Out of more than 33,000 Filipinos who aspired to wear the grey uniform, only 367 made the cut — and on Saturday, May 23, 2026, those young men and women stood at Borromeo Field, Fort General Gregorio H. Del Pilar in Baguio City to take their oath as the newest members of the Cadet Corps Armed Forces of the Philippines (CCAFP). The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) officially inducted PMA Class 2030 during the Oath Taking Ceremony and Reception Rites, formally closing the door on their civilian lives and opening one to four years of rigorous military and academic formation.
A Class Forged Through One of PMA's Most Competitive Selection Processes
The road to Borromeo Field was anything but easy. According to the Philippine Military Academy, a staggering 33,640 individuals submitted applications for Class 2030 from regions across the country. Of those, 24,630 were deemed qualified to sit for the PMA Entrance Examination 2025. The written examination further narrowed the field, with only 1,436 candidates passing and advancing to the Academy's multi-stage screening process. From that group, the final 367 were selected — meaning fewer than two percent of all original applicants ultimately earned a place in the incoming class.
The 367-strong class is composed of 290 male cadets and 77 female cadets, drawn from across the Philippine archipelago. In terms of regional representation, the Cordillera Administrative Region sent the largest contingent, accounting for 12 percent of the class. The National Capital Region and Region IV-A (Calabarzon) each contributed 11 percent, underscoring the broad geographic diversity of the group.
Reception Rites Led by Upperclassmen of Class 2028
Consistent with longstanding PMA tradition, it was the Second Class Cadet Squad Leaders of PMA "SIKLAB KASILAG" Class of 2028 who formally received the new cadets during the rites. The handover is not merely ceremonial — upperclassmen take on the role of mentors and disciplinarians, guiding the newcomers through the earliest and often most demanding phase of their military formation. The ceremony at Borromeo Field marked the first official occasion in which Class 2030 members participated in the Cadet Corps as full-fledged members, setting the tone for the years ahead.
Commandant Frames the Day as a Turning Point, Not a Celebration
The Commandant of Cadets addressed the incoming class during the ceremony, making clear that the occasion carried weight far beyond its pageantry. In his opening remarks, the Commandant described the Reception Rites as the start of a fundamental personal transformation for every cadet present.
"The Reception Rites marks a life-changing milestone — it marks the official beginning of your military career. This is not merely a ceremonial event, rather, it signifies your transition from a carefree civilian life into the disciplined, demanding, and regimented life of a cadet."
The Commandant's remarks, as released through official PMA channels, were deliberate in framing the day not as a celebration but as an entry point into a demanding institutional life — one where discipline and commitment are expected from the very first hour.
PMA Superintendent Lays Out a Modern Vision for Military Education
PMA Superintendent Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard N. Valencia PN used the occasion to address the families of incoming cadets, outlining the Academy's vision for training officers suited to the security demands of the 21st century. Vice Admiral Valencia emphasized that the PMA is actively overhauling its curriculum to meet international benchmarks.
"The academy is aggressively undertaking initiatives to enhance our academic and military curriculum, elevating it to be at par with the highest international standards. Your children will be trained not just in the classic arts of war, but in critical and systems thinking, cybersecurity, international defense, and strategic leadership. We will always endeavor to provide them with the best education and training the nation can offer, ensuring that when they graduate, they are fully equipped to protect our nation in the 21st century."
According to Vice Admiral Valencia's statement, the Academy's curricular overhaul goes beyond conventional battlefield training to encompass non-traditional security domains — particularly cybersecurity, international defense frameworks, and strategic systems thinking. The Superintendent's remarks signal a deliberate institutional shift toward producing officers equipped for both traditional and emerging security challenges.
Class 2030 to Pursue Enhanced Security Studies Program
Like the two classes immediately before them, members of PMA Class 2030 will pursue the enhanced Bachelor of Science in Management major in Security Studies — a curriculum first introduced with PMA Classes 2028 and 2029. The PMA said in its official statement that the program is specifically designed to build competencies relevant to modern warfare, territorial defense, and the evolving operational environment facing the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The curriculum integrates academic disciplines such as strategic leadership, critical thinking, cybersecurity, and international defense alongside traditional military training. The Academy has framed this integration as essential to producing graduates who are not only physically and tactically prepared but intellectually equipped for the increasingly complex landscape of national and regional security.
Female Cadets Represent About 21 Percent of the Incoming Class
The inclusion of 77 female cadets in PMA Class 2030 continues a trend of growing female representation within the Cadet Corps. Women have been admitted to the PMA since 1993, following a landmark Supreme Court ruling that opened the Academy's doors to female applicants. With 77 women among 367 total cadets, female recruits account for approximately 21 percent of Class 2030 — a proportion that reflects the institution's continued evolution in gender inclusivity, even as the PMA has not released specific year-on-year comparison figures in this announcement.
Academy Reaffirms Mandate to Develop Combat-Ready Officers of Character
In its official statement released through the Office of the Chief Public Affairs (OCPA) of the PMA, the Academy reiterated its core institutional mandate. The statement noted that the young men and women of Class 2030 "have answered the call to serve," and pledged that the PMA "remains committed to caring for them and ensuring that they are trained to become leaders of character and operationally ready officers prepared for the demands of military service."
The statement was authorized by LCDR Jesse Nestor B. Saludo PN of the PMA's Office of the Chief Public Affairs and was officially released on May 23, 2026, the same day the ceremony was held.
PMA Class 2030 is expected to graduate in 2030, after which its members will be commissioned as officers across the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, and other AFP branches. Their four-year journey at Fort Del Pilar began with the oath they took on a Saturday morning at Borromeo Field — 367 voices, one beginning.
Originally reported by: PMA Office of the Chief Public Affairs (OCPA)