|
|
|
|
Armed Forces of the Philippines
|
| |
|
| |
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) (Filipino: Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force. The AFP is a volunteer force and has a total active strength of 113,500 with 131,000 personnel in reserve. The AFP leadership consists of the Chief of Staff (Gen. Alexander B. Yano), Vice Chief of Staff (Lt. Gen. Cardozo M. Luna), and Deputy Chief of Staff (Lt. Gen. Rodrigo F. Maclang).
History
The official birth of the Armed Forces of the Philippines took place with the passage of the National Defense Act, Commonwealth Act No.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Armed Forces of the Philippines' Start a new discussion about 'Armed Forces of the Philippines' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) (Filipino: Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force. The AFP is a volunteer force and has a total active strength of 113,500 with 131,000 personnel in reserve. The AFP leadership consists of the Chief of Staff (Gen. Alexander B. Yano), Vice Chief of Staff (Lt. Gen. Cardozo M. Luna), and Deputy Chief of Staff (Lt. Gen. Rodrigo F. Maclang).
History
The official birth of the Armed Forces of the Philippines took place with the passage of the National Defense Act, Commonwealth Act No. 1, on December 21 1935. While the origin of the organization can be traced back to the establishment of the Philippine Constabulary, armed Filipino forces organized in 1901 by the United States to combat the Philippine Revolutionary Forces then led by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, it was the Katipunan that first formed the nucleus of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Katipunan
The Katipunan, a revolutionary force founded by Andres Bonifacio in 1892 waged war against Spain and the United States for Philippine independence. The 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, was mainly composed of peasants who were attracted by Bonifacio's charisma in demanding independence from Spain. Later, wealthy Filipinos, many of whom were educated in Europe, joined the Katipunan. They held most of the higher military and administrative positions.
Even before the United States arrived in the Philippines, the Katipunan gained many victories against Spanish forces, which were also composed of native Filipinos hired by the Spanish government. When the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, the United States, then preparing for the extension of its territory by acquiring Spanish assets, offered to help the Katipunan fight the Spanish troops in the Philippines. Emilio Aguinaldo — at the time exiled to Hong Kong following the Pact of Biak na Bato— accepted the offer. Spanish troops were weakened within a month and, on June 12, 1898, Philippine Independence was declared. The Philippine Declaration of Independence was signed by ninety-eight individuals, including an American military officer who witnessed the event. This event created the first Republic in Asia. The republic established is now known as the First Philippine Republic, to differentiate it from the Second Philippine Republic, a puppet government of Japan during World War II and the Third Philippine Republic which is the current Republic of the Philippines, which became independent from the United States on July 4, 1946.
Philippine–American War
Initially, after declaring independence in 1898, the Philippine government took on a dictatorial form. This was replaced by a revolutionary government headed by Emilio Aguinaldo as president on June 23, 1898. The First Philippine Republic was formally established with the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on January 23, 1899. When it became apparent to the Katipunan that the United States had no intention of recognizing the newly-establish Republic, the Philippine–American War erupted with a declaration of war by the Philippines on the United States. The Philippine Revolutionary Forces, which lacked sufficient armor and ammunition, lost many battles. By 1901, the Filipinos had completely lost the war.
In 1901, the United States established the Philippine Scouts and the Philippine Constabulary for purpose of assisting in combating the remnants of the Katipunan. The AFP was formally organized during the American Commonwealth era through the National Defense Act of 1935 (Commonwealth Act No. 1).
Philippine Commonwealth
During the Philippine Commonwealth era, President Manuel L. Quezon, the first president of the Commonwealth, renamed the Philippine Army to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and asked Gen. Douglas MacArthur, to be its first commanding officer after the Philippines gained independence from the U.S. MacArthur accepted the offer and became the only person of foreign citizenship to be in the ranks of AFP. MacArthur held the rank of Field Marshal, a rank no other person has since held in the AFP. MacArthur expanded the Philippine armed forces, but they were unready for combat at the start of the Pacific War in December 1941 and unable to defeat the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.
During World War II, all soldiers of the Philippine military were incorporated in the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), with MacArthur appointed as its commander. USAFFE made its last stand on Corregidor Island in the Philippines, after which Japanese forces were able to force all remaining Filipino and American troops to surrender. After Japan was defeated in World War II, the Philippines gained its independence (its second independence – the Philippines recognizes Aguinaldo's declaration of independence in 1898 as its original year of independence). The Philippines and the United States have since maintained a tight and mutual relationship, making the AFP one of the strongest militaries in Asia from the 1950s through the 1970s.
Organization and branches
The 1987 Philippine Constitution puts 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 branches: the Philippine Army – Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas, Philippine Navy – Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas and Philippine Air Force – Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas. These three major branches are unified under a Chief of Staff who normally holds the 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 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).
Unified commands
Units from these three services may be assigned to one of several "Unified Commands", which are multi-service, regional entities:
AFP-wide support and separate units
Several service-wide support services and separate units report directly to the AFP General Headquarters (AFP GHQ), these include:
Military Ranks
Ranks of officers in Philippine Military are usually pronounce in Filipino (particularly in Tagalog, the major language)in which they adapt the military ranks from U.S. Military. The following officer ranks are as follows:
Pangalawang Tenyente (Second Lieutenant),
Unang Tenyente (First Lieutenant),
Kapitan (Captain),
Medyor (Major),
Tenyente Koronel (Lieutenant Colonel),
Koronel (Colonel),
Brigadyer Heneral (Brigadier General),
Medyor Heneral (Major General),
Tenyente Heneral (Lieutenant General),
Heneral (General)
These ranks are officially applied in Philippine Army, Air force and Marine Corps in which these pronunciations are actually adaptation from Spanish and English language except, for the words "pangalawang" and "unang" which came from original tagalog pronunciation.
In Philippine Navy however, to pronounce the officer ranks in Filipino, it is just the same in English in which they adapt the ranks from U.S. and British Royal navies. Although, there are some ranks that can be translated and officially pronounce in Filipino that are in parenthesis.
The ranks are as follows:
Ensign,
Lieutenant Junior Grade (Tenyente na Mabababang Baitang),
Lieutenant or Lieutenant Senior Grade (Tenyente or Tenyente na Mataas na Baitang),
Lieutenant Commander (Tenyente Kumander),
Commander (Kumander),
Captain (Kapitan),
Commodore,
Rear Admiral,
Vice Admiral(Bise Admiral),
Admiral,
The alternative style of address for the ranks of Lieutenant Junior Grade and Lieutenant Senior Grade in Filipino is simply tenyente because, it is too redundant if you address them fully in Filipino. It is also the same as Second and First Lieutenants in the Army, Air force and Marine Corps.
The ranks of enlisted personnel in Filipino is just the same as its U.S. counterpart but, they never use "Specialist","Sergeant First Class", "First Sergeant"(for Philippine Army and Air Force except Marine Corps),"Lance Corporal","Gunnery Sergeant" "Master Gunnery Sergeant" in Philippine Army and Marine Corps. It is simply they start to address their ranks from Private Second Class up to Sergeant Major.
In Philippine Air Force, they also use Airman Second Class up to Chief Master Sergeant the same as its U.S. counterpart.
In Philippine Navy, they also use enlisted ranks coming from U.S. Navy with its specialization.
For Example: "Master Chief and Boatswain's mate Juan Dela Cruz, PN" (Philippine Navy).
The alternative style to address the non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel in Filipino are: From Private Second Class up to Private First Class it is pribeyt or mga pribeyt for a group of privates that is adaptive in English. Kabo for corporal adaptive from the word "cabo" in Spanish but the most common is korporal (except air force they use airman or airmen and airwoman or airwomen from Airman Second Class up to Senior Airman).Sarhento for sergeants in Army, Air force and Marine Corps also adpative from the word "sargento" in Spanish.
In Navy, the original Filipino alternative style for Seaman or Seawoman Apprentice up to Seaman or Seawoman First Class is mandaragat or mga mandaragat for a group seamen and seawomen. For petty officers, they call it P.O.'s and tsip for chief (petty) officers up to Master Chief (Petty) officers.
They are no warrant officers in between officer ranks and enlisted ranks.
The Five Star General/Admiral(an honorary rank of commander-in-chief)
During the time of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who acted also as national defense secretary
(from 1965-1967 and 1971-1972), issued an order conferring the five star general/admiral rank
to the Office of the President of the Philippines making himself as its first rank holder.
Since then, the rank of five-star general/admiral became an honorary rank of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces whenever a new president assumes office for a six-year term thus, making the office of the president the most senior military official.
So far in Philippine history, the only career military officer who reached the five-star general/admiral is President Fidel V. Ramos (USMA 1950) (president from 1992-1998) who rose
from second lieutenant up to commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
See also
External links
|
| |
|
|
