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The Armed Forces of the Philippines or AFP (Filipino: Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas; Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas Filipinas) is the overall unified military of the Republic of the Philippines.

Its component branches include:

• Philippine Army
• Philippine Navy
• Philippine Air Force
• Philippine Marine Corps
• Philippine Scout Rangers
• Philippine Coast Guard

The 1987 Constitution puts AFP under the control of a civilian, the President of the Republic 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 Secretary is technically a civilian but there had been many instances were the Secretary is former or retired uniformed personnel of the AFP or Philippine National Police.

AFP currently has a total of 113,500 people on active duty and 131,000 people on reserve. Currently, as it is peace time, AFP is a volunteer military. No conscription is done. Women are allowed to join AFP but they are not assigned in combat positions. A considerable fraction of these women are commissioned officers. The average age of its manpower is 18 years old; males aged 15 through 49 are eligible for recruitment and active duty. The 1998 fiscal year expenditures for the Armed Forces of the Philippines totaled USD $995 million; a total of 1.5% of the gross domestic product.

Due to its close relationship with the United States military establishment, AFP was considered the strongest national defense program in Asia — especially in the 1950s and 1960s. The expulsion of United States military presence from Subic Bay and Clark Air Base, cuts in funding by the Congress of the Philippines and the nature of Philippine politics has been cited as sources of decline of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in recent years.

AFP is considered to be one of the most stressed military in the world. It is at constant war against local secessionist forces like New People's Army, Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf. It is the primary force used for disaster response during calamities like tropical storms, earth quakes and landslides. It is also deployed to quell rallies and force labor unions which are on strike to go back to their work. It is deployed to maintain order and safety during Philippines' violent and bloody elections. It is deployed to counter-attack any coup attempts some of their fellow soldiers initiate. Poor equipments and ammunitions further increases the stress AFP gets. However, while being a relatively weak military compared to other countries because of the lack of technologically advanced weapons, AFP soldiers are considered to be one of the most hardened soldiers in the world. Their century long experience in jungle warfare in combating secessionist forces with limited weaponry and technology earned them such description.

Contents 1 History 2 Organization and Branches 3 Philippine Army Noncommissioned Ranks 4 AFP Special Forces units 5 Current officers of the AFP 6 See also 7 External links

Main Article: Military History of the Philippines

AFP trace its roots from Katipunan, the revolutionary force founded by Andres Bonifacio in 1892 which waged a war against Spain and United States for Philippine Independence. Katipunan, officially known as Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Supreme and Venerable Society of the Children of the Nation) or KKK, is composed mainly by peasants who were attracted by Bonifacio's charisma in demanding Independence from Spain. Later, wealthy Filipinos, many of them were able to finish college in Europe, joined the Katipunan. They are the ones who held most of the higher military and administrative positions.

Even before United States went on the scene, Katipunan has gained many victories against Spanish troops, mainly composed also of native Filipinos who were hired by the Spanish government. When Spanish-American War erupted in 1898, United States offered to help Katipunan fight the Spanish troops in the Philippines. Emilio Aguinaldo, who was by that time in exile in Hong Kong, accepted the offer. Spanish troops were weakened within a month and on June 12, 1898, The independence of the Philippines was declared, recognizing, approving, ratifying, and with all orders eminating from "the Dictatorship established by Don Emilio Aguinaldo". (for details see Philippine Declaration of Independence). The Act of the Declaration of Independence was prepared and written by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista in Spanish, who also read the said declaration. The Philippine Declaration was signed by ninety-eight persons, among them an American army officer who witnessed the proclamation. The dictatorial government was replaced by a revolutionary government headed by Emilio Aguinaldo as president on June 23, 1898, and the First Philippine Republic was formally established with the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on January 23, 1899. When it became apparent to Katipunan that United States has no intention of recognizing the newly-establish Republic, the Philippine-American War erupted. Katipunan, which lacked sufficient amount of armor and ammunition, lost many battles. By 1901, Katipunan completely lost the war.

Oddly however, it's modern establishment originated in the establishment of the Philippine Scouts in 1901 by the United States which has the purpose of assisting in combating the Katipunan itself. When AFP was formally organized during the American Commonwealth era through Commonwealth Act No. 1 or the National Defense Act of December 21, 1935, the Philippine Commonwealth government recognized Katipunan as its original predecessor. This is evident in the official seal of the Philippine Army which has 1897 as its founding year, the year Andres Bonifacio officially launched war against Spain.

During the Philippine Commonwealth era, President Manuel Quezon, the first President of the Commonwealth, hired Gen. Douglas MacArthur, an American general, to be the first head of AFP (AFP was first known as plainly Philippine Army. It is only after United States had given Philippines its independence on July 4, 1945 when AFP became its official name.) MacArthur accepted the offer and became the first and only person of foreign citizenship to be in the ranks of AFP. Furthermore, he held the rank of a Field Marshal, the rank no other person had ever earned in AFP. MacArthur had made Philippine military a strong army, as what he is supposed to do when Quezon hired him. This strength of the Philippine military had later played an important role during the World War II. Japanese forces, unaware of the true strength of the combined US and Philippine military, had needed to redirect many of its forces to the Philippines, slowing and eventually halting its movement towards Australia.

During World War II, all soldiers of the Philippine military was incorporated in United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) in which MacArthur was appointed as its head. USAFFE made its last stand in Corregidor Island in the Philippines when Japanese forces were able to make all remaining Filipino and American troops to surrender. After Japan was defeated in World War II, Philippines gained its independence (It's second independence. Philippines recognizes Aguinaldo's declaration of independence back in 1898 as its original independence year). Philippines and United States maintained a tight and mutual relationship since then making AFP one of the strongest military in Asia during 1950's to 70's.

The President of the Philippines, serving as the Commander-in-Chief, is the head of AFP and all other uniformed services in the Philippines. The Secretary of National Defense, the head of Department of National Defence, serves as the right hand of the President in the administration of AFP.

AFP has three major branches: the Philippine Army or Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas, Philippine Navy or Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas and Philippine Air Force or Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas. These three major branches are unified under a Chief of Staff which normally hold a rank of General. He is assisted by a Vice Chief of Staff (Lieutenant General) and a Deputy Chief of Staff (Major General). The three major branches are each headed by an officer with the following position 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).

Philippine Army

• Philippine Army is main land or ground force of AFP. It is divided into ten Light Infantry Divisions, a Light Armor Division, a Special Operations Command with various special forces units, five Engineering Battalions, one Artillery Regiment (serves in the AFP headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo), the Presidential Security Group (PSG), and three Light-Reaction Companies. It is also the mother branch of the formidable Philippine Scout Rangers.

Philippine Scout Rangers

• Officially, Philippine Scout Rangers is the Philippine Army's special force sine it is under the Philippine Army. However, it is commonly, especially in the media, referred to as the special force of the whole AFP realm. It is like the Green Berets or the Special Forces of the United States.

Presidential Security Group

• Serves to protect the Philippine President and his or her family. Most of the force maintain position at the Malacanang Palace, the official residence of the President. Some of the force is always accompanying the President in his tours around the country. While being directly under the Philippine President, it's official mother branch is the Philippine Army.

Philippine Navy

• Philippine Navy main sea force of AFP. It is divided into two major subbranches: the Philippine Fleet and the Philippine Marine Corps. The Philippine Fleet is usually referred to as the Navy itself since it is the only division of AFP that do naval operations.

Philippine Marine Corps

• Philippine Marine Corps is main amphibious force in AFP. It is under the Philippine Navy. It specializes in sea-to-land assault missions. During recent years, the Marines have overtaken the Scout Rangers' popularity as the best force of the AFP. Because of its amphibious advantage, it had been usually the first force to be called and respond to sudden enemy attacks in Mindanao and Sulu Archipelago. Most of its forces is not based in the said islands.

Philippine Air Force

• Philippine Air Force is main air force of AFP. PAF currently only have several aircrafts and most of them were given by the United States. Some of their aircrafts are already very old, some reaching 40 years old, and had caused many PAF trainees and officers their lives during crashes. During 1950's to 1960's, PAF is branded as the best air force in Asia because of its good pilots. During World War II, a Filipino pilot was said to being capable of downing many enemy planes before being downed by the enemy or the otherwise. However, some have said that Japanese pilots were not that really good because most of them were ordinary college students who have not gone through an extensive aircraft fighting program. Up to this date, PAF claims to have the best pilots in Asia. Only that they are at a shortage of good fighting planes.

Abbreviation	CMS			SGM			SMS	SGM	MSG		TSG	SSG		SGT	CPL		PFC	PVT
Pay grade	E-9						E-8		E-7		E-6	E-5		E-4	E-3		E-2	E-2	E-1

• Philippine Marine Corps - The units of the 8,000-strong Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) are often the first to be called to respond to a crisis.

• 

  

  SWAG SEALs in action.
  Philippine Navy Special Warfare Group (SWAG) - Supporting the Marines is the Philippine Navy's Special Warfare Group (SWAG) whose main unit is the Philippine SEALs (Sea-Air-Land). The Search brigade is divided into thirty teams. Their basic training lasts six months and has a 75% to 90% percent dropout rate. SEAL training includes demolitions, cartography, scuba, parachuting and hand-to-hand combat. SEALs train regularly with their American counterparts in an annual amphibious exercise codenamed "Palau". In 1996, Filipino and American SEALs trained in Palawan island near the Spratlys.

• Philippine Army Special Operations Command (PA SOCOM) - Philippine Army Special Operations Command (PA SOCOM) is composed of over 6,000 troops divided into the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment, 1st Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) and The "Delta Force" of the Philippine Army is the elite Light Reaction Battalion or LRB trained in counter-terrorist operations.

Under the Special Forces Regiment (SFR(A)) of the Philippine Army is the 1st Riverine (SF) Battalion equipped with 50 footer fast assault boats. This Special Forces seaborne battalion works together with the Seaborne Brigade of the 1st Infantry (Tabak "Machete") Division. Both Army seaborne units are based in Sulu near the Spratly islands.

• Philippine Air Force RDU - The rapid deployment force of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) is the 710th Special Operations Wing divided into ten (10)-man airborne attack teams. Supporting units include the Air Commando Squadrons of the 15th Strike Wing under the Tactical Operations Command. Its official mission is to "conduct contingency operations against hostile elements".

• Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo: Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr.: Secretary of National Defense
• General Hermogenes Esperon Jr.: Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Lieutenant General Antonio L. Romero: Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Major General Christie B. Datu: Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Lieutenant General Alexander Yano: Commanding General of the Philippine Army
• Vice Admiral Rogelio I. Calunsag: Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy
• Lieutenant General Horacio Tolentino: Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force

• Military history of the Philippines
• Philippine Constabulary
• Gen. Alfredo M. Santos; First Four-star General, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (1962-1965)

• Armed Forces of the Philippines
• The Army Scout Ranger Tribute Site
• Col Carlos Palabrica Lademora and the Lost Command
• Manokskis AFP Order of Battle
• Unofficial Philippine Defense Page
• "The Scouts' Hymn"^{[dead link – history]}
• Joint Exercises

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