Military ranks of the Philippines

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The Military ranks of Philippines are the military insignia used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

## Introduction

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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

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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

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The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

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Philippine Army[2]

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant
Philippine Air Force[3]

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant
Philippine Navy[4]

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant junior grade | Ensign
Philippine Marine Corps[4]

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant
Philippine Coast Guard[5]

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant (junior grade) | Ensign
Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

### Enlisted personnel ranks

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The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

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Philippine Army[2]

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Chief master sergeant | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Private first class | Private
Philippine Air Force[3]

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Chief master sergeant | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Airman first class | Airman second class | Airman
Philippine Navy[4]

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Master chief petty officer | Senior chief petty officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer, first class | Petty officer, second class | Petty officer, third class | Seaman first class | Seaman second class | Apprentice seaman
Philippine Marine Corps[4]

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Chief master sergeant | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Private first class | Private
Philippine Coast Guard[5]

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Master chief petty officer | Senior chief petty officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer, first class | Petty officer, second class | Petty officer, third class | Seaman first class | Seaman second class | Seaman apprentice
Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

#### Senior appointments

[edit]

Rank group | Senior appointment

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Philippine Army |  |
| First chief master sergeant
Philippine Air Force |  |
| First chief master sergeant
Philippine Navy[4] |  |
First command master chief petty officer  | Command master chief petty officer
Philippine Marine Corps[4] |  |
First command sergeant major  | Command sergeant major

## Historic ranks

[edit]

### Revolutionary Army ranks

[edit]

Main article: Philippine Revolutionary Army

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

[edit]

Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

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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

[edit]

Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

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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)

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#### Army and Air Force

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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

[edit]

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10th Grade  | 9th Grade  | 8th Grade  | 7th Grade  | 6th Grade  | 5th Grade  | 4th Grade  | 3rd Grade  | 2nd Grade  | 1st Grade

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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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

[edit]

[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

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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

[edit]

* Cadet rank in the Philippines
* Armed Forces of the Philippines

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 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.
2. ^ a b "Ranks and insignia". army.mil.ph. Philippine Army. Archived from the original on April 28, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
3. ^ a b "Ranks". paf.mil.ph. Philippine Air Force. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
4. ^ a b c d e f "Philippine Navy Ranks". Philippine Navy. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
5. ^ a b "Philippine Coast Guard Basic Training Manual". Annex D-E: Philippine Coast Guard Education Training and Doctrine Command. 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
6. ^ 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.
7. ^ "Infographic: Army of the First Philippine Republic". malacanang.gov.ph. Presidential Museum and Library. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
8. ^ 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.
9. ^ "Commonwealth Act No. 1 | GOVPH".
10. ^ "U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry-History of Enlisted Ranks". Archived from the original on June 29, 2010. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
11. ^ Broderick, Justin T. (2013). "Timeline of U.S. Army Enlisted Ranks, 1920 to Present". uniform-reference.net. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
12. ^ "History of U.S. Army Enlisted Grades". The Institute of Heraldry. Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Archived from the original on April 7, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.

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Armed Forces of the Philippines

Armed Forces
of the Philippines
(AFP)|

* General Headquarters and Headquarters Service Command (GHQ-HSC)
* Presidential Security Command (PSC)
* Philippine Military Academy (PMA)
* Armed Forces of the Philippines Command and General Staff College (AFP-CGSC)
* Armed Forces of the Philippines Reserve Command (AFPRESCOM)
* Northern Luzon Command (AFP-NOLCOM)
* Southern Luzon Command (AFP-SOLCOM)
* AFP Joint Task Force - National Capital Region (JTF-NCR)
* Visayas Command (AFP-VISCOM)
* Western Command (AFP-WESCOM)
* Eastern Mindanao Command (AFP-EASTMINCOM)
* Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WESTMINCOM)
* Special Operations Command (AFP-SOCOM)
* Peacekeeping Operations Center (AFP-PKOC)
* Counterintelligence Group
* AFP Intelligence Command

Leadership|

* President
* Secretary of National Defense
* Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
* Chief of the Army
* Chief of the Navy
* Chief of the Air Force
* Commandant of the Marine Corps

Army|

Reserve Command (RESCOM)

Air Force|

* Air Force Reserve Command
* Air Education and Training Command

Navy|

* Marine Corps
* Naval Reserve Command

Coast Guard|

Coast Guard Auxiliary

Wars and conflicts|

* Philippine Revolution
* Spanish–American War
* Philippine–American War
* Moro (1899−1913)
* World War II
* Hukbalahap
* Cold War
* Korean War
* Vietnam War
* New People's Army
* Moro (1969−2019)
* Operation Enduring Freedom

See also
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Military Ordinariate of the Philippines

* v
* t
* e

Military ranks and insignia by country

* List of comparative military ranks

Africa|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* DR Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

States with
limited recognition|

* Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
* Somaliland

Former|

* People's Republic of Angola
* Biafra
* Bophuthatswana
* Ciskei
* Kingdom of Egypt
* Ethiopian Empire
* Katanga
* People's Republic of Mozambique
* Rhodesia
* South West Africa
* Transkei
* Venda
* Zaire

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Apartheid States in Southern Africa

Americas|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Enlisted:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Other:
* Marine Corps
* Space Force
* Warrant officer
* Opposing forces
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Former|

* Canada (pre-Unification)
* Confederate States of America
* Union
* Army
* Navy
* Costa Rica
* Republic of Cuba
* Empire of Brazil
* Panama
* Republic of Texas
* Army
* Navy
* United States Army enlisted
* World War I
* World War II

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Asia|

* Afghanistan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* PR of China
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Rocket Force
* Armed Police
* India
* Army
* Air Force
* Navy
* Coast Guard
* Border Roads Organisation
* Paramilitary forces
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Korea
* North
* South
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Marines
* Civil Armed Forces
* Maritime Security Agency
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan (Republic of China)

Former|

* Artsakh
* China
* Empire
* Republic (1912–1949)
* Dutch East Indies
* East Turkestan (Second Republic)
* People's Republic of Kampuchea
* Imperial Iran
* Imperial Japan
* Army
* Navy
* Korea
* Empire
* Liberation Army
* Kingdom of Laos
* Manchukuo
* Mengjiang
* Mongolian People's Republic
* Vietnam
* State
* South
* South Yemen
* Tibet
* Tuva

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Europe|

* Albania
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Home Guard
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Army
* Navy
* Gendarmerie
* Air and Space Force
* Foresters
* Germany
* Georgia
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Land Forces
* Coast Guard
* Ireland
* Italy
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Carabinieri
* Finance Guard
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* North Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Cossacks
* Between 1994 and 2010
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Other:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Vatican

States with
limited recognition|

* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* Transnistria

Former|

* Albania
* Kingdom
* People's Socialist Republic
* Austria–Hungary
* Army
* Navy
* Bulgaria
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Independent State of Croatia
* Czechoslovakia
* German Empire
* Weimar Republic
* Nazi Germany
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* East Germany
* Kingdom of Greece
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* France
* Napoleonic Grand Army
* Hungary
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Italy
* Kingdom
* Social Republic
* Ottoman Empire
* Polish People's Republic
* Republika Srpska
* Romania
* Kingdom
* Socialist Republic
* Russian Empire
* White Movement
* Slovakia (First Republic)
* Soviet Union
* 1918–35
* 1935–40
* 1940–43
* 1943–55
* 1955–91
* Spain
* 2nd Republic
* State
* Yugoslavia
* Kingdom
* Socialist Federal Republic
* Federal Republic

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tonga
* Vanuatu

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Language|

| Anglophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

|

Arabophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Francophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Gendarmerie
* Officers
* Enlisted

Hispanophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Lusophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Military police
* Officers
* Enlisted

Post-Soviet states|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Commonwealth of Nations|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

European Union|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

NATO|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air Force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Comparative ranks of

* Star ranking
* WWI
* Officers
* WWII
* Officers
* Women's services
* Marine forces
* Space forces
* Gendarmeries
* UK and US

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