Military ranks of the Philippines
The Military ranks of Philippines are the military insignia used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Introduction
The current Philippine military ranks are inspired partially by the first military insignia used by the military forces during the Philippine Revolution of 1896 and the Philippine–American War, and the insignia used by the Philippine Constabulary raised in 1902 during the final days of the Philippine–American War, which was basically the same style of insignia used by the United States Army at that time. Elements of both the US army ranks and the old Philippine Army appear in the current ranks; this was reflected at the general officers insignia and enlisted ranks that resembled those of the US military (the silver stars used by generals and admirals were used by field grade officers in the First Republic), the field officers (like colonels), whose insignia are suns, use those insignia used by general officers of the Revolutionary Army. Company rank insignia (i.e. captain), consisting of a silver triangle, are a recent creation. Both company grade and field grade officer insignia have the baybayin letter ka (K) in the middle, another throwback to the days of the war for independence, and even in the medal used by second-level members of the Katipunan during meetings, in which the letter is in the center.
Current ranks
The current AFP insignia used today are a modification of the system first used in 1954–55 as part of the Filipinization of the military forces by then President and former Secretary of National Defense Ramon Magsaysay, ending years of the US-styled rank system in place since 1935. Prior to that period, the Philippines used the same rank insignia of the United States Armed Forces with modifications for Philippine conditions.[1]
Officer ranks
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]()
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
| ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant (junior grade) | Ensign
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
| ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant (junior grade) | Ensign
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet |
Enlisted personnel ranks
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
Historic ranks
Revolutionary Army ranks
These rank insignia for the nascent army were created in late 1896, replacing the earlier rank insignia used by the Katipuneros containing the letter K (ka). Ranks were then worn on the sleeves of all uniforms.[6]
Shoulder epaulette insignia was introduced in late 1898, some time after the declaration of Philippine independence. It is worthy of mention that the insignia for the rank of Second Lieutenant and Major has three silver and gold stars, respectively, and the number of stars are reduced when promoted.
Officers
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shoulder insignia[7][8] (1899–1901) | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sleeve insignia | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
English | Generalissimo/Minister marshal | Captain general | Lieutenant general | Divisional general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Commandant | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tagalog | Heneralisimo/Ministrong mariskal | Kapitán heneral | Tenyente Heneral | Komandante Heneral | Brigada Heneral | Koronel | Tenyente koronel | Komandante | Kapitán | Tenyente | Alpéres | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spanish[8] | Generalísimo/Ministro mariscal | Capitán general | Teniente general | General de división | General de brigada | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Comandante | Capitán | 1er teniente | 2° teniente |
Enlisted Personnel
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sleeve insignia | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
English | Sergeant | Corporal | Private | Civil guardsman first class | Civil guardsman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tagalog | Sarhento | Kabo | Pribato | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spanish | Sargento | Cabo | Privato |
Rank insignia during the Commonwealth and immediate independence period (until 1954)
Army and Air Force
The Philippine Army during the Commonwealth period as well as after independence - as well as the Air Force beginning 1947 - used essentially the same rank insignias as the United States Army.[citation needed] The main difference is the addition of a rank named third lieutenant and the five-star rank of Field Marshal.[9]
Officer
10th Grade | 9th Grade | 8th Grade | 7th Grade | 6th Grade | 5th Grade | 4th Grade | 3rd Grade | 2nd Grade | 1st Grade |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
General | Lieutenant General | Major General | Brigadier General | Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain | First Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant |
GEN | LTG | MG | BG | COL | LTC | MAJ | CPT | 1LT | 2LT |
Enlisted
[10][11][12][failed verification]
US DoD Pay Grade | E-9 | E-8 | E-7 | E-6 | E-5 | E-4 | E-3 | E-2 | E-1 | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
From 1935 | No equivalent | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | No insignia | |||||||||||
Master sergeant | First sergeant | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Private first class | Private | |||||||||||||
September 1942 | No equivalent | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | No insignia | ||||||||
First sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | Technician 3rd grade | Sergeant | Technician 4th grade | Corporal | Technician 5th grade | Private first class | Private | ||||||||||
August 1948 | No equivalent | ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() | No insignia | No insignia | |||||||||||
First sergeant Combat and noncombat | Master sergeant Combat and noncombat | Sergeant first class Combat and noncombat | Sergeant Combat and noncombat | Corporal Combat and noncombat | Private first class Combat and noncombat | Private | Recruit | |||||||||||||
February 1951 | No equivalent | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | No insignia | No insignia | |||||||||||
First sergeant | Master sergeant | Sergeant first class | Sergeant | Corporal | Private first class | Private | Recruit |
See also
References
- ^ Miller, Alen G. (1993). "National Security". In Ronald E., Dolan (ed.). Philippines: a country study. Area Handbook (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 272. LCCN 92039812. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
- ^ a b "Ranks and insignia". army.mil.ph. Philippine Army. Archived from the original on April 28, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
- ^ a b "Ranks". paf.mil.ph. Philippine Air Force. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ a b "PMC rank insignia". pmc.navy.mil.ph. Philippine Marine Corps. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
- ^ a b "Philippine Coast Guard Basic Training Manual". Annex D-E: Philippine Coast Guard Education Training and Doctrine Command. 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ Alvarez, Santiago V. (1992). The Katipunan and the Revolution: Memoirs of a General : with the Original Tagalog Text. Ateneo University Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-971-550-077-7.
- ^ "Infographic: Army of the First Philippine Republic". malacanang.gov.ph. Presidential Museum and Library. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ^ a b Gobierno Revolucionario (1898). "The laws of the first Philippine Republic (the laws of Malolos) 1898-1899". quod.lib.umich.edu (in Spanish). pp. 70–71. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
- ^ "Commonwealth Act No. 1 | GOVPH".
- ^ "U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry-History of Enlisted Ranks". Archived from the original on June 29, 2010. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ^ Broderick, Justin T. (2013). "Timeline of U.S. Army Enlisted Ranks, 1920 to Present". uniform-reference.net. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ "History of U.S. Army Enlisted Grades". The Institute of Heraldry. Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Retrieved February 11, 2021.