MILITARY ORGANIZATION

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AFP

The origin of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) could be traced to the Tejeros
Convention in 1897-where the revolutionary government of General Emilio Aguinaldo created
the Philippine Army under Captain General Artemio Ricarte. This Army was the off-shoot of
the Revolutionary Forces, which took arms against the Spanish Government from August 30,
1896 up to December 10, 1898 when the treaty of Paris was entered into by the United States
of America and Spain. The same Army engaged the Americans during the hostilities between
the Philippines and the United States which began on the night of February 4, 1899 and
lasted up to September 25, 1903 - when the last of Filipino Generals, General Simeon Ola
surrendered to the Americans. After the Filipino-American war, the country's armed forces
organized through the promulgation of the National Defense Act in 1935 which created the
Philippine Army, with the off-shore patrol and Army Air Corps as its major components. The
Philippine Constabulary, was then existing under the Department of Interior.

MISSION OF THE AFP

Following are the mission of the Armed Forces of the Philippines:
1. To uphold the sovereignty, support the constitution and defend the territory of the Republic
of the Philippines against all enemies foreign and domestic.
2. To advance the national aims and policies.
3. To effectively plan for the organization, maintenance, development and employment of its
regular and citizen reserve forces for national security.
4. To perform such other functions as the President may direct.

CHAIN OF COMMAND (Commander-in-chief, DND, AFP)

“The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of all Armed Forces of the Philippines and
whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such Armed Forces to prevent and suppress
lawless violence, invasion or rebellion.” (Art VII, Sec 18).
The Secretary of National Defense exercises supervision and control over the Armed Forces of
the Philippines. Charge with the responsibility of directing, planning and supervising the National
Defense program. The Chief of Staff, AFP is the highest military officer in the AFP. He has
command and control over all the elements of the AFP. He executes the President’s command
functions in relation to military strategy, tactics and operations and acts as the immediate
adviser to the Secretary of National Defense.
COMPONENTS OF THE AFP
As provided for in the National Defense Act, as amended, the Armed Forces of the Philippines
shall be composed of the Regular Force and Reserve Force components.
1. The Regular Force
- the permanent military organization which is maintained in the time of peace and war. In
time of peace, the authorized active commissioned officer and enlisted personnel of the
Regular Force is determined every year by the annual general and special Appropriation
Act. This strength however, does not only include those officers and EP who are
permanently commissioned or serving under voluntary enlistment in the Regular Force, but
also those officer and reservist assigned for duty with the different services of the Regular
Force.

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2. The Reservist Force
- the military organization that will come to physical existence only upon mobilization as
may be called upon by the Commander-in-Chief due to state of national emergency such
as war or widespread disorder. Units of the Reserved Force are “paper” organizations
which come to being to augment the Regular Force in comforting the threat to the Nation.
The Reserved Force Organization includes the commissioned Reserved Officers and all
citizens who have completed the prescribed trainee instructions as provided by the National
Defense Act and who are assigned as reservists to the organizations of the Reserved
Force.

THE THREE (3) MAJOR SERVICES AND THEIR FUNCTIONS A. THE PHILIPPINE ARMY
Is responsible for the preparation of land forces necessary for the effective prosecution
of war except as otherwise assigned and in accordance with integrated mobilization
plans for expansion of the peace time components of the Army to meet the needs of
war.
Functions:
a. To organize, train and equip army forces for the conduct of prompt and sustained
combat operations on land – especially forces to defeat enemy land forces and to
seize, occupy and defend land areas.
b. To develop doctrine, procedures, tactics and techniques, organization and
equipment peculiar to the Army for un-service operations.
c. To develop in coordination with other major services, doctrines, procedures,
tactics, and techniques and equipment of interest to the Army for joint operations.
d. To provide and organization capable of furnishing adequate, timely and reliable
intelligence for the Army.
e. To organize, train, and equip all Army reserve units.
f. To perform such other task functions as the President may direct.

B. PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE

Is responsible for the preparation of air forces necessary for the effective prosecution of war
except as otherwise assigned in accordance with integrated mobilization plans, for the
expansion of the peacetime components of the Air Force to meet the needs of war.
Function:
a. To organize, train and equip air forces for prompt and sustained operations in the
air, especially forces to defend the Philippines against air attacks, to gain and
maintain air superiority and to control vital air areas.
b. To organize, train and equip Air Forces, forces for close support of surface
forces.
c. To develop doctrines, procedures, tactics and techniques, organization and
equipment peculiar to the Air Forces for un-service operation.
d. To develop in coordination with the other major services, doctrines, procedures,
tactics and techniques and equipment of interest to the Air Forces for joint
operation.
e. To provide an organization capable of furnishing adequate, timely and reliable
intelligence for the Air Forces

C. THE PHILIPPINE NAVY

The Philippine navy is responsible for the preparation of Navy Forces effective for
prosecution of war except as otherwise assigned, in accordance with integration
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 mobilization plans for the expansion for the peacetime components of the Navy to meet
the needs of war.
Function:
a. To organize, train, equip, maintain and operate naval air crafts, necessary to
provide water borne support to assistance required of the AFP in the
accomplishment of its mission.
b. To assist the proper government agencies in the enforcement of the Laws and
regulation pertaining to navigation, immigration, custom revenue, opium,
quarantine, fishing and neutrality in the territorial and contiguous waters of the
Philippines Archipelago.
c. To develop doctrine, procedure, tactics and techniques, organization and
equipment peculiar to the Navy for unit-service operations.
d. To develop, in coordination with the other major service, doctrines procedure,
tactics and techniques and equipment and interest to the reconnaissance,
antisubmarine welfare and protection of shipping.
e. To perform such as other function the President may direct

Operations:
The Philippine Fleet, the Philippine Coast guard and the Philippine Marines are the
operating forces of the Philippine Navy. These forces are the vital components of the
Navy to accomplished its function for naval defense, law enforcement and
maintenance of peace and order, national development and country insurgency
1. The Philippine Fleet.
The core of Philippine Navy is the Philippine Navy fleet, since the ships are
assembled into a completely prepared and integrated systems to composed the
fleet that is thoroughly and collective trained as the naval fighting force. Its
mission is to man, train and maintain operationally ready sub-surface, air and
amphibious forces in order that they can be deployed to conduct prompt
operations, support of the National Interest.
2. The Philippine Coast Guard
The mission of the Philippine Coast Guard is to enforce or assist in to the
enforcement of maritime laws, to promulgate and administered regulation for the
safety of life and property at sea, and to develop, establish, maintain and
operate, with due to requirements of National Defense, aids to maritime
navigation and sea rescue facilities.
3. The Philippine Maritime
Missions:
a. To provides force of combined arms and to serve with the naval forces
in the conduct of such amphibious or special operations as may be
essential to the prosecution of naval campaign.
b. To provides security abroad naval bases, vessels, stations and other
government installation.
c. To develop in coordination with other services of doctrine, tactics,
techniques and equipment by landing forces in amphibious operation.
d. To maintain a force in readiness for internal contingencies and
fulfillment commitments of the country.
e. To participate in socio –economic development and assist in time of
national calamities and disasters.

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 f. To perform such other duties as the Flag Officer in Command,
Philippine Navy may direct

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