History of the Philippine Army
This is an accepted version of this page Events/Artifacts (north to south) Events/Artifacts Artifacts The history of the Philippine Army began in during pre-colonial era as different tribes established their own citizen force to defend the Balangays from intruders.
Army was organized forces through the years who fought Spanish oppression and even other invaders such as Dutch and British who attempted to conquer the Philippines in early centuries.
The movement reached to 20,000 from Luzon and Visayas Islands, upon its discovery Bonifacio gathered all his members and organized an army armed with Bolo, Lancers, Archers, and amulets.
With the help of United States Navy under Commodore George Dewey, Spanish Fleet was defeated in the battle of Manila Bay.
Revolutionary Army surrounded Walled City of Manila in Intramuros but Americans had a secret arrangement of purchasing Philippines from Spain.
General Luna established Academia Militar in Malolos, Bulacan to train officers in Military Tactics and Strategies.
General Luna gave the Americans a hardtime in his delaying tactics, however his plan was not put into use after his death and all forces started to crumble until President Aguinaldo was captured in Palanan, Isabela.
[1] MacArthur had unusually-broad authority to deal with the Secretary of War and the Chief of Staff as military adviser to the commonwealth government to organize a Philippine national army.
[1] MacArthur had broad authority to deal with the United States Secretary of War, his successor as the Army Chief of Staff, and the United States Army Philippine Department and its commander Major General Lucius R. Holbrook (who had been told that his most important peacetime mission was to assist MacArthur in forming a Philippine force capable of defending the islands).
[1] MacArthur selected Majors Dwight D. Eisenhower and James B. Ord as his assistants; they and a committee at the Army War College prepared plans for the defense of the Philippine Commonwealth, with a target of independence in 1946.
The Act specified that presidential appointments to grades above third lieutenant should be made from former holders of reserve commissions in the United States Army and former Philippine Scouts and Constabulary officers.
After the establishment of the commonwealth, Manuel L. Quezon, its first president, sought the services of General Douglas MacArthur to evolve a national-defense plan.
In 1936 a general headquarters and camps were built, cadres were organized and instructors, drawn largely from the Philippine Constabulary, were trained.
Coast artillery instruction was carried out at Fort Stotsenburg and Grande Island, in Subic Bay, by personnel supplied largely by the American commander at Corregidor.
By the time of the Japanese invasion the 10 reserve divisions were about two-thirds mobilized, for a force of 100,000 "poorly equipped and trained" troops.
At that time there were two regular and ten reserve divisions in the Army of the Philippines, spread across officers in general headquarters, camps in Manila and across the country.
Also, the Battle of Hill Erie was known to the western due to the successful assault of the Filipino soldiers led by young then First Lieutenant Fidel V. Ramos who will be the future President of the Philippines.
Formed in the same time was the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment initiated by then Captain Rafael Ileto, who was ordered by Army Commanding General Alfonso Arellano, and in 1962 the PA raised its airborne and special forces formation, the Special Forces Regiment (Philippines) with its founder then Captain Fidel V. Ramos, PA following the traditions of the US Army Special Forces (the Green Berets) and the 11th Airborne Division that helped liberate Southern Luzon and Manila at the closing stages of the Japanese occupation of the country.
With Secretary of National Defense and later President Ramon Magsaysay program that helped the Army subdue the huks and its top leaders neutralized in Tarlac, Albay, and Panay.
The contingent initially consisted of 16 individuals who were doctors, nurses, technicians, and civic action officers (some are from the Philippine Army).
Aside from humanitarian aid, the contingent was also involved in psychological warfare according to the official records of the United States' Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.
[15][16] Under Marcos he did not allow the United States to fully fund the formation of the contingent since he believed the Filipinos would be treated as mercenaries by the Americans if they did so.
The South Vietnam government accepted the Philippines offer of a second contingent on August 15, 1966, while PHILCAG commander, General Gaudencio V. Tobias receiving order from Marcos to secretly establish contact with the Viet Cong so that the Philippines could act as an intermediary for a peace negotiation since there is a belief in the country that North Vietnam would not be hostile to idea due to PHILCAG's non-combat role in the war.
[14] The Philippines hosted the Manila Summit of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization in October 1966, where seven members promised aid to South Vietnam against the communist North.
There was some opposition regarding the deployment of the Philippine Civic Action Group to South Vietnam by academics, students, and laborers who held protests during the summit.
The gun battle has stopped and lessened but in 2012, a MNLF faction under Kumander Ustadz Habier Malik laid sieged in Zamboanga City to imposed their demands to the government.
The botched In 1990s Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf emerged under Abdurajak Janjalani an Afghanistan War veteran.
[17] An ISIS inspired group emerged in Butig, Lanao Del Sur in 1915 and started to fight the government to established Islamic State in the Philippines.
[19] President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the new military procurement 'wish list' of the Army[20] and now funds allocated for new weaponry, communications equipment, and new artillery.
