Information about Philippine Military Academy

Philippine Military Academy

The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) is the official training school of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). With a stellar history of more than 100 years now, it has produced a long list of Filipino men and women successfully trained for military service. 

The Philippine Military Academy traces its history from the establishment of the Academia Militar on October 25, 1898 in Malolos Bulacan, then under the Philippine Republic’s first president Emilio Aguinaldo. The academy did not last long and had to close down on January 20, 1899 as hostilities between Filipinos and Americans started to erupt.

In 1905 during American colonial rule, an officers’ school of the Philippine Constabulary was established in Intramuros and was relocated to Camp Henry T. Allen in Baguio three years later.

It was then renamed as “Philippine Constabulary Academy” under the Philippine Legislature on September 8, 1926. But it was the passage of Commonwealth Act No. 1 (also known as the National Defense Act) in 1936 that officially created the Philippine Military Academy.

1941 saw the outbreak of World War II and PMA students were assigned to battle in different parts of the Philippines, many of whom lost their lives to the war. In 1947, Philippine Military

Academy opened again and the need for wider grounds made it move to the 373-hectare Fort Gregorio del Pilar, named after the young hero of the Battle of Tirad Pass, which is its present site.

Just very recently, the academy is now closed on weekdays to avoid disruption of the cadets’ training. However, it is fully open during weekends. 

How to get there

The academy is located at Fort Gregorio del Pilar on Loakan Road, Baguio. If going by public transportation, take the Plaza-Loakan-PMA jeepney from the Central Business District and ask the driver to drop you off at the station.

Best time to visit

The academy welcomes visitors to explore its grounds, take a peek into the cadets’ training and drills, and visit the museum and other historical displays every weekend. 

Entrance fee

There’s a minimal entrance fee to the cultural landmark in order to preserve the attraction.