Armed Forces of the Philippines Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas Fuerzas Armadas de las Filipinas |
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Flag of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
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Emblem of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
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Founded | December 21, 1935 |
Service branches |
Philippine Army Philippine Air Force Philippine Navy ∟ Philippine Marine Corps |
Headquarters | Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City |
Leadership | |
Commander-in-chief | President Rodrigo R. Duterte |
Secretary of National Defense | Delfin Lorenzana |
Chief of Staff | Gen. Eduardo Año AFP |
Manpower | |
Military age | 18–56 years old |
Conscription | None enforced, optional through ROTC |
Available for military service |
25,614,135 (2010 est.) males, age 15–49, 25,035,061 (2010 est.) females, age 15–49 |
Fit for military service |
20,142,940 (2010 est.) males, age 15–49, 21,427,792 (2010 est.) females, age 15–49 |
Active personnel | 125,000 |
Reserve personnel | 131,000 |
Expenditures | |
Budget |
US$4 billion/₱ P235 billion (2016) - AFP Modernization US$23 Billion (until 2028) |
Percent of GDP | 1.29% (2015-2016 Budget) |
Industry | |
Domestic suppliers |
Government Arsenal Steelcraft Industrial and Development Corp. Floro International Corporation United Defense Manufacturing Corporation Ferfrans Armscor Joavi Philippines Corp. |
Related articles | |
History |
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US$4 billion/₱ P235 billion (2016)
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) (Filipino: Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas; Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas de las Filipinas) are composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy (including Philippine Marine Corps) and Philippine Air Force. In 2014, a senior AFP officer reported it had 90,000 members, of which 30,000 were in the Army and the rest in the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. This figure matches closely with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) 2011 figure of 40,000 (Army), 10,000 (Navy and Marine Corps), and 10,000 (Air Force). In 2012, the AFP Chief of Staff said that there had been no increase in the number of soldiers over a long period, and that the military aimed to hire 30,000 troops in three years. In 2013 the IISS listed reserves as 40,000 Army, 30,000 Navy and Marine Corps, and 25,000 Air Force. In 2014, manpower figures of 125,000 active and 131,000 reserve were reported by the IISS. Military service is entirely voluntary.
Pre-Hispanic Philippines maintained local militia groups under the barangay system. Reporting to the datu, these groups, aside from maintaining order in their communities, also served as their defense forces. With the arrival of Islam, the system of defense forces in the Mindanao region's sultanates under Muslim control mirrored those other existing sultanates in the region. These local warriors who were in the service of the Sultan were also responsible to qualified male citizens appointed by him.
In accordance with the National Defense Act of 1935, the Armed Forces of the Philippines was officially established on December 21, 1935, when the act entered into force. Retired U.S. General Douglas MacArthur was asked to supervise its foundation and training. MacArthur accepted the offer and became a Field Marshal of the Philippines, a rank no other person has since held.Jean MacArthur, his wife, found the situation amusing and remarked that her husband had gone from holding the highest rank in the United States Army to holding the highest rank in a non-existent army. President Quezon officially conferred the title of Field Marshal on MacArthur in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace on August 24, 1936 when he appeared with a gold marshal's baton and a unique uniform.