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List of Philippine Military Academy alumni

This is a partial list of notable Philippine Military Academy alumni.

List

  • Eulogio Balao, 1931 - Senator; 10th Secretary of National Defense; AFP Vice Chief of Staff
  • Gen. Tirso G. Fajardo Education & Early Service • Graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1934. • Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Philippine Scouts upon return to the Philippines. • Assigned as an instructor in 1935 to assist the transition from Philippine Constabulary Academy to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). • Sent to the United States in 1940 for advanced military training. World War II Service • Stranded in the U.S. after the outbreak of WWII in December 1941. • Attended the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. • Joined the 1st Filipino Infantry Battalion at Camp San Luis Obispo, California as Operations & Training Officer (S3); promoted to Captain. • When expanded into the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment, retained as regimental S3 and promoted to Major. • Landed in Leyte with the 6th U.S. Army under General Douglas MacArthur in 1944. • Commanded a battalion and later became executive officer of the regiment under the 8th U.S. Army. Post-War Roles • Appointed Superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1947 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel – the youngest to hold the post to date. • Oversaw the first post-war PMA class, which included Fortunato Abat, future Army Chief and Defense Secretary. • Retired early from the U.S. Army in 1949 and transferred to the Philippine Army. Philippine Army Service • Continued service at PMA under the Philippine Army. • Appointed Commander of IV Military Area (Northern Mindanao) in 1951; promoted to Colonel. • Commanded the 1st Infantry Division from October 1, 1957 to June 15, 1958. • Appointed Commanding General of the Philippine Army in 1958. • Retired in 1960 after 30 years of military service

Notable Philippine Military Academy classes

Several Philippine Military Academy classes have achieved notability, either due to highly decorated class members, significant changes in the PMA curriculum, or due to a high proportion of officers elevated to the highest ranks of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the Philippine National Police.

These include:

"Magiting" Class of 1970 - the first class with a recorded formal name; included Chief of the Philippine National Police, Secretary of Public Works and Highways, Secretary of National Defense and Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of StaffDionisio Santiago,former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Roy Cimatu.

"Matatag" Class of 1971 - best known for being the core group of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM); included Senators Gregorio Honasan and Panfilo Lacson; also included former Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, who was later implicated in a military fund scandal.

"Dimalupig" Class of 1981 - well known as having many "mistahs" appointed to high ranks during the term of President Benigno Aquino III, including four who achieved four-star rank: AFP chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr; PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima; AFP chief General Emmanuel Bautista; and Thai officer Thawip Poonsiri Netniyom, who was valedictorian and became General of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

"Sinagtala" Class of 1986 - known for being the first class to graduate from the PMA after the restoration of Philippine democracy in 1986, and the first batch of new military officers to serve the administration of President Corazon Aquino; also known for having many "mistahs" appointed to high ranks during the term of President Rodrigo Duterte, including most of the heads of the PNP: Ronald dela Rosa, Oscar Albayalde, Francisco Gamboa, and Camilo Cascolan.

"Maalab" Class of 1993 - known for being the class of ensign Philip Pestaño, who died from a gunshot wound under disputed circumstances; was also the last PMA class to graduate before the inclusion of women, later in the same year.

"Kalasag-lahi" Class of 1997 - known for being the class that saw the graduation of PMA's first batch of women graduates

"Marilag" Class of 1995 - known for being the class of many of the Magdalo Group during the Oakwood mutiny, including Antonio Trillanes but also Makati Police Chief PSSupt. Rogelio Simon, who served Trillanes' warrant of arrest in 2018. It is notable academically as the class who were first to undergo the new tri-service curriculum of PMA, effectively becoming PMA's first batch of service specialists upon graduation.

Gallery

References