Getting into the Philippine Military Academy just got harder. Of the 25,452 applicants who were qualified to sit for the PMA Entrance Examination (PMAEE) 2026, only 1,216 passed — a pass rate of 4.78%, down from 5.28% the year before.
The Academy, based at Fort General Gregorio H. del Pilar in Baguio City, released the official list of passers this week, drawn from examinees who sat for the test at 48 testing centers nationwide between July and September 2026.
The funnel, by the numbers
| Stage | Count |
|---|---|
| Online applications filed | 36,596 |
| Reported to exam sites | 26,339 |
| Qualified to take the exam | 25,452 |
| Passed (PMAEE 2026) | 1,216 |
Put another way: for every 100 qualified examinees, fewer than 5 made the list.
Science high schools dominate the Top 10
Of the Academy's officially released Top 10 rankings — several of which were shared by more than one examinee — 8 of the 15 named top scorers came from a Philippine Science High School campus, from Baguio City to Leyte to Cagayan Valley.
| Rank | Name | School |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lapada, Jilian Alexis Chan | Philippine Science High School – Baguio City |
| 1 | Valdez, Gabriel James | Philippine Science High School – Ilocos Sur |
| 2 | Aquino, Francesca Marinella Estacio | Saint Pedro Poveda College – Quezon City |
| 2 | Macadat, Zeke Marcus Esperancilla | Cainta Catholic College – Cainta, Rizal |
| 3 | Apilat, Justyn Carlo Barsalote | Precious International School of Davao – Davao City |
| 4 | Amaza, John Matt Rivas | Philippine Science High School – Koronadal |
| 4 | Gubiaon, Art Dominic Nasdoman | Philippine Science High School – Cagayan Valley |
| 5 | Taglinao, James Kieffer Bullecer | Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan – Cagayan de Oro |
| 6 | Porras, John Benedict Padernilla | Philippine Science High School – Main Campus |
| 7 | Santiago, Paul Nathan Lorenzo | Philippine Science High School – Main Campus |
| 8 | Calingacion, Kurt Rafael Balai | Highway Hills Integrated School |
| 9 | Barola, Sofia Venize Carasi | Philippine Science High School – Baguio City |
| 10 | Acidre, Philip Arthur Tabang | Philippine Science High School – Leyte |
| 10 | Ante, Bai Zharean Jathiya Sinsuat | Albert Einstein School, Inc. – Cotabato City |
| 10 | Liquigan, Tyrone Beltran | Philippine Science High School – Cagayan Valley |
What's next for the 1,216
Passing the written exam does not guarantee a slot in the Cadet Corps. All passers now face a second screening phase from October 2026 to April 2027 — a Complete Physical Examination, Medical Assessment, and Neuropsychiatric Evaluation. Only those who clear every stage will be admitted into the incoming PMA Class of 2031, tentatively set to convene in May 2027.
Check the full list
The Academy released the complete, alphabetized list of all 1,216 passers with their testing centers. See the full searchable list of every PMAEE 2026 passer on Kuryente News →
Source: Philippine Military Academy, official PMAEE 2026 results release.