Visaya, AFP

Vice Chief of Staff Armed Forces of the Philippines (VCSAFP) - Lt. Gen. Glorioso V Miranda,
AFP

The Deputy Chief of Staff Armed Forces of the Philippines (TDCSAFP) - Maj. Gen Salvador
Melchor B Mison Jr AFP

Commanding General of the Philippine Army (CG-PA) - Lt. Gen. Eduardo M Ao AFP

Flag Officer-in-Command of the Philippine Navy (FOIC-PN) - Vice Adm. Caesar C. Taccad,
AFP

Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force (CG-PAF) - Lt. Gen. Edgar R. Fallorina AFP

Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps - Maj. Gen. Andre M. Costales, AFP

Sergeant Major of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (SMAFP) - FCMS Romeo H
Jandugan PA

Sergeant Major of the Philippine Army (ASM) - SMS Roberto D Gimenez PA