The Philippines' Armed Forces (AFP) bounded by international humanitarian law (IHL) and its

principles. Since 1949, the AFP has been a signatory to the Geneva Conventions, and in 1977, it
ratified Additional Protocols I and II. IHL is a set of rules that govern the protection of civilians
during wartime. The AFP's adherence to IHL is evident in several ways.

In all of its military operations, the Philippine Army strictly adhered to the principles of
International Humanitarian Law. The Philippine Army has consistently upheld the distinction
principle, which states that civilians and combatants must be treated differently. For example,
the Philippine Army has identified and marked civilian objects and has avoided attacking civilian
targets (except when unavoidable in self-defense).

Furthermore, the Philippine Army has taken security measures to safeguard civilians, such as
ceasing hostilities before dawn and allowing civilians to leave the battlefield unharmed if they
wish. When conducting operations in the country, the Philippine Army adheres to International
Humanitarian Law (IHL) principles. IHL is an international treaty establishing the norms and
regulations by which warring parties must conduct themselves to protect civilians. The treaty
was signed in 1949 and has been updated several times to reflect changes in humanitarian law.
The Philippine Army takes these principles seriously and has a well-developed IHL compliance
framework.

Depending on their location, size, and purpose, armies worldwide follow different humanitarian
laws. The Philippine Army is subject to the Geneva Conventions, the primary set of
humanitarian laws governing combatants' behavior during wartime. The Philippines ratified the
Geneva Conventions in 1987 and has made significant efforts to follow their provisions since
then. This essay will examine examples of how the Philippine Army follows the Geneva
Conventions.

The Philippines is a Southeast Asian country in the western Pacific Ocean. It comprises 7,107
islands, a total land area of approximately 245,000 square kilometers, and a population of more
than 100 million people. Over the centuries, the country has been subjected to numerous
invasions by neighboring countries. The Spanish colony of the Philippines gained independence
and became a republic in 1898.